Chapter 86.2

“You’ll need a lot more money.”

“Exactly. The merchant groups and guilds that despise Bishop Company will undoubtedly side with the Imperial Family.”

“Almost all the guilds in the Empire will likely align themselves with the status quo. Which means Bishop Company will have to provide a substantial amount of money for the alliance.”

“Yes… It’s the only way I can maintain my standing within the Church and the House of Nobles. I’ve practically alienated every guild in the Empire because of this.”

Entir spoke in a despondent tone.

“But our company’s funds are woefully insufficient for this. If I make the wrong move, both sides might abandon me.”

“That cannot happen. Bishop Company’s growth is essential for our revenge. Now, look over there again.”

I redirected his gaze to the center of the research lab.

“Allow me to introduce you to the sewing machine, the mechanical loom, and the mechanical spinning machine.”

At my signal, the staff, who had finished preparations, began operating the spinning and weaving machines, as well as the sewing machine.

Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud.

We hadn’t yet discovered rubber, so a magic-powered engine was out of reach.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

But steam engines were possible.

Hissssss.

Steam hissed loudly from the steam engines attached to the looms and spinning machines.

Compared to magical engines, steam engines were inefficient in terms of fuel, output, and maintenance costs.

Chug-chug-chug.

Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud.

Even so, the machines spun threads and wove fabric at an efficiency and speed never seen before. Clothing was being made right before our eyes.

“Ahhhhh…!”

Entir, witnessing this, finally understood.

How we could provide high-quality uniforms made of Lian fabric to all our employees so quickly and at such a low cost.

“Lian fabric… Are you proposing an exclusive deal to sell Lian fabric to Bishop Company? Is that it?”

“No.”

“Pardon?”

“I plan to sell these sewing machines, spinning machines, looms, and even the steam engines.”

“??”

“With these, you can dominate the Empire’s economy and industry. Even the Emperor will have to tread carefully around you.”

“!!”

Entir’s eyes widened in shock.

“R-Really?! You’re saying you’ll sell everything here?!”

His astonishment and elation were vividly reflected in his eyes, which seemed on the verge of tearing apart with excitement.

He’s probably already envisioning mass production of Imperial steel and weapons.

At the same time, I noticed another scheme brewing in his mind.

Fine, go ahead and use it to your heart’s content. I won’t interfere.

“May I ask why? It’s hard to believe…” Entir asked in a trembling voice for confirmation.

Understandable. I hadn’t shared the recipe for making porcelain yet, and now I was suddenly offering to sell machines that seemed leagues ahead in significance.

“If we monopolize this technology, the Empire will unite rather than fragment. Just as the Imperial Family and the Church joined forces during the plague, this time, the Nobles, the Church, and the Imperial Family would all band together.”

“Ah…!”

“Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Then let me guide you to the factories where these machines are installed.”

The mechanical spinning machines, looms, sewing machines, and primitive steam engines were not without risks.

By introducing them to the Empire, we ran the very real risk of triggering an industrial revolution.

However, there was one reason I hadn’t disclosed to Entir:

I’m introducing steampunk elements to this world that weren’t part of the original timeline. This way, investments and interest in magical engineering will decrease, slowing its development.

Right now, we are in a critical period for the advancement of magical engineering.

Every investment made during this time had a massive impact on technological progress.

While they’re running in circles, we’ll advance magical engineering!

It was essentially about sowing the seeds of steampunk in an arcane-punk world.

Let them spin their wheels for a while.

Of course, people weren’t fools. Eventually, they’d realize that magical engineering was far superior to steam engines.

But by then, its progress would be significantly delayed compared to the original timeline.

After leaving the research lab, we proceeded to Factory 20.

Inside, machines reminiscent of the spinning mules from Earth were tirelessly producing thread.

The steam engines powering them hissed and puffed nearby.

Coal was the primary energy source.

To boost efficiency, we mixed the coal with low-grade Magic Stones of fire, wood, wind, and light attributes.

Chug-chug-chug.

On another side, mechanical looms competed to churn out fabric.

They were pure feats of mechanical engineering, untouched by magic.

These inventions were the product of memories from Earth combined with MAX-level mechanical engineering skills.

“Not just fabric—clothes are being mass-produced here too.”

After the spinning and weaving factories, I led Entir to Factory 25, filled with sewing machines.

“The era of making clothes at home is coming to an end. Only a small, wealthy minority will tailor their clothes, while the vast majority of commoners will purchase inexpensive ready-made garments and have them altered slightly if needed.”

Unlike the earlier factories, the sewing machines here were manually operated with hands and feet.

Inside, around a hundred women of varying ages sat sewing diligently.

“Fewer women will resort to prostitution now.”

Entir murmured softly as he observed the sewing factory.

Having already experienced running a division of labor-driven factories, Entir would undoubtedly operate these machines efficiently once provided.

“May I share a personal tip about garment production?”

“I’d be honored to learn. I should be the one asking you for guidance.”

So, I decided to introduce another concept: standardization and regulation.

“These are uniforms ordered by the High Tower the other day. Over there, we’re producing priestly robes for the Renslet Church, and in the adjacent factory, we’re making military uniforms for Northern soldiers.”

I continued explaining.

“After implementing mass production and division of labor, we’ve also adopted standardization and regulation. To this end, we’ve classified Northern physiques into five sizes.”

“Standardization…!”

“For adult males, we use sizes S, M, X, XL, and XXL, and the same applies to women’s clothing.”

“If the sizes differ, wouldn’t it make sense to sell smaller sizes cheaply and larger ones at a premium?”

“Unless the size difference is extreme, it’s more effective to price them equally.”

“Hmm…”

“For shoes, we’ve established 13 sizes, and for gloves, we’ve set 3 sizes. Naturally, these are categorized separately for men and women.”

The executives from Bishop Company, who were touring the factory alongside Entir, listened to my words as if they were divine revelations.

Once again, they would selectively adopt these practices to enhance their operations.

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