EMPIRE REWRITTEN [Isekai ? Alt-History ? Strategy]

Chapter 19: The Weight of Destiny

Theophilus took a breath. "While you and George were in Ragusa, an incident occurred at the printing press. A monk attempted to set fire to our paper storeroom. Fortunately, one of the guards apprehended him before significant damage was done."

Michael's eyes narrowed. "A deliberate act of sabotage?"

"It appears so," Theophilus confirmed. "He was caught with oil and a flint. Only a small portion of our already limited paper stock was ruined."

Michael leaned back, absorbing the information. "Was he interrogated?"

Theophilus hesitated. "He was, my lord, but he revealed little. Regrettably, he did not survive the questioning."

A silence settled over the room. Michael's jaw tightened imperceptibly. "I see. Do we know if he acted alone?"

"We cannot be certain," Theophilus interjected. "But it's unlikely he orchestrated this without influence. There may be others who share his intent."

Petros stepped forward, his youthful face marked with concern. "Despot, if I may—this act coincides with whispers among the workers. Some speak of discontent, fueled by anti-unionists who oppose the unification of the two churches. They consider the production of a Latin Bible to be heresy."

Michael regarded him thoughtfully. "I see; that could explain the sabotage attempt."

He paused, then continued, "Speaking of which, how does the development of the metal letters for the Greek version of the scriptures progress?"

Theophilus sighed softly. "It still requires considerable refinement, my Despot. We have devoted much of our effort to the Latin typeset to meet the overwhelming demand for the Latin Bibles. Our resources have been stretched thin."

Michael nodded, his gaze distant for a moment. "I understand the constraints, but we must advance the Greek printing. Providing scriptures in our own tongue may alleviate some of the tensions and counter the claims of heresy."

Theophilus inclined his head. "You are right, Despot. We will redouble our efforts on the Greek typesetting. However, it will take time to perfect the characters."

"Do what you must," Michael said firmly. "Allocate additional resources if needed. The unity and support of our people depend on it."

Theophilus exchanged a determined glance with Petros. "It shall be done."

Michael surveyed the faces of his council. "We cannot dismiss the possibility of outside interference, especially from those who fear the changes we bring. Strengthen our security measures, and remain vigilant. Our work is too important to be undermined by fear and ignorance."

"Agreed," George said. "We will ensure that all precautions are taken."

"On a related matter," Petros continued, "the cotton shortage has halted our paper production. The supplies you procured from Ragusa will allow us to resume, but it will take time to reach previous levels."

Michael's gaze softened slightly. "The demand for our books remains high?"

"Exceedingly so," Theophilus replied with a hint of a smile. "We have over a thousand orders, many with payments made in advance. Clients are eager, some even offering bonuses for priority."

A faint glimmer of satisfaction crossed Michael's face. "Then we must not disappoint them. Allocate resources accordingly to meet the demand as swiftly as possible."

Theophilus shifted his weight, his expression turning somber. "There is more, Despot. News has reached us that Thessalonica has fallen to the Ottomans."