The carriages rode through the busy capital city. There were lots of other nobles who attended today as well.

The birthday party is just a premise so nobles could make connections with the royal family and the Northern and Southern dukes.

The Southern Dukes are the four dukes who occupy the south. Hurge city is also located in the south as is the territories of other dukes. Duke Luxembourg rules over those four since he is a grand duke. Due to his duties involving the mining of precious minerals, he was ordered by the king to create a mining area that focuses on extracting the diamonds in the ground. Hurge city isn't a small city either.

The amount of people living in his city exceed one hundred thousand. Duke Luxembourg is in the process of building a new castle so we had to move to his residence in the capital a few months ago.

The Northern side is ruled by the dukes under Duke Rosenberg. He doesn't have the political power of Arielle's father but he can at least compare in other things like wealth.

The Rosenbergs handle the trade networks which is a very profitable business in this day and age.

While sitting in the carriage, I tried summoning those blue lights I saw at the lake at the back of the duke's residence.

'Maybe there isn't any water spirits in this part of the city.'

I've been feeling someone's gaze on me whenever I try and cast spirit magic. The gaze would vanish when I cancel my spirit magic. I should try and investigate the next time I go to the back of the manor to train again.

"We've arrived, Your Grace."

The coachman shouted as we pulled up a hill.

'Whoa...'

There were many people dressed in fancy clothing standing outside in the palace garden. All of them looked like they were of high status.

'They must be the high ranking officials of the kingdom.'

"Duke Luxembourg!!"

When we exited the carriage, several noblemen approached Arielle's father. There were so many people just for one person's birthday party. Well, she is a princess after all.

I looked up at the massive white palace of the kingdom. My gaze moved to the large tower located next to the palace.

They say Odette used to live there when she officially became one of the kingdom's founders.

"The noble children are playing in the garden." Kimberly whispered to us. "Go make some new friends."

◇◇◇

"Why did you call me here?"

In the garden, a blonde haired girl stood haughtily in front of the noble children. They ranged from age 8 to 13. There were about seven of them.

"U-Um, thank you for coming, your highness." The eldest bowed. She showed extreme courtesy to a girl younger than her.

Charlotte snorted.

"Are you going to speak or not?"

"Y-Yes!"

They rummaged in the bag they brought along and gave what was inside to Charlotte. It was a crumbled up piece of paper.

Charlotte frowned.

"T-That's the planning we did to start our own retail business by building this to help with transporting. A vehicle that can travel fast speeds to any location so long as we have tracks to keep it going. A-All we lack are funds for this project."

One boy pointed at the paper.

"If we're successful then we can expect ten times the profit! Anyone would want a vehicle fast enough to deliver faster than ordinary carriages or ships!"

Charlotte still didn't look impressed.

"If we needed this then we would've built our own airship. Speaking of an airship, do you know how much the resources to build one costs? The Magic Empire is blocking us from mining the necessary minerals and metals needed for such a project." Charlotte threw the paper down. "The same applies to this stupid idea. Vehicles that can reach such speeds would only empty our pockets. And how are we supposed to reinforce the vehicle so that it doesn't break down from the extreme wind pressure? Who the hell had this stupid idea even though the kingdom is still recovering?"

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'Stupid?'

All of them felt heartbroken when they heard those words. Everyone dreams of overtaking the trade networks of the Rosenbergs. This was the strategy of their households.

One boy raised his hand.

"I-It was me. I proposed the idea."

"Hoh? And did you think this through before bringing it to me? Did you think just because I'm younger than my siblings that I'd agree with your stupid project without thinking it through?"

"N-no! We–"

"Shut up. You lower class trash should stay there where you are. At the lowest class. If you want me to even think about helping you in the future then rise in rank first. I know all of your parents' faces and I can remember that all of them are Viscount and lower."

In the kingdom of Colchis, only nobles ranked count and higher are given additional benefits by the royal family. This is because they trust higher ranking houses more than the lower ranking houses. Viscounts are excluded from this since they are known as starting nobles.

"You wasted my time. Go back to your little manors in the countryside and die on a real battlefield." Charlotte tore the paper in half when she picked it up. "I missed my chance to dance with a prince tonight. Tch."

She walked away after throwing a complaint. Driven by rage and emotions, one boy rushed towards Charlotte.

"You!!!!"

"Steven, stop!!"

They tried to stop the 12 year old boy but it was too late.

"---!!"

A brick hit the back of Charlotte's head.

She fell down with a pained scream and held the back of her head.

"We had to sacrifice our own wealth for the future to buy the workshop to make this! Do you know what we had to eat to survive!?"

The boy angrily gripped Charlotte's throat with tears in his eyes.

"Steven!"

The others tried stopping him.

"No! Let me go!"

He shoved them away and began slapping Charlotte's face repeatedly.

"I hate you! I hate you!"

All of then were frozen as they saw their friend beat up a royal family member.

In contrast to her haughty and rude attitude, Charlotte had tears in her eyes as she tried escaping. Her body was naturally weaker than the boy who practises swordsmanship.

The boy was about to throw another blow but was kicked in the side of his head.

It was the heel of a girl with black painted toenails that kicked him.

"Good grief. This again?"

A silver haired girl along with two other boys stood there in front of Charlotte.

Charlotte grabbed Arielle's dress while crying.

"D-Death! I'll have you hanged!"

The boy was being held back by his friends.

"Let me go!"

Clyde quietly approached the ripped paper on the ground.

"[Restore]"

He chanted an intermediate rank spell. Lights flickered around the piece of paper before its torn remains restored itself.

'Huh? Isn't this a train?'

He was puzzled by what he saw. Were even trains in this world?

"Here."

He gave the paper to the children with a smile before walking back to Charlotte.

She was still shouting at the children.

"Your highness!!"

Just in time, her maid ran towards them and shrieked when she saw Charlotte's blood on her hands.

"Pina... tell father to execute these miscreants..."

"W-Who did this!?"

She pointed at the boy.

"Knights! Throw that boy in the underground dungeon!"

"Yes!"

Her head maid then wiped Charlotte's bloody face with a cloth.

"I'll heal you."

Clyde said before holding her face in his hands.

"H-Hey! Don't touch her highness!"

"Calm down, Pina. Geez. If you're so overprotective then you should've been here before." Arielle said with a sigh.

She went silent at Arielle's words.

Meanwhile, Clyde chanted a healing spell. A green warm energy radiated Charlotte's face. She closed her eyes to appreciate the warm feeling.

"W-What happened!? Why is Char on the ground?"

The door to the royal hall burst open revealing a beautiful mature woman with the same colour hair as the princess.

Melodia Colchis.

The current queen of the kingdom of Colchis.

"Your Majesty!"

The knights bowed upon her arrival. Many other nobles were with the queen when they heard the commotion.

"Who are they?"

Melodia pointed to the children.

"They're the ones who proposed an idea to her highness." Clyde explained. "It seems that boy was too emotional and started hitting her when she rejected their proposal."

'She was actually very rude and bitchy but I can't say that.'

He felt like he would also be thrown inside the underground dungeon too.

"Hitting?"

Melodia's face distorted.

"I'm fine." Charlotte got up with Clyde and Arthur's help. "Really."

Melodia sighed in relief and hugged her daughter.

"Let's go inside. You children can come with.

She pointed at Clyde, Arielle and Arthur.

She recognized them when she saw Arielle. The latter's brother, Eric is engaged to the second wife, Olivia's daughter after all so that makes them family.

"Pina. Bring us some refreshments. I'll take the children inside."

"Yes, your majesty."

Pina quickly left.

"Thank you for saving my baby, kids."

Melodia thanked them.

"I know how much trouble Charlotte gets herself into. We were glad to help."

Charlotte glared at Arielle who casually said that.

It was true that Charlotte needed some help controlling her overbearing attitude towards other children. She'd often insult any children who tried to approach her. Even if they wanted to be friends, she'd still chase them away. She only let children with promising futures approach her and breathe the same air as her graceful self.

Tonight was not the night to do that. A cornered rat engaged the cat out of desperation.

Melodia laughed softly.

"This is why she doesn't have friends yet. I specifically asked His Majesty to invite the kids from the Luxembourg household."

"I don't need friends..."

"That's too much coming from a ten year old. Everyone needs friends in their life. Luckily, three arrived for you tonight!"

They finally arrived at a table and sat down. The people were slowly dancing to the soothing music that was played before the real dance started.

"Oh, I have an idea!" Melodia spoke to Charlotte. "Why don't you dance with these boys? They must be first in line for saving you after all."

Charlotte frowned.

"I don't want to dance..."

Her entire mood was ruined after what happened. She wanted to quickly take care of that boy's household.

He dared to touch her with his dirty hands.

–Everyone!

At that moment, a voice roared on stage. Everyone's eyes shifted towards it and saw the king of this kingdom.

Philp Colchis, the current monarch of the kingdom gave his speech.

◇-◇

"Any luck, Miss A?"

About a thousand kilometres above the sky, three figures were seen floating and looking down on the kingdom of Colchis. One was a woman with black angel wings. The other was a man with sharp features wearing a gentleman's suit. The last one was a man who could only be described as someone covered in miasma. Even though the moonlight shone on them, they still couldn't see his face. Only his eyes were visible.

The woman the man called Ms. A shook her head. Her blue hair shook with the wind.

"There seems to be no one in the south who has the core." The woman turned towards the man who has been quiet till now. "Have you found anything, Mr. S?"

Mr. S turned towards her.

"You already know I cannot use mana sense like the two of you. I am not a mage."

The woman shrugged.

"I thought you'd at least torture some people to find out anything useful. You're wasting your power by remaining so docile."

"I hate meaningless slaughter." The man retorted.

"Well, maybe we should check the Magic Empire after all."

"And risk getting involved with heroes from another world? No thanks." The man in the black suit replied. "I will monitor this kingdom for the time being. The two of you will stay in your assigned locations as well."

Mr. S and Ms. A bowed towards the man.

"As you wish, Lord Zero."

The two instantly vanished.

"Could father's vision have been incorrect? I have a gut feeling that our goal is closer than we think."

The man, Zero fixed his suit when he saw the accumulated dust.

"Tch."

He clicked his tongue and looked up at the moon. The night sky was filled with billions of stars. He closed his eyes with another sigh and began weaving dark mana, causing a rip in space.

The cold wind caressed his face and blew his hair.

"I will see how it goes before taking matters into my own hands."

Before he entered the black hole, he felt a gaze on him.

It was tens of kilometres but the person still had their eyes in his direction.

It was a boy with light brown hair. It wasn't that he could see Zero but instead felt a strong presence in the sky, and gazed up.

"Hmm... what exceptional sensory abilities. Humans get interesting every era."

With a chuckle, the man entered the hole.