Chapter 2241

2241 - A Simple Calculation

“…How much would you want, for example?” Robin asked calmly. “Let’s say the number of academies in our faction reaches a thousand tomorrow. How much would you need for defensive expenses?”

He didn’t want Blokan’s answer because he didn’t know—no, the calculation wasn’t that difficult.

Rather, he wanted to test something.

As for the actual number, he calculated it in a fraction of a second, using Althera’s academy as an example.

Stellar Dawn Academy wasn’t the largest, but it wasn’t small either. In the average Sector 99, it was the largest of the three academies, and by a significant margin.

That academy had about one hundred thousand students, collecting taxes and tuition fees ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 Pearl per person annually, depending on the family’s circumstances.

In other words, at the end of each year, Althera, as a Stellar Academy Master, had an average of three billion Pearl remaining.

90% of that went to the Council of Thrones, meaning 2.7 billion Pearl vanished.

That left her with 300 million Pearl.

And according to Blokan, it was normal for an Academy Master to spend half that amount on hiring armies from the Syndicate and keep the rest for themselves… that is, 150 million Pearl.

This is the average amount the Syndicate takes from each academy, and it is also the average amount that enters the pockets of Academy Masters and their Deputies annually, according to the old system established by Qarun.

As for Qarun's current system?

He has reduced what he takes from the academies to only 80%, which seems trivial, but it is an enormous figure. This means the Academy Master is left with 600 million Pearl instead of 300 million, and after giving the Syndicate its share of 150 million, he pockets 450 million Pearl annually instead of 150 million!

Of course, these are rough figures, as some academies have reduced student registration fees and taxes due to the emergence of the Cosmic Academies and the vast gap between them.

Nevertheless, it is certain that no current Stellar Academy Master pockets less than 250 million Pearl annually.

This is what keeps them tied to Qarun!

On the other side, the Cosmic Academy Masters do not have this opportunity; they do not control taxes or tuition funds. Their salaries amount to around 30 million Pearl or so. On paper, they have higher salaries than those running the Stellar Academies, but in reality, they are poor compared to them.

They agreed to move, not for the advantages of the Cosmic Academies or the fine Peacekeeping Army, but because the Cosmic Elder told them to, and because their conscience told them to.

But those with a conscience had already joined, and that was the end of it.

Only 367 academies out of over 3,000!

It is true that new Cosmic Academies are being opened as educational institutions and headquarters for the Peacekeeping Forces, but they have no Law Dominators, nor do they hold any real significance or weight.

The truth is that there are over 2,500 Stellar Academies, containing thousands of Law Dominators among the Academy Masters and their Deputies, who decided that money is more important than duty.

Robin's decision will target these people.

Currently, tax and education prices are double, thanks to the formidable Peacekeeping Army and the immense educational value the academies provide, but the low number of affiliates has made the amount of money they collect less than that of any ordinary Stellar Academy!

What will happen after Robin's decision is implemented?

The current tax and education price is close to 100,000 Pearl.

And if the decision spreads, it will become only 20,000 Pearl per year.

20,000 Pearl, if calculated for at least one hundred thousand students per academy, the result would be two billion Pearl annually.

All of it will go into the pockets of the Academy Master and his Deputies.

And that is the minimum.

After reducing taxes to this figure, a large number of students from the Stellar Academies will transfer here, and the number of students who have never studied in academies before will also increase. At that point, the annual profit of each academy will be at least 5 to 10 billion Pearl.

And again, all of it will go into the pockets of the Law Dominators.

Compared to the 250 million Pearl they obtain illegally from Qarun's followers... the difference is vast.

When the announcement is made, at least a thousand academies will join them!

Do those Law Dominators deserve all that money?

That is the wrong question...

The question is: When Robin needs allies in war after ten thousand years, will he have a powerful army behind him, or will there be tons of money and no one to use it?

You want money? Take it.

But serve me the way I want, and show up the moment I want you to show up.

You are greedy? Pearl Dogs? No problem, be greedy in my way, and wag your tails on my path.

“...” Robin's eyes gleamed as he watched Blokan running his calculations.

It didn't need all this time.

According to the old calculation, each academy needed 150 million Pearl annually to maintain a good Peacekeeping Army of Syndicate slaves.

If calculated preliminarily for a thousand academies, Robin would need at least 150 billion Pearl annually to fund the Peacekeeping Armies under the old system.

All that remained now was to see whether Blokan would calculate properly, or try to pursue personal gain for himself on the side.

"These are very fluid matters..." Blokan shook his head with some tension, "We're not following the old system to set a fixed annual number. We're not buying slaves from the Syndicate, but building armies and fleets for each academy individually, and that's what makes us respectable... We're preparing armies of Merged Purity Light Users, and having the locals supply us with their weapons, food, and vehicles in exchange for payment, as a form of mission involvement. This was your Excellency's plan, as you know."

"...." Blokan kept his gaze slightly downward, while his mind worked at tremendous speed, then he raised his head toward Robin, "If you want to apply this system to a thousand academies, give me 115 billion Pearl a year and I'll manage."

"....?"