In the year 3800 of the Continental Calendar, Aika Nido was born at the Jin Nidou residence in Loizart, the capital of the Shouro Empire.
In time, she married the crown prince of the Kingdom of Elias and bore him one son and three daughters. That crown prince eventually ascended the throne as king, and his eldest son followed him as the next monarch in line.
Throughout the century spanning from 3800 to 3900, the Kingdom of Elias fell under the shadow of the Magic Federation. Their influence began to tighten when Aika’s eldest son took the throne; by his twilight years, nearly every vital post in the kingdom was occupied by those beholden to the Federation.
Their primary motive was simple: funding.
The budget for the Ministry of Magi Technology—an institution common to most nations—was gutted to less than a tenth of its former glory. Eighty percent of its staff were forced into "restructuring," thinly veiled as "voluntary resignation." Only those deemed "incompetent" were permitted to stay.
In truth, the Magic Federation made a point of systematically discarding anyone with actual talent. As a side note, the majority of those cast out fled to Avalon, while others sought refuge in the Shouro Empire. Naturally, the kingdom’s own magi-craft plummeted into obsolescence.
Then came the reign of King Braulio Edora Elias, Aika’s grandson.
"Do you understand, Nimo? It is a mistake to rely on material things. A human being can accomplish anything if they simply learn to master the body they were given."
Nimo was Adalbert's childhood name.
While King Braulio doted on his only son, Crown Prince Adalbert Nimo, he was also prone to fits of redirection. "Fool! You are not to take an interest in magi-devices!"
He loathed magi-devices with an intensity that bordered on the pathological. Looking back, Adalbert suspected his father had been a victim of magical mind control. As a child, however, he had simply accepted it as the way of the world.
That changed on his tenth birthday, when he met a five-year-old girl introduced as his fiancée: Lorraine Faura Elias.
Lorraine had dark brown hair—a common enough shade—but it was her striking violet eyes that left an impression. As her name suggested, she hailed from the Shouro Empire; she was the third daughter of House Theoderic.
"Your Highness, why does that maid golem move so poorly?"
"Well, it’s old. It can’t be helped."
"Then wouldn't it be better to perform maintenance on it?"
"I suppose. But there is no one here capable of doing that."
"Is that so? How very pitiful."
Their early interactions were limited to such exchanges, as they only met two or three times a year. However, when Lorraine turned thirteen, the formal Engagement Ceremony was held, announcing her status to the world.
It was during their engagement trip to Lorraine's homeland, the Shouro Empire, that Adalbert truly grasped the sheer scale of their technological disparity. Though they only stayed for an hour, they were able to visit the mansion in Loizart that had once belonged to Jin Nidou.
The house where his great-grandmother had been raised—and where his legendary ancestor had lived—was more than enough to open the eighteen-year-old Adalbert's eyes.
"This maid golem has been functioning for four hundred years!?"
"Yes. It has received no maintenance whatsoever in that time."
"And this magic stove, this refrigerator... Jin-sama made these himself!?"
"Indeed. We do little more than keep them clean."
Beside him, his fiancée, Lorraine, looked on with eyes full of wonder.
Upon returning to the Kingdom of Elias, Adalbert was struck by the realization of how backwards his country truly was.
However, the leadership—or rather, nearly everyone holding a position of power—was under the thumb of the Magic Federation. One wrong move would result in more than just being disinherited; it would likely mean his assassination.
I must bide my time, he thought.
Hiding his resentment deep within, Crown Prince Adalbert chose to don the mask of a fool.
"Your Highness, you have changed," Lorraine noted.
It pained him to deceive his own fiancée, but she saw through him more than he realized.
"Still, I am certain you have your reasons. I believe in you, Your Highness."
With those words, Lorraine remained his steadfast support.
Eventually, Adalbert’s father fell ill and passed away.
Though the nation was in mourning, a country could not remain without a leader. Adalbert held a modest ceremony and ascended the throne, taking the name Adalbert Nimo Elias I.
Even though no previous monarch shared his name, he styled himself "the First" specifically to lean into his "Foolish King" persona.
More time passed. Then, the moment he had waited for arrived.
"The time is now!"
Before the mourning period had even concluded, a series of events dealt a crushing blow to the Magic Federation. Rumors spread that their leader, Guillermo Markitus, had been defeated, followed by reports that the group known as Nostalgia had dismantled the Federation's power base.
"Apprehend the individuals we have been investigating!"
Adalbert gave the order to his inner circle within the magi-ritter corps. Over thirty nobles belonging to the Magic Federation faction were seized.
Even then, he did not drop his mask as the Foolish King to the public. The orders to the ritter order were carried out in absolute secrecy; the operation was designed so that not a single target could escape. Conversely, to minimize risk, those with ambiguous loyalties were overlooked for the time being.
"This should clear the air somewhat."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Assisting him were the Magic Technology Minister, Fiorina de Dorante, and her Undersecretary, Citranella de Zaus Firenziano. Both were trusted vassals who had been close with the "golem-loving" prince since his days as heir.
"However, there are still a dozen or more within the central administration who are likely still in league with the Federation."
To purge them all at once would have paralyzed the government. Adalbert was forced to conclude this "First Purge" prematurely.
"We shall frame this as an independent action taken by the magi-ritter corps, Fiorina, and Citranella."
"Yes, we understand, Your Majesty."
The narrative was set: Adalbert, the Foolish King, would "forgive" his subordinates after they "begged" for his mercy.
"Just one more strike. That is what it will take to sever the root of this evil."
He knew that if he failed to finish it, the remnants of the Magic Federation would simply slip underground, making them nearly impossible to eradicate.
The final opportunity arrived.
The news broke that the third-generation Magi Craft Meister and the Chief Administrator of Avalon were planning a visit.
"We shall use this occasion to sweep away the remnants once and for all."
"By your command, Your Majesty."
However, the King made one grave oversight: the snake in the grass within his own guard, the Vice-Commander of the Royal Knights, Hugus Unlock.
Hugus was a fanatical loyalist to the Magic Federation. His madness was such that he intended to drag the Kingdom of Elias down with him into oblivion. Using his rank as vice-commander, he managed to craft an assassination plot by exploiting the gaps in the King’s own security measures.
This led to the chaos that erupted on the day of the visit.
"At last... I have finally avenged my father."
Having seen the conflict through to its end, the man formerly known as Adalbert Nimo Elias I—now simply Adalbert Nimo Elias—stood on the balcony beside his office. There was no longer any need for the mask of a fool.
Night had fallen, and the stars were bright.
He had finally struck back at the Magic Federation—the group that had likely brainwashed his father, turning him into a madman and leaving him to be remembered as a foolish king who presided over a nation's decline. After years of patient, agonizing endurance, he could finally show the world who he truly was.
Queen Lorraine Faura Elias stepped out onto the balcony and leaned against her husband.
"Dear... Your Majesty, I always believed in you."
Lorraine wept softly, relieved to see the return of the wise man she had once known.
"I’m sorry for the worry I caused. But as they say, even a small amount of the Magi Craft Meister’s blood runs through my veins."
He patted his stomach and looked down at himself.
"Though I suppose I should do something about this excess weight."
The King stroked the layer of fat he had gained during his years of playing the idle fool.
"Hehe. But Your Majesty, it gives you the presence of a true king."
"Is that so?"
"It is."
"I hope you’re right."
The King looked up at the night sky.
"I will continue to support you with everything I have," Lorraine promised.
"I’m counting on you."
Above them, only the sprawling starlight watched over the King and his Queen.