Chapter 682: The Inventive Emperor
"Approximately three hundred years ago... this Imperial Sword Castle was constructed. The emperor at that time was Friedrich Lakes Adler, he was also known as the Inventive Emperor for his exceptional genius. When the threat of demons had slightly faded from people's minds, Friedrich alone had earnestly contemplated on how to combat them."
By that time, the demon invasions were a distant memory and the Empire was beginning to assert its dominance over the central continent. The hypothetical enemies of the surrounding nations were no longer demons, but other human countries. Yet, Friedrich remained dedicated to studying demons and recognized that they were still an ongoing threat. Discover more novels at novel~fire~net
"Within the expanding Empire, Friedrich gathered wise individuals and solicited various ideas for potential new inventions. Among these wise individuals was a mage who proposed a castle that could accumulate magical power. It was an audacious idea, but Friedrich had the technology to realize it."
Friedrich possessed the rare ability to recognize the potential in ideas that others might dismiss as laughable. His genius allowed him to perceive things from a different perspective.
"Friedrich then embarked on the construction of the Imperial Sword Castle to become a symbol of the capital. This enormous castle, which was partly constructed using the ruins of ancient magical civilizations, incorporated the highest technologies available at the time. Since then, it has continuously served as the emperor's residence but its true essence lies in the accumulation of magical power. The castle, as a symbol of the Empire, gathers magic from all over the Empire through the earth. Small amounts of magic, driven by the people's emotions such as admiration, interest, hatred and anger, were collected and thus, the Imperial Sword Castle became the most powerful castle in the continent with numerous functions."
Wilhelm continued his narration as he was walking through the Imperial Sword Castle. Erik listened intently while following behind him.
"However, Friedrich was not satisfied. Although the castle had become a great invention and a symbol of the Empire, it was still not enough for Friedrich."
He saw a clear threat and sought a military power that was capable of repelling it. A force too excessive for mere human conflicts, a weapon that can be comparable to the holy sword.
What was developed was the Imperial Sword, a weapon that was capable of controlling the magical power accumulated by the castle. Its power was so overwhelming its very creators were terrified and sealed it away.
"Having created the Imperial Sword, Friedrich consulted with the mage who had frequently provided him with those ideas. He asked what should be done with the castle and the sword and the mage suggested that only the bloodline of Adler should be able to utilize them. If the various functions of the castle were locked in such a way, many potential disasters could be avoided."
Wilhelm continued walking through the depths of the Imperial Sword Castle, deeper than the known lowest level, the heart of the castle. He passed all the stringent security checks because he was an ‘Adler’.
"By locking the various functions of the Imperial Sword Castle to respond to the bloodline of Adler, Friedrich was convinced. And thus, various locks that responded to the Adler bloodline were developed."
Many of the dangerous magical tools in the treasure vault that are mediated by blood were created during that time. Most of them were modifications of relics that were dug up from the ancient magical civilizations, making them difficult to reproduce with our current technology. Friedrich left those tools for the future as countermeasures against the demons.
"Now, we've arrived."
They reached a room that was remarkably bright for a basement. In the center was a giant jewel that was several meters in diameter. This jewel, being of the highest purity and quality, far surpassed what was called the 'Rainbow Jewel.'
"This enormous jewel that was left by the ancient magical civilization is called the 'God Jewel.' It allows for the grand theft of magical power from all over the Empire and also serves as the heart of the Imperial Sword Castle as its key element."
The God Jewel shone like the sun when Wilhelm approached it.
Suddenly, Erik questioned him.
"You seem... quite 'familiar' with it?"
"I was involved in its design. The mage who stood beside Emperor Friedrich while providing countless ideas to him, was me. Using a mage that I found as a vessel, I became a trusted advisor of his." ℞ἁɴǒ𝐁Ęṧ
This took a toll on him and rendered him immobile for a while, yet Wilhelm laughed. Then he continued.
"This Imperial Sword Castle collects magical power through the earth, meaning it's connected to the land throughout the Empire. If it can gather magic, it can also release it into the earth."
Wilhelm then extended his right arm to touch the God Jewel. If the Adler's defense mechanisms activated, he would die instantly, but they did not.
Smiling wickedly, Wilhelm muttered.
"Even with my weakened authority, I can still show considerable power when using this!"
Wilhelm then proceeded to use the God Jewel to spread his authority of ‘mind control' throughout the Empire which caused earthquakes and eventually sent shockwaves across the Empire.
Feeling satisfied with the results, Wilhelm nodded approvingly.
"Well done, Friedrich. The time when this would be needed has indeed come."
Smiling, he silently expressed his gratitude to Friedrich. With this, the first phase of his plan was complete. This would lead the people to believe that the Chancellor was the root of all evil, as Wilhelm had spread. Those with strong wills or strong faith in the Chancellor would not be affected, but that was a minor issue. As long as the majority supported Wilhelm, that was enough.
"Now, I will use the magical power that accumulated for all these years 'for me.'"
While this was a pain to translate, this is such a masterpiece of a chapter. 'Wilhelm' had been planning this for decades... centuries even.