Chapter 49

Yuki’s Ambition: The Castle’s Construction

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Everything was ready .

I had all the DP I needed . My image of the castle was solid . I’d created so many miniature replicas of the damn thing that the level of my primordial magic skill had increased .

The only remaining concern was mana, but I was pretty sure I was going to be fine on that front as well . I had three high tier mana potions prepped and waiting for me . Rather than the type that instantly recovered my magical energies, I’d opted for the type that increased my mana’s natural rate of regeneration . Moreover, I also had Lefi for backup .

Everything was ready .

My success was all but guaranteed . If I failed, then I would honestly have no choice but to chalk it up to my own immaturity as a Demon Lord .

“So what’re you gonna do, Onii-chan?” Illuna curiously tilted her head .

“Alright, listen closely, Illuna . I’m about to carve my destiny with my very own two hands . I’m about to pry open a path into the unknown and seize that of which drives me to dream!”

“What manner of nonsense are you blabbering about now, Yuki?”

“Heh . It’s not nonsense,” I denied Lefi’s claim with a firm nod . “This is just what it means to be a man . Not all our dreams are meant to be understood . “

“It appears that there is little point in listening to any more of his prattling,” Lefi sighed as she turned to face the other three girls . “He’s too caught up in his obsessions to make sense of his own words . “

“You betcha . This ain’t the first time I’ve seen Master kinda start gettin’ all weird . “

“I concur,” said Leila . “But I also cannot deny that the point he made is valid . His actions cannot be said to be far outside the norm given that he is indeed a man . “

The peanut gallery was being really noisy, but I didn’t give half a flying fuck . Their words were incapable of stopping me . In fact, there was nothing capable of stopping me in my current state . My imagination, my will, and my magical energies were all aligned and working towards a common goal . And with their powers combined, they made me a true man amongst men . Probably .

We were currently situated within the plains . I’d summoned everyone and convinced them all to tag along so they could watch me achieve my goal . Even Shii and Rir had joined us .

“Alright Lefi, I’ll be counting on you . “

“I know already, so hurry up and begin . I would very much rather you cease looking at us with your expression the way it is . “

Lefi smiled wryly as she nodded . Unlike the others, she already knew exactly what I was about to attempt . I turned back around after confirming that she was ready to help out if need be before opening up my item box and pulling out all three potions . I raised one to my face and instantly downed its contents .

It was bitter as all hell . The taste was beyond disgusting . Still, I managed to drink both the second and third potions with just as much vigour . The awful flavour was nothing in the face of my ambition .

“…”

I paused for a moment to place all three containers back into my item box before taking a deep breath and beginning to concentrate . The castle appeared my mind as I closed my eyes . The image I had of it was concrete as usual; I’d spent so much time refining it that it’d even started to show up in my dreams .

Images of both the interior and exterior filled my mind . The exterior design was perfect . I’d already gotten that down to the finest detail . The interior design was a bit rougher around the edges, but that was fine . I could always rework it later .

The castle was going to be built around the door that connected the plains to the throne room . I’d already relocated everything else and moved it out of the way . There was no need for me to think about anything but the massive structure I was about to build . With my concentration at its peak, I finally tapped the Creative Construction button .

An incredible sense of lethargy assaulted me the moment the dungeon skill activated . Magical energy was being sucked from my body at a rate far outside my expectations . The skill was consuming even more than I’d initially anticipated . Completing the castle was going to be tough .

I desperately resisted the pressure weighing down on me as I continued focusing on the image I had in mind . Warm, greasy sweat began forming on my brow as I fought the urge to give up and pass out .

Three mana pots had not been anywhere near enough . My castle was just way too big . All my magical energy was being forcefully wrenched from my body; my reserves dwindled with every passing moment . Though I started with a mana pool of over ten thousand, I’d less than a third of it remaining .

“Lefi!”

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“You needn’t remind me,” she said . “I have already completed my preparations . “

She’d long realized that my mana had started to drop at an alarming rate, so she’d gotten herself ready to lend me hers . The dragon girl pressed her small, delicate hands against my back and began to assist me the moment I asked her for help .

A staggering amount of power violently poured into my body . With it came a searing heat . I immediately began taking deep, heavy breaths while clenching my teeth in order to stop myself from getting overwhelmed by the force of the mana Lefi channeled through me .

“T-That is quite the impressive amount of magical energy,” said Leila .

“Y-Yeah, there’s a whole ton! There’s way more than enough to cast some sorta like super powerful spell!” added Lyuu .

I clearly heard the girls talking, but I lacked the composure to reply .

The torrent of magical energy Lefi supplied me with flowed out of me just as quickly as it entered . My body felt like it was going to overheat . It was processing way more power than it was capable of handling . But still, I hung on . I continued to bear with it, enduring with nothing but the force of my will .

The ground began to rumble . The shaking rapidly grew in intensity with the passage of time .

“W-Wha!? T-the heck is goin’ on!?”

It didn’t take long for it to become so violent that I felt like I could no longer tolerate it .

I felt the urge to give in .

But then it happened .

A deafening roar assaulted my eardrums as something split the earth and forced its way up above the ground, kicking up a massive cloud of dust as it did .

All the noise suddenly vanished . We were left with naught but a soundless void .

Silence .

The dust settled, slowly revealing the structure that’d burst through the ground .

It was there

The castle I’d replicated time and time again had finally become a reality . It was so tall that it almost seemed to rise up to the heavens themselves; I couldn’t see the top from where I was standing .

It was exactly as I imagined it .

No .

It was even more .

“I-I did it . “

I blinked a few times in disbelief as the strength drained from my body . I fell onto my knees, and began to collapse, but Lefi caught me from behind and propped me up .

“You have done well,” she said .

“Hahaha… yeah . Isn’t it just awesome?”

“Indeed . I admit it is far beyond what I fathomed it to be . “

Hearing Lefi’s honest, straightforward praise caused my expression to slacken . A wide grin made its way onto my face . I turned around and looked at all the other girls, only to find that they were all staring at it, eyes widened and jaws dropped in shock .

Even Rir was gaping in mute amazement .

“Well? What do you guys think?”

“W-Wow Onii-chan! It’s super awesome! Is it gonna be our new house?”

“You got it . It’s got way too many rooms for its own good, so feel free to pick whichever you like . “

Though, with that said, the breath-taking palace was the only part whose interior was complete . Everything else was just pretty much made up of a series of empty hallways . I was planning to flesh it all out eventually, but that would have be something I did in the future .

“…I apologize, my Lord . It appears I was grossly underestimating the full extent of your abilities . The fortress you have created is nothing short of impressive . “

“S-So this is why you were makin’ all those models . This thing’s super awesome . I’ve never seen anythin’ else like it!”

I couldn’t help but happily nod as I listened to their compliments .

“Yuki, I would like to ask you just one thing . “

“Sure, Lefi . I’m feeling good as hell right now, so ask away . “

“How exactly are we supposed to return to the throne room?”

“…Oops . ”