I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit - Chapter 60

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Captain Lucain spoke.
“The Erbe Mountains are where those of us gather who have nothing but sturdy bodies to our names.”
In other words, it was a 3D industry—dangerous, dirty, and demanding.
Everyone shunned it, yet someone had to do it.
“Or to put it plainly, we’re ignorant and worthless! Hahahaha!”
“….”
“I was deeply envious watching Prince Michael freely use the Transportation Gate and enjoy sledding.”
Isabel found herself unable to speak.
Those soldiers in the far north, standing against the bitter cold winds and performing border duties every day. Those who couldn’t even use the Transportation Gate, unable to meet their families.
She couldn’t begin to fathom what they felt watching Michael, what sense of deprivation had consumed them.
“Ah! Of course, I don’t mean it was wrong. It was only natural, after all. Prince Michael possesses noble blood, while we are merely commoners.”
Yet the first person to show them genuine interest was the young Isabel.
“One day, the Prince said something to us. He apologized.”
At some point, Prince Michael had personally visited the border outposts. And he had looked each soldier in the eye, one by one, and apologized directly.
‘I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking clearly.’
It was rare for royalty to seek out commoners and bow their heads in apology.
Rare wasn’t even the right word—historically, it was nearly impossible to find a similar precedent.
Michael had even said this:
‘My sister really gave me an earful, didn’t she?’
Michael, who usually seemed thoughtless, had actually shown some depth of thought that day.
Hearing Isabel’s words made him realize how callous he had been.
Isabel didn’t know it, but from that day forward, Michael changed greatly.
He became capable of thinking from another person’s perspective.
“In truth, before the royal family, we’re probably just worthless stones.”
“….”
Lucain glanced down at his palm.
He needed to cheat a little to say such difficult things.
“So… that is, I came here to repay the interest and favor the Princess has shown us. I offer my sincere gratitude, Your Highness.”
“You’re not worthless stones.”
It was clear this world was different from Earth.
She had no intention of denying the class system. To do so would be to deny the Emperor and the royal family themselves.
“I believe all of you are precious. The Sword Art Empire is built together with its people. Without them, it cannot exist on its own, and true strength comes from the people. So please don’t speak of yourselves that way.”
At those words, every soldier fell silent.
They never expected to hear such words from royalty like Isabel.
Moved by her words, they maintained their stance for a long moment.
Meanwhile, Isabel, who had been speaking, recalled an old memory.
She had met and spoken with someone among those who had supported her.
The benefactor who hadn’t revealed their name had said this:
‘I haven’t done much. So just overcome it with courage. That is my joy.’
And now it was Isabel who spoke those words.
“I haven’t done much. I simply spoke a few words to my brother.”
“Those few words changed much for us, Princess. What we truly needed was that small attention and recognition.”
Captain Lucain burst into laughter.
Isabel hadn’t said anything particularly grand, yet there was a young soldier whose eyes had reddened.
Watching them, Isabel’s heart swelled with warmth.
It felt as though she had passed on, even in the smallest measure, the warm concern she had received long ago to someone else.
Captain Lucain spoke.
“Isn’t that small attention the Princess held what changes the world? Teisa… Teisa, what was it again?”
Lucain cast a helpless glance toward the man standing beside him, and the man whispered softly in his ear.
“Teisabol, Captain.”
“Ah yes, Teisabol! You even created something as magnificent as the Teisabol Transportation Gate, didn’t you?”
The Teisabol Transportation Gate was not merely a product of magical engineering. To the soldiers of the Erbe Mountains, at least, it was hope itself.
Isabel was the Princess who had gifted them that hope.
“Now I think I’d be in unbearable pain if you were placed in my eyes, but still, I believe I’ll be able to meet my beloved son frequently. Thank you so much. We soldiers of the Erbe Mountains will never forget the Princess’s kindness!”
* * *
Thanks to the voluntary support of the Erbe Mountains soldiers, the safety of the Teisabol Transportation Gate was proven to be nearly flawless.
A Transportation Gate capable of safely transporting over ten people at once.
That fact alone was sufficient to verify its safety.
Nevertheless, many still believed in the authority and theories of the Mirotell Magic Federation and the Magic Tower.
“The Vilotian Empire is playing games. To honor Princess Isabel’s achievement.”
“Exactly, I can’t believe they’d resort to such petty tactics.”
For centuries, the Sword Art Empire and the Magic Federation had each maintained their own domains. But this time, Vilotian had broken centuries of implicit rules and stepped into the realm of magic.
“Doesn’t this seem suspicious to you? There’s a foul stench wafting from it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“If the Sword Art Empire gains magic too, they’ll monopolize the world. That’s too dangerous. It could be the first step toward destabilizing the world’s balance.”
The Magic Federation began framing the Sword Art Empire as harboring “sinister ambitions.”
And countless people were easily swayed by it.
The prevailing opinion was that they were packaging something unsafe as safe to serve those dark intentions.
Then one day, after finishing lunch with Isabel, Narmore set down his fork.
“Princess. Don’t they seem like complete idiots?”
Luluka’s body flinched beside Isabel.
Good heavens, using such crude language in front of the Princess. But since Isabel was laughing brightly, she held her tongue for now.
Honestly, Luluka was just as angry.
‘They don’t even know how noble and beautiful the Princess’s thoughts are, yet they speak of Vilotian’s dark intentions, of manipulation using the Princess, and whatnot. It’s certainly understandable to be upset.’
“They really can’t smell the money. If it were me, I’d immediately contact the Princess and establish a partnership.”
At such a worldly remark, Luluka felt somewhat taken aback.
“Though a partnership probably wouldn’t have been established anyway.”
Isabel’s eyes sparkled. Her gaze was far clearer than usual.
Luluka felt inexplicably sad.
“Do you have a good idea about something?”
“Of course. I have a rather brilliant idea.”
“What is it?”
“We don’t necessarily have to send people through the Transportation Gate, do we?”
“….”
Isabel felt as though she’d been struck by a sudden realization.
Now that she thought about it, it was blindingly obvious. There was no need to conduct experiments and demonstrations using people.
“I think we should send small objects first while monitoring the results. The truth cannot be hidden forever anyway. As time passes, the public will naturally come to understand the Teisabol Transportation Gate. Once they do, they’ll no longer fear it.”
“Why didn’t I think of something so simple?”
“Well, Transportation Gates have only ever transported people for hundreds of years.”
This is why preconceived notions are so dangerous. Even Isabel had naturally assumed people had to be sent through.
“Do you remember the slums I used to live in?”
“Yes.”
“Do you remember the girl who shined shoes there?”
“Yes. My brother taught me about her.”
Her name was Ali. Michael had told me not to pity her.
“Do you know why she can live so diligently without losing hope?”
“Why?”
“Actually, she has an older sister. They exchange letters occasionally, and that’s what allows Ali to endure.”
For the people of the slums, even sending a single letter was not an easy task.
Sending and receiving letters required considerable expense, so the slum dwellers, struggling to put food on the table, could not afford the luxury of correspondence.
“I thought that using the Teisabol Transportation Gate would make exchanging letters far easier and more convenient.”
“….”
“And that will become the foundation of the Empire’s distribution network. Whoever controls the distribution network controls the world. Hehehehe.”
The scent of money wafts through the air, the scent of money.
Money rains down, it rains down.
Narmore laughed darkly.
In that moment, Isabel once again felt the weight of this world’s reality.
In South Korea, you could send mail for just a few hundred won.
Honestly, there was no need to send mail at all. A few taps on a smartphone would send an email, and video calls were always possible.
Narmore asked.
“What are you thinking about so intently?”
“Just… it seems the benefits of civilization are so unfairly distributed.”
“They naturally cannot be fair.”
“But I wish they could be a little more fair.”
“Hmm….”
“What? Is it strange for me to say such things?”
“It’s not befitting of royalty. It is rather unusual.”
Perhaps he was right.
Perhaps I was speaking in overly idealistic and textbook terms.
Isabel did not particularly deny it.
“But that’s so very Isabel of you. I think your vision may not be practical, Your Highness, but it’s beautiful.”
Narmore found himself glancing at Isabel’s wrist without realizing it.
He understood why she saw the world this way.
She had spoken of leaving gifts for the world before departing, hoping that the world would remember her after she was gone.
‘Perhaps the Princess’s beautiful vision stems from Narbidal’s curse.’
Suddenly, his heart ached at the thought.
‘I’ll help you too.’
Years later, Narmore—who would become the founder of ‘Nar Coin’ and the wealthiest man in the world—began his own preparations in his own way.
“First, there’s something that needs to be done.”
He identified many things that Isabel had not considered.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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