Black Killer Whale Baby [EN]: Chapter 267

While Atlan was flustered, Ekion quietly gazed up at the structure before them.

It was a massive temple.

The pure white pillars were so grand that the word “majestic” escaped his lips involuntarily. Its pristine white facade exuded an aura of nobility.

Of course, to Ekion, who hailed from the even more colossal Dragon’s Castle, the size wasn’t particularly impressive.

Nevertheless, it was evident that this was no ordinary building.

“I can feel the Dragon’s power here.”

“Ah, this is going to be a headache.”

Atlan massaged his temples and then touched his forehead.

“Besides…”

“Besides what?”

Ekion tilted his head slightly.

Except when in front of Calypso, Ekion never hesitated to speak his mind.

Atlan felt a faint sense of unease.

*What’s with this dragon, beating around the bush?*

“The Dragon’s power… it feels strange. Is it… tainted?”

“Tainted? Can it even be tainted?”

“I don’t know.”

Ekion shook his head. He was merely stating what he perceived.

Through the explanation that followed, Atlan understood Ekion’s meaning.

“So, you’re just describing what you feel. The Dragon’s power doesn’t feel as you know it, and if you had to put it into words, ‘tainted’ is what comes to mind?”

“Yes. Exactly.”

Atlan fell into thought. Originally, their mission was to explore the Imperial Castle while Calypso attended the conference.

Besides them, Lilibel and other knights would be doing the same in different areas.

Of course, Lilibel’s team had a different objective: to ‘assess the military strength’.

In any case, Ekion had located the source of the Dragon’s power. Logically, they should retreat.

However, Atlan felt something was amiss.

“Hey, I’ve said it before, but that thing… it wasn’t here in my previous life, right?”

They had captured the Imperial Castle in their previous life. Atlan, who was a key figure and fought on the front lines, had a clear mental map of the Imperial Castle.

“I’m feeling so uneasy, like my head is about to explode.”

In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he had seen all the buildings. And there was no such temple.

Since the Crown Prince must have built it in this life, it was worth investigating.

Atlan made his decision.

“Let’s go inside.”

However, Ekion gave a firm refusal.

“No. We’ll get caught if we go in.”

They had to complete their mission discreetly. That was Calypso’s order.

Moreover, if their exploration was discovered, it wouldn’t bode well for Calypso, who was in the midst of a power struggle.

It would clearly give the Imperial Family a pretext to find fault.

“Then what do we do?”

They had agreed to signal when Calypso emerged from the conference hall, but the signal hadn’t arrived yet.

Atlan briefly put something in his ear and communicated with someone.

“I just asked Lilibel, and as expected, the current forces are concentrated in the building with the conference hall.”

That meant that by the time the meeting ended, they didn’t know how many more people would be around this temple.

“If it’s too difficult, we can’t help it. Let’s try tonight.”

There would be a banquet in the evening. Then, once again, the forces would be concentrated around the building where the banquet was held.

“We need time.”

“So, there’s no way right now?”

“No, that’s not it.”

Ekion turned his head. Atlan saw a strange blue light flickering in Ekion’s eyes.

It seemed to blend well with his golden irises, yet it also felt alien.

*What do you expect from a dragon who hooked up with an aquatic creature? Even his light is blue.*

Atlan waited for Ekion’s next words, lost in irrelevant thoughts.

“I mean we need time from now. That way… we can get in. Quietly.”

*So, there’s a way?* Atlan’s face brightened.

“How much time do you need?”

“Half a day.”

Atlan looked at the sky at Ekion’s answer.

*Half a day.*

“We’ll have to go in after the banquet starts.”

* * *

“You lion bastard!”

*Bang!* Calypso stormed in, throwing her gloves onto the floor in a fit of anger.

Levy and Hauser followed behind, and the door closed as Hauser entered.

“Haa…”

Calypso quickly calmed down. Levy was slightly impressed by her ability to regain composure so quickly, despite being used to it.

“They even dragged out the time until the banquet preparation time.”

Calypso started explaining right away, without Levy even asking.

The sky was already darkening.

The Crown Prince’s hosted conference was, in a word, the epitome of trivial matters.

The conversation danced around the important issues all day long.

However, he cleverly touched upon each of their concerns, preventing the attending heads and representatives from immediately leaving.

For example, the elephant and hippopotamus beastmen had been in territorial disputes over a river for a long time.

He deliberately mentioned such points, saying that instead of the elephant beastmen taking ownership of the river, the Imperial Family would grant them another territory they owned.

These were topics that had nothing to do with Madrum, but they couldn’t be ignored because their interests were at stake.

Everyone had to listen with uncomfortable expressions.

The same was true for Aquasialdell.

In all the lands of the Empire, there were territories that the Imperial Family owned without granting them to any family.

One of them was the land around the river and the wasteland next to Aquasialdell.

The Imperial Family had solidified their power in that land, making it difficult to reclaim without their permission.

*He used his head well.*

For Calypso, dragging out time wasn’t entirely bad either. It could give those investigating outside some leeway.

It was also giving Pierre and the troops chasing after them enough time to arrive.

Nevertheless, the reason she was angry was a fit of pique, like complaining that she had to look at faces she didn’t even want to see for half a day.

“Ah, I feel like my eyes have rotted. Can you take a look?”

“Master, don’t let the dolphin get closer than three steps. He’ll play tricks.”

“Why don’t you let go of this?”

Hauser grabbed Levy’s shoulder and wouldn’t let go.

Levy looked up at him with an unpleasant expression.

Calypso shook her head and separated the two with just a gesture.

“Forget it. Levy, you contact the others and find out what the situation is. Hauser, you get ready to join.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“…Yes.”

Because the Crown Prince ended the meeting just as the banquet preparations were about to begin, she had no choice but to start preparing for the banquet right away, without even going to Ekion’s side.

*He was a very cunning guy.*

“Oh, it’s getting late, so the story about Madrum will have to be postponed.”

The Crown Prince, saying this as if it wasn’t his fault, added one more thing.

A word that would force everyone to come to the banquet.

“The Imperial Family’s final position on Madrum will be revealed at the banquet.”

“Excuse me, is it difficult to tell us now?”

“Oh, did I cause concerns? Then I’ll make an oath on the land [a magical oath bound by the land itself]. At the banquet, I will definitely reveal the position on the Madrum disaster and make a major announcement.”

The Crown Prince smiled.

“You can look forward to it. I will fulfill all your expectations.”

It was a word that forcibly suppressed even the impatient heads’ complaints.

Since he would have no choice but to keep his word once he made an oath on the land, the heads and representatives had no choice but to swallow their complaints and get up from their seats.

“Wow, fancy?”

The banquet preparations proceeded as quickly as possible. Calypso changed into the dress she had prepared in advance.

Because she didn’t give in until the end, a design that was too flashy was avoided and a more understated style was adopted.

The water-colored dress had a thin, see-through fabric layered over it, creating an elegant sway that looked like waves crashing with every movement.

The hem of the dress was somewhat short in the front and long in the back, creating an asymmetrical shape.

Calypso thought this would make it easier to move her legs.

The shoes were sandal-type shoes that tied up to the calves, and they were as comfortable as if they were custom-made for her feet.

The shoulders were all exposed in an off-shoulder style, and a thin shawl was draped over them.

*This would be perfect for strangling someone?*

Of course, Calypso only had such thoughts while looking at the shawl.

“Oh my, you’re so beautiful!”

The rabbit beastman, who was the designer, brought her disciples to help Calypso, even finishing putting on the clothes.

Masa was looking at Calypso with a pleased expression next to her.

“Thank you.”

Calypso chuckled.

Meanwhile, Levy’s words from an hour ago were lingering in her mind.

*He said he found the source of the Dragon’s power, but he needs time to infiltrate it.*

The source was said to be a huge temple that didn’t exist in the third timeline.

Looking at it from above, it had something like a lightning rod and dragon sculptures.

And Ekion had been secretly preparing to enter for half a day, and that continued even while Calypso was preparing for the banquet.

She wanted to see the temple’s appearance once, but it was a shame that she couldn’t.

*Could it be that the Crown Prince is deliberately dragging out time like this to keep me from seeing that building?*

She even had a reasonable suspicion.

After finishing his report, Levy joined Ekion.

If it was an unknown place, there would be no one more helpful than Levy.

His specialty was being able to warn them in advance when they encountered new dangers there.

“Are you ready?”

After much deliberation, Calypso sent all the key personnel to Ekion’s side, except for Hauser.

It was just a feeling, but she felt she had to do so.

“Whale-nim [respectful suffix] also completed all preparations 20 minutes ago.”

*He must have been waiting.* Calypso thought this and soon faced Whale.

“Looking good?”

Whale smiled.

“Thank you.”

Certainly, Whale, wearing a white uniform tailored to Calypso’s style, looked splendid.

The white garment, covering the chest and falling from the waist, tightly secured with a belt, was a modern reinterpretation of the Aquasialdell traditional costume.

The blue accents matched well with Whale’s neat yet somewhat rugged appearance.

“Our kids don’t even wear the uniform when asked. In the end, you’re the first one I’ve seen wearing it in this life.”

Because he was tall and had long arms and legs, his cool charm stood out.

Thinking about it, the subordinates in the third timeline hated wearing it because the fabric covering the chest was the main culprit that made it annoying to wear.

They also didn’t have many opportunities to wear it because they were often in battle.

Thinking about it, it was a bit of a shame.

“It’s an honor.”

And that thought disappeared with Whale’s smile. Now was the time to do something important.

“Then shall we go be excellent bait?”