Aftermath

The Beastmen trapped in the pitfall eventually lost their will to fight. It wasn't long before they were all our prisoners.

“Damn you... what do you plan to do with us?!” Guiche spat at me, his voice full of venom.

“What do you want me to do?” I countered.

As far as I was concerned, I didn't care what happened to them, provided they didn't attack my lands again. Since our territories shared a border, I would have preferred to stay on good terms with a neighbor. However, I couldn't exactly let an armed invasion slide.

“It might be best to leave this to my father,” Elu suggested.

She was right; that was probably the cleanest way to handle it.

“The question is... who’s going to escort them?”

“...In that case, Lord Yuri, why don’t you come along? I’ll be going as well. Besides, I’ve been wanting to introduce you to Father anyway—” Elu said, looking down bashfully.

It would probably be easier to put the man in my debt if I spoke to him face-to-face.

“Fair enough. Once I’ve finished up my business in the territory, let's head out together.”

Elu’s face lit up with a happy smile. “Thank you very much. I’ll send a letter to Father immediately to let him know.”

“...Fee is coming, too,” Fee added, clinging tightly to my arm.

“Of course. I assumed you were coming anyway.”

“R-Right... Of course Fee is coming too...” Elu’s shoulders slumped in disappointment for some reason.

“In that case, I shall also join you—”

“Emilina, I need you to stay here,” I interrupted.

“W-Why?!”

“It’s a long journey. Aside from you and Sasha, there’s no one else I can trust to look after the territory.”

With a Saint present, it would at least serve as a deterrent against the Mastermind. Besides, after failing a three-pronged invasion, the enemy shouldn't be able to make another move immediately.

“Um, if that is the case, would you consider visiting our country as well?” Marisa interjected smoothly. “Please, allow us to entertain God.”

What exactly is she planning to do once she gets me into her country? I wanted to stay on friendly terms with the Holy Principality of Ames, but agreeing meant spending an indefinite amount of time with Marisa. I weighed the pros and cons in my head.

“W-Well... eventually, perhaps.”

I decided to leave the matter in limbo for now.

“Yes, I shall be looking forward to it!”

Listening to her cheerful voice, I couldn't help but wonder if I’d been too hasty in my reply.

---

“Now then, it’s about time we—”

I was ready to head back when Melty suddenly grabbed my sleeve.

“The clothes... You haven't forgotten, have you?”

“I-I haven’t forgotten. We’re stopping by your tower now, right?”

“Yes! Let’s go. Right now. Quickly. We need to move fast to get away from that Demon—” Melty hissed, trying to pull me away.

“Oh? And who exactly is a ‘Demon’?” Emilina asked, her voice sweet and her smile radiant.

“That would be... well...”

As Emilina beamed at her, Melty turned deathly pale and used me as a human shield. She was trembling like a leaf. I wasn't entirely sure what had happened when Emilina was helping her pick out clothes earlier, but it had clearly left a mark.

“May I join you as well?” Emilina asked.

“You’re coming too?”

“Indeed.”

Emilina’s smile never wavered. I glanced at Melty for confirmation; the girl was nodding her head frantically. No—she was nodding because Emilina was staring at her with a look that clearly said, ‘You wouldn't dream of refusing me, would you?’

“Hahaha... Go easy on her, Emilina. Melty’s been a shut-in at that tower for a long time. She’s not great with people.”

“W-Who are you calling a shy, introverted, anti-social shut-in?!” Melty barked.

“I didn't go that far!”

Melty’s face turned beet red as she protested. It was mostly the truth, but there’s no point in me trying to sugarcoat it if she’s just going to shout the subtext out loud.

“Fee is following Lord Yuri,” Fee stated firmly.

“And what about me?” Fritz asked.

“Right. Just in case, could you stay with Elu?”

“Leave it to me. If anything goes wrong, I’ll blow them away with my sword,” Fritz said with a confident smirk.

After seeing them off, the rest of us headed toward the location where I had sent the tower flying.

---

We arrived at the spot where the tower should have landed, but there was nothing there.

To be precise, there was a massive pile of rubble, but it was impossible to recognize it as the Sage’s Tower.

“Huh? It should be right around here...” I muttered, looking around. I couldn't find anything that looked even remotely like a functional tower.

“A-Ah... My tower?”

“...Maybe it burned down?” I suggested, looking at the state of the debris. It was the only logical conclusion.

“What? Y-You’re joking, right?” Melty’s face drained of color.

“W-We don't know for sure yet. This might not even be the Sage’s Tower.”

Technically, I only teleported the tower. I didn't set it on fire. It shouldn't have been able to burn, unless...

“Come to think of it, this is the area where the Demon Race launched their attack,” I noted.

The pieces started falling into place. If the Demon Race had been involved, they probably went on a rampage in the vicinity.

“Well, for now, let’s check the wreckage.”

We sifted through the debris. Before long, we found charred remnants of Magic Books and scraps of cloth. Melty gathered the blackened remains in her arms, looking utterly dazed. It was a pitiful sight.

“I worked so hard to collect these... all my research...”

“Look, I... it’s my fault for sending the tower here. I’m sorry.”

“N-No... all things with form eventually vanish. It just happened a little sooner than expected,” she said, a hollow laugh escaping her lips. Her eyes were devoid of light.

“I’ll find you a place to live, but I can't exactly replace the Magic Books...”

Wait. If the Demon Race caused the fire, couldn't I hold them responsible? Perhaps I could leverage that to get her access to their archives, or maybe ask the Holy Principality of Ames for a look at theirs. Since I was partially responsible for this mess, I had to do what I could.

“Since the fire was likely caused by the Demon Race, I’ll make sure they take responsibility. Maybe I can get them to show you their Magic Books—”

Before I could finish, Melty’s eyes ignited with excitement. she lunged forward and grabbed my hands.

“Please! Do whatever it takes! Ah, to see Magic Books I’ve never laid eyes on... there’s no greater happiness! And if they belong to the Demon Race, they must contain the highest tier of magic! I can't wait!”

She looked like she was about to burst into a dance. She had completely forgotten about her own burned belongings. I might have overpromised. If I can't pull this off now, I’m in trouble.

“I-It might not work out with the demons, so if that fails, we’ll try the Holy Principality of Ames—”

“That’s even better! The restricted Magic Books of the Holy Principality are the rarest of the rare! Compared to those, the books I had were basically scrap paper!”

“In that case, I shall continue choosing your clothes—” Emilina added.

“I don't need those!” Melty barked.

“No, you can't exactly walk around without clothes,” I countered. “Just let her pick a few outfits for you.”

“Ugh... trials are the price of rewards, aren't they? Very well! I will endure this hell and find my way to heaven!”

I really have no idea what Emilina is doing to her.

With a look of grim resolve, Melty accepted her fate: another round of clothes shopping with Emilina.