“Uhh…”

I looked around, but nobody was in the room other than myself. Although it made me feel like the events last night were just a dream, the traces of the four girls left scattered around the room ensured me that everything that happened was real.

“… Well, time to go to work.”

Yesterday, I completely left my work, although not out of my own will. I should work double today to make sure to make up for my absence!

After taking a short shower, changing clothes, and having a quick breakfast, I teleported directly to the castle’s courtyard. There, the guards were already standing in attention, safeguarding the teleportation circles.

“Good job, you guys.”

I greeted them lightly as I passed by, causing them to give a short salute. Of course, I saluted back at them before entering the teleportation array.

After a brief flash of white light, I quickly reached the other side. However, the view changed drastically compared to what I recall.

“…” .

The wall of the castle, which was a typical one for a medieval design, changed into something like a modern fortress’ walls. They not only added fortifications on top, where soldiers and tamers could attack while having enough defensive structures to hide behind, but there were even loaded cannons and machine guns set up on the wall’s face.

It was more reminiscent of a military base’s protection than of a castle’s walls right now.

*Whirrrr!*

And just as I was wondering about what happened, the nearby machine guns rotated, aiming their muzzles straight at my face. I quickly raised my hand, appealing that I had no intention to fight. However, the muzzles began to rotate rapidly, as if ignoring my intent.

“D*mn!”

I quickly turned tail and ran, not willing to wait for it to spew fire first before I moved. However, as I ran, the rotating machine guns’ muzzles only did that: rotate.

“…?”

I turned around and checked, but they were still tracking my position with pinpoint precision. However, they weren’t firing a single bullet… No, is it that they aren’t loaded?

“Good morning, Will.”

Just as I stopped running, a voice called for me from behind. As I turned around, there was Fatima, standing with a few other “researchers” behind her, each with a checklist board in their hands.

“Fatima, great timing. What are those? It just kept aiming at me while I ran!”

“Will…”

Fatima’s face turned worried, as if looking at a poor kid who had asked something that was already obvious.

“I told you about this yesterday, right? You even signed the design documents. This is the result of our research team recreating the defenses from my generation. The Zone Defense module’s New Type Design Version 2.0.”

“…”

Right… I did sign something yesterday. However, I barely read anything back then and just signed them…

“R-Right, I remember it. Of course, of course.”

Fatima turned a suspicious gaze in my direction as I bluffed, making me feel a little uncomfortable. But then she heaved a sigh before speaking.

“Anyway, we’re about to head there and test the automatic aiming system. It seems you already did it for us, though.”

I gazed back at the walls, and the guns and cannons were all still aimed in my direction. Their aim support was excellent, at least.

“Right, Ember said to meet her in the guest room inside the castle as soon as you came here. You should go and see her.”

Fatima muttered as if just recalling it before walking toward the walls along with her entourage. I watched as they split into two groups, checking the left and right sides simultaneously while going around the walls slowly.

“… To think they’d finish the defenses this early…”

Rather, wasn’t Fatima with me half the time yesterday? How did she manage to lead the project without her on the scene?

Anyway, as Fatima instructed, I headed through the walls, keeping a wary eye toward the cannons and machine guns. After passing through, I realized that the insides of the walls weren’t different. There are machine guns here too, pointing inward! What the hell?

I continued to walk to the castle, entering the broken entrance and heading to the right. After passing over a few collapsed columns, I reached the place where Ember’s energy signature could be seen.

*Knock!* *Knock!* *Knock!*

Since there was another source of unknown energy beside her, I decided to knock first before entering. Shortly after, a set of footsteps approached the door before twisting the knob open.

“Master, please come in.”

The one who opened the door was Ember, who was wearing a black and white suit, looking prim and proper… and sexy for some inexplicable reason.

As I entered, I quickly turned to the other person, studying their face and checking if I knew who they were. However, it was an unfamiliar face wearing unfamiliar clothing. He was wearing a turban on his head, after all. I never knew anyone who had such unique attire anywhere.

Just as I was wondering who the man was, Ember quickly picked up on my confusion and introduced us.

“Ambassador Raul Abdul Hamir, this person is my master and the current President of the Heaven’s Republic, President Will Seimei.”

As she introduced me to the “Ambassador,” his lips curled into a frown immediately. However, before he could open his mouth, Ember continued.

“And Master, this person is the Ambassador sent by the Paragon Empire, Sir Raul Abdul Hamir.”

Paragon Empire?

As soon as I heard his origin, I could already guess what their purpose was. I kept a composed smile as I extended my hand, greeting him with a friendly gesture.

“Welcome, Sir Raul. I hope I didn’t make you wait for long.”

The man just looked at my extended hand before snorting derisively.

“Hah! A mere king of a small kingdom dares to speak to me as an equal. You should kneel before me, fool!”

“…”

This guy… Has quite a strong personality. I quickly closed my hand, holding in the urge to let my fist land on his face, before sitting down on the sofa across from him.

“You sure do love jokes. Hahaha.”

As I tried to laugh it off, his face turned even more derisive, as if looking at a disgusting pest before him.

“Look here, you worm. I’m here to announce the divine intentions of the Great Empire! I’m telling you to kneel before me before things get out of hand!”

*Buchi!*

Although I was getting really irritated by his attitude, I stayed my hand. However, the story was different when it came to my girls.

*BAM!*

The man fell face-first against the table in front of him, his hand the same, as if being sucked by magnets, sticking to the table’s surface. It was as if his entire body was being pushed down by a powerful force, making it impossible for him to even correct his posture, much less open his nasty mouth.

“Ahh, sorry about that. I guess my intentions weren’t clear, were they?”

Of course, I have no intention of apologizing. He was the one who picked a fight first, after all. I got up from my seat, moved to the side he was facing, and smiled sweetly, like a devil.

“Let me say it up straight then so that no misunderstandings would remain between us. Spit out what you need to say, and be careful of what you say, or else we can’t guarantee your life.”

What? I sounded like a villain? Don’t I fear the empire? Well, I guess my answer to both questions is no. Possibly feeling that I had not an ounce of fear against his beloved backer, Sir Raul’s face turned as pale as sheet ice.

After all, I know he came alone, without as much as a single bodyguard around. That must be how much he trusted the Empire’s name and thought everyone would be intimidated by just flaunting it around.

‘Well, you met your match, didn’t you?’

I pinched his cheek playfully as if he were a cute child, causing his entire body to shiver in fright.

After that, it wasn’t hard to imagine what happened.

With my and Ember’s “interrogation,” he gave all the information he had on him. Mostly, the details were as I guessed. They want us to withdraw from the Cleaver Kingdom and not interfere with the Empire’s plans.

Well, it was pretty obvious, anyway, but of course, we didn’t accept the warning.

“Master, are you sure we should let that b*stard go?”

Ember, who was still fuming after Raul went and belittled me, asked. Although I agree with Ember in wanting to simply kill the man, that would delay the matter by a few days at least.

“He’ll die sooner or later if the Empire doesn’t withdraw, anyway. There’s no need to stain our hands with his blood this early.”

I shrugged my shoulders as I sipped on the coffee that Ember prepared.

Anyway, with this, the stage is set.

“Now, we just need to wait for them to take the bait.”

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