Weeks have passed since then, and today we're enjoying our day off.
We start the morning enjoying freshly baked cookies filled with chocolate chips and dried strawberries, and I serve them with warm glasses of milk.
Yomogi dips her cookie gently, taking a bite and humming with surprise.
"Mmm! I can't believe milk goes even better with this than tea or coffee, Motegi-chan!"
Chantal dunks hers deep, takes a bite, and groans with satisfaction.
"Ohh! This is delicious! If I don't stop now, I swear I'll eat the whole thing..."
Kimberly follows, dipping her cookie delicately and taking a bite.
"This is… the first time... I've had... a breakfast... like this. It's so… unique…"
Salacia sighs happily as she lets her cookie soak just enough in the milk before biting into it.
"This cookie is so soft and chewy~! I love it, darling~..."
Manas dips hers next, taking a bite and chewing slowly with honest admiration.
"Verily, this is a treat most divine. A delight worthy of noble tables, mine king."
Lilith lowers her cookie into the milk, swirling it a little before taking a bite and moaning.
"Mmhh~… why are strawberries and chocolate always so good together~?"
Pinna dunks her cookie and takes a bite and begins her usual assessment.
"The combination of semi-sweet chocolate and tart dried strawberry provides optimal flavor contrast. The outer crispness and internal softness create textural duality. Warm milk enhances absorption, amplifies flavor compounds, and promotes retronasal aroma. Nutritionally satisfactory."
Across from her, Puck's tiny paws hold a cookie, and it nibbles along the edge, then scoots over to its miniature milk cup to take a long sip.
"Kyuu!"
Finally, I dip mine too and take a bite, letting the flavor hit.
"This is the best cookie ever..."
For a while, we just eat and enjoy the slow breakfast. And then, our conversation starts as I'm the one who speaks first.
"Hey, Lilith. There's something I've been curious about."
"Hmm? What is it, honey~?"
"Back when you told me you were one of the seven Demon Lord's generals and that you were the General of Lust... I've been wondering. Who were the other six?"
And Chantal chimes in excitedly as Lilith giggles.
"Yeah, yeah, I want to know that too, Lilith!"
"Fufufu~... alright, let's see…"
With that, Lilith taps a finger to her lips.
"The first one was Caoimhín. He was a dullahan, General of Pride. He used to brag that his flying head could cleave entire battlefields. It was more goofy than impressive, but he was strong."
"Hah! A head that flyeth to cleave… I daresay, we might find kinship if fate alloweth our meeting."
As Manas chuckles proudly, Lilith continues.
"Next was Rav. He was a ten-headed demon, General of Greed. Since he had ten heads, it looked ridiculous because all ten mouths were talking at once."
"Ten heads? That's as many as a squid's tentacles!"
Salacia blinks in surprise as Lilith continues again.
"The third was Egares, an orc with the scariest face imaginable. He was the General of Wrath. But the truth was... he was one of the kindest demons I knew. People just assumed he was furious all the time."
Yomogi's brows furrow sympathetically.
"Aww… poor Egares. It must be so hard to be misunderstood like that…"
And Lilith takes another bite of her cookie before moving on.
"Fourth was Herdinia, an arachne and the General of Envy. Master of web weaving. She'd get so jealous if anyone made a prettier web than her. And she was probably the one I was closest to."
"It looks like... she's a... pretty... interesting... arachne..."
Kimberly hums, and Lilith grins.
"Fifth was Dando. Big, round, always eating. General of Gluttony. Honestly, he could probably eat a whole table if given the chance."
"Designation Gluttony aligns with observed morphology and behavior. The stereotype is accurate. His metabolic demand must be anomalously high."
Pinna nods, and Lilith spills the last one.
"And finally Nocnitsa the vampiress. General of Sloth. Slept all day because she hated sunlight. But she's a total bloodthirsty maniac at night. Sweet by day, terrifying by night."
Chantal's eyes widen somehow.
"Wow! She sounds like the crazy one!"
Then, I ask Lilith again.
"I see. So, what are they doing now?"
"Hmm... life after the war, huh? Caoimhín opened a dojo in Qualtnok. Rav has been meditating for centuries, trying to sync all ten heads into one mind. And last time I heard about Egares, he was working on 'smiling practice' to soften his image for millennia."
We laugh quietly as she continues.
"Herdinia became a designer in Qualtnok, her whole career's just about proving she's the best weaver alive. Dando is traveling the world as a food critic, just an excuse for free food, but somehow restaurants still believe his reviews. As for Nocnitsa… I'm not really sure, maybe she's still doing the same."
"I see…"
Then, Kimberly is the next one to ask.
"Lilith… may I ask… what did... the war... look like... four thousand years… ago?"
"That war was… very unnecessary. Demons and arachnes were pushed into the warzone by that tyrant Demon Lord. He didn't tolerate anyone staying behind, so we had no choice. If you refused, you were labeled a coward, or worse."
She pauses for a moment before continuing.
"Just like we feared, the war was terrible. It spread throughout Acrusse. We didn't like it, and none of us did. Despite the beastmen from Misdaras, demis from Heiligeichen, ogres from Nomah, merfolk from Oserin, and humans from Remantia uniting altogether, and even with us generals betraying our lord to stop him… it didn't change the damage afterward."
Lilith lets out a slow breath.
"Even after the war ended, we still spent many years trying to restore the economy and rebuild the diplomacy between Qualtnok and the other countries. It wasn't easy, but eventually, we made it. And then, we retired."
"I see..."
That's the only thing I can answer.
She didn't mention death, or blood, or whatever. But the way she said it was unnecessary, it says more than enough. Even demons didn't want that war.
Wait...
Remantia, Misdaras, Heiligeichen, Oserin, Nomah, and Qualtnok. That's still one country left, right?
So I curiously ask her again, and her answer is surprising all of us.
"Hey, Lilith... you didn't mention Turivel. Were the angels absent from that war?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
And she giggles.
"Fufufu~... perhaps that war was the only time angels and unicorns descended from the sky. I remember I used to work with one angel. That was a fun one~..."
Yomogi frowns in understanding.
"If angels and unicorns really set their foot, it means the war was that terrible…"
Chantal is in disbelief.
"I honestly thought that country already felt like a myth."
Even Kimberly and Pinna are in equal amusement.
"I can't believe… a country... known... for its secrecy… joined... the war. I've never... found... that… in history books…"
"There is no data about Turivel in my records. Cross-referenced entries yield no matches."
Just as I murmur to myself, Lilith surprises me again.
"So Turivel really is that secluded, huh?"
"That's not true either, honey~..."
"What do you mean?"
And she begins explaining.
"People just say Turivel is only accessible to a few selected people just because no one can actually pinpoint where it is."
"Umm... okay?"
Then, Lilith taps her chin thoughtfully.
"From what I heard from the angels, people still can visit Turivel, but the method to find it is practically impossible."
"Like what?"
"The only way to locate Turivel is to fly higher than any griffin or dragon ever could. You just keep going up until all you see are clouds below you. Then, you're supposed to circle around slowly and shoot out a beacon and hope the angels notice it."
"Huh?"
And she lets out a laugh.
"It's ridiculous, isn't it? I mean... what kind of creature can even fly that high to begin with? And let alone finding a hidden country above the sky like that?"
Manas hums thoughtfully.
"If thy tale holdeth truth… then 'tis a height even I cannot reach. Mine ascent, even as dragon, wouldst not suffice to meet the clouds alone. Verily, such feat defies all reason."
"Wait, so your dragon form can't fly that high?"
"Aye, mine king. Should I ascend to such altitude, methinks mine breath would fail me. The air would grow thin, and I wouldst falter ere I reached it."
"I see…"
That makes sense actually.
I mean, every time I ride the Griffin Express, I can still see the rivers, mountains, and even the outlines of towns far below. So if Manas flies as high as a griffin and still doesn't see only clouds, then this Turivel altitude must be something completely different.
Probably it's the kind of height only airplanes from my old world could reach, maybe it's called the troposphere if I'm not wrong. And if that's where Turivel is hidden, then yeah… no dragons or griffins would make it up there without losing air.
And it somehow makes me really want to go there. I've been to Misdaras, Heiligeichen, Oserin, Nomah, and Qualtnok, so if I could reach Turivel... that would complete my world tour of Acrusse.
But then, here's the problem. I don't think my knowledge about spaceships from sci-fi movies is gonna cut it here. And I doubt that my [Blacksmithing] skill can be pushed way beyond kitchenware or weapons. Also, I don't even know if I really want to go that far with building one.
After a few moments of thinking, I turn to Kimberly.
"Kimberly."
"Yes… Motegi-sama…?"
"Can you go to Heiligeichen and buy me some nickel, cobalt, titanium, and tungsten ores?"
"May I ask… what for…?"
"Just do it. I'll teleport you there."
Then, I turn to Salacia.
"Salacia."
"Mmm~? What is it, darling~?"
"Can you find an uninhabited island in Oserin? Small and secluded."
"Ehh~? Why, darling~?"
"Just do it. I'll teleport you too."
With that, I cast a teleportation spell and open two shimmering portals, one to Heiligeichen and one to Oserin, and I look to both of them.
"Please, find what I asked."
"Understood… I shall return... soon, Motegi-sama…"
"Okay~! Leave it to me, darling~!"
As Kimberly steps into the Heiligeichen portal and Salacia disappears into the Oserin portal, I turn to Pinna next.
"Hey, Pinna. Your battle suit is made from processed carbon, right?"
"Affirmative, Master."
"I might need some of that. Do you have more?"
"Yes. I possess sufficient quantities in storage. I shall retrieve them now."
"Thank you."
Pinna stands, nods once more, and walks toward her workshop.
If I'm right, that suit of hers is made from carbon fiber, which is a material used to build anything like a spaceship back on Earth.
Then, Pinna returns from her workshop, carrying a sleek black storage case. She sets it gently on the table, opens it, and reveals several neatly arranged panels and tightly wound spools of dark fiber.
"These are the carbon-based materials you requested, Master. Engineered for high tensile strength, thermal resistance, and structural stability. Are these quantities sufficient?"
I look over the contents carefully, and it's definitely lightweight, flexible, but tough... just as carbon fiber should be. And I can't help but be proud that Pinna is able to create this.
"Yup, that's perfect. Thanks, Pinna."
"Understood, Pinna."
About fifteen minutes later, Kimberly steps out from the Heiligeichen portal, carrying a crate full of ores in her arms.
"I'm home… Motegi-sama…"
"Welcome back, Kimberly."
"These ores... were purchased… from a dwarf… who had just... returned... from the mines. The supply… is freshly harvested."
I open the lid, and there are unrefined nickel, cobalt, titanium, and tungsten, just as I asked.
"Great. Thanks, Kimberly."
"You're welcome... Motegi-sama..."
Moments later, Salacia steps out from the Oserin portal, flashing me a sly, satisfied smile as her body is drenched.
"I'm home, darling~!"
"Welcome back, Salacia."
"Found you an island, darling~! It's really far out from the sea and even farther from my garden. Total isolation. Just like you asked~..."
"Thanks, Salacia. Appreciate it."
With that, I turn to the others.
"Alright, we're heading to Oserin today."
Instantly, Yomogi and Chantal beam.
"Yay! We're going to the beach again!"
"Oooh! It's been a long time since we've done that!"
Kimberly and Pinna already walk away.
"I will… go prepare, Motegi-sama..."
"I will begin pre-departure preparations. Estimated time: four minutes."
And Manas crosses her arms and smirks proudly as Lilith hums in delight.
"Methinks a dragon deserveth to see the sea from time to time."
"Mmm~... this is going to be fun. I can feel it already, honey~..."
"Well, I'll guide everyone there~..."
"Yes, please. Salacia."
Once I answer Salacia, I look at Puck, and it chirps in equal delight from what I say.
"Of course you're coming with us, Puck."
"Kyuu!"
But honestly, I'm not planning to bring them to Oserin. What I'm aiming for is something far beyond that. Somewhere nobody has reached.
Still, my hopes are high, but my expectations are low. So, even if what I'm about to do later ends up failing and it just turns into another beach day, I'm okay with that, and I won't regret it.
And just like that, we all begin preparing for another impulsive journey on our day off.