Published: July 5, 2025
"Recently, I've been enjoying delicious food while exploring alchemy on the dark continent. It's a pleasure to have seen number four. We might meet again somewhere," Neil Anderson said before leaving.
Ryo felt a bit lonely, but he also had a sense that they would meet again.
There was no basis for this belief, but he was almost certain of it.
Ryo, Abel, Scotty, and number four, who was following them as a bodyguard, were walking back to the Skizblaznil Vessel.
"Hey, Ryo,"
"What is it, Abel?"
"Number four came because you called it, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"How did you call it... no, how did you know the place?"
"Well, the 'stimulus' I emitted reached number four through the water vapor in the air... Ah, it's similar to my usual sonar magic. Using that, number four arrived."
Thinking that a proper explanation wouldn't get through, Ryo shortened his explanation.
While accuracy was important, it was more crucial to communicate in a way that the other person could understand.
"So, number four knew the location of that shop even without Ryo giving detailed directions."
"Yes, that's correct."
"That's amazing."
Abel expressed his admiration and surprise honestly.
Even among humans, conveying a location is difficult.
Yet, when using magic, it can be communicated accurately to golems.
"If we use this, we can have multiple golems move together and understand each other's positions while acting, right?"
"Ah."
"Right now, it's still my magic, but eventually, I'll develop a magic formula so it can be done through alchemy. Then, even if the golems can't see each other, they can carry out coordinated operations."
Ryo imagined that scene and nodded multiple times.
"Eventually, we could send flying surveillance golems to gather information from the sky... and perhaps have aerial command and control linked to that."
"Huh?"
"If we freeze the entire nation in permafrost the moment we declare war, a war won't happen."
"Ah, yes."
"I understand why Abel seems dissatisfied. You want to say don't sacrifice innocent people, right? If that's the case, let's freeze only the people in the government core, showing the world that this is what happens if they try to start a war!"
"In the end, that means Ryo would be the one to start the war..."
"I'll gladly accept that criticism."
For some reason, Ryo nodded with a determined expression.
Of course, up to this point, their conversation was just hypothetical.
Nothing was actually happening.
There wasn't even a golem army, let alone a siege and annihilation by golems.
It was complete fantasy.
"Someday, under the ice golems, world peace is sure to be realized."
Ryo's words were also likely fantasy.
Probably.
"Is Neil Anderson here? The 'real' one?"
Oscar asked in surprise as he read the report brought in by Marie, Fiona's head maid and deputy.
Marie seemed to not fully understand.
She tilted her head slightly.
"Oscar,"
That call came from Fiona, a gentle admonition.
"Oh, no, it's fine. Don't worry about it, Marie."
Oscar quickly realized.
Marie bowed and left the room.
"This is a blunder."
"That's not such a big deal..."
Oscar frowned while Fiona smiled wryly.
"I received a report earlier that Neil was staying in the Mafalda Republic of the Western Nations. I heard he left the republic afterward, but..."
"That 'it' may have come to the dark continent. Since leaving the republic, his whereabouts seem to be unknown."
"Even our Empire is still lacking in activities in the Western Nations and the dark continent."
Oscar nodded.
For now, they would set aside the matter of Neil Anderson.
The two couldn't handle it alone.
Currently, there were more pressing issues that needed consideration.
"I just received a situation report regarding the Northern Shore of the Dark Continent, and it contains quite severe content."
"Uh-huh?"
Fiona said this and handed the report to Oscar.
After a quick read, he spoke.
"The Eastern Provinces have been stalled from invading the west for a while... it looks like it’s finally about to happen."
"The Western Nations Federation is still without its head of state."