Chapter 44: Volume 26 Chapter (1-6)
Chapter 1, Lords of the Western City
Alec was currently receiving a guest in a room in the executive building.
The guest in one of the best rooms in the government building was Lyril, the lord of the city to the west.
Lyril had come all the way to Amamiya Tower to negotiate a certain deal.
"So? What do you think?"
Alec replied to Lyril's question with a smile.
"No, of course not. In fact, we would like to ask you instead."
"That's good to know."
Lyril nodded in satisfaction at Alec's satisfying answer.
If they offered more than what they had just presented, he would have had to take it home and re-evaluate.
Of course, he was offering the current conditions with a certain number of odds against him.
"That was very thoughtful of you, by the way. If this was going to happen, I thought it would be a little while before we could do it."
Alec asked in a small talk manner after all the formalities had been completed.
"Oh. That's true. Perhaps you were expecting it only on your end, but we were expecting that it would take a little longer, as well."
Lyril nodded in agreement, followed by a slight chuckle before answering.
"The only reason we were able to advance was because of the example you gave us, you know."
"Oh, I see."
Alec responded to that answer with a wry smile as well.
What Lyril was referring to was the descent of Goddesses that took place all over the world.
A month had already passed since the Goddesses had descended, but their effects were still evident.
The reason Lyril was able to bring his offer to Alec this time was because of the advent of Goddesses.
Without the descent, as Lyril said, it would have been delayed by another six months.
Or, it was possible that this story itself would have been lost.
The impact was tremendous.
The impact was felt all over the world, not just in the western cities where Lyril ruled.
Incidentally, the descent of Goddesses did not occur in the Tower city.
The people of the city learned of it through rumors from outside the Tower.
The reaction of those who heard the story was divided between those who were glad that the descent did not occur and those who were disappointed that they could not see the Goddesses directly.
Alec's impression upon hearing this was, "That's just the way it is when it's someone else's business".
But Alec's true impression was something else entirely.
"To be honest, I don't want something like that to happen again, so would you like to hear more about it?"
Lyril looked at Alec with interest as he spilled out his thoughts.
"Is that a story I'm allowed to hear?"
"Well, I don't think it will be a problem."
Even if it was not really a problem, Alec wouldn't go out of his way to mention the specifics that would actually cause problems.
Of course, Lyril would be asking with that in mind.
"When directly exposed to the wrath of a Goddess, I wouldn't think of doing anything extra. It's precisely what I was thinking, if one doesn't get involved with Goddesses, one won't get cursed by Goddesses."
Alec was a bystander at the scene, simply watching by the sidelines.
But even so, Elisa Meir's anger was felt fully.
It was horrifying to think of how many of the Gates royal family members were directly affected by that anger.
He had no sympathy for them, after all, they deserved what they got.
"Was it that bad…?"
"Yeah. They were overstepping so much that it made me actually want to stop the clergy talking."
There was only one member of the clergy Alec could trust at the moment.
That would be Sylvia, but she had no intention of telling Lyril about her.
If she wanted to be in the public eye, he would back her up as much as possible, but for now, she was only Kousuke's assistant.
As long as Kousuke refused to be in the public eye, Sylvia probably wouldn't be in the public eye either.
And Alec was convinced that Kousuke's personality made it unlikely that he would ever be in the public eye.
"… That would be for the better."
Hearing Alec's words, Lyril's expression turned heavy and thoughtful.
Once again, this incident made it clear to the world that the Goddesses could appear in person.
In that sense, one could safely conclude that the intentions of the Goddesses were successfully transmitted.
No one could have imagined that some of those Goddesses simply wanted to appear in the world.
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"Well, anyway, thankfully, it's given us a boost, as well."
He didn't dare say what he was referring to, but that was enough to let Lyril know what Alec was trying to say.
The fact that he would mention something like this to Lyril could only mean one thing.
"Well. So, does that mean it's finally time?"
"It's about time, I've reached the limit of holding them back. That should be more than enough of a trigger, right?"
Hearing this, Lyril chuckled.
Alec clearly stated that he would not take advantage of the city to the west, and rather welcome the city.
It was for this reason that he had decided on this matter, so to speak.
"That would be appreciated on our part. But what about the north?"
According to the information Lyril had, the northern city was more willing than the western city.
"That was one of the conditions over there, you know. I'm not saying there's no problem at all, but it's acceptable."
"I see."
Lyril's offer to Alec this time was for the west city to be part of Amamiya Tower.
Of course, the deal was not unconditional, but it was offered on terms that Amamiya Tower could accept.
Alec agreed to the deal, as Lyril had hoped.
That alone was worth all the effort Lyril had put in to get to this point.
What's more, it was a good souvenir for him to know what Alec shared with him.
It was not a topic that could be discussed openly, but it would not be a problem to talk about it with his tight-lipped aides.
Alec was aware of this, and he was passing the information around.
It would be nice to surprise them with information out of the blue, but sometimes it was important to let them know in advance if the impact would be too great.
And, moreover, sometimes it was essential to get that kind of information out to the city that decided to join under the umbrella of Amamiya Tower.
"…Oh, right."
Alec said, as if suddenly remembering.
"Yes?"
"If it is not yet officially decided, but perhaps we could install a transfer gate.
"Is that…? !"
Lyril nearly fell on his back at the news Alec had just given him.
He immediately sat back down and gulped down a mouthful of saliva.
"Is that true…?"
"To be honest, I don't really know the Tower that well myself. Let's just say it's not impossible."
As for the transfer gate, Alec knew it could be installed elsewhere, but he didn't dare to speak about that.
He was not about to disclose all the information about anything right now.
"…I see."
Lyril, perhaps sensing the subtle nuances of the situation, didn't ask further.
It was enough for him to hear what Alec mentioned, considering the possibility that he might get his hopes up and find out that it was actually a bad idea.
Lyril, of course, had no intention of spreading what he had just heard.
He would not want to do anything unnecessary that would cause the idiots to come out of the woodwork.
The relationship with Tower that was going so well would be ruined by that.
Especially when it came to information that might attract the attention of idiots, he had to handle it carefully and cautiously.
Lyril knew this very well, which was why Alec brought up the subject with him.
They had talked many times and had established such a trustworthy relationship.
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Chapter 2, High Human
The announcement of the West Town's incorporation was made as soon as the executive branch side was ready for the move.
That was one of the conditions on the west city side.
Another condition was that the announcement should be made before any of the four cities from the East, North, and South.
The purpose was to raise their political standing by showing their reverence earlier than anywhere else.
At the same time as the announcement, the executive branch was steadily making preparations for other matters.
When the preparations were in their final stages, Alec paid Kousuke a visit.
"The preparations are almost ready, but are you sure you are ready to make the announcement?"
Alec's face showed no concern as he asked this question.
He already asked Kousuke many times and kept getting the same answer.
He knew that Kousuke's personality would not allow him to refuse at the last minute.
But he confirmed it because of what happened in the Kingdom of Gates.
People around him, rather than Alec, kept urging him to confirm it.
"It's not a problem."
Kousuke, who already knew this, answered only that.
He continued to ask what had been bothering him.
"More importantly, are you okay with that matter?"
"That's not a problem… I mean, are you sure about that?"
"It's fine. I would rather ask you to do it. Besides, it would be bad for me to be in the public eye, wouldn't I?"
Alec couldn't help but be convinced by the way Kousuke phrased it.
What he was talking about was whether Kousuke himself would become king.
Alec brought to this meeting a proposal to create a country.
Kousuke suggested that he would not be the king, but would recommend someone else.
"Well, that makes sense to me. The problem is the residents."
At Alec's words, Kousuke tilted his head.
"Are they opposed to it?"
"No, not really…"
Alec's unusually vague answer made Kousuke even more confused..
"Is something wrong?"
"No… Well, to make a long story short, they want you to have a child soon."
Hearing that line, Kousuke's mouth formed an "ah".
"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to mention that… I mean, should I mention these things myself?"
Kousuke said, and after saying goodbye, he went to the back of the Administration Floor.
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When Kousuke returned, he brought Floria with him.
Kousuke had nominated Floria to be the Ruler of the new country.
If he had to choose one of the members, there was no one better suited than Floria.
At first, Floria was reluctant, but Kousuke's persuasion finally convinced her.
The reason for Floria's reluctance was that she would definitely be busy as the Ruler of the Kingdom, and would not be able to see Kousuke as often as she would like.
Kousuke laughed at this and promised to find time to visit her as much as possible.
Unfortunately, as the Queen, it would be difficult to manage the Southwest Tower.
However, that did not mean that Kousuke would be managing the tower instead of her.
Since there was more than enough time, Floria was going to take care of it in gradual steps.
"Floria's here, which means?"
Alec looked at Floria with a "no way" expression.
Seeing this, Floria became reluctant.
"Ah. Father. First, you should calm down. I know what you want to say, but I think you're probably imagining things differently, don't you?"
Floria's words caused Alec to look quizzical.
"… What do you mean?"
"It doesn't mean that I already have a child. It means that I am finally in a body capable of having a child."
"??"
Alec tilted his head further, and Floria shook her head.
Thinking about it, they had not told Alec about the situation.
It was not something they could talk about.
"As you know, Kousuke is a God. Naturally, he would have problems having a child with me."
"….Is that… so?"
"Wait, don't make that face. As I said before, I am already in a body capable of having a child with Kousuke."
"So there's no problem?"
"No… Well, the only problem is that I have a much longer lifespan now that I have become a High Human."
Hearing this, Alec couldn't help but look aghast.
"…Huh?"
An uncharacteristic voice continued to leak out of Alec.
Seeing this, Floria and Kousuke both let out a chuckle.
"See? I told you so, didn't I?"
"I'm impressed. You really are a father and daughter, huh?"
"Of course."
Both Kousuke and Floria had been anticipating Alec's reaction, since Floria had the same reaction when she was told that she finally became a High Human.
And brilliantly, Floria had anticipated Alec's reaction.
"No, wait! Can you say that again? I think I heard something I shouldn't have…"
"That I have a longer lifespan?"
"No, that's not… No, that too, but first!"
"Have I become a High Human?"
"That's it!"
"Which one?"
Floria was unusually confused, but what she mentioned simply didn't make any sense to the other person.
More importantly, Floria didn't seem to care.
"What do you mean, High Human?!"
Pointing to the situation, Floria looked at Kousuke and said,
"See? This is a normal reaction."
"No, well, I guess so."
There was a bit of a commotion on the Administration Floor when Floria became High Human.
For Kousuke, it was simply a bit of a new thing, but he was attacked for it from all sides at the time.
Now, Floria was digging up that story.
Alec was opening and closing his mouth, while the two of them continued to talk.
"Is that… Is that true?"
"What's the point of lying? Look."
Floria held out a crown card.
The race was properly labeled <High Human>.
Even Alec did not doubt the crown card.
The origin was the same, but he was finally convinced when he was shown something he was familiar with.
"Is this… Is this okay?"
It was a question that could mean many things.
"Father. I can't answer your question if you don't ask it properly, you know?"
"No, I wanted to ask you many things… but, can I put this out in public?"
Floria was definitely a Human before.
He wanted to know if it was okay to publicize the fact that a Human could be a High Human.
"I don't mind, but… I wonder if we can take care of it by making it public?"
Alec shook his head at Kousuke's honest question.
"No, sorry. No. It would be better not to do anything that would cause a commotion."
"Father. No point in even thinking about it, you know? After all, to become High Human, you have to be directly involved with the gods."
Currently, the only God that could get directly involved was Kousuke.
The other Gods are in Sanctuary, and those of this world who did not have access to the Sanctuary could not be involved.
The only person who could possibly make this happen was Kousuke, who currently resided on the ground.
And Kousuke had no desire to be deeply involved with anyone other than the current members.
After some time, he may change his mind, but for now, he was not thinking about it at all.
Floria was not wrong, as no one else could become a High Human unless Kousuke got involved.
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Chapter 3, Collete's Question
After Alec returned from the Administration Floor to the Fifth Floor, Kousuke and Floria talked for a while in the relaxation area.
Then Sylvia joined in.
"Oh? What's wrong with your tense expression? Did the talk with Alec not end well?"
"Ah, no. That's not it. It wasn't really a problem…"
Sylvia tilted her head at Floria's muffled response.
"It seems that being a High Human really shocked him."
Sylvia nodded in agreement to Kousuke's words.
The existence of High Humans was almost a legend to start with.
The longer the history of a country, the more legends remain, but no one had ever been able to confirm the truth of such legends.
Of course, if one were to ask the Gods, they would tell the truth, but no country would go to the trouble of asking such a question.
After all, it was a matter of the very foundation of the nation.
It would be a delicate question whether the Gods would respond to the question.
The Gods, who were not involved with happenings in the ground as much as possible, would not do anything to disturb that place.
"Did you come here to tell me that Floria is not allowed to be Queen?"
"No, I'm not concerned about that. When he was leaving, he was muttering about what it was like to be the parent of a High Human."
Kousuke said this with a wry smile, to which Sylvia also returned a wry smile.
"Is that what he was concerned about when he left?"
Alec and Alec's wife, Sonia, were both definitely human.
Floria, born of these two parents, was definitely human, at least until recently.
The fact that this Floria became a High Human was something that Alec just couldn't understand.
"Well, I would say it can't be helped. He's simply having a hard time accepting it."
Floria, who was smiling, came close to Kousuke with the same wry smile.
"Did he not like it, you becoming a High Human?"
"I don't think so."
Kousuke asked, to which Floria answered clearly and continued.
"I was the one who wanted to have children in the first place, remember? It was an absolute requirement to become High Human, to do so."
"Then is he worried about something else?"
"Nope, he is simply confused as to why it would be so easy for me to become a High Human. I don't think he particularly thought anything had changed, though."
When Kousuke told Floria that she had become a High Human, she recognized the change, but before that, she had not noticed any change herself.
There was nothing, not even a strange feeling that there had been a significant change in her body.
"'Certainly, the change was not really prominent."
Sylvia, who was also a High Human, nodded in agreement.
"That's how it is… Oh, wait. If you ask me, I was also like that before."
Thinking about it, Kousuke had a similar experience.
The first time he went to Sanctuary in flesh and blood, Asura told him that he had become a living god.
If he was not told at that time, he would never have realized that he had become a God.
Floria and Sylvia looked at him as if to say, "I don't believe that," but Kousuke ignored them.
"Even so, there's no advice I can give them. They'll just have to take their time and accept it."
Kousuke could not help but say so.
After all, he had experienced the same thing as well.
In fact, there was still a part of him that had not accepted his status as a God.
However, he didn't feel as uncomfortable as he used to.
Whether that was a good or bad result, Kousuke was unable to decide.
As time goes by, he might have a different opinion.
Kousuke did not know if this feeling of his would also apply to these two people.
But at least they did not seem to think in a bad way, so Kousuke had little to worry about in that sense.
Besides, there were others on the Administration Floor who were in the higher ranks of their species as well.
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With Floria and Sylvia now being High Humans, Collete was the only one who had not yet become a higher species.
As for Peach, she had not yet told them that she had become a higher species, but when she was asked about it, they seemed to have guessed it somehow from her attitude.
As for the remaining Collete, as he had long declared, he was not particularly concerned about immediately becoming a higher level species, so the Administration Floor did not become uncomfortable because of this.
Collete then asked Floria something that she had been wondering for some time.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"What is it?"
Floria tilted her head at this unusual question from Collete.
"Floria will be the Queen, right?"
"… Yes."
"Which means, of course, that you will be asked to have children as soon as possible, right?"
"Yes, they probably will."
"Isn't that putting a lot of pressure on you?"
At Collete's question, Floria's eyes flashed, then she crossed her arms and thought for a moment.
Collete's attitude made her think that this was not an easy question to answer.
"I'm not saying there won't be… In my case, I guess I'm used to it, in both good and bad ways."
"Used to it?"
"Ah. In the first place, I was raised as a princess. Even though I am not a male, I still have the role of preserving the royal bloodline in case of emergency."
"…I see your point."
In the first place, the primary role of a royal family would be to preserve the next generation's bloodline.
No matter how good the reign was, if the next generation could not be left behind, the country would be in disarray in the following generation.
Naturally, the primary role of a royal family would be to preserve its bloodline.
Because Floria grew up in such an environment, she felt that it was natural for her to leave behind children for the good of the country.
"In that sense, I wonder if it was a good choice to have Floria as Queen."
Sylvia turned an inclusive gaze on Kousuke.
"Well, I didn't choose her in that sense…"
Kousuke looked at Floria with an annoyed expression on his face.
Kousuke simply thought that it would be better to choose Floria, a High Human, to rule over the growing population of Humans.
Above all, she had been educated as a princess, regardless of whether she had children or not.
For Kousuke, who thought he would never be able to show himself, Floria was precisely the right person for the job.
"I understand, don't worry about it. Besides, I'm not the only one that he was thinking of putting out there, you know?"
" Ahaha. So, you knew?"
"Well, that's a given."
Collete tilted her head at Kousuke and Floria's conversation and asked.
"What do you mean?"
"What? Did you forget? As long as you build a country, you need a temple no matter what. Or, to be more precise, the existence of a clergy."
Floria glanced at Sylvia as she said this.
"It's not so much that we'll need priests, but rather that we know that the clergy will try to intervene. If that's the case, it would be better to already assign someone like that from the very beginning, wouldn't it?"
In this world, there would always be a temple at the center of the state.
It was not that they meddled in politics, but that there were always those who conveyed oracles of the Gods and so on.
To avoid any unnecessary interference from the temple side, he wanted Sylvia to be placed in the center from the beginning.
"…So, that's what happened."
Even Sylvia understood her role.
That was why there was no particular objection to it.
As for the management of the Tower, she would take it slowly, just as she had done with Floria.
"I'm sure things will get busier and busier outside the Tower from now on, but I'll be counting on your support."
Kousuke reminded them, especially the two who would be involved in nation-building from now on.
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Chapter 4, Opinions of the Executive Branch
A week after, Lyril came to see Alec in the executive branch.
The announcement was made that Lyril and the western city would be joining the Amamiya Tower.
The reaction of the Tower community was half surprise, and half 'I knew it'.
They were astonished because it was the western city that had become a part of Amamiya Tower. After all, the southern city had established a close relationship with the Tower, but the western city, while not hostile, was not as close to the Tower as the southern city.
It was a surprise that the western city announced that it would be joining the Tower first.
Those with good instincts and ears quickly guessed that there were political reasons.
Although many residents of the city might be surprised, it did not mean that they felt a sense of rejection about joining the Tower's umbrella. In fact, once the announcement was made, it was quickly accepted. In a good way, residents of the city were getting used to the idea of being part of a continental community.
Rather, the residents actually found certain rumors to be more important. It was about the Tower's Establishment of a unified nation.
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Floria and Sylvia were visiting the administrative office.
From now on, after the establishment of the kingdom, they would be spending more time here than on the Administration Floor.
Since both of them had met the high-ranking officials of the executive branch many times at the Administration Floor, no particular problem had arisen. In fact, many of them were surprised to learn that Floria was Alec's biological daughter.
Since Alec was originally a prince of a certain kingdom, he did not hide the fact from them, and they naturally knew about Floria's background as well.
Therefore, there were no particular objections to Floria becoming the queen.
There were some people who felt some discomfort with the idea of Kousuke, a living god, directly governing the country. Nevertheless, most people seemed to agree with most of the choices Kousuke made. Those who felt uncomfortable were all mainly the devout believers of the other Gods.
Currently, Floria was introducing Sylvia as the person to deal with temple-related matters.
Sylvia was accepted more readily than Floria. After all, it was already well known that Sylvia was a Kousuke priestess. Since she had been seen at the temple frequently, she was known not only to the dignitaries but also to the ordinary inhabitants.
If they were to oppose this, they could be said to be opposing Kousuke. Thus, no one would object to her holding such a post.
In this sense, Floria was also recommended by Kousuke. However, there was a difference between the two. Floria, who would be the queen, was not directly related to God, since she was only related to the realm of human politics.
"…Is it alright to be accepted so readily?"
Floria said, puzzled, in a room in the executive branch building.
"Isn't it okay? You were known as a member of the administration in the first place."
"That's right. At least, it's better than being grandly opposed, right?"
Alec and Sylvia came over, but Floria was still tilting her head as if unconvinced. Having seen many people in power struggles in her home country, she felt that the residents of the Tower were too straightforward.
"Well, yes, but… But if they are too honest, doesn't it worry you?"
When building a country, power struggles, both internal and external, occur to a greater or lesser degree. It was disconcerting for Floria to be accepted as the Queen of a New Country with little to no power struggles.
"I see. You've barely witnessed how the executive branch were handling things first hand. So that may be why you feel that way."
Alec, who sensed the discomfort, comforted her. After all, he, too, at first felt the same as her.
"…What, was there something different with the executive branch?"
"Mm. Well, this has been how they handle things here even before Kousuke-dono became a living god. It seems that Kousuke-dono, who conquered the Tower, was simply accepted and followed by the people almost unconditionally."
Of course, they did not just silently accept him as if they were puppets. Nevertheless, the residents of the city simply came to accept things happening as time went on, as long as there were no unreasonable demands. After all, they have witnessed the growth of the city firsthand, and they could see that what Kousuke was doing was for the good of the people.
"That's…. That's also a scary thought, though."
Alec nodded broadly at Floria, who muttered to herself.
"It will be our job to manage it all, to prevent it from going overboard."
"That sounds… troublesome."
"What are complaining now? There is no such thing as politics without trouble."
Alec replied, to which Floria responded with a wry smile.
She couldn't help but agree.
From now on, Kousuke's direct opinions about the country would gradually decrease. In fact, Kousuke himself had stated so, and Floria thought it would be better for him to do so.
It was the common understanding of everyone present that Kousuke, who had become a God, should not directly be involved in politics.
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"What will happen to the temple?"
Alec asked, and Sylvia tilted her head.
"What, do you have any concern about the temple?"
"Will it be the same as before, or will it have clergymen like the other towns? Well, if we appoint one, it will definitely be you."
Sylvia was about to respond immediately to the question, but reflexively stopped herself from answering.
"I suppose…. We don't have any particular problem with the way things are right now, at least…"
Sylvia looked like she was thinking, and Floria looked at her with an awed expression.
Sylvia would have insisted that it should be left to Kousuke to decide.
"What do you have in mind?"
Sylvia shook her head at Floria's question.
"Nothing right now, but I thought it would be a good idea to be prepared. But I wanted to make sure that if something happens, I'll be ready."
"Hmm. I see."
Floria nodded in agreement to Sylvia's words.
Seeing this, Alec interrupted.
"I'm not an expert on temple-related matters myself, but may I ask you something?"
"Yes?"
"Sure, it's great to be flexible, but remember that it's also great to keep the original structure the way it was for a while."
Alec's point was that many things, especially when God was involved, remained in their original form, in other words, 'how things are done'.
It was perceived as such structures were sometimes treated as being a step above in importance, even today.
Some things naturally changed with the passage of time, but others have remained unchanged since the age of the Gods.
Alec wanted to say that while Kousuke was the most recent deity, would it not make sense to keep what he arranged in its original form?
"…I see. Thank you very much. I will remember that."
Sylvia also understands that there were many such examples because she was a priestess.
It would be meaningless if they were to fall into malpractice due to confusion, which reminded her of the importance of preserving the current structure.
"By the way…. is the Tower management going to be alright?"
Alec asked, and they looked at each other and chuckled.
"I don't see any problems. After all, the golems are there to do the regular work."
"… Oh."
Alec thought about those dolls in his head, which he did not know if he could even call those things golems. It seemed to him, those dolls, which he would not be able to recognize as golems if he were not told, could indeed be entrusted to do such work.
"As I said, they can't do anything new, but I can completely entrust them with repetitive tasks. I'm not particularly worried about that."
"Besides, we'll be returning to the Administration Floor regularly, as well."
"I see. In that case, I will not ask any more questions."
Alec had no intention of stepping in, as long as there were no problems.
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Chapter 5, The Elven Village
While the new nation was being discussed, Kousuke was visiting the other races on the different Tower Floors.
The first place he visited was the village of the elves, who have now moved to the Southern Tower.
In the elven village, there was no interaction with the outside world, so no major changes took place here.
Two couples had previously been confirmed to be pregnant, but Collete had told him that they already had borne the children.
Although Collete had not heard of any new reports since then, it was not so easy for elves to have children in the first place. The elves were a race that rarely had children in the first place. Thus, there was widespread optimism among the elves because new children were added.
However, it was not as if they had no hope for children, like what they had felt in the past. New children were being born to coincide with the growth of the new World Tree.
This meant that now, many of them thought that they, too, would eventually have a chance.
Kousuke had heard from Lilace, the representative, about the current situation of the elven village. It was not that he was planning to do anything in particular after hearing the story. He simply wanted to see how the village was doing.
Of course, Collete was with him.
"…So, you are not experiencing any particular problems?"
"Yes, we do. But those are simply minor problems that can happen, and that's the extent of it everywhere."
For example, skirmishes between villagers, no matter how close-knit the elves were, such situations would still occur from time to time. Such problems occurred even when they were not living on this Floor.
"More than that, it is wonderful to be able to live beneath the World Tree, which is growing well."
"I see."
Kousuke smiled as Lilace laughed as she came over to him and said so.
The expression on her face showed that she was relaxed.
It was not a bluff, but a genuine smile, so the governance of the village must be going well.
Furthermore, the following words also gave the villagers some leeway.
"Above all, it is great that we can have children too. It is really thanks to Kousuke-sama and Esena-sama."
Lilace said and bowed her head toward Kousuke.
"Haha. No, I only offered you guys a place to stay, you know?"
"…That's not true. It's all thanks to big brother."
Esena, who suddenly appeared beside Kousuke, said so.
The moment that Esena appeared, Lilace lowered her head.
To the elves, Esena was a legendary being, a being equal to God.
The fact that Kousuke was a living god was also conveyed to the elves through Collete.
However, they were also told not to behave in an exaggerated manner when meeting Kousuke, so no one behaved in a strange and awe-struck manner.
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Kousuke: "Esena, it's been a long time."
Esena: "Yes, it's been a long time. I'm sorry I couldn't show up to see your face."
Kousuke waved his hand at Esena, who was lowering her head towards him.
Kousuke: "No, it's okay. You've been busy, haven't you?"
Esena: "I was able to incorporate the connected Floors smoothly, but when I tried to incorporate the other floors, things happened."
Kousuke, who had not heard this story, blinked and looked at Collete.
Collete also looked at Esena with a surprised expression.
"By 'other floors', do you mean other floors that are connected to this floor?"
"Yes. I tried it and it worked."
Esena had been experimenting to see if she could incorporate the power of other Floors' veins on her own.
Kousuke had no particular comment to make in response.
Esena had her own will, even though she used to be a gigantic tree.
Of course, Kousuke believed that she should do what she wanted to do.
More than that, there was something else he wanted to ask Esena.
"So, how is it? You don't feel sick or anything?"
"It's fine. It's like I'm extending my roots to other Floors. If something did happen, I can just cut off the roots."
The reply was very tree fairy-like.
Every single branch and leaf, every single root was important to the World Tree, but even so, they could easily be cut down if they were to hinder the tree's growth.
"I see."
"Yes. If the roots can be successfully established, it is possible to extend branches and leaves in the same direction as well."
"I see. That is interesting."
Kousuke nodded in admiration at what he was hearing for the first time.
Aside from the two casually conversing, the two elves were frozen stiff.
They wanted to say, "We haven't heard anything about that".
"E, Esena-sama! I have not heard of such a thing…!?"
"Ah, yes. Maybe I forgot to mention it?"
Collete was astonished at Esena's blunt reply.
Kousuke laughed at the elf group, who were saddened to hear Esena's words.
"So there's no problem for now, right?"
"Yes! No problem at all."
Kousuke looked at Collete and remarked to Esena, who nodded cheerfully.
"It looks like there's no problem for now, so I guess we can let Esena do whatever she wants, right?"
In the first place, no one had the means to stop Esena, who was the World Tree herself.
If Kousuke strongly stopped Esena, there was a possibility that Esena would stop, but Kousuke had no particular intention of stopping her.
"However, if something is about to happen, be sure to tell me or Collete. Also, don't force yourself."
"Yes. I understand."
Esena nodded in agreement to Kousuke's reminder.
"That's fine then, right?"
Kousuke said, looking at the group of elves.
The two nodded reluctantly as they were told.
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While they were talking about this, the unusual ones arrived.
"Oh. What a rare sight."
The one who came in saying that was Liston, the High Elf, with two other High Elves following behind him.
"That's our line… But maybe not?"
At least, what Liston said was not wrong in itself, since it was unusual for Kousuke to come here.
"From my point of view, it's both of them… Is something wrong?"
"Nothing really. I had a feeling that Esena-sama was over here…"
Kousuke was surprised to hear Liston say this.
"Huh? You could feel Esena's presence?"
Initially, they would have been surprised just to see a fairy from the World Tree.
Liston, who was told, returned a wry smile.
"Kousuke-sama… I suppose in a way it's inevitable that you would say that, but even we are growing, you know?"
"Ah. That's rude of me."
It seems that even the High Elves, who Kousuke had thought were unchanging, could also change after such a period of time, to the point where they could sense Esena's presence.
"Well, we don't mind, but in regards to Esena-sama. Her main body seems to be changing, is something wrong?"
Apparently, the main reason they appeared was to ask this question.
It seemed that the all-knowing High Elves, as they should be called, were firmly sensitive to the changes in the World Tree.
Kousuke thought that Esena would explain when asked, but Esena pulled on Collete's sleeve and let her explain.
It seems that Esena decided whom she was going to talk to.
Currently, she seems to have decided on Kousuke and Collete to deliver her message.
Not particularly dissatisfied with that, the High Elf group listened to Collete's explanation while nodding.
"So that's how it is. It certainly looks like there are no problems with growth, so we'll leave it at that."
"What? That's all?"
"Yes. As long as you can tell us the cause of the change, there is no problem."
Liston simply said that and left with his companions.
It was really all that they needed to hear regarding the cause of the change in the World Tree.
After the trio of high elves left, Kousuke also decided to leave after hearing a bit about their daily routine. He was originally about to return to the Administration Floor when Liston and the others arrived. The only reason Kousuke was here this time was to check on the elves, so there was nothing special going on.
It was enough to confirm that the elves were going about their activities without much change.
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Chapter 6, Vermilion Castle
Kousuke looked down at the town from Vermilion Castle and commented.
"Has it grown again?"
It had been a month since Shrein had evolved into a true ancestor, and the town around the castle looked slightly larger.
"Mm. The population is growing steadily."
"Are there more new vampires?"
Recently, Floor, where Vermilion Castle was located, had begun to accept not only the Vermilinia clan, but also other vampire clans.
Due to past events, vampires rarely lived together in clans anymore.
They would sometimes get married when they met, but they never established a village or town anywhere.
Basically, vampires were renowned for their high magical power, and many countries forbade them to unite for fear of rebellion.
Therefore, there was no problem for them to live individually, but since they could not unite as a group, their culture as vampires was gradually lost.
Because of this concern, they decided to accept the new residents in the Tower, where they could live in a more comfortable environment.
Of course, there were some who were opposed to accepting a vampire family from a different background, but eventually, everyone agreed.
It was probably significant that they, too, who were opposed, had been in similar situations before coming here.
Above all, the fact that Shrein became a True Ancestral Vampire was the deciding factor.
Ancestral Vampires were considered by Vampires to be a higher being, almost at the level of a God.
Although True Ancestral Vampire had become almost mythical, they had not lost their importance.
Therefore, Shrein, the True Ancestral Vampire, believed that the arrival of vampires in the city he ruled would not cause a great commotion.
It had already become so common that rumors began to circulate among vampires from other continents that Amamiya Tower had begun to accept vampires.
"That's one part of it, sure. But there's more to it than that, you know?"
"You mean?"
Kousuke tilted his head at Shrein's words.
"We also have a duty to protect the Ygrite race."
"Oh, really? What about them?"
Kousuke was completely unaware that Shrein was now in charge of this floor.
Kousuke told her not to bother reporting it to him, and that's normal, but….
"Ah. That's because they are related beings, and they are not as numerous as vampires."
The Ygrite tribe was mostly confined, so they were often unable to move to another city on their own.
Therefore, forcing them to move too forcefully could lead to a conflict with the local authorities.
That said, there were times when it was impossible to do anything for them.
"I see. Well, you can do whatever you want, but don't ignore the individual and forcefully bring them here."
"Of course."
Kousuke made sure to tell her that she should ask them not to be too demanding in that area.
If they were found doing such things, severe penalties would await them.
"Speaking of which, the head of another clan wanted to meet with you…what are you going to do?"
Kousuke's expression turned doubtful when Shrein mentioned this to him after all this time.
If it were urgent, Shrein would have told him right away, but the timing of such a meeting was extremely suspicious.
"…Would that be all right?"
"Mm. He seems to be thinking of increasing the number of his clan and outnumbering the Vermilinia clan someday, but I think it should be fine, right now?"
As she said this, Shrein's gaze darted in the wrong direction.
"That doesn't sound all right at all, does it?"
Kousuke turned his blank eyes on Shrein.
It was obvious that Shrein was trying to correct the chief by having him face something ridiculous.
"…Well, okay. So, when do I get to meet the chief?"
"Eh…? Is it okay?"
Shrein looked at Kousuke with wide eyes, surprised.
"It was you who requested for me to meet him."
"No, well… Yes, but…"
Shrein did not expect Kousuke to meet with him in such a manner.
She had partly dared to phrase it that way, but if he would meet with them, it would certainly be one less thing that had been bothering her of late.
Shrein recomposed herself and quickly thought about setting up a meeting for the occasion.
"Then why don't we just get it over with soon?"
"That's fine, but will they be okay with it?"
"What, as soon as they know Kousuke is willing to meet with them, they'll come over right away."
Just the way she said that made Kousuke not want to see them, but it was better to get this over with quickly than to put it off.
Kousuke let out a single sigh, and decided to meet them.
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Kousuke's eyes were dazzled by the words that flowed from the chief, one after the other.
Amado, the head of another vampire clan, was a man who betrayed Kousuke's expectations in a good way.
Indeed, as Shrein had said, he was willing to replace the Vermilinia clan.
In fact, Kousuke could sense such an intention in every part of his speech.
However, it was within the scope of a representative of the family, and did not seem particularly sarcastic.
On the contrary, he was even a very nice person, except for the fact that once he started talking, he did not stop.
Shrein, who was standing next to Amado, was also listening to Amado's story with a light chuckle.
Shrein had not told Amado about him until now, not because she did not want Kousuke to meet him, but rather because she was concerned that meeting him would ruin his time.
Amado himself had a firm hand in getting a grip on his family, the Tarrega clan, even when it was falling apart.
It was also Amado who, upon hearing about the Vermilinia clan in Amamiya Tower, immediately decided to relocate the Tarrega clan.
As a chief, he was quite a man of action.
He told Kousuke that his clan, which was currently scattered, would soon come together.
He also said that there were only about a hundred people left in his clan now.
He also said that he expects the overall number to increase here, since the number of vampires as a whole had decreased considerably compared to their heyday.
"Amado-dono, it's about time…"
Shrein said to Amado when the conversation was temporarily interrupted.
"Hmm? Is it? … I still have more to tell you, unfortunately."
Kousuke inwardly pulled back, wondering if there was more, but tried not to show it in his expression.
"I'm sorry. It's just that we don't have much time to spare."
"No, no. That can't be helped."
Amado said with a laugh.
Amado knew that Kousuke was a living god, but he had a strange, unafraid attitude.
But that did not mean he was rude.
As long as he didn't have the bad habit of talking forever, such a person would be very valuable to Kousuke.
It was not that there was anything wrong with his personality, either.
Kousuke thought that he would have to spare some time to see them again once in a while.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
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