Duma understood the deeper meaning in Ed's words and secretly admired his ability to make the best use of resources.
He pondered for a moment and asked:
" My Son of God, if given the opportunity, may I continue my southward advance into the ' Fitz Province '?"
"No rush."
Ed waved his hand and said:
"In the past, the Second Holy See could grow slowly and covertly, but that's no longer possible..."
" Aduolin has completely fallen, and the first counterattack of the Tree Worship Church will soon arrive. Your first task upon taking office is to withstand this attack. Only then can we discuss subsequent strategic arrangements."
"Please rest assured, Son of God Highness."
"Good."
Ed gestured for Duma to step forward and handed the demon a wooden bracelet engraved with Psionic Energy Circuit.
"When Duolin arrives in Fir City, I will give him this bracelet in my name and advise him to practice his abilities diligently."
"Yes, sir."
Having seen the demon off, Ed had nothing else to do in Fir City.
He rose from the cathedral chair, which once again transformed into a chaotic mass of plant matter, which, guided by Ed, pieced together the shattered World Tree icon.
His body then gradually merged into the root-covered floor, his clone completely vanished, and his consciousness returned to Valhalla.
After spending a few days in Fir City, Ed almost forgot that he had old friends waiting to be received in Valhalla.
A Gungnir member dressed in wooden armor knocked on the door of a cabin on the lower deck of the Antasia, and Gray, slightly disheveled, peeked out from the crack in the door:
Hello, may I ask...?
Before he could finish speaking, he saw the suit of armor on the young man in front of him. It was a design he had left behind during his last visit to the Second Holy See, as a way of repaying Ed for reshaping his body.
And the man in front of him, Gungnir, was a familiar face; Gray had met him several times when he was adjusting his armor.
"Is it Number Seven?"
He greeted them politely.
Seeing that the other person still remembered him, a smile appeared on Number Seven's face:
"Brother Gray, Ed has returned from Fir City. I informed him of your previous request to see him, Ed said you can go to the castle to find him anytime."
"Thank you so much."
Gray immediately became excited:
"Please tell the boss... um, Son of God Child, I still need to tidy up a bit, I'll go pay my respects in half an hour."
"OK."
"Oh, right, there's one more thing..."
Gray seems to have become somewhat lukewarm:
"My wife also wishes to meet the Son of God, I wonder if it is possible..."
"No problem, Ed mentioned that your family members can also come along for the visit."
"Thank you so much."
The doors of the Antasia closed again, Gray returned to the habitable second-floor area to look at his wife, Nora.
Good news, your wish is about to come true.
The merchant's young wife beamed with joy:
"Oh? I've been selected Grand Foundry Master?"
"?"
Gray paused for a moment before realizing it was a joke.
How could the position of the Grand Foundry Master be given to someone who even resists mechanical modifications?
"That can't be handed over to a half-plant, half-robot, can it?"
"Say what you will, I passed the first round of testing."
The two exchanged a few words, then Nora's tone suddenly turned serious:
Do you think the collaboration will go smoothly?
"Based on my understanding and assessment of the Second Holy See, this cooperation should not be a problem."
"I wasn't asking about the Second Holy See."
Nora's hand movements faltered for a moment:
"I'm referring to the Graycast Corridor. Some old-fashioned folks don't think the Antasia is still considered a mechanical ship."
"I agree with that. The Antasia has indeed transcended the realm of mechanics; it's now more like a fusion of plant and machine. However, it's still a bit lacking compared to me. I still have a human component."
"I don't have time for your nonsense. What I mean is, those people feel that this renovation plan goes against the original intention of the Graycast Corridor: 'to modify itself with inanimate objects to resist the erosion of the Demonic Tide.'"
"Oh... you don't need to worry about that."
Gray's tone also became much more formal:
Do you know where I went the day before I left the Great Labyrinth City?
"I don't know, you won't tell me even when I ask."
"Now I can tell you, I went to the 'library' and met with the Grand Foundry Master."
"What?!"
Nora could no longer sit still. She strode over to Gray and grabbed him by the collar.
Why didn't you say so then?
"This is the requirement of the Grand Foundry Master. They told me I can only speak about it outside the territory of the Graycast Corridor, probably to guard against certain individuals."
"To guard against those old-fashioned people? Why didn't you say so on the way?"
"You didn't ask, and there are three tourists on our small fortress. I just don't feel like this is the right occasion to discuss such confidential matters."
"That's true..."
Gray continued:
"And why don't you think about this: if the Grand Foundry Master hadn't personally promised, how could someone like you, who has no history of transformation, have left the Graycast Corridor?"
"Oh, I see. I was wondering why something felt off..."
Nora loosened her grip on Gray's collar and asked:
"Is there anything I should be aware of when I meet that ' Son of God ' later?"
Gray recalled Ed's image in his memory, pondered for a moment, and said:
"I think he's a pretty mild-mannered person, but there's one thing to be careful about: you don't have to answer his questions, but it's best not to lie."
"Also, he only has one eye, so don't stare at him; it's very impolite."
"Only one eye at such a young age? Isn't that pitiful?"
Nora gasped softly, even feeling a pang of sympathy for Ed, while Gray found it difficult to agree:
"When you see him, you'll understand why people call him ' the Son of God '."
Half an hour later, Ed met Gray and Nora in the study.
Judging from appearances alone, the two are not particularly well-matched.
Gray has a square face and a signature beard, making him look older than his actual age.
At this moment, Gray was still wearing his bulging coat, and Ed knew without a doubt that there must be some kind of self-defense mechanism hidden inside.
Nora, however, was completely different. She was a very capable-looking young woman with no signs of alteration, which was quite rare in the Graycast Corridor.
Ed was observing Gray and Nora, and Nora was also observing Ed.
The verdant branches slowly rose from the boy's eye sockets, eventually forming half of an exquisite Crown.
Nora remembered what Gray had said not long ago—
"When you see him, you'll understand why people call him ' the Son of God '."