Ever since Konrad woke up knowing he had this almost infinite mana pool, he'd been trying to fill it up. But even with his fastest method, probing into the cracks between the dimensions—
It felt like trying to fill a bucket with an eyedropper.
And while touring Halaima or during this ball, he had no chance to concentrate on that at all.
'Stop moaning,' Paula scoffed. 'You've gathered two thousand mana points so far. If what you've been saying was true, this is already more than you've ever had at once.'
Well, if he wanted to go into all the little technicalities—
He also used his adamantite sword and armor as external storage.
While that essence wasn't actually inside his body, soul, or pool and whatnot—
He could still transfer it back to himself at a moment's notice.
Let's say his previous record was two thousand five hundred if he filled everything to the brim.
But now, even with this two thousand, he felt empty, dry, and thirsty.
And since he couldn't even focus on his recovery right now—
Konrad was growing frustrated.
'Can't you use the same recharging methods as I do?' he asked the parallel brain, while shaking hands with random nobles. 'You said you can cast any spell I already know, so—'
'Nope,' the voice answered. 'Sorry to disappoint. I can use your essence, but can't recharge it.'
Ugh. The one thing he actually needed.
And watching Lily stuff her face with all those expensive meals—
For the first time, he wanted to crunch on some magic crystals, too.
'And to think how terrified you were in that Anomaly Field when I told you to do it?!'
Yeah, well. He no longer had to worry about his head exploding from the overcharge.
"Lord Halstadt? Konrad," Helena yelled into his ear, bumping his arm. "Are you still with us?!"
"Sorry, sorry," he muttered, clearing his throat. "Lost myself in all the names I told you I wouldn't remember anyway. I'm not used to these kinds of illustrious crowds, you know."
'Smooth lie,' Paula noted, as if he wasn't already too distracted.
But yeah. He was in a hornet's nest, so he'd better focus on the present instead.
His thirst for mana had to wait.
"What did you want to say?" he asked the king's sister.
"Your second wife had disappeared," she noted, looking around in the crowd of nobles.
"Huh? Gabrielle?!" Konrad scowled, but— "No. She's right there, in that corner."
Still talking to those churchmen that freaked him out for some reason.
"What?" Helena blinked. "You mean to tell me the daughter of a duke, same standing as yours, is only your second wife?!" she whisper-shouted. "Okay then. I meant Lady Liliana. She's gone."
That didn't add up, either.
He'd been watching her eat a moment ago, but—
Now, when he tried to find her again, all he saw was the still-packed plate she carried around.
"Oh? The higher being?" the White Mage muttered. "Yes. She used a strange portal a moment ago. I'm surprised you noticed it, Princess Helena. She's more adept at it than my humble self."
Well, yeah, because she used Teleport and not mere Portals.
But still.
"She left without a word?" Konrad asked, looking at Eyna first, then at Gabrielle, again.
Neither of them seemed concerned, and the angel wouldn't miss something like this.
"I'm sure she'll be back soon, Master," the purple-eyed beauty noted, too.
"It's a miracle she didn't leave earlier," the old wizard claimed. "As much of a rush she was in to eat. But those extradimensional invaders won't defeat themselves."
Right. He knew about that.
In fact, it seemed like he knew more about how Konrad's wives fought them than he did.
"She's the one carrying everyone else around," the Mage explained. "Her spatial magic is something out of this world. But according to Lady Gabrielle, the others can manage the fight."
"S-So she will be back soon?" Helena muttered, looking confused.
Konrad had no idea how many even knew about these invasions she went to fight off, but—
"Are you guys talking about meow?" Lily asked, holding the same packed plate again.
And saying they all jumped would be an understatement.
It must have drawn quite a few eyes within those halls, too.
"Fuck. I can't get used to this," Konrad grunted, heart pounding like crazy.
"Good. That'll keep ya on your toes," the demoness smirked. And then, grabbed the sweetest-looking morsel from her plate and shoved it into her mouth. "Mm, thish ish ta goob stuff."
"So uh, you were—?" he probed while looking her over.
She didn't seem wounded. Not even a speck of dirt on her exotic outfit.
And it wasn't exactly something rugged, either.
That green veil was so thin, it would have ripped if he looked at it wrong.
"Mhm. Dropped off Meow Midori and Blondie somewhere," she said between bites. "Might've to take Soapy Soap and Roachie guy on a trip, too. Then pick 'em up. But so far, we're good."
"The kingdom is thankful for your service," the White Mage claimed.
He bowed without asking anything else.
"W-what does any of that mean?" Helena mumbled, giving Konrad a hint.
The old man knew about the secret invasions, but the princess did not.
And in that case, it was safe to assume nobody else in these halls knew anything either.
Ugh. If he had the choice, he would have been fighting alongside his friends, too.
But his wives told him in no vague terms that he had to stay put, and—
Attend this thing, whatever it was.
"Our most-esteemed guests. Let me announce the Ruler of all Kasserlane," a voice broke the awkwardness. "His Majesty the King, Ronald von Kasserlane, the first to his name, has arrived."
"Arrived?" Konrad muttered as the nobles broke into applause. "Wasn't he the host?"
"Ah, I've got to go," Helena yelped, rushing towards the front of the hall instead of answering.
"And I have to join His Majesty as well," the Silver Mage announced. "We'll be talking soon—at your aptitude test at the latest. And for that, I wish you good luck, Ser White Mage."
Ugh. That.
He had almost forgotten about it by now.
"What will they even be testing?" he grumbled, to no one in particular.
"Mmm, whether you're the real deal or not," Liliske noted, as if that explained anything. "I heard there's another candidate, and you'd have to fight him or something. Should be easy."
"W-what?!"
Why did it always have to be like this?
The king's favorite pastime was to put him on trials, have him fight against the odds, and—
"Relax," she said between bites. "You're stronger than you realise. I can feel your mana overflow."
Hah. Funny she would say that.
For Konrad, it was the exact opposite.
He was desperate to fill up his enormous empty pool, but—
'You've reached the two thousand six hundred threshold,' Paula offered, almost on cue. 'So even if you count all your adamantite crap, that's a new record, right?'
"I guess you're right," he sighed, answering to both. "But who am I even going to fight?"
"Konrad?" a familiar voice asked from somewhere in the crowd.
And as he turned to see who, he almost didn't recognise his old master.
Dressed in all black but smelling like flowers?!
"Zoltan?" he scowled, but the illusionist held up a hand.
"Please. Right now, I'm the Black Mage. See you around."