KAISERHEIM
A magnificent city of glittering splendor, standing proudly as the heart of civilization within the Thronheim Empire.
For centuries, it has served not only as the seat of supreme political authority but also as a silent witness to bloody tragedies, struggles for power, and ruthless conspiracies that have haunted the lineage of the Imperial Family.
The illustrious name Kaiserheim was derived from the founder of the Thronheim Empire, Kaiserdrake.
More than two centuries ago, Maximilian, the First Emperor of Thronheim, chose to rename the Imperial Capital shortly after the kingdom was formally transformed into a great empire.
As the highest tribute to the ancestor of the Imperial Family, Maximilian bestowed upon the Capital a name grander, more majestic, and more fitting to represent the greatness of the man who had paved the way for the birth of Thronheim.
Kaiserdrake.
Colossal walls and layered fortifications encircled the entirety of Kaiserheim.
Those towering defenses rose with imposing grandeur, resembling an absolute bastion that seemed impossible for any enemy to breach.
Hundreds of thousands of conventional soldiers and tens of thousands of elite Auror warriors were stationed along those fortresses and defensive walls.
Together, they formed a disciplined and meticulously organized network of defense, with every sector placed under the direct command of high-ranking knights.
Each layer of the city's defensive walls was guarded by forces of differing classifications and strength.
The outermost layer was occupied by elite conventional soldiers who had yet to awaken Aura. They were commanded by hundreds of high-ranking Aurors assigned as unit commanders.
Beyond that lay the next defensive ring, still manned by elite troops without Aura manifestations. However, those stationed there were carefully selected veterans possessing far greater battlefield experience.
Meanwhile, upon the primary defensive wall, which also served as Kaiserheim's final line of defense, the garrison was composed almost entirely of elite Auror warriors.
Tens of thousands of formidable guardians occupied strategic positions throughout the fortifications, led by high-ranking knights of the Capital Defense Knight Guard.
This immense defensive apparatus existed under the sole authority of the Commander of the Capital Defense Knight Guard.
A figure who, in practical terms, wielded the second-greatest power within Kaiserheim after His Imperial Majesty himself.
Neither the Crown Prince nor the Empress possessed the legal authority to issue commands to that corps.
Likewise, the Commander of the Capital Defense Knight Guard bore no obligation to receive or obey orders from either of them.
Only a single individual held absolute authority.
The Emperor.
From the very beginning, their oath of loyalty had been sworn solely to the sovereign who occupied the highest throne of the Empire.
Throughout the annals of history, princes from one generation to the next had competed relentlessly for the support of the Commander of the Capital Defense Knight Guard, hoping to secure a path to the throne without drowning the Empire in the blood of civil war.
The loyalty of that one individual often carried greater value than the support of several great noble houses combined.
Without the blessing of Kaiserheim's defensive forces, even a prince who had secured the backing of the most powerful duke in the Empire would still face a perilous road to the throne.
For as long as the Capital remained beyond his grasp, his chances of ascending the golden throne would continue to diminish.
Little by little.
Until they approached something that was nearly impossible to achieve.
***
We arrived at the teleportation gate station.
Unlike the departure altar housed within the tower itself, the arrival station had been constructed as a separate structure.
Its architecture still followed a tiered design, though it did not rise nearly as high. The number of floors corresponded to the levels of the teleportation gate tower, and each floor had been built with vast open spaces to accommodate the endless flow of travelers arriving in Kaiserheim each day.
To prevent excessive overcrowding, the teleportation gate tower and the arrival station had intentionally been placed a considerable distance apart.
Leaving the station proved far quicker than I had expected.
There were no significant delays.
Aunt Adela had no intention of wasting time. She merely exchanged brief greetings with a few acquaintances she encountered before entrusting all logistical matters to the station attendants. Our luggage was swiftly transferred to the private carriage she had arranged in advance.
Meanwhile, I was still trying to adjust to the lingering effects of teleportation.
Although I had used it many times before, the nausea and dizziness left behind always made me uncomfortable.
"Come along. You may rest properly once we arrive at the mansion. You look terribly pale, Charlotte."
"Yes, Aunt."
She was always quick to notice even the slightest change in my condition.
Ian, on the other hand, showed no symptoms whatsoever.
Dorothea had even appeared to enjoy the spatial journey without experiencing the slightest discomfort.
Personally, I much preferred Father's method of spatial travel.
His Mangekyou Sharingan technique was far more comfortable than a teleportation gate.
Father had once explained that reactions like these were perfectly normal.
The phenomenon was much like seasickness.
Some people adapted quickly, while others never truly grew accustomed to it, no matter how often they used teleportation.
Inside the steadily moving carriage, a peaceful silence prevailed.
Dorothea soon shifted closer and rested her head against my shoulder in an affectionate manner.
The little girl truly knew how to seek attention whenever the opportunity presented itself.
Seeing her daughter's behavior, Aunt Adela smiled softly.
"Dottie, keep Charlotte company and let her rest in her room once we arrive."
"Of course, Mother."
Aunt Adela always tried to create opportunities for Dorothea and me to spend more time together.
And I did not mind in the slightest.
On the contrary, I cherished every moment with her.
I only hoped that when the day came for us to part ways, Dorothea would not cry too much.
Some time later, our carriage finally entered the courtyard of the Handler Family's residence in the Capital.
The estate was considerably larger than the villa in Glutenburg.
Even so, it remained slightly smaller than the Handler Family's main residence in Brandenburg.
When it came to luxury, however, this place lacked nothing.
Every corner of the mansion had been constructed using the finest materials. Its gardens were meticulously maintained under the supervision of the head butler.
Considering its location in the heart of Kaiserheim, the value of the land alone was staggering.
Possessing a great fortune in gold did not necessarily guarantee ownership of a luxurious villa, much less an estate of this scale.
Competition between wealthy merchants and lesser nobles for property within the Capital was fiercely intense.
Many villas and grand residences eventually found their way to auction houses.
And whenever that happened, their prices almost always soared several times beyond their normal market value.
Even setting wealth aside, one still required powerful political connections to acquire property without enduring a lengthy and exhausting bidding process.
I headed to the second floor with Dorothea.
Meanwhile, Ian remained downstairs with Aunt Adela, who was speaking with the mansion's head butler.
The lingering dizziness made me want nothing more than to lie down immediately.
"Are you feeling all right, Sister?"
"I'm fine. Hold Sister's hand tightly."
"All right, Sister."
Dorothea let out a soft giggle.
The worry that had briefly appeared on her face vanished at once.
I did not wish to make her anxious.
And seeing her smile always brought a sense of calm to my heart.
Suddenly, I found myself thinking about the riding invitation Fabian had given me.
The event would be held at the grand estate of the Count Welser Family.
Based on what Aunt Adela had told me earlier, she would most likely accompany me if Countess Welser learned that she was currently in the Capital.
I was fairly certain that would happen.
After all, several of Aunt Adela's acquaintances had exchanged brief conversations with her at the teleportation station earlier.
Information traveled through Kaiserheim at an astonishing speed.
News could pass from one person to another within mere hours.
Messengers often gained financial rewards or favorable impressions from those who received the information.
I lay down upon the bed.
Dorothea climbed onto it and settled beside me.
Without thinking, I immediately wrapped my arms around her small body.
"So adorable."
"Eh, Sister. Too tight."
Only then did I realize I was hugging her far too firmly.
I quickly loosened my embrace.
Yet somehow, Dorothea's innocent complaint sounded utterly adorable.
I leaned slightly closer to her.
"I'm sorry, Dorothea. Let Sister hold you for a little while. I'm starting to feel sleepy."
"Hmm."
"How about we take a nap before luncheon?"
"I don't mind, Sister. I'm sleepy too. But after luncheon, let's play together."
"Of course, my dear."
I began wondering what we might do later.
What sort of game would be suitable for spending time with Dorothea?
As I drifted through those thoughts, something else suddenly crossed my mind.
Sweets.
I had not enjoyed any sweets since yesterday.
"Then accompany Sister when we go shopping later. Sister will buy whatever Dorothea wishes."
The little girl's eyes immediately sparkled.
"Truly?"
"Yes. I promise."
"I want candy and sweets!"
I fell silent for a moment.
If Aunt Adela discovered that, I would most likely be scolded.
Ah, never mind.
We could do it in secret without her knowledge.
"Let's sleep first. After we wake, we'll go buy candy and sweets."
"All right, Sister."
Before long, my eyelids began to grow heavy.
For the time being, I chose to forget everything concerning Fabian, the academy, and the Capital.
At this moment, all I wanted was to rest peacefully beside the little girl lying next to me.
***
"I shall retire to my chamber first, Aunt."
"Very well, Ian."
I left Aunt Adela behind as she continued her serious discussion with the head butler.
The middle-aged man bore full responsibility for managing the Handler Family's grand residence in the Capital.
Since the mansion was not occupied very often, only a small number of servants resided here permanently. A handful of loyal attendants remained behind to maintain the estate, care for the building, and ensure every facility stayed in impeccable condition.
As I ascended the staircase to the second floor, my thoughts briefly drifted toward Charlotte.
I was not worried about her condition in the slightest.
This was hardly the first time Charlotte had suffered nausea after using a teleportation gate.
Her body had always reacted poorly to long-distance spatial travel.
Still, there was another matter I needed to take care of today.
Before luncheon.
Most likely, I would be late.
There was even a chance I would not appear at the dining table at all.
Fortunately, that was not a significant issue.
As long as my clone remained within the mansion, my absence could be concealed rather effectively.
Other than Charlotte, Aunt Adela and Dorothea would almost certainly fail to notice the difference.
Upon reaching the second-floor corridor, I crossed paths with a young maid who had just stepped out of the chamber assigned to me.
It seemed she had only recently finished moving my luggage inside.
The moment she noticed me, she came to an immediate halt.
Lowering her head respectfully, she greeted me.
"Master Ian."
"Thank you for your assistance, Lea."
"You are most welcome, Master Ian. If you will excuse me, I must return to my duties."
I responded with a slight nod.
Observing her stiff posture and nervous tone, I decided not to prolong the conversation.
The servants' habit of being excessively formal remained difficult to change.
Despite repeatedly asking them to speak more casually around me, the results had always been the same.
Once the chamber door closed firmly behind me, I immediately removed the travelling attire I had worn throughout the journey.
The formal long coat was replaced by a pitch-black cloak fitted with a broad hood to conceal my identity.
After confirming that every piece of equipment was properly secured, my hands formed a cross-shaped seal.
Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!
Puff!
A cloud of white smoke appeared for a brief instant.
When it dispersed, a shadow clone stood beside me.
I had no intention of wasting time.
"Remain in this residence and act as my substitute."
The clone gave a brief nod without speaking a single word.
Moments later, he walked over to the bed and lay down comfortably, as though he truly intended to rest after a long journey.
I chose to ignore his behavior.
After all, a clone was still a clone.
My focus was already directed toward another part of Kaiserheim.
During my stay in the Capital, I had no desire to squander even a single moment.
Kaiserheim was the center of the Empire's political struggles.
Every major faction operated within this city.
Every important piece of information eventually flowed here.
And nearly every conspiracy capable of shaking the Empire to its foundations originated from this very place.
Once I officially entered the Academy, my freedom of movement would become far more restricted.
Opportunities to move about freely would not be nearly as abundant as they were now.
That was precisely why I needed to use the remaining time as efficiently as possible.
More importantly, if I wished to secure a safer future for Charlotte, certain preparations needed to begin long before that future arrived.
Before I could devise a proper strategy, I required accurate information.
Information capable of preventing me from becoming trapped by false assumptions.
Or worse...
Caught by an unforeseen variable that had never entered my calculations.
I walked toward the balcony door.
The door opened soundlessly.
A cool midday breeze immediately greeted me from outside.
My gaze swept across the mansion grounds before moving toward the distant rooftops beyond.
I made certain that no one was watching my chamber.
No servants.
No guards.
Once I was certain the surroundings were completely secure, I stepped forward.
My body flickered for an instant.
And in the very next moment, my figure vanished entirely.
Becoming one with the wind that drifted across the skies of Kaiserheim.