Chapter 217
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 217
High above the Helenos airfield.
A magnificent, platinum-colored airship touched down gracefully on the runway.
“We have arrived at our destination. You may now unbuckle your safety belts.”
Following the attendant’s instructions, I unbuckled my belt and turned to Beatrice. “Could you build one of these for me? I’ll pay you handsomely.”
It was a high-speed airship, a marvel of the Magic Empire’s cutting-edge technology, capable of crossing the vast distance from the Meteor Archipelago to the imperial capital of Helenos in a single day.
A journey that would have taken weeks by switching between carriages and boats had been completed in mere hours. It was a piece of machinery I desperately coveted.
Beatrice slowly shook her head.
“Unfortunately, we can’t build these with our current technology. We are merely operating one that was excavated from an ancient site.”
“Ah, I see.”
Like the Magic Tower’s airship I had ridden during the summer training camp, this one was a relic from a golden age.
“Then sell it to me. Name your price.”
“It’s priceless to begin with, but to even consider a purchase, you’d have to sell off several cities. Can you afford that?”
“…”
I might be wealthy, but I wasn't "buy-multiple-cities" wealthy. Guess I’d be sticking to the ground for now.
As we disembarked, dozens of knights stood in perfect formation on either side of a red carpet that stretched out from the ramp.
“Welcome, Your Highness!”
The knights’ voices boomed in a powerful, synchronized salute.
“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”
Beatrice walked between them as if it were second nature. The rest of us, including Yulina, followed in her wake.
After leaving the airfield, we were transported toward the imperial palace in a magical device that bore a striking resemblance to a black limousine. It glided forward with eerie smoothness.
It was a world away from carriages that smelled of horse dung and left your backside sore after an hour.
“Wow…”
Trish and Bell, who had never seen such a thing, stared at the vehicle’s interior with sparkling eyes.
Yulina, however, who was always by Beatrice’s side, seemed entirely accustomed to the luxury. She leaned back in her seat and shot me a look. “Is this your first time in a car, too?”
Her expression was practically dripping with a sense of superiority.
“My first time…”
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t.
After all, in my past life, I’d even died after being hit by a truck, and I’d certainly ridden in my fair share of luxury cars.
“I’ve probably ridden in these more than you have.”
“…?”
Yulina tilted her head in confusion, but I didn’t elaborate.
Instead, I ran my hand over the luxurious leather seat and thought, ‘I might not be able to afford that airship, but I could probably buy a car.’
Then again, it was only practical in the capital where the roads were perfectly paved. It would be useless on the rest of the continent, where proper roads were a luxury, let alone paved ones.
After a long drive along the well-maintained boulevards, the car finally came to a stop. I had been admiring the glittering buildings flashing by the window, but now, we had arrived at the heart of the empire.
When I stepped out, an elderly gentleman in a crisp suit and dozens of servants bowed in unison.
“Welcome to the Imperial Palace. His Majesty is waiting. Honored guests, please pass through the mana detector.”
A security sweep before entering the palace. It was a standard procedure to disarm weapons and dangerous magical devices.
The others passed through the search without any issues, but…
Beep—beep—!
The moment I walked through the detector, a warning light flashed red.
In the end, I had to strip off my artifacts one by one.
Clank.
Starting with the Sage’s Glasses, then the Ring of Truth, the Cognitive Acceleration Stone Pendant, the Aegis Shield, Tubal-Cain’s Star, the Azoth Sword, the Subspace Pouch, and so on.
Even my suit, shoes, tie, and umbrella were all artifacts. No matter how many I took off, the alarm wouldn't stop.
The ringing was incessant, forcing me to remove my jacket and even my shoes.
Taking off anything more would be… problematic.
Besides, if I removed Derod’s Ring, it would cause a genuine disaster, so I finally dug my heels in.
“Hey, how far are you planning to take this?”
As I hesitated, Beatrice stepped forward.
“…That’s enough. At this rate, he’ll have to strip to his underwear. I will personally vouch for Roen’s identity.”
Only then did the servants back away.
“Our deepest apologies.”
After a brief orientation, we finally entered the magnificent imperial palace.
Creeak—
As the massive doors swung open, a dazzling light poured out.
The interior was like another dimension. Towering pillars and a massive dome-shaped ceiling created an overwhelming spectacle, looking so grand it felt as if it might collapse under its own weight. Artistic mosaics crafted from gold and vibrant jewels covered the ceiling like a man-made sky.
After navigating the splendid corridors for some time and passing through several more guarded doors, we finally entered the audience chamber.
Servants guided us to the foot of the throne’s steps.
“Please kneel.”
We followed the instructions, paying our respects with practiced etiquette. We waited in that position for a moment until the chamberlain’s voice echoed through the hall.
“Presenting His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Marcus, Master of the Seven Magic Towers, Guardian of the Magic Empire, Lord of Mir, and the rightful heir of the House of Cassandra. All, lower your heads!”
With the announcement, an overwhelming wave of magical pressure flooded the chamber.
Emperor Marcus had arrived.
I had seen him once before, but facing him here, in the heart of his power, the pressure was on a different level.
Seated upon his throne, he gave the command.
“You may rise.”
Beatrice was the first to raise her head, and we followed suit in the order we had been taught.
The Emperor’s gaze settled on me first.
“Roen, did you receive the gift I sent?”
His "gift" was the Cassandra Imperial Family’s massive investment in Valerian Academy. Though it was a double-edged sword, it was undeniably helpful. It was certainly a gift of immense value.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you for your consideration. It has been a great help.”
“Good. Do not feel burdened. I am assisting your academy out of pure goodwill. I hope we can maintain a fruitful relationship from now on.”
His favorable tone suggested he had no immediate ill intentions. In that case, I had every reason to be grateful.
“Your grace is boundless.”
The Emperor gave a small nod and spoke again.
“I hear you have traveled a long way to tour the Magic Towers.”
“That is correct. I am here to use the tour ticket for the Deiarron Magic Tower that I received from the Chairman.”
“A tour ticket, you say. With that, you would normally only be permitted to visit the Alchemist’s Tower.”
The Emperor stroked his beard and said generously, “Very well. I shall grant you permission to visit all seven Magic Towers. Stay as long as you wish and take what you need.”
“…!”
The Emperor hadn't just permitted entry to the Deiarron Magic Tower, but to the other six as well. Moreover, he said I could stay as long as I wanted, meaning I could visit the towers anytime during the break to gather the information I needed.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
The equipment needed to unlock Roen’s diary was located in the Meister’s Tower. I had planned to ask Grand Duke McDowell for a separate favor, but now, there was no need.
Marcus turned his gaze to Trish, who stood beside me.
“And you are the young lady who presented the research on the popularization of blue dye. A descendant of the Medici family, correct?”
“I-I am honored, Your Majesty!”
“I heard my daughter is a member of your club. I trust you will continue to take good care of her.”
“Ye-Yes, of course!”
While Trish answered with a trembling voice, the Emperor turned to Bell.
“Your name is Bell, I believe. I heard of you from Grand Duke McDowell. He spoke highly of your outstanding talent.”
“You… you flatter me.”
“I am well acquainted with your bloodline. The Mir Magic Tower has taken a keen interest in your abilities. It would be wise for you to visit if you are so inclined.”
The Mir Magic Tower was the tower of elementalism, directly managed by the Cassandra Imperial Family. It seemed they wanted to research Bell’s extreme flame ability.
Afterward, the Emperor offered a brief word of encouragement to Yulina and Ciel before dismissing us.
“You must be tired from your long journey. It would be cruel to keep you standing here. Go and rest.”
His ability to remember and address each person individually, combined with his consideration for our fatigue—he truly played the part of a benevolent ruler.
*
As Beatrice’s personal guests, we were treated with lavish hospitality.
We were each assigned a room as large as a small palace, complete with several personal maids to attend to our every whim. We would want for nothing during our stay.
The Magic Tower tour was scheduled to start the next day, so we were free to roam for the remainder of the afternoon.
“Shall we go check out the first branch, then?”
After unpacking, we decided to visit the flagship store of the Alchemy Club’s brand, ‘Alchemist.’
The store was located in the heart of Helenos, not far from the palace. Beatrice and Yulina had other imperial matters to attend to, so I headed out with just Bell, Trish, and Ciel.
“The first Alchemist branch? Ah, the carbonated water brand. I will take you there immediately.”
When I asked the driver, he seemed well-acquainted with the store’s reputation. We left the palace in an imperial limousine and headed for the city center.
Vrooom—
A refreshing breeze flowed in through the window. I never thought I’d get to enjoy the feeling of a leisurely drive after coming to this world.
The scenery blurred past. Plazas and roads were neatly finished with tiles and bricks, flanked by magnificent European-style buildings. The tall spires and orange roofs made me feel as if I had stepped into a fairy tale.
The urban center of the Devalis territory was developed, but it couldn't compare to the sheer scale of Helenos.
The limousine soon arrived at our destination: the central plaza.
“Vehicles are not allowed beyond this point, sir.”
“This is perfect. Wait here until we return.”
We stepped out and headed toward the shopping district. Though it wasn't peak hours, the store was bustling with customers.
Contrary to the initial plan of a simple take-out shop, we had expanded the store to include a bistro-style restaurant. It was clearly the right choice.
Jingle—
As we opened the door, a waiter stepped forward to check for a reservation.
“Welcome. May I have your name, please?”
It seemed you could order drinks to-go immediately, but dining in was strictly for those with reservations.
I gave the waiter my name.
“Roen Devalis.”
“Yes, Mr. Roen… Huh? I’m sorry, your name isn’t on the reservation list.”
“Of course not. We’re here from headquarters for an inspection.”
At my nod, Trish pulled out a business card and handed it to the waiter. It was a new card designed for the brand launch. Along with the name of our partner, Malon, the head of the Kane Merchant Guild, Trish’s and my names were prominently displayed.
“Ah! My deepest apologies. I will call the manager immediately!”
A moment later, the manager of the first branch came rushing over. It was Zniel, the youngest brother of Malon. He was the spitting image of his brother.
He bowed a full ninety degrees, his voice booming.
“Welcome! We’ve been expecting you!”
“Alright, let’s have a look around.”
The first branch was the face of the brand. It needed to be perfect. I inspected the store’s condition, the state of the carbonated water makers, and the overall hygiene.
I also visited the warehouse to ensure the syrup was being managed properly and that the flavor profile hadn't drifted. I even reviewed the employees’ resumes to check for any potential spies sent to steal our trade secrets.
‘Nothing out of the ordinary.’
Actually, it was better than that. The operation was impeccable.
I handed back the resumes and nodded. “Very good. Keep operating exactly like this. Are there plans to open more locations?”
“Ye-Yes! We’ve already opened five branches in Helenos, and we’re planning to reach ten by the end of the year.”
“Is that so?”
Things were proceeding smoothly. Ten stores in the capital alone, with branches popping up in other kingdoms across the continent. At this rate, I was going to rake in a fortune.
“Now that the inspection is done, let’s eat. Do you have any recommendations?”
“Of course! Our most popular item is the special family set…”
After the inspection, we enjoyed a pleasant lunch at the very first Alchemist branch.
*
After touring the capital, we returned to the palace. I had just finished a splendid dinner and was relaxing in my room.
Knock, knock.
“Who is it?”
“It’s me.”
“Who are you?”
“You don’t even recognize my voice now? I’m coming in.”
The door swung open without permission. It was Yulina, her hair still damp as if she had just stepped out of the shower.
She beckoned me toward the door with a flick of her finger.
“Her Highness is summoning you. She says she has something to tell you.”