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“So this is the king’s house!”
“Time for a raid…!”
“Momo, Stell, tone down the bloodlust, okay…?”

The next morning, fully rested and recovered from our travels, we made our way to the king’s pure-white castle.

It was as massive as you’d expect from a royal residence—big enough that getting lost inside felt like a real possibility. I didn’t know the official name, but the Mont Blanc-looking rooftop gave it a very Arabian flair. Kinda delicious-looking, honestly.

“So… what now, senior disciple…?”
“Think the king’ll come out if we knock?”
“Wow, no plan—requesting backup~!”
“Yeah, good thing we didn’t just send the girls in by themselves.”
“Lady Momose, it would be wise to first speak with the guards who are observing us.”
“Good point! Excuse meee!”
“W-What do you want? State your business!”

Mr. Mintark’s advice was spot-on—you needed an appointment to meet someone important.

When I called out to the two guards standing at the castle gates, they pointed their spears toward us, but still listened to what I had to say.

“Um… we have business with the king. Would you mind letting us through?”
“Of course not, you fool! The king is busy—go on, get lost!”
“I see… Forced entry it is.”
“Stell, stay! Uh, I mean—we brought something the king asked us to make!”
“Hm… You’re that Outlander from the other day…”

Just as Stell was gearing up to charge in, Ms. Hoshikawa stepped forward and took over. The moment she did, the guards’ demeanor shifted.

They lowered their spears and started acting much more respectful, like they were dealing with someone of higher status.

“Ms. Hoshikawa, have you met the king before?”
“Not directly, no. But one of his attendants asked me to make something for him…”
“Why didn’t you say so earlier, then?”
“Because I figured if I did, I thought Momo and Stell would try to storm the castle that very day.”
“…Okay, that’s… fair.”
““Rude.””
“Hey now.”

The men were convinced, but seriously—I wasn’t that reckless.

…At least I hoped I had enough self-control to hold back for a day.

“Anyway, we have something the king requested, so please let us through…”
“T-That’s fine, but what about the others with you?”
“Momo and the others have business with the king too. Just tell him it’s about Valka Muetta.”
“Th-The Scorchflame Dragon…!? U-Understood! Please wait right here!!”

As Ms. Hoshikawa began negotiating, the guard’s face went pale. He quickly pulled a slip of paper from a pouch at his waist, scribbled something onto it, and tossed it through the gate.

The paper fluttered in the air, then neatly folded itself into the shape of a crane and flew straight toward the castle.

“Ohh, a flying letter. Fancy little thing, that.”
“Is that a magic item too?”
“Aye. Even the cheap ones cost a gold coin apiece. For a king to hand out something that pricey to his gate guards… he must be rolling in it.”
“Wow… that’s insane.”
“What’s insane is you too, Momo… Since when did you meet Valka Muetta?”
“We kind of ran into each other on the way to Regulus. It was a bit of a misunderstanding, though.”

When I told Ms. Hoshikawa last night about meeting Mr. Valka, she looked totally shocked.

Apparently, Mr. Valka usually surrounds himself with mirages so no living thing can get near—so only extremely lucky or extremely unlucky people ever cross paths with him.

“Valka Muetta—called the Scorchflame Dragon because his body gives off so much heat, it can turn the surrounding terrain into desert. He’s way more famous a person(?) than you probably realize, Momo.”
“He was really nice, though!”
“Yeah… I don’t know if I can trust that storyteller.”
“Thank you for waiting! Lady Hoshikawa and party, you may enter!”

Just as we were chatting, it looked like the reply came through. The guard opened the castle gates for us.

A lot had happened, but we’d cleared the first hurdle. Now we just had to meet the king…

And find Master before he did.

✦✧✦✧✦

“——Welcome, guests! Let us first offer our hospitality! You have done well to cross the harsh sea of sand and arrive in my city!”
“U-Um… sure…”

The king’s chamber—led there by some very beautiful maids—was, to put it bluntly, insane.

Cold water flowed constantly from the walls, keeping the temperature and humidity perfectly comfortable despite the scorching desert outside.

And yet, for some reason, the spacious room had banana trees growing in it, heavy with ripe fruit, and a ridiculously flashy chandelier dangling from the ceiling, glittering like mad. The interior design was… a total mess.

But not even that chaotic room could outshine the presence of the “king” himself, who sat confidently on his golden throne, grinning with pride.

“I am Cor Leonis the First! The king who shall one day bring the entire world under his rule!!”
“Knew it… he’s a bad guy…”
“Momo, he can hear you…!”

He had a healthy, sun-kissed complexion, silver hair wrapped in a turban—or maybe a bandana?—and sharply defined eyes and nose that made him look like a top-tier idol.

More than anything, his booming voice and the sheer charisma radiating from his whole body felt so overwhelming that if I let my guard down, I might’ve gotten swept up in it.

I could see it now—this was the king said to have founded Regulus and be nearly as powerful as Master.

“So, Hoshikawa. Is it true the item is complete?”
“Y-Yes! Right here! The flying carpet you ordered—well, a prototype, anyway!”

When the king called her name, Ms. Hoshikawa scrambled to pull out a red handkerchief embroidered with golden thread.

She held it out with both hands, then let go—and instead of falling to the floor, the handkerchief floated gently in place, bobbing in the air.

If it were any larger, I could definitely see someone calling it a “flying carpet.”

“I-I didn’t have much time, so I only managed to make it this size for now…”
“Hoh… splendid, Hoshikawa! The vehicle I once heard of from an Outlander and dreamed of ever since—now stands before me!”
“B-But if you want it scaled up, it’ll take a few months to finish…”
“Until then, I shall guarantee you a life of total comfort and whatever reward your heart desires! Hoshikawa, if you lack materials or manpower, name it—I shall provide!”
“U-Um, I still have work waiting for me back in Aldebaran…”
“I shall smooth things over. You needn’t worry about a thing!”
“Eek…! But he’s hot so I forgive him~~! If a handsome, demanding, sun-kissed king starts asking for me, I’m gonna turn into a daydreaming fangirl!!”
“P-Please get a grip, Ms. Hoshikawa! Don’t let yourself get swept away! You have to stay true to yourself!”
“Hm? And who might you be?”

Just as I reached out and grabbed Ms. Hoshikawa’s shoulder to stop her from getting carried away, the king finally turned his eyes on *me* for the first time.

His smile didn’t change. His tone, his presence—nothing seemed different. He didn’t seem angry at all. But the way he stared at me—his eyes—were sharp and cold like a snake’s, and I felt a chill race down my spine.

“…Ah, yes, yes! Of course—my apologies. You must be the ones entrusted with a message from my friend.”
“…Y-Yes. We were sent here by Mr. Valka.”
“Well done. ——Very well, then. Let’s hear what you have to say.”

The chill didn’t stop. It crept over me, deeper and deeper. The king was just listening—nothing more.

And yet, I couldn’t shake the fear that if I misspoke, even once… my journey would end right here.