#024.
The world setting of [Revolution Empire] is a cesspool.
If I were to list all the reasons why, it would fill more than 100 pages of manuscript paper with 200 characters each.
However, if asked to pick the single most important reason among those countless ones, everyone would point to this existence without any disagreent.
‘The Great Rupture.’
A black hole that pollutes the continent’s land and spews out tens of millions of monsters.
It first revealed itself in the midst of that insufferable war.
Hundreds of thousands of corpses from the war rged together to form a massive black sphere, and that black sphere collapsed all existing systems of the continent.
Once-fertile farmlands were covered in sli spewed by monsters, and the monsters that flowed into the sea subrged all fishing boats and cargo ships crossing the ocean.
They lost both roads and sea routes, countless resources and lives.
Yet even in such circumstances, what the humans of this continent chose was another war.
‘Kalhyram started the war! The Empire’s greed caused the appearance of the Great Rupture!’
‘Look at those vicious biological weapons that Westraine used! Look at the countless Imperial citizens they killed! The Great Rupture was created by their grudges!’
The railways that should have been lifelines for humanity beca the domain of armored trains ard with artillery.
The airships that dotted the sky headed to battlefields instead of refugee camps, and scattered bombs instead of relief supplies.
The war between the Empire and the Republic continued.
Despite the monsters’ territory expanding mont by mont.
This was why I called this ga world a cesspool.
“Wow……”
“……”
Irene, who was holding my hand, let out an exclamation as if amazed by the majesty of the mansion spread out before us.
I had similar impressions while looking at the sa scenery.
What was I just saying earlier?
Monster invasion? Continuing war? Cesspool?
No, it seems like none of that exists.
Keiren’s mansion located in Orland territory was so luxurious that it made
think such things were just illusions.
‘I thought the Elcidore mansion was plenty splendid, but this……’
It’s not incomprehensible though.
Elcidore was not a family with deep history, and Lupeon, the head of the family, wasn’t particularly interested in luxury.
His mansion was closer to a fortress, and his vast wealth was spent on maintaining that fortress and the laboratory hidden underground.
‘And Keiren and his soldiers never found that basent.’
Recalling the structure of the Elcidore mansion in the ga, my eyes lit up.
It ans that now I’m the only one who knows about Lupeon’s laboratory hidden underground.
Soday, there will co a ti when that laboratory will be put to good use.
“You seem quite surprised.”
I didn’t bother to answer.
I just turned to look at Keiren standing behind
with newfound eyes.
Seeming awkward under my gaze, Keiren shrugged with a troubled expression.
“Unfortunately, this isn’t my house. It’s a mansion owned by the family.”
To the third son.
If this is the kind of mansion given to a son who lost the succession race, what kind of place does Duke Buckenheim himself live in?
No, rather, how many mansions of this scale does Buckenheim own?
Comparing the scenery of the slums with this place, the overwhelming wealth gap beca apparent.
“Welco, Lord Keiren.”
anwhile, an elderly gentleman in an immaculate suit approached and bowed respectfully.
“It’s been a while, Walter.”
“It has been half a year since you were dispatched to the eastern front. Dinner has been prepared, please co inside.”
Walter said with a smile, then his eyes turned toward
and Irene.
“However, these children……”
At his sowhat suspicious gaze, Irene hid behind my back.
“They’re children I took in from the battlefield. I’m thinking of adopting them.”
“……”
A mber of the ducal family adopting war orphans.
While most nobles would faint at such news, the butler Walter showed no sign of surprise.
“Lord Keiren. Then these people……”
He only showed a worried expression while speaking like that.
Just as I noticed that hint,
“Papa! It’s Papa!”
“Mari!”
A girl with bright blonde hair sprang out from behind Walter.
Seeing how Keiren’s face instantly brightened, she seed to be his daughter.
“Are you coming ho today? How long will you stay? Will you tell
interesting stories?”
“Hahaha, of course! Co, let’s go inside. I’ll tell you how bravely Papa fought!”
“Yay-!”
The two people hugging each other with bright smiles, and the butler watching them with fond eyes.
It was a warm atmosphere different from other noble families.
“But Papa, who are they?”
“Ah.”
Perhaps it had been a while since she’d seen children her age.
At Mari’s curious question, Keiren chuckled and introduced
to her.
“Say hello. This is Eugene and Irene. They might beco your siblings.”
“Siblings?”
There would be no benefit in standing stiffly here.
I bowed my head politely, as one would to any noble.
“Pleased to et you, young lady. I am Eugene, visiting this territory thanks to Major General Keiren’s grace.”
“Ah, I’m Irene……”
Irene, hiding behind my back, seed to grasp the atmosphere and awkwardly followed proper etiquette.
“Hmm……”
After hearing my introduction, Mari squinted her eyes and stared intently at my face.
From the looks of it, she seed about eight years old.
We might even be the sa age, but her uniquely energetic atmosphere made her appear younger.
“Good. You pass!”
“?”
Pass?
What’s she talking about?
“Don’t mind it. She’s always like that when she sees boys her age.”
“?”
Shaking his head while picking up Mari, Keiren turned his gaze toward .
Looking where he gestured with his chin, I saw butler Walter slowly bowing his head while looking at .
“Welco to Elrond territory. Please, follow
this way.” ( )[1]TLN: I swear, before it was Orland (??????) and now it’s (??????). A slight mistype, maybe.
With those words, the butler guided
to an annex located at one side of the mansion.
As if word had already been sent, warm tea and refreshnts were prepared in the room.
‘So he wants to discuss the details through the butler?’
I could roughly guess.
It probably ant listen to the terms of the deal and stay if I agree, or leave if I don’t.
I felt rather relieved that they were drawing a clear line.
If they had tried to act sympathetic, saying we’re family from today or whatever, I would have thrown away the deal and everything else long ago.
“Cookies! Eugene! Can I eat those?”
“Probably. Just don’t be too noisy.”
“Okay!”
Is this all she can see in this situation?
When I patted her head lightly, Irene charged toward the cookies with a bright smile.
“You are Eugene Lorentz, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Walter, who had been looking back and forth between
and Irene, said as he sat down at the table across from .
Is he not considering Irene as part of the negotiations?
Glancing at Irene just in case, I saw her grinning with her mouth full of cookies.
She probably ant she’d follow whatever I decided.
My shoulders felt heavier again.
“I heard from Lord Keiren. Awakening magical power at that age, and crossing that death line… We’ll be serving quite a remarkable young master.”
“Please don’t lower your speech. I haven’t agreed to anything yet.”
“Hahaha, regardless, you are Lord Keiren’s guests. As a butler, I cannot speak casually.”
Walter, who rejected my suggestion, seed to be choosing his words for a mont.
The small talk was over, and now it was ti for the main topic.
“Earlier, you greeted Young Lady Mari, correct?”
And imdiately, the na of Keiren’s daughter, Mari, ca up.
“She is a bright child. Sharp-minded, and found her magical power aptitude at the young age of eight.”
“……”
“Moreover, she dreams of becoming an officer like Lord Keiren, which makes , as her butler, extrely proud.”
Though it seed like random small talk, I could gather a lot of information.
She’s two years younger than .
A magical power aptitude holder.
And her future dream is to beco a soldier.
‘I roughly understand what this ans.’
I could sowhat understand Keiren’s intentions.
I also figured out why he couldn’t tell
directly.
“However, unfortunately, Lord Keiren……”
“Doesn’t want to send his daughter to the battlefield, right?”
Therefore, I cut off the butler’s roundabout words and said.
“But since the young lady has already shown magical power aptitude, she can’t avoid conscription. Am I wrong?”
“……No, you are exactly right.”
The Empire was a nation at war, a nation with conscription, and this was no exception even for nobles.
Moreover, the Buckenheim family was the first seat of magic nobles who took monster subjugation as their mission.
If Mari awakened magical power at such a young age, there was no reason not to send her to the military.
However, there is one truth that penetrates both the Kalhyram Empire and 21st century South Korea – if you can avoid military service, avoid it.
That’s why Keiren was making this proposal to
through his butler.
“You want
to be registered as Major General Keiren’s adopted son and fulfill the ‘military duty’ in place of Mari. Is that right?”
In other words, ‘Please serve in the military instead of my daughter.’
“Huu……”
A deep sigh welled up from the depths of my chest.
Ah, draft dodging. That deep and ancient tradition.
Seeing my expression souring in real-ti, Butler Walter cleared his throat.
“Personally… I don’t think it’s a bad deal.”
Noticing my reaction, Butler Walter added.
“If you accept the contract, Eugene, you’ll imdiately beco Lord Keiren’s adopted son. You’ll beco a mber of the Empire’s magic nobles.”
“……”
“Moreover, we’re not sending you to the front lines as a common soldier. Here… He has prepared a recomndation letter for the Imperial Military Academy.”
Saying that, Walter handed
a piece of paper.
Imperial Youth Military Academy cadet selection happening in two years.
There was one empty space in the recomndation list prepared for noble children.
‘Indeed, it’s not a bad deal.’
Noble status.
Imperial Youth Military Academy recomndation letter,
And the economic support from the Buckenheim Duke family that would co with it.
Moreover, considering the developnt of magical power and magic imprint that could be achieved through this… It could be said there were no alternatives.
‘If I want to build strength without joining the Revolutionary Army, I’ll have to join the military anyway.’
In the Empire, only nobles and soldiers had the legal right to possess and develop magic imprint.
If I were to hole up sowhere in the countryside training magic alone, I’d be reported by the surrounding farrs and sent straight to the northern detention camp.
Rather than that, it would be much more beneficial to serve as a substitute once and receive officer status.
“I understand your hesitation. After all, you’ll have to go to the front lines and put your life on the line.”
While I was thinking this, Walter, who thought I was hesitating, opened his mouth with a short sigh.
“We won’t force you. This is also what Lord Keiren asked
to say. If you’re not interested, we’ll prepare a train……”
“No.”
However, I spoke before he could finish.
These were far better conditions than what I had with Elcidore.
It was too important an opportunity to pass up.
“I’ll do it. However……”
Of course, that doesn’t an…
“I’d like to discuss a few conditions.”
I’m not going to agree quietly.
1. TLN: I swear, before it was Orland (??????) and now it’s (??????). A slight mistype, maybe. Author's Thoughts
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