CH 2.

When the kingdoms that continued to persist in refusing to be incorporated into the Empire eventually collapsed from the monsters, Adenburg became the only country in the continent. 

It was about 10 years since the war against Chaos had ended and it truly was the start of the era of a unified Empire. 

With this as the starting point, many things began to change.

The first place where change began was the Imperial Capital, Adenstein.

The foreigners’ culture and products had become taboo after the rebellion 200 years ago. But now, it began pouring out of Adenstein, the Imperial Capital. New inventions were announced and revealed every day and of the new inventions, some of them were acknowledged for their practicality and spread like a fad among the nobles.

All of this was only possible because the Iron-Blooded Empress allowed it.

However, many expressed concerns about the Empress’ policy. The people hadn’t forgotten the period of darkness brought on by the selfishness of the foreigners and were extremely terrified that something related to the disaster of that time would be unleashed on the world.

The Empress dispelled their fears with a single phrase.

“Do not forget who the guardian deity of the Empire is.”

With that one sentence, the heated public opinion disappeared as if it had never happened.

They belatedly remembered that the legendary knight, who had killed the Demon King and driven away the darkness that engulfed the Holy Kingdom, was curled up in the heart of the Empire.

Once the opposition disappeared, the Empress brought back all the technologies that the previous monarchs had denounced, as well as the knowledge the newly summoned foreigners brought with them and had the mages who could be considered the scholars of the era examine them for their practicality. She then released and actively recommended the ones that could be used immediately to the public.

There weren’t any significant changes that could be seen immediately. That was because there weren’t enough technologies and the small amounts they had were monopolized by the nobles. Even then, the nobility treated the new objects as nothing more than something to collect. 

Although new things came out every day, it wasn’t enough to innovate the country. 

But as time went on, things began to change. Until then, technical skills and knowledge hadn’t been necessary as long as there were results, but that began to change. 

As a result of the mages with paranoid delusions who stopped eating and drinking altogether to analyze and study, the once considered incomprehensible concepts and principles were made understandable to some extent. 

Of course, that didn’t mean the mages understood everything perfectly. While the mages were certainly people with rare insight and intelligence, it was impossible for them to do away with hundreds and thousands of years of trial and error all at once. 

However, they had the miraculous ability of making the impossible possible and creating something out of nothing. Magic - that cheat-like ability made up for what they lacked. 

And the moment magic was merged with the knowledge of the foreigners, explosive development began. 

Magic machines that could replace humans were created and efficient technologies were developed and distributed to all fields. Things that were once only possible for superhumans were now being accomplished by ordinary people, and countless impossible things that were impossible before were now possible. 

It was the moment the Era of Magic began. 

“How incredible.”

Kim Seon-Hyeok exclaimed in admiration as he watched the arrival of a new era. 

It was way too fast. 

He was awestruck as he watched the Imperial Capital change day by day. 

That’s how astonishing the Empire’s developmental speed was. The current Empire had developed at a terrifying speed as it overcame the trials and errors that the other world had to go through for hundreds of years in just a few years. 

That’s how incredible the power of magic fused with science was. 

But what surprised him the most was the airship. 

It had only been half a year ago that the train, powered by magic spells, finished its first test run, and it had just been last month that the ship, powered by spells, had its launching ceremony for the ship powered by spells.

In such circumstances, the mages had developed the airship. And it wasn’t just a clumsy hot air balloon, but a real combat airship with proper propulsion and armament. 

“I don’t even know what to say anymore.”

At this point, he couldn’t even be surprised. 

“Well, they can’t possibly create something like a transformer robot or anything, right?”

He was just grumbling to himself because the mages’ results had been so surprising, but then, it really did happen.

“Actually, some of the things that the mages are developing are combat weapons based on the golems.”

Lee Eun-Seo was a foreigner who had turned down the offer to become a deputy chief from the Royal Mages and had instead chosen the path of becoming a magical tool developer. Now, she was informing him that a couple of eccentric mages had developed something that wasn’t quite a robot, but something similar to one.

“Although the golem isn’t strong and is rather slow and has simple movements, it’s said that they have a plan to reinforce it so that the knights can ride it. But, it’s full of problems, such as stability and efficiency, so who knows when it’ll be completed. Then again, their eagerness to develop such inefficient things is a whole nother problem.” 

Now, Kim Seon-Hyeok felt like he wouldn’t be surprised if the mages developed spaceships. 

“For the time being, I’m afraid I’ll need your help until the airship is officially launched, sir.”

While he was being absent-minded, Lee Eun-Seo bowed her head and made her request. 

“Grand Duke, there’s no one else who has more experience flying than you. So every single word of yours will be of great help in making and supplementing the airship.”

Stunned by her sudden request, he stared at her blankly. When he merely stared at her, she explained her situation again. 

“I’m the person responsible for developing the airship.”

When he finally realized that she was looking at the airship with a proud expression, he let out an exclamation. He had been thinking that the airship looked somewhat familiar to the one in the other world, but it seemed like it was all her influence. 

“The Griffin Riders should have some useful opinions…”

“I can’t use Sir Lafayette or Sir Roland. They didn’t do the performance evaluations asked of them. Instead, they keep saying that it looks crude or that it makes weird noises. Forget helping, they only got in the way.”

As she complained, she didn’t look any different from the other mages who didn’t care about anything else once they were immersed in one thing. He had first seen her in the garrison on the outskirts of the country. Now, there was nothing left of the career-oriented appearance she had back then.

“I know you must be very busy, sir. But please, I would truly appreciate your help. If it’s built properly, the Imperial Family will have the world’s only flier.”

Having finished with her business, she bowed her head once more before disappearing into the distance. 

“She sure changed a lot.”

He was filled with new and different emotions as he realized that Lee Eun-Seo had changed so much. 

“Well, a lot of time has passed.”

Nearly 20 years had passed since they fell into this world without knowing the reason. That timespan was more than enough for a person to change. 

No, she wasn’t the only one who changed. 

All the foreigners who had survived the Great War had changed. All of a sudden, they had completely assimilated into this world and found their own lives. He himself was one of those who had changed. 

He, who only had spite and guts, had started out as a cavalryman, but he had conquered the continent and now, was the most important figure in the Empire.

Even for him, it was a surprising change.

But the most dramatic change wasn’t his personal abilities or titles. 

“Father!”

The real change was that the immature young man had become the father of a child.

“You’ve come.”

“Ophelia.”

And the husband of a wife. 

Kim Seon-Hyeok found that so strange that he unintentionally stared at his family for a long time. 

Having absorbed the Eternal Flower, one of the legacies from the Mother Tree, Ophelia hadn’t lost her youthfulness even in her 30s. The only reason her unnatural youth didn’t look out of place was because he himself still looked like he was in his 20s. 

“Somehow, it feels like I’m the only one losing out.”

Victorius pouted as he looked at his mother and father. Having inherited the blood of the dragon, his growth had been extraordinary, and in his teens, he looked like a young adult. However, due to the curse, his hair had turned white and he looked quite mature. 

If one were only to glance at them, they would think he was the oldest in the family.

“If a guy looks young, then he’ll only be ignored and looked down upon.”

Having said that, Kim Seon-Hyeok grinned. Who would dare ignore the Crown Prince of the Empire, the only son of the Iron-Blooded Empress and the Indomitable Grand Duke?

Even he thought it was an absurd consolation. 

Seeing how Victorius pouted even more at his father’s words, it seemed like Victorius also knew that fact very well. 

***

Traces of the hard years spent were clearly visible on the face of the old man lying on the bed. The hideous claw marks across his face and the one sunken eye revealed how hard and difficult his life had been. 

The old man’s appearance was terribly similar to a candle whose wick was about to burn out. In fact, he was dying. 

All the physical fatigue and wounds he had accumulated while fighting through the battlefields as a young man had brought him to his deathbed. 

“I wish I could see their faces one more time before I die, but the Empire is too far away.”

A look of regret flashed across his wrinkled face.

“Never have I regretted leaving the Empire and coming this far as I do today.”

At his sighed-out words, the child next to him mumbled. It looked like the child didn’t know what to say, so was carefully choosing his words.

“I used an expensive magic communication spell, so it should have reached them by now.”

“You did something useless. It wouldn’t reach them in time.”

The child had finally figured out what to say, but he was only scolded. However, the boy did not complain. He had seen a faint expression of expectation on the old man’s face. 

“It’s too far, too far.”

Tears welled up in the corner of the child’s eyes as he watched the old man repeating the same thing over again and again. As the old man said, there wasn’t enough time for his wish to come true.

But then, a miracle happened. 

With a bang, the door opened and a young man with dark hair ran into the room. He had come so quickly that he hadn’t even combed out his disheveled hair.

“Oh good, I’m not too late.”

The young man sighed in relief when he saw the old man slowly blinking as he laid on the bed. But that was only for a moment. Soon, the young man’s face clouded.

“Why have you come this far, sir?”

“It’s not too far if you fly.”

The old man smiled at the clumsy answer that didn’t match the fancy attire. 

“Still, it’s good to see your face, sir. I truly wanted to see you once more before I left, Your Grace.”

“I’m here, so look all you want.”

The old man blinked at the young man’s words before he sighed. 

“Please, come closer, sir. Perhaps it’s because it’s time for me to go, but I cannot see well.”

At the old man’s words, the young man knelt down by the bed. He didn’t seem to care about getting his white pants dirty.

“Oh! I see you, I see you, sir. Grand Duke, you are exactly the same as when I first saw you.”