Chương 835: Chapter 834: Academy Inauguration

The carriage moved through the city, which had changed so much in the past few months since the battle. Changes are still ongoing. In a few weeks, buildings here will be demolished to make way for the extensive legacy park. The materials had started arriving, and the pace would only pick up. Once the construction begins, it will continue at full speed. We are already delayed significantly, but we cannot afford to wait any longer.

Despite the housing woes, the population is growing rapidly, having already surpassed six hundred and fifty thousand, which exacerbates the housing crisis. Although relief is coming soon, the houses will start being finished soon. It is nothing compared to the space we need, but it will happen every week, and the speed will continue to increase. If one looked at the outer city right now, on the far side of the river, they would see construction everywhere.

We are now releasing the plots every week, and they are selling quickly. The sale of plots and taxes on construction are fueling the city's growth and its coffers. It is the reason why I am not in a full panic mode right now, despite suddenly gaining an army of a hundred thousand overnight and a larger territory with it. A few minutes later, the carriage entered the large compound. In front of me is a large garden surrounded by buildings on all sides.

There are many buildings; some were completed months ago, while others are newer. A few are even still being built right now. If I looked a little further, I would see a tower rising from the ground. I looked for a moment before turning to the main attraction. People, or rather the children. Three thousand, two hundred and seventy-two of them. All of them are between thirteen and fifteen. The carriage stopped, and the door was opened by none other than Mage Aldridge.

"Welcome to Silver Academy, my lord," he greeted with a smile on his face. The old man rarely smiles. If he is smiling, it means it is a big deal.

"Thank you, Headmaster Aldridge," I replied as I stepped out. Feeling the thousands of eyes upon me.

"Lord Silver, Lord of Velvet Garden and Greltheaven Dominion," the herald declared as I walked toward the stage, where there were a lot of people gathered. The Academy staff and important city figures, such as Valentina. Soon, I climbed up the stairs and looked at the people—children filled with hope and potential. I want to foster them and make them the pillars of Greltheaven. There are humans, orcs, and a few even elves and half-elves. Everybody is welcome in the city as long as they abide by its rules.

"Today, the new chapter is being written for the city," I said, my voice carrying across thousands of people in front of me.

"We have waited for it for a long time. It was not easy to build it; we faced numerous obstacles along the way. Despite these challenges, we persevered and overcame each one through determination and unity." I reflected on the difficulties for a moment—everything from funding cuts to war. Yet, despite the adversity, we succeeded.

"The academy that stands before you isn't just a building of bricks and stones, but the spirit that resides in each of your hearts. It represents the boundless potential that you all possess." My voice filled with conviction.

"I hope, during your years here, you will nurture and harness that potential growing into the pillars upon which our dominion will rely." I finished. A moment later, loud applause rang out from the students and faculty in front of me.

"Your words couldn't be any truer, my lord," said Mage Aldridge. The programme lasted for a while before it was completed, and the student started going to their first classes in the academy. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"I had waited for this moment for so long, and it had finally happened," I said as I toured the academy with Valentina and Mage Aldridge.

"It is going to usher in a new change in the city and the whole dominion," replied Valentina, looking at classrooms filled with students. I would have opened it a month and a half ago; recruitment was completed by then, but I needed to implement a few changes regarding the course and style. The same ones I enacted in the college. Train the professors in them before we let them teach. Those little changes had worked spectacularly in the college, and they will work just as great.

They are fundamental principles that every school and college on Earth follows. So, there is no doubt about their effectiveness.

"There has been growing interest from other academies in the empire and the merchant state. If we did very well, they would open their academies here," informed Mage Aldridge. He isn't just a headmaster of the academy, but also responsible for the education department. From barely any to growing interest. Things are changing in education. If the academy performs well, it will attract other academies. We need more academies and not just in Greltheaven.

The dominion now has a population of over a million, and one academy is far from enough. We need more of them. We are also expanding this one. By next year, our focus is to triple the capacity. It's a challenge, but we will have to do it to manage the domain.

"Good, keep in contact with them," I replied. The academy will teach everything: arts, music, combat, magic, and other things. In the first year, they could try all things and choose their stream in the second year. One of the advantages of an academy is that it gives one time to get a class that remains with you forever. In academies, the Student Class is the most common one; this class is later morphed into any other class. It is just like the Peasant Class or Citizen Class, but more powerful and flexible.

We stopped in front of the tower, the mage tower. It is far from finished, but it is starting to take shape.

"I can't wait for it," said Valentina, looking at it with shining eyes.

"It will really help us a lot," affirmed Mage Aldridge. The mages in the dominion are waiting in anticipation for it to finish. I want it, too, for the help it will provide —but a magic tower is not some ordinary building. A few minutes later, I am in a carriage with Valentina.

"The response, I have to say, is incredible since we conquered the baronies," she said, and I smiled. I had seen the numbers, and they are truly incredible. We are talking about the plot sale. It gave people more confidence in the dominion. A large number of people want to own the land, with prices skyrocketing at a rapid rate, within the city. I am not just talking about the inner city, but also the outer city.

"How are the new soldiers doing?" I asked. It had been eleven days since we conquered the baronies and fortress and brought some of their armies here. Currently, there are thirty thousand men in the city—ten from mine, ten from the fortress, and ten from the baronies.

"Good, the twenty thousand is doing better than ours," she replied.

"There is real enthusiasm in them for it," she added with a smile a moment later. I am not surprised to hear that; we may have recently started the military labour — but they started from the beginning. Most of the state construction in baronies and fortresses was done by the soldiers. The soldiers had built the fortress at Bram Valley in the north of the baronies. I was hesitant to put them to work immediately as they came, but we have become very dependent on that labour. It is saving us a lot of money.

It is also very necessary; we are selling plots every week now, and that needs public infrastructure. They are helping with that, working day and night through shifts. There is even enthusiasm among them since we are paying them extra, which neither the baronies nor the fortress did on top of the salary, which is now greater than what they got paid there.

"If we want to continue with the rate of plot release we are doing now. We will need more military labour or use the common labour," she said. Military labour is cheaper, general labour is expensive, but I can't pull my forces back. I need to keep enough of them in the baronies so that they will be able to thwart any attempt that Grimvale might make. Still, I can't afford to slow down the plot release. The selling and construction happening there are fuelling the city's growth and funding its expenses.

I can't afford to slow down, at least for a few more months. I do not have much time. In a few months, the legacy will close, and things will slow down in the city. So, before it happens, I need to sell as many plots as possible and initiate construction to fuel the growth we are experiencing.

"I will see if I can pull some more forces," I replied finally. I am feeling a little stressed because I soon have to start working on a large project in the Baronies—a road through the northern side. Grimvale controls the main road. I only control the side and some central areas around Lauryl, while he controls the rest. I have to create a new one from the north. Merchants and civilians are allowed through the current road, but the military is not.

I need the road; I cannot depend on the one controlled by Grimvale. I don't want to be a sitting duck when Grimvale decides to cut off access to the road. I need to have an option. The northern road won't be cheap, but I will have to do it as much as possible. It isn't just the only expense. There are many other expenses, mainly to make the trade route safer. So, that more trade would flow from and through the Baronies, Merchant States, Mirador Hold, and Navr, providing us with more taxes.

Soon, the carriage stopped at the city hall, and we stepped out before walking into the city hall toward our respective offices.

"Lord Silver," greeted Argis. I nodded and sat down.

"Anything new?" I asked, and he shook his head. Seeing that, I focused on the work, and twenty minutes later, I had a meeting in my office. After that, I went to the conference room to meet the official from Meldhorn. Then I practiced aura before reading through the files and signed. Hours passed, and before I knew it, it was evening, and there was still a lot of work.

"The cargo had arrived," informed Zela, and I froze before I resumed what I was doing. I want to leave immediately, but there is work. Now that it has arrived in the city, I do not have to worry about it. I will see him tonight, and if everything works as we expect, then I will have one of the biggest problems I am facing solved by tomorrow.