After finishing his lectures with the Royal Tutor, Coeus strolled leisurely through the castle corridors, with Amily following a few steps behind. He came to a sudden stop upon seeing a woman who appeared to be in her late twenties. She had ash-white hair, deep purple eyes, and a face so well-defined she looked like she'd stepped out of a portrait. She wore a lavish black and gold military uniform, and a straight longsword hung at her side. As she looked at Coeus, her lips curled into a gentle smile.
"Big sister Azura! Where are you going?" Coeus called out as he greeted her.
Azura gave a small chuckle. "Hmm, Father has called a royal meeting. Everyone is required to attend."
"What?! But no one told me about this!" Coeus replied, visibly concerned—as if missing the meeting might lead to some terrible disaster.
Azura smiled warmly. "That's because you've not come of age yet. You're not obligated to attend such meetings. Why don't you enjoy your days and learn while you still can, before you're burdened with such tedious duties? I had to travel all the way from Blackmire Swamp just to get here."
"But what if I want to attend?"
Azura raised an eyebrow, amused. "If you insist, then come with me."
She took his hand, and together they walked through the corridor. At the end stood a towering double door, etched with the insignia of a three-headed dragon. Four guards stood flanking it—two on each side. Without a word, they opened the grand doors.
Inside was a large roundtable, surrounded by twenty individuals. At the head of the table sat King Thalion and Queen Velencia. Around them were eight of Coeus' older siblings, along with the Prime Minister, Royal Treasurer, Knight Commander, the Head of the Magic Tower, three ministers, and three generals.
Coeus recognized every title and role; he had studied each of them extensively. But for many, this was the first time he had seen their faces in person.
"So, my daughter has finally arrived. Now we may begin the meeting," King Thalion said. Then his eyes turned to the small boy beside her. "Ah, and I see Coeus has joined us as well."
"He wished to attend," Azura said, taking her seat. "I thought it would be good for him."
Another chair was brought in. Coeus sat between his father and Azura, legs dangling slightly above the ground. The Prime Minister rose to speak.
"We are gathered here today to discuss the findings of a dungeon mine in Auretica. This was discovered by our annual supply and expedition team. They had traveled to resupply the native settlements and conduct exploration deeper into the Everwhite Peaks of the northern snowy mountains."
"What's new about that?" asked the Second Princess—white-haired, gold-eyed, and dressed in her own military garb. "There are many undiscovered dungeons in that continent."
"Yes, Your Highness. However," the Prime Minister continued, "when the knights entered the newly found dungeon, they encountered something… strange. First, there were no monsters—not a single trace. Second, the temperature inside was stable and warm. They didn't even require winter clothing. But most importantly—"
He paused for effect.
"—they discovered enormous deposits of gold mana crystals."
The room fell into stunned silence.
King Thalion leaned forward. "Who else knows of this?"
"Only the special expedition unit of seven elite Moon Knights. The resupply team is unaware," a general confirmed.
So that's why no one from the ducal houses or other nobles are present, Coeus thought. Father must be keeping it quiet to avoid early political interference. Frostmore and Emberlake houses would be the first to scheme, given their proximity to Auretica.
"We must keep this discovery secret," a minister suggested. "And accelerate the expedition before news leaks. We should explore every dungeon and identify if more such mines exist."
"Agreed," said one of the generals. "We should increase our presence in Auretica—more knights, more mages. Most importantly, we need stronger naval dominance over the surrounding oceans."
"If the Empire, or the kingdoms of Elarwyn or Zevarath, catch wind of this, they'll launch expeditions of their own," warned another general. "Once that happens, we'll either have to draw borders… or go to war."
"We want neither," King Thalion said grimly. "But you're right. If word spreads, they will claim parts of the Winter Continent. We need to be ready to repel any such efforts."
"Your Majesty," came a wise voice. An older man, in his sixties, with silvering hair and sharp eyes. It was Caelric Williams, the royal strategist.
Thalion nodded. "Speak, Caelric."
"We should avoid attracting suspicion. If we suddenly deploy a large force, the three neighboring powers will surely notice. Instead, we should proceed quietly. Send reinforcements gradually, while strengthening their armaments and strategic positions."
He continued, "Additionally, we should create a false pretext—perhaps a fabricated monster wave threatening our settlements. Simultaneously, we can subtly stir up sea monster activity in the Veilreach Sea and Mournwake Ocean. This would justify bolstering our naval forces."
Azura smiled. "That's a brilliant plan, Uncle Caelric. I agree wholeheartedly."
"So do I," said the Prime Minister.
Gradually, nods of approval echoed around the table. King Thalion himself praised Caelric's cunning.
"Does anyone else have something to add," the King asked, "or shall we conclude the meeting?"
Coeus raised his hand.
"Oh? Our youngest wishes to speak," teased Thessa, one of his younger sisters.
"Go ahead, son," Thalion said, expecting something naive or childlike.
Coeus stood up slightly in his chair. "Shouldn't we also begin a verbal claim over Auretica? We could start spreading the narrative that the Winter Continent is historically part of the Veilshroud Dominion. After all, we are the closest nation. We've been the only ones actively helping the native peoples there—with supplies, aid, and protection. No other nation has the access we do. And geographically, the only passable route into Auretica is via our ports."
He continued, voice steady and confident, "If we start including it in our maps and speak of it like it's always been ours, then when we do secure it militarily, no one will question it. The public and foreign diplomats alike will accept it as a natural claim. And those few who can challenge us—well, we already have good diplomatic relations with them."
Silence again. But this time, it was stunned admiration.
"I would expect nothing less from my youngest," Queen Velencia said, her voice filled with pride.
"That's a very clever move," Caelric added with a nod. Others followed with murmurs of approval.
The meeting stretched on for another three hours, as the strategy was refined in detail. Secret missions were planned. Operations were named. Agents were chosen. By the time the sun had set, the meeting was concluded.
---
Back in his chambers, Coeus retreated to a small custom library he had built himself. It was filled with books on the world's current technology and mana systems. Most of them, however, were blank.
He pulled out one of the empty volumes and began writing—filling the pages with diagrams, theories, and designs from a past life long gone. Guidebooks to build machines, schematics for tools and devices not yet known in this world.
Once I've written enough of these, he thought, I'll begin acquiring resources. Mines with rare metals that no one values yet—because mana crystals and gold still blind them.
Then I'll build. Slowly. Quietly. I'll bring about a new era—not just of magic, but of true progress.
When he had filled nearly half the book, Coeus placed it carefully on a separate shelf. He yawned, closed his eyes, and slipped into sleep.
The age of quiet genius had begun.