Popullos Weapons District.

“Opening the fifth smelting section!”

As the midday sun began to tilt, the Furnace of Origin came alive.

“Hey, brat! Why are you pouring molten metal already, idiot! Remove the slag first—!”

“Who used up the carmine alloy I stocked up! Get out here!”

The blacksmiths’ voices were loud and rough.

Yet contrary to their coarse shouts, soft smiles played across their faces.

“This time the raw ore’s good. The vein practically breathes gold.”

“Did you hear what the factory director said this morning?”

“As if anyone could miss it! So those endless clashes with the mercenaries are finally over.......”

The reason for the blacksmiths’ uplifted mood was simple.

That morning, Berugon had appeared at the assembly for the first time in a long while with a clear expression and said the following.

“From now on, I will no longer give orders to drive customers out of the Weapons District.”

The blacksmiths could not believe their ears.

No matter how much they had pleaded before, he had refused to listen.

No one understood what had changed his mood so abruptly.

But when they heard the rest of Berugon’s words, everyone was forced to gasp.

“Ahem! Well, before, I had no choice either. It was all because of the Krazar core.”

Berugon admitted that he had not been himself all this time because of the Krazar core.

And he did not forget to mention that he had been saved by the King of the Dead.

Of course, even that assembly ended as usual with Berugon shouting.

“What are you standing around for! The smeltery will rust! Resume work! Back to your stations! Quickly!”

And yet,

“Has the sky always been this high and beautiful?”

“Exactly. Even that brat messing up again seems cute today.”

The mood of the blacksmiths, freed from long-held anxiety, was lighter than ever.

“Valcard! Your hammer’s flying today!”

“Ha-ha-ha! You’re not bad yourself, Garok.”

A warm atmosphere spread through the smelting section.

“Agavert is leaving! Anyone who wants to see them off, come out!”

Olek flung open the iron gates and shouted loudly.

All the blacksmiths inside hurriedly set down their hammers and weapons.

“He brought our director back to his senses. We should see them off.”

“Of course we should!”

Olek stood at the door, watching the crowd of blacksmiths pour outside.

Then he joined the procession last.

“Waa— smith uncles!”

In the square where Agavert’s carriage stood, Tie’s face lit up at the sight of the approaching blacksmiths.

“Not smith uncles, but blacksmiths, kiddo. Or say it properly — weaponsmiths.”

Bale corrected her quietly, but the excited Tie did not hear him.

“Uncle Olek!”

Olek smiled awkwardly as the King of the Dead ran up to him.

He suddenly remembered struggling with a shield bag in front of this very King of the Dead.

He remembered how that meaningless scuffle had broken equipment, and how as a result the King of the Dead had been trapped in subspace. Guilt pricked him again.

But the King of the Dead looked as though she had long forgotten all of it.

“Uncle Olek, why did you come?”

Olek glanced back at his comrades and cleared his throat.

“Of course to see off the squad leader.”

“See ooff?”

“Right. Thanks to the squad leader, the factory director is fine now, and the Weapons District is no longer in danger of being shut down.......”

A bright smile bloomed on Tie’s lips.

She spun shyly in place and laughed. “Nooo.”

Olek, smiling awkwardly, continued,

“When you reach the capital, do you have any plans?”

As if she had been waiting for that, Tie flushed red.

“Yes! Tie is buying a house in the capital!”

“A house?”

“Yeees! From here to waaay over there — big! Three floors! And there’s a basement too!”

The blacksmiths exchanged puzzled looks, and Basto stepped closer.

“We’re looking for a base in °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° the capital.”

“A base in the capital?”

“Yes. Even if we keep traveling, we need a place to settle.”

Olek frowned.

‘A base in the capital.......’

Basto’s words reminded him that another mercenary squad had once said something similar.

It seemed they too had planned to buy a mansion in the capital and turn it into their base.

‘Which squad was that?’

No matter how hard he tried to think, he could not remember.

In the end, he simply shook his head as if it did not matter.

When he looked again, the King of the Dead was already telling another blacksmith about the base in the capital.

“We gathered so many Magic Stones on the carriage, if we take them to the compensation bureau, there’ll be sooo much money, and with that we’ll buy a house, and no loan at all!”

“I... is that so. Congratulations.”

“Yeees. When Tie buys a house, she’ll invite all the smith uncles from here! To the housewarming!”

“Housewarming?”

“Yes! When you come to the housewarming, bring paper and detergent as a gift, okay?”

“Detergent......?”

“For bubbles, don’t you know?”

“Bubbles......??”

“All right, squad leader! It’s time to go!”

Unable to endure any longer, Bale stepped forward and lifted Tie into his arms.

She lowered her brows in disappointment, but immediately broke into a wide smile.

“Smith uncles, bye!”

“Blacksmiths or factory men, make up your mind.”

Bale shook his head, and Tie only laughed brightly.

After climbing into the carriage, Tie sat in her seat, where Basto had already laid out a soft cushion.

Peeking out the window, she saw the blacksmiths in the square waving at them.

And then—

“Oh! Director!”

On the roof of the Weapon Pavilion stood Berugon, looking down at the square.

“Director! Goodbye!”

But Berugon only coughed awkwardly and turned away.

“Then we’re off!”

Soon, Enzo took the reins and set the carriage in motion.

With her heart pounding, Tie watched as the scenery outside the window gradually receded.

‘The Weapons District really was fun.’

When she had been trapped in subspace, she had been scared, but now, looking back, there were more good memories than bad.

Tie picked up her kindergarten backpack lying at her feet and hugged it tightly to her chest.

Unlike the day she had first arrived, the backpack was now stuffed full.

“Hee-hee.”

She unzipped it and touched the three bear-shaped orbs inside.

Then she opened the front pocket and let Pupu out.

“Kyuu—!”

Pupu snorted as if cramped and darted into Tie’s pocket.

Smiling at the sight, Tie suddenly widened her eyes.

“Huh?”

Basto looked at her closely.

“Tie, is everything all right?”

But Tie did not even look at him, quickly rummaging through the backpack.

“Kiddo, what happened?”

Only when Bale intervened did she lift her head.

Enormous shock was frozen on the child’s face.

“He’s... not there.”

“Not there? What?”

“Kkamani isn’t there.......”

At that instant, Enzo stopped the carriage.

Nordix spoke gently.

“That can’t be. Look carefully.”

But the black stone Kkamani was not in the backpack.

Anxiety instantly appeared in the girl’s eyes.

Tie jumped up and grabbed the carriage door.

“Maybe we left the stone at the inn! Let’s go back, okay?”

But at that moment—

“......I am here.”

A low voice came from the luggage compartment behind the seat.

Everyone turned.

Among the neatly stacked belongings, beneath a folded blanket, something glimmered.

“......Haa.”

A head emerged from under the blanket — it was Lucarion in human form.

“Astie.”

Confusion and awkwardness were written across Lucarion’s face.

“I.......”

“.......”

“I cannot return to the stone.”