Chapter 484 : Portents of Upheaval (6)

A land where Astarote had once existed.

Yet ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍now, nothing remained.

Upon ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that desolate territory—

“Hm~”

—stood ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a single man.

A ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍man draped in a black star-sea robe, silver chains hanging from his trousers.

He ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍gazed at Descender's territory with interest.

More precisely, he was looking at the places where Descender and the divine-bloods had fought.

His eyes moved ceaselessly, as though the events of that battle were replaying before him.

After surveying the area, his gaze stopped at one particular place.

Then—

“I see—”

As though he had witnessed the ending itself, a knowing smile appeared on his face.

“So this is how it turns out this time. How fascinating.”

Muttering quietly, he turned away without hesitation.

As though there was nothing left for him to see here.

However, at that moment—the man in the star-sea robe stopped walking.

A woman stood directly before him.

Her appearance was distinctive, with pentagram-shaped eyes.

Seeing her, the man in the black robe spoke in surprise.

“Well now. It seems someone arrived before me.”

“I wasn't here first.”

“Then?”

“I came to see you.”

At that answer, a natural smile appeared on his face.

“Is that so? Then I should be honored. To think the recently famous 'Predator' would seek me out personally.”

“So, what brings you here?”

The woman stared at him for a moment before answering.

“If I could have killed you beforehand, I would have. But it seems I can't.”

A calm voice.

Words that were anything but calm.

The man in the star-sea robe responded with a relaxed smile.

“What a frightening thing to say.”

“Stop lying.”

“And why do you think that?”

“Did the previous 'me' tell you something?”

“......”

“Hm. So that's how it is.”

Even as the man smiled, Predator merely continued staring at him.

“Don't act as though you've just discovered something you already knew.”

“My, you've seen right through me?”

“I wish I could kill you.”

“Unfortunately, that won't happen.”

“Though judging by the fact that you're trying to kill me, I assume you want to protect him?”

“......”

Predator said nothing.

She merely stared at him with her pentagram-shaped eyes.

“But let me repeat it once more.”

“That's impossible.”

“He's already committed far too many acts of 'force.'”

“And those who twist the proper flow of 'natural order' inevitably receive an even greater absurdity in return.”

Yet even under that chilling gaze, the man in the star-sea robe remained unconcerned as he turned away.

“That won't change. No matter how many times it's repeated.”

With those words—he vanished completely.

As though he had never been there in the first place.

And in the end—only Predator remained.

Quietly staring at the place where the man in the star-sea robe had stood.

***

“......Lord Alon.”

“What is it?”

“Normally, fish that live in the ocean... no, that's not a fish, it's a monster... but things that live in the sea are supposed to swim in water, aren't they?”

“That's right.”

“Then what is that?”

Alon glanced at Evan.

His gaze clearly said,

Why are you asking me that?

After a brief silence—

“W-Well... let's keep going?”

At Penia's bewildered suggestion, Alon nodded.

And so the group continued toward Palantio.

Yet none of them could stop staring at the castle.

Naturally.

They still had not gotten used to it.

And after another half year, it had changed dramatically once again.

The Sea God King leisurely swimming around the castle was certainly shocking enough to attract attention.

But beyond that, the castle itself had changed even more than Alon expected.

The most shocking transformation of all—was the floating island above it.

“......You could build an entire mansion on that.”

“You could build the academy we saw in the Empire on it.”

“......Indeed.”

The floating island Alon had seen previously had been quite small.

At most, large enough for a tiny house.

More of a mascot than anything significant.

But now?

It had become genuinely massive.

Large enough for Penia and Evan's comments to be entirely reasonable.

And that wasn't all.

“......Why does the castle look bigger too?”

“I felt the same thing.”

“Right!?”

The castle itself had grown.

Not to the extent where someone would tilt their head and wonder if it was slightly larger.

No.

Large enough that anyone would immediately say, "Ah. It got bigger."

“Logically speaking... is that even possible?”

“No. I mean... castles don't usually gain weight, do they? Normally you'd have to tear them down and rebuild them.”

“Exactly.”

“But it doesn't look like it was demolished and rebuilt either.”

Alon nodded at Evan's observation.

To begin with, demolishing and rebuilding a castle of that scale in half a year made no sense.

Wondering just what in the world had happened while he was gone, Alon eventually arrived before the castle.

And the moment he did—

“?!”

Fwoooooosh—!!

A red carpet unfurled before him.

Startled by the sudden appearance of the carpet—

“Illusion magic?”

Alon immediately recognized its nature.

And at that exact moment—

Fwoooooosh—!!

Illusory knights appeared on both sides of the carpet.

Drawing their swords in unison, their brilliantly colored blades crossed into giant X-shapes.

As they shot toward the sky with explosive sounds like fireworks, they began creating a gigantic image of Alon himself.

“......Oh.”

Evan voiced his admiration.

“Waaah...... The amount of mana crystals needed to perform this even once is... this is absurdly wasteful......”

Meanwhile, Penia calculated the resources being consumed and looked horrified.

And then—

“......Ah.”

Alon.

Overcome by a level of secondhand embarrassment so severe it sent chills throughout his body, felt as though he might collapse on the spot.

All he could do was squeeze his eyes shut.

Shortly afterward, after receiving greetings and applause from countless residents and completing a return ceremony he absolutely did not want—

“Welcome back, Your Majesty.”

“Alexion.”

Alon exchanged brief greetings with Alexion, who had come to receive them.

“There are several matters that require reporting. However, I imagine you have many questions first, so we can postpone the formal report for a little while.”

“Thank you.”

He immediately headed deeper into the castle.

And there he found Lainisius.

“......You've returned.”

“Lainisius, and...”

“Ah, Your Majesty has arrived.”

“Mm.”

The two Tower Masters were there as well.

Namely—

Norton Mirage, the Purple Tower Master, and Manram, the Brown Tower Master, both smiling as though they were immensely pleased with themselves.

Seeing them, Alon shut his eyes tightly before reopening them.

“That illusion magic... was the work of you two?”

“Yes. What did you think?”

“Stop doing it.”

Still trembling from embarrassment, Alon held his head and earnestly requested that they never repeat it.

Shortly afterward, Alon finally learned how things had become this way.

“So, to summarize, Lainisius possesses so much mana that simply operating this castle consumes virtually none of it, and you redesigned everything based on that assumption?”

“Exactly.”

“......”

Hearing Norton's explanation, Penia unconsciously let out a sound of admiration while looking at Lainisius.

“I'm starting to feel like an idiot.”

Ignoring her muttering, Alon continued.

“Then what about that?”

He pointed toward the Sea God King swimming around the castle.

“Was that done the same way?”

“That is correct.”

Manram nodded.

“How exactly did you accomplish that?”

“It wasn't particularly complicated. We used the five castles as anchor points to create a grand magic formation, then added a few gravity arrays.”

“To be honest, it was originally intended as a mechanism to intercept long-range attacks.”

“But after observing it for a while, I thought it looked rather impressive visually as well, so we additionally—”

Manram continued speaking as though he had been waiting for the question.

Alon quietly let out an "Ah."

“......Is there a problem?”

Manram cautiously asked.

Now you're being cautious?

The thought crossed Alon's mind.

Still, he shook his head.

“No. Not exactly.”

From Alon's perspective, they had essentially upgraded the castle to this extent for free.

Complaining now felt somewhat unreasonable.

Objectively speaking, the castle was not bad.

In fact, it was excellent.

The only problem was—that it was far too much.

After pondering briefly, Alon asked another question.

“Just in case... have you installed any other devices within the castle?”

Rather than criticize anything, he decided it would be better to learn exactly what the Tower Masters had done.

And at those words—

“Of course we have~!”

Both Tower Masters brightened immediately.

Then the explanations began.

“This is an automatic interception system. If an external invasion occurs—”

“This is an illusionary mobilization system. Should an enemy or unauthorized individual appear, illusion magic will immediately—”

“The walls are layered with multiple defensive spells, but more importantly, a firestorm system—”

“And in your residence, we've installed a golem capable of instantly responding to any individual other than Lord Alon—”

For two entire hours.

By the time Alon had grown exhausted simply from listening, the final feature was revealed.

At the center of the five castle towers.

A massive sphere of mana.

So overwhelming that it looked outright violent.

“What is that?”

At Alon's question—

“An anti-divine-blood interception weapon.”

“We call it Dragon Breath!”

The two Tower Masters proudly announced.

And at that moment—

'It's a Demon King's castle.'

'It's definitely a Demon King's castle.'

'It truly is a Demon King's castle.'

Evan, Penia, and Alon all reached exactly the same conclusion.

***

Later that evening, as darkness began settling across the sky—

“You look exhausted. We'll discuss Kylrus tomorrow.”

“It isn't a topic that will end quickly anyway.”

“......Let's do that.”

Receiving consideration from Lainisius, Alon instead met with Alexion.

“One of the castles is going to become vacant?”

“More specifically, one inner castle and several castles in the five-layered outer fortifications. I thought this might be a good opportunity to recruit additional garrison forces.”

“Additional troops?”

“Yes. To be honest, the castle itself is simply...”

Alexion hesitated.

“It was built exceptionally well. However, it's become so enormous that our existing forces are reaching their limits.”

“So you're saying we need more soldiers.”

“Yes. In fact, we'll need quite a lot. It would be ideal if we could recruit a large number at once, but that would significantly reduce reliability. So filling the ranks will likely take time.”

Alon nodded.

“Then let's proceed with that.”

“Yes. I'll begin making preparations. Ah, and what would you like to do about the vacant inner castle?”

“The inner castle?”

“Yes. The one adjacent to yours. Ordinarily, leaving it empty would be fine, but...”

“What now?”

“There's simply... too much equipment installed. It feels rather wasteful to leave it unused.”

Alon could understand that.

Certainly, Lainisius was supplying the mana.

Meaning there were effectively no operating costs.

Even so, allowing all that infrastructure to sit idle felt wasteful.

“Hm.”

After considering it for a moment, Alon casually said—

“Then I suppose I should give the castle to someone.”

“Give the castle away......?”

“Yes.”

“If there's someone among the people around me who needs it.”

And the moment those words left his mouth—the red brooch and green badge attached to Alon's coat began to shine.

As though heralding a coming storm.