episode_0078

Late at night.

Five people wearing black clothes and suspicious-looking masks are gathered in the VIP room on the fourth floor at the western edge of the imperial palace.

“Now… go up to the roof… The fourth window on the east facade is the emperor’s bedroom, and the third window on the back is Princess Joy’s room. Alpha quickly assassinates the emperor, and Beta uses medicine to kidnap the princess and bring her to the stable.”

When the man in the center said that, everyone nodded as if they understood.

And soon I approached the window…

Gently open the door and use the hook to hang it on the roof.

-Crack…

And then, with skillful body movements, they begin to climb up to the roof one by one.

As the last person goes up to the roof of the imperial palace with a small sound, the suspicious people who have already climbed onto the roof lower themselves as much as possible and carefully move to the roof.

***

“Whoa… I have a lot to do.”

It is a three-day public holiday from yesterday to tomorrow, marking the New Year.

A day off for all public officials and most chambers of commerce and companies.

Even restaurants are closed during this period, but he stays in his office until late at night, looking at data on investments in fertilizer production.

The worst performing national industry I’ve touched recently.

In a way, you could say it’s my sore finger.

-Sreuk…

[Currently, we have succeeded in cooling the air to -200℃, but it is still difficult to separate high-purity nitrogen, a key element, from the air.]

[Currently, liquefied air is difficult to store at room temperature, so research is underway to quickly separate it with high purity.]

At least these two lines are the result of a huge amount of gold coins being used.

It’s just… it’s absurd to think that they spent so much gold for this, but I can’t help it.

It’s unfortunate, but there’s nothing we can do. Because it wasn’t a short-term project to begin with.

With that in mind, I take out the papers I had prepared to read during this holiday.

It occurred to me that in the past, the professors at the academy did not think well of me and left out important papers, causing me trouble, so this time, I look through the papers I brought under Theodora’s name.

-Experiment after adding various substances to iron.

Is this a paper on steel?

Only in the modern era can we easily make good steel, but here it is not yet possible to make modern-day steel.

No… Is it even possible to make steel by modern standards in the first place?

It’s not something useful right now, but let’s keep this in mind first.

-About new power sources other than magic stones and dragon hearts.

I skim through the interesting paper titles.

Here, various artifacts are created using magic circuits.

However, magic stones are mainly used to operate the magic circuit. Magic stones must be replenished periodically, and the wavelengths emitted by magic stones are not good for the human body, so it costs a lot.

I know that Dragon Heart, which contains a huge amount of mana, is so rare that it is difficult to commercialize.

Well… it’s a rare but actually existing item.

According to legend, it is the power source of the triple wall and the protective magic of the imperial palace.

Anyway, I was excited to see that you could boil water and use the power of steam to turn a turbine to move a huge machine.

“Is it a steam engine?”

My heart is pounding, so I read it quickly and sigh.

“It’s too basic.”

The story goes that the idea came from seeing an unusual device discovered in an ancient temple.

In summary, the paper states that when the sacred flame at the entrance to the temple is lit, water boils in the internal device, opening the temple door, and that using it, mills can be built even in areas where there is no weather or wind.

Should I call this a thesis? It’s too poor to be called a thesis, right?

As if the idea was sketched out, all you have to do is put wood in it, boil a large pot, and a narrow pipe at the end turns a turbine.

“Well… let’s take care of this first.”

Then, let’s look through it a few times, grab some decent papers, and leave the office…

“Huh? Your Majesty the Archduke?”

I say to the guard who is surprised to see me, as if asking what’s wrong with me.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“Well… I was surprised that you were only here recently. Are you going to the bedroom today?”

I nod my head and say that.

“That should be it. I didn’t go in too long and my wife started nagging me.”

The guard smiles softly and nods at my words.

“Haha, your Majesty’s nagging… I want to hear it too.”

He waves his hand at the guard who is acting like an idiot.

“If you get married, you will never hear such a thing.”

And even more so if your wife is trying to kill you.

After exchanging a few more words, we head to the newlyweds’ room.

-Quick!

Let’s open the door to the newlywed room and enter. Theodora is seen reading a book.

“Huh? Are you here?”

I nod to her, who is surprised to see me here.

“Yes.”

Saying that, he lies down on the sofa and takes out the paper he brought with him.

“Really… does it happen again as soon as you get to the room?”

I say to her who shakes her head as if she is tired of my actions.

“I should find something to develop the empire during public holidays.”

Since I don’t have time to leisurely read papers on weekdays because I’m running government affairs… If I don’t read the papers at a time like this, when will I be able to read them?

Let’s get the paper out like that. Theodora gets out of bed.

“Everyone else is resting. Do you really have to work like that?”

As she says that, she sits down next to me and frowns as she holds up a paper.

“About a new power source other than magic stones and dragon hearts?”

And soon after reading more than a few pages…

“This person would have succeeded as an artist rather than a thesis.”

“I agree too.”

Saying that, he turns over the paper.

steel.

One of the important indicators of modern industry is steel.

I heard that there was a time when the ability to produce large quantities of high-quality iron indicated the power of a nation.

So, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t fascinated by this topic.

The introduction to the first chapter talks about aluminum.

Surprisingly, aluminum here is three times more expensive than the same weight of gold.

It is difficult to obtain high-purity aluminum in the natural world, so you have to go through a complicated process to obtain high-purity aluminum, or something like that…

I don’t know the details, but only the imperial palace prefers gold because of its symbolism, but great nobles make tableware and bowls out of aluminum, which is reputed to be a more expensive and luxurious metal.

Well… it feels rather simple by my standards…

“What is that about?”

He seems curious about the paper I’m reading, so he reads the page I’m currently reading.

“That is, when smelting iron. There is a clear difference in strength depending on the origin of iron ore…”

Then Theodora looked tired.

“You… you really don’t know anything. Do you understand what I mean?”

I nod my head at those words.

“Yes, depending on the iron ore, the strength may be weak even if smelted in the same way.”

We know that modern technology can produce high-quality steel by adding a certain amount of carbon to pure iron, but is it really possible to produce pure iron here?

Since it is probably not pure iron but iron mixed with impurities, I think there is bound to be a big difference if it is tested precisely in a laboratory even if the method is the same.

“There really is nothing you don’t know. Still, I take it easy. You spilled a nosebleed last time, right?”

at that time…

-Click…

I hear a dull sound of something breaking in a place where the curtains are drawn, and when I look there, the curtains are quickly pulled back and two strange men appear holding daggers and swords.

“Aaaah!?”

“Who are you!”

I quickly stand up and throw the light ball at them.

-Kwasik!

He hears the sound of something breaking, but before he can check it, he grabs Theodora’s wrist and leads her to the wall.

He looks at the assailant holding the long sword decorated on the wall and speaks.

“Who sent it?”

Normally, decorative weapons use dull blades, but it was a good idea to equip them with blades in case of an assassin.

That moment…

-Aaaah! Sa… please save me!

Cold sweat flows from my head as I hear Joy’s voice coming from far away.

Damn it… I never thought they would attempt assassination so boldly.

“Grand Duke… If you hand over the emperor obediently, I will quietly step down.”

“You’re being damned. Do you think I’m going to hand Theodora over to you?”

As I say that, I hide Theodora behind my back and get lost in thought.

These may have been sent by Ioannes.

Shit… what should I do?

I don’t know exactly what their skills are.

There is a high possibility that he is a skill level similar to mine.

Then 2 to 1 is at a disadvantage…

That moment.

They rush at me.

When I tried to stab the guy in front with my sword, he raised his sword to block my attack…

Aiming at me with the dagger in his left hand…

-puck!

Trying to aim, he kicks the man’s vital area with his foot.

“Ugh…”

And then, as the slender assassin threw a dagger at Theodora behind me,

-Ting!

He hurriedly swings his sword and strikes away the dagger.

At that moment, the guy who had fallen awkwardly aimed at my leg with a dagger and cut off his arm with the sword…

– Snip!

As I cut down, the assassin threw his sword at me.

-visor!

As soon as he strikes it down, the assassin quickly pulls out several daggers from his waist.

Damn… long range is a disadvantage.

When I think like that. The assassin begins throwing several daggers at once.

It’s impossible to stop all of that.

I quickly turn around and hug Theodora.

Red eyes trembling as if afraid as they look at my face and a stiff face.

Really… she’s a beauty.

With that thought in mind, I smile at her.

-Pow!, Pow!, Pow!

“Ugh!”

A scream escapes from my mouth due to the intense pain I feel from my back.