It had been a few months since the full-scale cultural invasion began.
Hangul was starting to take root among humans.
Some humans were even drawing up contracts in Millenial, it was going that smoothly.
But even this wasn’t satisfactory.
‘Not enough.’
…In the end, the real power in each country lies with the upper class.
No matter how much you sway the lower classes, it’s useless unless you’re going to start a peasant revolt.
After all, the ruler is the nobility.
So, I have to get the nobles to use Hangul, but,
‘Is writing a few novels going to do it?’
There might be those who secretly read The Golden Lotus, but that’s it.
They still used runic script.
‘In the end, I have to capture the vested interests. The upper stream is rotten, so the lower stream can’t be clear.’
Make them use our script.
Create a commonality of speaking the same language, to dilute the xenophobia even a little.
That was Millenia’s current goal.
‘So, shall we get some opinions?’
“Ahem! Sorry, I called you here and got lost in thought for too long.”
My eyes, having finished thinking, turned forward.
Toward the five vassals huddled together in the lair.
To be exact, five vassals and one more.
-Mutter mutter.
“Shar has been dragged here again…”
“…..”
‘You’ve suffered a lot too.’
Shar, the Orc Lord and Lucia’s adjutant.
She couldn’t hide her anxiety.
She seemed quite burdened by being suddenly summoned.
…Should I reassure her a little, since she looks so pitiful?
“Shar? Relax. It’s not a very important meeting.”
“Does that mean?”
“I just called you to ask for your opinion.”
“…You didn’t summon me for bathing duty?”
“I wouldn’t call busy people for something like that.”
“Hoo, I understand.”
Thanks to that, the color returned to Shar’s face.
The burden of being dragged to an important event without preparation seemed to have lessened considerably.
‘I don’t know why she mentioned bathing duty, but let’s put that aside for now.’
“Anyway! The reason I called you here is because of the Hangul propagation. Lucia, please explain the situation.”
“Yes! Our beautiful and scientific, the best script, Hangul, is now in every continent…”
Lucia, in charge of cultural propagation, continued her explanation.
We sold our books, commoners started learning Hangul.
“But the existing literate class is resisting. That’s why Teo-nim called us here.”
We were spreading it well, but now we’re a bit stuck.
I couldn’t help but applaud the neat explanation.
Of course, I don’t have hands, so I just hit my back with my tail.
Anyway, the sound was similar.
-Chop chop chop.
“It’s as Lucia explained. I want to increase the number of nobles who use Hangul, or at least read it, but what do you think? Do you have any ideas?”
“Hmm, that’s a difficult problem.”
The five vassals fell into contemplation.
As if they couldn’t come up with a good idea easily, some even wracked their brains.
I didn’t urge them to answer.
‘After much deliberation, a different correct answer might come out.’
The textbook answer that Lucia and I simultaneously thought of.
An innovative and attractive answer that goes beyond that.
That was the reason I deliberately gathered the busy vassals.
I intended to hear how those who were proficient in their respective fields would try to solve this.
“My lord, I dare to suggest…”
“Skip the introduction. Aurelia, what is it?”
Anyway, what were the answers that came out after a long period of contemplation?
“How about writing recipes in Hangul on distilled liquor? Like how to make a highball.”
“The idea is good, but it’s a shame. 5 out of 10.”
Aurelia’s opinion. Spread the recipes in Hangul.
The nobles probably won’t mix anything and drink it straight, so 5 points.
“How about making luxury goods that nobles would like, and distributing the instructions for use in Hangul?”
“Luxury goods? Wiz, do you have anything in mind?”
“How about a clock? If we make the maintenance a bit difficult…”
“Your approach was good too, but the details are a shame. 4 points.”
Wiz’s opinion. Include instructions with manufactured goods and sell them.
There are tons of people in Korea who don’t read the instructions either, and they’ll probably just buy a new one if it breaks down, so 4 points.
“Let’s just make them write the supply contracts in Hangul~ If we threaten them with gold, how can they refuse?”
“They won’t be able to refuse. But they’ll just call us barbaric. 2 points.”
Mel’s opinion. Force the use of Hangul in contracts.
Threatening the nobles will only backfire, so 2 points.
“Then… Silvi? Your eyes have been sparkling since earlier, do you have any good ideas?”
“Yes! Let’s create an epidemic and sell medicine with the usage written in Hangul.”
“O points. I taught her to prevent pandemics, but she’s trying to cause one.”
Silvi. O points for the crime of ‘not being human’.
Her pigtails drooped down.
It was the same reaction as the three who had been rejected earlier.
“I’m sorry. I thought a flu would be okay.”
“Even that would kill thousands of people, considering their hygiene.”
“…..Not even the plague, and that many? Don’t humans wash their hands?”
“Yeah. So, 0 points.”
“Oh my…”
“You didn’t know because you don’t go outside like the others, right? Then it can’t be helped. I’ll raise it to 1 point.”
Come to think of it, she’s been stuck in the lab, so she doesn’t know the situation on the continent.
I should make an excuse to let her see the outside world.
Slightly stung, I turned my gaze.
“Anyway, now you’re the only one left, Shar?”
“Shar is the last one?”
“You’ve gained some insight while working as Lucia’s adjutant. So, have you thought about what would be good?”
The last one was Shar.
Everyone’s eyes were on her.
Including Lucia, who was watching with interest, the six strongest in Millenia were focused on her.
Shar’s expression didn’t waver.
“Publications that can be mass-produced thanks to Mel-nim’s information gathering ability and Wiz-nim. It seems like we can combine these.”
“Specifically?”
“I suggest distributing news from each country cheaply. In order to increase productivity, in the form of single sheets of paper, not books.”
Shar’s suggestion. Distribute information covering the entire continent.
She might not know what to call it…
But what this meant was clear.
“—Let’s make a newspaper. 10 points, Shar.”
‘There’s nothing better than this.’
Newspaper. A major information delivery medium of the modern era.
It was a stroke of genius to increase the sluggish Hangul propagation rate.
“Newspaper? Is there a separate term for it?”
“Yeah. What you just said is almost exactly a newspaper.”
Since she herself was wondering, I started explaining.
Why a newspaper is a good idea at this point in time, the reason why.
“Until now, information on the continent has been spread by word of mouth.”
The main method of information delivery in the Middle Ages is oral transmission.
It is usually passed from mouth to mouth.
There is also the method of letters, but the contribution would be low because the literacy rate is too low, not to mention transportation.
But, what if we spread newspapers through the railroad?
“That would be a revolution.”
Humans will learn the news of the continent in detail from their seats.
All the valuable information that they would have had to sell their feet to obtain.
Even the arrogant nobles will surely not be able to resist reading it.
“If this spreads, the nobles will start their day with the newspaper every day.”
“Even if the commoners pass over the accidents in each country because it’s not their business, it’s like gold to them. There are countless ways to use it.”
“In the end, those who distrust the newspaper will have no choice but to be left behind. Nobles who are so xenophobic that they refuse Hangul will eventually fall.”
“From our point of view, it’s like removing the radicals without using a single knife.”
The pen is mightier than the sword.
The media is so powerful.
That was the reason I gave Shar full marks without hesitation.
‘It’s not the innovative answer I expected, but I should still give her a reward for getting it right, right?’
“Come here, Shar.”
As an additional reward, I reached out my tail to stroke her head…
“You did very w… um?”
-Swish swish.
“T, this is too much praise for Shar.”
“Shar?”
“Everything Shar said is just copying the achievements and thoughts of the five ministers. The praise should go to them.”
“……?”
I was going to stroke her, but I was avoided.
My eyes naturally turned to the other five.
I wondered if they were jealous and shooting murderous intent.
“What did you guys do to her?”
“We didn’t do anything~?”
“Mel is right, Teo-nim. You wouldn’t not feel it if we used our power, right?”
A nonchalant denial returned.
Everyone was waving their hands, saying they didn’t do anything and were wronged.
It seemed like they were really innocent so far.
“Don’t you dare harass her with this later, no, just don’t harass her if you get the chance?”
“Of course! Shar is my adjutant, and besides, she answered Teo-nim’s question wonderfully, so why would we?”
“Hmm…Shar, tell me honestly. Did anything really happen?”
“Of course not. Shar is just humbled.”
“If that’s the case.”
After hearing the circumstances, it seemed like she was really sorry.
I just patted her butt with my tail.
It was encouragement with the meaning of cheering her on.
“Then, Shar, would you like to lead the creation of the newspaper?”
“Wouldn’t Mel-nim be more suitable than Shar….”
“Mel? Do you want to do it?”
“It’s almost tulip season~ If you tell me to do it, I’ll gladly do it?”
“Did you hear that? Everyone is busy, and this is practical work. You’re the most senior among the working-level staff, so you’re perfect.”
One more thing in addition.
I gave her the title of editor-in-chief, the only media outlet in Millenia.
The superficial reason was that the five vassals were busy—
‘There’s no one as diligent and gentle as her.’
Unlike the five who often call for war, Shar has been silently working from beginning to end.
She had never made a radical statement since that day I asked her about my intentions.
She was the right person because she was careful in everything.
“…I understand. Shar will proceed.”
“Okay. Lucia? Teach Shar media information science and raise her. Mel, share all the information you’ve collected with her.”
“Trust me!”
“It will be as you wish♡”
“Okay, it’s a national project, so please do your best.”
That’s how Shar was decided as the person in charge of the media.
It was the moment her status rose sharply.
“…Sigh, I should just do research.”
“…..”
‘I’m sorry, Silvi. I didn’t know that there wouldn’t be this many incidents on the continent.’
I was a little sorry to Silvi, who was subtly expecting it.
But this couldn’t be helped.
* * *
A little later.
“Shar? Shall we talk?”
“…Hic.”
‘It’s here!!’
Shar was surrounded by the five vassals.
“……Yes?”
‘Even Silvi-nim… Why would such a request be made to Shar?’
It wasn’t for the reason she expected.