Chapter 180: Gazer Emperor Coronation Ceremony!

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The Kingdom of Igni has expanded widely this last week after Ervas and Veronica defeated Oggoth and subsequently ate him.

First of all, many buildings were created, such buildings were specifically created for the new and growing population of Gazers, which needed special buildings for their unique physique.

Such buildings were often built as nests, as Gazers liked to live in dozens as a family, while there was a larger one, where Krakenusa and around fifty other Gazers lived in.

Such building resembled twenty floors building with open holes all around, resembling swiss cheese, such holes were the entrance of the building, where the Gazers freely flew in and out.

In the middle of such an immense building was Krakenusa, resting atop her tentacles.

Second, the Kingdom was expanded slightly across the Devil Forest, to make more space for citizens. Meanwhile, the walls were reinforced once again, alongside the paved streets and other new facilities popping out.

Thanks to Veronica and Ervas Golem Transmutation, it was possible for them to create buildings of all shapes and sizes with relative ease.

Such facilities included areas where prepared food was sold, named restaurants, there was also a large pastry shop, which sold small pies and cakes cook by Veronica's Clones and various other assistants that were learning her ways.

Alongside this, there was a large bank where Magic Stones were handled, which had become part of the currency of the Kingdom, which was only temporal until they could settle down elsewhere and finally decide on more complicated systems. Magic Stones were even more valuable than in other places in the Kingdom of Igni, as they were often used as fuel for Veronica's Clones, essential beings for the Kingdom's security, production, construction, and more.

Due to this, many groups of what were called Explorers formed in the Kingdom, going to grind for Magic Stones/Magic Cores inside Dungeons for money and other things, maintaining the small economy of this Kingdom in development.

Veronica and Ervas were planning something big when the time to move out of the Devil Forest was to come, and for that, they needed Magic Stones, thousands of thousands of Magic Stones. With them as fuel, what they were planning might become a possible thing. 

However, although the days in the Igni Kingdom seemed busier and busier as time went on, there was still a peaceful harmony, people of different races, beastmen, demons, undead, plants, and monsters, interacted with each other without problems, there was barely any discrimination, and the governors were mostly loved by everyone.

There has been a trend lately, where Explorers had begun to ask the governors, Veronica and Ervas, to convert their newly made equipment into Cursed Equipment, giving them new companions and more strength due to that. Through this trend, many of the Explorers possessed unusual skills and jobs, such as 'Cursed Weapon Wielder', 'Cursed Armor Warrior', and more.

A Kingdom where more than nine out of ten of the population are fighters, that wear cursed equipment without falling insane or succumbing to the curses of the equipment… such a thing, if it were to be revealed to the public, would make every Kingdom in the human continent of Anir's Hands go insane.

Ervas walked towards the Gazer's building, where Krakenusa resided with her children.

Her enormous and spherical body greeted Ervas with a wide smile from left to right, her fleshy tentacles extending to caress him.

"Ah, Ervas-kun!" she said.

"Krakenusa, how is everything going? Did you need something?" asked Ervas.

"Yes! I wanted you to come here for something… especially important" said Krakenusa with a flushed expression.

"Why is she flushing?" thought Ervas, as he floated alongside her back to the 'throne', which was the latest floor atop the tower where the Gazer resided.

On their way, Ervas noticed how the enormous Krakenusa, an intimidating Rank 10 monster was acting like a very embarrassed young girl.

"Is something wrong? What do you need? Just tell me" said Ervas with concern.

"Well, if you say so… Ervas-kun…" muttered Krakenusa, as she sat down on the throne, which was simply filled with many cushions.

"I want you… t-to become… the Emperor of the Gazers!" said Krakenusa, barely being able to muster words.

"…Eh? Is that so? That is all?" asked Ervas in surprise… he had thought another weird thing, but he was thankful that it wasn't the case… However, for Krakenusa, this was a serious issue, perhaps at the same level as that 'weird thing'.

"Huh? You don't find it disgusting, Ervas-kun?" asked Krakenusa.

"No…? Why would I? It's just being the Emperor of the Gazer, a title, isn't it?" asked Ervas.

"W-Well, yeah, t-that's… I'm glad you're not embarrassed about that!" said Krakenusa as her lips trembled.

"Why would I?" thought Ervas as he dismissed any more weird ideas and moved near Krakenusa.

Then, Krakenusa called most of the Gazers in the entire Empire to her building, as they all gathered like a hive around her.

Krakenusa then began the 'coronation' ceremony, as every Gazer glanced at Ervas, their new Emperor, be wrapped in her tentacles and then through the secretion of her enormous eye, her tears, which were a bit salty.

"Is this really required?" asked Ervas.

"Yes… please, bear with it…" she muttered.

"Err… okay," said Ervas, without desiring to disappoint Krakenusa and the hundreds of smiling Gazers watching the ceremony.

When the strange and bizarre bath was over, Ervas was then carried by Krakenusa's tentacles and was made to sit atop her spherical body.

"My children, the ceremony is complete! Salute your new Emperor, Ervas-sama!" said Krakenusa, as the hundreds of Gazers raised their tentacles in awe and happiness, celebrating.

"Ervas-sama!"

"The new Emperor, this clearly means a new age!"

"A new era for us Gazers!"

"It was obvious that the prince would become the Emperor of our race!"

Ding!

[You acquired the [Gazer Emperor] Title!]

Ervas glanced at the title and began to consider if it was even worth the tear bath…

"Well, I'm glad it ended well, but I want to take a bath… my clothes are now all salty," said Ervas.

"I wonder if Veronica can get the title too?" asked Ervas before leaving.

"What? That is impossible, Ervas-kun. I am the Empress, there can't be two!" said Krakenusa.

"Hmm… I guess it makes sense…" said Ervas, trying to leave the place afterward, but being tightly wrapped by Krakenusa.

"Where are you going, Ervas-kun? We will have a feast now, accompany us! There is Anir's Bone Marrow to enlighten our minds today too!" said Krakenusa, as the Gazers cheered due to the delicious meat.

Ervas then remembered the delicious hamburgers made with such meat, and could not help but accept the offer, being carried by Krakenusa as if he were her possession, the two sat down and ate to their heart's content alongside their 'children'.

Meanwhile, in another place, Veronica enjoyed a massage by Anna's side.

Clank, clank!

"Haahh~ Yes!"

Clank, clank!

"Right there, in the hardest area!"

"…I don't want to continue, Veronica, it's done…" said Anna.

"Fweh?! But we were in the best part!" said Veronica, as she reassembled her pieces one by one and stood right beside Anna.

"I know but still… this is very embarrassing…" muttered Anna.

"Aw, come on, Anna!" said Veronica

"Well, what if you upgrade your equipment then, Veronica-sama? Let Anna rest for a bit…" asked Ismene at Anna's side.

"Alright, alright! I have been saving a ton of materials, so it's time to use them once and for all… I should had used them against Oggoth, but well, that is in the past already… And alongside these materials, there are also Kelsus Dark Scales! I wonder if my armor will receive something else from absorbing such mysterious material~?"

"But why would you absorb it? Can't you produce it anyways, auntie? You can cover yourself with them and all!" said Amelia at the side of her mother Ismene, the two were learning craftsmanship from the artisans in the workshop and the forgery.

Veronica petted Amelia's head as she smiled.

"That is because producing scales and covering myself is not as effective as being made of their material, Amelia. Also, I cannot make them properly get stuck into my armor, so it's often quite hard to abuse their defensive power… Ervas can use them better than me, even. As he can make them grow on his skin, tightly sticking to it" said Veronica.

"I see!" said Amelia in surprise.

"So that's how it is… Well, look at this pile… Will you upgrade the axe too?" asked Anna.

"Yes, but I can only absorb and upgrade one piece of equipment with the scales, as I cannot repeat the same item twice… I will choose my main armor for that and, oh! Ervas gave me this pile of bones he made, they are filled with Anir's Bone Marrow, which made them grow very strong and healthy… There are also the Bones, Scales, Claws, Fangs, and more of the Wyverns and Lizard monsters from that Dungeon… Alright, let us do it!" said Veronica.