Chapter 120
Chapter 120
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: Sirens Reach the Capital
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It really was a peaceful era.
How else could there be over thirty people in line for the throne? And they weren't even that far apart in age.
I'd thought Shahard, the Twelfth Prince I'd seen before, was pretty detached from power, which was why he could mess around so irresponsibly. Turns out he was higher up than I'd expected.
On top of that, aside from the undisputed First Princess, there were hardly any other single-digit royals left in the empire. That was unusual.
I knew the reason, but it hadn't come to light here yet. Even the materials Alkaido sent didn't mention it.
'No need to get tangled up with the First Princess. As for the remaining royals...'
Better to pick from the Ninth, Tenth, Twelfth, or Fifteenth Princes.
The rest had reputations that were either too bad or pointless.
"No word from Duvona yet?"
"Doesn't seem like it, from what Luna said."
Crunch, crunch.
I watched Rachel devour her apple—core, seeds, and all but the stem—and pondered.
With her personality, Duvona might just ignore it and blow off the promise.
Just as I was thinking of nudging her, Zero and Luna returned from buying groceries.
"Whoa, snacks!"
―Do you have apple pie?
"We got the apple pie Leaf mentioned."
Luna and Zero passed out snacks like they were rationing them, then handed me two letters and a fairly large box.
"Oh, it came?"
"Yes, it's from Housekeeper Alkaido."
The stuff I'd asked for during the siren call had arrived already.
One letter from Duvona, one from Gadia.
Not urgent right now, so letters later.
"Everyone, come here."
I set the box on the table and called them over.
"The mass-produced sirens are finally here."
I'd gotten one prototype first, which I'd given to Cain at the monster borderlands and then to Luna here.
It'd been useful enough, but what was a siren, really?
Like a cell phone on Earth, right?
So each person should get one.
Opening the box, they were clearly mass-production ready—various colors, just like the prototype. Round and plump like king-sized dumplings, with two black sesame-seed eyes.
Soft to the touch, and Alkaido had been thoughtful: each matched our hair colors.
"These will hit the capital markets in a few months. They've cut some features from the prototype I have,"
But ours were unrestricted, so no issue.
Simply cloning the prototype wouldn't have taken this long, even after Lepid the dragon joined.
My extra requests were what delayed it.
Long-range limits. Unlimited eavesdropping only on my and Alkaido's prototypes. And so-called country code restrictions.
The cheap mass-produced ones could only call within a single city.
Then two to four cities. Then a quarter of the empire. Then half.
No plans to release ones that worked empire-wide.
"These ones can call anywhere on the continent, like the prototypes, so keep it secret from others."
*Whooo, whooo.* Rachel fiddled with her red slime, making weird noises.
I chuckled at the sight.
"Sure?"
"Aw, why not! Showing off to the dragons—if I'm the only one in my race with one, those bastards would die of envy!"
"Yeah, no."
I'd tiered them to stoke vanity and greed, limited quantities too.
Obviously not releasing them all at once. For now, city-range sirens would dominate.
But eventually, most races on the continent would use them. Then I could just eavesdrop on key figures for tons of intel, no need for mass surveillance.
No matter who started an info war, I wouldn't lose easily. Now I could build that power properly.
"Each has a unique number you tap to call, right? Adelian, say yours."
"Mine's the prototype, so zero works."
"These other sirens have such long numbers. Any way to shorten them?"
"Shortcut update later, Zero."
Can't unlock all convenience at once—sales would tank.
Drip-feed features to keep buying new ones. Discounts for trading in old sirens to ease the burden on commoners.
"I'll test if the mass-produced ones sound clear from afar."
Zero grabbed his gray siren and headed outside.
Alkaido's side probably tested it, but I get that thrill. New phone vibes are universal, Earth or here.
While I was lost in thought, my siren rang.
Mine was prototype, so it could handle multiples. Let's test.
[Young master. Can you hear me?]
[Hey! You there? Say something!]
[―Even thoughts work fine. And it's mass-produced.]
[Lord Adelian. I'm outside by the bakery—how's it?]
"Crystal clear."
I smirked at the guys acting like kids with new toys.
* * *
Somewhere in the imperial palace.
A kindly plump woman approached a girl sprawled on the floor in the center of a hazy room lit by flowers and magical lanterns, scribbling away. She carried a box.
"Our crown princess. A unique new item arrived."
"Nanny, who's a crown princess? I haven't been granted that title yet."
Honey-blonde hair, amethyst purple eyes.
The First Princess Ceria, looking like she'd stepped from a temple mural, sat up and covered her mouth with a small laugh.
"It'll happen soon enough. What's wrong with calling you it early?"
"Psh, with all my talented siblings around?"
Ceria opened the small box her nanny handed her.
"Two slimes? Cute. But monsters get smuggled in like this?"
The nanny chuckled at Ceria tilting her head at the two pearlescent slimes.
"Hehe, not slimes—heard it's a communication artifact."
"Communication artifact?"
Ceria read the enclosed manual slowly, then lifted it to half-hide her face, smiling with her eyes.
"Whoa, neat. And it came to me, not Father or Mother?"
Precisely, imperial mages inspected it, but to guard against risks, it went to Ceria—the highest after the emperor and his wives.
'No need to mention that.'
The nanny combed Ceria's honey waves as she replied.
"Because you're the most influential young royal, Lady Ceria?"
Ceria giggled and hugged her nanny tight.
"You're the most precious to me, so you take this one. Now we can talk anywhere. Right?"
"Oh, princess."
The nanny hugged back the Ceria who always seemed a child to her.
"Sent by the Kruger family, huh. Interesting. The heir's a notorious playboy..."
The lady attends the same academy—maybe drop by casually?
Ceria smiled thinly.
* * *
"Came to the capital and got this. Not bad, eh?"
"It's just two-city range. Artifacts like that can be found if you look."
The Southern Fleet heir, Arman, brushed back his silver hair with bronze hands at his adjutant's words.
"Sure, findable if you try. But this? Mass-produced."
Handing one to each sailor, directing via calls instead of flags.
"Boosts navigation quality and speed."
His adjutant polished his monocle with a handkerchief and sighed.
"No."
"I haven't said anything yet?"
Arman leaned back in his chair upside-down, head on the rest. His adjutant pinched his brow.
"You're gonna say contact the Kruger family."
Busted. Arman winked.
The adjutant sighed from his depths.
"Patriarch Kaiman Grand Duke is rumored to have vanished to build power in secret. Hard to meet even before."
"His kids? Around my age, right?"
"Eldest daughter Gadia distrusts men and rarely leaves the academy."
"My face might work even in drag?"
"Disgusting. Don't."
Arman stretched and grumbled at his adjutant's retort.
"Why's everyone at that damn academy? Live free like me."
His adjutant thought it unbecoming for someone more ambitious than most, despite the carefree act.
"Second son Adelian's a hopeless wastrel, famously incompetent."
"Tempt him with a cut of the profits—might bite?"
Who'd entrust major interests to him? As the adjutant opened his mouth, Arman shrugged, picking his ear with his pinky.
"You never know."
Might as well meet once.
* * *
"A house that donates generously every time. And now unique items too."
The capital's sole temple.
Deepest in the sanctuary, adorned with relics and statues of countless gods.
In the grandest, ornate chamber, a smiling squinting middle-aged priest opened the box.
"If other houses cared for the main temple like the Krugers, it'd be nice."
The middle-aged man—High Priest—smiled amiably, removing his mitre and stole.
"One house monopolizing production like this... The Magic Tower and Alchemy Tower will riot. Right?"
He turned to a frail girl with sky-blue hair and blue eyes, small-framed, trembling.
"Y-Yes..."
"Big problem. We live under myriad gods' blessings, yet they forget the grace."
The High Priest sighed low, rolling up his pristine priest robes' sleeves, whip in hand.
"Meanwhile, Kaiman Grand Duke of Kruger, steady donor, is a true believer. Shame he doesn't follow our god alone."
That's polytheism for you. Can't be helped.
"Right?"
"Y-Yes... High Priest."
The bushy-haired girl, eyes barely visible, trembled as she rolled up her sleeves too.
"Just thirty today. Who knows when faith will stick... Heard you wasted power elsewhere again."
"The c-cat was sick... Sorry. I'm sorry."
Seeing scars and bruises from wrists to elbows, the High Priest swung the whip.
"Word is both Kruger heirs are in the capital. See which holds this deal's rights. Then... you know?"
"Yes, High Priest."
"I have high hopes for you, Saint. This siren will spark revolution."
The High Priest cupped the tear-streaked saint's cheek, smiling tenderly.
"The church thrives, we all thrive. So."
"I-I'll pray hard."
Saint Erielle smiled, hiding her blood-beading arm in her sleeve after the whip.