Chapter 737: Royal Family

1: The world’s superpower, the United Kingdom.

2: Its mainland was called Seland.

3: The first king who founded the United Kingdom said he purchased the island, thus naming it. But strictly speaking, he acquired it for a dirt-cheap price by wielding a sword.

4: Well, it was a story from the distant past, and it didn’t hold any meaning anymore.

5: In any case, Seland was the mainland and heart of the United Kingdom, which was famously known as ‘the land where the sun never sets.’

6: It was also the land of miracles that first ushered in the age of magic and industry.

7: However, was this land remarkable from the very beginning? No, not at all.

8: After all, miracles don’t happen easily.

9: Instead, Seland was more like a backwater, or a remote village.

10: Especially with those Galos guys, who mocked Seland, calling it a gloomy backwater filled with sheep and weaklings who can only stay with the sheep. The problem was, they weren’t entirely wrong.

11: Seland, governing the world’s largest lands, was located at the upper left corner of the chosen nation’s borders. Fog frequently covered the land, making it impossible to call it a pleasant place even in jest.

12: If you saw how the wealthy often left for overseas trips and bought vacation homes, it would make sense.

13: Moreover, the infamous saying that all Seland had were sheep and the people who mingled with them was prevalent. Its history, too, was mostly one of plunder and struggle, often invaded by numerous barbarian tribes.

14: (Even the United Kingdom was a dynasty of conquest.)

15: So, from a long historical perspective, Seland wasn’t that impressive of a place.

16: It wasn’t the center of the world, the land wasn’t vast, the soil wasn’t fertile, and resources weren’t abundant.

17: In short, Seland was livable, but that didn’t mean it was a particularly great place to live. If you imagined it as a person, you could say it was someone not greatly blessed by God.

18: Just an ordinary, common person with no special talents.

19: So how did Seland become the center of the world?

20: The answer was simpler than one might think. It was through effort.

21: Seland prospered thanks to the efforts of its people.

22: By risking their lives to pioneer sea routes, discovering new lands, and researching day and night to advance science and magic, they dramatically increased productivity and enlightened many savage lands, thus building the Kingdom we know.

23: It might sound like self-praise, but this wasn’t an exaggeration.

24: One only had to look at how Seland, once called a backwater among chosen nations, had now become the political, economic, and cultural hub of the world.

25: “And so, the nanny said… don’t be sad just because of this gloomy weather. It’s the very foundation that built our Kingdom, after all.”

26: In a small, quiet room in a private palace used only by the Royal Family, a young boy held the hand of an old lady as he spoke.

27: The boy looked to be in his early to mid-teens; anyone who saw him would indeed call him a ‘boy.’

28: His attire, hygiene, and hair condition were better than most boys, but in the end, he was still just a boy.

29: However, aside from ‘anyone,’ no one in this building… no, in this world could judge this boy as an ordinary boy.

30: This boy was Prince Albert, second in line to the throne of the world’s superpower, the United Kingdom.

31: Even the most reckless man wouldn’t dare treat this boy the same as other boys.

32: If anyone could, they’d either be an ignorant fool or a madman with no regard for the authority of the present world.

33: The boy himself was aware of this fact, which is why, since before the age of ten, he forced himself to act like an adult.

34: So he could fulfill his obligations.

35: That’s why he always dressed properly, kept his posture stiff as a wooden board, and spoke in a manner far too mature for his age.

36: Ironically, the boy’s behavior resembled that of children forced to grow up early due to poverty.

37: It was truly amusing.

38: A boy born into the wealthiest, most noble family in the world behaving just like a child from the slums who had to mature early.

39: But right now, that same boy, worn out with fatigue, was standing by the open window, whining as he gazed outside.

40: “I agree with what the nanny said, but on a day like today, it feels cruel. I wish it were sunny.”

41: The one he was whining to was none other than the old lady holding his hand, a woman who shockingly was the victorious Queen who ruled the United Kingdom.

42: The Queen, who reigned during the golden age of the United Kingdom, was one of the most remarkable rulers in recorded history.

43: The reason people evaluated her so highly wasn’t just because she was fortunate enough to be born in a golden age.

44: Luck may have played a part, but seizing that luck requires ability.

45: She was called a great queen because, although she didn’t rule directly, she had been an active symbolic figure of the nation.

46: If there was one blemish, it was her lack of children, but even that was resolved when she bore Crown Prince Edward and Prince Albert in her forties, solidifying the succession and making her practically flawless.

47: It was almost like a miracle… but that miracle had now come to an end.

48: Not long ago, the always so active Queen had suddenly collapsed.

49: Now, she was rapidly weakening, spending most of her time bedridden.

50: It was as if she was paying for all the blessings she had enjoyed in one blow.

51: Buzz, buzz, buzz.

52: A small noise came from beyond the window.

53: It was none other than visitors arriving, a noise that had become familiar these days.

54: Ever since the Queen’s collapse, countless people, both domestic and foreign, had been coming almost every day to visit her.

55: Normally, visiting during the king’s illness is prohibited as it can cause political instability. But with the Crown Prince, Edward X, set to inherit the throne and visits allowed, there was no issue.

56: Nobles and politicians came, but even commoners-turned-industrialists visited.

57: ‘Shouldn’t everyone, regardless of status, have a chance to pay their respects? Times are changing, and as long as they’re qualified, they ought to be allowed. Doesn’t that match the ideals of our Kingdom?’

58: Edward X, once considered the darling of the Kingdom in his youth, a headache in his prime, and now the Kingdom’s new hope, said this.

59: While there was truth to his words, Albert didn’t like his brother’s decision. As previously mentioned, it went against the rules of propriety.

60: The Royal Family had its own set of laws, after all.

61: But Albert couldn’t argue.

62: There had been an incident too atrocious to allow him simply to oppose.

63: That incident involved the commander of the Kingdom’s military in Randa conspiring with a finger, a shameful secret.

64: Blinded by ambition, the Commander struck a deal with the Puppet, leading a staged invasion of free city Randa to pose as a savior.

65: That alone was a disgrace that blackened the pages of history, but sadly, the incident didn’t end there.

66: While it’s still unknown how, a conversation between Commander Billy and Contractor Dave, involving a deal with the Puppet, was broadcast to the entire United Kingdom.

67: In that broadcast, Billy claimed that not only he but all the leaders of the United Kingdom had made deals with the Puppet.

68: He named the Royal Military Mages, the newly recruited Druids, the kingdom’s nobility, central politicians, and even Edward X, Albert’s older brother, the Crown Prince.

69: ‘Oh God…’

70: Albert called out to God, for he still clearly remembered the conversation transmitted by the radio.

71: [No, I’m just familiar with how the Puppet works. Most people can be swayed that way—those who lack self-confidence and are consumed with greed, the ones all too common around us.]

72: [People like that? All too common?]

73: [Yes, people who don’t particularly stand out, with moderate ambition and means, you see them everywhere.]

74: [What nonsense! Are you calling the Royal Military Mages, the Druids, the kingdom’s nobility, central politicians, and the Crown Prince mere commoners?!!]

75: [Are you saying that the Royal Military Mages, Druids, kingdom nobles, central politicians, and the Crown Prince have aligned with the Puppet?]

76: [Yes?!! You think you can defeat us, even if you’re as strong as a monster? Even if you win, you’ll be left with nothing but ruins!! After all, we are the Kingdom itself…!!!]

77: Albert had frozen in place when he heard the conversation.

78: It wasn’t because the content shocked him. It was obvious nonsense. There was no way the kingdom’s core and his brother were involved… it was absurd.

79: What startled Albert was not the message itself but the impact such nonsense would have on the kingdom.

80: With Holy Power gone and Dark Sorcery running rampant, giving people even a small excuse could ignite a terrible flame.

81: His fears were soon proven correct. Large and small revolts started across the Kingdom, especially in areas like Northland and other colonies that harbored resentment.

82: Even though Randa had announced the claims to be untrue, the repercussions spread.

83: And that was when his mother collapsed.

84: The victorious Queen, who had led the Kingdom through its golden age.

85: News of his mother’s illness, who had garnered overwhelming support and favor domestically and internationally, overshadowed Billy’s nonsense in an instant.

86: However, that news only served as another spark, and eventually, the Central Council put forth an extraordinary proposal to quell the chaos.

87: The situation was so dire that they proposed beginning the succession process while the Queen was still alive.

88: Such a decision was possible only in these chaotic times when Holy Power had vanished and scandals about the Royal Family’s ties to the Puppet had erupted.

89: As the saying goes, the best way to eliminate troubling rumors is to bury them under something bigger.

90: So, Albert tried not to harbor resentment.

91: Not toward the politicians who saw his mother’s collapse as another opportunity.

92: Nor toward the nobles, politicians, and tycoons who came, hoping to curry favor with the new king.

93: Nor toward the guests who pretended to express concern while drinking with each other in a corner of the palace.

94: It was all for the Kingdom, after all, and he was a Prince—duty-bound to see it through.

95: As a Prince of the greatest nation in the world.

96: But at the same time, he couldn’t deny his frustration.

97: Most of the visitors seemed to be wishing for his mother’s death, and his older brother, too, appeared to be merely waiting for the coronation ceremony. It was a feeling Albert couldn’t get accustomed to.

98: Was he simply not princely enough? Such doubts dominated his mind when he heard a knock, knock at the door.

99: “Your Highness?”

100: It was the household secretary, Miller, who was assigned to handle Albert personally.

101: The Royal Secretary’s duty was to manage the schedules and security of the Royal Family members, acting as their shadow. Miller was skilled and experienced enough to be personally entrusted with Albert, the second in line to the throne.

102: “What is it?”

103: This is why Albert immediately sensed something unusual and asked toward the door.

104: Miller had volunteered to wait outside, ensuring Albert could stay alone with his mother, only to suddenly interrupt—meaning something significant must have happened.

105: And his instincts proved correct.

106: “There’s a visitor, Your Highness.”

107: “I know. We have visitors every day, even real estate speculators.”

108: “This isn’t a regular visitor, Your Highness… A Child of Angels has arrived.”

109: “······.”

110: “They said they’ve come to heal Her Majesty, the Queen.”