Advancing Polia Kingdom

By August 3, something meaningful finally happened: the landfill sites were completed. No fewer than ten locations across the mainland had been built, and they would become the places to discard the garbage that would otherwise become a chronic urban problem.

For reference, one prospective landfill site had yielded oil during groundwork, so a separate landfill was built elsewhere for that region. In any case, with the completion of the landfills, Ian felt satisfied that a persistent waste problem could be solved in many ways.

“Will rainwater drain well?”

“Yes, we constructed as many as thirty-three tunnels along the bottom walls, so even if rainwater accumulates here, it will all flow out.”

“You’ve solved the problem of tunnels getting clogged by trash, right?”

At Ian’s question, the construction supervisor spoke proudly, as if there were no cause for worry at all.

“We’ve blocked them with steel pipes developed by our company so that only water passes through while trash cannot. Of course, small trash will wash out along the tunnels, but as time passes and the landfill fills, the amount that escapes will decrease.”

“Steel pipes? Are they strong? If they’re heavy, they’ll gradually bend, won’t they?”

“They’re steel pipes with a diameter of a full two meters, strong enough to withstand the load. We’re even embedding the same steel pipes in the dams currently under construction.”

“Oh? Two meters—that’s thick. And if they’re used in dams too, we can be confident in their strength. Well done. Truly well done.”

Praised by King Ian, the supervisor looked overwhelmed, not knowing what to do. With that, Ian looked over the vast pit. In truth, being able to excavate such a wide and deep area in a short time was possible because the terrain here had already dipped to a degree.

Moreover, it had been possible thanks to the mobilization of countless workers and machines. As a king, this being his first major achievement filled him with a fresh sense of emotion. People might not understand why such a thing was being built now, but in the future they would deem it wise.

‘Air and soil pollution are already serious. If trash were dumped and burned anywhere, it would have become far worse.’

Of course, trash piled up like this could itself become a problem. But he felt that would be for a future generation to solve. Whether by covering and burying it or devising some other method, he drew comfort as he inspected the landfill completed under his order.

‘I’m glad the city is cleaner.’

Now the city was clean enough that you could hardly see trash in the alleys. The smell would almost be gone as well. And the diseases that rats spread—rats that had multiplied because of trash—would likely decrease. Of course, cats with dwindling food would also decrease.

‘I do feel a bit sorry.’

He had once saved his younger sister thanks to cats, so he felt a pang of regret that their numbers were falling. Still, he didn’t intend to feed them separately. Too many cats could themselves cause problems in urban areas.

‘Left alone, their numbers will naturally adjust to a proper level.’

Thinking so, he gave the completed landfill one more look and then moved on satisfied. Around the luxurious royal automobile carrying Ian, no fewer than twenty cars formed a convoy.

They headed to a road construction section connected to the capital, Pullea. There, countless workers were laying a new road. What stood out was that the road surface was black asphalt.

‘At last, we can lay asphalt roads too.’

Until now, roads had been made with concrete, but now that they had become an oil-producing nation, supplying asphalt from petroleum made it possible to pave roads like the empires did. This would make travel far more comfortable and greatly reduce noise.

‘I’m glad we can produce oil.’

With the help of the Noma Empire, oil extraction technology had arrived; building on that, they had constructed rigs. Now the kingdom was a bona fide oil producer able to secure petroleum regularly.

It wasn’t yet enough to export abroad. The oil facilities had been completed only to the level of meeting domestic demand, and they weren’t fully finished. Because long stretches of asphalt road still had to be laid using the byproduct asphalt, it would be used domestically for the time being.

As the convoy arrived and Ian alighted, the Royal Guards quickly took their positions to secure the area. The construction workers stepped back to one side. The section’s construction chief rushed over, bowing at more than ninety degrees as he greeted them.

“This lowly commoner, Lake, greets the Ruler of the Great Ocean.”

“Chairman Lake?”

“Y-yes, Your Majesty.”

“I hear you’re the chairman of Dwarf Construction Company. A pleasure to meet you.”

“Our firm is not worthy of Your Majesty’s memory.”

“Nonsense—Dwarf Construction is certainly worth remembering. Isn’t it among the top three construction firms in our kingdom?”

“Y-you honor us.”

Dwarf Construction Company was a large firm with high name recognition, having built much of the Polia Kingdom’s infrastructure. Not only roads; they had even been entrusted with several of the dams under construction, proof of their capability.

‘And he’s a commoner who amassed great wealth.’

Such a person was the genuine article. To gain and keep such wealth as a commoner meant shrewd statecraft and overcoming many trials. He was already in his mid-fifties.

“So—how is the road-paving section your company took on?”

“Very well. Of the three hundred kilometers assigned to us, about thirty percent is complete. Materials have been arriving on time, which has made laying the surface much easier.”

“Good. Asphalt roads must be laid nationwide; keep up the good work.”

“If Your Majesty commands it, I will do my utmost—no, stake everything I have to ensure success.”

Chairman Lake’s heart pounded. He had been in construction for forty years—from carrying bricks as a boy to building one of the kingdom’s top three firms. He couldn’t help but be excited by such a massive nationwide order.

‘If asphalt roads are to be laid across the whole country, the nation will be transformed.’

Of course, it wasn’t something his firm alone could handle. Many construction companies across the kingdom would take on sections. Still, it was certain that his company would hold the longest stretch and that the project would be unprecedented in scale.

‘They say huge sums are circulating in the kingdom from selling weapons to empires at war—that’s why he can do this.’

To Chairman Lake, King Ian seemed truly forward-thinking. Under the previous king, such moves would have been unthinkable. Moreover, decisions to build dams and paved roads would have taken years of deliberation.

Now, nationwide civil engineering proceeded at once under King Ian’s immediate orders. His boldness showed a brisk character.

“Oh, and there are new projects I wish to push forward.”

“What would they be?”

Seeing Chairman Lake’s eager face, Ian brought up construction of thermal power plants to solve the severe power shortage.

“I intend to build thermal power plants.”

“Oh? Is that so? We have a fair amount of experience with such plants.”

“I hear forty percent of those installed nationwide were built by your company. In any case, we’ll build many again; you will take on about half of them—”

“Thank you, if you would grant that. How many do you intend to build?”

“At least thirteen.”

“Gasp! Truly?”

He had thought at most three. Building as many as thirteen was a once-in-a-lifetime order. If they took on even close to half, the profits would be enormous.

“That is the long-term plan. The dams will be completed too, but power demand will outstrip supply over time.”

Others might say it was fine, but Ian foresaw many places that would need electricity. While the money was flowing in, he planned a large buildout of thermal plants. The world would need more and more electricity and would have to produce more.

‘Streetlights in the city and ordinary homes, and even the electric trains on the roads—all consume much power. Later, when electronic appliances like TV become widespread, demand will surge further.’

Ironically, while worrying about air pollution and building landfills, he was also planning many thermal plants that would pollute the air. But it couldn’t be helped.

To gain power, power plants were necessary, and dam output would be insufficient; thermal plants would have to fill the gap. He consoled himself that they would at least begin while minimizing pollution as much as possible.

‘National development inevitably produces pollution.’

On top of that, at this technological level, there were no truly “green” options; they had to compromise with reality to advance.

“I’ll be counting on you.”

When Ian even patted his shoulder, Chairman Lake bowed lower still. No matter how rich and powerful a chairman he was, he was small compared to Ian.

A king and a chairman—such positions differed by a vast gulf.

After confirming the asphalt paving, Ian next headed to the Zik Industrial Complex he had visited before. There, he inspected the second-generation fighter, “Dragan,” under heavy production. The first-generation fighter “Ed” was nowhere to be seen.

“We’re currently producing the second batch of one hundred units for the air force.”

“Will you finish them within the year?”

“Yes, we can certainly reach one hundred within the year.”

Ian nodded at the explanation. The first batch of fifty had already been deployed to the air force and was being heavily flown, with feedback coming in on shortcomings. Dragan, improved over the first batch, was being built. There were plans to produce more next year as well.

‘Then within this year we’ll reach one hundred fifty new fighters.’

They had not yet begun mass production. It wasn’t as if they were at war immediately; they had only expanded the existing aircraft plant to raise output somewhat. Since they only needed to equip their own air force, there was no need to produce vastly more.

‘They buy our guns and cannons but won’t buy our aircraft. Tsk… a matter of technological trust, I suppose.’

Guns and cannons aside, aircraft—highly technological products—were not trusted. For now they could afford to be picky. Time kept passing, and the great war showed no sign of ending—if anything, it was growing in scale.

‘I hear aerial dogfights are now frequent as well.’

Fights between aircraft had increased in the skies, too. Many planes were going down, and intelligence reported that the empires’ munitions factories were rapidly expanding production lines.

‘Frankly, each empire dwarfs even several of the great powers of old Europe combined, so the battlefield is becoming larger than I anticipated.’

It was already August, and the forces clashing in the Leman Federation exceeded five million. More power than before was engaged, and reserves kept pouring forward to replenish losses.

‘At this rate, they might reach ten million within the year…’

Naturally, the Leman Federation’s territory was being devastated. The material and human losses must be staggering. Even if anyone survived, it might take half a century just to rebuild.

‘The Doicheun Empire truly is formidable. We fought such an empire.’

On land, the Doicheun military pushed forward against the combined forces of the Leman Federation, the Moria Empire, and the Noma Empire. Losses were massive, yet they advanced steadily.

‘They’ll soon realize that further advances will only create crippling gaps in their lines.’

Once they recognized the severe human losses, the tactics of constant charges would likely end. Then Doicheun’s casualties would drop sharply—and the war would settle into stalemate.

‘After that, it’ll be blow for blow.’

A war of attrition would follow, devouring vast resources. Likely the reason no one targeted others’ territories yet was because the fight remained confined within the Leman Federation.

‘In time, a decision will be reached in the Leman Federation. Then the war will grow even larger.’

Thinking so, Ian inspected production of guns and field artillery. He then observed the processes for manufacturing bullets and shells; the sight of rows of coppery rounds left a strong impression.

Thus Ian conducted an inspection tour outside the royal palace for the first time in a while and completed it safely.