The banquet hall of Everwood was still young in its bones, its walls smelling of fresh timber, but the glow of lanterns and the laughter of villagers already made it feel alive.
Itsuki sat at the center table, with Lyra and the other girls near him, as the High Elf Queen Elenaria and her family graced the hall with their presence. Their silver-lined attire shimmered against the firelight, their posture radiating centuries of pride.
Elenaria's sharp gaze studied Itsuki as if measuring not the man, but the very dream he carried.
"This place…" she said softly, almost to herself, "breathes like the roots of a great tree. Not yet ancient, but destined to endure. Tell me, Itsuki of Everwood, do you intend to sit on a throne, or merely at the head of a table?"
Itsuki smiled faintly. "I don't need a throne. What I want is a home strong enough that no one can tear it down."
Her lips curved. "You speak like a ruler, even if you deny it. Perhaps I'll see for myself how far this vision of yours grows."
Her daughters whispered to each other, watching Itsuki with curiosity. Lyra, at his side, shifted slightly, her emerald eyes narrowing with a subtle protectiveness.
Conversations turned to trade and knowledge. Itsuki showed the Queen's scholars simple designs: reinforced swords, compact repeating crossbows, and handguns crafted through his Creation power. Weapons strong and efficient, but never the dangerous machines he had hidden deep beneath Everwood. He revealed just enough to inspire respect never more.
The elves murmured approval, though Elenaria's eyes glittered knowingly, as if she sensed he was holding something back.
As the night deepened, a heavy silence swept the hall. The torches flickered wildly. A pressure descended like a storm.
From above, the sound of wings shook the valley.
Everwood's villagers rushed outside, craning their necks as two vast shadows crossed the moon. Flames rippled through the sky before dissolving into bursts of light.
The Dragon King arrived, his massive form shifting into that of a towering man, his wife at his side. Behind them, their children followed:
The eldest daughter, sharp-eyed, hair crimson as dragonfire.
The younger daughter, curious and radiant, her excitement barely hidden.
The son, his golden eyes narrowed with quiet disapproval.
The hall bowed in silence, though Itsuki stood straight, meeting their gaze without fear.
The Dragon King placed a heavy hand on Itsuki's shoulder, a rare smile softening his otherwise thunderous face. "Everwood thrives. You honor our pact."
Itsuki inclined his head. "Everwood is honored by your presence, Your Majesty."
But the son said nothing. His stare burned, not with admiration, but with challenge. He looked at Itsuki not as an ally, but as a rival unworthy of his father's recognition.
The tension in the hall was unspoken but sharp. The son's jaw tightened, and Itsuki sensed what was coming.
He couldn't allow Everwood to appear weak—not now, not in front of so many nations.
So he made a choice.
Slowly, Itsuki raised his hand, and the Codex of Creation pulsed with light. The ground beneath the banquet shook. Outside the walls, massive stone doors rumbled open, and the earth itself trembled with the sound of metal awakening.
From the shadows of the underground cavern, a giant silhouette rose. Gleaming steel caught the moonlight, its glowing eyes sparking to life.
The villagers gasped. The visiting royals stood, stunned.
The giant robot stepped into the clearing, towering like a guardian forged from another age. Its heavy footsteps echoed, each one declaring Everwood's might.
Itsuki's voice cut through the stunned silence.
"Everwood will not bow. Not to monsters. Not to kings. And not even to dragons."
The Dragon King's eyes widened—not with anger, but with a rare flash of intrigue. His wife's lips curled into a faint smile.
But his son's expression hardened, golden eyes blazing with both fury and anticipation.