May 1, 1615 Central Calendar, 14:00

Ministry of Ancient Sorcerous Empire Countermeasures

With somewhat lightened shoulders, Director Arsene Lippin scrutinized the progress reports that poured into his office one after another from the MOASEC headquarters’ primary research facilities. As the Year 1615 Central Calendar marched into its second quarter, a plethora of developments unfolded centering on the Ministry’s woodland-bound headquarters in the corner of Runepolis. Chief among these was the long-awaited news from the Alpha Edge Project, causing both his nerves and anticipation to intertwine. Finally, an estimate was given indicating that the completion of the first airframe was probable by the third quarter of 1615, or possibly even as early as September, barring unforeseen complications.

Moreover, the good tidings from the Light Weapons Development Group under Harley Hendrickson’s leadership came as a source of great satisfaction for Lippin. Formed with official authorization in late February, the group proceeded with their job by adhering to the GP designs provided to them. As a result of their efforts, they successfully surpassed the prototyping phase and transitioned into the production of initial models. Perusing the accompanying documents, it became evident that these creations bore such remarkable performances that they merited serious consideration by the Imperial Army. The prospect of such interest held the promise of quelling incessant nagging on the Ancient Ministry, at least for the foreseeable future.

“‘Longsword.’ What a curious choice of naming,” Lippin couldn’t suppress a mirthful chortle as he read one of the many documents submitted by Hendrickson. In an earnest attempt to heed his wife’s advice of seeking the bright side of things, Lippin found a lighthearted amusement in this peculiar nomenclature.

Based on the Design GP-13, this automatic rifle boasts an ability to propel bullets—chambered in the newly-developed ammunition based on GP-13-1 which is also used by the GP-14-based machine gun design—over a maximum distance of one kilometer in quick succession, a rate of fire of 500 rounds per minute that makes it so enticing. The decision to name this gun and the other new designs after swords might well conceal a jest or inside joke among the group. Nevertheless, Lippin took solace in the tangible results of their labor, which, by all accounts, are indeed praiseworthy and gratifying.

Following a gentle rap on his office door, Lippin adjusted his posture and looked on to see his trusty subordinate Birkburn and his de facto aide Hirkane Valpe entering with a stack of documents in the latter’s hands. Seeing his boss chuckle in self-deprecation upon laying his eyes on more paperwork, the young man could only offer a sheepish nod as he placed the papers next to Lippin’s desk before stepping aside.

“Thank you, Hirkane. Now can you deliver these to Professor Hendrickson, Lady Steinbelt, Professor Rossi, and Mister Astler in their offices?”

Reaching for four large brown envelopes, Lippin gestured for Hirkane to pick them up.

“At once, sir!”

While Hirkane bowed and took his leave, Birkburn greeted the young Director with a smile. “How are you, Director? You look chipper today.”

“So are you,” Lippin shook his head with a light smile and retorted good-naturedly at the auburn-haired man. “Looking at your expression, I hope the meeting with Minister Schmill Pao and others ended up with a favorable result.”

“Ah, hahaha… is it that obvious? Well, indeed, I have some news that will delight you. The details are included in this folder.”

“Alright, let me have a look at it.”

Birkburn promptly extended a folder containing the meeting minutes to his boss who wasted no time delving into its contents. To summarize, it disclosed the details of a meeting held at the Azure Lane this morning between the Ministry of Military Affairs, the Holy Milishial Imperial Army, and the MOASEC’s representatives led by Birkburn himself, primarily discussing the modernization of the Army’s general infantry weapon. Without any other prototypes to compete against the GP-13-derived design, the Imperial Army’s decision to adopt the Longsword automatic rifle to succeed their M1591 is a foregone conclusion. With compelling arguments courtesy of Birkburn and several demonstrations, they even looked at the entire package offered with a positive attitude.

“This is good,” Lippin acknowledged the results with a satisfied nod. “Thank you for your hard work.”

As the excitement over the adoption of the new rifle settled in, Birkburn bowed in gratitude and gently reminded Lippin of the next step in the process. “Speaking of which, Director, with the Army’s decision made, we should also take the initiative and immediately coordinate with the affiliated companies for the mass production of the new weapons.”

The nature of the Ministry of Ancient Sorcerous Empire Countermeasures is that of a colossal and specialized research and design organization teeming with vast resources and state-of-the-art facilities capable of production to some extent, yet fundamentally not structured for the mass production of equipment it designed. The organization’s mandate encompassed the excavation of ancient relics, reverse engineering, and pioneering designs and prototypes for advanced technologies. As a result of this structure, the designs accepted by the government such as the GPs and the Alpha Edge Project would be assigned to factories for full-scale mass production. Aware of this, Lippin nodded thoughtfully as he set the folder down and steepled his fingers.

“Thank you for the reminder.”

Andreas Birkburn, despite his inward feelings about using the man whom he calls a ‘boss’ to cover for his own cowardice, smiled with a touch of pride seeing how Lippin adjusts himself to the position despite being a man who was secretly pushed to occupy a seat far above his weight class by a conspirator: himself.

…………

One of the recipients of the enveloped document delivered by Hirkane, Astler, was none other than the lead engineer of the Alpha Edge Project. With a dour look, the esteemed gentleman heaved an irritated sigh after scanning the contents which was bearing the Director’s stamp and turned to look at the woman sitting across his desk.

“Are you for real?” he muttered.

“Oh, come on, Chief, it’s only for several days!” the woman brushed off his unamused stare with a carefree remark.

As the one assigned to oversee the Ancient Ministry’s Star of the Stars of the Stars among the projects undertaken to date, Astler was incredibly tired from work and unwilling to linger on this evening entertaining this woman who would most likely pull off something incredibly annoying just to convince him. Therefore, he half-heartedly gave his permission, if only to complete the formality.

“Dammit, whatever… just make it worthwhile.”

“You’re the best, Chief!”

Utterly unaffected by Astler’s sour mood, the woman picked up her bag and turned to go home. But just as she walked out the door, the woman glanced back with a devilish smirk before disappearing with an almost sinister laugh.

“It’s not like the proud engineers of the Alpha Edge Project don’t learn enough to suffer being deprived of their Persons of Interest, am I wrong?”

“…You General Affairs Department people are such a piece of work, or is it just you?”

Lightly pounding his desk with his palm, Astler inwardly grumbled with realization at how Robin Calvello had played with their feelings to manipulate the situation. Her reference to Meteos and Walman, the teenage prodigies participating in the Alpha Edge Project, utterly struck his nerve. He couldn’t deny that the young duo had exceptional talent, as well as the fact that they are nice kids, but what bothered him was how their protective guardian, Robin, had always capitalized on everyone’s pride to leverage their involvement. The kids’ mere presence had spurred the rest of the team to step up their game, driven by a sense of not wanting to be outdone by youngsters, so in a way, Robin’s unorthodox method of pushing people’s buttons to force them to move had delivered results. For example, theories revolving around swept wings and breaking the sound barrier have already proliferated among the personnel even though the straight-winged Alpha Edge Project hasn’t even made its first flight yet.

“Frickin’ Robin, what’s with those words? Is she testing us?”

With a scowl, Astler glanced at the document he had received from the Director’s errand man, showing Robin’s name as the proposer of an inspection trip to observe the progress of the GP designs and a team consisting of Meteos and Walman among others. Considering that these two are credited as the GPs’ chief designers, it was an inevitable follow-up of that time in February. Moreover, the Ministry’s higher-ups have already granted their approval for this excursion. There’s nothing Astler could do to prevent it from happening.

With ambitious people like Robin at the General Affairs Department pushing for their own agendas, he had a feeling that this kind of thing will occur more often as the pair too seemed to be not one to be content with settling on one quest at a time. But forget that for now. Robin, the personnel assigned from the General Affairs Department, had smugly implied that the esteemed Alpha Edge Project’s capability can be castrated by the absence of those young teenagers.

As if.

An inwardly fuming Astler vowed to show her that his seat is rightfully earned.

May 2, 1615 Central Calendar, 10:32

Leiden, Enysfal Province

Amidst the throng of passengers who exited the arrival gate at Leiden Station in the western parish of the town, emerged a fair-skinned lady carrying a leather travel bag, stepping onto one of the bustling hubs of railway transportation in southwestern Enysfal with leather boots clicking lightly against the concrete. Her discerning gaze swept through the crowd behind the shield of her sleek sunglasses, taking in the lively sight as she proceeded to walk outside the building where an acquaintance of hers was already waiting. It didn’t take her too long, as a rugged-looking adult soon appeared from the corner of her vision and stood in her path.

“Long time no see, William.”

With a faint smile, the lady stopped to greet him, her sunglasses slid down the bridge of her nose just enough to reveal her gray eyes.

“Valeria. Ready to meet your employer?”

“My, my, William, can’t even have time for a bit of pleasantry?” the lady quipped with a tone laced with familiarity.

In response, the acquaintance harrumphed, “Life’s too short to beat around the bush, I got a factory to run and mouths to feed. With you coming around the town, I’ll use what time I can to not suffer from your presence.”

“Very well, at least we can reminisce about old times along the way. Lead the way, Will.”

Valeria’s smile widened seeing William mutter something along the lines of “Reminisce about old times, my arse.” Led by William, the lady who had just arrived at this tourist town was driven to meet the person who will require her services in the future.

…………

“Excuse me. I’m looking for this address, would you give me directions to get it?”

“Oh? Lemme see.”

On the opposite side of Leiden’s, near the vicinity of a yellow-walled ancient fort overlooking the maritime approach to the seaside town, such an exchange occurred where a local merchant was being asked a question by someone who didn’t seem to be from around here. Being a flourishing tourist destination, the residents of Leiden were no strangers to random outsiders stopping by to ask for directions.

The youth, with an air of curiosity and looking around as if trying to take in every detail of a new environment, screams a first-time visitor. Speaking the Milishian lingua franca with a noticeable Valiantein accent, this young woman was possibly in her late teens, with slightly freckled pale skin and amber eyes, as well as short brown hair that barely reaches her shoulders arranged in uneven bangs. Modestly dressed in a way that is comfortable to the local warm climate, the young woman’s fashion sense was leaning more on the casual-modern side, with a blue long-sleeved shirt sporting a plaid motif popular with the southern Milishial cultural groups, in which she rolled the sleeves up to the elbow region. Seemingly complimenting her blue top, she also had ivory trousers and brown shoes. And lastly, don’t forget the travel bag.

What was curious to the merchant, however, was the address written on a piece of paper that the young woman had given him. Since he initially assumed her as a tourist, the merchant raised an intrigued eyebrow, his gaze meeting her expectant look before opening his mouth.

“Well now, this is the address of the Roguerider residence! For a first-time tourist—”

“Eh? You can tell?” the young woman blurted, taken aback by the merchant.

“—that’s quite a specific place to be looking for. Are you perhaps a family friend?”

The young woman shook her head from the mild surprise before smiling. “N-no, no, no, friend, no. But I hear they’re hiring a household assistant. I’ve been looking for a job, and when I heard about it, I came here.”

“Oh, right, about that… haha, is that so? Well, the Roguerider residence is located on that hill, see?”

The merchant pointed to the northwestern suburbs, where Leiden’s landscape gradually transitioned to a gentle slope with the verdant hills surrounding the town like grandstands in an amphitheater as a backdrop.

“Wow… that seems quite a distance from here…”

“Don’t worry about that. All you have to do is to take a walk following this road until you arrive at the main boulevard, then board a tram heading uphill. Give or take, it’s a fifteen-minute trip.”

“Really? Thank you so much, señor!” the young woman bowed gratefully. “I really appreciate it!”

“Good luck, young miss.”

With a nod and a final wave, the newcomer resumed her stride, disappearing among the countless tourists while taking in the sights along the way.

…………

10:47

Like what the good merchant near the yellow fort had said, reaching her destination by tram at the main boulevard was a pretty direct affair. What’s more, the scenery from this place one kilometer above sea level gave the young woman the best view of Leiden yet. This parish, originally established as a summer refuge for many wealthy families and aristocracy, granted its inhabitants a vantage point for the town’s picturesque skyline and the blue ocean beyond, crisscrossing with exotic gardens and historic water canals extending even along the mountainous foothills in the town’s corner.

Beyond a simple wrought iron gate and concrete walls, she can see that her destination was painted in magenta paint. To have a permanent residence in a place where the cost of land is commensurate with the scenic beauty it offers is a testament to one’s wealth, maybe that’s why it was not too big, but not too small either—an ideal residence for a small wealthy family. Similar to the other residences lining the streets, it actually didn’t stand out too much when viewed up close.

“Oi, that’s not a tourist attraction. How long are ye gonna be standin’ there?”

“!?”

In a way, gawking at the surroundings was one way to calm her nerves before entering her would-be employer’s residence, not realizing among the mixture of feelings that her feet had brought her into standing right in front of the premises. Nor she realized that another new character had entered the stage in her life’s drama. The brusque voice of a man in a thickly accented Milishian common tongue came out of nowhere behind her, causing the young woman to jolt and frantically looked around to make sure she was the one being spoken to.

“Huh?”

“Aye. You lass. What be ye up to?”

“………”

When she actually turned to look at the stranger, she almost immediately locked eyes with that of a man. He was young and lanky in stature, probably around her own age or older. That spiky golden blond hair of his was cut short and swept to one side, and those orbs, sky blue in color, regarded her with a thorny look. That concluded the young woman’s quick observation of this newcomer, as his physical features were quite striking compared to his humble getup of a beige shirt with suspenders on the upper part and brown pants. Oh, and the man also seemed to be leaning on one of his legs a bit too much as he stood.

With an intention to make this unwelcome stranger go away, the young woman blurted. “No hablo el idioma común.”

However, the blonde looked not amused instead and retorted in an incredibly dry tone that made her eyes widen.

“Qué bueno, hablas valiantino, pero yo también. Ain’t no stupid can’t speak common, sneaksby.”

His local accent made the Valiantein language sound weird to a provincial native like her, but he got the point across. Realizing that she had made a fool of herself, the young woman flushed, clearing her throat to regain control of the situation. “I’m… um…” she curled her lips, stammering under this stranger’s scrutiny. “…Is this the residence of… Roderick Roguerider?”

“What if it is, now?”

“Listen, señor. I am here because I saw a job application the other day. So I came here and was about to enter this residence and apply for a position as a household assistant before you appear and look at me as if I am a thief.”

Slightly irritated by his suspicious gaze, the young woman straightened her posture.

“Th—” The blonde looked taken aback and stared at the young woman incredulously. “Whoa. Take it easy…! Didn’t mean to give ye such a hard time,” his tone turned a bit mellower. “Just can’t be too careful, y’know?”

He cleared his throat before extending his hand in a gesture of goodwill. “Name’s Walter, by the way. Walter Zimmerman, here for the same business as yours, it seems.”

“Ah… Milagros Pedrosa, but everyone calls me Mila. Nice to meet you, Señor Zimmerman.”

“Then just Walter is fine.”

While Mila and Walter were having such an exchange, a car had silently glided to a stop nearby, its subtle hum too mixed with the environment’s ambiance for the two of them to notice. They remained engrossed in their conversation until its occupants emerged and walked over to the residence’s entrance.

Stepped out from the car were William and Valeria who had just arrived from the Leiden Station. Recognizing the man, Walter’s eyebrows raised.

“Cap’n!”

“Who are they?” asked Mila.

“Me boss from the factory, I don’t know who’s that woman, though,” Walter answered.

“Just in time, Walter!” William exclaimed as he strode over with Valeria silently in tow. “Ready for the ‘transfer’?”

“Aye, sir. Much thanks for arrangin’ things.”

“No sweat, boy.”

The older man patted Walter’s shoulder with a grin, then his eyes gleamed as he noticed who the blonde boy was speaking to. Pulling him closer, William playfully whispered to the blonde. “Here I thought you were all about machinery and tools. Finally deciding to put that pretty face to good use, eh?”

“Bah, it ain’t like that, Cap’n. We were just met.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Cut it out. Ain’t nothin’ to it,” a growl leaked out from the blonde.

“Fine then, trying to play it cool, are we?”

Satisfied in messing with Walter, William finally left the younger man’s side and turned his attention to Mila.

“I am William Falkenhausen, and this is my associate, Valeria Almeida.” He gestured toward the woman in sunglasses who offered a warm smile and a nod of greeting.

Mila nodded in return, a polite smile on her face. “Mila Pedrosa. A pleasure to meet you both.”

“Alright, Young Pedrosa, I assume you’re here for the job too?” William asked, with Mila’s nod as a confirmation. “Then let’s proceed inside. Your employer is expecting you, and I must say he’s quite eager to meet his new household assistants.”

With William at the lead, the four of them stepped inside the foyer. It was at that moment that Mila noticed that her new acquaintance Walter was walking with a limp. In addition to being intrigued by the mention of ‘transfer,’ Mila’s curiosity got the better of her, finally deciding to strike up a conversation with him while trailing the two adults.

Walter glanced at her. “Aye. I’ve known ‘im since I was a wee lad, and been workin’ in his factory after graduatin’ from high school two years ago, but, uh… There was an accident. Got hospitalized pretty bad. Hence the limp.”

“I’m sorry to hear that! Are you alright now?”

“Eh, I’m still kickin’, still ride me autobike too,” he shrugged. “Ye see now, me boss, Cap’n Falkenhausen, he’s been a family friend to Mister Roderick for ages. They go way back, when Cap’n still sailin’ the seas and all that. When Mister Roderick found himself in need of some extra hands to help with his wife, who’s expectin’ quadruplets, Cap’n thought it’d be a good chance for me to transfer to a less dangerous job.”

Mila slowly nodded, taking in the new information. “Quadruplets…? That’s… quite a handful.”

“That’d be true.”

“And that’s why you and I are here.”

“Aye, that’s the gist of it. Cap’n didn’t want to see me riskin’ neck in the factory after what happened, so he arranged for a ‘transfer.’ I’ll be doing chores, but it’s better than sittin’ and doin’ nothin’.”

With William and Valeria, they were also engaged in their own conversation.

“You’ve noticed, haven’t you?” William’s voice was low.

“Ah… a young man, bearing the surname of a foreigner, yet so thick in this region’s accent more than you have, Will. A rather curious combination.”

Eyeing Valeria, William continued. “His caretaker at the orphanage where I found him rubbed the accent on him. His mom and dad apparently died of an accident back in ’98.”

“Oh… I see.”

“Are you?”

“I am.”

The former captain scoffed. “…Good if you do. Won’t make do if you make fun of it without knowing it.”

Among those living in the western part of the Holy Milishial Empire and bearing surnames such as ‘Falkenhausen,’ ‘Schmidt,’ ‘Müller,’ or ‘Zimmerman,’ which are names originated from the Magicaraich Community’s cultural groups, many of them came here in the period during and after the end of the Mu Civil War in the Second Civilization Area. After seeing that their experiment was a lost cause and fearing retaliation from the advancing Muish government forces (the ‘Northern Army’), some of the Herzlanders who lived in southern Mu and those who supported the secessionist Anfang Republic (the ‘Southern Army’) in their Groussen Unabhängegkeetskrich fled the continent to destinations like the Magicaraich Community and the Holy Milishial Empire, which forms a sizable diaspora among other nations for a multitude of reasons. The term ‘Herzlander,’ which did not exist in its homeland, was used as a catchall term for the ethnicities who shared the same language until it became its own cultural group in the Holy Milishial Empire.

William, a second-generation northern Herzlander immigrant whose father returned to Magicaraich to support the Anfang secessionists, established a company after retiring from the Imperial Navy where a large portion of his workers are the relatives of these immigrants, utilizing his connections to help them integrate and to avoid the ever-present specter of discrimination. The Holy Empire’s government saw the alignment with their interests and approached William during his time in the Imperial Navy. Of course, a major reason behind the Holy Empire’s government’s decision of approaching him and be so accommodating was more politically motivated than pure altruism. Especially, the national strategy regarding the Second Civilization Area.

If the Anfang Republic, a region that secedes from the second-strongest power Mu succeeds and receives recognition as an independent state, a possible thing to happen is that they could opt to join the Magicaraich Community instead due to the shared ethnicity between the two regions. Although that is only a possible scenario, the Holy Empire did not want to take the chances and allow a third juggernaut to rise in the Second Civilization Area at that time. In the end, while the bullets started flying and the Mu Civil War unfolded into a protracted and devastating war that weakened their rival superpower, the Holy Milishial Empire was officially neutral and did nothing to support anyone, leading the Anfang Republic to lose and forcibly reintegrate to the Kingdom so that Magicaraich was denied of a boost in national power (according to Milishial’s assumptions), while the disillusioned people who fled the war were welcomed, luring the talents either side could have been acquiring to them instead. The decision-makers of Milishial see themselves as winning their objectives through inaction, apparently.

In addition, there will be another political upheaval in the Mu where the victorious Parti Conservateur regime’s support within the populace was plummeting as the fruit of their increasingly radical acts that led to the Anfang Republic’s rebellion in the first place. This led to the rise of Parti Démocrate which won the postwar 1583 and 1588 elections. However, while the entire kingdom was still reeling, the Holy Milishial Empire suddenly swooped in with a right hook and raised the old issue of the Sol Island Dispute during the 1590 Eleven Countries Leadership Conference, taking it from Mu after a brief naval standoff in 1592. The decision of relinquishing their claim over the disputed island in exchange for financial aid was unpopular, but as a perpetually besieged country, they were running out of options. Leifor hated them, relations with Magicaraich had deteriorated no thanks to the Parti Conservateur regime’s poor treatment of their brethren, and Parpaldia, gleeful of their suffering, demanded too much and crossed the line too far. It was quite something to say that the only major power with a decent enough attitude towards them was the ever-pretentious la putain Holy Milishial Empire, of all entities.

It was amidst these machinations that William Falkenhausen met Valeria Almeida, a government agent who now didn’t come all the way to Leiden simply to sightsee and become a nanny.

…………

When the interview with their would-be employer began, Mila Pedrosa couldn’t help but feel anxious. As it turned out, Mila found herself to be the least likely candidate to be hired in this household, given her lack of advantage over the others.

Walter Zimmerman, a young man the same age as her, had already known Señor Roguerider and his wife since his childhood and was immediately hired as a favor, literally changing direction sharply from his former job as a factory worker into a more menial occupation. Señora Valeria Almeida, the blonde sunglasses-wearing lady that came with Señor Falkenhausen, was acquainted with the former captain and was someone recommended by him to Señor Roguerider due to her experience serving as a servant in a Runepolian household with multiple children. So that’s why she was quite well-dressed, having come from the capital city.

And that’s not the end of it. When they arrived at the house, there was already someone doing the interview with Señor Roguerider. A young lady with neck-length blue hair and turquoise eyes, around 20s judging from her appearance and dressed in predominantly purple and white attire, stepped out from the study where the interview took place. With a demure air, she stopped before the assembled men and women and bowed before introducing herself as Rachel Giles, also here to apply for the household assistant position. Seeing this, Mila further lamented that this Rachel Giles woman even already looked and behaved like a proper maid!

In the parlor that serves as the waiting room, Mila sat on the same couch as Rachel, waiting for her turn after Valeria while Walter, having already finished his turn, was somewhere outside with Señor Falkenhausen. Mila scooted closer to the older woman’s side, intending to ask something.

“Um… Señora Giles…” Mila began.

“Yes, how may I be of assistance?” Rachel responded with a small smile.

“I was just wondering… about the interview. Could you tell me what questions they asked you? I’m feeling a bit anxious, you know.”

Rachel’s smile remained, but she shook her head slightly. “I apologize, Miss Pedrosa, but Master Roguerider specifically mentioned that the details of the interview are to be kept confidential.”

Mila’s shoulders slumped, her disappointment evident. “Haah…? Walter also said the same thing, I thought he’s just being a jerk again!”

“I understand how you feel, Miss Pedrosa,” Rachel reached out and placed a reassuring hand on the younger woman’s shoulder. “Interviews can be nerve-wracking, especially when you don’t know what to expect.”

“…I just wish I knew what is expected of me. I mean, you seem so well-prepared and experienced.”

Rachel tittered. “Appearances can be deceiving, Miss Pedrosa. Everyone brings their unique strengths to the table. Don’t let my calm exterior fool you; I was quite nervous before my interview as well.”

“…You’re just trying to not make me feel too down, aren’t you? …But thanks.”

Not long after, the door to the study opened and Valeria emerged. It was now Mila’s turn.

…………

“Congratulations, you are all hired!”

Standing next to Walter when the four candidates were gathered to hear Señor Roderick Roguerider and his wife’s verdict, Mila couldn’t help but widen her eyes. None of the four seemed to have expected this outcome, but it seemed that she was the only one showing visible surprise on her face. Nevertheless, Mila’s anxiety turned into a mixture of astonishment and relief.

As of 1615 Central Calendar, the average hourly pay for a domestic helper in the Holy Empire is 10 zollarks (or 20.800 zollarks per year). On the other hand, Roderick’s company, Nuada Engineering Solutions, has an annual revenue reaching over 20 million zollarks. For a small family of commoners living in the province, the Roguerider family is loaded.

This does not yet take into account the earnings of their son, Meteos Roguerider, who works as a Clearance Level 2 engineer in the Ministry of Ancient Sorcerous Empire Countermeasures, where as arranged by the Ministry’s upper management, his monthly earnings are set to 160.000 zollarks (making it 20,8 million zollarks annually) even though he works half the average working hours. Still not included are the incentives and earnings from the patents, bringing Meteos’ total annual income up to the lower 100 million zollarks and still increasing. The same was true for Walman, whose impact on his family’s economy is much more significant. The timid brunette had told his father to upgrade his factory, Gründer Manufacturing, with the newest tools using the money he sent home, much to William’s amusement.

Furthermore, with his well-being guaranteed by the state, Meteos sent a large amount of money back home while also eyeing a business opportunity in Runepolis. For starters, judging from the booming automotive industry in the Holy Milishial Empire, Meteos Roguerider has also dreamed of establishing a business of… car wash!

On a more serious note, there are also plans to reach out to the youthful mage, Candee, through her daughter Robin and discuss about expanding her cosmetics business and knowledge sharing, offering to use his own connections with the vaunted MOASEC as leverage. In his own way, the reincarnator is earnestly reaching out to recruit more people of talent to his side.

“…With the arrival of our quadruplets, we realized that our usual routines wouldn’t suffice. While we’ve once managed with just our son and the occasional help from family friends, the situation has changed. I’m sure you understand that preparing for four babies is a different challenge altogether, right? Still, we’re looking forward to getting along with you all,” Señor Roguerider concluded his speech.

Señora Giles, who had remained composed and attentive during the conversation, spoke up. “We’re honored to have been able to support your family during this time. We shall spare no effort in our duties.”

“Aye. I do be owing you a grand favor, sir.”

Señora Almeida simply nodded in silence. When Señora Roguerider looked at her with a warm smile, Mila felt a blush creeping up her cheeks as she remembered her turn during the interview, the matriarch had instantly taken a liking to her.

The conversation then shifted toward logistics, work hours, and orientation. Since the three ladies came from outside Leiden, they were to use guest rooms for the time being until a designated space for them is finished.

“Now, before you go for a rest today, we would like to show you around the house a bit and give you a feel of your new surroundings.”

…………

15:00

Gründer Manufacturing, Leiden

Seeing Valeria again after a long time brought a rush of memories to William, back to that time when they were more than just associates or friends. They did break their relationship amicably, but the fear of his thoughts straying away upon seeing his ex-lover, now that he had married another woman and fathered a child, had caused the former Captain to carry himself poorly, acting brusquely as if to protect himself from the emotions that threatened to resurface. When he returned to his factory, William regretted his initial coldness and cowardice in running away. Next time, he would like to try to be more amiable, preferably in the vicinity of his wife, Marie, born Maria da Silva.

William has a preference for Valiantein women, it seems.

Anyway, after driving Valeria to the Roguerider residence and hanging around for a while, William went to his factory and found a package addressed to the factory owner from his son, Walman. Since he would usually send the monthly money around the 10th, William wondered what this package contained. Curious, he opened the box-shaped object in his office.

“Well…” William chuckled and spread the content of the package on his desk. “My boy decides to give his old man a small gift, apparently. This is cute.”

In a letter that came along with the package, Walman wrote that he made something in his spare time and would like to make one, but unfortunately, he was too preoccupied with his current assignment and he think his father might be interested in this pet project, which could be produced by William’s factory and sold for profit if he wanted to.

Nothing bombastic like Meteos’ oft-incomprehensible drawings, Walman had sent him the design and specifications of a liquid container that he can tell of what it is just from a first glance. However, William found himself appreciating how simplistic it looked, yet sophisticated in design.

Rectangular in shape and intended to be made of metal, the container design was designed with triple handles that allow it to be carried by one man or two, while also allowing for very quick movement in a bucket brigade style line and that two empty containers could be carried in one hand. There were cross-like indentations on its sides, and the design made sure that an air chamber will be formed at the top part when the container is filled. Other features include a gasket to prevent leakage, an air-breathing tube from the spout to the air space to keep the pouring smooth, and lastly, a coating that lines the interior so that it can be used alternately for fuel and water. In other words, it’s a significant improvement over the existing designs, especially that infamous 20-liter container that was so leak-prone that it got referred to as a ‘flimsy.’

“Heh…” stroking his stubble with a smile on his lips, William’s pride in his son soared. “I suppose that I have enough free time to see one prototype or two…”

After finishing pondering about the gift, Wiliam carefully collected the specifications and the design, placing it in his bag to be taken home. At least he had something to distract himself from the intrusive thoughts thanks to his filial son.

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HERZLANDER MILISHIANS

Herzlander Milishians are the Homo sapiens sapiens and Therianthropus citizens of the Holy Milishial Empire with the ancestry of southern Mu and Magicaraich Community’s cultural groups. Emigration of Herzlanders across the ocean in the modern era has been occurring since the early 15th century Central Calendar, but it only became a mass phenomenon after the Mu Civil War broke out from 1574 to 1582. With the current population of 8 million from various ethnicities, “Herzlander” (literally meaning “People of the Heartlands”) is classified by the Milishian government as one of the Holy Empire’s cultural groups in the late 1490s CC.

Since Herzlander is a Milishian term, this cultural group is referred to by different names depending on the country. In Leifor, for example, where they are referred to as Anfangs after the secessionist state of southern Mu where the majority of them came from, while in the Parpaldia Empire, a sizable community has formed and called the Verlanders (literally meaning “People of the Far Country”).