The coronation ceremony was not overly elaborate and concluded quickly. The empire, seemingly infused with a touch of Lind’s workaholic temperament, soon began to function after the formalities. In addition to consolidating the previously acquired Cape territory, there was also the formal annexation of the land owned by An Zhu. Next, there would be immigration to desolate areas that had been ravaged by the Black Fog.
These were all significant tasks; the taxation of each region also needed to be revised. After all, productivity was still primarily concentrated in the Northern Border area, and to develop other regions, the scars left by war needed to be healed. Many local policies in An Zhu also had to be abolished.
The personnel changes alone could keep one busy.
At this moment, the Gray Robe had just finished meeting with Lind and returned to his guest room from the former governor’s residence.
Sometimes the Gray Robe felt like he might be the boldest person within the empire, having once again turned down the emperor’s summons while only signing a temporary contract as a worker with this emperor.
Had money not been a pressing issue, the Gray Robe might not have signed this temporary contract at all because once bogged down by trivial matters, he feared he would really become a bureaucrat of this empire rather than the National Master of Castile. He didn’t mind for himself, but what would happen to Princess Rosalind?
After returning to his room, the Gray Robe opened his diary and began to write: “Dear Your Majesty.”
This Your Majesty of course did not refer to Lind, as the Gray Robe was still affiliated with Castile.
“I have previously described the horrific war that has ended; although I have mentioned it in past letters, I must reiterate that this war went far beyond our expectations, and even the manner of its conclusion still eludes my understanding.”
“The two great kingdoms have unified, along with a group of surrounding small countries. However, these small countries on the Solun Continent can now be referred to as formal kingdoms.”
“To the two great kingdoms, I believe they should not be called kingdoms. If these two kingdoms are indeed on the Solun Continent, they can perfectly be referred to as empires. This is not to belittle my homeland; compared to these two great kingdoms, Castile has a long way to go.”
In reality, the Gray Robe had arrived late. Had he come to this continent earlier than the Avars, or even before Lind’s rise, he would have noticed that the two great kingdoms weren’t very far ahead of Castile. In fact, due to Castile’s mastery of Supremacy Magic, it could potentially have been at an advantage in conflicts.
But the Gray Robe happened to arrive during the most turbulent period of the continent. The two great kingdoms relocating to Solun certainly qualified them to be called an empire, or perhaps they would soon become one.
“The nation of firearms is entirely different from what we initially imagined. The so-called An Zhu is not a true nation of firearms; the firearms originated from the emperor of this empire, who is the true innovator of them. I have noticed in this true nation of firearms weapons that can contend even with dragons. If Castile could master such firearms, it would at least no longer be oppressed by evil dragons, right?”
“Unfortunately, I am merely a temporary employee of that emperor and have no right to access those top-tier weapons. After all, I cannot betray you, nor can I betray Princess Rosalind.”
“Still, even the basic firearms and cannons available here have greatly benefited me. The fundamental principles of firearms are not complex; what becomes complex are the forging materials and various specifications. But if I return to Castile, I believe I could create even more powerful firearms for my homeland without having to purchase those expensive firearms through smuggling channels.”
As he wrote this, the Gray Robe let out a deep sigh, and the sound of that heavy sigh quickly dissipated into the air with the gentle breeze outside the window.
“Firearms are not as expensive as we thought. In fact, according to that emperor, firearms were originally created for ordinary people to use on a large scale; the occurrence of them in a magic-less land is purely accidental. If I may say, Your Majesty, I suggest that Castile should first reserve sufficient resources and abandon the struggle in the magic-less land, waiting for the emperor of this nation of firearms to personally come to trade with Castile.”
“This emperor seems quite interested in the Solun Continent; he asked me many questions about it and was very kind and generous. I know his ambitions are considerable, and once he has the means, he will most likely organize a fleet to the Solun Continent. Compared to the Avars, he is much more accommodating, and even with the two kingdoms, it was a peaceful handover. If you have enough resources, he will be willing to trade firearms with you at a lower price than smuggling.”
The Gray Robe knew that the King Your Majesty of Castile would most likely never read this diary of his. Although there had been a volunteer from the Castile delegation eager to deliver letters and precious goods to Castile, the sea routes had been completely dominated by dragons and Avars at that time. Without an escort, traveling from M Continent to Solun was akin to a fantasy, and the Gray Robe held no hope for it. This felt more like a summary of his thoughts or a means of expressing his nostalgia to some degree.
Afterward, the Gray Robe began to describe what he had seen and heard recently in the Imperial City, as well as the different local customs on M Continent as compared to those on Solun. After writing about the new decree recently issued by the emperor, he inexplicably thought of the current situation of his homeland before leaving.
“Your Majesty, how is Castile doing now? The Avars have suffered a great defeat in M Continent at the hands of that emperor and have essentially lost their ability to resist. Is Castile’s situation better than it was back then?”
“Has the issue of the heir to the kingdom been resolved? Is your health better?”
In truth, the Gray Robe also wanted to ask whether the princes and princesses were still as they had been before, constantly biting each other in their internal struggles. Yet, while writing these diaries or letters addressed to the King of Castile, he held a glimmer of hope; what if they truly reached Your Majesty? Or if they genuinely reached Castile? If Your Majesty were to pass, or if these letters did not reach Your Majesty directly, then writing them would only lead to greater chaos in Castile.
“As for Princess Rosalind, she has been doing quite well. That emperor is very kind, and daily expenses are not a concern. I may sound a bit strange saying this, but Princess Rosalind is likely doing better now than she was in Castile.”
“However, to woo and get close to the nobles and generals of the empire, she has to participate in various gatherings among the imperial noblewomen every day, or social balls among the nobility. This is quite common in Castile as well; she is increasingly resembling a true princess.”
“Even if that emperor is very kind, he cannot cover the expenses for Princess Rosalind’s participation in these gatherings and balls. To ensure she does not lose the glory of Castile, our expenditures are considerable. Besides the entire delegation working in the Imperial City, I, as I mentioned earlier, also have to assume the role of a temporary official of this state to help the princess establish her footing among the nobility.”
“Princess Rosalind has also worked hard. To draw closer to those noblewomen, she even surpasses me in the study of mechanical engineering; I am not trying to prove anything on behalf of the princess, but Your Majesty, should there come a day when she truly returns to Castile, believe me, she will be far more successful than most craftsmen in producing firearms and tools. I have mentioned this many times before, and Your Majesty, I hope you do not find me tedious, but the era of mages waving their staffs and traditional knights rushing into battle is long gone on this continent.”
Despite wanting to emphasize that he hoped Your Majesty would not find him tedious, the Gray Robe ended up writing more and more. Before he realized it, the sun outside had gradually set, and he lit the magical lamp beside him, illuminating the entire room in an instant.
Looking at these lamps, the Gray Robe fell into a daze. This set of lamps was actually not exceptional in Castile; the top noble families even had professionals specifically managing lighting, achieving effects equal to or superior to this set of lamps. Yet in the empire’s major cities, these types of magical lamps could be seen everywhere, and even commoners could afford similar items.
The Gray Robe instantly lost his mood, closed the window, and extinguished the lamps with a sigh.
