"What's the meaning of Bluphlei?" Oliver asked in confusion. He was familiar with the languages and cultures of different countries in alternate dimensions, but there was nothing he could do about Lucien's coined words.
Lucien said solemnly and sincerely, "Although the idea of such a school is based on the apprenticeship system in the past, it is undoubtedly a brand-new form. Not only will there be no personal attachment, but the students will also be paid after they graduate and enter the alchemical workshop, although the contract will be slightly lower and the contract will be longer. Therefore, I have created a brand-new term for it — Bluphlei. It is the name of such a school, and it means dream."
"What's your opinion, everybody?"
Atlant kept his eyes closed the whole time. He chuckled and said, "I agree with the idea of popularizing generic schools and such professional schools, but there is a problem. In the past, as long as an apprentice was taught, the apprentice would work for the alchemical workshop for ten years without paying anything except for lodging and food. Right now, Bluphlei requires the alchemical workshops to invest in the education in advance and pay the graduated apprentices. I don't think they will accept it willingly, unless the Congress and the kingdom put pressure on them."
"Mr. Atlant, times have changed. The apprenticeship system in the past can no longer adapt to the development of the alchemical workshops today. I believe that you should understand it without me saying it. It's just like the apprenticeship system in the Congress has basically been transformed into a school system."
"I will persuade the few companies that I have shares in and ask them to invest in the first Bluphlei in Quintal. In a couple of years, when they reduce the cost and expand the market with the support of incessant professional workers, the other alchemical workshops will probably still be short of hands. The initial investment in the training of the companies will be recovered from the profits that they generate. It is a necessary cost."
Lucien pretended that he was not forcing anybody. It was always not easy to ask other people to pay for it. Thankfully, he was no longer the young man who just stood out when he lobbied for environmental protection. He had no authority, influence, or support. He had become a member of the Highest Council who had the power to make decisions. With his own power and wealth, he could totally get rid of other people's obstruction and set up a sample for them to follow.
Also, the actual cost was not high. He could ask Natasha to designate a redundant abbey for the school, and he would release some arcana points to let the sorcerers and the graduated apprentices teach there. Those who had excellent grades could enter the Atom Institution or study with him for a while. In such a way, it would not be unattractive. Also, starting from the second year, the apprentices of the school would be 'interned' in the alchemical workshops during their free time in order to recoup part of their investment.
Seeing Lucien's attitude, Atlant and the other sorcerers who were suspicious were relieved. He nodded with a smile. "Indeed. Times have changed. The old things should be buried in the past. I suggest that the Highest Council make a decision on 'Bluphlei' to encourage the establishment of an alchemical workshop but not force it. Evans, if you want to build one, count me in. "
Douglas clapped his hands softly. "I also agree that the Allyn Telephone and Telegram Company, which belongs to the Congress, will invest first as an example."
Since it was not forced, the members of the Highest Council all raised their hands in agreement. The atmosphere was quite harmonious.
"There's one more question. Is the financial support of the Congress and the countries such as Holm enough to popularize the generic schools? Will the apprentices be unable to find anything to do after they graduate? It must be noted that the apprenticeship system can more or less meet the needs other than the alchemical workshops. Also, they are not built for a certain alchemical workshop in advance like the apprentices of 'Bluphlei'. If they cannot change their life outlook after spending a fortune, chances are that they will hate the kingdom and us and join the arms of the God of Truth, which is completely against our original will. "Atlant was an expert at reading people's minds.
Lucien smiled. "Mr. Atlant, the changes of times are a chain reaction. When there are so many alchemical workers, the wealth of the society increases, and the alchemical items that can shorten the distance between cities, the structure of the whole society will be fundamentally changed. Perhaps one job will be divided into many jobs that are more precise and more professional. Perhaps something unimaginable in the past will happen. Of course, the scale of the generic education at the beginning will be controlled and cannot be blindly promoted. It has to be suitable for our wealth and the social situation."
"Then, I have no objection. Evans, you are very clear-headed and not in a hurry to advance at all." Atlant did not know much about the changes of social development, but his old partner, Erica, was an excellent historian who agreed with Lucien's theory that the division of labor in society would be more detailed. After communicating with Atlant silently, she made him drop his previous suspicions.
They discussed the generic schools for a while longer. Under the glorious name of striking the foundation of the Church, the Highest Council finally passed the resolution, but they stressed that it should be done in moderation.
"I'd like to add something." Lucien found that he was speaking more and more like a leader, "I suggest that we promulgate regulations for the alchemy workshops and restrict the overtime and the use of child labor. We can't let the alchemy workshops exploit the workers too much, which will lead more people to join the Church. It's best if the working hours are no more than ten hours a day. Child labor can be used, but it has to be distributed according to age …"
Because of the problems of simplification and promotion, the alchemical workshops were in a state of powerlessness, and the dwarven craftsmen and human workers were still in good health. Therefore, Lucien believed that the inevitable trend should be stopped before the alchemical workshops gained benefits from exploiting the workers. It would be much simpler.
As for the use of child labor, Lucien had no choice but to compromise. There was no good relief system right now. The most important thing for many orphans was to find a job and survive. They had to pursue their dreams blindly without considering the reality, which would only harm other people.
"I don't think such minor issues are suitable to be discussed in the meeting of the Highest Council." 'Absolute Defense' Ataman stopped Lucien from going on. "Regulating the alchemical workshops and treating the workers kindly is in line with the Congress' goal of establishing a new image of sorcerers. However, we only need to work out the general direction and the final review. The specific details will be left to the Affair Committee."
Oliver also interjected, "Evans, you are a member of the Highest Council now. You can ask the Affair Committee to draft a law according to your idea and then show it to everybody. If the premise is correct, it will basically be passed. There is no need to discuss the specific provisions with us right now. Everybody's time is precious."
Lucien nodded, hinting that he was still adapting to the change of identity. He was no longer a specific executor but a proposer, a reviewer, a decider, and a supervisor.
However, after hearing what Oliver said, Lucien recalled his lobbying for the treatment of pollution. In order for the Affair Committee to pass a similar rule, he had to travel everywhere and persuade the big shots. Then, he had to stand in the meeting room of the Affair Committee to state his opinion and be questioned. He could not even participate in the process of their discussion and decision but could only wait for the result passively. Right now, Oliver asked him to ask the Affair Committee to draft a law casually as if it were a piece of cake.
"Is this the feeling of standing at the top of all the sorcerers …" Lucien remarked with mixed feelings.
In the Highest Council, the chairman of the Affair Committee was the grand arcanist who was in charge of Allyn and was replaced every five years. The deputy chairmen were permanent. They were Oliver, Ataman, and Manuel, the Sun King, who were good at fighting and handling affairs. They would lead the external operations and the exploration of alternate dimensions respectively.
Because the rule for the alchemical workshops did not involve the loss of current interests, the other members of the Highest Council did not object. The discussion went on, discussing the control of the four countries in the strait and the north coastline, the construction of the three fortresses along the Storm Strait, and the number of airships.
Lucien did not know much about that. He simply listened in silence without offering any opinions. After all, even the seemingly clumsy airships were different from what he had imagined. Although they were slow, they had been built with magic circles and divine power circles with a lot of materials. They could almost be called sky fortresses. Normal attacks could not cause any damage to them at all. They had the advantages that planes could never compare to. Regular bombardments could not fix them.
As for the large passenger planes, they were not necessary for the sorcerers above senior-rank. Those below senior-rank would rather promote the magic steam trains and connect more places with railways.
Before they knew it, the meeting was coming to an end. Lucien spoke again, "Everybody, the highest honors in the field of magic belong to the organizations and countries. It is not reasonable that there is no Congress. Since the most glorious title of arcana and magic is the grand arcanist granted by the Congress, the highest honors should also be the awards given by the Congress. Also, today, arcana is developing faster and faster, and more and more achievements are being made. Our standards should be stricter. Not only must the achievements be recorded in history, but they must also have their own theoretical explanations. "
"If the Congress agrees to establish the awards, I'm willing to sponsor one third of my income every year to encourage the development of arcana and magic."
After he became a legendary sorcerer, the preciousness of materials often had to be bartered. Therefore, the income was actually not that important for Lucien. He might as well use it to make up for the influence of the head-blowing demon.
"You're offering one third of your income?" Douglas looked at Lucien, somewhat tempted.
Because the Allyn Telephone and Telegram Company was still in the early phase of infrastructure construction, Lucien's income was about ten thousand Quintal per month, which was about one hundred and fifty thousand Quintal a year. One third of his income was already a huge sponsorship.
Lucien nodded solemnly. "Yes, that's my wish."
"What about you? Do you have any objections?" Douglas looked at other people, mainly Hathaway, Atlant, Hellen and the rest of them.
Hathaway said briefly, "It's not a bad idea for the Congress to have an award."
After all, it was the Congress's money, and the standard was very high. It might only be given one award every few decades. Seeing that Douglas was tempted, other people did not object.
Douglas chuckled. "Since everybody agrees, we'll establish the award that includes eleven schools. As for the name, let's call it the Lucien Evans Award, which can be divided into Evans Element Award, Evans Astrology Award and so on. The reward is a level-eight perfect magic item."
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