All Today

The next destination in this story...

A magical empire governed entirely under a military regime.

If Luminus is a kingdom of honor and bloodlines, and Mathema is a land of knowledge and wealth, then Velmount is an empire that places its faith in power, strength, and discipline.

Velmount is not an empire built to allow its people to live in peace. It is an empire built to make its people strong enough to survive in a world that has been cruel to them throughout history.

There is no room for weakness here. Nobody is honored simply because of their birth, and no position is too prestigious to be challenged through individual merit.

There is no such thing as "nobility." There is no such thing as a "royal family."

The government is not monopolized by any particular "clan."

This empire believes that a person's worth is not determined by the family they were born into, but by what they prove through their achievements, loyalty, and power. Even the authority they come to possess must be seized through their own efforts.

The first sight that greets visitors upon entering Velmount is an enormous black city wall stretching seemingly without end.

The empire's architecture is entirely different from the cities of Luminus.

Luminus has marble castles, towering spires, and architecture that reflects the history of its royal dynasties. Meanwhile, Mathema is filled with commercial buildings that embody its wealth and scientific advancement.

But Velmount places no particular importance on beauty of that kind.

Most buildings are constructed from dark black stone and massive cast-metal structures. Their exterior walls are imposing and solid, while their windows are remarkably small in proportion to the buildings themselves. Meanwhile, the pillars and archways are built far larger than structural necessity would demand, as though everything has been deliberately designed to make anyone standing before them feel like an insignificant creature in comparison to the empire's might.

Above the rooftops, deep crimson flags bearing the imperial insignia flutter in the wind, adding to the imposing atmosphere of the city.

The symbol of the Velmount Empire.

Or, as everyone affectionately called it, "The Lone Star."

Widely praised across every land, the emblem of Velmount was considered the finest national symbol ever designed, one that required no further alterations, no matter how much time passed.

The solitary black-and-red star served not only as the country's national emblem but also as a rank insignia, much like the chevrons used in Luminus. The more stars one possessed, the higher their military rank.

One of the most distinctive characteristics of Velmount was its clothing.

While the knights of Luminus wore iron armor adorned with their family crests, and the civil servants of Mathema favored finely tailored suits to reflect their social standing, the uniforms of Velmount took the form of imperial military attire, emphasizing solemnity and authority.

Long, pitch-black coats with high collars, rows of golden metal buttons running down the chest, rank insignia adorning the shoulders, and deep crimson fabric strips running across certain parts of the uniform. Fitted trousers and polished leather boots completed the standard attire.

High-ranking officers might wear long black overcoats lined with burgundy fabric, decorated with gold or silver rank insignia, as well as elaborate shoulder sashes and unit-specific emblems.

Meanwhile, senior civil servants wore uniforms with silhouettes similar to those of military officers, but with fewer tactical elements and additional details reflecting their positions within the administrative hierarchy.

What was particularly interesting was that Velmount's uniforms were not designed to make their wearers look elegant in the manner of an aristocratic elite. Instead, they made them look like parts of a much larger organization.

There was little emphasis on individual expression through clothing, because in Velmount, one's position and duty mattered more than the individual.

Black represented authority and order. Red represented the empire and ambition. Gold was used to signify rank and official authority.

What set Velmount apart from ordinary military empires was its relationship between magic and state power.

To this empire, magic was not merely an arcane discipline reserved for scholars, nor a natural gift bestowed upon certain individuals. It was a strategic resource of critical importance to national security.

Mages were not regarded merely as people with extraordinary abilities, but as a category of military personnel capable of providing an enormous strategic advantage.

The Velmount military therefore maintained specialized departments dedicated to the study of magical power, the development of magical weapons, and the application of magic on the battlefield.

Some fortresses were equipped with defensive systems powered by enormous magical rings. Certain artillery weapons used magical energy as their driving force, while specialized military units might receive training in combining magic with conventional weapons and battlefield tactics.

The military was the foundation of political power in Velmount.

The empire was governed through a clearly defined military hierarchy, with the Supreme Commander of the Empire holding the highest authority. A Military Council was responsible for establishing national policies, overseeing government administration, and controlling matters of national security.

Civilian officials still existed, but all major government agencies were required to operate within the framework of military government policies.

Individual cities were administered by governors appointed by the central government, most of whom were former military officers or individuals with distinguished records of service.

Education was also heavily influenced by this system. Many schools and educational institutions emphasized discipline, imperial history, strategy, and the use of magic. Those with exceptional abilities were given opportunities to enter specialized training academies.

However, what made Velmount particularly interesting was that it did not prevent people from lower social classes from rising to positions of power.

An ordinary soldier could become a general. A talented mage could rise to command a special operations unit. And anyone who made significant contributions to the empire could earn a position that even the oldest aristocratic families would be powerless to oppose.

But these opportunities came with one absolute rule.

Loyalty to the empire was non-negotiable.

Those who failed in their duties would lose everything they had ever earned, and face punishments far more severe than death itself.

---

The first thing that greeted visitors was an immense black wall stretching across the horizon.

Numerous towering watchtowers stood along the city walls, each crowned with a deep crimson THE STAR flag fluttering in the wind. Colossal buildings constructed from black stone and cast metal filled the landscape, interspersed with factory smokestacks and magical energy conduits running across rooftops like the veins of a gigantic monster.

At the heart of the metropolis stood the Imperial Fortress, so enormous that it could be seen from miles away. Its towering black spires rose above the clouds, as though declaring to everyone who laid eyes upon them exactly who ruled this land.

Along the streets, soldiers in black-and-red uniforms marched past one another in perfect formation. Their polished leather boots struck the stone pavement in synchronized rhythm. Golden rank insignia reflected sunlight from their shoulders and chests, while armored carriages traveled along the main roads, escorted by guards who cleared the way.

There were no white castles, no knights in silver armor, and no processions of nobles adorned with precious jewels.

An environment like this...

made the person who felt the most uncomfortable about visiting this place none other than Rafinya.

This was a place where not even the smallest trace of Luminus remained, despite the fact that if she turned around, she could see her homeland sitting right at the edge of the horizon.

A black iron train pulled into the station.

Dan Burn, Nora Ophilis, Rafinya Saint Pauli, and Lady Vicky Batistuta stepped down from the train.

She held the brim of her distinctive hat in place before turning toward Dan.

"Does any of this look familiar, Elder Brother?"

The Third Princess Fiorentina's seemingly teasing remark received no response whatsoever from her elder brother.

Nora had noticed ever since the train crossed the iron walls that Dan had grown unusually quiet. He had spent the entire journey staring out the window without exchanging a single word with anyone.

Despite the bustling atmosphere of the country, the people of Velmount seemed to live their lives independently of one another. Their expressions were almost perpetually tense, as though they were constantly preoccupied with something.

It wouldn't be entirely inaccurate to describe them as a mixture of Snowhaven and Mathema, but with the straightforward, principled disposition of Luminus.

Given their history, it made sense that they had turned out this way.

They were a nation driven by ambition, a people whose history had been marked by periods of profound darkness. One could even describe them as a nation that had been 'cursed.'

It was hardly surprising that the people of this country might choose to make enemies of the entire world without a second thought.

And another distinctive feature of this place...

was the existence of something known as Black Magic, which was perfectly legal.

This made Rafinya stare intently, her senses on high alert, when she passed a group of Velmount students and witnessed them demonstrating blood manipulation magic right before her eyes.

"Velmount's magic is different. It is an extremely powerful form of magic, and the way it operates is practically an entirely new branch of magical studies."

Princess Fiorentina, Supreme Commander of the Diablo Intelligence Division, explained.

"They can also use what is known as occult magic and curses... Those were the very things that slaughtered our soldiers in great numbers."

"Then how did Mr. Fury survive their curses?"

"...There were several occasions when he barely made it out alive."

Princess Fiorentina continued.

"Black Magic has its own unique conditions and mechanisms of operation. There are two ways to deal with it: fight back using Black Magic yourself... or... luck."

"Luck?"

"It's like a sea turtle surviving the birds that swoop down to snatch and devour its hatchlings the moment they emerge from their eggs."