The political pressure from the Duke's envoy was temporarily neutralized, but Alex knew that in this world, economic power was ultimately defended by military force. The moment the Duke needed a pretext for war or a quick source of funding, Alex's Syndicate would become a target again.
The original novel's plot was advancing: the main hero was about to start the "Great Unification War." That war would require unimaginable quantities of standardized equipment, and the kingdom's current military logistics were a shambolic disgrace.
Alex summoned Garth, the Master Steelworker.
"Garth," Alex began, holding up a schematic of a simple, mass-produced steel bayonet. "I need you to halt production on the large plows. We are pivoting to weaponry."
Garth's one eye widened. "Weapons, My Lord? My forge makes farming implements! I am not a weapon-smith!"
"You are a metallurgist, Garth," Alex corrected.
"And the kingdom's military supply chain is the single most inefficient system in the entire kingdom. We are going to fix it."
***
Alex had observed the King's guard. Every sword was unique, every arrow was custom-fletched, and every piece of armor was hand-beaten to fit a single, expensive knight. This reliance on bespoke craftsmanship made armies slow, expensive, and logistically impossible to resupply.
"The enemy doesn't care if their sword was blessed by a priest or crafted by an artisan," Alex explained. "They care if it's sharp, durable, and identical to the ten thousand other swords being made."
He outlined the new product line, starting with the simplest, highest-volume need: the pike head and the standardized broadhead arrow.
* Mass Production: Instead of individually forging and hammering each item, they would use stamping and die-casting for the simpler shapes, followed by minimal refinement from the certified apprentices. This slashed the labor cost by 80%.
* Standardized Fittings: Every pike head would have an internal socket of an identical, measurable diameter to fit standardized wooden shafts, eliminating the need for individual carpentry on the battlefield.
* Quality Control: Every piece of Arren military equipment would meet a minimum durability tolerance set by Alex—the first instance of industrial quality standards for warfare.
"We are selling consistency, Garth," Alex said.
"When the hero buys ten thousand of these, he needs to know that the tenth thousandth pike head is exactly the same as the first."
***
Selling weapons to the Royal Army was complex; it bypassed the Merchant Guilds but ran straight into the bureaucracy of the Royal Quartermasters—a group famous for corruption and patronage. They would never buy from a single, upstart viscount.
Alex decided to target the biggest stakeholder in the original novel's military structure: Commander Elric, the Hero's logistical mastermind. Elric was pragmatic, obsessed with moving armies quickly, and constantly frustrated by supply shortages.
Alex bypassed the Royal Court entirely and sent a direct proposal to Commander Elric's forward operating base, using a trusted Efficiency Cart driver.
To Commander Elric, Supreme Logistical Officer,
Your current supply chain for pikeman equipment is estimated to have a 30% failure rate due to non-standardized components and brittle iron. This results in unnecessary manpower loss.
The Arren Industrial Syndicate offers a solution: 10,000 standardized, high-carbon steel pike heads guaranteed to have less than a 1% failure rate, delivered on a continuous production schedule.
We offer this order at 40% below the traditional artisan price, provided you agree to a three-year exclusive contract. We sell you not tools, but certainty.
Viscount Arren, CEO, Arren Industrial Syndicate.
The Commander's reply was swift. He was intrigued by the promise of low cost and high quality, but he was cautious. He sent a small squad of seasoned veterans to the Arren Fief to test the new weaponry.
The testing was brutal. They tried to snap the pike heads, twist the sockets, and dull the edges. The Arren steel held up better than the Royal Army's own custom-made gear. The standardized sockets proved simple and fast for the soldiers to attach.
The soldiers reported back that this was not just a cheaper weapon; it was a better system.
Commander Elric, valuing logistics above all else, signed the contract immediately. The Arren Industrial Syndicate was now the official primary supplier of standardized military equipment to the kingdom, effectively binding the fate of the nation's largest fighting force to Alex's production lines.
The revenue stream from the military contract dwarfed all previous agricultural and plow sales combined. Alex had successfully diversified his market and secured political protection.
Next priority: The massive influx of cash and the need to manage capital across vast distances. The Syndicate needs more than a ledger; it needs a banking system.