Bizarre Shenanigans on a Meaningful Day
Back in Kara, I told Padilla to designate the northern part of Jores Island as a restricted zone.
I named it Area One. I planned to secretly develop and produce levitation boats there.
The reason was simple. Even preparing for the age of destruction, I couldn't reveal levitation boats to the outside world just yet.
Levitation boats were great and all, but the problem was their insane essence consumption. Because they incorporated large-scale high-cycle magic, each one required 256 top-grade essences—enough to produce over 20,000 magic bullet launchers or nearly 11 mana-powered locomotives.
From humanity's perspective, though, levitation boats were almost cheat-level weapons. Hovering high in the sky and just dropping rocks could decimate any army, so once revealed, every nation on the continent would scramble to build their own.
But not from the viewpoint of flying monsters.
A levitation boat could handle maybe a few dozen flying monsters at best. Meanwhile, 20,000 riflemen could take on tens of thousands. No matter how you sliced it, regular weapons were far superior against flying monsters.
Honestly, levitation boats would only shine in the age of destruction when essence overflowed. Revealing them now would just derail my plans completely.
I needed to lay down rail systems across the continent right now. If nations went all-in on levitation boats, essence shortages would cripple mana-powered locomotive production, and my plan to build mass-production facilities with mana-powered machinery might never even get off the ground.
Plus, we hadn't even fully distributed magic cannons and magic bullet launchers yet, and there were tons of other magic items like mana-powered carts to develop and deploy.
Introducing levitation boats here would ruin everything. Everyone would drop everything else under the guise of national security and obsess over producing them.
So, I had to keep levitation boats as my secret. When the age of destruction hit, fighting would be limited to Polkin Gate and the Orc Plains for about six months anyway. I just needed to stockpile enough for that.
Anything more could wait until after destruction arrived.
But I would use the technologies involved in making them. Like aluminum production, control mechanisms, and energy transmission tech. To quickly build non-levitation production systems, basic tech needed to spread throughout society.
Levitation boats were only weak against flying monsters. Against land monsters that couldn't fly like humans, they could deal devastating blows. So they absolutely had to be produced. The issue was just that, for now, only I had the excess essence to spare.
"Padilla. The levitation boat is my gift to you. With this, no country can ever invade Kara. Even if they bring a massive army, they won't have a counter."
Padilla, lying in bed heavy with child, gazed at me with a touched expression. As queen of a nation, no gift could top making Kara safe from any great power's invasion.
"But didn't you say a crazy Valkyrie is trying to destroy the world? Shouldn't we let the continent's nations produce them too, to prepare for the future?"
"I told you, it's a gift for you. You don't just give gifts away carelessly. Sure, if destruction is right around the corner, no choice—but not now. What if the day of destruction never comes? It'd be a waste. So we absolutely can't share levitation boat tech. Got it?"
"Yes......"
I gently draped my arm over her shoulder.
"And lately, I've been neglecting you a lot, haven't I?"
Padilla waved her hands frantically.
"Oh, no, not at all."
"I know, I know. People's feelings can get hurt sometimes. But my feelings for you haven't changed. It might look like I'm playing around, but I'm not. I've just been busy preparing gifts for you, and it came off that way."
"Yes. I know."
As Padilla gave a positive sign, I let out a sigh of relief. I'd been making her feel neglected lately, especially regarding our second child.
"Good. I'm glad you understand."
Padilla stared at me intently.
"But where did you get the levitation boat tech? Same with the mana-powered locomotives last time—you bring these amazing inventions, and I can't help wondering."
"Oh, from a hidden expert. Plenty of brilliant mages and swordsmen live reclusively, away from the world. I bought it from one such great mage."
"I see. Does Sister Armida know him too?"
I narrowed my eyes sharply.
"No idea. So keep it secret from Armida-noona, absolutely."
"Why?"
"Honestly, I've got grudges against her too. Especially about the magic horse. How could she fool me like that? Does she think I'd eat her if she told the truth? I'm really upset. So this stays secret. She's hiding things from me, so I hide things too. The world's all about give and take, after all."
"Ah, yes......"
I brought my face close to hers.
"Anyway, keep it airtight. Send only loyal, tight-lipped people to Area One. Build housing inside so families can live there too. Make it total no-entry, and no leaving either. Got it?"
"Yes. Don't worry. Heh."
Padilla winced mid-sentence.
"What?"
"No, my belly just......"
"Did you eat something bad?"
Padilla gripped my forearm tightly.
"No, it's coming, I think."
"Really? Big one or small? I know the feeling—don't hold it in. Better handle it quick if it's urgent."
"No!"
A scream burst from Padilla's lips. Startled, I yelled toward the door.
"Hey! All the maids, come in here!"
The maids waiting outside rushed in at once. They checked on the writhing Padilla and reported to me.
"It's starting."
"What's starting?"
"The baby."
Labor pains, apparently. I said urgently,
"Then hurry and fetch a healer."
"Yes. We'll summon one right away."
I stopped a maid heading out to call one.
"A woman."
"Pardon?"
"An experienced female healer. You know what I mean?"
"Yes. Understood."
Soon the healers arrived, and I was booted out temporarily.
Padilla's screams echoed nonstop, and outside the room, crowds of ministers and visitors gathered. From army chief General Rajal Amuraba to Prime Minister Udin Ibrahim, all Kara's top officials wore worried expressions.
It was the day Kara's successor would be born—but also a perilous one where the royal line might end. They waited anxiously, hope mixed with dread.
Then Armida-noona and Shura hurried over in black dresses and black veils.
"Little bro? It's happening?"
"Yeah. Seems like it."
"How long ago?"
With all eyes on them, I glanced back and forth at Armida-noona and Shura's outfits.
"Earlier. But noona and Shura, why are your outfits so off?"
Armida-noona gave me an odd look.
"This is ceremonial attire."
"Funeral clothes, maybe?"
"Why jinx it here? This is the ceremonial garb for women of the dark forces to bless a new life's birth."
I still looked dissatisfied.
"Nah. Looks like funeral wear no matter how you spin it."
"Anyway, you've got such a loose tongue, little bro. Why make weird jokes?"
Then Shura pulled out an incense burner.
"Master Armida? Where should I light the incense?"
"Not by the door—it'd block. Over there."
"Yes."
Shura set up an altar and lit the incense. White smoke curled up. She took out white paper, wrote Padilla's name on it, then another sheet, wrote something, and glanced at me slyly.
"Master. What's the baby's name?"
"Sharl."
"Not Once?"
"Yeah. Padilla insisted on Sharl."
Shura swapped the papers, rewrote the name, and stuck it on the wall. Armida-noona clapped to rally everyone.
"Come on, everyone. Bow twice here to pray for an easy birth."
As ministers surged forward, I spread my arms to block them.
"Noona. This just doesn't feel right."
"Why? It's for a safe delivery."
"But the light forces use this ritual for something else."
Armida-noona glared.
"Little bro. Keep bringing up the light forces to jinx this happy occasion?"
"I mean, it is happy, but still—this ain't it."
Prime Minister Ibrahim approached me.
"My lord. Kara's neutral, so it's fine. Isn't it good to have the dark god's blessing? The dark forces even include the god of death, who averts demise—better than the light forces, I'd say......"
"That's not the point. It just looks all wrong. Absolutely not."
Then Uncle Zenbe barged in. Dressed in a black suit and shoes, he hurried over upon seeing the smoking incense.
"Human. Sorry, I'm late."
As he approached the burner politely to bow, I grabbed his collar with a murderous glare.
"Absolutely. Not!"
"Human, why? It's for a safe birth. We need solemnity, not this weirdness—what's this nonsense?"
"Nonsense? Seriously? Uncle, you're the one doing nonsense! Is this praying for birth? You're prepping a funeral!"
My voice boomed down the hall. Even if the dark forces called it a birth blessing, I couldn't accept it. How dare they hold a funeral rite, no matter how ignorant?
Ibrahim stepped in urgently.
"My lord, calm down. Isn't this a momentous, joyous occasion?"
"Exactly!"
This was why wars never ended. Clashing moral views and religions bred grudges, turning into massive rage-fueled tragedies.
"Anyway, no way! How could I let Padilla, of all people, have this cursed ritual? Absolutely not!"
Then a maid peeked out as the door to Padilla's quarters opened.
"Um, my lord is called in."
I calmed my excitement and turned.
"Me?"
"Yes. The healer wants you by the mother's side for support."
I swallowed hard.
"They say you get your hair yanked out doing that. Sounds brutal."
Armida-noona shoved my back.
"Get in there!"
"It hurts like hell."
"Padilla hurts more!"
"Guys say the man's side hurts bad too. One got beaten half to death. And women vent all grudges then—super painful."
"Hurry!"
Pushed by Armida-noona and pulled by the maid, I was half-forced into the room. Morals were the problem. Why invent pointless rituals to torment me?
Honestly, what was the point of a man getting his hair pulled beside her? He wasn't the one giving birth.
Sure, the old saying went that shared pain halved it. But this felt like it'd double mine—her belly hurting, my scalp too. Utterly inefficient and unproductive.
Soon, Kara welcomed its heir. Mother and child both healthy—a truly blessed day. The whole kingdom erupted in joy at news of the firstborn prince, with festival-like celebrations everywhere.
But I was miserable. I'd wanted a cute daughter, yet out came a dark-haired son.
Sure, adorable now, but imagining him grown, calling me "Father" in a gruff voice? Just bleak.
As I squatted at the palace stairs' base, Evelyn approached. She'd been staying to oversee Area One construction and tech support.
She eyed my disheveled hair.
"Baekmyeon. What happened to your hair?"
"Dunno. Guess Padilla had grudges built up."
Evelyn rolled her eyes.
"Yeah? Congrats anyway. Married man now, huh?"
I snapped.
"Married? Cursing a fresh bachelor like that?"
"Bachelor? You're a dad."
"Different things. Haven't married yet? Still a bachelor."
"So marriage makes you married?"
"Well......"
I trailed off, rubbing my face. Come to think, I'd been half-forced into marriage by that mystery Valkyrie and saintess con gang.
Evelyn eyed me slyly.
"Why, hit a nerve?"
"Nope."
"Your face says otherwise. Who was she?"
"Nothing!"
She chuckled and waved as she left.
"Fine, whatever. Take care. See ya."
"Where to?"
"Got urgent business back home."
"What about Area One?"
"The team I brought handles it. What can a sword-slinger like me do? Underlings do the work."
"True enough."
Evelyn turned back.
"Oh. Baekmyeon, heading to Divinum Cathedral this spring too?"
"Saint Prosius Day?"
"Yeah."
"Dunno. Nemisona hates my guts. Probably can't."
"Perfect. Then don't."
"Why?"
"Just. Minor disturbance planned then. Tiny thing."
I eyed her warily.
"Go easy. Don't escalate to drag me in."
"No worries. It's nothing. Bye."
"Yeah. Take care. Oh, and that thing......?"
Before I finished, Evelyn vanished.
Actually, I'd commissioned her recently for wide-area mana detectors.
These devices detected mana signatures over vast areas—essential for hunting sky despairs and such flying monsters.
"Eh. She knows, so she'll whip 'em up fine."
I shrugged it off and reentered the palace. Just ducked to the bathroom—better hurry back. Had to tread carefully now. Piss off Padilla again, and come second kid, I might be bald.
Bizarre Shenanigans on a Meaningful Day End