Chapter 22: Chapter 22: The Dawn of NeoNexus and the Hidden Princess
The meeting with the eleven nations had ended, and Kaito officially announced the opening of NeoNexus. The news spread quickly, making it clear that a new and powerful nation had emerged.
Shortly after, Nova informed Kaito that Dravenheim was at war with another nation. Kaito suspected that they were attacking to capture more slave mages, believing that NeoNexus had an abundance of them due to the rapid construction of the nation. Understanding the urgency, Kaito sent a message to Eldoria, addressed to the merchant he first met when he arrived in this world. With that done, he moved on to his next task: expanding NeoNexus's industries.
First, Kaito built an underground factory to manufacture unique items exclusive to NeoNexus. These included different styles of glasses, board games, and outdoor sports like baseball. These products would attract merchants and increase trade opportunities.
Next, he established a potion factory to produce healing potions, rare elixirs, and other useful mixtures. This would not only benefit adventurers but also strengthen the economy of NeoNexus.
While managing these developments, Nova informed Kaito that the refugees had woken up. These were the 8,000 former slave soldiers and their 5,000 family members that Nova had rescued from Dravenheim, totaling 13,000 people.
Kaito went to meet them and addressed them directly. He offered them a chance to stay in NeoNexus as citizens, with jobs, shelter, and food. However, he needed to understand why they had been enslaved in the first place.
One by one, they shared their stories while Nova secretly checked for any lies. Most of them were adventurers, kidnapped individuals, or commoners forced into slavery by Dravenheim's nobles. Some were even former merchants. It became clear that Dravenheim only valued nobles, treating commoners as nothing more than slaves.
After listening, Kaito asked Nova if anyone had lied. Surprisingly, only one person had—a girl around the same age as Althea. Kaito decided to speak with her privately.
When questioned, the girl hesitated before revealing the truth—she was the princess of Dravenheim. Kaito was shocked. He asked why a princess had ended up as a slave. The girl explained that she was a half-blood, the illegitimate daughter of the King of Dravenheim. She had never been treated as a true princess. A few months ago, her half-brother, the prince, had tried to force himself on her. She resisted and slapped him. As punishment, she was turned into a slave.
Nova confirmed through telepathy that she was telling the truth. Kaito sighed and told her to get some rest, saying he would decide what to do with her later.
After that, Kaito returned to his work. In his alternate dimension, he managed to establish a direct connection to the internet of his previous world. Once connected, he downloaded various recipes and books, intending to open a café and a library café in NeoNexus. He instructed Nova to mass-produce the books and translate them into this world's language, ensuring that nothing related to his previous world was mentioned.
The next day, someone came to visit him…