Theodore wanted to stay longer with his first child, but he could see that Sylvia was tired despite drinking tea made from a leaf of the world tree. It wasn’t a medicine or magic after all. He kissed the foreheads of Sylvia and the sleeping Adellia, then he left the room.
Creak.
Once he left the room, Veronica’s eyes widened from where she was waiting for him. What on earth was she seeing? She stretched out a hand and touched Theodore’s cheek. Her fingers touched the dry tear marks. “...Theo, you cried?”
Come to think of it, he hadn’t wiped them up. Theodore nodded lightly. Once he opened his mouth, it felt like his voice wouldn’t come out. Veronica didn’t tease him. Rather, she held his face affectionately and patted it slowly. The two people calmed down by sharing their body temperatures.
“Oh, I’m jealous.” Veronica had a faint smile on her face as she let out warm breaths. Her heart was affected when she saw this man looked so defenseless. She felt a bit envious that Sylvia had seen this face first. Veronica’s affection for Theodore, who truly loved her, was overwhelming.
She held his face and said playfully, “You will be hurt if you don’t cry when it is my turn. Understood?”
“Of course,” Theodore replied without any hesitation. This was a joy that he wouldn’t be able to get used to, no matter how many times he experienced it. It was a feeling he never knew before he became a parent. Despite extra weight being put on both of his shoulders, Theodore didn’t break from this weight.
“All of you are my treasures. I don’t intend to change this priority, even if the world is at risk.”
It was the reason why he had been able to refuse the Akashic Records and the throne of omnipotence. The role Clipeus had given to him was light compared to this. Adding a few things to his burden wouldn’t tilt the balance towards him leaving.
Veronica blushed at his words. She looked cute since it was unlike her. Then Theodore whispered in her ears, “Can I see Becky’s child next time?”
“I-I don’t know!” Veronica exclaimed, slipping out of Theodore’s eyes. Her eyes were big as she shouted, “Tonight is my turn, so don’t go anywhere!”
Theodore replied with a smirk, “I know. That is why I said it.”
“This beast!”
“Shouldn’t I say that about Becky?”
Veronica’s face was as red as a persimmon as she looked away. With her red dragon’s lineage, all her passion had been released after the wedding. As such, she wasn’t in a position to call Theodore a ‘beast.’ However, he stopped teasing her and spoke in a gentle voice, “Don’t stay for long because Sylvia is tired. Understood?”
Veronica nodded without saying anything. She felt like she would receive more damage the more she watched. After stroking Veronica’s red hair several times, Theodore turned and walked down the corridor. The sound of the door closing behind him was strange.
Theodore calmed his mood as he stepped out of the tower. He walked lightly.
‘...Ah.’
Then he soon realized...
‘The world looks different.’
Theodore even welcomed the boiling hot sun. His eyes were captivated by the rustling of unnamed flowers and by the fresh clouds floating in the sky. Was this the feeling of having the whole world? All riches and honors were useless.
“Sigh...” Theodore was happy for a moment before calling out behind him. He had been aware of the presence from before, but now the gap between the two of them was narrowed. “Paragranum, what is it?”
It was a pale blonde girl with two eyes like rubies and soft brown skin like chocolate. She was a beautiful girl who looked no different from a doll. With a smile that seemed like it was drawn in a picture, the grimoire that was the Yellow Tower Master spoke about something else instead of answering. “You are really interesting.”
Her red eyes glowed with dangerous interest. “Despite being a transcendent, you are faithful to keeping your human emotions. It was beyond my expectations that you would defeat Wrath and your contractor.”
“Don’t sugarcoat it.” Theodore looked back with no expression. “Why did you come here?”
“It is a regular report.”
“...Hmm.”
Without any hand gestures or chants, a wall of silence surrounded the two of them. Paragranum’s mouth gaped open as she realized it, but Theodore didn’t respond at all.
“Start.”
“You really are unfriendly,” Paragranum said with a shrug. Then she finally explained, “I have built more than half the blueprints. It’s the beginning of a cornerstone of a civilization that combines science and magic. This will lead to the opening of schools that will spread the two disciplines throughout all of Meltor. It should take 10 years?”
“10 years until the starting point... It is a long way to go.”
“It can’t be helped. This country is already attached to the magic system. If you want to change the sheets, you either have to wait until they turn around or flip them all over.”
If Theodore went in a radical direction, he might see three times the progress. However, in that case, the civilization of this material world itself would be placed in Theodore’s palms. Yet if he didn’t intervene, they wouldn’t be able to become self-reliant, and there was the possibility of a big problem rising. Therefore, Theodore aimed for a gradual reform. The blueprints were just a light push for a new world order centered around Meltor.
‘I have too many things to do.’
He didn’t have time to enjoy Adellia being born. This was the reason why Theodore didn’t choose a radical way. There was no reason for him to gain wealth or power, nor did he want to take care of things he didn’t need to do. He also had no intention of making this world his own model garden. The people who lived in the present era should walk along this path themselves.
“Still, I think that magic engineering is fun. The world will be quite different after completing this plan. 1,000 years... No, will it be 1,500 years?”
“Maybe it needs that long,” Theodore confirmed Paragranum’s prediction. Then he added, “Tell me if there is anything you don’t like, especially considering the circumstances.”
“Huh? No, I’m fine. Creating a ‘human’ is just another means for my purpose of existence. In the first place, alchemy is the halfway point between magic and science.”
“Certainly, if you are sure.”
After 1,500 years, the mana level would be much lower than it was now due to Sloth. However, the utility of magic engineering was better than magic in certain fields. The alchemy grimoire, Paragranum, would show a higher synergy with it than anyone else. In the future where all masters would have disappeared, Theodore would be the only deterrent to control Paragranum.
“This is the end of my report.” Paragranum delivered some more reports before taking two steps back and staring at Theodore. It was like she was looking inside him. “The future world is interesting, but I am also curious about your future. Despite being able to reign, you choose not to reign. You also have no desire to leave this world. Isn’t that right?”
“So?”
“Theodore Miller, the last transcendent of this world, how long can you insist on this life? I will be watching.”
Then Paragranum left in an instant.
‘Until when?’ Theodore gazed at the blonde who was moving further away from him. No matter the purpose behind her words, it didn’t feel like she was antagonizing him. It was purely curiosity and was quite meaningful. Perhaps the few words of this grimoire would stick with him until the end of this world.
“...Go.”
Theodore left this spot and returned to the central tower.
* * *
Two months later, Sylvia’s state steadily improved after she giving birth to Adellia. Additionally, the distribution of the Lairon territory finally finished after six months of negotiations. In the process, there was strong resistance from the Austen Kingdom. However, they had to close their mouth after Theodore visited.
It was a prelude to the Age of Great Peace.
Envy’s death had resolved the long conflict in the northern part of the continent. The territory of Lairon, which could’ve been the seed of a dispute, was then divided among nations without a single armed conflict. Over the next 20 years, they would be too busy clearing the land to turn their eyes elsewhere.
In the southern part of the continent, the swamp was receding, and there was so empty space. However, it wasn’t easy to deal with because the monsters in the continent renewed their grip on this land. In particular, the southern kingdoms lacked strong combat power.
As long as this balance didn’t collapse, there would be at least one or two centuries of peace.
“On behalf of the Meltor Kingdom, I will declare to all countries!” In this unprecedented golden age of Meltor, Kurt III declared to the world, “From this day on, Meltor is no longer a kingdom! As a true magic empire, I declare that we are the Magic Empire of Meltor!”
The Magic Empire... Andras had been downgraded to a kingdom after being defeated in the war. Even the empire in the East Continent had collapsed. No nation objected to Meltor’s claim to becoming an empire. In the central square of Mana-vil, Kurt III, now an emperor, stood on the high podium and raised one hand to the cheering people. “Wait! The auspicious news doesn’t end here!”
Expectations filled the eyes of the people gathered in this square. It was already surprising that Meltor was reborn as an empire. Now there was something else? Kurt III raised the tension for a few seconds before glancing at someone standing by. Then he shouted in a voice that rang through the square, “You must know as well! The chief of the magic towers that oversees the whole of the Meltor Kingdom—no, the best magician of the empire!”
Theodore walked slowly and stood before Kurt III on stage.
“The hero who has built up countless achievements, the one who ended the war with Andras and whose reputation stretches to the East Continent...! I will give Chief Tower Master Theodore Miller a position worthy of these merits!”
At least thousands, perhaps even tens of thousands, of people forgot how to breathe as they looked at this scene. This was a day which would be written in Meltor’s history books and a day that they wouldn’t forget. It was Kurt III’s accession as the first emperor of Meltor and the appointment ceremony for Theodore Miller.
“Listen up, Theodore Miller.”
Theodore bowed slightly without kneeling. As a 9th circle magician, he was qualified to do so.
“Will you give wisdom to this Meltor as a teacher of the state? Will you be the pillar of the empire’s strength and honor?”
“Yes.”
“Are you willing to become a companion of this Meltor Empire and pursue a future with it?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Kurt III smiled at the answer and pulled something out from under the podium. “Then all the people here will stand as witnesses! If you have eyes, look! If you have ears, listen! I, the first emperor of the Meltor Empire, will give my first imperial order!”
He held a luxurious item with a mysterious glowing gem hanging from its end. The item was 50 centimeters in length, and the magic power rising from its surface proved that its value was huge. It was a rod. The rod, known as a magician’s special weapon along with a staff and an orb, was a national treasure managed by the royal family.
“You will be treated as the head of our imperial court, a teacher, and a guardian. You can exercise any command equal to an imperial order in any domestic or foreign affairs. The leader of all magicians, the head of the magic towers, Theodore Miller! I, Kurt III, today appoint you as the Imperial Guardian!”
It was a position prepared only for Theodore.
“It is the glory of my life, Your Majesty.” Theodore politely stretched out his hands and accepted the rod. Feeling uncomfortable, he laughed. It had been more than half a year, yet he still couldn’t adapt to this. There was a faint smile on his face as Theodore raised his left hand up to the sky.
“Wahhhhh!” The roar of the crowd shook the heaven and earth.
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