Chapter 420. This is… a castle? (1)
A month had already passed since Alon Palatio had stayed at the Central Magic Tower.
"Then, I will take my leave now."
[Hmm— Honestly, if it were up to me, I would like you to solidify the foundation a bit more, but that would take too much time, so I won't be able to demand it of you.]
"I'll be back shortly."
[Alright. Anyway, interpreting the 3rd Circle will take quite some time. Even so, by the time you return, I might have one or two interpreted.]
After saying goodbye to Heinkel, Alon left the Central Magic Tower and set off for the Marquis's house—no, toward Palantia.
Two weeks passed like that.
The carriage moved forward as always, passing through a small village.
"Mmm…"
Alon looked out the window with a strange expression.
"Is something wrong, sir?"
Evan spoke to him upon seeing him like that.
Alon stroked his chin, thoughtful.
"Evan."
"Yes."
"Lately… is it the trend to change hairstyles in so many different ways?"
He asked a question no one expected.
"Hairstyles?"
Evan repeated, bewildered, before looking out the window.
"……Eh?"
A moment later, he let out a sound of surprise, as if he had just understood something.
"People certainly have very varied styles, don't they?"
"Hmm…? Oh, that's true."
Penia also approached the window and moved her eyes from side to side.
From children to adults, everyone wore completely different hairstyles.
Alon felt something very strange seeing the scene.
‘…Don’t they usually wear similar styles?’
If it had been a city or a large territory, that wouldn't be strange. There were more well-off people there who, without being nobles, followed various fashions.
But such a small village wasn't normally like that.
Most worked in farming or logging, or were gatherers and hunters; people for whom a hairstyle wasn't exactly a priority.
Doing the daily work was more important than appearance.
Sometimes one or two peculiar hairstyles could be seen, but never everyone like that. That was why that scenery was so strange.
"Evan, if you don't know anything either, it seems it isn't a trend."
"…True. Why would people in such a small village worry so much about that?"
"Well, it's not like it takes that long to do those hairstyles either."
Neither Evan nor Penia had any idea what was happening.
"It is curious, though."
While looking absentmindedly out the window, Evan suddenly tilted his head.
"……Hmm? But yesterday when we arrived it wasn't like this..."
"What did you say?"
"Ah, no, nothing. I just got a weird feeling. It's not important."
Evan scratched his head and changed the subject.
"So, what will we do now?"
"What do you mean?"
"Our next destination, of course. If we advance about three more days, we will reach the Tubasta territory, shall we go there?"
"Is there a village nearby?"
"Yes, there is."
"Then we will go there."
Alon's quick answer made Evan sigh.
"I said it, it's very curious."
"Eh? What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
"Well, that you don't want to go to the territory... isn't it because you find it uncomfortable?"
Alon didn't answer.
Because it really was like that.
‘…No matter how much I think about it, it’s too much.’
At first, Alon did visit the territories as always.
The inns of a large territory were very different from those in the villages.
But after founding Palantia, every time he entered a territory, the territorial lords made a fuss to receive him.
They even offered their own royal chambers for him.
"Normally people complain when they aren't attended to well…"
Evan didn't say it to annoy him.
Alon did like being treated with certain honor.
But that level of devotion—as if they wanted to hand over even their organs—was too much.
So after visiting two territories, he stopped going to them and started touring only villages.
"Ahem— Well, is there any new news?"
Alon changed the subject, and Evan answered immediately.
"Actually, yes, there is news."
"Divine Blood?"
Lately, many rumors were circulating about Divine Blood.
Alon guessed right.
"Yes. But as always, it is not a dangerous rumor."
"So this time too…?"
Alon asked with resignation.
Evan nodded.
"Yes. They say they praise your greatness without measure, and that you defeated the Divine Blood that came attacking."
That was the report.
"…Yet another Divine Blood?"
"Yes. In the last few weeks, there are already about ten Divine Bloods who claim to follow you. Congratulations, my lord."
But Alon couldn't accept that congratulation honestly.
Of course, it was good that certain Divine Bloods eliminated the hostile ones.
Thanks to that, the Allied United Kingdoms still existed.
But Alon, personally, didn't understand anything.
‘…What is happening?’
According to what he knew, only three Divine Bloods, including ‘The One Who Stands Tall’, helped him.
However, for some reason, the number of Divine Bloods appearing to follow him now had increased and exceeded ten.
‘What the hell is going on…?’
When he was barely trying to digest this absurd situation:
"Ah, by the way: they say this latest Divine Blood idolizes you almost fanatically."
"…What?"
"They say that when he fought he shouted: ‘He and I are one. Any attack against him will be considered an attack against me’."
Evan added another disturbing detail.
"…But what…?"
Alon's face was filled with confusion and bewilderment.
After the carriage passed through the village…
When it was already far enough away…
"Everyone, suspend the operation."
The woman who was chatting happily with a peasant woman—
No. Yuna, one of the two executives who managed practically the Blue Moon, excluding the Five Moons, raised her hand.
Instantly, the inhabitants with varied hairstyles disappeared as if they had never been there.
Only the original inhabitants remained, confused.
Yuna ignored everything and jumped in through a second-floor window.
There was Hidan, immersed in thought, with dark circles reaching his chin.
"Did you find it this time?"
"…Not yet. I'm not sure."
Hidan's voice overflowed with exhaustion.
Yuna didn't understand the situation at all.
"Hey, even if we are ordered to do this, why do we need to know what hairstyle Great Moon likes?"
The question went straight to the point.
But Hidan didn't answer.
He couldn't.
How to admit it?
All this had started because…
‘I… I will discover what hairstyle Great Moon likes!’
‘Hmm, it’s not necessary, you know?’
‘I want to do it, please!’
‘Well, if you insist so much…’
It was a desperate attempt to survive Red Moon, who wore her hair in two pigtails (twin tails).
That was why…
"This is much more important than you think."
"S-seriously?"
"Yes."
Hidan could only affirm it with apparent solemnity.
Yuna sighed.
"If you say it that seriously, I imagine it must be something very grave… I won't argue."
Then she informed him of the results.
"This time, Great Moon looked more at the twin tails and ponytails."
"…The same as last time."
"It seems he looked a bit more at the twin tails."
"Twin tails, huh… Does Great Moon really like twin tails?"
"I suppose. Normally one looks more at what one prefers… of course, Great Moon is not a simple person."
The reality was very different:
Alon had only looked more because he found it curious to see an adult wearing that hairstyle.
But they didn't know that.
"…I just need one more proof."
Hidan's suffering continued.
Several weeks passed.
While Alon continued marveling at the strange hairstyles in every village, he finally reached the outskirts of Palantia.
"Ah, it seems the territory expansion has begun."
"I see."
The old plank neighborhoods had disappeared, and now there were foundations, buildings, and new roads being constructed.
In the distance, on a cleared plot of land, pillars distributed in various ways could be seen.
"…That must be the new castle."
"Yes, right? There are even wizards working there."
"Wow, it's huge."
Alon, Evan, and Penia commented one after another.
The land occupied by the pillars was quite large.
Even from afar, its size was evident.
‘…Isn't it too big?’
But he could no longer ask them to reduce it: the base work was already done.
Besides, according to the reports, it was practically free, so he couldn't complain much.
"Yes, it's big, but that's fine. If a kingdom has a small castle, it loses authority."
"I agree with that."
[Hmm~ The royal palace must always be imposing.]
Even Basiliora, who normally showed no interest in castles, nodded.
Already inside Palantia:
"Your M-majesty… my apologies."
Alon met with Alexion, who bowed deeply with a guilty air.
"Relax. It was I who gave you full authority over the construction."
"Thank you very much for understanding."
Alexion bowed lower.
"From what we saw from afar, it didn't look bad. A castle must be large to demonstrate greatness."
It was then that Evan added cheerfully:
"Oh, so you saw the construction of Castle Number 4."
Alexion smiled broadly.
And then…
"…Eh?"
A strange silence filled the office.
"U-uh… Castle number 4?"
Evan spoke first, still stunned.
"Yes. That is the outermost one: Castle 4."
"……Wait… does that mean there is a 3…?"
"Of course. From 3 to 1, they also exist."
"Then… that… that gigantic castle that looks like five of our auction houses put together… is only number 4?"
"Do not worry. Thanks to the wizards, we will soon begin the construction of the other castles as well."
Alexion said this with a radiant smile.
In that scene where only Alexion was smiling, Alon averted his gaze toward the window.
In the distance…
They were building a "Castle 4" so large that it made even the castle where Alon was staying look small.
‘…What the hell am I seeing?’
His mind really began to feel dizzy…
