Chapter 89: The Party (3) Yukia leaned against the window frame of her quarters, gazing up at the pitch-black night sky.
'I cannot be certain. I am merely tracing the shadows of the past based on his words and actions.'
The cold night wind brushed against her skin, and Entikkan's words echoed in her ears.
'But Maximilian is a nobleman who understands the weight of words. He has no reason to weave lies about such matters—'
Adding to that, Entikkan had said:
'Exploration. Exploring the unmapped territories of the Western Empire is an essential curriculum for Empire Point cadets. It is also a primary source of income for guides.'
As a former guide who had worked alongside her father, this was common knowledge to Yukia.
Come to think of it, that season was fast approaching—the time when cadets about to graduate from Empire Point would swarm toward the Western Empire.
'It's hard to believe.'
At Yukia's retort, Entikkan had let out a hollow laugh.
'I feel the same. That is why you must verify that necklace you saw.'
Yukia lowered her head.
The style of 'carving' that the Yaken favored differed from one individual to another. It was, in a sense, unique.
'The method of carving. The grain left by the blade. It remains on the work like a fingerprint—surely you, of all people, would recognize it.'
Yukia searched her memories.
Her father's rough hands as he whittled wood. The way an object was meticulously crafted, almost as if with a detached precision.
"..."
She struggled to recall the pattern of the faint necklace she had seen on Maximilian's chest.
For some reason, it hadn't felt unfamiliar.
— Flutter.
Suddenly, a shadow gliding across the night sky landed on the window frame. An owl. A small missive was tied to its ankle.
Yukia opened the message.
[ ◆◆◇◆◆◇◆◇◇◆◆◇◆◆ ]
She decoded it by applying the cipher key in her mind.
The content was brief.
[Comrade. Report Maximilian's next destination.]
It was an order from the Revolutionary Group.
* * *
Even as the night grew late, the party showed no signs of stopping. If anything, it seemed to stretch on endlessly. Wine and conversation, dancing and singing filling the gaps, and various amusements tinged with desire.
I allowed myself to relax moderately, drifting with the flow of the crowd, until I grew weary and stepped out onto the balcony.
──! ──! ───!
I looked down over the railing. It was a noisy spectacle.
In that chaotic, indistinguishable mass, many people were tangled together, dancing to music that hardly deserved the name. Yet, there was a clear distinction between them and me.
Was this, too, a matter of status and class?
The fledgling Republic that arose after the fall of the Empire had abolished the caste system, and soon the entire continent followed suit. But even then, 'invisible' status remained as prevalent as ever.
"..."
I sipped from my glass while staring at the night view of Kanilan.
Whirrrrrr…
The wind blowing from a country soon to collapse was crisp. In this land, I couldn't even sense the presence of the Izenheim. That made it feel even cleaner.
"Izenheim."
It was a strange thing. I had encountered countless groups of people while traveling in and out of Kanilan, but I hadn't met a single Izenheim.
Of course, I couldn't rule out the possibility that they were hidden deeper within—in the most private inner circles or among the high-ranking political and business elite.
"Why?"
Slightly buzzed from the alcohol, a hypothesis began to bloom haphazardly in my mind.
The more I thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
Why didn't the Izenheim show so much as a hair of their heads in Kanilan? And why, then, did they stubbornly crawl into the Empire?
Even when the full-scale persecution began, those bastards insisted on digging tunnels beneath the Empire's soil.
If, as I suspected, the Chancellor of the Eastern Union was an Izenheim or their puppet, it would have been much safer and easier to establish their headquarters in the East.
"Geography…"
Suddenly, my thoughts stalled on that word.
'Those underground cities they dug. Do you remember? We thought they gathered there to survive, but it was to develop a dimension portal. We were deceived by those demons.'
Before my regression, Edmond had mentioned the term 'dimension portal.'
A gate to summon beings from another world.
If so, was the reason their numbers were relatively low in Kanilan because this land wasn't necessary for their plan?
If opening a dimension portal required the land of the Empire—or some 'thing' within the Empire that I didn't yet understand—as an essential condition…
"So here you are."
A voice from behind snapped me out of my reverie.
It was Ren. Her red hair was disheveled, and her face was flushed a deep crimson.
"Are you alright?"
"Ah~ I'm fine~"
She had been drinking quite heavily. Her tolerance might actually rival that of Zebestian.
"You seem to be in a very good mood."
Ren let out a smirk and leaned against the railing next to me.
"Do you~ think Kanilan's glory will ever end~?"
"Someday. No party lasts forever."
I continued to drop hints to her.
"Haha~"
However, she seemed to have no intention of listening.
"They say the Empire is preparing for war. It's an open secret. Then Kanilan will make even more money, won't it~?"
The political situation certainly suggested that. Because Ren knew this, she had blind faith in Kanilan's future.
If Kanilan's economy had lasted just five more years like this, they might have had the chance to make the Empire economically dependent on them by riding the war boom.
"..."
"..."
Silence fell.
The night breeze brushed through the stillness between us.
The sweet scent of alcohol lingered at the tip of my nose.
For my part, I was slightly worried. If Captain Ren's taste leaned heavily toward handsome faces and she had developed some fated attraction to me—
"So. How is Zebestian doing?"
My worries were unfounded.
The hand holding my glass trembled slightly. The drunkenness had vanished from Ren's eyes in an instant. Her pupils, now cold as blades, seemed to pierce right through me.
"You recognized me from the start."
"Yeah."
She swirled her glass and muttered.
"I debated whether to kill you or not. You might not know, but I have quite a few grudges against Zebestian."
"If you had tried, I would have fought back."
"Against me? Please, you've still got a long way to go."
Ren looked at me. Her expression was strangely warm for a sneer.
"The commander who pacified Genen. Maximilian, the Knight of Ebenholtz. But there are no tanks here, kid."
"..."
That was a truly irritating title. Considering everything, I was much older than her in total years.
"I heard Captain Ren is still in her twenties as well. You must be older than you look, if you're old enough to have a child like me."
Ren's eyes narrowed. Her pupils constricted into vertical slits. They were the eyes of a cat facing its prey.
However, she soon relaxed.
"...A grudge shouldn't miss its mark. It shouldn't just spread anywhere."
She let out a sigh and looked up at the sky.
"I'll keep your identity a secret. I don't particularly want to blab about it, and I have no intention of stopping my enemy's son from throwing his money into a trash can."
Her revenge was limited only to Zebestian.
"That's a relief."
"But… no."
Ren shook her head.
"Let's have a drink. To the glory of Kanilan."
Ren looked at me and raised her glass. I followed suit.
"If such a thing is possible."
Clink.
The glass collided, and the liquor sloshed.
Ren downed the strong spirit with a relaxed face. Looking at her, I thought of the future.
Before my regression, Ren, the Captain of Acarius, had challenged Zebestian but was defeated and killed.
Zebestian was that kind of man.
Far more than Ren could estimate, and far more than this continent could imagine──
He was a monster.
* * *
In my Kanilan penthouse, I conducted several meetings simultaneously via video conference.
This 'video conference' technology was truly fascinating.
In Kanilan, one could speak face-to-face with someone hundreds of kilometers away through a silver screen integrated with magi-engineering.
─Can you hear us?
Eight split screens appeared on the silver screen. Within them, I saw twelve executives from Kanilan securities firms and banks with whom I had signed contracts.
"...I can hear you."
Their expressions were uncomfortable from the start. Every single one of them looked arrogant and greedy, eyeing me as if I were a sucker.
─Yes, Mr. Ebert. First, take a look at the market situation. Volatility has exceeded the threshold.
The man on the first screen began, chewing on a cigar.
─According to our company regulations, we have no choice but to upwardly adjust the margin requirements and commission rates once more. Your position is far too risky right now.
─That's right. It's the same for us at Merylchi. If you don't provide additional collateral, we will have no choice but to proceed with forced liquidation.
─Yes, this is Rekiano Securities. We also request a recalculation of the lending fees. Please understand that this is an unavoidable measure for risk management.
─If you find it insufficient, you could always cut your losses and leave now. We could be… lenient about the procedures for breach of contract…
They babbled on as they pleased. Compared to them, Russell was a gentleman. At least he treated me like a VVIP customer in proportion to the money I spent.
"Shh."
I placed a finger to my lips without changing my expression.
"I will pay everything."
They paused.
"I understand the volatility. Since Kanilan is recording daily highs, the increased risk of the products I hold is acceptable. Therefore, I will deposit the requested amounts."
I signaled to Dieter beside me.
─Hahaha! As expected, you are quite generous!
─Oh, thank you. It seems we worried for nothing.
─Then we shall end the transmission here. Good luck with your investments!
Among them, a bald man who particularly resembled a badger tried to cut the connection hastily.
"Wait."
I raised my hand.
"By any chance."
I slowly scanned the twelve faces on the screen.
"Is there no one who thinks differently? Someone who believes that faith is important in a contract, and that unilaterally changing terms just because market conditions have shifted is against business ethics—?"
A brief silence followed.
"—Someone who intends to proceed according to the original contract?"
In truth, I would make my money through their ruin. Since I would soon be stepping over their corpses, I was giving them one last chance.
Kanilan was part of my plan, and I wasn't someone who enjoyed playing games with money.
─Uh… no thanks. Good luck.
─Yeah, good luck~ Take care~
─This is a battlefield. Winning is the only faith here. Hahaha.
─Actually, the contract itself is the regulation, and those regulations change according to volatility. Good luck.
Most of them sneered, and the badger-like man snorted.
It was then.
─...Sigh.
One man in the corner let out a sigh and raised his hand. He was the president of [Old Haven], one of Kanilan's local banks.
Tucked away in the corner of the video conference, his bank's scale was relatively small.
─We will just accept what was in the contract. There's no need to squeeze our customers.
The other executives looked at him as if he were insane.
─Oh my. How kind of you, President Haven. Are you trying to run your bank into the ground?
─Leave him be. That's why they're 'Old.' Hahahaha.
─Truly a saintly soul, aren't you?
There were many mocking remarks, but I nodded with a faint smile.
"Understood. Old Haven Bank. I will remember that. The commissions you've set will be deposited starting today."
─Oh, thank you—
I signaled Dieter.
Pop. The screen went black immediately.
"Dieter. Can't we use this technology in the Empire?"
"It is possible to use it, but the range is limited. In Kanilan, where the land area is small, it can be used safely, but in the Empire, there is a high risk of the mana wavelengths being intercepted."
"That's a shame."
I fiddled with my fingers and glanced at Dieter.
"You said we needed one more bank to acquire, right?"
"Yes. Since Kronen is a specialized bank, we need a bank for commercial and private operations. Old Haven Bank should be sufficient."
"Good."
As a reward for being the only ones not to succumb to greed, they would survive.
"As for the rest, pick them clean to the bone. Especially that badger-looking fellow… you know what to do?"
"Yes. I understand."
Dieter said as he packed his bag.
"Then, shall we depart?"
"Ah. What about the Ransom short selling? I heard you can borrow and sell stocks you don't own here."
"All positions have been entered."
He showed me a state-of-the-art Kanilan terminal. My asset status was displayed on a flat crystal screen.
"Kanilan really has all sorts of things."
"Yes. It is thanks to its geographical characteristics."
Dieter explained, adjusting his glasses.
"Since Kanilan is surrounded by sea, the mana density in the atmosphere is significantly higher than in the Empire, and the particles are finer. This makes it advantageous for miniaturizing such precision magi-engineering circuits. Because the territory is small, they can also reduce the resources spent on security."
All communication on the continent, including this terminal, is based on mana. I didn't know the details, but it roughly meant transmitting mana waves and receiving them.
Thus, the methods of utilization had to differ from country to country. Mana's properties changed depending on the space.
"I see. Now, let's head to the party venue."
...
The Kanilan Archipelago, Panulan Island.
The entire island had been transformed into a single party venue. Airships flew through the sky, spraying multicolored smoke trails, and flags emblazoned with the [Ransom Corporation] logo fluttered in every street.
[ The World's Greatest Tech Summit: Land Protocol ]
Massive crowds swarmed in. Investors, technologists, reporters, and even a fair number of Imperial nobles and Imperial Guard members were present.
Among them, there truly wasn't a single Izenheim.
After dropping my luggage at a top-tier hotel, I took a VVIP seat in the open-air demonstration area with the sea as a backdrop.
"Oh~ You've arrived."
Russell appeared out of nowhere and offered his hand.
"Good to see you, Mr. Ebert. Shall I give you the 100 dollars right now?"
We had bet 100 dollars on the success or failure of this technology's demonstration.
"Once the results are in."
"Ah~ Yes. Let's do that. Well then, I'll be off. I have many friends to attend to. See you later at dinner!"
Russell hurried off to manage his clients. Among them was Ren. When our eyes met, she quirked an eyebrow at me.
Thump───!
Just then, a loud vibration settled over the stage. Spotlights illuminated the area.
Accompanied by grand music, the event was about to begin.
─Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the world's greatest Tech Summit!
The host's voice, captured by a microphone, echoed across the entire island through mana amplifiers.
Afterward, a man wearing a turtleneck walked onto the center of the stage. The CEO of Ransom Corporation—Sabin.
─Thank you for traveling such a long way. In particular, I would like to thank the distinguished guests who have come from the far-off Empire.
He gestured toward the VVIP section where the Imperial nobles were gathered.
─Of course, the great Empire may be far ahead in terms of national power… but when it comes to an eye for the future, I suspect our Kanilan might be a bit brighter. Please don't take it too personally. Aren't we all in the business of making money together?
A confident provocation.
The audience cheered, and the Imperial nobles chuckled, pretending to be unbothered.
─Now, everyone. We are gathered here today to rewrite history.
The CEO's expression hardened into seriousness once more.
He pointed to the silver screen spread out behind him.
─Community Land Protocol.
Complex and multifaceted magic circles and magi-engineering blueprints intersected brilliantly. Lines of mana spread out in blue.
─Before that, let me ask you a question. This Panulan Island you are standing on right now—was this land always here?
The venue fell silent. He smirked and snapped his fingers.
Snap.
A map appeared on the silver screen.
─This is a map from five years ago.
There was only blue sea. No such island existed. It was a vast ocean without even a reef. The crowd began to murmur.
─And, this is now.
The screen changed to the 'present.' It was a photo of Panulan Island standing tall upon the sea.
─That is correct. You are currently standing upon 'created land' that we, Ransom Corporation, secretly launched five years ago.
Whoaaaaa!
As if they had been waiting, exclamations erupted from the audience.
─But we do not stop here.
The CEO spread his arms wide.
─Today. In this very spot. Before your very eyes. A wider, more expansive, and entirely new land that never existed before will rise above the sea.
Everyone stood up from their seats and looked around.
Fssssssssss──.
The technology was activated. Thousands, tens of thousands of mana circuits began to glow from the seabed, intertwining like a net. The seawater seemed to boil, spewing foam, and the atmospheric mana swirled, drawing geometric magic circles on the surface.
── Thump!
A heavy vibration was felt beneath our feet.
It was a quickening that shook the entire island.
"Oh…! Oh!"
"It's coming up! It's really coming up!"
From beneath the parted sea surface, the facets of the blue-glowing earth began to bloom. A smooth artificial foundation, precisely compressed and processed with mana.
Rumbleeeee──
Shedding seawater like a waterfall, it majestically revealed its form above the ground…
"What do you think?"
Ren had approached me at some point. She smiled as she watched the land being created on the other side of the island.
"Do you still think Kanilan is going to fall?"
I didn't answer. I simply waited for what was next.
──At that moment.
Creeeeeeaaaak────!
The sound of something snapping, unable to withstand an unbearable weight.
A rupture sound that everyone here would surely find ominous erupted.
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