My friends and I were in the Royal Capital, at the largest Magic Ship airport in the Kingdom.
"Now, take care of Cecile."
"Yes, thank you for everything."
I thanked him profusely.
We were leaving for the Bakius Empire.
We were being seen off by Viscount Granvelle and Cecile's brother, Thomas.
What I just thanked him for was related to my sister, Muras.
Muras became a Priest by the help of Spirit God Rosen.
For that matter, Viscount Granvelle said that he would ask the Church to dispatch a Priest to teach Recovery Magic to her. In addition, although the Latash Kingdom and the rest of the world call it "Church," its official name was "Elmea Church".
Of the many Gods, it mostly prayed to Elmea, the Creator God.
The development village that Rodan had started to build last year, was doing well. So, the plan was to start building a Church and then invite a Priest.
Viscount Granvelle took care of calling the Priest earlier in the schedule so that they could instruct Muras in Recovery Magic.
Once she learnt Recovery Magic, she would be able to cast Recovery Magic from a distance, and her Level would easily increase.
The villagers would be safer doing the Boar hunt in the fall, and I was also going to keep an eye on them with my summons.
I believed that she would be able to raise her Level at a constant rate each year.
Finally, Cecile gave her farewell to Viscount Granvelle, and everyone boarded the Magic Ship.
There were many types of Magic Ships, including ones that were designed to travel fast, huge ones for many people or cargo, and smaller ones for private use.
The one we rode was the type that traveled at normal speed, but it was a fairly large one that traveled between countries.
We booked two moderately large rooms, and the boys and girls stayed in separate rooms.
I had already traveled using the Magic Ship a few times, so I was used to it.
However, after dropping off our luggage, we gathered in the boy's room to talk about the future.
I was feeling like I was on a school trip at that time.
"And what's that 1000 Gold coins for, anyway?"
"I heard it costs a lot of money to bring in craftsmen. And then there's flood control."
I had given 1,000 Gold coins to Rodan, my father and the Village Mayor.
I also told them that it was for the development of the village.
Cecile asked me a question about that, knowing that it didn't cost that much to build a village.
It wouldn't take that much money if just serfs were to build a village.
That's how the Kurena Village was built.
However, it costs money to hire experts with knowledge of construction, civil engineering, flood control, and village planning to deal with magical beasts.
I personally thought that that 1000 Gold coins was too little.
"Kiel also left a lot of money."
"It's because I'm a Lord. Dogora."
Lying on the bed, Dogora mentioned that Kiel had deposited a 1000 Gold coins to Count Hamilton. Dogora often slept in those meetings.
Next to him, Kurena was already starting to swoon.
I was the one who had to carry Kurena to bed whenever she fell asleep.
Kiel had given most of his money to Count Hamilton to use if her sister and her servants got in trouble.
He had received 1,000 Gold coins from the Queen of Rosenheim.
I became Rosenheim's Chief of Staff as a reward, but everyone else received 1,000 Gold coins as their reward.
"The S-class dungeon will have a lot of A-rank magical beasts. If we sell them, we'll soon have some money."
I, who was not concerned about money, was optimistic that we would be able to continue to make money.
"That's true. Still, I wonder if Merle is alright."
"I have already requested the Bakius Empire through Rosenheim to graduate Merle and allow her to accompany us when we were in the Royal Capital. I'm sure they will be sincere in their response."
Sophie answered Cecile's question.
I believed Merle to be very important if we were to conquer the S-class dungeon of the Bakius Empire.
There were many things we didn't know about the Bakius Empire. So, it would help if we had a dwarf friend who could show us around outside of the dungeon.
Therefore, on the premise that Merle played an active role in the war, the Academy issued a Graduation Certificate, and Rosenheim had asked that Merle be allowed to accompany us in our attempt to conquer the S-class dungeon.
"Did you get a reply?"
Sophie had contacted Rosenheim using the Kingdom's magic tools, but the Bakius Empire had yet to respond.
"No. But I've never been told anything disrespectful by the Bakius Empire."
Sophie didn't see a problem with my question.
Not long after that, the meeting in the Magic Ship was over, and I carried Kurena, who had fallen asleep, to the room we had rented for the girls.
A few days passed, and the Magic Ship was sailing smoothly above the sky.
My friends and I spent the time eating together and occasionally going doing whatever we wanted on our own.
"Allen? You are still making them?"
"Yeah, well, I distributed a lot of them in the Kingdom and ran out of stock."
I spent all of my time doing whatever I wanted to do, gaining Skill Experience through mana consumption and creating [Blessing of Heaven]s.
(Well, you can never be sure you'll make it home safely.)
I didn't know if I'd be able to return back. That's why I've given Rodan some Gold coins and left him some extra [Blessing of Heaven]s in case something happened to me.
So, Cecile asked me a question as I was producing [Blessing of Heaven]s in a rented private room in the cafeteria. It was a question, but it was also just a normal conversation.
I had always been like that. Cecile, too, only thought as she next said, "Your frequency has become amazing since you got the Mana Recovery Ring."
It was for Sophie's sake that I asked for a private room when we ate.
In other countries, elves were only found on the front lines of battle or in Academies, so their long ears were very noticeable.
Sophie was beautiful as well, so she easily attracted attention, and we wanted to avoid that.
That was why Sophie usually wore a hood when she was in a public place.
"Is Mr. Allen here?"
"Wow, food!"
As we were in a private room, the door was closed, but I could hear a voice carefully checking if I was in the room at the door.
Then, Kurena cheered beside me.
(I just ordered the food. Is it already here?)
I thought and put the produced [Blessing of Heaven]s in my <Inventory>.
"No, I am from the Giamut Empire. May I have a word with you?"
"Eh? Please enter."
I snuck B-rank Spirit into a wall and asked him to enter.
The sudden visit seemed to put my friends on alert.
(Hey, isn't this the guy who spoke to me at the Royal Castle?)
The person who opened the door and walked in was someone I had met many days ago.
It was a woman who claimed to be a diplomat for the Giamut Empire during a social gathering I had attended at the Royal Castle.
She asked for time to talk to me, but I was surrounded by quite a few Nobles at that time and couldn't talk to her.
She was dressed in what looked like a tight suit.
She was probably in her early twenties.
(Hmm? You followed us to the Magic Ship?)
I asked her to sit down at an empty seat and ordered some food for her since she hadn't eaten yet.
"I'm sorry." she said, but her gaze remained fixed on Allen.
"I ordered a platter, so please share it with us."
We always ordered a platter and shared it.
Kurena and Dogora were big eaters, while the elves Sophie and Formar were quite small eaters.
Moreover, they ate very little meat.
I didn't eat meat from magical beasts at all, so I didn't even eat the White Dragon steak we had grilled in the development village.
"Yes!"
Kurena replied cheerfully, and the diplomat bowed, so we decided to eat together.
"And what can I do for you?"
I asked the diplomat while scooping the soup with a spoon.
"Actually, His Majesty the Emperor has sent an invitation for you, Mr. Allen. I would very much like to invite you to visit the Imperial Capital of the Giamut Empire with me."
(Well, I had a feeling it would be something like this. I see, you've been waiting until now...)
"I'm sorry, but we have other plans."
"Are they more important than an invitation from the Emperor? We will be arriving at the Imperial Capital shortly?"
She asked me if I was going to ignore the Emperor.
As a matter of fact, there were no direct flights to the Bakius Empire on the Magic Ships from the Latash Kingdom.
It was because the Latash Kingdom and the Bakius Empire didn't officially have any diplomatic relations.
As a hub airport, we were supposed to go to the Bakius Empire via the airport in the Imperial Capital of the Giamut Empire.
We were about to arrive at the Imperial Capital of the Giamut Empire when just a day before a diplomat from the Giamut Empire approached us, saying that the Emperor wanted to see us. It seemed that she had been waiting for that day for a long time.
"I'm sorry, but I don't recall receiving an invitation to do anything in particular. Also, meeting the most powerful person in the continent is too intimidating for me."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sorry. Just."
"Just?"
"You are usually in the Royal Castle of the Latash Kingdom, right? If I really need your help, I will call on you."
The diplomat had confirmed with me before that she was going back to the Royal Castle of the Latash Kingdom.
(Well, he is a leader of the Five Continent Alliance. There might be dungeons and things that only the Empire can offer. Legendary weapons...)
I don't have any business right now, so I won't go, but if I need anything, I'll call on you, was what I basically meant.
"... I understand."
"Like Helmios probably said, I am very difficult, aren't I?"
"No, no, it was a great honor to be in the company of someone who saved the world."
The diplomat didn't seem to have anything to say as she stayed silent thereafter.
Thus, Allen refused the invitation from the diplomat of the Giamut Empire.
