Chapter 385: The Great Philosopher Boloro’s Praise—Lionheart Chronicles, the World’s Most Extraordinary Book
Charlot Mecklenburg had never anticipated that his conquest of Moldova, and his subsequent occupation, would receive official recognition from the Lionheart Empire.
Not just any recognition—it was the highest possible acknowledgment.
Crown Prince Baldwin Asa personally delivered the royal decree.
There could be no more formal ceremony than this.
Charlot vaguely understood that the Lionheart Empire’s willingness to acknowledge the matter was largely driven by a desire for a friendly neighbor at the border. The former Grand Duke of Moldova likely had an antagonistic relationship with the empire.
For the Lionheart Empire, Moldova held little to no governing value. After all, Yansen Lupin had struggled to survive as a bandit in Moldova, relying on twice-yearly financial support from Princess Axo Axel.
When even the bandits lived in misery, one could only imagine the plight of the ordinary citizens of Moldova.
Charlot had no objections whatsoever to establishing the most amicable relationship with the Lionheart Empire. Situated right next to it, Moldova would inevitably be affected by every “sneeze” of Emperor Baldwin Asa.
After presenting the royal decree to Charlot, Crown Prince Baldwin Asa turned to converse with Princess Axo Axel, given her unparalleled status as the representative of the Fars Empire.
Charlot withdrew from the diplomatic delegation and handed the royal decree to Annie Mecklenburg. Staring at the document, Annie felt as though she were dreaming. Though a Dreamwalker, she had never experienced such a surreal moment—believing herself trapped in an illusion yet unable to awaken.
In a low voice, Annie said, “The Old Continent has thirty-three nations. Does this mean we’ve secured recognition from two of them?”
Charlot smiled faintly. “Indeed! And not just any two—but two of the Five Great Empires!”
Annie still found it hard to believe. The feat Charlot had accomplished was so fantastical it surpassed even the dreamlike experiences of a Dreamwalker.
When Annie was a child, even the outlandish bedtime stories told by Grandma Saint Karen had not been this far-fetched.
The Fars Empire’s delegation, under Crown Prince Baldwin Asa’s guidance, headed straight for Asaburg, the capital of the Lionheart Empire. The royal family of the Lionheart Empire bore the surname Asa, and their capital shared the same name.
Along the journey, Charlot received lavish hospitality. Copies of The Lionheart Chronicles—written by Charlot—were everywhere in the Lionheart Empire. Virtually every official Charlot met had read the book. At every banquet held to welcome the delegation, someone would bring up the “meticulously researched” novel in conversation.
Charlot’s exaggerated tales of Lionheart King Charlie’s illustrious deeds had been meticulously scrutinized. Scholars had validated parts of the novel as aligning with ancient records, and even the Lionheart Empire’s preeminent philosopher, Boloro, had praised the book effusively.
Boloro had gone so far as to call it “the most extraordinary book in existence.”
In response, the Lionheart Empire ordered 100,000 copies from Annie’s bookstore, with the philosopher’s glowing review prominently displayed on the title page of the new edition.
Charlot’s days in the Lionheart Empire were filled with banquets and endless praise. Compared to his time in the Fars Empire, his experience here was far more comfortable.
More than a month passed swiftly, and the delegation finally arrived at Asaburg.
Upon entering the capital, the delegation was housed in Cold Spring Palace—a royal summer residence.
Ordinary foreign delegations would have been accommodated in the embassy district, where official guest houses were available. However, this delegation’s accommodations in Cold Spring Palace reflected unparalleled treatment.
This exceptional reception was due not only to Princess Axo Axel’s extraordinary status but also to the presence of Annie Mecklenburg, co-author of The Lionheart Chronicles.
In the Lionheart Empire, it was common knowledge that the novel was the result of Charlot Mecklenburg’s storytelling, painstakingly compiled and published by Annie Bretagne.
Indeed, no one dared separate the two. Emperor Baldwin Asa himself had repeatedly expressed his intent to officiate their future wedding. This matter, he declared, must not be left to Emperor Julius VI of the Fars Empire.
Baldwin Asa’s exact words were:
“Why should the wedding of our Lionheart Empire’s great writer be officiated by the Fars Emperor? Let him busy himself with wars—he knows nothing of culture.”
On the third day after arriving in Asaburg, before Princess Axo Axel had even been granted an audience with Emperor Baldwin Asa, the Lionheart Emperor extended a personal invitation to Charlot and Annie for a private banquet at the Lionheart Palace.
The moment Charlot stepped into the Lionheart Palace, he knew the meal he was about to partake in would go down in history.
Indeed, Emperor Baldwin Asa had summoned the official historians to document the event.
Though Charlot had never met Emperor Julius VI of the Fars Empire, he had now encountered both Emperor Alfred Guillaume of the Ingrima Empire and Emperor Baldwin Asa of the Lionheart Empire. This gave Charlot a peculiar sense of surrealism.
Emperor Baldwin Asa’s demeanor was even warmer than that of the young Red Dragon Emperor. Greeting Charlot and Annie, the emperor raised his hand and declared, “Today, having Lord Mecklenburg and Lady Bretagne in the Lionheart Palace is a day worthy of the annals of history.”
“To the great Lionheart King Charlie!”
The emperor raised his glass, and the gathered officials of the Lionheart Empire followed suit enthusiastically. Charlot and Annie, though caught off guard, were compelled to raise their glasses as well.
The banquet quickly became lively, with countless individuals asking Charlot about his novel. Beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead as he struggled to answer their questions—because The Lionheart Chronicles was not something he had written but rather transcribed from his past life’s memories.
Charlot soon realized that it was best never to discuss the novel again. Under no circumstances could he alter a single word or detail of the book.
The novel had become a cultural cornerstone of the Lionheart Empire.
Any attempt to modify or reinterpret it—even by the “author”—would be met with widespread condemnation.
Understanding this, Charlot subtly hinted to Annie and shifted the conversation to a new story.
Drawing on his education from Sheffield University and his expertise in Lionheart Empire history, Charlot recounted the tales of the three most loyal commanders under Lionheart King Charlie. He presented this as the concept for his next novel, The Three Commanders.
These three figures, foundational dukes of the Lionheart Empire, had established the most powerful noble families in the empire. Their descendants, with vast networks of lineage, remained influential to this day.
Charlot’s brief mention of the story had the attending nobles’ eyes sparkling with excitement. Before long, an elderly noble approached Charlot discreetly, offering, “Lord Mecklenburg, I have heard that your new novel will include my ancestor. My family possesses many primary sources and is willing to provide them for your reference during your writing.”