Kalton Mountain Range (1)
"Adonis is a great woman. If she catches you with her strength, Larksper can't escape."
"Really?"
"She's different from the humans Larksper has fought so far. She doesn't use tricks, rather, Larksper had to use tricks because she was so strong."
"That's why you're all battered and bruised."
Dirt and dust kept falling off of him no matter how much he shook himself. He would have to take a shower first thing when he got back.
"Larksper enjoys fighting strong opponents."
"Really?"
"Larksper always fights monsters. Adonis has taught Larksper a lot. Larksper learned a lot from her."
Even though his arm was sore enough to flinch when touched, Larksper still had a satisfied expression on his face.
Reed asked him, wondering if it was possible.
"By any chance, do you feel any emotions for Adonis?"
"What kind of emotion?"
"Like love, those subtle emotions that lovers have."
At that, his happy face contorted.
"Larksper likes humans. But they are not targets for reproduction."
"I'm sorry."
Reed immediately apologized, feeling as if it was an insult to the warrior's spirit.
A moment later, the carriage stopped, and they returned to the Silence Tower.
Rosaria, who had been waiting for them at the door, greeted them.
With her cheeks puffed up, she looked up at Larksper.
"Uncle, where did you go with my dad?"
"Larksper went to a place called Hupper Kingdom."
"We have to study today! Unni said so! If we don't study for even a day, we won't grow up to be big people!"
As she said that, she looked at Larksper with her big, round eyes, then tilted her head.
"No, Uncle seems big enough already? Do you want to grow even bigger?"
"Larksper is enough right now."
"Become an even bigger person! I mean, really big!"
Reed couldn't let Rosaria's words slide, so he reached down to her eye level and grabbed her cheeks.
"Didn't I tell you not to use the word 'really big'? I don't know why you don't listen to your dad these days."
"Dadddyyy... Ow... I'm sorry."
Despite the gentle pulling, tears welled up in her eyes.
Reed, finding her adorable, pushed her stretched cheeks back in.
"Uncle needs some rest. He's already in pain from taking many lessons. Let's give him a break, okay? Instead, your dad will take that lesson."
"Dad?"
"Yes, I'll listen to everything that teacher Rosaria has to say."
"Do you not know something, Dad?"
"Even though it may not seem like it, there are many things I don't know. Sometimes, I just pretend to know."
"Then today, Dad is a student! Uncle can rest today."
"Thank you."
Reed patted Larksper's waist and let him go.
"I've already informed the mages in the tower, so go wash up, get treated, and rest well."
"Tower Master, thank you."
Although he looked a bit better when walking, he was more exhausted than when he had faced the Rhinotodus.
Larksper went to take a shower, and Reed listened to Rosaria's lecture.
The lecture, created with a child's perspective and imagination, felt fresh.
He played along with her until he was too tired and fell asleep.
***
Leto was only used as a mediator and information merchant.
"How's the news from the Empire?"
"The Empire is always doing well. Annoyingly so."
Well, yeah.
The Empire remains strong. Even after nine years, when the last boss is defeated, the Empire survives very well.
Even if the current emperor dies of old age, the crown prince has a high reputation, so the empire won't fall apart even if it weakens.
"How about the Third Prince?"
"The Third Prince... As always, he's quite similar, but if there's anything strange, I would say his hysteria has increased."
"His hysteria has increased?"
"Yes, he's still debauched, but he's changed a bit. He's become more cautious indoors, like a woman, but outdoors, he's like a wild horse that's been unleashed. Last time I heard, he almost started a fight! He came at me like that, saying, 'Do I look easy to you?'"
"Hmm..."
"What a crazy child he is, really...!"
"What's the internal evaluation?"
"As I said, it's just quiet. They said he looked very dejected."
"Hmm..."
There's no doubt that he hasn't come to his senses, but he's just being quiet for a while because he's been lectured after doing something that could have exposed a weakness.
As expected, his nature doesn't change.
It was fortunate that he took care of him before he could come up with something, and that he recorded the prince's screams.
'The Third Prince is useful to us.'
The Third Prince, William, was an NPC who only held them back when he was an ally.
The best thing for Reed was to support the prince, who only had authority to rely on, so that he could hold back the Emperor.
'However, since he's the Third Prince, I have to use his weakness well.'
It was like cooking.
If you cook with too strong a flame, it'll burn, and if you cook with too weak a flame, it won't even cook through; it was such a sensitive ingredient.
If it's too weak, the Empire won't listen, and if it's too strong, it'll lead to extreme choices.
That extremity includes taking the life of the Third Prince.
If it were the weaknesses of the Crown Prince or the Second Prince, they would try to compromise somehow, but the situation with the Third Prince is different.
Knowing that, they had to manipulate them ambiguously, to the point where it was not enough to cut off their tails.
"Is there anything else you're curious about regarding the Third Prince?"
"Let's talk about something else."
He tried to change the subject, as he felt that he might unknowingly leak information while talking about the Third Prince.
"How is the price of magnesium?"
"It's on a downward trend these days. Everyone's reluctant because they wonder what to use it for."
"I suppose so."
Reed was confident in the recipe, and everyone was focusing on learning magic engineering, so they could boast of having better magnesium processing technology than the Empire.
Moreover, the only item Reed had shown so far was a mere recording device.
It was an item unrelated to magnesium.
With no items to imitate or replace, they would have no choice but to give up on magnesium.
The time to buy it again is slowly approaching.
'I'd rather mine it myself than buy it...'
Finding a stable source of supply was the best option.
It was taboo for the Tower Master to own personal mines or land.
However, if the Hupper Kingdom was involved, it was possible to use loopholes in such taboo matters.
'If I swing it too much, I could get hated...'
Since the Hupper Kingdom said they would handle that part, Reed decided not to worry too much.
"By the way, Tower Master, I heard you're going to the Kalton Mountain Range this time."
"...Yeah."
They say ears everywhere and nowhere...
He secretly prepared, but somehow, he mentioned it as if he had heard it.
"If it's not rude, may I lend you some help?"
"What kind of help are you talking about?"
"Hehehe, well, investment, for example. I think I can provide you with things that could be helpful to you, Tower Master."
"Investment..."
He had an impatient face, wanting to get involved somehow.
Reed still didn't trust Leto.
"You said you wanted to help me?"
"Yes, th-that's right."
"Then try to find out about Grancia."
"Grancia... a kingdom near the Kalton Mountain Range."
"They must be eyeing the Kalton Mountain Range without a doubt. If you play your role well there, you'll get a piece of the pie too."
"I see... I understand. I will try my best for our Master of the Silence Tower, hehehe!"
Leto got up from his seat, laughing like a rat.
Grancia will conquer the Kalton Mountain Range.
The record of a hero who suddenly appeared, defeated the giant of the Kalton Mountain Range, and then vanished.
Many people questioned the hero's story itself because the record of the conquest was not properly described.
Reed intended to make that record clear.
Whether that superhero was Larksper or if there really was a superhero who suddenly appeared.
