Chapter 2408

2408 - Preparation for the Promised Day

Ten years later—Year 765 of the Founding

Northern Region of Nihari—

*Whoosh* Zara landed atop a solid, leveled ground that appeared to be made of an ultra-strong metal alloy, then with swift, masculine strides and slightly furrowed brows, she began making her way forward.

Her short blonde hair and her stunning white-and-green attire were eye-catching; in an area filled with workers, engineers, and various rough trades, everyone cast a quick glance toward the only daughter of His Majesty, then quickly returned to their work, afraid that someone might catch them stealing a look.

"What is going on here?" Zara finally spoke when she noticed a gathering of several high-ranking individuals. "Why is the development not proceeding according to the timeline we agreed upon?!"

"Your Highness!"

"Her Highness."

All those present turned around and immediately bowed, their expressions betraying a mix of worry and exhaustion.

"Your Highness, I'm afraid we must adjust the timeline slightly." Among those present, one person spoke seriously. "I was opposed to this plan from the very beginning, and now we are seeing its problems on the ground."

"My Mistress." One of the women present gave that person a harsh look, then turned back to gaze at Zara. "We have already succeeded in upgrading 9 Greed Crucibles from the old generation. Things are not at a standstill, and there is no need for worry. Nothing warrants you abandoning important research work and coming down to the executive zone yourself."

"What am I supposed to do when I hear that only nine Crucibles have been upgraded, when thirteen should have been finished by now!" Zara pointed toward the floor of the Greed Crucibles.

The number of Crucibles had continued to rise ever since His Majesty made the agreement with Soul Society and established a dedicated, secret network of contracts.

Within a few short decades, the number of Greed Crucibles had surged to 35 Crucibles!!

But after reaching that number, the supply of these materials began to dwindle significantly across the entire Universe, and they could not find more. Those who possessed even a small quantity began demanding enormous sums for them, so the headquarters stopped purchasing and started preparing for extensive excavation operations instead.

But Zara did not leave things as they were...

With the help of one of the departments of the Sky Opening city, they devised a method to increase the efficiency of all the Crucibles, especially the old ones, producing a full Fleet of Note-4 in just 11 months.

This update doesn't seem very exciting at first glance, but when applied to 35 Greed Crucibles, the impact becomes staggering.

Especially since the Crucibles don't just copy fleets, but also Epic Equipment, talismans, curses, transport vehicles, special forces vehicles, and other important products needed by an empire expanding like crazy!

Moreover, there are five Greed Crucibles dedicated to producing artificial ports for the demons to live on outside The Shell!!

"Your Highness, this is exactly why I'm requesting a reconsideration of the timeline!" The old man who spoke first returned to the scene with seriousness, "Please take into consideration that developing the Crucibles isn't the only thing we're working on inside Nihari, and the numbers of Soul Masters and skilled craftsmen aren't unlimited—we must deploy what we have at hand!"

Everyone lowered their heads in exhaustion...

Developing the Crucibles is one of the most important priorities, but there are other priorities that are no less important—one could even say they're more important.

Preparations for the Coronation ceremony!!

According to what had reached them, His Majesty would be crowned within 85 years, and the coronation would take place on the back of Nihari in a celebration that would be the focus of The Universe in every sense of the word, alongside preparing a dazzling wedding ceremony for His Highness Richard.

How many people will attend, and how significant and prestigious are they on a cosmic scale?

Is the current Nihari worthy of such an event?

The answer is simply no.

While they speak now, the central region is being fully developed, and a colossal palace is being erected to serve as the abode of the Behemoth, His Majesty Robin Burton—a palace befitting the Coronation.

The area around it is being developed into landing pads for dignitaries, colossal gardens, artificial seas, and resorts for His Majesty's guests...

A vast number of Arrays are being designed, purchased, and buried to govern all domains, and a Safe Zone is being established for the Behemoth's children and grandchildren, with a slightly farther zone for the entire Burton Family, including their residences and academies...

Simply put, the entire central region is being overhauled—a region vast enough to swallow fifteen planets the size of Jura—to become an imperial palace and its annexes.

The Northern Region has not escaped development either, for it is the Empire's true right hand. All industries and innovations take place there, and all the Empire's secrets reside there, which cannot be allowed to leak after the upgrade, or during the Coronation, at the hands of any visitor.

Therefore, a number of arrays are designed and erected to make it completely safe, even from the touch of the Soul Sense of any intruder, along with establishing a number of defensive positions filled with the Imperial Guard and Royal Soul Masters. All of this requires immense focus and a massive budget.

Of course, they cannot forget the rest of the planet...

The planet had entered, some time ago, the Imperial Tomorrow plan under the First Marshal Caesar and developed considerably, but it still needs more development... The Eastern and Southern Regions, designated for the population, are currently witnessing a great renaissance, and according to the timeline, not a single dilapidated house or poor family will remain by the Day of Coronation.

Even the Western Region, the region of experiments and destruction, has begun to be developed to appear decent!

And all of this is in Nihari alone...

Not to mention the interplanetary arrays planted across all the planets of the inner rings of Nihari, massive arrays like those used by The Buried Darvion in his fight against Lord Hedrick ten years ago!

"We can set aside our own problems—we have the best Soul Masters and the best builders, and we can train more." One of those present furrowed his brows slightly. "What about headquarters? What about their ability to supply building materials and distribute them on schedule?" Then he sighed. "I saw Lady Emily screaming a few days ago."

*Cough* *Cough*

"...?" Everyone turned toward Zara in confusion. "My Mistress?"

She was rolling up her sleeves at that moment.

"The timeline must be completed. We have no time for adjustments and no luxury for changes. Everything must be perfect for the Coronation, and we must remain strong throughout that period for continuous expansion. We need to find a way to balance the two demands." Then she tied her hair atop her head and headed toward the Crucibles area. "...I'll work on upgrading it myself. You all focus on another matter!"