The Incompetent Emperor Who Changes the World from the Shadows: Iron, Gunpowder, and the Young Maidens of Favor - Chapter 22: Secret Plans and the Management of Radioactive Materials

Chapter 22: Secret Plans and the Management of Radioactive Materials

That morning, Ariel enters the office with quieter footsteps than usual.

As the door closes, a faint scent lingers—the subtle fragrance of the detergent in her hair, the first “workshop-made” blend I approved.

“…Your Majesty, the improved detergent and report.”

A small bottle and a stack of papers are placed on the desk.

It’s a daily routine, but there’s something remarkable about how orderly they look when arranged by Ariel’s hands.

“Good work.

Come a bit closer.”

She nods quietly and stands beside me.

Close, but not touching.

Even as my concubine, she maintains her decorum.

To me, that restraint is her greatest virtue.

“…I want to entrust you with a new task.”

Her eyes widen slightly.

“Yes.

What kind…?”

“Moving forward, separate from the workshop’s activities, we’ll form a new research team under a ‘Second Project.’

Officially, it’s ‘basic research on applied power technology.’

But the real focus is—minerals.”

“Minerals…?”

She repeats the word, as if testing its weight, then nods quietly, gauging the depth of the matter.

“Recently, an ‘unusual mineral’ was mined in the Southern Third District.

It’s black, oddly heavy, and discolors metal it touches.

I recognize its properties.”

I deliver the line with a touch of theatrical flair.

The mineral is uranium.

“…Is it dangerous?”

“In some cases, yes.

But if handled correctly, it could be the key to changing the Empire’s future.”

A faint tension crosses her face.

That sensitivity makes her trustworthy.

That’s why I can entrust this to her.

“The ‘Second Project’ will involve a small research team.

Schwartz will join it.

The project will be under your name again.

Funds will be split from the Finn Workshop, processed externally as auxiliary research.”

“Understood.

I’ll manage the personnel and material flow.”

“That’s a big help.”

She bows slightly.

Her gaze is steady, clear, and unwavering.

Her sincerity always feels like a lifeline.

I pull a single sheet from the desk drawer.

“Pass this to Schwartz.

Not verbally, but as ‘advice from a sponsor’ in writing.”

“…Yes.”

“There’s a mineral called ‘uranium.’

It’s extremely heavy, and its radiated energy is extraordinary.

When refined and gathered in sufficient quantity, it can trigger a chain reaction of heat and light…

Theoretically, enough to obliterate an entire city.”

“…!”

Ariel gasps, her shock audible.

“If it can be controlled, the concept of a ‘chain reaction’ is key.

Instead of an explosion, sustained heat extraction could create…

Not a steam engine or internal combustion engine, but a new power source.”

Her fingers tremble for a moment as she takes the paper.

“…This is a new technology, isn’t it?

But it requires resolve.”

“Exactly.

If misused, it could burn everything.”

“I understand Your Majesty’s orders.

I’ll prove these hands are worthy of handling it.”

Her voice holds no hesitation.

※

A few days later, Ariel meets Raum in a corner of the Finn Workshop, a cramped workroom once used for material storage.

She places a sealed brown envelope on the desk.

Her movements are steady, but her eyes quietly search Raum’s expression.

“…A new technical proposal from the ‘sponsor.’

I’ve decided to share it with you.”

Raum doesn’t respond, silently picking up the envelope.

He breaks the seal and scans the few pages inside.

Ariel doesn’t miss the slight flicker in his eyes.

His face is that of someone trying to comprehend.

After a moment, he sets the papers down and leans back deeply in his chair.

“…This mineral assumes it can be ‘refined.’”

“Yes.

It’s only a theoretical proposal, but the material exists.

It was mined in the Southern District.”

“A heavy mineral, huh…

I’ve seen something like it before.”

He presses his temple with his fingertips, exhaling as he looks at the ceiling.

“Back at the university, I encountered a black, extremely heavy mineral.

In experiments, it discolored metal it touched.

Left on paper, it created scorch-like stains.

It warmed up if left alone, making your fingers tingle…

An eerie sensation.

They called it a ‘cursed stone.’

There was an incident where someone who took it home died days later.”

He continues, his voice a mix of nostalgia and caution.

“It was treated as a mere hazard then…

But if this is the same kind of substance—”

He turns to Ariel, lowering his voice.

“This… is on a different level from gas or gunpowder.

It demands ‘responsibility.’”

She nods silently.

“I’ve already resolved myself.”

Raum picks up the envelope again, staring at a single page.

“…Then we’ll do it.

I’m a scientist.

Given materials and conditions, I work.

But this isn’t a ‘game.’”

“I understand.”

Her voice doesn’t waver.

※

In the office, I sit in my chair, thinking about the uranium ore refining process—the first step in nuclear development.

The new work area will be enclosed with thick, lead-lined walls for secrecy and due to the mineral’s properties.

Ventilation will be rigorous, work hours limited, and personal protective equipment mandatory.

As the overseer, Ariel should stay at a distance.

I won’t let Schwartz become a casualty either.

Valuable talent must be protected.

Still, sacrifices may happen—human error or unforeseen accidents.

I’m the only one who knows the dangers of radiation right now…

That’s why I have to enforce strict measures.

“Even so, this is just hypocrisy and deception.”

I mutter to myself, and Sopina responds.

I’m your accomplice.

If there’s a ‘hell’ rumored in this world, you and I might meet again there.

She laughs as she says it.

If someone’s going to commit the sin of nuclear development, I’m fine bearing it all.

That resolve was made long ago.

※

Two months later, the “Second Project” quietly begins.

A new work area is set up near the old workshop’s material entrance, registered as a “special alloy testing zone.”

Only those with Ariel’s approval can enter.

The research team consists of four members, including Raum.

All are technically trusted within the Finn Workshop but lack sociability or political ambition—perfect for avoiding unwanted scrutiny.

That afternoon, Ariel watches the team surrounding the newly delivered black mineral from a corner of the workroom.

The emperor told her to stay back, but she wants to witness the experiment’s start—to test her own resolve.

She wears heavy lead-lined protective gear and a full-face mask, unrecognizable as a woman.

“The weight is as expected… no, heavier.

Its density surpasses lead.”

Raum, also in protective gear, murmurs as he places the mineral on a scale in the sealed workroom.

His tone already carries a scientist’s fervor.

“When we shave the outer layer, the inner core shows a faint sheen.

I can’t confirm if this is what the sponsor called the ‘unique effect’…”

“The neutralization reaction when dissolved in acid is abnormal.

Iron ions in the solution changed faster than usual.”

An assistant reports, and Raum nods, jotting in his logbook.

“The first step is ‘refining.’

Can we extract pure reactive material from this mineral?

If not, nothing begins.”

Ariel holds her breath at his words.

The people gathered here don’t know the project’s full scope.

They only share that it’s an “unusual plan” with “expectations beyond the norm.”

Yet, people move.

Challenging the unknown ignites trust like kindling.

Ariel’s eyes catch the date scrawled in the experiment log.

Second Project, First Experiment Day: Imperial Year 531, March 2

She etches this day into her heart—the Empire’s first touch of “new heat.”

At the bottom of Pandora’s opened box, will there be “hope”?

Or something else…