[Nicholas Anstalionah.]
Hearing my name again, I paused. The voice.
It had spoken to me throughout my secluded cultivation, predicting my struggles and warning me of my limitations.
It narrated the world's descent into chaos, giving vivid reports of the war's progress and describing each kingdom's shifting tides.
It told me everything, until it chose not to.
The voice that had been a constant companion… it fell silent when it mattered most.
It didn't speak of Nicole's final battle.
Not even a whisper.
I pulled my vest over the crisp white shirt Mirabel had laid out, methodically buttoning it. The black fabric matched my tailored pants.
Beside me, Mirabel moved with quiet care. Her hands were gentle as she brushed through my hair, snipping away the loose ends.
"It's grown to be beautiful, my love," she murmured.
I sighed, trying to keep my voice steady. "Hmm… I think Nicole liked my hair. Don't cut it too short."
She smiled, a touch bittersweet. "Of course. I definitely didn't plan on it."
But I noticed it.
Last night, her aura shifted. Her hair darkened, only briefly, but I saw it.
Even in my past life, she'd never been able to suppress her other side like that.
But now… she held it back. That alone told me how much had changed.
"All done," she said softly, lowering the brush with a satisfied nod.
I turned and cupped her cheek. "Really, how can someone be so perfect?"
She blushed, warmth blooming across her face. "Ah, save it for the wedding. Only twenty-nine more days."
I let out a deep breath, falling back onto the bed. "You say that like it's a small number."
Resting on my arms, I tilted my head to look at her. "So… how are the nobles reacting to my return?"
She joined me, sitting beside me with crossed legs. "Well, obviously, Kivana and Malachi are irrelevant. As for the others…"
I already knew the answer.
[Nicholas had earned an ill reputation among the higher courts of his lands, but he intended to rewrite that.]
"I plan to reveal my power at the wedding ceremony," I said. "Until then, refuse any invitations for in-person meetings. Politely."
Mirabel nodded, crawling onto my lap with a playful smirk. "So… you wanna do something bad?"
I chuckled, amused by her teasing. "Tempting me before marriage?"
She puffed out her cheeks. "You're no fun. It's not like it changes anything."
I grabbed her waist and moved her beside me. "Trust me, my love. It will."
Her eyes searched mine, curiosity rising, but she didn't press further. "Fine. Then what do you want to do while we wait?"
I leaned forward. "I want knights stationed at every corner of the capital. One royal knight in every major city. And soldiers across all borders."
Cracking my neck, I stood. "I also need to develop a few systems of surveillance and internal communication."
Mirabel stood with me and placed her hand gently on my shoulder. "Like what?"
I looked back at her with a faint smile. "You'll see."
Before she could ask something else, a knock echoed through the room.
I raised my voice. "Come in."
The door creaked open, revealing Sansir. He stepped inside, bowing slightly, then met my gaze. "I've prepared the paperwork."
He had finally agreed to leave the garden.
Convincing him hadn't been difficult. When I emerged from cultivation, he asked questions.
He wanted to understand my goals, my vision. I answered with half-truths. Told him he would be invaluable moving forward.
He accepted.
In truth, I hadn't met him in my past life, at least not after my parents' deaths. But I knew one thing.
Sansir was powerful. Possibly more powerful than I am even now.
And I would need that strength.
Nicole. Her death ached like an old wound. But at the very least, she took her killer with her.
Saint Satire had always been less of a fighter and more of a Saint, but even then, Nicole had to grow exponentially to make that trade.
Her final shockwaves reached even me, deep in meditation.
She revealed the true nature of the Golden Authority. According to the reports, she alone managed to take down a Saint.
Her death wasn't in vain.
I turned to Sansir, offering a single nod. "Well done."
Mirabel looked between the two of us, confused, as I turned and walked out of the room.
She followed closely behind, her gaze sharp, practically drilling into the back of my head.
As Sansir led us through the halls toward my office, he glanced over his shoulder. "I also took the liberty of hiring new workers."
I had noticed the change; more maids and butlers moved about the estate than before.
With the ceremony fast approaching and the official war against the Golden Authority underway, the additional staff would certainly prove useful.
Mirabel placed a hand gently on my shoulder. "What are you planning to do?"
Sansir pried open the door to my office and stepped inside. I followed, pausing a moment as I inhaled the stale air of the room.
It had been far too long since I'd stood here, breathing in this old, boring air.
He closed the door behind us as Mirabel entered after. I walked over to my desk and smiled faintly.
"Our kingdom has several problems, insufficient funding for the lower class, and an overwhelming number of magic-related deaths."
I dropped into my chair and exhaled slowly, scanning the documents Sansir had prepared.
Every detail was exactly as I'd envisioned. Only a few edits would be necessary; otherwise, the drafts were flawless.
Mirabel leaned in over my shoulder, curious. She picked up one of the pages and read through it.
"This is incredibly detailed… When did you have time to come up with all this?"
She set the paper back down and crossed her arms, tilting her head. "And more importantly… how?"
"It's a collection of simple ideas," I replied. "The first is the creation of a civilian force, adventurers."
I gestured to a blueprint. "Their base of operations will be a guild hall. I've already ordered the church to be dismantled; the hall will rise in its place."
The inspiration came from my past life. On my travels through Dangu, I'd seen a similar system in action, practical, efficient.
These adventurers will receive jobs issued by officials, anything from gathering herbs to hunting dangerous beasts in the area.
It allows the knights and soldiers to focus on defending the cities and outer borders, while civilians can earn money performing tasks they're already skilled at.
This way, the system feeds itself. And I plan to implement this model in every village and city
I signed off on the first document and looked up. Mirabel seemed impressed, her gaze soft but contemplative.
"It's a good idea. An excellent idea, actually," she said. "But then… what are all these other documents for?"
I let out a quiet sigh and ran my hand over the tall stack. "These are the rest of my plans for the kingdom."
She arched a brow, amused. "From the supposed god of laziness?"
I looked up at her with a wry smile. "I'll have you know it's King."
None of this was just for show. These policies would strengthen our defenses and restructure the legal system from the inside out.
If anything were to happen to me, I wanted the kingdom to be able to function with Mirabel alone at the helm.
Many of these documents contained adjustments to royal law, granting her refined authority, reducing her burdens, and reinforcing her legitimacy.
The rest were contingency measures.
If she ever attempted something like she did in our previous life, unifying noble houses, restoring extinct lineages, or worse, carrying out executions, she would need airtight support.
Otherwise, she could lose everything.
I carefully signed each document while keeping the more dangerous ones out of Mirabel's view.
Once the final page was done, I leaned back in my chair and let my mind settle.
With this finished, I could now turn my focus to tracking the Golden Authority.
In my previous life, their main stronghold had been set upon the sun itself, accessible through hidden portals in their churches.
But in this life, they'd abandoned that approach altogether.
I could only assume they'd relocated, likely to one of the many islands scattered around the central continent.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Mirabel had moved to the couch. She laid on her back, feet up in the air, completely absorbed in a book.
I smiled and rose to my feet, walking over.
"Alright," I said, sitting beside her. "It's time I explain everything to you."
She looked up and smiled playfully. "Oh? Really? Well, go on then."
I cupped her cheeks in my palm. "Hmm… this might take a while."