Chapter 48 – Variable (3)

The Nameless Ember, struggling solely for survival.

The grand assembly hall of the Ember, where the leadership led by Yann Casselos and the magic engineering department led by Demian Vail divided the power.

While the hunting party went out into the snowy fields, three groups faced each other in the circular, tiered assembly hall.

“Yann Casselos, representative of the leadership, enters.”

“Demian Vail, representative of the magic engineering department, enters.”

“Hummelbee Richardson, representative of the Ember Surveillance Department, enters.”

Those groups were the leadership, the magic engineering department, and the Ember Surveillance Department.

Unlike the leadership and the magic engineering department, which performed practical functions, the Ember Surveillance Department, a civic group, was an organization created to balance power and ensure fairness under a separation of powers system.

Thus, it was merely for show, and there was no one who did not know that they, while outwardly claiming neutrality, were actually on the side of the leadership.

Starting with the representative, Hummelbee Richardson, the vast majority of its members below him were those who had settled in this Ember following Yann Casselos.

“Since all the representatives have entered, I will call the 246th Grand Assembly to order.”

Soon, the assembly began under the guidance of a leadership official.

The topic of this Grand Assembly was preparing for the snowstorm that would last for at least a month, which concerned the operation of the Ember and was practically equivalent to a hearing for the leadership.

It was a matter where the magic engineering department and the Ember Surveillance Department should have worked as one to thoroughly verify the leadership’s countermeasures.

However, as everyone expected, the meeting flowed in a way where Demian Vail alone was firing questions at the leadership.

“A long-term snowstorm lasting at least one month and up to two months is scheduled. What is the leadership’s plan to secure magic stones?”

“We have secured enough magic stones to run the Eternal Embers for three months, and food and other essential resources have likewise been sufficiently stockpiled.”

“The Grand Assembly is not a place that can be passed over with words alone. Leader, I hope you will transparently disclose the current possession status of magic stones and other resources.”

“The head of the magic engineering department surely knows how precious paper and ink are in our Ember’s circumstances……. You can receive the requested document of resource possession status at any time if you make a request for information disclosure to the leadership office. Instead of useless waste, come find us if you need it. Or, since you don’t trust us in the first place, should I say… if you suspect us?”

As Yann Casselos slickly deflected Demian’s attack like a snake, snickers of ridicule broke out from the leadership’s side.

Since ordinary citizens attended the Grand Assembly alongside the civic group, it was natural for a battle of nerves to unfold.

“Indeed. Paper is so precious, how can we distribute it to everyone in this room? I understand your intentions, Lord Demian, but please calm your emotions and exercise restraint.”

Given the relationship between the two rival groups, it was impossible to say there were no personal feelings, but Demian also had the duty as a citizen and a person of power in the Ember to thoroughly verify the leadership’s future plans.

However, Hummelbee, who was supposedly the representative of the Ember Surveillance Department, turned the magic engineering department’s reasonable question toward the leadership into a matter of personal grudge and went so far as to mock him.

This was clearly not the behavior expected of a neutral group that was supposed to keep both the leadership and the magic engineering department in check, and fabricating the lie that the materials would be distributed ‘to everyone’ to corner him also seemed to be of malicious intent.

“Those bastards……!”

The magic engineers, including Caleb, clenched their fists in anger.

In this Ember operating under a democratic system, how much damage had they suffered from the bond of those two damn groups that exceeded a majority?

To them, the leadership and the Ember Surveillance Department were the same trash with different names.

However, the department head, Demian Vail, had an expressionless face as if it was not even worth noting.

“Suspicion, you said it well.”

“What?”

“In a small sense, it is verification of the leadership’s administrative power, and in a larger sense, it is verification of the plan on which the fate of everyone living in our Ember depends. Such a crucial matter cannot be checked too many times.”

“…….”

“And since the matter is what it is, you should have prepared the documents. At least three copies, so that the representative of each group could verify them. If you aren’t going to prepare even that, what is the meaning of a Grand Assembly that only ends in useless debate?”

A cold silence hung over the assembly hall.

Just as Demian said, this was a place to tear apart and verify the opponent’s plans to prepare countermeasures and brace for future threats.

The more perfect the countermeasures, the better, and since that perfection was ultimately completed through endless suspicion, Demian’s remarks were a sound argument with nothing to criticize.

Even if he was played by the leadership due to a lack of political skill to incite or manipulate the citizens, Demian Vail was a person who possessed the foresight to pierce through the essence of the matter.

“Bring three copies of the resource possession status, one for each.”

“Yes, Leader.”

Yann Casselos, who was glaring at Demian, immediately ordered the documents to be brought.

The source of his confidence was not because he had finished forging the documents, but because the resources in possession truly exceeded three months’ worth.

However, the abundance of resources in possession was not because his administrative skills were great, but thanks to the aid received from the Immortal Ember.

To put it simply, he was acting as if Demian’s achievement were the leadership’s own.

At that, the members of the magic engineering department snorted in disbelief, but the leadership cleanly ignored them.

Since the Ember Surveillance Department was on their side anyway, they acted thick-skinned.

“Head of the Magic Engineering Department, please verify it.”

When Demian received the document, Yann Casselos spoke with a smirk.

“It truly seems that the resources in possession exceed three months’ worth.”

Having checked the document, Demian nodded as if it were indeed the case.

From his attitude, one might feel a sense of incongruity, wondering if they should be disappointed that there was nothing to criticize. However, at the moment Yann, who grew triumphant with nothing holding him back, was about to bring the golem development to the surface for a counterattack—

“But is this a countermeasure? To say that securing resources in advance is the plan…… is a very disappointing countermeasure from the leadership.”

“Demian Vail, watch your mouth! The leadership has perfectly completed its job, so what on earth is that nonsense?”

On the contrary, Demian Vail fluttered the documents and spoke coldly, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“Since the data from the leadership cannot be false, I understand that three months’ worth of resources have been secured. However, is our Ember’s ultimate goal merely to endure the snowstorm? Leader, please answer.”

“The ultimate…… goal?”

“Our Ember’s ultimate goal lies in being promoted to a city and creating a permanent home. It is a long-term goal that must be accompanied by steady development and tight planning.”

Erecting a city and constructing a utopia of this ice age was a goal that any Ember would naturally dream of.

Just as a magic engineer dreamed of reaching the highest rank, and a leader dreamed of having the fame that their Ember was the first.

“What does that have to do with this all of a sudden?”

At such an obvious statement, a commotion arose between the leadership and the Ember Surveillance Department.

Even the immediate subordinates of the magic engineering department stared at him with bewildered expressions, unable to grasp Demian’s intentions.

Cutting through the commotion, Demian’s voice sank heavily.

“Securing resources in preparation for a disaster is merely a natural and basic task. You, the leadership, should have drawn up a city development plan utilizing surplus labor during the snowstorm period, which will last at least one month and up to two months, a period of restricted external activity. That is the real plan that the leadership, who holds the practical rudder of the Ember, should have prepared.”

“……!”

“……!”

Not only the leadership and the surveillance department but also the magic engineering department stared at Demian with startled eyes.

If their emotions were displayed above their heads, everyone in this room would have exclamation marks floating.

“That’s…….”

Since he was the person in charge, he had to answer, but Yann only let his words trail off.

He had only planned to plunge the prestige and reputation of the magic engineering department over the golem development, neglecting the role of the leader who was supposed to govern the Ember.

This was the same for any official of the leadership, so only silence hung over the assembly hall.

Hummelbee, who had been endlessly defending the leadership like a chatterbox, was also checking the atmosphere with an embarrassed expression.

This was something that even the leadership, which controlled the propaganda department, had to find terrifying.

Because it was clearly the fault or incompetence of the leadership.

Thus, the only person who could break the silence in this room was Demian Vail, who had hit the core.

“I know that utilizing a thousand surplus workers is a very difficult task. It would be even more so in our Ember, which lacks a proper industrial base and supplies. However, the reason I brought this up was not to criticize the leadership, but to join forces and establish a proper plan.”

“……!”

The eyes of Yann and the leadership officials widened in question.

The content of the Grand Assembly was recorded by the archivist in a dialogue format and disclosed to the citizens of the Ember, and they had thought that Demian would blame the leadership’s incompetence using this as an excuse.

For the magic engineering department, it meant a golden opportunity to lower the prestige of the leadership, who were like enemies.

Yet, Demian took the lead to represent the leadership’s practical difficulties.

“……We are only grateful that you understand the difficulties of the leadership.”

The vice leader, Victor, who was impressed by that magnanimous appearance, even spoke like that.

Perhaps this side of Demian Vail, transcending relations of resentment, was the reason the reputation of the magic engineering department remained high, even if his son Eilen Vail acted like a scoundrel and the leadership persecuted the magic engineering department so much.

“Even so, the plan to utilize surplus labor during the snowstorm period is clearly the job of the leadership. The magic engineering department is short-handed and has no leeway due to the golem development, and the Ember Surveillance Department, being a civic group, lacks the capacity to spare as they are busy making a living. I understand, but the same mistake must not be repeated.”

However, even if there was an excuse for everything, Demian made sure to clarify where the responsibility lay.

They were the ones chosen to do that difficult and hard work, and they were promised a comfortable and abundant life to do just that.

If they could not perform their work properly, they had no reason to exist, nor any reason to receive such treatment.

“I will keep the words of the head of the magic engineering department in mind.”

At this point, even Yann Casselos had no choice but to bow his head.

It would only be ugly to lay out excuses in front of a clear mistake that required no debate over right and wrong.

However, admitting the mistake cleanly and seeking countermeasures was a highly calculated thought as the best way to at least protect his approval rating.

Nonetheless, the transfer of the initiative of the Grand Assembly to the head of the magic engineering department, Demian Vail, was not something that could be stopped.

“Then let the three groups put their heads together and discuss. It is a pity the hunting captain is absent, but since the people here can all be called experts in their respective fields, it will be a sufficient discussion.”

“Let’s do that. It would be good to narrow down the areas that are short-handed due to recent heavy workloads or fundamentally need staff recruitment, and then redeploy personnel. Using the snowstorm period as a training period will also shorten the time to actual deployment.”

“Yes, then the magic engineering department will only add supplementary advice to your opinions. As you know, we are not a place where recruiting personnel is free.”

“Haha! What is there to worry about? The Wayne brothers will return soon as magic engineers.”

As if they had never glared at each other as if to kill, the discussion proceeded harmoniously.

Since Demian, who also possessed an outstanding character, took the lead, the atmosphere changed like this.

Thus, the statements of the leadership, the magic engineering department, and the Ember Surveillance Department continued, and finally, countermeasures were established. At the moment the end of the meeting drew near—

“We also have something to ask the magic engineering department.”

Nikolai, the strategist and Yann Casselos’s closest confidant, spoke with a sly smile.

“It is not reasonable to only check our plans. Our leadership also requests the disclosure of the progress status of the golem development to the magic engineering department.”

“……!”

At that moment, the peaceful atmosphere shattered like cracked glass, as if it were a lie.

“I ask the magic engineer, Robert. Is the golem a success or a failure?”

Once again, it was war.