"What a failure, I only just found out about this."
Brand seemed quite disappointed because of the coming-of-age ceremony.
It wasn't that he disliked it, but he only learned today that Leriana wasn't the only one having a coming-of-age ceremony; Frankenstein was too.
"I come and go from the palace every day, and I only found out today that the eldest princess and the second princess are the same age."
While Piltover's system is relatively well-established, the power dynamics at the top are quite complex. Ginny is in charge of intelligence, while Kate is in charge of royal affairs and the Royal Guard. These two points are the clearest.
Bear and Brand manage the security forces in other areas as head and deputy, respectively. Apart from that, whoever is available and capable takes charge of the tasks, such as Brand handling diplomacy.
Blitz is often seen in the logistics department, while Zach appears randomly in various locations.
"Brother Brand, have you been attacked by a negative spirit? You seem to have no energy at all."
Brand has always given off a sunny vibe, though sometimes it's so sunny it's almost frightening. This is the first time Absalom has ever seen Brand so downcast.
"No, I just suddenly felt very negligent. You know, I have some responsibility as Minister of the Interior, how could I get something as basic as age wrong?"
"What's the big deal? Even you, Brother Brand, don't know how old Lord Oran really is."
"!"
Some things will go unnoticed if they're not brought up, but when they're suddenly brought up, they can be quite stimulating.
With Absalom's comforting words, Brand seemed to have his inner armor pierced, muttering something else in a corner.
"Brother Brand, don't worry about it. Even Lady Kate can't explain this problem clearly. It's more mysterious than a kingdom secret."
It would be problematic if you knew that. The envoys from other countries have already arrived; you should go and receive them.
Both are birthdays, but coming-of-age ceremonies symbolize more.
In fact, Piltover's coming-of-age ceremony is later than in other countries at sea. According to local tradition, 17 years old is considered the age of coming of age. However, King Oran, who is also the father, clearly has more say in such matters.
If it were just a small country, no one would care about this, but Piltover's national strength is increasing almost every day.
In particular, Lyliana's previous achievements in building prestige have served as a reminder to neighboring countries of what Piltover is capable of, causing more people to observe the princess's abilities.
As for marrying this princess...
The vast majority of kings did not have this idea, not because they didn't want to, but because they knew it was unrealistic.
Queens succeeding to the throne is not uncommon on the high seas. Apart from countries like Wano Country that are closed off from the world, there are many queens on the sea, and even transvestites can become queens.
If their own daughter were that strong, the right to inherit the throne would definitely be hers. At the very least, she could ensure the prosperity of the country for generations. Even if she were to marry, she would only take in someone else as a son-in-law.
Unlike those who don't even know if Oran has a son, these people who have met Oran at the World Conference can figure out some things, such as Lyliana and her other sisters.
Even becoming brothers-in-law would be acceptable, and some older kings have even taken notice of Oran himself. Although they don't know why the position of Queen of Piltover has been vacant, it is an opportunity for those who have daughters.
Therefore, this coming-of-age ceremony actually attracted a large number of people, who, under the guise of celebrating the princess's birthday, wanted to carry out some political activities.
Whether it will succeed or not remains to be seen, but it has certainly made Piltover quite lively.
Leriana's brilliance was so overwhelming that no one else could compare to her. Even though Frankenstein often acted as regent, Brand didn't realize that she and Leriana were the same age.
After all, Frankenstein was much more mature than Leriana in appearance a long time ago.
Unfortunately, this kind of thing is not uncommon at sea. In addition to the many people with abnormal body shapes, the growth rhythm of this ocean is also very chaotic.
"There are quite a few uninvited guests, Brand. Make sure they are treated with proper etiquette, and just give them a perfunctory response to some things."
Some of these people were invited by Oran, and even the king himself attended. Oran needs to personally receive these people.
The remaining people also deserved appropriate treatment. After all, they came to offer their congratulations, and since there hadn't been a major falling out, they couldn't be directly retaliated against.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Please leave it to me. I have gained ample experience over the years."
In the past, birthday parties were held at Whale Harbor, but this time, to make it more formal, they were moved to the Royal Palace. In a corner of the banquet hall, you could see Redfield holding a glass of red wine.
Of course he would be here at a time like this, but there were too many people there, and he wasn't one of Brooke's fans.
Even without the ability to read minds, Redfield could tell from their eyes and expressions that they each had ulterior motives and he was unwilling to talk to them.
"You've been in this world for quite some time now. I wish you all the best in finding your truest selves in the days to come."
They spent almost every day together, and didn't say much else during this time. Oran also discovered something that he didn't know whether to say it was good or bad.
"I didn't expect you to come here in person. Can the Drum Kingdom do without you?"
The fact that the old king of the Drum Kingdom himself had come here surprised Oran.
"Fortunately, Wapol is not young anymore, so we can let it go. I really envy you, your child is so obedient."
The king swallowed his words halfway through his sentence, clearly indicating that he himself didn't quite trust his son.
For Oran, the difficult-to-define issue was the old king's health. Without any examination, even just by looking, Oran could see that his health was declining.
You really need to take better care of your health.
Doctors are not omnipotent; medicine cannot cure all diseases. If the body reaches its limit, then there is no cure.
The Drum Kingdom has only one heir. If the old king dies, then Wapol will be the only one to succeed him. From a national perspective, this is a great thing.
With a mediocre ruler succeeding to the throne in a neighboring country, our country's future looks promising.
From a doctor's perspective, Oran couldn't possibly hope for the other person to die sooner.
"I know what's going on. The kingdom's doctors have already made a diagnosis, so there's no need to worry. I can hold on for a few more years."
While discussing development and trade with neighboring countries, Brand dealt with other envoys, and those who tried to recommend a princess for Oran were also rejected with various excuses.
Tezzolo finally found an opportunity to approach the guests as the ceremony drew to a close and they were leaving.
"Your Majesty Oran, the three-year agreement we made has been fulfilled. Here is a summary of the East China Sea's development over the past three years. Please take a look."
Tezzolo brought back a detailed record and a plan for future development; it could be said that he had staked his entire future on it.
The figures inside have all been carefully calculated. After all, the annual financial statements have to be returned, and any discrepancies will be discovered quickly. Excessive boasting is counterproductive.
"Not bad, you did much better than I expected. From now on..."
"Oran, there's new information. Things have changed in the North Sea."
Just as Oran was about to give Tezzolo a new choice, Kate, dressed in a formal gown, walked over and interrupted their conversation.
"I'll excuse myself."
"No, you should listen to it too."
Tesoro realized something big seemed to have happened and tried to leave, but Oran took him to a higher-level conference room.
"Breaking news: Platinum lead poisoning has broken out in Flevance, North Blue. Neighboring countries have blockaded Flevance, prohibiting anyone from leaving. A ship belonging to the World Government has also headed there, seemingly intending to evacuate the royal family there."
At the end of 1505, after a century of accumulation, platinum lead poisoning broke out on a large scale. If no one intervened, it would continue until the following year, and within a few months, Flevans would be completely destroyed.
"Tezzolo, have you ever heard of platinum lead?"
"I've heard that platinum and lead are important minerals in Frevans, and they are very rare minerals."
This platinum-lead alloy is not only used to produce tableware, paints, sweeteners, and cosmetics, but it is also an important raw material for some weapons. Lead bullets made from it are very popular, and our shotguns also use this type of ammunition.
Over the years, Tezzolo has been cramming on all sorts of knowledge, so he naturally has a certain understanding of this mineral.
"What about platinum lead disease?"
"It's said to be an infectious disease, and once you get infected, there's no cure."
"That's nonsense. That thing isn't an infectious disease at all; it's poisoning. As for the treatment, I've made progress, and curing it is very simple."
"So, Tezzolo, what do you think I plan to do next?"
The problem has returned to Tezzolo's side; to be precise, it's no longer a problem, but an exam.
[The intelligence brought by Lady Kate indicates that King Oran has been monitoring the situation there for some time.]
[The platinum lead disease has been cured, but the news hasn't been released. The Iberian Medal? Winning it twice in a row would certainly boost one's reputation, but reputation alone shouldn't be enough to make His Majesty Oran pay so much attention to that.]
Is it just for platinum and lead?
Faced with Oran's question, Tezzolo hesitated. He realized that the question might concern his future, but he was unsure of Oran's thoughts.
[The royal family has evacuated. Could it be that the royal family is...?]
Considering Oran's identity and how Piltover was founded, Tezzolo had his own guesses.
"You want the whole of Flevans?"
How could a king not be interested in expanding his territory?
Flevance has valuable mineral deposits. If the ore is poisonous, it would indeed be a big problem, but if it can be cured, it would be a completely new resource.
After the royal family of Flevans voluntarily relinquished the land and withdrew, Flevans became a new no man's land.
Citizens suffering from a "terminal illness" have no choice but to fight desperately to survive, but platinum lead poisoning is considered a highly contagious disease by the world, and neighboring countries will not accept them.
At this point, as long as a "hero" appears, he will naturally win the hearts of all the people.
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