III

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Three days later~

"Amazing," Koutoku widened his eyes in profound shock. "Did the two of them really write such a proposal?"

"Is something the matter, Father Emperor?" Kouen asked.

"Read this, Kouen," he handed him the scroll. "This was the proposal submitted by Koumei and Lucy a few days ago. I thought that it would merely have a few insightful ideas that they had researched about with the evidence of the drought patterns but I didn't think that it would actually be a proposal and with such intuitiveness. It's an absolute genius."

Kouen was speculative but it was the first time he heard Koutoku praise someone to this much of a degree. He unrolled the scroll and looked it over and upon reading the proposed idea and information stated, he widened his eyes. If anyone had said that it was an idea drawn up by two mere children, no one would believe it. But, it was indeed Koumei's handwriting and he looked to Koutoku in complete shock who only nodded his head in agreement.

"From the way it's written and the handwriting of the paper, it is undoubtedly Koumei who had prepared and written this proposal," Koutoku remarked as he took the scroll back and scanned it over again. "But, from what I've known, Koumei wouldn't be able to come up with such a genius idea so quickly and if anything, he probably would've first proposed forming an emergency organization and figure out what measures they would take in the provinces and counties to combat the drought and then think about where they would attain the finances after the national treasury funds run out."

"Agreed."

"Moreover, the way this information is organized and encompassed into this proposal isn't the usual way in which Koumei sets it up," he tapped the back of his hand on the scroll. "To be able to format the information in such a way and coordinate it so nicely and perfectly to the ideas written here, there aren't any faults to be pointed out. Everything is concise to the point and anyone can tell whoever formatted this is confident in their idea that it'll work," Koutoku looked to Kouen. "This proposal is definitely not Koumei's alone."

"Which means that it must be her."

Koutoku nodded his head. "Lucy Heartfilia."

She was young but without a doubt, she was a genius. She was a being shrouded in mystery whose existence had just been announced to the public a week ago and from what he had seen at the spring banquet, she was an extraordinary child whose abilities exceeded even the most skilled of masters. Not only that, those authoritarian eyes that seemed to glimmer with power struck him. They weren't eyes that belonged to a child but rather, someone who was certain of the future and of their abilities to continue abiding by that future. With Koumei's sharp comprehension skills and manipulative way with words and Lucy's brilliance and perception, the two were indeed a fearful pair and Koutoku could only wonder how exceptional the two would become in the future. They were indeed a match made by the heavens itself.

Moreover, Koutoku had seen Koumei's research in magic and if he had been born a little bit earlier, he would've without a doubt made the Kou Empire the leading militaristic nation and unified the whole world under his reign. He hadn't thought much about Koumei's intellect but as that thought crossed his mind, he realized just how fearful Koumei could be and with Lucy by his side, the two were formidable forces. If they happened to wish to take the throne in the future, it wouldn't be entirely impossible.

"Such a thing won't happen," Kouen said as if reading Koutoku's thoughts. "I know it."

Koutoku stared at his son before giving a soft laugh. "In this cruel and cold-hearted Inner Palace, I wonder how the relationship between my Imperial children would turn out but seeing all of you guys have such a close and trusting relationship," he smiled, "it's one to be envious of."

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