Chapter 413: The Eccentric(4)
Chapter 413: The Eccentric(4)
Until I entered the Academy, I only knew my father's former occupation; I didn't know exactly what he had done.
Whenever I asked, my father would brush it off, saying he was just an ordinary knight, and I got similar answers from the rest of the family.
However, as his past was revealed bit by bit after I entered the Academy, I gradually realized that he was far from ordinary.
Not only did he survive the border regions where people died constantly, but he also pacified them. He was even a hero who had slain a dragon, albeit with the support of the army.
That alone was formidable enough, but hearing that he was also involved in the imperial power struggle left me with much to think about.
"You could say it was bad luck. I was far from the throne at the time. The reason I chose him was precisely because he was a commoner with no connections."
"Was it not his choice to go to the Navy Knights?"
"In a way, yes. But I never imagined Lord Maishal would survive, let alone return after clearing out the entire border region. You could say that one thing caused everything to go completely sideways."
It was the day after my unexpected encounter with the Emperor, Berit. I was listening to his story after being invited to a meeting that was a formal introduction to the family in all but name.
Berit, naturally, sat at the head of the long banquet table, with Lina and Leort seated on either side of him.
However, the seat next to Berit was empty. I could guess what that signified.
Come to think of it, they said she passed away from an illness.
It was a well-known story that the Empress had passed away after a long battle with a chronic illness. I had even seen it in the newspapers.
No matter how versatile divine power might seem, it cannot solve everything. Especially in the case of diseases, it only significantly alleviates the symptoms; it is far from a complete cure.
This is also why medicine has developed surprisingly well despite the existence of divine power. Furthermore, the Empress had passed away due to severe aftereffects.
"Did my father enter politics, then?"
"Not exactly, but his mere existence became a problem. My brothers made a ridiculous assumption. They thought Lord Maishal survived because I was supporting him from behind the scenes, and that his appointment as the Commander of the Navy Knights was for use as a political tool. It was absurd, considering even I expected Lord Maishal to die in battle."
"..."
"Furthermore, Lord Maishal's standing within the military was overwhelming after he resolved the border region, which was the worst headache of the time. Do you get the picture now?"
I had a general idea of what he meant. A war hero—especially one who saved the country from a crisis—gains immense influence the moment they enter politics.
Occasionally, you see cases where a general who achieved great feats is purged on charges of treason. My father's case was slightly unique, but similar.
Moreover, returning with brilliant achievements from a death trap where anyone else would have surely died? And as a commoner with no connections?
People couldn't help but think someone was supporting him from the shadows. It was a peculiar situation where both Berit and my father were victims of circumstance.
My father surely would have insisted on remaining a knight. The problem was, who would believe him?
"Perhaps that's why my other brothers wouldn't leave me alone. They judged that it would be a headache if I ran wild with the Red Lion at my back. Neither I nor Lord Maishal had any such intention, of course."
"I suppose they couldn't just stand by and watch."
"Exactly. In a situation that was essentially a dilemma, Lord Maishal had no choice but to reach out to me. It just so happened that Lord Maishal had found a partner at the time, so he needed to eliminate all risk factors."
"...Is it alright for you to tell me such things?"
I asked cautiously, as the details were quite specific. Imperial power struggles are top-secret matters where the media is perfectly controlled.
In a country with strong imperial authority like the Minerva Empire, an internal struggle could shake the very foundations of discipline.
However, since Berit's ascension took place before I was born, it might have been quite big news back then.
"What does it matter? It's all in the past. Have you ever seen Lord Maishal show distrust toward the Imperial Family or anything of the sort?"
"I'm not sure. Instead..."
I trailed off and glanced at Lina and Leort respectively.
They were enjoying the feast leisurely, but they were listening intently to our conversation.
The same went for Mari, who was sitting next to me. The atmosphere was somewhat stiff, but that was unavoidable since the conversation had only just begun.
"He told me to let him know if the Imperial Family ever bothered me or pressured me. I didn't say anything, but I almost went on hiatus because of that once."
"Ahem. Khem."
"Hum, hum."
The siblings cleared their throats awkwardly, as if my words had hit a nerve. A slight blush crept onto Lina's face, perhaps out of embarrassment.
On the other hand, Mari let out a small chuckle. She likely knew which incident I was referring to.
It was the moment I truly realized the power I held, and the decisive occasion that led me to speak informally with Lina. That connection has continued to this day.
"You mean that time. I shall apologize on their behalf. It seems my children's passion was a bit excessive."
"No, it's fine. Everything has already been resolved."
Above all, they were much more polite compared to the Ters Kingdom. If it had been the Ters Kingdom, they would have tried to drag me away or used all sorts of threats.
Unlike now, it was a time before I was revered as a Saint, so in the worst-case scenario, the Minerva Empire and the Ters Kingdom might have clashed.
Fortunately, it was a relief—of sorts—that the Ters Kingdom failed to figure out my identity.
"That is a relief. No wonder Lord Maishal dislikes us even more. I heard that even when we send support to the Maishal Territory, he insists on checking everything himself because he doesn't trust us."
"That's news to me."
"Then please tell him on my behalf. Because of that, the reports are being delayed significantly. Ah, before that, does Lord Maishal know that you are forming a connection with us?"
He probably knows. Although he distrusts the Imperial Family, my father hardly ever interferes with my life.
Partly because I'm an adult now and should handle my own affairs, partly because of my current status, and above all, because of practical matters.
My father has a somewhat stiff and stubborn side, but he is infinitely generous when it comes to his children.
So, even if I were to enter a political marriage with Lina, he might be unhappy, but he wouldn't oppose it.
"He doesn't know yet, but he won't oppose it. He's a man with an overflowing love for his children."
"I see. Then we shall decide on the marriage matters slowly. It would be rude to discuss such topics when your fiancée is right here beside you."
"Thank you for your consideration."
It was Mari, not me, who smiled brightly and expressed her gratitude. Indeed, unless we were already married, discussing marriage wasn't quite appropriate for the current situation.
With the political marriage issue settled simply like that, all that remained were personal stories.
For instance...
"When will the conclusion be released?"
Stories about the Xenon Chronicle. Honestly, this was much better than politics, which was exhausting just to hear about.
The "test" in the garden was over, and to keep the conversation going, a topic everyone was interested in was best.
Furthermore, from the Minerva Empire's perspective, the conclusion of the Xenon Chronicle was quite important. This was because the publisher was located in the Minerva Empire—specifically, in the Maishal Territory.
I had left most of the money management to the publisher, and the Minerva Empire was reaping substantial benefits through the taxes from that publisher.
"I plan to finish it soon. After the conclusion, I'm planning to release side stories as well."
"Side stories... Like the one I heard about in the garden earlier?"
"There's that, but there are others as well."
One is The Passing Hero, inspired by Clark. Another is an "IF" story.
If Jin dies, the impact will be greater than I anticipate. It's more like insurance to soothe the angry public sentiment.
However, as the "IF" suggests, Jin's death is the official canon. I have absolutely no intention of changing that.
"That sounds interesting. Then, what about your next work after the side stories? Surely the Xenon Chronicle isn't the end?"
"It's not, but I plan to present a completely different story."
"A completely different story?"
"Yes. I'm sure there will be many parts that Your Majesty will find intriguing. I can guarantee that."
I was talking about a novel regarding World War II. Of course, for a clearer understanding, I wouldn't jump straight into the war.
I planned to first briefly explain World War I, the root of all evil, and then summarize the background of Germany's growth.
I'd include the communism of the Soviet Union and the Great Depression in America, which fueled Germany's rise.
Originally, World War II didn't break out simply because of Hitler; it was a chain reaction of things that had festered for a long time, so an explanation was absolutely necessary.
"Since it's a novel guaranteed by Xenon himself, I can trust it. Is that also a book of prophecy like the Xenon Chronicle?"
"...The Xenon Chronicle wasn't a book of prophecy to begin with, Your Majesty."
"It's hard to say it isn't when it has shown us so many things. What will you do if similar phenomena occur in your future works?"
"..."
I had nothing to say to that. Because of the prophecy Luminous had given me before.
A prophecy that made my head spin just hearing it—that three dwarves would grandly enter while leading a tank.
Furthermore, the world is currently on the verge of entering the industrial age. Eins has invented a mana engine and is even in the process of building a locomotive.
To top it off, didn't he bring some kind of automobile last time? Along with the first-ever case of drunk driving and a traffic accident.
"......If that happens, I believe it's not because I prophesied it, but because the technology of this world is exceptional."
"I can't say you're wrong. Then, another question. What kind of work are you planning to write this time?"
Before answering Berit, I glanced at Lina. She probably had a rough idea of what I was going to write.
And sure enough, Lina looked at me briefly and then quietly closed her eyes.
A reaction that was neither an affirmation nor a denial. It was more like telling me to do as I pleased. After all, writing was my freedom.
At this, I curled the corners of my mouth slightly and began to explain my next work.
"Your Majesty. Imagine for a moment. If there were no mana in this world, how do you think the world would have changed?"
"Hmm. No mana..."
"Mana is the source of all development. If humanity had developed without such power, aren't you curious about what form the world would have taken?"
"I imagine they would have become easy prey for wild beasts, let alone monsters. Even the beastkin would have found it hard to survive."
He answered wittily, but it was a fairly negative response. In fact, that was the natural reaction; without mana, even elves and demons would just be humans with long lifespans.
In reality, the humans of Earth gained immense reproductive power to increase the number of surviving individuals rather than just being eaten.
But humanity didn't stop there; they continued to develop and develop until they established themselves as the top of the food chain, eventually reaching a power that could even destroy themselves.
Considering it took tens of thousands of years for 'technology' to be born, it was truly a vast period of time.
"I'm thinking of writing such a story. Based on the imagination of what kind of world it would be if humanity had extremely developed technology instead of mana."
"I suspect you didn't just imagine it, but experienced it yourself?"
Leort, who had been quiet until then, asked jokingly with a smirk. He didn't seem to believe it at all either.
The problem was that those words pierced right through me. Since he poked me from a completely unexpected angle, I couldn't help but flinch.
Still, I opened my mouth while pretending nothing was wrong.
"Haha. That's a funny joke. If that were the case, I would have written about it long ago."
"True. If you came from such a world, you would have used that technology long ago."
Fortunately, it seemed to pass over well. I let out a sigh of relief inwardly.
Even Mari, who possessed mind-reading abilities, would find it difficult to gauge this accurately. It was true that I couldn't use that technology myself.
"Technology..."
Meanwhile, Berit stopped eating and stroked his beard as if deep in thought.
After a long while, he organized his thoughts and threw a question at me while looking my way.
"Exactly when do you plan to write that story?"
"I plan to start writing it immediately after a one-month break following the completion of the side stories."
"I'm truly sorry, but could you postpone your next work by at least three months?"
"Pardon?"
I was more bewildered than flustered by the completely unexpected proposal. This was the same for everyone else.
When everyone's gaze turned toward Berit, he spoke with a serious look in his eyes.
"The world you mentioned is a place without mana. You also said it's a world that has extremely developed technology instead of mana and magic. Am I correct?"
"Uh... yes. That's right."
"If anyone else had written about such a world, I would have dismissed it as nonsense. However, whether you deny it yourself or not, you are treated as a prophet or a person from the future. Last time, a mana engine imitating a steam locomotive appeared, and even an object called an automobile was invented."
After taking a short breath, Berit began to explain the fundamental reason.
"The moment such things appear, conflicts, both large and small, will arise."
"Conflicts... you say?"
"Yes. Those who insist that magic should be developed, calling it nonsense, and those who want to develop technology as shown in your book. It would be nice if the two could harmonize, but that will be difficult. Conservatism and progressivism are bound to clash. This situation will spread not only in the Empire but throughout the entire world."
"..."
I was starting to understand. Just as he said, there are bound to be people with conservative tendencies and people with progressive tendencies everywhere in the world.
And these two always clash, and the side trying to develop technology is closer to progressivism.
It meant that, unlike the Xenon Chronicle, the differences in tendencies and ideologies would be more clearly revealed. Furthermore, it wouldn't be limited to one specific country but could spread worldwide.
What Berit was asking for was time to prepare for this situation to some extent. Thinking about it, it made quite a bit of sense.
"I'm already having a headache because of the demon worshippers, so having political issues entangled here as well is a bit... troublesome. Is there any way?"
"Hmm... I will take it into consideration."
"Thank you. If it were anyone else, I would have laughed it off, but since it's you, I couldn't let it slide easily. Of course, this is merely a suggestion; you are free to write as you wish. Keep that in mind."
I let out an awkward laugh. It seemed the excitement of the conclusion and the anticipation for the next work had clouded my vision.
Added to that was Lina's priceless reaction. I thought everyone in the world would react as pricelessly as Lina.
Right. Let's focus on the conclusion first.
Looking too far ahead might make me miss what's right in front of me. With that resolve, I finished the banquet.
[People supporting the Jin-Lily couple. If Jin dies, they will hold a funeral. Other plans are in motion.]
[The number of people vehemently opposing Jin's death increases with each passing day...]
[Will Xenon deliver despair until the very end?]
Following that, news that made the future look bleak arrived one after another.