Chapter 757: Fighting Over the Quotas

Clearing only part of the backlog keeps Henwell busy for half a month.

He then convenes another high-level meeting, this time to allocate the extraordinary body-strengthening potion.

The senior leadership already knows Peace Haven has finalized an extraordinary potion of its own, and everyone has their eyes on the Enhancement Potion.

Henwell has no intention of making it broadly available in the near future.

Anyone seeking enhancement must undergo the procedure at the Technical Research Institute's new Enhancement Center near Blood Hill Manor.

For one thing, this will maximize the Enhancement Potion's effects and prevent casualties.

It will also let the Technical Research Institute collect more data and continue improving the potion.

The Pharmacy Department will not remain stagnant. It intends to pursue an even better Enhancement Potion.

That pursuit requires an enormous body of data and a deeper understanding of the Enhancement Potion.

Everyone in the room is either a legion commander or deputy commander, or a senior civil official.

They argue until their faces flush and their necks bulge, with no one willing to yield a single enhancement slot.

Each wants to secure more benefits for their subordinates, and every side has a perfectly credible argument.

The Southern Military District points out that three countries press against its borders, making it the likeliest place for war to erupt.

It must receive the largest share if the Southern District's legions are to strengthen as quickly as possible.

The Western Military District counters that it bears the brunt of the pressure from Ika Kingdom.

It needs powerful measures to meet that threat, so the largest share should be theirs.

The Eastern Military District has an equally compelling reason: the next war is certain to target Ogiro Kingdom.

As the main force tasked with tearing open Ogiro's defenses, it naturally deserves a larger allocation.

Even the newly established Cloud Tree and Liverpool Military Districts argue that they have fallen behind.

Their forces must be strengthened first if they are to keep pace with the other legions and avoid becoming Peace Haven's weak link.

The Northern Military District joins in. The north may face no immediate threat, but directing resources there will help win over and support the Phoenix family.

The Central Military District is much more direct: as Henwell's personal guard, it naturally has to be the strongest.

The Expeditionary Military District takes another approach. It immediately pleads poverty, claiming it is stranded overseas, surrounded by enemies, and barely getting by.

Surely their brothers deserve more Enhancement Potion slots after enduring such hardship.

Then the civil administration piles in, insisting that the military cannot take everything and the Administrative Office deserves a share.

It has law-enforcement departments and combat units of its own, and they often fight criminals to preserve local stability.

Those units need the Enhancement Potion to grow stronger and enforce Peace Haven's policies.

As the room dissolves into chaos, Henwell has no choice but to make the decision himself.

"Phoebe Crow, you direct the Pharmacy Department, and your people run the Enhancement Center. Tell us what the situation is."

Phoebe Crow rises and takes out a document. "The Enhancement Center will be finished by the end of the year, and the personnel transfers will be completed at the same time."

"We expect to have three thousand enhancement slots next year. As for the potions..."

Before he can finish, Rawkins, commander-in-chief of the military, cuts in. "Why only three thousand? We've already begun mass production, so why are there so few?"

"Are you short of some material? Tell us what you need and we'll find a solution. This is nowhere near enough!"

Phoebe Crow adjusts his monocle. "Next year will be the first large-scale use of the Enhancement Potion. We have to proceed carefully, and three thousand slots are already our limit."

Rawkins waves a hand. "No! Three thousand is far too few!"

"We now have ten numbered legions, two garrison legions, two mixed legions, three cavalry legions, and four expeditionary legions."

"That does not even include the Iron Guard Legion that will soon be established, the Military Academy, the Military Intelligence Office, and other departments."

"We also have nearly thirty garrison warbands."

"How could three thousand slots possibly be enough?"

"We have twenty-one regular legions alone. Split evenly, each legion would receive little more than a hundred slots a year."

Chief Consul Victor rises. "The military can't take all of them! The civil administration needs its share too."

"Caravan guards, the Constabulary, and the guard forces protecting our other industries all need the Enhancement Potion."

"This concerns Peace Haven's internal security, stability, and development. You can't leave us with nothing!"

Dalton, commander of the Lord's Knight Order, also rises. "Naturally, we need the Enhancement Potion too."

"The Iron Guards and the Lord's Knight Order are Peace Haven's sharpest blades. We are its greatest deterrent against outside enemies."

Rawkins turns back to Phoebe Crow. "See? I told you this was nowhere near enough!"

"Every year, your Pharmacy Department receives as much funding as three of my numbered legions combined."

"With that much money, you should be able to hammer out extraordinary potions by brute force if you have to."

"You've been working on this for years, and now you tell us there are only this many slots?"

"Tell me!"

"Have you and your subordinates been pocketing all those annual research funds?"

The leaders of the other military and civil departments leap up as well, clamoring for answers.

Henwell taps the table. "Sit down!"

Everyone immediately returns to their seats, and Henwell gestures for Phoebe Crow to continue.

Phoebe Crow glares at Rawkins and the others, then looks down at his document. "There is no problem with the potion ingredients."

"But everyone here understands that the Enhancement Potion is essentially poison."

"It must be used alongside several other potions to stimulate the body's potential and ultimately awaken an extraordinary seed."

"You're all professionals. You know the process isn't easy."

"Breaking free of the ordinary carries considerable risk."

"We've reduced that risk as far as we can, but that doesn't mean it is gone."

"And it certainly doesn't mean our potion is inferior to a conventional extraordinary potion."

"Even extraordinary potions from the Western Federation can cause injury or permanent disability."

"Our research shows that their treatment risk is actually much higher than that of our enhancement regimen."

"Taking the Enhancement Potion isn't as simple as swallowing it. The patient needs a complete, standardized course of treatment before and after."

"We have to prevent accidents throughout that period while minimizing the potion's harmful effects."

"Potion production has never been what limits our enhancement quotas."

"My department can supply twenty thousand complete treatment sets every year."

"We can hand every one of them over, but would you dare use them?"

"Without the full treatment regimen, the failure rate is thirty percent."

"A large share of those failures will also leave lasting complications."

"Disability, the permanent loss of any path to extraordinary power, organ damage, functional impairment of the brain..."

"Would you take that gamble? Would you stake your subordinates' lives on the chance of perfect success?"

"What truly limits the number of enhancements is personnel: the medical and research staff who can support the entire enhancement regimen."

Rawkins says helplessly, "Then transfer more people over!"

"You know Peace Haven is still surrounded by danger. We desperately need to strengthen our forces!"

"Our armed forces are already over strength. Forming more units would drag down development everywhere else in Peace Haven."

"We can't add more troops, so we have to make each one stronger!"

"Phoebe Crow, can't you think of something? Even twice as many slots would be enough!"