There aren’t many places left to move to. Franz and Stilikov spread out a map, lost in their thoughts.
In the vast empire, it seemed impossible to find a place to hide, but any location they might consider would likely have already been identified by the imperial investigation team, and troops stationed there.
The way of moving was also a problem. Not only could they not use trains, but traveling by carriage or horseback also carried significant risks.
When moving from one area to another, they had to pass through at least two quarantine stations. It was nearly impossible to slip through without being detected.
So far, they had been using magic to move through space, but they couldn’t rely on the same method indefinitely.
Using magic stones had clear limitations. Over the past twenty years, they had amassed a considerable amount of magic stones hidden across the country, but recently, the depletion rate had been staggering.
After spending time in one place, they had to move to another, which used up a huge quantity of magic stones in the process.
Even counting just the closest aides traveling with Franz, there were around a dozen of them. It was no easy task to accommodate all of them.
“…The supply of magic stones stored in the underground warehouse of the mansion is the highest.”
“We can’t return to the capital. You know that well.”
“Yes. The imperial investigation team has probably already taken control of the area and searched it thoroughly.”
“Where’s the next largest supply?”
“The southeast.”
Franz had freely mined magic stones stored in the northwest of the empire, including the capital, through Count Louisette.
The investigation team knew that Franz had monopolized the magic stone mines in the northwest, but they had long been reaching into the southeast as well.
“The southeast…”
The area where Franz and the knights were currently hiding was a mountain village reachable after about ten days of riding from Septfera.
While it was near a mine, it was such a small village that they believed it wouldn’t be included in the investigation by the imperial team.
“How much magic stone is left here?”
“It should be enough to move to the closest city in the southeast, Secretium.”
“Secretium?”
He scanned the map. Franz, estimating the distance, realized that the distance from here to Secretium was far from close.
“No matter how close it may seem, this distance is unreasonable.”
“I calculated for only the necessary minimal personnel.”
“Necessary minimal personnel?”
“Yes. If we only move with the bare minimum to escort you, it is possible.”
Franz frowned.
“Are you suggesting we leave some knights behind here?”
“I’m not suggesting that. If the minimal personnel move safely first, the remaining personnel can rush to catch up…”
“Isn’t that just what you’re saying?”
“There’s no other way. Moving as a whole is impossible.”
“Ha…”
A deep sigh escaped Franz. Despite his past indifference to the lives of others for his own safety, the subordinates who had come this far with him were undoubtedly significant to him.
How could he easily abandon those who had sworn to follow him into danger?
Hadn’t he already forsaken many loyal knights who had pledged their lives to him?
The thought of casting away the last of his most faithful followers once more weighed heavily on his chest, as if a large stone had been placed there.
“Is there really no other way?”
“The only way to safely move your residence without being captured or discovered is this. I cannot find any other possibilities.”
There were no alternatives. Franz knew he would have to reluctantly follow Stilikov’s proposal.
No matter how much he valued his subordinates, he would ultimately prioritize his own life.
“Once we move to Secretium, do we have a plan for what comes next?”
“The final destination is Urentum.”
“Urentum?”
It was a familiar name. As Franz pondered, staring blankly into space, Stilikov quickly continued explaining.
“That is the location of Count Louisette’s villa.”
“Oh, that Urentum.”
The place where Celeste, who was said to have lost her memory, had been hiding. Franz nodded with an expression of realization.
“Why that place, though?”
“You must know that there are many villas of the Louisette family throughout the Empire.”
“It’s not unusual for wealthy noble families to own dozens of villas.”
“Usually, yes, but the Louisette villas carry a different significance.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“All the villas constructed after the former count became the head of the family were built under the direction of Lady Marina.”
Marina. Franz flinched momentarily at hearing his mother’s name unexpectedly but composed himself and pretended to remain unfazed while listening to Stillico’s explanation.
“Do you know how many magical stone mines are located in the large Ingens Mountains in the southeastern part of the Empire?”
“In the Ingens Mountains? I’ve heard about it before, but wasn’t the labor required to mine it disproportionately large compared to the amount of magical stones they actually contain, making it not worth the effort to mine?”
Whenever a mine suspected to have magical stones is discovered, the imperial court immediately sends someone from the magical department to calculate its potential value.
They assess the costs of relocating labor to that area and the actual costs required for mining to decide whether to commence mining operations.
Former Emperor Alexander had received reports of dozens of mines being discovered in the southeastern Ingens Mountains, but concluded that over 90 percent of them had little to no mining value and suspended development.
“Actually, that’s not true.”
What if someone from the magical department, who had come south for surveying, was influenced by someone and reported false information? Franz quickly realized that even this was part of Marina’s plan.
“Then… this too was your mother’s doing.”
“Yes. Lady Marina believed it was essential to hold onto the mines in the imperial blind spots.”
“Huh.”
Franz couldn’t help but admire his mother’s foresight yet again. She was undoubtedly a cunning woman, but she was also incredibly wise.
He dared not guess how far ahead she had planned and prepared. Feeling dizzy, Franz hurriedly pulled a chair to sit down.
“Most of the magic stones mined throughout the Ingens Mountain Range are hidden in Urentum, a city at the southern edge.”
“Hah. In that backward countryside town, huh?”
Could that have also been Marina’s plan? Creating a storage facility for magic stones in the most underdeveloped area of the empire, where no development had occurred, was truly a cunning scheme.
“If we can just get there, we can leave for anywhere.”
“The magic stones there… are of that much value, huh?”
“Yes. We might even be able to move to another country.”
There’s no law that says one must die. Franz, who had been driven to the brink of despair, finally envisioned a ray of hope shining right at his feet.
“We will move to Secretium immediately.”
“Yes, Lord Franz.”
***
It has been several months since happiness spread throughout the imperial palace, once stained with tears and anger. The source of this happiness was undoubtedly ‘Valerie.’
The lovely princess Valerie, who resembled only the best traits of her mother and father, brought smiles to many with her mere presence.
Recently, she had been showing signs of trying to grasp something and stand up, causing her great-aunt, Lady Pulcheria, to worry.
The elders of the royal family observed the princess, unsure of what to do—afraid she might fly away or break if they held her. The child was growing like a delicate flower in a greenhouse, surrounded by the excessive protection of many adults.
Among the overly doting adults, the most affected was none other than the child’s father, Emperor Karl.
When he was appointed commander of the royal investigative team and bestowed the title of grand duke, people referred to him as a cold, emotionless man. It was amusing to see him disarmed whenever he looked at his child.
His usually stiff mouth would soften into a comical shape, unable to decide whether to laugh or cry, while his nostrils flared, struggling to breathe due to the child’s overwhelming cuteness. His sharply raised eyebrows would droop sorrowfully, giving him a tearful expression.
When the toddler spotted her father and uttered something like “Papa,” the emperor’s eyes would well up with tears.
Of course, he believed he was turning away to hide such expressions from the attendants, but there wasn’t a single royal servant who had not seen the emperor’s foolish face.
Recently, the palace maids had begun to give Emperor Karl, with his unfamiliar demeanor, a nickname.
Whenever he saw his daughter, he turned into a fool, known affectionately as “Daughter Fool Your Majesty.”
