Winter City’s palace.

Inside the throne room, Lacius slightly dozed off as he heard his subordinate’s report about the great success in introducing the currency system.

Once that subordinate had finished his report, he retreated and the next subordinate came forward to read his report.

“The plan for expanding our kingdom by building villages is mostly successful. After finding several suitable places the last few months, I already sent some blessed and armies to kill any dangerous magical beasts and repel those that’s too powerful. Some of the population has also been sent to fill the villages and begin constructions.”

The subordinate then looks a bit worried. “It’s just that a few months ago, I had sent a hundred people strong army to kill a magical beast nearby River Stone city. But there has been no news about them since they are last seen in River Stone city to collect rations. This subordinate is afraid they might have been annihila-“

Before he could finish his word, the sound of knocking came from the throne room’s door. Hearing the knock, Lucius looked toward the guard standing next to the door and nodded.

When the guard saw Lucius nod his head, he quickly opened the door and allowed another guard to enter.

The guard entered and said, “Your highness, a newly awakened blessed wish to have an audience with you. She has the power to summon music from a box.”

Lacius replied, “Bring her in.”

“Yes!” The guard bowed and exited the throne room. He passes through several corridors and rooms before leaving through the palace’s side door.

After exiting the palace, the guard went towards the palace’s main door and saw Tsukiko waiting with another guard.

He ran to Tsukiko and informed, “The king has accepted your request for an audience. Please follow me to meet the king at the throne room.”

Both guards reached their hand and opened the palace’s massive main door. Behind them, Tsukiko silently followed while preparing how she could learn more about this world.

The walk doesn’t last long. After three short minutes, a wooden door with an intricate design came into her view.

Both guards knocked gently on the door, and soon it slowly opened.

When Tsukiko followed the two guards to enter the throne room, her eyes immediately locked onto the person sitting on the throne in the middle of the room.

He looks to be slightly less than twenty years old, with golden hair that’s being held in place by the crown on his head. His handsome pale face was expressionless as he stared at Tsukiko with his blue eyes.

Just like everyone she has met before, the king also wore a cloth made out of unknown animal’s skin that has been treated. But, different from the clothes worn by the people she met before, the animal skin he wore was made with high-level craftsmanship.

It makes the clothes he wore look like expensive fur clothes found in those fashion magazines. Furthermore, it is also decorated with golden strings which increase its beauty.

While staring at the king, she realized the two guards who met her had bowed to him. She quickly followed suit and bowed toward him.

After a short bow, she begins to observe the people around the king.

Except for a man in his early thirties who stood a step behind the throne, the other people stood in two lines a few meters away from the throne. One line is on the right and one on the left side. Each line consisted of six people of varying age and gender.

Just like the king, those thirteen people wore exquisitely crafted clothes. The main difference is the lack of golden thread that decorated their clothes.

While she is observing them, the others in the throne room are also observing her.

The man who stood behind the throne smiled and gently said, “Young lady, please introduce yourself and tell us which city you come from.”

Hearing the man’s request, Tsukiko introduced herself. “My name is Nana Tsukiko, but others usually call me Tsukiko. I come from a faraway land called Japan and I am currently twent-.”

Before she could say her age, one of the women who stood in front of the throne shouted, “Preposterous! How dare you lie to the king! Every human in the world is born under the Sacred Kingdom’s rule. There is no such a place called Japan in the Sacred Kingdom!”

***

While hearing one of his subordinates berating Tsukiko, Lacius stared at Tsukiko who wore an office lady outfit which stuck like a sore thumb among the surrounding people who wore animal fur clothes.

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“Interesting.” He calmly waved his right arm and said, “Except for Hars and the new blessed. All of you, leave for now.”

The surrounding people seemed surprised. But, after seeing Lacius’s serious expression, they immediately exited the room.

When everyone had left, Lacius raised his palm. Accompanied by a rumbling sound, a chair made of stone appears behind Tsukiko. He stared at her with curiosity and calmly spoke, “Please sit and explain your circumstances. For starters, tell me how many people lived in the place you called Japan?”

Tsukiko was a bit surprised by the sudden question and replied, “Probably more than a hundred million?”

“Impossible! I have been acknowledged by the god as the leader of the human race. There shouldn’t be another kingdom bigger than the Sacred Kingdom in the world. Otherwise the god wouldn’t have summoned me.” Lacius then frowned for a moment before shaking his head. “It’s also impossible for the god to lie on such a thing. So, there are only a few possibilities left.”

He then motioned with his hand and moved Tsukiko’s chair forward.

The sudden movement made Tsukiko’s face turn pale from shock. While patting her chest to calm down, she mumbled, “I almost have a heart attack.”

Tsukiko’s stone chair only stopped moving once it stood two meters in front of Lacius’s throne.

He stared at Tsukiko and said, “It’s either you are insane, or the place you call Japan is filled with non-human races, or this Japan is located beyond the world or at least outside of what the god deem as the world.”

“Let’s first hold the question regarding your sanity. I’ve been observing your physical appearances since you entered the throne room, but you look exactly like a human. Which means I could discard the second guesses for now.” While expressionlessly staring at Tsukiko, Lacius continued, “Your unique clothing and mannerism make me believe more in the third guess.”

Upon hearing Lacius’s conclusion, Tsukiko is extremely surprised and quickly explained. “I indeed come from another world. The reason I introduced myself as someone from a faraway place is because it’s easier to explain than coming from another world.”

“That’s understandable. If you said that to other people except for me, they definitely won’t believe it.” Lacius nodded and asked, “How did you arrive in this world? Also, how can you be so sure you’ve arrived in another world?”

“I am not too sure. But, I might be sent by something like a magic circle, because I saw a circle lit up before being sent to this world. As for how I know I’ve arrived in another world, it’s because there is no magic or blessed power in my original world. Initially, I was still a bit doubtful about my current situation. But after seeing your highness use magic, I am fully convinced.”

“Magic circle?” Lacius asked while thinking, ‘It’s just been a few minutes and I already learned a lot of things. Meeting this lady from another world gives as much information as the meeting with the god. Guess I’ll need to find a way to make her stay.’

Tsukiko, unaware of Lacius’s plan to let her stay, explained. “When I arrive in this world, there is a circle of light below me, which I suspect to be a magic circle capable of teleporting someone from one world to another world.”

At this time, Hars, who has been standing behind Lacius asked. “If there is no magic in your world, how come you know about the magic circle thing you spoke of?”

“Well, in my world, the story where someone suddenly got sent to another world with magic is quite famous. In those stories, there are many means for the character to be sent to another world from through a summoning circle to reincarnation.”

Lacius smiled and said, “Your world sounds quite interesting.”

On the side, seeing Lacius’s sudden smile, Hars is incredibly shocked. After the pause and seeing Lacius already fell silent, he asked Tsukiko another question. “You said your world doesn’t have any blessed power. Does that mean you immediately got a blessed power upon arriving in this world?”

“No, I don’t have blessed power. As for the thing I showed to the guard, it is just the function of an item I have.” Tsukiko pulled her smart phone and unlocked it. She then pointed the screen toward Lacius and opened the music apps before randomly playing a song. This time, the song she opened is one filled with religious taste.

Hearing the song coming out of her phone, Lacius closed his eyes and waited for it to end before opening his eyes and asked, “Do you have any plan or a place to reside for now?”

Tsukiko shook her head. “I don’t have any place to stay. As for my current plan, it is to understand this world and find a way back home if possible.”

Lacius nodded. “Then you’ll be my subordinate from now on. I’ll let you stay inside one of the palace’s rooms and invite any wiseman you need to understand the world. After some time passes and you have shown enough contribution to the human race, I’ll grant you nobility.”

Hearing Lacius’s word, Tsukiko asked, “Which noble rank would I be rewarded with?”

“Noble rank?” Lucius asked in confusion.

Tsukiko explained, “From what I knew, the nobility in my world are separated by ranks like duke, marquesses, earl, viscount, and baron. The higher their rank, the more authority and land they have, with baron being the lowest noble title and duke being the highest.”

Lacius fell into thought and shook his head. “The current human race’s population is quite small. For now, we just have three nobility ranks. The king, the city lords, and normal nobles. As for the rank I’ll give you, it will depend on your contribution and whether you could awaken your blessed power.”

Hearing Lacius’s reply, Tuykiko asked, “How do I awaken my blessed power?”

“No one knows for sure how to awaken it, because blessed power is a power granted by the god who created this world to humanity.” After explaining, Lacius observed the sky through a window in the throne room and said apologetically, “I guess that’s it for now. Hars, ask someone to prepare a room for her in the palace.”

He then turned her head to Tsukiko and said, “I’ll invite you to dinner this afternoon.”

After Hars asked a guard to bring Tsukiko to a room in the palace, the smile on Lacius’s face disappeared as he spoke in his usual expressionless face toward Hars. “Bring me the people who saw Tsukiko arriving to our world through the magic circle. I want them to describe anything in detail. Furthermore, ask some guards to check the city at all times. If they saw the magic circle described by Nana Tsukiko, bring anyone around the scene into the castle.’

Hars asked with a worried voice, “Your highness, did you truly believe that woman’s word about her being from another world?”

Lacius stared at Hars with deadpan expression, “Hars, since the moment I saw the god Gratian talked about in my dream. I feel like I can accept any event, no matter how weird it is.”

Hars bowed and replied, “Then I’ll take my leave.”

“Mhm.” Lacius nodded his head and said, “Before you leave, invite the others to continue their report. Also, don’t spread the news that Tsukiko actually comes from another world. Just say I appreciated her because her blessed power has piqued my interest.”

Hars nodded and left the room, leaving Lacius alone in the throne room until the nobles he asked to leave returned to the throne room.