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“Exactly, a meditation stone’s basic function is to clear the mind of its user, allowing him to enter a meditative state easier. However, some psychic magicks also use this stone as a medium. By using these stones to form an array, the rider inside these armors would be able to achieve a harmonised state within the shortest time possible. At that point, they merely have to be trained as per normal to make an army out of them.”

“By my knowledge, such arrays are highly intricate, and the vast majority of mesmers do not have knowledge of these esoteric arts. Lady Mo Na is a mesmer?”

“No, but I do come across some oddities in my travels.” Counting in Ferti’nier, I technically did know a fair bit.

“Oh? I wonder what other secrets Lady Mo Na are privy to?”

“That would be a secret as well.”

“A lady’s secret, then. Well, this old man won’t get in your way.”

What do you mean “a lady’s secret”… I mean, I am using my daughter’s name but… bah…

“But back to the questions. Other than the meditation stones, I can see that the rest of the ingredients are rather… expensive. Are you sure this design is meant for mass production?”

“That’s because that’s my personal armor -of course, I would use only the finest ingredients. And His Majesty has already approved it, you may question him yourself. As for the later mass production models, lower grade materials will be used, but the end result will still be above a four-star.”

It’s not corruption if you do it openly! And the king already had his chance to look through the list himself. He didn’t object then, and even gave me the keys to the treasury… In other words, he’s telling me to do as I please, he’s not lacking in money anyway… This is why it’s good to have friends! Rich ones!

“A cheaper version?” He nodded his general approval. “Then one last question. What would be the strength of this first prototype once it’s complete? An overlord dragon’s skeleton… scales forged from precious metals… Such an extravagance, should it succeed, would at least be seven-star? Eight-star?”

“Nine.”

“Nine?! Impossible!”

“To be exact, it’s the ability to stand against a nine-star.”

Their astonished silence was deafening. This revelation seemed too fantastical to be real. Lest one forgot, the closest proxy to what we were attempting, arcane constructs, especially necromancy which involved animating dead bodies, resulted in a net loss of power compared to their original state. After all, it was impossible to reanimate an overlord’s corpse and expect it to have the same power level, barring external additions. At the end of the day, an overlord’s strength drew from his or her Territory, something which required a functioning mind to wield. A construct wouldn’t normally have the prerequisite mind to activate a Territory. Thus, when an overlord was reanimated, it would automatically fall down a star level.

Naturally, one could use ingredients of such a high level that even an overlord could be recreated. Case in point, the Devil King Idol. But that was created by a Devil King! A divinity! There was no comparison here!

Besides, who would even use ingredients at the level of a Demigod to craft an overlord golem… there’s no forgiving such a sinful waste of resources.

Thanks to the above reasons, no one here expected my magitek armor to be as powerful as an overlord. Just like how no one here believes I am a man!

“Don’t worry, I did not expect my words to convince you all right away.” I smiled confidently. “I will let the end result speak for itself.”

“Fascinating. So Lady Mo Na still has some tricks up her sleeves which she has yet to divulge?” Meister Amori laughed accommodatingly. “Very well, a mystery that reveals itself too early is no mystery at all. I will eagerly await the day when my eyes are opened. Perhaps history will be written that day.”

“May we have a fruitful cooperation.”

“May we indeed.”

Now that I had convinced Meister Amori, I had essentially convinced everyone else on board. With everyone on the same page, the start of our project proceeded swimmingly. The dwarven craftsman, Meister Belud, proved as skillful as I was led to believe. The Dwarves were a race famous for their blacksmithing, mining, drinking, fighting, boasting, and blacksmithing. Meister Belud were all these, just with a bad attitude…

Meister Amori was an easygoing person. His skills were unquestionable as well, but he was also an amiable senior, one that everyone in this underground lab respected.

With the schematics thoroughly studied, work began on the outer armor of the magitek armor, led by Belud and his human disciples. However, the outer armor was no less intricate than the insides, causing the dwarven meister no small amount of headaches. But that was nothing a barrel or two of ale couldn’t fix.

One of the greatest problems was that they had to ensure the durability of this armor. Belud had the inspiration of using magicite and mithril, both materials worthy of any epic-grade craft, to form an alloy, creating a new material in the process. One with the durability of magicite and the conductivity of mithril. Unfortunately, the execution wasn’t as smooth sailing. After all, one was primarily employed in staffmaking, while the other was employed in weapon making. Separate branches that would require more work to combine.

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With Andassis the Seventh gone, the only other member with royal blood in the room, Meister Amori, naturally assumed the leading role. “Greetings, Lady Mo Na, His Majesty told me the gist of the situation last night, but I still wish to hear from you exactly what your plans are.”

“I understand. But before that, I wish to let everyone see something.” I pulled out the first iteration of the magitek armor which I drew up last night… Technically, Ferti’nier was the one who just gave it to me all drawn up, but still… Moving on. The two meisters were all frontrunners in their respective fields, with the ability and renown to match -else Andassis wouldn’t have sent them to me at all – so now was as good a time as any to clue them in.

“This is?” Amori received the lambskin schematic from me. He swept over its contents, eyes narrowing a mere second later. “A golem?”

He was partially right. After all, why else would there be an expert on alchemical constructs and blacksmithing here?

“Strictly speaking, these aren’t golems. Rather, they are magitek armors.”

“Magitek armor? I’ve never heard of it before.” His brows knitted together. “I see… so this is why His Majesty did not try to explain the subject beforehand…”

“Since it’s armor, then blacksmithing is required.” Belud muttered from down below. Thanks to his prodigious lack of size, he could barely see the scroll, even on the tips of his toes. The two of them clearly weren’t on good terms either, and the halfling was quick to snap at his counterpart. “Bring it down. Do you expect me to fetch a stool just to look at the damn thing?”

“My bad.” Realising his own error, Meister Amori quickly lowered himself to the same level as the halfling -which was honestly quite comical to watch.

“Hmm…” The halfling nodded as he skimmed over the schematics. “Whether we’re talking about its form or armor, the requirements are steep.”

Is he saying he can’t do it?

“Is it not possible with our current techniques?”

“Oh. It’s no problem at all, that’s assuming you’re willing to come along with me for a drink tonight. For inspiration, and all that.” The moment he heard me address him, the halfling’s eyes immediately turned predatory.

“Sure, if you don’t mind me yelling “pervert”, right now.”

“…maybe not…” The halfling reined in his lecherous smile and shook his head. “Anyway, I understand. You can be sure I’ll follow these schematics, dearest Lady Mo Na.”

“Then you have my thanks in advance, Meister Belud.” I smiled superficially at the halfling, who in turn nodded and retreated to the side. However, not before muttering to himself in a voice he thought only he could hear.

“Pity her personality is as abysmal as that chest…”

As whose chest? Is he talking about me?

I turned down to look at my chest… Not like a man needs them, so hell if I care!

Being the magnanimous soul that I was, I decided to let him off the hook. I turned my eyes towards Meister Amori who was still perusing the schematics. “Meister, do you have any questions for me?”

“Just so, in fact.”

“Perfect, I’ll be sure to answer to my best ability.”

“Why not create a golem instead? Why must it be manned, wouldn’t that result in casualties in the event of a failure?”

“A golem’s intelligence would be lacking. And by having a person pilot the armor, both parties’ strengths would be enhanced. I’m sure in time, with mass production, such a design would become mainstream.”

Golem alchemy wasn’t an exclusive discipline in this realm. But even with the knowledge and resources assembled, the true defining feature of a golem was its core – the soul that was trapped within it.

Because the Western Human Realms was a world of magic and fantasy, there was no equivalent to an AI. Or rather, the trapped soul would function as an AI-substitute. Yet the intelligence of such a substitute was directly linked to the type of soul trapped within. After all, one couldn’t very well expect human levels of intelligence by putting in a cat’s soul. In short, a human’s soul was the best choice. Because of that, the Alchemist Guild banned their golem alchemists from attempting such a heinous act. But who could really say how well this ban had been enforced? At the end of the day, an undead was similar to a golem, in some sense. There was only a fine line separating a necromancer and a golem alchemist…

But even if one were to put aside morality, such a substitute had a fatal flaw. Souls transferred into a foreign body often experienced rejection. Almost like planting a sprout into foreign soil, the transferred soul would often suffer severe damage. A powerful and sturdy soul would be required to create a highly intelligent golem core, and these were always highly sought after.

Naturally, I couldn’t just magick a bunch of powerful souls into existence to fit into my mass production, now could I?

And piloting a Gund@m is a man’s romance! I’m sure, even in this world of swords of magic, this sentiment rings true…

“Reasonable.” He nodded in approval, but he soon launched into a barrage of further questions. “How is the armor controlled? Also, based on the schematics, this armor will come out to an average of three meters tall, correct?”

“The control mechanics are actually the most complex part, but there is already a solution.” I directed his gaze towards the schematics once more. “Look down there, amongst the list of ingredients required, do you see that line about meditation stones?”

“Meditation stone…” His eyes went wide. “I see now! So the stone will allow the user to act in synchronicity with the armor?”

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The following morning…

The suspiciously free king, Andassis the Seventh, personally led me to one of the underground laboratories in the castle.

On the king’s orders, the laboratory was cleaned out yesterday, and from the various jars and implements stored around, this used to be a warehouse for alchemical supplies.

But why, oh why, did this laboratory have to be underground? An alchemical warehouse made sense; it would allow me easy access to any potential reagents, but why the cliche, villainesque setting of an underground lab? For secrecy reasons? Maybe the experiments need to be shielded from atmospheric radiation? As if!

On a side note, Sersan had Doris forcefully assigned to me under the guise of, “Lady Mona must have a personal maid of her own.” That was why she was now here with me, in this dusty, moldy, and clearly bad-for-the-skin environment. There was no doubt as to how serious she took this new assignment. Or rather, her usual flippant attitude disappeared when she realised we were going to the lab. Even her eyes grew sharp at the word… for a spy to be that obvious, geez.

Andassis the Seventh did not seem to mind Doris’s presence, though he seemed to have his own thoughts which he kept silent. And while Andassis was the king of the whole kingdom, strictly speaking, Doris was Sersan’s servant.

The king had already taken the lead by forcing an apartment on me, now that his son had forced a maid onto me, regardless of whether she was here to be an incompetent spy or not, this was a good chance for to nurture a relationship with me, all the while annoying his father as payback.

What a father and son pair…

There looked to be about a dozen people awaiting our arrival in the lab, but there were only two who mattered, everyone else was just an apprentice or assistant.

The first of the two was a tall, lanky alchemist who specialised in constructs like golems, Meister Amori. He was a sixty year old man, said to be the distant uncle of Andassis the Seventh.

The last figure of note was barely 150 cm tall, a dwarf that looked like a winter melon. This was the blacksmith meister, Meister Belud Stonehammer. My first impression of him was that he didn’t look like a dwarf. He was taller than I expected, and had muscles that were more stonelike than his name. His rugged face was semi-hidden behind a well-braided beard that his race would probably consider beautiful, and only his race. His eyes twinkled like a lecher, made worse by the pungent stench of alcohol wafting off him visibly… That was just the first impression too. After getting to know him better, I only disliked this so-called genius who managed to forge an epic-grade weapon before forty more…

“Yo~ Your Royalness, you seem chipper today. Hmm? Who is this beauty I see?”

Not long after we entered the underground laboratory, the dwarf meister greeted Andassis with a boisterous call. In fact, his tone seemed almost belittling. Clearly, this dwarf did not think much of the king.

Before coming, the king had taken the liberty to briefly introduce these two to me. He mentioned one was a master of blacksmithing while the other was a master of alchemy. However, he did not mention their races. And in my mind, the image of a dwarf was a more reserved, shorter humanoid. One who probably kept his word and had an adorably apologetic face. Well… that was until I met this old dwarf…

“Meister Stonehammer, this is the research partner I wish to introduce today.” Andassis the Seventh answered respectfully, or at least on the surface he did so.

“Ho~ You never mentioned our associate would be so… stunning!”

This dwarf was only tall enough to reach my chest, but the eyes he gave me were just deplorable. Regardless of whether or not I was actually a girl, I was offended by his inappropriate gaze -anyone would.

“Belud, stow that ugly mug of yours, you’re a disgrace to all dwarf blacksmiths.” Finally, just as I was about to smack that short pervert, Meister Amori stood out. “Please do not mind him, not all dwarves are like… that.”

So some of them are then?

“Hey, how was I being a disgrace to my race? I was just too shocked by the beauty of this lady here.” The dwarf turned to the king. “How about introducing us, Your Royalness, I’m dying to know this lady!”

Ugh… how much of a pervert do you have to be to mention someone’s appearance twice like that…

“Haha, Meister Stonehammer, you’re as vigorous as always, I see. This is Lady Mo Na…” The king started introducing me to those present. However, he did not mention my otherworldly identity.

Thanks to his introduction, I also learnt the rough situation regarding this lab.

In total, there would be 15 people working on this project, including me. Two of them had already been introduced to me. The remaining 12 were all apprentices and assistants, or just laborers…

For craftsmen, titles were shared amongst the different disciplines, whether blacksmithing or alchemy. From low to high, these were Apprentice, Novice, Journeyman, Expert, Meister, Grandmeister.

The two of them were naturally of the second highest ranking. They would be the equivalent of overlords, and only craftsmen who had created an epic-grade implement could lay claim to such a prestigious title. Such was the stringent nature of acquiring this title within the Western Human Realms. Not everyone could call themselves a meister.

“Well then, I hope the two of you will cooperate with Lady Mo Na. I have to take my leave now, there are matters of state awaiting me.” Now that he was done introducing everyone, Andassis the Seventh bade his farewells and left, though not before throwing a glance towards Meister Amori. Following that, he left with his maid and bodyguard.

From his behavior, he was clearly in a rush… but why not just send someone to escort me here…

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“Father!” Before Andassis the Seventh could get a word in, Sersan had already jumped out to make his support known. “Lady Mo Na is right, we need to get to work on those magitek armor, immediately!”

“… My dear son, would you like to share your reasoning first?” Andassis, on the other hand, was a lot more muted in his response.

“Didn’t Lady Mo Na just say that the hells are planning to invade?” Sersan almost stuttered as he opened up in an unsure tone. Then, as if the waves of inspiration were finally hitting him, he grew ever surer. “Since the Devils and Undead have already been preparing to invade the human realms since ages past, they would surely come out in full force–”

“And you are sure of that?”

“Well, Lady Mo Na just said that she was an otherworldly person…” It was at that point that Sersan finally recovered from his bout of stupidity.

That’s right… where would Lady Mo Na have obtained such information, if she was an otherworldly visitor and had been in an unconscious state since coming to the Western Human Realms? There might even be a chance that this person was actually a spy from the hells.

“So you finally understand?” Looking at his son’s moment of revelation, the king breathed a sigh of relief -at least this son of his wasn’t hopelessly dumb. “After watching that “movie”, I’ve come to the conclusion that those brutes in the hells would never have the finesse required to craft such a work of art. And neither do I doubt the veracity of Lady Mo Na’s words. But something as momentous as developing magitek armors surely isn’t as simple as that… Am I right, Lady Mo Na?”

That last bit was directed at me, and it’s underlying meaning couldn’t be clearer: how do we split the profits?

As much as Sersan was a brainless potato, his father, Andassis the Seventh, was every bit the wily fox.

A seasoned ruler like him must have seen from the movie that those military exosuits had exceptional strength. The weakest featured were at least five-star, while those massive mobile armors were at least seven-star. As for that last mobile armor which slayed that Primal beast, it was at least a nine-star.

Naturally, that was just referring to its destructive ability. An overlord’s greatest strength was his Territory. Compared to that, a mobile armor was nothing but a punching bag, barring those overlords who only specialised in support magicks.

Even so, magitek armor, being a crystallisation of the technology of two worlds, would undoubtedly grow to be Andassis’s main strength, perhaps even the entire realm’s strength.

Mass producing such an armor was a must in my plans. The whole reason why I even brought up the idea of researching was because a small quantity of magitek armors would do nothing against the might of overlords and even Demigods. At least, with sufficient armors produced, humans at the lower star levels wouldn’t be massacred so easily. Unlike cultivation which required an inordinate amount of resources to achieve a high star level, producing magitek armors would be able to raise the level of Andassis’s army by at least 70% with only material investments. At that point, their sheer numbers would be more than enough to overwhelm a more powerful foe. Probably.

Still, there was the question of how much materials… After all, the first suit hadn’t even been invented yet…

A purely technological approach to the suits wouldn’t work in a low-tech setting like the Western Human Realms. Besides, Ferti’nier was more versed in magic, which was why she brought up combining alchemy with science.

Yet even if all these armors were made for fending off the Devils, that did not mean that they should be given out for free… I actually didn’t mind all that much, to be honest. Preventing the Apocalypse was my ultimate goal anyway.

The prince clearly did not think too much into profits either, but the king wasn’t like his “foolish son”. Was there anyone who would give away such valuable knowledge for free? None. Clearly.

The king didn’t think so, and neither did I. Just because the Apocalypse was imminent didn’t mean that I should labor on their behalf for free. Absolutely not! Selfless or not, I had my terms for this impending cooperation.

“Once the research is complete, I won’t interfere in Your Majesty’s plans. What Your Majesty wishes to do with said schematics is also none of my concern, but my only condition is that this strength is shared to the greatest extent possible with the other kingdoms, at least till the realm is strong enough to fend off an invasion. In other words, I would hope that the research is ultimately shared, whether by trade or other means…”

After saying all that, I just did not want him to hoard this technology, and as a result, allow the hells to complete their mission.

As a mission given by Lucifer Himself, who could say what such a powerful being had in mind once all was said and done.

“Fine. While I might not know where Lady Mo Na has learned of such privileged information, I am willing to place my faith in Lady Mo Na… May we have a fruitful cooperation.”

“Indeed.”

So it’s done? I guess no one with a brain would say no to such a sweet deal.

“And my dear son, Sersan, you have a lot to learn about ruling a country.”

“Yes, Father.”

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“Lady Mo Na, is that “movie” rewatchable?” Lost in the sensory overload of a full-blown movie, a red-faced Sersan suddenly came back to his senses long enough at the end of the screening to ask of me, nay, plead, “I know this “movie” must be of immeasurable value, but perhaps… forgive my directness…”

From his burning gaze, I could tell that he had truly fallen for this new medium of entertainment. Yet the young prince wasn’t the only one who had been so thoroughly conquered, Andassis the Seventh had an equally fervent gaze as he looked towards me. As for Misseger, she was by the wall, recovering from the sheer excitement, or perhaps horror of the realistic carnage depicted within the movies.

I, however, was more than accustomed to such things. Had it not been for the movie being of such high production quality, I would have honestly written it off as trash.

“The movie can be repeated, and I have other variations of it as well. Before that… Your Majesty, can I take this as confirmation of my otherworldly identity?”

“Otherworldly?” Sersan was stunned for a second, but he quickly reacted to the term. “So Lady Mo Na is from a different world after all, no wonder you seem so different from the rest.”

“Thanks for the compliment, but we should be engaging in more meaningful activities.”

“Such as?”

Because Sersan only joined us midway, he did not know what I was referring to at all.

“Saving the world.” I declared in a steady voice.

“Huh?”

“I know you won’t believe me without proof, so please direct your eyes to this next scene.” I had Lingling play a portion of the video footage recorded within Southern Plains. First, was the transformed cityscape, next were the transformed citizenry. Finally, the exosuit-clad soldiers fighting off hordes of undead.

If the prince was the epitome of excitement before, he was now the very picture of stillness. “Seems like this foreign world isn’t as perfect as I first thought.”

Truly, a case of “the grass seems greener on the other side.”

“Perhaps I should start with a summary of what happened on Gaia. An Undead Demigod by the name of Karlston arrived unto Gaia from this realm. He posed as an ordinary man, using his connections to produce and illegally sell an undead virus en masse, turning the entire city into sacrificial pawns for his sick plot. Because of his actions, the laws of the world around the city have begun to warp. The fortunate few who benefited from this change managed to evolve, though not all count this as a blessing…”

According to Ferti’nier’s script, I took this time to play some of the video footage of the humans who had gained special abilities. These were all survivors of the initial onslaught, not even half of the original population. This group, in particular, were the ones I had sent out of Southern Plains after rescuing them. I should thank my lucky stars that they hadn’t gone rogue from their own found powers.

Their mutations were varied. Some had a body akin to adamantite; some had gained the ability to control fire; and some had gained the ability to summon a variety of monsters to aid them.

Of the last, the most outstanding example was that tri-colored hoodlum who managed to summon a fifty meter tall skeletal giant. The same one which was later abused by Yamabe Takuma and his cheat-like ability of Vocal Psychokinesis.

It was truly a shame that these two had gone down the wrong path, and it was a misfortune on their part to have met me. Else they would have probably grown to greatness,

“These “supernatural abilities” you speak of differ from magic…” Andassis the Seventh remarked after watching the clips. “Some have produced effects similar to an Overlord’s Territory. Others seem to be on the lower end of the strength spectrum… While some have powers bordering on the precipice of altering the fabric of the world…”

“Even if some of these ability users have yet to show promise, the alchemical standards of Gaia have reached an unprecedented level of advancement! If I may so ask, Lady Mo Na, what is the average lifespan of the citizens of Gaia?”

In a lot of ways, the lifespan of the average citizen was a good estimation of a country’s prosperity.

“Hmm… Gaia does have a few cultivators, but the world as a whole is rather special. There is no world-spanning system of cultivation, at least not before this disaster. The level of medical advances in the world is rather high, however. Practitioners of these arts are similar to those who specialise in healing and potions. Thanks to these people, the average person is able to live up to 200 years old.”

“!!!”

A sharp intake of breath could be heard from each of their wide-open mouths.

Compared to the average lifespan of 60 of the Western Human Realms, the lifespan of a Gaian was groundbreaking to the ears of Andassis the Seventh.

The king fell silent for a while. Finally, he spoke with deliberate slowness. “Then why has Lady Mo Na appeared in the Western Human Realms?”

There was no need to question my otherworldly identity at this point – those clips made sure of that. What he was asking was why did I happen to appear in his kingdom, and why did I happen to appear before his son… Such coincidences were… concerning…

“Gaia does not have the technology to cross worlds… the reason why I even came to this realm was… pure coincidence? Would you believe me if I were to say that?”

Well, my conscience is clear, regardless of whether or not you believe me!

Emperors and kings of the past were wont to see events in the light of “some treacherous cretin is plotting to steal my throne”, so I wouldn’t be surprised if my circumstances resembled those of a conspiracy.

“Perhaps… Or perhaps this is all the will of the divinities…” Andassis turned to look at me with a burning fervor. “Then, Lady Mo Na, would you elaborate on what you mean by saving the world? You mentioned prior that the Devils and the Undead were going to invade the Western Human Realms. I believe this news, but does Lady Mo Na have a plan of action?”

“Ahem. Exactly…” I paused for deliberate effect. “I will provide to you the craftsmanship of Gaia. In return, the manpower and resources will be provided by your kingdom, and together, we bring forth the first magitek armor in the Western Human Realms!”

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The long-awaited movie never started in the end, though not for the reason one would expect…

“Your Highness, His Majesty has decreed that no one is to enter the room,” came the strident voice of the scarred bodyguard.

Oh? So that’s where his bodyguard has been hiding.

“Stand aside!”

Sersan’s voice was agitated, coupled with his swift but chaotic footsteps, he was clearly in distress.

A short while later, Sersan came barging in through the room’s door, chest heaving as he yelled, “Lady Mo Na, are you all right–”

The words got stuck in his throat at that point. He was half-expecting to mount a daring rescue, but unfortunately for him, he was instead treated to the sight of me sitting down with his father for a cup of coffee. And Misseger, of course. His eyes went wide with shock, clearly not expecting this scene at all.

Honestly, I had a rough idea of what he had in mind. In all likelihood, he was expecting his father to use force on me, which he might have had I not changed the topic entirely.

“Your Majesty…” Because the bodyguard was afraid of harming the prince in an altercation, he did not dare use too much force, allowing the prince to slip through in the end. He fell to one knee under the withering gaze of Andassis the Seventh, “Your subject has failed.”

“It’s just Sersan so I’ll look past it. Baku, return to your post outside, and don’t let another through this time.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Baku rose to his feet and left, but not before throwing an unhappy glare towards the prince. However, the prince was still too surprised to notice that bit of hostility.

“My dear son, could you perhaps enlighten your father as to why you’re in such a hurry that you’ve completely forgotten your decorum?’

“… My apologies, Father, I was too hasty in my judgement.” Now that he had time to grasp the situation, his agitation quickly subsided as he fell to one knee and apologised.

“Oh?” Andassiss the Seventh raised an eyebrow. “So what was it then?”

Merciless and straight to the heart. Everyone knew why the prince was in such a hurry, but was that truly something that could be voiced out loud?

“…” Beads of sweat started to drip down the prince’s forehead. He clearly could not say that he suspected his father of nearly committing adultery. Even the messiah couldn’t save him at that point. And I still needed those two to not be at loggerheads with each other, not while I had an impending doom to avert; the last thing I wanted was for this kingdom to be embroiled in some petty family dispute.

“Ahem.”

I lightly coughed as a prelude to a timely rescue. However, that never came to pass as Andassis the Seventh suddenly picked his son up in a hug and gently set him down.

“Well, since you’re here, that saves me the trouble of seeking you out.” The king flashed an unexpectedly loving smile at his son, “Lady Mo Na was just saying how she was about to show a “movie”. Your arrival was most timely.”

That’s it? I thought you would at least give the boy a thump on his head. Not physically, of course. Just an expression. Bah… all that matters is that they hand me their treasury.

“Movie?”

Because the prince had only joined us midway, he wasn’t privy to the conversation about me being an otherworldly person, or about the movie theater.

“Movies are a speciality of Lady Mo Na’s hometown, I do not know the details myself, so let’s leave the stage to her.”

As he said that, I could faintly detect a hint of triumph in his voice, as if he had somehow taken the lead against his son. Was that why he was being so magnanimous all of a sudden?

“…”

Sersan seemed to have picked up on that fact as well, but too bad for him, I wasn’t one for repeating myself, and the movie was about to start.

“In that case, prepare to be amazed, Your Majesty, for the showing of the very first movie in this realm. I’m sure after watching this, there will be no doubt as to my identity.” Having said that, I had my electronic implant project a theatre-like screen. “Lingling, fetch me a movie about exosuits and mobile armors, have the language adjusted as well.”

A second later, the starting credits rolled on screen with resounding fanfare, startling Sersan, Misseger and the king.

“Where is this noise coming from?” Misseger looked around in confusion, unable to determine the source of the sound that was coming at her from all directions.

“This painting… It’s so real! I feel like I could almost touch it with my hands…” Unlike Misseger, Sersan was more enraptured by the CG before him.

“What heavenly craftsmanship is this?!” Andassis the Seventh gripped on the handles of his chair with shaking hands.

The actual movie hadn’t even started yet and these three bumpkins had already been awed out of their seats.

This movie was about how the Gaians discovered another mineral-rich planet during their space exploration. However, that planet was filled with all sorts of powerful Primal beasts.

In order to harvest these rare resources, the Federation constructed a mining settlement on the planet, along with several outposts.

Naturally, the native Primal beasts did not welcome these metallic invaders. Thus began a bloody, drawn-out battle between man and beast.

What began as small skirmishes finally escalated into a full-blown war where, after countless experiments and trials, mankind deployed an experimental mobile armor to defeat the strongest beast on that planet, securing the planet.

Honestly, this was about as mainstream as a film could get. The 3D effects were great, but everything else was just passable.

Yet to the minds of these technologically backward people, such a movie was no less shocking than forbidden magicks.

In just the short span of thirty minutes, countless explosions, shouts of “kill them”, and etc. filled the room. There were times when even Sersan jumped to his feet in excitement, as if he was the one riding the mobile armor to war against the beasts.

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Before the beautiful maidservant could finish speaking, the door of the apartment slowly opened. Lo and behold, Andassis the Seventh was standing there waiting for me.

Seeing her master before her, the beautiful maidservant instinctively bowed, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“Mhm, Lady Mo Na, you’re here. Misseger, have a pot of coffee ready, there are some matters I wish to discuss with Lady Mo Na.” Andassis the Seventh smoothly instructed the maid, then turned to smile at me. “Lady Mo Na, is now a good time for a talk? It’s regarding the future.”

“Very well, I just so happen to have something to discuss with Your Majesty as well.” I smiled. “It’s also regarding the future.”

“What a fortuitous coincidence.” The king excitedly clapped his hands together. “I knew we were meant for each other.”

“…”

“What’s the matter, Lady Mo Na? Your face is looking bad, are you perhaps feeling ill somewhere?”

Clearly, he did not realise how much that “meant for each other” disgusted me.

“I’m… fine… Your Majesty. It’s okay.” I shook my head and tried to force a smile at the man, albeit stiffly. “But I think the future we are thinking of might be… a little different.”

Relieved to learn that I wasn’t sick, he snuck a quick wink. “Oh, how so?”

If we were being perfectly honest right now, that wink wasn’t his only attempt at flirting since we entered; a behavior you would normally expect from someone probably half his age. Was he trying to tell me that he was still young at heart? Or perhaps something else?

But that wasn’t the main issue right now… this fellow was just so annoyingly brazen. If it wasn’t for the fact that he was rich, I would have slapped him across his face, of that you could be sure!

“While I might not know what this future Your Majesty speaks of might entail, the future I’m referring to concerns the entirety of the Western Human Realms.” I looked the man right in his eyes, and found that he was seriously listening for once. It was then that I began our discussion anew. “I have a piece of news of utmost importance: the Devils and the Undead have already begun preparing to invade the Western Human Realms. Their aim is to slaughter every human being… or simply put, the Apocalypse.”

“!!!”

Platter of coffee in hand, Misseger couldn’t help but shudder a little, spilling some of the black liquid within.

“My apologies… I will prepare two new cups.”

“An invasion by the Devils and the Undead?” Andassis the Seventh said in a half-believing manner. “Lady Mo Na, news of such gravity mustn’t be uttered in vain. Even though I truly wish to believe you on a personal basis, as the monarch, I have to exercise prudence when it concerns the fate of my own kingdom. Lady Mo Na, do you have any proof?”

“Proof… perhaps this will suffice?”

Having predicted that I wouldn’t convince the king so easily, Ferti’nier and I had already come to an agreement beforehand regarding this unique identity of mine.

I showed him the electronic implant on the back of my left hand. But before I could even explain, Andassis the Seventh had already jumped the gun. “Such intricate artwork, and on such a beautiful hand… Even the most skilled artists of the Nature Elves would find themselves hard-pressed to match the artistry of this tattoo… but the choice of purple wings…”

Hey, don’t think I didn’t catch that offhand remark about my hand, you pervert!

However, now wasn’t the time to burn bridges. Swallowing that bit of disgust in my mouth, I briskly brushed over that bit of indecency. “It’s a special tool of my world, an electronic implant. It has many features, so many that it would beggar belief.”

“Electronic… implant?”

“That’s right, an electronic implant. It’s an ubiquitous tool everyone in my world possesses. It serves as identification, a means of trade, entertainment, communication, and so on and so forth…”

I began rattling off about the multiple benefits of an electronic implant, all the while the king gave a wide-eyed look, similar to how a Gaian would react should he learn of the existence of magic.

Finally, when I had finished my impromptu lecture, the king slowly opened with this, “Lady Mo Na is from another world?”

“Yes, I’m from the planet of Gaia.” I admitted unabashedly. Technically, I wasn’t lying there.

Yet in comparison to my identity, the king was probably more concerned about this strange new civilisation he was learning of. “So Lady Mo Na’s homeworld has highly advanced magicks?”

“Not magic, but science.” I corrected him. “But you may consider science as a kind of special branch of alchemy.”

“I see, so Lady Mo Na hailed from a world where alchemy has advanced highly?” The king quickly caught on, the mental cogs in his whirling at a mad pace as he began forming his own understanding of the situation -as one would expect of a person who could serve as a monarch of a kingdom. “Then Lady Mo Na’s electronic… implant still retains some of its functions after arriving in our world?”

Just the fact that he had caught on to the crux of the situation so quickly made me reevaluate my view of this pervert. In all likelihood, my following answer was also going to prove whether or not I was actually a visitor from another world.

“Let me perform a quick demonstration,” I confidently declared. “This is one of our local specialities, the “movie”…”

“Your Majesty, your coffee… Lady Mo Na, your coffee.”

“Thank you.”

Misseger brought the newly poured cups before us, and upon returning my nod, quietly took her position behind Andassis the Seventh.

The two of them lined up before me, I could clearly see the anticipation in their eyes. Meaning… It was now time for my orator skills to shine… nay, for science to shine!

Savages of this magical world, watch and amazed. Bow before the sheer majesty of the movie theater!

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Not understanding the words was just one part of the problem. Having spent time on Earth and Gaia, reading wasn’t exactly my first choice of entertainment. A movie or animation were by far better choices.

Meaning… I couldn’t be bothered to read a book written in a foreign language, and I wasn’t about to use psychic magicks on Aivar to learn said language.

“No problem, this book was made to cater to both Human and Elvish.” Having said that, Aivar flipped open the first page, revealing two rows of starkly different words printed neatly above or below each other. Of the two, the bottom row was the familiar language of the Western Human Realms.

“Don’t you want to read it yourself?”

“I’ve read it many times, and this particular book was meant as a gift, even though I did not actually have someone in mind to gift this book to before Nana visited. Honestly, it has already been fifty years since I had this book, during which I never found a single person I felt deserved this book.”

Makes sense… why would she carry around a book with Human on it, obviously it was meant to be given to a human. Still, 50 years just to give out a book is definitely something… Elves being elves, I say!

“In that case, I’ll be sure to read through it carefully, thanks.”

In an entertainment-starved, medieval-like world, a book created solely for telling a story was definitely a luxury, let alone when this book was a product of the Nature Elves!

Throughout the entire realm, such books were basically the monopoly of the long-lived Nature Elves. After all, only they had the time required to expand on such unnecessary endeavors -even their weapons were intricately decorated with carvings… all of them!

Truly, they had too much time on their hands! But what would you expect from a race that could make their trees bear fruit just by feeding it mana? Completely different from Humans who had to walk that tightrope between life and death.

But returning back to this book, such gifts were a rarity, both for their ornate covers and just the sheer infrequency of elves actually gifting such books. On the black market, these could easily fetch hundreds of thousands of gold coins to the right buyer.

Just based on that fact, one could see how generous Aivar was. Or at the very least, she was willing to give away such a highly prized book to someone she had just met.

“Remember to come find me if there’s something you don’t know~~”

“Mhm, I will.”

“Remember to wear more clothes, the weather might still be amiable, but it would be better if you do not expose more skin than unnecessary, especially those from your neck and under…”

“…”

“Don’t look at me like that, you have no idea how perverted these humans can be… I bet you didn’t know that there are some who would even… react to your hand!”

I bet you wanted to say “get off”…

Aivar ended up prattling for a few minutes more before I finally left -what are you, my mom?

However, I was still grateful for her concern.

Not long after I said my farewells to Aivar, I was in the midst of contemplating my next course of action, whether to return to my room, or just walk around. That was when I remembered I did not even know the way around the palace, and not just anybody could roam the palace.

Thankfully, rescue came just on time.

Dressed in her maidservant attire, blond hair flowing and parted, Doris popped into view just around the corner ahead.

Her breath was ragged from running, and her face slightly harried, though she swiftly collected herself when she spotted me.

“Greetings, Lady Mo Na, I’m here under His Highness’s orders to receive you.”

“Oh, Sersan told you to get me? How considerate.” I nodded to show my appreciation. “I’ll be sure to pass on my thanks when I next see him.”

Having just said that, another maidservant, roughly in her late twenties and decidedly more professional-looking popped into view. Her long blond hair was neatly tied up to give her a sense of mature beauty. Her body had just the right curves that were further accentuated with each step she took. Her bounteous chest screamed desire, cementing that impression of a beauty in her prime.

This was the king’s personal maidservant, and she seemed to be looking for me as well.

“Greetings, Lady Mo Na.” She sashayed seductively towards me, finally ending in a well-practised curtsy, a stark contrast to the harried Doris. “His Majesty, the King, sent me here to receive you. His Majesty has prepared a new room for you to use, please, follow me.”

Having said that, the mature maid threw a pointed look at Dories, who immediately lowered her head like a scared puppy.

Is this… a proxy war between the prince and his father?

In that case, who should I follow… Doris or this new maid? Which also begs the question: who holds the reins in this kingdom?

I turned to look at the younger maid who had been cowed into submission, searching for a possible answer to my question, though it seemed that answer was about to present itself anyway…

“Please inform His Highness, tell him that His Majesty has something to discuss with Lady Mo Na.” The mature maid practically ordered her junior before turning to look in my direction, as if judging me as well.

Finally, she lowered her head like her pointed gaze was nothing but a figment of my imagination. “If you would be so kind, Lady Mo Na.”

What a capricious older sister we have… I’ll have you know I’m the true winner in this battle between the prince and his father! In a certain sense…

I turned to look at the young maid who looked to be on the verge of tears and shrugged helplessly, after which I followed the other maid away.

“I’ve failed…” I faintly heard her say after we had departed quite a distance. She seemed to be beating herself for her weak showing.

Well, fret not, young lady, once your master ascends to the throne, you can be like your mature senior over here.

Still, I wonder if she’s crying right now? And would that be my fault?

The mature maidservant continued leading the way ahead in silence. As we weaved through countless walkways that left my head spinning, we finally arrived before a small, three-storied apartment.

“This is the accommodation prepared by His Majesty, it has been tidied beforehand. Your own maidservant should arrive shortly to serve you.”

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“Exactly, it has only just been ten years,” mumbled a visibly confused Aivar Redleaf. “All I did was return home to handle some small matter. Are you in that much of a hurry to grow up?”

Unfortunately, while her words were meant for her only, her voice was too loud, thus we heard it all anyway…

Ten years… how many “ten years” does a human have, though? For a normal person, anyway.

When compared to a nature elf’s lifespan, a human whose lifespan could only be measured in tens was surprisingly fragile…

Still, the Prince Sersan maintained a calm, polite manner as he held his judgement towards this elf’s problematic sense of time. “I just so happened to be out when you came back, I wasn’t able to find a good time to visit you afterwards–”

“Yes, yes, you all may leave now.” The ever-talkative Aivar Redleaf curtly cut him off with a wave of her hand. “Also, don’t call me sister. I don’t have a little brother with such an awful voice and rough appearance like you. Geez, he was so cute when he was young too, what went wrong in his development to turn a lovable angel into that?”

That last bit was clearly meant for herself once more, but we heard it all the same.

Now, if I was our dear prince, I would have probably called her a beetch, but I wasn’t, and our dear prince would have to deal with having to suffer on our behalf alone.

I could already tell that this elf was a sinful fellow. Like those kids back on Earth, who constantly cried for a little bunny, only to find that it looked a little dumb and fat upon growing up. At that point, there was naught but displeasure left for little Bunbuns, in fact it might even be bound for the dinner table…

“Well, I just so happen to have official matters to attend to. Farewell, Lady Redleaf.” The king smoothly said his goodbyes despite the fact that this lady had just insulted his own son. As for the unfortunate son, there wasn’t much he could do, seeing as his own father did not even deign to defend him.

However, the pair did not forget to give me a lecherous look before departing…

With the pests out of the way, Aivar Redleaf withdrew that scalding look on her face, turning back into that caring big sister mode she had when she addressed me. “That father and son pair aren’t good people at all. Nana, you need to be on guard against them, don’t let them take advantage of you.”

“Not at all… Actually, I…”

“Actually?”

“Actually, I’m even stronger than all of them.”

I was planning to explain that I was a man, thus they couldn’t take advantage of me to begin with, but then I realised that some people didn’t mind that either, as long as I was pretty enough…

Besides, she wouldn’t have believed me either way, especially not when I’ve assumed my daughter’s name…

“Oh? I never knew our Nana was such a fighter!” Aivar declared with playful surprise, however, her voice quickly turned solemn as she said, “Just remember to come find me if anything were to happen. This garden is my territory, even they wouldn’t dare to go overboard here.”

“Mhm. I will take you up on that offer.”

Her territory? Isn’t this the palace grounds? Lady’s got balls claiming this as her territory!

After a quick round of chatting, I finally felt that it was about time and made ready to leave. I was honestly prepared for a round of verbal subterfuge with the elf, but I quickly learnt that her heart was as pure as she was talkative. Her acerbic tongue was merely a manifestation of how honest she was. In that case, it would be remiss of me to even consider plotting, thus I decided to just be friends with her, for now.

“You’re leaving?” Aivar Redleaf tugged on my hand a little. “How about Nana just stay with me instead? I haven’t even brought Nana around to see my little hut, and there’s all sorts of hidden corners to be explored in this garden alone…”

That last bit got me a little, but still…

“No, I think it’s better if I leave for now. If time will allow me to, I will come find you again.”

Honestly, Aivar Redleaf seemed like a good choice for a friend. Even if there was a couple centuries separating us, we hit it off surprisingly well… But her lengthy sense of time made her almost seem distant, and her acidic words disqualified her from any association with the word kind. Yet, she felt like a kindred spirit to me, and I never was one to be stingy with someone like that.

But, I had my plans for leaving. I needed the wealth of this kingdom to enact my grand magitek plan. While Andassis the Seventh was clearly afraid of her, there wasn’t much point either in staying here if I wanted to further my plans.

After all, how was I to claim his treasury for my own without talking to the man… I mean… humbly request that he crack his coin purse for me to pioneer the field of magitek in the Western Human Realms.

That’s right, I was going to be a pioneer! Not a gold digger!

With Aivar as my guide, I quickly found my way to the entrance of the gardens.

“Nana, here’s a book for you to read in the meantime.”

An intricate, leather-bound book suddenly popped into existence in her hands. The cover was black, embossed with the imagery of the Aivar tree and its leaves dancing in the winds.

Naturally, books did not just pop into existence, not even in a fantasy setting. Barring some sort of invisibility tool or spell, there was only one explanation for this: a dimensional storage ring!

“This is an elven tale, known as the Steps Beneath the Aivar Tree. The book speaks of a pair of lovebirds, borne of a pair of feuding families, ultimately parting because of untimely death. But death did not stop the man from waiting beneath the Aivar tree daily. His lover, too, would quietly sit beneath the tree, as if waiting for something… truly touching… it always brings a tear to my eyes to read this…” As Aivar continued explaining the plot for me, her eyes started to water from the deluge of emotions she felt.

I turned to look at the nearly two pound book with a wry grin on my lips, “But I don’t know how to read Elvish…”

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After witnessing that short, but brutal, exchange between Aivar Redleaf and the master and bodyguard pair of Andassis the Seventh and his scarred bodyguard, I was made to realise how much of an acid-tongue we had on our hands. I had steeled myself for all manner of verbal battery. Come what may, my years on the internet had armed me with an impressive arsenal of one-liners…

However, all it took was a single look from me… and she had fallen. Or rather, Nature Elves just weren’t very resistant against pretty people, if you would excuse my shamelessness. In fact, she was already busy smiling at me, edging closer as she constantly tried to pinch my cheeks. Had it not been for the fact that she was a girl, I, honestly, would have punched her already.

“Nana, is it alright if I call you Nana?” Despite the fact that I had only just given her my name, she was already acting like we had known each other for ages, tossing around the pet names as a good friend would. “Since you’re not saying anything, I will take it as a yes.”

Nana who did not even have the time to respond: …

Andassis the Seventh smiled encouragingly from the side. “Seems like Lady Redleaf and Lady Mo Na have taken a liking to each other, excellent.”

Why are you including me in that list?! And what’s excellent about this?!

“Come, Nana, let me bring you around the gardens.” Completely ignoring the king like a Passerby A, Redleaf dragged me along with her.

Honestly, I wasn’t overly fond of outgoing people like her. However, she didn’t seem like the scheming sort either, thus I wasn’t afraid that she was trying to lure me into anything. The fact that she was able to treat the king’s garden like her own home was proof enough that she wasn’t just some gardener -perhaps she might bring me some unexpected results.

At the end of the day, my end goal of saving the humans would naturally include the Nature Elves as well.

However, I never got the chance to speak at all during our tour. A quick word here and there about their race’s ability to tend to plants and she was off dragging me to the next foliage.

In a lot of ways, her words were like the garden she tended, lush and teeming… unfortunately.

“This is a Wheatbulb tree. It automatically absorbs the mana in the air, turning them into fruit bulbs. These fruits can also be ripened early by feeding the tree mana -the fastest record is two minutes. The fruit of the Wheatbulb tree is famous for its sweetness and juiciness. In fact, a certain bread is baked with only the juice of high-grade Wheatbulbs. These trees were developed by a great botanist over six thousand years ago…”

Six thousand?

At that point, I’m sure even these long-lived elves would call that long…

After three to four minutes spent lecturing on a diminutive-looking tree, Aivar Redleaf turned her attention towards a white orchid-looking flower. “This is the Manarite flower -looks like a piece of jade, doesn’t it? It’s actually a flower. If you eat its nectar on a long-term basis, it will boost your mana… It’s a highly prized product, and only we Nature Elves know the method of growing it… Quick, over there, see that bee? It’s in the process of gathering its nectar…”

Following that, she continued leading me to a bunch of other strange and wondrous plants. Unknowingly, we actually completed a whole round of the garden and came back to the Aivar tree.

As if welcoming the elf that had the same name as itself, its fiery leaves danced in the air, gently circling around us before falling to the ground.

“Nana, do you know why I’m called Aivar Redleaf?” Aivar Redleaf pulled me intimately towards her and against the trunk of the Aivar tree. Then without a word from me, she closed her eyes and began reminiscing.

“That was because, in the year of my birth, we had a devil invasion. Still bearing me, my mum hid in the shadows of the Aivar trees. Aivar trees, upon reaching the age of five thousand, would automatically evolve into Aivar treants. It was these treants who slew the invading devils, rescuing my mother. As a sign of her gratitude, she named me after her saviors… In actuality, there are many other elves who took this name. Thankfully, we can still distinguish each other using our surnames…”

Never in my wildest dreams did I expect Aivar Redleaf to have such a tragic past, yet before I could even reach to comfort her, she suddenly reverted back to normal. Her normal talkative self, anyway…

“But that’s all under the bridge, over two hundred years ago.” She giggled in my direction, almost in a smitten way. “Nana, were you worried about me for a second there? Don’t worry, I’m fine now. I wasn’t even born then. The one who was truly affected was my mum.”

Well, that’s rather heartless of you… I almost feel sad for your mum… she is still alive, isn’t she…

Suddenly, her face took a turn for the worse, as she had spotted unwanted company. “You lot, why are you still here? Can’t you have the decency to leave before I notice you? Geez. Spoil our alone moment, why don’t you?”

Ah… I was wrong for siding with her… but I guess the ones who should really be speechless should be that king and his entourage.

Andassis the Seventh and his men had actually been following us from the start to end, however, it was only now that Aivar Redleaf noticed their existence… a degree of absent-mindedness that even scatterbrained wasn’t enough to describe…

Even the tolerant-to-a-fault Andassis the Seventh was black-faced, let alone his bodyguard who was on the verge of pulling his sword.

It was in this awkward atmosphere that Prince Sersan finally found the opportunity he had been looking for. “Sister Redleaf, we were just about to leave, I just thought now would be a good time to say goodbye.”

“You are… little Sersan?” Redleaf tilted her head quizzically. Finally, after a few seconds, she asked in an unsure voice, “How did you get so big?”

“…it’s been ten years since we last met…”

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Beneath the Aivar tree I pace – will you be here today?

My thoughts ever a mirror, constantly reflecting the anxiety and anticipation I feel…

The winds blow through its fiery red leaves, like a swirling dance of ups and downs -just like my beating heart.

You come, waltzing through the leaves, their crackling like a joyous herald. Once more you sit upon that branch we shared.

Even though your face mirrors your worries, you remain ever radiant.

My eyes fill with tears as I stand before you. A scant two days have passed, I reach forth to touch your sallow face, but my hands find no purchase…

Only the red of the Aivar can bear you tight…

From <> ————-

The autumn’s Aivar tree boasted a red hue akin to fire. As they blew in the wind, their vibrant colour danced like flames. Of the numerous legends the Nature Elves had of this beautiful sight, most had to do with love.

The Nature Elves had always put the pursuit of love foremost in their lives, partially because they were afforded the luxury to do so. Unlike humans and their fraught lives, they spent their days in freedom, sensitive to the emotions of those around them. They were a race of romance.

Under the leadership of Andassis the Seventh, I was treated to a tour of the royal gardens, where all sorts of strange flowers awaited me at every turn, each more breathtaking than the other.

However, they weren’t just for show either.

Some were medicinal. Some were edible… a very strange word to be associated with the royal garden, but they were definitely edible, though not often consumed.

Finally, the king brought me to a tree that resembled a maple tree from Earth. The season was just right for admiring it; its leaves red like the flames of passion. As I stepped on the crimson carpet of leaves beneath, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of calm flow over me.

Andassis the Seventh pointed proudly at the beautiful tree and said, “This is the Aivar tree. In this world, only the Nature Elves know the method of growing them. It’s known as the Tree of Love, because it was said that those who made a wish under it would forever be wed together. I hear it’s very effective.”

So you say… but has anyone ever told you how weird it is for a monarch to be waxing on about love… and why are you winking at me like that…

The king had finished his introduction, yet he continued looking at me with expectant eyes. I flatly ignored him, electing to devote every ounce of my attention to that lovely sway of the tree before me.

Seeing me so unmoved, the previously silent-like-a-shadow prince breathed a sigh of relief mentally, though he quickly resumed his silent vigil.

Awkward…

At this point, I was about ready to bring up the matter of the Apocalypse and the corresponding plan to produce those magitek armors. Yet before I could even speak, a most surprising person showed up.

It was a long-eared, blonde female nature elf with a mature, yet beautiful, bearing. She wore a green dress, tailored for ease of travel within a forest. Upon closer inspection, one would realise that it was laced with intricate gold embroidery. Her flowing hair was neatly crowned with an equally golden tiara, sporting an eye-catching red jewel as its centerpiece.

“Andassis the Seventh?” The female elf greeted the king in a slightly confused tone. Her tone was casual as a normal person’s, lacking in any sort of formality or respect. “What are you doing here?”

“Lady Redleaf, I was just taking a stroll when I decided to have a look at the Aivar tree.” The king didn’t seem to mind her disrespectful behavior. In fact, he smiled at her as if all was normal. “I see the royal gardens have flourished under your long labours–”

“Right,” she cut off the king curtly. “Well, you’re free to have as much of a look you like at the gardens I’ve tended so well, but don’t make it a habit of coming.”

“Impudence!” Finally, the king’s scarred bodyguard could no longer stand idly by and watch his master get insulted.

Chest puffed up, he took a couple of steps in front of his liege, his right hand poised to draw the sword on his waist. Yet why was he sneaking glances my way…

“I’m surprised your short lives are even capable of comprehending a word of such prodigious length.”

Short lives? Is she calling him short-lived? That guard has to at least be an Eight-star, judging by his aura. Humans have a lifespan of about a couple hundred to three hundred years at that point. The variance, mostly to do with how well they look after their lives. That doesn’t seem very short to me?

But, I guess, when compared to the average lifespan of five hundred of a normal nature elf, three hundred isn’t much. A powerful nature elf can even live up to a thousand easily. Calling him short-lived must be how they flaunt their pride as a long-lived race…

Still, that was just toxic… Seems like that lady is trouble, in a number of ways.

“Baku, you mustn’t be rude to the lady.” Before the situation escalated any further, Andassis the Seventh finally stepped in to break the two up. Faced with a direct order from his liege, the scarred bodyguard had no choice but to swallow his anger and retreat behind his liege.

However, that didn’t stop the female elf from showing her disdain even further. And to my great surprise, the king did not seem to mind at all… this definitely wasn’t just any old elf.

After placating his irate bodyguard, Andassis the Seventh exchanged a few more words with the female elf, though she did not care very much for his words.

At that point, the almost-masochistic king turned around and smiled sheepishly in my direction.

“Lady Mo Na, let me introduce you. This is Lady Redleaf, the tender of this garden.”

“Greetings, my name is Mo Na.” I was more than ready to be insulted as I unflinchingly gave out my daughter’s name. It wasn’t like my gender being mistaken was anything new at this point. Why fight the inevitable?

Yet to my surprise…

“Greetings, I’m Aivar Redleaf.” Her eyes practically shone as she proclaimed, “What a beautiful girl! Even amongst us Nature Elves, you wouldn’t easily find such a pure and beautiful girl…”

Eh? Did I miss something?

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The first rays of the morning sun creeped through the window, waking me up from my slumber with its warm caress -the sheer bliss of being alive.

Doris, the maidservant, had already prepared an exquisite platter of morning delights even before I had awoken. All I did was wash up, and I had breakfast already laid out on my table with Doris waiting nearby.

Even if I did not fancy this well-prepared meal in the style of Andassis, I still ate it with care, all in a bid to appear more human. After all, I could very much live without ever taking food.

I took a sip of the coffee in my porcelain cup – it was sweet, clawingly so.

Thus, I took a stab at a plump strawberry nearby. However, any tartness it could possibly have was overwhelmed by the sheer sweetness of the coffee I just had.

Next were the cupcakes, which turned out to be tasteless anyway, all thanks to that coffee.

I lowered my fork, creased my brows and declared, “I’m full.”

“My apologies, Lady Mo Na.” Doris fidgeted as she stood by me. “You don’t seem too pleased… Was the cooking not to your taste?”

“It was too sweet.”

“Hmm?”

“It was too sweet, I prefer something more bitter.” I pointed at the coffee with what must have been a deep frown on my face, given how troubled Doris looked.

“My apologies, I had the kitchen specially prepare it so… The sugar used by the palace is the finest created by our alchemists. I thought Lady Mo Na would like it…”

“Forget it, I wasn’t all that hungry to begin with.”

Before sleeping last night, I told Doris my name was Mo Na, seeing as I would most likely be in the kingdom till Ferti’nier plan was complete.

“It’s fine to clear up, I wish to have a walk in the garden.” I paused at that point. “That’s fine, right?”

My concern was that I was under some informal house arrest. Thankfully, that notion was quickly dispelled.

“Definitely, His Highness has already given the word that you have free rein to wander as you please.”

It was just about when we had decided what was next on the agenda, and Doris had started clearing the dishes, when we heard a knocking on the door.

“Lady Mo Na, it’s Sersan, may I enter?”

Prince Sersan politely awaited my answer outside. Technically, this was his home…

Judging by how much time had passed, the prince must have rushed over right after his own breakfast.

I nodded towards Doris who was quietly seeking my permission, after which she promptly put down the platter and hastened to open the door.

A while later, the prince stepped through the door, his attire neatly pressed like his well-combed hair. Nary was there a flaw to be found on his beaming face, nor in his dressing, which had clearly gone through painstaking effort to plan. His gait spoke of long hours spent in high society, commanding both an air of elegance and authority. This was a man on hunt, and he wasn’t to be denied.

Unfortunately, I was a man, and I did not swing that way, so tough luck.

Upon entering the room, Sersan first noticed my unfinished breakfast.

“Has Lady Mo Na not had a chance to finish her breakfast?”

“I did, I just wasn’t very hungry – I was about to go out for a walk, would Your Highness like to accompany me?”

“Please, Lady Mo Na, do not call me Your Highness, my name is fine. As friends, I would prefer it if you address me as Sersan.”

“In that case, Sersan, would you like to accompany me for a walk?”

“My pleasure.” Sersan smiled, nodded and extended a hand to me.

Wait… is he actually expecting me to hold his hands?

I duly ignored him.

Seeing me ignore him, the prince’s smile went a little stiff, but he smoothly changed that extended hand to a wave. “Then allow me to show you the way, Lady Mo Na.”

Considering that I hadn’t actually told the prince my name, I would wager that Doris was the one who informed him of this fact.

But that was all to be expected, seeing as she was his servant; some communication was par for the course. Besides, I had every intention of making her my intermediary, that way I wouldn’t have to do it myself.

Yet just as the both of us were about to leave, three sets of footsteps could be heard rushing down the hallway.

The ones to bar our way were His Majesty, a middle-aged, guardsmen-looking man, dressed in magical armor, face sporting a blade scar across his left face, followed by a beautiful maidservant.

“Good morning, Father.”

“Mhm.”

Andassis the Seventh nodded at his son in an offhand manner, as if the boy wasn’t someone he knew at all.

Oh? Did they quarrel? I thought they were getting along just fine last night.

As I was mulling over that juicy bit of supposition, Andassis the Seventh turned towards me and beamed in a harmless manner, completely different from how he treated Sersan.

“Lady Mo Na, are you planning to head out for a walk? What a coincidence, I was just about to invite milady for one myself. How about the palace gardens? The air is crisp and the environment lush. You will find hundreds of never-before-seen plantlife, including the elvish Aivar tree.”

“I’ll be in your care then, Your Majesty.”

Having said that, I snuck a look towards Sersan. His face was as black as my coffee was sweet.

Seems like the two of them had a falling out in just the span of one night… as for why… who knows…

However, this tense atmosphere only lasted a second before Sersan smartly chose to back down.

He lowered his head and quietly stepped behind me to avoid his father’s gaze.

For a second there, I thought the king was going to order his guard to kill his son.

Really… What happened to these two?

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Wait… did Ferti’nier bring those mobile armors over from Gaia? No way, we share the same body, even if she did so stealthily, there’s no way I wouldn’t know… Or not… I guess if she really wants to do so without my knowledge, I couldn’t do much either…

Alright, no more beating about the bush -what are you planning, exactly?

“Well, since my little brother is being so direct, I guess I will have to respond in kind. Your big sis is actually planning to create her own mobile armors.”

Create? Isn’t that just magic armor then? Are you sure? When did you even become our resident scientist?

“In the words of a cultivation light novel, strength, regardless of its source, draws from the same roots. Science is strong in its own rights. Even Magic has its own limits, whether we are talking about its adaptability or accessibility. While not everyone can be a scientist, their inventions are made available to the race as a whole. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you this.”

That’s true, both science and magic look to understand the mysteries of the world and its laws. The combination of these two forces would only be an enhancement, perhaps even multiplicatively. The two are equal branches of development.

“Honestly, your big sis learned quite a fair bit on Gaia. Like the knowledge Lixiang possesses has already been completely assimilated by your big sis. Whatever she knows, your big sis knows as well. In fact, your big sis has already come up with a rather interesting concept, combining both alchemy and mechanical engineering, to create a whole new breed of exosuits. Perhaps calling it an exosuit is no longer suitable, given that elemental magicks have been imbued into it. Calling it a “magitek” exosuit would be more appropriate.”

So you’re saying what Lixiang and her family have spent decades learning has already been assimilated and replicated by you?

“That’s right. Not hard, really. Do you want a copy as well? But take care not to overwork your tiny brain, or you will have hell to pay later.”

Are you calling me dumb? Actually, don’t answer that… And, you know what, I will take back what I said earlier.

“You mean the bit about magic and science being equal?”

That’s right.. The fact that you can replicate decades of hard work with just a simple spell is just… unfair…

“It’s actually not as bad as you make it out to be. The two branches are fundamentally different, but the same outcomes can be achieved. Memories can eventually be replicated, albeit with some additional steps. And immortality isn’t a dream, once healthcare has progressed to a certain point. The process would just take longer, that’s all.”

Just from those words alone, I could tell Ferti’nier had gained a fondness for science, and had even done well in it. Now that we were back in the Western Human Realms, it was time to show her results. Namely, by getting this kingdom to create some exosuits for us.

“Not exosuits. “Magitek” exosuits. The “magitek” is important since they combine both alchemy and science. You need to be more sensitive to the locality you’re in.”

As if a devil king like you needs to be sensitive. Enough sidetracking, why does it have to be done in this kingdom?

“Well. The materials required are many and varied, so your big sis plans to use the resources of a kingdom to overcome that problem. Besides…”

“This is your big sis’s first attempt at creating such a magitek exosuit. The chances of failure are high… There’s no heart pain if the materials aren’t ours to begin with.”

What a cheapskate.

“That’s only because you don’t know how truly difficult these materials are to obtain.”

Start by telling me what they are.

“In order to have the best effect, I would first require the skeleton of a pure, Overlord-class dragon. Next, we need large quantities of mithril, three psychic meditation gemstones…”

Say no more… I approve of this plan… Just the first two alone are enough to bankrupt me… But why an entire set of dragon bones? Are you sure this won’t end up being mistaken for necromancy?

“Not at all, the bones of a creature is one of the basic ingredients of alchemy. Dark alchemy is only forbidden because it uses materials such as human bones and flesh. In other words, every other creature is fine.

So that’s why… I learnt something new today.

“For the time being, we have to be patient, at least till your big sis is done creating those magitek exosuits. At that point, we can just hand over the method of creating these weapons to the Kingdom of Andassis, along with every other human kingdom. Once the humans are able to mass-produce these weapons, the Apocalypse should roughly be upon us as well. See, Little Brother, your wish to protect the humans is going to be fulfilled as well.”

What you said… makes sense, but why does it feel like something is off?

“Not at all. Just get some rest first, you will need it when you turn your charms onto that king and prince. Only when they are obedient can we…”

Stop, right there! I don’t swing that way!

“Whatever. Just improvise.”

You can forget about me ever charming some guy! But I approve of this magitek exosuit plan, though, the details will have to be worked out tomorrow. I just hope they won’t say no.

“They won’t. Your big sis guarantees it.”

And that’s precisely why I’m worried.

Overall, my little chat with Ferti’nier was enlightening. In a massive war for the world, small fries like me barely had an impact at all. But since Ferti’nier was the one who personally came up with this plan, it was worth a shot. At the very least, increasing the overall strength of the humans would mean that they won’t get overrun by a tidal wave of devils…

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Ferti’nier’s protestations gave me a start -she was right!

Well, what do we do then?

“That’s a question for you to answer, my dear little brother.”

What? So you’re okay with me just dictating the terms?

“But of course. Since the day we were bound together, has it not been you who has decided where we go? Your big sis is just the kind old grandpa doing her job assisting you, that’s all.”

I mean… if you’re going to put it that way, big sis… I just didn’t expect you to treat me so well…

“You are my favourite little brother, after all.”

Since I’m your little brother, about that pee pee…

“If you don’t mind being exposed, your big sis is more than ready to return it to you. But if that prince and his father were to ever find out you lied to them… heheheh…”

I… I didn’t mean to. And even if my identity is exposed, they were the ones who didn’t believe me when I told them I was a guy! That’s not my fault!

“There are many things in this world that can’t be explained with logic. Just like how a drunkard bumps into a person, but not only does he not apologise, he even tries to stab the guy and gets stabbed to death by his own knife instead. Somehow the blame gets laid on the person defending himself instead by some self-righteous moron. See, there are plenty of examples of people acting without regard for others and the facts.”

I knew what she was referring to, it was a famous case on Gaia about how a drunk driver turned off his self-driving on purpose and almost knocked a pedestrian down. The driver and the pedestrian ended up in an argument, at which point the driver got so mad he pulled a knife. Unfortunately, his grip wasn’t tight enough due to his inebriated state. The knife ended up being snatched away, and the fight ended with the driver being stabbed to death.

But… that wasn’t the main story now.

How do I leave this kingdom, was the question of the day. I still planned on visiting my daughter in Purgatory, and if possible, visit the girls near Plateau Village. Jezsere, too… Maybe Nicole… so many people I had to see.

“Oh, our little brother wishes to return to Sable Radiance, correct?”

Mhm, I want to look for Mo Na. Sis, you have a plan?

“Well that won’t do at all. Have you forgotten about Lucifer’s seal? We have no way to enter freely.”

I remember, but I thought we didn’t have any trouble last time?

“That’s because you were summoned while inside Sable Radiance. It’s easy to leave that place, hard to enter. Even if your big sis has a dimensional marker there, it doesn’t change the fact that the seal was created by the clone of Lucifer, and your big sis hasn’t reached the stage where she can do as she pleases.”

But… When are we able to return then?

“When the seal comes undone.”

And…

“When the time for the final battle arrives, the seal will undo itself.”

So, I have to wait till then to see my daughter? But isn’t one of the prerequisites for the Apocalypse the destruction of Gaia?

“Not at all. From the moment we got swept away into that dimensional rift, Lucifer should have sensed what was going on in Gaia. Given that the Undead have proved unreliable, there’s a high chance he might push forward the plans for the Apocalypse.”

Huh. So he’s just going to go at it alone? Hold on… how does he know about the situation on Gaia? Don’t tell me…

“Have you finally realised? That’s right. Ever since you fused with that feather, you are basically His flesh and blood. Because of that, every move you make is under His watchful eyes. Why else would the Spider Queen suddenly show favour to you? She sensed the link between you and Him.”

The plot thickens… in fact, my whole life is rife with plots…

Then…

“Worry not, your big sis has managed to learn a great deal about the laws of the world while on Gaia. If nothing goes wrong, a few more years on Gaia and your big sis should be able to ascend to divinity. That is why your big sis pulled a little trick while we were in the dimensional void. She hid you away from His eyes. He might even still think that you are stuck in the void somewhere.”

That’s a relief… Honestly, I don’t think there’s anyone who enjoys being watched 24/7, barring perverts. But if I can’t go back to Sable Radiance, I guess I’ll start with finding Ancarin, then we can talk about the Apocalypse. Hopefully, I will be on the Human side.

The Western Human Realms was home not just to humans, there were other races as well. The Nature Elves. The Dark Elves. The Dwarves. The Halflings.. And a whole bunch of other races like the Beastmen.

Those Dark Elves, especially, were basically stuck on the same boat as I was. As for the Nature Elves, I liked them too, pretty faces, and all that…

That was why I had to do something for this world, if not for them then for Nicole!

“Speaking of the Apocalypse, your big sis has an interesting proposition.”

What kind?

“The Apocalypse restricts actual divinities from participating, meaning demigods are the highest combat strength possible. In order to survive this massive tidal wave, our side has to have the goods to deliver. And that’s where your big sis got an idea. We will need a lot of resources… but you see, since we are already in this kingdom, and that king and his son won’t let you leave, why not use them?”

Use them? How?

I had to admit, “using” someone still did not sit well with me, even as a devil. I wanted to be the good guy, though, “good guy” as a devil was a little confusing…

“It’s not really “using” them. Little brother, have you already forgotten where you just came from?”

Gaia, of course, it’s not like I lost my memories.

“That’s right. And what strikes you deepest about your time there?”

Zombies?

No… More like science, or rather, exosuits and mobile armors!

If we can bring those two technologies back here, then our odds in the upcoming battle will improve significantly!

Even if those weapons are easily damaged by magicks, we just have to alter the designs to better fit our fantasy setting. The odds of victory would surely tilt in our favour then!

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