Filtia hugged the teddy bear tightly.
She didn’t think she could hide this pounding heart even with magic.
For a dragon—the progenitor of magic—to have something she couldn’t do with magic was quite shameful, but even so, this wasn’t the time to worry about such pride.
She couldn’t hide the sound of her heartbeat with magical power, nor could she hide her flushed face.
So she hugged the teddy bear and hid her face in it.
“Little brother.”
“What.”
“Are you really… going to seal all the Demon Realm Gates?”
“Of course.”
“…Even Dad failed, you know?”
“I know. It’s an incredibly difficult task, but it’s not impossible.”
Where does that confidence come from?
When did he research the Demon Realm Gate so thoroughly?
There were so many things she wanted to ask, but she couldn’t.
If she asked even one more question here, her voice would probably tremble—her feelings would be exposed.
All Filtia could do was bury her face in the teddy bear and nod once.
The reason Filtia called herself “older sister” was, first, a matter of lineage.
As Hark’s adopted daughter from three hundred years ago, she couldn’t be on the same standing as Wolfram.
Second, it was a dragon’s pride.
But she felt all of that crumbling before this man—Wolfram von Lohengrin.
“Now. You understand how to use that doll, right?”
“Share vision to monitor the Demon Realm Gate… is that it?”
“Yes. If you do that, the number of gates you need to monitor goes down to seven. It frees up time for Sister Filtia to prepare for conquering the Demon Realm Gate.”
“…I see. So there was a way like that.”
There were eight gates to monitor. But only one body. Because of that, Filtia had to endlessly patrol the Demon Realm Gates every day. Even monitoring just one a day meant a life where a week wasn’t enough.
For three hundred years, every single day. But now she could keep one gate fixed and rotate through the other seven.
Just thinking about how much freedom that would grant her made her heart swell.
Wolfram might actually grant her true freedom.
“Are you really going to set your sister free?”
“Don’t make me say it over and over. Of course, I understand your anxiety. …To be honest, all of this is just me making use of the First Emperor’s arrangements.”
“……”
This child is usually so arrogant and overflowing with confidence… yet sometimes he’s extremely harsh on himself.
Is it because his stats are low?
He’s making a show of Dad’s legacy. Yes. In a way—no, if you coldly put aside emotions, you could evaluate him that way.
But.
“Dad made it, but it was you who found this teddy bear, little brother.”
“…I suppose so.”
Wolfram averted his gaze slightly and nodded.
Perhaps this is her little brother’s reaction when he’s embarrassed.
What a shy guy.
Thinking that the other person was more embarrassed, Filtia oddly felt her tension ease.
“Then your sister should give you a gift too.”
“…A gift?”
“Here. This is your sister’s gift.”
Saying that, Filtia pulled something out from her bosom.
“…This is.”
“How about it? Does it count as a gift?”
“Of course. I express my gratitude. Filtia Bluebreeze.”
“……Ugh. Ah, …yes.”
At Wolfram’s refreshing smile, Filtia once again buried her face in the teddy bear.
—
【You have defeated a Gigant Monster!】
【You have discovered the First Emperor’s treasure!】
Rather than the countless message windows popping up, I focused on what Filtia had handed me.
【Blue Dragon Scale Filled with Favor】
【6T】
【A scale given by a Blue Dragon to a human filled with goodwill. As an equip item, it carries the dragon’s blessing.】
【Current stats are too low to draw out the scale’s full blessing.】
【Nullifies one physical attack of 6T or lower per day.】
【Sealed.】
【Sealed.】
A three-option protection item.
This is really rare.
A scale that shows just how much Filtia expects from me.
“I’ll treasure it.”
“…Yeah. Now then. Shall we head back? Your sister needs to go check on the Demon Realm Gate.”
“Yeah.”
Filtia floated the teddy bear with magic, crossed the fairy forest, and returned to the desert.
Arriving at the convenience store, I tallied up what I’d obtained.
【Skill EXP】 【Blue Dragon Scale】
And the reward for obtaining the Emperor’s second treasure—【Ultimate Recovery Potion x10】.
With this, Filtia Bluebreeze’s sub-quest phase 1 is complete.
I’ve also obtained various rewards and opened up a path for the future.
“Now then, I suppose I should enjoy summer break a little too.”
I should have at least a week left.
Since I’ve also obtained a physical immunity item, I’m thinking of going outside Zefflin at least once.
The first place to go is…
“As expected, that place.”
I moved my feet toward the warp portal that allows travel outside Zefflin.
Let’s enjoy summer break while also doing some business. Let’s get moving.
—
Ayla Tri-Star was writing something down in her room with a pen.
With a magnificent feather pen, she was writing elegant letters in a swift, flowing hand—truly a stroke of genius.
The heavy, empty notebook was covered in leather, and on the cover, in a stylish cursive, was written 【The Twin Wings of Revolution】.
“Chapter 2. The Significance of Revolution. In a way, this is the most important part.”
*’Revolution means breaking old customs and opening a new era.’*
*’That is, revolution always accompanies breakthrough. Breaking the mold is revolution itself.’*
*’Do not become a slave to custom—you must dominate custom.’*
*’To live a life that stagnates not, you must always take on something new.’*
*’The great First Emperor protected the oppressed Middle Realm, shattered the Celestial Realm and the Demon Realm, and proclaimed the age of humanity.’*
*’It cannot be anything but humanity’s first great revolution.’*
*’However, it ended with that proclamation. Zefflin is not even functioning half as a place of learning, and conflicts are gradually arising between humans, demi-humans, fairies, dragons, elves, and dwarves.’*
*’That is because their living territories are cut off from each other by monsters.’*
*’Therefore—’*
*’Therefore, the transcontinental railway proposed by Wolfram von Lohengrin will break the mold, shatter customs, and create a new world.’*
*’The great railway plan connecting all worlds. A true revolution that will unite the Middle Realm.’*
*’There is no other incarnation of revolution. No other revolution.’*
*’Wolfram von Lohengrin.’*
*’What is he doing right now?’*
*’Hmm. I’m worried. I want to go back to Zefflin and go to the convenience store soon.’*
*’Eden isn’t fun either… I’d just be seeing the same things I see every day.’*
*’Rather than writing a book like this and then returning to Zefflin, wouldn’t it be better to write the book in Zefflin?’*
*’What is Wolfram really doing right now?’*
*’I miss him…’*
“……Hoo.”
Having written that far, Ayla stopped her pen and used magic to remove the ink.
Thankfully, magic ink has the convenience of being erasable at any time as long as you don’t apply a fixation spell to the print.
“I just need to remove the last few lines. It doesn’t look like I need to revise that much.”
Saying that, Ayla blankly stared at the ceiling.
Even if she could erase the ink from the book, she couldn’t erase the true feelings she had written once.
She was bored. She wanted to go on adventures or travel with Wolfram. She wanted to start a new revolution.
“This house is boring.
Should I run away and go back to the academy? That would also be a revolution, wouldn’t it.”
While Ayla was plotting a quick escape route, she heard a knock at the door.
【Lady Ayla. A guest has arrived.】
It was one of the maids.
A guest. A guest, she said.
There was no guest who would come looking for her. If there were, it would only be annoying flies.
“I don’t feel like meeting anyone right now. Tell them to go back.”
【But…】
“I really don’t feel like meeting anyone right now. Tell them to go back.”
【……That is.】
“So I said, I don’t want to see any guests.”
Even though she’d spoken quite firmly, the presence outside the door showed no sign of leaving.
Is it that important a guest? Who could it be? No matter how much she thought, there was no one who would come.
*Hoo.* She’d just have to show her face and give them the boot.
Ayla approached the door, grabbed the handle, opened it, and said coldly:
“Let me make this clear—right now, unless it’s Wolfram himself, I have no intention of meeting anyone.”
“Is that so. Then that’s fortunate.”
“…Huh?”
“Have you been well, Ayla.”
“W-Wolfram?”
“At least you’re willing to meet me. What an honor.”
Before her eyes stood a man who shouldn’t be there.
This was truly a revolution.
Breaking the mold, shattering imagination, he stood proudly before her as reality.
—
If I had to name my biggest sponsor and business partner right now, it would definitely be the Tri-Star family.
I went to visit for the future ore trade and to check in on them—and Count Glass told me to go see Ayla.
And when I told Count Glass about what happened when I visited Ayla’s room, he laughed heartily.
“Bwahaha! Is that so? Ayla said something like that? Prince!”
“…Yes. That’s the unvarnished truth.”
“Bwahaha! I see. ‘Unless it’s a guest of Prince’s caliber, I won’t meet them.’ Ayla, did you really say that?”
“………Ugh. I did, say, that.”
“Bwahaha!”
Count Glass laughed without stopping, finding it hilarious.
Seeing that, Ayla flared up and shouted.
“I-It’s because this house is boring! I kept telling you all the stories about adventuring with Wolfram at Zefflin!”
“Yes, yes. You did. Meeting a dragon, obtaining the First Emperor’s arrangements—it was an interesting novel.”
“It’s not a novel!”
I see. Ayla’s adventure tales sounded like childish fantasies to him.
Here… it would be right to back Ayla up.
If I let her be ignored any further, she’d puff up her cheeks, throw a tantrum, and shout, “I’ll bring back decisive proof that you won’t be able to ignore, Father!”
“Ayla. Didn’t you show him the scale?”
“Who in our era would recognize a dragon’s scale?”
That’s also true.
Other evidence…
There isn’t any, really.
“Give it up, Ayla.”
“Wolfram… So I’m supposed to be a liar?”
Hmm.
Ayla looked at me with a tearful, wronged expression.
This is going to get quite troublesome…
Ah.
“Revolution is the emotion farthest from understanding.”
“……Ah. Th-That’s right. Revolution is… the emotion farthest from understanding. Yes. A revolution that is understood is not a revolution.”
At my words, Ayla let out an excited breath and nodded.
Then she opened her notebook and started writing something. Is she planning to make a collection of revolutionary quotes?
Leaving Ayla be, I continued my conversation with Count Tri-Star alone.
“I don’t see Spica. Where has she gone?”
“She is training her magic on her own for next year’s top enrollment at Zefflin.”
“That’s commendable. Then I look forward to our continued cooperation, Count Glass.”
“Yes. I will strive to obtain higher quality ores. I am always in awe of the Crown Prince’s foresight. Haha.”
Hmm.
This is what real business conversation sounds like.
Just by hinting at what ores would be used for in the future, Count Tri-Star immediately discounted the ore prices in exchange for that information fee.
“Hmm. And, Crown Prince. We have recently acquired a rare ore.”
“Is that so? What is the ore called?”
“Ginteiseki (Silver Vein Ore).”
“……”
Are you serious?
That’s rarer than I thought.
“…It would be quite expensive. Too much for a mere student to handle.”
“Yes. But for the future of that mere student, I am willing to invest.”
“Investment should always be made with greater profit in mind. What do you wish from me?”
“Hehe. As expected of the Crown Prince. It’s about the imperial-sponsored ball that will be held soon…”
“……”
“I would like you to attend it together with Ayla.”
“Wasn’t Tri-Star’s stance to not make a grand entry into central high society?”
“That was simply because we lacked a bridgehead, was it not? We are now the saviors of the western mines in name and reality.”
“I see you’ve made good use of the methods I suggested.”
“It was a good deal.”
I see.
This mentally fragile old man is quite something after all.
In exchange for clearing out the monsters inside the mines—a headache for the western mine nobles—he bought up the mines cheaply or formed alliances.
As a result, Tri-Star is now the de facto guardian of the west.
That power now…
“Now rivals even the highest central nobles. That’s what you’re saying.”
“Yes. That’s right. And if we’re going to debut, now seems the right time.”
“Fine. However, I’m not good at dancing, so I’ll just attend and show my face.”
“Haha. I’ll leave that part to the Prince’s discretion. What matters is who attended with whom. Ayla will handle all the political and commercial aspects herself.”
Ayla will?
Really?
Is that right? Are you sure?
As I alternated glances between Ayla and Count Glass, Ayla pouted her lips and whined.
“…Wolfram, you seem to be underestimating me. I may look like this, but I’m top of my grade, a future archmage with Magic 20, you know? And I’m a merchant’s daughter. I do what needs to be done… I get hurt too, you know.”
“I trust you.”
“…Since you say you trust me, I’ll forgive you. Just this once?”
I see. So I’m just supposed to be a pretty face then.
“Understood. I’ll attend.”
“Thank you. *Phew.* I said it confidently, but to be honest, even we found it hard to refuse this ball. And I couldn’t very well send Ayla alone.”
“Is it that grand a ball?”
Big enough that Tri-Star, who claims to be the guardian of the west, found it hard to refuse?
“Yes. It’s a ball hosted by the Siela family to commemorate Princess Eve von Lohengrin’s inauguration as student council president… Princess Eve von Lohengrin and Regina Siela are said to be attending.”
?
Who’s hosting and who’s coming?
“Excuse me… I’ll pass on the Ginteiseki.”
“Surely a member of the imperial family wouldn’t go back on their word, would they?”
“……”
【Imperial Bloodline activated!】
【You can only conduct yourself in a manner befitting the imperial family!】
Shut up for a second. So, I. Really!
“I’ll attend.”
“Yes. We’ll prepare the attire.”
……
Damn 1T skill.
May the blood of Lohengrin be cursed.
