Royal Capital, royal palace, study.
Zanac Valleo Igna Lyle Vansef sat behind his desk, a huge map spread out in front of him.
On the map, the newly formed strait is marked in red, like a scar running across the entire continent.
His brow was furrowed, and his fingers tapped lightly on the table.
Renner sat opposite him, her long golden hair cascading over her shoulders, her blue eyes half-closed, and a faint smile playing on her lips.
She was holding a book in her hands, but her eyes weren't on the words.
She was looking at Zanac.
"Brother, you've been watching for two hours already."
"I know."
"What did you see?"
Zanac put down his pen, leaned back in his chair, and stared at the ceiling with his gray eyes.
I feel... that someone is protecting us.
"Oh?"
Renner tilted her head.
Why does my brother think that way?
"Because this strait has almost completely sealed off humanity's land borders to the outside world."
Zanac's voice was calm.
"To the north and west lies the sea, and with this newly formed strait, all human Re-Estize Kingdom are enveloped by the ocean."
He paused.
"We're surrounded."
Renner put down her book and placed her hands on the table, crossed them.
"Brother, do you think this is a good thing or a bad thing?"
Zanac remained silent for a long time.
"Have no idea."
"Have no idea?"
"Have no idea."
Zanac stood up, walked to the window, and opened it.
In the distance, the strait shimmered with a silvery-white light under the moonlight.
"Renner, I have a question for you."
"Ask."
"If you were Higashino Makoto, what would you do?"
Renner thought for a moment.
I won't do anything.
"Why?"
Because I am not him.
Renner stood up, walked to his side, and stood beside him by the window.
I do not have his strength, his determination, his... arrogance.
She paused.
Therefore, I will not do what he did.
Zanac looked at her.
Are you praising him or criticizing him?
"None of those."
Renner shook her head.
I am stating a fact.
Zanac remained silent for a long time.
Then he chuckled softly.
"You're a really scary person."
"Brother, are you praising me?"
I guess so.
"Then I'll accept it."
Renner's lips curled up slightly.
The two remained silent for a moment.
A night breeze blew, causing the curtains to rustle softly.
In the distance, the waves crashed against the cliffs, their rhythmic lapping echoing into the study.
Renner.
"Um."
"Afterwards, I will grant you E-Rantel, shall I?"
"E-Rantel?"
"Right."
Zanac turned around, walked back behind his desk, and sat down.
"Things here are almost settled, and I can fulfill the conditions I promised you. However, if I need anything from you in the future, please don't refuse me, my little sister."
"How could that be, my brother? But let's wait until the Re-Estize Kingdom is completely stable."
I wait for that great man to return to the Re-Estize Kingdom, and for me to join the Black Cross.
Renner thought to herself.
Zanac shook his head.
"I hope so..."
Zanac leaned back in his chair, his gray eyes staring at the ceiling.
"Higashino Makoto..."
He murmured the name.
The Imperial Capital, the imperial city, the emperor's study.
Jircniv Rune Farod El Nix sat behind his desk, his deep purple eyes fixed on the map before him.
His fingers tapped lightly on the table, the rhythm sometimes fast, sometimes slow—a habit he had when he was thinking.
A huge parchment map lay spread out on the table, with the newly formed strait marked on it in red ink.
Stretching for thousands of kilometers from north to south, it completely separated the Baharuth Empire from the main body of the continent.
But Jircniv noticed a detail.
That strait left a gap at the border of the Baharuth Empire.
This was clearly something the other party deliberately withheld.
A land passage, approximately thirty kilometers wide, connects the Baharuth Empire to the interior of the continent.
"Interesting..."
He spoke softly, a slight smile playing on his lips.
He didn't want to completely shut down the Baharuth Empire.
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
The door was pushed open, Bajed walked in.
He was dressed in black armor, with a long sword hanging at his waist, and his steps were steady and powerful.
"Your Majesty, the Four Imperial Knights have been dispatched to the coast of the Channel. The situation is more stable than expected."
What was the public's reaction?
There's some panic, but not much.
Bajed's voice was calm.
"Because that strait is so wide. So wide that the people feel it's not a cut scar, but a sea that has always existed."
Jircniv chuckled softly.
"Human adaptability is truly astonishing."
"Your Majesty, I have a question."
"Explain."
"That strait... was it created by Higashino Makoto?"
Jircniv looked at him for two seconds.
What do you think?
"I think so."
Bajed answered without hesitation.
"No one but him could do it."
"Why?"
"Because he mentioned the Garden before."
Bajed's voice was calm, but a complex light flickered in his gray eyes.
He said the world was his Garden, Garden needs a fence. Now, the fence is up.
Jircniv nodded.
"That's about what I thought."
He stood up, walked to the window, and opened it.
In the distance, the strait gleamed golden in the sunlight.
But he left us an opening.
"Gap?"
"Yes, a gap."
Jircniv turned around, walked back behind his desk, and sat down.
"Between the Baharuth Empire and the main continent, there is a land passage thirty kilometers wide. He did not sever it."
Bajed's brow furrowed slightly.
"Why?"
"Because he doesn't want to trap humanity to death."
Jircniv's tone was calm.
"Or perhaps he believes that humanity needs danger, and also needs a gateway to the outside world."
"Door..."
"Yes, the door."
Jircniv leaned back in his chair, his deep purple eyes staring at the ceiling.
"He's telling us, 'I won't lock you up completely, but don't expect to get out easily either.'"
Bajed remained silent for a long time.
"Your Majesty, what should we do?"
"You don't need to do anything."
Jircniv's answer was unexpected.
"His Majesty--?"
"He gave us safety, he gave us protection. He gave us a natural barrier."
Jircniv's voice was calm.
In his view, humans only need to do one thing to survive: they need to be protected by him.
He paused.
"Perhaps he also hopes that one day, humanity will no longer need his protection."
Bajed looked at him, a complex light flickering in his deep purple eyes.
"Your Majesty, you... aren't angry?"
"Angry?"
Jircniv chuckled softly.
Why should I be angry? He did what I wanted to do but couldn't.
He stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the sea again.
"I spent fifteen years building the Baharuth Empire into the strongest human nation on the continent. I purged all political enemies, consolidated imperial power, and promoted countless talented commoners. I thought I had reached the pinnacle of human power."
He paused.
"But now, I see a man who, in one night, changed the topography of an entire continent. He redefined the borders of all nations with a strait."
He turned around and looked at Bajed.
Do you think I have the right to be angry?
Bajed remained silent.
"No."
He finally said.
So, I'm not angry.
Jircniv walked back behind his desk and sat down.
"Pass down the order: establish ports along the strait and strengthen the defenses of that passage."
"Yes, sir."
Bajed bowed slightly, then turned and walked towards the door.
He took a few steps, then stopped without looking back.
"His Majesty."
"Um."
"Is Leinas... alright?"
Jircniv's fingers paused for a moment.
"I don't know, but she must be very busy."
What are you busy with?
"Busy spending time with someone."
Bajed paused for a moment, then chuckled softly.
"Your subject understands."
He stepped out of the room.
The door closed behind him.
Jircniv leaned back in his chair, his deep purple eyes staring at the ceiling.
"Higashino Makoto..."
He murmured the name.
"What exactly do you want to turn this Garden into?"
No one answered.
Only the wind outside the window rustled the curtains, making a soft whisper.