I had obtained quite useful information from Hugo Yates, but there was not much for me to do directly.
The Emperor’s order was simply to support the Yates Marquisate.
I’ll need to send supplies to the Eastern Defense Army as well.
Ultimately, the main battlefield would be the Yates Marquisate.
The Eastern Defense Army would be fighting there too, so they would be short on military supplies.
So what was the most important material in war?
Food.
You had to eat to fight.
Of course, abundant supplies did not suddenly boost combat power.
But they could effectively prevent problems like plummeting morale or frequent desertions.
“How much can we mobilize?”
“I will need to check the exact figures, but we should have around 800,000 tons of flour alone.”
That was only the amount tallied from the Dapan Group.
If I opened my personal warehouses too, it would easily exceed 3 million tons.
After all, the Carius Duchy had far more farmland.
“The key will be how we transport all this to the east.”
“Correct. If sent by land, roughly half will likely be lost en route.”
The capital region had excellently maintained roads, but the provinces were different.
Roads were deliberately kept narrow or bridges made easy to destroy.
It was intended to hinder enemy infiltration.
The problem was that these lords viewed neighboring territories as potential threats.
They prepared in advance because territorial wars could break out at any time.
As a result, it was not easy for the central government to get anything done.
Just delivering orders to the provinces took forever.
“What about the rivers?”
“That is difficult too. Many sections are too narrow.”
“Hmm.”
I swallowed a groan at Vice President Xavier’s negative opinion.
So land transport was the only option?
Actually, losing some military provisions was not a huge concern.
If only half arrived?
Then I just needed to send double or triple the amount from the start.
But my resources are not infinite either.
Sure, I had plenty of money.
But food did not appear just by tossing a few gold coins.
Weather, farming methods, labor—countless factors had to align perfectly for yields to increase.
Plus, even with a bountiful harvest, you could not stockpile indefinitely.
No matter how long-lasting the food, leaving it too long would cause spoilage.
“We cannot ignore efficiency……”
I muttered while looking at the map on the table when a certain point suddenly caught my eye.
A lake 50 kilometers east of the capital region, and a narrow river stretching all the way from the east.
The distance between them seemed closer than I thought.
“What about this spot?”
“That would be Marrow Lake in the Lelbrant Barony and the Kurin River. It is a floodplain that floods frequently and sometimes merges.”
“Oh? Really?”
A naturally occurring canal. If we utilized this, we could ship food by boat.
But Vice President Xavier shook his head.
“Marrow Lake floods mostly in summer. Plus, the Kurin River is too narrow for large boats to navigate.”
“That is fine. There is a way.”
I had quite the expertise in large-scale civil engineering, after all.
Why were Perias, Midias, and the Carius Duchy all connected as part of the capital region?
It was thanks to the aqueduct linked from Lake Einpol.
I had created that enormous structure in an instant.
Of course, I borrowed Adam and Shugl’s powers, but I handled the design through completion myself.
I would probably need those two again this time.
Build a dam and canal at Marrow Lake. Plus, install several weirs to manage the narrow sections of the Kurin River.
Staring at the map, I could already visualize exactly where and how to construct it.
But right at that moment.
[Civil engineering holographic function can be unlocked as an item summon ticket.]
[Design blueprints can be shared with technicians via the printing function.]
‘Huh?’
Honestly, my first reaction to the first line was a snort.
What good would it do me even if I got it?
The detailed work would be handled by Dapan Construction staff anyway.
But sharing blueprints for dams, canals, and weirs?
That was revolutionary.
It could display my virtual hologram almost exactly as is.
It is tempting, but using an item summon ticket for this seems a bit……
It was such a precious item.
I had only seen it twice since arriving here.
I needed to think it over more carefully and decide.
Then, as if waiting, the next line appeared.
[There is a high chance there will be no next opportunity.]
[Function selection time: 1 minute.]
59 seconds, 58 seconds, 57 seconds…….
What was this about?
Was the holographic function a limited edition?
Then I could not hold back!
I would buy it right—
Wait, the way it is rushing me feels suspicious?
The system had never been kind even once.
The first time I used the item summon ticket, I got the transcendent being viewing right.
Even that did not apply to people.
It was presented as if I could see the Emperor or Empress’s information.
There was no guarantee it would not be the same now.
I did not even glance at it as time ticked down.
No, I waved my hand and dismissed the hologram entirely.
Then it reacted immediately.
[Correcting function information.]
[Name changed to All-Purpose Holographic Function.]
[Applies not only to civil engineering but to all objects.]
[It can even create blueprints for extremely small objects.]
Just as I thought.
A little pushback and it delivered the real deal?
If I had negotiated like this when buying the transcendent being viewing right, how great would that have been?
Then I could have seen through the Emperor’s true intentions.
Can not change the past.
I took out the item summon ticket and tried to insert it into the hologram.
But then a thought occurred to me.
If I held back one more time, would it not give an even better function?
As if reading my mind, a new line appeared instantly.
[The All-Purpose Holographic Function is the final evolved form.]
[Will you use it?]
“Tch!”
It was a shame, but negotiations ended here.
I focused on the confirm button.
A card appeared in a flash of light.
The item summon ticket vanished into the hologram.
All-Purpose Holographic Function activating.
Designing Marrow Dam, canal, and weirs for the Kurin River.
Spiritual energy will be consumed.
‘Eh?’
The massive civil engineering project in the eastern Empire was something I had already envisioned in my head.
It was natural for it to organize immediately.
But what was this about consuming spiritual energy?
I looked on curiously, and the hologram text began to change.
Spiritual energy consumed for eastern civil engineering design: 1,000,000
It was absurd.
A single use consumed a full million spiritual energy.
At this rate, I would not be able to use the holographic function properly.
However, the next line made me burst into a hollow laugh.
Spiritual energy possessed: 1,486,231,555
“Haha!”
The achievements I had accomplished so far were enormous.
There were so many it was hard to list them all, and each one had been no small feat.
As a result, I received respect from countless people.
Excluding a few petty individuals, there were practically no people who disliked me.
That must be why so much spiritual energy had accumulated.
A million for a massive civil engineering project, but I have 1.4 billion? I can use it freely and still have plenty left.
I understood now why the system had been reluctant to give the proper function.
With this much spiritual energy, I could do anything.
It was truly an overpowered ability, so it had tried to block it somehow.
The Emperor suddenly gifting me the item summon ticket must have been an unexpected variable too.
I will think about how to use the holographic function and spiritual energy later. For now, focus on the civil engineering project.
I immediately gathered every sheet of paper in the office.
Then I began creating the blueprints at high speed.
Of course, I was not dipping a quill in ink and writing by hand.
The holographic content was printed out exactly as is.
Shushushushushushushush!
Documents flew through the air in perfect order.
“Whoa!”
Vice President Xavier let out an exclamation of amazement, as if it were truly wondrous.
This was a man who usually reacted with perfect composure no matter what.
“W-what is this, Your Grace the Duke?”
“Structures to be built at Marrow Lake and the Kurin River. Once complete, we will be able to ship military provisions by boat all the way to the Yates Marquisate.”
“If it is on this enormous scale, the construction period…… Ah, you are planning to create another miracle.”
“That is correct. Please deliver this to Dapan Construction. As before, I will handle only the major framework.”
The powers of a half-god and half-demon could cause massive terrain changes.
But fine adjustments were impossible.
That part had to be handled by human technicians.
This would probably create an effect similar to the previous small-scale New Deal policy.
It would generate many short-term jobs.
Why?
Because it was work done by the Dapan Group.
“I will carry out your command.”
Vice President Xavier carefully stored the blueprints and looked at me with eyes full of respect.
It seemed as if he thought I was devoting all my strength to bettering the world.
Otherwise, that expression would never appear.
[Vice President Xavier expresses respect.]
[100 spiritual energy acquired.]
[From now on, spiritual energy distribution to subordinate power fragments can be adjusted.]
‘Oh!’
The convenience functions had improved quite a bit, probably because I had complained so much.
This would let me manage the half-demons more comfortably.
I could distribute it little by little whenever I wanted.
Of course, I planned to cut it off completely for now.
Why would I hand it out when they had done nothing?
—Huh?
—Why is nothing coming in?
Shugl and Feltron tilted their heads.
Until now, they had always gotten a share whenever people reacted like this.
But I needed spiritual energy too.
“You will get some only if you listen properly from now on.”
—Ehh?
—W-where is that kind of rule!
As expected, the two half-demons protested fiercely.
But what could they do?
Where else would they get spiritual energy of this purity?
If you do not work, you do not eat. Shugl, get ready soon. You will need to do it like when we built the aqueduct.
—Will that give me spiritual energy?
“Of course.”
—Yes!
While Shugl started an impromptu dance party, Feltron’s ears drooped.
This one did not have the power to move terrain.
“Feltron, you bring me good information. I will allocate spiritual energy according to quantity and quality.”
—Eee! I will not lose! I am leaving right now!
Whoosh!
The moment Feltron heard me, he vanished somewhere.
He was probably off to gather his subordinates.
I smiled faintly and left the office.
The military supply transport issue was more or less settled.
Now it was time to create new weapons for the war.
A good idea had just occurred to me.
But the instant I tried to leave the courthouse, a sharp voice rang out.
“No, so you will not do it? Why not? Why!”