Chapter 40 - Election Results

Chapter 40 – Election Results

Author's Note: None Today!

We spent the whole day training until nightfall. Afterwards, my party and I teleported back to Messeblick.

The training had been arduous, and relatively boring. I spent much of the time trying to crack a rock with my fingertips, meditating, calming my mind and guiding strange things through my body and many other similarly strange tasks, which had greatly exhausted me.

According to the old lady herself, I had done extraordinarily well. I was quite proud of that compliment.

As soon as I returned to the city, the election results were in. The votes had been processed faster than expected, with the messenger pigeons from each polling center across the country. I received 91.7% of the vote in the presidential election, making me the official president of Arcium, while my Liberal Party had won 24 out of 25 seats in parliament with the Conservatives only winning 1, and that seat only went to them by less than 50 votes. The Liberal Party now had near complete authority over the country.

Everybody was urging me to make a victory speech, so I obliged. Half the city arrived to hear what I had to say, with journalists from the recently founded newspaper companies ready to write everything down.

Oh, how the times have progressed.

"My fellow Arcians," I commenced. "I thank you all for electing me as the president of this great nation."

The crowd erupted into cheers.

"We have gone through so much together as a country, from overthrowing the ruthless King Strauss to modernizing beyond comparation. Our collaboration, blood and tears have created a young and great Republic, the likes the world has never seen before."

My ardent supporters patriotically waved Arcian flags and signs in support of my campaign.

"I pledge to every man, woman and child, no matter their race or creed, that I shall be your president. I need your help, each and every one of you, to complete our great modernization of this country. Each one of you must lay the foundations and building blocks to complete our great project, our great vision for a greater future."

I glanced over at the reporters, while I continued to wave at the crowd. They were writing everything down like clockwork.

"This country has potential. Boundless potential. We are going to build cities, highways, bridges, tunnels, schools, hospitals, factories, housing, and all sorts of other infrastructure. By the time we're done with this, no country will even come close to our level of development. We will be second to none."

"During this time of great trouble in the world, Arcium must claim its rightful place as a beacon of truth and justice surrounded by a sea of lies and slavery. We must rise to the top, for we will not settle for anything less. We cannot rest at the base of the hill while other nations stand tall at the peak of the summit."

I hadn't prepared this speech at all. I was making it up on the spot, going along with the flow.

"This is a historic event. Never in human or demi-human history has a country held free and fair elections, nor have the people had the freedoms of speech and assembly. Never have the people had the opportunity to pick their own leaders, for those leaders to make laws for them, and to represent them and their wishes. These are tremendous accomplishments that will be remembered for eternity. And you, yes you, each one of you voters, every one of you Arcians, have contributed to this great cause. Free and fair elections will be held for millennia to come."

"And with that, I bid you farewell. These have been some terrific few months and it will only get better from here on out. I love this country, more than anyone, and during my 5-year tenure I will do nothing but to make it better. The Prime Minister and parliament will strive for the best and will not stop for anything."

"Thank you very much. Long live Arcium, and long live democracy!"

The crowd was uncontrollable, their unsatiable demand for a longer speech unquenchable by any means. It was only when the newly selected Prime Minister Adria took the stage that the restless crowd eventually riled down.

That was tiring. I needed some rest more than ever.

Smiling and waving, I descended the stage and headed back to the Presidential Palace, which was what Arcium renamed King Strauss' former castle. It was quite a grand and gorgeous building, punching way above its weight as the former residence of the king of a small country

Before I went to sleep, I wrote a list of the raw materials that I would need to make a phonograph and gave it to the government. They told me that they would take care of the issue as soon as possible and would send me a letter via pigeon when it was done.

The next day, I teleported back to Castle Town at the break of dawn. Another caravan of filolials were prepared to bring us to the same mountains as last time. This time, Motoyasu and Ren were super reluctant to come along. I had reluctantly dragged them along the first time, but this time I had to actively carry them along.

"Wow, Naofumi! This medicine is amazing!"

Naofumi had brewed some medicines the day prior, and it had deeply surprised me. He claimed that the medicines could revitalize somebody and be beneficial to the body overall. If that was true, it could be an amazing beverage for the masses.

I pulled out a huge lump of silver, which I had earned from all sorts of endeavors.

"Naofumi. I'll take half your stock, and the rights to sell these, for this much money."

Naofumi's eyes widened at the sight of that much money for his potion.

"Deal!"

When I got back to Messeblick, I would come up with a way to simplify the potions and combine them, make it taste better, and package it in glass bottles. It would be an amazing energy drink! I would name it "Serade".

"I truly haven't seen medicine like this." Granny spoke. "There is no way around hard training, but maybe Rishia could give it a shot?"

"Go for it!" I cheered.

"I tried it." Naofumi said. "It's not poisonous."

"Rishia, just take a bit of it. You should be fine."

"Fueeee!"

"Please."

"Alright then, Satoshi, if you insist."

She gulped down half a vial of the medicines. I took a few droplets of each and carefully trickled them onto my shield.

Using them, I unlocked the Ether, Spirit and Aura bows.

"It actually doesn't taste that bad!"

"Amazing!" I exclaimed.

Business ventures. Woohoo! I was going to be even richer! The more factories the better!

"You know what," I spoke. "I'll cast an aura spell on you. Let's see what it does."

"Okay." Rishia meekly replied.

"Well, Disciple Rishia. Do you feel any different?"

"Um… I don't know."

"The holy saint has truly performed his miracle. She has been filled with energy!"

"That's amazing!"

This day couldn't get any better. Rishia got stronger, and I was going to get a hell of a lot richer.

"I feel… warm?" Rishia commented.

"That's it! Focus on the warmth in your body!" Granny ordered.

"I can't hold it in!"

"Put your hand over your stomach!"

Rishia clenched her stomach. She didn't look very comfortable.

"Quick! She must spar right now so she learns how to control the energy!"

"Naofumi! Fight her!"

"Why me!"

"Just do it! You have the highest defense? You're literally a punching bag!"

"Fine. You owe me one."

"Bet."

Rishia, like a wild boar on a rampage, pummeled Naofumi heavily.

"O-Ow. Ow. Ow. How does it hurt this badly? Stop beating me up!"

"I-I can't! Something's stopping me. Hyaaaaaa!"

After five minutes, Rishia was panting on the ground, while Naofumi was cringing at the pain that she had caused him.

I probably should tone down the formula to prevent all of Arcium from becoming violent and mindless apes.

Raphtalia and my other party members all tried it, but they weren't nearly as powerful as Rishia. Poor Naofumi was relegated to a punching bag for the rest of the afternoon.

Looking around me, I had noticed that Ren and Motoyasu were slacking off. They were horribly bored.

That night, when I teleported back to Messeblick, I handed Naofumi's medicines and something similar to a Coca-Cola recipe to my scientists.

"This is a vitalizing medicine, and this is a formula for a delicious drink. Hopefully you all can figure out a way to create a safe and vitalizing drink that is also absolutely delicious."

"Yes, sir. We will work on this immediately."

And so, the delicious drink "Serade" was created.

The next day, Ren and Motoyasu were so reluctant to call that guards had to yank them onto the filolial carriages. Naofumi's party and my party were rapidly improving, but Ren's and Motoyasu's parties were slacking off like never before. Some of them were even playing board games.

The fourth day, none of them showed up. It was just Naofumi and I, and our respective parties.

Chapter 41 out soon!