Chapter 31
Three days.
During the time the banquet was held, the Empire gained quite a lot of benefits.
First and foremost
“Everyone knows that the Empire is in decline.”
“…”
“But still, was it really to the point of badmouthing us loudly in their carriages?”
I clearly understood what the leaders of each country thought of the Empire.
In truth, this was something I had somewhat guessed since the Sendra Kingdom incident.
Usually, before I stepped forward.
I thought those who wanted to be on good terms with the Empire would step forward on their own.
“Everyone just watched until I stepped forward.”
Everyone just watched until I, the Crown Prince, personally took action.
From then on, I actively utilized Silphiner, Arveda, and Luminix.
Spirit Drone, Magic Drone, Mystic Drone.
These three drones spread throughout the Imperial Palace and monitored everything about each country.
You have good Spirit Affinity? How about Magic?
You have good Magic Affinity? Then how about Mystic Power?
Since there was no one who could perfectly Master all three.
None of the leaders of each country could escape the Empire’s surveillance.
Through this, I was able to hear a great deal, and thanks to that, I gained great clarity on how to proceed.
“It would be faster to just conquer them all.”
Why didn’t the Empire wage a Conquest War?
That is, with such strong power.
Was it because they were afraid of soldiers being Ground down?
But there was no need for that.
I had no intention of fighting a war.
'There’s no need to drag a large army along just to catch one head.'
I have five bio-nuclear weapons, so why would I lead an army?
I just had to do exactly the same as when I cleaned up the Northern Region.
However, if I deployed all five of them, the Chance of Annihilation would rise again.
I would just need to utilize a minimum of one to a maximum of two.
“I also got a lot of information from Mirne, after all.”
The information I obtained right away was about the Dragon’s Legend.
Naturally, it was clearly related to Arveda’s true name.
I was even able to hear the detailed location of that legend.
“Besides, after digging a bit more, I was able to hear about the curse too.”
Exactly up to there.
Due to time constraints, I couldn’t hear any more stories beyond that.
But even that much was enough.
“It would be better to dispatch the Information Unit intensively to Mirne’s side.”
From now on, they just had to find out on their own.
If all the information about fortuitous encounters was gathered in the Maselin Kingdom.
I just had to focus on actively plundering the Maselin Kingdom.
“Will it be alright if you don’t pay attention to the other kingdoms?”
“They are places that will disappear anyway, so it’s meaningless.”
“I shall heed your command.”
As for the remaining kingdoms, I just had to wipe them off the map.
They seem to be babbling about forming an alliance among the kingdoms and then striking the Northern Region or striking the Eastern Region.
The justification has already been sufficiently secured, so I hope they wash their necks clean.
“I want an Eternal Empire.”
“Loyalty!”
At my words, the knights and nobles bowed with their eyes wide open as if deeply moved.
“Because if the Empire falls, I die.”
No one knew my inner thoughts.
That a person dies if the Empire is destroyed.
He was muttering inwardly like that.
“What happened to what I mentioned before?”
“Ah, you mean the education system. It is progressing rapidly. The Academy is also the same, and…”
“It is progressing well. If you need anything, tell me immediately and I will support you.”
“Thank you.”
Checking the Empire Status Window, I grasped whether the Empire was currently running well.
In truth, nothing had changed significantly.
The national treasury was still insufficient, and the military power was the worst.
However, if there was a difference, it was that an upward-pointing arrow had been attached next to military power and corruption.
This was a very positive signal.
I was checking the internal affairs of the Empire one by one like that.
“But did a Magic Tower exist within the Empire?”
I brought up the topic I was most curious about.
Clearly, just when I checked the Empire Status Window, there was no mention of a Magic Tower.
“I didn”t know, and even the Nobles didn’t bring up any stories about a Magic Tower.'
It was truly like some setting that dropped out of the sky.
The Magic Tower suddenly revealed its presence through the sentence “exists within the Empire”.
But the funny thing was that the Magic Tower couldn’t be found.
Even though there was talk that it was in the Eastern Region, last time when I went for a walk in the Eastern Region, I couldn’t find anything like a tower at all, let alone a Magic Tower. So what Magic Tower is this?
“That… clearly exists.”
The one who resolved this question was the Chancellor.
“That?”
“Yes, so the Magic Tower is… in the skies above the Empire.”
“It’s floating in the sky?”
“It nominally protects the Empire from the sky, and provides wizards to the Empire.”
“…Provide?”
Something with such pure and good intentions exists in the Empire? But how could I not have known until now?
Various questions were coming to mind.
“Yes, but in return, the Empire provides them with massive research funds.”
“But how could I not know? I didn’t even receive a report?”
Questions and answers went back and forth.
“That is…”
The Chancellor blatantly seemed reluctant to answer my question.
Just what kind of answer was he planning to give the moment that question arose?
“It is because they are above Imperial Law.”
The Grand General, Akam Bellos, continued the answer.
“They just take money under the pretext of support funds, and the support of wizards is extremely small. Your Highness, no matter how many Imperial Guard Knights we have… don’t you think it’s strange that there isn’t a single Archmage residing within the Imperial Palace?”
“Hahaha!”
As soon as I heard that answer, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
This laughter came out because I was so amazed by the Empire.
It hasn’t fallen even with this? Until now?
Even in this situation, it can still play pretend as an Empire for about 5 years?
Even with crazy wizards extorting money while claiming to be above Imperial Law, floating in Stealth Mode in the skies above the Empire?
“Now I understand why the national treasury showed no signs of improving.”
It was because a crazy money-eating hippo that didn’t even need to be written in the ledgers was floating in the sky.
The Magic Tower that claimed to 'provide' wizards after devouring as much of the Empire’s money as it could.
Instinctively, I felt like there would be a Male Lead supporting Mirne inside the Magic Tower as well.
Just by looking at the Artifact the Second Prince was communicating with, it definitely didn’t seem like something that could be obtained at a normal level.
What if someone was mass-producing them?
“Flirting with another country”s Princess, and it’s not even his own citizens spending the money… above Imperial Law… Hah.'
I didn’t even want to think about it anymore.
I felt the absolute need to get rid of them.
But at the same time, a question also arose.
“But does it make sense that we didn’t know until now? The Empire has its history, so how could we not know of the Magic Tower’s existence like this? Was there no interaction?”
It was about how we could not know about the Magic Tower while proceeding with Imperial Normalization.
“That is… recent events have progressed so quickly, and in the midst of that, the Magic Tower has been extremely quiet.”
“So… they stayed quiet while we were cleaning house?”
Such an absurd excuse works? Or was it framed to work that way?
The latter was highly likely.
So, in terms of the setting, the Empire absolutely had to fall.
There would need to be a few devices meant to ensure the Empire’s downfall.
“To achieve that, ruining two grand dukes and one Second Prince wasn”t enough… so they even laid a silent Parasite up above, is that it?'
Only now did I realize why there were so few wizards in the Northern Region.
No, I realized the reason that the number of wizards in the Empire itself was so small that it was considered strange.
The Empire’s wizards were just an independent order.
Of course, there were those who weren’t, but you could say that most of the Magic was being outsourced.
That’s why whenever you saw knights, they were usually sword masters.
But wizards were at a level where you had to Search every nook and cranny just to barely find one.
“To think I even found this out because other kingdoms were badmouthing the Empire behind our backs.”
If I hadn’t known, I really wouldn’t have known until the end.
Or I would have noticed after the Magic Tower sucked the Imperial Treasury dry to the bottom.
The expected scenario is like this.
Once the Imperial Treasury was truly completely emptied.
The story where the Magic Tower, no longer receiving money, just goes straight over to the Maselin Kingdom.
“Do you know where the Magic Tower is located?”
“…We do not know that either.”
“Why on earth did the Empire make such a contract with the Magic Tower? Anyone can see it’s a loss.”
“It is something that has been done for a long time… In fact, His Majesty the Emperor used to manage this.”
While continuing the conversation and thinking about such a story.
The story about the Emperor, which I was really curious about, came out.
“Were there any last words His Majesty left behind when he departed?”
“…I apologize, Your Highness.”
But there was no information gained.
“The Magic Tower was originally managed at the Emperor”s level, but did it suddenly float in limbo when the Emperor disappeared?'
Even so, it didn’t make sense for the Chancellor to immediately tell me about matters related to the Magic Tower.
The Emperor hadn’t been gone for long, and bringing up the Magic Tower in such a situation meant…
It could carry the underlying intention that the Emperor would no longer return, and that he would acknowledge me as the Emperor.
From the Chancellor’s perspective, it would be quite awkward to do that.
“Did he think his head might fly off if he made that mistake, especially while the Crown Prince was doing a sword dance?”
Various hypotheses dizzied my head once again.
But even in the midst of that, the immediate priority did not change.
“We must let the Magic Tower know that the Empire has changed.”
Obviously, the Magic Tower Lord wouldn’t come if called.
I had no choice but to go personally.
+++++
Thrum.
A lofty tower was floating in the sky through High-level Magic and Unique Magic.
The Magic Tower Lord climbed leisurely to the top of the tower and was looking down.
“When you look down from such a high place, everyone looks so much like ants.”
The Empire.
No matter how great they claim to be, in the end, that’s all just a story on the Ground.
The sky is the Domain of Wizards.
A position where knights could only stare up at them stupidly, like dogs barking at the moon.
“Anyway, the Empire’s support hasn’t been what it used to be lately.”
Is it about time to find a new nest?
It was nice when I could just sit around and lazily do research while eating the Empire’s money.
Now, I thought that I might inevitably have to go to the Maselin Kingdom according to my son’s will.
From what I hear, it’s a poor place.
In order to stay comfortably in such a place, wouldn’t I inevitably have to provide free support in the beginning?
“Hmm… I don’t really feel like doing that, tsk.”
The Magic Tower Lord furrowed his brow, making an expression that showed he really didn’t want to work.
Right then.
“Hmm?”
Based on his line of sight.
He realized that something was flying towards him at a rapid pace from the front.
“…Huh?”
That was a ridiculous notion.
No one knows the location of the Magic Tower.
There is even a Unique Barrier that lets things pass right through if they don’t perceive it.
Is someone flying here while perceiving this place?
“I guess I don’t need to worry.”
Because it was an impossible event.
The Magic Tower Lord thought that whatever was coming from the front would just pass through the Magic Tower.
But.
Shing.
The sound of a sword being drawn, which was chilling just to hear, pierced his ears.
And at the same time
“Uh?”
A massive flame was seen.
The Magic Tower Lord knew the identity of that flame.
Sol Bellos.
That power.
“W-Wait a minute!”
CRASH!
It was swept over the Magic Tower.
“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince! This Servant has completed the mission perfectly!”
“Arveda, good work. Thanks to you, finding the Magic Tower was easy.”
“This Servant wishes to receive praise from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince later!”
“Of course I will.”
The conversation heard belatedly was a bonus.