Steel Empire
Byzantine Trouble in Justice

As Berengar fought in Austria, events that would affect Berengar's future took place on the other side of the Christian World. In the east within the ancient city of Constantinople, Arethas Maniakes knelt inside the Royal Palace before the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire. He asked the man about a certain area of interest.

Emperor Vetranis Palaiologos was the current Emperor of the Byzantine Empire; his ancestors had ruled the Eastern Roman Empire for over a hundred years. He was in his early forties and already had gray hair with a matching beard. The pressure of overseeing the war with the Mamluke Sultanate, which was at an impasse, had aged him drastically over the past ten years.

However, for the first time in a long time, there was hope to turn the tide of the war in his favor. Recently there has been a development in an obscure part of Europe, where the Count of Tyrol has developed an advanced industry and sold special equipment at a reasonable price to the Imperial forces. 

Emperor Vetranis had no idea how Berengar von Kufstein had managed to create such a huge pile of high-quality steel, yet he had personally witnessed the result. The outstanding result of the Berengar factory being able to produce Pattern-Mirror armor was something the Emperor had never seen before, and he was eager to see Berengar's own facility.

However, he was unable to travel to Kufstein well, and therefore he had to hear the details of his Strategos of Ionia, Arethas Maniakes, who had just entered the palace at the Emperor's request. So, the two men came face to face inside the Constantinople Palace with the only reason to inquire about Berengar's production capabilities.

Strategos Arethas, it's been a long time since I last saw you. How are you?"

Arethas was allowed to stand, and therefore, he rose from a kneeling position as the Emperor approached him. It had been quite some time since the last time he had seen the Emperor in person, and therefore he was extremely grateful for the current opportunity. 

The young strategos grinned before replying to the Emperor's greeting. 

"I've been fine since the last time we spoke; how are you, Your Majesty?"

The two men were quite friendly with each other as Emperor Vetranis immediately began to complain about his life.

"I have been better; for starters, my daughter grows more beautiful by the day, her charm has managed to attract the attention of applicants not only in the Christian world but also the Islamic world. I swear the number of princes he has decreased. Over the past year there must have been dozens. She seems to have high ambitions for her future husband and is unwilling to listen to my advice! Raising a daughter is too much trouble for my old heart to bear!"

Arethas immediately began to laugh at the Emperor's comments and tried to console him.

"You are not that old, Your Majesty; you are only forty-three!"

However, the Emperor only scoffed before punishing Arethas 

"If I were an ordinary person, I would almost die right now!"

Hearing such a reply, Arethas started laughing before patting the Emperor on the back.

"Well, then we're lucky you're, in fact, not an ordinary person!"

As the two men walked past the palace and continued their conversation, Emperor Vetranis finally brought up the topic he wanted to discuss.

"Arethas, I'd like to discuss with you about your visit to Kufstein. Tell me, how was that novice Count able to produce so much steel?"

Arethas let out a heavy sigh as he shook his head, his brown hair shimmering in the sunlight, as he gave an oppressed expression before speaking.

"I really wish I could tell you, but I'm not allowed to see how he produces steel, just the facilities he uses to turn it into weapons and armor. It was a production rate I had never seen before. Even our national arsenal cannot compare to the efficiency that Tyroleans are capable of."

The Emperor sighed when he heard this news; he began to speak in a regretful tone.

"Well, that's embarrassing; I wish we could learn something from the Count of Tyrol. I heard he's currently engaged in a war for control of Austria. Do you know how it goes?"

Arethas continued to be in close contact with Berengar; after all, the trade they shared was very profitable for both sides. With the war for Austria under way, the man was very worried about Berengar's safety. So he nodded his head and told the Emperor a little about what he knew.

"Berengar's forces are far more complete than any team I've ever seen. When I visited, the city guards were equipped with plate armor that covered their heads, necks, chests, and thighs. They also used a strange hand cannon variant which was of unknown design. If his bullshit is correct and all his troops are equipped in such a way, then the chances of him winning this war are huge. He also appears to have installed dozens of cannons on his city walls. So it seemed like he was able to mass-produce such devastating weapons as well."

Emperor Vetranis was shocked when he heard such information, and thus he quickly asked Arethas about the new possibility that had formed in his mind.

Arethas shook his head and sighed once more; there was not much he could do about the matter; berengar seemed to want to monopolize such a technology. So he answered honestly to the Emperor.

"As far as I am concerned, Count Berengar intends to maintain such profits at any cost. I doubt he would be willing to sell such valuable technology for fear of being reverse engineered. One had to defeat his troops in battle and scavenge their weapons, or they had to pay a large sum commensurate with such a risky trade. I don't see myself convincing him to sell us such weapons or armor."

However, the Emperor insisted on the matter and did not take Aretha's words at face value and instead insisted on discussing the matter with Berengar.

"Can you at least try to buy such a weapon when you next see the Count of Tyrol? I heard that his weapon had a devastating effect, rendering even plate armor useless! To have such an advantage over our enemies will help in the ongoing efforts to restore our kingdom."

Just as the Emperor was about to finish his affairs with the Strategos of Ionia, a beautiful young girl appeared as she walked down the most golden staircase in the palace. She was wearing a luxurious purple silk dress with a bold golden pattern. She wore gold jewelry encrusted with amethyst on her neck, wrists, and waist.

The girl was no more than fifteen years old and had long brown hair tied into elegant ponytails. His eyes were mint green, and his skin was as white as milk, apart from his Greco-romantic inheritance. Although she is not busty like Linde or Adela's sister, she is, in fact, perfectly proportioned, and her silk dress sticks to the curves of her beautiful body. 

As he descended from the stairs, he had a frown on his face. There is something that disturbs the beauty of this angel from the east. He immediately began to criticize the Emperor when he realized his presence.

"Dad! How can you involve me with the Prince of France? Aubry is so feminine that he is arguably a woman! I wouldn't agree!"

The Byzantine Emperor sighed heavily while looking at Arethas with a gaze that revealed his thoughts, namely, "See what I mean?"

Currently, she had attempted to implicate her daughter with over a dozen princes from various countries around the world, and she had complaints about every prince. Sooner or later, the Princess would say something like "I would rather commit suicide than marry the man," thus forcing the Emperor to agree to her demands. 

This time she decided to put her feet down and impose her will; after all, she was the Emperor, and sooner or later, she had to find a husband. Therefore, he put on a calm and gentle face as he tried to force his girl to marry a sissy French man. 

"Honoria is my only daughter, Aubry is the coat of arms of the Western Knights; she is also Heir to the French Throne. You will be queen if you marry her. It will also guarantee a strong alliance for our Dynasty!"

However, the beautiful princess, Honoria, refused to listen to her father's eloquent tongue and instead sneered before making a rather rude answer.

"Queen France!?! You must be kidding me! Who would want to be the Queen of such a remote Kingdom? How much did they pay you to sell me as if I were just cattle?"

Seeing the reaction on his father's face, he knew he had hit a nail on the head. He must have paid a large sum of money to sell it to the French prince. A man who almost certainly he was a homosexual. Otherwise, he was the most girly straight man he had ever seen. Therefore, she was more adamant about rejecting this marriage proposal than any other before. However, she had cried enough that her father no longer allowed her to refuse. 

This time the sullen Emperor responded to Honoria's loud words. Therefore, she began punishing him as she made it clear that she would be married to the future King of France.

"Enough already; you've turned down so many other candidates that this is my last resort. You are my daughter and the Imperial Princess. You will do as you are told!" 

Upon hearing these words, tears began to fill the girl's mint-colored eyes before she ran back upstairs angrily. However, before he left, he made sure to shout a series of hurtful words to his father.

"I hate you!"

After he left, the Emperor sighed heavily and sat down on a nearby chair. He was too old to deal with his daughter's childish behavior. So he looked at Arethas and shifted the topic back to Tyrol.

"I'm too old for this; promise me that you'll at least try to buy Count Berengar's weapon when you see him again!"

After witnessing such a performance just now, Arethas had no interest in rejecting the Emperor and therefore nodded his head. A wry smile appeared on the Emperor's face before dismissing Arethas

"Good... Good, yes, I have to scold my naughty daughter. I will entrust this task to your capable hands. Until we meet again, Arethas."

Arethas quickly bowed respectfully before leaving; as he did so, he left the tired old Emperor and the naughty Princess to argue further about their little quarrel.