Chapter 55: The Emperor’s Palace

After Fafnir appeared before millions of human beings and proclaimed the beginning of the Era of Humanity’s Renaissance, the human capital was no longer the same.

His appearance upon the balcony of the Sovereign Palace had been a true turning point.

That day was not merely the day humanity witnessed the return of its ancient Emperor.

It was the day humanity began to move in a manner befitting the return of its Emperor.

Beginning the very next day, orders began to pour out from the human leadership concerning a massive project.

The expansion of the Sovereign Palace.

The existing palace was no longer suitable to serve as the residence of the Emperor who had returned after five thousand years.

And so, it was decided that it would be expanded on an enormous scale.

But the expansion was not a project that could be completed within a few days.

It was a colossal undertaking that would take many long weeks.

During the first few days, construction and engineering teams began working around the Sovereign Palace.

New plans were drawn up, and the surrounding areas were prepared for the expansion.

Then the new foundations began to take shape.

As the days passed, new walls gradually rose around the ancient palace.

The construction expanded little by little.

Massive gates.

Vast courtyards.

Long passageways.

Towering spires.

And new halls began to emerge around the old structure.

The goal was not merely to increase the palace’s size.

The goal was to build a colossal imperial palace worthy of Fafnir—the ancient ancestor of humanity and its Emperor.

As for its colors, they were chosen to be both imposing and unmistakable.

Black and crimson.

Black dominated the main walls and towers, while crimson details stretched across various parts of the structure, giving the palace an imposing and powerful appearance.

As the weeks passed, the palace began to change visibly.

Each week brought something new.

A new wall.

A new tower.

A new courtyard.

Or another section of the imperial complex.

And the ancient palace remained standing at the heart of the expansion.

It was not demolished.

Instead, it was preserved exactly as it had been.

That palace was a part of Fafnir’s own history, and for that reason, humanity chose to preserve it within the new imperial palace.

At the same time, the human capital was far from standing still.

As the weeks passed, the capital itself began to expand.

Roads stretched into the surrounding regions.

New areas began to be developed.

New districts, new facilities, and new administrative and military buildings began to appear.

The areas designated for the capital’s various needs continued to expand.

The city grew gradually as construction continued.

With each passing week, the boundaries of the capital shifted farther outward.

New expanses of land became part of the city.

New roads were opened.

New buildings rose.

New facilities appeared.

And the old capital gradually began transforming into a city far greater than the one Fafnir had known five thousand years ago.

This transformation did not happen overnight.

It unfolded before everyone’s eyes.

Week after week.

As for Fafnir...

He took no part in these works.

After appearing before his people, he returned to his secluded chamber.

There, far from the noise of the capital and the sounds of construction, he continued the task that mattered most to him at that stage.

Healing his body.

Fafnir sat at the center of his chamber and closed his eyes.

The System began to operate.

The cosmic treasures Fafnir had gathered were within the System’s range, and their energy was being extracted continuously.

Immense amounts of energy were drawn from those treasures.

The System then processed that energy and transformed it into a form that Fafnir’s body could utilize.

Then the energy began flowing into his body.

It moved through his organs and inner layers, gradually reaching the areas damaged by his ancient injury.

The healing process was slow.

The wound Fafnir was trying to heal was no ordinary wound.

It was the lingering mark of an injury that had occurred five thousand years ago.

An injury that had forced him to disappear from the world and enter a prolonged seclusion.

For that reason, healing it required an enormous amount of energy.

And the cosmic treasures were one of the most important sources of that energy.

Thus, Fafnir continued his seclusion.

The days passed.

Then one week passed.

Then another.

Then another.

Throughout that time, the construction work outside continued.

The Sovereign Palace grew steadily larger.

The capital continued to expand.

And at the same time, Fafnir remained within his chamber.

The System continued extracting energy from the cosmic treasures.

Then new shipments began to arrive.

They were additional shipments of cosmic treasures gathered specifically for Fafnir.

And Morgana was responsible for transporting them to him.

On one occasion, Morgana entered the secluded chamber carrying another shipment.

The chamber was as quiet as ever.

At its center, Fafnir sat completely motionless.

Morgana approached him and said,

“Another shipment has arrived.”

Fafnir slowly opened his eyes.

He looked at her for a moment, then turned his gaze toward the treasures she had brought.

“Put them here,” he said calmly.

Morgana obeyed his command and placed the shipment in the designated area.

The moment the treasures entered the System’s range, it began analyzing them.

New data appeared before Fafnir.

Then the energy extraction process began.

The cosmic energies started to gather.

They gradually flowed toward his body.

Fafnir closed his eyes once more.

And returned to his seclusion.

More weeks passed.

Outside, the transformation became even more apparent.

The Sovereign Palace had grown larger.

The towers had risen higher.

The walls had stretched farther.

The courtyards had begun to take their final form.

And the black and crimson colors had become increasingly prominent across the palace.

As for the capital, it continued expanding in every direction.

The features of the new capital were gradually beginning to emerge.

Humanity was building.

And building.

And it did not stop.

And at the heart of it all...

The ancient palace still stood.

Surrounded by the new palace that continued to grow around it, little by little.

And within the secluded chamber...

Fafnir was still seated.

Cosmic energy moved through his body.

The System continued the healing process.

Then another shipment arrived.

Once again, it was Morgana who brought it.

And once again, the System began extracting energy from it.

There was no need for haste.

Healing required time.

And Fafnir knew that.

He had waited five thousand years.

A few weeks meant nothing to him.

And so, everything continued along its course.

Outside, humanity was building.

A greater palace.

A greater capital.

A residence worthy of its Emperor.

And inside, Fafnir was healing himself.

Treasure by treasure.

Shipment by shipment.

Week after week.

Cosmic energy continued flowing into his body as the remnants of his ancient injury slowly receded.

And while countless human hands raised the walls of the new palace...

Fafnir was rebuilding his own body in silence.

Five thousand years of absence had come to an end.

And now, humanity had begun building its future around the Emperor who had returned.

As for Fafnir...

He had returned to his seclusion.

And continued to heal.

And he knew that the day he emerged from that chamber with his restored power...

Would be different from every day that had come before.