*RUMBLE*
I was sitting in my study when a thunderstorm raged outside.
With artificial light above me, I pondered my next move.
I wanted and needed to destroy the Tower Dungeon before it successfully created its second floor, expanding the Field of Death.
However, I couldn't send an army for reinforcement because the other half was currently besieging the underground dungeon, which served as the capital and defense.
They were waiting for the order to attack.
I pondered further because I couldn't forget the Northhaven Kingdom.
They had already sent an ambassador to me, explaining their concerns and threatening to break the non-aggression pact.
That's why I couldn't send my army recklessly into the dungeon.
Due to my anger-driven reign, I was already facing this crisis in less than two months of ruling.
I thought I had learned from my past, but it seemed that I still had much to learn.
Now I sat there, contemplating in my study while thunder rumbled outside, accompanied by pouring rain.
"Man! I can't get anything done like this!" I exclaimed and abruptly stood up from the table. I put on a coat, walked out of the castle, and quickly got into my automobile.
It had a roof to shield me from the rain.
The weather was perfect for using my automobile again. The streets were empty, and I had no desire to walk.
So, I drove in the rain to the church, listening to the rain pattering on the roof, with occasional thunder and lightning.
A short while later, I arrived and parked right in front of the entrance.
I got out and hurriedly walked through the majestic door.
Once inside the room, I pulled the hood of my coat down, despite the rain and the overcast sky, the atmosphere was bright.
Every step echoed in the grand hall, and despite the emptiness, I didn't feel lonely. I felt as safe and loved as always.
I stood between the pews and looked up at the ceiling when I heard footsteps echoing not coming from me.
"Your Majesty!" said a young priest.
He came running from a distance and bowed before me.
"What are you doing here? Is the Pope in the house, or one of the six cardinals?" I asked.
"I'm in training to become a priest, and I'm currently cleaning the church! I don't know if the Pope is here, but I can fetch a fully ordained priest for you," he replied.
I nodded, and the boy ran off.
Shortly after, a priest appeared and apologized, stating that the Pope was currently on a journey.
"If you wish, you can perform a redemption," the priest suggested, bowing.
"It's alright; it's nothing important. Stand up and lead the way. Usually, I do redemptions with priests," I said.
He nodded and led the way, and now, both our footsteps echoed in the church.
When we arrived in the basement, I found myself in the same room as last time.
The priest disappeared and returned with 17 Scalari.
"Hmm?" I furrowed my brow. "Didn't I say to prepare more?"
"We did, Your Majesty!"
"Why are there only 17, then?"
"Due to the conflicts, the hunters are finding fewer, and on top of that, a few Scalari escaped from one of the hunters," the priest replied.
"Escaped?" I asked slowly. "Where?"
The priest began to tremble at my cold tone. "Just before Eisenburg..."
"Just before Eisenburg...?" I asked calmly. "So, you mean right outside the capital?"
The priest nodded, trembling.
"HOW?!" I yelled as I drew my sword from its sheath. "HOW DARE THEY!"
"THESE ABOMINATIONS!" I shouted as I swung my sword so fast that mana was released, and with a flying blade, I obliterated all 17 Scalari, including the priest's ear.
"Search for them!" I commanded. "I won't allow this pest to roam freely in my city!"
The priest held his non-existent ear and nodded.
With that, I clicked my tongue and left.
The short excursion was supposed to be for relaxation, but now I was even more agitated than before.
I briefly thanked Manara and assured her that I would capture these traitors.
I hoped it would be easy because now the Church was searching, and with the planned Universal Basic Income, it should be resolved quickly.
I drove back home, and my mood was still sour.
It was still raining, and by now, it was night.
Once I arrived at the castle, I went to my study and called for Daniel.
He came quickly, and I asked him, "Are all preparations in place?"
"Yes, they are, Your Majesty," he replied. "In fact, our researcher has a groundbreaking hypothesis! That she can even design ID cards that are 100% forgery-proof."
"That sounds truly interesting," I replied, my curiosity piqued. "Tell me more, Daniel."
Daniel seemed enthusiastic about the discovery and continued, "Well, the Mana frequency is a kind of unique energetic code present in every person. It's like a molecular fingerprint. This scientist has apparently found a way to isolate and store this frequency."
I was impressed. "And how can we use this discovery?"
Daniel pondered for a moment. "Well, we could use it to create even more personalized ID cards. Each card would then contain the Mana frequency of the owner, making it nearly impossible to counterfeit. Additionally, we could integrate this frequency into security systems."
"What do you mean by security systems?"
"The scientist explained it to me roughly. She said it would be possible to establish a system using Mana that monitors the cardholders," Daniel replied. "These ID cards could also include information like residence and employment, and much more. What she explained was quite complex. She only mentioned that it would require a significant amount of Mana."
"Very interesting," I said with a smile, my mood significantly improved. "So, this means it simplifies all the bureaucracy and control of our future plans?"
"That's right, Your Majesty!"
"What's the scientist's name?" I asked him.
"It's a she, and her name is Anja Stone."
"Alright, bring Anja Stone to me tomorrow," I said.
"I will, Your Majesty. Until tomorrow!"
"Until tomorrow!"
With that, Daniel left the room, and I stood up from my chair.
Thanks to this fantastic news, my mood had improved considerably, and I was finally ready to go to bed.
A short while later, I lay in my chambers, reflecting on the past few days, making sure not to get worked up again.
I briefly thought about the escaped Scalari, but something caught my attention.
"Mia?" I asked into the room. "No, that can't be; she speaks perfect 'Eisenklang'!"
I dismissed the idea quickly, as Scalari spoke 'Elaris' and couldn't speak 'Eisenklang'.
Afterward, I fell asleep.
...
The next day, I sat on my throne.
Above me hung the green canopy, a symbol of Manara, representing her guardianship over the Emperor and his role as the representative of the people.
I briefly checked my status, though it probably hadn't changed much, my curiosity got the better of me.
_________________
[Status]
Name: Darian Ironheart IV
Title: Emperor
---> Possesses Imperial Charisma, and your people believe you to a certain extent.
Age: 31 Years 3 Months
Species: Human
Level: 1/6
Exp: 23/1000
Mana: 500/500
Muscle Strength: 19
Muscle Agility: 21
Body Control: 18
Stamina: 22
Skills: [Swordfighting; Competency 6], [Leadership; Competency 3], [Shouting; Competency 2]...
________________
As I thought, not much has changed. I've grown a bit older, and I've earned [EXP], all thanks to the Scalari.
However, there was a knock on the door, and to make a bit of an impression, I called out with mana in my voice, causing the room to tremble slightly.
"Enter!"
The door opened quietly, and Daniel entered with a woman by his side.
The woman, likely Anja Stone, had brown hair, was relatively tall, probably as tall as me, and had radiant blue eyes. Her gaze was direct, and her posture was determined.
They both knelt and bowed before me.
"Your Majesty," they said.
I gestured with my hand for them to rise, which they did.
"Anja Stone, I thank you for your time and your presence," I greeted her warmly. "I've heard that you've made a remarkable discovery."
Anja Stone bowed slightly and replied, "It is an honor, Your Majesty. Yes, I have found a way to isolate and store a person's mana frequency. This frequency is unique to each individual and thus extremely difficult to forge."
I nodded. "That sounds extremely promising. Can you explain to me more about how it works exactly?"
Anja Stone began to explain the technology and the science behind her discovery in detail. She talked about complex methods for isolating the mana frequency and storing it.
She explained how this could be used not only for identification but also for monitoring and security if integrated into systems she could potentially create.
I listened attentively and occasionally asked questions to ensure I fully understood the depth of the discovery.
When Anja Stone finished her explanation, I said solemnly, "This is indeed impressive, Ms. Stone. This technology has boundless possibilities, and I believe you've made history with it. If you can realize this plan, I will generously reward you."
Anja Stone bowed again and replied, "It would be a great honor if my discovery could contribute to Your Majesty's goals. I am ready to collaborate with you to further develop and implement this technology, with some conditions that I would like to discuss."
I smiled. "I like to hear that, Ms. Stone. Let us work together."
"Oh, Your Majesty," Anja said, "do you still have the remains of the Dungeon War?"
I was taken aback but still asked, "Why do you want to know?"
"Well, based on my calculations and assumptions, it will require a considerable amount of mana, and I've heard that Dungeon Cores contain an incredible amount of it."
"So, you suggest that I work with these ABOMINATIONS and TRAITORS?" I asked angrily, imbuing my voice with mana. "HOW DARE YOU?"
She trembled, fell to her knees, and began to sweat as I glared at her with fiery eyes. But she had enough courage to raise her voice.
"N-No, Your Majesty! I-I-I despise those PESTS too!"
I relaxed my gaze, and she calmed down.
She explained her strong hatred for Dungeons and clarified that she only needed the fragments of the destroyed Dungeon Core.
I considered it and made a decision as an emperor, with the goal of the people's well-being.
I forced myself to agree and tried to suppress my hatred, though it didn't entirely work.
Fortunately, I didn't have much contact with that thing during work.
My Grandfather had kept the destroyed Dungeon Core as a trophy and a symbol of power.
I assured her of access to it, and then we discussed her conditions, which were not difficult for me to accommodate.
After we moved to my study, we had negotiated a good deal by the end of the afternoon.
The contract stated that she wasn't bound to the laboratory and that she wanted to search for someone, which I would support.
Furthermore, I would modernize and expand the research facility since she wanted to work with a larger team, which she could choose herself.
In return, she would continue her research for me and work on creating and improving this technology.
This meant that even after the technology was completed, she would continue to work for me, hopefully making more groundbreaking discoveries.
Considering this project's importance, I supported it despite my disgust for using the Core. I planned to expand and improve the already planned projects with it.
This came to my mind immediately when Daniel informed me.
Originally, the plan was for simple identification papers, which would help me track who was eligible for things like financial assistance or education.
However, this would still leave me with a lot of work, and the planned date for Universal Basic Income and free schools would be delayed.
With my mind now occupied with work, I was fortunate not to have to deal with the Scalari and Dungeons.
Every encounter raised my blood pressure and lowered my mood, adding to my incomprehension.
How can anyone worship the Dungeons? How?
They even founded their own religion and betrayed Manara!
I could actually propagandize the war as a holy war against the followers of Mephisca and Wille, betraying Manara.
Why didn't Orion think of that? Nevermind, no one opposed me nevertheless.
...
"Are they still not out of the Dungeon?" I asked Daniel.
"No."
"What's the progress on conquering the Underground Dungeon?"
"Still no news."
"Has the Northhaven Kingdom contacted us?"
"No, they seem to want to avoid the war for now, even though we only have a quarter of our army ready."
"Good. What's the status of the Mana Frequency project?"
"Anja Stone said she's almost finished."
"It's about time; it's been six months! Did we find the escaped Scalaris?"
"No..."
tsk
I had been discussing the events of the past six months with Daniel Whitaker.
I had been Emperor for six months now, and not much had changed.
I was starting to wonder if the decision to wait until the IDs and the system were ready was the right one, but now it was too late.
I hadn't heard of any unrest yet, but it would likely surface soon.
In the last six months, I had tried to centralize my country more, focusing on larger cities and fewer smaller ones.
I had also worked on creating new jobs and more. So far, it was going fairly well, but there were still impoverished areas.
Speaking of areas, the Field of Death now had a diameter of 20 kilometers and had reached the first village.
Fortunately, it had already been evacuated.
Due to urbanization, I had gained many workers who were trained as construction workers, soldiers, or teachers.
The capital city was also getting larger. I supported farmers and agriculture.
I had divided the army besieging the Underground Dungeon, with one half protecting our land and the other attacking.
So far, there was no news, and the past few months had passed without significant events. It was almost boring.
As I was pondering this, Mia entered my study, still veiled.
Despite that, I would say we had grown closer, as she no longer clicked her tongue every time we spoke.
"What's up, Assistant Head of the Laboratory?" I asked cheerfully with a mischievous smile.
"I'm here to inform you that Anja Stone is finished," she said without any change in her tone.
Just as I was about to express my joy, an ambassador entered the room and informed me, "The Dungeon is open again!"
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///////Author's Note///////
I've been considering introducing a third main character who grows up in the Dungeon and explores it. I wanted to ask for your opinion on this.
Should I go ahead with it or not?
[Yes(, because...)]
[No(, because...)]
Thank you, and have a great day!
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