CH 163

I’m finally back in Habbafulton, and I’m busy preparing to leave again as part of the advance party.

This place has been developed even more while we were away, so it’s too bad that I don’t have time to enjoy looking at everything new.

As for Kalin, I only see her strolling around, under the pretext of inspecting everything. I really envy how shrewd she can be.

But even though I’m busy preparing, I can see how distribution of goods throughout the country is improving now that Rihalzam is gone. The flow of people and goods is clearly coming back.

People from all over the country are coming here after Habbafulton’s magic element rich meat, and the magic crystals produced by the Kagero Institute.

Master Halhammer, who I left in charge of the Kagero Institute, told me all about this while he was reporting to me about what happened while I was gone, and we talked about including people from the Kagero Institute in the advance party.

The number of people wanting to settle in the Admiral dominion keeps rising. There are less people coming from the capital, but instead this place is now popular because there are two demon killers here.

Master Halhammer’s really proud of it, but it’s kind of embarrassing.

He was also really excited when he saw how Seilook evolved.

“Master Halhammer, are you sure you want to join the advance party?”

I ask again, as we transmute something together.

“Of course. I’ve been training Koto and I’ve been making sure the Kagero Institute operates smoothly without me precisely because I thought something like this might happen. It should all be fine as long as a certain someone doesn’t come up with some crazy invention.”

He says while laughing.

Of course, it’s me he’s talking about. I smile awkwardly, because it’s not like I’ve never come up with new transmutations and magic items.

“But that certain someone has been contributing in his own way, right?”

“Not in his own way. I think that certain someone’s advanced the history of alchemy by a few decades. But people around can’t hope to keep up if they don’t have that ability. Shellrule is excellent in that way, but Koto for example is an average alchemist, although he shows a lot of promise has a manager.”

“All right all right.”

I say like I’m surrendering.

“Good. And you need me as a guide if you’re going to those ruins. No one knows their interior better than me. You don’t know where to use that, right?”

He says while pointing to a magic crystal key I’m holding.

“Still, I’m impressed that you managed to get another one from Princess Lily. That’s probably the last one the royal family had.”

“Yes, but it came at a high price…”

After we managed to stop Princess Lily from coming to the Admiral dominion, we had a back and forth so I could get my hands on this magic crystal key, and just remembering it makes me feel tired, and my speech gets slower without me noticing.

“Gahaha. It’s tough being such a popular guy.”

“That’s not it… She just wants the one contracted with a dragon to join the royal family.”

“That still means you’re popular. But now that you mention it, Seilook can evolve… I definitely want to see it happen if I can.”

Master Halhammer’s face turns into his researcher expression.

I asked him to manage the Kagero Institute and train its personnel, and looking at his expression now, it makes me feel like I really do have to take him with me, if nothing else to thank him for his hard work.

“All right, I’m done here. I’ll help you. Still, good job coming up with this.”

“Yes, I figured it would be useful when we go. Then take care of that over that.”

We keep making good progress as evening deepens into night.