Maximillian formed a plan in his mind right then and there. It was not perfect—far from it—and he knew it might change as new information surfaced. But for now, it was enough. Enough to take the first step.
He remained in his chamber for the rest of the day, lost in thought, refining fragments of his idea.
Time passed quietly until darkness slowly claimed the sky. Soon, night arrived—and with it, the time for dinner.
A gentle knock echoed at his door.
"You may come in," Maximillian responded calmly.
The door opened, and Mary stepped inside, her posture straight, her expression composed.
"Your Highness, your father has invited you to the family dinner," she said in a respectful, measured tone.
"Alright. Lead me there," Maximillian replied, his voice steady.
Together, they departed from his room, their footsteps echoing softly through the quiet corridors of the palace.
Tonight was Maximillian's birthday.
Yet, there were no decorations, no laughter, no celebration. A heavy silence lingered over the palace. He had been informed earlier that a revered general had passed away just days ago. According to the ancestral laws of the empire, all celebrations were to be suspended for a period of mourning.
Unfortunately, his birthday had fallen within those very days.
As they reached the grand dining hall, Maximillian immediately sensed the difference. The hall, once lively and filled with warmth, now felt subdued—almost lifeless.
He walked forward at a measured pace and took his usual seat to the left of his father.
He was about to greet him when his father spoke first.
"Mill… I know you must be feeling down after what happened today. And I know it was my fault, so I apologize. As for earlier… it is best to let it go."
Maximus's voice, though calm, carried a hint of regret.
After a brief pause, Maximillian responded,
"Father, I know it must be difficult, so please don't apologize. But… I have a request. Could you arrange a tutor for me? I want to walk that path myself—the one you showed me."
Maximus studied him for a moment before replying,
"Very well. I will arrange it. Though I believe you have no real future in that path—and it may only disappoint you—it is something you must learn eventually. So, consider it done."
His tone softened slightly.
"Now, eat your dinner. And… once again, happy birthday, my son."
Soon after, Empress Venica spoke, a gentle smile forming on her lips.
"Happy birthday, Mill. Though I may not be your real mother, I will still try to do what is best for you."
"Oh, you don't have to say that last part, Venica," Maximus said lightly.
"Well, it is the truth," she replied without hesitation.
With that, the tension in the room eased, and a faint warmth returned. The dinner continued in relative peace.
After the meal, Maximillian was returning to his chamber with Mary. As they walked through the dimly lit corridors, he suddenly spoke,
"Mary, do you know about Hero Galvus?"
"Yes, Your Highness," she replied.
"Then go to the library. Use my name and bring every book you can find about him—stories, records, anything. And if anyone questions you, tell them I wish to study and improve my knowledge."
"It shall be done, Your Highness."
...
Several hours later, around ten at night, Mary returned—her arms filled with books.
Some were thick and aged, their covers worn with time. Titles such as The Tale of Emperor Lorrenz and Biography of Galvus the Great stood out among many others.
Even at a glance, the sheer volume was overwhelming.
In his past life, Maximillian had been an avid reader, so the task itself did not intimidate him. Yet, even he could not ignore the weight of so much information.
Still, without hesitation, he began reading.
One book after another.
Time slipped away unnoticed.
And eventually… exhaustion claimed him.
Next Morning (7 AM)
Maximillian stirred, groaning slightly.
"…Looks like I fell asleep."
His eyes drifted toward the open book beside him.
"But… I did find something."
He picked up Biography of Galvus the Great and flipped to a marked page.
"There's a passage here…"
He read it again silently:
After the unification, Galvus—being the kind-hearted man he was—rejected the rewards offered by Emperor Lorrenz, including the fertile lands of Mesel and the title of Duke. However, after repeated insistence, he finally accepted the barren Grand Valley and the humble title of Archperceptor.
Maximillian narrowed his eyes.
"And according to history… he died soon after Emperor Lorrenz."
A faint scoff escaped him.
"What a lie."
He leaned back, deep in thought.
"But why… the Grand Valley? No one willingly chooses barren land without reason. This wasn't humility… not entirely."
A spark of realization flickered in his eyes.
"I've found a lead."
Without wasting time, he called out,
"Mary!"
She entered promptly.
"Bring me geography and history books—everything related to our territories."
Mary hesitated.
"But, Your Highness… shouldn't you have breakfast first?"
This was the first time she had ever seen the prince work with such intensity. It both worried her and stirred her curiosity about the previous day's events. Yet, as a maid, she suppressed her questions.
"Bring the food here. And if anyone asks, tell them I am unwell," Maximillian said without looking up.
"…As you wish, Your Highness."
Two hours later, she returned with another stack of books and a tray of breakfast.
Maximillian barely spared it a glance. He ate quickly, almost mechanically, before diving back into the texts.
At one point, he was reading Fall of the Holy Ashborn Empire.
According to the records, in the year 781, the Holy Empire's control over the continent had weakened significantly. Corruption spread rapidly, eroding its authority.
It began with the Orange Rebellion in the east. Soon after, similar uprisings ignited across the continent.
Recognizing the inevitable, Emperor Maximus I of the Lorrenz Dynasty called for a grand assembly of the emerging leaders.
There, he made a historic decision—
The dissolution of the Holy Ashborn Empire.
The continent was divided.
The central lands became the Great Valkyros Empire, stretching from the fertile lands of Mesel in the west to the barren Grand Valley in the east, and from the northern lands of Hank to the central plains of Vance.
Everything seemed stable—at first.
But flawed borders soon led to conflict.
In 784, after the untimely death of his father, Gaius the Conqueror of Lorrenz Dynasty ascended the throne at a young age.
Under him began the infamous Four-Year War, the exact cause of which remains debated even today.
Initially, Valkyros expanded rapidly. But Gaius, too, died unexpectedly.
With his death, morale collapsed.
The war ended in a stalemate.
A treaty followed.
Valkyros lost the fertile lands of Mesel…
…but gained the province of Campbell.
Maximillian's eyes sharpened.
"Now this… is interesting."
He leaned forward.
"Campbell borders the Grand Valley… and prevents it from touching any other nation."
His thoughts began to align.
"And it was specifically requested by our side… even at the cost of Mesel."
A slow smile formed on his lips.
"There's definitely something hidden there."
Silence filled the room for a moment.
Then—
"Yes… I've got it."
His expression darkened slightly.
" This bastard is hiding something there because I am sure he was behind the attempt to add Campbell to our map such that his territory do not border any other country "
" It might be because all bordering territory must house central army and their fortress and some devolpment is inevitable in these territories and he is doing it because he want his territory to be the same wasteland it was "
" He is such a trash that he caused such big wars "
" But With this… I can force that bastard to bend a little ."
A low chuckle escaped him.
"It's risky… but worth it."
His grin widened.
"Hahaha… I really am a genius…"
_________________________________________
In an age shrouded by suffering and the silent cries of the oppressed, when kings fattened their coffers while the land itself seemed to mourn, there rose a sovereign unlike any before him—
Lorrenz of the Warren Hills.
Upon ascending the throne, his very first decree echoed across the valleys and mountains alike—a command so bold that even the winds seemed to carry it in disbelief:
"The crushing tax of seventy parts shall be lowered to forty."
And thus, where despair had once taken root, hope blossomed. The peasants wept—not in sorrow, but in overwhelming joy—and from their trembling lips arose a name that would one day be etched into eternity:
"The Saint King."
Yet not all welcomed his light.
The ministers of old, bound by greed and tradition, raised their voices in protest. They warned of ruin, of collapse, of chaos. But Lorrenz… listened to none.
For his vision was not one of fear—but of a future yet unseen.
Entrusting the delicate threads of diplomacy and the vast coffers of the realm to his most loyal companion, Galvus , Lorrenz turned his gaze toward the people.
And in but two short years, a miracle unfolded.
Warren Hills—once overlooked and burdened—became a beacon. A land whispered of in distant kingdoms...
A sanctuary where even the weary dared to dream again.
From every corner of the fractured world, people came.
Refugees. Wanderers. The forgotten.
And though the times were harsh and resources scarce, Lorrenz refused none.
For a king, in his eyes, was not the ruler of land—
But the guardian of lives.
---
It is said that on a day bathed in golden sunlight, the king cast aside his crown and cloaked himself in the humble guise of a peasant.
He walked among his people, not as a ruler—but as one of them.
In the bustling market of Warren Hills, he laughed freely, sharing in the simple joys of life. And yet, amidst the sea of smiles, one figure stood apart.
A lone girl.
Clad in worn knight's armor far too heavy for her frame, with a sword resting silently by her side. Her hair, red as a setting sun, flowed gently in the breeze—yet her eyes held no light.
She sat upon a stone, isolated from the world.
Drawn by a kindness that defined his very being, Lorrenz approached her, seeking to grant her even a fragment of the happiness that filled the air.
But she did not smile.
Not once.
When asked of her sorrow, the girl spoke of a dream not her own—but her father's.
A man who had spent his entire life chasing the honor of knighthood. Who had saved every coin, sacrificed every comfort, just to one day don armor and wield a blade in service.
Yet fate… was unkind.
He died before that dream could be fulfilled.
"And now," she said, her voice quiet as fading embers, "all I have left… is this armor… and this sword."
For a moment, silence lingered.
Then, with a simplicity that only the truly great possess, Lorrenz spoke:
"If you wish to be a knight… then be one."
The girl stared at him—and then, for the first time—
She laughed.
A laughter unrestrained, bright and alive, as if breaking free from years of sorrow.
"You cannot simply become a knight," she said between breaths. "One must be knighted by their lord."
At this, the disguised king straightened proudly, picking up a mere stick from the ground as though it were a blade forged by the gods themselves.
Then, in a voice both playful and grand, he declared:
"Then tell me, will you become my knight… random girl?"
She lifted her head, a spark returning to her eyes.
"This 'random girl' has a name," she said. "Eveline."
Lorrenz nodded solemnly, as though addressing a noble of the highest order.
"Then, Lady Eveline… will you become my trusted knight and conquer the world with me?"
Playing along, she bowed slightly, her voice filled with mirth.
"Yes, my lord… random boy."
At that, he paused, placing a hand to his chest in mock offense.
"Your lord has a name," he proclaimed. "It is Lo—Lorry."
"Very well, Lord Lorry."
And then—
The two burst into laughter.
A king without a crown.
A knight without a title.
Yet in that fleeting moment, beneath the open sky, they were something greater than either
Two souls, unburdened by the weight of the world laughing together without a care in this cruel world
— from the " Tales of the Emperor Lorrenz "