‘Was today the day for cleaning the warehouse…?’
The morning after Yulia had left.
Lloyd, still groggy, reflexively reached for a broom as he woke up in his bed.
It was almost a habit.
After arriving at the warehouse, which was piled high with miscellaneous items…
“Lloyd, what are you doing here? We need to leave right away!”
Yulia pulled him outside.
Huh? Outside?
Why?
It wasn’t until Lloyd was being dragged along by Yulia that he realized he hadn’t fully woken up yet.
Outside, a carriage was ready and waiting.
“Wow. Why is the carriage so big?”
It was enough to mumble. The carriage standing there was almost the size of a small cottage. The royal emblem adorned its exterior.
“Glory to Estrid’s bloodline. Welcome, Your Highness Princess Julia.”
The coachman knelt on one knee and bowed his head. Even the coachman has dignity.
Lloyd was impressed as he climbed into the carriage with Yulia.
“Is this your first time in a royal carriage?”
“I think I finally understand why they tax people so harshly. And why are the seats so plush?”
The cushions warmly supported his hips and back.
The only carriages Lloyd had ever ridden were the sl*ve carriage and the baggage carriage of the Hero’s Party.
This luxurious splendor was a whole new world for him.
Well, he tried not to show it too much…
“Can you stop looking around and pay attention to me?”
Yulia seemed to have noticed.
She’s quite perceptive.
-Rattle
Just then, the carriage started moving, so Lloyd didn’t have to make any excuses. But what was even more fascinating was that, unlike other carriages, this one hardly rattled. Perhaps there was some sort of magic for shock absorption…
‘Why am I so obsessed with this carriage?’
Lloyd shook his head, trying to dispel the random thoughts.
Yulia was looking at him with a curious expression.
With a blank look on his face, Lloyd finally spoke.
“I suppose you’re wondering why I suggested we head to Easton?”
Clatter.
The carriage gently swayed once more.
Their destination was Easton, a city located east of the Imperial capital.
Lloyd had proposed this location for the establishment of the research institute.
“That’s right.”
Yulia nodded. Just as Lloyd was about to answer, he suddenly grew curious.
“I’m surprised you didn’t ask for the reason first and just decided to go.”
Though not as burdened as Aina, Yulia still had a mountain of responsibilities due to her status.
It could easily have been a waste of time, so Lloyd wondered why Yulia had readily agreed to follow him.
Yulia spoke nonchalantly.
“Because you’re my advisor. Isn’t this the kind of thing a advisor is supposed to handle?”
Lloyd’s eyes narrowed.
‘She trusts me quite easily.’
No, it wasn’t trust.
She was testing him, that was more accurate.
Even if she appeared more relaxed than during their first meeting, she was still a princess of the Empire.
Her position required her to constantly test and evaluate those around her for her survival.
Both showing a relaxed demeanor and trusting him like this…
It was indeed a test.
Of course, since she had already bought him, Lloyd had essentially achieved his goal of escaping the Grey Dukedom.
‘It’s better to get on her good side; it will give me more room to maneuver.’
There was no reason not to earn the princess’s favor.
‘The reason I chose Easton as a candidate location.’
In fact, one reason was that it would be easy to escape to any part of the continent from Easton.
Not that he was planning on running away, but he did intend to leave after proving his worth of 1 billion Krone to the princess.
Nevertheless, staying close to royalty always meant being exposed to life-threatening risks.
There was no guarantee that the princess could protect him 100%, so it was only natural to prepare an escape route.
‘If I explained it like that, I’d definitely end up in a cell.’
The thing about explanations is that changing even a single word can completely alter the meaning.
Lloyd spoke lightly.
“The biggest advantage of Easton is its accessibility.”
“…Accessibility?”
“Yes. It’s close to the Imperial capital, there’s a large river nearby, and the roads are well-maintained.”
“…That’s true.”
The closer they got to Easton, the smoother the already minimal rattling of the carriage became, almost as if they were gliding on water.
“Your Highness, you need to build your power outside the Imperial Palace. But as you know, the Empire’s power structure is extremely centralized around the palace.”
“They say power weakens the farther you are from the capital for a reason.”
“Exactly. That’s why Easton is ideal. It’s close to the capital and has a well-connected transportation network, allowing easy access to power outside the royal family.”
Lloyd shrugged as he finished speaking.
“It’s the gateway to the capital.”
After all, Princess Yulia would have to build her power base from scratch.
The process would be anything but easy.
She’d have to deal with the interference of other princes and princesses, and even overcome heroes.
She’d also need to maintain a delicate relationship with the Grey Duchess, neither too close nor too distant.
‘Of course, I’ll stay one step removed from all of that.’
Lloyd’s role as a strategist was purely advisory.
He had no intention of stepping into the spotlight to take direct action.
All he needed to do was…
“We’ve arrived. This is Easton.”
…Find a decent spot where he could comfortably lay low.
“Ugh.”
Lloyd got out of the carriage with Yulia.
The sun was unusually bright.
In front of them stood a small two-story wooden building.
◆
“This… this is really our research institute building?”
Yulia murmured, clearly taken aback. It was understandable, given the building’s rather aged appearance.
Ignoring her reaction, Lloyd stepped inside.
– Creak.
The wooden floorboards groaned as if in pain.
He heard a gasp from behind him.
Apparently, Yulia’s clumsiness wasn’t an act after all.
To a princess who had only ever known the palace, the creaking of the building might seem like a sign of imminent collapse.
‘As long as it keeps the rain out, it’s a hotel to me.’
After all, compared to his camping experiences with the Hero’s Party, this was nothing.
‘…Though a bigger room and a softer bed would be nice.’
He resolved to ask for a better room later.
With that thought in mind, Lloyd inspected the building.
It was an old guild building.
A bit worn, but it had all the necessary amenities.
“Technically, we called it a ‘research institute’ to avoid drawing too much attention from the princess or other power players, but it’s really a guild.”
Immediately to the right of the entrance was a large room. When he opened the wide door, it revealed a spacious area.
A reception desk and tables were placed in front of it.
“This can serve as the reception area.”
The tables could be used as waiting seats.
There was a bit of dust, but that could easily be cleaned.
They checked out the other rooms as well.
There was a room that Yulia could use as an office.
And since it was named a ‘research institute,’ there were dark, clean rooms that could be used as research labs.
The two rooms in the corner of the upper floor could serve as bedrooms.
“…Are we supposed to sleep here? Can people even live in a place like this?”
Yulia voiced her complaints, but Lloyd pretended not to hear.
“Do you want the big room or the small room?”
“The big room.”
Her answer was quick, though.
And with that, the princess’s minor complaint was resolved.
‘Well, if I just upgrade the bed and blankets, it should be fine.’
Lloyd inspected his own bedroom. It was a bit old-fashioned, but it was definitely a hundred times better than a room in the Imperial Palace’s storage.
“And besides, the materials are quite high quality.”
Although it was aged, it was still a well-built structure.
With this level of construction, it could easily withstand any intruders…
— Bang! Bang!
Just as he was thinking this, a loud noise came from downstairs.
“Which fools are trying to break my research institute…!!!”
Yulia, who had been complaining about the building’s age just moments ago, was now rolling up her sleeves and rushing downstairs.
Lloyd followed her.
“Hey! I know you’re in there! Come down now!”
Bang! Bang! The commotion grew more intense.
Yulia, rushing downstairs like a streak, began to point aggressively.
“You! What kind of nonsense are you causing in our house!”
In no time, what was once an ‘uninhabitable place’ had become ‘our house’.
So easy to claim.
Lloyd smiled quietly and followed Yulia.
A huge figure appeared behind Yulia’s white hair.
Two men stood in front of the door, armed with heavy equipment.
They looked ready to demolish the place at any moment.
Lloyd was impressed by Yulia’s calm demeanor.
Was this the confidence of a princess?
Lloyd edged closer behind her.
It seemed like things were about to escalate unnecessarily.
“Hah. What does this girl think she’s so confident about? And what right do they have to set up shop here without our permission?”
“And who do you think you are?”
“It’s getting ridiculous. Trying to do business here without even knowing our gang’s name? That’s not going to fly. Let’s grab this girl and teach her a lesson.”
The men growled threateningly.
However, since there was no immediate action, Lloyd stood by and watched.
Yulia’s hands began to tremble with anger.
“How dare you. Do you know who I am…?”
At this rate, things were going to blow up.
If it did, the outcome would surely be unfavorable.
It wasn’t that it would be bad for Yulia.
‘Of course, it wouldn’t be good for those thugs.’
But for now, Lloyd was on the side of those thugs.
After all, such thugs were precious.
If he followed their leads…
‘The real power in this city will be revealed.’
Or something equivalent.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
To swallow the Empire, one must first swallow the capital.
To swallow the capital, one must conquer the gateway.
Easton.
The gateway to the Britannia Empire.
The key to unlocking that gateway was now in my hands.
