Arsene Lippin, who had promised Emperor Milishial VIII that a new Heavenly Vessel will be completed in two years one-sidedly without consultation and coordination with others, had forced the panicked and frightened organizations related to its development to quicken the pace of their activities, not out of respect to MOASEC, but out of a sense of self-preservation. They were displeased with Lippin, but they were also afraid of losing their jobs even more and they certainly didn’t want to incur the wrath of the Emperor.

Military Affairs Minister Ignis Schmill Pao, Foreign Minister Lewis Maddock, and Director of Economy Ministry Edith Sommerville were so stressed that they can be seen frequenting a local bar in Runepolis together and drunk heavily. Lippin himself does not drink, but even if he were to join, they will just be going to shun him. If they knew that Lippin relieved his stress by spending what remained of his free time with his children and wife, they will become even more infuriated by now.

On one outing, Minister Schmill Pao talked drunkenly about the magic torpedo, a new weapon capable of sinking even powerful battleships, and compared it to their situation. He later lamented that Lippin’s blunder had just ‘torpedoed’ his and their own careers, and ever since then, that phrase began to spread among the populace.

October 20, 1614 Central Calendar, 06:00

Ministry of Ancient Sorcerous Empire Countermeasures

Robin was holding her head ever since she got out of the Director’s office. Early in the morning, when everyone was still asleep, she had been summoned by her boss to meet with him in his office. It was then that Lippin informed her about the two-year deadline of the Heavenly Vessel development without any sugarcoating. After that tense atmosphere, her boss got up from his chair and bowed directly in front of her, apologizing profusely for the entire thing. Robin wasn’t fully awake yet and was too stunned at her boss’s actions, and it was after she got out of the air-conditioned office that it dawned upon her the ridiculousness of the situation.

‘Two freaking years…!? Even with all the Ancient Ministry’s capabilities, there is no way something like a Heavenly Vessel can be built in two years…! How could the Director thought that way… no way, could it be…?’ Robin thought exasperatedly as she massaged her left temple.

It must be it. Meteos’ inventions, which will normally take time to develop were completed within an extremely short time one after another. That must have given the Director an illusion that with enough resources and support, this new project can also be completed in a short time, and this must have made him think that two years is a reasonable enough time to develop the next generation Heavenly Vessel.

‘But there is no way Meteos can be blamed for this—hell no, the Director is the one at fault for acting on his own…!’

As she continued to walk, Robin’s stomach rumbled. She had been summoned so early in the morning that she barely had a chance to tidy up and get ready, let alone have breakfast. Contorting her face in discomfort, she dragged her feet for the Administrative Building’s cafeteria.

…………

In the cafeteria, a place where the employees come to eat during breaks, the many tables and chairs lined inside are still empty, but the stalls are already opened with personnel and the foods are already being cooked inside. As Robin walked into the large room, she can see beyond the large glass windows to her left that the morning sun is still hidden behind the eastern hills, yet its rays still cast a golden hue across the sky.

However, before Robin could admire the beautiful scenery across the window, her stomach continued to rumble in protest, reminding her that she needs to eat. She held her hungry stomach and quickened her steps to order a full breakfast from one of the stalls.

A dozen minutes later, Robin had finished her breakfast with a feeling of satisfaction and was about to reach for a glass of drink on her table when she heard footsteps coming from behind her. When she craned her head slightly to look, familiar tufts of silver and brown hairs emerged from the corner of her eyes.

“Good morning, Miss Robin,” the silver-haired Meteos, who walked in front carrying a tray of breakfast, greeted her.

“Morning,” his brown-haired friend, also carrying the same tray, followed with a much more casual greeting.

“Oh, it’s you two, good morning… You’ve come a bit early, you know.”

“Hm, it’s just that there’s nothing to do in the apartment since we forgot to buy supplies yesterday, so we decided to come here.”

“Ah, yeah, that’s on me, sorry about that,” she apologized, “Don’t worry, you can buy things in the store later.”

“Mm.”

On the day before, the three of them were busy packing their belongings in their old apartment and then hanging out with Nadia and her two friends in a small celebration for Meteos and Walman’s early graduation until the evening that they forgot to stock up on food. However, Robin also pointed out that there is a convenience store located near their new apartment.

Their new residence is a building complex located several hundred meters east of the MOASEC Headquarters’ easternmost administrative building, inhabited by the Ancient Ministry employees of various races and backgrounds from across the Empire’s massive territory. Since the nearest settlement is located so far away from the MOASEC Headquarters, the apartment block is equipped with the amenities of a small town, including a convenience store, a refueling station, a clinic, and an entertainment zone.

Robin took a sip of the warm water from the glass and threw one of her hands behind the backrest as her eyes followed Meteos and his friend Walman, who began to set their breakfast on the table. As she gathered her thoughts about what Lippin had just told her earlier, she watched her apprentices eat their breakfast.

Meteos handled the utensils with dexterous, practiced hands, a straight posture, and a neutral expression. A perfect table etiquette with a dignified air, even more so as the sun slowly peeked out of the hills and its golden rays started to shine on the building, bathing them in the sunlight. The only sign that Meteos enjoyed his meal is the glint in his eyes as he also basked in the glow of the morning sun. Meanwhile, Walman on his side ate more sloppily, but he clearly enjoyed the food.

If Robin didn’t know any better, she can say that the silver-haired boy in front of her is a nobleman from the House Pendragon, a strange ducal noble family whose heiress happened to be one of their friends. She remembered that Sofia once joked that Meteos and Annette could pass as siblings because of their similar hair and eyes. While Meteos brushed it off, Robin didn’t miss the longing in Annette’s eyes when she heard that. What a strange bunch.

Robin shook her head, preparing herself to tell her apprentices the more important matters now that they are here. She let out a deep sigh.

“…You two, I need to tell you about something.”

Walman perked up and Meteos swallowed the food in his mouth before responding.

“What is it?”

“It’s about your first assignment. As you know, as Apprentice Mages under my charge, you will be following me as I will be assigned in the development of the new Heavenly Vessel, but there is one thing…”

She continued to talk about what Director Lippin had told her. Initially, the project didn’t have a fixed schedule yet, but during the audience with Emperor Milishial VIII, Lippin blurted to the Emperor that the project can be finished within two years, or around the time of the next Eleven Countries Leadership Conference. Even though the Ancient Ministry was granted a large sum of money and resources, it was still a very reckless thing to do on Lippin’s part. And now, because of his carelessness, his subordinates will be the ones who are forced to bear the burden to make his promise a reality.

“………”

Both of them looked stunned, then Meteos spoke again.

“I see… if that’s the case, then so be it.”

“Huh!?”

“I mean, it’s no use crying over spilled milk. Even if I cry about it, Director Lippin already promised His Majesty. So, let’s just get on with the work.”

“Do you think that the project can be completed in two years?”

At Robin’s question, Meteos set aside his empty tray and leaned back.

“I don’t know, but I have no intention of losing my job after just getting here. Besides, everyone here values their jobs, right? Instead of lamenting things that already happened, let’s think of how to turn this predicament into something that will motivate everyone.”

Although it was unexpected, Meteos didn’t feel angry at being given an absurd deadline such as two years. Instead, he thought that this might be a good incentive to motivate the engineers to work harder. The stakes of being an Ancient Ministry member are high. If they fail to provide what was promised directly to the Emperor, they will not be executed, but still, the punishment will be severe. If everyone here cares for their lives and family, they should have done something to avoid that from happening.

Family is indeed a powerful motivating tool.

“W-well, it’s still better than one year…” Walman commented from the side, trying to be optimistic. Meteos nodded sagely at what his friend was saying.

“Oh, what the hell. I don’t like it, but you have a point. Then, after breakfast, let’s meet the lead engineer and start discussing. Sounds good?”

“Of course, of course. I can’t wait to start working.”

At Meteos’ words, Robin eyed him suspiciously. Looks like she will need to make sure that her apprentices will not overwork themselves.

They remained seated in their seats for a while until several employees who came in for breakfast began filling the cafeteria with chattering. One of them turned on the magical transmission monitor attached to a wall. Its flat crystalline screen lit up just in time for them to watch the weekly World News program. On the colored monitor, the beautiful elven newscaster greeted the viewers with a smile.

“Good morning, the World News has some extraordinary news for you today…”

Those in the hall listened to the broadcast as they indulge in their meal. As its name implies, the World News gathered information from around the world once a week and broadcasted it to the citizens via the magic transmission monitor. Only in the Holy Milishial Empire can people watch the news as colored moving images, while in other countries, they still use the sound-only manacoms.

“Next news, the government of Parpaldia Empire has announced this morning that the heir to the Parpaldian throne has been born at 3 o’clock early morning today. Furthermore, the Parpaldian government has also announced that the heir’s name is…”

“…Ludius, huh…”

As he watched the news, Meteos murmured the name at almost the same time as the anchor, unheard by his friend and teacher. So today is the day for the infamous future emperor of a defeated Parpaldia to be born.

“The governments of Holy Milishial Empire and Mu, as well as countries in the First, Second, and Third Civilization Areas have sent their congratulatory statements, while as of this hour, the government of Leifor has yet to issue a formal statement…”

After finishing their breakfast, Meteos, Walman, and Robin headed to the Aerial System Development Facility to convey the news to the lead engineer. The man went through five stages of grief in mere seconds upon hearing the two-year deadline, but started gathering his subordinates to start making plans.

And thus, the challenging task has begun for the Ancient Ministry’s members.

Same day, 08:00 Local Time

On the sea south of the Third Civilization, a region where the Parpaldia Empire is located, there is an island nation called Altaras. Being located outside of the Philades Continent, the Third Civilization Area, Altaras is one of the ‘outside civilization countries,’ a term for the least developed countries in the known world in terms of civilization. However, due to its geographic location, which is only a stone’s throw away from the expansionist superpower of Parpaldia, which necessitated a strong military and national power, in addition to the fact that Altaras is a country rich in natural resources and a key transit point between the Central World and the eastern realm, made Altaras flourished to a level comparable to a civilized nation within the Philades Continent.

The gentle rays of the morning sun illuminated the bustling capital city of Le Brias, the home of around 500.000 people. In the middle of the city, a white palace glowed under the sun, its circular architecture with beautiful domes, which is shared by other buildings in the capital, represented the warm and gentle nature of the Altaran people, as well as the icon of prosperity for the nation.

It was the Atenor Palace, the center of Altaras Kingdom’s government, and inside an ornate office within the palace, a middle-aged man with slicked-back graying hair and a pointed beard is working on his desk, sorting through various paperwork sent to him by the various departments in the country. The warm rays that shone through the open window washed upon him, somehow alleviating the stress he had to face this morning.

This is Taara El Masnoor, also known as Taara XIV, the King of Altaras.

As he was just about to put the quill he was using back into the ink bottle in order to take a breather from his work, someone knocked on the door to his office before it opened, revealing an official with a slightly pale face and irregular breathing.

“Your Majesty, I terribly apologize for disturbing you, but I came here with an urgent report! The Embassy of Holy Milishial Empire has requested a meeting with you to convey a number of requirements from their government!”

Taara’s eyes widened in astonishment. Although they have an embassy in their country, the Holy Milishial Empire rarely had business with them.

“The fact that they even bothered to request a meeting with us must mean a very important request. Quick, prepare for the meeting immediately!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

After the official left the room, Taara quickly got up from his chair and gathered his officials before the meeting with the Holy Milishial Empire’s ambassador.

…………

One hour later, a two-horse carriage can be seen moving through the main street of Le Brias toward the Atenor Palace. The people engaging in daily activities gawked at the vehicle as they parted to give way for the carriage to pass, staring in awe at its elegant blue and gold color, driven by a coachman with a similarly-colored uniform. Unbothered by their reaction, the carriage continued on its way, walking past the palace gate and stopping in front of the entrance. And after disembarking from it, the passengers were ushered into one of the reception rooms, escorted by the Altaran Royal Guards.

The leader of the group is a tall man with long braided jet-black hair, wearing a dark blue coat over a lighter-colored formal uniform. His amethyst eyes glanced around disinterestedly as they walked along the palace’s hall, his face expressionless. Slightly behind him, a shorter man carrying a bag and a man in military uniform walked side by side.

They entered the reception room filled with expensive furnishings placed there to appease state guests, although like before, the tall man did not show any interest in them, instead he went straight to one of the couches to wait for the Altaran representative, leaning on the soft backrest with crossed hands and started to tap his fingers. The shorter man and the military man stood behind him, flanking his sides.

Not long after, the door on the other side of the room opened, revealing the Altaran representatives. The tall man stood up from the chair and greeted them with a smirk.

“Well, well, well, good day! Thank you for accepting our sudden request for a meeting… Your Majesties,” he spoke with a flair and slightly playful tone of voice, nodding slightly at the Altaran representatives.

Across him is none other than King Taara XIV himself, clad in colorful regal clothing, while beside him is a woman with long black hair and brown eyes, wearing an equally colorful long dress with long headwear. It is Taara’s wife, Queen Elif of Altaras. She smiled back at the tall man’s greeting and bowed slightly.

The tall man did not show any nervousness whatsoever in the face of the Altaran Royal Family who addressed the delegation themselves. Instead, his entire being radiated nothing other than sheer confidence. From Taara and Elif’s perspective, between Mu’s courtesy and Parpaldia’s arrogance, this tall man is located somewhere in between, slightly leaning to the former in terms of attitude.

“You’re welcome, Lord Mephilas, it’s our pleasure,” King Taara replied to the tall man’s greeting, mentioning his name.

The identity of the man in front of them is Leonardo Mephilas, the ambassador of the Holy Milishial Empire for Altaras Kingdom and a nobleman with the rank of count. He is seen as strange by the Altaran government officials since he is one of the only two Milishian nobles who worked as a diplomat in this part of the world, and even stranger that he is posted here in what can be considered a backwater country for Milishian people when both the ambassador to the superpower Parpaldia Empire and his boss in the Foreign Ministry are both barons. Behind him is his aide and an escort from the Holy Milishial Imperial Army.

As they got seated, facing each other across the table, Taara was the first to speak.

“Well then… what can our country do for you?”

Mephilas gestured to his aide, who took out a stack of papers from the bag he was carrying and handed them to the Altaran side.

“This document summarized the purpose of our visit this time.”

As Taara and the other Altaran representatives received the documents and started to read them, frowns of confusion began to form on their faces. They couldn’t quite believe the contents of the document presented by the Milishian side.

“The Empire is seeking the rights for surveying and mining of the ores mentioned in the document within your country, including the new mine located north of Carifa on the southern coast of your country. Other than that, we will not touch the already existing mines,” explained Mephilas.

The ores mentioned in the document included the golden red stone and sharp gimlet stone, the two main sources for NMC-22 that the Ancient Ministry will need in their development of a new engine and Heavenly Vessel using that engine. Other than procuring it from their own territory, the Empire had decided to hoard as many of them as possible from the surrounding countries while also increasing their influence.

“…And in return…?”

It was already written in the documents, but Taara asked again for confirmation.

“In exchange for granting us the rights, the Empire is prepared to provide assistance as written in the document. Development of your country’s economic and industrial capabilities, development of your port and airport facilities, and relaxation in technology restrictions. Of course, the extraterritoriality and tax exemption rights of our citizens will be recognized like usual.”

These proposals seemed to be very beneficial for the Altaras Kingdom. However, the ‘resources’ mentioned in the document, even if they can be called that, is nothing more than junk ores with no magical value whatsoever.

The Carifa Mine that was opened recently is a bust for the Altarans, since the only thing found there are the golden red stones. If they are to be sold, one kilogram of golden red stone is only worth a quarter Milishian zollark. Taara remembered that several years ago, Milishian researchers once acquired a sample of these ores for free because of how worthless it is for them. It is very suspicious that the Holy Milishial Empire, the world’s strongest magical civilization, is suddenly interested in them and wanted them in large numbers. In his mind, Taara concluded that they must be up to something. There is a high possibility that his country is being swindled by Milishial.

“What if we decline your demand…?” Taara asked with narrowed eyes.

Mephilas’ smirk widened a fraction as he leaned forward, sending chills to the Altaran delegation’s spines.

“Are you sure about that?”

“………”

“I have heard that your neighbor up north has been demanding your country to provide more magic gems beyond what you can provide now. They are preoccupied with their expansion northward at the moment, but who knows when they will turn their blades south…?” Mephilas trailed off, reminding them of their aggressive neighbor Parpaldia located just across the strait. His tone of voice never changed from before, but there is no warmth in his words.

“!!!”

Altaras is one of the major exporters of magic stones thanks to the existence of Siltras Mine, which is the fifth-largest in the world, but they cannot expand their markets to the First and Second Civilizations due to the magic stone trade in these regions being completely dominated by the Holy Milishial Empire, which owns both the largest magic stone mine and the most advanced processing technology.

Therefore, it left Altaras with the Third Civilization Area and its surroundings, where the largest importer of Altaran magic stone is, ironically, the Parpaldia Empire. This is the reason why Altaras can get away from being demanded to provide slaves and gifting lands in return for providing the magic stones in the quota as set by Parpaldia, unlike their neighboring countries that are subjected to Parpaldia’s threatening ‘diplomacy’. In addition, Altaras also received more magic technology from Parpaldia that they deemed obsolete, allowing them to build up their national power to their current level.

However, as the Parpaldia Empire’s expansion northward intensified, they began demanding more magic stones from Altaras beyond their capability. If they continue to lag in their efforts, Taara can see Parpaldia will start using their military to pressure his country. Will he allow his country to be potentially deceived by Milishial or continue living in fear of Parpaldia’s aggression?

Ignoring the Altarans’ turmoil, Mephilas continued to speak.

“The Empire is not interested in your magic stones, but as part of the assistance offered by the Empire, we will also send mining experts and technology to help increase the output of your mines. That way, you can keep up with Parpaldia’s demands and earn more profit for yourself. What do you say? Oh, and there’s one more thing…”

The Milishian ambassador paused for dramatic effect. It successfully made Taara and the rest of the Altaran side waited for his next words with bated breath.

“…Depending on the degree of your cooperation, the Empire is willing to raise your diplomatic rank and in the next World Conference, we will propose that your country be acknowledged as a proper Third Civilization Area country. Of course, since it’s the Empire that will do it, we already know what the result will be.”

“!!!”

The Altaran delegation’s eyes widened in shock. They did not expect that the Holy Milishial Empire will be going as far as offering them an international recognition that Altaras always yearned for, all in exchange for the rights to mine literal dirt. But it also somewhat makes sense for Taara.

‘I see, Milishial wants those junk ores for whatever their goal is, but it seems that they also want to make Altaras a buffer state against Parpaldian expansion, and since their proposal does not include military agreements, it will not alarm Parpaldia too much. It’s like hitting two birds with a stone for Milishial… If we played this right, we can even perhaps conclude a non-aggression pact with Parpaldia and remain neutral while also benefiting from Milishial’s technological assistance. Not to mention the international recognition by the world’s strongest country itself…’

Taara glanced to Elif uneasily, and when he turned back to Mephilas, he saw that the younger man was raising an amused eyebrow at him, waiting for his reply. The king bit his lip, looked at the documents again and again to make sure that he did not misread the contents. As much as he wanted to find out more about Milishial’s sudden change in policy, he was worried that such an act will put the Milishian delegation off. Taara gulped before giving his response.

“…Your proposal is indeed most generous to us, but I would like to discuss it internally before giving an answer.”

Mephilas’ smirk softened as he leaned back with a satisfied expression.

“Why, yes. It is understandable. But the sooner you give us an answer, the better. I hope you choose wisely.”

“Yes, let this be the sign of our continued friendship.”

The two delegations stood up from their seats and shook each other’s hands, concluding the meeting today. As the Altaran delegation immediately hold a meeting to discuss the details, Mephilas, his aide, and his escort exited the room leisurely.

…………

The Milishian delegation is back on their carriage, returning to their embassy building located on a hill overlooking the Le Brias Harbor. The sound of horse hooves striking the stone-paved road and the wooden wheels spinning on their axles were mixed with the clamoring of the people along the capital’s main street. As Ambassador Mephilas glanced outside from his seat, his aide, who was seated facing him inside the carriage, murmured in a small voice.

“My Lord, the negotiations went well as expected, but I don’t understand, why the government even bothered to offer an outside civilization country such a huge benefit if we can just give demands and be done with it?”

The ambassador let out an exasperated sigh and turned to face his aide, a young man in his mid-twenties.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, Gabriel, Gabriel, Gabriel…” Mephilas chided, shaking his head from side to side, “I see you are not thinking far ahead. Having good relations with other countries is important for the sake of maintaining world order, so that there will be no unnecessary wars that will only exhaust us. Keep in mind that the reason the Empire exists is to prepare against the revival of the Ancient Sorcerous Empire. That upstart Parpaldia Empire is getting increasingly troublesome these days, I suppose the government wants to keep them in check by increasing their presence on this island. After all, there’s no way Parpaldia will be able to challenge the Empire, unless they are stupid.”

Mephilas explained his theory.

“That’s…”

“It is true that national interest comes first, but the Empire, as the strongest country in the world, is seen by countries around us as the beacon of hope and the protector of humanity. If the Empire, which carries such an important role, treats other nations with disrespect, what will the world make of us? Our dignity will be completely crumbled to the ground. ‘Oh, the Holy Milishial Empire is behaving like barbarians.’ You don’t want to hear that from the rest of the world, aren’t you?”

“N-no, My Lord, I don’t want to…”

“Good. Remember this, Gabriel. Those who own power and privilege have a duty they must fulfill. Even if you sometimes have to get your hands dirty in order to do that. That’s what noblesse oblige means.”

“Noblesse… oblige…” the aide, Gabriel, repeated what Mephilas had said.

“Yes. Though, I am curious about one thing…”

Mephilas pondered about the order he suddenly received from the mainland just yesterday, which is the offer to make Altaras a Third Civilization country when the previous offers are already more than enough to make the Altaras Kingdom accept their proposal.

“I wonder, what happened back home?”

Neither Gabriel nor his escort has an answer to his question.

“Oh, never mind, now that the mainland had decided to help Altaras develop, I can’t wait to be able to use cars in this country. This carriage started to hurt my back, ahahahaha…”

Mephilas suddenly joked, causing Gabriel and the escorting soldier to laugh awkwardly along with him.

One day later, the government of Altaras Kingdom informed the Holy Milishial Empire’s embassy that they accepted the proposal, including the transfer of rights for Carifa Mine to the Empire. One week later, ships loaded with equipment and personnel began to depart from Milishial’s ports and arrive at Altaras Island one after another, and the work of surveying the island for resources and developing the kingdom’s infrastructure has begun.

A similar sight can also be seen in countries adjacent to the First Civilization Area. Nations that are marked by the Empire were being offered the same thing as what they have proposed to Altaras and accepted them without a second thought. In particular, the Meerky Kingdom, a mining country with significant golden red stone deposits, did not question the Empire’s intentions and readily granted them rights to survey and mine those useless ores after their government heard the words ‘technology transfer’ and ‘infrastructure development’.

Regardless of their intentions, the decision that these countries made will be the one that turns their destiny even further than its original course.

Currently Publicly Available Information

ALTARAS KINGDOM

An island country located in the arm of the ocean that separates southern Philades from northern Rodenius Continent, its capital is Le Brias. According to the method of geopolitical and technological categorization employed by the international community of the known world, the Altaras Kingdom is classified as a country outside the civilization area, which means that it is located in that peripheral region of the planet that contains all the nations with the most primitive level of technology and weakest military.

However, the Altaras Kingdom’s national power is comparable to that of a Third Civilization due to possessing large reserves of magic gemstones, which plays a core role in Altaras’ economy. In addition, Altaras also possesses great seafood potential and high value.

The country is currently ruled by King Taara XIV.