Free City had settled back into Gem Bay, filling the hole its ascent had left behind. But not for long. Soon, an even bigger pit would appear.
Aside from wealth that took time to build, such as population and trade, the money they had gathered from the New Royal Capital was already enough to buy another Medium Arcane Power Core.
"So we can double Free City's area? It's 1,250 meters now, so double that... 2,500 meters!"
No one would ever call Free City just a floating castle again!
Annan was already imagining what they could do with all that extra space when he noticed Olmedo looking at him.
"What?"
Olmedo closed her notebook with a sigh. "My Honorary Principal, what's the range of one Small Arcane Power Core?"
"Five hundred meters."
"Then five Small Arcane Power Cores must cover 2,500 meters, right?"
"Uh... okay." Annan's scalp prickled, as if he were about to sprout a Martin. "Then how many meters is it?"
"About..." Young Miss Olmedo did some quick mental arithmetic. "1,750 meters."
"Only 500 meters more across?"
"That's plenty. A third Arcane Power Core would add even less."
Five hundred meters for 2.5 million Gold Coins. That meant every ten thousand coins added two meters to Free City's circumference... Put that way, it didn't seem so expensive.
Olmedo gazed out the window. Countless ships drifted across the distant bay, while Wilhelm's Floating City flickered in and out of view amid the white clouds. "With two Arcane Power Cores, Free City can grow from a little village into a town..."
"What if we had a third?"
"Still a town."
Annan looked where Olmedo was looking. Even from an immense distance, that Floating City was clearly visible. Free City might be no bigger than one of its streets.
Olmedo drew her