NOTICE: Many of the novels have been removed because they might cause violations, which we were not aware of earlier.
(226)
Practitioners from the Eastern Continent said that everything in this world has a light side and a dark side.
When war breaks out, mothers who have their sons drafted will shed tears, and farmers who have their grains requisitioned will be discouraged, but in the city, blacksmiths who run armor workshops, craftsmen who make arrows, and undertakers will celebrate.
Aside from the sadness that is natural for humans, this means that no matter how bad things are, there are always people who benefit from them.
thus.
Even as the capital of the world's wealthiest country lay in ruins and 600,000 of its citizens were forced into a tent city in the fields in the early winter, there were those who held back laughter.
“We are rich now!”
“Gather the kids in advance. Go to the Academy camp and secure the Earth Wizards as well.”
“Does anyone know Sir Tentia? He is said to be the knight-errant and closest confidant of Grand Duke Valencianus.”
These were the upper echelons of the Construction Guild, the Civil Engineering Guild, and the Materials Guild.
They were the uppermost stratum of the capital's bourgeoisie, representing the wealthy commoners and intellectuals, and standing in a peculiar opposition to the court aristocracy whose power was inherited by blood.
They were people who had amassed enough wealth and power to stand up to the nobles of different races based on their knowledge alone, regardless of ethics.
In their view, the imperial family had already escaped the crisis of collapse.
“Archduke Valencian did not leave the capital, which shows that he was thinking about something.”
“Let’s be honest. Even though he’s a scoundrel and a kidnapper of saints, have you ever heard of him being severely punished or failing?”
“I admit that he is a man of means who killed two Marquises without hearing any rebellion.”
“I heard that the magicians of the Ivory Tower and the Imperial Magic Workshop have already completed more than 80% of the magic to reopen the magic realm.”
“The great nobles also stay in the capital.”
“If we just somehow hold on for now, we will receive a huge construction order next spring. Then we will become several times richer.”
They quickly figured it out and used all their connections to contact business partners everywhere.
“Are you the owner of a quarry? I’m planning to order a large quantity of stone this time, but I’m a little short on money. I’ll pay you as soon as I get the money, so trust me just this once.”
“You got permission from the Baron to cut down the trees, right? Turn them into planks.”
“Isn’t Senator Cornell running a brick factory in the old slums? Meet him. Tell him he’ll take care of all your inventory.”
No matter how large a city Solettaran was, the scars left by the battle between 1km-tall foreign objects and 20,000 eroders were deep.
Due to the nature of the city where underground waterways spread out in all directions, there were a huge number of buildings that completely collapsed and had to be rebuilt from the ground up.
Hardritan and the Minister of Finance laughed out loud when they calculated the estimated budget needed to restore the aqueduct.
'A home is not a luxury, it is a necessity, and if there is even a slight shortage of supply, prices will skyrocket.'
'I'll go in as soon as the magic gate closes and speak to Archduke Valencian. If I give him some gold, he'll probably overlook the slight profiteering.'
'We are rich now.'
Therefore, it was quite natural that the high-ranking executives of each guild thought, 'Let's secure the materials no matter what, and once the magic gate closes, let's start construction right away, secure the quantity that can be sold, and then sell them at an incredibly high price.'
They had a lot of money and a tight network of connections.
When Valencianus announced that he would close the city walls, he went inside the city walls with him and pointed out the broken buildings and roads here and there, talking about who would get what orders.
however.
“Your Majesty the Emperor?”
Emperor Jaylilith emerged from the Demon Realm.
Under the clear blue sky, the emperor raised his golden aura.
Saaaaah-.
A brilliant halo of light spread in all directions, and the buildings shook as they collapsed, shattered, and fell.
* * *
The completely collapsed stone building shook.
Bricks stuck, stone columns stood up, and broken glass was made whole again.
Woof woof!
The soil and pavement bricks that had fallen into the culvert came back up as if against time, and the collapsed wharf rose up from the canal floor.
Choaaaak.
The bent nail straightened out and fell back into place, and the torn flag soared up the flagpole again.
Flutter!
A building that was originally three stories became five stories, and a building that was originally five stories became eight stories.
The soil that rose from the underground waterway clumped together to form rocks, and then split along the grain to form bricks and pillars.
A steel frame was placed over the culvert that had sunk into the ground as if an earthquake had occurred, and huge stone slabs were placed on top of it, with gravel, sand, and paving stones placed on top.
A golden aura enveloped and swayed throughout the capital.
I looked at the sight with a feeling of astonishment, if not emptiness.
"oh my god."
As if they realized what kind of magic this was, Sereraji and the elders of the Ivory Tower also stuck out their tongues.
Jaylilith was now using golem magic.
Of course, normal golem magic couldn't have demonstrated this level of ability.
This miracle was possible because only Jaylilith had the power to raise the entire capital.
She stood on one of the steps of the fully restored pier, looking out over the city with her characteristically languid gaze.
It felt like I was standing at the highest point of the semicircular theater auditorium.
“It may look flashy on the outside, but it looks like a place where people live. It’s embarrassing for me to say it, but protecting and building is greater than stealing and destroying. So, thank you for protecting my city.”
I nodded absentmindedly as I saw a lightning rod erected on top of the stone building next door.
“I am ashamed, Your Majesty.”
Before the return, Jaylilith had destroyed many cities, but I had never seen her restore one.
The officials, knights, and wizards all had the same expression as me.
Hadritan and the Treasurer embraced each other and shed tears of relief, the knights knelt down one by one, and the ivory tower wizards looked at Jaylilith with blank expressions.
At that moment, a proud and low voice rang out loud enough for everyone to hear.
“47th Soletaras! Long live His Majesty Jaerilis! Severic of the Septentrios swears his eternal loyalty.”
——————
faqwiki.xyz
Join our Discord for new chapter updates!
https://discord.com/invite/xr7SxG5T6V
——————
The Shield of the North, the Archduke of the Cold, looked up at Jaylilith and knelt on one knee.
The knights of the Imperial Household, the knights of the Central Provinces, and other great lords let out a sigh of relief.
'There should be a picture of the Northern Grand Duke bowing before the Emperor.'
Severic kept his promise to me.
Following that, a hollow laugh was heard next to me.
“Seriously, this is ridiculous.”
The Storm's Daughter, the Eastern Loser, knelt on one knee before Jaylilith, her aquamarine hair tied back in a bun.
“The Cariosa of Asenorta swears her eternal loyalty. Long live His Majesty the Emperor.”
The old man who had been watching us from the shadows slowly stood under the sun and knelt before the sun.
“Cesar of Sicarius offers the rest of his life and the life he has lived so far. Long live His Majesty the Emperor.”
The clever girl Marquis, Signine, had an expression of infinite amazement.
Even the rumored power holder who had surpassed his older sister and brother to inherit the title of Marquis and was even given the title of Duke trembled in front of the miracle of rebuilding a ruined city with a single spell.
Grace looked back and forth between me, Jaylilith, and the cheering citizens outside the gates.
She bit her red lips until they bled, sighed deeply, and bowed her head before Jaylilith.
Even the Iron Blood Lord Marcus, who had been incorporated under me, the great genius Sereraji, and the other direct lords all knelt down on one knee and bowed their heads, one by one.
“Long live His Majesty Jaylilith. Glory be to the reign of Soletaras.”
“Long live His Majesty Jaylilith! May the reign of Soletaras be filled with endless glory!”
As her name resonated through the sky, the one who had received the mark from the being above kept tightly closing and opening her eyes.
“Valencianus.”
I poked Mateos in the ribs.
“Saint, I passed the bill, didn’t I? I also made it so that all relief supplies could be distributed in the name of the church. If something comes, something must go.”
Mateos sighed as if the ground was collapsing and looked at the city that had become splendid again.
He had a solemn expression on his deep-set face, and he untied the black cloak he was wearing and handed it to me.
“Hmm.”
“Ugh!”
Gasps of breath could be heard here and there.
The saint's purple robes shone under the winter sun.
Mateos had pitch-black hair swept back, revealing a glowing stigmata on his forehead.
Jaylilith smiled at me, and Mateos broke a branch from a small tree that had managed to survive.
Divine power flashed from his hands, and the branches grew long and circular, twisting beautifully like a crown.
The bright yellow flowers, each about the size of a fingertip, were in full bloom, obscuring the crown of tree branches.
I could tell that Mateos had just created the relic.
That flower will never wither.
Mateos stood next to Jaylilis.
There were murmurs and gasps among the clergy and courtiers.
When a saint gives a crown, it means that he is representing God, so it has been a tradition up until now to receive it from the bottom step, even if it is a king or emperor.
“Jay release.”
Mateos lifted the sacred crown and called her name.
A halo of divine power rose above his black hair, shining softly.
“Will you uphold justice with the law and the sword?”
“I will do so.”
“Will you be faithful to the church in faith and practice?”
“I will do so.”
“Will you always protect the weak?”
“I will do so.”
Jaylilith smiled contentedly and answered the three questions.
“Then I give you authority over this land in my father’s name.”
Mateos placed the divine crown on Jerilis.
Now she was an emperor recognized by the officials and great lords below and by the gods above.
I shouted for the sky to go away.
I will make her a beloved emperor and enjoy wealth and honor under her.
More than half of them seemed to have succeeded.
A feeling of intense satisfaction welled up in me.
“Long live His Majesty Jaylilith!”
No one will call her a tyrant anymore.
There would be no more great lords questioning her accession to the throne, no more endless rebellions, no more support for traitorous princes like Justinian.
Unlike before the return, they swore loyalty.
If they call her a tyrant, their own legitimacy and justification for acknowledging a tyrant will also be shaken.
Moreover, if the saint himself called the emperor, who had personally crowned him with divinity, a tyrant, it would be an act of ignoring even the church.
From that day on, I began to hear people call me Jaylilith.
“It is called this because it contains both the power to restore the capital city in one go and the crown given by the saint.”
"what?"
“Holy Emperor.”
* * *
The long loyalty oath schedule is over.
It was a schedule that lasted almost five months longer than originally planned.
So, as soon as the oath of allegiance was over, the great nobles fled.
“Thank you, friend.”
“No, Severic. Thanks to you, I was able to protect the palace.”
The Northern Duke Severic obtained a floating port and grain.
“I tried to call you Your Majesty’s new sister.”
“How come the Anchor Army acknowledged my throne? Go back quickly before His Majesty finds out that you have provoked me.”
Cariosa was elevated to the title of Duke, and became King of the Anchor Isles in addition to his title within the Empire.
On the last day, Jaylilith smiled at her, but I don't know what that meant.
“Okay. See you again soon.”
Signine was the biggest beneficiary.
Because he was given the opportunity to multiply his territory several times over, and was even promised a promotion to the title of Duke.
“I’ll tell you in advance, I still hate you.”
“So don’t tell me.”
Grace enjoyed some tariff benefits in trade with the Crown.
“Ah, that maid is talented. If only I had more time, I would have taken her as my disciple.”
“… … An instructor or two is always welcome.”
Caesar received permission to build castles and a promise from Sicarius that he would not be held responsible for any troubles that arose beyond the borders while pursuing or, more precisely, subduing the nomads.
Of course, there were also some lords who lacked legitimacy and ended up putting something out there.
These were mainly great lords who had usurped power, who had been at odds with the church and needed to please the crown, or who were tired of civil wars.
In the capital city where everyone was sent back, strange rumors began to spread.
Interestingly, the source was not the slums or the mouths of day laborers, but rather the middle class and above intellectuals and the bourgeoisie.
“Archduke Valencian may be a better person than we thought.”
“Unlike the nobles, he did not run away and stayed in the tent village until the end. He also continued his efforts to bring back His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Didn’t they all return it to Your Majesty? All distributions were in Your Majesty’s name, and all requisitions were in their own names.”
“Honestly, it is true that the city was restored thanks to Your Majesty, but it was Archduke Valencian who saved us.”
I felt a cold sweat running down my face.
Why can't this be done?