If you want to understand a country in the fastest way possible, you only need to visit its capital.
Taking advantage of a rare vacation, Li An went on a sightseeing trip to the imperial capital.
“Freshly baked bread! Warm, soft, freshly baked bread!”
The streets were teeming with vitality.
Adults bustled back and forth, while children laughed and played by the roadside.
Everything seemed incredibly wonderful.
But Li An knew.
This empire would ultimately face destruction.
“Boss, let me have another bread.”
“Ah? This one is on the house. It's a new product fresh from the oven, so feel free to try it.”
“How has business been lately?”
“Of course it's great! This is the first time in my life I've seen such a booming economy. Every day feels like a dream.”
The bakery owner rubbed the gold necklace around his neck, grinning from ear to ear.
After leaving the shop, Li An saw a street performer putting on a show by the roadside.
The performance was quite impressive.
He took out a coin and walked toward the performer.
“Ah, my apologies, but I don't accept Fairytale Coins here anymore.”
In the hat in front of the performer, coins were piled high, practically overflowing.
Was it just his imagination?
Li An couldn't even sense the slightest hint of the so-called "end of the empire."
The current empire was more prosperous than at any point in its history.
Yet, Li An remained completely unshaken.
Why was this empire heading toward destruction?
Because within the empire, countless irresolvable problems had already accumulated over a long period.
Ultimately, a series of critical events would serve as the final straw that broke the empire's back.
Each of those events was enough to shake the entire empire to its foundation.
Later on, people would refer to them as the Three Great Disasters of the empire.
And judging by the timeline.
The first disaster was already close to happening.
“Look over there! It's the genius inventor, Bernstein!”
Someone suddenly shouted, pointing into the distance.
Everyone's attention was instantly drawn over.
A troop of knights slowly approached.
Interestingly, however, they were not riding actual horses, but rather mechanical mounts powered by mana crystals.
“Mr. Bernstein, look over here!”
“Please show us your face!”
In the center of the troop, a man riding a golden mechanical horse turned his head.
He had a long beard.
It was indeed the inventor, Bernstein.
In the current empire, he enjoyed a popularity that almost no one else could match.
Because he had continuously produced all sorts of astounding inventions, rising rapidly to fame within the empire.
Some even referred to him as the empire's greatest scientist.
But Li An knew his true identity.
He was merely a con artist who happened to have absurdly good luck.
The man on whom the entire empire pinned its high hopes had once been put in charge of the empire's massive project, the "Sky Overlord."
And in the end, he did indeed complete the project.
It was just that the way he completed it came at the cost of boundless corruption and waste.
That incident was even categorized as one of the Three Great Disasters of the empire.
“Wait, I feel like I've seen your face somewhere before...”
“Could you be...”
Li An instantly turned and left.
It seemed the length of time he could stay in the capital was getting shorter and shorter.
Was it just his imagination?
...
“Today, I have an important matter to tell you, Li An.”
The current Crown Prince had already grown extremely familiar with Li An.
Holding a document written on gold foil, he walked into Li An's office.
Then, he noticed Isha standing beside him.
“Uh...”
“...”
Even the Crown Prince, who was usually highly adept at socializing, didn't know what to say for a moment.
“Your Highness, would you like me to prepare some tea for you?”
It was Isha who took the initiative to speak.
“No need, I'll be leaving shortly.”
Previously, every time the Crown Prince visited the Evaluation Department, Isha would deliberately avoid him.
But now, she seemed to have changed her attitude.
At the very least, she would no longer run away.
The Crown Prince handed the document to Li An.
The title of the document had only a few words.
The 《Sky Overlord Project》.
It had finally come.
The moment Li An saw the title, he actually felt a wave of relief.
“You seem quite pleased. Did you guess the contents just by looking at the name?”
“Is this the secret plan circulating within the empire recently—the airship development project?”
“Correct.”
The Crown Prince nodded with a smile.
The empire had already conquered the land and the sea.
However, the sky remained uncharted territory.
In this era, those who could truly soar into the sky were limited to powerful magical beasts, high-ranking mages, and the legendary Pegasus.
But the empire wanted to change that.
If they could control the sky.
Then the empire would possess an absolute advantage across the entire continent.
This was the vision of the empire's upper echelon.
“What is your opinion?”
The Crown Prince looked at Li An, who was deep in thought.
He trusted Li An's judgment.
After all, this was Li An.
One of the most trustworthy individuals in the entire empire.
“It is excellent.”
“I knew you would approve.”
The Crown Prince nodded with satisfaction.
“This project is of utmost importance. So, just to be safe, the Evaluation Department will conduct a preliminary inspection. Do you see any issues with that?”
“It is a flawless plan.”
Li An looked down at the document.
Project Leader.
Bernstein.
Upon seeing this name, a subtle shift occurred in his eyes.
The Crown Prince noticed it.
He immediately burst into laughter.
“Bernstein is one of the greatest inventors of our current empire. Right now, aren't the most popular figures in the empire the two of you?”
“The Light of the Empire collaborating with the empire's greatest scientist.”
“Hahaha, this will certainly go down as a historic event.”
Li An did not respond.
For he knew exactly what the future held.
The Emperor himself.
The royal families and nobility of other nations.
Countless reporters and citizens from both within and outside the empire.
Everyone would gather to watch that airship test flight.
And then...
That airship, which symbolized the glory of the empire, would crash in plain view of everyone.
The empire's reputation would be completely ruined.
The astronomical funds invested in it would vanish into thin air.
Moreover, due to this disaster, the Emperor would suffer a devastating blow. His chronic illnesses would worsen, severely shortening his lifespan.
This was an event truly worthy of being called a disaster.
“The empire's greatest scientist would be executed.”
“And as the one who authorized this project, I will also be ousted from my position.”
“However...”
Given his accumulated achievements from the past.
His head probably wouldn't roll.
At most, he would simply be dismissed.
Thinking up to this point, Li An had already begun to fantasize about his life after retirement.
Lying on the beaches of the Kelly Kingdom.
Leisurely passing the days away.
“I am looking forward to it.”
“As am I.”
Seeing Li An's satisfied response, the Crown Prince grew even more delighted.
He patted Li An's shoulder.
“In that case, I will leave the preliminary inspection of the airship entirely to you.”
“The Evaluation Department will be responsible for conducting an on-site investigation.”
“Li An, I trust you.”
With that said, the Crown Prince left the office and headed toward the lounge.
...
“I need to select the personnel to accompany me.”
Li An sat in his chair, lost in thought.
This operation required absolute caution.
He absolutely must not bring anyone who was genuinely capable.
Anyone who could possibly uncover the airship scam had to be excluded.
“I also plan to go with you.”
Isha spoke up.
“No, you stay behind.”
...
Isha froze.
Li An looked at her.
“If any issues arise in the Evaluation Department while I'm away, you are the only one who can handle them.”
“Isha.”
“I understand.”
Isha nodded.
She bought into the excuse.
Naturally.
Li An had simply come up with a convenient pretext.
After a long period of contemplation.
The final roster was decided.
First person.
Evaluation Department Chief, Li An.
This was only natural.
Second person.
Section Chief of Section Four of the Evaluation Department, Herben.
A sleeping artist.
A genius who possessed an innate "talent for being completely unreliable."
Third person.
The fresh talent who had recently joined the Evaluation Department.
Erin Asht.
The trouble magnet.
A harbinger of disaster.
An individual one must never get close to.
Finally.
Sushia.
“Just looking at her brings an inexplicable sense of reassurance.”
This team.
No matter where they went, they would absolutely never lose.
...
Li An, Herben, Erin, and Sushia.
The four of them headed toward Bernstein's laboratory.
“Chief, is there extra overtime pay for this business trip?”
Sushia asked, clicking her abacus.
...
Surprisingly.
Bernstein's laboratory was not far away.
The reason was simple.
The more successful an inventor was, the more money they made.
Naturally, they would be able to establish a laboratory in the expensive city center.
As the carriage drew near.
A massive airship came into view in the distance.
“Wow, is that the airship under development?”
Erin said in astonishment, peering out of the carriage window.
But Li An was deeply skeptical.
This thing looked more like a showpiece.
Rather than an airship that could actually fly.
Its exterior was incredibly magnificent.
The imperial crest had already been carved onto the hull in advance.
The surface was even adorned with all sorts of decorations.
No matter how one looked at it, it seemed all the funding provided by the empire had been squandered on its outer appearance.
Indeed.
As expected of the foremost of the Three Great Disasters of the empire.
The carriage approached the entrance of the laboratory.
Guards immediately appeared.
“This is a restricted area. Please identify yourselves.”
“Li An, Chief of the Evaluation Department.”
“Let them through!”
The next moment.
The iron gate blocking the road slowly swung open.
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