[center][h2]Kingdom of Ancent[/h2][/center]
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The king of Ancent sat on his throne, his expression looking unusually serious. However, this expression was the one he always wore these days, ever since the capital had been transported into this strange new world. There was no time to be carefree like the old days.

However, when Sonia entered, his expression quickly brightened as he greeted her warmly.

"Ah, Sonia, I've been waiting for you," he said to her. "So, how about the progress of our new farmlands?"

"It's been going well, Your Majesty!" she said with a cheerful smile. "Thanks to the fertility of the surrounding area, we have no problem at all in starting up the farms! And we actually are now about to have our first harvest!"

"Very good! So your fertilizer and seeds really proved effective! We will indeed need all the food we could have as our warehouses are emptying, not to mention the prices rising."

"Yep! Now we could harvest those farms once a month! Our food problems should disappear shortly!"

The conversation between the two had always been this casual. Sonia didn't even kneel down like it was customary for anyone who met with kings in other lands. The king was never big in the whole formality thing. He knew that his subjects respected and loved him and that was enough for him.

"So, moving on to my next question. I hear you wish to depart to the outside world after this whole farm thing had been settled?"

"Yes, Your Majesty! I intend to go look for materials for my synthesis! I've starting to run out, you see!"

"Hmm, you do know that the outside world is terribly dangerous, right, especially when we barely know anything about it?"

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that, Your Majesty! I don't intend to go that far from the capital! And besides, the Guild had scouted the lands all around us and they didn't find anything particularly dangerous!"

"Except for the sightings of a couple of winged humans. Or angels, if you prefer to call them that."

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of another person in the throne room. It was Anastasia, dressed in her usual attire and carrying her trusty gun with her over her back.

"Ah, Anastasia! You've returned!" Sonia said brightly to the newly arriving woman.

"I've seen some of them myself near the mountains to our south. We haven't made contact with them yet however. And I'm not sure if we should, truth be told."

"...Angels, hmm?" the king said, looking deep in thought. "Very well. I order surveillance in that area. Simply watch them from afar and try not to engage with them. And if we do, make sure to state that we come in peace."

"Got it. Will pass that over to the folks at the guild," Anastasia replied with a grin. "So..." She then turned to Sonia. "Shall we go today? I'm pretty free today so I thought I'll accompany you."

"That would be great! It's been a while since we've traveled together!" Sonia replied.

"Oh, don't worry king, we'll stay away from those mountains!" She turned back to the king.

And so the two left the throne room, with the king contemplating on what he, and their kingdom, should do next. Sonia had talked about how this "node" thing, the one sitting in the outskirts of the capital, were producing extremely valuable and rare materials for her alchemy. She also postulated that there might be more out there. Should they strive to get more of them, just so Sonia's alchemy could get even better? Their kingdom only survived this long thanks to her alchemy. And thinking about it, ever since she made breakthroughs after breakthroughs in developing the kingdom, they had become quite dependent on her power. No other alchemists could replace her skills.

Well, he'll think about that later on, when they actually discovered another node. For now, he should just focus in establishing their presence in this new world.

[@Black Alice]