Shepherd Wizard

Translator: Pai_

The capital of the House Parsha, Kalamaf, was a city akin to a melting pot that absorbed and assimilated all humans and resources from around the world.

Those who visited this place found it hard to believe that this city had lost its ruling noble house just a few years ago and had been in decline.

After all, supporting a population numbering in the hundreds of thousands, and supplying enough resources for them all, was no easy task.

Still, there were signs that this city had undergone rapid growth.

Unlike the relatively shabby old city inside the walls, the buildings on the outskirts had been constructed only recently, and each one was clean and sturdy.

“So this is Kalamaf...”

“Don’t gawk around like a country bumpkin.”

“You’re one to talk, your neck’s about to snap from all that turning.”

“Shut up.”

The siblings who had come up from the western wastelands couldn’t stop exclaiming in awe at the sight of Kalamaf for the first time.

This city was full of a vitality hard to find anywhere else.

The faces of people walking the streets burned with ambition and fierce determination, and there were many individuals wielding unfamiliar tools or wearing clothes they had never seen before.

Sometimes, people in black clothing shouted at the crowd not to approach areas where strange metal had been laid on the ground, pushing people back. Before long, a massive metallic serpent spewing steam passed through, revealing the reason why.

“Whoa, look over there!”

“Hm?”

“It’s a dwarf.”

“Wow...”

Turning his head at his sister’s exclamation, he gasped at the sight of dwarves he had never seen in his life.

With small, shiny black eyes and faces somewhat mole-like in appearance, and thick body hair, they wore armbands marked with a symbol of two overlapping leaves.

“I heard that in the Gray Zone, other races live alongside humans, and it’s true.”

“Yeah.”

The western wastelands where they lived had luckily been spared from disaster, but they were well aware of the recent stories of ancient races suddenly returning and devastating the world.

However, here in Kalamaf, dwarves roamed freely, and no one paid them any mind, as if such events had never occurred.

Of course, curious outsiders like them did stare, fascinated.

Perhaps it was because what looked to be wizards from Parsha were escorting them nearby, but no one dared to pick a fight.

“Really, the world seems to be changing too fast. I never dreamed I’d ever come to a place like this.”

At his sister’s lament, the younger brother also nodded.

This too was thanks to the newly developed Spatial Transfer magic device in Kalamaf, which now connected the entire world.

Before that, even hearing news from outside one’s region was something that could only happen after a very long time had passed.

“I heard the head of House Parsha... that is, the Emperor who’s ascending now, is also from the west.”

"I find that hard to believe, though. Our region doesn't even have a Great Noble House."

“He apparently said that he could bestow various bloodline abilities even to those not of Great Noble House bloodlines, so maybe it’s something like that.”

There were countless stories about the head of House Parsha, Turan Parsha, and no way to tell which were true.

Some said he was of mixed blood between House Zahar and House Aravion; others claimed he freely wielded all sorts of bloodline abilities using a powerful Sacred Relic; or even that he had recreated bloodline abilities lost in ancient times.

Some even said that the recently altered law of magic power increase had been personally changed by him.

This was still widely dismissed in many places as exaggeration by House Parsha.

After all, it was absurd to think that a mere human, not even a god, could change the very laws of the world.

But one thing was certain: he was the most powerful wizard alive, and in truth, the ruler of the world.

The majesty of those who appeared throughout the city proved this fact.

“Hey, look over there, it’s the flag of Lavitas.”

“When did you learn that?”

“I saw it in a book before.”

Those carrying the flag with a black mountain on a green background numbered about a hundred.

Just by their attire and the magical beasts accompanying them, it was clear that these people were not ordinary, and so those standing on the main road naturally made way for them.

The siblings were surprised to see that the only person riding a magical beast in the procession was a boy who appeared to be in his mid-teens.

“Wow, there’s another one.”

Even after that, the siblings could see those bearing the flags of Great Noble Houses entering in front of the capital palace of Kalamaf.

House Aravion.

House Varaha.

House Zahar.

House Carmine.

House Ruvan.

Except for the completely destroyed House Nagin, all existing Great Noble Houses had participated in this proclamation ceremony.

In addition, emissaries from regions without Great Noble Houses, such as the western wastelands, the forest regions, and minor wizard houses from the grassy plains, followed behind.

The siblings were among them as well.

This scene alone was enough to show the world that the power of House Parsha now dominated the entire world.

"This is really......"

Only now could the siblings fully grasp that, for the first time in thousands of years, a unified nation ruling the world was being born.

***

Reception room of House Parsha.

Turan was seated face-to-face with Osel, the head of House Lavitas, who had come after a long time, sharing a cup of tea.

The coffee, brought from Earth not long ago, seemed to suit Osel’s taste well enough, as he carefully sipped the sweetened liquid like a cat after adding sugar.

Seeing him do that in the appearance of a young boy, Turan almost burst into laughter.

“Thank you for coming despite your busy schedule, Osel.”

“Busy or not, what could be more important than the proclamation of the Empire by the head of House Parsha... no, by His Majesty the Emperor.”

Osel, the head of House Lavitas, shook his head with an awkward smile at Turan’s polite manner.

Turan knew that they too had spent quite a busy time recovering from the damage suffered since the return of the New Era.

Though he had taken time to eliminate the rampaging elemental fairies in the wetlands, the burned jungle and the flooded swamps did not return to their original state immediately.

“I don’t know how to thank you enough for ensuring my sister’s long life once more.”

“We owe a great deal to Lady Rida. But, as I mentioned before, I cannot guarantee eternal life to all nobles of Lavitas.”

“Well, yes, of course.”

Osel nodded with a slightly regretful expression.

Spiritual lifespan, more precisely, the amount of essence consumed in fusing the body and soul, was not particularly high, but that did not mean it could be granted to countless people.

It would be a heavy burden even for those who manage essence to keep it supplied consistently, and more importantly, if eternal life were allowed to just anyone, the number of immortals would balloon into the tens or hundreds of millions over time.

“May I ask, what exactly are the conditions for enjoying eternal life?”

“Didn’t I send the documents before? I even received your written agreement.”

“Ah...”

Osel, too embarrassed to admit that he had stopped reading because the document explaining the changes in laws and administrative systems following the founding of the empire was too long, answered vaguely.

Realizing that, Turan clicked his tongue lightly and explained.

“First, the Emperor and his consort, and those who have ascended by obtaining four abilities.”

Osel nodded, as it was only natural.

In fact, it was even commendable that Turan did not grant eternal life to all of the royal bloodline, thus not abusing his authority.

Osel had privately assumed that Turan would grant eternal life to his hundreds or thousands of descendants.

“And second, the lords who govern each region and their spouses.”

With the proclamation of the empire, Turan had completely abolished the old system in which wizarding houses ruled each city.

From now on, those who governed each region, equivalent to the heads of Great Noble Houses under the old system, would be called lords.

The requirement was to possess at least three bloodline abilities, and it was a position appointed and dismissed by the Emperor.

“Only one spouse is allowed to enjoy eternal life... If someone had a lot of beloved concubines, that would have caused quite a stir.”

“Fortunately, there’s no one who would push back right now, so at this rate, we can probably make it a lasting tradition.”

Meisa, the current head of House Aravion, was Turan's consort, and Solif had no concubines other than Berit.

As for Osel, he only had a few concubines whom he had slept with out of obligation for producing offspring, and no proper consort.

There was no need to even mention the figurehead-like heads of Carmine or Ruvan.

“To be honest, excellence as a wizard doesn’t necessarily translate to excellence as a ruler, but immense power is essentially authority in and of itself. It’s better than forcing people to obey a weaker wizard.”

“In that case, I’d better ascend quickly so I can qualify as a lord too.”

“There’s no rush. Reaching the third level of ascension isn’t an easy feat anyway, so there aren’t many challengers. Weren’t you undertaking duties as an Earthmover?”

“Thanks to that, I’ve ended up doing farm work I never imagined in my life.”

To handle essence more proficiently, it was convenient to follow the correct symbolic combinations from the SSMS era. Since Osel possessed the powers of a Healer and Purifier, he had chosen to follow the symbolic combination of the Great Mother of Earth.

But being a man, would it be more correct to say Great Father of Earth?

Back in the SSMS era, the title used was gender-neutral, “Parent of the Earth”, so either would suffice.

“Most duties are handled by bureaucrats, and lords only exercise appointment powers, but it’s still good to take interest. At the very least, you should have the discernment to select capable people.”

“Of course. It’s just... I’ve been a bit busy carrying out my duties as an Earthmover lately...”

To Turan’s subtle reprimand that he hadn’t properly reviewed the empire’s administrative system, Osel replied with an embarrassed expression.

In truth, given how busy his assigned task had kept him, it was understandable, so Turan didn’t press further and simply nodded.

After all, he was the one who had led Lavitas without issue for the past few years.

“More importantly... what about my sister, then?”

“I was just about to bring that up. Third, we will be granting around twenty to thirty Eternal Life Rights per region. These aren’t to be used freely by the lord but must be distributed according to positions.”

This was to ensure that competent members of the bureaucratic class, such as the general commanding the region’s military, or the chancellor overseeing administration, could serve longer.

Given that it was the lord’s duty to assign such positions, it was effectively the same as giving them the authority to distribute eternal life.

“So then, if I assign my sister a position that comes with an Eternal Life Right-”

“Of course, the capital will conduct periodic inspections. If a lord appoints someone with no relevant work experience or expertise to a position purely on personal judgment, their title as lord may be revoked.”

“Ugh.”

Osel let out a low groan at the painful words.

For someone like him, who had enjoyed virtually unchecked power as the head of the Great House Lavitas, it was a bitter pill to swallow.

But even so, he couldn’t dare object.

How could he, knowing full well that the young man before him was effectively the god and creator of this world?

“Still, I believe Lady Rida will surely be worthy of a position. She was a Lavitas elder, after all.”

“Of course!”

Turan chuckled softly at the way Osel’s face lit up at the mere praise of his sister, and continued the conversation.

“Lastly, Eternal Life Rights will also be granted to city mayors. The authority to appoint mayors will be given to the lords, but as with the other positions, it must be awarded to those who govern properly.”

After hearing the full explanation, Osel quietly nodded.

The vertical personnel structure descending from Emperor to lords to mayors was intuitive and easy to understand.

However, one question arose in his mind after hearing everything...

“The Emperor is not subject to checks.”

“Yes.”

If a mayor ruled tyrannically, the lord would strip them of their post.

If a lord ruled tyrannically, the Emperor would strip them of their post.

Then what if the Emperor ruled tyrannically?

To the question that naturally surfaced, Turan answered in a low voice.

“I plan to step down from the position of Emperor eventually.”

“That’s...”

“I don’t want to spend endless years buried in administrative work. The greater the authority, the heavier the responsibility, and in this system, the Emperor is tasked with a great deal.”

Of course, plans were in place for commoner representatives from each region to be selected and granted a voice once the standard of living rose over time. Even so, the duties of the Emperor would remain vast.

“The next Emperor will not necessarily be one of my descendants. They’ll be chosen from among those who bloom four abilities and attain ascension. In return, I will be the one to keep that Emperor in check.”

“Ah.”

“If the empire heads in a wrong direction and the Emperor has neither the will nor the ability to correct it, I’ll advise them to step down. If they refuse, I’ll have no choice but to teach them with force.”

Only then did Osel realize what Turan had in mind.

A figure above even the Emperor, who wielded absolute, unchecked power.

In other words, he was preparing to take the position of the one and only god who ruled this world.

Someone who shamelessly kept all the rights while pushing off the obligations...

Before his blasphemous thoughts could continue, Turan spoke softly.

“The more prosperous this world becomes, the more essence it produces. So I have a motive to make this world a happier place. One that won’t fade easily with time.”

At his words, that a world watched over by a god who desires prosperity and happiness would be better than one without, Osel nodded.

***

In front of the residence of House Parsha, a plaza had been created by demolishing dozens of the old, shabby buildings.

Countless people had gathered there.

From retainers of various Great Noble Houses to emissaries or heads of minor wizarding houses, only those of some standing had been carefully selected, and still the number reached into the thousands.

Naturally, those who couldn’t attend the ceremony and were watching from afar numbered well over several hundred thousand.

Who wouldn't want to witness the beginning of a new world?

Dooong-

With the sound of a massive drum, Turan slowly began walking toward the center of the plaza.

Wizards of House Parsha, armed with the long rifles that had brought victory in the last great war, raised their weapons with a synchronized metallic click, clearing the path for him.

“Head of House Parsha, master of the Golden Eagle, the great Turan!”

[“Turan!”]

At Ashiz’s shout, hundreds of wizards responded, and their voices echoed not just through the plaza but throughout the city.

Thanks to a few skilled wind wizards manipulating the sound.

As he walked, Turan spotted many familiar faces.

Ashiz, Melo, Solif, Osel, Rida...

Even Armania, who had returned not long ago, was perched atop a maid’s shoulder, looking around curiously.

Turan clicked his tongue softly when he noticed Keorn was not among them.

‘As I thought, he didn’t come.’

After gaining the ability to manipulate essence and perform countless tasks, Turan had offered Keorn both ascension and an extended lifespan.

Although his spirit form was bound to Monarch, and now to Turan himself, if Turan chose not to control him, he could still live a different life than before.

But Keorn had refused Turan’s offer.

‘I’m tired now. I just want to live as long as I can and then pass on.’

Having lost his family in war, left his house, wandered, and finally retired, the old knight found the changes in the world overwhelming.

He didn’t feel it was right for someone like him, a worn-out relic, to climb aboard it.

If someone didn’t want to keep living, forcing them to live was just another form of torture. In the end, Turan had no choice but to give him enough money to live comfortably for the rest of his days and send him back to the home where he had originally planned to spend his retirement.

“Hoo...”

“Why are you sighing? On a day like this.”

At that moment, feeling the gentle voice beside him and the touch of a hand holding his, Turan lifted his head.

Meisa, who had followed behind, was looking at him with her blue eyes gleaming.

“No, it's just... I feel complicated.”

“Don’t let it weigh on you too much. It’s not that different from what you’ve been doing all along.”

“I hope so.”

They whispered quietly to each other, then soon resumed the ceremony.

Following the method learned from Earth, the event began with an opening declaration and introductions of the attending guests, followed by a speech about uniting the world and leading humanity toward a better path.

Finally, Meisa and the other heads of the Great Noble Houses, who had already been introduced, began their oaths of allegiance in turn.

First, three of them knelt on one knee and bowed their heads.

“I pledge my loyalty to my Emperor. I am Andir of House Ruvan.”

“I pledge my loyalty to my Emperor. I am Valen of House Carmine.”

“I pledge my loyalty to my Emperor. I am Ramel of House Zahar.”

These three had merely been appointed to fill in the vacant positions of house heads, and thus gave their oaths in the most submissive posture.

Among them, Ramel Zahar was Berit’s half-sister and had been elevated due to her reputation as one of the few remaining competent nobles from House Zahar.

In any case, most of them were unlikely to retain their lordship positions in the long run.

“I will remember your loyalty.”

With a simple response, Turan accepted their vows. Next came Solif and Osel’s turn.

Thanks to their relationship with Turan, the two were treated one rank higher than the previous three.

In fact, both were likely to become lords, and even had enough potential to ascend as gods, so they were bound to be treated with respect.

“I pledge friendship and loyalty to my Emperor. I am Solif of House Varaha.”

“I pledge friendship and loyalty to my Emperor. I am Osel of House Lavitas.”

“I believe in the eternal loyalty and friendship of Solif of Varaha and Osel of House Lavitas.”

Unlike with the others, Turan briefly embraced the two, and then his gaze drifted toward someone familiar among the crowd watching from afar.

Being Turan’s symbiotic host, there was no way he could fail to recognize him even at a distance.

'Old man.'

Keorn, noticing that Turan had spotted him, gave a small smile and waved.

Feeling more at ease, Turan turned to the last person.

Dressed in a white gown that fluttered with translucent fabric, mimicking those from Earth, Meisa spoke formally to Turan.

“I pledge eternal love and loyalty to my Emperor. I am Meisa of House Aravion.”

“I, too, pledge eternal love to Meisa of House Aravion.”

Though the lines had been prepared in advance, Turan felt his throat tighten, and he discreetly created moisture to wet his mouth and throat.

Sensing the subtle change, Meisa approached with a smiling gaze and kissed him.

With that, after securing the loyalty of all the Great Noble Houses, Ashiz, who had taken on the role of master of ceremonies, shouted loudly.

“With this, we declare that House Parsha and all Great Noble Houses have cast off the old order and entered into a new system!”

A thunderous cheer spread beyond the plaza, echoing across all of Kalamaf.

It was the beginning of a new era.

*****

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