Surviving As The 5Th Prince Of Hellman Kingdom [EN]: Chapter 125

125

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Fran cautiously approached the Titan that Evan had created. Seeing it up close, it was clear that it had been hastily made.

The left and right arms were noticeably mismatched, and for the hands, it seemed he couldn’t be bothered to make fingers, so they were shaped like mittens. The cockpit, presumably where the pilot would sit, was completely exposed.

Nevertheless, Fran was momentarily speechless, overwhelmed by the imposing presence of the giant before her.

She had heard rumors that several major powers were secretly developing giant golems piloted by knights.

‘So it was true.’

Golems were familiar to mages.

Even among high-ranking mages, there were few who could cast spells faster than Fran could as a knight.

Therefore, many mages created guardian golems to protect themselves. However, the Titan before her was on a completely different level from those.

“Really? A knight is supposed to pilot that thing?”

“It would be faster to show you directly, right?”

Evan grinned and climbed the ladder in quick steps, settling into the cockpit. With a whirring vortex of mana, a translucent barrier enveloped the exposed cockpit.

It seemed to be a magic spell protecting the pilot.

To examine it more closely, Fran used her mage’s perception, opening her third eye to observe the mana flow.

‘About a 5-star protection spell.’

She nodded.

If an outer armor covered in layers of defensive magic was added, it would be difficult even for a 6-star knight or mage to harm the pilot inside the cockpit.

“Ah, ah. Can you hear me okay?”

Evan’s voice flowed from the Titan’s mouth.

“I can hear you. Now, move it.”

“Haha… Actually, the only thing I can move right now is the right arm.”

“Move that, then.”

Creak, creeeak-

With the sound of metal grinding, the Titan’s right hand moved slowly, waving left and right to greet Fran.

“Is the control the same as how mages handle large golems?”

“Yes. All senses are connected to the Titan.”

“Then why does a knight need to pilot it?”

“There’s a very big reason.”

Making creaking noises again, the Titan’s arm moved and picked up a huge lump of iron next to it.

Fran realized that what she had thought was just leftover rebar from making the Titan actually looked somewhat like a ‘sword’.

“Watch carefully.”

Gooooooo-

Fran’s eyes widened at the vortex of mana that started in the cockpit.

And.

Wooong- Woooong-

The club held by the Titan emitted a sword aura. Fran stared in astonishment at the threads of mana surrounding the club, the sword energy.

Sword energy?

Could that even be called sword energy? It looked like it was wrapped in aura.

“Mana! How much mana are you consuming right now?”

“The engine efficiency is so terrible that it consumes more mana than operating it with my bare hands. About five times as much?”

“Only that much?!”

Even at a glance, one swing of that Titan’s club seemed to have the destructive power equivalent to twenty 5-star knights swinging simultaneously.

‘It could withstand a 6-star knight’s aura. No, it might even overwhelm it?’

Evan had even said that the engine efficiency was terrible. Didn’t that mean it could be greatly improved by modifying the Titan’s engine?

Fran closed her eyes.

Buried memories resurfaced.

Richard Bayren, Evan’s maternal grandfather, her friend who had entrusted her with those left behind during the Hamel Empire’s northwestern invasion.

What if that giant had been on the northern front, facing the Hamel Empire’s army that was surging down like a flood?

She shook her head.

It was a meaningless hypothetical.

What was certain was that the appearance of the Titan would be as shocking as when airships first appeared in the world.

Gooooooo- Pshhh.

The cockpit door opened, and Evan revealed his face.

“How is it? Is it useful?”

“You’re asking even though you know, aren’t you? Useful? The moment that thing appears, the value of existing knight orders will be thrown into the trash.”

Evan jumped out of the cockpit with a grin. Fran asked him.

“…That… of course, it can use aura too, right?”

“In theory, yes. But I don’t think it’s possible right now. Even with three top-grade magic stones in the engine.”

“Three top-grade magic stones?”

Even medium-sized ironclad ships and airships only used one top-grade magic stone in their engines.

Fran wondered if it was worth using that many magic stones for one Titan. Wouldn’t three medium-sized airships be better for the same amount of money?

Reading Fran’s thoughts, Evan opened his mouth.

“When airships were first made, they also used top-grade magic stones in small ones.”

“That’s right… Light’s achievement was bringing it up to the current engine level.”

“And… if Stella, which can produce the output of a top-grade magic stone with high-grade magic stones, is completed, top-grade magic stones will no longer be as difficult to obtain as they are now, even with money.”

Fran closed her mouth for a moment and pondered.

Fran’s childhood, when she was treated as an outsider by both elves and humans, was in black and white. The moment she was recognized as a ‘mage,’ her world regained color.

Mage Fran, not half-elf Fran, became her essence.

As her reputation as a mage grew, Fran’s world became more colorful. That was why she had tried to go to Horizon and present Stella, despite Evan’s warning that she might die.

“The head of the Department of Magical Engineering. You’ll take it, right?”

Just as Fran had come to know Evan’s intentions well, he had also grasped much about her.

Fran, the mother of the Titan.

It was a hundred or a thousand times more appealing than the mother of the microwave.

***

July 25th, Royal Calendar 500.

The national assembly passed the Royal Military Academy reorganization plan. There were those who opposed it, but not enough to go against the trend.

The application would start with the freshmen in March of next year.

Following Schuitz’s advice, Cliang and Miloa, who had reconciled with each other, raised a toast.

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August 11th, Royal Calendar 500.

Together with Fran, I visited the Black Anvil Tribe after a long time.

It was to begin the full-scale development of the Titan.

While making the Titan alone, referring to the Hamel Empire’s Juggernaut-00 blueprints, I felt many limitations. In particular, those with excellent metal sculpting skills were desperately needed.

Gilud, who heard my explanation for the first time, had a dubious expression. He replied that he would decide after seeing the real thing.

August 13th, Royal Calendar 500.

Gilud’s eyes lit up when he saw the Titan I made, tentatively named ‘Pawn’. He didn’t return to the tribe and immediately booked a room in the Emerald Palace.

As expected.

I knew Gilud would react like that.

Giant mechanized weapons are every man’s fantasy.

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August 19th, Royal Calendar 500.

The dwarves who brought Gilud’s luggage were looking at the Titan and didn’t return to the tribe, staying and eating in my lab.

Today, the members of the Black Anvil Tribe who came to find them, who hadn’t contacted them, are once again not returning.

If I left it alone, the Emerald Palace would be filled with dwarves. Special measures were needed.

I found Gilud and agreed to build a secret laboratory. He promised to take responsibility and send unnecessary personnel back to the tribe.

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September 10th, Royal Calendar 500.

Schuitz completed the ‘Red Reaper’ vaccine.

Today is finally the day the clinical trial begins.

The Red Reaper is an epidemic named after the belief that the Grim Reaper visits when red boils appear all over the body.

The mortality rate is very high, and even if cured, unsightly scars remain, similar to smallpox in my previous life.

To reassure those participating in the clinical trial, I also got the vaccine myself. Everyone looked relieved as they got the vaccine, seeing me get the shot.

My left arm, where I got the shot, is stiff.

I feel like my heart is pounding for no reason, and my concentration is scattered during work.

Is the vaccine safe?

September 16th, Royal Calendar 500

The Hamel Empire released the microwave Pranni.

Even the price is almost half of Pranni’s [referring to Evan’s microwave invention].

Ira protested, saying that they were unethical bastards. She vehemently protested and threatened to cut off the supply of Generol and Genisia, the treatments for Red Star Fever.

If I did as she said, the Pantheon, a national organization, would be annoying, so I calmly calmed her down.

Ira asked me how I could be so indifferent.

I just smiled.

I am also developing the Titan, referring to their Juggernaut-00 blueprints, so I decided to laugh it off this time.

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October 10th, Royal Calendar 500.

A new 6-star knight was born in the kingdom.

The protagonist is Adol.

He became a father.

I don’t know why everyone around me is violating the rules. His fiancée is the young lady of a baronial family that the former Nunim arranged.

6-star knights basically get the title of baron. To become a proud father, he crossed the line.

Now, in the training grounds, Berok and Vernon, with venom in their eyes, are sparring under the moonlight. They can’t cross the line with such impatience…

I was going to finish writing my diary and go to sleep, but I should go and give them some advice.

October 11th, Royal Calendar 500.

In the process of demonstrating to Berok and Vernon yesterday, I embraced the sixth star.

In other words, I became a 6-star swordmaster.

I canceled all my schedules for today and took the time to manage the newly embraced star.

October 12th, Royal Calendar 500.

Alphonso almost died from absorbing the poison of the Original Bloodwood.

The discovery was a little late, and if Schuitz hadn’t been visiting the Emerald Palace, he would have really gone to the afterlife.

Schuitz told me that he was delirious and said nonsense like, ‘Sir Adol, I am the prince’s left arm.’

Hoo…

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November 1st, Royal Calendar 500.

The building for the Department of Magical Engineering at the Royal Military Academy was completed.

The entrance exam for the Department of Magical Engineering is in the middle of this month, so it was completed a little close. Some royal officials were complaining that the Black Anvil Tribe was being lazy.

They had no idea that there was a Titan secret laboratory under the Department of Magical Engineering, so it was understandable that they thought that way.

I gave the dwarves of the Black Anvil Tribe, who had worked hard, the best beer as a gift.

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November 10th, Royal Calendar 500.

I promoted Isabel, who is the chief researcher at the Magic Superconductor Research Complex in the South, to director.

Now she is the best talent leading domestic magic superconductors. I asked her to focus on her own research, which she had neglected for a while to improve the skills of the research complex personnel.

November 11th, Royal Calendar 500.

Adol’s wedding was held.

Reina is doing a 1:2 sparring match with Berok and Vernon in the training grounds. The sound of their weapons colliding makes it seem like they all have a lot on their minds.

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November 16th, Royal Calendar 500.

The entrance exam for the Royal Military Academy began.

A total of three days.

I visited the school to check on those taking the exam in the Department of Magical Engineering.

I could feel that the number of nobles had clearly increased. I was satisfied that the policy of giving preferential treatment to graduates of the Royal Military Academy when appointing officials was quite effective.

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December 1st, Royal Calendar 500.

Fran created Stella, which can produce the output of a mid-grade magic stone.

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December 13th, Royal Calendar 500.

I received a letter from Lucas.

He said it was so cold that icicles would form as soon as snot dripped down his nose. He wrote in detail that he wanted to see his daughter one last time before he froze to death.

I felt a little sorry for him, so I gave him a month’s vacation.

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December 23rd, Royal Calendar 500.

I had dinner with Cliang and Miloa.

Miloa’s belly was quite big.

When I asked her if she should go on maternity leave soon, she asked me back if I would really let her go.

She smiled and told me to hand over important tasks to her.

I’m secretly planning to pass it on to Julian. He and Ira have traveled around the world together, so it’s time for him to work.

Ah! Julian and Ira have been wearing the same rings for a few days. I wonder if they’ll suddenly have a baby again and quickly hold a wedding.

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December 31st, 500th year of Lionel’s founding.

The king contacted me for some reason to have lunch together. I was a little busy preparing for the New Year’s party, so I told him to postpone it until next time.

Tomorrow is…

Tap, tap.

I, who was writing in my diary, raised my head at the sound of someone running into the office.

It must be quite urgent.

Thud!

The door opened without knocking.

There is only one human who can do that. As expected, it was Alphonso.

“Your Highness! His Majesty has passed away!”

At his words, I put down my pen and closed my diary. I regretted not having lunch with the king.