Chapter 151: Inflection Point
Chapter 151: Inflection Point
Swoosh—!
A heavy downpour lashed the streets of Progen. Members of the Crystal Society, their black hoods pulled low, moved nimbly through the labyrinthine alleyways. With practiced speed, they plastered blank white sheets of paper onto stone walls and utility poles.
Though the pages appeared empty now, the rising morning sun would trigger a reaction in the special mana ink, revealing a stark, undeniable message.
[We solemnly declare the death of Louis Marceau!]
Under the pretext of national security, the Socialist Party has bled the common people dry with relentless tax hikes. They are traitors to the nation, funneling the people’s lifeblood into the pockets of incompetent bureaucrats and their cronies in finance and comprador capital. Today’s flame is but the beginning of the purification of a corrupt Progen…
Having finished their work, the members slipped back to their headquarters under the cover of the storm.
This was the Crystal Society’s new base of operations. In place of their former musty basement clubroom, they now occupied an entire floor of a respectable, high-end building.
“From now on, lay low as much as possible. We don’t know when those Socialist Party lapdogs will come sniffing around again.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Knock, knock.
A sudden rapping at the door echoed through the room. The members flinched, hands instinctively reaching for concealed weapons.
“Shh.”
Clara gripped her pistol, strode to the door, and flung it open.
There was no one in the hallway. Instead, a single box sat on the floor.
“…”
She brought it inside and set it on a table.
“Chief. Is it a bomb?”
“No.”
It was an elegantly wrapped package. She lifted the lid.
On top lay several rare grimoires on mana operation. Beneath them were neatly arranged stacks of Progen Livres and Imperial Dollars, alongside a cache of high-purity mana stones.
“Ch-Chief! What is all this?”
While the members gasped in shock at the small fortune, Clara picked up a small note tucked into the corner.
[From now on, I will be the Crystal Society’s financier.]
A small, knowing smile escaped her lips. She stifled her grin and closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the weight of their new backing.
After taking a deep breath to collect her thoughts, she straightened her posture. Her eyes blazing with revolutionary fervor, she swept her gaze over her subordinates and cried out.
“Comrades!”
Her voice filled the office, ringing with newfound authority.
“The death of Louis Marceau was a warning driven into the hearts of those wretched socialists! From this day forward, we, the Crystal Society, will no longer stand by and watch this rotten Progen—this hypocritical shell of a republic! We will not watch as our lives are trampled by those money-grubbing worms!”
In truth, there weren’t many people in the room—barely seven in total. But Clara didn’t let the meager numbers dampen her passion, and her members gazed back at her with eyes full of fanatical devotion.
“We will purify this diseased Progen with our own hands, with our own blood and sweat, and set it magnificently ablaze!”
Crash—!
Outside, the storm beat violently against the windowpanes.
In the heart of Progen, an armed group, following the creed of a mysterious benefactor, had begun to take root.
*
In the end, Progen’s proposed defense budget tax hike was rejected. The explosive death of Louis Marceau had been a fatal blow to the movement, but the opposition had also seized the opportunity while the Socialist Party was reeling to launch a concentrated political barrage of their own.
The incident forced the Socialist Party to realize the true extent of the public’s fury. Their relationship with the eastern nation of Yursled was shattered, and the formation of the ‘Grand Imperial Containment Network’ that Louis Marceau had championed was indefinitely delayed.
“…I’m exhausted.”
I had finally returned to the Empire from Progen.
But there was no time to rest.
“Sir Knight!”
I had barely sat down in my chair at the Knight Corps office for the first time in weeks when an adjutant rushed in, his footsteps urgent.
“They say a new type of mana stone has been discovered in Zerpa!”
“…”
It was found sooner than I expected. Of all the times for a breakthrough…
I quietly closed my eyes, then opened them, shaking off the fatigue.
“I’m on my way.”
*
The Zeronica Mine in Zerpa. Though it had collapsed during the Empire’s bombardment, it had since been restored and outfitted with the most modern equipment available. Deep within its subterranean tunnels, the air hummed with energy.
“Look, Sir Knight. It’s a peculiar mana stone that remains liquid at room temperature.”
Engineers from the Lorenzo Academy handed me a transparent cylinder filled with a shimmering blue liquid.
When the cylinder’s lid was closed and the temperature lowered, it solidified into a crystal. When opened and warmed, it liquefied once more.
“Is the component analysis finished?”
“Yes. This liquid mana stone has vastly different properties from conventional solid stones.”
The engineer pointed at the report, his voice flushed with excitement.
“Specifically?”
“The mana invigorates nature itself. If we refine this concentrate, dilute it with water at a specific ratio, and spray it on the soil, the mana combines with microorganisms in the earth to exponentially increase fertility.”
In the coming war, food would be as crucial as weapons. This room-temperature liquid mana stone would allow the Empire to massively scale its agricultural production.
“Continue the research. Devise an efficient method for mass transport. You and your team will be receiving a substantial bonus for this.”
“Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!”
Satisfied, I walked out of the mine tunnel.
“Sir Maximilian!”
Under the dazzling sunlight, Crown Prince Alonso greeted me with a bright, genuine smile.
“Your Highness.”
He looked well-fed and rested, his face glowing with health. His attire was neat and his accessories sparkled, yet he didn’t indulge in the gaudy luxury of the past. Alonso finally knew his limits.
“How has Zerpa been lately?”
“Very peaceful and pleasant. But is something happening at the mine? I could feel an unusual energy even from the palace.”
Alonso asked with a curious tone, peeking toward the entrance of the Zeronica Mine.
“Yes. A new type of mana stone that remains liquid at room temperature has been discovered.”
“…Oh?”
Alonso looked impressed, though he clearly didn't grasp the strategic significance.
“Furthermore, exploration of the deep underground has revealed several new mana stone veins that were previously undiscovered.”
Not only the liquid mana stone, but a sizable vein of high-grade solid stones had been found. It was all thanks to the advanced exploration technology we had developed while scouring the Southern Hermes region.
“As per our treaty, the profit from the new veins will be split exactly 60-40. As for this liquid mana stone, House Ebenholtz would like to purchase the entire supply exclusively.”
I handed him a pre-drafted contract.
“!”
The Crown Prince’s eyes widened as he scanned the document. The amount written for the Zerpa royal family’s 40% share alone was enough to make his head spin.
“It’s a reasonable sum, considering the friendship between the Empire and Zerpa.”
Of course, it was a steal compared to the stone’s true wartime potential. But at the current market price, before the outbreak of global conflict, it was a perfectly fair offer. The true value of liquid mana stone would only be revealed when the world went to hell.
“…”
Alonso looked at me in silence. He stared into my eyes for a long moment before a meaningful smile spread across his face.
“Sir Maximilian.”
“Yes.”
“I cannot accept this contract.”
He handed the paper back to me.
“Which part is unsatisfactory—?”
“I would like to allocate 5% of our royal family’s 40% share to you, personally.”
“…Excuse me?”
The question slipped out before I could maintain my composure.
Alonso waved his hand sternly, brooking no argument.
“Nonsense. This is a token of my gratitude to the man who saved my life and is making Zerpa strong and prosperous. I will not accept a refusal.”
“…”
For a moment, I was speechless.
A thought suddenly occurred to me: Alonso was, without a doubt, a good man. At least for now. His only flaw was a certain weakness—an incompetence that made him care more for others than for the cold interests of his own house.
“…If that is Your Highness’s will.”
Five percent was an astronomical sum, but I could put it to good use when the time came.
“I will gratefully accept your kindness.”
“Good. Sir Maximilian.” Alonso placed a hand on my shoulder. “You and I are now like blood brothers.”
“…”
His eyes were clear, his smile radiant. How could a person with such untainted emotions exist in these turbulent times? Then again, he was an "impossible" person—which was likely why he had been executed in the timeline before my regression.
“…Yes.”
But what if the war ended and the threat of ruin vanished completely? Could we, then, truly be friends?
“Then, Your Highness. Let us now make the official announcement to the world.”
“What announcement?”
“The steadfast alliance and brilliant prosperity of the Empire and the Zerpa monarchy.”
The republicans believed the theory of the Empire’s exploitation of Zerpa like a religion. They cursed Crown Prince Alonso as an Imperial puppet, a traitor who had sold out his country.
“Let’s deal a psychological blow to the Republican Faction and encourage the waverers to switch sides.”
Their desperate hopes would soon be drowned out by the roar of public sentiment.
Far from being destroyed, Zerpa had been brilliantly revived—or at least, the territories ruled by the Royalist Faction had. The Zeronica Mine was a marvel of state-of-the-art facilities. New high-value industries like Terone truffles and premium beef had been introduced, revitalizing the logistics sector.
New banks and corporations—the work of Dieter and his associates—had sprung up in Zerpa’s capital. The upcoming expansion of the road networks and tunnels connecting the Empire and Zerpa would create thousands of jobs.
And on top of all that…
“By the way, Your Highness. We have finally identified the true culprit who murdered your attendant, Chief Kedi, who died protecting you.”
In an instant, Alonso’s placid face contorted with rage.
“Who was it?”
His voice dropped, thick with venom. That attendant had clearly meant a great deal to him.
“Her name was Oprah Shen. She was an Izenheim.”
“…An Izenheim?”
“Yes.” I nodded with a deliberately grave expression. “Those sub-species are a fundamental problem, always threatening the peace of the continent. They hide among us with ordinary faces, sowing distrust and ultimately leading us to ruin.”
“…I see.”
Crown Prince Alonso gritted his teeth but said no more. He was fundamentally soft-hearted, too gentle to blindly hate an entire race on a whim.
But that was fine. If he kept hearing about the Izenheim’s evil deeds, if he experienced the fallout firsthand, if he was constantly reminded of their "threat"... one day, he would share my cause.
“Your Highness.”
To be soft-hearted is to be a blank slate—and a blank slate is destined to be stained by a color as dark as mine.
“Now, let us schedule the press conference.”
*
The press conference was held in the grand banquet hall of the Zerpa Royal Palace. Unlike the hollow ceremonies of the past, the hall was packed with major media outlets from the Empire and correspondents from across the continent.
“…Do you find this sort of thing amusing?”
The reporter sitting beside me was Alphonse of the Gemion Daily, one of the most rigid and critical journalists in the Empire.
“Plundering a powerless little country and growing fat on its blood.” He shot a glare at me, fiddling irritably with his notepad.
“Instead of rushing to put pen to paper, why don’t you open your eyes and actually watch? Or at least do some proper on-site investigation.”
“…You’ve become a complete thug, Maximilian.”
Just as Alphonse clicked his tongue in disapproval, the royal doors swung open.
Crown Prince Alonso entered with a dignified air. A multitude of camera flashes illuminated his face.
“Ahem.” Alonso strode confidently to the microphone. “My beloved citizens of Zerpa, and esteemed guests. I am here to announce a decision that will secure the eternal prosperity and security of our nation.”
The reporters’ pens began to move furiously.
“Our Zerpa monarchy, based on deep trust with the Empire, has agreed to the joint development of the new veins in the Zeronica Mine.”
The foreign reporters looked grim. The Zerpan intellectuals among them looked ready to snap their pens in half, expecting the usual tale of exploitation.
“First, a corporation designated by Zerpa will bear the full cost of the mine’s reconstruction and the investment in state-of-the-art equipment.”
A twisted smile appeared on the reporters’ lips. Forcing loans was the Empire’s time-honored method of debt-trap diplomacy.
However.
“In this entire process, there is not a single dollar of debt that Zerpa must repay. Furthermore, the mana stones mined from the existing veins will belong entirely to Zerpa.”
The pens of the smirking reporters stopped dead.
“Instead, the profits generated from the newly explored veins will be distributed between the Empire and Zerpa at a 60-40 ratio. All key technologies and infrastructure will be fully transferred to Zerpan ownership after a grace period of twenty years.”
Alonso read the details in a clear, steady voice. With each word, the hall grew quieter. Disbelief washed over the room.
“Well?” I asked Alphonse in a low voice. “Exploitation is the old way. The Empire now desires coexistence.”
He pushed up his glasses, stammering. “…What’s the catch? There’s a secret contract, isn’t there?”
“For you, and you alone, I will show you the original copy after this. If a man of your reputation vouches for it, the world will have to listen.”
“This agreement,” Alonso continued, “is the cornerstone for a deeper military and economic alliance. Now the people of Zerpa will be freed from starvation, while for the traitors on the other side!”
Alonso’s voice rose.
“It will be proven what a grave miscalculation their rebellion was! Those who deceived the good people of Zerpa with false propaganda will not escape the judgment of history!”
The script, of course, was Johann’s masterpiece.
“Hypocrites who wrapped their lust for power in the name of revolution! Now, Zerpa will break free from their destructive delusions!”
I began to clap.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
That was the signal. The aides and royalist reporters rose to their feet, and a wave of thunderous applause filled the room.
Amid the noise, I leaned toward Alphonse.
“The monarchy that stands with the Empire will prosper…” I looked out the window, toward the mountains where the rebels hid. “And the Republican Faction, having lost both its cause and its advantage… what more can those dregs do? They’re just incompetent losers with heads full of daydreams.”
Alphonse turned to look at me, his face blank with shock. I gave a faint smile.
“As an Imperial official, if I were to add a comment for your article…”
His professional instincts took over. He raised his pen.
“The tenacious negotiating skills of Crown Prince Alonso, who truly loves his people, were highly effective. While the traitors were shouting empty ideals, the Crown Prince stood alone before the giant that is the Empire, swallowing his pride to secure bread for his subjects.”
Thus, the Crown Prince would become a hero, the monarchy’s approval would skyrocket, and the Republicans would have nowhere left to stand.
“Moved by the Crown Prince’s noble character and unwavering boldness… the Empire has finally discovered the path of mutual prosperity.”
The journalist slowly lifted his eyes to the podium, where Alonso was smiling radiantly.
“That should be enough,” I said, patting Alphonse on the shoulder.
The tip of his pen trembled ever so slightly against the paper.