Chapter 490 ·Castle Struggle (6)

The next day.

As ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍of yesterday, Alon had finished most of his paperwork.

With ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a relaxed mind, he sat watching the two Sea Kings leisurely swimming between the castles while stroking Blackie’s head.

Purr—

Though ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Blackie had never made such sounds before, at some point he had started purring like a real cat.

Alon ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍watched him for a while.

'No ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍matter how I look at it, this really does resemble a Demon King’s castle.'

The thought crossed his mind once again.

Then his gaze shifted toward where Basiliora was.

Ever since a few days ago, when Alon had begun seriously processing paperwork, Basiliora had done nothing but stare blankly at the sky.

“Basiliora.”

Seeing him looking like a cat watching a goldfish swim around in an aquarium, Alon called out.

[Hm? Ahem—what is it?]

Basiliora snapped back to his senses and asked.

“You’ve been staring over there for days. Do you want to try it too?”

[What? Me? Hahaha! As if that would ever happen!]

“Is that so?”

[Ahem. But if you insist, I suppose I could do it once!]

Basiliora presented his bizarre logic.

But simply interpreted—he had spent days staring at the castle because he wanted to fly through the sky like the Sea Kings.

[Meow-]

Blackie, curled in Alon’s arms, let out a cry that sounded suspiciously like he was mocking him for being childish.

[That’s what I’m saying! It’s not that I want it, but if someone begged me, I’d graciously fly once or twice!]

Basiliora fiercely protested Blackie’s reaction.

A moment later—

[Meow-?]

Blackie looked at Basiliora as if laughing at him.

Then his eyes widened, as though he had just thought of something.

Tap tap.

He patted Alon’s collar.

“What is it?”

In response, Blackie patted the collar again and pointed at himself with his round little paw.

After a moment of thought, Alon made a guess.

“Do you want mana?”

[Meow-!]

Blackie nodded enthusiastically.

Though slightly puzzled, Alon used Reverse Heaven and poured mana into Blackie.

At the same time—

Wooooong—!

“...Huh?”

Blackie flew.

It wasn’t that he had grown wings.

His appearance remained exactly the same.

Yet he was unmistakably floating in midair.

For a moment, Alon could only stare blankly.

“...A divine-blood ability?”

[Meow-!]

Blackie nodded and zipped through the air.

[W-What in the world—this is impossible~!!!]

Basiliora screamed in shock.

Just then, the office door opened.

“Lord Alon?”

“Evan.”

Evan stepped inside.

He had clearly entered to discuss something, but upon seeing Blackie flying through the air, he made a strange expression.

“May I ask what exactly is happening?”

“It seems one of the divine-bloods Blackie absorbed possessed the ability to fly.”

“A flying ability?”

“Yes.”

“......”

“What is it?”

“No, it’s just... for a divine-blood ability, it feels a little cheap.”

“That’s true.”

Alon agreed while watching Blackie bounce his tiny paws through the air.

However, after pondering something for a moment, Evan suddenly spoke.

“Then the airship problem is solved, isn’t it?”

“...Out of nowhere?”

“Huh? Well... Blackie can fly, can’t he?”

“We can’t exactly ride Blackie.”

Alon immediately countered.

Evan awkwardly scratched his cheek.

“Well... riding only Blackie would be difficult, but... they can merge together anyway. Couldn’t you travel like that?”

Then he added,

“Though I guess the world isn’t usually that convenient, right?”

After saying that—

“There’s no way it would be that eas—”

Alon raised a hand to dismiss the idea.

Then paused.

“Hm?”

Instead of finishing the gesture, he stopped and rubbed his chin.

A moment later—

“Huh.”

A strange realization escaped him.

“What?”

Evan asked curiously.

“No...”

Alon replied as if entranced.

“It might actually work.”

“In conclusion, it is possible.”

Second Office.

Immediately after speaking with Evan, Alon had brought Blackie and Basiliora to Lainisius.

Now he was hearing that answer.

“...Really?”

“Yes. To begin with, although the Shadow Dragon’s power operates using mana received from you, it is not a power that directly consumes mana.”

“What does that mean?”

At Alon’s question, Lainisius thought briefly before extending a hand and creating a simple mana sphere.

“Can you see this?”

“The mana sphere?”

“Yes. How do humans normally create one?”

“...By using mana to make a mana sphere.”

“Correct. That is the standard way of using mana. Consuming mana to produce magic. However, the Shadow Dragon uses mana differently. It burns it as fuel.”

“...Fuel?”

“To put it simply, imagine there is an artifact inside Blackie that runs on mana as fuel.”

“Ah.”

Alon finally understood.

“So it isn’t directly using the mana itself.”

“Exactly.”

“But why bring that up all of a sudden?”

Lainisius answered without hesitation.

“Because I wanted to discuss efficiency.”

“Efficiency?”

“Yes. I already had a vague suspicion before, but now that I have confirmed it, this Shadow Dragon is somewhat abnormal.”

“In what way?”

Lainisius looked toward Blackie, who was currently flailing his paws in midair while flying around in a rather pathetic-looking manner.

“The divine-blood abilities I’ve analyzed require absurd amounts of mana to replicate.”

“I knew that much already... Is Blackie really using them that efficiently?”

“Yes. In fact, he appears to become even more efficient as time passes.”

Lainisius quietly observed Blackie before adding—

“He is producing the equivalent of one hundred mana spheres using only enough mana for a single mana sphere.”

“...No, seriously?”

“Yes. And the efficiency seems to improve with time.”

He muttered that he almost wanted to study Blackie himself.

Then continued.

“Anyway, my point is this. Even if his overall size increases significantly, I doubt he will suffer from mana shortages. However—”

Lainisius looked toward Basiliora.

“The problem is that thing.”

[Not ‘that thing,’ it’s Basiliora!!]

Basiliora exploded in protest.

Lainisius ignored him completely.

“You said it requires a lot of mana?”

[IT’S BASILIORA!!]

“Yes, this is what summons it.”

“Hm~”

[KYAAAAAAAHHHH~!!!]

Ignoring Basiliora’s breakdown, Lainisius stared at the Contract Ring of Calgunias that Alon had handed him.

Then he spoke.

“What an interesting structure.”

“Is it?”

“Yes. I do not know who created it, but it is an exceptionally advanced artifact.”

After examining the ring from every angle, he asked—

“If you do not mind, may I borrow this ring for a few days?”

“Why?”

“I believe I can improve its mana efficiency.”

“...Efficiency?”

“Yes. Roughly to one-tenth of its current consumption.”

“...That much?”

'Is this what a Dragon is...?'

While Alon was having such thoughts, Lainisius continued studying the ring without even glancing up.

“It is not something achievable through my own ability alone. Rather, it is closer to restricting the ring’s functions.”

“The ring’s functions?”

“Yes. You seem unaware, but this ring contains several effects beyond merely summoning that thing. At least five.”

[IT’S NOT ‘THAT THING,’ IT’S BASILIORA, YOU BASTARD!!!!!!]

“There were effects like that...?”

Alon tilted his head.

Even in the game, he didn’t remember the Ring of Calgunias having any such explanation.

Still—

“Regardless, I intend to disable those effects and improve efficiency. What do you think? It should not affect its normal use.”

“If that’s the case...”

“It should only take a day or two. Ah, and if possible, could I keep the Shadow Dragon here as well?”

“Blackie too?”

“Yes. There are a few things I would like to investigate.”

Alon looked toward Blackie.

“Would that be alright?”

[Meow.]

Blackie lightly nodded.

“Seems fine.”

“Thank you.”

As Lainisius thanked him, Alon nodded.

Then another question occurred to him.

“By the way, where is Kylrus?”

“Ah, him?”

Lainisius tilted his head toward the window.

Curious, Alon turned to look.

And there—

“...?”

Kylrus.

More specifically, Kylrus surrounded by maids.

“What is that?”

Evan asked in disbelief.

Lainisius explained.

“Apparently one human started bringing him lunchboxes. He accepted them, and somehow it escalated into that.”

“Ah...”

Now that Alon looked carefully, Kylrus did seem visibly uncomfortable.

Yet despite his frown, he wasn’t using force against the maids.

Instead, he helplessly accepted every piece of food they pushed toward him.

“Hah, what nonsense... He was wiping out adventurers left and right back when he was a Goblin. Now he’s acting like some poor man who simply can’t lay a hand on women. Lord Alon, he’s absolutely enjoying this. I guarantee it.”

Evan’s voice rang out.

[Try speaking without crying.]

“I’m not crying, you snake-headed bastard!”

Then Basiliora mocked him.

Evan immediately shouted back.

And with that, the group left the office.

While returning to his own office, Alon asked—

“By the way, Evan.”

“Yes?”

Evan sounded oddly depressed.

“Have you seen Penia?”

“Oh, no. Come to think of it, you’re right.”

'Where did she go...?'

Alon wondered.

However, that question was quickly answered.

Because—

“You’re going to the Mage Tower for a few days?”

A letter lay atop Alon’s desk.

A letter from Penia explaining that she had urgent business and would be visiting the Blue Mage Tower for a short while.

“Hm~”

He rubbed his chin.

Then remembered.

'Come to think of it, she disappeared in a panic once before too. Did something happen?'

Recalling the last time Penia had suddenly vanished, Alon decided he would ask her about it once she returned.

“Evan.”

“Yes.”

“They said they were voting over the inner castle, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Once the vote is finished, we’ll leave for Divine Land. We should at least see them off before returning.”

“Will you come back afterward?”

“Most likely after stopping by Divine Land and visiting Star Root.”

Thus Alon finished his day.

And the next day—

“Evan. Is the vote over?”

“No. They’re on the third round.”

“...Third?”

“Yes.”

“Choosing floors requires three rounds?”

Two days later—

“Is the vote finished?”

“They’re on the tenth round...”

“...Tenth?”

“Yes.”

And three days after that—

“Evan.”

“...Yes.”

“Still not done...?”

“They’re on the twenty-eighth round.”

“.........There are only nine voters, aren’t there?”

“That’s right.”

“Then how are they getting ties that many times...?”

At Evan’s answer, question marks floated above Alon’s head.

Meanwhile—

Even after surpassing the twenty-eighth round and reaching the thirtieth, the voting remained deadlocked.

“...At this rate, it’ll never end.”

“I think so too.”

“Me too.”

“Then what should we do?”

“There’s no helping it. We’ll just have someone choose for us.”

“...Who?”

“You know?”

“Ah.”

And so, thanks to Magrina’s suggestion, the person dragged in was—

“So, this is how it is. You just need to decide which of us gets the eighth floor.”

“...Pardon?”

—Penia.

Who had been captured and subjected to cruel torture.

(Kneeling with her hands raised from 9 AM to 6 PM.)

“Can’t I just keep doing what I was doing...?”

Her desperate voice echoed through the room.

Penia stood at the crossroads of life and death...!!

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