Ch.323Chapter 323 – A Gift from His Highness the Crown Prince

After the engagement ceremony, Karen and I officially became a couple on the path to marriage.

However, since having an engagement ceremony meant that a wedding was also in the works, neither Karen nor I could afford to spend our time leisurely.

I was busy looking for a mansion to live in Aurelios after my marriage to Karen.

Apparently, as the husband of an imperial princess, it wouldn’t uphold the imperial dignity if we lived anywhere other than the capital.

However, for a nobleman without a domain to purchase a mansion in the capital, three character references were required.

Despite knowing I was a hero of the Great Goddess Order, the official told me that rules and laws must be followed, so I decided to use my connections.

‘I, Bergen Staler, Imperial Chancellor, hereby vouch for this person’s character.’

First, the Chancellor. When I visited and greeted him, he gladly provided his reference.

‘I, the Emperor of the Empire, hereby vouch for his character.’

Next was His Majesty the Emperor, my future father-in-law. Surprisingly, as if not many people asked for such favors, he enthusiastically wrote the reference document.

The last person I chose was Sister Regina.

‘I, Regina, Headmaster of Glesius Academy and former Archmage, vouch for his character.’

Sister Regina agreed to be my reference since she would have to leave the academy after handing over her position as headmaster anyway.

What happened next, you ask?

I’m still wandering around the capital, looking for a suitable mansion.

“Do I really have to take these bridal lessons?”

“Is there something you don’t like about them?”

And Karen, quite unexpectedly, was required to take bridal lessons.

Bridal lessons were part of the marriage preparation process where women about to be married learned household chores and other domestic duties.

“I’ve never cooked or done laundry in my life, so I’m worried whether I can do it well.”

Come to think of it, Karen was the First Imperial Princess of the Empire.

How many times would someone like her have done laundry or cooking with her own hands?

An imperial princess cleaning her own room? The servants responsible for cleaning her room would be severely reprimanded that very day.

Servants existed to ensure that those they served didn’t experience any inconvenience. If the princess cleaned her own room, it would mean the servants’ cleaning was inadequate.

Karen seemed afraid of that.

‘How interesting.’

The person who I thought would have chosen paths she hadn’t experienced during her repeated regressions had disappeared, and standing beside me now was someone who feared challenges.

“No one is good at something from the beginning.”

I shared an eternal truth with Karen.

Even those with genius talents inevitably make mistakes when trying something for the first time.

Never made a mistake when doing something for the first time?

Then it’s one of two things: either they practiced beforehand in private to avoid mistakes, or they’re not human.

Anyway, it was quite refreshing to see Karen afraid of a new challenge.

“You’ve already gone through the process of regression, walking paths whose outcomes you couldn’t know because you hadn’t chosen them before. Is there still something that scares you?”

“Everyone has fears. But right now, I’m attempting for the first time something that others do well.”

Karen sighed and unfolded her arms. This meant it was time for her to attend her bridal lessons.

“See you later. Even though you’ll be busy.”

“See you later, Karen.”

She seemed to have found something to think about from my words, as she showed a determined expression. I watched her as I prepared to leave the imperial palace.

“Wait! Brother-in-law, could I have a word with you?”

The person who stopped me as I was about to leave the palace was none other than Tikikir, the First Imperial Prince.

“It’s Takitar, brother-in-law. Why so formal? It hurts my feelings.”

His Highness the Crown Prince, who was my brother-in-law, laughed heartily while dusting off his clothes.

“What can I do for you, Your Highness?”

“Hmm, it’s nothing much. I just have a favor to ask of you.”

A favor? What could the Crown Prince possibly want to ask of me?

“I’ve been tasked with restoring ancient ruins within the Empire. They say a person shouldn’t be ignorant of their roots.”

So, what does that have to do with me? I wanted to get up and leave, but strangely, His Highness the Crown Prince was persistently clingy.

“We’ve discovered an interesting ruin recently, near the capital. But all we found inside was this book.”

“A book, you say?”

What the Crown Prince handed me was a single book. However, the language written on the cover was one I had never seen before.

It wasn’t the continental common language used in this world, nor was it the language of the Eastern Continent. It was, literally, a script I had never seen before.

“What kind of writing is this?”

“The text in this book is in an ancient language. After research by ancient document scholars and ancient language experts, they determined it to be ‘High-Performance Fertilizer Synthesis Method.'”

High-performance fertilizer? Is it some kind of chemical fertilizer made in factories?

“According to those who went to pioneer the new continent, the soil fertility has recovered enough to farm, but overall, the soil is still quite weak, making it nearly impossible to grow crops for extended periods.”

So that’s why he came to me?

Since the book is in poor condition, he wants me to restore it with my abilities, obtain the fertilizer synthesis method, and use it to restore soil fertility.

I shared my thoughts with the Crown Prince, and he nodded.

“You’re right. His Majesty the Emperor wishes to expand the Empire’s influence on the new continent by restoring soil fertility through fertilizer synthesis.”

“That’s not difficult, but I don’t think you sought me out just to restore this one book.”

“You’re indeed sharp. You’re right. Actually, many more books were excavated from the ruins we discovered. I’d like to entrust the restoration of those books to you. Would that be possible?”

I don’t have anything urgent to do right now, but if it’s not pressing, I don’t want to set aside time for something like this.

The wedding isn’t far off, and I shouldn’t be spending too much time on this.

“How long does it take to reach the ruins?”

“Since it’s not a location with a teleport station, it would take at least a month to get there.”

Restoring the books would take a day at most, but a month to get there and another month to return is too time-consuming.

“Is there no faster way?”

“Teleport magic is not an option. Since the excavation of the ruins began, teleport-disrupting artifacts have been placed all around for security.”

They’re incredibly meticulous at times like this. But it’s reassuring to know they’re taking security so seriously.

Anyway, I’m now a nobleman of the Gelebrio Empire, so it’s right for me to contribute to making the country I’ll live in more prosperous, isn’t it?

Thinking about neighboring countries isn’t my job. That’s for His Majesty the Emperor or His Highness the Crown Prince to consider.

“I’m not sure if I have the time.”

“Come now, it’s not like you have much to do if you return to the academy. I heard new craftsmen are coming in to inspect the students’ equipment.”

Tch, he already knew. I was thinking of using equipment inspection as an excuse to get out of this.

If he already knows everything from the start, I have no way to escape.

“Will you help me, brother-in-law?”

“If Your Highness asks for help, how can I refuse?”

Cheonhye-ryeong has been so busy lately that it’s hard to even see her face, so it’s awkward to ask for her help.

I’ll just have to go with a leisurely travel mindset…

“Hahaha. I knew you’d help. I heard you’ve been busy looking for a mansion in the capital?”

“Yes, but…?”

“There’s an excellent mansion that’s only permitted for direct imperial family members. However, only married individuals are qualified to reside there, so I don’t need it now. And since I’ll be living in the imperial palace once I ascend to the throne, I won’t need it in the future either.”

“Are you saying…?”

Is he giving that mansion to me now?

“Since you’ve agreed to help with this matter, I’ll specially transfer the ownership to you and Karen. His Majesty the Emperor gave it to me, but I have no use for it.”

His Highness the Crown Prince took out a rolled-up paper from his bosom and handed it to me.

“This is a deed transferring ownership of the mansion to you and Karen. I’ve already obtained His Majesty’s approval, so from this moment, the mansion belongs to you and Karen.”

As I stood there, suddenly the owner of a mansion, His Highness the Crown Prince approached and whispered in my ear.

“By the way, I prefer nieces over nephews.”

With a wink that said, “You know what I mean,” the Crown Prince disappeared.

…Is it okay to rush things?

No, since we’re already engaged, it’s not rushing but a wedding gift, right?

Either way, it was another day that gave me a headache.