Dorgo rebuked his daughter. However, it was more like a complaint.

  It was a little different than how he had acted when she was neglecting her public duties.

  “Dad, I’m sorry! I just forgot! Gahahaha!”


  Kathe didn’t look like she was being rebuked either.

  “Staying in the house of Mister Ruck… That is the most important part!”


  “I’m sorry! I will be more careful next time.”


  “I hope so.”


  After telling her this, Dorgo turned back to me.

  “Well, to return to serious business…”


  Dorgo said as he started to rummage through his bag.

  Then he took out what looked like a large metal board. Dorgo’s bag was also a magic bag.

  “That’s very big.”


  “Yes. Sorry. But could you sign right here?”


  “Sure.”


  The board was the size of the average adult man.

  So it was larger than the board Kathe had made me sign.

  “Dad! That’s not fair! It’s larger than the one that I got.”


  “Daughter. It is because you were not prepared, that you lost your chance.”


  “Hmph. I shall be careful then.”


  Just as I was about to sign it, Philly raised her voice.

  “Is-is this…orichalcum?”


  “Huh? It is?”


  “Yes. But what about it?”


  “It’s so expensive…my hands are shaking.”


  How much would this much orichalcum cost if you were to buy it?

  It was scary just to think about it.

  One sword of orichalcum could buy a mansion. And this board had enough metal to make hundreds of swords.

  “Gahaha! Locke likes to tell jokes.”


  “Ahahaha. Oh, it’s a joke then.”


  The dragon father and daughter laughed heartily.

  Apparently orichalcum was no big deal to them.

  I picked up the pen in order to sign it.

  What kind of ink was best for signing on metal?

  I didn’t know, and so I used normal ink.

  Dorgo tilted his head to the side.

  “Ruck? You mean to sign your name with a pen?”


  “Is that bad?”


  “It is orichalcum. I think it will reject the ink.”


  “…I see.”


  “If it’s not too much trouble…I would appreciate it if you signed your name with magic…”


  “I see.”


  I suppose that’s how you were supposed to sign your name with orichalcum.

  And so I carved my name into the board.

  And as the board was large, I had to write in large letters.

  The fact that it was hard also made it quite a struggle to complete.

  “Phew. Is this fine?”


  “Thank you! I shall treasure it.”


  “You exaggerate.”


  “No, no. Not at all.”


  Dorgo said seriously.

  He put the board away in his magic bag. Just then, Philly approached him.

  “Your Majesty. I have a question to ask you…if that is alright?”


  “What is it? Miss Philly.”


  Philly was a genius Alchemist, but she was very polite towards Dorgo.

  He was the former Wind Dragon King, and she wanted to be respectful.

  Dorgo also smiled and answered kindly.

  “I would like to ask you some questions regarding the trash can.”


  “Trash can? What do you mean?”


  Philly explained.

  She meant the trash can found in Kathe’s palace.

  It was being used by the dark ones to produce automated magic machines.

  “I would like to know how to use it.”


  “Did my daughter not tell you?”


  “Hmm–hmm-hmmm-mm…”


  Kathe looked away and started to hum to herself.

  Dorgo understood it immediately.

  “…I see. I suppose she didn’t know either. Do you have it here with you?”


  “Yes. I it is in my laboratory.”


  “Then let us go… It would be better to show you how to use it.”


  And so we headed for Philly’s laboratory.

  Everyone else must have been interested, because they followed us.

  “If you put something in here, the matter conversion mechanism turns on.”


  “Ohh.”


  “And…”


  Dorgo explained it to her in detail.

  In short, you need either a Fool’s Stone or a Philosopher’s Stone in order to make the magic machines.

  “In that case, you should not be able to make many of them.”


  “That’s exactly right.”


  Dorgo agreed with a nod.

  “Does that mean it is possible that the dark ones have found a way to mass produce the Fool’s Stone?”


  “It is possible.”


  Up until recently, they had been using Philly to make them.

  Now that they had lost her, they should not have that ability.

  That was probably why they were raiding the dragon ruins.

  “Perhaps there are other groups of dark ones near the capital.”


  “It is truly dangerous.”


  Dorgo nodded. And then he continued.

  “With all of that considered, there is something I wish to discuss.”


  “What is it?”


  “King Eric, I hope you will listen to me as well.”


  “Of course.”


  Eric had been listening quietly in the back until now. But he nodded.