'Thank you. Though the homeland could not protect you, you have made such a splendid bud bloom.'
Zion smiled gently at the talent before him.
The technology Lumio had created was by no means small in value.
Enough that being able to spare him a mere 14 percent felt almost apologetic.
'Still, I do have to take my own share.'
A trash prince satisfied with a mere 1 percent of the shares?
Others aside, Lumio himself would never be able to let go of his suspicion.
Even just to avoid drawing suspicious looks, he had to leave Lumio with the feeling that he was taking a loss.
'It is true that it holds the value of a thousand gold pieces, but the you of now will no longer need it. Please, hand it over to me. In exchange, you will obtain what you desperately want.'
He handed Lumio the supplementary theory he had simply thought up and written down over a single night.
"What are you doing? I told you to hand over the Ice Essence. Surely you are not refusing the honor of presenting a treasure to this prince?"
Exactly the gratifying reaction he had anticipated came back.
"I shall give it at once!"
Lumio tore off the necklace he was wearing, released the mana-authentication lock, and respectfully offered it up.
With a series of clicks the necklace opened and cold spread out.
A pure white sphere emitting cryogenic cold in the form of a whitish current.
It was an Ice Essence no larger than a quarter of a fingernail.
'With an essence, mana can be grown several times faster.'
The essence of mana was a treasure he absolutely had to obtain, if only to recover the attainment of a Grand Mage.
The reason was simple.
VWOOOOM......!
The moment he pinched the Ice Essence between his fingers, his mana circuits resonated.
The knot contained within, that is, a mana structure condensed to the point of taking form, registered on his senses.
A hundred-odd years since the magitech engineering revolution. There was one art that had been lost long ago because it was impossible to realize through magitech engineering.
Most had probably forgotten it.
That the origin of the name "essence of mana" lay in the fact that the materialized mana inside, the essence, could be absorbed.
To Zion, a mage, the essence of mana was nothing short of an elixir.
'If I absorb all of it, my mana will increase about twofold.'
In fact, the price of the essence of mana had fallen considerably compared to the past.
The reason was simple. Its value had dropped, so its price had dropped as well.
It occurred to him that he might periodically obtain essences of mana and augment his mana with them.
'Even much cheaper, it is objectively still expensive. But it seems doable?'
In his Liberation Army days he could not have dreamed of using an essence as an elixir.
Well, his circumstances were very, very different now.
"Um... Your Highness......."
Lumio's voice, thick with longing, cut off Zion's musings.
"May I ask where this document came from?"
'My head.'
"You seem to have forgotten my station. An excellent magitech engineer who can finish research of this level in a single night serves under this prince."
He intended to make use of Zion Bliese's knowledge and capability now and then in the future.
So it was best to keep up the excuse that he had a separate subordinate.
"Thank you. My sincere thanks, Your Highness."
Though he had offered up the Ice Essence, Lumio had gained something more valuable than it.
Fourteen percent of the shares. A research record with which Blen Industries could begin commercialization at once.
From today, Lumio's life was fated to turn completely around.
"If you are grateful, then handle all the money for expanding and operating the business as your own share going forward. You will have to build a factory and hire plenty of employees, so do not regret it later."
"Of course, Your Highness!"
"And I hear that all of Blen Industries' current employees are Deberians."
Lumio showed his tension.
"That is...... yes. That is correct."
"An excellent choice."
"What...?"
Deberian labor cost several times less than Imperial labor.
Because for the same work, their wages were far lower than an Imperial's.
It was a base method of colonial exploitation, but now he intended to turn it around and make use of it.
"Cutting labor costs is extremely important. There are Deberians this prince has taken in, so if all additional hiring is done with them, you should be able to keep labor costs to a minimum."
Not only that, he intended to quietly suggest that the factory site be set on the wasteland near the Teraguard farm.
As a result, Teraguard would end up overflowing with quality jobs for Deberians.
'I will have to build a city centered on the farm, a haven for Deberians and my own home base.'
He intended to make Blen Industries the cornerstone of this plan.
It might even produce a synergistic effect with the gold mine to be discovered later.
"I shall obey your command. As for the details... I will speak with Aide Flowering."
Perhaps he thought that if he stayed longer he would be subjected to some excessive demand. Lumio bowed and hurried out of the room.
'Now then, it is time to take my own share.'
He had dressed it up for Lumio as conceding all but 1 percent of the shares in exchange for receiving the Ice Essence.
But in truth Zion's share existed separately. To be precise, if things proceeded according to Winter's plan, he was set to take more than half the shares.
"That Winter. No one would doubt he came from the back alleys. He devises such wicked schemes so easily."
He set the Ice Essence on his palm and folded his fingers in one by one to make a fist.
He closed his eyes. He wrapped the materialized mana structure, the essence, in a net.
Transplanting all of it into his own circuits and then simply creating a sort of mana reservoir would complete the absorption.
An enormous flux of mana would occur in the process, but that did not matter.
'The hypothesis was correct. While in contact with my circuits, even mana outside my body can be dyed with the Blank attribute.'
His lightly stirring hair settled quietly.
Because the mana flux, which should have been fierce enough to raise a wind, was erased as though rubbed out with an eraser.
VWOOOOOM......!
A moment later, Zion opened his eyes.
'A little more than twofold.'
Mana brimming within his circuits. Since it originated from an essence, its quality and density were excellent as well.
Which meant that work which had been impossible before was now possible.
'By Winter's account, we have to let things sit for a few days anyway. I should make a trip to Teraguard.'
Since his mana had doubled, he could now mine to greater depths.
He intended to bring back even more gold than last time and dump it out in front of Winter's face.
***
The Teraguard farm was visible in the distance. It was around evening, so smoke was rising in puffs from the chimneys.
"That smells good. Meatball fondue and beef stew?"
Both were traditional Deberian dishes. They were also popular dishes that everyone enjoyed.
Just smelling them stirred a sense of longing.
He turned from the direction he had been walking.
'I should look in on the farm before I mine.'
It had been nearly a month since he had gathered all the Deberian penal laborers and their families.
He intended to see whether they were settling in well, and to supply anything they needed.
'Let us watch in secret.'
It was a laughable thing, an owner spying on the workers he had hired, but for them, seeing the face of the Ninth Prince Zion Riobelt would surely never be a pleasant moment.
It was a consideration of a sort.
"Quere Stellam Orbita."
He made his body transparent and lay down on the roof of the mess hall.
The voices of the Deberians chattering below reached him, amplified by magic.
"Mom! This is really good."
"Yes, yes. There are plenty of meatballs and plenty of cheese, so dip it in generously."
"Okay."
The conversation of a mother and child enjoying their meal.
A smile came out on its own.
A single strand of feeling he had never known since birth.
'To think the day would come when I learned what it feels like to say money was well spent.'
"You there, tell me what the front-page article says."
"It is not news about the Crown Prince, so do not worry."
"That is a relief. He must be released as soon as possible......."
"Let us wait, counting it a blessing that he is not suffering worse hardships."
It was the voices of men talking while looking at the newspaper they had subscribed to a short while ago.
......It was admirable, and he was grateful.
"By the way, I have no idea at all what the Ninth Prince is thinking."
"Abundant meals, newly built lodgings. And now a newspaper subscription? Hah, it is far too suspicious to take kindly as welfare."
"Might he be creating a space to put forward for propaganda? The purpose is not to treat us well, but to create a space where even Deberians can receive good treatment."
The discussion of people who, even in an abundant and comfortable environment, were still uneasy because they did not know the Ninth Prince's true intent.
Zion murmured to himself.
"Do not worry. Your unease will never become reality."
He would have liked to blow their worries away as well.
But he could not, and he must not.
'A pity. It would be good if I could tell them that it was not the Empire's Ninth Prince but Deber's Crown Prince who took them in.'
Still, it was certain at least that those who had stood up for Zion himself had become happier and more comfortable than before.
This much was more than satisfying.
From now on, here in Teraguard, Deberians would enjoy an ever better life.
It was a resolve he would realize without fail.
In that sense.
"Shall I get to work, then."
Rest ended here. He summoned the Stem of the North Star.
It was time to go dig for gold.
***
"Beautiful. I will buy it."
He handed the jewel-adorned silver goblet to Creina.
He did not ask the price. Zion Riobelt would never be curious about the price of a mere goblet.
'Hearing it would only shock me. Asking how something like this could cost that much.'
It was a shock he had experienced countless times about a month ago, when he squandered five million Luon on luxuries.
When choosing cufflinks, mere gold trinkets that cost as much as a month of the Liberation Army's operating funds, he had had a hard time keeping his hands from shaking.
"There are many empty spaces on the display stands. It seems you have not been able to bring in new stock since this prince spent five million Luon last time?"
Creina stroked the back of her hand and smiled softly.
"Thanks to Your Highness, more than half of them were emptied, so I am deliberating over filling them with brands of a different taste to match the new fashion."
"Ah, so that was it. And here I wondered whether you had no money."
She had been paid five million Luon, so there was no way she had no money.
That was the joke he had offered, but.
'Hm? Her reaction......? Why does it look like I hit the mark?'
It was an extremely subtle sign, but Zion, who had been cared for by Creina since childhood, was able to notice it.
'It seems the Liberation Army's financial situation worsened considerably during the year I was locked up.'
If so, this partnership would work as good news for the Liberation Army.
"Did Winter inform you? Your share is 10 percent."
It also meant that 10 percent of Blen Industries' business profits would flow into the Liberation Army.
He had wanted to give her more, but this was the most he could manage without it showing.
"Now that I think of it, my thanks are overdue. I sincerely thank you for offering a partnership so far beyond the deserts of a mere widow such as myself."
'A lie. You are not grateful at all, Creina.'
Zion could tell the inner feelings that contradicted her deeply moved expression.
Because she was someone extremely precious to him.
The maid his mother had favored most, and to Zion himself like an aunt, that was Creina.
"If you are grateful, then how about this one as a gift?"
A joke offered while picking up some random item. Creina, who had been gazing at him steadily, smiled and nodded.
All the while stroking the back of her hand.
Only then did Zion realize one fact.
She harbored hatred.
Hatred so great she could barely conceal it.
'Why? Why does Creina hate Zion Riobelt?'
It was puzzling.
Of course, everyone in the Liberation Army despised and loathed the Ninth Prince.
Had he himself, as the Liberation Army's Commander, not tried to assassinate the Ninth Prince?
But hatred was another matter.
It meant there was some other reason for her to hold a personal feeling, and the occasion for that would be...... ah.
'It is me.'
He could say for certain. To Creina, Zion Bliese was precious, so precious that he was like a son.
In other words, Zion Riobelt was the root cause of her son being captured by the Empire and subjected to cruel torture.
'Creina.'
He took her gaze with his whole body.
Eyes holding a hatred she did not let show.
Yet it was not unpleasant. On the contrary, it felt reassuring and warm.
Creina hated Zion Riobelt.
Because she held Zion Bliese so very precious.
'Thank you, Creina. Forgive me for not being able to confess the secret right now.'
His heart grew uncomfortable. He had come in person to enjoy time spent with her in conversation, but now he wanted to finish his business quickly and go back.
"Ah, come to think of it, I was forgetting. Let me tell my precious partner one amusing story. It concerns the business Dechion is devoting himself to, even taking on an enormous debt."
The reason he had suddenly coveted Blen Industries and oppressed Lumio.
Dechion had a business he was pushing forward, having poured in effectively his entire fortune, even putting up real estate as collateral.
"You probably do not know? The concrete form of the business was not mentioned in the information you passed along."
"No. I only know that a well-appointed, beautiful building is required. Perhaps an art museum or a theater?"
"Wrong. It is an entirely different line of business. Even this prince could not begin to guess until Winter told me."
Winter had found it out using his back-alley information network.
The decisive business Dechion was staking everything on was this.
"It was fitting for a man who sells his country. Recently Dechion secretly began buying up women of outstanding beauty from the dugout villages. Winter's guess is that he plans to play pimp for the upper ranks."
A business requiring a beautiful building?
The identity of that building was a brothel.
It was a disgusting thing.
"You seem to feel the disgust as well. Well, a man who fattened himself by selling his country cannot drop his old habits and is trying once again to sell what must not be sold. This is why Deberians are no good. Is that not so?"
He continued while observing Creina's expression.
"Dechion even handed his own country's last royal into the Empire's grasp. To be precise, I should say he partly assisted."
That was the moment.
Creina covered the back of one hand with her other hand.
It meant she was in extreme anger.
"Are you saying Dechion was involved in the capture of Zion Bliese? I did not know, he rendered a great service, then."
"It is no wonder you did not know. It was kept thoroughly secret."
The reason it was kept secret despite the merit?
He had already prepared one.
It was also the true purpose of his visit to Creina.
"The Deber Liberation Army, was it? If those bastards found out, they would commit an act of terror immediately. He is building a brothel with his entire fortune at stake so he can play pimp, so he would not want to suffer an act of terror."
He closely observed Creina's expression.
She tried not to let it show, but she could not deceive Zion's eyes.
He could feel it, the emotion boiling up.
'Now, Creina. Go and pass it on.'
Assassination or terror, it did not matter.
So long as the Liberation Army's blade turned toward Dechion.
Beginning with Dechion, Reijo's downfall would follow in a chain.
Everything was according to Winter's plan.