"Gobta, say ah~"
Shion raised a large wooden spoon in front of Gobta's face, displaying a sweet, almost maternal smile.
Unfortunately…
That didn't make the situation any less terrifying.
Gobta stared at the purple liquid resting in the spoon as if he were looking straight into the abyss—and the abyss was smiling back at him. Small beads of sweat slowly began to slide down his forehead and along the sides of his face.
Thanks to Shion's cooking, he had now developed a resistance to poisons that would probably make doctors around the world question the very logic of biology.
But unfortunately…
Shion's cooking also didn't seem to have any limit to how poisonous it could become.
The strange mixture bubbling in the spoon was undoubtedly a hundred times more terrifying than any monstrous creature Gobta had ever faced in his life.
The smell alone seemed capable of killing an ordinary person.
With a desperate will to survive, Gobta suddenly shouted:
"Shion! Master Arthur said you're not allowed to enter the kitchen!"
For a moment, Shion froze.
"…Master?"
The instant she heard Arthur's name, Shion's sweet expression completely changed.
Her aura exploded.
"He also said I was his favorite secretary!" Shion immediately snapped with a furious glare. "And what did he do after that? He just went off on a honeymoon with Shizue Izawa!"
Inside his own mind, Gobta panicked.
What the hell are you talking about, Shion!?
He said he was going to meet Shizue's students! Not go on a honeymoon!?
Gobta screamed internally, but he obviously didn't have the courage to say that out loud.
Shion slowly raised the spoon again.
Her smile returned.
"Gobta, mentioning the master won't help you at all."
She slowly moved the spoon closer.
"Now… OPEN YOUR MOUTH!"
Gobta instantly covered his mouth with both hands and instinctively started stepping backward.
One step.
Two steps.
Three steps.
Then—
BAM!
He slammed directly into the wall behind him.
He had nowhere left to run.
His face turned pale as he realized it.
Look what you got me into, Master!
Am I really going to die here!?
Desperate, he shouted:
"Ranga! Come save me!"
The enormous black wolf appeared at the kitchen doorway and only stuck his head inside.
He observed the situation.
He looked at Gobta.
Looked at Shion.
Looked at the spoon.
And then…
Slowly turned around.
And left without saying a single word.
Shion's smile widened even further.
"Gobta, Ranga has left too. Even if you scream until you lose your voice today… it won't help!"
Gobta looked again at the dish.
From the container Shion was holding rose a thick purplish-brown vapor.
Even the smoke seemed hostile.
At that moment, Gobta felt a deep despair take hold of his heart.
Could it be…
Am I really destined to die young like this?
Then—
DONG!
DONG!
DONG!
The great bells of Nova Uruk suddenly began ringing.
Shion and Gobta froze instantly.
"…!"
An invasion?
Without exchanging another word, the two rushed out of the kitchen and sprinted toward the city gates.
---
"It's a misunderstanding! I'm not your enemy!"
"I represent Gazel Dwargo, King of Dwargon, and I've come to deliver an official letter to Lord Arthur, the ruler of this nation!"
"An official letter…?"
Benimaru, Hakuro, Shion, Gobta, and the others exchanged perplexed looks.
The situation had changed far too quickly.
Unfortunately…
Arthur was not present.
So what exactly were they supposed to do?
At that moment, a new voice appeared.
"My father warned me that something like this might happen while he was away. I just didn't expect it to happen so quickly."
Everyone turned.
It was Angélica, calmly walking toward the group.
"Angélica?" Benimaru said, surprised.
He frowned slightly.
"Weren't you with Milim Nava?"
"I was," Angélica replied naturally. "But my father asked me to take care of the city during his absence."
She then turned her gaze to the surrounded man.
"You're Dwargon's envoy, right?"
The man nodded quickly.
"Y-yes!"
"Then come with me," Angélica said simply.
She gestured for him to follow.
---
Half a Day Later
"This is Nova Uruk's main avenue," Angélica explained as she walked.
The envoy followed beside her.
His eyes kept moving nonstop.
Nova Uruk's streets were incredibly clean—almost immaculate.
The commercial atmosphere was lively and vibrant.
Stalls, shops, restaurants, and workshops stretched along the avenue, all bustling with merchants and customers.
Pedestrians of different customs, races, and professions filled the streets.
Everyone moved freely together.
It was a scene almost impossible to imagine anywhere else in the world.
Angélica glanced at the envoy and immediately noticed the stunned expression on his face.
She smiled slightly.
"Surprised?"
The man seemed incapable of hiding his bewilderment.
Angélica could already imagine what he had expected to find.
Probably a barbaric settlement.
Maybe a camp full of savage monsters.
Definitely not a city as organized and prosperous as this.
The envoy finally replied:
"I… am speechless."
---
—xXx—
It had been about half a month since Arthur and Shizue Izawa had left Nova Uruk.
After several days of peaceful travel, the two finally reached the enormous mountain range that formed the natural border between the Kingdom of Ingrassia and the Kingdom of Falmuth.
They were not in a hurry.
Quite the opposite—the journey was relaxed and carefree. No battles, no responsibilities—just the two of them following the open road and enjoying their time together.
The mountain range stretched as far as the eye could see, like a gigantic natural wall.
Between the valleys and slopes, ancient trees grew in abundance. Their trunks were thick, twisted, and covered in decades—perhaps centuries—of history. Some of them rivaled even the trees of the Jura Forest in size.
However, unlike the Jura Forest, the vegetation here was dominated by red maples.
And now, at the height of autumn, the entire landscape seemed submerged in a sea of crimson.
Leaves covered the ground, the treetops, and even the wind passing through them seemed to carry hues of red and gold. The scenery was so beautiful it almost felt unreal.
When Shizu saw the view, her eyes widened with pure, almost childlike joy.
Without thinking twice, she ran toward the maple forest.
Her footsteps rustled softly across the carpet of fallen leaves.
She looked as free as a butterfly flying toward a flower.
Arthur watched the scene silently.
The sight of her running through the red leaves, with the wind playing with her hair, warmed something inside him.
Without realizing it, a smile appeared on his face.
Shizue noticed the smile and immediately blushed.
"What are you laughing at?" she asked, trying to sound serious.
Arthur raised a hand as if defending himself.
"It's nothing."
Shizu narrowed her eyes.
"Your expression gave you away," she said, pouting slightly. "There must be something. Tell me the truth."
Arthur tilted his head slightly before answering casually:
"You looked so cute just now that I felt like putting you in a jar and keeping you all to myself."
Shizu turned completely red.
The blush quickly spread across her cheeks.
Arthur couldn't help laughing again when he saw her reaction.
"Let's keep going," he said with a smile. "You're the one who asked to travel like this."
As he spoke, he grabbed her arm and gently pulled her back toward the road.
The two continued walking side by side.
It didn't take long before they spotted a small village ahead.
Across the valley, small wooden houses clustered around a central square. Lanterns were already being hung, and several bonfires had been lit.
Distant music floated through the air.
Arthur observed the scene for a few seconds before commenting:
"Looks like there's a festival going on. Want to spend the night there?"
He didn't have to wait long for an answer.
Shizu's eyes were already shining again.
She nodded with a small smile.
The village was called Maple Village.
It was a small settlement relatively far from the busiest trade routes. Because of that, its residents were naturally suspicious of outsiders.
The festival being held that night was the Harvest Festival.
Lanterns illuminated the streets.
Wooden tables were filled with simple but well-prepared food. Children ran back and forth while musicians played traditional instruments.
When Arthur and Shizu arrived, several villagers observed them cautiously.
However, after a few minutes of conversation, it became clear that the two didn't seem dangerous.
So they were allowed to enter and participate in the festival.
It didn't take long before Shizu was surrounded by the village's children.
She laughed as she spoke with them, helping with small games and answering curious questions.
Arthur, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky.
Before he realized it, some particularly enthusiastic villagers had already dragged him into a drinking contest.
Mug after mug of alcohol was placed in front of him.
In the end, he won quite easily.
To the surprise—and despair—of the local participants.
---
The Next Morning
Arthur slowly woke up.
The soft morning sunlight streamed through the window of the small house where they had spent the night.
He immediately realized he was completely naked.
Beside him, Shizu was still sleeping peacefully, her hair spread across the pillow and a faint blush on her face.
Arthur looked at her for a few seconds.
Then a small smile appeared on his face.
"If things keep going like this, it won't be long before I have another son… or daughter…" he murmured softly with a quiet laugh.
As he spoke, he gently placed his hand on Shizu's stomach.
She continued sleeping, unaware.
Arthur sighed softly and looked at the ceiling.
"I need to finish that portal soon…" he said quietly. "I can't keep A2 waiting forever…"
(End of Chapter)