The twitching ears peeked up over the window, and when the golden eyes that appeared met Alon’s gaze, they flashed a shy smile.

Then, perhaps realizing she had been hiding, Seolrang quickly lowered her head again.

Alon quietly watched her for a moment, then turned his gaze and asked, "......I’ve more or less grasped the situation."

"I'm glad you understood............... It’s been quite difficult."

"......"

"In many ways, I mean."

Carmakses III let out a sigh, genuinely relieved.

Alon now understood why the man had been so enthusiastic when he first arrived at the royal palace.

"But I’ve heard that Caliban and Raksas are also preparing for war with Ashtalon. What’s going on there?"

Of course, he could roughly imagine the situation.

Still, out of caution, Alon asked—and the one who answered wasn’t Carmakses III.

"That’s because of Deus and Radan!"

It was Seolrang, who had been spying on them from the window just moments ago.

As if she’d been waiting for this moment, she suddenly popped out and said, "......Deus and Radan?"

"Yup! They got angry and declared war!"

She spoke like she was tattling on someone, and though he nodded, Alon couldn't help but feel curious.

‘......Do those two really have the influence to declare war?’

Sure, Deus was the first sword of Caliban, and Radan had maintained a good relationship with Raksas after uniting all the pirates.

But still, they weren’t the rulers of their respective nations.

Alon turned his eyes toward Carmakses III.

"......"

Seeing the man's expression turn awkward, as if he were checking Seolrang’s reaction, Alon suddenly felt all his previous doubts become meaningless.

"Seolrang."

"Yeah!"

"But, is that really the kind of message that justifies declaring war?"

"Of course it is!"

Seolrang answered without hesitation.

"That guy told me to forget about my master because he’s dead, acting like he knows everything even though he doesn’t!"

Seolrang began radiating hostility, clearly upset, but then her eyes widened as if something had occurred to her. She coughed lightly and added,

"Maybe that’s just what Deus and Radan were thinking, Master?"

"......Is that so?"

"Yup. And for the record, I didn’t say anything! It was all Karsem!"

She pointed her finger toward Karsem, who had been standing by Carmakses III.

Karsem, who had merely been observing the situation until now, gave a “Huh??? Me???” look and pointed at himself, but then,

"Ahem, yes, it was me."

Upon confirming Seolrang had turned away from him, he nodded with a face full of injustice.

"See! Told you so!"

Now Seolrang puffed up her chest proudly.

Watching her act so confidently, Alon could only sigh softly as he patted her head.

"Just to confirm, has the news of my survival spread everywhere?"

"Yes. I believe it’s reached most places—though there’s one issue."

"May I ask what it is?"

Carmakses III cleared his throat and began to speak.

"As you may know, war isn’t something you can just start on a whim. There’s much to prepare, and many factors to consider."

As he glanced at Seolrang while speaking, Alon roughly understood what he meant.

To put it simply— they were pretending to go to war just to appease Seolrang.

In other words, using a term from Alon's original world—it was all WWE.

"I completely understand."

"From what I know, it’s much the same in other countries. But because things were delayed too long, Caliban sent its first sword ahead."

"......You mean Deus?"

"That’s right. It seems he went straight to the capital............. So he may not have heard the news yet."

Inevitably, Alon had one more stop to make.

"......I suppose I’ll have to stop by the capital of Ashtalon."

"I can assure you, you’ll be welcomed."

Alon began preparing to head to Ashtalon.

####

He needed to find Rine as soon as possible.

‘I need to take care of this quickly.................’

Rine’s voice echoed in his ears, and his heart grew anxious.

Even so, the current situation had to be resolved first, so Alon set his course for Ashtalon.

"It’s unfortunate. I had some questions to ask............... But you seem busy, so I’ll save them for next time."

"Yes, I was planning to visit you soon anyway. Let’s talk then."

"Understood, brother."

"Marquis! I’ll head to the Mage Tower and join you shortly!"

"Got it."

He left brief farewells with Yuman and Penia.

"Can’t I come with you too?"

"Stay here for now."

"But I’m worried..............."

"There won’t be any trouble. I’ll be back after I finish everything."

"So, we’re going on a trip then?"

"Yes, we’ll do that."

"......Alright!"

Seolrang nodded at last, though her eyes were still filled with concern, and then she continued.

"And, Master."

"What is it?"

"Rine is... she’s okay, right?"

A quiet question laced with Seolrang’s worry.

At that, Alon hesitated to answer for a moment.

Yesterday, when Seolrang had casually asked, he’d said she’d return soon—but in truth, even Alon hadn’t yet confirmed what exactly had happened to her.

However—

"Yes, she’ll be fine."

That’s what Alon told Seolrang.

Even if something had gone wrong, and she truly wasn’t fine— he would do whatever it took to bring her back.

Perhaps reassured by the certainty in his words,

"Okay, got it."

Seolrang nodded and stepped back.

And with his goodbyes to her complete, Alon departed from the colony.

Once he had traveled a fair distance away from the colony—

[Huaa-!]

“Meow?”

Blackie and Basiliora, who had remained unseen until now, suddenly appeared.

[Seriously, why are you heading straight to the colony the moment I’m allowed out?!]

“Meow—”

Blackie climbed onto Alon’s shoulder, shifting around, while Basiliora shouted in frustration.

"......Was it because Seolrang was there that you couldn’t come out?"

[Yeah! You know exactly what happens to us when that person is around, and you’re still saying that!? Ugh, it was already painful enough when we were in the past—I wanted to go out but couldn’t! It was torture..................]

At those words, Alon recalled that Basiliora had never shown itself once when they were in the past timeline.

“Come to think of it, why didn’t you appear back then?”

[I didn’t choose not to appear—I couldn’t.]

“Why not?”

[That, I don’t know either. Even when I tried to go out, I couldn’t. It was like something forbade me.]

“......Like something forbade you?”

[Yeah. It was a really strange feeling.]

Curling its body as if still uncomfortable, Basiliora suddenly seemed to recall something.

[Now that I think about it, why did I stay still back then?]

“......Back then?”

[Yeah. When you were fighting that guy—Baarma, wasn’t it? Didn’t the masked person take your ring?]

“Wait, what?”

Alon blinked, startled by the new information, and Basiliora made a face like, Huh?

[............Don’t tell me you didn’t know?]

‘Obviously not. I only know now because you told me.’

“Tell me everything.”

Though still confused, Basiliora began explaining what Alon had completely missed.

“You mean when the ground collapsed as I blocked Baarma’s attack?”

[Yeah, then. Suddenly, blue threads appeared and pulled your ring right off.]

“I had no idea that even happened.”

As Alon fidgeted with the finger where the ring used to be, Basiliora nodded.

[You really didn’t seem to pay any attention to it.]

Alon rubbed his chin with the now-empty finger.

“Do you remember the face of the one who took the ring?”

[There’s no face to remember. They were wrapped head to toe in black. But one thing is certain.]

“What is it?”

[They had blue eyes.]

“......Blue eyes?”

[Yeah, and not just blue—vividly blue.]

“Blue eyes, huh...”

Alon let out a sigh.

With just that one detail, it was impossible to figure out who it was.

‘No, even if I knew—it wouldn’t matter much.’

After all, that ring had been left behind 700 years ago.

But one thing bugged him.

‘If someone took my ring, that means they knew what it really was?’

That person probably knew exactly what the ring was.

‘Now that I think about it... did I have to lose the ring back then in order to find it again later? ......Wait a second, if that’s true, didn’t I also have to leave the glove behind?’

On the way to Ashtalon, Alon was lost in uncertain speculation.

####

A few weeks later—

“Thank you so much for coming. Really, thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you~”

Alon arrived in Ashtalon, where the tense atmosphere made it clear preparations for war were in full swing.

Soldiers were lined up, their faces tight with nervous energy.

“Whoa—they’re gathered like it’s the final battle.”

“Looks like it.”

Once he reached the palace, Prince Mondala of Ashtalon greeted him with a deep bow—

“Thank you for coming.”

“......It’s nothing.”

Then Alon was led to meet King Stalian V, who clasped both his hands and expressed heartfelt gratitude.

‘......To be honest, being thanked like this felt kind of weird.’

Soon after, Alon was briefed on the situation by Stalian.

“......So, Radan and Deus are moving together. That’s what you’re saying?”

“That’s right.”

Alon glanced to the side.

Tremble tremble tremble—

The prince’s hands were shaking like he had tremors.

He looked absolutely pitiful.

‘He looks way too scared, no matter how strong they are.’

Of course, Alon knew roughly how powerful Deus and Radan were.

Even so, Mondala was the first prince.

‘And if I recall correctly, kind of an arrogant one.’

Granted, if Deus and Radan had truly come with the intent to destroy, that would be serious.

But even so, it was strange for a prince with such overwhelming military power to be this frightened.

Not to mention—

‘I’m sure Zukurak is with them too.’

He briefly pictured the giant clad in dark armor.

“......First, it seems they haven’t properly received the news yet. I should go deliver it.”

Alon tried to steer the situation toward diplomacy.

But while King Stalian nodded with a heavy expression, the prince kept trembling nervously.

“If they blow us up before we even get to talk—”

“Blow you up?”

Alon tilted his head at the prince’s muttering.

He’d been told the two were moving together, but this talk of bombing didn’t quite make sense.

“Y-Your Majesty is on their way!”

Just then— a knight burst into the audience chamber with urgent news.

Alon pushed aside his confusion and quickly stood.

He was about to head to the wall to meet Deus and Radan when—

“?”

Alon saw it.

Far off in the distance— floating in the sky—

“A... ship?”

A massive ship.

No—more than just one or two. Easily more than ten.

They were gliding through the air, approaching the capital.

And then—

[You will pay here for the insult you showed my brother.]

Radan’s voice thundered across the sky, amplified so all could hear.

There was never any room for negotiation.

Over ten ships simultaneously opened their cannons.

“Ah......”

Only then did Alon understand why the prince had been shaking so much.

He clutched his spinning head in disbelief.

‘I appreciate that they’re angry on my behalf but.............. still—’

Wasn’t this... a bit too much?

A familiar thought passed through his mind.