Chapter 268

Chapter 268. Falling Supplies

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Black Ship returned to Sky Island.

It ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was bad news for the prisoners: the flag arriving at Sky Island was not blue.

Instead, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍every blue flag hanging there was taken down, and black flags bearing a Hydra were raised.

“Congratulations ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍on your return.”

When ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the blood relatives disembarked, the Head Maid, who had finished preparing Sky Island for its new occupants, greeted them.

“You ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍have worked hard.”

“The prisoners are in the basement. I gave Second Daughter Pia a separate room.”

At the mention of Pia, the Second Daughter, the blood relatives turned their heads.

“Youngest! You captured Wisdom’s Second Daughter?”

“I did, though it was not my intention.”

“Well, the Wind Dragon took the First Daughter and the Third Son away, but not the Second Daughter.”

“What happened?”

The youngest son explained everything: his arrival on Sky Island, copying the teleportation magic circle, Pia’s intrusion, and how he had subdued her.

After hearing it all, the First Son rubbed his chin and nodded.

“…I see. The Second Daughter saw through our plan, but she lacked the strength to overturn it.”

“She would have overturned it if I had not been there. The Clone worked well. It made her think she could go alone.”

“And then, and then? When do we get to see our adorable Lady Pia?”

“Shall we take turns torturing her?”

The conversation began with the Fourth Son and followed the path the youngest had expected. He cut in.

“I promised her humane treatment as a prisoner.”

It was as though someone had poured a bucket of cold water over the conversation as it began to heat up. The Fourth Son snapped at him with a sulky expression.

“So what if you promised? Aren’t promises made to be broken?”

“They are not, but just this once, I find myself wanting to agree with him.”

“Just leave her to this lunatic! Or to me! We’d have her talking about the first thing she ever ate!”

“Yes, I am sure you would. But we must not.”

The Second Daughter, who had been quieter than the other blood relatives, sighed softly as her younger sister carried her on her back.

“The youngest is always too thoughtful for his own good.”

Nod.

The Third Daughter signaled her agreement with a dip of her chin.

“It wouldn’t hurt him to be a little more like Jamie in that respect.”

“Hey. What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Dante is thinking far ahead. We could get information by torture, but then, even if we won, no one in the West would want to become an Easterner.”

“Does that matter? If Wisdom disappears, they’ll have to become Easterners anyway.”

The First Son thought for a moment and shook his head.

“No, they will not.”

“Now what?”

“Crowds are like springs. The harder you press them down, the harder they try to spring back. It is best to avoid needless oppression. However.”

The First Son’s gray eyes turned to the youngest’s Bloodshot eyes.

“I thought torturing Wisdom’s Second Daughter for substantial information was ‘necessary’ oppression. Do you disagree, youngest?”

“Yes. We can manage without her information. The fact that she is in our hands already puts considerable pressure on them.”

There was another reason.

“Besides, torturing her would play into the enemy’s hands. Pia is well regarded in Wisdom. There’s no need to go stirring up a beehive.”

That would only benefit the queen bee deep in the West. Her troops’ morale, crushed by defeat, would recover at once.

Wisdom’s First Daughter would also hold back if she saw that her sister was safe.

It was difficult to drive when one went too fast. The same was true of war.

“I would like to handle Lady Pia myself, if my elder brothers and sisters permit it.”

“I have no objection.”

“Nor do I.”

“Hmm….”

The Fourth Son delayed his answer with a thoroughly displeased look, but eventually let out a long sigh.

“Haa…. All riiight. But!”

He held up a pointed index finger.

“If the Second Daughter acts even a little too proud, I’m not going to sit still~.”

“Of course.”

The youngest son answered with a smile and glanced at the Head Maid. Understanding what he meant, she gave a slight nod.

She seemed to have warned Pia enough that, barring anything unusual, the Fourth Son would have no occasion to raise a hand against her.

“Shall we go inside? The Head Maid has made preparations so you can rest right away.”

“All by herself? That must’ve been so hard~. It must’ve been a war here, too. Use some of my people!”

“The same goes for mine.”

“We’d give you people too, but we don’t have any.”

The sons offered personnel, except for the daughters, who kept no flesh-and-blood people around them.

“Then may your Chief Secretaries and my Head Maid communicate directly from now on without seeking permission each time?”

“We are at war. With so much to think about and do, asking permission for every little thing would be difficult.”

“I agree, too!”

“Head Maid. Did you hear?”

“As you command.”

She bowed politely as she answered.

The blood relatives then reached Millesdusk’s first base, formerly the residence of the Master of the Tower of the Sky.

“The Head Maid will show you your rooms. I’ll check the teleportation magic circle in the meantime, so please rest.”

“Mm! Good work!”

“You have done well.”

“I’ll rest a little, then come right over.”

“There is no need. You have worked hard enough already.”

The daughters shook their heads at the same time.

“None of Wisdom’s blood relatives came for me, so it wasn’t even enough to relieve my boredom. Only those Nullifying Decree Chains, or whatever they’re called, bothered me a little.”

The Nullifying Decree Chains. He had first seen Wisdom’s defense against spirits when rescuing the Grade 1 agent abducted from the Imperial Library.

The youngest son nodded and continued.

“Then, would you two study how best to dismantle those chains?”

“We should. It would be better than lying around.”

“Thank you, my sisters. Then I’ll be going.”

Leaving his siblings behind, the youngest son headed for the Tower of the Sky. On the way, he briefly exchanged thoughts with the head butler to check their progress.

There was someone else in Eclipse who could help the head butler.

After all, the youngest son was not the only one in their camp who knew how to control a Clone.

***

The Forest Witch had come to Eclipse using a wooden doll as her Clone, and she helped as the youngest son had asked.

But working with the Marquis of the demon world was difficult in a different way.

“Forest Witch! Make that part a little narrower! You just have to look at the diagram I drew!”

“That diagram….”

The Forest Witch held up the diagram Butler Amon had handed her as soon as she arrived.

“This is drawn terribly, isn’t it?”

“I copied it as closely as I could!”

If that was his best effort, what would a rough sketch look like?

When she had first received it, she had not even realized it was a magic circle.

She knew only because he had told her to help draw a teleportation magic circle. Otherwise, she would not have known what it was at all.

“This is difficult.”

Muttering, the Forest Witch continued the magic circle across the broad floor inside Eclipse’s magitech landing platform.

Even if the circle was a dense concentration of Western knowledge, she understood little of it. Yet everything was fitting neatly into place.

Hard as it was to believe, could that diagram really be useful?

RUMBLE—

As the work neared completion, an enormous merchant ship descended at the far end of the landing platform.

Great Merchant Jubel Maxman, the Fifth Son’s merchant, had come to Eclipse aboard the Mariella with a great quantity of supplies.

“It has indeed been a long time, Lady Forest Witch and Butler Amon.”

“Jubel.”

He always wore plain clothes, at odds with his epithet and reputation. Today, too, he had come following the scent of money.

“I have done as the Young Master ordered, but are we truly to do no more than unload the supplies here?”

“That is right.”

“Understood. Unloading them is far easier for me than carrying them all the way to the West.”

Jubel beckoned to Marvin, his deputy merchant leader.

“Marvin. Unload all the supplies we prepared near this… circle.”

“It’s a teleportation magic circle. And it’s finished, so you can put them on top of it.”

“She says to unload them onto this magic circle.”

“H-here?”

Marvin pointed at the empty landing platform, where there was not a single airship.

“Really here? Unload them here? Really?”

“It’s the Young Master’s order. I don’t quite understand it either, but we’re at war. We cannot afford to delay supplies of all things.”

“U-understood.”

Marvin set the merchant troupe members to work, bringing the large wooden transport crates onto the magic circle.

Everything was ready.

“Come on, everyone! Step back! Here comes the big one!”

The head butler knelt on one knee before the magic circle drawn from his crooked diagram and pressed his palms together.

Teleportation required two magic circles, and both were now complete.

Jubel, who had found himself a spectator, caught the Forest Witch as she was about to return and asked her,

“Lady Forest Witch, just to be sure: when you say teleportation, do you mean what I think you mean?”

“Mm. I do.”

“Hah.”

Jubel let out an incredulous laugh.

“The Young Master always exceeds my expectations. Teleportation, which had been the West’s own means of transport, has now come to the East.”

“I know what you’re thinking, but it isn’t that convenient.”

Several mages had not worked together with painstaking precision on the circle at the landing platform.

They had taken a shortcut by linking a demon and a human, and as a result, the connection between the circles was not stable.

“The pressure the magic circle puts on whatever it teleports is unusual. It interferes with the target’s mana.”

“…You mean a person sent through it would have their insides turned into a mess.”

“Quite literally a mess.”

But to Jubel, the teleportation magic circle was still a revolution, a wind of change.

“I feel as I did when I first saw an airship. And after that feeling, showers of money have always followed.”

“There you go again, seeing nothing but money. Well, do as you like.”

The Forest Witch’s Clone gestured with her chin toward the magic circle and the head butler in front of it.

“Right now, only the Marquis of the demon world linked to the President can operate it.”

“An unexplored region cannot help but excite a merchant. I am happy to accept that.”

Gold lay somewhere in that unexplored region. The road to it would not be easy, but Jubel had a companion who was also his superior.

That man walked the road with him, even walked ahead of him, and showed him this faint gleam of gold.

HUMMMMM—

The blue light of the activating teleportation magic circle might as well have been gold to Jubel’s eyes.

For now, its gleam was faint, buried among dirt and dust. Clear those away, and he could grasp gold of limitless value.

All without a competitor, as a monopoly.

“So this is why the Young Master has been spending money like water on supplies.”

Jubel felt he was beginning to understand why the Young Master had used his own funds instead of the family’s money to pay for them.

***

The supplies arrived on Sky Island.

The Chief Secretaries of the First Son’s and Fourth Son’s camps, the daughters’ Ghost Butler, and the Head Maid of the Fifth Son’s camp opened, stored, and placed the supplies where they were needed.

The youngest son was close to the work, but his capable Head Maid handled most of it neatly.

He left the work to her for a while and went to see another subordinate who had endured a hard fight.

“Kairos.”

“…Master.”

Kairos had been given a room in an outlying part of the base.

He had requested a secluded place for training, and the request had been granted. This time, he said, he did not want to cause anyone trouble.

“How does your body feel? I heard you drank blood for the first time.”

“Yes. The Ancient Dragon told me about it, but this was the first time I tried. It came to me naturally, like an instinct. I was quite surprised.”

“How did it feel?”

“Not particularly good. Of course, the situation was too urgent for me to care about my feelings then.”

“Do you feel any stronger than before?”

“I do not know if I am stronger. Something new has appeared, though. I do not know what it is, either.”

Kairos rolled up his sleeve. What showed on his exposed forearm was…

“…This….”

Even the youngest son had not expected it.

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