The Floating Castle

“From today, you’ll depart on a journey with me.”

Pernok brought Tunnel Folk and researchers who could move without difficulty or endure long voyages.

And he guided selected ones to the castle with Ruin.

“Keruk, keruk!”

“This is the castle that floats in the sky…”

Keir and the research director looked around with surprised eyes.

Though looking no different from ordinary castles, when Pernok activated functions, different colored lights flowed out.

“Wow…”

Lights throughout the streets emitted various colored beams, and mana flowing into each research complex automatically activated functions.

“All this runs on mana?”

“Hard to understand?”

“It seems similar in structure to the rechargeable mana stones I’m recently researching…”

A method evolved several dimensions beyond that.

Lionic’s stable mana supply seeped into the castle through mana conduits, drawing out each plant’s performance.

“…Amazing. No, it’s insane. You’re saying it even raises fire without a single piece of wood!?”

Entering the smithy, the research director got as excited as Keir.

He looked shocked that despite containing mana, it wasn’t fire raised by magic.

“Keruk! Keruk!”

Keir immediately grabbed a hammer.

His eyes touring the smithy sparkled like a child at a playground.

“Iron! Give me iron, human!”

“I’ll bring it from that island, so for now familiarize yourself with using this place. And I’ll guide you to spaces where you’ll stay.”

Pernok grabbed the scruff of Keir who wouldn’t leave the smithy and entered the residential district with the research director.

“Here, Tunnel Folk, Horn Tribe who’ll join going forward, and humans. I’ll make sure no one is discriminated against and everyone mingles naturally.”

When Pernok snapped his fingers, Lionic responded by flowing mana to the residential district.

Street lights twinkled and waste processors activated, sucking up even foul odors.

“I emphasized hygiene. Because it’d be trouble if diseases emerged.”

The research director now had a dazed expression.

Only when passing various plants and reaching the castle tower did he barely collect himself.

“W-with such amazing things existing, why did you bring me?”

Mana Flash Cannons were child’s play compared to this scale.

With Pernok’s mana charging method, making something similar to Flash Cannons would be nothing.

“Because your method resembles alchemy.”

“My knowledge is insignificant compared to this.”

“Do you think the castle made by one who reached alchemy’s extreme and the wisdom of one just awakening knowledge are the same?”

Pernok pointed to empty spots throughout the castle walls.

“I’m hoping you’ll fill those places with new alchemy.”

“…!”

“Won’t you learn alchemy?”

While viewing Mana Flash Cannon theory, he suddenly realized.

That the research director’s theories had aspects similar to alchemy theories, and might match very well in applying mana to real life.

He’d already finished talking with Ruin.

He too felt gloomy about the situation where alchemy’s lineage was cut after Baudelaire died.

He rejoiced that if others besides Pernok learned alchemy, even if they sacrificed in huge wars, alchemy would absolutely never be buried.

“May I learn such great knowledge?”

“However, conflicts with mages will be inevitable.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m merely a researcher.”

“No hesitation in learning.”

“When a wide world is before eyes, those who don’t step forward have no qualifications to pioneer new paths. Words I learned from the previous director.”

Pernok smirked.

“I’ll teach alchemy one by one. For now, only you know so idle words don’t leak out.”

“Yes!”

“And about Mana Flash Cannons, how about modifying them a bit with alchemy and deploying them on the castle?”

“This castle has no defensive functions?”

“It does.”

There’s the massive barrier called Ruin, but he must move busily away from the castle from now.

“But we must expand the castle’s functions more using Lionic. Weapons will become the foundation for that.”

“Understood. For now, I brought a few, so I’ll remodel them according to the method you teach.”

“Work together with Keir. If you throw work at him, he’ll bring very good results.”

“Yes!”

The research director headed to the Tunnel Folk with staff and Mana Flash Cannons.

Pernok who glimpsed the two craftsmen’s collaboration entered the castle’s center.

Ruin was examining mana conduits connected to Lionic.

“No problems?”

“For now, the castle’s mana supply won’t have disruptions. But since it was only transmitted as theory, whether actual flight is possible is unknown.”

“Have confidence. Baudelaire’s theories weren’t wrong.”

“Hehehehe, thank you. Then when will you activate the functions?”

“Start tomorrow evening. Ah, you must ‘hide’ this castle until we go out to sea.”

“Understood.”

If a castle suddenly appeared flying while mountains stirred, all sorts of rumors would spread in an instant.

Pernok planned to hide the castle with Ruin’s silence Magus Arts only until reaching places out of sight.

‘The core and conduits are rooted in this castle. Now all that remains is praying imagination becomes reality.’

Pernok inspected Lionic with Ruin until the end.

Even as Tears of the Sky and Hollow Eye sucked massive mana, cracks didn’t form.

And when one modified Mana Flash Cannon by the research director and Keir was deployed on the castle wall.

The castle harboring massive mana stretched in the mountain.

Crrrrrrrr!

Roars echoed in all directions as if heaven and earth vibrated, and mana radiated from the castle’s underside, gaining propulsion.

Pernok who climbed the tower and watched the state grinned.

“Definitely worth achieving great deeds!”

If Baudelaire in Netherworld saw the castle rising in the night sky, what massive joyful sounds would she make?

Ruin who approached nearby wiped moisture from eye corners.

“We did it.”

A dream that would disappear with yearning was revived in Pernok and Ruin’s hands.

“Still far. We must see how long it can move.”

“Hehehe, yes. We must watch slowly, very slowly. This castle flying to all places in the world beyond the sea…”

When Ruin lightly tapped the tower with his staff, massive mana overlaid like a barrier.

In the blink of an eye, the castle disappeared from the sky.

Silence magic hid even the castle’s sounds.

However, Pernok and Ruin clearly looked down.

The appearance of various castles twinkling like lights under the night sky.

It felt like becoming a bird and flying through clouds.

* * *

The castle’s floating function could be used up to one week maximum.

Even with the core enduring, load was placed on function connection conduits, requiring landing on the ground one day for cooling work.

‘If coating with metal that doesn’t overheat more from mana, we can increase floating time. It’s possible since Tunnel Folk exist.’

Inspecting the castle’s overall functions while flying, they soon reached the sea.

“Then I’ll organize those hopeless guys well.”

“Rule harshly. Don’t go easy just because they’re level-6 mages.”

“Hehehe, we must pull up at least one to level 7.”

Ruin pressed down his bowler hat and walked out from the castle.

Pernok raised the castle again and flew over the sea.

Researchers and Tunnel Folk who trembled at first also climbed the tower with excited expressions to watch flowing waves.

Rippling seawater stimulated memories.

[We’ll definitely find homes smelling of people.]

Baudelaire wanted to build their own kingdom on the sea.

So they could live quiet, peaceful daily lives without receiving anyone’s discrimination.

‘This isn’t bad in its own way.’

Pernok looked at humans mingling with Tunnel Folk while recalling Baudelaire in Netherworld.

He only hoped many who’d be together from now would advance harmonizing in this castle like Baudelaire’s will.

“Keruk! Rainstorm!”

It was while flying across the vast ocean.

Keir pointed at dark cloud swarms excitedly.

“We’ll fly away!”

At the worried appearance about being swept up, Pernok activated castle functions.

Thick outer walls that wouldn’t shake even from considerable wind magic were erected, and mana barriers roundly embraced the castle.

The research director’s eyes sparkled.

“What’s this again?”

“A method protecting overhead with charged mana.”

“What level of shock can it endure?”

“I expected level-6 magic, but don’t know about natural disasters.”

Pernok placed hands on the tower and sent mana flowing.

He overlaid defensive magic obtained from Rezhen’s mages.

Though relaxed enough to have mana remaining after wrapping the entire castle, the leisure quickly disappeared when meeting the rainstorm.

Rumble, crash!

They named it “Wailing” for being a sea humans couldn’t cross.

Entering Wailing Strait, thunder, lightning, and storms assaulted from all directions trying to break the center.

‘How the hell did that guy break through here?’

He recalled Mati the Horn Tribe boasting they had their own passage.

‘Is there a special day when rainstorms don’t rage?’

Mati taught the way but didn’t say how to break through.

He hinted don’t even dare approach, thinking Pernok could absolutely never penetrate.

Whooooong!

As if mocking that appearance, Pernok added more mana to the castle.

Lionic responded by sending massive mana flowing to the barrier.

The castle shook but never collapsed.

After flying half a day more, they escaped Wailing Strait.

“Heavens!”

The sea beyond was like an emerald mine.

Fish swimming in very beautiful waves were clearly visible.

When the sea untouched by human hands captured the party’s gaze.

The destination appeared far away.

The Horn Tribe’s island Mati taught about.

Mana more abundant than the continent was noticeable even from afar.

Generally such places boast abundant resources and fertile soil.

‘Those must be Scale Tribe.’

Even from here, sharp gazes circling and observing around that island were felt.

In human terms, about level 3-4 mage grade.

“First hover the castle above that island. We’ll land immediately if landing spots appear. You all keep waiting in the castle just in case. Fire away if necessary.”

“Yes!”

“Keruk!”

Though sea whirlpools existed around the island, they couldn’t even reach dust to the floating castle.

The castle leisurely crossed the sea and revealed its magnificent form above the island.

Horn Tribe startled by the massive shadow that even blocked the sun burst out.

‘Good.’

Nimble despite their bulk, and the energy they held internally was pure.

With several more trainings, they seemed like warriors who could fully fulfill their roles.

Pernok smiled pleasantly and landed lightly.

“I came looking for Mati. I’m Pernok.”

“#$%@#$%!”

As soon as incomprehensible words burst from the largest Horn Tribe member, other Horn Tribe raised nimble weapons.

Those were definitely weapons made by Tunnel Folk.

“They were making proper weapons. But where’s Mati?”

“@#$%@!”

When the large Horn Tribe member screamed and charged, Pernok smirked and stamped his foot.

Boom boom boom!

Stone pillars shot up from the sandy beach, blocking the Horn Tribe’s advance.

When startled Horn Tribe stopped with weapons raised.

“Stop!”

A Horn Tribe member with one horn cut off arrived.

“Not enemies!”

When Mati urgently waved hands protesting, other Horn Tribe carefully lowered weapons.

Indeed, the explanation of being the chief’s son didn’t seem false.

“It’s been a while, Mati.”

When Mati turned his head, Pernok raised the horn he’d cut off and handed over.

“As promised, I’ll rule this place from today.”

How on earth did he reach this place?

Mati looked at calm Pernok with a shocked expression.