Once we returned, Vakra began working with Isabella to carefully examine the sample we obtained.
At the same time, Rastair approached me.
"Hello, Mizik!" She said cheerfully.
"Oh, you're still alive... Did you get taller?" I asked sarcastically.
"WH-WHAT!? DID I GET TALLER AGAIN!? NOOO!!!" Rastair wailed.
"It was a joke. You didn't really grow," I said.
"You...really shouldn't make jokes. You always sound deadly serious when you talk! Anyway, how do I look?" Rastair said.
She raised her left arm and I saw a similar device implanted in her to the one in Isabella.
"Vakra said you still have to transfer my soul. That will complete the process and make me immortal!"
"Fine, lean over for a second," I said.
"Wh...why?" Rastair said.
"Because you're so damn tall and I don't want to reach up over your boobs to touch your heart," I said.
"H-hang on! I'm not that tall! Also...you can touch as much as you like!" Rastair said with a sly smile.
Damn perverted giant woman!
"Just lean over!!"
"Ugh...fiiiine..." Rastair said.
She leaned down and I tapped the area where her heart was.
Now that I thought about it, I probably could have tapped the device under her arm instead... Regardless, I performed the transfer spell and finished the process.
Rastair winced in pain and held herself for a moment. Once she stopped, she looked at her hands.
"I can feel my body reacting strangely... Like parts of me are whole again..." She said.
"If it's anything like ours, it will give you physical regeneration. You're immune to physical attacks now as long as nothing breaks the heart stone. If something manages to break it, you'll die instantly. But you should stop aging, at least..." I said.
"I feel so much stronger, too! This is amazing!!!" Rastair said happily.
"Good. Now leave me alo...wait... You're a ship captain, right?" I said.
"Of course I am. I'm the most fearsome pirate in the world! And I dare anyone to challenge me on that!" Rastair said.
"How would you feel about a job offer?" I asked.
"Hmm...that depends... What kind of job? You need me to steal something? Raid a port? Destroy a village or a few ships?"
"No. Nothing like that. I could do all of those things by myself with ease. What I'm looking for is someone with experience managing a large crew of people on a ship," I said.
"Vakra can do that. He isn't called an Admiral for no reason, you know," Rastair said.
"Vakra is an asshole and a pervert. I doubt he'd be willing to help, anyway... Actually, you're a pervert, too. But I can tolerate comments and advances towards myself more than ones directed at my wife."
"Good point... What do you want with me then?"
"Vakra said that after the Corruption had been purged from the world, he would grant me any single request I had within his power to give. I'm going to have him build me a ship capable of flying through the Firmament between worlds. I need someone to help lead the crew and keep things orderly. So I'm asking you," I said.
Rastair thought about it for a moment.
"I'm not sure... I just became an immortal Pirate Queen, Mizik. I kind of want to enjoy that before I go hopping to other worlds and whatnot. Why not have Leiso do it? She's actually a lot more terrifying than I am..."
"Well...I was sort of planning to have Leiso be in charge of onboard troops. Just give it some thought, will you?" I said.
Rastair gave a slight smile.
"It's the least I can do for you. I'll think about it."
* * *
Afterwards, I tracked down the ten maids that Cassandra turned into my...personal servants...
Hesitantly...
"Master Mizik is here!"
"Everything will be fine now! Our Master has returned!"
"Where is Lady Cassandra...?"
"Master, are you hungry?"
"Do you need anything, Master Mizik?"
They crowded around me and asked several questions.
Stay calm, Mizik. Relax...they're just weird...
"Isabella and Cassandra are helping Vakra right now. I have a job for the ten of you," I said.
"Anything for Master Mizik!" Stella said.
"Please give us any order you desire!"
"We live to serve!"
"Uhh...I want you ten to be part of the onboard combat force for a ship I'm going to have built," I said.
They looked somewhat worried.
"Master Mizik... As much as we would love nothing more than to fight on your behalf, none of us possess fighting experience. We are mere servants and workers..." Stella said.
"I know. That's why I'm going to have Leiso train you," I said.
I should also learn the rest of your names, but I can do that later.
"Leiso? Isn't that...one of your companions?" One of the women said.
"Yes. She's a trusted friend, but more like family. She used to be the General of a powerful military force. She'll turn all of you into strong soldiers."
"That means... We can protect Master Mizik as well! Just like Lady Isabella and Lady Cassandra!" One of the women said.
Sure...whatever makes you people happy. I guess...
"When can we start!?" One of them asked eagerly.
"I'll talk to Leiso. But I would also like to get you all outfitted with heart stones. Lastly, I'm going to recruit a few men as well. It would be awkward if there was a vast majority of girls on the ship... It would make me look like a pervert..." I said.
"Master Mizik isn't a pervert. Not anything like the monster that tormented us all for years. We are honored to serve such a fine example of a man," another one said.
"Who would dare call Master Mizik a pervert!? Master Mizik is a gentleman! A kind and wonderful Master!"
"Yeah...do you all know where the lab is?" I asked.
They all nodded.
"Good. Report to mine and Isabella's room in the lab. That will be all," I said.
The ten of them nodded and immediately went on their way.
* * *
Next, I stopped by the throne room and found the Emperor speaking with a few well-dressed people.
I walked up and simply waited my turn.
They were discussing financial issues and taxes. It seemed as though Alwen really had every intention of helping the people.
When they finished, Alwen gave me a smile. He had dark circles under his eyes.
"Greetings, Lord Mizik. It is a pleasure to see you once again. How can I help you?" Alwen said.
"First of all, I need a few soldiers. I need ten of the best and most loyal warriors you have. But here's the catch... They don't have to be loyal to you. I need them to be loyal to me and Isabella."
"I see... Your latest exploits in Lokan caused quite the stir. Many of our soldiers have also sworn loyalty to you on the field of battle as well."
"Good. I need you to pick the very best of these loyal soldiers. They also need to be willing to undergo heart stone implementation and leave the world of Delvandal potentially forever," I said.
Alwen looked puzzled by my request, but nodded.
"It's an odd thing to ask for your soldiers... But I will comply. After all, I know you have our world's best interests in mind, yes?"
"Without a doubt. But this is for a plan I have after I'm done saving this world. And yes, I intend to save Delvandal or die trying."
"You are a noble man, Lord Mizik. Lady Isabella is fortunate to have such a person by her side... Does she think I'm doing a good job?" Alwen said.
I shrugged.
"Ask her yourself or figure it out on your own. I'm just trying to prepare for the future."
"Ah...I'll do that, then..."
"Also, you should get some sleep. You look tired," I said.
Alwen smiled.
"Thank you for your concern... I will consider it..." Alwen said.
After that, I departed and made my way to the lab.
* * *
I knew that gathering the men would take some time, so I went ahead and decided to speak with Vakra.
Isabella was here as well. She was silently concentrating on containing the Corruption sample.
"Vakra," I said.
"Hm? What the hell do you want?"
He was in his skeleton form. His voice was raspy and menacing.
"I need you to acquire twenty heart stones. Make twenty more housing devices. Ten male, and ten female. Also, I want to know if it's possible for the Enforcers and Rune to be outfitted," I said.
"UGH...GO TO HELL WITH YOUR DAMN REQUESTS!!! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT I'M BUSY!?" Vakra shouted angrily.
Isabella opened one of her eyes partially to look at him and I glanced at her.
She smiled at me.
"Do you want to win this war or not? Isabella and I can't be everywhere at once. We're not talking about some localized battle here, either. This is a worldwide event. The Corruption will continue to spread until it has devoured everything!" I said angrily.
"I KNOW THAT BY NOW! I'M BUSY STUDYING THIS GARBAGE!!!" Vakra shouted.
"Yeah. In a beaker. You know that shit can warp the landscape and change the molecular structure of everything it touches, right? A glass beaker isn't going to hold it," I said.
"That's why the girl is here. She is pacifying it. You know...making it docile?" Vakra said.
"I have a name, you know!" Isabella said angrily without opening her eyes.
"Pink-haired bimbo..." Vakra mumbled.
A bolt of light shot past his head and Isabella glared at him.
"That was a warning shot!" She said.
"Isabella it is..." Vakra said.
"Good. Now listen to Mizik's request. He's trying to help you!" Isabella said.
Then she closed her eyes and went back to concentrating.
"Fine...what do you plan to do with these soldiers, Mizik? You know that each one of them would be a warrior of extraordinary power, yes? Although...I am doubtful that they would possess the ability to actually purge Corruption like you...er...I mean, like Isabella can," he said.
Was that a jab at my curse?
Instead of getting angry at him again, I realized that he was correct.
it didn't matter how strong they were if they were just as susceptible to infection as everyone else. And their power would be useless if they couldn't destroy it.
Then...I had an idea...
Carlos made several elixirs in the past to grant the Enforcers the ability to wield purified divine energy in order to combat the Corruption on Ignitus.
If Carlos could figure out how to administer a similar concoction to my soldiers...we would have an entire fighting force specifically designed to destroy the Corruption.
Oh...that was close...
I almost smiled again.
"Carlos... Carlos can figure it out," I said.
"You're getting awfully good at assigning tasks to other people, Mizik. You aren't becoming lazy, are you?" Vakra asked.
"I'm not lazy. I just know what my strengths and weaknesses are. I learned a bit of alchemy from a dwarf while in Avernia, but I'm not highly skilled at it. Not like Carlos is, at least. But he calls it chemistry and not Alchemy."
"Because they're two completely different things. Potions are made using magical ingredients. They do things that defy the logic that science brings to the table. They are similar, but different. Also, I'm sure whatever pitiful things you learned from that dwarf have yet to be useful, yes?" Vakra said.
"They weren't pitiful. And he was a good friend of ours! Sadly, the Corruption got him... But you are correct. I haven't used that knowledge at all since I learned it. He showed me several secrets to alchemy that I still remember to this day, but I mainly focused on the firearm knowledge at the time. It was more useful to me," I said.
"Secrets...? I'd like to know more later. You might be able to further increase your power through alchemy. Only temporarily, but still. It might be worth the effort. And rest assured, I'll make sure that your retinue of slave girls gets outfitted for some heart stones. When the Emperor sends the male soldiers my way, I'll get them prepared as well," Vakra said.
"I...never told you about any of that..." I said.
"Do you actually believe that I don't keep watch over everything that goes on in this palace?" Vakra said.
"Fair point. Don't let me down, Vakra," I said.
"I'll do whatever I want, thank you. If it just so happens to include letting you down, then I will not hesitate to do so," Vakra said.
"You're kind of an asshole, Vakra," I said bluntly.
"I've been called worse."
After that, I just shook my head and left the room. I would begin training the female soldiers, myself. Leiso's military training prepared me to do at least that.