A Treacherous Courtier Manages the Empire Well

54 – Go on Strike

With a pleasant hum, a large train carrying spices and a huge amount of grain began to move, laden with numerous cargo cars. Watching this, Prince Rashid couldn’t contain his joy and let out a cheer.

“It’s finally a success!”

For five months, while Randor was diligently laying down the railway in Aylam, Karamba was not idle either. The long railway connecting Lord Elond’s territory and the trade route, passing through the Golden Plains to the trading city of Dagamba and the Crescent Moon Triangle, was indeed completed.

Overjoyed as he watched the train starting to run on it, Prince Rashid soon returned to the capital to inform the Sultan of this joyous news.

“Has the railroad been opened?”

“The length of the railroad connecting the trade route and the capital amounts to a total of 630km. Upon Lendor’s request, a railroad linking Malta and the trade route has also been laid. That length is about 330km.”

“Excellent. Now we can move troops and supplies through that railroad to Yusashi.”

War once again. Seeing his father, who thought only of war every single day, Rashd felt frustrated, but he wasn’t foolish enough to express it.

“What about product development? We need to develop products with high sales potential that can outperform Lendor’s goods.”

“Medicinal herbs, silk, and rare minerals. We plan to sell those. Also, Father, based on those products, I am considering sending students to Matop.”

The Sultan knew it. Rashd, the prince, knew it too. It was clear that the production capacity of factories and machines was something humans could never match. If Karamba couldn’t bring in the magic and technology of Matop, it was evident that they would eventually perish.

Karamba’s magic could endlessly elevate the chosen few, but Aylam’s magic, or more precisely, using it to enhance overall technological levels like magic engineering, posed some difficulties. If one wanted to nurture traditional grand magicians, then sorcery was the way. If one aimed to establish factories like Aylam and boost the economy, then magic was far more suitable.

“A wise decision, Rashd. I will select people to send. Choose individuals from the Crescent Triad who are suitable for espionage and send them to Aylam. Even if they don’t know much else, medicinal herbs will be an irresistibly attractive product. I permitted sending doctors, knowing this would happen.”

Rashd glimpsed the Sultan’s madness and clenched his fist slightly.

“Proceed, Rashd. Send the spies to acquire teleportation technology, fertilizer production techniques, and the method to raise dragons. After obtaining those, we will use trains to move supplies. With fertilizer production technology, the Golden Plains will transform into an excellent grain-producing area for us. We will be able to gather a much larger army to wage war. hahahahaha!”

War.

War.

Damn war and conquest.

Rashd had long witnessed the Sultan’s conquest wars by his side. Therefore, he, too, knew how to witness war. To him, the war with the Eastern Continent brought more losses than gains.

Sending spies? Wasn’t that an unpalatable trick they hadn’t used before?

“Sultan, wouldn’t sending spies again be somewhat risky? Lendor has already fallen victim to that method several times.”

“Nonsense. Do you have another way to extract the enemy’s technology? If they refuse, threaten to cut off spice trade. They can’t resist our spice trade. If needed, occupy Malta to prevent them from taking our oil.”

The Sultan was furious.

“It was a mistake to engage in various businesses in our country. If we put up his business as collateral and send students, they will have no choice but to accept.”

“Sultan, that might lead to economic losses…”

“Enough. Rashd. Extracting the enemy’s technology is far more critical. It’s much better to secure the ability to mimic the enemy, even if it entails some losses! So, stop blabbering and get it done.”

Though he wanted to retort to the Sultan’s words, Rashd managed to hold back, nodding slightly, and left the room.

He returned to Dagamba and immediately sent a message to the Western Continent. He wanted to meet Lendor.

The response to his request came back very quickly that evening.

“Dagamba is coming? What on earth is he thinking?”

With his sudden arrival, there must be some hidden agenda. What could it be this time?

An unpredictable figure. That was Lendor.

Karamba’s lavish banquet was skipped. Rashd and Nana were busy people. Pragmatists like them had no need for formalities when meeting. They sat with a simple tea set between them, an interpreter in the middle, conversing while sipping tea.

“Prince Rashd, you mentioned supplying Aylam with medicinal herbs, mithril, adamantium, and high-quality silk as a top priority in exchange for sending students to Matop. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Be honest. Is it Sultan’s order to send spies to you? To extract Matop’s technological prowess and possibly prepare for war again?”

“Not at all. It’s just a proposal for bilateral exchange.”

He said it like that, but it was obvious. This tiresome manipulation was no longer surprising. The Sultan I knew would probably never give up until the end.

Rashd, with a twisted expression peculiar to someone trying to persuade against their better judgment, continued speaking forcibly, even though he knew it was futile.

“Besides, medicinal herbs are essential for Aylam. Doctors there use those herbs for treatments. If we want to significantly elevate the empire’s medical standards, we have no choice but to import our herbs. Luckily, with the fertilizer you provided, growing a large quantity of herbs is now possible.”

“Understood. Medicinal herbs are indeed essential. To enhance public health services. From my perspective, it’s a very appealing bait. However, I’d prefer to avoid having many spies entering Aylam.”

“As I said, there are no spies. It’s purely for bilateral exchange…”

I stared at Rashd intently. It seemed he, too, realized that his words were not convincing.

In the original novel, Rashd was the only character who made realistic judgments when invading the Western Continent alongside the Sultan. I believed he would do the same this time.

“Prince Rashid. Let’s be honest. Do you want to go to war with our Aylam? Why do you keep playing these unpleasant games?”

“…….”

“You might have already heard from the traders of Dagamba, but we have recently built several new weapon factories. You may already be aware of machine guns. The new weapons have tremendous killing power. Do you want to fight us with such weapons?”

Unable to contain himself, Rashid finally responds to my words.

“The sorcerers of Karamba. Even if the execution units of the Grand Sorcerer or the Sultan are deployed, no matter how powerful the machine guns are, they can be defeated.”

“I agree. That’s true. What I’m trying to say is not about who will win. I just want to ask, can’t we avoid this war?”

Rashid’s eyes show some hesitation. Well, from a realist’s perspective, why would he want to destroy the profits he sees in trade by going to war? I feel the same way.

“Let’s not go to war. Prince Rashid. Isn’t that what you want too? It will only be a war full of losses for both sides.”

Rashid seems irritated by my words. It seems like the first time I’ve seen such strong emotions from him.

“I understand! But isn’t there no other way when the Sultan, who holds all the power, wants a war?”

“Well, isn’t there really no other way?”

Rashid looks at me as if questioning my statement. I leisurely take a sip of tea and then look at Rashid.

“Prince Rashid. Do you have any intention of raising a rebellion against the Sultan?”

This is a conversation among people who know everything anyway. I honestly stated the reason I came here today, which made Rashid suddenly stand up.

“Are you telling me to rebel now?”

“Well, the meaning of rebellion depends on the perspective, doesn’t it?”

“I will never betray Karamba. Don’t mock me, Randor.”

“Prince Rashid. I’m not suggesting you raise an army to attack the Sultan. Even if you wanted to, the military power is all controlled by the Sultan and his second, Prince Amir, isn’t it?”

“Then what does it mean to raise a rebellion?”

I chuckled. After sipping my tea and wiping my mouth, I started the real discussion.

“I cannot trust the Sultan. I cannot trust someone who only thinks of destroying Aylam. However, I trust you. In other words, I trust you as a fellow merchant, believing that you would choose gold over power.”

“Go on.”

“Your influence lies with the traders of Dagamba and Karamba, as well as the scholars. Isn’t that correct?”

Rashid felt like a mixture of Randor and Selene, with a touch of Adran, in Aylam’s terms. A man who received strong support from scholars and merchants, known for his administrative abilities.

Thanks to these abilities, he was favored by the Sultan.

“As I mentioned, I cannot trust the Sultan, but I can trust you. Please send students not from Crescent Triangle but from the merchant families of Dagamba. In other words, people chosen not for power and war, but for earning gold. Send your people.”

“My father will never overlook this.”

“That’s where the rebellion comes in. It’s a very merchant-like way of speaking.”

After leisurely sipping my tea, I looked at Rashid, who was still standing.

“Go on strike.”

“A strike?”

With your name and influence, you could mobilize all the traders and scholars within Karamba. Tell them that if they don’t listen to you, all of Dagamba will go on strike. It’s saying that this time, your opinion is right and they should listen.”

Rashid was silently listening to my words. I continued.

The Sultan was good at war.

Prince Amir was also good at war.

In other words, both of them couldn’t replace Rashid.

If the Sultan died, Prince Amir could take over his role, but if Rashid died or disappeared, there was no one within Karamba to replace his role.

So, although the Sultan would be very angry at Rashid’s rebellion, in the end, he would have no choice but to submit.

“Dagamba is a city that’s no different from Karamba’s heart. No foolish soul would dare to stop their own heart. You will break free. And Sultan will stop the strike and step back to let you do as you wish. That’s the meaning of lifting the banner, as I said.”

“You now…”

“Prince Rashid. You are not a slave. How much longer will you stand by knowing Sultan is wrong? That’s what slaves do.”

I rose from my seat as well. Rashid’s face showed great shock at my words. It was an expression of someone who had never thought in such a way. Well, that’s understandable.

Conqueror Sultan Saladin.

Until now, he had been suppressed within his father’s absolute influence. Rebellion must have been a word he could hardly imagine. He must be realizing now that the word “slave” surprisingly suits him.

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“I sincerely wish to invest in Karamba. Herb business. Rare mineral business. Silk business. The moment I heard, it sent shivers down my spine. They seemed like businesses of immense value. It seemed worth investing. Where does it end? The shamans of Karamba are also subjects of study. If only Karamba and Aylam get along. I have so many things I want to try, like a pile.”

I quietly pointed towards the Crescent Triangle direction.

“If only Sultan’s lust for conquest fades, that could be possible. Think about how wealthy Karamba could become. We learn magic, and you learn sorcery, envisioning a future where we both grow stronger. Your choice could make such a future possible. It can create an ending where both are happy, not a society where one must be unhappy for the other to be happy.”

I had said enough by now.

“I hope to hear good news soon. Prince Rashid. The decision is not something I can make for you. It’s all up to you, Your Highness. If you plan to strike, please inform me in advance. We need to prepare for the losses.”

I left without saying more.

Rashid watched my departing figure for a long time.

And a few days later.

“Randor, come here!”

“Where should I go, Kal Hansen. Did Dagamba really go on strike as I said?”

“Yes!”

“It won’t last long. Tell our merchants not to be surprised.”

Dagamba, the trading city of Karamba, embarked on a significant strike that would go down in Karamba’s history.