The Spiral Takes Root in Volkov
“Arctic Volkov.”
The imperial capital of Drakir brimmed with the fresh scent of spring.
The grandest square in the city—a venue often used for the imperial family's official public ceremonies—was packed to the brim today.
And why not? Today was...
"In the name of Theodore Pandragon, I hereby grant thee the title of Lance Master."
“Your grace humbles me.”
A master appointment ceremony for someone not yet twenty—in this vast empire, no less.
“Woooaaahhh—!!”
“Arctic! Arctic!!”
The moment the title was bestowed, the watching citizens felt a rush of euphoria.
It bolstered their trust that the empire is safe, putting their minds even more at ease.
“Congratulations, Arctic. A flower has bloomed in the north, eh?”
The Volkov Duchy had been half-destroyed by Glakies's invasion.
Considering the shattered buildings and collapsed infrastructure, it was only a matter of time before it devolved into a destitute noble house.
...Or it would have been!
“I've received reports that parts of the frozen tundra have thawed. We can finally access those hard-to-reach mines.”
Temperatures in the Volkov Duchy had risen.
Far warmer than average. Flowers were finally blooming in the Volkov Duchy.
“Winter-blooming flowers, mind you.”
“In your lands, they bloom in summer, don't they? Keh keh keh!”
The temperature rise didn't solve everything, but it opened access to countless ore veins buried under the permafrost.
And life was far more livable now.
Shrewd nobles waited below the ceremony platform for the duke to descend, eager to snag a piece of those northern development rights.
“......”
And Akion Energies glared at the duke from the center of the VIP seats.
That thing pierced skin tougher than 40cm steel plate? How is that even possible?
To be precise, he was fretting over the Spiral Spear prototype slung across the duke's back.
What fresh disaster happened this time?
*
“Oho! Son-in-law! Come here!”
At the post-ceremony banquet in the imperial palace,
Akion encountered Duke Arctic Volkov, his left sleeve dangling loosely.
“Your Grace...”
“Ah, the left arm? No need to worry. I can manifest spirals with one hand just fine.”
After his battle with the supreme spirit Glakies, the duke's left arm had been damaged beyond repair.
Time-reversal healing was the domain of the pope or saintess alone, but the duke had been on death's door...
“And thanks to that Spiral Spear you made, I finally reached master! Keh keh keh!!”
The doctors and on-site priests had ultimately amputated Arctic's left arm.
Given the severity and his age, they'd expected years of recovery.
“So don't feel sorry. It wasn't your fault at all. But if it's weighing on you...”
Yet in just one month,
He'd made a full recovery and risen from his sickbed.
- Whiiiirrr...!
“Think of the left arm as my gift to a new era. Keh keh!”
The secret lay in the spiral vortex rising from his right hand.
The spiral itself, to be exact.
“Impossible... You're over sixty, yet you've shown recovery rivaling divine healing through self-regeneration alone!”
The spiral power flowing through his body had rapidly healed him.
Stunned priests called in mages for urgent tests, and
“This power dwelling in the spiral feels familiar. It's like the mana waves knights emit during training... but different.”
“It's akin to the holy power we use for healing. Perhaps a force rising from life itself... akin to black magic, yet not. It's not evil at all—quite familiar, in fact. Could it be related to the power that births new life...?!”
“An infinitely rotating spiral tail...? Oh, Lord have mercy! We may have glimpsed the thread of life itself!!”
They claimed a life-pulsing force emanated from Arctic's spirals.
And he'd even grown about ten years younger.
Akion, hearing all this...
What nonsense is this?
He dismissed it as rubbish.
What was this spiral power? Why did it harbor life-blooming potential? What caused the rejuvenation?
“Anyway, thanks for making the Spiral Spear, son-in-law.”
“I barely touched it...”
“Nonsense. That motor you provided—I knew it was a delicate part, yet it didn't break in the fierce battle. It guarded me steadfastly.”
A motor was just a cold hunk of metal parts.
Akion couldn't fathom gaining enlightenment from it.
Of course, he gave up trying to understand.
It'd just give him a headache.
“I didn't expect much from a custom part for me, but heh heh!”
“Haha, I'm thrilled it helped you so much, Your Grace.”
“Hey now! Not 'Your Grace'—call me father-in-law!”
And though Akion and the duke's relationship had been purely business,
Since becoming a master, he acted just like a father-in-law who'd hooked a prospective son-in-law who shared his fishing hobby.
“Whatever you want, tell your father-in-law! Now that Volkov can develop its mines too! Keh keh keh!”
“Haha, ha.”
Akion's head already throbbed from the redefined relationship.
He just wanted to eat banquet food in peace.
He glanced around for someone to save him when,
- Thud!!
His savior was unexpected.
“Heh heh. Sir Arctic...”
“Sir Clad?”
Clad Steelbern, who'd accompanied Akion to the capital,
Suddenly appeared, radiating immense fighting spirit.
“......”
“......”
The two masters stared silently,
“Talk of father-in-law can wait.”
“Keh keh, is that so? I heard from Isirel that your granddaughter's been sending letters to my son-in-law.”
- Rumble...!!!
Suddenly, they sandwiched Akion between them, auras clashing fiercely.
“I'm but a humble viscount's kin, but as a senior master, I should offer guidance.”
“Keh keh keh! The sword master wielding Steelbern's hammer?! What an honor!”
Was this what it felt like to be a shrimp caught in a whale fight?
Akion could barely breathe.
“Step outside, Sir Clad.”
“Straight to the point—I like it!”
Fortunately, the pair took their clash outside the banquet hall.
- Clank!
- Shing...!
“M-Masters dueling?!”
“No way, for real?!”
Weapons in hand, no less.
This was a celebration for a new master's birth—yet the star was dragging another master out to fight?
“Is this okay?”
Weapons drawn in the emperor's presence, no less.
Akion asked the Tower Master if it was really fine.
“Hm? Didn't you know? Clad's been itching for a fight since he saw the duke.”
“Aigoo.”
It was fated, apparently.
And the emperor Akion worried about was actually...
“A duel between masters! Summon the knight order at once!”
“Yes sir! Bring everyone!”
“See? Allowing weapons was expecting this.”
“Your Majesty...”
Excited to let his knights observe.
The imperial knight captain beside him was even more thrilled.
- Boom! Boom!!
“Graaaahhh—Get crushed!!!”
“Keh keh keh!! Your sword strikes lack punch, Sir Clad—!!”
Akion began worrying for the Khalid Empire.
*
Despite the sweaty chaos, the banquet was a roaring success.
Volkov still grappled with its territory wrecked by Glakies and lost elite troops, but...
“Two masters in one ducal house. A blessing for the empire, but...”
“Just watching those sweet mines from afar...! Argh!”
Who'd invade a house with father and two daughters all masters?
Mess up a territorial skirmish, and come morning, two masters might storm your manor.
And above all...
“Concrete! Concrete jungle!!”
“Why's Akion so hyped?”
“Like I'd know what sis doesn't?”
The Energies family was joining Volkov's reconstruction.
A count's house with capital and influence rivaling a grand duchy in the west.
With allied kin lending strength, no one dared challenge them.
And the project lead was...
“Me?”
“Yes, big bro.”
“It's brother, you little shit.”
Huan Energies.
Not Akion—Huan.
Why'd Akion turn down showcasing modern urban engineering?
“Accidents happen on big projects—the lead takes the blame, right?”
“True.”
“Be my punchbag for once.”
“Fine. I'll kill you.”
“Aigoo! Grab Young Master Huan!!”
...To dump all responsibility on Huan.
Kidding, of course.
“Bro, you haven't given up on head of house yet.”
“Obviously. But what's that got to do with this?”
“You seem talented in civil and architectural engineering. Time to shine.”
Akion had spotted Huan's gifts in civil and architectural engineering.
The Ridaside public bathhouse drew heavy input from his ?siblings Huan and Hermione.
“You could handle city-scale designs. Let's make a planned city this time.”
“...Such a big role, to me?”
Huan's geological and architectural advice had been invaluable for the bathhouse.
Akion knew theory; Huan had innate talent too.
“While we're at it, loop in Hermione sis for the aqueducts. She crushed sewer design up to the treatment plant.”
“Then you get no credit, Akion...?”
“Fame means no peace. I want quiet comfort—take all the glory, bro.”
No matter how genius Akion was hailed here, he couldn't match heaven-sent experts.
Experts handle it best,
And if none? Akion could teach and train them.
He had all the knowledge.
“...Ahem. For an incompetent little brother, it's touching. Fine. When I become head, I'll look after you a bit.”
“B-Bro, thanks, but after that incident... don't go all sis-mode...”
“Fine, I'll kill you!!”
“Aigoo, young masters, please stop fighting—!!”
Thus, thoroughly pissed Huan departed for Volkov with Clad.
Clad tagged along to revive a cold-shut iron mine, install a Corex furnace, and supply steel on-site.
“Heh heh heh, I'll spar lots with Sir Arctic while staying...!”
“Sir Clad. You're there to work, right?”
“......”
“Right...?”
Energies furnaces ran fine on Energies smiths alone, thanks to Clad's teachings.
Now Clad was surplus high-end labor—better shove him into building production lines on-site.
Isirel's take on Akion's all-in-one gift package...
- Shff!
“Here.”
“Huh?”
“N-Not that I like you or anything. But you helped Volkov, so a reward's due, right?”
His fiancée's tsundere move: shoving capital-bought gifts into his arms.
Akion, laden with Isirel-taste menswear, stared silently...
“So, sis wants me to wear these, right?”
“N-No!”
“Then why gift them?”
“Anyway, no— Ah! Yeah! Yeah, so don't go! Where're you goingg!!”
Akion teased her tsundere side again.
He took the dere, skipped the tsun—a cold lab man's way.
* * *
As Akion boarded his carriage post-banquet,
“Young Master Akion.”
An elderly imperial steward bearing the royal crest halted him.
“Ah...”
Handing over paper stamped with the seal Akion loathed most.
And this time...
From Her Imperial Highness the Empress Dowager
“Why would Her Highness the Empress Dowager commission someone like me...?”
The Khalid Empire's eldest royal.
The current emperor's mother had sent him a request.
“Actually...”
Akion had flawlessly fulfilled a royal commission from the seventh princess.
Plus, the emperor backed magitech's forefront hard.
Deeming him trustworthy, the elderly steward whispered in his ear.
It was...
“Her Highness suffers frequent back pain.”
“Gasp.”
“She has attendants for constant massages, but... might there be a magic tool to replace it?”
Grandma's back was killing her.