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Chapter 394: Place to Live In

「Alright then, please. Let’s leave the couple to enjoy a long nice chat together. We outsiders will depart now. 」
Retze imperceptibly tapped my hand as a signal, his speech reminding me of the cliche phrases used in marriage meetings.

「T-That’s right. 」
Hauron said, and he inched closer to me. Is that a sign that I should 【Teleport】now?

「I want to check the outside… 」
Khan said as he slowly walked — lumbered — towards me.

「… 」
Dinosso hurriedly drew closer to me.

「Okay then, see you guys later. 」
I bid farewell to Asas and Es.

「DARL.ING~」
「Ack, you guys!! 」
We left Es as the water coiled around the rattling Asas and 【Teleport】outside, just as Khan wished.

The clear, blue sky stretched before us. The ceiling was high and it was bright thanks to the spirit lamps and to Hauron who illuminated the entire place with his magic lights, but it was nothing compared to the expanse and brightness of the open area outside.

「The River Es… 」
Khan mumbled.

The landscape had completely changed. The desert that had been here moments ago transformed into water, and it stretched as far as the eye can see. Black water overflowed, leaving a bit of dry area around the well. Ah, no, rather than black water, it’s more like the sand looked darker because it absorbed the water?

The wide and shallow River Es slowly swallowed the dunes, it was like a huge black stain on the desert sand. The riverbank on the other side was already out of sight.

「The river’s far too flat and it’s slowly spreading, will this be okay? 」
Even now, the sand dunes were crumbling after being submerged in the water. The seashore cities also get their water from River Es, right? Sorry, but I don’t want to have anything to do with water disputes, alright?

「…It’s fine. A river course already exists here, it’s just buried under all that sand. I need to arrange the boats, the donkeys and people for the trade business — all before the folks in the city of Es take notice. 」

Khan gazed at the River Es, struck by its magnificence. By trade, he must be talking about the ebony business that he did back when River Es’s course was different? If I’m not mistaken, it’s near the land where the dragons live, right? Do those settlements still exist today?

Oh well, Khan’s right, we had to act quickly. The Es folks already have their bases, so if they notice this place then they’ll definitely snatch that trade for themselves. Ah, but I still think we should prioritize the houses first.

「Several small countries are now on the verge of being annihilated because of the wars in the Central Plains. It’d be a waste to let talented folks living there to perish just like that, so I’ll do my best to scout and recruit them. I also know some excellent folks living in kingdoms where the monarchy is trash. They’ll probably agree right away if we surround their lands, people and all. 」
Hauron suggested.

As I said, we should start with the houses first. They’re gonna suffer if you bring them right in the desert’s heart, you know.

「Bayliss. 」
「Ye~s. 」
Bayliss appeared when Khan summoned her.

「Fufufufu. 」
She twirled around as if dancing, then she raised both of her arms. The sand started moving — a ginormous amount of sand smoothly glided as if it was alive and strangely enough, it didn’t raise a cloud of sand in its wake. The River Es, which seemed to submerge everything before, started flowing again. The water receded from the place where we’re standing and the area right in front of it, leaving a huge sandbar behind. Two streams also merged behind us.

It seems like we’re standing on the old, original riverbed; the ground was solid underneath after the sand had been cleared. I wonder how much sand shifted? The river is now flowing in a completely different direction far, far away.

A sand dune also appeared, and it was so huge I’ve never seen anything like it before. The wind would probably erode it until it’s the same size as the other sand dunes, but it’s still impressive. It’d be terrifying if that sand dune broke down in an avalanche.

It’s not only the river course that showed up; houses built from yellowish stones resembling those in the pyramids also emerged. The straight road stretched on and on, and reliefs adorned the pillars and walls of the houses facing the main street.
After the water settled down, the remaining thin layer of sand flowed out from the sandbar that had been left behind, revealing a beautifully and well-organized city in its wake.

It was the prosperous City of Fire that Khan previously showed us. The geometrical design of the plaza was also breathtaking from afar. Water overflowed from the fountain that had been previously installed there.

「Wow… 」
Dinosso muttered as he gazed at the city that emerged from the sand. He was completely stunned and he didn’t try to hide it.

「We should build the temple and the castle again, huh. 」
Khan smiled in satisfaction as his gaze swept on the city.

「Fufufu. 」
The elated and proud Bayliss giggled and hugged Khan’s neck.

「The city was preserved underneath the sand? 」
Retze asked.

「That’s right. Back when the King’s Bough went mad, the spirits serving the kingdom could no longer suppress themselves from going berserk. But precisely because they already knew that they couldn’t control themselves, they buried the city underneath the sand at Khan’s request after the citizens had been evacuated. 」
The other cities didn’t survive, only this one — Bayliss explained.

「I’ve watched folks use the power of the spirits in the course of my time as an adventurer. I always thought that I could outdo them with enough with and preparation, but hats off to this display of the spirits’ power, for sure — it’s gorgeous. 」
Retze turned his gaze from Bayliss back to the city as he shared his thoughts.

「I want to learn from you — that ability to avoid danger and that superb decision making skills… 」
Hauron stared at Retze.

「Well, I’m weak, after all. 」
Retze shrugged.

That’s my Master, he’s so great!