"Pay for them?!"
Cross and the Marine officers were dumbfounded. And at market price, no less?!
Cross felt a headache coming on with Mayor Yules's demand. He hadn't expected to have to pay to get back the Enlivened beings he himself created. This truly was "a small knife slicing buttocks, an eye-opener!"
Both metal sculptures and stone statues are considered art. However, art can't be eaten or drunk, so it's naturally not something ordinary folk can afford or would willingly buy.
What's more, Cross had Enlivened medium and large-sized sculptures and statues, which commanded hefty prices, typically only purchased by wealthy individuals and nobles with substantial assets.
To purchase thousands of Enlivened sculptures and statues, the Marines would need an astronomical sum of money. Even with ample military funds, it would likely be impossible to pay in one go.
Yet, Mayor Yules's words were very reasonable. Every sculpture or statue was the painstaking creation of a sculptor, like their own child.
Some struggling sculptors naturally relied on their craft for a living. If the Marines simply took all the sculptures and statues by force, without paying a single Berry, wouldn't they be no different from wanton pirates?
As an army of justice and maintainers of order, the Marines naturally had to operate within the rules and couldn't arbitrarily break them. Otherwise, Marine Headquarters wouldn't have sent Cross to assist Vice Admiral Momonga in handling this matter.
"Mayor Yules, your demands are too high! The Marines will absolutely not agree!" Vice Admiral Momonga said indignantly, his face showing anger. "If you insist on this, then we will have no choice but to forcibly conscript these Enlivened sculptures and statues according to wartime regulations!"
Faced with Vice Admiral Momonga's threat, Mayor Yules and the other officials' expressions subtly changed. They felt a pang of panic.
According to Marine wartime regulations, the Marines could, depending on the situation, conscript all useful resources and personnel within World Government-affiliated cities.
However, such wartime regulations were typically only used during major operations against powerful pirates. Even during the previous encirclement of the Impaler Pirates in Skoggy, the "Sculpture City," these regulations weren't invoked.
But if the Marines truly enforced wartime regulations and forcibly conscripted all the Enlivened sculptures and statues in Skoggy, the "Sculpture City," then the officials would truly be hopping mad.
"Vice Admiral Momonga, you jest!"
At this moment, Minister of Commerce Rowley said, neither subservient nor arrogant, "We're not trying to force the Marines' hand. We just want to recover some of Skoggy's losses. After all, if Skoggy suffers too much, the citizens will also be dissatisfied with the Marines!"
"Then show some sincerity!" Vice Admiral Momonga said, displeased. "We can accept only half of the Enlivened sculptures and statues, but we cannot accept purchasing them at market price!"
"Vice Admiral Momonga, please don't be angry. Supporting the Marines is also our responsibility, so I've thought of another solution!" Mayor Yules's chubby face suddenly broke into a smile. He eagerly said to Cross, "For a compensation of just one billion Berries, we can give half of the Enlivened sculptures and statues to the Marines, but there's one condition!"
"Condition? What condition?" Vice Admiral Momonga asked, puzzled.
At this point, Cross saw Mayor Yules's expression and suddenly realized that the previous condition was merely a test.
The officials of the Skoggy City Hall understood that the Marines couldn't possibly spend massive military funds to buy a heap of Enlivened metal and stone.
For the Marines, spending vast amounts of military funds to purchase an army of metal and stone would be far less useful than building a few more first-class warships, which would be much more effective than thousands of Enlivened beings.
Therefore, the condition Mayor Yules spoke of should be the true objective of Skoggy City Hall.
"Don't worry, our condition is simple. We just hope that Major Cross can visit Skoggy once a year to Enliven some sculptures and statues for us. At that time, we will gift a portion of the Enlivened sculptures and statues to the Marines!" Mayor Yules said with a beaming smile.
Upon hearing this, everyone present looked at Cross, including Vice Admiral Momonga and the others.
"Hahaha~ I must say, Mayor Yules, you have quite the scheme! I see this is your true objective!" Cross laughed heartily.
One billion Berries, for the Marines, was merely the cost of a single first-class warship, not a significant sum. Trading one first-class warship for an army that feared no death was undoubtedly a very cost-effective deal.
Mayor Yules and the other city hall officials smiled without speaking, simply staring intently at Cross, hoping he would agree.
Indeed, for Cross's Enliven ability, no place was more suitable for its application than Skoggy, the "Sculpture City." Similarly, the sculptors, both major and minor, deeply wished for their created and carved sculptures and statues to truly come alive. This would undoubtedly be the greatest affirmation of their artistic achievements.
Cross looked at Mayor Yules before him and slowly raised a single finger, saying, "One billion Berries, we'll take two-thirds, and I have another condition!"
"Two-thirds… Alright, what other conditions? Speak freely!" Mayor Yules's face lit up with joy.
"I will help Skoggy, the 'Sculpture City,' to Enliven some sculptures and statues each year, but each year you must help me create a batch of specific sculptures and statues. This will be the compensation in exchange!" Cross said gravely.
"This…"
Mayor Yules's brow furrowed as he pondered for a moment, finding it a bit difficult.
Medium sculptures and statues, roughly human-sized, would take at least ten days to half a month to create.
Large sculptures and statues would take even longer.
For instance, the famous metal black dragon sculpture took five months to produce. It was both time-consuming and labor-intensive, not easily manufactured.
"How about this: you should focus your manpower on researching methods to quickly produce sculptures and statues. Then, I'll persuade Marine Headquarters to purchase those manufactured sculptures and statues from you under the guise of procuring armaments. But they shouldn't be too expensive, otherwise the Marines won't be able to buy too many. And I'll also help you Enliven some works by master sculptors each year. How does that sound?" Cross spoke his thoughts while considering.
After listening to Cross's proposal, Mayor Yules's eyes flickered. He turned to exchange glances with Minister of Commerce Rowley and the other city hall officials for a moment.
Finally, Mayor Yules smiled as he turned back to Cross and nodded, saying, "We'll agree to the conditions Major Cross proposed: one billion Berries, and two-thirds of the Enlivened sculptures and statues!" He added, "Additionally, we will expedite organizing manpower to form industrialized production methods!"
——————————
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over to my Patreon ——— patreon(.)com/JuanPiece [remove the parenthesis ( )]
There are 100+ advance chapters available for you to read!