The next day.
Already slightly past noon, Alon Palatio was observing the landscape of Divine Land.
"…Every time I see Divine Land, it seems to change a lot."
"I think so too."
Once again, the landscape had changed.
The central tent where Alon Palatio was staying remained the same, but multiple buildings were rising around it.
"Well… considering half a year has passed, I suppose it is natural for there to be such changes."
"Is that so?"
Alon Palatio nodded again.
He hadn't thought about it consciously, but it had taken a whole half-year to return after meeting the Seeker of the Path and obtaining the laws.
As he recalled the time that had vanished in an instant, he looked down again.
Except for the palisade and the central tent, Divine Land was now practically a fully developed territory or a huge town.
"…Half a year is indeed quite a while."
"It certainly is."
As they descended the cliff and approached the gate, the knights ran out, lining up as if they had been waiting for them.
The usual.
But…
That day, Alon Palatio felt a strange doubt.
Normally, the formation should have already ended, but the knights kept coming out endlessly.
Even…
"…Are they crying?"
"I wouldn't say crying exactly…"
"But they look like they are about to."
The knights looked at Alon Palatio with glassy eyes.
Alon Palatio’s steps stopped.
Why on earth do they have that expression?
While he tried to keep his face impassive…
"…Alon-nim?"
It was Evan who called him cautiously.
"What is the matter?"
"…Have you come to Divine Land before without me knowing?"
"Why would I do that…?"
Alon Palatio replied while Evan observed the knights with bewilderment.
"If it isn't that… why are they all looking at you as if you were a hero who sacrificed his life for the nation?"
And then Alon Palatio understood.
Those teary expressions were pure loyalty.
‘…This scenario… I feel like I have seen it before.’
Alon Palatio frowned slightly, and soon let out a soft sigh upon remembering where from.
Knights about to cry while a carriage passes.
Him maintaining an imperturbable face.
It was exactly like…
The public of the northern country in his original world, crying with emotion when the Great Leader appeared, something he had watched without much interest while eating tonkatsu.
Alon Palatio closed his eyes very slowly.
Receiving bows as if he were a Great Leader, Alon Palatio entered the tent.
"You arrived?"
"Silly."
Silly received him with a radiant smile.
After a brief exchange, she explained to him why the knights were like that.
"…So, Seamus obtained a power?"
"Yes! And I obtained one too!"
Silly nodded vigorously.
Alon Palatio let out a soft "oh".
‘I knew they were progressing well…’
Even though he was far away, both Seamus and Silly remained connected to him.
He knew they were advancing, but he didn't expect them to acquire power so quickly.
"So, it is rumored that Seamus and you obtained power from me."
"Yes! Although I added a few details here and there."
"Details…?"
"Ah, nothing to worry about. Since the rumors were going to spread anyway, I thought of adding a little seasoning so it would be more beneficial for you."
"Seasoning…?"
"Yes, but I didn't tell any lies!"
Silly smiled suspiciously.
Alon remembered the teary faces of the knights.
He averted his gaze toward a corner of the tent.
Next to an object resembling a “cat tower,” was Kalanon.
Sss—
When he looked at her, she turned her head subtly.
He nodded.
Just by locking eyes with Evan, Alon Palatio understood.
"By the way, what were you doing out there?"
At Silly's question, Alon summarized what happened.
"I see…"
After listening, Silly nodded, and Alon asked:
"Are the only ones who know about your powers the knights?"
"That is right. Although when Seamus obtained his power there was an incident, so a few more people saw it. But it hasn't spread yet."
“Just in case,” Silly added, and Alon Palatio nodded.
If something like that had happened in Divine Land, information should have reached him, but he hadn't received anything.
While he organized his thoughts…
"And what does ‘just in case’ mean?"
Silly explained:
"Just that. We still don't know your intentions, Alon-nim."
"My intentions?"
"Yes. You have already granted us power before, but this type of power is completely different. Depending on how the information spreads…"
"The reaction will change?"
Silly smiled without answering, and Alon Palatio thought for a moment.
‘My intentions…’
The reason he wanted to awaken divine power in humans was because of the Divine Bloods.
He had no selfish intention: he just wanted to give them a weapon to face them.
That is why—
"…I didn't have any special intention."
"Oh, no?"
"My goal was to give power to face the Divine Bloods."
Silly nodded several times.
With clear eyes, she asked:
"Then, do you plan to increase the number of people with blessings even more?"
In reality, Alon Palatio wanted to automate the entire blessing, but for now, it was impossible.
"It is likely."
Silly remained thoughtful and then asked shyly:
"If you don't mind… could you let me select the next person to receive your blessing?"
"You?"
"Yes, as long as you agree."
After thinking about it, Alon Palatio accepted.
"I have no objection. Although I will confirm personally."
"Perfect! Then I will start moving in earnest."
"In earnest?"
But Silly was already halfway out.
"It is a good opportunity to gather faith!"
And she left before he could ask her anything.
"…What is she planning?"
A strange anxiety bloomed in his chest.
And the next day…
"Alon-nim…"
"What is the matter?"
"I was checking rumors and… it seems that…"
Evan scratched his head before saying it:
"They say that you sacrificed part of your life to grant power to humans suffering because of the Divine Bloods."
A completely exaggerated rumor… or rather, very falsified.
Alon Palatio closed his eyes tightly.
Meanwhile, in the sky of the Palantia Territory, a crow was flying.
Although it didn't look like a normal crow.
A trace of magic remained in its wake, and it was several times larger than usual.
That crow was…
[Princess, we have arrived.]
"Oh, I see."
…Malilleus, a knight subordinate to the princess of the Southern Empire, Irene Polanticia.
And she was riding on him.
"With your ability, I imagined we would arrive quickly."
[Excuse me.]
Converted through the “derived” power, Malilleus responded.
Irene Polanticia looked down.
"Is this Palantia?"
[That is correct.]
"…What a huge castle."
[I agree.]
"Why build such a gigantic castle?"
Doubt was reflected on her face.
Palantia's castle was so large it defied common sense.
But then she remembered her goal. She had come for a clear reason: to confirm the rumor that the King of Palantia was the father of the Guardian Dragon. And if she had to use her new power to verify it, she would.
She closed her eyes, murmured a few words, and snapped them open.
Fwooosh!
Her eyes, previously golden, now shone blue.
And the world transformed.
The land, previously illuminated, turned gray. And in that gray, countless blue flames flickered.
"Hmph…"
This was her new power.
With these eyes, she could see the information of the living beings of the world.
And she could also measure their strength by color.
Blue for ordinary humans. When power increased, it darkened. And dragons… emitted dazzling golden flames.
She remembered traversing the sky of the Northern Empire to locate the Guardian Dragon.
If Alon Palatio was truly a dragon in disguise, she would see bright gold.
As she observed…
"Huh?"
She found golden flames.
But…
They did not come from Alon.
"Hmm? What were you saying?"
"I was saying that I want to know your relationship with Alon-nim."
It was a man with a celestial appearance.
Irene Polanticia held her breath unintentionally.
The man shone with dazzling light.
And he was the owner of the golden flame.
‘…Why is there a dragon here?’
In that instant, something even more incredible happened.
"Our relationship? It is not complicated."
She heard clearly, with hearing enhanced by magic:
"Just the relationship between a master and his slave."
"The slave is you?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
The shining man declared:
"I am the slave. And Alon Palatio is the master."
Irene Polanticia trembled.
"…A dragon… as a slave?"
A dragon voluntarily declaring himself to be a slave.
Her pupils quivered.
