348. Chapter 346 – 345 Transylvanian Public Scholarship Program?

Chapter 346 345.Transylvanian Public Student Program?
Murphy leisurely all the way slowly flying, back to the Scarlet Castle when it is already in the afternoon, he was about to follow his daily habits in his own territory to turn around to make a “private visit”, but not yet finished changing clothes, his office door was knocked.

“Come in.”

The vampire lord took off his cloak and only wore his body armor and said, then the door of the room was pushed open, and a tired Miriam walked in holding a pile of documents.

She placed them on Murphy’s desk with a thud and addressed him in a very business-like manner:

“As of now, your warriors have searched and passed the registration of 5,784 stragglers for us.”

“How many? You said an extra five?”

Murphy was taken aback by the number and he exclaimed:

“It’s only been less than five days since this activity started, right? Almost a thousand people a day? Where did they find so many stragglers? I know that the years of war in Transylvania have caused a lot of people to be displaced, but this number is too much, isn’t it?”

“The actual situation may be a bit different from what you think, His Excellency the Governor.”

Miriam’s expression was very unpleasant.

She pulled out a chair and sat across from Murphy, opening the information she had collected on the stragglers and handing it to Murphy, who scanned it and immediately discovered the end.

Among the nearly 6000 people who had been searched and registered, only one third of them were Transylvanians, and the remaining two thirds were all “outsiders”.

This unusual statistic made Murphy frown and say:
“I know that the Pride of the Silver Moon is using the power of the Chamber of Commerce in Batasin City to recruit exiles to return home, and I must praise them for knowing how to use their advantageous resources wisely. But where did these exiles from the Cato region and East Prussia come from?
I don’t recall issuing orders for warriors to cross the border to capture them.”

“That’s the problem, neither you nor anyone else has issued similar orders, but it can’t stop your warriors from being flexible in that regard bottom line,”

Miriam said:

“As far as I know at the moment, a group of warriors who are taking the Phantom Intelligence entry exams have abducted hundreds of people from the Cato region to Transylvania by spreading the word about the Church of Avalon, and according to them this is just the beginning, and the number of stragglers collected through this channel could eventually break into the thousands.

This was already considered to be a rather mild tactic.

The reception point set up by the Administrative Office in the Andromeda Hills received 600 people at once early this morning, and according to our civil servants’ undercover inspections and inquiries, those can’t even be said to be stragglers!
They were vagabonds that our group of warriors disguised as bandits crossed the border of East Prussia and plundered all over the place.

Not only did they bring back those people but they also ransacked an enemy post on the border, kidnapped the Canary Flower soldiers there and sent them over with them, and even very sensibly surrendered a third of their haul to the Administration.

Similar situations have been occurring over the past five days, and as of today several small groups have sent people into Transylvania by looting them from the outside in this manner.

I’ve heard that even the Blood Rats are privately discussing whether or not to form a slave-trapping team to travel to the Kavhokar region to loot the population, and as you know, our city defense commander, Mr. Portman, has always had a penchant for this sort of thing.

He’s been very energetic lately, proposing ‘privateer’s licenses’ for warriors at the administrators’ meetings.

If I hadn’t blocked it, he’d probably have to step in and form an official slave-trapping force himself.”

The Scarlet Consul felt like her head was going to explode as she rubbed her brow vigorously and said to the odd-faced Murphy:
“I can understand the warriors’ zeal for Transylvania, and I can also understand that their behavior seems crazy but is actually very efficient, but the problem is that our current situation does not allow us to clash with our neighbors over such matters.

Murphy, you need to find a way to control your increasingly active warriors, it is not a request but a necessity!

According to Prof. Malcolm’s prediction, the number of stragglers hidden within the territory of the Count of Sicco alone has already reached tens of thousands, and those populations have been searched and registered enough to satisfy our population needs for some time to come.

There is absolutely no need to make a bigger mess now just because of a little bit of population.

The worst part is that your warriors seem to be enjoying themselves, and they are viewing this despicable behavior as an adventure and merit worth boasting about.

I fear that if they continue to be left alone, they will soon come into friction with the Pathfinder Legion stationed in East Prussia, or worse, start a war that no one wants.

As you know, that difficult Marshal Loren is not a man with sand in his eyes.”

Murphy nodded.

But then he looked at the tally sheet in his hand and couldn’t help but laugh dumbly, saying:
“But you have to admit, they did a really good job in this regard, and honestly, I thought it might take them ten days or so to bring back this much population for us. It’s true, there are always more ways than there are difficulties, as long as the morals are willing to slide.”

“And you laugh!”

Miriam was going crazy.

She thought that Murphy had completely failed to understand the seriousness of this matter, and just as she got up in a huff to explain, she saw Murphy waving his hand, and His Excellency, the Governor, placed the tally sheet in his hand on the table and said to Miriam:
“I will immediately introduce a ‘patch’ to bind my warriors and prohibit them from traveling to the regions of East Prussia and Kavkhoka to engage in this kind of human trafficking, you’re right, whether it’s on a moral or political level, this kind of behavior is an anachronism at the moment.

We are not yet strong enough to act recklessly in defiance of what our neighbors around us think.”

“But what about the Cato region?”

Miriam sighed in relief, but then frowned:
“You’re not going to care about what’s going on over there?”

“It’s not that I don’t care, it’s that I don’t have to.”

Murphy tapped the table and explained to Miriam:
“Although the Cato region also belongs to the Goldfinch Kingdom’s territory on the surface, you also know that King Louis gave it to the Wolfsbane Vampires as a fief after the Wolfsbane Clan pledged their loyalty, saying it’s a reward, but in fact it’s a bright way to send the unstable elements in the country to the frontline of facing the Black Plague directly.

Old Edward also had to be grateful for this, alas, the goodwill of the superior is so heavy and bloody.
Anyway, the gray areas of the Cato region are currently run by my compatriots, so my warriors recruiting stragglers over there can be seen as a confrontation and friction between the Blood Vulture and the Wolfsbane.

It won’t rise to the political level at all, you can rest assured of that.

Also, as you can see from the fact that my warriors have crookedly swindled a bunch of Avalonians into coming to Transylvania, the natural believers that exist in the Cato region are a very good source of population.

It used to be the location of the southern sanctuary of the Church of Avalon, and is just a mountain away from the Antani region where the Elven Kingdom’s borders are located, which is a traditional ‘natural faith power zone’, and now that the Church of Avalon has been rebuilt in Transylvania, it is only natural that those believers who have remained unconverted through the Ten Years’ War come here to make a pilgrimage.

Miriam, you have to understand that this natural flow of people doesn’t even need us to push in it, all we need to do is to have President Natalie send out missionaries to go around that side, and there will be a steady stream of believers migrating to our side.

In summary, I am going to reserve the right for my warriors to move toward the Cato region, and you are to understand that my warriors are eager to serve the cause of building Transylvania, which is a virtue of worship in itself!

We can do without the rewards.

But they must never be suppressed, and this passion they possess can explode into quite positive results through proper guidance.”

“Alas.”

When the Scarlet Consul saw that Murphy was so insistent, she had nothing to say.

In fact, before coming here, Professor Malcolm had told her that the actions of the Cato region were acceptable, and now it turned out that her own History tutor was indeed powerful in this regard.

He could even guess Murphy’s attitude in this matter, and that he was still a bit too juvenile himself.

After a few seconds of thought, Miriam rubbed the corner of her forehead and said:
“If you insist on letting your warriors operate in the Cato region, then I have a suggestion, perhaps we can take this opportunity to send some talented children to the Genoa Peninsula, with which the Cato region borders.

Just a few dozen kilometers south from Lake Thulpus you can board the steam train station that the halflings have set up on the border between the two regions.

Then, all the way south you can reach the port of Chardo, which was also the route I took when I was in school before.”

The Consul said seriously:

“Professor Malcolm and I have actually been preparing for this, sending these children to the University of Craftsmen in Chardo to get them involved in a short-term crash course in administration, which would only take the better part of a year’s worth of study to equip them with the ability to get involved in basic official business, and by the way, to get them out of the way of the impending catastrophe, and to invite the merchants from the Batasin Chamber of Commerce on the trip to join us to embark on the journey.

If we can complete our contact with the Halfling Chamber of Commerce and factories before the outbreak of the Black Calamity and invite them to send back the equipment we need, our preparations for war will definitely go much smoother.” “Good idea!”

Murphy’s eyes lit up.

It was true that he hadn’t considered the unique geographical location of the Cato region, and if he hooked up with the halflings at this point in time now, at least there would be a channel to obtain many of the mechanical products that were needed in the territory.

The Governor pondered for a moment and said:
“But whether it is to send the children over to receive training or to do business exchanges, we need someone heavyweight enough to take the lead, I can’t let you go, Miriam, you are too important to the whole of Transylvania right now.

So how about letting Professor Malcolm lead the way?
Hasn’t his wife been talking about wanting to return his two children to the Halfling side? This is just the chance.”

“That’s what I was thinking.”

Miriam ruffled her hair and said:

“If we want the administrative college of the Chardonnay Artisan University to open a separate crash course for our children, it would be possible only if someone with connections like the professor stepped in, but the cost of their living and living in Chardonnay Harbor would presumably have to come out of our own pockets, and that’s honestly a bit of a stretch for the current finances.”

“The Blood Vulture Clan can pay for that.”

Murphy hammered out the decision:
“You immediately arrange this matter, you don’t have to worry about the money, the focus is to choose the right person, currently our grain trade with the Yankees has stabilized, Ms. Parian can accompany Professor Malcolm as a representative of the merchants, I believe in her vision and determination in business.

We need to make a list of the various machine tools and items necessary for industrial production, and if possible I would like her to sign a long term supply contract with the halfling’s factory.”

“But what about transportation?”

Miriam said worriedly:
“There are steam trains running through the entire territory on the Genoa Peninsula, but that place doesn’t border Transylvania, so if you want to transit from the Cato region you’ll have to do a negotiation and discussion with the Kingdom of Canary Flower in advance. Even if that place is now dominated by the Wolfsbane Clan, but with the form of confrontation between the Blood Vulture and Wolfsbane, I don’t think Old Edward will let go so easily.”

“Heh, what does it matter to us if he loosens his lips? The Blood Vulture still needs Wolfsbane’s consent to do things?”

Murphy sneered:
“If my warriors can crush the Gray Claw faction, they are just as capable of fucking up the vampires he has placed in the Cato region, you don’t need to worry about that, just make arrangements and plans.

I’ll find a way to solve the problems in the Cato region.

If you can’t, you can take Lake Shoalpearls, and follow the Cadman River upstream just enough to reach the industrial area of the Andromeda Hills.

If I remember correctly, a third of that lake was owned by Transylvania in the previous demarcation of the borders between the Confederacy of Portia and the Kingdom of Goldfinch, right?”

“That was ten years before the war.”

Miriam shook her head:

“That’s not what the borders look like now, but I know you won’t budge on something like that, so I’ll make plans as soon as I can. But don’t take any chances with the current Murphy’s Black Plague!”

“No, Miriam, your understanding of the Black Plague is still a bit of a problem, and it’s because the Black Plague is current that we need to get this done as soon as possible.”

Murphy narrowed his eyes and said:
“Once we delay until the Black Calamity is over, once Transylvania loses its ‘unity value’ in the eyes of the kings, it won’t be so easy for us to take care of these border issues.

This is the best window.

You go ahead and get busy.

I need to think about it some more, and you don’t have to worry about the movements of the warriors, I’ll restrain them as soon as I can.”

“Uh-huh.”

Miriam nodded and left the office with exhaustion, while a few minutes later, at Murphy’s psychic call, Archduke Tris pushed open the door to his room.

At a glance, she saw that Murphy had hung a map of the Cato region on the wall, and the intelligent Tris immediately realized what Murphy was thinking.

She said:

“You want to snatch a piece of meat from old Edward’s mouth? That’s too hard.”

Murphy didn’t answer right away, he picked up a charcoal pencil and drew a big circle in the area where the Cato region, Transylvania and the Genoa Peninsula meet, he turned back to Tris and said:
“I just need this bordering area, I have little interest in the rest of the Cato region, at least not at the moment. Tris, I need your wisdom, can there be a reasonable way to help us accomplish this?”

“I’m not a god, how can I give you a way right away?”

Tris rolled her eyes adorably as she stepped forward and looked at the map, after a few seconds of silence she shook her head and said:

“You can see the value of this place, there’s no way that old Edward can’t, in fact I think it’s likely that he traded his loyalty as a price for the underground management of the Cato region from King Louis just because he wanted to get his hands on the Genoa Peninsula and grab enough profit from it.

From that point of view, you’d be declaring war on the old bastard if you tried to get him to give up the place.
But we might be able to think differently.”

Trixie clasped her arms and took a step back as she said:

“If this area becomes part of the Black Plague defense, I mean, if it can be held by another power that has goodwill towards us and is strong enough to fight against the Wolfsbane Clan, then we can gain part of the initiative.

Do you understand who I am referring to?”

“Uh-huh.”

Murphy said with a nod as he reached out his hand and drew a line on the map as Tris watched:
“The Capes. Major Fraser, to be exact, who is the commander of the military observer mission that the Kingdom of the Canary Flower has sent to Transylvania.

He should have a command post that can guarantee security and at the same time create a strong grip on the Black Plague war situation.

The direct connection from the Crimson Fortress through the Filthy Swamp to the line of Lake Thulperus would be just enough to form a strong line of defense to keep the Jackals out of Transylvania and the middle of the continent.

Tris!

You’re simply a genius.”

“Gee whiz, I would have been.”

Tris grunted and allowed Murphy to hold her slender waist, then she whispered to Murphy:

“Your warriors are discussing the establishment of a large slave catching team on the forums, I don’t think you’ll let them accomplish this, right?

Their moral ground shouldn’t slip so quickly, and it’s really not that bad right now.”

“I’ll stop them, but I can’t forcefully restrain and dictate what they have to do, that would take the fun and anticipation out of the game.”

Murphy pulled his gaze back from the map in front of him as he leaned over and kissed Tris on the forehead and whispered:

“I’ll have to think of a way to pull their attention back from this slave hunting thing, a good-natured lead-in or an event that’s big enough to get most people’s attention. It has to be interesting enough and rewarding enough to satisfy, or at least no more uninteresting than this whole looting of slaves thing.

I think it’s time for our two-man development team to give our hard-working warriors a perk, and the best part is that we have just the thing on hand to fulfill all of those requirements.

Hmm!
It’s time to start the first ‘Transylvanian Fighter’s Big Mixed-Up’.”

(End of chapter)