Published: January 13, 2026
From the fort, Panamera was seen walking over, waving one hand as he spoke.
"Mr. Panamera."
When I called his name, Panamera walked straight toward me and firmly placed his hand on my shoulder. It was a bit painful.
"Boy... what is this?"
"Huh?"
Caught off guard by Panamera's sudden question, I tilted my head and gave a vague response. Perhaps displeased, Panamera pointed diagonally upward with a serious expression.
"This. What is this building?"
At his words, I looked up at the newly constructed structure. Buildings were built on either side of the street section, arching and merging together in the air. The building resembled a torii gate but was elaborately decorated, with a unique roof spreading upwards, creating an artistic beauty.
"Um, it's not the Yangming Gate... rather, a kind of castle gate. I thought today's work would be finished with this, so I got a bit enthusiastic. I kept the height to about forty meters, but I focused on the exterior details..."
"W-wait a moment. My head can't keep up... A castle gate? Why did you build this?"
Panamera, unusually confused, asked. Actually, I hadn't thought about it at all, but I couldn’t say I built it on a whim. For a moment, I looked up at the magnificent new Yangming Gate, then quickly turned back to Panamera.
"I firmly believe His Majesty will win this battle. So, I built this luxurious castle gate so that His Majesty could enjoy seeing it immediately after the victory. By the way, the living quarters start from the second floor, so I'll be staying there tonight."
I said this with a smile. Panamera glanced up at the Yangming Gate with an exasperated look and sighed.
"Hah... It's amazing how you come up with such things. And despite all the lavish carvings and decorations, it even gives off a kind of divine aura. May I see inside?"
"Huh? I-I don't think that's a good idea..."
"Mm?"
Reacting instinctively to Panamera's words, I immediately refused. Panamera narrowed his eyes, sensing something.
"… You made something else again, didn't you? Let me see."
"W-wait, that's... Ah, Mr. Panamera!?"
Suddenly, it felt like a police raid was happening, and I hurriedly tried to stop Panamera. I didn’t expect him to barge into my residence without permission, so I was genuinely panicked.
Ah, my residence is in Seato Village, so this should be called a villa. The word villa... made me feel a bit like a celebrity, and it lifted my spirits.
No, no. Right now, I have to do something about Panamera opening the door and entering without permission.
"Mr. Panamera! Please wait!"
I hurried after him, but Panamera swiftly climbed the stairs and soon reached the second floor.
Then, he stopped abruptly.
"...Boy, this is..."
Panamera looked at me reproachfully. I was completely caught. I sighed in resignation and answered.
"...Yes. This is the room where we plan to stay."
I explained the room. First, the nearby sofa.
"This sofa is made from the rare hide of a demonic beast. I also paid attention to the table and shelves. Plus, the windows are double-layered thick glass to block attacks from outside while allowing light in. There's a toilet and bath, and the bedroom can comfortably sleep ten people. The third floor has even more luxurious bedrooms and living rooms. Even though this room already has beautifully designed walls, pillars, and ceilings, the third floor is even more extravagantly decorated..."
As I gradually got carried away explaining, Panamera began speaking in a low voice, and I obediently shut my mouth.
"...This is a building for His Majesty to stay in, right?"
Panamera asked for confirmation.
"No, this is for us..."
"There's no mistake—this is the building where His Majesty will stay, right?"
"...Yes, that's right."
Reluctantly, I agreed to Panamera’s words. Only then did he finally breathe a satisfied sigh.
"...You’re a terrifying person. You don’t know fear... If this were something a mere child did, it would be fine, but Baron Van can’t make excuses like that."
Panamera said with a slightly angry tone and began inspecting the room.