Chapter 93

Chapter 93

#93. The Northern Renaissance (3)

“Alright! Let’s take the shot!”

While it wasn’t as good as Earth’s digital cameras, it was way better than Earth’s early black-and-white ones.

The Arcanepunk-style color camera using magic stone plates revealed itself to the world for the first time.

“So… you do this and then that, right?”

Jarvis proved right now that he wasn’t just a building manager because of his name.

The sharp guy mastered the magic stone camera after hearing instructions from his employer just once.

“Good positioning, great lighting, everyone smile!”

Somehow, Jarvis instinctively knew how to take a good photo.

“What has our Northern wizard come up with this time?”

“It’s a magic tool that instantly draws pictures.”

“What’s that?”

“Do we just stay still for a bit?”

Everyone stood dumbfounded in front of the never-before-seen camera, waiting for Jarvis’ signal.

“Don’t close your eyes, people.”

Meanwhile, Arad kept reminding the bride, groom, and guests not to close their eyes.

This was the first photograph of another world. How sad would it be if someone ended up with a humiliating closed-eye shot?

The problem was that everyone focused so hard on keeping their eyes open that the wedding photos turned out quite intense.

That was something Arad hadn’t anticipated.

Snap! Teng-

“One more!”

Snap! Teng-

“Last one!”

Snap! Teng-

The light-attribute magic stone attached to the magic camera flashed as the magic stone plate was changed three times.

Thus, the first successful photo shoot of another world was accomplished.

After completing the continent’s first photo shoot, the reception continued.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you, boss.”

Arad personally approached Theo and the bride to offer his congratulations.

“By the way, I didn’t know the bride was the daughter of the Chief Administrator. Mr. Te Manager, you’re impressive.”

“I found out recently too. My wife only told me about her family when it was time to get married.”

Today was the first meeting between Arad, Theo, and the Maria couple.

Arad usually didn’t pry into employees’ personal lives.

His nosiness only kicked in regarding Mary.

It was presumed to be a side effect of being hit by mental magic.

“Hello? I’m Maria. I’ve heard a lot about you from my husband. Thank you for treating his arm.”

“Don’t mention it. Rather, I entrust him to you.”

“I’ll make sure my husband can focus on work.”

“Hold on, if your wife is capable, she should also engage in outside activities. Wait, didn’t Mr. Te Manager say you run a bookstore?”

“Yes.”

“Our Mr. Te Manager learned the joy of reading from you!”

“It seems he doesn’t read much these days.”

Maria glanced at her husband upon hearing Arad’s words.

‘Come to think of it… they recently upgraded papermaking and printing technology with steam engines…’

Arad’s eyes gleamed looking at Maria.

‘That’s it! The boss’s talent-hunting gaze!’

‘This is dangerous!’

Seeing this, Theo and Mary stiffened their expressions.

“Hahahaha! Today is truly a joyful day, isn’t it?”

At that moment, Chief Administrator Rio Haytai appeared in front of Arad, drunk as a skunk.

“Father! How much have you had to drink?!”

Maria scolded her father, who had suddenly appeared, in surprise.

“There’s no helping it today! Our second daughter, who almost became an old maid, finally got married! And she’s already pregnant!”

Haytai looked at his daughter with love, completely unfazed.

“Isn’t that right, Knight Roji?”

“Hahaha! That’s correct.”

Next to Haytai stood High Knight Roji Shapiro, Theo’s half-brother, with an equally tipsy face.

Somewhere nearby, Theo’s biological father was chatting animatedly with nobles.

“My son Theo, congratulations.”

Suddenly, Theo’s birth mother approached, gripping her son’s hand tightly with a moved expression.

Even though Theo was born from a concubine, he was now a legitimate executive of Arad Company.

Moreover, he even married the second daughter of Rio Haytai, the Chief Administrator of High City.

He had firmly established a position within the Shapiro family that couldn’t be overlooked.

Thanks to this, Theo’s birth mother’s status within the family skyrocketed overnight.

“By the way, where are you going for your honeymoon?”

Just as the reception atmosphere reached its peak, Arad suddenly asked them.

“Honeymoon?”

“What’s that?”

Both the newlyweds and those around them showed reactions as if they were hearing it for the first time.

“Ah… it seems this doesn’t exist here. Though, encountering monsters or bandits during travel could be problematic too.”

Realizing late, Arad chuckled awkwardly and muttered softly.

Then, he calmly changed the topic.

“I’ll give Mr. Te Manager a week off, paid leave. Enjoy your honeymoon thoroughly after the wedding.”

“Really?!”

“Also, this will apply to other employees in our company going forward. Oh! And the wedding gift applies equally.”

“!!”

“!!”

At Arad’s announcement, the people present let out silent exclamations of amazement.

Especially, the unmarried employees of Arad Company had flames burning fiercely in their eyes.

Before they knew it, the wedding reception turned into an Animal Kingdom for finding mates.

“If I get married, will I also receive a week off? And the gift?”

This included Mary as well.

“Of course.”

“I see.”

Mary’s gaze towards Arad burned like a predator eyeing its prey.

“Ah! Jarvis, how’s it look? Did it turn out well?”

But Arad didn’t notice her look at all.

“Ohhhh! It turned out well…? Everyone’s expressions aren’t natural. Their mouths are smiling, but their eyes are all frozen. Huh? I was also straining my eyes too?”

He was completely absorbed in looking at the photographs taken by the magic camera.

* * *

Two days passed since Mr. Te Manager’s wedding concluded successfully.

With Mr. Te Manager enjoying his honeymoon, people continued their everyday lives as usual.

Inside the Inner Castle of High City.

In the Palace of Glory.

Today was the scheduled day for Princess Ariana’s medical check-up.

Ariana, who had returned from the brink of death in the depths of the Magic Realm, regularly summoned me to the Palace of Glory to handle her examinations.

“Ummmm…”

I gently held Ariana’s right wrist to check her pulse.

“Your highness is truly in perfect health…?”

The pulse diagnosis results were impeccable.

I released her arm and noted down the conditions of her lower dantian and upper dantian that I had examined.

Incidentally, Mary claimed she had something to do today and didn’t come to work at all.

“Arad, there are things you don’t know?”

“I can’t possibly know everything.”

“Is that so? I find that hard to believe.”

“You must believe. I’m neither a dragon nor a god.”

“I see.”

“As for the lower and upper dantians, my knowledge is also limited.”

Due to the semi-successful healing effects of the half-elixir from her past injury in the depths of the Magic Realm, Ariana had fully recovered.

Now, all that remained was to accumulate mana again in the reset magic core.

“The speed and amount of mana accumulation are so inadequate… I can’t understand.”

The problem began here.

Ariana started her training anew with renewed determination.

However, something was off. The rate at which mana accumulated in her lower dantian was unusually slow, and the quantity was minimal.

But there was an even bigger issue.

“This happens because the circle near your heart absorbs mana during training.”

“And I can’t control it.”

Each time she accumulated mana, not only her lower dantian but also the heart area in her upper dantian gathered mana.

For Ariana, who should avoid being a sword-mage, this wasn’t favorable.

“Still, this works.”

Suddenly, Ariana revealed something unexpected.

“This is a technique I discovered recently. You’re the first person I’m showing it to.”

The mana from her heart and the mana from her lower dantian clashed within her body, fusing powerfully like nuclear fusion.

“Your Highness! This is dangerous!”

Seeing this, I cried out in shock.

Unheard-of mana surged wildly within her lower dantian.

The problem was her body.

Absolutely! She couldn’t withstand it!

“I know. That’s why I’m not using it.”

Ariana was aware of this too. She had only demonstrated it briefly to show me.

“Never use this technique.”

“I hope I won’t need to.”

“It won’t happen.”

Some clichéd and flag-filled dialogue exchanged…

When the situation seemed to calm down, I informed Ariana of the examination results.

“Anyway, it would be better to consult superhumans like Valkyrie, Isabel, and General Sun about this problem.”

“I already talked to them last time.”

“Is that so? What did they say?”

“They said to ask you, Arad.”

“…”

These guys?

“Perhaps Your Highness has hit a new form of wall. The change in the color of Your Highness’s mana and sword energy might also be related to this.”

“They said the same thing.”

“In my personal opinion, I strongly recommend refraining from practicing mana accumulation for now.”

“Then, what should I do during that time?”

“Seek enlightenment through meditation and discussions. That seems safer.”

Judging from my guess, Ariana seemed to have hit a wall.

The realm beyond Sword Master. The growth barrier she needed to overcome to reach Grand Sword Master.

“I feel like I haven’t been much help.”

I lacked the knowledge to solve this issue, being a non-combat specialist.

“No, it’s not your fault.”

Ariana smiled faintly and lowered her previously raised sleeve.

“Still, don’t you have any guesses? Something other than meditation or discussions. Those were also what Isabel and Valkyrie said.”

“Guesses… Not entirely absent.”

Prompted by Ariana, I recalled the Silver Age Era 1.

‘There was someone who reached Grand Sword Master in the Silver Age Era 1. Duke Doom of Darkness.’

The story of how Duke Doom of Darkness from the Empire reached Grand Sword Master is famous.

‘Back then, Doom fought Mongar Orcs day and night under overwhelming odds at the Ragoite Main Wall. He faced life-and-death battles and… attained enlightenment.’

Exactly, life-and-death battles. In the original history, after Carpe left and the royal support was insufficient, Doom single-handedly battled thousands of elite Mongar Orcs.

‘I heard he rejuvenated after becoming a Grand Sword Master?’

Perhaps the technique Ariana just showed might be usable only in a state of complete transformation.

‘But this is too dangerous. Unrealistic.’

The problem was that this life-and-death battle wasn’t suitable for Ariana before her eyes.

The risk was greater than Doom’s. If Ariana became disabled or died during the process, Renslette’s lineage would end. The empire might invade the North using this as a pretext.

“Alright. Go ahead and tell me.”

Unaware of my thoughts, Ariana urged me to speak.

“Please consider this merely as reference. Absolutely swear you won’t do it.”

“I swear.”

Upon hearing Ariana’s oath, I opened my mouth.

“Life-and-death battle.”

“That’s right.”

With just those short words, Ariana nodded as if she expected it.

“Did you guess it already?”

“Duke Doom mentioned life-and-death battles.”

“…”

These guys are really something!

“Don’t worry. Even if it’s a life-and-death battle, it’s something I can’t do now.”

“Yes, please don’t do it. And the technique you showed earlier, absolutely! Do not use it.”

“I know it’s dangerous. And the technique I showed you… don’t tell anyone else about it.”

“Doctors don’t divulge patients’ conditions.”

Even with my near-command-like caution, Ariana didn’t seem offended.

“Well… I’ll take my leave then.”

“Alright, good work. You may go.”

She bid me farewell with a light smile.

I bowed respectfully to Ariana and prepared to exit the Palace of Glory.

“By the way, didn’t Theo Shapiro hold a wedding?”

“Yes? Yes! That’s correct.”

“Please convey my congratulations to Theo Shapiro and Maria Shapiro.”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

How honorable that the ruler of Renslette remembers even the marriage of an ordinary employee.

I’ll have to tell Mr. Te Manager when he returns to work.