Takuto orders Ira to prepare an envoy immediately. However, while on their way to the city, Ira’s envoy encounters a group of beastkin in the middle of nowhere, and tensions rise quickly. The leader of the beastkin, Tonukapoli, is terrified of Ira and her group, as they are shrouded in darkness so dense it can be seen with the naked eye. Despite her fear, Tonukapoli tries to keep the situation peaceful, since her subordinates are so frightened that they might lash out, which would surely get them all killed.
Because Ira is still under orders to keep the existence of Manara hidden, she prepares to eliminate all witnesses. However, one of the beastkin, Pipe, is too oblivious to recognize the danger. Instead, he casually asks for Ira’s name and begins a conversation—an act so bold and foolish that it catches Ira off guard. Surprised, she decides to delay killing them.
Eventually, the two groups come to an understanding, and Ira learns that Tonukapoli’s party is actually an envoy from Dragan. This stroke of luck saves her the trouble of traveling there herself, so she invites Tonukapoli and her men to meet the king of Manara.
Tonukapoli grows increasingly nervous at the thought of meeting a king powerful enough to command someone like Ira. When she finally meets Takuto, her fears intensify, as all she perceives in him is an endless abyss of darkness. She begins to regret her earlier decision to accept the invitation.
Before encountering Ira, Tonukapoli’s group had been attacked by a giant in the barren lands. Pipe, one of the staff bearers, used grass magic to knock the giant down. Unfortunately, his lack of intelligence kept him from finishing the fight. Instead, he climbed on top of the creature and demanded praise for his magic. Predictably, the giant broke free and hurled him to the ground. Just as the monster was about to crush him, Tonukapoli intervened, pinning it to a rock with a combination of grass and earth magic. She then smacked Pipe on the head, scolding him for his reckless behavior. As the only young staff bearer, the lives of many could one day depend on his actions, yet he failed to understand the weight of his responsibility.
If Dragan continues to suffer these giant attacks, the nation may face destruction. The only lead they have is a rumor about a calamity appearing in the Cursed Lands. Determined to investigate, Tonukapoli had forced Pipe to accompany her, hoping to instill some responsibility in him. Now, however, she regrets bringing him along, as one wrong move could cost them their lives.
Suddenly, Pipe blurts out an offer of friendship to Takuto, shocking everyone. Tonukapoli panics, fearing such brazen familiarity with a king could warrant execution. She apologizes profusely and tries to excuse his behavior. To her astonishment, Takuto welcomes the gesture warmly, saying he would love to be friends with Pipe.
A feast is held to welcome Tonukapoli’s group. Maria and Caria serve drinks, offering glasses of apple juice. Tonukapoli takes a sip and is astonished—it is the most delicious thing she has ever tasted, and even the quality of the glassware surpasses the craftsmanship of the finest artisans on the continent. Pipe, equally impressed, eagerly asks Maria for a refill. Before his drink even arrives, he jumps up and starts complimenting Gia on his impressive muscles.
After the feast, Pipe begins showing off his magic to Moltar, and surprisingly, everyone lets him do as he pleases—mostly because Takuto seems to enjoy his company. Takuto is impressed by how sociable Pipe is, regardless of the situation, and he is glad they’ve become friends. However, since Takuto has never actually had a friend before, he isn’t sure what friendship truly entails.
While Pipe is busy being scolded by Tonukapoli, Tutoria approaches Takuto and asks if he’d like to play a game. The room falls silent at the unexpected request, leaving Takuto feeling awkward. But when Pipe cheerfully agrees, the tension eases, and the two sit down to play together.
The first game is a simple one invented by Pipe: each takes a blade of grass, and they pull them against each other to see whose grass breaks first. Tonukapoli worries that Takuto might find such a trivial game insulting, but he ends up having a great time. They continue playing for a while, and later Pipe tries out several games designed by Takuto. He thoroughly enjoys them and even suggests that Takuto could sell these games in Dragan. Before he can say more, Tonukapoli cuts him off, reminding him that it isn’t his place to make such decisions.
Still, Takuto is pleased Pipe mentioned trade, since he already intends to establish relations with Dragan. Yet, he also knows he must set aside his personal friendship with Pipe and act as a ruler during negotiations.
Once the meal is finished, Ira (sometimes referred to as Atou) questions Tonukapoli about the purpose of her journey. Uneasy, she explains that her country has been under constant attack by barbarians. Ira is surprised, as barbarians usually avoid large cities. Tonukapoli clarifies that this unusual aggression is exactly why she came to investigate.
Takuto then asks whether this means Dragan lacks the military strength to deal with the threat. The question causes Tonukapoli to panic inwardly—if Takuto learns how dire their situation truly is, Manara might attempt conquest instead of alliance. She lies, claiming Dragan still has the strength to repel the barbarians, but the strange nature of their attacks warranted an investigation. Her explanation manages to convince everyone that Dragan can still hold its ground.
Unfortunately, Pipe blurts out that earlier Tonukapoli told him their country would be doomed if they couldn’t uncover the reason behind the barbarians’ assault. This slip embarrasses her, but Takuto and Ira reassure her that Manara has no intention of conquering other nations, as their focus is currently on domestic stability. Still, they cannot ignore the problem—if Dragan falls, Manara would likely be next.
Shocked, Tonukapoli asks if this means Manara will aid them. She admits that because of their overextension in building a town near the Dragon Vein, Dragan is vulnerable and may not endure much longer. Ira then turns to Takuto, asking his opinion. Takuto answers that since Pipe is his friend, he will offer as much aid as necessary.
Overjoyed, Tonukapoli asks what Manara wants in return. Ira casually responds that they seek rights to the Dragon Vein, a request that makes Tonukapoli uneasy. Still, she has no choice but to accept. Ira assures her that they are content with sharing control of the vein with Dragan, only reserving the exclusive right to determine elemental conversions.
This revelation shocks Tonukapoli—Manara already possesses technology to convert pure mana into elemental energy, something Dragan would not have developed for another decade. It becomes clear to her that Manara is vastly more advanced, making an alliance even more beneficial. By tradition, however, the decision falls to Pipe as the youngest staff bearer and future leader. Despite his foolishness, he has a natural gift for judging people. When asked, Pipe declares that he wants to be friends with everyone in Manara, sealing the alliance between the two nations.
Later, Ira convenes a meeting to discuss the agreement. Manara will provide consumable goods to Dragan, while Dragan will supply metal products and daily necessities. Moltar is pleased with the deal, as until now they had relied solely on Takuto for such resources. But their greatest gain is access to the Dragon Vein—thanks in no small part to Pipe’s reckless honesty. Had he not revealed Dragan’s desperate state, Tonukapoli would have kept her façade of confidence, and meaningful negotiations might never have happened. In that case, Dragan might have been destroyed before Manara could intervene.
This leaves Takuto wondering: is Pipe truly an idiot, or was his clumsy behavior secretly calculated to secure the best possible outcome?
As the meeting wraps up, the group considers how to manage relations with Dragan moving forward. Maria and Caria admit that, despite the negotiations, none of them know much about Dragan’s culture or values—an essential aspect of sustaining an alliance.
In the game, Takuto only ever had to click a button to establish friendly relations, so it never occurred to him that he’d have to actively work to maintain an alliance in reality. Since they still know very little about Dragan, Ira (Atou) suggests that their first step should be to investigate its capital, Crescent Moon. However, because the city is far from Manara, such an investigation would take a long time.
Takuto decides to put that aside for now, saying their top priority should be helping Dragan fight off the giants. But Moltar points out that visiting another nation isn’t something they can do impulsively, as proper diplomatic protocol must be observed. At that moment, Maria and Caria raise their hands and suggest going under the pretense of simply “playing.” As childish as it sounds, the idea has merit: if they present the trip as an informal greeting before sending an official delegation, they could depart right away.
Moltar volunteers to go, but Takuto declines. To another nation, Moltar would appear as Manara’s highest-ranking magical chancellor, making him too important to serve as a casual messenger. The same reasoning applies to Gia and Emle, whose positions are equally critical. What they need is someone Takuto trusts, but who isn’t considered too high-ranking.
Once again, Maria and Caria volunteer. Takuto immediately refuses, concerned for their safety. Ira (Atou) offers to go instead, but Moltar reminds her that she is Takuto’s closest confidant—arguably the most important person besides him—so sending her would also be unwise.
At that moment, Maria and Caria approach Takuto directly. They remind him that he once promised to give them the freedom to make their own choices. Right now, they want to support him, even if it means facing danger. Though reluctant, Takuto can’t bring himself to say no when faced with their earnest expressions. He finally agrees, while Ira (Atou) grows jealous that Takuto yielded so easily to someone else’s charm.
Emle voices concerns about the two going alone, but Takuto reassures everyone that he already has reliable bodyguards in mind. Later, he retreats to his throne room, still troubled by Ira’s sulking. Unsure of what to do, he consults Maria, who advises him to be honest about his feelings. Taking her advice, Takuto approaches Ira, apologizes for making her uneasy, and reassures her that she doesn’t need to worry about being replaced. He expresses his gratitude for everything she does, for always staying by his side, and tells her there’s no one he’d rather be with.
That’s all Ira needed to hear. Instantly, her mood shifts, and she even starts daydreaming about a happily married life with Takuto. Though he has no idea what she’s imagining, he’s just glad she’s no longer upset.
Not long after, Takuto brings Maria, Caria, and Ira to the clinic. At first, they’re confused—none of them are sick. But Takuto explains that the clinic was cheap to build, so he constructed it on a whim. Since Maria and Caria will soon be departing on a mission, he decided to assign the newly created plague doctors as their personal bodyguards.
