Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Longevity Festival Debut
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Imperial Palace Audience Chamber.
Princess Isolde knelt on one knee on the cold marble floor.
She awaited her father's words.
At the end of the wait, the Emperor seated upon the jade throne opened his mouth.
"Grant the princess's wish."
"Your Majesty is most gracious."
The princess bowed her head deeply in thanks, then carefully withdrew from the audience chamber.
She headed straight to her private office.
Click.
The moment the office door closed.
The princess's lips parted.
"We did it."
Her secretary spoke from beside her.
"His Majesty has granted your request."
"Yes. Finally."
Now, Isaac Uphills would meet the Emperor directly on his birthday, the Longevity Festival.
And there, he would voice his wish.
The outcome was the same—permission to petition the Emperor—but the process made all the difference.
Appearing at the Longevity Festival meant announcing to everyone that Isaac enjoyed the Emperor's favor.
This was far more valuable than a private audience.
'It took so long...'
Handling this matter had kept the princess from seeing Isaac for quite some time.
Thus, Princess Isolde began preparations to head straight to the Magic Tower.
She thought of Isaac.
'First, I need to reassure Isaac. He must be feeling the pressure of meeting His Majesty.'
Then she could share the good news that the audience date had been changed to the Longevity Festival.
It was like lifting a burden only to pile on another, but she decided to overlook that contradiction.
The princess led her attendants directly to the Magic Survey School laboratory.
And the moment she opened the lab door, she realized.
Her expectations had been completely off the mark.
Isaac was grinning idly as he floated a blue stone in the air, maneuvering it this way and that.
"Ooh... You're controlling it with such precision?"
"Impressive, junior!"
Beside him, Giuseppe and Dolloren were clapping and cheering.
Watching the scene, Isolde thought.
I was worried he'd be nervous about the audience with His Majesty...
'Looks like he's not burdened at all.'
Good thing they'd shifted the date to the Longevity Festival.
Heh heh heh.
This is seriously fun.
I was playing around in the lab, moving the floating stone every which way.
Warping space-time with magic to transport matter...
It was like completing an Alcubierre drive without negative energy.
Totally different from my usual telekinesis magic, which made it all the more entertaining.
I demonstrated a double pendulum motion with the floating stone.
"Ooh! You're controlling it with such precision?"
"Impressive, junior!"
That was when it happened.
Creeeak—
The lab door opened, and someone entered.
'It's the princess.'
In an instant, all noise in the lab ceased.
"..."
"..."
I stopped manipulating the floating stone and dropped to one knee.
The others hurriedly followed suit.
"Your Highness."
"Rise. No need for formalities."
"Yes, ma'am."
The princess pointed at the floating stone and asked.
"What were you doing?"
"I was experimenting with amplifying universal gravitation magic through the floating stone."
"Universal gravitation and a floating stone?"
The princess continued.
"Ah... right. You asked me about floating stones not long ago."
Her gaze shifted to the blue stone hovering in the air.
"No way... that's not a floating stone, is it? Impossible. It's only been a few days since then..."
In response to her question, Dolloren answered.
"It is a floating stone, Your Highness. Researcher Uphills has learned to control its power."
"...My goodness."
A low exclamation escaped the princess's lips.
Her golden eyes gleamed.
"Wasn't it theoretically impossible to cast magic on a floating stone?"
I answered her question.
"That's what I thought too."
"How did you do it?"
"No idea."
"I see."
"No more questions?"
"A technique like this won't just sit idle. You're surely thinking of applications already."
As expected of the princess—straight to practical uses.
She said to me.
"Care to share your plans?"
"...And that's the overview."
My impromptu "Floating Stone - Airship" presentation for the princess was complete.
The princess spoke cautiously.
"So that's how it is... You're not just doing things by the week anymore—it's daily now."
"..."
"Thrilling."
A smile spread across her face.
I handed her the detailed proposal document.
She skimmed it and replied.
"This airship... If completed, it'd be a strategic weapon."
Not tactical—strategic.
A descriptor reserved for grand mages or legion-scale forces.
In a world without an air force, an airship...
Yeah, it deserved the name.
"An impressive concept, but..."
She pointed at the document and continued.
"It's a bit risky. I'd love to just watch you build it, but the provincial nobles will revolt over this."
I figured as much.
Not everyone in the Empire would support me.
"Of course, I'm not telling you to scrap it. As always, I'll support you."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Heh heh heh.
The princess chuckled.
"Good thing we changed the schedule."
"Changed the schedule?"
"Your audience has been rescheduled. To His Majesty's Longevity Festival."
"...?"
Longevity Festival?
First I'd heard of it.
Then, Senior Giuseppe quietly explained.
"The Longevity Festival marks His Majesty's birthday celebration, junior."
Aha.
Knowledge gained.
...Hold on.
'The current Emperor's birthday... isn't that a massive event?'
The princess said to me.
"This Longevity Festival will be a golden opportunity. Do you understand why?"
"A chance to thin out opposition to airship construction?"
She nodded silently.
"Naturally, you don't have to shoulder it all. I'll build my own allies."
Tap tap. She patted my shoulder.
"Use this to memorize the provincial nobles' faces. Though winning His Majesty's favor is best, of course."
"Understood, Your Highness."
I won't let clueless fools take away my toy.
I'll protect what's mine.
A few days later, I received special etiquette tutoring from Laura and Gwendolyn Everglow.
"L-Like this?"
I awkwardly offered my hand in a "polite" gesture.
"..."
"..."
Laura and Gwendolyn were speechless.
Gwendolyn muttered.
"Why is it so... awkward? We definitely practiced this before."
Yeah, well.
Sorry for my lack of social grace!
Laura answered Gwendolyn's question.
"Regrettably... the chairman's demeanor doesn't seem fixable."
"That's a problem."
"No. It's actually for the best."
"Pardon...?"
Laura said to Gwendolyn.
"What is our goal?"
"For Mr. Uphills to debut successfully in high society?"
"Unfortunately not. The chairman's social debut can fail for all we care."
...What?
"More importantly, we must avoid making enemies while securing allies."
"...Judge the war itself over individual battles, then."
Laura nodded and said.
"Exactly. Thus, we must actively leverage the chairman's 'innocence'."
"Pardon?"
"Think about it. What if our chairman were proficient in etiquette, with refined cultural tastes?"
"Hmm..."
"Attending concerts, penning critiques, hosting weekly salons to expand his noble network..."
"Hm..."
Gwendolyn stared at my face and said.
"Sounds risky. They'd be on guard."
"Precisely."
Laura pointed at me and continued.
"The chairman's greatest strength is appearing harmless. Let's play to that."
"Make him seem like an innocent 'pure magic world' figure, clueless about politics?"
"Yes."
"I like it."
They decided my "total nerd" concept without even asking me.
This won't do.
I raised my hand and asked.
"Isn't the premise wrong? I am a pure magic world figure."
"You own a foundation and workshop, puppet a territory, and have ties to the princess?"
"..."
No retort.
Everyone already saw me as more than a pure researcher.
Tsk.
Laura spoke to Gwendolyn again.
"We'll deploy the finished product not center stage, but in the corner."
...Deploy?
Am I some nuke?
But Gwendolyn was already sold on Laura's silver tongue.
"Show him only to the fatigued, crowd-weary nobles. Thorough."
"I'm the chairman's secretary, after all."
"Alright. Let's go with this."
And so my "total nerd" concept was set.
I had no clue what nonsense they were spouting, but...
Experts know best.
The day of the Longevity Festival.
Or rather, the eve.
Inside the carriage to the Imperial Palace, I kept fidgeting.
Not motion sickness.
No issues since developing suspension.
I asked Laura, seated opposite.
"Is this really okay?"
"Of course."
I surveyed my outfit.
Everyone else would wear uniforms, but I had my mage robe.
Shirt buttoned to the top, non-prescription glasses perched.
Yet my grooming was meticulous.
Hair fixed with magic tools to look tousled, eyebrows trimmed razor-sharp.
'Never touched my face beyond shaving...'
Feels so awkward.
Moments later, the carriage stopped.
Already at the palace.
Just before descending, Laura reminded me.
"I can't escort you from here. Last reminder—what do you remember?"
I recited the key protocols Laura taught me.
"Don't speak first. Stay still."
"Good."
"If someone approaches, give a slight smile. Resume blank face when they leave."
"And?"
"Golden hair and golden eyes mark the imperial family—smile from start to finish when facing them."
"Perfect."
I tilted my head.
"Will this half-baked plan work?"
"Yes. It will."
So resolute.
Laura smiled and continued.
"Good luck, Chairman."
The outdoor banquet hall was overstimulating for a researcher like me.
Hundreds of mana lamps lit the night, their glow making nobles' jewels sparkle everywhere.
Flashing lights from varying angles overworked my retinal cells.
And I had to enter that?
I showed my credentials to the guards and entered the hall.
A herald announced accordingly.
"Entering: Isaac Uphills, recipient of the 1st Class Sacred Golden Lion Medal!"
The entrance area fell briefly silent.
Countless gazes turned my way.
'So this is the feeling.'
Not pleasant.
Per Laura's advice, I kept a straight face and walked in.
Murmurs reached my ears with each step.
"Uphills? Where?"
"That mage who just entered? Nah."
They didn't believe I was Isaac.
Fine by me.
Stick to protocol.
I mingled briefly to shake off stares, then headed to a corner.
And stood there blankly.
Don't move first until spoken to.
That was the plan's core.
Soon enough, a young lady in a splendid dress approached.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Adella of the Fontaine Viscountcy."
Her face full of curiosity, she asked.
"If I may, what is your name?"
Following Laura's lesson, I gave a slight smile.
"Isaac Uphills."
Pfft.
She laughed at my name.
Laughing just at the sound of it...?
She said.
"Come on, nice try. I heard Isaac Uphills is at least seven feet tall and fells hemlocks with one hand."
Seven feet?
Still using those units?
The previous Emperor decreed meters...
No.
Not the point.
Deny the nonsense first.
I waved my hand.
"That's not me."
"Ah... so that's your persona."
"Pardon?"
"You're fun. Enjoy the banquet."
She left laughing, not believing a word.
"Tell me your real name later."
"..."
Why won't she believe me?
This wasn't the end.
"Isaac Uphills? Weird. You don't look like you could burst an orc's head with a gesture."
"Want me to show you on one?"
"Heh heh, you're a riot."
It repeated every few minutes.
The pattern was similar.
"Hello. I'm..."
A smiling young lady approaches.
"No... what's your real name?"
Asks mine.
"Did your professor tell you not to say? Next time, please..."
Requests the truth next time and leaves.
Great that they're not wary...
But totally failing to recognize me is a bit much, right?
Even capital nobles who knew my face looked doubtful.
"He looks way softer than usual. Not Uphills?"
I wanted to shout "I'm Isaac!" but held back.
Can't initiate.
Expert (Laura) protocol.
Right then.
The murmuring crowd ahead parted naturally.
At the path's end stood Princess Isolde.
Not her usual dignified uniform, but a navy dress like the night sky.
Pretty, but I had work to do.
Protocol 3. Smile first.
"..."
"..."
The princess froze upon seeing me.
"You... Isaac Uphills, is that really you?"
Her voice hushed the surroundings.
I replied politely.
"Yes, Your Highness. It is."
"It suits you well... Good call leaving it to Laura."
Gasps erupted around us at her words.
"That's really Uphills...?"
"Nothing like the rumors!"
Seemed like her endorsement was needed to convince them I was Isaac.
Then, a military officer muttered.
"Good lord... If they fought, Walrowitz would lose for sure."