Chapter 179

Episode 179

The Emperor’s condition worsened again.

The Elven priest’s words had come true. The medicine seemed to have backfired, accelerating his aging.

He now spent more time lying down than sitting up.

It was the worst possible situation, with everything still undecided.

“Your Majesty, how are you feeling?”

“…I’m managing. The Imperial Palace seems noisy today. Did something happen?”

“A messenger arrived from the north. The head of House Whitefield sent a personal letter.”

At those words, the Emperor rose from his bed. Sir Olaf hurriedly approached and supported him.

The Emperor raised his hand, signaling that he was fine.

“If he sent a personal letter, it must be either very good news or very bad news. I heard he’s preparing for peace with the Nordics.”

“It’s good news. It seems something unbelievable has happened in the north.”

“Unbelievable?”

The Emperor knew his eldest son wasn’t prone to exaggeration. For him to say something was unbelievable…

He couldn’t help but be intrigued.

“Sir O’Brien, a vassal of House Kalisto, has achieved remarkable results. He protected Aslan Village and defeated the Margrave’s eldest son and daughter in duels.”

“Those two are great warriors of the north… Is this O’Brien that strong?”

“He’s the one who deciphered the Bellatrix swordsmanship, though not perfectly. And he can also use magic, so he’s not someone to be underestimated.”

“Indeed. I heard there was a term for such people in ancient times. They were called magic swordsmen.”

The name ‘Arthur’ had become taboo in the Imperial Family. So the two didn’t continue talking about the duel that had taken place in the Imperial Palace.

“But that alone wouldn’t make you praise him as remarkable. Is there something else?”

“It seems Sir O’Brien has grasped what the people of the north truly need. What they desire isn’t supplies or weapons. It’s a warm shelter where everyone can live comfortably. That’s all.”

“…That’s possible. I heard more people freeze to death than die in battle.”

“He’s planning a large-scale construction project in the north. The idea is to build a district heating system to warm the entire region.”

“District heating?”

The Margrave had explained it in detail in his letter, but it was difficult for them to understand. They weren’t modern people.

Still, Karma managed to interpret it positively.

He had no choice.

The success of this project was crucial for him to become Emperor.

“Is such a massive construction project even possible?”

The Emperor groaned after hearing the explanation. It seemed impossible, no matter how he thought about it.

“Two things are essential for this project to succeed. First, a vast amount of capital, and second, magical power.”

“A vast amount of capital is a given, but what about magical power?”

“Magic is the core of the district heating idea. It requires magic power to melt and boil snow, and the pipes need to be magically treated to reduce heat loss. And they also need to deploy construction golems.”

“I see. But the Magic Tower doesn’t have the resources to send mages right now, does it?”

“I don’t think so. I believe this is an opportunity.”

The Emperor tilted his head.

“Do you have a way to lift the closure?”

“I’m planning to use it as an opportunity for atonement. If the Magic Tower is truly unrelated to this incident, including Muon, they’ll willingly contribute to the Empire.”

“Hmm, indeed. That makes sense.”

“And there’s another reason. The church’s movements are suspicious. Demons are appearing all over the place. Dispatching magical power is one way to suppress their influence.”

The Emperor pondered for a moment and then nodded. He couldn’t think of a better solution.

Under normal circumstances, he would have gathered his ministers for a discussion, but this was an emergency situation, with the aftermath of the magical experiments still lingering.

So he could make a unilateral decision.

“Were there any other demands?”

“House Walker agreed to cover all construction costs, but they requested that the Imperial Family cover the heating costs.”

“House Walker is a barony, isn’t it? Can they really afford such a massive construction project?”

“They can. Recently, gold nuggets have been discovered in Walker Barony, and their value is said to exceed tens of millions of gold. They’re planning to hire over 500 dwarves from Plantier with that money.”

The Emperor’s expression hardened at those words.

It wasn’t a positive sign.

“He seems dangerous.”

Those words weighed heavily in the air.

“To be honest, I think so too. But we have no choice but to borrow his strength. Fortunately, he’s not greedy.”

“That’s what worries me. Lack of greed means he has a clear purpose.”

“A clear purpose…”

“I think you’ll have to figure that out gradually. Don’t let your guard down.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Then I’ll take my leave. Please rest well.”

As Karma was about to leave, the Emperor called him back. He hesitated for a moment and then spoke.

“Lifting the closure of the Magic Tower is just the beginning. You’ll have a lot to deal with from now on.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll do my best for the Empire and the Imperial Family.”

“That’s not what I mean. Responsibility requires authority.”

The Emperor ordered his servant to summon the Minister of Internal Affairs. A while later, Minister Scala hurriedly requested an audience.

He had thought he was summoned because the Emperor’s condition had worsened, but he sighed in relief when he saw him sitting up.

“Greetings to the Emperor, the only sun of the Empire.”

“Yes, thank you for coming. I summoned you because I have a task for you. I will appoint Karma as Crown Prince today. You must make the necessary preparations.”

“I will obey your command.”

Scala left. Karma knelt on one knee and bowed.

“Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty.”

“I wanted to pass on the throne under happy circumstances, but it’s unfortunate that things turned out this way.”

His words were true. Karma was guaranteed the throne, but his responsibilities had become heavier.

But Karma was no ordinary person.

“There’s a saying, ‘Turn a crisis into an opportunity,’ and I like that saying very much. I will make the most of this opportunity to further enhance the prestige of the Imperial Family.”

“I have one request. Take good care of your younger brothers.”

Past emperors hadn’t treated their blood relatives kindly. There were many cases of them being banished or poisoned.

“Don’t worry. My younger brothers are actually helping me. I won’t forget their kindness.”

The Emperor nodded and waved his hand, dismissing him.

Karma returned to his quarters and leaned back in his chair.

“Your Highness, congratulations. You’ll soon inherit the throne. I believe we should hold a celebratory banquet and send envoys to other countries.”

“Olaf, I appreciate your loyalty, but it seems I won’t be able to rest until we resolve the matter at hand. By the order of the Crown Prince, I will lift the closure of the Magic Tower. Go to the Magic Tower immediately and bring Eldritch.”

“As you command.”

Olaf saluted and headed to the Magic Tower with the Imperial Guard.

Meanwhile, another messenger, who had departed from Whitefield, was heading towards Kalisto Dukedom with a personal letter.

A week after the closure of the Magic Tower was lifted, the messenger from Whitefield had an audience with Duke Kalisto.

* * *

“My lady!”

A maid, who was usually quiet, rushed in. Lucia, who was reading a book, tilted her head.

“What’s the matter?”

“T-The Duke is here!”

“Father?”

The servants were understandably surprised. The master of Kalisto had visited Walker Barony without any notice.

It was a disaster for Administrator Balzac.

But he was a competent former head butler. He managed to greet the Duke with perfect etiquette and even had the composure to lead him to Lucia’s quarters.

He had intended to surprise his daughter, but it seemed like he had shortened the servants’ lifespans by ten years.

“Father, what brings you here? I didn’t hear you were coming.”

“I came because I wouldn’t be able to see you otherwise. Are you planning to settle down here?”

“I’m sorry.”

He chuckled, seeing his daughter refusing to say she would return. It was quite different from his second son, who had completely changed.

While Romero was struggling to build his power, Lucia was still full of composure and grace.

“Do you like it here that much?”

“Every day is new. It’s not as grand as Kalisto’s main castle, but there’s a certain charm in finding simple joys.”

“You’ve become quite the philosopher.”

Refreshments were served. Lucia personally brewed tea for her father, whom she hadn’t seen in a while.

“A messenger arrived from Whitefield recently. It seems Sir O’Brien is doing well with his mission. He’s preparing for a massive construction project that will go down in the history of the Empire.”

“I heard about it too. He’s hiring dwarves from Plantier. The merchants have been very busy because of it.”

“It’s amazing how he came up with such an idea. If this goes well, we can quell the unrest in the north and enhance the prestige of the Imperial Family.”

The Imperial Family had agreed to cover all the costs of the district heating system. In return, they would reduce the number of supplies sent annually.

They had also agreed to dispatch mages from the Magic Tower at regular intervals. Jericho had created a magic power storage, and the mages would recharge it once a month.

Finwinter had agreed to all of this, and the Magic Tower was currently selecting mages to be dispatched to the north.

“How did you end up with O’Brien by your side? I can’t understand it. If he was just an assistant from the butler’s office, he wouldn’t have had a chance to prove himself.”

“He just… caught my eye.”

“Sir O’Brien is quite handsome, even for a man.”

“It wasn’t just his looks. He was extraordinary in every way. At first, I just thought he was skilled in martial arts after seeing his physical techniques, but he was even more intelligent than I thought. I felt like it would be a great loss for the family if we didn’t utilize someone like him.”

“It must be lonely being away from home for so long. I heard you were supposed to go on a summer vacation with the Inspection Unit.”

Lucia smiled and set down her teacup, placing her hands neatly on her lap.

“There’s plenty of time. I feel sorry for Aubrey. He must be having a hard time in that cold place.”

“But aren’t you proud that the Inspection Unit is carrying out an Imperial mission?”

“I am. I created the Inspection Unit for the family, but now they’re working for the Empire.”

The Duke was secretly disappointed. It seemed his daughter was still hiding something.

But he didn’t pry.

He was curious about something else.