66. Ceremony

Ravenna sat in the meeting room of the Herptian Church, facing High Priest James across a polished wooden table. The soft glow of candlelight flickered against the walls, casting shadows that danced across the grand hall’s intricate carvings.

She set down her teacup, her expression unreadable as she tapped a finger against the rim.

“So the preparations are complete, yet we can’t proceed with the ceremony today?” she asked, her gaze steady.

James sighed, rubbing his temples before responding.

“Unfortunately, yes. We received word from Chief Blacksmith Nilie—there’s been an issue with the steam-powered printing press. It’s not operational yet.”

Ravenna’s eyes narrowed slightly as she processed the news. The printing press was a vital component of their larger strategy, and without it, the ceremony’s impact would be significantly weakened.

“I see,” she murmured, lifting her teacup again for a slow sip. “Then we’ll have to postpone. I’ll stop by the blacksmith district on my way back to the castle and check on the progress myself.”

Beside her, Marie, who had been quietly listening, tilted her head in confusion.

“Master, why does the printing press matter so much? The ceremony was meant to discourage crime—shouldn’t we proceed regardless?”

Her curiosity was genuine, but Ravenna could see the deeper question in her eyes.

Setting her cup down, Ravenna leaned back in her chair.

“Because the printing press is crucial to a much bigger plan.”

Marie blinked, still puzzled.

James, seeing her confusion, stepped in.

“Her Highness is referring to something called a newspaper,” he explained. “It’s a form of public information that will be printed and distributed daily to households across the dukedom.”

Marie frowned slightly.“So it’s like a public notice board? The villages usually send officials door to door to announce tax changes or laws. But since everyone in Jola is literate, we’d just be handing them a sheet with all the information, right? Tax updates, news of crimes, Master’s new policies… and maybe even gossip?”

Ravenna chuckled.“That’s exactly right.”

Marie understood the concept now, but she still wasn’t seeing the connection.“But what does this have to do with the public execution?”

James clasped his hands together, his gaze serious.“Because the execution isn’t just about punishing criminals—it’s about making a statement.”

Marie leaned forward, listening intently.

“Two child predators are scheduled for execution,” James continued. “We plan to frame their punishment as divine justice—an unshakable message that lawlessness will no longer be tolerated.”

Ravenna picked up where he left off.“The printing press would have launched the newspaper on the same day as the execution.”

She tapped the table, emphasizing her next point. “Over the following weeks, we’d start subtly weaving in news about the fate of criminals—stories of swift, merciless justice, each case reinforcing the idea that crime leads to unavoidable punishment.”

Marie’s eyes widened as realization dawned on her.“Ah… so by witnessing a public execution first, people will already associate your rule with strict justice. Then, when they read about criminals being arrested and punished in the newspaper, they’ll assume every case is treated just as ruthlessly.”

“Exactly,” James nodded. “When there was no administration, crime became a way of life. No one reported thefts, murders, or assaults because there was no one to enforce laws. People accepted lawlessness as the norm.”

Ravenna’s tone turned sharp. “That changes now.”

James continued, “If the people believe every crime—no matter how small—is swiftly and severely punished, they will start policing themselves. They will fear the militia’s authority. They will hesitate before committing offenses. And over time, the crime rate will naturally decline.”

Marie nodded slowly, processing the strategy.

“So… by creating fear first, we force them to adapt. Eventually, Jola will become safer, not because of constant executions, but because no one will dare commit crimes in the first place.”

Ravenna smirked. “Now you understand.” Marie let out a breath, now seeing the full picture.

James cleared his throat, shifting the conversation.

"On a brighter note, just before you arrived, I received news that the construction of the elevated water tanks has been completed."

Ravenna's eyes lit up with interest."Is that so? When will they be operational?"

James nodded, his expression pleased."If all goes well, they should be fully functional within a week. The Magnolia flowers you brought back from Ronin Town during your last trip have played a crucial role in making the system far more efficient."

Marie, who had been following the conversation closely, furrowed her brows."Magnolia flowers? How did those help with the water tanks?"

James chuckled at the young girl’s curiosity.

"The design Her Highness came up with is quite ingenious," he began, shifting into an explanation. "The elevated tanks were built to pump seawater into large lower basins. From there, the sun's heat causes the water to evaporate, leaving the salt and impurities behind. The purified steam then rises into upper tanks, where it condenses back into liquid form—essentially functioning as a large-scale solar still."

Marie nodded slowly, trying to visualize the process.

James continued, gesturing with his hands as he spoke."The key to making this work was the city’s layout. During the planning stage, we integrated a pipe network into every apartment complex. Once the purified water collects in the upper tanks, it flows down naturally through these pipes, providing every household with clean drinking water via simple taps."

Marie’s eyes widened."So it's like the hand pumps and rotational wells used in the mainland?"

James shook his head slightly."Not quite, but somewhat similar in concept. Instead of relying on manual labor to draw water, this system uses gravity. Since the tanks are elevated, the water flows downward on its own after purification, requiring no additional effort from the people."

Marie hummed in thought, but she was still stuck on one thing."But how do the Magnolia flowers fit into all this? I only know them for being used for weak spells—they can condense air and release it in one direction, but that’s hardly useful in combat."

Ravenna, who had been quietly listening, smirked."That weak spell happens to be extremely useful in water purification," she said.

James picked up from there, his tone full of excitement."You see, once the sun heats the lower tanks, the water turns into steam, leaving behind salt and other impurities. Normally, we'd have to rely on layers of cloth to trap the steam and let it condense naturally—but that process is terribly slow and inefficient."

Marie’s eyes suddenly widened in realization."Wait… a Magnolia flower's condensation spell! It can rapidly condense steam back into water!"

James chuckled."Exactly! By strategically placing enchanted Magnolia flowers around the upper tanks, we can instantly convert the rising steam into purified water. This means we don’t have to wait for natural condensation, making the whole process much faster and more efficient."

Marie sat back, impressed."So the upper tanks fill with drinkable water almost immediately after evaporation… That’s brilliant!"

She paused for a moment, her mind racing. Then, as if struck by sudden inspiration, she blurted out, "Wait a minute! If steam can be condensed this easily, doesn’t that mean we can apply the same principle to steam engines? The leftover steam from the engine could also be converted into drinkable water!"

James let out a hearty laugh, while Ravenna smirked at Marie’s enthusiasm.

"That’s exactly what we’re doing, Lady Marie," James said, his voice full of approval. "We’re not just using sunstill tanks—we’re also integrating this technique into steam-powered machines. That way, we maximize water efficiency while also advancing our industry."

Marie beamed, her admiration for Ravenna growing even more. Before she could voice her thoughts, a sharp knock echoed through the room, breaking the moment. The heavy wooden door swung open, revealing John, one of Ravenna’s trusted aides. His expression was serious, indicating the importance of his visit.

"Your Highness," he said, bowing respectfully, "a message has arrived from the imperial capital via the Merchant Association."

Ravenna raised a brow as John stepped forward, handing her a sealed letter. She immediately recognized the golden wax imprint—it bore the emblem of the imperial family.

She examined the letter closely before breaking the seal. If this were an official decree or a direct order from the emperor, it wouldn’t have come through the Merchant Association. Messages of true urgency would arrive directly through the imperial palace. This, however, was different. Invitations, announcements, and formal notices were usually sent this way.

As her eyes scanned the neatly penned words, a sigh escaped her lips, followed by a soft chuckle. She folded the letter and placed it on the table before looking up at John.

"Notify Alice to prepare my finest dresses. And while you’re at it, have a suitable wardrobe prepared for Marie as well. We will be traveling soon."

John bowed again, acknowledging the command before swiftly exiting the room to carry out his orders.

Marie, still caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, blinked in confusion. "M-Master, what’s going on? Why are we traveling all of a sudden?"

Ravenna smirked and reached out, gently patting Marie’s head as if she were an inquisitive child.

"We’ve been invited to a grand ceremony, my dear disciple."

Marie’s eyes widened. "A ceremony? What kind of ceremony?"

Ravenna chuckled before casually leaning back in her chair. "It’s an imperial wedding, Marie. My elder sister is returning from the western continent and is getting married."

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