Episode 87 — The City Where Borders Vanish

In the office of the Felsen Lord’s manor.

Gustav was busy clearing a mountain of documents from his desk. When he felt a presence enter the room without so much as a knock, he spoke without even looking up.

"I received the report that you cleared the back gate checkpoint an hour ago. You’re as free-spirited as ever, Léonard."

"Haha, those scouts of Volg’s, I assume? Your territory is as sharp-eared as always."

Tossing his long blond hair casually, Léonard let out a friendly laugh and sank deep into the sofa. His movements were carefree, possessing a lightness typical of a man who despised stiff etiquette above all else.

"So? What business brings you all the way to the frontier? Did you bring more troublesome paperwork from the Capital?"

"Not at all. I just came to play. Interesting rumors about Felsen keep drifting to the Capital even if I leave things alone. I simply couldn't help being curious."

Léonard stood up and looked out the window at the cityscape, brilliantly illuminated by magic stone lamps.

"When I heard you’d started building a new city a few months ago, I questioned your sanity. But look at that... a sea of lights. It’s swallowed the old town and stretched all the way to the edge of the forest. The kind of infrastructure the people in the Capital have been debating for years—you’ve completed it in mere months, and flawlessly at that."

"I simply followed logic," Gustav replied flatly. "Felsen is a frontier territory, so it is granted strong autonomy. Even the Capital’s authority ends at these gates. Therefore, I simply utilized that to its fullest and built the most efficient city possible. That is all."

"I’m impressed. A 'testing ground' possible only because of that autonomy, hm? But that’s not all, is it? That man in the town square—he was a demon, wasn't he? Children were running around him as if it were the most natural thing in the world. People from the Capital would faint if they saw that. Just what kind of magic did you use?"

"It’s not magic. I’ve granted those 'Designated Magic Races' official permits to run stalls in the square. Demon cuisine and crafts are rare; they’re actually quite popular with the residents."

"Incredible. Didn't you face any opposition? People asking if you’d forgotten the war from three years ago?"

"Of course I did. But they will adjust in time. The sight in the square is proof of that. In the end, Léonard, discrimination is nothing more than 'waste.'"

"Waste?"

As Léonard echoed the word, Gustav set his pen down, turned his chair, and looked him straight in the eye.

"To drive someone away just because of their skin color or race, regardless of their ability—that is no different from cutting off your own limbs and throwing them away. Demons are dexterous and gifted at calculation. Elves excel at handling magic. Why let such precious 'assets' rot away based on mere emotion? When every resident follows the same rules and earns the same profits... that is the shortest path to a prosperous city."

Léonard stared at Gustav for a moment, looking stunned. Soon, their gazes met head-on—two pairs of deep, clear blue eyes reflecting one another. After a long silence, Léonard burst into laughter.

"Haha! The 'shortest path,' is it? Since when did you start talking like a merchant? You used to talk so passionately about 'knight's pride' and 'refusing to permit unjust treatment.'"

"Pride doesn't fill stomachs. But a logical approach makes a city wealthy. In the end, if no one has to go hungry, isn't that something much more worth being proud of?"

"That’s a sound argument. Honestly, it’s so sound it’s almost scary. Tell me, Gustav... this isn't your own wisdom alone, is it?"

Gustav’s eyebrow twitched ever so slightly—a detail Léonard did not miss.

"I suspect someone taught you this 'logic.' I’ve looked around, and current Felsen is mixed with 'something' that clearly defies common sense. Isn't it about time you told me the secret behind this magic?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Playing dumb, are we? Fine. If you want to hide your 'wise man,' I won't press you for now. But I’m going to enjoy watching this fascinating transformation. Even if my role is technically to be a spy for the Capital."

Léonard shrugged self-deprecatingly and leaned back into the sofa again. To a man who loved freedom and sought the new, the transformation of Felsen was far too alluring and dazzling.

"This 'new normal' you're trying to create... I don't hate it. The lot at the Capital are bound by stale, rigid traditions. What you're doing would be a shock to their system."

"Regardless of what the Capital says, I am the Lord of Felsen. If this city prospers and the residents are smiling, that is the only 'correct' answer."

There was a firm weight to Gustav's words. Léonard watched his back, his eyes narrowing with a look of satisfaction.

"I know. Well then, I think I'll check out that rumored casino tomorrow. I'll see for myself just how effective this 'logic' of yours really is."

"Fine, do as you like. Just don't go crying to the Capital when you lose too much."

"Big words! Don't underestimate my legendary luck."

As Léonard left the room with a light step, Gustav let out a long, heavy sigh.

He stared at the sofa Léonard had just vacated before turning back to the paperwork. Tearing down the irrational walls of discrimination; treating racial differences as mere individual traits.

In a world where bloodlines, family status, and the ancient weight of the Capital were absolute, he was building a sanctuary where a person’s worth was measured by their deeds alone. It was a destination Gustav could never have reached without the strange, disruptive logic of the man named Zect—the only answer that truly mattered.

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