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Chapter 122 — Royal Envoys Arrive part 3

 

Next day’s furnace tour included a hand-picked group: Tristan, Khalifa, and a few best eyes.

「So this is the furnace. Big. And that chimney’s tall.」

「We run it hot on Nois coal. The stack must be high for draft.」

The tour went smoothly enough.

「You’re only making rails?」

「Lately we’ve started on military kit as well.」

「Oh?」

In metallurgy, Earth magic beats Fire. With Earth magic we shape molds for poured steel in moments. Through Nanom and Iris’s archive, I can push designs to the casters; for iron and copper goods we can reproduce parts with 100% fidelity.

「We’re beginning with sabers. We’ll add other items in time.」

Khalifa’s eyes gleamed. 「And I’m to carry that tale to the Prime Minister?」

He hadn’t expected me to say it flat out.

It was true: Ares’s steelworks were humming, and we’d started a line of military sabers for the Margrave’s army.

「We’ve prepared gifts matching your party’s headcount—apart from what’s destined for His Majesty. Please accept them as a memento of your stay.」

I presented him with one: a cavalry saber, composite construction with a tuned-carbon core and jacketed steel, industrially formed, single-edged with a gentle curve for mounted use.

「A beautiful blade—and single-edged.」

「For one-handed use on horseback.」

On horseback, a little curve lets you bleed shock by angle; cavalry weapons gain killing power from the horse’s speed. Curved blades take that load better.

Hard and keen, the saber hits above its weight from the saddle. Any commander of horse would covet them. Iris’s database and simulator had converged on an optimal historical profile. It’s no magic sword—but being an industrial product, we can field numbers.

「Is it wise to give help to your enemy? I won’t give it back.」

「Keep it. Ares needs revenue. If you like it, place a large order.」

Seeing the furnace in person must have reassured them: they had something to report. Over lunch the mood grew bright. With a cup of spirits in hand, Tristan praised Ares outright.

「Ares truly deserves to be called a ‘city’. I can hardly credit that you carved this from the Forest.」

We finished inspecting the goods requested by the King. The afternoon took them through the waterworks and the mill. We only showed what we were comfortable revealing; even so, they grasped the value of the waterworks. They assumed the source was the river or lake—fine by me. Let them believe we’ll never thirst in a siege. The mill’s impression may have branded the water channel in their minds.

The day after the tour, we held a brief presentation and sent them off.

「Lady Elna, until next time. Any message for His Majesty?」

「Please convey my warm regards to His Majesty.」

Even that polite nothing seemed to please Tristan. Perhaps that alone ticked his ‘royal favor’ box.

Watching with a faint, exasperated look, Count Khalifa turned to me.

「Until we meet again, Lord Corinth. A fair city—but too clean for my taste. I prefer a rougher pleasure quarter.」

「Next time, you may find developments beyond your imagination.」

「Or someone else will own Ares when you fail to hold it. In that case, I could hire you as a waterworks foreman.」

「Sounds lively—but Ares won’t fall. As for you—how about running the pleasure district yourself?」

「Heh. Perhaps in retirement—if I can sully this pristine city with the kind of filthy quarter I like.」

Leaving a strong aftertaste, Count Khalifa and Lord Tristan departed.

The gifts from the capital were mostly household luxuries—dresses for noble ladies, ornate jars—neither tools nor true art, but decorative finery.

What to do with these? They’d see little use on the frontier. Better to pass them to nearby nobles and buy goodwill? As I pondered the heaps in the guesthouse, Ria slipped back in—she’d been lying low in the guards’ barracks while the mission was here.

「Alan, this makes it official—you’re a Margrave now. Congratulations.」

She hurried over, oddly fidgety.

「Thanks. All that’s left is picking the moment to raise our banners against the Prime Minister. Then you take the throne. I’m sorry it’s taken so long, Ria.」

「Don’t say that.」

Her cheeks were flushed.

「You running a fever? Your face is red.」

Should I have the Nanoms inside her run a check?

「No, I’m fine. I’m just… happy. It feels like our dream is close. More importantly, now that you’re Margrave in name and deed—we need your palace. Then we’ll be living together again, won’t we?」

A palace, hm. The Queen will live there. It’s time. These gifts can stock it. We’ll put them to use.

「You’re right. Let’s start. First the plans. We’ll fold everyone’s wishes in.」

「Yes!」

Ria practically glowed.

 

Next day I convened our regular council. With the mission gone and my margravial rank secured, it was the right moment to align policy.

「Good work with the envoys. Count Khalifa coming himself was a surprise, but we handled him. The capital will hear of Ares’s presence.」

Faces all around were satisfied.

「City growth, food stores, monetizing the Forest’s wealth, steel for transport and arms—it’s all on track. Let’s keep grinding. One more thing: Ria will one day be Queen. We should begin her new residence—the palace. Thoughts?」

「Aye! Ria-sama’s accession is our heart’s desire. We’ve watched Ares grow, and the day comes!」

Roberto’s eyes misted first.

「I’ll take everyone’s ideas and draft the plans. If there are no objections, we’ll break ground.」

I glanced across the table. Ursula stared, stunned. Viscount Barten and Viscount Prell looked puzzled.

「Right—my apologies for keeping this close. Ria, shall we explain?」

「Of course. My name is Cleria Starvine—Princess of Starveek Kingdom. King Amado is the child of my grandmother’s younger sister’s line—my second cousin. We concealed it until the confrontation with the Prime Minister. Forgive the secrecy.」

Cleria’s name would be known in Belta and Cecilio both.

Viscount Barten folded his arms, then nodded. 「I see. With Her Highness’s blood, the question of royal legitimacy ceases to trouble me. If Princess Cleria ascends, our cause is clean. Burke will gape.」

Barten looks like a bruiser, but he’s keen. Prell seemed to agree.

Sadly, Viscount Zeifried left Ares after the mission’s departure, exercising the rights we promised at their welcome. At that time, I’d warned Barten and Prell, ‘If you remain, no leaving later’. With Ursula bringing her people over, it was time to share the secret.

「So Lady Cleria is a princess… that is a surprise.」

Ursula looks shaken. She suspected Ria was special, but a princess? When I took her under my wing and said, ‘I have enough princesses’,  this is what I meant. And this—this she could use.

「With Princess Cleria at the fore, Starveek’s nobles and commoners crushed under Alois will flock to her. And, ah… I, too, am known as of royal blood in the Kingdom of Cecilio.」

Viscount Barten chuckled. 「Then when we move on Alois, we hoist Princess Cleria’s banner—and when we move on Cecilio, we hoist Countess Ursula Dopner’s. I follow.」

Ursula pressed on. 「I am Prince Rougi’s cousin. Use my blood rightly when pacifying Cecilio.」

I looked to Ria. Ultimately, she was Starveek’s standard.

「What do you think, Ria?」

Everyone held their breath.

「If we slight Cecilio’s royals, Cecilio’s people will grieve. Let’s reserve a wing of the palace for Ursula.」

「Ria… thank you.」

Relief washed through me.

「My thanks as well, Princess Cleria.」

So Ursula’s public status settled among us.

 

 

「Cleria-sama, are you sure?」

Once we adjourned, Ria found herself surrounded by Roberto, Elna, Dalshim, Walter—the Starveek core—each voicing concern about Ursula.

Ria smiled. 「My promise with Alan is about Alois. Cecilio I leave to him—that was always understood.」

She kept her smile for her vassals. 「What matters is that our hope is within reach. Alan looks out for me. And Ursula isn’t a bad person. My father took consorts as policy to stabilize the realm.」

「First and foremost, Ria-sama’s accession is crucial. The countess will appreciate your magnanimity—Alan-sama too.」

「Exactly. This is the decisive stretch. We mustn’t crack our unity. Alan will fell the Prime Minister easily enough—but we still want every ally we can gather.」

「Yes. And when you ascend, Cleria-sama stands supreme. We’ll make that plain. I’ll begin palace plans at once.」

 

 

After the meeting, Iris pinged me with a priority call.

「What’s up, Iris? Something urgent?」

「Captain, I monitored the council through Serena. It’s about the palace.」

「Ah. I’m not picky on the design; everyone can decide. Of course I’ll lean on you for drafting.」

「Be sure to include rooms for Serena and Sharon.」

「…Come again?」

「They have no one to rely on but you.」

「I’ll look after them—as my subordinates. You have my word.」

「Treating them only as subordinates won’t suffice. Ares now sustains a city of fifty thousand, the steelworks are online, and the steam engine is in service. Our civilization level is climbing faster than we projected.」

「Because everyone’s worked their tails off—including Serena and Sharon.」

「Yes. And at this pace, there’s a non-zero chance we re-enter the Human Galactic sphere before they die. If that happens—what becomes of them?」

「As Imperial soldiers they should be fine; they were made for… ah, hell.」

「Yes. They are clones.」

In the Human Galactic Empire, clones are illegal—not persons under the law. Ares’s leverage would mean nothing; without measures, we couldn’t protect Serena and Sharon in Imperial space. Wonderful. Success breeds new problems.

「Any legal workaround?」

「Marriage conveys citizenship in the Empire, as family law follows local custom. If Ares recognizes polygyny, that’s acceptable.」

「…」

「If they marry a citizen of the Empire, their status is anchored. At least the risk of suffering immediate harm should be considerably reduced.」

 

「I’m the only official citizen of the Empire on this planet.」

「Yes. That’s why I asked you before to take responsibility for them.」

Iris’s image on the Virtual Window showed a proud smile. She looks happy she one-upped me; it isn’t my imagination.

「However, marriage alone isn’t airtight. It can be suspected as a sham, and it can be dissolved. To raise certainty, they should bear children by a citizen of the Empire—namely, you. Maternal lineage is a strong legal tie. It greatly reduces the risk. We should focus on having you produce children with the two of them and educate those children as the future imperial military leaders of this sector.」

「Even if I’m about to face court-martial? And what about their consent?」

「Guilt isn’t hereditary. This holds regardless of your verdict. And of course consent matters. Captain, ask them. They were hurt by this morning’s talk. Care for them.」

「…All right. I’ll speak with them.」

What do I even say? Iris pressed on, merciless.

「You, on your own, will handle their feelings—quickly. This is an uncivil world at war. We should have many children. Two each—no, three. Neglect my daughters and I will not be pleased. The palace in Ares will have Serena’s and Sharon’s rooms. Please and thank you, Captain.」

And that was that. Iris steamrolled me.

 

That night, I shut myself in my room and opened a call to Serena and Sharon.

「Serena, Sharon—may I speak with you?」

「「Yes.」」

「About this morning—there will be rooms for you two in the palace.」

「「Kyaa!」」

My words vanished under their squeals.

「Don’t just drop that on us, Alan.」

「Exactly. Think about what you’re saying, Alan.」

「If I gave the wrong impression, I apologize—」

「No wrong impression. Don’t worry, Alan.」

「Right. Just back it up with actions, Alan.」

「After the council, Ria told us, ‘You’ll have rooms’. So you don’t have to tiptoe.」

「But do remember us sometimes.」

「「Good night.」」

The line cut. …Well. Concerns resolved—let’s call it that.