Mushoku Tensei (LN) - Volume 14 - Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

Floating Fortress

ON FOOT, our journey would take a half-day going north from the Magic City of Sharia, but it was just an hour on horseback. Our destination was some old ruins—the remnants of a stronghold. 

Debris was scattered across the ground, vestiges of some stone flooring. Thick stone pillars lay toppled. It was like looking at the Parthenon, except the years had been less kind to this place. No doubt at one period, it was a majestic sight to behold, but now it was little more than an echo of history.

“These are the remains of the Scott Fortress. The humans built it during Laplace’s War. They say there were a thousand humans who barricaded themselves in to oppose the demons’ invasion. Sadly, they were no match for them, and the fortress was eventually captured.”

This helpful explanation came via the woman beside me, a blonde with braided hair. She had an innocent look and was clad in a luxurious travel outfit. Even from afar, you could tell Ariel Anemoi Asura was a peerless beauty who oozed charisma.

Wait, could she be directing that explanation at me?

I kept my mouth shut and glanced around me. Luke and Sylphie were immediately behind us, with Roxy, Zanoba, Cliff, and Elinalise bringing up the rear. Nanahoshi was in front, leading our group. Ariel’s gaze was fixed upon me, and there was no one between us. I was right; she was talking to me. We’d recently traveled with some Ranoan nobility for a bit, but the two of us had never really talked, hence my confusion.

“You sure are knowledgeable, Princess,” I said finally.

She gave me a soft smile. “It’s depicted in a lot of the folk songs in this area.”

“I didn’t know you had an interest in folk songs.”

“Making connections with the local nobility requires that I be familiar with them,” Ariel answered matter-of-factly. Knowledge of old tales was apparently essential for cozying up to the upper class. That must be a lot of work.

“But are you sure we can get to Lord Perugius from here?”

“That’s a good question. I have no idea how it works, but…” I paused, looking at Nanahoshi ahead of us. She was shouldering an enormous backpack and having a rough time walking, thanks to the rubble. Even so, she kept on trucking without a backward glance. I was following her lead, but I wondered how she planned to get to Perugius from here. As far as I could remember, my readings on teleportation magic made no mention about such circles around here. Or maybe there was one, but it hadn’t been noted because it was hidden. “I’m more worried about whether he’ll be annoyed by how many people we’re bringing.”

Ariel chuckled. “Lord Rudeus, you say some amusing things. This is the hero who earned himself the title of ‘king,’ you know. Our small group will hardly faze him.”

“I hope you’re right.” 

I glanced around, mentally ticking off each person in our group: Nanahoshi, me, Ariel, Sylphie, Luke, Roxy, Zanoba, Cliff, and Elinalise. That made nine of us, enough to be a large family unit. Although royalty might not consider it such a big crowd. They often entertained dozens of guests at once, so a group of fewer than ten probably wouldn’t faze them.

Norn had turned down my invitation; she was too busy with school. She had said she would work hard to balance studying swordsmanship with being a member of the student council. Maybe that factored into her refusal. However, if I’d brought her with us, I’d probably have had to bring Aisha too. That would have made us a party of eleven, definitely a crowd. I didn’t feel comfortable taking that many people to meet someone I didn’t really know.

“Lord Perugius spends his days in seclusion now, but after Laplace’s War, he lived in Asura Kingdom for a time. The people there think of him as an equal to their own king. It’s said he once brought a hundred servants with him when he visited the palace. Someone like that would hardly bat an eyelash at a tiny group of nine people,” said Ariel.

“I guess so.”

In a completely unrelated tangent, Ariel’s voice sure was pleasant to listen to. It was surely natural to be annoyed when visitors came knocking with no prior notice, yet Ariel’s words made it sound as if everything would be perfectly fine. It was honestly disconcerting. Her voice was like the devil’s whisper.

I glanced over at the princess. “If he was fed up with life at the palace, then maybe he doesn’t like the concept of visitors at all.”

“Were that the case, Lady Nanahoshi would not have agreed to let me come along.”

“I don’t really think she puts that much thought into it,” I mumbled, recalling the circumstances that led Ariel to join our group in the first place…

When Nanahoshi first mentioned Perugius, I felt as excited as a little kid on the morning of my birthday. This was the Armored Dragon King we were talking about. I knew all about him. I’d read a book about him, not long after I reincarnated into this world.

Perugius was a hero from Laplace’s War 400 years ago. According to what I read, he could control twelve familiars, had restored an ancient floating fortress to its former glory, and had even fought Laplace himself with his comrades. After Laplace was sealed, people sang his praises so much that the new calendar was named “Armored Dragon” after him.

Although Perugius was known as the Armored Dragon King, he had no territory over which to rule. He eventually left the Asuran palace and began traveling the world in his floating fortress, Chaos Breaker. We were actually going to meet this man from the legends. I couldn’t shake my anticipation. I mean, we’re going to visit the castle in the sky, Laputa!

True, I was busy enough between being a parent and conducting my own research, but I still really wanted to go. Sorry, Lucie, your daddy’s no match for his own curiosity. But I promise I’ll bring something back for you! And so I decided to tag along with Nanahoshi.

While I inwardly battled with my own selfishness, Sylphie wasn’t nearly as conflicted. Instead, she asked, “Would it be all right if I brought Princess Ariel along?”

“Ariel?” Nanahoshi scrunched up her expression. 

Said princess had tried soliciting Nanahoshi’s favor a number of times. After all, Nanahoshi controlled a large trade pipeline between Asura Kingdom and Ranoa Kingdom. Of course, Ariel wanted the girl in her pocket. Problem was, Nanahoshi wanted as little to do with this world as possible, which was why she acted annoyed at everything in it.

Actually, that’s not acting. I think she really is annoyed.

“Yes,” said Sylphie. “Lord Perugius has lived in seclusion for many years now, but the Asuran court still reveres him. Princess Ariel is…well, considering her plans for the future, I think she’d like to meet him.”

Ariel had cultivated connections in a number of places for purposes of eventually taking the Asuran crown. In fact, she had spent years now making such preparations, but her chances were about as good as a coin toss. Not a very safe bet, if you asked me. The princess would be graduating next year, but I had no idea what she planned to do after that. Maybe she would continue to sit on her hands and accumulate more power, or maybe she would go back to the capital in Asura to seize the throne. I would help if she chose the latter, but honestly speaking, I was feeling a bit less enthused now that I was married and had a child. I wanted to keep my involvement at a level where it wouldn’t negatively impact my family if at all possible.

Well, my feelings aside, Sylphie’s proposal was probably another attempt to help Ariel with her connections. If Ariel could get the backing of Armored Dragon King Perugius, a man revered as a hero in Asura Kingdom, it would make her struggle for the crown easier.

“Well, I do owe you for all you’ve done…” Nanahoshi shrugged. “Sure, why not. You can bring her.”

Considering how obvious Ariel’s ambitions were, I figured Nanahoshi would turn her down, but she agreed readily. Apparently, Sylphie had looked after Nanahoshi while I was gone. That included sharing food, providing her with clothing, and casting detoxification magic on her when she got sick. Nanahoshi had rarely come over since Lucie’s birthday, but Sylphie said she used our bath a lot before then.

Sylphie pumped a fist and smiled. “Really? Thank you. Princess Ariel will be delighted.” 

And that was how Ariel and Luke ended up joining us. Sylphie said Ariel was unusually enthusiastic about it. I guess being a princess didn’t stop her from being excited to meet someone so famous. Even I was psyched. I mean, this was a real live hero we were talking about. The kind you only heard about in books. I couldn’t wait to see what kind of person he was. Hopefully not a cranky one.

Come to think of it…

I suddenly remembered I had met one of his subordinates a long time ago, before the Displacement Incident. The man called himself Arumanfi the Bright. He thought I was the mastermind behind the Displacement Incident and tried to attack me. Although Ghislaine managed to talk him down, and I didn’t get the impression that he was a bad person. Still, considering he tried to kill me out of nowhere, there was something undeniably dangerous about him. Who knew if his master, Perugius, would be any better? The thought made me nervous.

Okay, but just because his subordinate flew off the handle doesn’t mean he will.

Plus, it seemed like Perugius had a premonition of what was about to happen and tried to stop the Displacement Incident before it occurred. If so, he deserved all the praise in the world. Although trying to kill an innocent in the process…

Well, whatever. The past is the past. I’ll let bygones be bygones. No good would come out of acting hostile to someone I was meeting for the first time. Forgiveness was important.

“We’re here.”

While I was lost in thought, Nanahoshi finally stopped our group as we reached the center of the ruins. There was absolutely nothing here. Or so I thought. Upon closer inspection, I noticed a stone buried beneath the rubble that was perfect for sitting on. It was a monument, actually. One with a glowing emblem that represented a fearsome bunch—the Seven Great Powers. These types of monuments were scattered all over the world, but who knew we’d find one here?

All the same, it wasn’t a magic circle. Perhaps there was a door somewhere that would pop open, revealing stairs that led down to a teleportation circle. Or maybe the monument itself had some kind of warp mechanism installed. Or maybe we just needed to recite some magic words and the stone would automatically teleport us. “So what are we going to do now that we’re here?”

“Call him.” Nanahoshi shrugged off her backpack and fished through it for a metal whistle. She placed it against her lips and blew hard. “Fsssh…” 

No sound came out, only air. Is this a dog whistle or something?

“I’m not hearing anything?” Cliff narrowed his eyes, skeptical.

“It’s a sound normal people can’t perceive, but he should come now.” Nanahoshi sat herself on one of the many stones scattered around us.

A sound normal people can’t hear, but somehow Perugius can hear it from here? Either that means this flute is a magic item or Perugius is a dog.

“Cliff.” Elinalise’s expression turned grim as she addressed him.

“What is it?”

“Just a little forewarning: someone may say something demeaning to you while we’re there, but you mustn’t lose your cool and mouth off. All right?”

He scowled, pouting like a little kid who’d just been scolded by his mother about his studies. “I know that. I’m not a child.”

Elinalise nestled against him and whispered something in his ear. Cliff’s expression relaxed, which either meant she was telling him sweet nothings or she’d apologized.

“I am anxious to see what kind of statues reside within the floating fortress!” Zanoba declared. 

Ever the enthusiast. The moment he learned we would be going to visit Perugius, he’d said, “We should take the opportunity to show Lord Perugius our creations.” Then he stuffed a number of figures I’d made (including the Ruijerd one) into a box to take with us. I had no idea if we would really get an opportunity or not, but Zanoba planned to advertise our business to Perugius, just as I had shown off my work to Badigadi. He sure was passionate about our work.

Julie and Ginger weren’t with us. Julie was staying behind in Zanoba’s room, and Zanoba had ordered Ginger to act as a bodyguard for my family. Not that they were any kind of danger, but at least she could provide assistance if they needed anything. I was sure Ginger’s true wish was to be by Zanoba’s side, but it was at least reassuring to know I had someone to look after my family while I was gone.

“Try not to push your interests on him too much. We are talking about someone who’s lived for over 400 years,” I said.

“Bwahaha! Lord Badi has lived even longer than that. Anyone who has lived that long would have to appreciate the fine quality of your figures, Master.”

“If you say so…” I tilted my head. “Hm?”

A light appeared in the distance.

“He’s here,” mumbled Nanahoshi.

A figure appeared before us a split second later. It was almost instantaneous, in the blink of an eye.

The man had blond hair and was dressed in what looked like a white school uniform. He was likely very handsome, but his face was hidden beneath a yellow mask that resembled a fox. A long dagger hung by his side. He looked exactly as I remembered.

“Arumanfi the Bright, at your service,” he said.

It really was uncanny, how abruptly he appeared. One moment he wasn’t here, and then there he was in the middle of our group. He probably flew from their floating fortress at the speed of light. He did the same when I first met him, back before the entire Fittoa Region disappeared.

Our group went silent. Arumanfi briefly glanced my way. I wondered if he remembered me. Part of me feared he might attack me again. I secretly activated my Demon Eye, tightening my grip on my staff. However, Arumanfi didn’t seem to recognize me at all, much to my relief. His gaze passed over the rest of our party before he walked over to Nanahoshi. 

“There’s quite a few of you,” he said. He must have been tallying our numbers.

Nanahoshi nodded. “Yes, there is, but that’s not a problem, is it? He said I could bring a party of ten.”

“The number of people isn’t an issue. However…” His gaze landed on Roxy. “The demon is.”

“Wh-what? Why?” Roxy looked like a cat who’d been splashed with freezing cold water.

“We don’t allow demons on our floating fortress.”

“O-oh, is that right…” Roxy’s shoulders slumped forward. She was crushed.

During Laplace’s War, Perugius had fought the demons. Perhaps he still held a grudge against them. War tended to leave its mark on people’s hearts. “Is there no way you can make an exception?”

“Lord Perugius is a very magnanimous man, but he hates demons.”

I had nearly forgotten such discrimination existed, because most people weren’t particularly prejudiced toward demons in this region. But the same could not be said for the rest of the world. Perugius might be a man from legend, but he was also a participant in the war. Just as Ruijerd bore the mental scars from those events, perhaps Perugius did as well. Still, I did feel bad for Roxy, since she was the only one who couldn’t come along.

“No, it’s fine,” said Roxy. Her shoulders sank in defeat. “If that’s how it is, I’ll stay behind. Besides, I was a bit afraid to see Per—Lord Perugius anyway, and I still have my work as a professor here. This is for the best.” 

Although she was giving up, she couldn’t hide the disappointment on her face. A part of her clearly wanted to come with us. Still, she forced a smile as she turned toward me, trying to be reassuring. “It’s okay, Rudeus. I’ll take care of everything back home.”

“All right, but I’ll bring you a souvenir.”

She tugged down the brim of her hat so it would hide her face. After a short pause, she mumbled, as if in jest, “I don’t need any souvenirs. Give me a big hug when you get home and that will be enough for me.”

I threw my arms around her, holding her close for a whole ten seconds. Her heart started drumming hard, and I had to pull away before my atomic bazooka reloaded itself.

“Th-thank you…”

“No,” I said, “thank you.”

Roxy’s cheeks turned red as she fidgeted. She smiled, despite her embarrassment, as the two of us pulled away. Once I get back home, we’ll do all that and more.

“Finished?” Arumanfi asked. He had made his way over while the two of us were sharing a heartfelt farewell. Now that my hands weren’t otherwise preoccupied, he handed me a baton. I glanced around and realized everyone else had one.

“Keep a hold of that,” he said.

I grasped the object. It was metal, about 20 centimeters long, with a complex pattern carved into its surface. There was a magic crystal on either end. Most likely a magical implement.

“So what do I do while holding it?”

“You need only hold it,” he said. “Lord Perugius will use teleportation magic to bring all of you to his fortress.”

So this item was imbued with teleportation magic? Was there really such a thing? If so, that was awfully convenient. I thought they said humans couldn’t be summoned? Wait, maybe it’s fine, since this isn’t summoning magic. What’s the difference between the two, anyway?

“How are we supposed to get back once we’re done?”

“You will return the same way, for the most part,” Arumanfi answered casually.

That means there’s some way for them to teleport us back here. Lucie would be an adult by the time we got back if we had to return on foot. It was a relief to know that wouldn’t be happening.

“Does everyone have one of these? Make sure you’re holding it with your bare hands.”

I looked at my left hand. Since it was artificial, there was no way to grip onto the baton with two bare hands.

Nanahoshi surveyed us to make sure we had followed the instructions and nodded at Arumanfi. “It appears everyone is ready.” 

“Very well. Wait just a moment.” He bobbed his head and was a flash of light disappearing into the distance in the next moment. Most likely racing back to the fortress to tell Perugius we were ready to be summoned.

“This is kind of exciting,” Ariel said, grinning at Sylphie.

“Yeah, it is.”

Sylphie was right. The princess was certainly more energetic than usual.

Anyway, teleportation, huh? If something went wrong, we might be warped off to who-knows-where. Living legend though he might be, Perugius was still a person, and people made mistakes. Hoo boy, this is kinda scary.

“Hm?” 

While I was imagining the worst-case scenario, heat began coursing through the baton in my hands. The warmth transferred to my hands and it felt like I was being yanked toward it. I wondered what would happen if I let go. No doubt, the teleportation magic would fail. But the sensation was so sudden, it wouldn’t have surprised me if someone else dropped the baton instinctively.

“Huh?”

I glanced around and realized everyone else was already gone. No—not everyone. Sylphie peered over at me a second before she vanished. Only Roxy and myself remained.

Um? Did they leave me behind?

The second doubt began to creep in, I found my consciousness being absorbed into the baton.

By the time I realized what was happening, everything around me was white. It was an empty space devoid of all color. An invisible string yanked me along at an unbelievable speed. It was like someone was using a power winch to reel in their fishing line, and I was the fresh catch hooked on the other end, whizzing through the air. In the distance, I caught a glimpse of Sylphie being similarly pulled along by this invisible force. Is this what it feels like to be on the opposite end of summoning magic?

More importantly, this setting seemed familiar. I’d seen it before…but where?

That’s right, the Man God!

I never thought much about it, but now I saw that this place resembled the area I saw when I met the Man God in my dreams. Except in those dreams, I was always in my former body. This time, I was still Rudeus, with my robes flapping around me as I soared forward. 

An enormous light lay waiting ahead. It was woven into a mysterious and complex magical circle, and it sucked me in as I approached.

The next time I opened my eyes, there was solid ground beneath me again.

“Phew!”

I sucked in a breath. It was like being startled awake from a dream. Had I lost consciousness at some point? No, that wasn’t it. I remembered flying through a great expanse of nothingness.

“So this is Perugius’s summoning magic, huh?”

It was a peculiar sensation. The last time I felt this was during the Displacement Incident. Back then, I’d also felt like I was soaring through the air. There was a difference this time, however: a sense of stability. The calamity was like a train running off its tracks. This time was more like a taxi—one that safely delivered me to the correct location.

“That sure felt familiar,” Sylphie whispered to me. 

Evidently, I wasn’t alone in feeling this way. “Yeah, it did,” I said, glancing around at our group. Ariel, Luke, Zanoba, Cliff, Elinalise, and Nanahoshi. Everyone was here. Except for Nanahoshi and Elinalise, they all looked absolutely baffled by what they had just experienced. At least they were all safe.

“This magic circle is huge,” Cliff mumbled.

It was only then that I realized what we were standing on. Beneath us was an enormous magic circle about twenty meters wide. It was carved directly into a beautiful marble floor. Water ran through the engraved pattern, emitting a faint light. It was most likely imbued with some type of magic. The water aside, I had seen this same kind of light before—back in the ruins we used to get to Begaritt. In other words, it was a type of teleportation circle.

“Wow…”

What really stole my attention wasn’t the pattern beneath us but the enormous castle in front of us. It had to be at least fifty stories tall, and just as wide, its form massive and imposing. Surely, the interior would be no less majestic. I racked my brain for a comparison from my previous life, but nothing of similar size came to mind. The closest I could think of was if you took Tokyo Dome and slapped a castle on top of it.

So this is a floating fortress. I had seen it from the ground before, but I never realized what a behemoth it was. Even from afar, it was no less impressionable.

“Amazing.” Sylphie’s jaw dropped. “It’s larger than the Asuran palace.”

An expansive garden sprawled before the hulking structure. It had enough trees and colorful flowers that it could be a maze. A canal ran in front of it, its water sparkling in the light. You could tell the place was well taken care of, even from a distance.

“R-Rudy, behind us,” Sylphie squeaked.

“Hm?” I looked behind me. On the other side of the circle was a metal fence. Beyond that was a sea of pure white. “Clouds, huh?”

I had taken a plane once, in elementary school in my previous life. This scene resembled my memories from back then, although it was different seeing it in person instead of peering at it through a window. There was something deeply moving about staring at the clouds like this.

Cliff and Luke were both gaping. Even Ariel’s eyes were round with surprise as she peeked over the railing, taking in the sea of white below us. Everyone was struck speechless by the view. I could hardly blame them. Airplanes didn’t exist in this world, nor was mountain hiking a concept. There was no other way to experience something like this.

Sylphie clutched at my robe.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m really not good with high places.” Her legs were trembling.

Had she really agreed to come along to a flying castle despite her fear of heights? She sure was determined. If she lost her balance, I’d be sure to catch her and carry her.

“I do hope the view from our floating fortress is to your liking,” said an unfamiliar voice from behind us.

I spun around. A woman stood just outside the lines of the circle, still as a statue. She had shoulder-length platinum blonde hair, and her face was hidden beneath a white bird mask. It was hard to say if she was beautiful or not, but she clearly had a woman’s figure. Her clothes were all white, and she held a staff topped with a magic stone that was black and mostly opaque. I bet that cost a pretty penny. Not that an item’s only value was its financial worth, but that thing still had to be expensive. Even more than my own beloved staff.

That said, the most notable part of her appearance was neither her clothes nor her staff. It was the enormous jet-black wings protruding from her back.

“One of the skyfolk…?”

Her wings had a commanding presence about them, yet the woman was so quiet as she stood there that we hadn’t noticed her. It was truly bizarre.

As soon as we had her attention, she tipped her head in a bow. As unversed in etiquette as I was, I could still tell how polished her every movement was. “I extend my heartfelt welcome to all of you. I am the first of Lord Perugius’s servants, Sylvaril of the Void. I will be the one guiding you all around our floating fortress, Chaos Breaker.”

“I am Luke Notos Greyrat, knight of Asura’s second princess, Ariel Anemoi Asura. It’s a great pleasure to make your acquaintance. We look forward to seeing more of your magnificent fortress.” Luke stood in front of Ariel as he offered his own polite greeting, smiling softly at Sylvaril.

Why’s he smiling at her like that? It’s not like she has giant jugs. Not that they’re particularly small either. Is that his preference? Nah, that can’t be it. He’s probably just being polite.

“I am Ariel Anemoi Asura, the second princess of the Asura Kingdom.” Ariel pinched the edge of her skirt, giving a slow curtsy. Her movements were so graceful that I would never be able to imitate them.

Nonetheless, the rest of us also introduced ourselves similarly. Cliff and Zanoba conducted themselves in the same refined manner as the other nobility. I was probably the most ignorant of our group when it came to proper etiquette.

“It’s such a pleasure to meet all of you,” Sylvaril responded politely, her voice betraying nothing of her inner emotions.

“It’s been a while, Miss Sylvaril.” Nanahoshi was the last to speak up, nodding her head in greeting.

“Indeed, Lady Nanahoshi. It’s good to see…well, no, it seems you aren’t in very good health, are you?”

“Not at my best, but I’m all right.”

Their exchange was rather brief, but if the amicable atmosphere was any indication, the two were on good terms.

“Well, then. Follow me, everyone.” Sylvaril turned on her heel and strode forward, her footsteps utterly silent. Her head didn’t bob as she moved, and her garments were so long that they hid her feet. It was like watching a ghost drift along.

Nanahoshi didn’t bat an eyelash as she trailed behind Sylvaril, so the rest of us followed her lead.

***

Sylvaril took the path that cut straight through the garden. A gate made of stone loomed ahead, one resembling a triumphal arch. As we approached, Zanoba hummed in appreciation. “Ahh, what a stunning relief!”

Although he was only really interested in dolls and figures, he was still fairly knowledgeable about other forms of art. Perhaps because they all had something in common. On the other hand, I had no way of judging these kinds of designs. Well, if Zanoba is that impressed, I’m sure it must be pretty incredible. He doesn’t normally act so awed about anything that’s not a figurine or something similar.

I followed his gaze and looked up. “Oh, wow…” Intricate reliefs were chiseled across the entire surface of the gate, the fine patterns extending even to the underside of the arch. One couldn’t resist gawking up at it. We stared as we walked, and Sylvaril chimed in with an explanation.

“This gate was created by Abyssal Dragon King Maxwell. Lord Maxwell has a talent for magical construction and craftsmanship. One of his other creations is the Holy Country of Millis’s white palace—”

“Whoooooa!” Zanoba gasped.

Sylvaril paused and turned around. “Is something the matter?”

“I-I must ask! Where is Master Maxwell right now?!” Zanoba’s voice came out in a high-pitched squeak as he trembled, his eyes fixed on one particular part of the gate. What was up with him? I had no idea what he was looking at.

“Lord Maxwell is the wandering type,” Sylvaril answered. “Assuming he hasn’t already passed away, he is probably out venturing somewhere.”

“Oh, that is a shame. Such a magnificent man… If only I had the chance to meet him…” Zanoba could barely contain his excitement. Well, to be honest, it wasn’t like he was trying.

“May we continue?” Sylvaril asked.

“Oh, yes, of course. My apologies. I was simply moved by the greatness of his work.”

“Truly? In that case, you may find a number of splendid pieces inside the fortress. I hope you’ll take your time and enjoy them while you’re here.” I guessed she was smiling beneath that mask.

Zanoba scuttled over to me and whispered in my ear, “Master, did you see it?”

“I did.”

“This is an enormous discovery. It’s good we came. We owe Master Nanahoshi a huge debt of gratitude.”

What was this discovery he was going on about? Seems like I wasn’t looking at the same part of the relief he was.

“Sorry,” I said, “I have no idea what it is you seem to have found. Tell me about it later.”

Zanoba’s face fell. “Unbelievable. To think that my master would overlook such a pivotal piece of information…” Dejected, he fell in step behind me. Sorry, I just don’t have the artistic eye for things that you do.

“Hm?”

As we passed through the gate, white particles suddenly started falling from Sylphie’s body as she walked ahead of me. In fact, those same particles were falling from my body as well.

“Oh?” Sylvaril paused again, turning to face us. Her mask hid her expression, but her demeanor had noticeably shifted.

“Um, is there some kind of problem?” I asked timidly.

In the past, Arumanfi had attacked me out of nowhere. It might happen again. I thought it best to clear up any misunderstandings before that. If we had truly done something to offend her, it would be better for us to leave now rather than fight. There were things I wanted to ask Perugius, but if it meant battling my way to get to him, I would rather go home.

“No, nothing too important. There are many others just like you across the world.”

“Really?” What did she mean by that? It made me nervous. This wasn’t going to be like some kind of game show where they dropped the floor under us and I wound up in another force field like before, right? Maybe I should activate my demon eye just in case.

“However,” Sylvaril continued, “would you mind if I asked the two of you one question?”

That confirmed that something was up with me as well. I had no idea what these falling white particles were, but this felt akin to being held up at the baggage scanner going through airport security. “What is it?” I asked.

“Do the words ‘Man God’ mean anything to either of you?”

I forced my expression to remain blank.

Man God. The moment I heard that name, memories of Orsted came rushing back. He had asked me a similar question, and when I answered truthfully, he nearly killed me. Was the same about to happen? I didn’t want that.

I hesitated. If I told her I knew who that was, it might lead to hostilities. It was true that I’d danced in the palm of that jerk’s hand before, and that he’d also helped me out. I had no intention of being one of his henchmen, but I had followed a lot of his advice.

As I waffled silently, Sylphie answered for the both of us. She shook her head. “No, I’ve never heard of that name before.”

“Then do you feel a deep-seated anger within your heart and an undeniable urge to kill when you hear that name?”

Sylphie quietly shook her head again. I did the same, but the description struck a chord. Orsted had reacted that way when he heard the Man God’s name. If that bothered them, then maybe that meant Perugius and Orsted were at odds with each other.

“In that case, I have nothing more to say.” Sylvaril turned away and resumed walking.

***

Naming your floating fortress Chaos Breaker was about the geekiest thing imaginable, but its exterior was admittedly impressive. How in the world did one create a structure this massive? It seemed impossible, and yet there were insanely detailed sculptures scattered about its halls. Each decorative piece spoke of their creator’s masterful talents.

The interior was every bit as jaw-dropping as I imagined. There were carpets with golden embroidery laid out. The walls were painted, and expensive pottery and statues decorated the corridors. Zanoba drank it all in, babbling. “This sculpture resembles Ganon’s style. Is this his work?” and “Is this a statue of an Elanjin knight? How fortuitous, being able to see the real thing in person like this!” Much to my dismay, he added gushing commentary at every opportunity. Sylvaril and Ariel humored him at first, but they quickly tired of his enthusiasm and resorted to only strained smiles in response.

Normally, another member of our group would join in with his own obnoxious antics. Alas, poor Cliff was so visibly nervous that I pitied him for it. His eyes were peeled wide and his mouth firmly sealed shut, as if he’d resolved not to utter a word until someone addressed him. Elinalise was pulling him along by the hand, much like a mother dragging their nervous child. Well, it’s honestly for the best that the two of them aren’t causing a fuss.

“This is the audience chamber.” After guiding us down a long corridor, Sylvaril stopped by the door at the end. Dragons were painted on either side. The door itself was thick and adorned with silver.

It had taken us about an hour to reach this place. This fortress was massive. We almost needed a Segway to navigate the place in a timely manner.

“Lord Perugius is a very tolerant man, but I would urge you to mind your manners all the same,” Sylvaril cautioned, reaching for the door handle.

Shouldn’t you knock first?

“Pardon me, but we’re still in our travel garments! Would it not be disrespectful to appear before his lordship like this?” Ariel asked in a panic.

It was pretty commonplace for nobles and royalty to have people wait in a separate room before welcoming them. People typically used that opportunity to freshen up and change into formalwear. That was how I remembered it in Shirone Kingdom when I met their king, although I didn’t have formalwear at the time, so I went in my dirty robe. Wait, crap. Should I have brought formalwear with me?

“Lord Perugius is not the type to be concerned with one’s manner of dressing. In fact, he found the formality in Asura Kingdom suffocating. I believe you would find his reception more positive if you went in as you are now, instead of changing,” said Sylvaril.

I somehow wasn’t surprised to hear that. Maybe the whole reason he’d started living in this floating fortress was because they’d put him through the wringer in Asura.

Still, Ariel pursed her lips. “All right,” she finally conceded. “But could we first store our luggage and outerwear somewhere, at least?”

“Very well. This way, then.” Sylvaril nodded and guided us to a side room. It was as spacious as one of the rooms in my house, but cramped in comparison with how enormous the castle was. There was a table and a cabinet, along with a few other furnishings. Despite the decor being more muted than what we’d seen so far, even the hangers and other knickknacks were of high quality.

“We sincerely appreciate your understanding,” said Ariel.

“Lord Perugius is already waiting, so I recommend haste.” Sylvaril left us with those words.

As soon as Ariel was sure Sylvaril was gone, she began peeling off her jacket. Luke took it from her, while Sylphie fished a brush out of their luggage and began quickly smoothing out Ariel’s hair. Likewise, Zanoba grabbed a hanger to put his jacket on before pulling something more formal from his bags to take its place. Elinalise checked over Cliff’s clothing and hair. With nothing better to do, I dusted off my robe and adjusted my collar. I didn’t have any formalwear, but clothes weren’t really what mattered. It was the intention. If Sylvaril recommended we meet Perugius in our everyday casual wear, that was what I would do.

Likewise, Nanahoshi just stood there and watched the rest. The only effort she exerted in her appearance was smoothing out her bangs. Hey, wait a minute, she’s in her school uniform.

“All right!” Once everyone was finished, Sylphie slipped off her sunglasses, and we were all good to go. In the space of ten minutes, Ariel had drastically changed her appearance. Just taking off her outer garments and smoothing out her hair was enough to leave her looking radiant. Maybe part of being royalty is honing your ability to gussy up in mere minutes.

“My apologies for the wait.”

“Not at all. This way.” Sylvaril didn’t seem the least bit fazed as she led us back to the door with the dragon crest carved into it. Perugius waited within. The thought made my entire body tense.

“Ah.” Ariel let out a deep exhale as the door swung open.