### Chapter 731: 21-43 Side Story 39 – In the Kingdom of Celuroa

One day in the Kingdom of Celuroa.

“What? You say they are claiming ‘Kunlun Island’?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

King Richard Valois de Celuroa let out a snort of derision.

“Hmph. They want to claim ownership of some insignificant, remote rock? Fine, grant them the permit.”

“Are you certain, Sire?”

“Of course. Our Kingdom has no reason to concern itself with such a pitiful, fly-blown speck of land.”

Richard was in an excellent mood that day. The survey maps of the country, created using the newly developed ‘Celuroa-style hot air balloon,’ had been finished just yesterday.

“Hmm, so Lake Asur is shaped like this. And the Naudaria River flows here, the Asur and Torres rivers converge at this point, and my capital, Esaia, is right here…”

Naturally, the maps also displayed sections of the neighboring Egelea Kingdom, the Shouro Empire, and the kingdoms of Franz and Klein.

“And here is the fortress… Fufufu, with these maps, formulating military tactics will be child’s play.”

Richard sat before the completed charts, thoroughly pleased with his own brilliance.

—

A few days later.

“My Lord, you summoned me?”

Knut Amont, the Director of the Food Agency, knelt before the King. As a mid-to-lower-level bureaucrat, his audience with the King was rare, but the recent food shortages had made such meetings more frequent.

“Knut, how goes the food requisition?”

“Yes, Sire. Acting on your recent edict, I have ordered the local magistrates to levy emergency taxes. We are on schedule to receive enough wheat to feed the entire population of the capital within the week.”

“Good. Well done.”

“Your praise is an honor, Sire.”

With the King’s express authorization, Knut had imposed a crushing 80% tax rate on the Korin region, effectively seizing four-fifths of their total harvest. The Korin region had been annexed 200 years ago through a brutal campaign of conquest, and as a result, it was treated as a second-class territory within the Kingdom.

Similarly, the Leebas region in the east had been absorbed 100 years ago. Being a nomadic territory, their tax was primarily paid in wool—which did little to solve the capital’s food crisis. Nevertheless, determined not to let them grow “complacent,” the King had hiked their wool tax by 40%, fueling deep-seated resentment among the locals.

—

Yet another day passed.

“My Lord, the seizure of Ekhart’s large vessel is complete.”

“Hmm. Continue.”

“Yes, Sire. We apprehended the ship upon its return from its test voyage and demanded its transfer. The owner ‘graciously’ handed it over. To ensure your prestige remained untarnished, we condescended to ‘grant’ him 10,000 tor in compensation.”

“Fufu, not bad at all.”

“Indeed. Furthermore, we have secured the shipyard where it was built, the laborers, and the majority of the crew.”

“Well done. I commend you.”

“Your words are an honor, Sire.”

—

And on another day.

“What? Golems have been discovered in the ruins of the former Leonard Kingdom?”

“Yes, Sire. We received word from the spy we have embedded in Egelea.”

“Hmm… So, such ruins still exist, do they? It irritates me to let that nation hold them. Deploy our troops immediately.”

“Yes, Sire.”

—

“It’s… all over…”

In the town of Qupe, at the southernmost tip of the Kingdom, a man sat slumped in total despair. His name was Ekhart Techles. He had been a merchant of immense wealth and influence—once.

His large ship, the *Bridget*—the fruit of his life’s passion and fortune—had been confiscated by the state. Along with it, they seized his estate, the shipyard, and his household staff.

The ‘compensation’ was a pittance: 10,000 tor (barely enough to cover minor debts). His crew, terrified of the 500 soldiers sent to enforce the seizure, had mostly chosen to enter state service to save their own skins. A mere merchant had no voice when faced with an army.

“Master Ekhart, please. You must keep your spirits up.”

Consoling the broken man was his head Magicraft Meister, Altaf. In reality, he was a Quinta—a Fifth-Generation Automaton—specifically Regulus 50, created by Jin.

“Mistress, young master.”

Attending to Ekhart’s wife, Paulette, and his young son, Michel, was Altaf’s wife, Gyena. She was, in truth, the Quinta known as Deneb 30.

Now, as Ekhart’s wealth evaporated, only these two remained by his side.

“…Thank you. Why do you stay? Why haven’t you left like the others?”

Ekhart asked, his voice drained of hope. Altaf smiled gently.

“We are not citizens of this Kingdom, Master. We have no loyalty to this land.”

“Exactly,” Gyena added. “Why not head for the Shouro Empire?”

“The Shouro Empire…?”

“Yes. Vivienne and Stearina have already sought refuge there.”

“Asylum, you say…”

“They have friends there. There is no future for you in this country, is there?”

“…”

They were right. He had no lingering attachments to the Kingdom; he wasn’t even from Qupe originally. He had nothing left to lose.

“Dear.”

Paulette reached out, and Ekhart finally stood up.

“…You’re right. I still have you. If the three of us can just find a new life in a new land, that is enough.”

Altaf and Gyena were accompanied by a Golem that carried their baggage, making the long journey surprisingly manageable. Its true identity, of course, was one of Jin’s Artisan Smith Golems, Smith 40.

They traveled west along the coast, covering 160 kilometers in five days until they reached the town of Izol. Beyond the Border River lay the Shouro Empire.

There were no towns on the far bank. The nearest village, Kuin, was 30 kilometers north, but the immediate problem was the river itself. Crossing the border without authorization was a capital offense. Border patrols were constant; capture meant a lifetime of forced labor in the mines.

“We will cross in the dead of night,” Altaf said breezily. Ekhart nodded nervously, and Paulette looked equally terrified.

“Do not worry,” Gyena reassured them. “If we are discovered, we will act as your shield.”

True to her word, they successfully crossed the Border River on a raft Altaf had ‘casually’ cobbled together. ‘Strangely,’ the border guards remained nowhere to be seen until they were safely across.

—

*The Ekhart family has successfully defected.*

On Hourai Island, the Quintas provided regular updates to Lao-jun, who had already set his plans in motion.

*We shall teach the Celuroa royal family a lesson. While their arrogance may be too deep-seated to feel a minor sting, I will demonstrate the truth of the proverb: ‘A dam of a thousand leagues can collapse from the hole of a single ant.’*

Following the defection of Stearina and Vivienne, now Ekhart Techles had vanished from the Kingdom. Lao-jun was determined to make King Richard slowly realize just how much of a catastrophe the loss of such talent really was.

—

January 19, 3458.

“Asylum seekers from the Kingdom of Celuroa?”

The news reached the Empress of Roizart from the town of Simos, on the shores of Lake Was.

“Yes, Majesty. It is the merchant who developed a large vessel comparable to the *Bernstein*.”

“I recall Jin-kun mentioning that name. He is said to be an exceptionally capable merchant. Bring him to Roizart.”

The Ekhart family reached the safety of the Shouro Empire. Following Stearina and Vivienne, they were officially registered as the 3rd, 4th, and 5th foreign residents of the Empire.