After the unstable otherworlders underwent rehabilitation and the energy flowing through their bodies finally stabilized, everyone decided to go their separate ways. So left to beco adventurers, while others departed to pursue their own dreams.
"Doctor! We want to stay with you!"
So of them expressed a desire to work under because I had saved their lives. I told them I appreciated the sentint, but since they were still just children, they insisted with firm resolve that they would serve no matter what. In the end, I had no choice but to accept them.
Just then, I received a report that all preparations for my city to take flight were complete, so I used spatial magic to bring the children back to my fortress.
In an instant, the scenery shifted, and the otherworlders looked around in astonishnt. At that mont, Granger, having reduced his size, approached .
"Lord Vertis. All preparations are complete. There were no wild monsters in the vicinity of the fortress. However, those humans..."
Granger began to bare his claws as he looked at the young otherworlders hiding behind , but I stopped him.
"That's enough. They are still children. Besides, I only brought them here because they wished to co."
"Is that so?"
At my words, Granger retracted his sharp claws and relaxed his guard.
Afterward, I gave the children a brief tour of the town. As they looked around, their eyes filled with curiosity rather than fear.
Part of this was due to their young age, but more importantly, the other monsters treated them with kindness.
The only real issue was Yumi's group, who still harbored a deep grudge against humans. They understood that the ones at fault were the people who had destroyed their village, not these children, but hatred is not sothing that vanishes so easily. That was a bridge that would have to be crossed slowly, giving them ti to grow closer.
Once everything was in place, the floating devices installed throughout the city began to activate. Their power slowly seeped into the earth, gradually taking effect.
Kugugugugugugu...
Then, with a massive tremor, the city beneath our fields began to rise. Driven by the power of gravity manipulation and magic, the city ascended completely into the sky.
"It may not be as large as the great nations, but this is my city and the fortress of monsters—Laputa."
To commorate this historic mont, we gave the city a na. I called it Laputa, after the floating castle from a Japanese film I had seen as a child.
Thus, the aerial fortress "Laputa" soared above the clouds and vanished from sight. The monsters held a grand festival to celebrate the occasion; watching them, I felt they weren't all that different from humans.
To mark this historic day, I had prepared a special feast. With a snap of my fingers, a giant crab I had stored in subspace appeared, its freshness perfectly preserved.
The creature was a Kaiser Crab. A vicious, crab-like monster inhabiting the distant western seas, it boasted one of the highest danger levels among marine monsters. Furthermore, as they age, their shells beco incredibly hard—which, conversely, ans the at inside is exceptionally dense and plentiful.
Capturing it had not been easy. Since it lived in the deep sea, I had utilized Milim's [Dragon Eye].
That eye, inherited from Veldanava, possessed abilities on an entirely different dinsion than my own. Unless a target used concealnt on the level of Protheus's Ultimate Skill, it was impossible to hide, and it could accurately lock onto distant objects as if through clairvoyance.
"There it is!!"
Once Milim pinpointed the monster's location, I dove into the ocean like a bird of prey, spearing the creature and dragging it out of the water.
Due to its danger level and deep-sea habitat, few people knew this, but its flesh was incredibly delicious. When I had eaten it in the past, it felt like tasting the finest Hanwoo beef.
I divided the Kaiser Crab into its claws, legs, and torso, then roasted them over an open fire.
As ti passed and the shells turned a vibrant red, I used a blade to crack them open. Inside the hard exterior, the crab at was revealed—plump, tender, and bright red.
"All right, it's done! Let's eat!"
I distributed the roasted Kaiser Crab to everyone. Because of its massive size, even the claws were packed with at, and a single leg provided enough to satisfy over a hundred monsters.
"It's delicious!!"
"It tastes like the highest grade of at!"
The sweet flavor and tender texture were far superior to any king crab I had ever tasted. It felt less like seafood and more like chewing a pri cut of steak.
Even after we had eaten our fill, one leg remained. I later sent it as a gift to Milim, who reportedly chewed through the entire thing, shell and all.
The monsters were so captivated by the unfamiliar taste that they scraped every last bit of at from the shells. Since the remaining shells could be processed into sturdy armor, I handed them over to the experts.
"With a size like this, the durability should be imnse."
"Leave it to us!!"
The monsters responded with confidence.
This town was a gathering place for monsters of various races and abilities, each with their own story. There were those cast out by their own kind, those who had wandered lost, those who had lost their hos, and those I had created myself. There were even those who had requested protection, such as the Cryptids. It was an island for the eccentric and the displaced, and they lived by an unspoken rule: never ask about each other's pasts.
Naturally, among them were those with the build and skill of master blacksmiths.
As I tore into a giant crab claw with one hand, I looked down at my city from the sky. It was majestic yet imposing. A massive wall encircled the entire city, with a jet-black castle soaring even higher than the ramparts, and the urban sprawl stretching out beneath it. I wondered what it would feel like to look up at this sight from the ground.
While it was full of dignity, the cost and effort required to maintain the magical devices keeping this vast land airborne were imnse. It was, quite frankly, inefficient.
"I'll have to find a more sustainable solution soon."
As the festival reached its peak and night fell, the nocturnal monsters—the bats and owls—began their activities. I entrusted the children's education to the five dragons. The children averaged ten years of age; on Earth, they would be holding pencils in a classroom rather than swords on a battlefield. Thus, I decided to prioritize their knowledge over rigorous physical training.
Ignis, Fons, Ventus, Nox, and Terra. Because my own knowledge had been integrated into them during their creation, they were quite learned. Though they didn't often flaunt it, they happily agreed to teach the children.
Well, learning the language of this world is the first priority.
After leaving the children in the dragons' care, I returned to my duties, leaving behind a [parallel existence] to act as my proxy in case of ergencies.
Currently, I maintain three [parallel existence] bodies: one in Laputa, one in the Kingdom of Falmuth, and one in Ingrasia.
It is difficult to explain the concept, but simply put, all three are . While my power is divided accordingly, I can handle almost any problem without issue, provided I am not facing soone like Milim, Guy, or another of the True Dragons.
After the fortress was established, Baal constructed a massive casino in the Kingdom of Falmuth under the guise of raising funds and gathering intelligence.
They say the surest way to make money in Las Vegas is to own the casino. By establishing one, I could generate enormous wealth daily. Furthermore, since high-ranking officials, nobles, and the wealthy from various nations would visit, I could naturally acquire detailed information on the political climate of each country.
With this plan in mind, I had an entire mountain near the Kingdom of Falmuth leveled and ordered my subordinates to build a colossal casino on the site. I equipped it with a variety of card gas, slot machines, and roulette wheels. The dealers were golems remodeled into human form, and to ensure it caught every eye, the exterior was plated in gold with flashing electronic billboards to attract the masses.
Finally, using the King of Falmuth, I announced the casino's existence to the world through the Council. Between those obsessed with gambling and the otherworlders, there was no need for further manipulation; the crowds flocked to the gates.
My predictions were spot on. Every day, thousands of officials spent money like water, their faces a kaleidoscope of joy and despair.
From those who struck it rich to those who lost everything, and those dreaming of a life-changing jackpot, all sorts of people entered day and night. For them, I placed a sign at the entrance:
"The winner shall gain all, and the loser shall lose all."
It was my final warning. So were deterred by the words, but the vast majority ignored the warning, driven by greed.
In this way, the casino beca one of the most iconic landmarks in the Kingdom of Falmuth.
From the initial construction and announcent to becoming a massive financial engine, the entire process took exactly four months.
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