Before officially ending his trip, Kroya returned to the dormitory he had only recently rented and tinkered with a few things inside.
Then he walked out of the room with the Fish-Tailed Sea Duck King.
In the corridor, the apprentices who had learned he was finally coming had already been waiting almost anxiously.
Under the eager gazes of the increasingly anxious apprentices, he asked without a change in expression:
"How are things coming along?"
He strode forward naturally, while the elite apprentices beside him took turns reporting their findings from the surveys of the Western Frontier's land, along with the results and data from the locust extermination plan.
Everything meshed as tightly as turning gears. At the center of the surrounding apprentices, he familiarized himself with the situation and issued instructions in an orderly fashion:
"Send someone to speak with the Rock Ape Tribe. Tell them we can supply more specialized salt."
"The land must be sectioned off. Record the magic readings for every plot."
"Draft another proposal for infrastructure development in the native villages of the Western Frontier, then submit it to Reef Island's administration for review."
"Ask the people who possess Crystal Skeletons whether they're willing to join the Northern Frontier Administration. Even if they refuse, keep track of their movements."
Just as he finished dealing with all the miscellaneous matters requiring the lord's personal judgment, he noticed a little girl standing nearby, trembling slightly.
She was... the little girl who possessed five bones. Four shadows could faintly be seen behind her, all in the forms of young boys and girls.
He stopped, and the apprentices stopped with him. Sensibly, they began clearing away everyone uninvolved and formed a circle, ensuring their lord had a relatively quiet environment in which to handle this unexpected situation.
The Ivy on