Chapter 100

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 100

Chapter Title: Eight Thousand Kilometers

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"E-eight thousand... Young Lady, you're certain it's eight thousand, right?"

To the Emperor's question, I answered with wide-eyed innocence. "Yes!"

"I made it together with Veronica. Oh, and as for who Veronica is..."

"Veronica Dubos."

I stifled a snicker inside as I watched him murmur her name like he was reciting a chant.

Of course you'd know her.

It was the current Emperor, Alexandr—who had been the Crown Prince at the time—who had personally pardoned Veronica after she nearly obliterated an entire province.

The moment Veronica Dubos—the "Western Witch" and pinnacle of Wigzentra's magical engineering—was mentioned, the hall erupted in murmurs.

Duke Ballua, whose face had darkened to a muddy gray, shouted out.

"Even if the creator is Veronica Dubos, that's impossible to believe! Eight thousand?!"

He rushed to the Emperor's side and pressed on urgently.

"Think about it, Your Majesty. It took me over a hundred years just to extend the existing five-kilometer teleportation circle by a mere three kilometers."

"..."

"The human body can't withstand hyperspeed, so we must compress space. But compressing eight thousand kilometers without anyone noticing until now? Isn't that bizarre?"

"..."

"I conducted my experiments within Ballua territory, but eight thousand kilometers would mean compressing other territories—no, the entire Empire! Even the capital, protected by the temple and mage tower barriers, compressed whole? Does that even make sense?"

The crowd nodded in agreement, and the Emperor rubbed his forehead as if piecing it together.

Duke Ballua smirked slyly and turned to me.

"I understand a child's competitive spirit, but this lie is too much just to steal the spotlight."

"..."

"This is clearly deceiving His Majesty. It's a crime worthy of extermination! Kneel and beg forgiveness at once!"

I drooped my eyebrows at his bellowing and said softly.

"It's true... It's really eight thousand kilometers."

"You're still insisting on something you can't even prove?!"

"I can prove it...!"

I brightened my expression and looked at the Emperor.

"Just tell Veronica in the territory to come here and explain it herself!"

"Veronica Dubos herself...?"

The Emperor muttered, then asked a man who appeared to be his adjutant.

"Where is the Western Witch's current location?"

"Duvered territory. Confirmed before the banquet."

After the incident where she nearly wiped out a province, Veronica had been fitted with a tracker.

They hadn't executed her—her scholarly depth and skills were too valuable—but as a high-risk individual, she was still under Empire-wide surveillance.

And the one overseeing Veronica Dubos was Dad, who held the Dubos family as vassals.

The Emperor glanced at Dad.

Dad furrowed his brow and pulled a communication stone from his pocket.

While the brief exchange took place, I signaled the Chairman through my own communication stone.

[Are preparations complete?]

The stone flashed twice.

Perfect.

At the same moment, Dad received Veronica's response. Right after the Emperor ordered his adjutant to disable the capital's barrier.

Guuuuung—!

The ground vibrated rapidly, and the center of the banquet hall warped strangely. Soon, something enveloped in light appeared.

It was time to showcase Duvered's long-range teleportation circle at the optimal spot for maximum effect.

Moments later, the distorted space normalized, the light faded, and there stood Veronica Dubos and the Chairman.

"...!"

"Impossible!"

Screams erupted from all around.

Even the Emperor stiffened after witnessing the long-range teleport firsthand, opening and closing his mouth soundlessly for a while.

"It... it's real... A real teleport...!"

From the capital to Duvered territory was about 3,200 kilometers. It would take at least 400 uses of Ballua's circle.

Her location confirmed via tracking artifact, and she arrived in one leap. No one could doubt the invention of the long-range teleportation circle now.

Veronica Dubos smiled brightly at the Emperor.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

"Did the Young Lady truly assist you in creating the teleportation circle?"

"It wasn't that my lord assisted me—it was I who assisted my lord."

"...My lord."

Veronica was as infamous for her stubbornness as for her skill and danger.

She refused to serve anyone but the one she chose.

The Emperor had offered her the position of chief court mage, but she'd rejected it without a second thought. She wouldn't even serve under the late Duke Duvered or Dad.

For her to call me her lord? Jaws dropped across the hall.

Ignoring the stares, Veronica cupped her flushed cheeks and twisted her body bashfully.

"I was so captivated by my lord's intellect and charm that I begged to swear my loyalty. My kind lord graciously accepted me."

She glanced at me, so I beamed back enthusiastically. Then, whispering to the Chairman who had sidled up beside me, I mouthed, I told you to keep Veronica in check!

The Chairman muttered with a weary expression.

"That's me keeping her in check."

Dark circles ringed his eyes—he'd clearly suffered.

"So the eight thousand kilometers is likely true?"

Veronica beamed again as the Emperor muttered in disbelief.

"It is true. Check the tracking logs, and you'll see I went from Duvered to the Empire's southernmost Ruberic territory in one go."

The Emperor shot his adjutant a look of Is this for real? The man gulped and nodded.

Anger flashed across the Emperor's face.

"And no one noticed?!"

"The oversight department deemed it a tracker malfunction."

The banquet hall exploded in noise.

"Then it's really...?"

"Veronica Dubos proved it herself. What else could it mean but that Duvered holds the long-range teleportation circle?!"

"My god..."

The Emperor turned trembling eyes to me. I smiled innocently like a child and pulled out the teleportation circle.

Should've taken it when you had the chance.

As the Emperor reached out with quivering lips toward my circle, I swiftly handed it to Dad.

"You said His Majesty doesn't need it, so here you go, Dad!"

"...No one's ever shocked me like you have."

I giggled and hugged Dad's waist.

Then, with an "Ah!" I rustled through my bosom and pulled out some documents.

"Veronica gave me this too! The Chairman says it's proof the teleportation circles are all mine! And there's a 'pledge' as well."

Veronica pointed to the magic seal on her cheek.

"This marks me as my lord's possession! If I speak without my lord's command, it explodes and kills me! It'll be worse than the Northeast Incident~!"

She said it with such glee that the Chairman shook his head.

Those who lived through the Northeast Incident paled, as did those who'd only heard the tales. The Emperor gulped and approached Dad.

Ballua's dropped teleportation circle lay kicked aside, stamped with deep bootprints.

"Duke Duvered, a word with me...!"

"My apologies. As you know, family matters come first."

Dad scooped me up without a hint of regret, then bowed his head.

"Make time for me. When suits you?!"

"I'll contact you later."

With that, our family strode out of the banquet hall. Held in Dad's arms, I glanced at the Ballua people trembling beside the sprawled eight-kilometer circle.

Duke Ballua's face was corpse-pale.

His plan to overshadow Duvered by promoting his circle at the First Prince's birthday banquet—and climb to the pyramid's peak—had crumbled completely.

Ah, gonna sleep like a baby tonight.

Thinking that, I giggled and nuzzled Dad's shoulder.

Duvered retainers had teleported straight from the territory to the capital.

They stared dazedly at the torn circle, then turned teary eyes to me.

"So clever, so brilliant...!"

"Ahh, Duvered's little fairy!"

The First Prince's birthday banquet and Ballua's circle had long faded from minds.

All that lingered was the eight-thousand-kilometer teleportation circle.

Dad caressed the circle I'd given him.

"Now, care to explain what happened?"

"When I visited Veronica's place before, we talked about teleportation circles. She said they wouldn't grow because long-range experiments kept failing! I thought, if you can protect the body during hyperspeed, you don't need to compress space. So I mentioned some ideas that came to mind. Veronica went, 'Ahh, my premise was wrong all along!' and made the circle."

I recounted the story as rehearsed with Veronica and the Chairman. Everyone's jaws dropped.

"And since you said it'd be nice to have a long-range one, Dad, I brought it back."

I spoke in a childlike, innocent tone and poked the Chairman's side.

Like a button had been pressed, he chimed in quickly.

"I skimmed the details, and it seems like an idea only a child could have."

Viscount Dubos gulped and looked to Dad.

"What shall we do with the teleportation circle? The imperial family keeps contacting us nonstop."

It wasn't just them. Nobles had already lined up outside Duvered's capital manor.

I quickly handed Dad the teleportation circle contract and the mediator from my pledge with Veronica.

"Here you go, Dad!"

Dad gazed at the contract and mediator for a long moment, then patted my head.

"You made it, so it's yours. I'll just keep it safe for you. Too dangerous for you to hold."

I'd expected him to say that, but hearing it still made me giggle uncontrollably.

Dad's the coolest in the world.

A treasure like this would turn anyone's head, but Dad respected my wishes.

"Until you're grown, you'll share usage decisions with me."

"Then... then I want to use it now."

Henri smiled brightly.

"Got a place in mind?"

"No, I want to gift it!"

"Gift?"

I whispered the recipient in Dad's ear. After a brief ponder, he nodded.

"That person, hm."

I cheered "Waaah!" and hugged Dad's neck. Then, secretly, I smirked.

I don't plan to stop at just promotion.

Now that it was out in the world, I intended to properly screw over our enemies.

Eight days passed.

The day of the tea party where noble ladies would be introduced to me arrived.

I prepared diligently from morning and headed to Robte's salon for the party.

Marchioness Camilla, who had just arrived, welcomed me warmly.

"What an honor to meet the famous one even His Majesty wishes to see."

I giggled at her playful words.

"Shall we go in?"

"Yes, Marchioness!"

No sooner had I taken her hand than a group of noble ladies approached.

"Y-Young Lady!"

"Marchioness!"

These were the ones who'd returned invitations, saying they were attending Duchess Ballua's party instead.

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