“Is this really the imperial-certified pocket watch for alchemists, with only 12 made?”
Alex held the pocket watch in his hand, gazing at it like it was a rare treasure.
Sure, he’d seen more extravagant watches in the royal palace, but this one stirred up some unfamiliar feelings inside him.
When he opened it, a picture of the protagonists and their mother from “Iron-Blooded Alchemist” popped out.
Just seeing that image made a part of his heart ache.
“William, mother…”
He and his younger brother William, the first and second sons of the emperor respectively, shared the same mother.
What would their mother feel if she saw one son called a wastrel and the other a lecher? The thought alone brought him immense sorrow.
“Our Crown Prince must take good care of his younger sibling.”
Even when she was sick and barely able to stand, all their mother ever seemed to worry about was him and his brother.
“Damn it…”
For the first time, Alex felt frustrated at his own pathetic self.
A foolish son who resented his father for losing their mother and ignored the well-being of those around him.
It was unforgivable that he hadn’t cared about the brother he was supposed to protect while he strayed off course.
Thinking about the Elric brothers from “Iron-Blooded Alchemist” made him feel even more embarrassed.
The older brother sacrificed his own limbs to attempt a dangerous transmutation to get his younger brother back.
And the younger brother fighting against enemies with a body clad in armor to protect the older brother.
They were truly strong brothers who fought through adversity and shocking tragedies far worse than anything Alex had faced.
He closed the treasured pocket watch he had won through a raffle and tucked it back into his pocket.
It was a strange turn of events.
He only had three raffle tickets, and he never imagined he’d win, much less receive the one marked as no. 01, the most valuable prize.
The attendant who got the item faced a lot of trouble due to the crowd that had gathered.
It was said that if one of the Crown Prince’s guards hadn’t followed him, there might’ve been accidents.
You could just feel how popular this was.
“Your Highness, this is the area where the burrowing serpent has recently been spotted.”
A voice broke into Alex’s thoughts, announcing that they had finally arrived at the burrowing serpent sighting area.
“The rumors weren’t very credible, but looking at this hole, it really seems to be a burrowing serpent.”
In the middle of the woods, there was a rough, deep hole.
It was dark inside, but the sounds hinted at its great depth.
“The reason burrowing serpents are rare is that they’re monsters that feed on soil and can only be found occasionally in the outskirts of the empire, where the soil is rich.”
Harun spoke while inspecting the traces left behind.
However, contrary to Harun’s words, the group was located in the mountainous area near Caldea, the capital of the empire.
You wouldn’t expect to find traces of burrowing serpents, which were supposed to inhabit the southern periphery, in a place like this.
Something didn’t add up.
And usually, such a situation meant one thing.
“Could it be that a dark wizard is involved?”
Starting from the prince’s outlandish theory—since they couldn’t find any traces of dark wizards on the surface, they must have vanished underground.
Drawing upon the Crown Prince’s speculative statement, Yustaf envisioned dark wizards controlling burrowing serpents that dig through the ground.
On that basis, Harun collected news and information regarding burrowing serpents through the guild and finally tracked their whereabouts.
“We need to make a choice here.”
Yustaf declared firmly, standing in front of the hole.
“What kind of choice are you talking about?”
“First, we can return to the palace and report what we’ve gathered so far, then request additional support to search the burrow.”
The first plan Yustaf suggested made perfect sense in response to Alex’s question.
With the current personnel consisting only of the Crown Prince, Yustaf, Harun, and the emperor’s intelligence agents assisting them, they didn’t have enough manpower to search the burrow as it stood.
While Yustaf was there, risks were minimized, but they still needed help to avoid any potentially dangerous situations.
“What’s the second option then?”
“Honestly, it’s just a hunch, but considering how many people have gone missing and how long it’s been, I think their scheme might be on the verge of culminating.”
Yustaf was worried about the ticking clock.
If they returned to the palace to gather reinforcements and make plans, it could take at least a few days.
And if something happened during that time, they could be caught flat-footed.
“So, I propose that while Your Highness returns to the palace to request support, I along with the rest will search the burrow.”
If anyone else had said it, they might have been accused of overconfidence or recklessness, but since it was Yustaf, everyone nodded in agreement.
After all, no matter how dastardly and devious the dark wizards prepared, in front of Yustaf, nicknamed the human dragon, they’d seem like mere tricks.
Yet, even with Yustaf present, it didn’t mean the risks were eliminated. So, the Crown Prince stepping back and requesting support seemed wise.
The Crown Prince had already done more than enough.
After the decision was made, the procedure was less thrilling and more of a tedious repetition, so the party expected the Crown Prince to be frustrated.
But contrary to their expectations, he actively cooperated and spared no effort in supporting their investigation.
He not only involved his guards and direct attendants but also significantly contributed to figuring out the dark wizards’ plot.
If this operation wrapped up successfully, they could argue that his involvement was not just a forced addition for the royal family’s prestige, but that he had played a genuinely important role.
So, no one disagreed that it would be better to wrap things up by requesting further support rather than participating in this potentially dangerous burrow investigation—except for one person.
“If we return to the palace now, can we catch up in time?”
“That is…”
The Crown Prince’s observation was valid.
If the remaining group went first to search while troops were called, there was a high chance that the incident would already be over by the time help arrived.
“I will summon reinforcements from the lords of nearby territories in my name. No, the name of the imperial family.”
“No! Your Highness!!!”
The head of the guard shouted in surprise at the Crown Prince’s statement about summoning troops from nearby territories.
It was shocking enough that the commander reacted like that.
Even if the Crown Prince was involved, this bordered on usurpation of authority. Even if it went well, it could backfire, and if things went wrong, he would definitely lose his royal position.
As someone serving the Crown Prince, he couldn’t allow him to take such a risk.
“Your Highness, you’ve already done enough. Please leave the rest to us.”
Not only the commander but also Yustaf and Harun, who were tasked with the investigation, all spoke in unison to dissuade him.
From their perspective, the Crown Prince had already excelled beyond expectations, and the remaining task was theirs to handle.
However, Alex would not relent.
“I am… a person situated in the Crown Prince’s seat. This country, this empire, is a place I must govern one day.”
Standing before those wishing for him to avoid danger, Alex began to speak with a trembling voice.
“The people of the empire regard the imperial family like their parents.”
A scene of his father parading through the capital’s main streets flashed in his mind.
As the war concluded, the citizens bowed their heads in cheers when they saw the emperor come out to check on the people.
The image of many crying out “Long live His Majesty!” still lingered deeply in his mind.
Those were the kind of people they were.
At that moment, he couldn’t understand why they cheered or were so enthusiastic about seeing royalty.
But now Alex realized the reason.
Because they believed the empire would protect them.
Because they believed the emperor would provide them with better lives.
That’s why they did so.
“If I run away to a safe place with the dangers of the empire before me, how am I any different from a parent abandoning their child to flee?”
A heavy silence fell over the area after Alex’s words.
“There are things only I can do! I won’t run away on the excuse of danger!”
While everyone still thought they should try to dissuade the Crown Prince, another thought sparked.
It was in that moment they felt a genuine desire to follow whatever the man before them chose to do.
*
In a slightly secluded area of the imperial capital, people were lining up in front of a building.
Not long ago, it had been an ordinary tavern, but recently it underwent renovations and transformed into a new shop.
‘Somerset Goods Store’
Just hearing the name left them guessing what the heck it sold.
But people waited eagerly in line since dawn for the shop to open.
“Is it true? That the grade of items you can purchase is determined by the amount spent on books so far?”
“Well, there must be a reason to issue these grade tokens.”
The silver token that sparkled in the hand of the man who responded to the question conveyed the story.
Recently, the Yuren Merchant Guild issued tokens to customers who had bought fairy tale and comic books, along with various goods.
The lowest token was a copper token, then silver, gold, and lastly a platinum token.
This token was crucial for utilizing the newly opening Somerset Goods Store.
As a result, people were striving to figure out how this token worked.
Among the most credible rumors was that the number or type of items one could purchase was determined by the grade of the token.
As this rumor spread, it prompted people to bizarrely buy more books or goods to upgrade their tokens.
And as the opening time approached, an employee stood at the door and opened it.
“Welcome! We invite you to the Somerset Goods Store filled with figures and various merchandise related to fairy tales and comic books, the first of its kind in the empire!”
That day, strange rumors spread in the capital’s streets of adults clutching exquisite dolls as if they were treasures.
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