Finally able to go out as his Divine Power settled, Kousuke was visiting Crown Headquarters.
“Wh-what is this…!! What happened to you!?”
Dales, the Head of the Crafting Division, responded with surprise to Kousuke, who had visited unannounced.
It wasn’t that common for Kousuke to visit Dales directly, unlike when Dales went to the management layer. That’s why Dales showed considerable surprise on his face.
“Sorry to drop in suddenly. I wanted you to introduce me to someone.”
“Introduce… are you referring to someone related to my department?”
“Well, something like that.”
If Dales were to introduce someone to Kousuke, it would be limited to talent related to the Crafting Division. Otherwise, there were other division heads, so they wouldn’t have come to Dales specifically.
Although, Dales inwardly tilted his head, not knowing who Kousuke wanted an introduction to. It was obvious it wasn’t related to magic tools. This was because Kousuke himself was an incredible craftsman. Dales could say with certainty that among the magic tool creators in this world, none surpassed Kousuke. That’s why he didn’t know who Kousuke wanted to meet.
“Who exactly?”
“Ah, well. It’s not about a specific person. There’s something I plan to make, and I was wondering if there was anyone who could help with it.”
“Ah, I see.”
Hearing that explanation, Dales finally understood Kousuke’s purpose for being there.
Dales nodded, thinking that in that case, he himself would be more suitable than Schmidt or Gazeran.
“Then, what kind of person are you hoping for?”
“Ah, that is――”
Kousuke prefaced his statement and then took a piece of paper from his pocket, handing it to Dales. While Dales scanned the paper, Kousuke began to explain his sudden idea. Furthermore, hearing the story, Dales, while surprised, eventually wore an amused expression. After promising to bring someone suitable for Kousuke’s purpose from the management layer later, the meeting concluded.
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The blacksmith Dakka looked unhappily at Dales, his superior in the organization he belonged to.
“So? Where exactly are you planning to take me?”
“Hold on. There’s no need to be so hasty, is there?”
To Dakka, who was openly frowning, Dales wore an amused expression as he walked ahead.
Dakka had received a document and a letter from an envoy from Dales earlier, and his expression had changed dramatically as he barged into Crown Headquarters. The letter contained detailed explanations of a theory that Dakka had wanted to try for a long time. For Dakka, whose livelihood was making weapons, it was something he couldn’t possibly overlook, and he had been drawn in, just as Dales had intended. And even now, with just a word from Dales telling him to follow, he was being led deep into the headquarters, a place he normally couldn’t enter. By now, he knew he was being taken somewhere unusual. That’s why he was questioning Dales without even trying to hide his displeasure, but the person in question was brushing him off as if nothing was happening. As they went deeper, Dakka’s bad premonition grew, but he couldn’t bring himself to turn back now, struggling inwardly.
The time that felt long to Dakka finally came to an end, and Dales finally stopped in front of a door.
“We’re here. …Oh, right, I suppose I forgot to mention, but you are not to speak of this place to anyone.”
“…I understand.”
Although the number of guards present wasn’t particularly large, thanks to the multiple authentications Dales had performed, Dakka could imagine that the room they were about to enter was somewhere important to Crown. Not that he had any intention of telling others in the first place, but Dales’s emphasis made him even less inclined to do so. He immediately understood that Dales’s words were not just a reminder but a threat with actual consequences if broken. Of course, even if it was a threat, there would be no problem as long as Dakka didn’t speak of it.
As Dales opened the door and entered the room, Dakka’s eyes immediately met something familiar.
“…A Teleport Gate?”
For the residents of the Fifth Floor city, Teleport Gates were all too familiar facilities, and Dakka, forgetting the strictness of moments before, was taken aback. A Teleport Gate located deep within Crown Headquarters, known for its robustness comparable to the Royal Castle, should not have been so commonplace, yet he let his guard down. Seeing Dakka like this, Dales smirked and said,
“That’s right. Using this Teleport Gate, we’re heading to a certain place.”
Intentionally omitting where they were going, Dales urged Dakka to approach the Teleport Gate.
Moving via Teleport Gate was something Dakka was accustomed to. The destination appeared to be a room within some building, but it was not furnished. It was a room with only a Teleport Gate, so it seemed there was no problem with that. However, there was one thing about the room that was different from the ordinary.
“Welcome. How may I help you?”
Beside the Teleport Gate stood a woman in a maid outfit, who asked them this. Dales, in a familiar manner, stated their business to the maid. Seeing the woman, Dakka felt a sense of unease while Dales was talking to her. This unease gradually grew, and he finally realized its cause.
“…!? …N-N-N!?”
Dakka almost pointed at the woman unintentionally, but he managed to refrain from such a rude gesture. Seeing Dakka’s reaction, Dales wore an expression as if he were holding back laughter. What Dakka realized with surprise was that the woman (?) before him was not a normal person but a doll created by human hands. While her tone of speech was fine, the subtle incongruity in her expression and response was what allowed him to notice. Normally, golems do not possess such precision. Even Dakka, who was not an expert, could easily imagine that the golem before him had been crafted with incredible technology. At the same time, a chill ran down his spine as he wondered what kind of place would house such an astonishing golem. No, in fact, he should be able to imagine what kind of place he was in, but he was refusing to think about it. People call that escapism.
While Dakka was still in shock, Dales had already dealt with the golem and obtained permission to pass. The two then passed through the door and entered a room that looked like a meeting room.
“Please have a seat here and wait.”
A different golem than the one in the room with the Teleport Gate appeared, brought them drinks, and said this. After serving the tea, the golem moved away, but Dakka, glancing at it from the corner of his eye, asked Dales,
“What on earth is that!? And what is this place!?”
Dakka asked this, filled with the disbelief that two such golems could exist, but Dales just kept grinning.
“Well, well, calm down a bit. You’ll understand the answer soon enough.”
Realizing that Dales had no intention of explaining properly with those words, Dakka inwardly cursed intensely.
Summoning the blacksmiths! You can probably guess what I’m planning to do lol.
To be continued.
