Journey to Victoria / The Lion King

"Yeah, I did it."

Theresica offered no further explanation. He looked toward the Shapeshifter, who had been doing nothing for quite some time. "Honored chieftain of the Shapeshifters, how many people in your entire clan can disguise themselves well enough that other races wouldn't be able to tell the difference?"

Although the various Sarkaz races each had their own distinctive traits, those traits also varied from individual to individual. Some were more pronounced, while others were weaker.

"Your Majesty, including myself, there are... a little over a hundred who can meet your requirements."

"Gather everyone without Oripathy. I'm taking them out with me."

"Who are you planning to declare war on? Or perhaps, which countries are you planning to set against each other?" the Shapeshifter chieftain asked. He was somewhat confused. Hadn't this young king said he wouldn't go to war? Had the Bloodfiend Grand Duke secretly gotten through to him?

"Declare war? We happen to be sending Victoria some Oripathy crystals for trade. I thought I'd take the opportunity to inspect some other countries and see if there's anything we can buy. Since those countries refuse to sell to the Sarkaz, we'll disguise ourselves as Felines, Lupo, Liberi, or whatever works."

"This is the first peaceful disguise mission I've ever received. How interesting."

The Shapeshifter chieftain smiled and bowed. "I await your orders."

"Wouldn't it be more profitable to simply rob their caravans?"

At that moment, Manfred spoke up. Theresica immediately countered, "And what about next time? As matters develop, that would lead to another war."

"I don't know whether we'd win a war that went on without end. And even if we did, what then? Force every country that hasn't fought us to associate us with the word 'war,' then make them strengthen their defenses against us? And after that, destroy them preemptively to protect ourselves? When all is said and done, what would we have besides corpses scattered across the ground?"

He sighed helplessly. This was precisely why he didn't dare hand the matter directly over to them.

These chieftains were all extremely capable, but all of their abilities lay in war and killing. Victoria had once been one of the Sarkaz's enemies. Moreover, the Sarkaz were long-lived. If they happened to recognize someone they knew, the result would probably be bloodshed everywhere.

Then what was the point of buying anything?

"Yes, Your Majesty. Please forgive my reckless words."

Manfred lowered his head, but Theresica continued, "To stand upon Terra, we must have a sword. But being skilled at using a sword and knowing only how to solve problems with a sword are two entirely different things."

"You're coming with me as well. I want to acquire some simple industrial equipment in Victoria. It shouldn't attract much attention, and it should suit us. Since you're in the army, you should know what equipment would be useful to our soldiers."

Even if they managed to bring back overly advanced industrial equipment, no one would know how to use it!

"Your Majesty, there's someone who should know this better than I do."

"Who?" Theresica asked curiously.

The Sarkaz military camp had been set up outside a canyon. Under Manfred's lead, Theresica entered the camp and proceeded deeper into the canyon.

The place was completely covered by an artificial roof. There were no artificial lights either, and it looked nothing like a place where people lived. But as a soldier led the way, Theresica gradually heard the roar of machinery.

"Your Majesty, we're almost there."

As Manfred spoke, a sliver of light appeared ahead. When they approached, an incredibly spacious area unfolded before Theresica.

Sparse artificial lights faintly illuminated a gigantic silhouette.

"What is that?"

"It's a secret weapon prepared by Lord Theresis."

Manfred explained, "This place houses the last remaining Sarkaz craftsmen. While producing the weapons Lord Theresis envisioned, they also make some essential weapons for the army."

The Sarkaz actually had craftsmen?

Theresica was astonished. This really was an unexpected stroke of luck.

Beside one of the machines, an old man was carefully processing something. After quite some time, the machine finally stopped. He eagerly picked up the finished product, then sighed and tossed it aside.

"Not satisfied?"

"Of course not. These machines are all a hundred years old. I'm already grateful that they can still run."

"How about finding a way to replace them with new ones?"

The old man suddenly realized that a child was standing beside him—and that the child seemed to have the air of someone important.

"Child, where did you come from? This isn't a place for playing. I'll have old Carter take you outside. Stay close when you leave, and don't trip..."

The old man raised his lamp as if he wanted to find someone. Manfred couldn't hold back any longer and reminded him, "Zeppelin, this is Lord Theresa's younger brother, the current King of Kazdel!"

Zeppelin stopped in his tracks. He looked over in disbelief. "The civil war is over?"

"Yeah. The civil war is over."

Theresica spoke, and a smile immediately burst across the old Sarkaz's face. He cried out in delight.

"The civil war is over! The civil war is over!"

Several lanterns appeared in the depths of the darkness. The Sarkaz came stumbling over.

"Really? The civil war is over?"

"Yes, the civil war is over."

Theresica shouted, "I'm going to rebuild Sarkaz industry. I ask all of you to lend me your strength!"

"That's impossible."

The smile vanished from the old Sarkaz named Zeppelin's face. He sighed dejectedly. "Before I came to this cave, Kazdel had already been reduced to ruins. Where would we get the ability to rebuild industry?"

"We have that ability."

Theresica retorted firmly, "How would we know the result if we didn't try? I'm going to Victoria to import machinery. I hope you can assist me."

Zeppelin didn't answer. Instead, he approached while holding up his lantern. He was too eager to bother with formalities and asked, "You have a way to bring back Victoria's machinery?"

"I can't guarantee it. I'll do my best," Theresica said. "If we can't buy military equipment, we'll buy civilian equipment. If we can't buy new, we'll buy used. Either way, it'll be better than what we have! And I'm asking you to join us because I hope you can help select the most suitable equipment."

"...In all these years, this is the first time I've heard royalty admit that our things are inferior to other people's."

The lantern in the old Sarkaz's hand swayed several times. He did his best to bend his back a little lower. "I shall follow your will, Your Majesty."

P.S. The third update is here! Please give me some votes, I'm begging you!!!

Chapter 12: Heading to Victoria

The sentries once again came to the streets. As they posted notices, they loudly read the king's orders aloud for the illiterate Sarkaz.

"The mine is recruiting miners and ore-refining workers! Twelve hours of work every day! One day of rest with meals included each month! Meals equal to those of soldiers! Free lodging! One free shower every day!"

If this had been on Earth, a mining recruitment notice like this would probably have been cursed into the ground. But in Kazdel, it attracted countless onlookers.

"Is this real?"

The Sarkaz asked in disbelief. The sentry pointed to the lower-right corner and said, "This has His Majesty's handwritten signature! The mine is now directly managed by His Majesty, with the military police supervising it!"

"Huh? That's wonderful! I want to go!"

"I'm going too!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The Sarkaz signed up enthusiastically. Not having to serve as soldiers or fight while still receiving soldiers' meals—those conditions were already wonderful in their eyes. Not to mention that they could also eat and rest for free for one day!

Every Sarkaz present cheered and thanked the king. Unfortunately, he couldn't hear any of it, because Theresica was currently riding in a convoy made up of crude cargo transport ships, traveling across the boundless desert.

This transport ship had been obtained from who knew where. It was battered and broken everywhere. Aside from the basic power and navigation systems, which were barely functional, most of its other functions had already failed.

The cramped passenger compartment was filled with jolting, noise, and stifling heat.

Shining walked over. Seeing Theresica sitting with his brows tightly furrowed as he stared out the window, she asked, "Your Majesty, you don't look well. Would you like to change to a more comfortable seat?"

"No need."

Theresica waved his hand. He had experienced things far more uncomfortable than this. What truly troubled him was the recruitment notice he had issued before departing.

Oripathy crystals were a special type of mineral. He wanted very much to arrange three shifts of eight hours each, because in Theresica's view, such working hours were unacceptable under these conditions. But there weren't enough workers. Oripathy crystals were currently the only thing Kazdel could export.

Kazdel had to move forward. It had to catch up with the other countries. In the short term, this was the only way out. But what about the future? Would he lose himself on the road of chasing after them and forget some of the things that mattered to him?

He didn't know. His heart was filled only with worry.

One week later, an unnamed border town in Victoria.

Theresica and the others entered the town. The Shapeshifters had transformed themselves into Lupo, while his own horns had not yet grown noticeably, so only three people in the group displayed obvious Sarkaz features.

Shining, Zeppelin, and a fellow Shining named Salus. She had been sent by the Confessor to travel with them, because she had studied in Victoria before and was relatively familiar with the country.

Her features were elegant, but her skin was exceptionally pale. A faint smile always hung on her face, yet it resembled a doll's smile, utterly devoid of feeling. It made Theresica feel a chill.

At the town's immigration office, they underwent a routine inspection, aimed primarily at the three Sarkaz. The Shapeshifter chieftain naturally recited the explanation they had prepared in advance.

"We were sent by our family to conduct business. This child was entrusted to us by relatives so he could come and admire Victoria's glory. As for these three Sarkaz, the two women are his guards, while the old man is a desert guide. After all, the Sarkaz are rather familiar with deserts."

"What a pampered noble boy."

Admiring Victoria's glory clearly pleased the officials. They looked over the two female Sarkaz, then glanced at Theresica, who had a small camera hanging around his neck. After making a casual remark, they waved them through.

"My lord, we only need to wait here for the envoy handling the trade. This is the first stop," the Shapeshifter chieftain said softly while observing Theresica's expression. "Next, we'll circle Victoria's eastern border. Our trading partners are all the eastern archdukes. You can take a good look at what Victoria is like."

"It really is a fine place. Much better than Kazdel."

Theresica sighed.

The houses in this small town were all built in an ordinary fashion, without the slightest consideration for disaster prevention. Farther away were fields, where people were working. The market was also bustling, with all kinds of daily necessities and food on offer. Children laughed as they ran through the crowd toward the stalls they liked.

"Oh? Could it be that you want to buy some toys as well?"

A curious voice came from beside him. This was the first time in all this time that Theresica had heard Salus, the Confessor, speak.

He shook his head. "Kazdel doesn't need those things right now. Industrial equipment is the most important."

Walking naturally along the street, they arrived in front of a repair craftsman's shop. Theresica and Zeppelin stood extremely close together, carefully observing the work.

He turned on the camera and praised the craftsmanship as he watched.

"Wow! So this is a Victoria craftsman? The technique is truly exquisite! Those people in Siracusa who only know how to boast and charge outrageous prices are pathetic!"

Good words always made people happy. The craftsman was delighted to hear them and began explaining how to use the machine tool in his hands, as well as the limits of what only he could accomplish with it.

After confirming that Zeppelin needed it, Theresica began asking which company had produced the metal-cutting machine tool. He also casually asked whether the old machine tools in the shop could be sold cheaply.

"My lord, if you had been born into the Shapeshifter clan, I think you would definitely have become a master of disguise."

After everything had been settled, the Shapeshifter chieftain immediately moved closer. "Are you not angry at all?"

"Angry? What is there to be angry about?"

"Lord Theresis would never speak to these people, nor would he praise another country. He upholds the dignity of the Sarkaz."

"I don't care about that. All I see is that we're weak and powerless. If Victoria declared war on the Sarkaz now, could we withstand it?"

"I understand."

The Shapeshifter nodded knowingly. "Then, my lord, have we been overly cautious?"

He was somewhat puzzled. Buying civilian machinery was already cautious enough, but they still wanted to buy used goods from a shop like this. That seemed overly prudent.

"We have no choice. It's still better than alerting Victoria and letting them realize that the Sarkaz have begun moving again."

Theresica didn't understand what kind of hatred could cause several nations to launch a united attack the moment the Sarkaz began building their own homeland. Nor did he intend to untangle that history, because even the written records had disappeared.

If we can't do it openly, then I'll do it in secret.

Still... this really was too slow. How long would it take? He wasn't merely trying to open a shop! He needed to find someone with connections within Victoria who also wasn't completely on Victoria's side!

P.S. Please give me some votes! I'm begging you!!!

Chapter 13: The Lion King

At night, Theresica and his group stayed at an ordinary inn.

After buying a copy of every newspaper available there and combining them with the Confessor's intelligence, Theresica now had a clearer understanding of Victoria's situation.

Victoria's territory was vast, but most of it had been acquired through war, and the differences between the peoples of its various regions were pronounced. Under such circumstances, the archdukes who had been granted fiefs wielded absolute power within their own territories, controlling the military, government, and commerce. Every year, they only had to submit a set proportion of taxes to the Lion King.

Recently, however, the Lion King had expressed dissatisfaction with the old tax system and wanted to increase the tax burden. This undoubtedly meant that the dukes would have to hand over more of their profits.

On the surface, in response to the Lion King's new tax policy, the various dukes had reduced military spending in their territories and lowered the production of high-energy military-grade Oripathy crystals. As a result, all kinds of public-security problems had appeared in their territories. With the exception of Cumberland, the other dukes had one after another asked the Lion King to send his own Steam Knights into territories that had previously been regarded as private kingdoms, in order to maintain public order. In secret, they were purchasing large quantities of military-grade refined Oripathy crystals from Kazdel.

"The Lion King probably doesn't have much longer to live."

Theresica murmured. The Steam Knights directly under the emperor were not only the foundation of Victoria's strength, but also private troops personally loyal to him. Now, most of them had been scattered among the various ducal territories. Once the dukes rebelled, those knights would be unable to rescue the emperor or even protect themselves.