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The Story So Far

Volume 1

Thomas George Hamilton was assassinated. Fortunately, a goddess saw fit to reincarnate him into another world. Taking over the body of a prince named Lucian, he set out to claim the crown and steer the world back on track using his advanced knowledge of economics and business management.

The problem was that he had many threats, both in his new kingdom and outside of it. Internal struggles nearly led to him being assassinated for a second time, but thanks to his fox-eared protector, Emilia, he survived the attempt.

Emilia was a beastfolk, but unlike most of her kind, her white hair meant that she was essentially a second-class citizen in Lucian’s new world. Because of her status as a white hair, she was prone to going berserk anytime she was enhanced with magic. And since the world was nearly conquered by a group of white hairs in the not-so-distant past, her people had a large stigma to deal with.

But even though white hairs went berserk when enhanced, they also gain a lot of strength to go with it. Having Emilia by his side was a huge boon for Lucian, as she was a warrior that even powerful adversaries couldn’t just shrug off.

That came in handy when his uncle, Archduke Henrik, revolted. A civil war ensued, where the victor would take the crown. Although it was a difficult battle in many ways, Lucian emerged victorious. With his rule secured, he became the next king of Almekia.

But that was just the beginning of his troubles. Now that he had the crown, he could finally begin his true mission of ridding the world of the God’s Acolyte that had invaded, sent by a god from another world.

Fortunately, Lucian had his own unique powers, including the ability to manipulate objects with his Command Magic. Along with his enhanced magical strength, he could only hope that it would be enough to see him and his allies to victory in the battle for control of the planet.

Volume 2

After securing his throne, Lucian received a message from a mysterious figure known as the Fairy Queen. Being summoned by her was nearly unheard of, so he knew he had to make the trip.

After an eventful journey, he arrived at a mysterious forest filled with crystalline trees. Led by a pixie named Tana, he made his way through the monster-infested domain of the Fairy Queen until nightfall. Checking a cave to make camp, Lucian and Emilia ran into a young oni girl named Teflyn. That girl joined them on their trip deeper, until they eventually met the Fairy Queen herself.

Seeking answers to questions that Lucian couldn’t comprehend, the Fairy Queen peered deep into his soul. She didn’t give details on what she found, but she did provide him with yet another companion, her own daughter, Minerva.

Back at the castle with his two new companions, Lucian set out to restore order to the crime-ridden streets. He eliminated the most powerful gang in the city, which had been run by a white hair soldier who had been recruited for his strength.

Although it was just one of many gangs, it showed that such blatant organized crime wouldn’t be allowed under Lucian’s rule. That alone was a large change from the blind eye the previous king had taken to the matter.

Unfortunately, war called Lucian to the front lines. When he arrived, his army had been pushed back to a river, where they were crossing a single bridge to safety.

Unable to stand and watch, Lucian devised a plan to save as many of his soldiers as possible. During their battle, he came face to face with the one known as the Death Knight. The renowned empire soldier wore a full set of black platemail, complete with horns on the helmet.

The Death Knight was too much, even for Lucian, but he managed to escape across the river with his men. It was a pitiful beginning to the warring season, so Lucian could only hope it would get better.

And he had a clue on how to improve his chances. A divine clue, given by the young immortal who often visited the Goddess.

Lucian needed to go to the dark elves and find himself a new general.

Volume 3

After getting to the front line and seeing the might of the Esgares Empire for himself, Lucian set off to find the general he needed to win the war. His destination was the land of the dark elves, a mysterious race who lived mainly in the darkness of the mountain caves on the eastern edge of Almekia’s border.

The reception was rough compared to what he’d come to expect from human nobles, but he eventually managed to receive a welcome from Dark Lord Druthyr, the ruler of Ul’Tharas, the city nearest the human border.

Unfortunately, Lucian didn’t have time to enjoy the sights of a new race of people, as the dark elf guide who was supposed to escort him deeper turned out to be a thief. Aelia had used her position as Lucian’s guide to steal from Druthyr, something the dark elf lord wouldn’t let slide.

The hunt was on for the young thief, with Lucian joining Druthyr in a trek through the caves in an effort to catch up to Aelia.

When they found her, Lucian and her ended up falling into a deadly ravine, saved only by the glider that Aelia planned to used as her escape. During their time alone, the two came to an agreement, with Aelia choosing to return what she stole and leave the caves with Lucian.

Nearly as quickly as he arrived in their lands, Lucian left the dark elves behind, taking only Aelia along with him.

Back at the warcamp, Lucian and Aelia got to work on a plan to rid themselves of the Esgares Empire, who had taken root in Almekian territory after pushing their army out of the northern provinces.

During their infiltration mission into the enemy-controlled city, Lucian ran into none other than the very same Death Knight he had only barely escaped from the time before. And in the process, he figured out their identity.

Flora, a seemingly ordinary girl, was in fact the Death Knight. Her powers came not from her own magic, but that of the one she served, Emperor Marek, ruler of the Esgares Empire.

Emperor Marek had another title, as well.

The God’s Acolyte.

Chapter 1

“Your Majesty.” A plump man gestured with one hand to emphasize his sincere tone. “It’s great that we won the war, but giving up such a large portion of our land will not be a popular decision. Please, reconsider this decision before word spreads amongst the populace.”

Lucian sat back in his chair at the head of the table. “You are the Minister of Production, Walther. Perhaps you should leave internal matters to the Minister of Domestic Affairs.”

“While it's true it's not my expertise, one doesn't have to be an expert to understand how people will react to the news. And if it's matters of production, the loss of farmland and mines will certainly have to be considered.”

“You and I both know that corner of the kingdom was sparsely populated. The impact on our production and finances will be negligible. In fact, the dark elves are far more suited to mining operations in such isolated areas. Perhaps soon, we will find ourselves with an abundance of natural materials that we've been letting sit ungathered.”

Walther didn't look convinced, but the man had been rebutted at every turn. Soon, he had nothing left to argue, letting Lucian move on without worrying about being interrupted again.

“Now then.” Lucian visibly changed gears, looking at the Minister of Domestic Affairs. “Dimitri, prepare an official announcement on the transfer of our land to the dark elves. I'll provide a detailed map of the new boundaries for you to have duplicated and sent to all major cities.”

“It's a simple task.” Dimitri accepted it without question.

“You can't be serious.” Walther complained about how quickly his fellow minister had given in, but Lucian ignored the man.

Dimitri was a far cry from the outspoken Minister of Production. The man would blend right in with a crowd of average citizens, both in looks and demeanor.

“Now, Dimitri,” Lucian continued. “Tell me the state of the public opinion while I've been at war.”

“Alright.” Dimitri’s casual tone hadn't changed. “After we lost two battles against the Esgares Empire, there was little hope that a young king such as yourself could change our apparent destiny. As such, opinion was shifting away from you, despite the goodwill you built up before leaving for war.

“However,” the minister continued. “When news of our victory against the Esgares Empire reached their ears, the people’s attitudes turned once more. Even the bards singing for coin in the taverns have begun playing more optimistic songs than before.”

Lucian nodded at Dimitri's words. His sister, Princess Mia, had already filled in the major details, but he wanted to give the Minister of Domestic Affairs his chance to voice it here to ensure everyone was on the same page.

Although the Almekian Kingdom Lucian ruled was in bad shape, it was far from broken. With a few policy changes and some personal projects taking down criminal organizations, he had managed to stop the leaks that were draining the kingdom's resources and compromising its future.

But those were emergency measures. Lucian needed more time and focus to fully repair the cracks in his kingdom. With civil wars and the invading Esgares Empire requiring his near full attention, he had yet to find the right moment.

But now it was time.

I wasn't only summoned to do battle. I was called here to fix this kingdom and set the world back on track to prosperity.

Six months. I've got six months to do everything I need to do.

The Esgares Empire had invaded even before the start of the warring season. And it was only a few weeks later when the final battle with Death Knight Flora had taken place.

That meant it was still relatively early in the warring season, with spring having officially begun two weeks ago. And yet, the war was over.

For a short while, at least.

No doubt Emperor Marek will make a move against me, now that he knows who I am.

Will he even wait until the next warring season? Or will he just show up one day to finish everything?

Lucian knew far too little about Emperor Marek. He had documents from when the emperor was a young prince, filled with what the kingdom's spies could gather about the royal family.

But those were useless. Because like Lucian, Emperor Marek was not from the world that they were fighting over.

The God's Apostle. A summoned hero, like me.

And he had one hell of a head start…

Lucian once again felt like he started the match with his back to the wall, but no matter how much he complained about it internally, it wouldn't solve any of his problems.

“Any recommendations on how to capitalize on my recent rise in popularity?” Lucian asked Dimitri.

“Yes. Would you like me to go over each one or simply tell you my personal recommendation?”

Lucian turned to Mia, who sat beside him. “The two of you have already spoken on this subject, haven't you?”

Mia nodded. “The day after news of your victory arrived.”

“And what was your recommendation then?”

“The same as now. Hold a festival to celebrate our victory in the war. The only difference is now, I believe we should make Aelia a central figure in the festival.”

“Hmm. Get the people to acknowledge her before news spreads that she's been gifted land from the kingdom. Turning the tide of public opinion is important, and the festival would be the perfect opportunity.” Lucian turned back to Dimitri. “It's settled. Prepare the festivities, and know that Aelia and I will both be taking center stage.”

The Minister nodded. “Okay.”

Without even a shred of resistance, the Minister of Domestic Affairs went along with the plan to get ahead of public opinion.

Although there was no particular hatred of dark elves, nor was there any goodwill toward them. And the biggest problem was the world Lucian now lived in was far less accepting of outside cultures.

The saving grace is that she led our army to victory over the Esgares Empire.

If I share the spotlight with her during the festival, maybe the people will be more accepting.

Besides, I've already brought a fairy and an oni back from their mysterious land. What's a dark elf, at this point?

“And what of the economy?” Lucian asked, changing gears. “Any unexpected incidents or reports?”

“There is … none.” The Minister of Finance speaks with his usual, tired voice.

The man's sunken eyes made Lucian want to tell him to sleep more, but his apparent drowsiness didn't seem to impact his work. If Lucian felt it had been, then he'd be more inclined to push the issue.

In truth, Lucian wanted to replace him. But the man's family had been a long-time supporter of the throne, so he couldn't strip him of his position without causing a stir. At least, not unless he had a reason for such an action.

But until the moment came when the Minister of Finance made a mistake, Lucian held his tongue.

“If there are no issues…” Lucian stood from his chair at the table. “Then let's get to work.”

The room of ministers and insiders began to thin out, with the usual ones rushing out the door first. The Minister of Production, Walther, was a prime example.

That man really doesn't like me, does he?

Is he trying to make it obvious, or is he just that bad at hiding it?

Ah well, I've got bigger issues to deal with right now.

Since Lucian had a few things to discuss with his closest companions, he waited until the others left the room and vicinity before speaking up.

“We've also got an important task to complete before the festival.” Lucian looked to the girls. “Finding appropriate outfits.”

Emilia tilted her head to the side just a bit, her fox ears twitching ever so slightly. “Do you mean buying a whole new set of clothes?”

“Yep. It's a special occasion, so it’s expected that we'd wear something new. And while we're out in the city, we'll let them see Aelia to prime the people for the festival. The more rumors that a dark elf has joined my kingdom, the easier it will be during the festival.”

“Ah, so that's the real reason.”

“But we still get to do something!” Teflyn showed a bit of excitement at the idea of walking around the city.”

“Just remember,” Aelia said. “I'm not your little pet to show off, so don't expect me to act like one.”

Lucian nodded. “It's probably best if you act how you normally do. For some reason, people seem to like personalities like yours.”

“I really don't like how you put that sentence.”

Lucian ignored Aelia’s complaint and turned to Minerva. “Your wings will be coming out again, so let's get you an outfit that matches them.”

“My usual outfit is perfect for them.”

“Yeah, but you can't be the only one wearing her usual clothes while we all dress up. You're suffering with me.”

“I don't particularly think I'll be doing any suffering, though.”

After a long day of meetings to catch up on various aspects of his kingdom, Lucian was more than ready to call it a night. As king, nobody could order him. If he wanted to rest, then he would rest.

But the kingdom's problems wouldn't rest alongside him.

A small knock filled the room.

“Come in.”

“Your Majesty.” A servant bowed. “Duke Bardheim has arrived.”

“He's a bit early, but the sooner we start the meeting, the sooner we finish.” Lucian waved the girls to follow. “Let's change rooms. This one's too large for such a personal visit.”

As king, Lucian's tasks never ended. He could only hope that he could solve the problems faster than new ones showed up.

Chapter 2

“This one's yours, Prince Lucian.” Emilia handed Lucian a cup filled with ice cream. “Strawberry sundae, just like you wanted.”

“Thanks, Emilia.” The cup was cool to the touch, and the frozen treat looked perfectly made. “Maybe I should make you my official attendant, if you're going to keep bringing me my food and snacks like this.”

Emilia looked to Lucian's empty plate of food. “Ah, let me get that for you.”

Although she was originally planning on a sly reply to his remark, the empty plate was in his way, so she had to take care of that first.

With a quick hand, Emilia snatched up the dishes around Lucian, taking them to the restaurant’s staff.

Lucian shook his head at her straightforward and dedicated personality. He thought it'd be fine if she acted more selfishly, but the white hair fox girl didn't seem capable of that.

“How come you don't have an attendant?” Teflyn asked. “All the other important people in your kingdom have them.”

“Having someone always shadowing me and taking care of the small tasks is a bit much. The maids already do my laundry, clean my room, make my food, and pretty much all the other housekeeping tasks that I'd normally do. At the very least, I want to be responsible for taking care of things in my own immediate surroundings.”

“But you didn't seem to mind when Emilia did it instead?”

“Ah, well…” Lucian stole a peek at Emilia, who had just finished handing off the dishes to the staff. “That's different.”

“Hehe.” A smile appeared that didn't quite fit Teflyn’s childish face. “You really like it when Emilia does things for you. Are you going to make her your queen?”

Lucian’s hand froze as he reached toward his coat pocket. As a former politician on Earth, he was normally able to keep surprising questions from affecting his mannerisms.

But for some reason, he has failed to do so when faced with Teflyn's straightforward question.

“Hey, hey,” Teflyn continued. “You going to answer?”

“Can’t say I've given much thought to who will become queen.”

“But you gave it some thought, right? Then who'd you come up with?”

“Well…” Lucian consciously stopped himself from looking back to Emilia. “I'm still thinking about it.”

“Boo. Just tell me already.”

“Picking a queen,” Aelia said, “is as much a diplomatic choice as it is a personal one. Depending on who he picks, it could have a lot of benefits. Or if he picks wrong, a lot of consequences.”

“Who cares about something like that, though?”

“Most rulers. For example, if Lucian wanted to more closely ally with the Trade Kingdom of Villnore, he could marry one of their princesses. Or even the daughter of a powerful noble with close ties to the crown. Perhaps under the right circumstances, even the leader of one of their major trade guilds would suffice.”

During her last remark, Aelia looked at Lucian with a smirk. The implication was obvious to him.

Alma Vastelle, the effective leader of The Golden Coast, one of Villnore’s most powerful trade guilds. For a kingdom that relied on its commerce, the leader of a large guild could be considered nobility in all but name.

Although Aelia didn't meet Alma when the guild leader paid Lucian a visit, she had studied recent events to catch up on the state of Lucian's affairs. He didn't expect Aelia to bring that particular girl up as a part of his options when taking a queen, though.

“Alma is one of the most capable people I've met in this world. She'd be an asset to my kingdom, were she to join me. But I don't think she showed any particular interest in me.”

“Who knows?” Aelia shrugged. “As a masterful negotiator, being bested by you in her field of expertise could have secured you a permanent place in her thoughts.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Just a hunch, is all.”

Emilia had returned halfway through the conversation. Fortunately for Lucian, she didn't hear Teflyn ask about making her a queen. Though she did pick up on the topic they were discussing, her fox ears focused toward the conversation instead of scanning for possible dangers.

It took a lot for Emilia to let her guard down, even slightly. But one of those ways was to discuss the very subject Teflyn had brought up.

A queen, huh? Lucian finally reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a piece of paper.

I suppose I really do need to consider it.

After taking a bite of his sundae, Lucian unfolded the paper and began to look it over. It was filled with columns of numbers and names, a list that would mostly look like nonsense to an outside observer.

But in truth, it was one of the most important documents in the entire kingdom, a list of loans that Almekia had taken from various sources. Though the one in Lucian's hand was just a quick copy he made.

Or rather, he made it with his unique [Command Magic].

“Still worried about the debt?” Minerva watched on as Lucian looked over the figures.

“Other than the Esgares Empire, our national debt is the most dangerous enemy we have. So while we've got a reprieve from the war, I need to work on clawing our way out of the debt spiral we're in.”

“Humans sure do have strange economies. Going into such debt only gives control to those who loan the money, yet it's so common to do just that.”

“It's complicated. Debt can definitely be malicious, and it's a weapon that those with nefarious intentions can leverage to their advantage. However, coins sitting in a vault produce no value. Those same coins in the hands of a man with talent and vision can help build a productive business that adds value to the kingdom.”

Lucian took another small bite of his strawberry sundae. “The biggest problem is that national debt doesn't add the same value as debt going into the hands of entrepreneurs. When the kingdom itself borrows coin, it goes into nonproductive ventures, like funding the army, lavish parties for those with power, and virtually anything that the ruler thinks would help them keep the crown.”

Lucian put his spoon down and held the document with both hands. “And since governments get their money by taxing the people, more debt means they have to take more from the people in order to keep up with payments. That's exactly where Almekia is right now. The ministers, nobles, and bureaucrats have been taking more and more from the people, each in their own ways. And slowly, that has begun to hollow out the core of what makes a nation great–a flourishing population.”

Minerva took a moment to take a bite of her pastry. “And you believe you can repair the missteps of the previous kings?”

“I have to. And I've got a few ideas on how to do it. I did graduate at the top of my economics course in college, after all.”

Teflyn wrinkled her nose. “You really think about all that kind of stuff while eating dessert?”

“It's because I'm in such a relaxed environment that I can really work through some ideas. I've been stuck taking care of so many other things, and from how it looks, that won't be changing any time soon.”

“Well before you think about that, how about you give a real answer to my question.”

“Which question?”

“Are you going to make Emilia into your queen?”

“Eh!?” The fox girl in question went red in the face.

“That's…” Lucian considered the oni girl's words for a second time. “Maybe.”

“There's a chance!?”

Lucian picked up his spoon again and took a bite of his strawberry sundae. Although the girls were still waiting on him to continue, he simply ate his dessert and stared at the loan document in his hand.

But despite his efforts, he found that he couldn't quite focus on Almekia’s crushing debt problem.

Really, now. A queen, is it…

I should at least prepare for an announcement, just in case.

Chapter 3

“Thank you, Prince Lucian.” Emilia took the hand Lucian was offering and used it to keep her balance as she exited the carriage.

A soldier like her didn't need help with such a simple task, but she still smiled as she laid her hand in his.

“It's my pleasure, Emilia.” Lucian held on a bit longer than usual.

After a brief moment, he turned back to the carriage door, where Minerva was standing. He offered his hand like before, which the fairy princess took without reserve.

“Your help is appreciated.” Minerva spoke in her usual voice, sounding disinterested.

“I'll offer it anytime.”

Lucian knew the tone of her voice didn't usually convey her thoughts or feelings, so there was no disrespect intended or received. Minerva was simply detached from most of the emotions that humans have, with a few exceptions.

“Me next!” Teflyn held her hand out, even before Lucian could offer his.

“As eager as ever, I see.” He reached out, and the oni girl's hand slammed into his before he could even get it into position. “And as impatient as ever, too.”

With Teflyn on the ground, Lucian reached up again, offering to help Aelia out of the carriage.

The dark elf girl eyed his hand with a slight frown. “This ridiculous custom again? Why would a warrior need help getting out of a carriage?”

Aelia walked down the single step on her own, ignoring Lucian's offer.

“It may seem ridiculous to a dark elf, but I'm still going to offer each time. Maybe one day, you'll take my hand.”

“I doubt it.”

With the four girls out, that left just one more in the carriage.

Lucian's little sister, Princess Mia, was more accustomed to proper etiquette than any of the others, Lucian included. She even delayed walking up to the carriage door simply because it wouldn't be a good look to stand there waiting for her brother to finish speaking to Aelia.

Even if she had only known Aelia for a couple days, she already understood the dark elf well enough that she anticipated their little back and forth. It was thanks to Mia's quick understanding that she was able to time her arrival at the door just as Lucian was raising his hand to support her.

“Thank you.” Mia gave the bare minimum etiquette-approved response.

“You're welcome.”

With that, all of the passengers were out of the carriage, standing in a well-kept courtyard. Just a short walk away was their home, the castle.

Lucian led them toward the doors, one step at a time. Perhaps one day, we’ll be able to come home to a more relaxing house. Somewhere a little more secluded would be nice.

Rulers often live in palaces instead of castles. But right now, I need the appearance of strength that living in this towering fortress gives me.

But when the day comes that I can leave it, Emilia would definitely come with me. It feels so natural having her by my side now.

And I wonder how long Minerva plans to stay with me. She rarely gives us a glimpse into her thoughts, so it's hard to say.

Teflyn would probably get bored if we didn't fight a lot of monsters. But she's too young to send on adventures without me being there to watch over her, so I'll have to find a way to keep her entertained.

By that time, I wonder if Aelia would be living in her new territory and starting her life as a Dark Elf Lord. It's quite far from here, so I'd have to make a long journey to see her.

As Lucian pondered upon the possibilities that lay in his future, he reached the large double doors that led into the castle. They were already open, as the guards would never force their king to wait.

After stepping into the interior lit by magitech lamps, his eyes quickly adjusted to the dim light. His body wasn't just tougher and stronger from all the levels he had gained, it even performed better to changes in the environment, such as sudden variations in light levels, temperature, and even atmospheric pressure.

Though he had yet to truly experience that last one.

With his eyes adjusted, Lucian noticed some unusual activity in the castle foyer. As the first room all arrivals step into, it's not uncommon for there to be people moving around there.

But a crowd had gathered around someone that drew their interest, with some recognizable nobles among the ones grouped up. Whoever was at the center of that crowd was important enough to capture the attention of some of the most influential people in the Almekian Kingdom.

Can't see them through the crowd. Guess I should get closer.

Lucian had a hard time figuring out who he was about to meet. A foreign dignitary was his first guess, but if someone of such high stature were going to visit, they would have sent several messengers to ensure they would be welcomed properly.

Could it be a messenger from the Esgares Empire? That would definitely attract the attention of the nobles.

When Lucian approached the crowd, the ones gathered parted, having seen him coming. That gave him a clear view of the person at the center of the gathering. And what he saw was…

A strangely dressed woman? That style is definitely foreign, but I don't recognize it.

Having been recently summoned to the world, Lucian was still missing a lot of crucial information on topics outside his focus. And his focus had been war nearly since his arrival, having only recently been given a break from battle.

Fortunately, there was someone he trusted who had a much better grasp of the world than him.

Lucian subtly turned his head and looked to his sister, Mia. She was still watching the mysterious woman in the strange dress, but after a few seconds, she also turned to meet his eyes.

“Danao Dynasty outfit. But…” Mia took another peek at the woman. “She's not a native to their nation.”

“Someone from the Danao Dynasty. But not born there? And she's this popular? Hmm…”

Lucian was far from finding the answer to who the woman was, but at least he had some information. Even though it just ended up raising more questions.

The Danao Dynasty was another of Almekia’s largest rivals. But while the Esgares Empire lay to the north, the Danao Dynasty was to the southwest.

The people there were known for their darker complexion, as if they had a constant tan from the sun. But the woman wearing their fashion was as pale as anyone else in Lucian's kingdom.

Having reached the mysterious woman, Lucian had no time left to ponder the many questions that still lingered in his mind. Instead, he could get them from the mouth of the woman herself.

“Your Majesty.” She gave a rather shallow bow. “Congratulations on your sudden rise to the throne.”

“Thank you. I didn't obtain it in the circumstances that I would have liked, though.”

“Of course not. The death of nearly your entire family is certainly not something that the Lucian I knew would enjoy.” The mysterious woman looked to Mia. “It's good that you escaped the disease, little Mia. Though I guess you're not so little anymore.”

Just who is this woman? She speaks like she knows us, but I studied everyone close to the royal family who would have such obvious authority.

If this woman last saw Mia when she was too little for her to remember, then that had to have been 7 or 8 years ago.

Mia was 11, with a birthday coming up soon. If she were only four years old when this woman was around, then even the studious princess would have a hard time recalling her.

Was there anyone? Anyone among the people I studied who left around that time?

The many late night study sessions flashed in Lucian's mind. He had crammed so much knowledge into his head after his summoning that he felt like he should have earned an entire college degree.

Among that information, something pulled at his mind. Or rather, someone.

Could it be her? But this woman looks too young. If it really is her, then it's almost as if she hasn't aged a day since she left.

His instincts were telling him that he was right. But the age discrepancy was difficult to explain.

Let's just go with it. If I'm wrong, I'll deal with it afterwards.

“It’s been 7 years, Archmage Vera. What brought you back to the Almekian Kingdom after abandoning us to go on your journey?”

“I happened to be in the area when I heard about all the troubles your kingdom was in.” The mysterious woman answered without missing a beat. “Thought I'd drop in and see it for myself.”

“See it? Not help dig us out?”

“You know I don't stick around for long. The world's too big to sit around a castle all day.”

“Understandable. But then why did you take the title of Archmage at all? That position comes with a few responsibilities, you know.”

Vera waved her hand. “I told your dad I'd disappear one day, but he said he wanted me as an Archmage for as long as I was in his kingdom. Never really cared for the title, but I got what I wanted out of it.”

Archmage Vera, the most powerful spellcaster in the Almekian Kingdom. The title of Archmage was only given to those who stood head and shoulders above even the best casters, making it quite a rare and coveted title.

It was supposed to tie the Archmage to the kingdom, giving them authority and wealth in the process. But Archmage Vera managed to obtain the title without many of the strings that would have bound others.

Lucian didn't study much on her, since she had disappeared 7 years before his summoning. But now, he really wished he had spent at least a little more time reading about her.

“The coin and prestige of being an Archmage would help in preparing for a 7-year journey,” Lucian said. “But now that you're back, I wouldn't mind having a long discussion about recent events, if you'd like the details. I've also got some questions for you, so prepare to do some talking, too.”

“Sure, I'll join you. But I just got back, so let's meet up later. I need to change clothes, at least.”

Lucian once again noted her Danao Dynasty style outfit. She didn't have to wear it into the castle, but she did anyway. Whether she was making a statement or was simply eccentric, Lucian had yet to decide.

With yet another meeting on his schedule, Lucian bade Archmage Vera farewell until both of them were ready. This time though, he was a bit excited about what she would have to say.

Like Vera, Lucian had to freshen up after his trip out to the city. So, he led the girls to the royal quarters without a single detour. There, they could change clothes, drink refreshments, and take care of any other personal tasks.

It was a well-guarded section of the castle, as one would expect for the place the king sleeps.

That was why when Lucian saw a mysterious man standing in the middle of the hall, he stopped his steps. The man's back was turned, making it difficult to identify him.

However, even with so little to go on, Lucian knew who he was looking at.

That unruly, brown hair. It has to belong to…

“If you're here,” Lucian said. “Then there must be something important happening.”

The mysterious man turned, revealing a youthful face a couple years younger than Lucian's. “Hey. Been a while, huh?”

“This voice…” Aelia relaxed her guard a bit. “You're…”

“Bingo.” He used a phrase that Lucian understood well. “The ‘young immortal’ here in the flesh.”

The immortal that often stayed in the Divine Realm gave Lucian and his group a casual wave.

What an eventful day.

Chapter 4

“First off,” Lucian said, “let's go to my room. These hallways don't lend themselves to privacy.”

“Sure.” The immortal turned toward the proper direction. “I mean, there's a zero percent chance we'll be overheard since I have so much experience sneaking around a castle meeting with royals. But it would be nice to relax somewhere while we talk.”

“Have you met with the royal families of other kingdoms?” Lucian began walking as he asked.

“No, you're the only people in this world that I've talked to.”

“In this world…?” Lucian's suspicions on a few matters became certainties. “Just how many worlds are there?”

“That…” The young immortal stopped in front of a fancy door. “...is something that you'll have to keep wondering.”

“Can't say, huh?” Lucian opened the door to his room. “I've gotten accustomed to being left in the dark, which is not something I'm proud to admit.”

“Dealing with gods is annoying, I know that very well. But you're a smart man, which is half the reason you were chosen. I'm sure you'll figure the important stuff out on your own.”

Lucian and the young immortal stepped aside, letting the girls go first. Emilia, Minerva, Aelia, Teflyn, and Mia all entered the royal bedchamber, followed by the two guys who shut the door behind them.

Although the king's room was large, it wasn't made to accommodate seven guests on a whim. The three chairs and two-man sofa were all very comfortable, but it would leave two people standing around or sitting on the edge of the massive bed.

Rather than deal with that, the young immortal raised a hand toward an empty section of the room, near the sofa. In a blink, two more chairs appeared, looking just as comfortable as the royal accommodations.

At the center of the lounging area was a table. It was empty, save for a vase of flowers that acted as both decoration and a natural aroma. But as Lucian and the others watched on, a variety of items appeared around the vase.

A pitcher of steaming tea, surrounded by enough cups for everyone present. A large plate of bite-size snacks, filled with a variety of options to choose from. And a bottle of green wine that seemed to glow with a magical light.

“I know all of you ate recently,” the young immortal said, “but I'd still suggest trying a snack or two. They're out of this world.”

The smirk on the immortal’s face made it clear what he meant with his joke.

“This magic.” Minerva eyed the immortal. “Mother has it, as well. It's similar to our [Materialize], yet different.”

“The Fairy Queen is immortal, too. For people like us, storing items in a time-compressed space is one of our core abilities.” He held up his hand, a ring between two fingers. “With your power, Minerva, you could probably learn it.”

“I can? Mother said I still had much growing to do before I could learn her advanced techniques. It's one of the reasons she sent me out into the world.”

“It's true you don't have the full strength of a true immortal, but you've got the seed of power growing inside of you.” The ring in his hand disappeared. “Perhaps one day, you'll be able to use it to its full potential.”

The young immortal reached out to the plate of snacks. “Deviled eggs always were one of my favorites.”

Lucian watched on with a curious eye. He recognized that food, as many on Earth would. Whether the immortal had chosen it for that reason, he didn't know. And he understood that he wouldn't receive the answer, even if he asked.

“I suppose it'd be rude to refuse…” Emilia gave an excuse as to why her hand was reaching for a sweet snack.

Others followed the foxgirl’s lead, picking at least one item from the plate, along with a drink to go with it.

For most, that drink was steaming tea. But a couple of them decided to go for the wine, instead.

Aelia swished the glass beneath her nose. “This stuff sure smells different from anything else I've had.”

“Fairy Wine. No relation to Minerva or her mother, though. In fact, it's far more closely related to you, Aelia.”

The dark elf girl gave the drink a taste test. “Now this is wine. Strong, but the flavor doesn't leave a bad aftertaste. Not sure how it relates to me at all, though.”

“Well, the race who makes this wine could be considered a cousin of your own. Maybe you'll meet one of them someday.”

Teflyn was too busy stuffing her face to join the conversation. She was a growing girl, and her appetite reflected that.

There was another young girl who was even younger than Teflyn. But she was only nibbling on her snack, her attention far more focused than her oni companion.

“Why the visit?” Mia asked.

“Straight to the point, huh? Reminds me of someone I know. She's about your age too. Going by looks, anyway.” He shrugged. “But as for why I'm here, there are a couple reasons. You see, I was recently invited to a meeting between gods. Many of them. And they came to an interesting decision.”

The young immortal nodded at Lucian. “It seems your brother is a bit popular among the gods. The females, especially. I can definitely see why.”

“Eh?” Emilia’s hand stopped just before the pastry reached her mouth. “Prince Lucian is popular?”

“That's the only reasonable conclusion, considering their decision.”

“What did they decide?”

“To allow a little outside help.” The young immortal pointed to himself. “In other words, me.”

“You're going to help us?” Emilia scanned him for a weapon but saw none. “How strong are you?”

“Strong. But at the same time, not strong enough.” He waved his hand dismissively. “But I didn't come here to fight anyone. I'm just here to provide a bit of assistance for what's to come.”

“And what is coming?” Lucian asked. “A battle against the god's acolyte?”

“Yes, Emperor Marek. Or at least, that’s the name he goes by in this world. It’s not much different from you, Lucian. But unlike you, that man isn't known for his patience, so those of us watching from above knew exactly what was coming. Or should I say, we knew that he was coming. To battle you.”

“He's on the way here? How long do we have until he arrives? Days? Weeks?”

“That's the thing. With his power, he could arrive in a couple days if he left his castle right now. And that's exactly what he was going to do.”

“Flora gave her word that the empire would retreat for the rest of the warring season. But I suppose Emperor Marek can override such promises.”

The young immortal nodded. “Exactly. And he wanted to, knowing he could defeat you easily because of the difference in your strength.”

“Is he really that strong?”

“Death Knight Flora was almost a match for your whole party. And she's far weaker than Emperor Marek. If he showed up right now, you'd be screwed. Well, I could beat him again, but I'm not allowed to fight your battles for you.”

“Again?”

“Oops~” The young immortal smirked, showing that his comment wasn't actually a slip up. “Anyway, the gods came to a decision. Since Flora promised to stay away until next warring season, they've extended that restriction to Emperor Marek. That gives you about 10 months to get stronger. And you'll need every one of them if you want to win.”

“Ten months. I've been here four months and have gotten far stronger than I could have imagined before my reincarnation. With ten more, I'm sure I can gain the strength I need.”

“Maybe. But he's not going to sit idle, either. He gets stronger every single day, just like you. Actually, you spend so much time doing administrative work that there are days you don't really grow at all.”

Lucian nodded. “Yes, but I can't leave the people of my kingdom to suffer. I need to fix this country, even as I get stronger.”

“That's why the Goddess gave you a leveling system that incorporates helping your kingdom as a way for you to grow. Actually, Emperor Marek is the same. You’re both playing by the same rules, after all.”

Lucian had a distant look in his eyes. “So that's why the Esgares Empire has been expanding so aggressively. He's gaining his own levels by completing quests, just like I am.”

“Bingo. He also had a three-month head start on you, hence why he's so much stronger. That was the reason the gods had for this ceasefire, to even the playing field. Though in truth, they really just want to watch an interesting battle for control of this world. Nobody would have any fun if they knew you'd just get stomped, right?”

“I suppose…” Lucian was a bit mystified that the gods were treating the struggle for his world like it were a television show.

It makes sense, Lucian thought. Considering the Goddess' personality, it's not surprising that the others would be just as whimsical.

“But why did you come here?” Mia asked, getting even closer to the main subject. “You could have told us all of this telepathically.”

“Because it's way more fun to be here in person.” He smiled. “Now, how about that empty room down the hall? I think it'd be a comfy place to stay while I'm here.”

“You're staying? For how long?”

“Not sure. But long enough to need a room.”

Lucian looked between his companions. Each of them had become important to him in his new life, so any help that would ensure their survival in the battle against the God's Acolyte was a welcome gift.

“Alright. I'll order the maids to prepare it.”

“Awesome. This sidequest is going to be really interesting.”

And so, the young immortal joined Lucian's entourage. For how long, only he and the gods knew.

“If you're going to be staying at the castle,” Lucian said, “then we'll need an appropriate backstory for your presence. It would be beyond strange to have an unknown man suddenly join me.”

“You're right about that. I don't particularly care what history you give me, so feel free to go with whatever is most convenient.”

“Hmm. Only another royal would be afforded the privileges you're asking for. That limits us dramatically. Of course, you can't be from the Almekian Kingdom’s bloodline, as the nobles would sniff out the lie in an instant.”

The young immortal picked up another deviled egg. “So a foreign royal? Sounds good to me. Maybe I'll even act a bit dignified to play the part. Well, probably not, but it's a nice thought, isn't it?”

“A lot of discrepancies in your etiquette can be explained away by your foreign nationality. But at least pretend to be of high status, even if it's just a little.”

“Alright, alright. I'll do my best. I'm just not good with stuff like that, which is why I stay out of center stage on my own world.”

“I have a lot of questions about what you just said, but I already know you won't provide the answers.” Lucian poured a glass of fairy wine. “But at the very least, I'll need your name. I can't exactly tell my citizens that you're an immortal from a different world.”

“True. And I don't mind giving you my real name.” The young immortal stood from the table and held out his hand. “I'm Lutz de Locke, an immortal from another world. And also, a former Earthling like you.”

“What!? You're from Earth!?” Despite his surprise, Lucian stood and took Lutz's hand, giving it a firm shake.

“Yep. That's why I argued with the gods to be able to come down here. I'm really interested in your story, Thomas George Hamilton.”

The two of them took a second to sit back in their chairs.

“Lutz isn't a name that I can ever recall seeing on Earth. Does that mean you adopted a different identity in your new world, as I have?”

“Yeah. I was once known as John Lawrence Locke. But like you, I'm no longer the same person I was before my summoning, so I've gone all-in on my new identity. I did reuse my last name, though.”

Lucian shook his head. “Just what kind of mess are the other worlds getting into?”

“It was definitely messy, but I'll leave the details for another time. Right now, we've got a few other topics to discuss.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“You.” Lutz looked at the girls gathered at the table. “And your party. All of you are too weak.”

“You already said that!” Teflyn raised her arms to express her dissatisfaction at being called weak multiple times.

“Well it's true, so it bears repeating.”

“So what? I'm going to beat a lot of people up and become kishin! Just you wait!”

“That's great. But until then, you're still too weak.”

“Stop saying it!”

“Then would you rather I tell you how to get stronger?”

Teflyn’s pouting face slowly faded to neutral. “I just need to fight. Then I'll get stronger.”

“Yes, but there are other ways. Each one of you could be growing, even without stepping onto the battlefield. You just need a little guidance on how to go about it.”

“Then how? I want to get a lot stronger.”

“Ask Minerva.” Lutz turned to the fairy princess.

“Why me?”

“Because you have access to ancient magic.”

“You mean my fairy magic? It's true that it's of an entirely different class than the spells used by humans and the other races, but I don't see how it will help anyone when only fairies can use it.”

“Sure, they can't use your unique spells, like terrain manipulation. But you're already aware that humans can learn forgotten magic, aren't you?”

Minerva looked thoughtful. “It was strange, but I wasn't entirely sure what she had learned during her travels.”

“She?” Lucian asked. “Who?”

“Archmage Vera.”

“Her? Are you saying she managed to learn this ancient magic?”

“In some form, I believe so. Her aura is … different. And her appearance doesn't match her age. She must have learned something that gives her access to magic beyond that of normal mages.”

“That's a little concerning, considering she's staying here at the castle.”

“I planned on watching her closely until I could figure out how much she knows. But it seems our new companion here has the answers already.”

Lutz took a sip of his tea. “I do know all about it, but it would be great if you went to the source to get your answers.”

“Hmm.” Lucian rubbed his chin. “Is she an ally or an enemy? To be honest, I have my reservations about meeting with her too often. She strikes me as someone who's dangerously intelligent.”

“So you noticed, huh? Well, even an enemy can be a resource, if you play your hand right.”

“So she is an enemy?”

Lutz shrugged. “Who knows. Unlike the Goddess, I can't read minds. But what makes you think she'd be against you?”

“The timing of her return. She leaves for 7 years, then comes back shortly after the recent upheavals in my kingdom. And her gaze … she knows something.”

“Like what?”

“Like … me. Or rather, the Lucian who existed before I reincarnated into his body. And the prince wasn't exactly a saint, despite his good reputation.”

“So you think when Vera heard that the Prince Lucian she knew had taken the throne, she came back to stop you from descending into madness and ruining what's left of the Almekian Kingdom?”

Lucian nodded. “It's the most likely possibility. And that would make her my enemy. At least, that's how she would see it. My only question is whether or not she knew Lucian’s true personality. But if she really managed to unlock the secrets of ancient magic as you're claiming, then she'd be intelligent enough to see through the prince's noble act.”

“I see.” Lutz took a bite of a muffin. “Sounds like you're going to have a fun time figuring all that out on your own.”

“Didn’t you say you came here to help us with these sorts of problems?”

“Nah, I'm not allowed to hold your hand with every little thing. They're watching, you know.”

“The gods?”

“Like I said, they've become very interested in your battle. If I step out of line, they'll probably drag me back to the Divine Realm so I don't mess with their fun.”

“And part of that fun is watching us struggle through such hardships?”

“Don't try to understand the gods. You won't get anywhere. Trust me, I've tried.” Lutz finished off his muffin, washing it down with some tea. “But even if I can't lead you to victory, I can at least help steer you in the right direction. That's what they want, after all. A showdown between two forces where the winner isn't determined because one of them has such a huge advantage over the other.”

Lucian sighed. “So we're chess pieces on a board to them. It's a little frustrating, to be honest.”

“It may seem that way to you. Actually, some of them do see you as nothing but entertainment, so you're not wrong. But there are those who care, those who want to see you win. Don't forget that.”

Lutz finished his cup of tea and set it down. “And this goes without saying, but everything being discussed here is for you six only. Not that anyone would believe you if you tried to spread this information. But the point is that I've been allowed to tell all of you this because the God's Acolyte you're fighting already knows everything I've been saying. So it's just another way to level the playing field.”

“Information is one of the most important forms of power,” Aelia said. “And we've been operating at such a disadvantage this whole time?”

“Yep. But don't think you're equal to the God's Acolyte just because you know a little more than you used to. Invaders always get certain advantages over the home world's champion in these conflicts. You'll have to live with the fact that you're the underdogs in this fight.”

“What sense does that make? Why would they stack the deck like that?”

“It's simple. They want to encourage more conflicts. And the simplest way to do that is to give an edge to the attacker.”

“So they can watch,” Lucian said.

“Basically. Though some of this is just my own opinion, as I've only recently been able to learn about the gods myself. But from what I've seen of them, this sort of reasoning is right up their alley.”

Everyone seemed to have their fill of snacks and tea, so Lutz began retrieving all the items, putting them back into his [Inventory].

Though the fairy wine was another matter. Minerva and Lucian both had a glass, but the one who grabbed the bottle when everything else started disappearing was none other than the dark elf, Aelia.

“Just keep it,” Lutz said to her. “I have a lot more.”

“In that case…” Aelia out the cork back in. “I'll save some for later.”

“Quite a thirsty one, huh? I already knew that, though.”

“Stop watching us from the Divine Realm. It's disturbing.”

“No way. If there's one thing I understand about the gods, it's their interest in this battle. It's far too entertaining to stop watching.”

Lucian shook his head. “Not you, too.”

“Heh. That's just how it is.” Lutz stood from his chair. “How about we take care of a few things? You're meeting with Archmage Vera soon, and I don't want you to be late because of me.”

Lucian stood, as well. “Are you coming to the meeting?”

“Nah, I'd just get in the way. Plus, I'm not a fan of meetings. I'd rather go do something.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“Hmm. A stroll out in the city, perhaps?”

“A … stroll? Don't you have important tasks to complete?”

“Me? Nah, not really. I've got plenty of time to get all of you ready. Ten months, remember? And it's my first time being able to actually enjoy this world, so I want to take advantage of that while I can.”

“I suppose you have a point. But where do you intend to go?”

“Maybe you should be asking your little sister that question, instead?”

Princess Mia showed a rare expression of surprise. “Why me?”

“Because you haven't gone out in a while since you've been burdened with taking care of the whole kingdom during Lucian's absence. So why not take this chance to go there?”

“...”

“Where is ‘there’?” Lucian asked.

“The orphanage.” Mia spilled the answer herself.

“Ah, so that's it. Sorry for making you work so hard that you haven't had time to visit them. By all means, feel free to go any time you wish.”

“I suppose it's fine to go today. But when I get back, I want to know how the meeting went. Every detail.”

“Sure thing. I'll relay everything to you when you return.”

“Alright!” Lutz suddenly got energetic. “Let's go see this new world!”

Chapter 5

“Just one more block, and we'll be arriving.” Lutz’s eyes moved from the corner of his vision, back to the two girls sitting across from him. “I wonder what kind of gift I should give them.”

“How do you know where we are?” Teflyn asked. “You haven't even looked out the window since we got in the carriage.”

“I have my ways. Lucian's guardians can do something similar, right?”

“Oh, that map thingy. You have that, too?”

“Basically.” Lutz left out the fact that his was many times more versatile. “But what about the gift? Any suggestions?”

“No,” Mia said.

“C’mon, at least give me a single idea. You brought some toys for them, right? I don't really have anything like that, though. Maybe I should go shopping for some. I'm sure Alisha would be able to tell me what's fun for kids.”

“Alisha?”

“A companion of mine. She'd probably get along really well with Teflyn.”

“Does she have horns, too?” Teflyn went straight to a mostly irrelevant point.

“No horns. Cat ears.”

“So she's a beastfolk!”

“We call them beastkin. But yes.”

Teflyn sat forward in her seat. “Is she strong? I want to fight her!”

“You should focus on learning ancient magic and evolving into a kishin before thinking about fighting her. Though she definitely wouldn't turn down a duel.”

Teflyn pouted. “Boo. How am I going to evolve if I don't fight strong people?”

“I already told you, didn't I? Ancient magic holds a lot of potential to give not just you a boost, but everyone in Lucian's entourage.”

“Then why did you say it'd be useless for me to go to the meeting with Vera? She's the one who knows about ancient magic right?”

“It’s not like Archmage Vera will be spilling her secrets at that meeting. I figured you'd just be bored sitting there listening to her and Lucian go back and forth.”

“Well … if they'd stop talking so much and actually do something, I wouldn't get bored so easily!”

Lutz nodded slowly. “So you do understand.”

“Hmph.”

The carriage began to slow as it prepared to make a sharp turn into the orphanage.

Mia, Teflyn, and Lutz were the only passengers aboard, the rest having opted to meet with Vera and help Lucian dig for the truth on why she had returned to Almekia after a seven year absence.

After the carriage stopped, Lutz stood, eager to make his first real outing in Lucian's world.

Another of the passengers stood at the same time. It was Teflyn, of course. The oni girl was always the first to act amongst her group, mainly because she got bored sitting around.

The two of them bumped elbows on the way to the exit, each trying to be the first out the door.

“Me first!” The oni girl sped up.

“Not so fast!” Lutz matched her speed.

“Stop being annoying!”

“Are you talking into a mirror?”

The two of them leapt out of the carriage at the same time, completely bypassing the single step that normally helped people exit safely.

Four feet hit the packed dirt that acted as the orphanage's driveway, the two people they belonged to not stumbling even in the slightest, despite their chaotic jump.

“I won.” Teflyn stood proud.

“Are you blind? My feet obviously hit the ground first.”

“No way! I angled my feet so my toes would touch before yours!”

“I did that too, plus I learned to the side so my right foot would be lower than my left.”

“I saw that and did the same, except my shoes are thicker, so they give me extra reach!”

Lutz looked at her shoes, which looked like fancy sandals with extra thick soles. “That's true, but my feet are bigger and longer, making up for the difference between our shoes.”

The orphanage caretaker stood just in front of the two, watching their exchange with a stiff smile.

A group of children surrounded her, ranging from barely old enough to begin formal education to nearly old enough to finish said education. The wide gap couldn't be helped, as kids of various ages could easily become orphans in such a dangerous world.

Seeing the strange exchange, the guards sent to protect the princess had similar thoughts as the caretaker, but they were much better at keeping them from showing on their faces.

Ignoring the others, Lutz turned back to the carriage. Unlike him and Teflyn, Mia had taken her time reaching the door. As a princess, she had a reputation to manage, and leaping out the carriage in a rush would do nothing to help her keep it.

“Here.” Lutz held a hand out toward the carriage door.

“Thank you.” Mia used it to steady herself on the way down.

“No problem. I do the same for my companions. Guess Lucian and I have a few things in common.”

“Not seeing much else that you two share.”

“True, he takes things a lot more seriously than I do, huh? He kinda reminds me of a noble friend of mine, Julius. Well, even Lucian isn't as stiff as him, though he has loosened up a bit lately.”

Mia stood just in front of the carriage door, looking toward the orphans. “My brother is focused, as he should be.”

“I'll definitely give him that. No way I could sit in a stuffy room doing administrative work all day like him. I barely finished a bachelor's degree in college, whereas he got a master's and still didn't stop studying after graduation. The dude's a freak.”

“You said that was part of the reason he was chosen, didn't you? Then why were you picked?”

Lutz shrugged. “The summoning spell thought I was a seasoned warrior with all kinds of specific characteristics that it was looking for. I wasn't, which made my life a bit difficult early on after the summoning.”

“I see.”

Princess Mia walked forward, not wanting to keep everyone waiting any longer. The kids were already starting to fidget from being forced to stand there and watch, so she wanted to release them from their mostly self-imposed bondage.

“I'm back.” She speaks with her usual monotone voice.

The caretaker bowed. “It's good to see you, Princess. We're honored that you'd come to visit us again.”

“Mmm. It's been too long.”

“Yes. The children were beginning to wonder if they'd get a chance to see you again soon.”

“H-hey,” one of the older kids said. “It's not like we asked every day, or anything…”

“Of course not. Only every other day.”

“That's not true, either…” He looked away as he spoke.

“Bahaha!” Teflyn laughed without a hint of consideration. “You're not very good at lying!”

“Ah…!” His face went a little red.

“Seems you brought along someone new,” the caretaker said. “And he's quite a lively one, too.”

“Hey.” Lutz waved at them, stepping up beside Mia. “I’m Lutz, the nephew of a king from a faraway land. King Lucian was kind enough to let me stay at the castle, so I decided to help him out in a few ways.”

“Dear me.” The caretaker bowed to him. “Pardon my rudeness. I didn't know you were from a royal family.”

“Don't worry about it. I don't like all the stuffy etiquette, so just treat me like anyone else.”

“If you say so. Though that may be hard for me to do.”

While they were talking, two of the guards arrived, carrying one box each. They both had lids, so it was still a mystery to the orphans as to what was inside.

But Mia had visited enough times for them to at least have an idea. After all, the princess always brought small gifts with her.

Though this was the first time the gifts required two men to transport them.

“Ohhh!” A younger girl got excited at the sight. “More toys!?”

“I hope there’s something fun!”

“And maybe some candy again!”

The orphans don't get many luxuries. They were lucky to get a single sweet in an entire year, considering how little money the orphanage had to spare.

With the king himself sponsoring them, times had gotten better for the kids, but it was still difficult to spend coin on such luxuries when there were so many orphans.

“Extra gifts,” Mia said. “For my absence.”

The guards set the boxes down on a nearby outdoor table that had seen much better days. Enticed by the thought of toys and candy, the children rushed over as the men pulled the lids off, exposing the contents for all to see.

“Woah! There is candy!”

“And toys! So many of them!”

“I wanna play, I wanna play!”

“Now children,” the caretaker said as she made her way to the table. “Before we receive them, what do you say?”

“Thank you, Princess Mia!” A chorus of voices responded to the caretaker's gentle rebuke.

“It's nothing.” Mia said in a small voice. “They're yours.”

“Yay!”

In order to ensure that every kid got something, the caretaker began to distribute the toys and candy herself. The sudden appearance of many small, grabby hands was a sight that had become common when Mia brought gifts, so she just watched on with her usual expression.

Despite being much older than Mia because of how slowly onis age, Teflyn was far more like the children than the princess. As such, the excitement in the air only fueled her desire to spring into action, which was why she ran over to the kids as soon as they began spreading through the yard to test their new toys.

“Throw it to me! Throw it to me!” Teflyn waved her arms at a boy with a rubbery ball.

“Okay!” He tossed it, rather poorly.

“Woah!” Teflyn dove for it, catching it despite it having gone wildly off course. “Nice! Now it's my turn!”

Despite her absurd strength and skill, Teflyn returned the throw with a soft lob that made the kid reach just a bit to catch it. It was on purpose, as it was more fun than simply tossing it perfectly at him.

“Not going to play?” Lutz asked Mia.

“No.”

“The responsibilities of a princess can be quite burdensome, huh? I know another one who often has to temper her enthusiasm for the same reason. Though in your case, being passive seems to match your personal desires better.”

“What about you? Weren't you excited to come here?”

“Of course I plan to make the most of it. Though I'll leave the playing to Teflyn. I've got something for the more sedentary kids.”

After the distribution of all the toys and candy, it became obvious which children were energetically burning off their youthful energy and which were less inclined to do so.

Most notably, the less social kids were enjoying their candy, rather than toys. That gave Lutz the perfect chance.

“Gather ‘round, those of you who want to hear an exciting tale!”

“Ah…!” A young boy showed immediate interest. “Are there monsters?”

“You bet there are. Big, strong, and fearsome ones.”

“Then I wanna hear!”

“Me too!” another boy said.

“Monsters are scary…” A girl looked at him with a hint of fear, but she couldn't hide the excitement in her eyes.

“Then prepare to be scared!” Lutz waited for the kids to clump up around him. “When I was just a weakling, I stumbled upon a cave filled with lizards that walked on two legs, with sharp claws and deadly fangs. Those monsters were tough and scary to me, but with my trusty spear, I managed to fight my way through them as I explored deeper into the darkness.”

He picked up a stick and began swinging it like a spear. “One after another, they came at me. It was dangerous, and I nearly got overwhelmed many times. But I had a goal, and I wasn't going to give up just because things were difficult! So I fought and fought, leaving a trail of defeated monsters behind me.”

Lutz poked his stick into the ground, as if he were finishing off a downed monster. “Then I ran into it. This lizard wasn't like the others. It walked on four legs, and its body was nearly large enough to cover the entire cave tunnel. Armored with red scales, the huge salamander opened its mouth wide enough to swallow me while. But it didn't plan on eating me. Not yet. First, it wanted to cook me with its flaming breath, which was hot enough to boil water in seconds!”

The kids were all completely focused on Lutz’s every word, even the young girl who claimed to be scared of monsters.

Meanwhile, Teflyn ran around in the background, sometimes followed by children, other times doing the following.

The scene was far different from when Mia visited by herself, as she didn't have the outgoing personality as the other two. But she enjoyed watching them, even if she didn't feel any particular urge to join.

However, not all the kids were gathered around Teflyn and Lutz.

“Princess?”

“Yes?” Mia focused on the girl who was on the older side of the orphans.

“Do you have any more stories about life in the castle? Um, maybe there is a nobleman that's become popular recently…?”

“A popular nobleman?” Mia thought about the men who frequented the courts. “There are a few who gained popularity from performing well during the war. Would you like to hear about them?”

“Yes, please!”

The older girl was accompanied by several others who seemed to share the same interest.

While Mia herself couldn't claim to care much for those noblemen, she understood exactly why the orphan girls would show interest.

After all, girls dreamed of romance just as much as boys dreamed of adventure.

And so, the three of them continued to entertain the children during their visit to the orphanage. Of course, they also enjoyed it themselves, just as much as the kids.

“That was fun.” Lutz sat down in the plush carriage seat. “Well worth the trip, both for the kids and for us.”

“I had the most fun!” Teflyn plopped down across from him.

“I didn't know we were competing to see who could enjoy themselves more.”

“Now you know. But it's too late because I won.”

“Hmph.” Lutz took on a wise expression. “As an adult, I have to temper myself a bit so that children like you can have more fun.”

“What!? I'm not a child! I'm an adult, too!”

“I'll believe that when you act like one.”

“Grrr! I'll show you next time!”

Mia fixed the slight wrinkles in her dress from sitting down. “You didn't seem like much of an adult when competing against Teflyn to be the first out of the carriage.”

Lutz’s wise expression faded. “To think my own actions would come back to bite me…”

“Hahaha!” Teflyn pointed as she laughed. “Got you, got you~”

“Fight your own battles next time, you useless oni.”

“I'm not useless! Especially in battle!” Teflyn looked around. “And I wanna fight! I'm bored!”

“You just got through playing. Didn't you burn off your excess energy already?”

“No!”

Lutz sighed. “This is why kids are…”

“Duel!” Teflyn was looking right at Lutz this time. “Battle! Kishin!”

“You wanna duel me? Well, I don't mind. I could use the exercise, too.”

“When we get back to the castle, we're fighting!”

“Hold on a minute. We've got to talk with Lucian and the others first to see how the meeting with Archmage Vera went.”

“Ehhhh…” Teflyn made a pouting face. “That sounds boring.”

“It's the slow moments in life that make the fun ones stand out even more. And it certainly won't be boring for everyone.” Lutz eyed the young princess.

Mia nodded at the implication. “I'm very interested to hear about it.”

Teflyn leaned back into her seat cushion. “Okaaaaay. But after that!”

The carriage rolled onwards, taking the same route it used when heading toward the orphanage.

As one would expect for a princess who was out in the city, there were many guards protecting her on the trip. Lucian would spare no expense when it came to keeping her safe.

Even if the royal guardsmen weren't enough of a hint as to who was inside, the royal heraldry would certainly fill in the blanks for the more oblivious citizens. That made travel through the city a quick endeavor, as even noble carriages would give way to Mia's.

Although clearly announcing the presence of a royal was convenient in many ways, it also came with a few downsides. Nefarious groups of criminals or spies would be just as aware, allowing them to target the carriage and capture a member of the royal family.

However, even if such a group were to successfully kidnap her and ransom her back to Lucian, such an action would be equivalent to suicide. There was no way any royal family would let such an offense slide, after all.

Since Lucian and Mia had cleaned the city of the most powerful criminal organizations, the chances of any of them being bold enough to target the carriage had dropped dramatically. It was a nice side benefit for their tough on crime policies.

But there was another threat, even more dangerous than a greedy criminal. Some people didn't care about coin, or even their own life.

Some people just wanted revenge.

“Hmm…” Lutz checked the [Minimap] in the corner of his vision.

“What is it?” Mia picked up on his subtle change of demeanor.

“Nothing major. Just a suspicious group gathering on the road ahead, probably getting ready to ambush us.”

Mia’s eyes widened just a bit, a rare display of emotion for her. “How is that not major?”

“Because even if they outnumber your guards, they're not as well equipped or as experienced in combat. Plus, Lucian sent several white hairs with us, so our combat power is far higher, no matter how you look at it.”

“And me!” Teflyn stood. “The Goddess answered my prayer for battle!”

“And you, of course. But wouldn't it be best to stay and guard Mia instead of rushing off to battle?”

“They can't threaten her if they're dead!”

“Well, you have a point.” Lutz relaxed back into his seat. “Have fun.”

“Yeah!”

“Divine power, grant Teflyn a kishin’s strength.” Mia chanted a spell, which flowed into the oni.

“Thanks, Mia! I'm going to go beat them up now!”

Teflyn dashed out the carriage door even faster than when she and Lutz were competing to be the first out at the orphanage. Battle always excited her, even more so than a chance to play.

Mia watched her go but didn't make any other moves besides sliding over to the far edge of the seat, away from the window.

She knew that Teflyn would inform the guards of the approaching danger, so there wasn't anything for the young princess to do but wait.

“Nervous?” Lutz asked.

“It's not my first time being in danger.”

“True, there was that time soldiers attacked the castle to free your uncle. Though back then, you weren't the target. This time, you are.”

Mia looked to the window. “I'm sure the guards can handle them, especially with Teflyn's help.”

“Agreed. I can judge a person's strength pretty accurately, though the way people in this world acquire power is different, making it a bit harder when using my usual techniques. Still, it's obvious that the criminals don't stand a chance in a frontal assault.”

“Then why are they attacking? Do they have a death wish?”

“I doubt they plan to die a useless death, which is exactly why you should be careful. When the enemy's plan seems illogical, it's usually because there's missing information. In those cases, it's best to have countermeasures.”

Mia turned to the door, as if planning an escape route in case of an emergency. “I'm not trained for battle, so if it comes down to it, all I can do is flee.”

“That's certainly a valid option. The best option, I'd say. Though it'd be nice if you had at least some combat training. There's no guarantee you'll be able to run if you get attacked, so being able to fend off an assailant, even for a few seconds, could be the difference between life and death.”

“Yes…” She looked back to Lutz. “Perhaps I'll speak to Lucian about it when we get back.”

A horn bellowed through the street, followed by the shouting of men and the clashing of steel. The battle with the band of criminals had begun.

But despite the fighting, the inside of the carriage was still rather peaceful. The only signs of distress were Mia's frequent glances to the window. She desired to look outside to see how the battle was going, but she knew it would be useless.

The window faced the buildings on the side of the road, while the fighting was taking place ahead of them. She wouldn't have line of sight.

Plus, exposing her face would be dangerous, as it could draw the attention of any potential threats that may have been lurking nearby.

So, she simply waited. That was all she could do.

“Ah.” Lutz made a small noise.

“What is it?”

“I just had my suspicions confirmed.” He also took a glance at the window. “They weren't random citizens, after all.”

“Who are you talkin–”

Mia's words were interrupted by another round of shouting. But unlike the distant sounds of battle ahead of the carriage, the new yells were closer.

Much closer.

“O-outside the window!?” Mia stood from her seat.

The shrill noise of metal on metal grated on her ears, loud enough to send a wave of fear coursing through her. Guards and criminals both fought, the thin carriage wall being the only thing that separated her from the deadly battle.

But that wall had an obvious weakness.

The shouting and clanking of metal were drowned out by an ear-shattering crash as something big and heavy smashed through the window. Shards of glass sprayed inward, covering the ornate interior with their sharp, glittering edges.

The man who burst through was already injured, his face covered in blood from more than just the glass he broke through.

“You damn king…!” His eyes fell on Lutz.

In a flash, the assassin realized that the young man with brown hair and a neutral expression wasn't the king he expected to find. So, he turned his attention towards the other occupant, Mia.

The glass wasn't the only thing reflecting the light that spilled in from outside. The dagger in the man's hand did so too, with much more dramatic effect.

“I'll kill you, too!” His hand blurred.

“A-ah…!” Mia stood frozen, unable to catch up to the series of sudden events.

The tip of the dagger closed in on Mia, aimed right at her throat.

It struck flesh, as it was designed to do. With the force of the man's leap and the sharpness of the tip, even an enhanced warrior wouldn't be able to shrug off such an attack, much less a young and inexperienced princess.

Yet despite hitting flesh, the dagger couldn't even leave a scratch.

“You forgot to knock.” Lutz kept his arm outstretched, the back of his hand blocking the dagger. “That's rude, you know.”

“W-what is…!”

The man's momentum has been halted. In fact, he wasn't moving at all, despite still being in mid-air from his leap through the window.

“How about going back outside and trying again. And this time, don't forget to knock.”

“Gah!?”

His momentum suddenly began again. But now, it was reversed. He flew back out the window he came in, disappearing from view once the curtain settled back into place.

Lutz lowered his arm without even checking to see if he was bleeding. Because he knew without a doubt that such a weak attack couldn't even slice a single hair from his body.

“Ah…” Mia finally caught up to what happened, looking at Lutz with a strange gaze.

He shrugged. “People these days just don't have any manners.”

“I … I guess not?”

“Then you guess correctly. But forget about that rude man. You can take a seat again, if you want.”

Mia looked at the carriage seat. Only then did she realize that not a single shard of glass had landed on it, nor on her.

Finally regaining her composure, she sat back down. “I thought you said you couldn't fight our battles.”

“I can't. But if it's just teaching a rude person a lesson, then it's fine.”

“I see.” A hint of a smile reached Mia's lips, despite the sounds of battle still raging outside. “And thank you.”

As expected, the ambush was easily dealt with by Teflyn and the guards.

As for Mia…

He's even stronger than I thought. Just what kind of magic did he use? And he didn't even chant.

I should speak to my brother about getting some basic combat training.

I can’t stay this helpless forever.

Chapter 6

“Welcome, Archmage Vera.” Lucian turned toward the door just as his guest entered. “I was beginning to wonder if you would be late to the meeting, but it seems you simply have a penchant for arriving precisely on time.”

The grandfather clock had let out a small chime indicating the turn of the hour, just as the door had opened for Vera.

“I'm a busy woman.” Vera sat down in the chair obviously provided for her without waiting for permission. “And I've spent enough of my time waiting for others already.”

“That's certainly something we can agree on.” Lucian stepped toward the table and took his own seat. “Which is why I plan to get right down to business.”

The meeting room was one he often used when speaking to important guests. It was smaller, making it less suitable for a large strategy meeting, but the size made it a more personal affair, which was why he had picked it for the meeting.

Although it saw less use than other meeting rooms, when he did choose it, that often meant his goal was substantially more important than usual.

It was the very same meeting room where he first met the leader of The Golden Coast trading Guild, Alma Vastelle. She had become somewhat of an ally after their trade deal, though the distance to her home kingdom made keeping in touch a difficult prospect.

Still, Lucian felt it was only fitting that he use the room for his first real discussion with Archmage Vera, as she held the potential to become a powerful force in the Almekian Kingdom.

But whether that force would be for or against him was still undetermined.

“I must say.” Lucian moved a piece of parchment, placing it just in front of himself. “I was shocked to see you return after so many years.”

“Not as shocked as I was that you recognized me. You know how many nobles I had to meet to find one that remembered me?”

“Can you blame them?” Lucian made a show of checking the page in front of him. “According to the records, it was said that you were 28 years old when you left. That was 7 years ago, yet you don't look to have aged a day.”

Lucian didn't need to verify such simple information with the paper. Nearly everything he needed was already stored in his memory.

However, making a show of having someone's personal information on hand could have some beneficial effects. It could make others feel as if they're being judged, like a job applicant when the interviewer was inspecting their resume right in front of them.

Depending on the person, it could be a good way to find cracks in their story or personality. Lucian often used a similar tactic on his ministers, to varying degrees of success. Some cracked, others didn't.

And clearly Vera fell into one of those categories.

The Archmage shrugged. “Guess I've been blessed to age more gracefully than most.”

“Blessed? Maybe you're right about that.”

That immortal, Lutz, Lucian thought. He didn't say what Vera’s ancient magic can do, but it's obvious her body doesn't match her age.

I really need to get her on my side. Whatever power she found could be instrumental to closing the gap between me and the God's Acolyte.

Vera moved her gaze from Lucian before he could continue with the next line of questions. She was staring over his right shoulder, where a certain girl was standing.

“Didn't think you cared much for white hairs. Did you change your mind about them?” Her tone contained just a hint of edge.

“I was only ten years old when you left. Maybe I've changed in more ways than you realize.”

“Your looks certainly haven't, even if you have grown up.”

“Thank you very much. Perhaps I have also been blessed in the same way as you.”

Even when he was a child, it was obvious that Lucian was destined to draw the eye. With his long, golden hair, sculpted face, and tall body, he was everything a girl imagined when thinking of her prince.

And Lucian was precisely that, a prince. But even if he weren't royalty, he would have no problems with women. He was just that out of the ordinary when it came to his appearance.

But those who truly knew the young prince understood that looks were only skin deep. Because beneath that thin veil of beauty, he was ugly to the core.

I'm not the same prince she remembers from seven years ago.

If she knew the prince's true personality, then she no doubt hates me. Perhaps enough to try and get rid of me.

No, there's no ‘if’ to it. A world-class mage who sought and found ancient magic would not be fooled so easily.

She knows. Vera definitely knows the brutal nature of the former prince.

But she doesn't know that I'm not that man, and I can't tell her. Not that she would believe me, considering what she must think of me.

“What about you?” Vera asked, looking at Emilia. “What do you think of him now?”

“He is everything that I imagined.” Emilia shook her head. “No, that's not true. He's even more than I could have dreamed, which is why I decided to give my all for him.”

Vera narrowed her eyes. “A white hair guard answering before even receiving permission?”

“Not long ago, I would have asked for it. But I've grown, too. Prince Lucian trusts me to answer, so it would be rude of me to ask him to verify that trust each time.”

“That's a weakness that can be targeted by someone devious enough to exploit it. If you said the wrong thing, it could throw a sensitive meeting completely out of order.”

“Thank you for the warning. I will be sure to not cause him any problems.”

Vera turned back to Lucian. “When I heard you made a special division of royal guards consisting of only white hairs, I didn't expect that you would give them so much autonomy. Did your opinion of them change so drastically?”

“It's no secret that I don't like how white hairs are treated,” Lucian said. “Even if they can be dangerous when enhanced, that doesn't mean they should be considered outcasts.”

“Hmm…” Vera turned to another girl, one who sat in a chair just to Lucian's right. “You even recruited a dark elf. Aelia, wasn't it?”

“Yeah, that's right.” She responded with her usual, curt tone.

“Don't see many of your kind this far from the caves. In fact, you're only the second one I've seen since I left the castle seven years ago.”

“What? You want an autograph, or something?”

“An autograph…” Vera lowered her face to hide her expression. “...hahaha…”

Aelia gave her a strange look. “What's gotten into you?”

Vera’s laugh fades, her face rising to meet the dark elf. “Sorry, it just reminded me of something. You dark elves are a strange bunch.”

“Yeah? Well I gotta say you're outdoing me a bit here with that poorly hidden laugh. You trying to start a competition with me?”

“Oh, no. I've learned my lesson already.” Her playful demeanor faded. “But it's strange enough for you to have so much power in a human kingdom, don't you think? To me, it seems another weakness ripe for attack.”

“They're welcome to try. But I wouldn't recommend it.”

Vera looked back to Lucian. “The nobles I remember from seven years ago would hate to be spoken down to by a dark elf. You must be building up quite a lot of resentment, no?”

Lucian shrugged. “I don't mind being disliked because Aelia says the truth about someone. It’s an easy way to filter out those who are already looking for a reason to hate me.”

“Is that why you keep her around? Even going so far as to give her some of your territory?”

“No, I keep her around for many reasons, the most obvious being her strategic and tactical genius on the battlefield. But as for the land I gave her, that was simply me fulfilling the agreement we had with the dark elves centuries ago.”

“After the war? I don't remember the history books saying anything about giving them land.”

Lucian raised his right hand, and Emilia placed two documents into it.

Without even looking at them, he slid them across the table, toward Archmage Vera.

She picked them up, her eyes scanning their contents. “A signed agreement for a land transfer as a reward for fighting alongside us in that war? It's just a copy, but…”

Vera focused on the other document. “A page from Earl Folmarv’s diary, claiming to have borne witness to the agreement with his own eyes. If that's true, then the dark elves were denied the spoils of war that they fought for long ago.”

Vera looked back up to Lucian. “I assume you have the originals?”

“The dark elves have the original signed agreement. But Earl Islude does have his ancestor's diary. I've seen it myself, and I can confirm its authenticity.”

“Now isn't that something?” Vera smiled. “The nobles conveniently left that part out.”

“People often carefully pick out the details they like when spreading rumors.”

“Speaking of rumors.” Vera's gaze fell on the most exotic girl in the room. “I heard something about one of your new friends. Something about being the daughter of the Fairy Queen.”

“You were correctly informed.” Minerva answered with no change to her expression.

“From what the books say, the fairies have some unknown magic. As a mage, I'd be really interested to see it in action.”

“Harboring doubts about my origin?”

“Most people can be easily fooled.” Vera smiled again. “But I'm not most people.”

Just in front of Minerva, the wooden table began to move. It wasn't the planks that had suddenly come to life. Rather, it was something growing from them.

Minerva reached out and plucked the small vine that had grown from the wood. It continued to wiggle slightly between her two fingers, as if it were alive.

For the first time, Vera showed clear surprise. “That was no normal use of magic. You manipulated the mana inside the–”

She cut off her words.

“Inside the wood? Yes, I did.”

Vera's smile returned. “Now this is getting interesting.”

Although Lucian still hadn't got a full grasp on what Vera knew about him or what she ultimately wanted, he had built the groundwork he needed to dig the truth out of her.

Now, Vera. Let's find out why you really came back to my kingdom.

“Archmage Vera.” Lucian began by simply stating her name.

“Yes?”

“The title you hold can only be given by the king himself. In the roughly seven years since your departure, only one other has achieved the rank.” Lucian held his hand out. “Emilia. Archmage Keld’s file, please.”

“Certainly.” Emilia handed him the paperwork without delay.

“Thank you.” He set the stack down on the table. “Let’s be honest, Vera. The Archmage title exists for two reasons. First, it’s to tie powerful magic users to the kingdom. The title comes with a sizable salary for you, along with access to noble and royal gatherings that would be off-limits to most others. As a result, the Archmage often remains loyal as long as those benefits persist.”

Lucian thumbed through the first few pages. “The second reason is to boost morale for the soldiers and citizens. Only the most powerful magic users can obtain the rank of Archmage, so simply the act of choosing one gives the people someone to rely on during dangerous times.”

He stopped on a particular page. “Archmage Keld served that purpose a few years after you left. Only a few weeks ago, I fought alongside him during the battles against the Esgares Empire. He has more than proven himself, and his loyalty to the crown hasn’t changed, despite the recent turmoil in my kingdom.”

Lucian held the well-drawn portrait of Archmage Keld so that Vera could see him. “The Almekian Kingdom already has its Archmage. I don’t see why we would need another, especially one that may disappear at any moment, carrying many secrets and details of our kingdom to distant lands, like the Danao Dynasty.”

Vera sat through his long opening arguments in complete silence, her eyes ending up on the artistic depiction of the man who held the same title as her.

When she became an Archmage, she agreed to be paraded around from time to time for the very reasons Lucian had mentioned. It was good for morale and signaled that she was still loyal to the crown.

While Vera was never pleased to be an ornament, she did dress and act her part. So when she looked at the man in the portrait, she understood why he was chosen as an Archmage.

The chiseled face and confident expression staring at her was an exceptionally rare sight, even for someone as well-traveled as Vera. She had met several royal families and countless nobles, yet none could exude the same aura that the man in the portrait was giving off.

Lucian could see her mind making all of those connections. It was why he absolutely had to show her that well-painted portrait of Archmage Keld. Even if the artist took some liberties to enhance the aura, Keld was no fraud. He truly was a powerful wizard with a charismatic personality.

Facing such an opponent, he was sure Vera would be on the defensive. She’d have to argue why she should be allowed to keep her title, despite providing no value to the kingdom.

And it would be during her most desperate moments that the truth would emerge. The truth about why she returned soon after Lucian took the throne.

I’m getting the truth out of you here and now, Vera. Lucian continued staring at her without backing down.

“I…” Archmage Vera began, still looking at the portrait.

“You?”

“I…” She finally met Lucian’s eyes. “I can’t lose my title! Archmages are elevated for life, right!? None of the others have had their titles taken, right!?”

Lucian faltered a bit at the sudden outburst. Even if he wanted to push her into a desperate spot, he imagined it would take some cornering as he slowly destroyed one argument after another.

“No,” Lucian said a heartbeat later than usual. “There are no records of Archmages having their titles taken. But what the king gives, the king can take away.”

“I can’t be the first, then! Especially not now!”

“Why now?”

“Because do you know how much coin it takes to travel all over the world!? On my trip back here, I spent more than one night sleeping in a farmer’s barn, you know! I’m broke! Flat broke!”

Lucian finally understood a few pieces that had seemed off to him when preparing for the meeting. “You sold all your belongings before you left, including your estate. Are you telling me you spent all that money on traveling and never reinvested it into property or valuables?”

“How could I? I never stayed anywhere long enough to buy anything! And I had to impress all the royals and nobles I met along the way! That’s not a cheap task, you know!”

Lucian almost didn’t know how to respond. He wanted her desperate, but he didn’t expect her to crumble at the first sign of resistance.

Since he was the one who had drawn a hard line in the sand to begin the discussion, it would be strange for him to give in and allow her to keep the title of Archmage. However, he never actually intended to take her title. He only wanted to use the threat as a way to attack what he thought could be a weakness for her.

It seemed to him that he was correct.

“Can you fight?” Aelia came to Lucian’s rescue while he was considering where to go next in the conversation.

Vera turned to the dark elf. “I’m more of a … theoretical mage. I’d rather spend my days researching my theories than training for battle. But I can hold my own.”

“That doesn’t sound very promising. But I’d have to see for myself before I really know how useful you’d be.” Aelia’s eyes flicked to Lucian’s.

He understood her intent, as her discussion could lead directly into the true desire Lucian had when he entered the meeting.

“Archmage Vera,” Lucian said with confidence. “From what I remember, you can do more than ‘hold your own’ in battle. Yet despite being one of the best mages in our kingdom, you never tutored anyone. Why is that?”

“I’m too busy studying magic to spend any time teaching it.”

“We have Archmage Keld to fight and stand as a beacon for our kingdom. We don’t need another competing with him for that role. However, the kingdom is always in need of magic teachers to help foster the next generation. If you wish to keep your title, and the salary that comes with it, then you can give up some of your studies to teach.”

Vera openly groaned. “I have to deal with some runts? Don’t tell me you have an annoying cousin or needy noble who’s been begging for tutoring. I’m not good at dealing with people like that.”

“The ones I have in mind won’t be difficult to deal with.” Lucian thought about a certain, horned oni. “Well, not in the way you’re likely imagining.”

“What’s that mean?”

“Don’t worry about it. You’ll understand quickly, if you accept the offer.”

Vera sighed. “An hour a day.”

“Make it two. Every morning except Sunday.”

“Argh.” She rubbed her head. “Okay, okay. Two hours in the morning. But I get to stay in the castle! I can’t afford anything else…”

Lucian nodded. “I’ll make accommodations for you. It’s been quite busy here lately, so I’ll provide a room somewhere a bit quieter. The back rooms on the third floor would likely be a good place for you.”

“Sure, as long as I don’t get disturbed while I’m doing my research.”

“If I need you for any other purpose, I’ll be sure to inform you well in advance, if possible.”

Vera frowned. “Other purposes?”

“If I’m going to announce your return, then of course people are going to want to see you. Expect to be called upon to show your face a few times.”

“Not that again…”

“Yes, that again. It comes with the title, like it or not.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll do it. But that’s it, right!? There’s nothing else!?”

Lucian stood from his chair. “No, there’s nothing else. As long as you perform those two functions, I will pay your salary.”

Vera stood, as well. “So, about the first payment…”

“Emilia, would you?”

“Certainly, Prince Lucian.”

The fox-eared white hair pulled a pouch from a pocket. Within, the jingle of coins could be heard as she set it down on the table, just in front of Archmage Vera.

“That’s about half your monthly salary. The rest I will have for you tomorrow morning, when you show up to the training arena for your first session.”

Vera scooped up the pouch. “Great! Sure, yeah, I’ll be there!”

“I’ll have the students there two hours before sunrise. Don’t be late.”

The meeting complete, Lucian, Vera, and the girls filed through the only exit and back into the hallway outside.

He was met with a soldier at the far end, his armor looking to have been recently bloodied from battle.

“Is there a problem?” Lucian asked before the soldier could even get a word out.

“Your Majesty, Princess Mia’s carriage was attacked on our way back from the orphanage.”

“What!? Where’s Mia!? Is she hurt!?” Lucian rushed forward, forcefully turning the soldier and pulling him into lockstep. “Give me all the details!”

“Princess Mia was unhurt.” The soldier spoke as he kept pace. “Lady Teflyn fought in the battle, but she wasn’t injured.”

Hearing that his sister was okay lifted a huge weight in him. But he didn’t slow his steps. He wouldn’t, not until he could verify that fact with his own eyes.

Chapter 7

“Mia!” Lucian called out to his sister, who was only now stepping into the castle.

“Greetings, Brothe–”

“Are you alright!?” Lucian held her by the shoulders, looking for wounds. “What happened? Did anything hit you? Are you injured? Maybe we should go see a healer, just in case.”

“Um…” Mia fell silent after an uncharacteristic stutter. “I’m fine. A healer isn’t necessary for me. But some of the soldiers were wounded.”

Lucian raised his head and looked around at the rest of the group who entered alongside Mia. There was Teflyn and Lutz, along with the captain of the guard whose job it was to ensure her safety during the trip out to the city.

However, not a single one was injured, nor were any of the other guards who entered the castle. No doubt the bloodied men were redirected to the healer’s quarters, which was built outside the castle and meant specifically to treat the guards and soldiers.

There was another healer within the castle, one whose abilities surpassed that of those who operated the healing quarter the soldiers used. That man was Lucian’s personal doctor, who not only healed his injuries when needed but also looked after his general health.

Lucian waved his hand at a nearby soldier. “Get my healer.”

The soldier saluted and disappeared down a hall.

Turning back to Mia, Lucian once again confirmed that she had no visible injuries. Though he knew that being the target of an attack could leave more scars than just visible ones.

Still, he was at least relieved that she had no physical wounds.

I made quite a scene.

Lucian often acted with poise to ensure that he would be able to fulfill the expectations people had for their king. Though some of those expectations were only in his mind.

Being from Earth, he still had sizable gaps in his knowledge, hence why he often played it safe by keeping control of his reputation as a level-headed ruler, no matter the situation.

Yet he had shown a weakness, one that others could exploit. Any who bore witness to his reaction just now would know that they could force his hand by targeting his little sister.

Could it be that was the attacker’s goal? To abduct Mia and force me to do as they wish?

There were still many questions. But fortunately, he was sure he would get most of the answers he wanted from Mia and the others who were with her.

“Let’s discuss this in private.” Lucian cut his losses and moved on, motioning for a few people to follow him.

Mia, Emilia, Teflyn, Minerva, Aelia, and Lutz all fell in step with Almekia’s king, heading down a particular hallway.

At first, Lucian said nothing, only leading the way out of the castle’s entrance room and into the depths. Soon, however, the time came to talk. But the person he needed to speak to wasn’t one of the people he had following him.

No, it was someone who was coming from the opposite direction, heading toward the castle’s entrance room.

“Thanks for arriving so quickly.” Lucian nodded to an aged man wearing a robe.

“Of course, of course.” His personal healer was already looking over Mia and the others, having heard the basic details from the soldier who fetched him. “Are there any injuries in need of healing?”

“Yes, but not for us. Some of the guards who protected Mia were injured, and I wanted to ensure they got the best possible treatment.”

“Ah, I can certainly see to them, if you wish it.”

“I do. And tell the men that I will be coming to visit them soon.”

“Alright. I’ll get on it right away, Your Majesty.”

The healer continued down the hall, alongside the soldier sent to retrieve him.

With the relative privacy that came with walking the castle corridors, Lucian began asking the questions he had on his mind.

“What happened?” He started with a general inquiry to allow for a full explanation to clear the air.

“Criminals from the gangs we’ve destroyed tried to take revenge on us.” Mia gave him the quick version.

“Were they targeting you?”

“I don’t think so. The one who broke into the carriage seemed surprised to see me instead of you.”

“Hold on.” Lucian resisted the urge to stop and face his sister. “One of them broke into the carriage?”

“Through the window.”

“Did Teflyn take care of him?”

“Ah…” The oni made a small sound.

“What?” Lucian eyed the young girl.

“I was outside. Fighting.”

Lucian understood with just that. There was no way Teflyn could resist a fight, so he envisioned her bouncing out the door and toward the thickest part of the battle.

That must mean…

Lucian’s eyes fell on a certain immortal next. “And you?”

Lutz shrugged. “I only dealt with a rude intruder.”

“I see.” Lucian gave him a nod. “Thanks for your help.”

The two weren’t being vague just because they were walking the castle halls. No, there was another reason why certain information couldn’t be said so casually at the moment.

And that reason was…

“Hey.” Archmage Vera interjected into the conversation, her eyes on a certain man. “I don’t remember you from the last time I was in this kingdom.”

“That’s because I wasn’t here seven years ago,” Lutz said.

“Right. I heard about some distant royal who came to Almekia. That’s you, isn’t it?”

“Guilty as charged.”

Vera’s eyes sharpened. “I’ve seen quite a bit of this world recently. Perhaps I know the kingdom you hail from, even if it’s distant. And if so, I likely met its king if I happened to stop by it.”

“Let’s see. Where was I born…?” Lutz made a thoughtful face.

“You can’t be serious right now.”

“Haha.” A smirk fell on his lips. “I’m joking, of course.”

“Right.” Vera didn’t sound the least bit convinced.

“Actually, I’m the nephew of King Galavan, ruler of Burvia. It’s a kingdom far to the west, past the Medina Sea. We really only get news from this part of the continent through the Trade Kingdom of Villnore.”

“Burvia…” Vera frowned. “I ended my journey just before reaching their borders.”

“How unfortunate. If you had stopped by, we might have met before today.”

Lutz’s words were lies, but he chose them for a reason. After all, he knew exactly where Vera had gone during her journey, so he knew his secrets would be safe by claiming to be a royal from a kingdom she had never visited.

However, it was clear to all that Archmage Vera still had her reservations. Though amongst the ones gathered, only Minerva truly understood why.

Lucian couldn’t detect it, but those capable of using ancient magic could feel that something was different with Lutz. Something small, yet undeniable. Even if he couldn’t sense it, Lucian did pick up on one important detail.

Lutz is getting her interest on purpose. His words, along with whatever suspicion is driving Vera, are both intentional.

But why…?

Lucian allowed the archmage to accompany him, despite not having motioned for her to follow. It wasn’t that he suddenly had a lot of trust in her, it was simply convenient for him because of a decision he had reached after reuniting with Mia.

“Vera.” Lucian made it clear that he was changing the subject. “You have your first lesson tomorrow morning.”

“Yeah, I’ll be there.”

“Good, because it’s even more important now.” He looked to his sister. “Since Mia will be one of your pupils.”

“I am?” The princess met his eyes.

“Even if it’s a little, being able to defend yourself is important. The events today prove it. Besides, you’re already a good mage. You just need an experienced teacher to bring out your full potential. And who better than one of our only archmages?”

Mia nodded. “I intended to seek training, as well. It’s frustrating to always be protected by others.”

“Then it’s settled. Learn what you can from Vera, and I’ll handle your work for as long as you want to train each day.”

“Alright.” She agreed easily, the two having come to the same conclusion for similar reasons.

With the aftermath of the attack on Mia dealt with, Lucian stopped in front of a particular door.

Now, let’s make sure nothing like this happens ever again.

A knock filled the castle hall, where some of the most powerful and influential people in the world stood in front of a wooden door built into a stone frame.

It wasn’t King Lucian who knocked, though. Emilia stood close by his side, giving her easy access to the same door as her prince.

“Ah, coming!” A muffled, feminine voice came from behind the door.

It was followed by the sound of solid objects hitting the ground, though the noises were just as muffled as the voice since they originated from within the room.

Finally, the door opened, revealing the face of a young woman with shoulder-length brown hair and a pair of fluffy ears like a squirrel.

“Oh! King Lucian!” Lily bowed, her fluffed tail rising as her head lowered. “I didn’t expect a visit today, so…”

Lucian looked beyond Lily, where a pile of books sat atop her desk. “Hard at work, as usual. You should take a day off sometime, Liliana.”

“Haha.” Another book fell from the table, joining several others that had already fallen victim to Lily’s poor housekeeping. “W-well, maybe I’ll think about it.”

Emilia raised a fist. “Don’t worry, Lily. I’ll take care of this right away.”

“You don’t have to clean it up, or anything. I wouldn’t want to keep King Lucian waiting.”

“No problem. It won’t take long.”

“Umm.” Lily looked to Lucian, who nodded. “I guess it won’t hurt to put a few things away.”

Emilia got started immediately, first picking up the books on the floor. After a quick scan of their titles, her arms moved like a professional librarian, sliding them back into their appropriate locations with absolute confidence.

“She just can’t help herself.” Aelia shook her head as she stepped into the room.

“She cleans up after you, too!” Teflyn bounced in behind her.

“You don’t have the right to say that when you’re the one who leaves the most mess.”

“Uwah…!”

Minerva followed behind the two bickering girls. “Perhaps you should both strive to become more organized.”

“No way.” Aelia denied her immediately. “Emilia would go as battle-crazed as an enhanced white hair without something to clean and organize.”

“Hmm.” Minerva looked at the white hair foxgirl who was ignoring them as she efficiently cleaned the room. “Perhaps you’re right.”

“I remember this office.” Archmage Vera scanned the room as she entered. “Used to belong to some arrogant paper pusher who always made everyone’s lives a pain.”

Lutz walked in beside her. “Looks like that guy’s long gone now.”

“Yeah.” Vera’s eyes settled on Lily. “It’s rare for a beastfolk to get high ranked positions in the castle. Did the Council of Elders send you here?”

“Um, I’m Special Administrative Officer Liliana.” The squirrel-eared girl greeted the two newcomers. “And I technically work for the Council of Elders, maybe?”

“Archmage Vera.”

“Lutz, a foreign royal.”

The two introduced themselves back at the same time. Having a famous, long-lost Archmage return was a shock, and hearing that a foreign royal accompanied her only added to the surprise.

“Special Administrative Officer.” Vera repeated Lily’s rank. “That’s a rare rank to hear. Does that mean you’re outside the normal command structure?”

“Yes. According to King Lucian, I outrank all other officers when it comes to giving orders to those under my command.”

“And who do you command?”

“The white hairs. Both those in King Lucian’s special guard and the new recruits at the nearby training camp.”

“So that’s it.” Vera nodded. “Did the Council of Elders gain more power during my years of absence?”

“No, I didn’t get the special rank because of the council. King Lucian himself gave it to me.”

“Really…”

“It was a necessity.” Lucian was the final one to step into the room, just behind Mia. “The white hairs who guard me needed a direct superior officer they trust that would always be available to them. Liliana was the administrative officer in charge of the camp where the white hair recruits train, and her popularity amongst the white hairs made her the perfect candidate.”

“I see. It does make sense when you put it like that.” Vera eyed Emilia. “But giving so much power and autonomy to white hairs couldn’t have been a popular move.”

“That’s quite an understatement. In fact, I had built up so much animosity amongst so many fringe groups in the kingdom that had I lost the battle against the Esgares Empire, I would have likely been deposed.”

“Then why risk it? Are you expecting a rebellion in the city?”

“I seem to attract daggers more than pitchforks, a fact that has been proven by what happened today.” Lucian turned to the Special Administrative Officer. “Liliana.”

“Is there something you need, King Lucian?”

“Yes. I have an operation planned for my white hair guards, and I’d like you to assist.”

“That means battle, doesn’t it?”

“It does.” Lucian motioned to Mia.

“My carriage was attacked,” the princess said without any strong emotions.

“Oh no!” Lily finally understood why they had arrived suddenly and unexpectedly. “Are you alright, Princess Mia?”

“I wasn’t injured.”

“That’s a relief. Everyone would feel horrible if something were to happen to you.”

“I don’t think people would feel much of anything.”

“Eh!? That’s not true at all! I know a lot of people who would be sad.”

Mia looked away. “I don’t know about that…”

Lucian gave her a couple pats on the head. “Just accept it already. You’ve gotten popular around here.”

Mia accepted the headpats with a resigned expression.

“But as for my white hair guards,” Lucian continued, “they’ll just be continuing the clean-up mission from before. The remnants of those criminal gangs have begun to gather up into an organized band, going so far as to attack Mia’s carriage while she was visiting the orphanage. Sigurd will lead the operation, with your support. Do you have any objections?”

“Let’s see.” Lily went to a nearby shelf and pulled out a notebook, one Emilia had only recently put back in place.

Her hand moved along the page, writing down parts of the operation that Lucian had already outlined. There were still some blanks, but Lily had enough experience with helping organize the white hairs that she already knew how to fill them.

She looked back to Lucian. “I’ll need the most up-to-date information on the criminal activity in the city.”

“You have full permission to meet with all personnel tasked with keeping order, including those above your official rank.”

Lily’s hand moved again, recording his words. “Do you have any preference on which personnel I acquire from outside my command?”

“The captain of my regular guard has a list of units who are unavailable. You can choose from any soldiers who aren’t on that list. If there’s a problem regarding availability, come see me again.”

“Understood. I’m also adding the full release of all restrictions on enhancing the white hairs. Is that a problem?” Lily’s hand began writing even before Lucian could respond.

“That’s not a problem.”

“Alright. Those are all the special permissions I need at the moment. If anything else comes up during the planning phase of the operation, I’ll speak with you about it at your convenience.”

“Good. But feel free to interrupt me, if needed. I want this problem solved.”

Lily’s hand moved one, final time. “I’ll add it to the permission list.”

Although there were many more privileges given to Lily during operations like the one she was starting, she and Lucian had already gone through the process many times. The rest of the permissions she had available to her were essentially set in stone, no longer needing to be clarified.

Even other officers and generals rarely asked her for proof of command, knowing that Lucian would back up her claims, no matter how out of the ordinary they seemed.

Though because of Lily’s reservations about certain privileges, she always made sure to clarify them beforehand. One such example was releasing the restrictions on enhancing the white hairs, something that was rare outside of war.

“If there’s nothing else…” Lily closed her notebook and put her quill away. “Then I will speak with Sigurd and begin organizing them for the operation.”

“Please do.” Lucian gave her a nod.

With the pieces set into motion, Lucian opened the door to Lily’s office, letting everyone file out just like they had done when entering.

“And that’s the last one.” Emilia lowered her arm, which she had just used to put the final book back into its place on the shelf.

“Good job, Emilia.”

“Thank you, Prince Lucian. It was rather fun to organize literature again.”

“Looks like I need to make a mess of the royal study, for old time’s sake.”

“I’ll gladly clean it up!” She said it without the least bit of reservation.

Lucian shook his head. “You really do love cleaning up after others, huh? Well, not that I’m surprised.”

The two of them were the last ones to leave the office. With the door shut behind them, Lily bid them farewell, going off to begin her tasks.

As for the rest of them, Lucian had other plans, knowing that Lily would perform her job with the expertise he had come to expect from her.

Chapter 8

“I’ve got things to do, so I’ll take my leave here.” Archmage Vera stopped at an intersection.

“I hope preparing for tomorrow’s training session is on that list.” Lucian gave her a final reminder about their agreement.

“I’ll be ready.”

“Hmm.” Lutz rubbed his chin. “Would you like some company on whatever tasks you have planned?”

“I’m too busy to entertain a foreign royal.”

“I think you’ll find I’m not as stiff as all the kings and princes you’ve met during your journey. Besides…” Lutz pulled out a pouch, showing the gold coins held inside. “Now that you’re back in this kingdom, I’m sure there are plenty of things you need to buy. Consider them my treat for today.”

Vera’s eyes seemed to shine with the same golden glean as the coins. “Well you should have said that sooner. What are you waiting for? I need Almekian style clothes, some accessories, a chest to store some personal possessions, and of course a personal carriage to ride around in.”

Lutz looked between the bag of gold in his hand and the archmage in front of him. “Looks like I better say my goodbyes to every single one of these coins, huh?”

“You made the offer, so there’s no point in trying to weasel out of it now.” Vera crossed her arms beneath her rather large assets.

“Alright, I get it, I get it. Oh, and since I’m also new to this kingdom, I planned to buy myself some local clothes. I don’t have much of a fashion sense, so we’ll be meeting up with someone who does. Her parents are tailors, so she developed an eye for detail when it comes to apparel.”

“Thought you were new here. How do you already know someone that specific?”

“Let’s just say I’ve got a few important connections.”

Vera narrowed her eyes just a bit. “In that case, I’m eager to meet this connection of yours.”

“Then…” Lutz turned to Lucian. “I’ll be taking my leave here as well, Your Majesty.”

Lucian nodded. “Do as you wish.”

With that, the unlikely duo broke off from the group, heading down a separate hallway.

“I’ll catch up with you after I draw up a plan for the operation.” Aelia gave a small wave.

“I shall accompany you on your endeavors.” Minerva joined the dark elf.

“Oh! Me, too!” Teflyn ran after the other two. “I want to make sure I get to beat a lot of them up!”

Lucian saw the three girls off, leaving him with only Emilia and Mia.

Of course his most loyal and trusted bodyguard would follow him everywhere, but the same wasn’t true of his sister. The reason she didn’t separate at the same time as the others was simply because she was heading in the same direction as her brother.

More specifically, they were heading to the royal bedrooms, which were located on adjoining halls.

“Goodbye.” Mia spoke only a single word of parting before opening her bedchamber door.

“See you soon!” Emilia saw her off with an enthusiastic smile.

“I’ll drop by before the mission begins.”

“Okay.” Mia didn’t step into the room, despite the door being open.

“Meow~” Luna rubbed against her legs.

“She’s happy to see you again.” Emilia voiced what everyone was thinking.

“I suppose so.” Mia knelt down and picked up her young cat. “Let’s prepare your lunch. And I don’t want to chase you through the castle again in the meantime.”

“Luna really has gotten brave.” Lucian gave the cat a small pat while she was in Mia’s arms. “The cooks must really be on the lookout after the last incident with the fish that vanished from the kitchen while they were preparing it.”

“Luna has learned since then.” Mia looked down at her cat. “Isn’t that right?”

“Meow?” Luna made no indication that she understood Mia’s words or had learned anything from the fish incident.

Lucian shrugged. “I guess being cute comes with a lot of benefits.”

Without a final goodbye, Mia stepped into her room and closed the door.

“Just us now, huh?” Lucian continued down the hall, Emilia a step behind him.

“Not long ago, we used to spend a lot of time together like this.”

“That’s true. When I first came to this world, I didn’t know who I could trust. When I found you, I felt like I could finally confide in someone. Since then, I’ve gathered a lot more reliable companions and subjects. But it’s nice to go back to our roots every once in a while.”

“Yes! We can spend as much time together as you want, Prince Lucian!”

“Maybe we can bring back our old method we used to use when we wanted to get away from it all.”

“Ah, you mean barricade ourselves in the royal study?”

“Precisely. I’m sure I can think up a few more subjects I need to research, even if it’s really just an excuse to spend some time together.”

“I’ll follow you anywhere at any time!”

Lucian stopped in front of his own bedroom door. “Keep it up, and people might start calling you Queen Emilia before long.”

“Q-queen!?” Emilia’s red face became a complete contrast to her white hair. “Awawawa…!”

“Haha. Sorry, it just slipped out. Though I do wonder what people would think if I were to marry a white hair.” Lucian opened his door. “It might be interesting to find out.”

After stepping inside, Lucian was met with his meticulously kept room. He had a habit of keeping it clean and organized with his own hands, leaving little for the maids to do when they came in for their daily cleaning.

Although he had some expensive items in his room, the truly invaluable artifacts and equipment were stored elsewhere. And when it came to his powerful sword, he often kept it on his waist.

Lucian had never intended on becoming a warrior-king, but his unique magic and skills, coupled with the ongoing war with the Esgares Empire, made his ascent as a powerful mage and swordsman a necessity for survival.

When he was truly prepared for battle, he carried not one sword, but two. However, even a single blade could become cumbersome, so he often stored his secondary weapon in a safe location.

One would be forgiven for assuming that his royal bedchamber would be the perfect place to hold his sword. But one would be wrong.

There was a place safer than even that, and the location was often closer and more convenient than having to return to his room to retrieve his second blade.

“Emilia.” Lucian pulled his white, military-style coat back, revealing a loop on his belt that could be attached to a scabbard.

“Eh?” She still stood just outside the open door, her face still flushed red. “Ah! The sword!”

Emilia stepped inside the room, closing the door behind her. A heartbeat later, a sheathed blade appeared in her hands, the scabbard and hilt decorative enough to be fit for a king, without crossing the line into being gaudy.

Lucian’s Guardians obtained the unique ability, [Materialize], allowing them to store equipment in an otherworldly space that only they had access to. Considering that, there was no safer and more convenient place to place his secondary weapon than inside Emilia’s unreachable storage space.

“Thanks.” Lucian attached the scabbard to his waist. “As usual, it’s a little cumbersome. But they won’t be sitting in their sheathes after the battle starts.”

“I think they make you look very dangerous!”

“You think so?” Lucian looked in the mirror and saw a face fit for a movie star, framed by long, blonde hair that could be used to film a shampoo commercial. “Something tells me my opponents wouldn’t agree.”

“It doesn’t matter since they wouldn’t be alive long enough to complain about getting defeated by someone far more handsome than them.”

“Wow. Keep it up, and I really will be arranging that marriage soon.”

“Eh!?” Emilia’s face began to grow red again, after having just returned to its normal color.

While peeking at her through the mirror, Lucian began fixing some minor wrinkles in his clothes and some stray strands of hair that were trying to stand out from the rest. He was the King of Almekia, the region's most powerful country. If he were going to slay some criminals, then he needed to look as immaculate as possible while doing it.

Such was the way of a ruler who relied on the support of his people to maintain his power. Perception was everything.

“That should do it.” Lucian set down a small tub of deodorant he kept in the room. “How do I look and smell?”

Emilia visibly sniffed the air. “You smell great, Prince Lucian! And of course, you look amazing.”

“Thanks. Although a bath would be great at enhancing my appearance, it’s not worth it just to deal with a few criminals. So, this will have to do for now.”

Since Lucian was obviously heading toward the door to leave, Emilia opened it before he could reach it. He had gotten used to her little actions like that, removing small obstacles before he even had to deal with them.

No matter how much he used to tell her that she didn’t have to act like a maidservant, Emilia would keep doing it, regardless.

“Thanks.”

“It’s my pleasure!”

Such an exchange had become common for the two of them, and neither of them wanted that to change.

“Now.” Lucian looked at Emilia. “Since we have some time before everyone’s ready, how about you freshen up next?”

“I’m a soldier, so I don’t mind looking a bit worse for wear.”

“It’s true that people would be far more willing to forgive a wrinkled shirt on you than if I were wearing it. But really, this is more for my sake than anyone else’s. I simply like it when you match me as much as possible.”

“Really? In that case, I’ll do my best to look like a queen–!” Emilia suddenly realized what she was saying, her eyes going wide.

“Hah. Looks like someone’s been giving it some thought.”

“I-it’s not what it seems! I just happened to choose that analogy completely by chance!”

Lucian nodded. “Got it. Just random happenstance.”

“It’s true! There’s no way I’ve been thinking about becoming queen ever since you mentioned it a few moments ago!”

“I understand. What coincidental timing.”

“Mrrr. I’m being bullied.”

“How dare someone bully my closest companion. When I catch them, I’ll surely make them pay.”

“The mirror is that way…” Emilia pointed back to Lucian’s door.

“That’s true. But unfortunately, we’re going this way.” He turned down the hall. “Toward your own room. And after that, it’s time to clean out this city’s infection again.”

The two of them continued their short time together as they made final preparations, enjoying every minute of each other’s company.

Chapter 9

“Your Majesty.” Sigurd saluted as King Lucian approached him and the white hairs he led.

“It’s good to see you’re as eager as ever, Sigurd.”

“I’m always ready to hunt criminals, especially those targeting you.”

“There are a lot of them, though not all are criminals that can be dealt with using force. Sometimes, that makes them even more dangerous.”

“Politics.” Archmage Vera understood his point immediately.

“Essentially. But the nobles have been rather quiet lately, as I’m still politically untouchable because of my victory against the Esgares Empire. Eventually, the protection from winning a single battle will wane, but it’s nice while it lasts.”

“So you’re using this grace period to stomp out other forms of resistance, like the criminal gangs that are targeting you?”

“It’s a convenient opportunity for sure, but I have bigger worries than a shattered cartel. That is, until they made the first move.”

Lucian looked down the line of soldiers gathered in the castle courtyard for the extermination mission. Both the normal Royal Guard and his special white hair division had been summoned to deal with the criminals.

They were already in their tactical formations, ready to march to their various destinations. All they were waiting for was the order from their king.

“Liliana.” Lucian called over the Special Administrative Officer overseeing the mission.

“Yes, Your Majesty?” She carried her usual pen and parchment.

“While we’re gone, send a message to the Council of Elders. Inform them that I’d like to speak about a few matters.”

“Oh, okay.” Lily was a bit surprised by the order.

“We’ll be returning soon.” Lucian unsheathed the larger of the two swords on his waist, holding it skyward. “March.”

The blade flew from his fingers and began orbiting him, as if searching for a threat to attack. His shield did the same, making for a surreal sight as two inanimate objects defied gravity and seemingly had a mind of their own.

Lucian had kept his unique ability, [Command Magic], hidden as much as possible. But during the war with the Esgares Empire, he had no choice but to use it without reserve.

Because of that, he had become known for his special magic, which made hiding it a useless endeavor. Instead, he leaned into it, using the mysterious ability to further cement his growing reputation as an unusually powerful ruler.

Combined with his rare companions, including Fairy Princess Minerva herself, he finally had a stable foundation to secure his rule. Nobles and wealthy merchants were having an increasingly difficult time undermining his authority.

The fact that his citizens were even beginning to grow fond of him only further solidified his reign. Unless he were to lose a decisive battle or make a huge political blunder, Lucian felt he was mostly past the unstable phase that often came with the transition of power from one king to the next.

However, that didn’t mean that those who wanted to see him deposed would simply give up. Some people weren’t so easily quelled. And since their political avenues to usurp him were all getting cut off due to Lucian’s growing reputation and power, that only left them with one choice.

Assassination.

“Good luck in the battle.” Lucian nodded to Aelia.

“It’ll be a cinch. I’ve already seen through their operation, so the upcoming fight is just the reward for all the planning.” The dark elf girl waved, the smile on her face looking a bit too happy.

As the Minister of War, Aelia knew her way around a battlefield. In fact, there were very few in the entire world who could challenge her in a strategic or tactical confrontation.

Although Lily had been the one to organize the administrative aspects of the operation, Aelia was the one who created the battle plan. With the information Lily sourced from various personnel and records, the dark elf girl was easily able to formulate a plan that was virtually guaranteed to succeed.

As long as nothing too extraordinary appeared, their mission could be considered routine compared to some of the dangerous tasks they had completed before. But considering the gods and acolytes who were toying with the world, Lucian couldn’t rule out the possibility of something unexpected occurring.

He can’t attack. Lucian thought back to Lutz’s words about how the God’s Acolyte had been restrained from attacking. But that doesn’t mean he can’t work against me behind the scenes.

And if he has even more unique abilities and magics than I do right now, there’s no telling what he’s capable of doing.

We can’t let our guard down.

Aelia, Minerva, and Teflyn broke off from Lucian’s group, taking half the soldiers with them.

The dark elf had concluded that there were two main operational bases that the criminals were using, each holding remnants from certain gangs that Lucian had destroyed.

Although the two groups of criminals were enemies in the streets, Aelia determined that they were working together in order to assassinate Lucian. Whether that was because they had a shared interest in taking him out, or if there were another reason, Lucian couldn’t be sure.

But no matter the case, he couldn’t allow two organized gangs to grow from the remnants of the ones he shattered. Plus…

They made a huge mistake by attacking Mia. It’s time to put the nail in their coffin today.

Lucian often traveled in one of his royal carriages, though it was still rather common for him to walk the streets. He did it to maintain a public persona, allowing his citizens to meet him directly.

Although he always had a large retinue protecting him, it was rare for him to take an entire company of soldiers out to the city. In the past, he had only done so when performing an operation just like the current one.

He made no effort to hide his intentions. The sword and shield still orbited around him, catching the eyes of any citizens who happened to be using the same street as him.

His [Command Magic] had become well-known, but most had only heard of it through word of mouth. Other than soldiers, guards, and close companions, it was rare for anyone else to see his unique ability with their own eyes.

Walking through the busy roads between the castle and his destination, many of his citizens would catch their first real glimpse of the sword that could attack without a wielder.

As the march continued, the extravagant buildings from the wealthier areas slowly morphed into more traditional designs. Both homes and shops were built with an emphasis on practicality, rather than flourish, their colors selected from a cheaper and more muted palette.

Soon, even those middle-class homes began to vanish, replaced by the barely habitable buildings of the city slums. By Lucian’s standards, the homes should all be condemned and torn down to make way for better construction.

Unfortunately, that was an unrealistic wish. His kingdom was still burdened with a heavy debt, their exports still hadn’t recovered from the years of economic misallocation of resources, and education rates were exceptionally poor amongst the lower classes.

Considering all the conditions inflicting his kingdom, Lucian was surprised that crime wasn’t completely out of control. Though he understood that his own expectations weren’t quite aligned with those of his new world.

That was to say, he knew that the people in the Almekian Kingdom were simply more conditioned to accept terrible living conditions because in a world without advanced science, life was harsh. The same was true for Earth, before the modern era.

The fascinated citizens who watched with marvel had long since disappeared. Few people openly watched him and his men marching through the dirty streets, and those that did carried an expression between hatred and fear.

Most only peered on from beyond the darkness, hiding in their shanties or in the shadowed crevices between them. Lucian was clearly on the hunt, and none of them wanted to become his prey.

Finally, his target appeared. Although it looked like just another run-down neighborhood, one of the newly resurrected criminal gangs had taken residence within, terrorizing the rest of the residents and those living on the nearby streets.

“Halt.” Lucian ordered his men to stop. “Battle formation. We’re not wasting any time.”

The soldiers reorganized from their marching formation to one more suitable for battle.

Seeing his men were ready, Lucian waved them forward.

“By my royal command,” Lucian began his chant, “I call upon the power of the white hairs! Grant your berserked strength to Emilia! [Enhance]!”

His ever-present Guardian walked beside him, leading the column of soldiers toward their battlefield. Emilia’s focused glare didn’t change, even after Lucian’s magic enveloped her.

But the bloodthirsty smile on her lips was enough of a clue that she had gone berserk.

“What a great day.” Emilia tugged on the katana at her waist. “Let’s enjoy it to the fullest.”

More voices could be heard as dedicated mages enhanced the rest of the white hairs Lucian had brought with him.

As they walked through the neighborhood filled with homes as broken as the people’s lives who inhabited them, soldiers fanned out, filling not only the street they walked on but also the alleys connected to it.

Like an umbrella being unfurled, the column of troops expanded out, preparing to catch their targets like a fishing net cast into a river.

The encirclement was met with zero resistance from the neighborhood's residents. Those who merely lived in the area wanted nothing to do with a king on a mission, while the ones being targeted fled the moment they heard that the troops were heading their way.

Lucian’s men continued to spread out until the column had fully transformed into a half-circle. And at the center of their formation were three houses, each as dilapidated as the rest in the neighborhood.

But what made those three homes different was the fact that the criminal gang had chosen them as the central base for their operations.

“Movement.” Emilia smiled as she watched a shadow pass by a window. “Good. Not all of them scurried away like rats.”

“That’s a little surprising, but I won’t complain.” Lucian raised his hand. “Attack.”

The half-circle of troops began to close in on the three houses. As they did so, several men appeared from their doors, armed with weapons. However, rather than running toward the approaching soldiers, the men simply fled through the gap in their formation before it could fully encircle them.

The intelligent ones had long since fled, the cowardly ones did so after seeing Lucian’s forces with their own eyes, and the brave ones stayed to make a stand. Though the line between brave and foolish could be quite blurry.

The troops didn’t give chase to the fleeing men, keeping to their formation and fully surrounding the targeted homes.

Lucian, Emilia, and Vera all ended up at the central house’s front door, as planned. Even though movement could be seen and heard within, no criminals came bursting out to attack.

“Guess we’ll invite ourselves in, then.” Lucian motioned to the door, and his floating sword sliced through the rotting wood in an instant. “Ah, so they did come to greet us.”

“You damn king…!” A man rushed out, carrying an axe.

“Don’t ignore me!” Emilia’s katana flashed, and the axe hit the ground just outside the carved door.

The man’s body joined his weapon, clearing the way for the next criminal to try his hand. Or, that’s what they thought.

“[Stone Shard].” Vera finished her simple chant, and a rocky spear sank into the chest of the next man brave enough to rush out.

Lucian watched on as his sword began rampaging within the house. “Didn’t expect you to join the fight.”

“Offensive spells may not be my specialty, but I am an Archmage. And I’m no stranger to the battlefield.”

Emilia led the charge through the main entrance, joining Lucian’s sword and rampaging through the large room that made up the house’s main living area.

Lucian’s shield zipped by his vision, putting itself between him and a nearby window. The sharp sound of metal followed after, the shield deflecting a dagger thrown from a criminal who thought himself stealthy.

“[Ice Blade].” Vera sent a spell toward the window, right where the dagger had appeared.

“If you’re this calm, then I can only assume you fought many battles during your recent adventures.”

“Traveling can be dangerous, especially my destination.” Vera spared a glance for Lucian. “But I didn’t take you for a seasoned warrior. Your older brother was the one who had trained for battle while you sat in the castle.”

Lucian remembered the scarred face of the former crown prince, who died from the sickness along with the rest of the royal family, other than Mia.

“You’re right that I was never really on the battlefield, but I did train in personal combat.” Lucian recalled the history of the prince whose body he inhabited. “You should know all about my skill with both the blade and magic, even before the unfortunate illness that took my brothers and father.”

“I’ve heard the stories.” Vera watched the open doorway as Lucian’s sword flew by in search of its next victim. “But no amount of simple combat training would lead to you discovering magic that has never been seen before.”

The house ahead of them had gotten crowded. It wasn’t because a large group of criminals had appeared to battle his soldiers, though. Rather, it was the opposite. Lucian’s men were the ones rushing inside, filling the home and overwhelming the few criminals that had remained.

As the two watched from just outside, their target’s resistance crumbled, bringing a very abrupt end to what should have been a much longer and tougher battle.

“And what about you?” Lucian held up a hand, and his autonomous sword returned. “Do you have any hidden magics that you would like to share with me? If so, perhaps we could exchange a few secrets.”

“Maybe I do.”

“Then maybe we should set up another private meeting soon.”

The soldiers pulled a man out from the house, dragging him in front of Lucian. Although he had never seen the criminal before, Lucian knew who the man was. Or at least, he knew what general position the man held within the gang.

As the raid was planned by Aelia herself, Lucian was confident in the information she had gathered while drafting the operation. The identities of the gang leaders were obvious from the beginning, but getting information on their many underlings was far more difficult.

Still, Lucian had prioritized cleaning up the streets for a while now, which made it possible to create a fairly accurate list of powerful members of the gang he was eradicating.

And without a doubt, the man held before him was one of those powerful members.

“You ain’t shit.” The man spat at Lucian, but the shield protected him. “And you ain’t very smart, neither! Walking down here lookin’ all smug, ‘course the boss is gonna get the hell outta here!”

“So.” Lucian paused to allow his shield time to intercept another glob of spittle. “You’re saying that we were far too obvious in our approach, giving your leader a chance to get away.”

“That’s what I said!” The man grew a little angry that he wasn’t even able to spit on the king.

“Seems to me you shouldn’t be judging other people’s intelligence when you stayed behind, despite knowing we were coming.” Lucian paused again, except it was to let the man get out a few curses before he continued. “But you’re right. We were very obvious. Your gang would have to be extremely incompetent to be caught off-guard by this attack.”

“That’s why I said you ain’t very smart!”

Lucian shook his head. “At least try to pick up on the clues I’m giving you.”

“The hell’re you talking about!?”

“I’m talking about…” Lucian pointed down the street. “That.”

Another small column of troops was marching down the road, coming from the opposite direction of the main force. In their possession were various captured men, each bound with ropes. Among them was…

“B-boss!?” The arrogant criminal watched with shock as his leader was being dragged right back to him.

“If it were just me,” Lucian said, “then perhaps your gang could have scurried away like rats, looking to regroup again after the destruction of your base of operations here. But the mistake you made was thinking that you could outsmart a genius dark elf who even outclasses the feared generals of the empire.”

“Huh!? That doesn’t make any sense!”

“I’m saying that of course the rats would run to safety if they think I’m coming to destroy them. And if I were to station troops to watch, then we could see exactly where they scurry off. The places that they think will keep them safe, the districts that harbor them, the people that support them. We wanted to know it all. That way, we could thoroughly destroy your entire operation at once.”

“All of it…?”

Lucian looked at the man, one of the people who had orchestrated the attack on Mia’s carriage. “Every. Last. Scrap.”

The gang leader finally arrived, bound in ropes and surrounded by his men, ones who were sent out in secret to act as the real net that would catch the fish he wanted.

At the head of the troops who captured the gang leader walked a white hair that wasn’t officially part of his royal guard. Lucian had picked her up in the far north, near the dark elves.

Even though Sophia had white hair and fox ears like Emilia, there was one defining feature about her that caught everyone’s eye. Her hair had streaks of red, as if she weren’t fully cursed by whatever magic caused them to go berserk when enhanced.

Before sending Sophia on her first mission, Lucian had tested her berserked state. Each white hair had varying control over their bloodthirst when enhanced, with some losing almost all self-control.

Among the spectrum, Emilia maintained a relatively clear head, for which Lucian was grateful. Though there were others who had even better control over their berserked states.

Sophia was one such girl. In fact, she had a better grip over her emotions than any other berserked white hair Lucian had ever seen, and it was precisely because of the red streaks in her hair.

Sophia truly was less cursed than other white hairs, which was why the berserk effect was lessened for her. But that also meant she obtained less strength when enhanced, compared to other white hairs.

It was a trade-off, but one Lucian was particularly grateful to have. She was still leagues stronger than the average enhanced soldier, and there was little risk of her going out of control.

He could even have her lead a small operation while enhanced and she would remain focused far better than other white hairs, as she just proved by capturing the gang leader and bringing him straight to Lucian.

“Good job, Sophia.”

“It was easy.” Her voice contained a hint more of an edge than normal. “He had this.”

Sophia handed over a pouch, along with a few personal belongings the gang leader had on him.

“Lots of gold.” Lucian re-tied the pouch after looking inside. “Crime pays well. Until it doesn’t.”

The gang leader spat at him, but like before, his autonomous shield considered it an attack and blocked it.

When the criminal began to get loud, Lucian just motioned for him to be dragged away. He would have plenty of time to talk to him later.

Emilia finally emerged, having completely cleared out the house of all resistance. The other two homes were quiet as well, all the criminals having either been slain or captured.

With their base cleaned and the boss captured, the operation’s main objectives had been completed. Though there were still many things to do before Lucian could call an official end to the mission.

Chapter 10

“Let’s see what they were hiding from us.” Lucian stood before a table filled with seemingly random items.

“Most of it is useless, obviously.” Aelia came to a quick conclusion with only a glance.

“That’s to be expected since I just had the men grab anything they thought might be important. But I’m sure somewhere in these items is a clue about who, if anyone, was funding the gangs to help them regrow after our last purge against them.”

“There’s definitely someone. I can smell it.” Aelia picked up one of the few pieces of parchment found in the lairs used by the two gangs.

Not long after arriving in his new world, Lucian had arrested his uncle for conspiring against the crown. During the investigation into his estate, he had seized enough documents to fill a royal carriage.

Going through the stacks of paper had been a huge undertaking, requiring many sets of eyes over several days. It wasn’t something he was keen on repeating.

Perhaps it was fortunate for him that criminals weren’t in the habit of recording their crimes. Though the fact that most of them could barely even read or write was also a huge factor in their decision to forgo record keeping.

Still, it made tracing the gang’s activities far more difficult, which was why he wished that they could have at least seized enough documents to give them a trail to follow.

“Worthless dribble.” Aelia placed the parchment back onto the table.

“All we can do is look through it and see if we find anything noteworthy.”

The soldiers had all been dismissed, so only Lucian and his closest companions remained to sort through the collection of items taken from the gangs. The afternoon sun was well on its way to the horizon, but the few hours of remaining sunlight were more than enough to go through the evidence, considering how little there was.

Emilia, Minerva, and Teflyn were with them, of course. But Sigurd had also remained to help with the task. As the second-in-command just beneath Emilia, he sometimes joined them when needed.

With all of them working together, Lucian hoped that they would at least find something.

But as the first hour came to a close, not a single person had found anything that would clearly lead them to the source of the gang’s funding. Worse yet, the task had gone by even quicker than Lucian expected.

In fact, they were already done.

“Nothing, huh?” Lucian put down a silver dagger that looked more ceremonial than practical. “It’s all just random junk. Although some of it is still pretty valuable.”

“Whoever was funding the gangs was careful not to leave a trail.” Aelia stepped back from the table. “Chances are, they didn’t give them any items or even information directly. The gang leaders may not even know who was truly backing them.”

“That would be a problem because if we can’t find any evidence, then the only other clues would come from the criminals themselves. But if even the gang leaders don’t know, then there’s no telling how hard it will be to find the trail that leads to whoever’s been funding them.”

“I’ve got a few leads from tracking the criminals that fled once they heard we were coming for them. But those leads will likely end with just more sympathizers and not the one providing the coin.”

“Hmm. It’s still too early to get discouraged, so let’s just hope we find the information we need from one of our other sources.” Lucian took a large bag from his waist. “For now, let’s take care of this.”

After grabbing the bag, Lucian turned to meet the eyes of someone who had just arrived at their outdoor table filled with seemingly random items.

“Perfect timing, Liliana.” Lucian held the bag out to her.

“Ah, thanks?” She took it with a questioning gaze.

“One of the gang leaders had a huge sum of coins in his possession. Since we found it during the raid, I was planning to give it to the soldiers who fought with me.”

“Oh! Good idea! I think they’ll be really happy to hear that.”

“Agreed. I’ll leave it to you, just make sure that each man gets equal pay.” Lucian visibly changed gears. “Now, I assume you came to tell me something important?”

“Yes. I’ve received a reply from the Council of Elders. They’ve requested for you to come visit them at their headquarters.”

“Send a reply to let them know I will be arriving tomorrow, two hours before noon.” Lucian rubbed his chin. “Looks like I need to reschedule my mid-morning activities.”

“Alright. I’ll send it right away. Oh, and I’ll count out the coins to see how many each soldier should receive.” Lily took a single, gold coin from the bag.

“Make sure to include yourself in the list, too.”

“Thank you very much.” Lily inspected the coin more closely. “Wow, it’s so shiny. It looks like it came straight from the mint.”

“It might have since I recently sent a large sum of newly-minted coins to–” Lucian cut off his words as something clicked into place in his mind. “Wait a second!”

He and Aelia both stepped up to Lily at the same time, each grabbing the hand that held the shiny, gold coin.

“This coin…” Aelia began.

“It doesn’t just look like it came from the mint…” Lucian continued for her.

“It did come from the most recent batch of coins.”

“And the only transaction I’ve made since minting these coins was…”

Aelia and Lucian met each other’s eyes, both of them nodding at their shared revelation.

“Umm.” Lily looked at her hand, which was still being held by both Lucian and Aelia. “Do you … want the coins back?”

“No, nothing has changed. Give them all to the men.” Lucian plucked the single gold coin from her hand. “Except for this one. I think it will come in handy.”

Lily gave a quick goodbye before going off to complete her new tasks.

“Looks like I need to speak with someone soon.” Lucian looked at the nearly uncirculated gold coin resting in his palm.

----------

The next morning, Lucian awoke at his usual time, somewhere between one and two hours before sunrise. Unless there was an emergency, he always slept until he naturally woke up. But since he had a habit of waking at the same time each day, he could easily keep to his schedule, even without an alarm clock.

“Long hair sure takes a lot of upkeep.” He combed through the strands with a brush to untangle them. “Should I get it cut?”

Lucian imagined Emilia’s shocked face if he were to suddenly show up with short hair.

“I get the feeling she’d be disappointed, so let’s not. Besides, long hair is part of my image now.”

Not only was he known for his charming smile and handsome looks, but the long hair added to his perception as a refined and regal young man. Add in his mysterious magic and prowess as a warrior, and it was no wonder some people had begun to spread rumors that he was divinely blessed.

“They’re not wrong.” Lucian thought upon the Goddess. “But I’m not sure if anything that comes from her can really be considered a blessing.”

After making himself presentable, he threw on a pre-selected outfit put together by his maids. Despite it being one of the more casual sets of clothes in his wardrobe, it still held an element of royalty that couldn’t be missed.

Although his morning routine wasn’t complete, Lucian walked to his door and opened it, revealing the castle hall. He didn’t keep guards posted outside his door, as there was no real reason to do so.

The entire wing that held the royal bedchambers had only one entrance connecting it to the rest of the castle. Considering that even the windows were narrow slits barely wide enough to fit an arm through, there was really only one way to get into the hall where his room sat.

That’s why rather than guarding each door, he simply posted several soldiers to watch the entrance into the royal wing. With some specialized tactics and failsafes included, Lucian’s room was one of the most difficult places to access.

Despite that, there was someone standing outside his door. Instead of an assassin, she was more like a guardian. Or rather, she actually was one of his three Guardians.

“Good morning, Emilia.”

“Good morning, Prince Lucian.”

He stepped aside, and Emilia entered. It was common for them to meet up in the morning, and they had both adopted the same schedule, getting up two hours before the sun.

Emilia always tried to prepare herself before her prince, though. That way, she could be there to meet him as soon as he opened the door.

Lucian opened a cooler about the size of a footstool, the small box kept cold by ice held in the walls. It was only large enough to hold a few bottles of wine, but he preferred to stock it with something a bit more useful.

Pulling a pitcher from the cooler, Lucian poured a glass for himself and Emilia. No alcoholic smell filled the room, nor any sweet aroma that one might expect from juice.

No, the liquid held in the pitcher was simple water.

“Thank you.” Emilia took a sip of the pure water, as she did each morning when meeting up with Lucian. “That reminds me, are we still going to the magitech factory today?”

“The meeting with the Council of Elders is my top priority right now, but as long as we can finish in time, then I still plan on stopping by the factory.”

“I wonder if they’ve made any progress lately. It’s been a while since their last report, hasn’t it?”

“They report once a week, which should be today. But since I told them I’d be stopping by, they’re just going to give me a verbal report when I arrive.”

“If they really do succeed, I wonder if everyone will be able to enjoy this in the morning.” Emilia took another sip of her cold, refreshing water.

Lucian followed suit. “That’s the idea. That, and much more.”

A glass of cold water in the morning helped energize them for the day’s difficulties. It also gave them an excuse to spend some time together before any of the people and tasks could draw their attention.

But in a couple hours, the sun would declare the official start to the day. Before that could happen, he had to meet up with yet another person to ensure they were ready for the day’s first task.

“Well, she’s probably already dressed. So, how about we pay her a visit?”

Emilia finished her water, putting the empty glass beside Lucian’s on a nearby table. “Princess Mia rarely oversleeps, so you’re probably right.”

“Today is a bit different, though. It’ll be her first time training under Archmage Vera, so I hope she was able to sleep well last night.”

Emilia trotted up to the door just in front of Lucian, opening it and stepping outside ahead of him. “I know how nervous people can get their first time training with a powerful master. I felt it the day Aelia’s mother decided to teach me.”

Lucian stepped outside, with Emilia closing his door behind him. “If she’s nervous, I’ll think of a way to lighten her mood a bit.”

“As expected of her big brother!”

“Big brother, huh?” Lucian thought upon the strange relationship he had with his sister, who was technically blood related to him, even if he wasn’t the same brother she had grown up with. “I’m just glad she accepted this arrangement. Can’t say I would have been so understanding, if the roles had been reversed.”

“Princess Mia really is adaptable! That’s why I think she’ll do well when training under Archmage Vera.”

Lucian nodded. “Agreed.”

The two of them turned a corner, and Mia’s door came into view.

As soon as he began knocking, the door opened. Standing on the other side was the sister he expected, along with her constant companion, Luna. The young, white cat was resting in Mia’s arms, her hand returning to pet her cat after using it to open the door.

“Hello Mia. And Luna, of course.”

“Good morning.” Mia’s hand stopped petting Luna, a decision the cat obviously disagreed with.

As the princess exited her room, she grabbed something that was leaning up beside the door, taking it with her as she stepped out. Like many times before, she lowered the cat to the ground, letting Luna out into the hall.

The cat rubbed up against each of their legs, wanting to join them wherever it was that they planned to go. Sometimes, that was acceptable, like when they were going to a simple meeting or sitting around performing administrative tasks.

Their current destination wasn’t well suited for a cat, so she couldn’t go along with them. But that didn’t mean Luna would be confined to Mia’s room all day. As the princess’ personal pet, she was free to roam the castle as she pleased, even if she did have a small habit of getting into trouble.

“You chose an appropriate outfit,” Lucian said. “But I didn’t know you had something like that in your wardrobe.”

Mia looked down at her skirt, which ended at the knees. “I bought it in case I needed something practical for a journey.”

“Yeah, the shorter dress gives you more flexibility, and the cloak would come in handy for bundling up in bad weather. Is the hairband part of the outfit, or did you just add it to keep your hair under control?”

“All of it is part of the set, including the headband.”

Lucian eyed the object she grabbed while exiting her room. “And the staff?”

“Included.”

“That’s just like you.”

“I like the boots and leggings,” Emilia said. “They make the outfit look rugged and dependable.”

“Thank you.” Mia watched on as Luna rubbed against said boots.

The princess normally wore royal dresses befitting her position as the king’s sister. She had a certain amount of compromise on how formally she would dress, but she maintained a minimum standard, even when she was visiting the orphans.

However, the outfit she was currently wearing was a step or two below that standard, in terms of its fanciful design and flourish. That said, she still looked like the daughter of a powerful noble or wealthy merchant.

“Well, let’s get going.” Lucian led the way toward the only exit from the royal wing. “It’d reflect badly on us if we arrived late after all the times I told Vera not to forget about the training session.”

Luna followed them down the hall, past the soldiers who guard their rooms, and through the castle. Eventually, all four of them stopped at a door. It wasn’t nearly as decorative as the ones in their bedchambers, trading the fanciful design with something a bit thicker and rougher.

“You’ll have to wait here, Luna.” Mia reached down and gave her cat a special treat. “Be a good kitty while I’m gone.”

Whether or not Luna would respect Mia’s wishes was yet to be seen, especially when the castle cooks began preparing the daily meals. But at the very least, the cat wouldn’t follow them through the door.

The special treat was a sign that it was time to separate, something which she had trained Luna to recognize since Mia was sometimes forced to work on important tasks. As expected, the cat wandered off after devouring the treat, leaving Lucian, Emilia, and Mia to do as they pleased.

Beyond the door was a section of the castle that Mia rarely visited. She didn’t have particularly fond memories of what lay in the depths, but neither did she often need to venture within.

“Can’t believe I have to get up so early this morning…” Vera yawned without reserve, something most women would never do.

“It’s not that bad,” Lutz said. “You got at least a few hours of sleep, right?”

“Maybe. I just know I’m going back to sleep after this training session.”

Lucian, Emilia, and Mia stepped into the small combat arena that sat within the castle. It wasn’t large enough to support a full crowd of onlookers, but it could at least hold a dozen students and their teacher with room to spare.

It was still before the scheduled start of the training session, giving them time to make sure everyone was on the same page before they began.

“Just how long did you stay up last night?” Lucian asked as he reached casual speaking distance.

“Research is best conducted at night when there aren’t any interruptions. Then I can skip all the annoying talking in the morning by sleeping in.”

“I can’t blame you for that, considering your priorities.” Lucian gave the arrangement some thought. “There is someone else who might benefit from your teachings. I left her in her room since she’s not a morning person, either.”

“A student who needs afternoon training?”

“Afternoon isn’t quite what I had in mind. Sunrise would probably be more aligned with her schedule, rather than two hours before like we scheduled the training for today. And if that fits yours better, then we can adjust the time to match.”

Vera crossed her arms. “A few more hours of sleep. It’s still not ideal, but I’ll take it.”

“Good. Then starting tomorrow morning, let’s use the new schedule.”

Mia would train alongside some of the noble kids with the highest magic potential, giving Vera a group of students worthy of an archmage.

Lucian wasn’t surprised to see Lutz waiting for him in the training arena. He had accompanied Vera for a long time the day before, and it seemed that wouldn’t change any time soon.

“Good luck on whatever it is you got going on today.” Lutz waved to Lucian, indicating that he wouldn’t be joining him.

“Are you going to help train them?” Lucian eyed the first student to arrive, a noble boy with short, blond hair.

“I plan to give a little advice, but I’ll be leaving most of the work to our very competent and extremely energetic archmage here.”

Vera grumbled a response, but Lucian couldn’t pick up on her words.

“Then do as you wish.” Lucian gave a goodbye to Mia, who was already mentally preparing for the upcoming training.

Then, he led Emilia back out of the arena and into the castle’s main section.

“As for us…” Lucian stared down the hall. “We should meet up with the others and take care of our morning tasks before our meeting with the Council of Elders.”

Chapter 11

“Welcome to the Council of Elders’ headquarters, Your Majesty.” A well-dressed beastfolk greeted Lucian just as he stepped out of his royal carriage. “I hope your trip here was swift and pleasant.”

“It was so.” Lucian’s eyes moved from the council member to the architectural wonder that sat behind him. “And I hope the same can be said for my visit here.”

“I assure you that we have every accommodation prepared to ensure a pleasant visit. Though whether or not it will be swift is out of my control.”

“I’m certain that the five elders will hear the wisdom in my words. Perhaps my visit will be over even more quickly than any anticipate.”

The council member that greeted him wasn’t the only one present. Precisely two dozen others had come as well, each representing the highest rank within the council, other than the elders themselves.

Yet despite the large crowd that had come to meet him, Lucian’s entourage outnumbered them at least two-to-one. And nearly every single person who accompanied him was a battle-hardened veteran, the only exception being Lily, who was an administrator instead of a soldier.

News related to the king always traveled quickly. Town criers trying to be the first to spread news of current events, drunk patrons at a bar retelling a story they heard from another questionable source, and bards spinning tales with fanciful liberties taken to engage the crowd.

It was for those reasons and more that nearly every citizen had already heard about Lucian’s recent battles against the criminal gangs, despite only a single day having passed. Both the attack on Mia’s carriage and the subsequent raid on the neighborhoods was already common knowledge.

Though it was questionable how faithfully the events had been passed from ear to ear. At the very least, Lucian knew the Council of Elders would have a clearer view of precisely what had transpired.

The member who greeted them began leading the group towards the nearby building. Although Lucian had met each of the five elders, it was his first time going to their headquarters on official business.

“So this is the Council of Elders headquarters.” Emilia looked over the heads of the council members and at the building on the other side of them.

“You never came here before becoming a soldier?” Lucian asked.

“No, I only met a representative. After that, Lily became my only connection to the council.”

“It was my job to oversee the trainees, after all.” Lily lowered her voice. “But um, like I said, I don’t have any power in the council, so I don’t know how much help I can be.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure Prince Lucian can negotiate everything he wants.” Emilia looked to him. “Right?”

“From my research and estimations, there’s a high chance I walk out of here with all of my requests met. But there will always be details I can’t account for, so it’s not a guarantee.”

“You’re asking for so much,” Lily said. “Getting me out of the council’s hands, improving the beastfolk’s loyalty to Almekia, and increasing their productivity in the kingdom. I’m still not sure how you intend to get them to agree to all of that, and you never told me what you plan to give in return.”

“That’s because I expect them to simply give me everything I want without making any other demands.”

“Huh?” Lily couldn’t hide her dumbfounded expression. “I don’t think that’s usually how negotiations go…?”

Although Lucian had arrived with a large entourage, only a select few actually accompanied him into the headquarters. Emilia and Lily were two such members, as was Sigurd. Since the rest of his companions were back at the castle, he filled out the remainder of his escort party with several of his more loyal guards, both human and white hair.

If any other king had arrived with so many white hairs, it would likely be taken as a threat, a not-so-subtle hint at what kind of power Almekia’s ruler had at their disposal. Indeed, many white hairs had found themselves brought to the negotiation table for that very reason.

But Lucian was known for keeping company with many white hairs, even on a casual basis. Considering Emilia was his closest guard, it was strange to see him without at least one white hair by his side.

Besides, he believed that such an obvious show of force toward the Council of Elders would only hinder his future plans, even if it did help the current negotiation.

I hope the elders live up to my expectations, Lucian thought. It would make my life so much easier.

Although the Almekian Kingdom had only one ruler–Lucian–there was a separate governmental body within it.

Even if Almekia was a human country, it did have a large population of beastfolk. Sometime during the kingdom’s long history, a period of turmoil spurred the creation of a group who would argue for the best interest of the beastfolk.

That group later became known as the Council of Elders.

It was the council who petitioned the crown when the minority population of beastfolk had grievances, giving them a voice and preventing animosity amongst the two races. Even if the elders had no official power within Almekia’s monarchy, they still held political leverage on the same level as some of the most influential noble families.

As Emilia stated, even she had met a council representative before joining the training camp where she eventually met Lucian.

White hairs were technically beastfolk, even if they were considered cursed. As such, the Council of Elders represented them, going so far as to sign a contract with the crown on the use of white hairs in war.

Of course, the contract did almost nothing to prevent the king from recruiting white hairs. It only ensured that they would be treated at least as humanely as any other soldier, which was not a high bar in Lucian’s new world.

“The elders await you within, Your Majesty.” The same council member stood beside a door, clearly suggesting for Lucian to enter it.

“Thank you.” He obliged, pushing on the door and revealing the room within.

The council’s meeting room was a familiar sight. Not because Lucian had been in it before but simply because he had been in so many similar rooms that they had all begun to look the same.

However, there was a clear difference between this meeting and most of the others. The ones joining him at the negotiation table all had fluffy ears and tails of varying colors and from a variety of animal species.

The five elders who made up the council weren’t actually sitting at the table, though. Even if they were seen as a separate governmental body, their power and authority was dwarfed by the crown. Even the class of human nobility who ruled the kingdom’s provinces had more leverage, all things considered.

That placed the Council of Elders at the bottom of the totem pole, which often left them fighting for scraps after the king and nobility took the juiciest spoils for themselves. And with the discrimination against beastfolk and white hairs, it always left them wanting for more.

Over generations, that led to a growing divide between the king and council, which had never been fully addressed. The recent economic and social downturn in the Almekian Kingdom only further stripped the beastfolk of their meager scraps as the king and nobles hoarded even larger pieces of a shrinking pie, leaving less for the ones who were struggling most.

Despite their rather poor opinion of the crown, even the Council of Elders wouldn’t disrespect Lucian openly, which was why none of them were actually sitting at the negotiation table. Rather, they were standing in front of it in order to properly greet their king.

“Welcome to the council, Your Majesty.” A man with light brown fox ears gave a bow that would make any noble proud.

The rest followed the first man’s example, with all five of the council members showing their respect, even if it was just for show. Appearances were important for those with power, after all.

“Thank you for the reception.” Lucian returned their greeting with a simple nod, which was the expected response when acknowledging those of high rank within his kingdom.

Decorum and tradition often framed people’s actions, and Lucian was no exception. Were he to completely disregard people’s expectations at every turn, his opposition would be able to use his disrespect as leverage to turn neutral parties against him.

“As I am certain that each of us considers our time valuable,” Lucian motioned to the table. “Why don’t we get started right away.”

Five chairs were lined up on the far side of the round table, which the elders took in an order that Lucian felt was predetermined. Although each elder technically held as much power as the next, there would inevitably be an imbalance between their influence. Though he wasn’t sure if the seating order was because of some hidden ranking between them or if their positioning was irrelevant to rank and just their preference.

But there was another clue, other than their speed and confidence as they took their seats.

The same brown-eared foxman that greeted him sat in the center seat, with two elders on each side. It was too much of a coincidence, letting Lucian know that the elder was considered the leader amongst them.

On one side of him was a small ratkin who held her hands in front of her like a little rodent that was standing up on her haunches.

Even further down the table was a catfolk covered in gold bands and jewelry with eye tattoos and curved ears. She had the gaze of an intellectual, though her body language made it look like she was ready to pounce at any second.

On the foxkin leader’s other side was a bearkin wearing tiny reading glasses. An expense report was laid on the table before him, along with a small abacus. It was one of the strangest sights Lucian had seen after coming to his new world, and that was saying a lot.

On the other end of the bearkin was a two-tailed cat whose tails seemingly had minds of their own. She twirled a coin between the fingers on one hand, showing the practiced movements of someone who had spent more than enough time in a gambling den.

As the elders took their seats, Lucian and his two companions did the same.

Lily sat to his left. As a council representative and a part of Lucian’s inner circle, there was little surprise that she would take a seat at the table. Her very presence gave the elders several clues about why the king had set up the meeting in the first place.

But what the elders didn’t expect was for Emilia to also take a seat at the table. As a white hair, she was essentially forbidden from many positions of power and influence simply due to the stigma that hung over her kind.

Everyone understood that she was Lucian’s primary guard, but many believed that to simply be an excuse to bring a white hair along with him everywhere he went. After all, bringing one to a meeting was often seen as an aggressive statement of power, meant to subtly remind the other party of just what he had at his disposal.

But Emilia made no efforts to appear as a guard and instead joined them at the table, as if she were their equal.

This was, of course, Lucian’s plan. Throwing a wrench into the opponent’s expectations was always a good move to put them on the back foot, especially during a negotiation.

With the first cards laid out on the table, Lucian decided it was time for the meeting to truly begin.

“So, what does the new king have to ask of us~?” The Bastet asked as she put down the ring she was toying with.

“I have but one request to make of the Council of Elders.” Lucian ignored Lily’s confused face. “I wish for Liliana to be removed as a council representative and placed completely under my care.”

With a quick glance at each of the elder’s expressions, Lucian concluded that two of the five had already anticipated that Lily would become a focus of the meeting. One of the two was their leader, the brown-eared foxman. But the other one who noticed was quite a surprise to Lucian.

The large man with bear ears chuffed with a headshake. “I saw this coming from leagues away.”

“And there’s no way I can agree with it,” the two-tailed catgirl added. “Liliana is one of our best representatives.”

The bearkin adjusted his small glasses with practiced delicacy. “From a financial standpoint, finding a competent and hardworking representative to replace her would be no small task.”

Lily looked around, her squirrel ears twitching shyly. “I’m not that valuable, or anything.”

“No, they’re right,” Lucian said. “You’ve proven time and again that you’re a fantastic administrator. Even the white hairs respect you, despite not being one of them. I am in full agreement with the Council of Elders. Replacing you would be difficult, bordering on impossible considering you earned your respect during some of the most turbulent time in this kingdom’s recent history.”

“R-really?” Lily still carried a look of disbelief, despite so many powerful and influential people speaking so highly of her.

While Lily was still processing the praise being heaped upon her, the council had already moved on. Their focus was now on Lucian, who had defied their expectations considering his stated goal for the meeting.

It made sense for the elders to speak highly of Lily. They had an asset that the king wanted, so attempting to inflate her value at the negotiation table was completely expected. The more they could claim she was worth to them, the more they would be able to ask for in return.

But the opposite was true for Lucian. If he wanted to remove Lily from the council’s grasp, then it would benefit him to act as if her transfer were a simple formality or security issue, rather than because she was invaluable to him.

Yet he not only praised her alongside the council, he took it a step further than even the elders had. Making such a statement at the negotiation table could only be seen as foolish.

The ratkin girl wrinkled her nose, as if she smelled something strange. “So you see, we can’t let someone like that go cheap, yea?”

The Bastet-looking elder moved her hand around slowly, the gold bracelets jingling in the process. “Even if she’s valuable to the council, she’s not irreplaceable. Perhaps we could consider letting her go–for the right price.”

The ratkin’s mousy ears twitched at the sound of the Bastet’s jewelry. “I like the sound of that.”

“Let’s not be too hasty,” the bearkin added. “Buying out Liliana’s contract with a pouch of gold would do a lot of good for our people, but solving a long-term problem would do us much better than fixing a short-term one.”

“I’m open to discussion on the matter,” Lucian said.

In truth, the king could do whatever he pleased. With the stroke of a pen, Lucian could command the council to hand Lily over to him while giving nothing in return.

Even though Lucian could force their hand, he would have done so from the beginning if that was his plan. The fact that he even came to the negotiation table told the elders that he was willing to make a deal, rather than act as a dictator.

“The rate of disease amongst us beastfolk is far higher than that of humans,” the foxkin council leader said. “It's difficult for anyone to prosper when illness runs rampant through their neighborhoods.”

“So you want easier access to healers?” Lucian asked. “I'm not opposed, but a large part of the problem is simple prejudice against your people. That's not something that can simply be fixed with the stroke of a pen.”

The foxkin nodded. “They don't even want to treat us. And when they do, it's obvious they charge more for their service. Beastfolk aren't even allowed to take loans from the banks. At the rate we're charged for healing, even if the illness is life threatening, many of us can only lie in bed and hope to survive it.”

“It seems that it would be easier to simply solve the fundamental problem itself, which is the lack of healers amongst the beastfolk.”

“It’s hard enough to make a living, much less have a chance to train under a healer.” The foxkin sat back in his chair. “Especially when most of the mages are in the army. The ones who are left don’t have time to spend training beastfolk who can’t afford their fees.”

“As I’m sure you’re aware, we are currently at war with the Esgares Empire. With that being the case, we can’t expect an increase in the number of available teachers any time soon.”

“I don’t expect you to send your soldiers to train us. We could do it ourselves, if we had enough capable healers to teach our own.”

“It takes many years and lots of resources to raise a powerful mage or healer. Even in the military where we’ve streamlined and trimmed it down only to the bare necessities, the cost is still high. Considering the poor financial situation most beastfolk are in, it would take more than just a small effort to increase the number of healers in your communities.”

“There is a simple solution.” The bearkin used his large arm to push up on his small glasses. “We could shoulder all the responsibility ourselves–if we could take out loans from the banks.”

The Council of Elders eyed Lucian, scrutinizing his reaction. Depending on his response, it could vastly change the direction of the negotiations that followed.

Although beastfolk weren’t openly persecuted in the Amlekian Kingdom, there were still some restrictions put on them by the crown. Those limitations were solely to prevent them from becoming a threat to the many humans who held power.

Lifting those restrictions would be very unpopular amongst the nobility and merchants, as they would suddenly have to contend with an entirely new influx of competition.

The council understood exactly how unlikely they were to negotiate such a trade, considering they were only offering to release Lily from their service. As important as she had become to Lucian, nobody truly believed he would jeopardize his own rule by agreeing to such a risky trade.

“Let’s keep that in mind for now.” Lucian visibly changed gears. “Are there any other suggestions on what you believe would constitute a fair trade for Liliana’s service?”

The Council of Elders hid it well, but Lucian could still see traces of disappointment on their faces. Their expectations for striking such a deal were low from the beginning, but just mentioning it shows how important it is for them to have access to the same capital as the humans around them.

It was difficult for a beastfolk merchant to compete against a human one, when they didn’t have any way to borrow coin from a reputable source. And as many had learned throughout the generations, loan sharks weren’t a replacement for a bank.

When it came to other aspects of life, borrowing money was often a last resort. But even though nobody wanted to go into debt to cure an illness, it was still better than death. Yet the beastfolk couldn’t even do that, legally.

“Perhaps~” The Bastet-looking catgirl twirled a golden necklace around her finger. “There is something else.”

“I’m listening.”

“The Council of Elders can petition the crown on behalf of the beastfolk, but we don’t actively receive requests for input when a new decree is signed. We learn of new laws from word of mouth, and it’s up to us to reach out to the king and ask for representation each and every time we think it’s necessary.”

“So you wish for your input to be taken into consideration more actively. Do you have a proposed solution?”

“It’ll be easy.” The ratkin girl scratched at her ear. “All we need is a copy of the decree delivered here for us.”

“I see. That is a simple solution. It will keep you informed and allow you to quickly petition me if you believe a new decree will negatively impact the beastfolk.” Lucian shook his head. “But I won’t be doing that.”

“What’s wrong with it?” The foxkin leader could barely keep the annoyance from his voice, though a few of his fellow elders failed to do the same in regard to their expressions.

“Because it creates a system that encourages re-examination of decrees that I’ve already signed. If you want to stay informed of any decisions I make, we’ll need a more efficient solution.”

The Council of Elders showed obvious doubt that Lucian would concede to their wish to be kept in the loop on his decisions. They already petitioned him when they thought necessary, so an official copy of his decrees would barely change anything.

However, everyone at the table understood the reason why the council had never received such reports before. The less reliable their information, the more difficult it was for the elders to successfully petition the crown.

It wasn’t just the wording of the law but also the time that elapsed between Lucian signing it and the council asking for a petition. The longer that gap, the less likely that the elders would be able to make any changes.

Even just a simple copy of his decrees could lead to Lucian having to take the petition more seriously, both because the council would arrive better prepared while also showing up more quickly.

There was another fact that all the participants knew to be true, one that couldn’t be said openly without causing the air to thicken with tension.

Liliana was a spy for the Council of Elders.

To say she was an undercover agent placed by the elders would be a lie. Lily didn’t have the personality for such a mission, considering her somewhat anxious tendencies. It would be far too much for her to handle, and everyone knew it.

Although she had displayed her backbone many times, she always did so in a straight-forward manner. Back when she distrusted Lucian, she even stood up to him to ensure the white hair trainees she oversaw would be treated fairly. Calling her a coward would be the furthest thing from the truth, but that didn’t mean she could handle the stress that came with spying on her king.

No, she wasn’t a spy by choice. But when the Council of Elders asked questions about what was happening in Lucian’s inner circle, Lily often knew the answers. She was a part of that inner circle, after all.

Even if she didn’t answer them directly, her body language and choice of words could give away a lot of information to those who were competent enough to understand. And without a doubt, Lily could be read like a book.

Hence, Lucian was prepared for the council to request some sort of compensation that would allow them access to information, since that was what they would lose when giving up Lily.

The elders believed that the king had seen through their plan, which was true. And they also believed that Lucian would never give them what they wanted, access to inside information on his decisions, as it would mean giving the council that much more power and influence.

“I have a better solution.” Emilia attracted everyone’s attention, the elders turning to her for the first time since the negotiations began.

“You do?” The two-tailed catgirl asked, almost in disbelief that she would even speak up during the meeting.

“Yes. If a system that encourages re-examining decrees is too inefficient, then we should just get rid of the need to petition His Majesty in the first place.” Emilia pointed to the table where everyone was sitting. “And we can do that by giving the council a seat at the table where the laws are signed.”

“You’re … serious?” The two-tailed girl looked between Emilia and Lucian. “There’s no way he’d agr–”

“I agree,” Lucian said.

“What!?”

“Emilia is right. If I’m going to take the beastfolk into consideration, then I might as well do it from the beginning, rather than dealing with petitions. This will save both of us a lot of time and paperwork, so I don’t see a problem with it.”

Even the experienced members of the council couldn’t hide their disbelief. Direct representation had been denied to them many times by former kings and their cohort of nobility. That was why they opted for an indirect approach that would still give them some additional leverage.

The last outcome they expected was to have the king himself request for them to take a seat at the table where he decided on laws.

“Hah…?” The ratkin asked with a surprising amount of elegance, considering her bewildered tone.

“I already receive petitions from the council and a horde of self-serving nobles with ideas that far outweigh their stations. In a way, this is as much to benefit me as it is you. I don’t want to waste my time arguing details on laws that I’ve already signed.”

“We accept.” The foxkin cut straight to the finale before anyone could interject. “But I want the deal signed here and now, with all of us as witnesses.”

“That’s precisely what I intended to do.”

Emilia was the one who brought out the quill and parchment, laying it on the table. Although she hadn’t been tutored in calligraphy as a child, she was currently being taught by someone who was trained by the best.

Princess Mia.

With a quick motion, Emilia laid out the decree in the usual style and format that Lucian’s official calligrapher used. Although it wasn’t a perfect match, it was close enough that it would hold up to scrutiny, if challenged.

“So,” Lucian drew attention back to himself while Emilia was writing. “Let us restate the conditions of our deal so we’re all clear.”

“We will release Liliana’s contract with the council,” the foxkin said. “She will be free to contract with the crown or anyone else of her choosing.”

“And in return, I will guarantee the council a seat at the meetings regarding legislation.”

Emilia had already finished writing most of the contract, including the terms and conditions for each side of the deal. But while she put the finishing touches on it, there was one more topic Lucian wanted to discuss.

“There is one problem.” Lucian’s sudden statement caused an air of doubt to fall over the council, who still expected the deal to turn sour at any moment.

“What would that be?” the foxkin asked.

“You said it yourself, the beastfolk are economically depressed compared to humans. The worse their living conditions, the more you will have to fight to make laws more favorable for your people in an attempt to close that gap.”

“Isn’t that normal? A noble petitions for decrees that benefit his province over any other. Why should it be any different for us?”

“It’s not that it’s a bad thing. Actually, I think having a representative government that fights for the best interest of their people is a good system. However, I think there’s a way to avoid many of the battles we will likely have in the meetings.”

The foxkin raised an eyebrow. “How is that?”

“By providing a path for the beastfolk to direct their energy and resources. A way that will let them take their futures into their own hands, instead of relying on me or charity.” Lucian looked around the table. “Beastfolk will have access to loans from our banks.”

“You’re making it legal for us to take out loans!?” The bearkin with small glasses sat so far forward in his seat that his large body nearly began pushing the table across the floor.

“If you can take out loans, you can compete with human merchants more easily. With the additional wealth from crafting and trading, you can begin improving your living conditions over time without anyone else having to provide any charity. This will turn my kingdom’s beastfolk from a liability that requires coin to upkeep, into an asset that generates wealth. No matter how you look at it, this would be a victory for both of us.”

Emilia had already written the trade agreement, including the change in law that would allow beastfolk to take out loans. She handed it over to the foxkin, who reviewed the contents alongside the rest of the council.

Lucian watched as the elder’s eyes moved along the page, taking in each word while looking for potential traps based on the language used or the structure of the sentences. However, Emilia had written it with plain language and didn't use any political jargon to hide duplicitous meaning.

So, when the foxkin reached the bottom of the page, he didn’t show any signs of suspicion. However, there was a bit of confusion on his face.

“We can only use a single bank?” The bearkin asked in the council’s stead.

“For now. It would be much easier to centralize the beastfolk loans into this one bank until I can make a few, sweeping changes to the financial laws. Since the crown uses this particular bank for our national loans, I can guarantee that it will be able to meet your needs.”

“I can see the logic in that.”

“Then if there are no objections to the agreement…” Lucian held his hand out, and the foxkin handed the parchment back to him. “I have no problems signing it right now.”

He took the pen from Emilia, placing it on the line where his signature needed to go. However, he didn’t begin writing. Rather, he simply removed his fingers from the quill, leaving it standing on its own.

As if held by a ghostly hand, the pen moved across the parchment, ink covering the formerly blank space above the signature line.

Before the council could even register that they were witnessing Lucian’s Command Magic for the first time, the quill had already stopped moving, going back to the ink jar seemingly of its own free will.

He held the parchment back out to the still bewildered council, who took it after a longer than normal delay.

Five signature lines were below Lucian’s, one for each of the elders. One by one, they took turns re-reading the agreement, looking one last time for anything that could be a trap.

But in the end, none of them found anything suspicious. That would naturally be the case, since Lucian didn’t put a trap inside it.

Eventually, all five of them signed the agreement. It was a rather short negotiation, but he had gotten what he came for, and the Council of Elders received far more than they ever expected.

And, Lucian thought. This sets the stage for my revenge.

Nobody targets Mia and gets away with it.

Chapter 12

“[Order].” Lucian released the inked quill, and it began to write seemingly with a will of its own. “That takes care of that.”

The carriage hit a small bump, barely enough to jostle the seat. Although the wheels were equipped with crude shocks, they couldn’t absorb every uneven stone or rut in the road.

But despite the vibrations and bumps that came with riding in a carriage, the quill’s writing was completely unaffected. That was because the parchment it wrote upon was also floating in mid-air, isolating it from the rattling carriage.

“Um.” Lily watched as the ink flowed onto the page, forming words in Lucian’s exact handwriting. “What just happened?”

“Hm? Which part do you mean?”

“All of it. Before the meeting with the council, you said you had three requests in mind for the negotiation, but when we sat down, the only thing you asked for was to release me from my contract with the council. What happened to the other two requests?”

“Ah, I see where the confusion is coming from now. If you think back to the conversation we had before the meeting, you’ll notice that I didn’t say I had three requests for the council. I said that I had three objectives I needed to accomplish.”

“Three objectives. The first was getting me out of the council.” Lily raised one finger as she began listing off what Lucian said he wanted. “The second was to improve the beastfolk's loyalty to Almekia. And the third was to increase their productivity in the kingdom.”

Lucian nodded, looking at Lily’s three raised fingers. “Correct. The first one speaks for itself. I can’t have someone in my inner circle be under anyone else’s thumb. When it comes to improving the beastfolk’s loyalty, what better way than to give them a stronger voice in how the kingdom is governed? And as for their productivity, it will be the natural result from giving them more economic freedom. They will produce more goods and perform more services, increasing Almekia’s overall productivity.”

Lily sat wide-eyed as all the pieces fell into place. “The demands the council made of you were exactly what you wanted. Doesn’t that mean you got everything you set out for, without actually giving anything in return?”

“I said it from the beginning, right? I expected them to give me everything I wanted without demanding anything in return. The fact that they think they got the better end of the deal just means I’ve laid the foundation to build some goodwill between me and the Council of Elders. In the future, I intend to put that to use.”

Even after seeing Lucian’s plan unfold in real time, Lily could still hardly believe what he managed to pull off. He had long since proven to her that he was worthy of the crown, being both open-minded when needed and decisive when necessary.

But to finesse even the Council of Elders to such a degree was something she never imagined possible. Were it not for the war with the Esgares Empire demanding his attention, Lily wondered if he would be able to bring Almekia back to its former glory.

“When you said you wanted to improve the beastfolk’s loyalty and productivity,” Lily said, “I thought you were going to do something like conscript them for construction projects.”

“Ah, that’s a logical conclusion. My father often used beastfolk as cheap labor, since so many of them are desperate for money. And to be honest, I do plan to put them to work. I have several public works projects where I intend to use almost exclusively beastfolk laborers. In fact, I’m heading to one of those locations right now to meet with the noble in charge of the district where the construction will be taking place.”

Lucian grabbed the quill and parchment, both of which floated motionlessly in the air. “However, it wouldn’t do any good to put their hands to use with public funds if they don’t have any way to generate income in the private sector when the public projects are finished. It’d just be a small and temporary solution that wouldn’t solve the underlying issues.”

“Public funds?” Lily made a confused face.

“Oh, sorry. I meant the royal treasury.”

“But the royal treasury belongs to the king and not the public, right?”

“By law, you’re technically correct. But nearly every coin in the treasury was collected through tax or tariffs. That means the money came from the pockets of Almekia’s citizens or through the private trades made between my kingdom and our neighbors. When you look at it that way, it only makes sense that if the coins in my vault came from the people, then it should be used for the benefit of those same people.”

Lily looked like she was listening to someone speak in a language she barely understood. Not because she couldn’t comprehend the concepts, as she was easily able to follow Lucian’s reasoning.

No, her perplexed expression was simply because having a king declare that the royal treasury should belong to the people was unheard of.

“We’ve arrived, Prince Lucian.” The ever-observant Emilia released the curtain, letting it block the window once again.

“That was a quick trip.” He stood. “I suppose our destination wasn’t very far to begin with.”

Lily stood alongside them. “Where are we?”

Lucian motioned for her to follow, but Emilia was actually the first to reach the carriage door, as usual. She disappeared outside, scanning the street for potential dangers before her prince stepped out.

She was met with the squad of royal guards who protected the carriage, along with a few citizens who were loitering in the area. Many of the buildings were in poor condition, with all of them being shops, most of which had been abandoned.

However, despite the condition of the neighborhood, Emilia couldn’t detect a hint of danger.

“This is … or was a market street?” Lily looked around, correctly determining that the area was once filled with shops.

“Considering how many have closed,” Lucian said, “your use of past tense is fitting. From the records I found, this was once a nice area of the city. But over the course of decades, criminals entrenched themselves in the nearby neighborhoods, turning these shops into dens of illegal activity.”

“It looks like a lot of these shops were only recently abandoned. Is it because of you?”

“That’s right. We wiped out a lot of the bigger gangs, and since these shops were part of their criminal empire, that naturally means they’d get caught in the crossfire. To put it bluntly, many of the ones who ran these shops are either dead or imprisoned.”

“I thought so. But the gangs are gone now, right? So do you plan to rebuild these shops?”

“I do. Or rather, the beastfolk will. It’s one of the public works projects I have planned. And since this street is in the mixed zone where both humans and beastfolk live, it’ll prove extremely useful after construction is completed.”

Lily tilted her head. “Useful?”

“Beastfolk are about to have access to extra coin through bank loans, so what better place to start a business than a newly rebuilt market street frequented by both beastfolk and humans?”

“Ah! So that’s why you chose this place!”

“Yeah. It might take a while for the neighborhoods to recover from the decades of crime, but we have to start somewhere.” Lucian peered down the cobblestone road, where a carriage was approaching. “But it looks like the final member has arrived, so it’s time we get started.”

The new carriage was surrounded by royal guards, their armor a perfect match to the ones who protected Lucian. When they came to a stop nearby, the carriage door opened almost immediately, revealing the one who would accompany Lucian on his next task.

The dark elf, Aelia.

“What a trash heap.” She looked around the neighborhood with a wrinkled nose. “Won’t see anything like this in my land, even in the loam.”

Lucian recalled the messy lower level of Ul’Tharas, the city where he met Aelia. In human terms, the loam could be considered the dark elf equivalent of the slums. Only those without money or influence would live in such a place.

Although it was filled with what Lucian considered junk, he later found out that the broken devices in the loam actually served a purpose in their society. Most of the discarded items were actually still usable, with the right repairs.

Any dark elf living in the loam that had the knowledge and motivation to improve their life could fix the junk, bringing it back to a usable state. That provided the more motivated people with the ability to learn and grow their technical skills in hopes of clawing their way out of the loam.

With the strict structure of their society, dark elves respected competence over anything else, including bloodlines. It was far different from human societies, where families would hoard wealth and power for generations on end.

While the loam in her lands was a place for dark elves to prove their worth, the derelict market street where she now stood was nothing more than a graveyard of hopes and dreams. Those who once sought to prove their worth had long since abandoned the area, moving on to places that would respect their genuine efforts, something a gang of criminals would never do.

“Wasn’t there a noble to meet here?” Lily looked around, but the two carriages and swarm of royal guards blocked much of her view.

“We arrived a bit early,” Lucian said. “But he should be here soon.”

“Three minutes,” Aelia added. “Scout’s been tracking him.”

“Ah, I think I understand.” Lily picked up on the fact that they wanted to be prepared for when the noble arrived. “What should I do?”

“You.” Aelia thumbed behind her, where her carriage sat. “Are going back to the castle.”

“I am?”

“Don’t need you here, and now that you’re free from the council, you’ve gotta have a lot of reorganizing to do in your office. Might as well get started on that instead of standing around out here.”

“Oh, you’re right. I used to have a lot of tasks to do from the council, like making reports.”

“Throw that junk out.” Aelia motioned to the royal guards leading the squad she arrived with. “Got a new task for ya, fellas. Use them scary glares you got and escort Special Administrative Officer Liliana back to the castle. Ya let anything happen to her, and all yer asses are getting banned from my bar.”

The men straightened up at her words, giving salutes worthy of their positions as royal guards.

Lucian fought the urge to shake his head. Aelia frequented one of the bars near the castle, where many of the guards gathered to drink. She often challenged the men to drinking contests, with various conditions for the winner and loser.

No matter how many of the soldiers stepped up to the challenge, not a single one of them had been able to drink her under the table. Dark elves had a natural resistance to alcohol, but even with that, it wasn’t a guarantee that she could defeat every single human in a drinking contest.

But Aelia was one of Lucian’s three Guardians. That position came with many benefits, including a tougher physique and resistance to status effects.

Although the challenge had become famous amongst the guards, that wasn’t the true reason why the men didn’t want to get banned from the bar. It was simply that she had earned their respect, so they didn’t want to disappoint her and disgrace themselves.

Aelia had only conducted a few missions since taking over as Minister of War. However, each time she led the men to raid a gang, the battles had gone exceptionally well. It was rare for them to lose even a single guard during the bloody fights that ensued, as her tactics took nearly everything into account.

The men had long since realized just how competent she was as a general and tactician. To add to her reputation, Aelia often led from the front line, being the first to engage the enemies in battle.

Because of her actions and abilities, she quickly gained the respect of the humans and beastfolk beneath her. The result was a unit of royal guardsmen with more cohesion and comradery than had existed in a long while.

“Um, goodbye for now, everyone.” Lily gave a slightly panicked bow to the others, anxious about the short time limit before the noble’s arrival.

“Be safe.” Emilia saw her off with a smile and a wave.

With her on the way out, Lucian and Aelia immediately swapped gears. The market street was nearly desolate, but a few shops had managed to survive the decades of gang activity and the purge that followed.

Ironically, the gangs that destroyed the market street were also the only things left supporting it. Without their ill-gotten coin flowing through the surrounding neighborhoods, it was questionable if the few shops that remained could even survive, given the lack of demand.

That was why a full reconstruction was necessary to revitalize interest and draw crowds. Nobody would come to a deserted street with a handful of run-down shops, but once converted back into a real and honest marketplace, it would naturally pull in customers and act as a central hub for the revitalization of the surrounding neighborhoods.

Lucian didn’t simply choose the street on a whim. Using the resources available to him as Almekia’s king, he carefully selected the district based on his knowledge of economics and business management.

To him, it was a foregone conclusion that rebuilding the shops would breathe life back into that part of the city. But many nobles and advisors who had heard of his plan weren’t convinced, believing that the crime had done irreparable damage to the neighborhoods for at least the next few decades.

Lucian wasn’t discouraged by their lack of trust in his vision. Rather, he was relieved to find that outside of his inner circle, very few believed he had the capability to bring about any meaningful change, whether in the market street where he stood, or in the Almekian Kingdom as a whole.

Until recently, Lucian had mainly relied on the force of strength to achieve his goals. He defeated his uncle in a civil war, raided gangs to stomp out crime, and achieved victory in a critical battle against the Esgares Empire.

Other than his military victories, Lucian was best known for his charismatic personality and the mysterious companions he acquired through his travels. For the most part, he had done little in the way of making administrative changes to the kingdom, with the only major exception being his revisions to Almekia’s farming laws, where he mainly just cut out the unnecessary bureaucracy.

But not even a single farming season had passed since his changes came into effect, meaning the results of his new laws were still unknown. With nothing to point to as a show of competence when it came to administrative success, it was no wonder that most people doubted him.

Soon, that would change.

I didn’t come here as a warrior-king. It was just something I had to do in order to survive.

No, I came here as an administrator. Someone who could identify the cracks in the kingdom and repair them.

And now, it’s time the people of this world learn where my strengths truly lie.

Starting today, Almekia’s Renaissance will truly begin.

As soon as Lily’s carriage vanished from sight, another appeared to take its place. The new one wasn’t quite as extravagant, but it was still fancy enough that most nobles would be proud to ride in it.

Armed men were surrounding the carriage, escorting it through the bad neighborhood where Lucian had given the order to meet. Although organized squads of soldiers weren’t allowed in or near Almekia’s capital city, exceptions were made for personal guards.

Being a noble often meant making a lot of enemies, and even a king couldn’t order them to travel the streets without protection. At least, not if the king wanted to keep his crown–and head.

The new carriage came to a stop, the men guarding it keeping a distance of several paces between them and Lucian’s Royal Guard. With both forces standing one in front of the other, the differences between the two became obvious.

Lucian’s men wore armor emblazoned with his royal crest, something that only his hand-selected soldiers were allowed to display. But their heraldry was far from the only distinction between them.

As representatives of the king, the Royal Guard were as much of a representation of Lucian’s authority as they were warriors. That meant appearances were strictly enforced, from the cleanliness of their equipment to the confidence in their posture.

When contrasted against a standard group of noble guards, Lucian’s men looked like professional soldiers standing before a band of conscripts. On top of that, he had twice as many men, some of whom were white hairs.

“I’m happy you called for me, Your Majesty.” Marquis Novak took a glance around the barren market street. “Even if the location is a bit … coarse.”

“If I'm not mistaken, you've been overseeing this district for nearly as long as it's been deteriorating. If you're so against visiting such rough neighborhoods, then perhaps you should have done more to prevent its decline.”

“Oh, I meant no disrespect, of course!” Marquis Novak’s smile didn't reach his eyes. “I’m merely curious why we're meeting in such a place, rather than in the castle.”

“It's simple, Marquis Novak. Discussing numbers and drafting plans behind closed doors is often the most efficient method for completing administrative tasks. But walking through the locations that are most affected by my orders helps remind me of what precisely is at stake, were I to make a misstep.”

Novak looked around again. “Is there something important here?”

“Yes, absolutely.” Lucian waved for him and a few others to follow, including a ring of personal guards.

He led them to one side of the crumbling street, where one of many abandoned buildings sat unused. The lot was so overgrown and filled with so much refuse that none of them could even reach the door without brushing up against weeds and trash.

Fortunately, what Lucian sought was near enough that neither he nor any of his companions needed to dirty their clothes.

“[Order].” Lucian brushed his fingertips against a square piece of wood lying on the ground.

The rotting planks seemingly came to life, rising into the air and coming to a stop at head height.

“What does this sign say?” Lucian never took his eyes off the sign floating before him.

“Let's see…” Marquis Novak leaned forward a bit, struggling to read the old, dirty sign. “Belmont’s Leathers and Tannery.”

“And what can you tell me about this former leather shop?”

“What is there to say? There's scarcely anything left of it.”

“You're correct about the shop being gone. It was destroyed over two decades ago when the owner was murdered on his way home one night. Since that day, it had been used as a front for various illegal activities, all sponsored by the gangs that used to rule these neighborhoods.”

Lucian brushed off the dirt covering the former owner's name. “The Belmont family built this shop from nothing, only for it to be taken by criminals and brought to ruin. With her husband gone, the wife was forced to sell everything she could and move out of the city, her family's dream of building a decent life having crumbled in the worst possible way.”

Lucian motioned with his hand, and the sign settled on the ground, leaning up against the shop's outer wall with Belmont's name still on display. “You asked if there was something important here, and now you have your answer. Those with talent, those with initiative, those with dreams–that is who used to live and work in these streets. When the gangs took control, we lost all of them, only for them to be replaced by crime and brutality.”

“It’s just one street, no?” Marquis Novak tore his eyes from the sign. “Surely it can't impact a kingdom as great as Almekia.”

“By itself, no. But if we fail to give our citizens the basic safety and freedoms they need to build better lives for themselves, then Almekia will stagnate while the world advances around us. Eventually, the cracks in our kingdom will grow wide enough that we won't be able to resist whichever power seeks to capitalize on our weaknesses.”

Lucian turned his back to the old leather shop. “Almekia nearly fell to the Esgares Empire only weeks ago. If I had lost the recent battle against them, resistance would have crumbled, and we would have become a vassal state like many others before us. And that is something I cannot allow.”

Lucian had no faith in Marquis Novak to have a revelation about why increasing the freedoms of the peasant class would benefit Almekia. In fact, the nobleman had a vested interest in keeping the lower classes down, as giving them power would come at the cost of his own.

It was much better to keep the status quo, a sentiment that most nobles shared. Going against that by giving the citizens more economic opportunities and avenues to influence the direction of the kingdom would be extraordinarily unpopular among the ruling class.

Without a doubt, the number of daggers seeking his life would only rise. But even if it were a dangerous gamble, it was one he had to take, for his own sake.

I just need to get even stronger, until even the assassins won't take the deal, no matter how much coin they're offered.

Until then…

Lucian eyed Emilia and his personal guards.

I'll have to play my cards carefully.

Lucian brought the group back to the center of the street. There wasn’t much else to see in the market, but he had one more destination in mind while they discussed a few topics with Marquis Novak.

The nobleman still wasn’t sure why he was even summoned to a poorly kept road in the bad section of the city. Anyone with a keen eye could tell he was nervous, with the way he kept tapping his leg with one hand while obviously struggling to put the pieces together.

Not long ago, Marquis Novak had made the mistake of harassing the orphanage when Lucian had been paying it a visit. Since Lucian was undercover, he and his group were disguised as wealthy merchants.

Novak failed to recognize them, leading to a confrontation where he nearly hit Princess Mia. Since that day, Lucian had kept the noble under his thumb, applying an appropriate amount of pressure to keep him in line.

With such a strained relationship between them, the last thing Marquis Novak wanted to do was get on his bad side again. But when the king called, men answered. And that included nobles.

Being appointed to oversee sections of the capital city was an honor given only to nobles with long histories and deep ties to the throne. At some point in the past, Marquis Novak’s family was one such ally.

Those times had lapsed, a rift having grown between Novak and Lucian for many reasons, especially regarding the unorthodox decisions the king had made since taking the crown. Unfortunately for Lucian, the market street he wanted to rebuild was within Novak’s jurisdiction, so he had no choice but to meet with him to discuss his plan.

Though in truth, the honor to govern part of the capital city could be taken away just as easily as it could be given. Marquis Novak would no doubt make a fuss, but in the end, he would have no choice but to accept Lucian’s decision.

Now that I’m almost done cleansing the filth at the bottom…

Lucian began walking down the market street once more.

It’s about time I get started at the top.

“Hey, Marquis.” Aelia spoke up just as they began moving.

“Yes?” His tone was noticeably less submissive when speaking to the dark elf girl.

“This section of the city is under your jurisdiction. What else do you think needs to be done to make this market street into the successful economic district it once was?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? We make contracts with the Merchant’s Guild and a few tradesmen’s guilds to run the shops after the reconstruction. With their coin and connections, the shelves would be stocked with valuable goods as quickly as the doors can open.”

“Look around.” Aelia made a show motioning to their surroundings. “You think the people who live here can afford anything of value?”

“If they can't afford to buy anything, then what's the purpose of rebuilding the market? It'll just become abandoned again.”

“It would if we contracted out the shops to the guilds like you want. These people can barely afford to eat. You think a bunch of rich merchants from affluent parts of the city know what they need? They'd ruin this market street in months, trying to sell their overpriced goods to people who just want something affordable and useful.”

Marquis Novak huffed. “Aren't you the Minister of War? What do you know about markets and economies?”

“You'd be surprised how much Aelia knows,” Lucian said. “She's the daughter of a Dark Elf Lord, making her the human equivalent of a princess.”

“What!?” Novak looked back to the dark elf girl, disbelief in his eyes.

Aelia waved her hand. “Market economics is easy. All you gotta do is give the talented people a chance to prove themselves, and it will all work itself out.”

“That's … that's all you learned!? How ridiculous!”

“She's right,” Lucian said. “Though it's a bit more complicated than that. Suffice to say that she knows all about those complications and has taken measures.”

“Are you saying you plan to do more than just reopen this market street?”

“That's exactly what I mean.” Aelia answered his question. “First off, all the shops will be owned by people within this district. That includes the beastfolk, who will be given a fair chance to start their business here. Not a single owner will be the subsidiary business of a wealthy merchant.”

She pointed at the crumbling road where they walked. “The infrastructure will be rebuilt along with the shops, stretching from the nearest major street, through the market, and all the way to the beastfolk neighborhoods. This includes all the homes that line the new roadway, which will be torn down to make way for new construction.”

Aelia stopped in front of one of the few shops that had yet to close down. “We're also converting a nearby neighborhood into a warehouse capable of providing storage for a variety of goods. That will provide some much-needed work to the people in this district, as well as giving them easy access to raw materials they may need for their businesses.”

She walked to the shop door and opened it, stepping inside. “There are several smaller projects also in the works, but the last major one is a new guard station that's going to be built near the market. It will both ensure the safety of the shop owners and their patrons, while also patrolling the streets for any remnants of the gangs we eliminated. The guards will be mostly new recruits from within the district, including squadrons of beastfolk.”

Everyone was inside the shop now, where various tools sat around on the shelves and walls behind the counter. Despite having a rather large area for customers to browse, the shopkeeper didn’t have anything laid out for people to pick up and inspect.

That would make it far too easy to steal.

Besides that, the owner didn’t have much inventory, so he couldn’t fill his shop with a large selection, even if he wanted to. Considering the decades of gang activity in the area, it was surprising he had anything left.

Though perhaps that was because in a nest of criminals, tools used for trade work weren’t the highest priority for thieving.

Regardless of the circumstances, the last thing the shop owner ever expected to see was the Almekian King stepping foot inside his store. His dumbfounded expression was quite the sight, though the underlying fear that accompanied it did blunt the enjoyment for Lucian.

“Marco.” Lucian called the man out by name.

“S-sorry, Your Majesty!” He knelt down behind the counter and lowered his head until he virtually disappeared from sight.

“You can stand.”

“Yes!” He stood back up like a marionette yanked up by a set of strings, though he kept his eyes down.

Having the king say his name made Marco break out in a cold sweat. He had watched from his store window as guards raided many of the shops on the street, arresting most of the owners and leaving just him and a few others untouched.

He thought himself lucky at first, but now all he could imagine was a future where he was shackled and brought to a dungeon.

“How did you manage it?” Lucian asked.

“Pardon, Your Majesty?”

“My men investigated every single shop owner on this street. Among them, only you and a few others came up clean. The rest were all members of gangs, using the shops they stole as fronts for their black market economies.” Lucian tapped the counter. “But not you. How did you escape having them come in and take your store away?”

Marco blinked, the confusion painted openly on his face. “I … I’m not sure. Guess they weren’t too interested in a shop that sells tools.”

“Hah. I thought the same thing.” Lucian shook his head. “Though I suspect there are other reasons. You paid a protection fee, didn’t you?”

“Enough to almost put me outta business.”

“Letting a few shops stick around to extort would be a good idea. Not just to take your coin but to legitimize the market street by letting real craftsmen and tradesmen keep producing things of actual value. They may have been criminals, but they wouldn’t have been so successful if they weren’t at least somewhat capable of understanding concepts like that.”

Marco seemed to realize something. “Their thugs were always trying to get me to sell more. Kept tellin’ em there ain’t no customers around, but they didn’t wanna hear it. Now I’m wonderin’ if they were worried I’d have to shut my doors and they’d lose one of the few real shops they had left.”

“Seems possible, though we’ll likely never truly know.” Lucian shrugged. “But that’s not important for you anymore. Just stick it out a bit longer, and you’ll have those customers back. Oh, and I’ll take that.”

Marco traced the path of Lucian’s finger, which pointed at one of his tools. “You want a spade?”

“It’s a good tool for gardening, and I know someone who might enjoy it.”

The shop owner brought the spade to the counter and handed it over without requesting any payment. That was a common response from stores he frequented, but Lucian never took them up on their unspoken offer.

Instead, he placed several silver coins down on the counter before grabbing the spade. Marco looked at them with hesitation, as the payment was far higher than the price. But when Lucian nodded, he had no choice but to take the coins.

After their short trip into the shop, he led the group back out to the street, where the carriage and excess guards still waited for him. But he wasn’t quite done yet.

Although he had informed Marquis Novak of his plans, he had yet to put the final nail in the coffin to ensure that everything would go as he wished. Though in truth, he wasn’t the one who would be driving that nail down.

“Marquis.” Aelia was the one who spoke up first. “Are you beginning to see what we have planned for this district?”

“Of course I understand. You explained it to me clearly enough.” The nobleman scoffed. “Though I don’t see how a bunch of beastfolk will draw crowds to the market. They live in squalor, even more so than the humans around here.”

“It’s fine if you don’t get it, as long as you do what we need.” Aelia raised a finger. “Of course, we’ll be the ones making the final decisions, so expect to hear from us every step of the way.”

“Then what do you even need me for?”

“To do the work we don’t want to do. And it better be done when we need it.”

Novak scoffed again, clearly not happy to be ordered around by a dark elf. “I can do anything His Majesty needs in this district, with or without help.”

“Good. Then you’ll have no problem meeting my expectations. Perhaps I’ll even raise them a bit, since you’re so competent.” Aelia’s lips curled into a devilish grin. “Oh, right. Before we go, I wanted to ask something, Marquis Novak.”

“What?”

“Have you seen the new coins the kingdom has started minting?”

“You mean the ones with His Majesty’s face on them?”

“Those are precisely the ones I’m talking about. Did you have any opinions about the new design?”

“Not particularly.” He obviously couldn’t figure out where Aelia was going with her line of questioning.

“Really? That’s a shame. I’ve got a lot of thoughts about those newly minted coins. Many, many thoughts.”

The marquis waited for Aelia to continue, but she didn’t. She simply left off without explaining why she had asked such strange questions.

In the end, Marquis Novak left without any clear indication of what she was digging for. It was only after his noble carriage began shrinking into the distance that she reached into her pocket and pulled out one of those shiny, new coins.

“Many thoughts.” Aelia flipped the coin into the air, catching it with Lucian’s minted face pointing up. “Like how you know about this new design when we only paid one person with these coins so far, and it wasn’t you.”

With their goals accomplished, Aelia joined Lucian and Emilia in the royal carriage, the three of them heading back to the castle to work on yet another task that couldn’t be ignored.

Chapter 13

“I’m a little excited this time!” Emilia’s tail swished along the plush carriage seat as she peered out the window.

“A little, huh?” Lucian listened to her tail as it rubbed back and forth along the fabric.

“Yeah! Last time we went to your new magitech factory, they had some weird weapons. But now we might have some amazing inventions waiting for us!”

“Let’s hope the magical researcher has made as much progress as he claims. I haven’t had a chance to verify his work in over two weeks.”

“He seemed really intelligent, so I’m sure he figured it out!” Emilia nodded at her own words. “Plus, you handpicked him yourself!”

“Although I consider myself quite good at conducting interviews, the real test is the candidate’s first performance review. In a way, today is the final part of the head researcher’s interview. If his prototypes work as well as he claims, then I’ll make his appointment as the magitech facility’s administrator official.”

“I’m cheering you on, Mr. Researcher!”

A gate opened for Lucian’s carriage, a well-kept stone path leading to an expansive building beyond. Though it was large enough to belong to a powerful noble, the yard wasn’t part of an estate.

No, it was akin to a facility or factory, rather than a residence. Both the research and production of Almekia’s most advanced magitechnology took place on those grounds, a market sector that was both woefully unexplored and desperately needed.

Although people had been enhancing lifeless objects with magic for a long time, it was difficult to make products that were useful enough to compensate for the costs. Magical lamps replaced torches and candles in Lucian’s castle and the homes of many of his more powerful nobles. There were even some magical lamps in the wealthy merchants’ districts, where the image of luxury would attract their desired patrons.

But inventing new magitechnologies was an expensive endeavor. It was only recently when dedicated research facilities began to push out real innovation from their factories.

Unfortunately, most of the new inventions were geared toward one, singular function–war.

Lucian acquired his current factory from his uncle, after putting down his failed insurrection. But even Lucian didn’t restructure the facility until after his triumphant return from the war with the Esgares Empire.

His current visit was the first major progress assessment since the reorganization, where the focus had been shifted from the weapons of war that had been the priority before. Now, the magical researchers and engineers were tasked with solving several critical issues with products that Lucian hoped would prove profitable when completed.

“You sure you can make all those useful things you keep talking about?” Aelia exited the carriage behind Lucian and Emilia.

“I won’t know for sure until I can track the progress, cost, and market feasibility of each product,” Lucian said. “But I’m certain I’ll find at least a few that will produce value for Almekia.”

“Well, this inspection isn’t really off to the best start, so forgive me if I have my doubts.”

Aelia’s words were in reference to the chaotic reception given to them on their arrival. Many of the staff had lined up to greet Lucian, as was often the case when he made official visits.

Social etiquette demanded those of lower ranks to meet high ranked visitors at the door, as a way of acknowledging the gap between their positions and power. To do otherwise would be akin to proclaiming to be the visitor’s equal, a feat that only a few could claim considering Lucian was Almekia’s king.

Yet despite being fully aware of the situation, some of the staff were clearly panicked as they scrambled to search for one particular person.

“M-my apologies, Your Majesty!” A mage in the employ of the magitech facility bowed at Lucian’s approach. “We’re looking for the Head Researcher Nicholas at this very moment! I was sure he was here until just a moment ago…”

“I think we all know where he went.” Lucian’s gaze fell on the facility’s entrance, beyond which were the various research labs and prototypes that he had come to inspect.

“I’m sure they’ll find him quickly! There are only a few rooms where–ah, he’s here!” The mage showed obvious relief both in his face and voice.

Nobody wanted to be the one to confront the king about a social misstep. Although Lucian didn’t know why that particular mage had been the one to speak up, it was obvious that it wasn’t his own decision.

So when the person who made the mistake showed up, he quickly made himself scarce. No doubt he hoped that Lucian would forget his face after having his attention drawn to the main culprit.

“Ah, Your Majesty.” Head Researcher Nicholas gave Lucian an appropriate bow. “I’m glad you’re here. I have a few questions about some of your ideas that I’d like to go over.”

“That’s half the reason I came today. The other half being an inspection of your handiwork. I’m sure I won’t find any problems with it, will I?”

“Hm? No, everything has gone as well as I could expect, considering my limited knowledge on some of the principles of magic you’ve introduced me to.”

“Good. And what about your absence upon our arrival?”

“Oh, that?” Nicholas turned toward the facility’s door, the same one he just used. “While we were out here waiting, an idea occurred to me. I went to go test it, but before I could even finish setting up, people barged into the lab shouting at me.”

“As expected.” Lucian nodded. “But I’m interested in this idea of yours. Let’s add it to the list of things to do while I’m here for the inspection.”

“Alright. At least that means I can hurry and finish it before I get busy on something else.”

“That would be ideal.” Lucian motioned for Nicholas to follow. “And next time, carry a notepad for writing ideas.”

With the rather chaotic arrival over, Lucian and his entourage entered the magitech research facility in order to inspect the progress the mages and engineers had made during the past couple weeks.

Beyond the doorway was a large room with three, distinct paths to choose from. To the left was a set of stairs that led to the second floor, where administrative offices, specialized testing rooms, and restricted areas were located. The former owner, Archduke Henrik, made heavy use of the upstairs, but with the cancellation of the previous war-related magitech research, most activity on the second floor had ceased.

Instead of using the specialized rooms upstairs, Lucian’s new inventions were mostly created within the facility’s main manufacturing hall. Straight across from the main entrance was a hallway lined with many doors, behind which sat engineering, general testing, and production rooms.

It was within those rooms where the bulk of the productivity was achieved within the magitech factory. As such, they contained a wider variety of tools, equipment, and resources than the specialized areas upstairs, which was why Lucian instructed Nicholas to use the main manufacturing hall.

To Lucian’s right was the third and final section attached to the entrance room, a storage area. It held a variety of items, ranging from processed materials waiting to be used in the production rooms, to finished products waiting to be moved and prepared for shipping.

Although most of the work was done in the main manufacturing hall, Head Researcher Nicholas ignored it and turned to the right, toward the large, open storage area. Much of the floor space was occupied by materials, but a section had been dedicated to a display of sorts, with various items lined up on a long table.

Nicholas wasted no time bringing everyone to that display, where he stopped at a stone square about the size of a large microwave.

“I must say.” Nicholas opens the device’s door. “This idea of yours is both simple and effective. I can’t believe I haven’t seen one of these already.”

Lucian looked inside, where a metal rack sat in the middle, burnt slightly black. “Ovens are some of the most convenient ways to cook. They’re difficult to manage when you have to use open flames, but with the use of magical metal, they become both easier and safer.”

The head researcher eyed the chunks of metal placed at the bottom of the oven. “I agree, but there is a problem with this design.”

Nicholas picked up a loaf of bread sitting on top of the oven. Even without an explanation, the problem was obvious.

Lucian nodded in understanding when he saw how burnt the crust was in the middle of the bread. “So it’s overcooking in the center because that’s where we placed the magical metal that heats the oven.”

“That’s it. By the time the heat inside the oven cooks the rest of the bread, the center is charred black because of the metal. I was thinking of covering the magical metal so the food isn’t exposed directly to the heat, but I haven’t had the chance to make a new prototype yet. I was going to alter this one, but a few of the other researchers said it’d be best to keep it like your blueprints until after the inspection.”

Lucian was holding said blueprints in his hand already. Each device had them sitting out so they could go over any problems and find potential solutions.

While Nicholas was speaking, Lucian was drawing. Nearly as soon as silence returned to the inspection table, he handed the revised blueprint over to the head researcher.

Nicholas looked it over. “A ceramic cover that goes over the magical metal? That’s exactly what I was going to suggest.”

“The holes on the side of the cover will let the heat disperse through the oven while preventing it from overcooking in the center, where the food is in the direct path of the heating element. As long as the cook gives appropriate time for the oven to warm up before using it, this will let the food cook evenly throughout, while requiring almost no management once everything is prepared.”

“Certainly beats having to stoke a fire when making dinner. I’ll make the changes to the prototype and give it another test run. Need to get my hands on this, though.” He pointed to the ceramic cover.

“I’ll have a potter make one and deliver it here. Though there is another design for the oven that I’d like to test.” Lucian put his finger on the blueprint in Nicholas’ hands. “The magical metal that makes up the heating element is just a lump right now. But if we were to shape it into something similar to a horseshoe, then it would radiate less strongly in the center and spread heat more evenly. Perhaps it’ll be enough to prevent burning the bottom of the food without the need for a cover.”

The head researcher nodded. “A blacksmith working these metals would increase the cost more than a potter making a cover, but it would be a better solution.”

“Then I’ll have one made to test the cost and functionality compared to using a ceramic cover. It would be safer too, since there’s always a chance that a poorly made cover could explode when the oven is opened. But until we get those new items in for testing, you can work on one or more of the other devices.”

Lucian moved his gaze down the line, where a half-dozen other items sat. His eyes settled on the one next to the oven, which was also the one that he had most of his hopes pinned.

He was somehow both optimistic in his design while also being nervous that his lack of knowledge in the field of magitechnology was giving him a sense of overconfidence. In a way, the inspection was as much an assessment of his own ability to adapt to a new form of technology as it was an evaluation of Nicholas’ ability as an engineer and researcher.

The partial success of his oven design helped ease his uncertainty, but the real tests were the inventions that utilized more modernized ideas in their construction. And the next device on the table would either prove him a fool or a genius.

“Now, this…” Nicholas’ put his hand on the second invention, his tone not giving away whether he was impressed or disappointed by what Lucian had him make. “This one is…”

Lucian unconsciously held his breath as the head researcher went silent.

“It’s absolutely genius!” Nicholas opened the device, which looked almost identical to the oven in both shape and size, though the door to it was on the top instead of the front. “An icebox that doesn’t use ice! Never thought I’d see one that actually works!”

Lucian finally breathed a silent sigh of relief. “It works, then?”

“Better than I ever imagined! Who would have ever thought that a heat-absorbing enchantment would produce better results than one that produces cold!? It’s illogical, no matter how I think about it!”

“It may seem counter-intuitive, but the truth is that cold is just a lack of heat. That means if you want to reduce the temperature, the only real way to do so efficiently is to focus on the removal of that heat, rather than trying to create cold air.”

“Even with the evidence staring me right in the face, it’s still hard to believe that absorbing heat is the ideal way to lower the temperature.”

Back on Earth, the laws of physics prevented the creation of cold air from nothing. All cold air was made by removing the warmth from it, using various methods.

But his new world didn’t need to strictly obey the laws of physics. Magic bent the rules in ways that Lucian still didn’t fully understand, but the end result was the ability to perform feats that would be impossible on Earth, such as creating cold air without first having to draw the heat from the environment.

Any mage who ever cast an ice spell had broken the fundamental laws of physics. Though in truth, the same could be said of nearly any magic that existed.

However, even if it was possible to bypass thermodynamics, the energy cost to do so was clearly higher than using spells that obeyed those fundamental laws. When the people of his new world had tried making refrigerators in the past, the mana cost made them unfeasible because they were using enchantments that created cold air out of nothing.

With Lucian’s design, the magical metal that powered the refrigeration didn’t create cold. Instead, it absorbed heat, just like the fridges that he used on Earth. Since it synchronized with the laws of physics, the power consumption was drastically lower than previous attempts.

As a result, the fridge became a feasible product for people other than kings and wealthy nobles.

“Your method of transferring that heat out of the icebox works flawlessly.” Nicholas put his hand on the metal coil on the backside of the small fridge. “Warm to the touch.”

“Since metal conducts heat well, all it takes is attaching it to the magical material that’s absorbing the warmth inside the refrigerator and adding a small enchantment so it dissipates the heat effectively. Without that enchantment, it wouldn’t work well in hot environments, and the metal on the outside could even become a fire hazard if it couldn’t disperse the heat well enough.”

“How fascinating.” Nicholas rubbed his chin. “Honestly, when you gave me these blueprints, I thought you mad. But seeing them in action has convinced me otherwise. Just what kind of genius inventor did you receive tutoring from? I’d love to read his works for myself.”

“I wasn’t taught by anyone whose works you would be able to read.” Lucian fell back on the excuse he came up with in case such a question was asked.

“Hm? Do they not author any of their ideas?”

“It’s not that, it’s just no matter where you go in this world, you won’t find them.”

Nicholas’ expression still showed confusion, but another researcher watching the inspection provides him with the answer.

“Head Researcher,” he said, “haven’t you heard the rumors?”

“What rumors?”

“I thought so…” The man shook his head. “They say His Majesty is divinely touched. If his knowledge can’t be found anywhere on this world, then that means…”

“Oh, I get it.” Nicholas looked back to Lucian. “In that case, can you ask if I can meet the gods? I’d love a piece of this knowledge myself.”

Groans could be heard from those watching, no doubt because casually asking a divinely-touched king to introduce him to the gods could be considered blasphemy from a certain viewpoint.

In response, Lucian only smiled. “I somehow doubt they’ll agree to such a meeting. But if you keep working for me, you’ll naturally obtain what you seek anyway.”

“Guess that’ll have to do.”

With the fridge being such a resounding success, Lucian already felt like he had what he needed to fulfill one of his next major goals. The rest of the devices could all be failures, and he could still go ahead with his plans.

So, with far more casual steps, he moved on to the next invention lined up on the table.

----------

“Welcome back.” Princess Mia gave her brother a perfect curtsy.

“Thanks, Mia. It’s not often that I’m out of the castle all day, but it’s worth it if I have someone to greet me when I get home.”

“It’s nothing special…”

Lucian shook his head. “I disagree. But explaining it won’t do it justice. I’m sure one day, you’ll understand it for yourself.”

The princess wasn’t the only one who had come to meet Lucian on his return. Several other familiar faces had joined her, including a certain fairy princess.

Minerva was still enamored with exploring the world outside her mother’s domain, and the castle was prime territory for expanding her cultural and social knowledge. Because of that, she’d been content to remain behind on many of Lucian’s trips out to the city.

But there was a limit to how long she would remain sedentary, a fact that Lucian already understood from the time he’d spent with her.

“I’ll be in need of your special abilities soon,” Lucian said to her. “So you’ll have an opportunity to spread your wings a bit, so to speak.”

Minerva summoned her actual wings and literally spread them, the luminescent tendrils lighting up the castle floor and walls around her. “Then I shall accompany you on such an endeavor.”

“That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear. You’ve got a great eye when it comes to seeing the truth behind a person’s words, so I’d love to hear your opinion on a certain person after you meet him.”

“It is so. Mortals often have their true desires hidden beneath a veneer. But to me, their thoughts may as well be on full display.”

Although she looked like just another mysterious race to Lucian, fairies were special, even in a world with beastfolk and dark elves. Only two of her kind were even known to exist, one being Minerva herself and the other being her mother, the Fairy Queen.

Lucian wasn’t aware of the Fairy Queen’s history. Even Minerva herself was kept in the dark by her own mother. But one thing he did know was that unlike every other living creature that walked the world, the two fairies were immortal.

They could still be killed by steel and magic, but time had no effect on their bodies. Though the fairies were unique in their world for that very reason, there was another person in his castle who could claim to care little for the effects of time.

“Would you be happy if I welcomed you back, too?” Lutz’s smile made it clear just how much fun he was having.

“Somehow, it doesn’t seem to have the same effect.”

“Well, I agree with you there.” He shrugged, as if imagining a similar scenario.

Vera crossed her arms. “I’m going back to my studies. Can’t believe I let you drag me out here to begin with.”

“But everyone else was coming to meet him. You wouldn’t want to be left out of the celebrations, would you?”

“Who’s celebrating? Certainly not me.”

“Speaking of celebrations,” Lucian said. “A small one might be in order if this morning’s training session went as well as I had hoped.”

“Oh, that? I guess you could say it was a success. Most of the students aren’t anything special, but I guess a couple of them are worth teaching.”

“Those are some of the best young mages in the Almekian Kingdom. Though I guess from the perspective of one of our only two Archmages, they can be considered lacking.”

“The best mages of noble lineage,” Vera corrected.

“That’s true. If I had the means to search the entirety of the citizens for prodigies and enrolled them into a special magic academy regardless of their heritage, then we could likely find even more capable students for you.”

“Good luck with that.” Vera shrugged, knowing just how much resistance Lucian would face if he founded an academy with the sole purpose of helping commoners compete with nobles in the field of magic.

The Archmage herself was a simple commoner before proving herself to be a powerful spellcaster that only appeared once in a generation. Without a doubt, many more competent mages would arise from Almekia’s population, if they spent the time and effort to foster them.

Unfortunately, a monarchy didn’t naturally lean toward equality for the people born within its borders. Those with power had a vested interest in preventing the growth of the underclasses, as it would likely lead to the erosion of their power and influence as competitors arose to challenge them.

It was for that very reason that the nobility were often at odds with wealthy merchants. Any commoner who made vast sums of coin and too many powerful connections could become a threat to their rule.

There were even times where famous traders were labeled as traitors, simply out of fear at the amount of influence they had attained. Though there were some cases where the accusations of treason were correct, the reality was that it was only a convenient excuse to rid themselves of a growing threat.

“If you want to celebrate, send a messenger. Doesn’t mean I’ll answer the door, though.” Vera turned and walked off, heading back to the hole where she often secluded herself.

“Oh, wait for me.” Lutz waved at the others before following the Archmage down the hall.

“If you’re going to follow me again, you better be useful.” Her words slowly faded from earshot as the two of them shrank into the distance.

As silence fell on the room, one of the people still present decided to fill it with her unique noise.

“Uwah!” Teflyn puffed up, looking indignant.

“What is it?” Lucian asked.

“Training!”

“Training?”

“Battle! Danger! Kishin!” Teflyn revealed her oni fang.

“Ah, I get it. You want to train under Vera.” Lucian rubbed his chin. “But she started her class two hours before sunrise this morning. Are you even capable of waking up that early?”

“Ehhhh…” Teflyn’s indignant expression slowly melted away. “Why’s it so early in the morning!?”

Lucian smiled at the sudden return of her oni fang. “Don’t worry, don’t worry. Starting tomorrow, she’s going to start class at sunrise. You can at least be ready by then, right?”

“Yeah! I can do it!”

“Then I expect to see you there in the morning.”

Since it was already late in the afternoon, Lucian didn’t have time to complete any more of his major goals. Though he had accomplished all he had planned for the day, so he wasn’t concerned.

Instead, he’d be spending the rest of the afternoon doing administrative work. He was quite fond of sitting behind a desk studying or working, so he wasn’t particularly upset at the thought.

“Emilia, would you like to join me?”

“Of course!” She smiled, knowing that the two of them would be spending the rest of the evening together, mostly alone.

With the tasks he had completed during the day, Lucian had set the stage for an upcoming show. One that he found himself looking forward to, despite his usual tendency for diplomacy.

Chapter 14

“Good morning, everyone.” Lucian greeted the small crowd at the castle’s indoor training arena.

“Good morning, Your Majesty.” The young, noble mages returned the greeting, along with practiced bows.

“Archimage Vera spoke highly of your potential to become powerful mages when each of you come of age.” Lucian ignored Vera’s glare coming from behind him, which was filled with accusations of his lie. “I hope all of you will put every ounce of effort into your morning training. It's rare to be tutored directly by an Archmage, so if you have any desire to gain renown for yourselves and your families, take hold of this opportunity to grow.”

He pushed a small, horned girl forward. “And today, you will be joined by a new student. She's a little feisty, but she's not a bad person. I'm certain all of you will get along with her.”

“Hey!” Teflyn revealed her fang after hearing her introduction. “I'm not feisty! I'm an oni warrior!”

“I question the difference.” The king remarked with a small chuckle.

Lucian knew Teflyn was difficult to handle when she was riled up, which was why he was glad he could make her Archmage Vera’s problem instead of dealing with her himself. That was also why, after her enthusiasm began to spill over, he decided it was time to make himself scarce.

“Work hard, Mia.” He gave his sister a small farewell, understanding that doting on her in front of her classmates would be a bad look for her.

“I will.” Her response was as short as ever.

Princess Mia casually watched as her brother left the training arena, Emilia by his side, as always.

With the king gone, many of the students were finally able to relax. Even if they were from the high aristocracy, they were still young. Being directly judged by the king was still a terrifying prospect for most of them.

“Alright.” Archmage Vera didn’t waste any time getting the session started. “Same as yesterday. Line up in front of the target dummies.”

Although she didn’t give any instructions on how to line up, the aristocracy defaulted to the same practices nearly every time, as each noble family understood how the power was structured in a monarchy.

Ideas like merit were an afterthought. Those who were competent were afforded some special treatment, but in the eyes of the nobility, one factor trumped everything else.

The social hierarchy.

Precisely the same positions as yesterday, Mia thought. Even though some of the best mages are near the back of the lines.

They had only completed one training session, but that was all Mia needed to gauge the general capabilities of her fellow students.

Mia herself had yet to move and claim a spot in front of the training dummies. The fact was that she didn’t have to rush, as just like the morning before, a spot was left open for her at the front of the first line.

Being the king’s only sister, her place in the social hierarchy was higher than even a duke’s firstborn son. And since those at the top of the power structure were always awarded positions at the head of any line, be it literal or metaphorical, she could calmly claim it at her own leisure.

“This is going to be fun!” Teflyn stopped at the head of the line, just beside Mia.

“Teflyn.” The princess pointed to the next line over. “They left a space open for you there.”

“Eh? But I want to be with you!”

“Teflyn Rusudari Tsumokichi.” Archmage Vera spoke in a more authoritative voice than usual.

“Why am I being called by my full name!?”

“You are preventing the start of the lesson. Either take your proper place in line, or leave the training arena.”

“But Lucian said–”

“His Majesty is not your teacher. I am.” Vera pointed to the empty spot at the front of the middle line.

“Alright…” She obediently took her place, though she carried a small pout on her face as she did so.

“Tch.” One of the students clicked his tongue.

Teflyn looked to the front of the third line, where a young man stood. Oni aged slower than humans, but adjusting for that discrepancy, he was effectively only a year younger than her.

Yet despite being younger than she was, the noble boy was every bit as tall. Considering Teflyn was tall compared to most human girls her age, that meant he stood out in more ways than just his attitude.

Even though she had never met him, Teflyn had gained enough sense of human culture to tell that the young noble was the highest rank amongst the other students. Not only was he at the head of the third and final line, but he also wore a unique mage outfit that even a firstborn prince would be proud to have in his wardrobe.

Teflyn didn't care about any of that, though.

“What?” She called him out without any regard.

“If you're going to hold such a prestigious position, you should at least respect proper decorum.”

“I don't wanna. It's always so boring when everyone just stands around trying to look fancy.”

“You say that after immediately abandoning your resistance when ordered to get in line.”

“So what? It sounds like you're just mad because if there were only two lines, you'd be standing behind me.”

“If it weren't for–”

“Edelhart Thadwick Cassowary III.” Vera’s tone was just as authoritative as before.

“Yes, Teacher?”

“I believe you have made your point. Any more discussion will only devolve into an argument.”

“Understood.” Edelhart looked pleased with himself, despite having been interrupted in the same fashion as Teflyn.

Politics certainly isn’t her strongest talent. Mia continued watching the pouting Teflyn. I suppose it’s good that she’s with me, then.

And she can make up for my own deficiencies, as well.

Mia refocused on the training dummy ahead of her. It was made from simple straw and held together by a tabard, the garment coarse enough that it would only be worn by the peasant class.

Although the princess had strong magic by the standards of girls her age, she was just a normal human. Compared to Teflyn, an oni who grew up in the Fairy Queen’s domain, Mia was practically powerless.

On top of that, the princess specialized in support magic, making it even more difficult to use her already limited abilities to protect herself. She had to rely on her brother, Teflyn, and his many capable allies to watch over her.

Or in the case of the recent attack on her carriage, the immortal, Lutz.

Where is he today?

For some reason, he had been spending a lot of time with Archmage Vera. But despite the training session having technically begun, he was nowhere to be seen.

As if on cue…

“Sorry.” His familiar voice filled the training arena as he stepped inside. “Had something important come up this morning. But I'm here now, so let the training begin!”

“Nobody here was waiting for your arrival.” Vera made sure to establish that fact immediately.

“C'mon, don't be like that. I helped so much yesterday, right?”

“Our definitions of the word ‘help’ can only be described as fundamentally different.”

“Well…” Lutz stopped just beside Vera. “I had fun, at least.”

“Whatever.” Vera raised a hand. “Ice magic. Begin your chants.”

“Divine power, bring forth a deadly icicle.” Mia spoke her usual style of chant.

A shard of ice flew like an arrow, impaling the straw dummy and passing straight through it. With a thunk, it hit the wooden wall behind her target, shattering on impact.

Although there was nothing strange about her spell, neither was there anything spectacular. It left a small dent in the wood, alongside many others that had come before it.

By comparison…

He’s just as powerful as he was yesterday.

Mia eyed the small hole left in the wooden barrier behind Edelhart’s straw dummy. It was easily several times the size of her own, and much deeper.

As for the final member of the front row, the result was quite unexpected for Mia.

“Lord Kishin, impale it with ice.” Teflyn’s chant was far shorter than usual, her voice carrying none of her typical enthusiasm.

The result was a frozen shard not much larger than Mia’s. When it tore through the dummy and hit the wooden barricade, the hole it left behind was noticeably smaller than Edelhart’s.

Though it was still larger than Mia’s.

“Next in line.” Vera called for the front students to move aside for the next.

“Hmph.” Edelhart smiled as he stepped aside, seeing that his magic had left the biggest impact.

“What?” Teflyn asked again, without a shred of hesitation at starting another argument.

“If there were two lines, I may have been placed behind you. But when it comes to magical talent, I’m first.”

“You think you’re special just because you’re a little stronger than other humans?”

“Not just humans, apparently. Oni, too.” Edelhart thumbed toward the wooden barricade, where the results of their spells spoke for themselves.

“So what? I’m training with humans, so of course I’m going to try to cast like all of you do. If I wanted, I could break right through that thin wood.”

“Yeah, right. Even the soldiers who train here can’t put a hole in it with simple spells like these.”

“As if I care what humans can or can’t do. I’m not a human.” Teflyn put a hand on her unbroken horn. “I’m an oni warrior.”

“The stories say your kind is strong, but it seems that not every tale can be trusted.”

“Grrr.” Teflyn let out an annoyed sound at having her people disparaged.

“Next in line.” Vera called for the students to switch again. “Remember what I said yesterday. Magic as you know it is all about visualizing the spell in its most powerful form. That's why your chant can affect the outcome, since where you draw upon your magic can alter your visualization. Speak clearly, cast with confidence, and imagine how you desire the spell to perform.”

After her instructions, the next three students go through the steps as outlined by their teacher. The results were nearly identical to the previous group, with only a slight variation between individuals.

Perhaps that's why I have such a difficult time with offensive magic. Visualizing my spells causing harm to others is difficult.

Is it because of a natural inclination to avoid hurting people directly, or is it because I've felt firsthand just how destructive people can be when they have so much power over others?

Recently buried memories of her brother, Lucian, appeared in Mia's mind. Not the one who reincarnated into her brother's body and currently rules the Almekia Kingdom, but rather, the brother who died to the disease that took the rest of her family.

That man took pleasure in the psychological torment of others, and Mia was often a victim to his schemes.

I can't let something like that continue holding me back.

Next time, I may be alone when danger appears.

The final group of students blasted the straw dummies with their ice magic, with the results being little different from the three groups that came before them.

Though there was one exception, a girl from a rather modest noble family with bangs long enough to nearly cover her eyes. Despite spending two hours training in the arena alongside her, Mia had spoken a single word to the girl.

Timid. And overly cognizant of her position in the social hierarchy.

Perhaps I should speak to her, just to make her more comfortable here.

“Ice magic test is done. And all of you failed.” Vera dropped a bomb on the students.

“Oh, c'mon.” Lutz’s casual voice was in complete contrast to Vera's strict tone. “They did okay, at least.”

“Doing okay isn't good enough. If any of you want a chance at becoming the kingdom's next Archmage, then you'll have to do better than this.”

Although Lutz normally did more watching than talking, he often spoke up when Vera was giving tough criticism.

Did Archmage Vera ask him to give encouragement to us when she's being too harsh?

I've seen negotiations using that same tactic, with one person criticizing all the things wrong with the other party, while another offers a bit of praise to soften them up to the deal.

“Next, we're going to–”

“Please wait.” Teflyn interrupted Vera with less arrogance than she usually displays. “Can I try the ice spell again? I can do better.”

“If you didn't give it your all the first time, why should I let you go again?”

“I was trying to use magic like you humans, but I'm not very good at it. So I wanted to try again like a true oni warrior.”

“Hmm.”

“I think we should let her,” Lutz said. “It'll be fun.”

“We're not here to have fun. But I suppose a demonstration of what oni are capable of would be good for the others.”

After getting permission, Teflyn walked up to the same straw dummy she shot at before. With all eyes on her, she began her chant.

“Oh Great Kishin, Lord of the Oni. On behalf of your kin, I, Teflyn Rusudari Tsumokichi, beseech you! Form a frozen lance to pierce my foe!”

The shard of ice that appeared was easily twice the size as the one before, the point gleaming in the magical light that illuminated the training arena.

With the sound of cutting air, the frozen spell zipped toward the dummy, piercing it with enough strength to send a spray of straw in every direction.

For a brief second, the straw blocked line of sight of the lance as it continued toward the wooden barricade behind the dummy. But even if they couldn't see it, they certainly heard the small boom from the ice shard impacting it.

After the straw thinned out, the result of Teflyn’s oni magic was clear for all to see.

“I-it went right through the wood!?” Edelhart shouted in surprise.

“Told you.” Teflyn pointed through the large hole. “Good thing I held back, or else the wall would have been damaged.”

Behind the wood was a stone wall, its surface chipped by Teflyn's ice lance. The dent was small, but it was roughly the same size as the damage most of the students had managed to deal to the wood.

“So…” Teflyn turned to Edelart. “I don't ever want to hear you make fun of oni again!”

“Amazing.”

“Eh … what?” She obviously wasn't expecting such a response.

“I didn't think anyone my age was stronger than me. And your chant was so long! How did it get stronger when long chants always make spells weaker?”

“Um, oni magic?” Teflyn herself wasn't sure of the details, so she couldn't even begin to explain it.

“It seems I was wrong about you, Miss Tsumokichi. I'm glad you decided to join us.”

“M-miss Tsumo–just call me Teflyn!” She shouted the last part for reasons she didn't understand.

“Understood, Teflyn.”

It seems these training sessions may be better for Teflyn than anyone could have imagined.

With the ruckus over, Vera continued the training session.

Except now, the two most powerful students began working together, rather than competing for dominance.

Chapter 15

“Enter.” Lucian calmly gave permission to the person who knocked on his study’s door.

Without so much as a creak, that door opened. Yet even though the visitor appeared in the open doorway, Lucian didn’t even look up at them. After all, he knew exactly who it was.

“How did the training go, Mia?” Lucian finally met her eyes, stopping the pen in his hand that had been writing on the paper in front of him.

“It’s a little frustrating that I’m not able to compete with the best students, but as long as I can improve, it will be worth the effort.”

“Offensive spells have never been your specialty, so it can’t be helped. I’m sure Vera plans to incorporate support magic into the training regime at some point, though.”

“Perhaps that will be a good opportunity to see where I stand in my personal field of expertise compared to my peers.”

Lucian released his pen, but instead of falling over, it began to write on its own. “And what about Teflyn? Did she cause as many problems as we expected?”

“At first, yes. But her focus was swiftly taken by another one of the students. Edelhart Thadwick Cassowary III, to be precise.”

“Duke Cassowary’s firstborn son, huh? His family has generally been an ally of our own, so I’m glad to hear Teflyn managed to make friends with him.”

“Teflyn did nothing but yell at him for most of the training.”

“Well, that’s … kind of expected, now that I think about it.” Lucian shook his head. “I’m sure the Cassowary kid can handle it. Although I don’t know him well, he’s likely as hardheaded as his father.”

“Yes, I can testify to that. But at the very least, Edelhart is willing to adapt his opinions when faced with clear evidence.”

“Sounds like you’ve gotten to know him quite well. Perhaps we should invite his family to dinner sometime, if their son has become a friend to you and Teflyn.”

“Saying he’s a friend is … a little much. But if you think an invitation is warranted, then I’m not opposed.”

“Aww~” Emilia made a sweet sound. “I hope you will make more friends your age. It’s lonely being by yourself so often, isn’t it?”

“I’m accustomed to it. And I prefer it, usually.”

Because of her white hair heritage, Emilia also grew up mostly alone. She saw a bit of her former loneliness in Mia, which was something that was difficult to quantify and vocalize.

Despite the princess being a natural introvert, Lucian and Emilia were still saddened by the lack of friends her age. Teflyn was the only one near her, but she was an oni with a laser focus on getting stronger, not someone that Mia could share her more ordinary interests with, like calligraphy.

“Why did you call me here?” Mia got right to the point, as soon as she found an opening to change topics.

“I’ve been giving some thought to an idea I had recently.” Lucian’s pen stopped moving on its own, automatically setting itself down on an ink rag. “Rather than explaining it, have a read for yourself.”

Mia took the parchment from his outstretched hand, her eyes starting from the top as she went over what was written on it.

“Reallocate part of the kingdom’s treasury…” Mia read one of the vital parts out loud. “...placing twenty percent of the coins into the hands of Princess Mia!?”

Despite her usual nonchalant attitude, even the princess couldn’t contain her surprise at reading the document Lucian had just written. Everyone knew the king controlled every coin in the treasury, with even members of his immediate family having no say over how the money was spent.

Yet Lucian had created a contract to sign over a full 20% of the entire national treasury to his only sister, Mia.

“Brother.” The princess had regained her composure already. “What are you trying to do?”

“You caught me.” Lucian raised his hands in defeat, though he did so with a playful smile. “There’s certainly an important reason why I want to transfer so much money to you. Once you hear why, I’m sure you’ll understand. But just because it’s part of a scheme doesn’t make the transfer any less real. It will truly be your own coin, even after my plans have played themselves out.”

“Why? I don’t need such vast wealth. And from what you’ve told me, the treasury has gotten dangerously low. Are you sure that transferring twenty percent of it to me is a good idea for the kingdom?”

“It’s true that our coffers have been depleted from the war with the Esgares Empire, along with … well, with the administrative decisions made by the ones who came before me.” Lucian disliked talking bad about Mia’s family, despite their obvious faults. “But it’s still a national-scale treasury. Even twenty percent of it would allow you to live a dozen lifetimes in absolute luxury with coin to spare. It’s only lacking when compared to the needs of a vast kingdom like Almekia, with its large army, many national projects, and of course, its massive debt burden.”

Lucian brought out a shiny coin with his own face stamped on one side. “I also minted a test batch of coins with the new design, so there are actually more coins in the treasury right now than there’s been in months. If you find any worthwhile endeavors, you’ll be able to afford them on your own from now on. For example, don’t you think it’d be interesting to hire tutors for the kids at the orphanage? Perhaps if it goes well, you could even build a school next door.”

Mia visibly began imagining a scene with the children attending dedicated tutoring sessions, their classes focused on training them into productive workers. “I suppose excess money does have its value. But you said there was more to your scheme, so what’s the real reason you’re handing me twenty percent of your treasury?”

“Firstly, we’re going to separate your portion of the coins and place them into a particular bank. That means we’ll have to transact with them each time you want to spend any of your money. But that won’t be a problem because…”

As Lucian explained his plans, Mia’s eyes widened a bit more with each phase of the operation. She was already aware of what he wanted to accomplish, but for the first time, she was hearing the exact steps he planned to take in order to achieve his goals.

The interweaving of various groups, brought together by a carefully guided hand. The clear understanding of complex ideas, far beyond even what the royal tutors could teach. The confident manipulation of both emotions and actions, forcing the actors to perform according to his will.

Even coming from the mouth of an otherworldly human, handpicked by the Goddess herself, Mia found his scheme to be nearly unbelievable. And yet, despite her reservations…

This is… Mia gulped as she came to a realization. This is the true reason he was chosen. Not as a warrior, not as a hero. My brother, he’s…

…a true king.

----------

“Welcome, welcome, Your Majesty.” An aged man with a refined hat stood from his chair at a table. “I hope you've found my staff quite hospitable.”

“The reception they gave me was fit for a king.” Lucian waved farewell to the staff in question. “Although this bank can't be judged on the etiquette of its lower ranked members alone.”

“True, true.” Sampson retook his seat. “But I'm sure you'll find my offers quite reasonable, for whatever purpose that requires another loan to the crown.”

Lucian sat himself at the table without waiting for Sampson’s formal invitation to take a seat, mostly because the man didn't seem keen on giving him one.

Emilia took up her position diagonally behind him, watching the banker with eyes like a bird of prey. Normally, such a gaze would put nearly any man on edge, but Sampson seemed entirely unaffected. Though from his expression, there was one fact that made the banker curious.

Princess Mia took a seat next to her brother, as if she planned to join the negotiation table to add weight to Lucian’s demands. Sampson didn’t see how bringing such a young princess would aid the king, but he was interested in finding out.

“Another endeavor, Your Majesty? Of course, we at the Grand Velvet Bank would love to cover the cost.” Sampson sat back in his chair. “For the right price, of course.”

“Is that what you believe I’ve come to discuss? Another loan?”

“The crown only calls for one reason, Your Majesty. Or are you to tell me that you’ve come to pay me a personal visit? I’d be honored, of course. But I am a busy man, as you would expect from the owner of Almekia’s largest bank.”

“Then you will be pleased to know that this meeting does indeed come with a beneficial trade. It’s only the details of the agreement that is different this time.”

“Different?” Sampson showed a hint of tension, though he covered it well enough that even Lucian was unsure if he had imagined it. “Let us hear these differences, then.”

Lucian let the air stay silent for a few heartbeats. Sampson was unimaginably wealthy. Perhaps he was even the richest man in the kingdom, depending on the true value of his banking empire. Such a value was hard to determine, even with the information Lucian had at his disposal.

The banker had massive loans not only from the crown itself, but also from many nobles and wealthy merchants. His fingers sank deep into the purses and coffers of the richest and most influential people in the Almekian Kingdom.

Such a position came with a lot of power, giving him sway over the decisions of those who owed him coin. Through careful influence over seemingly minor policies, he had managed to grow his empire even further, until his wealth and power rivaled that of a high noble.

Or perhaps in his mind, even that of a king.

But there was one thing a king had that Sampson lacked. An army.

Even with a vault of coins comparable to that of a national treasury, along with a horde of nobles and merchants under his thumb, there would be nothing Sampson could truly do to stop Lucian from taking everything by force.

The banker was imagining that the next works coming out of Lucian’s mouth would be that the so-called beneficial trade was really that Sampson could keep his life, if he cancelled the crown’s debts. Considering the alternative, continuing to live would be quite a benefit, even if the scales of the deal had been tilted from the start.

However, Lucian had something else in mind.

“Sampson,” Lucian finally cut the thickening atmosphere with his words. “I’ve given the beastfolk the right to receive loans in the Almekian Kingdom.”

The banker stared at the king, the hint of tension fading into clear surprise. “The beastfolk, you say? Able to take out loans? I must admit, Your Majesty, I did not expect that to be the reason for today’s meeting.”

“Only a select few even know of the decree, though that will soon change. But before that, I wanted to secure a deal with you on their behalf.”

“You’re representing the beastfolk? Now that’s even more of a surprise.”

“They are people of the Almekian Kingdom. As such, I am their representative, regardless of any grievances between our races. Seeing such an underclass being treated as second-class citizens and kept in poverty through rule of law leaves a sour taste in my mouth. As such, I intend to wash it clean. For a start, I am loosening the restrictions on the monetary policy that binds them.”

Sampson now sat forward in his chair, elbows on the table. “Yes, yes. In this, we agree, Your Majesty. Isn’t it sad to see them suffering in their slums, unable to afford a better life? Why, with my coin at their disposal, their prosperity is practically guaranteed!”

Lucian nodded. “I knew you would understand. Coin is all the same, whether it comes from the hand of a human or beastfolk. That’s why I’ve limited the beastfolk to only borrow from your bank for now. The Council of Elders will be setting up their own meeting with you soon, where you can discuss the details of the loans.”

The banker rubbed his hands together, imagining the new source of coin that had just been unlocked to him. “So it’s the Council of Elders who will receive the loan on their behalf?”

“I wouldn’t expect the Grand Velvet Bank to negotiate with each individual beastfolk, considering how many are living in poverty. Such a method would only slow down the restoration of their neighborhoods. Hence, the Council of Elders will take the loan in their stead.”

“This is quite good, Your Majesty. Quite good, indeed. And a wise choice, if I may say. You won’t find a better place to take care of this matter than Grand Velvet Bank. I shall secure the financing with haste.”

“I’m glad to hear that, Sampson. It’s great that I’m able to work so closely with you on matters like this.” Lucian pulled out a piece of parchment. “And I’m sure that you’ll be just as accommodating to my newest request for a loan.”

The banker smiled. “It seems I was correct after all, Your Majesty. The crown certainly only visits for one reason.”

Lucian returned the smile. “And I don’t intend to betray that history today.”

Sampson took the terms of the loan that Lucian had written up before arriving. While any other customer would be tossed out for attempting to force the bank’s hand in such an arrogant fashion, rules were often bent for the king.

As such, the banker read over the document as if it had been written with all due respect. He didn’t find any trickery in its language, but there was one detail he intended to argue.

“A loan of this size at a rate of ten percent? I do believe we last agreed that twenty percent was more appropriate, did we not?”

“We did. However, at that time, I had nothing of my own to offer in return. But this time, I brought a valuable source of new coin to your bank. I think you’ll agree that a slash in my personal loan rate is fair compensation.”

Sampson bit his tongue, knowing Lucian’s words to be true. “I suppose a single concession is inevitable. I accept the conditions.”

With a quick set of signatures, the king received a guarantee of payment from the bank.

“May I ask,” Sampson said. “What do you intend to finance with this new loan?”

“I’ve already begun restoration on certain parts of the city with payments directly from my treasury. With this loan, I can cover the rest of the costs without draining my personal coffers.”

The banker rubbed his chin. “Then it seems you’ll be needing the coin sooner, rather than later. Unfortunately, with your loan and the upcoming deal with the Council of Elders, I’m afraid that I will need to wait for my own shipment of gold to arrive before I can finance all of it. Even I don’t have an endless vault, much to my dismay.”

“I hope you haven’t overextended yourself on my behalf, Sampson. It’s dangerous for a bank’s vaults to go dry. What would you do if someone came demanding their coin when you have none to give?”

“Oh, don’t worry, Your Majesty. I always keep enough to pay as many depositors as needed.”

“Good. It would be bad for the kingdom if Almekia’s most renowned bank were to collapse in a bank run.”

“That is precisely why I cannot finance both endeavors at once, Your Majesty. I only ask for a week, two tops. Then I will have all the money you need.”

“Actually…” Lucian turned to his sister, Mia. “You may find that the money might arrive sooner than you expected.”

“Oh?” Sampson eyed the princess, as well. “And how would such a thing occur?”

“I want to deposit my personal coin into the Grand Velvet Bank.” Mia got right to the point.

“I would be delighted to house the purse of Almekia’s only princess. But I’m not certain it will be enough, no matter how large your allowance may be.”

“It’s this much.” Mia pulled out her own parchment, placing it on the table for Sampson to see.

The banker picked it up, reading the contents without any expectations. However, when he finally reached the value of the gold the princess wished to deposit, his eyes went wide.

“T-this is over a quarter of the kingdom’s treasury!”

“Close,” Lucian said. “But it’s actually a fifth after the recent batch of coins we minted.”

“The princess truly holds such wealth? I’d never imagine it to be the case.”

“I’m often told that I make strange decisions. But as of yet, most of them have worked out in my favor. I still hold the crown, after all.” Lucian tapped the table in front of him, as if demanding something. “So, the coin?”

“If you deliver Princess Mia’s deposit, then I will have no trouble financing both endeavors at once. I’d essentially just be handing you a loan from your own coins, though.”

“That’s fine. In the end, it doesn’t change anything.”

The banker nodded. “Indeed, indeed. Nothing at all.”

“Then…” Lucian stood. “The carriage should be arriving at any moment.”

“The carriage?” Sampson stood, as well.

“Carrying my sister’s gold. We’re depositing it right away.”

“Ah, that.” The banker clasped his hands together. “I shall take great care of it, you can be sure.”

With the main meeting with Sampson completed, Lucian and his companions left the bank. As expected, the carriage was arriving with Mia’s gold. Surrounding the delivery was a group of soldiers so large that it dwarfed even a typical royal escort.

When Sampson set eyes on it, he may as well have had glittering, gold coins as his irises when he imagined the vast wealth that was about to enter his vaults.

Chapter 16

“Why did I let you drag me out here…” Archmage Vera blocked the morning sun with her hand, as if the rays of light were burning her retinas.

“You were the one who was practically begging to come along.” Lutz’s version of events completely contrasted Vera’s.

“That’s not how it went at all!”

“Woah, no need to give me that glare. Well, at least you’re feeling energized now, right?”

“And I’m going to burn all my motivation early because of you. Then what do you expect me to do tonight when it’s time to experiment?”

“Today’s your day off, right? Just relax for once, instead of studying that strange magic or yours.”

“It’s not strange. And it’s only my day off from tutoring the children. There’s no such thing as a day off from my research.”

Even after listening to them for a while, Lucian still had no idea if Lutz had dragged Vera out with them, or if he was only stirring up trouble. The immortal tended to have a habit of doing whatever he pleased, a fact that had benefited Lucian before–though, it had also given him a few headaches.

It was still early in the day, but the sounds of construction were all around them. In the past two weeks, the road that went through the dilapidated merchant’s street had been completely rebuilt, using the most advanced pavement methods available in the Almekian Empire.

Compared to when Lucian had visited a couple weeks prior, the difference was drastic. It wasn’t only the road itself. The old shops had been torn down, including the ones that were still open for business. Of course, the owners were compensated for their loss of revenue in the meantime.

In the place of the torn down buildings, new ones were already under construction. They were still about a week from completion, using the magically-enhanced techniques available to the people in Lucian’s new world.

But unlike the future owners of the empty lots, the owners who were forced to close their doors during the reconstruction won’t have to wait that long.

“It is complete.” Minerva lowered her arm.

Lucian looked over her handiwork. “If other mages could use fairy magic, housing prices would plummet the very next day.”

“You’ll find it difficult to emulate.”

“So I’ve heard from those who’ve tried.” Lucian shrugged. “At least we can get the current shop owners back to work quickly. The future owners for the rest of these shops can just wait another week.”

Minerva led the way to the next building, which was only partially finished. With her fairy magic, she could transform the very ground beneath the shop, completing the construction in a fraction of the time it would take a normal crew.

“Didn’t you take a loan for this project?” Vera watched on as Minerva began her magic. “From what I hear, the treasury’s not looking so good these days.”

“Rumors often have a grain of truth to them,” Lucian said. “Some more than others.”

“I hope you’re not getting in over your head, then. Unless you just intend to ‘take care’ of the bank after you get what you want.”

“Surely you know where a bank gets its gold from, don’t you?”

“Of course. Other than the banking family’s own fortunes, all the gold comes from depositors who trust the bank to keep their coin safe.”

Luian nodded. “That means if I were to use my authority to shut down the bank, the ones who would truly bear the brunt of that decision would be those who stored their gold within their vaults. After the bank fails, those depositors would find that their coins had been lent out to borrowers like myself, who took out loans for business or personal projects. There would be practically nothing left for them to reclaim.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve seen a ruler do exactly that. Easier than dealing with an unsustainable debt.”

“In the short term, yes. But a decision like that has a lot of long-term repercussions. All the people who hold money in the Grand Velvet Bank would despise me to the core, as would be their right. And with all the efforts I recently put into getting rid of the people trying very hard to kill me, I’m not too keen on giving a bunch of others the motivation to fill their empty shoes.”

Lucian watched as a stone wall rose from the ground, urged on by Minerva’s unique magic. “There’s also the issue of confidence in Almekia’s markets. If I pull such an underhanded tactic against a bank, then others would worry that I could do the same to them. That would worsen my ability to conduct foreign trade, as merchants would be wary of making deals with a king who won’t honor a financial contract.”

Vera looked to Lucian, her eyes carrying none of the drowsiness that he had seen only a short while ago. “You’ve thought it through, but do you have a solution to the main problem? A kingdom can’t run without a treasury. Your father already devalued the currency once before because of the national debt. Do you plan to do the same?”

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to lower the gold and silver content of the coins. Just as with the bank issue, that would only be a temporary solution. The only way to truly balance the budget is to either lower spending or increase revenue. Unfortunately, we’re in a major war with the Esgares Empire, so I don’t expect to be able to decrease our main budget expenditure, the military, any time soon.”

“More taxes, then? The people are already at their limit, aren’t they?”

“Increasing revenue doesn’t necessarily mean raising taxes. If the tax rate stays exactly the same but we have an increase in productivity, then the Almekian Kingdom would profit from taking the same size slice of a bigger pie.”

Vera scanned the merchant street. “Projects like this may yield profit for you sometime in the future. But this is just one district in a single city. How many similar constructions would you have to finance before it made any meaningful impact on Almekia’s total productivity? Far too many, I think.”

“You’re right. The projects I’m involved in here are more for personal reasons than anything grand, like helping balance the budget. But I do believe that at the very least, getting the beastfolk to become an asset to my kingdom is one of the most profitable tasks I can undertake within the limited scope that I have to work with.”

Lucian glanced at Emilia, though his words were still directed at Vera. “Once again, the benefits may not materialize for a while, but there are too many beastfolk in the Almekian Kingdom for them to be treated as second-class citizens. Unleashing their motivation and ingenuity will allow them to add to the nation’s wealth. This will, of course, require some sweeping changes to a few laws, some of which I’ve already revised.”

Vera also eyed Emilia for a brief second. “And what about now? How do you plan to keep the debt from emptying your treasury until all these projects come to fruition?”

“Well, that’s…” Lucian smiled. “A secret.”

“Hmm.” The archmage made a doubtful sound.

“Don’t think I can do it?”

“You’ve got far more knowledge on the subject than I expected. To be honest, I’d really like to know who tutored you on it while I was away. But I’ve seen even well-intentioned rulers fail when it comes to creating policy on complicated subjects like this.”

“So you’d rather judge by my results, rather than my words. Then I hope you watch closely.”

Minerva completed her second construction, the shop standing tall amongst a crowd of unfinished buildings. Without sparing anything else a glance, she moved on to the next one on her list, preparing to start the process over again.

The rest of the group simply followed her lead. They were partly there to help protect her, partly to check up on the work being done on the market street, and partly to get some fresh air out in the city.

Though that last one applied far more to a select few members of their group.

“It sure is nice to get out from time to time, isn’t it?” Lutz looked around at all the activity taking place in the area. “So much energy here compared to inside the castle.”

“I’m going back to bed as soon as I can.” Vera contrasted his enthusiasm, something she seemed to love doing.

“And miss the height of the day?”

“I’m tired because of you, so I don’t want to hear any of your complaints.”

“Who’s the one complaining…?”

“Shut up.”

Lucian still wasn’t sure what exactly to make of the two’s relationship. They seemed at odds, yet they spent a lot of time together. It didn’t cause any problems, but curiosity could get the best of anyone.

The visit to the mixed human and beastfolk merchant street continued until Minerva had rebuilt all the shops with current owners. Since there weren’t many, it didn’t take long. With most of the day still ahead of him, Lucian decided it was time to make his final preparations.

And it started with meeting Duke Cassowary, along with his son, the mage-in-training, Edelhart.

Chapter 17

“My nap time…” Archmage Vera held back a sigh as sat in her chair, legs crossed.

“At least eat lunch before thinking about taking a nap,” Lutz said. “A full stomach will lull you to sleep.”

“I don’t require help when it comes to sleeping peacefully.”

“It’s tough to sleep during the day!” Teflyn sat upright in her chair, the energy clearly radiating from her posture. “You should just do that at night!”

“No. I’m busy at night. Besides, I don’t want to hear any advice from the girl who won’t wake up to train before the sun comes out. To think I spent a whole two hours training my students before sunrise, and you didn’t even show up.”

“That’s not my fault! I wasn’t part of the training on the first day!”

“A likely excuse. And how convenient that as soon as the training is rescheduled to start with the rising sun, you suddenly begin showing up.”

“Uwah!? I’m innocent! Innocent!”

As usual, Vera became irate when her sleeping habits were interrupted. But despite her words, she always showed up and proved useful, at least to some degree.

Of course, she was essentially under Lucian’s employ, so it only made sense that she would obey him, whether she wanted to or not.

A knock resonated through the small banquet hall where Lucian, Emilia, Mia, Teflyn, Vera, and Lutz sat. None of them moved to answer it, as the task was already taken by one of the maids.

The main entrance door opened, and a butler appeared on the other end. The maid and butler exchanged a brief look of understanding, which was followed by the introduction of the party who had come to join the king during his meal.

“Duke Edelhart Archibald Cassowary II and his family have arrived, Your Majesty.” The butler greeted Lucian as he spoke.

“Allow them in.”

With that simple exchange, the butler stood aside, clearly ushering in a group who stood out in the hall with him.

The first to enter was a large man with blonde hair and a grand beard. It wasn’t so long as to look out of place, but the beard was thicker and fuller than most. It complemented his large frame, giving him the imposing presence of a warrior on the tail end of his prime.

A step diagonally behind Duke Cassowary II was his wife, a woman who may have been considered tall amongst her female peers, but beside her husband, she still appeared short by comparison.

A step behind the duke’s other side was his firstborn son, Edelhart Thadwick Cassowary III. Thankfully for Lucian, social norms allowed the use of a child’s first name, something that was no doubt agreed upon because of the tendency of fathers to name their firstborn son after themselves.

That meant that despite sharing both the name Edelhart and Cassowary, he could refer to the son by his given name, Edelhart, and the father by his family name, Cassowary.

Even at a glance, it was obvious that the young Edelhart took after his parents, with the kid being a hand or two taller than the average 13-year-old boy. In a few more years, he could grow into someone who dominated every room he walked into, especially if he filled out his muscles.

Bringing up the rear were the duke’s two younger children, a girl around Mia’s age and a boy who was a few years younger still. It was the entirety of the Cassowary main family, one of the noble lineages who had been a consistent ally to the crown.

Although the family wasn’t one of his most fiercely loyal defenders, neither had they ever outright opposed the throne. At most, they simply had disagreements on certain decisions and policies.

Though Lucian’s radical changes could easily upend much of his support, depending on how each noble family reacted to his revisions on beastfolk law and many of his other governing decisions.

“The main guests have arrived.” Lucian stood as the Cassowary family filed into the banquet room. “Welcome, Duke Cassowary. It’s good to see that you still adhere to your timely schedule.”

“It benefits a man to be where he intends to be, when he intends to be there.” The duke and his family returned Lucian’s greeting with their own.

Unlike everyone else, the king wasn't expected to stand upon the arrival of even the most powerful nobles. By doing so regardless of customs, Lucian was showing a level of respect for Duke Cassowary beyond that of social norms.

The head of a high noble family wouldn't miss such an obvious statement, though the duke in question was still unsure of why he was even invited to dine with the king in the first place.

“You may sit as you wish.” Lucian gave them leave to choose their own seating position.

Five chairs already sat at the opposite end of the large table. The room was only meant for a small gathering, but it was more than big enough to fit them all with elbow room to spare.

Lucian was at one head of the oval table, so there was no surprise when the main guest, Duke Cassowary, took the chair on the far opposite end. As was customary, his wife sat beside him, leaving one open seat on the duke’s other side.

While Lucian expected the firstborn son to take that chair, the boy walked right by it, something which clearly surprised even his own family. Instead, he took the next seat in line, putting him in a position at the table where Teflyn was nearly right across from him.

Perhaps not wanting to make a scene, the Cassowary’s young daughter sat next to her father instead, with the final seat going to the youngest boy, who ended up next to his mother for reasons that were obvious to all. Children could be quite a handful, especially an 8-year-old boy.

Despite being stared at, Teflyn refused to return young Edelhart’s gaze. No doubt she would do her best to ignore him for the entire dinner.

Speaking of food, the servants were waiting for the Cassowary family to settle in, and now that they had, several maids appeared with bowls and platters in their hands. The formerly empty table was soon filled with a variety of juicy meat, steaming vegetables, and fresh fruit.

Dessert was coming, but only after the main course had been sufficiently depleted. Until then, all the maids made themselves scarce, giving everyone at the table enough privacy to discuss political and personal issues.

“First,” Lucian said, motioning to the side of the table where Vera and Lutz sat. “I think a couple introductions are in order.”

Duke Cassowary was present at many of the strategy meetings during the recent battles against the Esgares Empire, so he had already met Emilia and Teflyn, even if they weren’t personally introduced to each other.

But the same couldn’t be said for the reclusive Vera and the supposed foreign royal, Lutz. Cassowary didn’t often spend much time at the castle, so he had yet to meet either of them. Even though he knew Vera from before her departure seven years prior, Lucian wanted to make sure that there was no question as to her identity, considering she didn’t look to have aged a day since she left.

“Been what, almost a decade now?” Vera filled her plate while casually greeting the duke. “I see you never get tired of grooming that beard of yours.”

“Archmage Vera,” Duke Cassowary said with confidence. “I heard you returned from your journey, but I didn’t expect someone as distant as you to cling so closely to the crown.”

“It’s not because I want to. I just have obligations, whether wanted or not.”

“Considering that you’re training my son in the magical artes, perhaps I should give my thanks to His Majesty for whichever deal he signed to bring you aboard.”

“It was simple enough,” Lucian said. “I only reinstated her salary, with the promise that she would help train the most magically adept kids who are coming of age. Though it wasn’t in my original plan, those children have received a second teacher alongside her.”

“Lutz de Locke.” The teacher in question gave his name. “Nephew to King Galavan, ruler of Burvia.”

“Burvia?” Duke Cassowary imagined the far edges of the known world. “Your kingdom lies far to the west. What would a royal from such a distant land be doing here in Almekia?”

“I’m sure you know how tense the political atmosphere can get at times.” Lutz shrugged. “Essentially, I was high enough in the line of succession that I was considered a threat, while being low enough that I didn’t have enough support for a real claim to the throne. So, rather than deal with that, I wished them luck and left. They were kind enough to send me off with plenty of coin, so I can’t complain. Though in the end, they only did so because they were happy to get rid of a potential rival.”

“And what of your status as a teacher? You’re barely older than some of the students, so is your magic powerful enough to justify standing equal to an Archmage?”

“I think so, at least. But you’ve already heard the details from your son, haven’t you?”

Edelhart nodded. “Archmage Vera is stronger, but Sir Lutz is more powerful than most of the dedicated mages in our own retainers. I think Teflyn is stronger than him, too.”

“Well, if the only ones I lose to are an archmage and oni, then I can be happy with that.”

“I see.” Duke Cassowary clearly knew all those details already, but he still wanted to confirm them with his own eyes and ears. “Then considering your presence at this dinner, am I to assume we were invited to speak of matters regarding my son’s training?”

“That’s certainly one of the topics I had planned,” Lucian said. “And I think it appropriate to begin there.”

Everyone had already filled their plates with their desired food. While most of them had a balanced meal prepared, there was one girl who had only meat stacked as high as her stomach would allow.

That girl was Teflyn, of course.

“Just like her…” Lutz shook his head, as if recalling a scene that had played out many times before.

After giving a moment for everyone to begin eating, Lucian jumped directly into his first topic. “Your son, Edelhart, has been recognized as the most competent mage among his peers. Not only is he proficient in a wide variety of spells, but he also excels with the more offensive magical elements. As such, I was considering a special training session, just for him.”

Lucian poked a slab of roast beef. “Though in truth, it will be as much for me to judge his potential as it will be to tutor him in the field of magic. If I like what I see, then perhaps he could even be cultivated into the next generation’s Archmage.”

Duke Cassowary finished a bite of food before responding. “That’s high praise coming from the one who stands alongside fairies and oni. If my son truly holds such potential, then I would be a fool to deny him the opportunity to show it.”

“Excellent. Then I shall finalize the preparations and send you the details. You can expect a messenger in the next few days.”

“Does this mean Your Majesty will train him directly?”

Lucian shook his head. “While my magic is powerful, it is unique to me. It would be useless to try and impart my skills onto him. However, as you said, I have some unique companions with me who can teach him more effectively.”

“Trained by a fairy and an oni, is it?” The duke looked to Teflyn. “Though wasn’t she one of the Archmage’s students, as well?”

“Teflyn is still young, so it’s good for her to train, regardless of the circumstances. Though I’m quite sure you know just how powerful she is, despite her age.”

Duke Cassowary nodded. “My son has mentioned it. Many times.”

“Uwah.” Teflyn made her strange sound, clearly annoyed.

“I’d be honored to train under Teflyn.” Edelhart either didn’t know or didn’t care about her mood.

“Why am I suddenly becoming a teacher!? I’m supposed to get stronger, not make other people stronger!”

“Training others,” Lucian said, “can be a surprisingly good way to reinforce your own fundamentals. Revisiting them after spending so much time learning more advanced techniques can give you a new perspective on the foundations that silently carry the weight of your current strength.”

“Then they can just stay quiet for all I care.” Teflyn stuffed her mouth with food until her cheeks were bulging.

Lucian shrugged, as if to say that children will be children. “In any case, I believe it will prove fruitful for Edelhart. And hopefully, for Teflyn, too.”

Since there weren’t any more disagreements–at least, not vocally–Lucian decided to move on to the next topic. Before that, he gave everyone a chance to take another bite or two. With the pace they were moving, all the discussions would be over long before they finished dessert.

So, it was only after an appropriate amount of time that he spoke up. “I suspect there will be an opening for governor of one of the capital’s city districts soon. When considering who would best fill that void, I kept coming back to your family, the Cassowary’s.”

“I’m afraid I’d have to decline such a position, Your Majesty. As I’m sure you’re aware, I spend most of my days within my own province. I simply don’t believe I could effectively govern the district, if I’m scarcely around to visit it.”

“As expected from you, Duke Cassowary. If memory serves, this wouldn’t be your first time declining the position.”

“It is so, and my reasoning remains unchanged.”

Lucian put down his fork and picked up his spoon. “Though I wonder if you may have more chances to visit the district than you imagine, considering the chance that Edelhart may be staying in the city for quite a while.”

The duke looked to his firstborn son. If the kid had the potential to become the next archmage, then that would be a huge boon to the Cassowary family’s lineage. It could single handedly catapult them to the very top of the noble power hierarchy.

Giving that up would be foolish for any noble who cared about securing the best possible future for their descendants. And carrying on their family’s glory was one of the most important responsibilities that the head of each noble household had. If they were to fall from grace, then they could easily see their entire province ripped from their grasp.

“How about this.” Lucian dipped his spoon in a small bowl of soup. “If my warning proves true, then you’ll agree to govern the district. But if my warning goes unfulfilled, then I’ll never again ask.”

“A warning?” Duke Cassowary put his fork down.

“You deposited a hefty amount of coin into the Grand Velvet Bank, did you not?”

“I did.” He frowned slightly at the implication. “It’s easier to withdraw it from the branch in my province, rather than haul it home.”

“My recent projects around the city were financed through the same bank, which is how I found out.” Lucian brought the spoonful of soup to his mouth, letting the air thicken while he gulped it down. “The Grand Velvet Bank’s vaults are dry.”

“Dry? How dry?” The duke was clearly imagining the worst-case scenario, a bank run.

“Let’s just say that I advise you to reclaim your coin from them as soon as possible and plan to carry it with you on your trip home. To do otherwise would be … very dangerous.”

Lucian had called the Cassowary family to dinner for three reasons. First, to discuss the training of their son, Edelhart. Second, to offer the soon-to-be open position of district governor to him.

But to Lucian himself, those two goals were secondary. No, the primary reason he asked them to dinner was because he knew the Cassowary family made heavy use of the Grand Velvet Bank, storing a sizable amount of coin in their vaults for ease of access when traveling.

And Lucian intended to make full use of that to finish what his enemies had started.

Chapter 18

“How did it go?” Lucian asked Aelia as the dark elf girl sat in the carriage seat across from him.

“Of course it went exactly as I expected.”

“So we can expect a crowd when we arrive, then?”

“It was already starting to form before I came here. By now, I’d imagine it’s large enough that Sampson should be sweating, and not because of the weather.”

“In that case, I hope Duke Cassowary took my advice and acted quickly, else he may be a bit annoyed with me for a while.”

“Oh, that guy was there when I went by the bank. It looked like he was asking for his coins, so I think he should have been able to get them out. Poor luck for the rest of the people who were showing up after him, considering how much he likely drained the bank’s vault.”

“Excellent. I was hoping the duke would squeeze him dry. It makes the outcome all but inevitable.”

Lucian brought his whole crew with him, separated into two carriages. Mia, Emilia, Minerva, Aelia, and Teflyn were all with him, filling every seat of the six-person carriage.

Vera, Lutz, and Lily were in the second carriage. While Lucian didn’t need them for anything in particular, Vera had gotten deep into the scheme simply by being present while it was being set up. There wasn’t any reason to expel her from the climax, so he asked her to come along.

Lutz and Lily were just additions so she would have some company from people who weren’t so involved with the details.

Before long, Lucian's carriage began to slow down. Although their destination was near, they weren't there quite yet, so it was strange for the coachman to lower their speed.

Within a few seconds of the deceleration, a bell rang near the front of the carriage. Emilia was already on her way there, so she silenced the bell with one hand while opening the partition with the other.

“Is there a problem?” Emilia asked the coachman, despite knowing precisely what the problem would be.

“Huge crowd up ahead. Guards are giving the signal to stop.”

Emilia saw that the head of the guard column had already halted, forcing the carriage to slow down and eventually come to a stop itself.

“Stay here,” Emilia said before closing the partition.

As their momentum came to an end, she turned back to Lucian and nodded. Before he could stand from his seat, Emilia was already at the carriage door, pushing it open.

Once outside, she scanned for danger again. She had done so when speaking with the coachman, but her vision was limited to what was in front of the carriage. Now, she had a more unobstructed view.

As before, there was nothing suspicious nearby, unless she were to count the large crowd gathered down the road.

“What’s going on over there?” Vera eyed the mob, which was clearly angry about something. “A riot?”

“You’re not exactly wrong,” Lucian said. “They’re certainly enraged, and you can see the violence in their eyes, even from here.”

“It’s a little dangerous then, don’t you think?” Vera’s eyes fell on Mia, who was only marginally trained for self-protection.

“Their anger isn’t directed at us, and most of them aren’t even armed with weapons. So while it may be a bit risky, we’re going to meet with that mob.” Lucian patted the sword at his waist. “Besides, we’re far stronger than we appear.”

“A little riot like this is nothing,” Emilia said.

“And I’ll definitely protect Mia this time!” Teflyn added.

Vera visibly gave up. “Fine. But you’re obviously not surprised to see this crowd here, and they just so happened to be rioting at your destination. So the question is, what do you know that I don’t?”

“A lot of things,” Lucian said. “But if you want to know what’s going on here, then you’ll find out soon enough.”

Since Sigurd knew of the plan and was leading the royal guards, he had already gathered them for the short march ahead, leaving only enough to protect the carriages from any would-be opportunists.

With all the pieces in play, Lucian waved the column of troops forward, ordering them to head toward the riot only a couple of city blocks away.

It didn’t take long for the crowd to respond. A group of royal guards marching in formation and displaying the king’s banner caused a wave of anxiety amongst those with line of sight on them. That fear spread as quickly as the news of his approach, until it was hard to tell if the mob was still shouting out of anger, or if it was now due to dread.

Aelia knew that the so-called rioters couldn’t stand against the weight of the king himself bearing down on them. As enraged as they were, many of them would immediately flee if they thought their lives were in danger. After all, they never came expecting to fight a battle, especially against the Royal Guard.

That’s why Aelia secretly stationed guards on the other two streets that intersected the road where the Grand Velvet Bank stood. By now, word was already spreading through the crowd that their two other escape routes had been blocked.

So as not to push the crowd to the brink of panic, Lucian stopped his march well before the guards in front could make contact with the mob. The angry shouts that had filled the streets were gone, replaced with the terrified whispers of people who were realizing that their very lives were now in Lucian’s hands.

The royal guards parted, opening a path to the center of their formation. On that path, a tall man with long, blond hair walked, accompanied by his white hair companion.

Almekia’s king soon stood ahead of even his royal guards, his only protection in the form of a fox-eared girl with a sheathed katana.

“Fear not,” Lucian shouted to the crowd. “I come only to solve the issue at hand, not to punish those involved. Do not run as we approach, and I guarantee that no harm will come to you.”

After waiting for his words to spread through the crowd, Lucian once again waved his men forward. But the king himself didn’t disappear behind his guardsmen. He marched in front, Emilia at his side.

While it was nice to believe that it was the trust in their king that stilled the people’s feet, it was more likely that it was simply fear of disobeying. But the result was what ultimately mattered, regardless of the reason.

“Now,” Lucian spoke to the crowd after getting within casual speaking distance. “Who here can explain the reason for this riot?”

None of the people wanted to be the one to give voice to their anger. Perhaps they thought it would be the last thing they ever said.

But there was one person there who wasn’t part of the mob. Instead, he was the target of their wrath.

“Oh, thank the gods you’ve arrived, Your Majesty!” Sampson struggled against his captor, eventually pulling free. “And not a moment too soon!”

The banker used the crowd’s fear to escape their encirclement, pushing his way through until he joined Lucian and Emilia.

“It’s a tragedy, Your Majesty! This mob descended on me starting not even an hour ago, demanding I give them their coin back! I tried to tell them that I need more time, but they wouldn’t listen! If you hadn’t arrived, I’m sure I would have been hanged!”

“A bank run, Sampson? Did you really let your vaults go dry?”

“It wasn’t my fault! Duke Cassowary came just this morning, asking to withdraw all of his gold! Do you know how much he held in my vaults!? I had no choice but to give him everything he asked for, yet he was just the first of many! And as soon as I ran out of coin, the mob appeared! All I need is time. If I can just send a request to the branch banks to send a shipment here, then I can pay everyone here!”

“How long will that take? Days? Weeks? You know how dangerous a bank run can get, Sampson. If you let these people leave without the coin they demand, then it will only lead to more of your customers showing up and demanding you return their money. By the time the gold arrives, it won’t be enough. Every single one of the citizens who deposited money into your bank will want it back. Can you pay them all?”

Sampson went white at the thought of having to pay back each coin deposited. Since his bank only made money by giving loans, he would have to call back all of those loans in order to pay the customers. Doing so would essentially spell the end of his banking empire, as nobody would have faith in a collapsing bank.

It would be great if that was how the situation unfolded. Settle the loans, pay the depositors back, and walk away.

Unfortunately, that scenario was far too optimistic.

Loans came with contracts, meaning the bank couldn’t demand repayment at a moment’s notice. Even if they could, much of the loan money had already been spent. Lucian took a loan from Sampson only two weeks prior, and much of that gold was now in the pockets of the engineers and workers who were rebuilding the many sections of the city that he sought to improve.

No, the reality was that there was no way for Sampson to pay his depositors back so quickly. If everyone just left their money in the bank, it would be fine. But the anger and hysteria that accompanied a bank run rarely came with the temperament to listen to reason. That was why they were so dangerous.

“Y-you can help, Your Majesty!” Sampson saw a light at the end of his dark tunnel. “Just tell them to go home. If they just go home and nobody asks for their coins, then everything will be fine!”

“That’s true. If I use my authority to prevent them from withdrawing their money, then I can solve this entire situation.” Lucian looked down on the hopeful banker. “But I refuse.”

“What!? Why!? Your Majesty, please! I’ll make your recent loan interest free!” Panic returned to Sampson’s face when he saw the king’s unmoved expression. “No, all of them! I’ll make every single one of your loans completely interest free!”

“I’m not interested in making deals with criminals, so there’s only one way to save yourself, Sampson.”

“H-how!? I’ll do it, no matter what!”

“Just let us see the truth. If you’re innocent, then I’ll protect you from the crowd.”

“I can prove it! Names, records, deals! Just tell me what you need to see!”

“No, I don’t need anything like that. All I need…” Lucian forcefully turned the man toward someone else. “...Is for you to open yourself to her.”

“T-the fairy…?”

“Let me see it.” Minerva met his gaze with her own. “Your soul.”

“I … can’t look away!?” Sampson began to panic simply from looking at her.

“Your thoughts, your desires, and even your past actions.” Minerva’s eyes began to glow with a soft light. “Open yourself to me, else your fate is sealed.”

With no other option, Sampson slowly lowered his guard against those piercing, glowing eyes.

Minerva peered deep, peeling back the layers of lies and ego that Sampson used to maintain both his self-image and the image he projected upon the world. Beneath his consciousness laid the epitome of his true self, the core that made him into the man he was.

And it was there that Minerva could observe his soul. A man of unfathomable greed, fueled only by the desire to obtain more wealth, more gold, more influence, more power.

The king? Merely a head upon which to rest the crown. Born into his rule, never having to struggle against the weight of the kingdom like Sampson did when growing his bank. The lies and deceit from the nobles, the jealousy and envy from other merchants, and the rules and restrictions from the crown, meant to keep him down.

He had defeated them all, building an empire of his own, within the Almekian Kingdom. But it wasn’t enough. No matter how wealthy and powerful he became, he always wanted one thing.

More.

Other merchants, high nobles, and even the crown itself was soon indebted to the Grand Velvet Bank. With so many influential people under his thumb, Sampson could even twist the kingdom’s policies to fit his needs.

As long as I control the circulation of the kingdom’s coin, I care not who writes its laws. Sampson thought one dark night as he read over his bank’s ledgers. For in the end, the rules will favor me.

Yet even that wasn’t enough for him.

Why should I have to obey the king, when he’s practically bankrupt? Such a thought occurred to Sampson one day. Wouldn’t it be better if the king answered to me?

But if I want to install a puppet, I’ll need to get rid of the useless one first.

For someone like Sampson, the shattered gangs were an easy tool to control. Give them coin, and they would naturally direct their anger at the crown, who had taken all of their wealth and power from them.

When Lucian’s gone, there will be nothing stopping me from claiming this kingdom for myself.

Minerva’s eyes returned to normal, the light in them now nothing more than a memory.

With a quick turn, the fairy princess turned her back on Sampson. “Guilty.”

“W-what was…!?” The banker could barely get his words out.

Lucian placed one hand on Sampson’s shoulder. “Let me give you some advice. There are three things that nobody should touch without expecting dire consequences. Never mess with another man’s pride. Never mess with another man’s money. And lastly, Sampson…”

Lucian leaned forward, his voice ringing in Sampson’s ears like a death knell. “Never mess with another man’s family.”

From Lucian’s pocket came a glittering, gold coin. His own likeness laid upon its surface, still unmarred by the hands and pockets that would dull its sheen when put into circulation.

Seeing that coin, Sampson understood his mistake. As part of the crown’s loan repayment, he had received a batch of shiny, new gold straight from the mint.

And out of mere convenience, he used those very coins to fund the shattered gangs that sought after Lucian’s life. Through a web of middlemen, he kept his hands clean, despite being the source of the gang’s funding.

When Lucian found that bag of newly minted coins bearing his own face, he knew at that moment that they had come from Sampson.

That gang had attacked Mia’s carriage when she was on her way back from the orphanage. If it weren’t for Lutz, they may even have taken her life.

“Impossible…” Sampson gulped. “Was this all … your doing!?”

Lucian, his hand still on the banker’s shoulder, simply smiled in response.

“Sampson.” It was Princess Mia who spoke during Sampson’s darkest hour. “I would like to withdraw every coin I placed within your care.”

“That’s…!” The banker recalled the massive deposit she had made two weeks prior, totaling a full twenty percent of the kingdom’s treasury. “Impossible! I loaned most of it right back out for your projects!”

“How unfortunate.” Mia looked disappointed. “Those who are unable to repay their debts to the crown do not deserve its protection.”

“N-no! I can … I can do it! Somehow, I’ll get the money!”

“It’s far too late for that, Sampson.” Lucian shoved the banker backwards, into the welcoming grasp of the angry mob. “Do with him what you will.”

He had seen it many times before. Often, he was even the one ordering it. But this time, he didn’t have to lift a hand. The people who had lost their coins to Sampson’s bank would do it in his stead.

An execution.

The crowd didn’t even bring him to the nearest square. Someone brought a rope, and another found a ladder. Although it took some work, they managed to drag Sampson up the ladder, one end of the rope around his neck, the other around a tall lamp post.

Although he could hear the words coming out of the banker’s mouth, Lucian paid them no mind. It was one thing to go after him. Many others had done so before, and many more were still yet to try their hands.

But…

I won’t show any mercy to those who target Mia.

With that thought running through his mind, Lucian watched on as the ladder was pulled from beneath Sampson, his life coming to an abrupt end.

The target of the crowd’s hatred was gone, but that didn’t mean they were happy. The bank where they had stored their money had collapsed, the owner having been killed by their very hands.

Although it was satisfying for them, their mob justice wouldn’t make the coins suddenly appear back in the vault. They would have to go home as they arrived, empty-handed.

“Citizens of Almekia.” Lucian called out to them before any could begin dispersing. “I have seen your plight here today. Nay, I even join you in your sorrow. My own sister, Princess Mia, had coins in Sampson’s vault. Like yours, that money is gone, lent out to others so the bank could make even more profit.”

He left out the fact that he was the one who took out all those big loans to drain Sampson’s vault. “Having felt your pain, I can’t allow all of you to go home carrying the misery of having lost all your savings. Beginning now, the kingdom will acquire all the debts and responsibilities of the Grand Velvet Bank.”

Lucian swept his arm back, motioning to the bank, which rose up from behind Sampson’s hanged body. “I will replenish the empty vault by the day’s end. Using the crown’s own treasury, I will guarantee that any who wish to withdraw their coins from the bank will have them before the sun falls. From now on, the Grand Velvet Bank will be under my care, and I will not allow even a single person to lose their money on my watch!”

The somber mob showed an ever-increasing amount of hope as Lucian’s speech continued. By the end, the despair from losing their coins was completely gone, replaced by their shouts as they cheered the name of their ruler.

“Long live King Lucian!” Voice after voice chanted for him, none of them the wiser that he was the one who had nearly cost them everything in the first place.

I’ll leave those details for the historians to figure out. Lucian smiled and waved to his new group of devotees.

Extra chapter 1

“Do not look away.” Minerva stared at the young man before her.

“And let you peer into my soul?” Lutz shrugged. “Well, I don't really mind. But I don't make the rules here, so until I can–”

He went silent for a second. “Nevermind, it's fine.”

“So the Goddess has given her permission, has she? Then you have no excuses remaining.”

Minerva’s eyes began to glow with a soft light. She had waylaid Lutz when he was alone, precisely to seek the information contained within his mind and memories.

With both him and the Goddess allowing it, Minerva peeled away the outer layers of Lutz's soul until the information she sought appeared to her.

“A frail beginning,” Minerva said. “Weak and helpless.”

“You don't have to say it like that.”

“To retain the ability to speak while under my gaze, it is no wonder you are an immortal.”

“Well, so are you. Though you're the weakest immortal I've ever met, with barely a spark of divinity.”

One of Minerva's eyebrows twitched. “It is only a matter of time before I reach the heights of my mother.”

“Until then, I know of a little kyuubi immortal you can play with. She's the closest one to your current strength.”

Minerva peered deeper, the information contained within his soul spilling out and filling her mind.

“A long and arduous journey, fueled by revenge but filled with adventure.”

“It was definitely a bit of a rollercoaster.”

Minerva saw a strange contraption in her mind, a long cart filled with people that sped down an iron track, even going upside down at times.

Ignoring the imagery, she continued on. “Friends made, allies kept. Revenge became responsibility, the journey taking a turn.”

“Yeah, I met a lot of people. Hard to stay angry after making so many friends, so I just decided to do what I needed to do.”

“The stage set, the final battle upon you. Defeat is certain, unless you can attain–” The light in Minerva's eyes faded, her soul gazing having come to a sudden end. “I cannot see further.”

“I don't want to spoil everything all at once, so let's save those details for another time. You at least saw what you needed, right?”

“Hmph. I suppose I have no reason to distrust you any longer.”

“Sounds like you know a few things about gods and immortals. They sure love playing their games. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you shouldn't know much about the divine.”

“Mother has been scarce with the details. However, as of late, memories have been appearing to me. It feels as though they are my own, yet they come from a life that I never lived.”

Lutz looked intrigued. “Oh, really? Now there's some juicy information. Could it be…”

“What do you know?”

“Nothing yet. But I bet if I were to speak to the Fairy Queen, I could find some answers.”

“My mother? I suppose if she would allow any company, it would be that of a fellow immortal.”

“Then it's settled! I'm going to see her soon.”

“Do as you wish.” Minerva turned from him. “For now, we have guests to welcome.”

“Sure thing. But I need to make a small detour first.”

Minerva already knew where Lutz intended to go, since he often walked these very halls for a particular reason. So rather than follow him, she ended up leading him to his own destination.

The corridor was a few shades darker than the rest of the castle, a symptom of its relative lack of use compared to the other halls. That isolation was exactly what one occupant wished for, which was why she ended up claiming one of its rooms.

“Knock, knock.” Lutz knocked on the wooden door as he spoke.

“Not you again.” A muffled response came from within. “Why do you always show up right when I finally have time to be alone!?”

“You’ve been alone for the past 3 hours.”

“What!?” Something heavy thumped from within. “Ow, ow, ow. My toe…”

“It’s your own fault. And I’m coming in.” Lutz pushed on the door, and it opened.

“Hey!” Archmage Vera stood, holding one of her feet, the table in front of her knocked slightly off-center. “I thought I locked that thing!”

“Guess you forgot.”

Somehow, Minerva doubted that Vera forgot. But she wasn’t going to enlighten the archmage on the fact that the one she was arguing with was an immortal from another world who had powers even she couldn’t comprehend.

Vera looked down on her outfit, which was slightly wrinkled from sitting at the table for so long. “No time to get changed?”

“You look fine,” Lutz said. “And it’s not like this is a formal reception, or anything. Just put on some shoes.”

“I haven’t forgotten.” Vera put one of her shoes on far more gently than the other. “Still can’t believe I agreed to go meet her at the door…”

“It’s tradition to welcome someone back when they’ve been gone for a while, so get used to it.”

“She was gone for less than a day.”

“That’s a lot for her, though!”

With their target acquired, the three began the trek back through the castle halls.

After a rather long walk, they arrived in a large room with many branching paths. It was the first area anyone saw when stepping into the castle, as the main entrance was also located within.

“Excellent timing.” Lucian nodded to the three of them as they entered. “She has just arrived.”

“Just as planned.” Vera nodded, as if she foresaw everything.

Lutz could only shake his head in response.

Finally, the main door to the castle opened, the people everyone had gathered to greet stepping through without hesitation. They weren’t nobles, wealthy merchants, or kingdom officials.

No, the two who walked in were two young girls, Teflyn and Mia.

“We’re back!” Teflyn rushed forward with her usual energy.

“You seem happier than when you left,” Lucian said. “I thought you didn’t want to go visit Edelhart?”

“I didn’t! But we ended up playing a lot of fun games, and they had this really good food for lunch! Um, what was it called…?”

“Cashew chicken.” Mia provided the answer for everyone.

“Yeah! Catch you chicken!” It was apparent that Teflyn would forget it once again.

“Hah.” Lucian shook his head. “At least you had fun. And of course, welcome back.”

“Thanks!” Teflyn darted off, though she didn’t go far.

That left Princess Mia standing alone in front of everyone who had gathered. She rarely liked making a scene, so she intended to just mesh right in without saying anything.

But her brother had a different idea.

“Did you enjoy your visit to the Cassowary estate? With their daughter being your age, I hope you were able to make a friend.”

“She’s nice, and her tutors did their job well.”

“So if you were to get a chance to visit her again, would you?”

“Like Teflyn said, they made the day enjoyable. I wouldn’t be against another visit.” Mia paused for a brief second. “Eventually.”

“Need to recharge your social energy, do you? Can’t say that’s unexpected.” Lucian shrugged. “But when you’re ready for another visit, feel free to say so. I’ll be ready to make it happen at any time. And when you get back from your visits there…”

Lucian reached out and placed his hand on his sister’s head. “I’ll be here to welcome you home.”

For most of her life, returning home was something Princess Mia would never look forward to, knowing the people who awaited her. But for the first time, the thought of stepping through the castle gates was somehow enticing.

“Yes.” Mia smiled up at her brother. “I’m home.”

Extra Chapter 2

“I must say.” The aged healer took a step back after his short inspection. “Despite your lack of sleep, you’ve never looked healthier, Your Majesty.”

“I’m glad to hear it. That means I can keep up my schedule for a while longer.”

“It’s the privilege of youth to push yourself to the extreme, but I would soon suggest a moment of respite from your work.” The healer raised a finger, as if something just occurred to him. “Ah! There is one task that’s both vitally important and quite … invigorating, you could say.”

“Oh? And what did you have in mind?”

“I believe there’s one thing our kingdom lacks, Your Majesty. A queen.”

Lucian could practically feel Emilia stiffen. As usual, she stood diagonally behind him, a position that allowed her to literally watch his back.

Because she was mostly behind him, Lucian could only barely see her out of the corner of his eye. But that was all he needed to know that the healer’s words had struck a deep blow to her.

More talk of marriage. Even if it’s part of my duties, I can’t exactly just go marry some girl I don’t know.

“I’ve only recently become king,” Lucian said. “If I rush into a marriage without doing my due diligence, I could end up wed to an opportunist who only wants to abuse her royal authority.”

In the corner of Lucian’s vision, Emilia’s blurry figure visibly relaxed.

“There are many noble families who have shown great dedication to the crown. Taking the hand of one of their daughters would further strengthen their loyalty and your own rule, I do believe.” The healer made a gesture that Lucian knew to be rooted in faith. “Long live the king, of course. But the wishes of us mortals don’t always reach the gods, so it’s best to prepare for anything, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I suppose you have a point. Even if I had a child today, I would need two full decades to educate him before I’d feel comfortable handing him the crown.”

Emilia stiffened again.

“Precisely, Your Majesty.” The healer nodded. “Shall I prepare a list of suitable families for you to choose?”

“No need. I already have a few in mind.”

“Then I shall look forward to hearing their names the next time I come to examine you.”

With that, the healer bade Lucian farewell.

“Marriage, huh…” Lucian stayed in the private room after the healer left, Emilia still by his side.

“Um, yeah…” Emilia’s voice lacked her usual enthusiasm.

“I already told you this before, but I had a family back on my world. A daughter around Mia’s age, a son even younger than her, and … a wife.”

“I’m sure they’re all doing great, even today.”

“I was told by the Goddess herself that their futures looked bright, so I’ve been able to move on from my past life. But I guess the thought of betraying my former family is still weighing on me, even if I know I’ll never be able to see them again.”

“That’s too sad…”

“So much has happened since I came here that I’ve been able to keep my mind off of it.” Lucian walked to the room’s only door. “But maybe it’s time I make a decision.”

Emilia followed him, her steps a little heavier than usual. “If it’s for the sake of the kingdom, then it can’t be helped.”

“Even if I get engaged now, there will still be a lot to get ready before the wedding. Who knows how many months it could take, maybe even a year or more, depending on how the war with the Esgares Empires evolves.”

“Does that mean nothing will change until then?”

“That depends on a few things. I don’t see much changing, but I won’t really know until all of my closest companions hear about it.”

Lucian opened the door that was standing in front of him. Beyond it was a stone hallway, like many others within the castle. The two of them stepped out of the room, taking the path that led back to the main entrance.

Wanting a change of environment, Lucian continued walking straight out of the castle and into the courtyard that surrounded it. The entire yard was surrounded by a wall that separated his castle from the city, a barrier between him and a potential revolt.

Though Lucian was working his hardest to ensure that the people had no reason to overthrow him.

The area around the castle was large, considering the price of real estate in Almekia’s capital city. But if anyone could afford a huge plot in one of the most expensive places in the world, it was a king.

In order to have some self-sustain for the royal family and their administration, several buildings surrounded the castle, such as a healer’s quarters, a storage shed for food, and a stables. But even with them, there was plenty of room for a few amenities, like a flower garden.

One of the benefits of being king was that when Lucian wanted something, he could have it. Even if the other party didn’t want to give it to him, very few had the influence to deny his desires.

At the moment, what he desired was privacy.

Lucian waved a gardener away, and the man obeyed. Curious eyes and ears often followed him, but with a gesture, even they gave him a wide berth. Though he knew that he couldn’t truly keep them away while he was walking in an open garden.

Still, it was enough.

“Emilia.” Lucian led her through the garden, rows of lilies surrounding them.

“Yes, Prince Lucian?”

“I hardly know anything about the noble families or their daughters. Sure, I know the land they control, their main exports and imports, the roles they fill within the kingdom, and so much more. But I don’t know them. Perhaps the Lucian who once inhabited this body could have chosen a proper wife amongst them, but I’m not confident I could.”

“I’m sure there are … many people who can help you choose wisely, right?”

“Probably. No, most definitely. If I truly wished it, I could use my resources and spend my personal time to pick the best among them. All it would really take is some effort, and a desire to see the task through.”

Lucian stopped at a stone arch and turned around to look Emilia in her ruby-red eyes. “But I don’t have to go anywhere to find who I want anymore.”

Emilia found herself caught in her prince’s locked gaze. “Y-you don’t?”

“No. Because I’ve already found her.” Lucian reached out and gently held his protector’s hands. “Emilia. Would you become my queen?”

“I…”

Recently, Emilia had been feeling the weight of despair. She was Lucian’s closest guard, protecting him nearly everywhere he went. They spent so much time together that it couldn’t be helped that they would grow close.

She even took on the role of his attendant when necessary, a task that she enjoyed far more than she ever would have expected.

But it wasn’t enough. There was something else she desired, something more. It was so out of reach for a common born white hair that she dared not even imagine it.

She wanted to be by his side, always.

“Yes!” Emilia was surprised to only just now realize that she was smiling. “Yes, Prince Lucian! I will be your queen!”

Afterword

Hello again, everyone! Welcome back to the series, and I hope you enjoyed this volume of Assassinated King! Even though it was rather short, a lot of interesting things happened!

We finally get to see Lucian taking on a more administrative role this time. Not only is he revising laws, solving social issues, and rebuilding parts of his kingdom, but he’s also working on translating some technological inventions into magitech ones! You can expect more on this in volume 5, for sure.

He’s also finally solving the problem of the kingdom’s debt. Though causing a bank run in order to acquire the bank where a lot of his debt is located could definitely be considered an unconventional solution. At least, by modern standards!

Mia’s making some growth, too! I mean, she’s on the cover and everything, so you had to expect something from her this time, right? At the very least, she’s actually in volume 4 and not completely absent like she was in volume 3, heh.

Ah, and we can’t forget about Emilia! Did anyone expect the proposal at the end!? I sure didn’t, and I’m the author! Well, that’s just how stories go sometimes…

*looks around*

What? You expecting me to talk about one other topic? Hmm, what could it be…

Oh, right! Edelhart has a crush on Teflyn! Wait, what’s that? It’s not the topic you expected?

Ah, you must mean the small detail of the young immortal’s identity. Well, there’s not much to see there, Lutz is only the protagonist of my other published series, The False Hero. Not a big reveal for him to be here, or anything.

Jokes aside, I was going to wait longer for the reveal, but pretty much everyone already figured out it was him. Dang Lutz and his overly recognizable mannerisms! I’m not to blame here. Not at all.

Anyway, gotta go. Cya!

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Copyright

Assassinated King, Volume 4

By Michael Plymel

This book is a work of fiction. Any similarities to persons or places are strictly coincidental.

Copyright © 2025 Michael Plymel

Illustrations by Aditya Novianto