The deal with the Asan City promotional officer was successfully concluded.
So, as soon as Neighborhood Bakery is established, it’ll be promoted on YouTube?
“Not just that. It’ll also be featured in the promotional pamphlets made by Asan City.”
It’s not just in Asan City, though. Is that okay?
Why is she saying the same thing as the promotional officer?
“We have our strengths. I sold those strengths, and it worked.”
Wow, boss, you’d probably sell sand in a desert someday.
“Would that even sell?”
Well, thinking about it, maybe it could.
If it were me, that is.
I mean it as a compliment. But are you doing the same thing in Daegu?
“Daegu’s already settled. They were pretty cooperative since they’re already working on related promotional materials.”
So the basic promotion is covered?
“I’ve done everything we can for now. We just need to prepare the promotions for after the opening.”
I’ve got most of that handled. The contracts with the owners are almost all signed too.
“Good job.”
Yuha had taken care of nearly everything internally.
That means I don’t have much to do for a while.
“You worked hard, so take three days off. I’ll handle the wheat deliveries in the meantime.”
Is it unpaid leave?
“Paid. I’ll count it as workdays, so rest easy.”
Don’t go back on that. I’m leaving right now.
The call ended abruptly.
Was she that desperate for a break? Thinking about it, it makes sense.
‘She hasn’t been home for a week preparing the Neighborhood Bakery branding.’
She deserves this much rest.
Of course, just because the staff gets a break doesn’t mean the boss does.
“System, dimensional observation.”
[Initiating dimensional observation.]
The map that unfolded before my eyes had changed significantly.
“When was the last time I checked?”
[Approximately 50 years ago in dimensional time.]
“That’s a long time.”
Five years per day.
It adds up steadily, and now it’s been 50 years.
[Would you like to review the changes over the past 50 years?]
“Summarize and brief me. Focus on the important stuff.”
[Understood.]
[The current population of the dimension is 6,901. The Tinyfolk make up 72%, and the Bloodkin make up 28%.]
Population growth is good news.
[The Tinyfolk have developed up to three cities, and pioneers are gathering to establish a fourth. The number of small villages has increased to 10.]
[A temple is under construction in the second city. Its scale is similar to the one in the first city, with a current completion rate of 27%.]
…How many temples are they building?
[29 years ago, the profession of scholar, specializing in academics, was established.]
[Scholars from both the Tinyfolk and Bloodkin are collaborating to explore new knowledge. Once a certain threshold is reached, related technologies will be imparted for free.]
[The Bloodkin population resides in a satellite city branching off from the first city.]
[87% of the Bloodkin are engaged in animal husbandry, 8% in academics, 3% in agriculture, and the remaining 2% in various other occupations.]
[The current happiness level of the Bloodkin is 75%.]
The Bloodkin’s happiness is at 75%.
It hasn’t reached 100% yet.
Is it lingering resentment from the war 50 years ago?
Or is there another reason?
[There are no conflicts between the Tinyfolk and Bloodkin.]
“That’s expected. I said I’d crush any racial conflicts. So what’s affecting the Bloodkin’s happiness?”
[Multiple factors have been identified, but the primary one appears to be the absence of an Apostle.]
“An Apostle?”
[Yes. The Bloodkin have begun to believe in and follow the Dimension’s Master, but unlike the Tinyfolk, they lack an Apostle. This leads them to feel inferior to the Tinyfolk.]
“I see.”
To them, I’m practically everything.
A being who can determine the fate of their entire race, beyond individual lives.
Being abandoned by such a being would feel like walking a path with no visibility.
“This isn’t something that can be solved just by appointing an Apostle.”
What they need is the belief and certainty that I value them.
An Apostle is just one means to that end.
‘Then this should do it.’
I found a solution.
“System, appoint the most devout Bloodkin as an Apostle.”
[Appointing a new Apostle will cost 1 million won.]
[Would you like to proceed?]
“Yes.”
[A new Apostle for the Bloodkin is being appointed.]
In the Bloodkin city, a bit away from the Tinyfolk’s first city, a white pillar of light descended.
The light enveloped one Bloodkin, granting them the title of Apostle.
Oh, ohhh! O Dimension’s Master!
“Nice to meet you, new Apostle.”
It is an honor to meet you! Thank you for bestowing such light upon me.
“I heard you’ve had a tough time. Thank you for believing in and following me.”
No, believing and following you is only natural.
They’ll follow me no matter what?
‘…Feels a bit like fanaticism.’
Still, to fully control the Bloodkin, I need to make good use of this devotion.
“From now on, you’ll have the same authority as the First Apostle.”
The… the First Apostle?
“Of course. I don’t discriminate between the Tinyfolk and you.”
If I placed all Bloodkin Apostles under the First Apostle, the Bloodkin would always be subordinate to the Tinyfolk.
So the first Bloodkin Apostle should hold a position equal to the First Apostle.
“Work together and keep developing.”
We will keep that in mind.
“Now that you’re an Apostle, tell me about the Bloodkin’s recent lives.”
Understood.
The Bloodkin are currently adapting to their new lives.
The Bloodkin couldn’t live properly in their previous dimension.
Without blood, their bodies faced severe limitations, and they lacked the means for transfusions.
Here, we raise livestock to secure the necessary blood.
“Is animal husbandry suiting you?”
Yes. Except when drawing blood, we provide everything the livestock need, so they’re quite attached to us.
As they said, vast pastures spread around the Bloodkin city, filled with large herds of sheep and cattle.
Since the Bloodkin consume little food, such extreme operations were feasible.
This convinced me it was time to properly utilize the Bloodkin.
“Bloodkin Apostle, I have a task for you.”
Speak, and we will follow with our lives.
“No need to risk your lives. Focus heavily on training scholars.”
Until now, I had to invest money to impart knowledge.
But if the Bloodkin train scholars to continuously explore knowledge, we could save on technology transfer costs without relying on ‘Eureka!’.
“Establish an academy for this purpose.”
Yes! We will stake our survival on building an academy where all the world’s scholars can gather.
“Do it in collaboration with the Tinyfolk. The location… between the first city and the Bloodkin city would be ideal.”
It’s time to develop a mid-sized city to bridge the major cities.
‘A city centered around an academy would be great for trade.’
It could naturally expand the concept of roads.
We will discuss and proceed with the First Apostle.
“Good. And share the livestock you raise with the Tinyfolk while securing their technology and food.”
This is a form of division of labor.
If those skilled at raising livestock focus on it to secure meat, we can redirect Tinyfolk manpower elsewhere.
“Do well going forward.”
Yes, it was an honor to meet the Dimension’s Master.
The conversation with the Bloodkin Apostle concluded.
The Apostle immediately gathered all Bloodkin and shared our discussion.
Those who heard it wept with emotion.
[The Bloodkin’s happiness has reached 100%.]
[A golden age for the Bloodkin has begun.]
“A golden age means another technology transfer opportunity.”
With the academy being established, I should shower them with technologies to encourage more study.
[Classical currency technology and classical equestrian skills have been imparted.]
[Total cost: 2 million won.]
Exclamation marks appeared above the Bloodkin’s heads.
These technologies will spread quickly as they’re shared with the Tinyfolk.
“This should roughly double the civilization’s development speed.”
The Bloodkin on their own.
The Tinyfolk on their own.
If both civilizations develop in a complementary way, the pace of progress could triple or quadruple, not just double.
So my job is to ensure harmony between the two.
“System, summon the First Apostle.”
O Dimension’s Master, you called?
“Yes, it’s been a while.”
It’s been since the third-generation First Apostle met you, so it’s been long.
The Tinyfolk have gone through three generations already.
Time is so relative.
I immediately informed the First Apostle about the new Bloodkin Apostle and how to treat them moving forward.
“Ensure there’s no rift between you.”
We will act as the Dimension’s Master desires.
“Good. You mentioned gathering pioneers to build a new village?”
I’d already roughly planned where to establish the new village.
Yes. We’re currently recruiting volunteers from the second and third cities.
“Include Bloodkin in those pioneers and tell them they’ll be building a city in another dimension.”
Another dimension… you mean the one recently subordinated to you?
“Yes.”
The dimension with no greenery, only rocks.
The dimension where the previous First Apostle kept the dimensional portal open.
That’s where the Tinyfolk’s fourth city will be built.
What purpose will the pioneers have there?
“Securing stone and iron.”
The One Direction dimension is rich in natural elements like grasslands, seas, and forests.
In contrast, the other dimension is filled with strategic resources like stone and ore.
This means it’s the perfect place to select and train Tinyfolk blacksmiths.
“They’ll supply the stone and iron from that dimension, and you’ll send food in return.”
Filling what we lack.
“Exactly.”
Though we conquered the Bloodkin’s dimension, the Tinyfolk haven’t stopped training warriors.
This is to prepare for potential invasions from other dimensions, but the problem is their armament level is still abysmal.
[Only 10% of current forces are equipped with iron.]
To address this, we need steel from the other dimension.
“Iron tools will bring greater progress to your lives. And they’ll become new offerings for me.”
Most importantly, when I complete the franchise business, these metals will be the foundation for entering a new industry.
“When you research, analyze, and fully master the conquered dimension, you’ll truly have conquered it.”
We will keep that in mind.
“Do well.”
Yes!
The conversation with the Apostle ended.
I observed the dimension a bit more before switching to the other one.
“System.”
[Is there something you’d like to check?]
“Pull up the environmental data for that dimension.”
[Displaying environmental data for the dimension.]
[Dimension environment: Rock (58%), Mines (42%)]
Seeing that data, the next business came to mind.
“I should consider entering the stone and iron ore business.”
Once the franchise is successful and stabilized, the next step is heavy industry.