That is to say, a laborer who works tirelessly in a magic workshop earns only enough to afford a few bags of white bread per month, unable to even sustain himself.
anwhile, inside the fortress of the capital, Marquis Mortan raised his wine glass and looked towards the nobles who had co to attend the secret eting, speaking spiritedly.
"Gentlen, we have now achieved a comprehensive victory, and I presu the Wizard Council is already at their wits' end, right?"
Earl Heerde hastily agreed, "The wisdom of Lord Mortan cannot be compared with those wizards who study evil magic, this lot of bumpkins probably can't even understand what economics is..."
The rest of the nobles also praised Marquis Mortan's cunning plan, and so even regretted their own excessive caution, thinking that if they had converted all their assets into food earlier, their wealth would have multiplied many tis over by now!
Amidst the flattering and agreeing voices, a proud smile blood on Mortan's face as he lightly sipped the red wine in his glass and then started to inquire about the current wheat purchasing situation.
An attendant, slightly excited, replied, "Reporting to Lord Mortan, we have spent seventy thousand Imperial Gold Coins to purchase an amount equivalent to the kingdom's two months' ration. Besides, other rchants, either following the trend or wanting to make a quick profit, are also buying up grains aggressively, even at the most conservative estimate, enough for three million people to eat for half a year has been bought out!"
"Very good, excellent!" Mortan nodded in satisfaction.
"But, Lord Mortan, contrary to our expectations, it seems that the peasants in the capital haven't started rioting," said Viscount Ske hesitantly.
According to their previous predictions, the poor who could not afford wheat should have already beco restless by now.
"Even if they starve to death, those wretches probably don't have the guts to stand against wizards who wield evil magic. Even if they can't buy white bread, they can still buy so black bread mixed with chaff or, in the worst case, gnaw on grass bark to survive," said Earl Bell, shaking his head.
He thought Mortan and others underestimated the endurance and adaptability of the poor. When there had been famines in his own lands before, he hadn't given a single grain, and yet so people still managed to survive, didn't they?
"It seems the price of wheat is still far from high enough!" Mortan swirled the wine in his glass, declaring in an amused tone.
How could it be possible that those poor could still afford black bread?
Heerde and others were clamoring to raise the price of black bread to more than a silver coin, making it impossible for those wretches to afford even a few pieces.
In fact, they had long disdained the current state of the capital – previously, white bread was exclusively for the nobility, but after the wizards ca, even the capital's dogs could have so, and now, they rely wanted to return those peasants back to their old lives.
Amidst the excited shouts of the crowd, the hesitant attendant spoke up. "Lord Mortan, while I made arrangents for the caravans to buy up grain, I ca across so information."
"I heard that so laborers said the wizards' workshops are willing to provide three als a day for free," the attendant said cautiously.
Mortan's smile faltered for a mont, his eyebrows slightly raised, but soon relaxed, his mockery more evident. "It seems the council has thought of a useful way to stabilize the kingdom's situation, but I wonder how long they can sustain millions of mouths!"
The nobles present were not frightened by the council's generous nationwide feeding strategy, for the frequent low-price sales of large quantities of wheat showed that the council still intended to depress grain prices!
At that mont, Viscount Ske reported so good news. "You may not yet be aware, but my spies discovered that the wizards, after releasing one hundred tonnes of wheat in cities across the kingdom in the morning, started secretly buying up grains again in the evening..."
"Look, this shows our guess was right, the council no longer has enough food," laughed Mortan heartily.
With the council not having enough wheat and still trying to balance the price of food, the only way was to clandestinely buy up grains, pretending to have ample reserves.
"How much are they prepared to pay to repurchase it?" Heerde asked with a sneer.
The wizards had slaughtered so many nobles in the eastern part of the kingdom and plundered their wealth, it was ti to get it back!
"It's twenty-five copper coins per kilogram!" Viscount Ske said with a peculiar expression.
Earl Heerde almost thought he had misheard.
The rest of the nobles also wore expressions of astonishnt.
"What joke is this? Have the Wizards gone mad?" Earl Heerde said in disbelief.
The price of a kilogram of wheat had already surpassed fifty silver coins, and even the Council's release price exceeded forty-five copper coins. Now the other party wanted to buy it back at half the price...
Which fool would agree?
The person who thought of this idea must have issues with their brain!
"These Wizards are truly foolish, ignorant, and greedy by nature..." Mortan remarked sarcastically. But on second thought, it seed reasonable—a bunch of low-borns who suddenly took control of the entire kingdom couldn't possibly handle everything.
That's why they could only co up with illogical ideas one after another.
Realizing this, Mortan completely let go of his concerns, cheerfully drained his glass of red wine, and loudly discussed the future of a kingdom governed by nobles.
A few nobles faintly felt that the Wizard Council's low-price grain procurent might not be so straightforward. But in this intoxicating atmosphere of victory, they soon forgot these minor worries.
After all, they had achieved an unprecedented great victory and were not worried about being held accountable.
It was not just these nobles buying wheat now. The first batch who secretly drove up the prices had already been dealt with thoroughly. It would be a while before the Wizards could trace it back to themselves.
Even in the worst-case scenario, if the Wizard Council did find out, would they dare take actions against so many nobles when the kingdom was on the brink of chaos?
They might even have to rely on them to provide grain to save the country...
"To the glory of the nobility!" a tipsy Mortan shouted, raising his arm spiritedly.
Earl Heerde, too, excitedly raised his glass and drained it in one gulp, shouting loudly.
"To the glory of the nobility!"
...
While the capital's nobles were holding a celebration, in Fire Oil City, Laud who had just gathered intelligence, strided into a grand manor.
This had been the residence of a local prominent Earl, built quite magnificently, but its previous owner had long been hanged in the city tower, and now it was a temporary residence of a certain star of magic.
Different from his last visit, there was now a sign at the entrance that read "Beware of the Evil Hound, No Trespassing."
"When did Lord Lynn start keeping a dog," Laud muttered to himself. With a thoughtful mind, he pondered whether to bring one the next ti he visited.
He had heard that so grand nobles of the empire fancied keeping fierce dogs, not just ordinary breeds, but ones with partial magical beast lineage, which looked quite majestic.
However, this thought was extinguished the mont he officially entered the manor, for Laud discovered the so-called 'evil hound' on the sign was in fact a two-ter-tall, over five ters long, azure giant beast.
What was most peculiar was its translucent body, with fur-like flas constantly flowing on the surface, and the bricks and stones touched by its paws were scorched by the high temperature into lava, emitting a terrifying aura at which Laud inadvertently swallowed his saliva.
Luckily, Mutuo, having no interest in a bipedal creature devoid of any magic power within, and seeing no threat, lazily closed its eyes.
Laud wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, carefully bypassed the beast, and after entering the inner room, he quickly heard the noisy discussion inside, one of which was unmistakably Lynn's voice.
"What do you think food is, how it can sustain the daily needs of a living organism, and how does it grow?"
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