“What are you doing this early in the morning?”

Alex, who had a towel over his wet head, questioned me. Though he is supposed to be a guest in my house, I can’t count the number of days he spent here. 

“Nothing much...just some final touches to the blueprint.”

“Blueprint?”

Moving to my side, he looked closely at the massive blueprint spread out in the wall. My room is usually messy with a lot of documents and books, so I had to stash everything away for this massive paper.

“So, this is the Ellen you have in mind?”

“More or less. This is the capital of Ellen, Leburg.”

“Hmm...Interesting.”

Though he is carefree most of the time, I constantly remind myself that Alex is by no means a simple person. Graduating at the age of 11, investing in several projects, having most of Lysandra under his control. If he were an enemy...he would be the most difficult one.

“The city has a slight resemblance to hexagon but you separated them into more unique districts huh...residential areas and economical areas have roads with easy access. Oh, the industrial area is quite far away...how is the usual airflow?”

See? Few seconds was all it took for him to deduce this.

“It’s mostly away from the city.”

“Hmm...no smoke from the industrial area will reach the citizens. Good...Umm, what is this massive structure in the middle of the city?”

He pointed to a structure in the middle of the blueprint.

“Oh, that? Tentatively named, “Tower of Leburg” is the tallest building to be built in Zemira. No...I suppose it should be the tallest building even if you consider Lysandra.”

“O...Okay. Umm...do you have the blueprint for this?”

“I apologize...but no. But I can tell you that it will have a spiral design and about 83 floors.”

“Eig...Eighty-Three!! How long will that take to complete!!!”

“None of your concern. But...I expected this, but making changes to an existing city is still difficult.”

Alex snapped back to reality with my words.

As of now, most people remember the Duchy as Switon. I have to change it as soon as possible, regardless of the price. 

“Wa...Wait. How many buildings do you need to destroy for this plan of yours?”

AH…

“About 92% of the buildings?”

“You Asshole!!”

An expected response from him. He looked at me like I was crazy.

“This will throw all the people in a huge state of confusion!! Believe me, this is not gonna be an easy job.”

“Haah...I know. But I have no other choice! The old Switon capital is outdated! With the amount of traffic it will have from now on, the old design will nothing but be a massive hindrance.”

“...”

Looks like he still didn’t buy this…

“*sigh*...Look”, I said while pulling out the current blueprint of the Capital “There is no proper planning in the layout of roads and streets. And look, there is a factory in the middle of a residential area!”

“...Arthur, better than anyone in the world, I know that you are talented. But sometimes experience is an essential part of any plan”

“Of course. I know that above all, experience matters. I will be showing this blueprint to both City planners and Architects of the Empire and the ones at Ellen. And the officials in Ellen should know about the important religious structures that shouldn’t be taken down.”

One could endlessly talk about efficiency and the correct designs...but above all, emotion too is an important factor. If there is a building akin to a memento, I will make sure to leave the structure as it is.

“...Even so, I can’t imagine the amount of time it will take for you to finish this city. Months? Years?”

It’s true that rebuilding the entire city if done wrong...could prolong to years or even decades.

“Yes, if I do it normally. But I will be using Mages to construct the entire city. It will be expensive but I have a strong connection with both Duke Landon and The Magic tower’s head. It should be possible to amass a lot of mages. And…”

“N...NO! Stop looking at me like that!”

“Come on~ I’ll get you a lot of chances to meet Lady Hazel.”

“Ugh...an attractive offer. But, there’s no way I can send mages to your Duchy! Development might halt in my Empire due to your crazy antics!”

Crazy? Yes, probably. But there’s no way I am letting you free.

I pulled out some sheets and handed them over to Alex.

“Wh...What are these? Sigils?”, he looked at me suspiciously.

“Do you really believe that I spent the last 7 years just wailing away my time? I studied an immeasurable amount of books to hone my skills in various departments. And of course, magic comes under it too. This right here in your hand”, I said tapping it ” is a sigil that lets you build structures in months, that would usually take you years to complete.”

“H...How?”

“It’s an automatic procedure...set the dimensions and some modifications that should be easy for all mages, you will have magic do everything for you. It takes a huge amount of mana, yes...but it should be fine if I supply them with mana potions. This sigil digs up the land for laying the foundation. This one here lets you move heavy materials easily. That one lets the cement dry very quickly. And so on…”

Alex listened to every single one of my words very patiently.

“Cr...Crazy!”

“So, I suppose these papers in exchange for half of your mages should be an appealing deal.”

“Ha...Half?!? Ugh...but, these should also help in the development of my Empire. *Sigh* I lost the moment I stepped into your room. I am still expecting chances to meet Lady Hazel.”, Alex then looked more deeply into the blueprint.

“Um...Ar...Arthur?”

“Yeah?”

“Wh...What are these yellow lines running all over your city?”

“Hm? Oh, those? Those will be carrying your Empire’s invention. Can’t tell?” 

I had finished the blueprint months ago, but what Jane told me three days ago changed the entire city’s structure.

“Haha...HAHAHAA!!!”

Has Alex finally gone crazy?!?

“EVEN MY OWN NOBLES DON’T KNOW THIS YET!!! BUT YOU!! A DUKE FROM ANOTHER EMPIRE NOT ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT MY PROJECT BUT ALSO MADE BLUEPRINTS TO IMPLEMENT IT!!!! THIS IS SO FUNNY...FUNNY TO THE POINT OF MAKING ME WANT TO CRY!!!”

“Ca...Calm down, Alex”

He snapped!

From his ramblings, even his towel flew off to the corner of the room.

“WHAT ANI SAID WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!! I SHOULD HAVE STAYED AT MY EMPIRE!!”

Now, what did that spirit talk about me??

“But, it should be profitable for you too.”

“*SIGH* Speak, what do you know about the project?”

“A vehicle that moves on top of iron tracks. Trains.”

“FUCK YOU!!!!”

I am glad that there is no knight around this building.

“But it still would be impossible.”, Alex spoke with a tone that finally found a reason.

“Are you talking about the Forest of Peace?”

Forest of Peace. A massive forest that separates Zemira and Lysandra. Unfortunately, the forest is right in between Ellen and Lysandra. Blocking any contact with the other side.

It’s unbearable to see that hideous woods have such a sweet name.

The Peace in its name doesn’t mean it’s filled with greenery and fairies. It literally means Peace. With no living soul in them, a deafening silence envelopes the whole forest. Black mist makes sure that no one can find their way out once inside.

There are rumours that the black mist has traces of mana.

But at the end of the day, the only sounds about the forest are rumours and gossip.

“Yeah, I am talking about that forest. There is no way we can lay tracks through it.”, Alex said while sitting down on the sofa.

“Hmm...you are right.”

“Of course!”

“Go around it.”

“Eh?”

“We will be laying tracks around the forest.”

“No...No way!! The travel time will be multiplied over 10 times!!”

“So?”

“ ‘SO?!?’, what about the materials?!? The amount of iron I will need is humongous!!”

“I will introduce you to a supplier for laying tracks here. Not a problem. What I need is your consent. So, will you take the offer or not? Will you be a part of the most advanced city in Zemira? It’s your wish, I am not forcing you.”

After hearing my words, Alex stayed quiet for several minutes. Probably calculating the positives and negatives.

“ *SIGH*...You are gonna have to convince my parents. The mages fall under my direct control. So, me striking a deal with you is not big of a problem. But the tracks, you need to have both the Emperor’s consent and agreement.”

Both huh…

“Not a problem. I will be there in a couple of weeks.”

“Great...we will fix the date for the transport of mages when you come to meet my parents. And pure curiosity, but how much mages will you have in the end?”

“About, 0.45 Million.”

“You gotta be kidding me!! Do you even have the mone..no forget it. You got most of them free thanks to those sigils.”

“Yeah...The Magic Tower was more than happy to lend their mages.”

“Then it will probably take only two to three year to complete the city!”

“Uh-Uh...you are underestimating the Sigils. It should take about 18 months to complete the city. Half of the city will be done in 10 months. Once the mages get sed to the sigil, 8 months should be more than enough for the remaining half. And for the tower, it should take about 9 months to complete...of course with my help.”

“Do you realize that these sigils will change the way how things work?!”

“Yeah...but it should be impossible to organize 0.45 Million mages in a single area again. Do not worry. Things will speed up, but that’s it.”

Alex then pondered over the blueprint and sigils for several minutes before finally moving out of the room.

“Haah...I’ll be in the hall, prepare something for me to eat. Oh and seems like William will be here in twenty minutes.”

“K...I’ll be there.”

Alex with slumped shoulders made his way out of the room

“So what do we have...a city that exists on paper, a blueprint for the tallest building, future train tracks, and a lot of officials to convince. *SIGH* Boy o Boy, I have a lot of work to do.”

_____________________________________

Alex’s voice interrupted me while I was making breakfast

“Yo Arthur!! Your dear Brother is here!!"

Looks like William is here. This is the day where he will be confessing his plans to both Alex and Fiona. And of course, we should not forget the part where he should fall on her legs.

“Honestly, Arthur. No knights even offered to accompany me to your house. Just what did you do?”

William asked me while sitting on the sofa comfortably. The layout of this house is surprisingly simple, despite being a building in the palace...the living room, dining, and the kitchen are connected. Making it easy to communicate on the ground floor.

“Hmm? I have no idea, we usually spar on free days...but they probably know that security is not needed in this vicinity.”

“I see…Lady Fiona isn’t here yet?”

Look at him...despite not talking with me for a long time, he speaks as though everything is under the norm. His forte is indeed communication.

“No, I did inform her about the meeting. She should be here in a couple of moments.”

“Is that so. Anyway, Alex...could you please stop that glare of yours? It looks like you will claw eyes out.”

“Ooff...don’t tempt me. Tell me, bastard. What is the big plan of yours that you refused to tell me?”

Oooh...Alex is pissed. He might also be relieving the stress I caused on William.

“Ahem...right. I love Cathe-”

*BOOOM*

A very intersecting scene. A situation that could cause a war between the mighty Empires. 

The multi-floored house that Arthur lived in for the past seven years, had a massive hole in it. On one side of the hole, in the garden stood a golden-haired boy with his arms crossed in front of him. Several parts of his body had smoke rising from them.

On the other side of the hole had two similarly aged boys. The white-haired prince had one of his legs up in his hair. A solid kicking pose. The other boy, the one with black hair and red eyes looked at the scene unfolding in front of him with his mouth wide open. A state of disbelief.

“To think that you still have the audacity to announce you like my sister!!! She suffered for years because of you!”, Alex shouted while jumping out to the open.

“Even I suffered for the past half-decade!! Do you realize the shock I had, when my stupid asshole of a father arranged an engagement without my consent?!? He even went as far as to finish my engagement the next day!! And it was with the Prime Minister’s daughter!!! The second most powerful man in the Empire!! I couldn’t just blatantly announce on the engagement day that I don’t want this engagement!!!”, William retaliated while releasing Pita’s mana.

“Even so!! How much time would it have taken for you to consult with me?!? You even went as far as to not inform Cathy!!”

Alex too in response released Ani’s mana. The ground started boiling duet to the heat radiated by the two spirits.

The knights who rushed towards the sound were greeted with two insane Princes, a boiling ground, and a Duke who hadn't moved from his place, still holding a frying pan.

*GLOB* *GLOB*

“Ahhh! You are so annoying!! Whom did I have on my side?!? A stupid father who decides his own son’s engagement on a whim, a mother who cares about politics, a sister who cannot conceal any secret, a brother who rarely shows himself, a fiancee who is interested in the throne, a love who would act without thinking first and of course you!!! A person who has enough guts to hit me in my Palace!!!”

The knights were at a loss on what to do, they should stop Alex. But they could not even move closer to him. William on the other hand, who is known to be kind, started speaking ill about the imperial family.

“Umm...shouldn’t we stop them?”, a knight asked.

“Are you an idiot?! Those two are crown princes, future Emperors!! What if they get mad at us?”

“Wa...Wait. There is no way we can get anywhere near them. The only other option is…”, another knight said while looking at Arthur.

“First Prince? Isn’t he an inco-”

“SHHH!! Did you not read the newspaper today morning?!? And, since you are a new recruit, you have no way of knowing how strong he really is.”, an older looking knight reprimanded the other one.

“Ohhh nooo….the two princes are getting closer together!!! They are probably looking to end this!!!”

What the knight said was right, Alex and William who were clearly out of their mind rushed towards each other. Both had their fists risen, ready to smash the other into pieces.

“You two-faced jerk!!”

“What about you, you mannerless monkey!!!”

While spewing insults, both of them got to each other’s close vicinity and their fist collided. Creating sparks that radiated outwards. However…

*Booo-

“My...MY HOUSE!!!!”

The sound that should have boomed everywhere was cut short by the sudden outrage of Arthur. Arthur still holding a frying pan made his way out to the garden.

“Wa...Wait!! It was Alex who kicked me...it’s his fault!!”, William quickly laid out a valid excuse.

“Tch...so what?? You are someone who is going to build a tower of Eighty floors!! Don’t get shaken up so easily!!”, Alex shouted back towards Arthur.

“...You come to my house...you eat my food...and you break my own walls!!!”

*BOOM*

Arthur jumped high into the hair while holding the pan. Seeing him, both William and Alex focused their fighting stance towards Arthur.

“He has lost it! William block him or your palace grounds will split!”, Alex shouted.

“If something happens to me, your sister won’t leave you alone!! So help me, you bastard!!”

Just as the three were about to make contact, a relatively old man suddenly made his appearance in between them.

“Sebastian!!”, a knight shouted from the side.

Everyone was expecting Sebastian to get quashed by the teenagers, with the difference in raw power, it was an easily expectably result.

*CLANG* *THUD* *THUD*

Sebastian cleverly stopped Arthur’s pan with an iron plate fitted inside his suit. As for the other princes, he made use of his other hand and leg.

*FWOOOSHH*

What followed after the blocking of the attacks was a strong gust of wind spreading everywhere with these four as a center.

“Haah...honestly, Sebastian. You have my gratitude for stopping these three.”, an unexpected voice rose from the side.

The voice belonged to a lady who bore Platinum Blonde hair, accompanying her was a girl who had dark green colored hair.

These two moved through the stunned knights without fear. Both were disappointed by the actions.

“Fiona, listen…”

“Arthur.You three.Inside. Now.”

Before he could even finish, Fiona ordered all of them to get inside. The knights too slowly moved away from the building.

Hazel asked Sebastian, who was standing next to her.

“You are unexpectedly strong, Sebastian. You were able to stop all of them easily.”

“Please do not misunderstand, Lady Hazel. The three Princes coming to know about my presence immediately retracted their mana. What hit me was momentum, not magic."

“Is...Is that so?”

“It is. I won’t be able to hold a candle if those three come at me in full force.”

“I...I see.”

___________________________

 

“Utterly disappointing.”

Fiona said with a cold voice while holding the iron pan in her hand.

“Come on, Fiona~ These three are young, so it’s not bad to get a little wild, right?”, Hazel desperately tried to defend the three princes.

“Please do go easy on them, Lady Fiona. They haven’t even eaten anything yet.”, Sebastian said while moving towards the kitchen.

“Haah...I would love to hear your explanation, Your Highness William.”

“Umm...how shall I say this? Um...I was confessing my love to Alex, however, he instantly kicked me resulting towards the big hole.”, William somehow managed to answer Fiona’s question"

“You swing that way?!?”, Hazel instantly raised a question.

“Lady Hazel!! Of course not!!”, Alex instantly shouted while pushing William forward.

“Wait No!! Wrong wording, I love his sister. I love Catherine.”

““Princess Catherine?!?””, both Fiona and Hazel were surprised by his answer.

“Wa...Wait. You do...don’t love Lily?”, Fiona asked with a very concerned voice.

“Of course not...why would I love that midget?!”

“You two have a lot to discu-”

“Are you planning to remodel, Arthur?”

Before Arthur could finish his sentence, a wild Prime minister’s voice resounded through the whole room.

“Father?!”

“Oh hey, Fiona. Um...mind if I borrow Arthur?”

“Ye...Yeah, Sure.”

It’s weird of him to ask Fiona permission.

“And we will talk together later, Prince Alex and Prince William?”

“Of course, Prime Minister Landon”

“Sure, Duke Landon.”

I made my way through the hole, and the rest continued their conversation without me.

“Is something the matter, Duke Landon?”

“Before anything, I would like to thank you for what you did yesterday.”

“Umm...No, I would like to apologize, I let an idiot mishandle Fiona yesterday.”

“I am glad it ended with just that. And look here…”, Duke Landon handed me various newspapers.

[Sudden appearance of Duke Of Ellen causes chaos!]

[Is Prince Arthur strong? Strong enough to hold Crown Prince William?]

[Duke Arthur, A prince on a white horse for Fiona Hastings?]

[Lily Dormer was sentenced to a week in jail by Duke Arthur.]

[What is his relationship with Crown Prince Alexander Lysandra?]

One newspaper even made an extensive report about my past.

[From Crown Prince to First Prince. People made a mistake by underestimating Prince Arthur. Various Knights from the palace have confirmed Prince Arthur’s immense strength. It is true. The rumor of him being incompetent is nothing but a lie to satisfy the citizens. About two weeks ago, Prince Arthur was titled as the Duke of Ellen. The new Duchy of Switon. This makes him the youngest Duke in the history of Zemira. Will he be able to do well? Or is his only capability is raw power? We have to wait and see.]

“This...is funny.”

One incident was enough to throw the entire Empire into chaos. But this is fine, with this, the word about Ellen should have spread far and wide.

“And I am glad you made a move on that girl.”

“You mean Lily? She was not that big of a problem, though. And I suppose you don’t have to worry about William.”

“Is he going to pay attention to Fiona?”, Duke asked with a surprised voice.

“Of course not. He will make sure to annul the engagement without putting Fiona at a disadvantage.”

“Please don’t tell me that he will be making Lily as his fiancee.”

“Haha~ No. He will not. She was never in his strike zone. As for his future fiancee, you will be knowing it very soon. Probably today, by Fiona’s mouth.”

“ *SIGH* ...at the end of the day, the engagement has to be canceled. But it’s fine, Fiona’s happiness is all it matters.”

“True.”

He really cares about his daughter, doesn’t he?

“Oh...and Hale Devon carried Astley’s funeral in a very quiet manner, with almost no participants. I heard he covered Astley’s death as illness.”

“I know and…”

“He will be taking over his father’s company.”

This is a problem...he found the battlefield within a couple of weeks. And the company is based upon

““Iron and steel industry.””

It’s common knowledge that Devon fiefs have an abundance of iron deposits. He can easily make the money he lost paying me. And I suppose I will have to make him a visit for both the tracks and the materials needed for my city.

Astley!! Because of you, I am at a disadvantage!

“Be careful while handling him. We don’t know what he will be trying.”

“I will.”

Of course, I have no intention to die. Not before 70 years of age.

“Umm...and what was the sound? The knights were all gossiping on their way back.”

“Oh that? Alex kicked Wil-”

*SLAP*

“You spoiled my life!!!”

*CRACK*

Fiona’s voice made us both look towards my house. But what greeted my eyes was

“MY HOUUUSEEE!!!!!”

What laid in front of my eyes was a completely frozen building, frozen from the ground all the way to the top.

---

---

Yo Artique here!!

Never would have imagined that this novel would Rank first in trending twice. Thank you for your support. And next will be Fiona's POV.

 

PS: Do you think the city will be built too fast?? I think so too, but I don't want the city to be built throughout the novel...too boring. There will be a couple of interesting events once the city is completed but of course...it's not like the city will be completed in a chapter. There are a lot of steps towards it, but I won't be dragging it for more than 20 chapters (hopefully).