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Enlightened Empire Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the Enlightened Empire novel. A total of 488 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : *Truth counts for nothing in the face of destiny*, Corco thought as his s.h.i.+vering ha
*Truth counts for nothing in the face of destiny*, Corco thought as his s.h.i.+vering hands dropped the flakes of poison into the cup, creating a ripple in the wine.His preparations completed, he picked up the cup and moved it to his lips. Halfway there,
- 1 *Truth counts for nothing in the face of destiny*, Corco thought as his s.h.i.+vering hands dropped the flakes of poison into the cup, creating a ripple in the wine.His preparations completed, he picked up the cup and moved it to his lips. Halfway there,
- 2 "What's keeping Laqhis so long? We have to move, and right quick."After an annoyed glance up the worn-down stairs of the shabby inn, Atau stared back into his drink. From within the reflection in the stale, murky beer, a large man with bron
- 3 The honored, free city of Etra was a stinking mess. Now that they were out in the open and saw the streets in the morning light, the thought returned to Corco once again. The warming suns.h.i.+ne did nothing to brighten up the alleys sprayed in gray and b
- 4 Various pots and pans, cheese cloths, stones, oil, mortar and pestle, ropes, firewood. Corco's eyes gazed over the collection of their new acquisitions. Finally, they landed on the loaned donkey cart which had carried all of it here. It was too stran
- 5 Fadelio looked over to his left, to the bearded southerner he would have to entrust his life to soon. Atau was armed with a stern look on his face and a heavy axe in his right. They had also fas.h.i.+oned improvised s.h.i.+elds, a fancy term for wood plan
- 6 By the time Fadelio had returned to the mouth of the cave, he saw Atau carry the last of the treasures out into the open. Before the warrior's eyes, a mountain of barrels and chests had been loaded onto what was left of their cart. At least the duke&
- 7 A sharp glint of light bounced off the edges of the crossed halberds and landed on Corco's face."Lords and Ladies! Your Majesty! Now, for the grand attraction of the evening!"Under the flamboyant voice of Bombasticus from beyond the door, C
- 8 "This is an outrage!" the alchemist screamed through the sun-filled walkways of the outer castle. As he walked by the man's side, Corco looked past him, down onto the port city. The tall houses of the merchants, red roofs vibrant in the sun
- 9 With a short sigh, Corco paused in his writing for a moment and put down the feather quill. Even though his memory had always been exceptional, in either life, he had spent every free minute writing down the precious knowledge in his head. Just to make su
- 10 "We need to begin treatment soon. Please, could the men present offer a prayer to the Lords?" As if under water, a m.u.f.fled sound reached Corco's ears. Weary and heavy, his eyelids opened to find unfocused silhouettes of several men tower
- 11 The air was filled with the pleasant smell of fresh cut and polished wood. In the end, they had gone with cherry wood for the flooring of their new headquarters."You've got this?" As he looked up the large gallery with the simple wood raili
- 12 "Okay, last question. Where do you see yourself in five years?" With his elbows rested on the dark wood before him, Corco crossed his hands in front of his face. Meanwhile, the young man with the sharp nose on the other side of the desk seemed s
- 13 As Atau's feet left the gangway and touched down on the wooden planks of Etra's harbor, he took a last look back to the s.h.i.+p which had been his home for the past two weeks. On top of the main deck, leaned against the railing, were the collea
- 14 "So, how's it look?" Corco asked his apprentice as he wiped the sweat off his brow."...I'm not sure." Addressed by his big brother, Brym put down the leather tube in his hand. Only after some hesitation did he answer the ques
- 15 White on red on blue, the rugged, ice-covered cliffs along the Ostarian Coast resisted, with great bravery, the attempts at conquest from the Freezing Sea. Though in truth, the so-called 'sea' would just be part of one giant ocean, according to
- 16 "d.a.m.nit, which one of you numb skulls didn't put their stuff below deck!?"Animated by the oncoming storm, buckets, brooms and brushes tumbled all across the s.h.i.+p's forecastle. At the same time, the howling winds, blowing through
- 17 A partner to the winds around him, Atau swept across the deck, tipping the balance of each fight in favor of the defenders. As soon as the warrior got involved, none of the mutineers could even provide token resistance. Oh, there had been a few proper fig
- 18 "No, look. There's not *that* many vowels. Only fifteen. There's also not that many symbols in total, pretty close to your own script. It's not excessive if I ask you to memorize a handful of symbols, right? It's really just memor
- 19 Howling winds surrounded the caravan all around, signs of an oncoming storm. Though he was no native, Fadelio had been in Etra long enough to understand the signs of nature around these parts. His worried look went up, into the black sky. The lack of star
- 20 Corco could already smell, and hear, the bulls.h.i.+t long before he reached the door to the Great Hall of the Merchant's Union."So where's this great seer now? Where is his respect towards this hallowed hall? Maybe the charlatan has seen t
- 21 Just as he had done ten years ago, Duke Herak once again stared down the distant walls of Etra. In antic.i.p.ation of his revenge, he couldn't suppress a small grin, but reality soon reigned in his enthusiasm. As his face transformed into a smile, th
- 22 Locked in a staring contest, again. Across the length of the battlefield, Corco looked over to his old foe, the Duke of Balit. Large as the bear he was named after, the duke stood in front of his command tent, unmoving, and stared up towards the top of th
- 23 A sharp hit from Corco's axe and the final one of the siege ladder's claws splintered under a shower of wood. Up to this point, the Bornish knight had fought his way through the carnage with a valiant heart. Through the fire of muskets, over his
- 24 "What is this nonsense?"The grand voice of the Duke reverberated within the tiny room. Disgruntled, Herak looked down onto the written agreement which had been negotiated between the Free Alliance of the Southern Cities on one side and the Kingd
- 25 "Right, so what is it I'm doing here, if sire won't mind my asking?" Confused about the invitation he had received by his newest employee, the tall, burly mercenary, dressed in a well-worn gambeson, looked up towards the ceiling of the
- 26 Although the world had been turned on its head it was hard to tell, out here in the open sea. The only change was that the deep blue of the sky, sprinkled with the white of the clouds, had switched positions with the dark blue sea, sprinkled with the whit
- 27 During their march through the hills, Felian had acted with all the care he could muster, but of course it had been pointless. Even though he had warned them, even though he knew that the merchants had been raising an army, even though he understood that
- 28 With a worried look, Corco spied out of the window, down onto the streets in front of the Fastgrade Merchant Company. Across from his position, the prince found the small crowd which had been standing there for days on end, right on the corner of the stre
- 29 Corco had never thought much of his father. Although in the past, after the prince had been left in charge of his own dependents for a few years, he had begun to understand the emperor's pains, it was still hard for the prince to forgive the man'
- 30 More than once throughout his life, Duke Herak had tried to scale the walls of Etra, to make up for the mistakes of his ancestors and reintegrate the land into his family's kingdom. What strange fate then that at last, he had managed to enter, with h
- 31 Once more, for the third time in his life, Corco found himself across from Duke Herak of Balit. The first time they had met when Corco's old master had entered Balit Castle with the matter of a loan to the Duke on the table. The second time, the prin
- 32 "Eight seven, do I see eight eight?"Just like it had done multiple times before, another hand shot up from the right of the auction's stage."The new highest bid is eight hundred and eighty Gildern from the great King of Whiteport. What
- 33 Lost in thought, Corco stared at the letter in his hand, the rough paper smoothed down at the edges from constant use. Despite the dramatic message, the paper itself didn't hold much content beyond it.The emperor died after illness. Soon, the funeral
- 34 "No one's coming, boss."Despite his warrior's shout, Corco remained motionless, his arms still rested on the railing of their s.h.i.+p. With a sigh, he stared at the worn-down letter in his hands, the one he had received some six month
- 35 Unlike Porcero's outer city with its chaotic layout off the wide main roads, the inner city was neatly divided into blocks through and through. The buildings themselves were uniform, if somewhat lacking in care. Throughout the years, the neat white p
- 36 *The room certainly doesn't look like a prison.*Those were the first words which popped into the crown prince's mind after the heavy oaken door had been slammed shut behind him. To the sound of sc.r.a.ping metal on metal from the other side of t
- 37 Corco was happy. For the first time in years, he could feel comfortable in his own skin again. When he looked down on the precious silken robe and tunic which covered his body, he could sense the tradition of hundreds of years of craftsmans.h.i.+p course
- 38 A few minutes after Corco had readjusted his plans, he found himself in front of the Petrocilius manor, with two of his warriors in tow. Corco decided to bring Fadelio and, against his own better judgment, Dedrick as well, though he had sworn in the merce
- 39 A feeling of absolute calm enveloped his entire being, like floating in the tranquil sea. Driven along the surface, the push and pull of gently rocking waves mimicked the breath of an enormous, gentle being; slowly rocking back and forth; all encompa.s.si
- 40 Awestruck, bereft of his breath, Corco stared at the stars up above.High above the cloud layer, the firmament was so much brighter than it had been at a lower alt.i.tude, a view any man had to see at least once in his life. As if intent to compete for a p
- 41 Ever since his arrival in Medala, Corco had been on constant edge. Powered by his self-hypnotic levels of confidence, he had done his best to paper over the cracks, but the ever-increasing pile of bad news had nibbled away at his composure. After the nigh
- 42 Arguna, the silver city. The name was as fitting as it was obvious, as it had been built within the Argu basin and along the Argu river. The city also offered close watch and direct control over the numerous, abundant mines in the area, none more importan
- 43 One thing could not be denied. The new garden was truly beautiful. In a small, intricate pavilion placed in between rock formations, willow trees, bamboo forests and artificial square ponds, servants had placed a table with two chairs and two correspondin
- 44 With a frown, Corco looked over down to the cup of coffee he had brewed before. The s.h.i.+mmer on the cold, black drink's surface was just about the only thing he could see. Of course the prince was sure that no one would be stupid enough to attack
- 45 Within the silver palace, Corco had always felt out of place. His mother, the former empress, had been southern n.o.bility. After a grueling civil war, the marriage had been supposed to seal lasting peace between the north and the south. However, things d
- 46 On the morning after the a.s.sa.s.sination, the entire castle was in an uproar. Although the sun hadn't crossed the horizon in full yet, the small court was filled with people. Normally, the court would handle all internal affairs of the imperial fam
- 47 Once the small court had restored Corco's status as prince, he could bring his personal guards through the walls at last. Even better, he was able to make proper plans for the day. First, Fadelio would go out into the inner city to visit his father,
- 48 To help them on their way, the bodies of dead Pacha faithful would be covered in a wet cloth and barred up in enclosed rooms. It was only during this time that ordinary people could still communicate with them. At least that was what the Pacha priests sai
- 49 Fadelio had a long day ahead of himself. Not only would he have to help furnish of the new Raven Yard, he also had to go visit his father's home in the outer city. After all, they needed allies, if possible reliable ones for a change. No one would be
- 50 "Do you mean to say that we have left the entire capital in the hands of the furia?"Sonco's nickname for the new empress mother tickled a grin out of the frustrated Corco. It seemed like the estates had kept the rumor mill going after his d
- 51 "We need to finish up the reflectors right away. I can't know what my brothers have planned for the banquet, but I guarantee you we'll need these by tonight."After he had spent the night at the Saqartu mansion, Corco had gone on a shop
- 52 Since today's banquet was meant to reintroduce Prince Corco into Medala's society, he would have to meet the representatives of the empire's estates. However, only few outside of the imperial family were allowed into the palace complex even
- 53 After the awkward opening, Prince Pacha began to introduce the companions to his side with a grand wave of his arm."Brother, you should still remember our uncle: Lord Divitius Ichilia." Lord Ichilia, Governor of the West, Spuria's brother a
- 54 When Corco stopped his escape and looked at his surroundings again, he realized that he had left the banquet far behind. Instead, he had reached a walkway next to one of the mansion's side courts. Once he had calmed down, he crossed the walkway, lean
- 55 After she had said her piece, Princess Sumaki walked off. Even though her brother had followed her, he had apologized for his sister's rude behavior first. Right as the siblings disappeared around a corner, Sonco and Primus emerged from a hallway. A
- 56 Compared to the revelry which surrounded his younger brother, the atmosphere among Prince Amautu's entourage couldn't have been more distinct. When Corco entered the alcove, everyone in the second prince's camp sat in neat groups of three o
- 57 With its dark color and confined s.p.a.ce, the room seemed too small and uninviting to be part of an Arguna mansion. The lack of windows and the minimalist furniture, just two chairs and a table, only added to the gloomy mood. Among the servants, the room
- 58 When the runner had come to inform him of the upcoming fight, Dedrick hadn't been surprised. After all, the boss had told him to be prepared. Thus, he led his men into the city, eager to prove himself. His enthusiasm had ended the moment he stepped i
- 59 On the mirrored surface, his own face stared back at him, coated in a warm, red glow. His open, chubby features, which others had described as friendly, were anything but at the moment. Instead, a conflicted frown ruled the countenance of his mirror image
- 60 The excited bustle of the street entered the room through the paper window, yet infected no one inside. From inside the strange apparatus under the opening, unknown vapors escaped and filled the air with sharp smells which tickled Primus' nose. Stran
- 61 Once he had left the warehouse, Corco s.h.i.+ed back, for the sunlight had launched an attack on his face. Out in the open, his eyes had to take some time to readjust to the world of the day walkers. Squinting to fight back the UV-rays, he looked over his
- 62 After the the tables had been filled with food, the mood within the room improved even further. The Ape King's Banquet was famous countrywide, and it was famous for a reason. They had even brought out their garum fish sauce, coveted by n.o.bles all a
- 63 With a satisfied smile on his face, Sonco left the inner city mansion of House Rupilo. Ever since Corco's performance at the banquet, Sonco's work had become much easier, so today had been another productive afternoon. Since Corco himself had be
- 64 What a miserable day this had been. Once again the little southern monkey's camp had gained supporters. Things could not go on like this. Absolutely not! If nothing changed, and soon, her little Pacha would be exiled. With how vicious and vengeful th
- 65 A firm knock on the door caused Corco to stop writing mid-sentence. Not too long ago, his thoughts had been clouded by deep worries. The defilement of his father's grave and the war for succession had grasped his mind and never let go. However, over
- 66 "Have you heard? Prince Pachacutec...""Shhhhh...""...that's not possible.""But who is the father then?""I heard it was one of the harem warriors.""I heard it was the prime minister.""Qu
- 67 Corco's eyes swerved across the decorated front yard and the people who had taken seat at its tables. Forty-two. He had a hard time putting names to all the faces, but it seemed like all of their collected allies were here to celebrate their apparent
- 68 Today should have been a happy day for the first prince of Medala. Finally, the members of the ancestral hall would meet to decide on their candidate for next emperor. Not only that, after weeks of inconvenience, Corco could take off that d.a.m.n sling. T
- 69 "Oh, this seems to be a common affliction amongst your people, brother," Pachacutec said with a look at Fadelio's bandaged arm. With the fake concern in his voice as obvious as the real mockery on his face, he moved in for a hypocritical sl
- 70 In clear contrast with the earlier noise, the Ancestral Hall had been taken over by a quiet murmur. No one had expected this strange turn of events. The first prince had proven unusually persistent, even when pressured. Corco himself didn't care abou
- 71 Neither grandfather nor grandson had spoken a word, even after the door to the grand court had closed with a bang. Corco turned to walk towards the throne, still in no hurry to speak. In the end, it was on Caelestis to break the silence. Eager to explain
- 72 Amautu was having a bad day. Before the start of the a.s.sembly he had been sure to have won over most of the ancestors, but right from the start nothing had gone according to plan. The ancestors who had been so supportive before now stayed quiet as his o
- 73 It was still the day of the ancestral a.s.sembly. After the surprise appearance of his ancient great-grandfather, Corco had retreated back into his outer city mansion. He had been stuck in his study, in an attempt to quell his rage and adjust his plans, w
- 74 Prince Amautu looked down onto the bloated corpse on the ground. The scented cloth pressed tightly onto his nose, in a vain attempt to lock out the terrible stench. Even so, he was a.s.saulted by the sweetly rotting aroma of the dead."Is it certain t
- 75 As he forced his tired body beyond its capability, Corco's muscles began to jitter under the strain. He could feel the sweat run down his spine and his wet hair stick to his forehead, despite the headband. With a single mighty pull he forced his body
- 76 Once again, Fadelio had been sent out into the dangers of Arguna, to handle matters no one else could. He was supposed to establish contact with the priests, but that hadn't been his only plans for the day. Without the knowledge of his master, he pur
- 77 The sky was dark, as were most of Corco's surroundings. It had been another cloudy day, which had since turned into a starless night.*At least there's no rain,* Corco thought.Still, his position on top of the Moonlight Ziggurat was precarious, i
- 78 With a bang, the shabby door to the secret room burst open. Almost ripped from its hinges, the door crashed into the wall behind it. The first noise had already been enough to let Fadelio and his sisters look up in shock. The second seemed nothing less th
- 79 Despite the new furniture, the surroundings were still familiar to Corco. The cloud courtyard of the Pluritac mansion had been transformed into a deliberation court for the n.o.bles' a.s.sembly. Tables had been set up in a large circle, the lords of
- 80 With a long sigh, Corco stretched his arms behind his back. With an agreement reached between the three princes, all of their differences had been overcome. The n.o.bles' a.s.sembly had ended soon after, amicably. However, the the first prince had st
- 81 After his change of clothes, Corco stepped back out onto the yard to a wind of whispers and gasps within the crowd. Readied for the fight, the chubby little prince appeared with a look much different from what any onlookers would have expected. Many lords
- 82 Another rainy day was haunting Arguna. This time it was only a light drizzle, as if someone had sifted the rain high up in the troposphere. A final goodbye from Arguna to its departing visitors. Corco drew his fur coat closed and looked away from the gray
- 83 When Chaupic entered the mansion, he was greeted by a lively atmosphere. He had decided to come along late, when the revelry would be in full swing. This way, he wouldn't stand out too much. Despite his role in the alliance, he really didn't wan
- 84 A heavy sigh escaped Atau's lips. It was the latest of many he had gone through over the past two weeks. He looked over the lived-in tent with the improvised furniture and finally back to the letter in his hand, the one they had received this morning
- 85 As he breathed in the petrichor air, Corco looked out onto the swamplands around him. Once again, he drew his fur cloak tighter. After they had left Arguna, their surroundings had become increasingly grim. They had chased the retreating winter south, thro
- 86 Saniya, terminus of Sachay.In the past, those were the words used to describe the town of Saniya and the surrounding lands of Chawir. Back in those days, the town's importance for the southern isle had made the moniker more than justified. Despite it
- 87 Corco was lost in thought. While his fingers tapped on his upper lip, he looked after the men who had just left the command tent in the center of his army's encampment. Their reception in Puscanacra had been cold, but that had been expected. After al
- 88 After they had been led into the city, Corco, Atau and Tama had boarded a large palanquin at the entrance. Not more words had been exchanged with the governess even after they had gotten into motion. Corco as well had preferred to remain silent. There was
- 89 Accompanied by a long sigh, the tall man with the spa.r.s.e gray hair sank into his well-worn seat next to the hearth. For a few precious seconds, Elder Cauac looked into the fire, into the flickering flames which would dispel the freezing air of the outs
- 90 With a satisfied groan, Sawo di Pluritac stretched his hands over his head and greeted the midday sun. After a late start to the day, there was nothing like a hot bath in the bathhouse to freshen up his spirits. He had been quite stressed in recent days;
- 91 Out of the window, Corco could see the lines of wolf mercenaries, as they boxed in Sawo's loyalists on the stone plates of the central yard. After his men had been handed control over the western south gate, the rest of his troops had soon made their
- 92 *This must be the feeling of a child on his first travels.*Egidius brushed the unruly veil of hair out of his face to look at the unique, foreign constructions around him. Though he was no architect, he very much considered himself an artist. Thus, fascin
- 93 "Well, that was exhaustively pointless." Corco took off his crown and, with reckless abandon, threw it to the side, onto a cupboard set up in the hallway, to his convenience."In the end, they are nothing but barbarians. They would not under
- 94 The fresh smell of paper rubbing on paper tickled Corco's nose as he organized the books into their rightful places on his shelf. A sound made him turn and find a young priest enter his new study. Rather than a study, the rearranged furniture gave th
- 95 Not once in his life had Machao received an honor as great as this. Only yesterday, he had still feared for his life, but now it felt as if all the hards.h.i.+ps had been worth it. On yesterday's most fateful day, the new King of the South, Corcopaca
- 96 As he observed the drab, gray swampland around himself, Ronnie pinched his nose closed. In truth, it wasn't as if the Arcavian alchemist would have noticed the stagnant stench of the bog, whether his nose was free or not. Being Arcavian meant that he
- 97 Today was the twelfth day of their journey, which also meant that, according to the original plan, they should have arrived back in Saniya two days ago. However, they were still stuck halfway. By now, Ronnie's troops had pulled together once again, t
- 98 "Would the craftsmen line up together, please? A King shall not raise his voice for others." Even though they were only commoners, Tama waved over Corco's new employees with the same indifference she afforded almost everyone else. Anywhere
- 99 Boisterous life surrounded the outside of the house. Like most of Medalan life, here as well, the inner atmosphere of the private property spilled out onto the street, into the public. However, unlike most other parts of town, here it did not only cause a
- 100 With a light tap, the chess piece landed on the stone board, to seal the attacker's fate."It seems like it is my victory after all, Official Atau."In response to Epunamo's declaration, Atau nodded his head. A quick look over the state