Don't Burn Them! Even Witches Have Value!

”Ahem, everyone quiet down. We are going to discuss very important matters next.”

Lynn sat at the dining table, elegantly raising both hands to make a pressing-down gesture, signaling the others not to speak for the time being.

”What stupid business can’t be discussed after eating? I’ve been working continuously for two days straight!”

”Mmm! Eating is the most important thing!”

”A small fry wants to command this young lady too? Overestimating your capabilities.”

”Hungry... so hungry...”

Lynn, who had been driven to the kitchen to cook, had a face full of sadness:

”Am I really the boss? Really the lord?”

After finishing a dinner that Lynn had strictly calculated to the point where not even a single drop of soup was superfluous, only then did the others reluctantly look at Lynn to see what nonsense he had to say.

”Then, let us continue and begin.”

He took out the gavel he had previously used for Iyanna’s trial and knocked on the table, and then took out a stack of parchment.

”Elysia, you do the recording for this meeting... haha, just kidding, I’ll do it myself.”

After sensing a dangerous aura, Lynn swiftly retracted the paper and pen.

”Good, I declare the first shareholders’ meeting officially open.

Now then, let everyone first report their respective work situations and their outlooks for the future.”

Iyanna was the first to raise her hand, happily twitching her ears:

”Iyanna can do more every day than the day before. Although I don’t know why it’s getting harder and harder, Iyanna will continue to work hard for the jerky!”

Looking at the young girl proudly lifting her head, the others couldn’t bear to look and covered their faces.

And Lynn was greatly moved:

”Very good! This is true dedication! You must learn more from Iyanna!

As a reward, after a period of time, I will give you extra meals!”

”Hooray!”

”’A period of time’ probably means when the seas run dry and the rocks rot...”

Looking at Elysia, who supported her forehead and complained, Lynn continued to ask:

”What about you, Employee Number One?”

”You know my work situation better than I do. I just want to see the ledger to confirm how much money has been made, so that I can know when I can take back my father’s territory.”

”Haha...”

Lynn’s hand suddenly trembled, it seemed he would have to make fake accounts in advance.

And to deal with the taxes and Elysia, he would even have to keep two sets of fake books.

After quietly setting his small future goal, he looked at Flora, who looked at people with her nostrils, and raised his eyebrows:

”Miss Old Hag, what about you?”

”Why did it change back to this title again! You bastard small fry!

Tsk... I have been continuously growing trees and making those ugly-as-hell blocks in the middle of the night according to your requirements.

By the way, why do we have to act like thieves? Is planting trees a bad thing?”

”Have you got senile dementia? You are currently an undocumented resident to the Church. What if you get discovered and reported by someone?”

Lynn rolled his eyes crossly.

Flora being captured and judged was a minor matter; her being unable to continue producing economic benefits was the major matter.

Besides, this fellow’s wood magic would be of great use in his grand plans for the future.

However, the most important thing right now was not her matter.

Finally, Lynn’s fervent gaze shifted to the last person:

”Chief Scientific Officer, hurry up and tell everyone what you invented!”

However, after a long while, the shriveled latter still had no reaction.

Elysia reached out her hand and tested his nose:

”Not dead. Probably passed out from eating too much at once after not eating for too long.”

Well, it seemed it could only be left to Lynn himself.

He fished out that prototype machine from the unconscious Theodore:

”To put it simply, Theodore improved an ’energy-stimulating array’ on previous magitech devices.

In the past, if this kind of array was not combined with complex charging and restricting arrays, it could only be used to blast magic minerals open to watch as fireworks.

But now, because the black stone of the Magic Stone itself possessed stability, it could slowly stimulate the energy inside the Magic Stone.

And since our Magic Stones are currently all fire magic, combined with this piston-and-gear structure, this kind of situation occurs.”

Lynn picked up a grain of Magic Stone from his pocket and demonstrated its work once more.

”And then?”

The three girls, whose average educational level was akin to burning books and burying scholars, had faces full of confusion. Only on Elysia’s face did a trace of thoughtfulness appear.

Lynn sighed, deciding to use the most common language:

”Imagine, when you throw a fireball into a sealed iron pot and the water boils, won’t the lid be pushed up?”

Flora and Elysia nodded; this was common sense.

”This is ’doing work’.”

Lynn snapped his fingers:

”This machine is that iron pot. We stuff the fire-attribute Magic Stone inside, and the array guides out the heat.

After that, the air heats up and expands, and like an invisible giant hand, it will ruthlessly push this connecting rod, making the gears turn.

As long as the fire magic provided by the Magic Stone is sufficient, and the device itself is not broken, this giant hand will push indefatigably.”

Elysia’s eyes instantly lit up.

She had, after all, received a high-class noble education. Although she didn’t understand physics, she understood the word ”indefatigably.”

”Then this means... if they are large enough, they can replace, or even surpass, human labor.

In mythology, after the God of Light brought metal to life, metal giants were born, and they developed the World Island.

Even if we cannot achieve that, we can still make steel behemoths that can replace farmers in tilling the land.”

”As long as enough materials are piled up, indeed we can.”

Lynn nodded, but before Elysia could be excited for even two seconds, he ruthlessly splashed a basin of cold water on her:

”However, we will not make that kind of thing right now.”

”Why?”

Elysia felt a deep sense of confusion.

”Because production capacity does not equal profit, and grandness does not equal economy.

That kind of large machine can certainly change productivity, but how much cost does it require to develop and manufacture it?

How many resources are needed for continuous production? How much energy is required for subsequent maintenance?

That is not what we should be considering right now.”

Lynn spread his hands, reverting to that penny-pinching face:

”In short, we have no money, and the return on investment is too slow.

Therefore, we will make small machines roughly the same size as this prototype.

We will make heaters that can be cradled in the palm of one’s hand, flour mills that can be placed in the corner of a kitchen, and toys that can automatically fan noble young masters.

These things have simple structures, low costs, and can also open up market channels.”

Flora, who had been listening in for a long time, curled her lips:

”And then you happen to sell them at sky-high prices, right? Greedy small fry.”

”Sky-high prices?”

Lynn looked at her, revealing a look one gives an idiot:

”If possible, I want to sell these machines to them for only ten copper coins.

For some ’premium clients,’ I even plan to give them away for free.”

”Fr... Free?!”

This time, even Iyanna, who hadn’t understood a single word throughout, raised her head, the bone in her mouth dropping onto the table.

Had the Boss gone mad?

Sensing the gazes of his employees as if they were staring at someone possessed by a ghost, Lynn lifted his chin, letting out a wicked, low chuckle:

”Hehehe... you don’t understand, do you?”

As he spoke, he grabbed a handful of Magic Stones from his pocket:

”Machines are durable goods. Although I plan to tamper with them for planned obsolescence, they are ultimately transactions that won’t be repurchased in the long term.

But the Magic Stones that drive the machines are consumables!”

He slammed the Magic Stones heavily onto the table:

”I want to cover the entire northern border, the entire Milan, and the entire world with our machines!

Let everyone become unable to do without the convenience it brings!

In the beginning, we will set the price of Magic Stones lower than charcoal, making them feel that using this stuff is simply a huge bargain.

And by the time they dismantle their fireplaces at home, throw away their hand-turned mills, and replace them all with our machines...”

The smile on Lynn’s face gradually twisted, becoming as pleased as a demon from the abyss:

”By then, how much these tiny stones sell for will be up to me to decide, hehehe...”