Chapter 333

(333)

Wars start with paper and end with paper, but the preparation alone takes an eternity.

When the Emperor gives the order to march, it’s not as if ten thousand troops instantly fall into step just because he’s drawn his sword.

For instance, right now, in order to use the navy in the war, I have no choice but to involve the mermaid princess who serves as the enemy’s Admiral.

And even this initial prep-work is far from easy.

“What madman approved construction of a fifteen-story stone building over there?”

“I-Is there any problem with it?”

“It’s far too close to the city walls! Do you plan to let smugglers and spies have a clear view of the city? Have them fix the design before I personally come and knock it down!”

The entire capital is bustling with the construction of the new town sector.

There are the bourgeois looking to make their fortune, the court nobles seeking to suck the marrow from those very bourgeois, the displaced people flocking to the capital after hearing about the city expansion, as well as various artisan guilds battling over their interests…

Add to that the priests of the Erosion Sect doing their utmost to infiltrate the capital, the spies regularly sent by the great nobles of the Empire and nobles from foreign courts, and my job also includes suppressing all manner of dissenting forces.

In short, I need to somehow resolve these issues if I’m to head south.

It’s the preparation before the preparation of preparation itself.

Just thinking about it feels overwhelming, but I don’t have the luxury to dwell on it.

And so, yet again today, I find myself wearing my sharply pressed uniform, neatly combing my hair, and dashing around the capital to stir up some trouble.

“To the Red Mask. I’ll allow new establishments in the new district. Round up the third-rate mercenaries and adventurers causing trouble there. If you find any infiltrators, call me immediately.”

“Konel. I’ll recommend you as a standing member of the urban planning committee. Since you’ve dealt with redevelopment before, you know how to catch those playing tricks with land prices, right? I’ll grant you inspection powers, so lock them all up. You can take some kickbacks in the process. Can you handle this?”

“Jin. A few nearby workshops are moving to the new town district. We’ll give you prime land at a discount, so let’s establish a couple of large campuses. We can’t keep having students attend classes in their professors’ dorms forever, can we? Keep an eye on the suspicious alchemy vendors around there.”

Like this, I unleash the hounds I’ve raised to do my bidding.

“You mercenaries aren’t half bad. Any interest in serving the Emperor as soldiers? I’ll integrate you and your team directly into the ranks.”

“R-Really? That’s what I’ve always wanted!”

“Welcome aboard. Now, you’re a captain of a hundred within the Empire. Take this recommendation to Duke Helena at the Bronze Knights. They’ll arrange your quarters, and you can negotiate your salary.”

Another hound added to my ranks.

“You need to improve your disguises! Honestly! Why would we not suspect a caravan carrying magic reagents out of nowhere when the same company hasn’t supplied the Royal Magic Guild in three attempts?!”

“Ah! Aaagh!”

I burned a clueless priest of Erosion to death.

“Your Highness! During the construction of the drainage system under the new district, something buried underground has awakened. Current death toll: 122. Erosionists: 325.”

“Someone wakes me at three in the morning… What nonsense is this?!?”

“It seems to be one of the creatures that escaped extermination during the capital capture incident.”

“I’ll handle it immediately.”

And so I stepped forward to confront a disaster akin to a natural calamity.

* * *

“Lord Valenciaunos, are you all right?”

When I entered the unknown meeting, some bureaucratic noble greeted me.

I weakly nodded and examined the hand mirror I pulled out.

In the mirror was a gaunt man with sunken cheeks and shadows around his eyes, wearing a vacant smile.

I don’t even remember what day it is anymore.

What time did I sleep last night?

It must have been when the first light of dawn appeared as I climbed into bed.

“…This mana recovery potion works wonders, doesn’t it? You should try one when you’re tired.”

“Haha. Thank you, but with all the current demand, it’s hard for low-ranking officials like myself to even get a shot at purchasing them.”

“That’s unacceptable. Well, why don’t we make this an official regular supply to the court welfare program? Prepare the documents, and I’ll approve them. Get them over here.”

“Haha. Even more documents in this place?”

“That does seem problematic. Haha.”

After tossing pleasantries back and forth, Helena entered.

“Valenciaunos.”

“It’s been a while, sister.”

With two Dukes present, it must be an important meeting. Must be a session that reports directly to Jeilliris.

All I’m curious about is which unfortunate soul will be tasked with reporting the contents of this meeting.

The summary after such important meetings often takes hours alone.

While I was thinking this and smirking, officials had started to gather, and Helena began her presentation.

“Elite soldier training is proceeding well. Specifically, we’ve recruited 330 sword-user level soldiers. Even the other troops are now capable of unconsciously manipulating mana. The exchange rate with regular conscripts is about 19 to 1, and our target is to reach a ratio of 25 to 1.”

She continued her briefing with large sheets filled with various data diagrams.

“By next spring, all soldiers should be ready for expeditions. Recently, recruiting mercenaries has been quite effective… Though there’s a legitimate concern from the Chief of Police that these rough characters might have long-term negative impacts on the capital’s safety. Currently, we’re managing them through military priests, as these individuals have shown deep faith despite their harsh lives.”

Next was Hadrian.

So there are three dukes, not just two. The meeting summary just got even more complicated.

“The financial situation is quite healthy. Though the construction of the new town districts seemed to threaten fiscal instability, we’ve managed to cover the costs with the recently opened canal tolls. Thanks to the bourgeoisie’s active investment, even the outer city walls should be completed without issue. They argue that building regulations should be slightly relaxed, so take that into consideration.”

With that as a start, high-ranking administrative nobles began to speak.

“The installation of holy street lamps is around 60% complete, and the regulatory relaxation requested by His Excellency Hadrian will be positively reconsidered.”

“The blueprints for holy street lamps and mass-produced relics have been sent to all Regional Great Lords.”

“Chief of Police. The eradication of infiltrators in the capital is ongoing. We are witnessing increases from both large religious infiltrator groups and spontaneous infiltration. We estimate this rise is due to instability following the capital capture. Regarding this…”

“Intelligence Report from the Royal Guard. The source of anti-Empire sentiments in the Doroysen region has been traced back to the Erosion Sect…”

The discussion expanded from the state of the entire Empire to that of the continent.

As the scope grew, I was overcome by exhaustion and momentarily lost focus. That’s when the head servant approached and placed a stack of papers in front of me.

Thud!

Not a crash, but a heavy “thud.”

“Your Excellency Valenciaunos, you have the honor of reporting to His Majesty.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“Your report is needed, now.”

The eyes of all the administrative nobles zeroed in on me.

“Oh.”

Only then did I remember that I was the one tasked with reporting this meeting.

World.

* * *

The late summer sunlight streamed through the large rear window of the office.

I could hear cicadas chirping, and the Emperor’s white hair glowed with the radiance of the god of light, matching the color of her eyes.

“Things are rather peaceful, isn’t it?”

Upon hearing my report, Jeilliris idly muttered.

I panicked and double-checked if I had read any numbers wrong.

“Pardon? A large magical realm surged in the southern region, resulting in 50,000 casualties, and twelve knights perished during the closure process.”

“Isn’t that something bound to happen every now and then? With hundreds of millions of citizens in the empire, hundreds of thousands die of old age daily. In comparison, 50,000 casualties from a magical realm disruption indicate proper handling of the situation.”

After pondering it for a moment, Jeilliris was right.

If the kingdom hadn’t collapsed due to the magical surge and only 50,000 lives were lost, we should publish this as an exemplary disaster response manual.

Apparently, my fatigue is causing my emotions to fluctuate.

“The names of those twelve knights should be honored. I’ll write a eulogy in my name and send it.”

“Yes, Majesty. I’ll prepare that.”

Strangely enough, the deaths of twelve knights felt more significant than the tens of thousands of civilians who perished.

It saddened me, but that was the truth.

“With that, Your Majesty, I will visit the Admiral.”

The preparation before the preparation of preparation is over.

Now, it’s time to deal with the preparation itself.

Jeilliris naturally said, “Let’s go together.”

I, just as naturally, shook my head.

“No, Your Majesty.”

She narrowed her eyes and questioned.

“So you intend to receive the Admiral’s oath of loyalty yourself?”

“…”

That question was loaded with multiple meanings.

We both know that our Admiral is, in fact, a mermaid princess. To deal with her both as the Admiral of the Royal Navy and as the sovereign of a different race… It’s certain to become a complicated matter.

But I believed I had a way to cut through that complexity swiftly.

The previous Admiral in the timeline wasn’t a major force to reckon with.

‘White Shark’ Cariosa, ‘High’ Signain, ‘North Duke’ Seberik, ‘Golden’ Grace, ‘Ironblood Party Leader’ Marcus, and ‘Raging Earth Empress’ Caesar all revolted.

Could one Admiral from the south really matter amidst such chaos?

As our ancestors did, a rational course of action would suffice.

Things like taking their spawning grounds as leverage, for example?

But Jeilliris would surely bring down not just the sword but the wheels of annihilation upon anyone who defied her will.

As I hesitated to respond, she lifted her chin with an air of victory.

In the midst of her triumphant smile, it felt like the presence of a war goddess.

Seeing that smile and knowing the kind of welfare that surpassed even the recovery potions was heartening.

“Why should it be odd for me to meet my governors and admirals?”

“Your Majesty, forgive me, but aren’t you planning to kill them on sight?”

“Are you calling me… a monster? No, I am a monster, indeed. But I long to see the southern seas.”

This is what you call truly unstoppable logic.

If she wishes to see it, what am I to say?

World.

* * *

Saya Yan lived in the room next to Rudi’s in one of the secondary palaces.

It was, of course, absurd for an assassin like her to reside within the Imperial Palace.

Yet, bound by the black magic contract that rendered her incapable of harming any member of the royal family, including Rudi, she was granted shelter within its confines.

‘Late.’

Her days began, like Rudi’s, at dawn.

The dark-haired assassin rose from her bed and headed to the servants’ communal bathing area.

Drip, drip!

For someone whose trade requires erasing even the faintest of scents, Saya meticulously washed her hair with specially brewed herbal water every morning.

She did not dry her hair with the flowery-scented towels of the servants but used a plain, sun-dried cloth meant exclusively for her.

Her short hair had grown long enough to tie back now.

She changed into her outfit and neatly tied her hair.

She wore dark trousers, a sharply pressed linen shirt, and a black vest over it.

The trousers had reinforced inner pockets for the tools of her craft, while her vest doubled as a harness, where she concealed daggers within.

Once the buttons were fastened, the mirror revealed an enigmatic, androgynous attendant.

Every few years in the capital’s high society, a trend emerged where female servants and butlers were dressed in attire of the opposite gender.

As this trend was ongoing, Saya naturally fit in as a gender-neutral attendant accompanying Rudi.

“Are you ready, Saya?”

The already prepared Rudi called out to her.

“Yes, Your Excellency Rudi.”

Though she hadn’t expressed it to anyone, Saya Yan secretly feared Rudi.

“Then let’s go.”

Beyond her gentle voice, her amiable green eyes, her poised movements, Saya could sense something lurking.

Rudi was someone who treated serving tea and taking a life with equal weight—bearing a pleasant madness.

“Yes.”

For the nobility, even meals were business.

Rudi was invited to a brunch party with a badge-owning noble this morning, where legislators who supported the recent royal policies were gathering.

“Of course, we must allow bourgeois investments, but we cannot simply tolerate their recklessness, right?”

“What about leasing land on long-term contracts?”

“We should send emissaries to the Zahan Alliance to adjust loan interest rates. Leaking this information will naturally sort things out.”

It was a complex conversation, yet not entirely incomprehensible.

Nevertheless, being of no practical use to Saya herself, she spent more time building rapport among the noblewomen and attendants who accompanied others.

“Good day.”

“Oh, your Imperial language is quite proficient.”

“I’ve been diligently practicing.”

Her exotic beauty won her attention from both men and women alike, and she received numerous silk handkerchiefs.

‘Why are they giving me these?’

Saya didn’t yet understand that these were invitations for weekend “after-teas.”

In the afternoon, there was a gathering among wealth-focused nobility.

“Please expand the designated area in the new town for workshop construction. Jobs will inevitably be necessary once the population grows.”

“Would the shaded land west of the Ivory Tower suffice?”

“Naturally. It’s not like I’ll be working there myself… Just a joke, haha.”

One could call it either greasing the wheels or plain manipulation.

The life of nobility, be it here or in the eastern regions, remained surprisingly consistent.

Pfft!

“Neigh!”

As they were passing through an isolated warehouse district, a rock flew, and the carriage screeched to a halt.

Rudi giggled mischievously and remarked,

“An ambush. It could be highwaymen, disgruntled bourgeois unable to make profits, or a major plot by infiltrators. Regardless…”

This, too, didn’t seem different at all.

“Eliminate them all.”

“Eliminate them all.”

Saya nodded as she thought of her absent sovereign, Tarti.