In recent days, Green had reached many agreements with the lower-ranking nobles of the Principality of Olexian. In other words, they had agreed to build roads.
And so, a massive road-building project connecting the whole region Outside the Pass began in earnest.
Under the agreement, they would all receive a share of the profits once the roads were finished. All they had to do was provide the money; Aningsbe would recruit the workers and oversee construction.
Of course, some nobles opposed the plan. Count Angris was one of them.
The nobles led by Count Drowo put it this way: "Build a railway?"
"That kid's only a baron, and he wants 51 percent of the shares?"
"Don't think a few soldiers are enough to threaten me."
Soon, a rumor spread among the Northern Border nobility that the Shame of Nobility was making a fool of himself up north.
Who could blame them, when Lynn had been provoking them?
He had deliberately used the Crystal Ball recording to show off his military strength.
Of course, they were also curious about how Lynn had gotten so rich. After asking around, they learned that he had earned the nickname "Seris of the North."
Of course, people could also call it Seris. Since this world had no civilization like Great Xia, the Empire produced silk and tea, but because of technological limitations and the fact that other human nations could also produce silk, no one called any particular country Seris or Porcelain.
But Lynn had far too much silk!
It came flooding in, shipment after shipment.
Merchants brought in plenty of Artificial Silk. Aningsbe's railway construction company had finished laying the tracks, which now reached the border of the Principality of Olexian. Following the river, they could even sell their goods downstream in the Kingdom of Ifreya.
Aningsbe itself also had a river route to the Kingdom of Ifreya, but it hadn't yet brought the surrounding Demi-humans under control. Bandit attacks were frequent, and security was poor. Most of those bandits were local Demi-humans, who could retreat to their tribes and wage Guerrilla Warfare, making them a real headache. So they had generally abandoned that trade route.
Still, whether they built it or not, Lynn had said nothing.
The nobles only grumbled. They had two major events to prepare for this year.
Fine clothes and jewelry had been laid out in Count Drowo's castle. The tailors and craftsmen who had made them presented their work to the count.
"Count Drowo, what do you think of these clothes?"
"Count Drowo, what do you think of this jewelry?"
Count Drowo looked over the gifts that had been prepared, picking through them.
"Not bad. Very good." Count Drowo nodded.
"Make sure they're kept safe. They're gifts to congratulate His Majesty and the Goddess, understand?"
"Understood, understood." The people responsible for the gifts nodded repeatedly.
"And prepare another gift. After we've congratulated His Majesty and the Goddess, it'll be the Grand Duke Olexian's fiftieth birthday."
Once he had everything ready, Count Drowo set off for the Imperial Capital.
Prophecies and children's songs were believed by plenty of people even in worlds without gods or supernatural powers. In a world where they truly existed, surely no one would dare disbelieve them.
What did "Goddess" mean?
The daughter of a god.
Humanity worshipped the God of Light. A commoner girl with the God of Light's Divine Favor, a perfect affinity for light, and a claim that she had dreamed of the God of Light had entered the emperor's sights. From the time he began searching for her to the day he married her, only half a year had passed.
The ballroom was packed with nobles, all chatting and enjoying the music and dancing.
"Saintess Ria, Your Highness Yuffie, it's been a long time."
"Saintess Ria, Sir Knight Leticia, it's been a long time."
"Your Highness Yuffie, Sir Knight Leticia, it's been a long time."
The Saintess, the Saint Knight, and the Princess exchanged greetings.
Saint Knight Leticia had long silver hair and amethyst eyes. Her features and bearing might not have been striking at first glance, but she was very easy on the eyes—and only grew more beautiful the longer you looked. Her sole flaw was that when she lowered her head, she could see her feet.
Saintess Ria had long golden hair, blue eyes, and an impressive bust. She had a gentle air about her.
Third Princess Yuffie had long black hair, beautiful sapphire-blue eyes, and a cool, aloof bearing. She looked absolutely perfect.
After greeting one another, the three fell silent.
The three of them had once been close allies, united on the same side. But over the past year, they had spent so little time together that their relationship had gradually grown distant.
Now that they had met again, none of them could think of anything to talk about.
Ria and Leticia had last met during the divination.
The awkward silence dragged on until the emperor entered with the Goddess. Then all three turned to look at him.
A young woman stood beside the emperor. Her bearing was even more impressive than Saintess Ria's; she looked utterly sacred.
The moment she entered, the crowd burst into cheers.
The prime minister hurried forward and offered his praise to the emperor and the Goddess. "Ladies and gentlemen, the great Emperor, His Majesty August XIII, and the Goddess Freya are to be betrothed today. Let us wish them well!"
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