Seventy-seven: That’s just human nature, wanting what you don’t have, huh?

"Then let’s finish it up."

"Yep!"

The transfer gate was set up in a building that looked like a warehouse.

The gate on the kingdom’s side—Goldendown—had already been installed. Whether or not to install a gate in the Mizoho Shrine Nation had been left entirely to Kyle.

The Goldendown gate was already inside a dedicated structure, so security concerns were already taken care of.

Kyle seemed to see trade with the Mizoho Shrine Nation as the first step toward human unity, so he’d decided to get it set up right away.

I finish off the gate using alchemy magic.

"Final test, right?"

Nodding, I activate the communication golem and link it to Alphard.

We’d already coordinated the connection last night, so the response came fast.

Craft. My preparations are complete. How is Kyle doing?

You heard me yesterday, didn’t you? Same as always.

Kyle, you’ve always been frail! You never know when something might happen!

Thanks to the elixir, I'm completely healthy. In fact, I'm getting stronger every day.

Got it, got it. They’re alive and kicking it with the samurai, so don’t worry.

What the hell!? What are you doing to Kyle-sama!?

"Wait, why am I being yelled at?"

You're making Kyle fight with a sword, aren't you!

You gotta be kidding me! Your imagination’s way too wild!

Overprotective? That’s beyond imagination!

The elders of Mizuho are waiting—let’s get this test over with already!

You really okay with this?

If you're worried, just come over here and check for yourself!

"Yeah, right! Let’s hook it up now!"

Alphard, buzzing with excitement at the thought of seeing Kyle, slaps the crystal into place and activates the portal without hesitation.

Seriously. We’re sharing visuals through a communication golem—shouldn’t you already be checking Kyle’s face every night?

I set my own crystal and link the portal. Seconds later, Alphard bursts through the gate.

...You’re the one in charge of Goldendown, aren’t you?

No. That’s Zaid-nii. So it’s fine, right?

“Can a defense commander even be in another country?”

“Just check Kyle’s face—then I’m out.”

“Fine.”

Honestly, Alphard and Persia are way too obsessed with Kyle. I’m not one to talk, but this level of overprotectiveness? Not cool.

I didn’t say it out loud, but Leifan gave me a sleepy look.

“Even you, Craft-kun, are getting ridiculous.”

I shrugged in reply, then pushed open the building’s door.

“Apologies for the wait. The teleportation gate has been installed.”

“Ah! I’ve been waiting!”

Shingen barged straight into the building without even checking for danger.

“Looks quite large, doesn’t it?”

“Big enough for a carriage to pass through.”

“Hm…? And you are?”

Shingen turned to Alphard. Well, there was just me and Leifan inside the building, so it made sense he’d be surprised. Even if he’d intellectually grasped that the gate was being set up.

“Pleased to meet you! I am Alphard Promise, Captain of the Holy Knight Corps of the Elixiric Frontier Domain!”

“Hmph? So you’re Kyle’s trusted blade, are you? Lucky fellow.”

“Thank you very much!”

Alphard had been briefed on the samurai appearance, so he recognized Shingen as the general right away.

…Well, one eye, a beard, built like a sack of bricks, walking into the room before Kyle—no way to mistake him.

Hanbee shot a quick glance at Alphard, muttering low.

"Ah. The transfer gate’s already open. You came through it, then."

"Wha—?!"

"Then I’ll go too!"

"Father?!"

Before Hanbee could stop him, Shingen vanished through the transfer gate.

Total mess.

"…Wait! Craft! Alphard! Come on!"

Kyle snapped out of it, scrambling through the gate. Me and Alphard rushed after him.

"Gwahahaha! Really… really standing on another world!"

Standing on the Golden Dawn side, Alphard’s subordinates—the Holy Knights—stared in confusion at the massive man who’d just appeared alone.

Should’ve been arrested as a suspicious figure, but I get that today’s a big day for foreign dignitaries. So they’re frozen in place, stuck.

Kyle lunged forward, frantically waving down the Holy Knights. The knights relaxed, relieved.

Me and Alphard—Hanbee, Kagetaka, and Masamune too—follow right behind.

“Father! You’re being summoned by another nation!? That’s not acceptable!”

“Oh, sorry, sorry. Gwahahaha!”

“Don’t laugh it off like that!”

Damn. This guy’s definitely the same breed as Van.

Mizho’s samurai glance around again.

The building’s massive enough to swallow the portal whole. The double doors, bigger than the portal itself, stand wide open.

Beyond the gate sprawled a vast plaza, with stables lined up side by side. The building and plaza were enclosed by walls of alchemically hardened rock, just like the one we’d passed through earlier—double doors, identical in design, stood open as the entrance. This one, though, was shut tight.

Kyle stepped in front of Mizho, the representative.

"Head just a little further past that gate, and you’ll reach Goldendown. Today, please stay within these walls."

He stated the rules. Whether they were listening or not… who knew.

The samurai’s gazes were locked on one point.

Goldendown.

A vast city wall. A sturdy fortress wall. And the castle—majestic, imposing, towering over it all.

That wasn’t all. Apartment complexes, as tall as the city wall, sprouted up like bamboo shoots, pushing through the ground in thick clusters.

First-timers always lost their words. These weren’t any different.

"What the hell… that… fortress is…"

"Fortress... that word's too weak, isn't it?"

"G-guys, is this some kind of illusion!? The Kingdom's trying to scare us with this!?"

"Kagetaka... we're supposed to be trading. What's the point in tricking us now?"

"Ugh..."

Once trade starts, we can go anywhere in Goldendown City. Hanbee's right—there's no point in fooling us here. I'll admit it's an unreal, massive city, though.

Kyle cleared his throat quietly and straightened his collar.

"Let's continue. We'll inspect your goods here in the plaza. If nothing's wrong, you'll exit through the main gate and head toward Goldendown, as you all see. We'd like the Mizoho Shrine Nation to prepare a similar inspection plaza on their side."

Trade across borders means we can't just let each other pass without checking. Not even for taxes.

"Hmm. So we just build a courtyard walled in stone, is that it?"

"Yes. If needed, we can prepare alchemically hardened stone?"

"No, for something this size, regular stone will do—ready in no time."

"Understood. Once we have a completion date, we’ll start full operation on that day. Until then, we’ll keep testing. The transfer gate drains magic stones fast when it’s open and active, but for now, the kingdom will cover the cost. Once trade ramps up, you’ll need to provide the stones yourself—or buy them."

Kyle points to the magic stone embedded in the transfer gate.

"How much stone are we talking about?"

"About an hour’s worth of cyclops-grade stone. Depends on size and quality, of course."

"Hmm. That’s manageable for my country. I’ll have it prepared as best as I can."

"Thank you."

"Father. If it's just the wall and gate, I can have them ready in a few days. How about starting full operation ten days from now?"

"Ah. If you say you can manage it, then we'll do that."

Hanbee seems eager to start trade as soon as possible. I get it. We’re just as happy to get salt and fresh seafood, so the sooner, the better.

"Then let's set it for ten days from now. Should we have a ceremony or something?"

"For now, it's better if we only use merchants we've personally designated. We can't risk opening it to the public until we've ironed out all the problems."

Shingen old man—looks like he’s got brains as sharp as his sword.

"Understood. I’ll get the selection process underway on our end."

"Ah."

Kyle, just hand the merchants over to Akindoo—no need to worry!

"But…"

Shingen rubbed his beard.

"Those giant cities, evaporating potions, hardened stone, portal gates, orichalcum—seems like the kingdom kept all these handy things locked away."

Kyle grins back.

"Wrong, Your Grace. Not locked away. Every single one you mentioned—crafted by the alchemist Craft, right there in the last year."

Wait—!? Kyle-san!?

"Hmm... all of them?"

"Yes! He's also mass-producing legendary-grade stamina potions and healing potions. He's deeply invested in spreading the tech too. He's someone I truly admire!"

"Hmm hmm... so the kingdom's top alchemist, is he? Remarkable."

"Yes! Craft-san is—amazing!"

Hold on, Kyle!

Three samurai are staring at me like ogres who just found their prey. Notice me!

I’d been getting hot stares from the three of them all day.

Of course, not from Kagetaka.

Apparently, Kagetaka didn’t care about me more than his own bangs. You three should learn from him!

That night. Just before bed. Kyle smiled at me.

“Glad it’s over safely, brother.”

“Safely… is it?”

For the next few days, until we met the living god Muten.

We were caught in a diplomatic nightmare and a hell of hospitality—yet every single Mizoho person we met (including the half-breeds) kept trying to recruit us into the Mizoho Shrine Nation.

Not happening!

Not going to happen!?

I got propositioned—more than once—by all sorts of stunning, beautiful, or strikingly elegant women, each time earning side-eye from my own crew. But mostly, we made it through the hectic days without too much trouble.

Tsk tsk...

Then, finally, we were granted an audience with Muten Ingram. Kyle and I went as representatives. The palace where the living god resided? It was exactly the kind of place that sat right between the mortal world and the heavens.

Hani tora \(^o^)/