Chapter 686 - Leave Everything to Shou-kun
"You obtained another Epic Skill!? Brother, you certainly have enough SP to spare..."
When I told Miki about the Silky during dinner, she looked at me with exasperation. I'd been told many times that the 16 SP required for an Epic Skill was something most people playing normally would never have left over.
"Ah, but didn't we get quite a bit of bonus SP from the World Quest?"
Thanks to the 10 SP I got from the last World Quest, I actually had enough to take another Epic Skill... but...
"You do realize that you also need SP for the prerequisite skills to take an Epic Skill, do you not?"
"Ah, prerequisite skills..."
Summoning Magic required three rare skills: Spatial, Barrier, and Gravity Magic. Taming was an uncommon skill now, but it was a rare skill when I took it.
"It is said that you have mastered skills that are two years ahead of their time."
Miki said with a laugh. I might have a chance with Spirit Command, but for that, I'd need to encounter an upper spirit.
"I think Brother was fortunate to have met a Silky."
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"If it were a major upper spirit like an Ifrit or a Djinn, they would likely demand that you show them your power."
Ah, in my case, Sera-san had been the one actively wanting the contract. In exchange, I couldn't expect much from her in terms of combat power, so I guess that was how it balanced out.
"So, you are still not moving to the castle?"
"The size is attractive, but it's at the north end of the island. Well, if Shal and the others increase in number, I might have them live in the castle. On the premise that I place a Transfer Magic Circle there, though."
In any case, that would have to wait until I finished exploring the tower and the basement.
...
"I suspect that Ancient Ruins only have management personas like Nina-san or Hitomi-san in large-scale facilities."
Bell-bucho, having recovered from being frozen, spoke while resting her chin on her hand, her elbows on the desk. In fact, all the Ancient Ruins that the Ice Princess Anshia had introduced had been explored, but none of them had anything like a Control Room. At least, not on the surface.
"Is it like a hit-or-miss thing?"
"It seems to align with the rumors that the further an uninhabited island is from the mainland, the more important the Ancient Ruins on it are."
"I hear the island owned by Anshia is quite close to the mainland."
The entire island had been surveyed, and that was why there was a map. Apparently, that island was south of the Demon Kingdom and was close enough that you could even go there in a small boat. Come to think of it, there were several such places when I was starting out. I'd rejected them because they were too close.
"By the way, you are going to talk about this in the next stream, are you not?"
Bell-bucho asked with a slightly serious expression.
"I didn't think there was any reason to hide it, but is it bad?"
"There is a castle on Ramune-san's island too, you see."
"Ah..." "Come to think of it..."
I wondered if I shouldn't talk about the Spirit Command skill and Sera-san. I didn't know if there was a Silky there, but people might come looking for one. They didn't have strict travel restrictions on that island.
"May I tell Ramune-san before you talk about it on the stream? I do not think she will mind, but still..."
"Yeah, that's perfectly fine."
It would be interesting if that made Ramune-san curious enough to get a ring and head to the castle.
...
"Whoa..."
"It is amazing!"
When I logged in, the room had become incredibly clean. It had been polished to a brilliant, game-like shine. I realized this was thanks to Sera-san, and when I went to the living room, I found El-san reading as usual and Emeraldia-san doting on Lupi and the others.
"Hey." "H-Hi..."
"Welcome back. I will prepare tea, so please wait a moment."
"Ah, okay."
Sera-san suddenly appeared out of nowhere, said that, and then vanished. Apparently, she could move within the house in an instant as long as she wasn't carrying anything.
"You will get used to it after a while."
"I guess so."
While I waited in my seat, she brought Papu Leaf Tea and Raisin cookies. Come to think of it...
"Are you okay without eating, Sera-san?"
"Yes! If someone is living here, fresh mana is brought into the house!"
Sera-san said proudly. Apparently, she could only do the bare minimum in an empty house, but with residents, there were more things she could do. In a house where no one lived, things supposedly grew stagnant. Since the White Dragon Princess, El-san, Shal, and Pan often came to this manor even when we weren't around or logged in, it was a more comfortable place for her.
"Are you going to the castle again after this?"
"Yeah, I'm going to look into the tower. Something might be there, so could you come with us?"
"Of course. I am curious too, and Argenta-sama has told me to leave everything to Shou."
"Hahaha..."
El-san had reported the talk about the castle and the tower at the north end to Argenta-san, and the reply was to leave it to me and follow my instructions. Well, there wasn't much at the castle, so I guess Argenta-san was mostly just curious about the tower.
"Snack~?"
The White Dragon Princess woke up, sat on Mion's lap, and reached for a cookie.
"Altena-chan. We will be having a meal soon, so let us just have this one piece."
"Okaaay."
So, we decided to have a meal first. I thought there was still some mix left from the hamburgers I'd made before, so I figured I'd make some hamburgers.