Chapter 231 The Myucel Executive Council
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
In medicine, when a person is given part of a virus’s protein structure—sometimes its DNA—to deliberately provoke an immune response, it is called a vaccine.
In Keldan, mass campaigns of weakened and inactivated vaccines—against smallpox, rabies, BCG and others—had been carried out. The nation’s immunity levels rose so high that even the imperial family heard about it, and soon other Yugan cities also began hosting large-scale immunization programs.
Meanwhile, the half-elf Myucel had her own responsibilities.
”Lady Myucel, the executive meeting will begin soon,” her attendant reminded.
Indeed, she had become a successful executive in Keldan. Hastily finishing her luxurious breakfast, she climbed into a chauffeured SUV—one of the new passive-drive models that switched automatically into four-wheel drive on rough roads. At this stage, such vehicles were still reserved only for executives under trial use.
Painted in her personal shade of bright orange, the SUV passed through the guarded gates of a high-class residential district. Beyond it came into view Keldan’s most popular attraction parks—Dreamland and Universal Resort Keldan (URC). The twin cat mascots, Nyaky and Nyafy, had greeted her there once before when she used her free executive pass. She smiled faintly at the memory.
(I want to go again…)
Before long, the car rolled into the manor grounds. A fountain sparkled in the front garden. Myucel was guided through the grand entrance into a vast hall, large enough to serve both as council chamber and banquet hall. Several executives had already arrived.
Captain Velma, commander of the Guard Corps at the city gates, and Captain Oregano, head of the city guard squad, stood together. Both were Nelrearia beauties with short pink hair, though easy to tell apart. Oregano had pale pink rabbit ears matching her hair and vivid blue eyes, while Velma wore a beret and an eyepatch over her cherry-colored eyes.
(T/N: Velma’s eyepatch is not decorative—she keeps one eye dark-adapted for combat in unlit interiors.)
Nearby, Captain Sera of the archers conversed in Rostic—the common Demi-human Continent tongue—with Captain Margaret. Myucel, fluent in Nelrearia and Elandric but only partly in Rostic, could follow fragments. It was still impressive to her.
Rostic linked many tongues of the Yugan Free Cities League: Yugan, Elandric, Valend, Lukurusa, Nelrearia, Caesar, Lusrith. Those with education could grasp several just by studying Rostic—though Lusrith remained beyond her.
Still, she could freely speak with fellow half-elves Snow and Emilia, as well as Elsie, Lyla, Madeleine, and Marubeni, all trained linguists.
Around the same time, Snow—the silver-haired, blue-eyed snow elf half-blood—arrived with Emilia, silver-haired and violet-eyed. The two quickly pulled Myucel into an animated talk about new crepes and parfaits.
Then came Alicia of the baking company, Sheila from the food corps, Leslie the medical officer, Madeleine the army doctor, and Sakumika, the field nurse chief. Scouts under Evri, supply officer Cartier, and artillery captain Lurutie followed.
Marubeni, now a cuirassier commander, strode in beside Neinei—the fiery-tempered blonde with crimson eyes and voluptuous form, infamous for her arrogance.
Admiral Leticia, elf in charge of the coastal guard, arrived with Reilia, the flagship’s commander. Next were Yoluminette of the knights, Whitney of the light cavalry, and Alize of the aerial knights. One after another, the leaders gathered in Ayumu’s country manor in the suburbs, with its great fountain and fortified walls.
Though Ayumu owned a townhouse in central Keldan, he preferred using this elevated country house on a defensible hill as both manor and military base. It had lavish guest halls, ample staff quarters, and could host executives with their attendants with ease.
At last, Ayumu himself arrived, having left his morning duties early. Yet he did not sit down right away.
Instead, his trusted right hand, Roto—the middle-aged man who had once fallen from grace but regained his title as Imperial Court Alchemist—walked beside him. Ayumu had recently promoted Roto from Chief Researcher of the Magic Engineering Division to Director of Technical Research. Orders passed through him continuously.
Snippets of their conversation drifted across the hall: discussions of tapered wings, wind tunnel tests, flutter phenomena, wings snapping midair, and the failure of starting from monoplane design.
Myucel’s attention quickly faded.
Soon, Ayumu’s voice cut through:
”We’ll have to return to the basics. Let’s build biplanes first.”
Then he turned to the civil officer Dmitry.
”Steam vehicles won’t work unless they’re near cities with abundant water supplies. Even with magic users skilled in water control, the limits are obvious…”
Myucel sighed softly. Still talking? She raised her hand for a refill of juice, as every executive had been served either coffee or juice during the long meeting.
”Hot-bulb engines are spreading little by little, but there have already been accidents—boilers mishandled, explosions reported. We need to speed up adoption of the Soul Orb Powered Golem Engine—a safer, cheaper version of the Magic Stone Engine that Sheris and I developed. Make sure everyone knows subsidies are available.”
Ayumu’s words made sense. Myucel recalled how, just recently, she had seen carriages with engines bolted on—vehicles not so different from the Ford Model T. They were still a luxury of the wealthy. Yet Ayumu argued that such technology must reach the middle class, for broader prosperity required rising purchasing power. Cars, he claimed, were one key step.
She knew he was also working hard on roads, driving licenses, and traffic rules. Still, she herself had already secured her place—financially, socially. Honestly, she had little interest.
(When will this end? I just want the luncheon to start…)
Finally, the last group of executives arrived. Lyla, commander of the elite First Reconnaissance Unit, and Elsie, leader of the ranger corps, apologized.
”Sorry, training and paperwork delayed us.”
”No matter,” Ayumu replied, weariness clear. “I just finished myself.”
Soon the rest joined: the civil officer Ninim, knight-guard Yuvus, former mercenary captain Yahaha, the towering axe-wielding Ymir, and the silver-haired knight Yuri.
Ayumu spread his arms.
”Welcome, everyone. Eat and drink as much as you like.”
At last, the banquet began.
Salads and cheeses, fish roasted with herbs, whole roast goose, fruit platters, and the finest wines were laid out. Myucel’s eyes gleamed at the steak, cakes, crepes, parfaits, cream puffs, and ice creams in every flavor. Perfect.
Meanwhile, Ayumu had knight Yuri carve shoulder meat from the goose and place it on a trencher.
(T/N: A trencher, trancheoir in French, was a plate made of hard bread, later given to servants or the poor. Romans already practiced this when mass-produced dishes were scarce.)
”So your parents named you after Emperor Yuri? Bold choice.”
”Yes,” Yuri smiled. “They admired him deeply, hoping I would grow into a man beloved by the people as he was.”
”A fine legacy,” Ayumu nodded, taking his plate before asking others about their reserve training.
The captains gave spirited replies: “Yes, Lord! Our unit is strong!” “As you commanded, we drill our reservists and keep readiness sharp!”
”Good. With the Emperor’s palace so near, we can’t appear to mass troops. I rely on you.”
It was true. Beside Old Capital Keldan stood Livonia, the state capital, home of the colossal Grand Palace. There lay the gardens, libraries, ministries, the National Assembly, even underground prison dungeons, and the barracks of the Royal Knights—guards of the emperor himself. All politics, economy, and the military focused there.
Expand too openly, and suspicion of a coup would arise at once.
Thus Ayumu invested instead in reserve strength. Should war or revolt cut down veterans and officers, raw conscripts would drag the army’s quality down. Only well-drilled reserves could prevent collapse.
Myucel only half-understood. She had her own specialty—herbs. She ate her steak with gravy, cut neatly by the new Keldan-style fork and three- and four-pronged knives, now fashionable as marks of refinement.
Then Ayumu leaned toward her.
”Eh-hemm. Myucel. How is the cultivation of the rare, improved herbs I entrusted to you?”
”All is well, Count Keldan,” she reported calmly.
”Excellent! The very lifeline of my infantry rests on your shoulders. Keep it up! And… visit me later in my study, just in case.”
She agreed politely.
What followed was unexpected.
Ayumu dismissed Myucel’s attendant with coin and pretext, leaving them alone. He had her sit on his bed. The thrill of past encounters—with Lilina, with Nanari—still burned in him. Desire surged.
”You’ve got quite the figure, you know,” he muttered, reaching out.
”Stop! This is harassment!” Myucel recoiled, anger and shame flashing in her eyes.
Damn… He cursed inwardly. Those women around Kiritani, those meddling concepts of ‘improper behavior’ they’d spread—this was their fault!
Still, the craving gnawed. He remembered Lilina, remembered Luruna, the conquest, the ecstasy of domination. Why must he alone remain saintly when other nobles abused power without consequence?
He lunged again, crooning, “Myucel-nyaaaan—♡”
”Kyaa!!”
A blast of wind magic hurled him back. Myucel stood trembling, furious.
”I can’t believe you! To think you’d stoop to this… You’re the worst! I’m leaving—and I’ll tell Sir Sashima everything!”
She stormed out.
”Nooo! Don’t snitch! Please, not that!!” His wail echoed.
Later—
”Ayumu!”
His consort’s voice was sharp. “What is this I hear? You harassed Ms. Myucel? Explain yourself!”
”W-wait! Honey! It’s not like that—I was just fooling around!”
But too many had seen. Too many had heard. And so, with his vague excuses and faltering denials, his standing began to sink—just as recklessly as he had once proclaimed an engagement to Princess Norfemina, the First Imperial Princess.
Notes:
• Myucel – Half-Elf from Great Forest, violet eyes and flaxen hair; first in Ch.143; master of herbs, Windmill shockwave; orphaned, no family; rescued by Ayumu and became his healer-knight; gentle yet insecure, once destroyed a party over cream puffs.
• Oregano – Half-rabbit Guard Captain; extorts and threatens but holds Keldan’s order. Ashamed of beastkin blood, yet Ayumu’s mercy secures her loyalty. Brutal, pragmatic, feared, she anchors his rule as enforcer bound by gratitude.
• Velma – Human, tall and rugged with cropped ash-brown hair | Captain of Keldan city guard | First in Ch.162 | Elite swordmaster and squad tactician | Family unknown | Loyal to Ayumu, trusted to maintain order | Meant to stop brawls but arrived drunk, slurring threats at Myucel | Unique note: famed for discipline yet caused chaos by missing her cue completely
• Margaret – Once a bow-hunter from the maritime kingdom of Rostic, homeland of Empress Sarendra. Recruited after Keldan’s bandit wars (Ch.218), when Ayumu sought overlooked but capable women.
• Sera – Leader of Keldan’s bowguard squad, calm and reliable yet fiercely competitive; first in Ch.163; best friend of Whitney; known for her sharp aim and discipline; usually the peacemaker but has a secret hot-blooded streak; unique note: once escalated a petty cream puff dispute by declaring her claim with drawn bow in front of everyone.
• Elsie – Short-haired, pink-haired prodigy (Ch.218). Like Lyla, rose from overlooked youth to officer school after the bandit campaign. Absorbed military training like a sponge, mastering both command theory and combat. Ayumu singled her out as future elite commander, valuing her raw talent and composure despite her age.
• Emilia – Silver-haired, violet-eyed swordswoman–mage, trained in both blade and spell. Introduced with Margaret (Ch.218) during Ayumu’s recruitment of new talent to rebuild Keldan’s forces.
• Lyla – Lively, sharp officer candidate (Ch.218). Along with Elsie, destroyed a bandit stronghold under Whitney and Evri’s guidance. Excelled in tactics, logistics, and paperwork at officer school. Younger than Ayumu but showed battlefield grit; chosen to command a small elite unit near the imperial capital, embodying his merit-based promotion system.
• Madeleine – Seasoned magic soldier from Rostic (Ch.218), doubling as army doctor. Her combat casting and healing merged frontline offense with medical support, making her indispensable in Ayumu’s hybrid units. She exemplified Keldan’s shift toward multi-role specialists.
• Marubeni – Knight trainee who completed his course by Ch.218. Folded into Ayumu’s officer pipeline, he represents the first generation of properly schooled Keldan knights. Unlike raw mercenaries, his discipline marked the transition from improvised defense to structured domain military.
• Snow – Half–Snow Elf (Ch.218), white-haired and blue-eyed with a teardrop mark. Deadly with blade and frost magic, she joined Ayumu’s elite units, rising from a marginal mountain background to valued fighter.
• Alicia – Member of Keldan’s newly founded ration unit (Ch.218). Works beside Sheila, baking bread and preparing stews to keep infantry supplied. Not a frontline fighter but vital to Ayumu’s reforms: by ensuring troops ate fresh, stable meals, she strengthened morale and endurance.
• Cartier – Nelrearian merchant prodigy, striking with soft pink hair and sharp sapphire eyes | First in Ch.144 | Genius at bookkeeping and logistics, granddaughter of a major merchant guild founder | Powerful family ties grant her vast influence | Initially scornful of Ayumu and treats him with cold disdain | Oversees arms and supply distribution while mocking his manners | Unique note: brilliant yet venom-tongued, she insults him as vulgar while quietly accelerating Keldan’s military growth
• Evri – Recon squad junior from Keldan, sharp and fiery; first in Ch.163; skilled scout and quick with blade; family unknown; serves under Yoluminette, often competes with her; bold yet respectful; unique note: turned a welcome party into chaos by dueling Yoluminette over a cream puff.
• Leslie – Combat medic trainer (Ch.218). Tasked with creating field medics outside the battlefield proper. His work built Keldan’s first medical corps, raising survival rates and turning Ayumu’s forces from expendable levies into a modern, cared-for army.
• Lurutie – (appears earlier, Ch.175). Trusted domestic support Ayumu sent orders to when sheltering rescued girls from the Caesar ship. Responsible for preparing rooms, food, and comfort. Represents Ayumu’s reliance on civilian staff for humane recovery and stability outside the battlefield.
• Sakumika – Overseer of field nurses (Ch.218). Managed organization, triage, and recovery, ensuring injured soldiers were stabilized.
• Sheila – Partner to Alicia in the ration unit (Ch.218), hooded to keep hair from food while baking bread and stew for infantry. Symbol of Ayumu’s push to professionalize supply; her role secured consistent nutrition for troops, vital for discipline and campaigns.
• Neinei – Earlier household/support figure (appears in Ayumu’s retinue). Not frontline, but trusted with domestic or clerical roles. Ayumu often leaned on her for continuity when chaos threatened his manor, symbolizing the quiet backbone that kept governance running.
• Alize – Nelrearian knight from Keldan, dark bronze skin with wavy chestnut hair | First in Ch.163 | Agile swordfighter and quick thinker | Family unknown | Rival toward Whitney despite working alongside her | Fiercely fought her over cream puffs at the welcome party | Unique note: normally composed but loses all restraint when sweets are involved
• Leticia – One of Ayumu’s closer retainers (introduced earlier). Known for clerical steadiness and personal loyalty, she handled administrative weight when Ayumu was buried in reforms. More bureaucratic than martial, she personifies his reliance on competent women overlooked by traditional noble systems.
• Reilia – Healer within Ayumu’s network. While not a field commander, she ensured the wounded and traumatized received recovery care, especially civilians or rescued captives. Her presence underscored Ayumu’s insistence that governance extended beyond soldiers to the vulnerable under his protection.
• Whitney – Elandric knight from Keldan, sharp-featured with silver hair and pale eyes | First in Ch.163 | Skilled duelist and loyal swordswoman | Family unknown | Close friend of Sera and often seen at her side | Competed fiercely over cream puffs with Alize during the welcome party | Unique note: calm and poised yet instantly turns competitive over desserts
• Yoluminette – Elandric warrior from Keldan, tall and sharp-eyed; first in Ch.146; master swordswoman using Ten-Man Slash; no family known; fought and slew bandits before Ayumu arrived, then joined his forces; stoic yet prideful, often escalates fights over petty things like cream puffs. takes “senpai” pride very seriously
• Ninim – Once dominant merchant power in Keldan, sidelined by Ayumu’s reforms (Ch.218). Furious at losing control, grinding his teeth as privileges were redistributed across ethnic groups. Symbol of the old guard: influential, ambitious, but undercut by Ayumu’s deliberate balance of power.
• Yahaha – Ex-mercenary turned bodyguard (Ch.175). Cold, lethal in combat; when Caesar sailors attacked, she cut them down with mercenary precision. Ayumu relies on her as frontline protector, a contrast to greener knights like Yuvus. Her calm brutality anchors his personal defense.
• Ymir – One of Ayumu’s close circle (appears in earlier arcs). A magic-gifted support rather than a frontline fighter, tied to clerical and mystical duties. Unlike Yahaha’s brutality or Oregano’s force, Ymir serves as Ayumu’s arcane and advisory anchor, bridging governance with supernatural knowledge. Her loyalty reflects Ayumu’s willingness to trust overlooked talents outside noble bloodlines.
• Yuri – Appears earlier as one of Ayumu’s circle (clerical/retinue role). Unlike fighters, he handles softer duties in support and household management.
• Yuvus – Human from Domain Army, handsome and disciplined; first in Ch.163; skilled knight swordsman; no family mentioned; rose quickly and was made Ayumu’s young knight; clashes with Half-Elves, especially Myucel, but loyal to Ayumu; cold pride hides strict loyalty.
• Lilina – Timid daughter of Birene merchants, pushed by her parents to secure Ayumu’s favor like Luruna did. Drawn into his bed through pressure and coercion, she became both a tool of her family’s ambition and proof of Ayumu’s moral lapse.
• Nanari – Birene girl who openly loved the young knight Yuvus, but was forced into Ayumu’s bed against her will (Ch.217). Though traumatized, Ayumu later permitted her marriage to Yuvus to ease unrest and escape responsibility, making her both a victim of his abuse and a pawn in his political compromise.
• Kiritani – The class president who takes leadership and questions their situation. A smooth operator, laid-back and calm. The handsome one.
• Luruna – Butcher’s daughter elevated as Ayumu’s concubine and head maid, securing her family wealth and influence. Her position tied the meat trade directly to Ayumu’s power, making her both his companion and her parents’ path to dominance.
• Sashima – Family name of Hiyori. A quiet, caring girl from the library committee, empathetic toward Sanai. She followed as a Barrier Technique Adept.
• Norfemina – First Imperial Princess. Blonde, blue-eyed, courteous and composed. Embodies imperial dignity during tours, observing from carriage. Known for grace and mercy toward servants, yet firm in rejecting scandal or improper advances. Serves as the gentle, diplomatic counterbalance to her harsher sister Ronafermia.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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