"Why are you thanking ?" Morgana shook her head lightly, her tone calm. "You're the one who designed and brought this academy into existence. You're free to co here whenever you wish. And besides... I'm genuinely happy to spend so ti with a sister!"
Morgana truly was smiling from the depths of her heart, not the polite smile of a Monarch, but a rare, sincere one.
The academy itself was never short on girls, yet all of them were either
students bound by discipline or followers bound by hierarchy. She could never speak freely with any of them without risking the erosion of her authority. Emily, however-despite being extrely young in her eyes, and by all asures even rather weak-possessed authority among His Majesty's followers that rivaled Morgana's own. Only she, along with a very small and exceptional number of girls, could stand before Morgana and speak to her not as a subordinate, but as a friend.
Aside from Emily, no one else held a comparable level of status and influence- except Zara, and perhaps the girl known as Renara in the neighboring sector.
"That's exactly how I feel as well," Emily said with visible fatigue. "One of the reasons I ca is that I no longer see Her Highness Zara very often. She's busy, just like ... perhaps even more so."
She paused briefly, then continued, "So? What was the issue that reached you just now?"
"It's less of a problem, and more of a dilemma," Morgana replied as she turned her gaze away. "The number and power of the plague are increasing at an alarming, almost terrifying rate-especially within the Mid Belt. At tis, we even discover forgotten planets carrying enormous quantities of plague. Quantities that will, without a doubt, eventually give rise to a Blue Plague. And that is sothing we absolutely cannot allow."
"...But even that alone isn't the strangest part," she continued. "Take the hotspot we're attacking today, for example. It already contains massive Black Plagues- Black Plagues capable of driving their roots thousands of miles beneath the planetary crust. Creatures that could easily locate the planet's core and devour it entirely."
Her brows furrowed. "Yet they didn't do that."
She went on, her voice growing heavier, "On top of that, there are nurous Nexus States among the Crimson Plague-and that is exceedingly rare."
"Under normal circumstances, the Crimson Plague is either wiped out completely, or it annihilates the planet and then perishes before any king can ever reach a Nexus State. Only after that does the Black Plague erge..."
Morgana exhaled slowly. "But this ti, there are many of both of them. Not only that-they coexist with the Black Plague with disturbing ease. No... they're actively cooperating."
"That truly is strange..." Emily frowned slightly, deep in thought. "The Black Plague appeared on planets S-1, S-2, and S-3 multiple tis in the past, but the demons would tear them apart the instant they appeared-without waiting for orders, almost as if driven by pure instinct to slaughter them."
"That reaction is only natural," Morgana replied firmly. "The Black Plague inevitably destroys the planet it inhabits. How could they not kill it?"
She continued, her tone analytical. "That's the fundantal reason behind the natural order: the Black Plague always appears after the Crimson Plague has gone extinct. Because if a mutation occurs-if a Black Plague grows from the blood of the Crimson Plague before the Crimson Plague is fully eradicated- then its fate is absolute, inevitable death on the hands of the Crimson Plague." Morgana tapped her thigh rhythmically, a habit she showed only when troubled. "But what's happening there now... what I've witnessed with my own eyes over the past half-century-the situation is undeniably strange, and deeply unsettling."
"... Yes, Emily replied softly. "It's frightening." She forced a faint, understanding smile.
"Alright, alright-that's enough talk about those bloody matters," Morgana said, deliberately changing the subject. "Tell about you instead. Why do you look this exhausted? There were tis when you were far busier than you are now." "That's true," Emily admitted with a small smile. "I have many assistants now."" Her expression soon darkened. "But this isn't physical exhaustion... nor is it ntal fatigue. I think it's sothing else entirely."
She lowered her gaze, her expression cold and heavy. "I believe it's fear. His Majesty entrusted with an enormous sum of wealth-to expand his holdings and forge armies of terrifying might. But I failed."
Her fingers tightened slightly. "I'm afraid of the day I stand before him... and he asks about that money."
"... What did you do with His Majesty's money?" Morgana's brows drew together sharply, her expression hardening as a clear edge of hostility crept into her voice.
"In the imperial treasury, of course. Where else would it be?" Emily shook her head slowly, a faint, bitterly sarcastic smile tugging at her lips. "I didn't waste it, Morgana. I swear I didn't. I just... I don't know how to use it properly."
"Oh?" Morgana's expression softened almost imdiately. "So you still have the money. Then what exactly are you afraid of?" A calm smile returned to her face. "His Majesty is extrely understanding, you know that."
"...I just " Emily let out a long, exhausted sigh. "I was never a general. I never fought beside him before the conquest of the planet Jura. I didn't invent anything for him, nor did I bring him powerful allies or legendary warriors. My only value... has always been numbers, calculations, and managing resources." "You're afraid that your importance will decline in his eyes," Morgana said quietly, understanding dawning on her face, "and that he'll replace you." "... Maybe I was useful when the empire was still small," Emily continued, her voice low. "Back when I could calculate all resources by hand and set budgets ten years ahead without breaking a sweat. But now... now I feel like I'm filling a position I no longer deserve." She exhaled slowly. "Perhaps I should preserve what dignity I have left and resign on my own."
"..." Morgana stared at Emily for a long mont without speaking. She had heard countless reports about her before-how Emily was the silent mind coordinating nearly everything within the empire. Soone like her was not easily replaced... not at all.
"May I ask," Morgana finally said, "why you can no longer manage resources the way you used to? Is it because there are simply too many of them now?" She nodded to herself. "I can understand that. Managing such vast quantities of resources to supply multiple empires, academies, and organizations under His Majesty's banner... that kind of workload would fry anyone's brain eventually."
"No. That's not it," Emily replied instantly, lifting her head. "My problem is the lack of resources."
She clenched her fists slightly. "I can expand production endlessly-but I don't have enough materials to support it!"
"What?" Morgana tilted her head in genuine confusion. "But your role is managent, not resource acquisition. Why burden yourself with sothing outside your responsibility?"
"... Because no one else is worrying about securing them," Emily said quietly,
leaning forward and resting her forehead against her hands. "The Shadow Swords withdrew. The empires are locked in massive conflicts. Trade alliances have collapsed or weakened... Even Ryan Burton and his rchant group lack the experience to bring in sufficient supplies."
"....." Morgana remained silent for several seconds. She glanced briefly toward the door, as if considering sothing unseen, then a confident smile spread across her face. Rising from her seat, she reached out, took Emily's hand, and
gently pulled her to her feet.
"Co with ."
"Where?!" Emily exclaid in a hushed voice, startled by the sudden shift. "Did
you get tired of already?"
"Don't you want soone to secure resources for you?" Morgana replied with a
wide, almost playful smile.
"Then I'll take you straight to the resource vaults themselves."
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