“Pelou Dean-agam, is there something wrong with my money?” Kalou Saha asked nervously.

Ferrudion shook his fist twice. There were five suns and ten moons on the desk. He had examined each and every one of them and found them wanting.

“Yes. I would be ashamed if anyone ever saw me in possession of such bad magics.”

By anyone, Ferrudion was referring to any gods as these mortals were clearly too ignorant to shame him.

“Bad magics?” Kalou Dan asked.

“Yes. The managy constructs of these suns and moons are not only ugly but unfunctional. I have seen the magics on your ships, so I know that you can do better.”

“…” For a moment, silence reigned.

Ferrudion did not understand why.

“You will show me to the one who made the money,” he clarified.

“Pelou Dean-agam, there may be more than one person.”

‘I should have expected that. Being able to properly construct managy must be a rare ability.’

He pondered how he could eliminate the problem, namely ugly magics, without wasting his time showing a dozen mortals proper construction techniques.

‘It would be so much easier if their souls could handle concepts. Studying the basics of managy construction took me centuries. Using their mortal languages to communicate, it will take so long.’

Then a different idea struck him:

‘The money is the problem. The mortals need it but obviously cannot make it themselves. Instead of trying to show them, I can just do it for them!’

“My thoughts are different now…”

“You have changed your mind,” Lemme om Apox helpfully interjected the proper turn of phrase.

“Yes. I will make new money and destroy all the old money.”

“…”

“Do you intend to do it before or after attending the academy,” Lemme om Apox asked.

“Can I not do both at once? I am a… I am powerful and respectable.”

“Can you be in more than one place at once?”

‘More than one place, huh? Technically not. I have not learned soul splitting yet, duh. But could I not cover this whole world with my soul?’

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He pondered this for quite a while, not noticing the pensive gazes of the mortals resting on him. He had never studied body language.

“Maybe,” he finally answered.

“If you focus on having fun at the academy for now, I will work on gathering magical money for you, Pelou Dean-agam. That way, you can destroy it at your convenience,” Lemme om Apox helpfully suggested.

‘That's right! I do not need to do everything myself. I can have others do it for me!’. Ferrudion remembered.

Although his mother had said relying on lesser beings was weak, his father employed many lesser gods.

‘Besides, I am undercover.’

“Do that.”

The mention of fun had convinced him immediately.

~~~

The next morning, they ship finally reached its destination: the Paleblue Harbor.

Paleblue harbor was the Palevine Empire's biggest harbor and Paleblue City a major tradehub with direct routes to most important locations in the Palevine Empire, including the capital, Vinevine City.

Although they had arrived, they were not allowed to disembark yet.

The mortals had created a backstory for Ferrudion.

‘This will be fun!’

Ferrudion could not wait for the harbor officials to show up and question him.

Since neither he nor Lemme om Apox were mentioned on the ship's manifest, they had some explaining to do.

“Greetings, I am Karla Sapuk. Welcome to the Palevine Empire,” an older woman greeted their group with a bow.

“This is Pelou Dean-agam from the Shashala Empire,” Kalou Saha introduced Ferrudion to the senior official, bowing slightly.

The stout-faced woman studied Ferrudion for a moment before asking,

“Does his name follow the lokpa of the Ironforest Kingdom?”

Although they were conversing in Pakpak, his mortals had prepared him for it, so Ferrudion had little trouble following the conversation.

“Yes, Pelou is his family name.”

“It is my pleasure to welcome you to the kingdom, Lord Dean Pelou.”

Ferrudion moved dipped his head in acknowledgement. The gesture was the local equivalent to the double fist shake that Kalou Saha and the others used.

“To confirm, you were rescued by The Honorable Dan Kalou after pirates left you on the Mikan Islands?”

‘Pirates’ was the Pakpak term for pahipiti.

“Yes. He picked up myself and my guardian.”

“We have noticed an uptick in pirate activity in that area. Rest assured that we will take measures to rekrapuk the situation.”

“That is good.”

“If I understood Sir Kalou correctly, you are not from the Ironforest Kingdom, is that correct?”

“Yes. I am from 「home」.”

This last word Ferrudion said in the ancient tongue used by many greater gods of his mother's faction. It had been the first thing that came to mind when Kalou Saha had asked him where he was from.

It sounded something like X'xala with the x being similar to a choking noise.

“Huhala? I am afraid I am unfamiliar with your… Empire?”

“It is on the southern continent, across the Hum Mountain Range,” Lemme on Apox chimed in.

“That certainly explains his complexion… Ah, my apologies. You are his guardian, I assume?”

“Indeed, I am Lemme om Apox. The Marquess of Pelou entrusted me with his youngest son that he may attend your illustrious academy.”

At that the senior official brightened up. The Palevine academy was considered a national treasure, after all. For even people beyond the Hum Mountains to have heard of it filled her with pride.

“My, where are my manners. Sir Kalou, would you mind showing my colleagues here your ship while I take the young lords and Dame …

“My apologies,” she addressed Lemme om Apox, “Is it Dame Lemme-om or Dame Apox?”

“It is Dame om Apox.”

“Well, the young lords and Dame om Apox, then. I would invite you to my opik to continue this conversation. Standing out here in the sun seems inadequate.”

“Lead the way,” Ferrudion agreed. He wanted to know what an opik was.

‘But really, why are these mortals so obsessed with long names and forms of address. They are almost as bad as mother!’

And so, Kalou Dan, Ferrudion, and Lemme om Apox left Kalou Saha and the other officials behind at the docks.