BXBX NOVEL Vol. 8 - Chapter 397 - Tribute (3)
"Stop all the alarms! And tell the sanity supervisors that it's just a malfunction in the devices!!"
"""Yessir!"""
As the immigration bureau director, Tynome quickly gave orders to the other mermen in the port.
"..."
(Hmhm, so there's a sanity institute that watches over the Water Quality Control Devices.)
Allen inspected Tynome's reaction to the situation, without feeling a single emotion. It was almost like he had no involvement whatsoever.
Once Tynome was done giving most of his orders, he turned to look at Allen again, who had remained motionless until now.
"You were right Alec, this device is incredibly efficient."
(I guess he's finally calmed down.)
Tynome finally sounded convinced, looking at the magic device that was operating with bright lights.
"At least I'm glad you can see this device's properties."
"You've got nerves of steel, you know that? I'm sure the palace must be in chaos too, and it'll be my duty to solve this…"
The alarms had probably gone off in the palace as well by now. Tynome had to start thinking of a way to explain everything to the palace.
"This is nothing compared to our debt to Patlanta."
"You have a point. I guess this is why you were called here."
Tynome was starting to understand how Allen obtained his title at his age. While relationships had soured between Prostia and Clebeur, he had brought an invaluable magic device. He was the only one who knew how to properly showcase such an item.
This was all Allen's claims, but he said Baukis' emperor gave it to Allen directly. Only someone with the ability to negotiate for something like that could bring it to Prostia too.
"Well, I hope I can present this magic device to our emperor then."
"Oh, that's…"
It came down to that in the end, realized Tynome. Allen wanted to bring the magic device to the palace himself. Tynome thought of stopping him at first, but then he stopped.
That magic device, brought by Allen, had the power to essentially change life in Prostia.
With that magic device, the imperial capital and nearby cities would not need their own magic devices. The Water Quality Control Devices would also have outlived their purpose. Any waterborne illnesses would also disappear, and the sanitary supervisors would have an easier job.
Maintenance costs would be lowered for years to come. That gift, worth many tens of millions of gold coins, would decrease the need for many subdivisions created specifically to monitor water quality.
Such an important item had to be shown by those who brought it there. The other provinces and vassal countries had to know what Clebeur had done for Prostia now, and what Prostia would do in return.
Tynome finally understood one part of Allen's plan. This was exactly why he had insisted on running the magic device in the port. All of Patlanta had already been exposed to its effects. Now that even the palace was in chaos, there would be no way to hide or silence Clebeur's participation. Allen had essentially made a public announcement all on his own.
Would Tynome really be able to insist on sending them back to Clebeur while the magic device remained in his hands? If the emperor heard about that, it could cause all sorts of problems for him in the future. Tynome wanted to avoid doing anything that would place his own livelihood in peril.
(Hm? I guess that wasn't enough to break through him? Though having a lenient person overseeing immigrations wouldn't make sense I guess.)
Allen could guess what Tynome was thinking, just by looking at his face. Allen decided it was time to play his most suitable card for this situation.
"Princess Carmin is here as well. I'd appreciate it if you could arrange a meeting."
"So the princess is here too."
Princess Carmin was watching from afar, Shea standing next to her as a bodyguard. She was there trying to represent Clebeur's royal family, and trying to continue the family line.
"Please, allow us to present this gift, and show Clebeur's determination to…what?! Wh-what does this mean!!"
Voommm…
(Oh? It's finally time. I should've requested a shorter timer.)
The magic device's lights faded away, and it ceased to function entirely.
It was taking a bit too long, so Allen had to find ways to keep it going without appearing unnatural, but the time had finally come.
Allen acted desperate, running to the magic device.
"Hm? What happened? Why did the magic device stop working?"
"I'm looking into it right now!"
Allen touched the magic device all over, but it would not start up again.
"Alec, do you think it was the fall from earlier after all?"
Iwanam got closer and asked that, loud enough for Tynome to hear as well.
"Could it be? But we were told it would work at the bottom of the sea, even if it was rocked around by currents. Maybe there was an error turning it on. Luty, come check with me."
"Got it!"
Tynome recalled how the device tipped around while disembarking. It was hard to imagine that was enough to break the device, but Allen still looked rather desperate.
Tynome watched as Allen called Luty and began inspecting the device.
"I'm really sorry. This was entirely our fault. I doubt it was actually damaged, but I'd like to make sure before presenting it to the emperor. It should only take one month at most to conduct a thorough verification."
No one knew why it stopped working, but presenting a defective product to the emperor was a bad idea. Allen wanted time to examine the magic device inside out.
"Hm? One month…"
"Princess Carmin is here too, so a place in the palace would be preferible…"
Saying that, Allen bowed as much as he could to Tynome, the supervisor and manager of the port. His face was out of sight from Tynome, but Allen was grinning ominously.
He had made sure the magic device had a timer set to half an hour, which would make the device stop working once the time was up. There was no failure. The magic device's timer could be adjusted at will, engaging at a given time, turning off at another, or even sequencing when to turn on and off. It could work for 300 years if left to run continuously.
Thanks to defeating Gordino in the S Rank Dungeon once everyday for three months, Allen had obtained a sizable number of Magic Cores. Now he had twenty Magic Cores in stock.
Larappa had been tasked with developing a teleporter magic device, which had absorbed her research and all the dwarves with her. The teleporter and the means to travel from and to the island were still in development. But something like enhancing an existing magic device, like the one they brought to Patlanta, could be done in just three days.
"You want to stay in the palace for one month? That's a complicated request."
Tynome answered that it was not easy to allow them that.
"Is that so? Also, would it be possible to bring in some magic engineers?"
His request was denied, but Allen did not step down.
"Hm? You want to bring someone?"
"Yes. After we obtained this magic device, Clebeur's royal family tried to get passes for a group of magic engineer dwarves to maintain and manage it here, but all the requests were denied…"
Allen said that with a lamenting voice.
"Th-the passes were for that?!"
Tynome was clearly agitated. Everything Allen had said involving the magic device or its maintenance were lies and fabrications, but Tynome was the one who rejected all those requests.
All the documentation detailing the rejection of the requests had come from Prostia, signed by Tynome.
Tynome had turned away the magic engineers who could maintain the magic device, an important gift to the emperor.
"Sadly we have no other option. We have one merman who received some training from Baukis, but it'll take him quite some time to investigate what happened. So either we wait, or we bring magic engineer dwarves here…"
"I see, so you have someone who can check it!"
Tynamo's eyes shone brightly, realizing this would bury the fact he had turned away those supposed magic engineers.
"Yes, this is Luty, he studied magic engineering with dwarves. I know he's still young, but even Baukis recognized his talent."
After Allen said that, Peromus, Formar, and Luck bowed. The other two were assigned to watch over the magic device.
These were the roles taken by Allen's group: -Allen: Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary -Shea: Prince Carmin's bodyguard -Cecile, Sophie: Princess Carmin's attendants -Luck: Magic engineer apprentice -Peromus: an official -Formar: a sailor
There were two options, allowing the entrance of a maintenance crew, or letting the group stay in the palace until checks were done.
(I don't care what he chooses. We'll stay here while the dwarves travel after all.)
Allen thought that, while pretending to beg for Tynome's acceptance.
Allen acted like he was giving Tynome a choice, but no matter what he decided, Allen would get to stay in Patlanta. Even if the magic engineers were allowed to come, it would take many days to get their passes ready, and wait for them to arrive.
If the passes were given, Allen would bring Larappa, instructing her to buy even more time. He would tell her to wait for his signal before announcing everything was in working order.
"Let's see. If it's not broken down, I'm sure you can handle it yourselves. Given the princess is here, and the magic device is incredibly valuable, I'll prepare a residency near the palace for you."
Tynome said he would report to the palace himself about everything that happened. He chose the route that allowed him to feign ignorance over rejecting those requests for passes.
(Hm? So we won't be in the palace itself. Though well, I guess that's good enough.)
After all of Allen's trickery and negotiations, he managed to find a place to stay in Patlanta, Prostia's capital.