Morning arrived peacefully in the Kingdom of the Giants. When I opened my eyes, it took me a few seconds to remember where I was. The room was very different from the ones I usually used in the mansion in Vailor. Even though it had been adapted for human guests, it still retained many features characteristic of giant architecture.
I got up, got dressed, and headed to the room where breakfast had been prepared.
When I arrived, almost everyone was already there.
Elara was talking with Lyannis while they admired the view through the castle's enormous windows. Scarlett and Rai'kanna were arguing about who could defeat more giant soldiers in an imaginary competition. Vespera was quietly drinking tea. Liriel was explaining something to her assistant, who seemed fascinated by practically everything she saw in that kingdom.
I took my seat.
"Good morning."
"Good morning."
The replies came from several directions.
Liriel's assistant seemed particularly excited.
"I spent most of the night watching the city."
"You didn't sleep?"
I asked.
"I did."
She replied.
"But I watched it for a while beforehand."
Liriel simply sighed.
"She's been curious ever since we arrived."
"Because this place is interesting."
No one disagreed.
After we finished our meal, one of the royal servants informed us that the king wished to receive us.
We walked through the castle corridors to the main audience hall.
When we arrived, we found the King of the Giants already seated on his throne.
The princess was there as well.
As soon as she saw us, she smiled.
"Good morning."
"Good morning."
I replied.
The king stood up.
Even in his reduced form, he still projected an impressive presence.
"Takumi."
"Your Majesty."
"Today we will finally settle an old promise."
I had already guessed he would get straight to the point.
The king gestured to one of the nearby officials.
A few seconds later, several documents were brought to the center of the hall.
Maps.
Records.
Deeds.
Reports.
Everything was carefully organized.
The king pointed to them.
"Starting today, the lands I promised officially pass under your administration."
I looked over the documents.
It was far more formal than I had expected.
The king seemed to have prepared everything well in advance.
The princess stepped closer.
"My father spent weeks organizing all of this."
"Weeks?"
I asked.
"He wanted to make sure everything was correct."
I looked at the king.
He simply crossed his arms.
"A promise is a promise."
I couldn't help but smile.
It was difficult not to respect someone like him.
We spent most of the morning reviewing the documents.
The lands were truly vast.
Much larger than I had imagined.
They included farmland.
Small villages.
Forests.
Several mountainous regions.
Mineral reserves.
Pastures.
There was an astonishing amount of resources.
As I reviewed everything, I began to understand why the king considered those lands so valuable.
It wasn't just a reward.
It was practically an entire small territory.
Lyannis looked over the documents beside me.
"This is larger than some human provinces."
"I was thinking the same thing."
She nodded.
"Managing all of this will require careful planning."
"Without a doubt."
Vespera was also reviewing several reports.
"But the economic potential is enormous."
"That's true as well."
For some time, we continued evaluating the information.
Liriel's assistant observed everything with curiosity.
At one point, she walked over to me.
"You're becoming more and more influential."
"It wasn't something I planned."
She smiled.
"I can imagine."
A little later, we finished reviewing the documents.
The king then struck one hand against the armrest of his throne.
"Now that the formal part is over, we can move on to the next stage."
I already suspected what that would be.
Seeing the lands in person.
The king called over a man who had been waiting near the entrance to the hall.
It was the same Royal General who had been introduced the previous day.
One of the kingdom's most respected warriors.
He walked over to us and gave a respectful bow.
"Hero Takumi."
"General."
"I have been assigned to accompany you."
I nodded.
"I'm counting on your help."
"It will be an honor."
The king smiled with satisfaction.
"He knows every part of that territory."
That was exactly what I needed.
No matter how good the maps and reports were, nothing could replace someone who truly knew the region.
The conversation gradually became more relaxed.
We talked about the current conditions of the villages.
About agriculture.
About trade.
About the local residents.
The general answered every question with remarkable precision.
It was obvious that he was an extremely capable man.
At one point, the conversation took an unexpected turn.
Liriel's assistant had been quietly observing everything until she looked at the princess.
Then at me.
Then back at the princess.
Finally, she asked,
"May I ask a question?"
The princess nodded.
"Of course."
"You two seem quite close."
The entire hall fell silent for a few seconds.
I had already expected that this would happen sooner or later.
The princess blushed slightly.
Scarlett turned her face away to hide a smile.
Rai'kanna failed miserably at trying not to laugh.
The king burst into laughter.
"That's an excellent question."
"Father."
The princess replied immediately.
But that only made the king laugh even harder.
Liriel's assistant seemed genuinely curious.
She still didn't fully understand the situation.
Liriel placed a hand over her face.
"I knew this would happen."
Vespera sighed.
Lyannis tried to change the subject.
Without success.
The king pointed at me.
"Takumi has already received the promise of those lands."
Then he pointed at his daughter.
"And he also received the promise of her."
The entire hall fell silent once again.
Liriel's assistant blinked several times.
Then she finally understood.
"Oh."
That was her only response.
Scarlett started laughing.
Rai'kanna immediately joined in.
The princess turned even redder.
I simply accepted my fate at that moment.
Fortunately, after a few minutes, the conversation returned to more important matters.
The general explained that we would depart shortly after lunch.
The lands were located a fair distance from the capital.
We would need to travel for several hours.
Nothing too difficult.
But enough to require preparation.
As soon as the meeting ended, we were escorted to a meal before our departure.
Lunch was peaceful.
We talked about what to expect from the visit.
Liriel's assistant continued asking questions about the kingdom.
She seemed determined to learn as much as possible.
After we finished eating, it was finally time to leave.
We departed from the castle accompanied by the general and several soldiers.
The city was just as lively as it had been the previous day.
Merchants moved through the streets.
Artisans worked as usual.
Children played in several plazas.
The kingdom seemed to be enjoying a period of stability.
Something that certainly hadn't been common over the past few years.
As we left the capital behind, the landscape began to change.
The roads became less crowded.
Urban areas gave way to rural regions.
Vast fields stretched out in every direction.
Forests covered part of the horizon.
Mountains could be seen in the distance.
As I looked over everything, I began to better understand the scale of the territory I was about to receive.
It was truly vast.
Much larger than any estate I had ever managed before.
The general rode beside our carriage.
At one point, he pointed toward the horizon.
"Your lands officially begin beyond that region."
I looked in the direction he indicated.
Even from a distance, it was possible to see the sheer size of the area.
Fields.
Forests.
Hills.
Small villages scattered throughout.
Everything seemed to stretch for miles.
Liriel's assistant widened her eyes.
"All of that?"
"All of it."
I replied.
She remained silent for a few seconds.
Then she simply commented,
"Now I understand why you spent so much time organizing documents."
So did I.
The more I looked at that territory, the more I realized the magnitude of the responsibility I was taking on.
It wasn't just a reward.
It wasn't just a title.
There were people living there.
Families.
Workers.
Entire communities.
And from that moment on, I also had responsibilities toward them.
The sun continued its slow climb across the sky.
The journey went on.
And as we drew ever closer to the region that now officially belonged to me, I began to feel that a new chapter of my journey was about to begin.