Chapter 531: Mecklenburg! Its Guardian Divinity, the Great Serpent of Fate

Charlot Mecklenburg’s Radiant Holy Kingdom reappeared outside Black Phoenix City. Princess Annie couldn’t help but exclaim, “I want to ascend to the Saint rank too.”

Clair Bretagne, fully aware of his cousin’s extraordinary potential, thought to himself, “Though Annie works hard, her natural talent makes it almost impossible to reach the Saint rank without at least thirty years of relentless effort. Even then, success remains uncertain…”

He glanced at Ebner Soumet, who simply shrugged. Neither of them wanted to ruin the mood by stating the harsh truth—that was Charlot’s problem to address.

Charlot leapt into the sky, enjoying the exhilarating sensation of soaring through the air. Following close behind were over twenty Saint-rank figures, their unified ascent creating a grand spectacle. Even Duchess Mesu couldn’t help but comment, “Charlot has the majesty of a founding emperor!”

Although her words bordered on treason, they were far from hyperbolic. With four legendary warships under his command—and more if he hadn’t given a fleet of magical alchemical warships to Sophia Gallanord and Menielman Soumet—Charlot’s Mecklenburg Fleet could rival any empire’s navy. And this didn’t even account for his Ghost Fleet, part of which remained in the New Continent while the rest was en route. Should these thousand-plus ghost ships reunite, the Mecklenburg family’s naval power could dominate the Seven Seas.

While the four great empires had more Saint-rank individuals than Charlot, their forces were scattered among various noble families. The emperor of each empire could command only twenty or so Saint-rank warriors at best and direct perhaps forty under exceptional circumstances.

Emperor Julius VI, for instance, had been unable to mobilize the Saint ranks of the noble families. If he had managed to enlist the help of the Bretagne Count during the battle against Zimourman Axel Robin, the royal forces wouldn’t have been so depleted. This left them powerless when Redmir Axel rebelled.

…

Princess Annie immediately flung herself into Charlot’s arms, but this time she remembered to hand Emilia Mecklenburg a candy. Emilia bared her teeth in a grin and whispered to Gareth Mecklenburg, who was crouching nearby, “We’re going to have another mom!”

Gareth remained silent, thinking, I’m not Eumibella’s child! However, he dared not voice any opposition, especially since he had just eaten one of Emilia’s “snacks.”

Charlot glanced toward the city walls, relieved to see only Duchess Mesu and Senior Ardosa Mesu remaining. With a grand proclamation, he declared, “From today, this city shall be renamed Mecklenburg! Its guardian deity shall be the great Serpent of Fate. From now on, you may call it the City of Fate.”

Despite already being officially recognized as Duke of Mecklenburg by the Fars Empire and the other four great empires, Charlot had left so abruptly after his investiture that many tasks remained unfinished. Not even his formal assumption of authority over the territory had been declared.

Riding the wave of his victory against the New Continent Council’s forces, Charlot’s announcement to rename Black Phoenix City to Mecklenburg sparked jubilant celebrations throughout the city. Even the old residents of Black Phoenix had no objections.

Charlot quickly took charge of restructuring efforts, boosting efficiency.

Duchess Mesu, after securing her spoils of war, departed with her daughter and subordinates. By aiding Duke Mecklenburg as per their alliance, she not only gained Charlot’s friendship but also an entire fleet of ships. Among these, Charlot handed over a hundred vessels, fully laden with wealth from the New Continent, enabling the Mesu family to recover its former glory and even surpass its peak before venturing into the Furious Sea. This solidified Duchess Mesu’s belief that forging an alliance with Charlot was the right decision, ensuring deeper ties between their two families in the future.

…

Charlot resumed command of the West Wind Knight Order, leading his forces to reclaim lost territories. The New Continent Council’s three chairmen were soundly defeated outside Black Phoenix City, forcing the New Continent settlers occupying the lands to flee without resistance.

Within a short time, Charlot had reclaimed eight of the thirteen districts of Mecklenburg Duchy, including over sixty noble estates, before encountering significant resistance. However, he refrained from personally leading his troops. Receiving updates that his generals held the upper hand despite the opposition, Charlot knew he couldn’t personally oversee every campaign. Expanding and fortifying his domain would require reliance on capable subordinates. Thus, he focused on providing sufficient resources and reinforcements while remaining in Mecklenburg to oversee operations.

As the new capital of Mecklenburg Duchy, the renamed city became Charlot’s priority for reconstruction. He sought to stabilize the city’s populace, rejuvenate its war-ravaged economy, and promote development.

…

In addition to these tasks, Charlot initiated the construction of temples dedicated to the Serpent of Fate and other True Gods. A more pressing concern, however, was the rebuilding of the three universities of the former Black Phoenix Dynasty.

Universities form the backbone of any nation, providing a continuous supply of elite talent. Private noble education, by contrast, offered limited effectiveness and served merely as a supplement to university-level learning in the Old Continent.

The three original universities of the Black Phoenix Dynasty—Black Phoenix University, Royal Wilma University, and Westminster Thunder and Storm University—were under the protection of the Lady of the Black Moon, the Radiant Lord, and the God of Thunder and Storms, respectively.

Naturally, Charlot wouldn’t dare to desecrate the gods.

Instead, he reorganized faculty and students from the three universities to establish two new institutions: Mecklenburg University and Bretagne University. The former’s main building was a newly constructed temple of the Serpent of Fate, while the latter was established because Princess Annie, an alumna of Gorgias University, had convinced Charlot of the necessity of a university dedicated to the Elven God.

Initially, Charlot had considered renaming Black Phoenix University. However, he soon dismissed the idea, recognizing that the original three universities represented the city’s history and culture. While many aspects of the city could be changed, history and culture needed preservation. History was eternal, and culture thrived through inclusivity, not rejection.

…

As time passed, the West Wind Knight Order reclaimed yet another district. However, the subsequent battles grew increasingly intense. Driven from their homeland, the New Continent settlers, having abandoned everything to reach the Old Continent, fought with unmatched ferocity, knowing they had no retreat.

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