Graduation was finally over, and somehow, not even a full day had passed before everything had already slipped back into normal.

That was just how these things worked, I guess. During that one day of celebration, it felt like everything peaked at once. The energy, the excitement, the noise, all of it stacked together into something that felt almost unreal. It gave you this sense that you were right in the middle of something important, something you would remember for a long time. Then the next day came around, and just like that, it was gone. Things settled, routines returned, and the world kept moving like nothing had happened.

Back to normal. That phrase existed for a reason.

All that hype, all that noise from the celebration, it turned into something that just... happened. A moment stuck in yesterday. Something you could think about if you wanted to, but not something that carried any real weight anymore once the day passed.

You could say all that excitement died down overnight. Though calling it "dead" felt a bit dramatic. It wasn’t exactly a bad thing. Things couldn’t stay at that level forever anyway. Still, there was this lingering feeling, like today had lost some color compared to yesterday. Everything felt a little duller, a little quieter, like the energy had burned itself out and left nothing behind but the usual routine.

Right now, I was at the Leonamon Company, which had officially started operating in full. Technically, operations had already begun right after the battle against Moriarty ended, but this was the point where everything actually started moving properly.

Maya and Amon were already busy working on business plans for the rest of the year. They weren’t just throwing ideas around either. They were organizing, structuring, figuring out how to turn those ideas into something that would actually work. Some of the employees were also doing a surprisingly good job coming up with new innovations. Watching them work, it was clear they weren’t just here to fill roles. They actually wanted to push things forward.

At the same time, we were looking into upgrading everything we had already developed. Nothing stays impressive forever, so improving what we already had was just as important as creating something new. Things like releasing the next version of the smartphone came up. The current one worked fine, but "fine" wasn’t enough if we wanted to stay ahead. There was also the automaton. Its specs were decent, but there was always room for improvement. Stronger, faster, more efficient. That was the goal.

In short, we were trying to improve everything across the board.

There wasn’t much of a choice in that either. A war breaking out between countries wasn’t a question of if, but when. Waiting until it happened would be too late. Preparation had to happen now, while there was still time.

As I went through the fiscal report for the year, something stood out immediately. The amount of gold we had kept increasing. Slowly but steadily, it had been piling up. At first glance, that sounded like a good problem to have. More resources meant more options. But leaving it like that would cause problems.

Too much gold sitting around without circulation would eventually lower its value. If that happened, it wouldn’t just affect us. It could disrupt the entire economy. That wasn’t something I could ignore. Managing it properly was necessary, even if it meant putting in more effort.

"In that case, I guess I should start another branch," I said, thinking out loud. "I might ask Agneis and Solaris for a collaboration on this."

A joint project sounded like the most efficient option. Dwarves were known for their craftsmanship, especially when it came to forging weapons. Their hands were precise, steady, and experienced. Elves, on the other hand, specialized in magic. Combining those two strengths could lead to something far more valuable than either working alone. Swords and magic items created through that kind of collaboration would easily stand out.

Of course, there was one obvious problem.

Agneis and Solaris used to be mortal enemies. Getting them to cooperate on something like this wouldn’t be simple. Old grudges didn’t just disappear overnight.

Then again, they were already managing the Great Forest together as co-leaders of their respective tribes. Thinking about it like that, they had already gone further than most would have expected. Working together on a project might not be as impossible as it sounded.

If it did turn out to be a problem, there were always... alternative ways to convince them. Like a threesome, perhaps.

"And I could also send some funds to the Mercenary Guild. Since they’ll probably be one of our best sources of soldiers once the war starts, investing in them would be a smart move," I continued. "I should talk to Charlotte about that."

The Mercenary Guild wasn’t exactly the most reliable group in terms of loyalty, but they were effective. When it came to numbers and experience, they were one of the best options available. Strengthening that connection early could make a difference later.

Preparing for the war against the Republic of Andras and the Empire of Rodonia was the main focus right now. Everything else came second.

While I was still going over these thoughts, the door to my office opened without much noise.

Maya stepped inside.

"Master, someone came to deliver a message," she said.

"A message?"

She walked over and handed me a letter. The moment I saw the sender’s name, I recognized it immediately.

Sister Lily.

I opened the letter and began reading. The contents were simple, nothing out of the ordinary. She asked how I had been doing, what I was currently working on, the usual things you’d expect from someone keeping in touch.

It seemed she had received the money I donated to the orphanage, which was a relief. From what I had heard, the new orphanage had expanded quite a bit. It was now taking care of a large number of children. That part was good.

What wasn’t good was the reason behind it.

The number of orphans in the kingdom had been increasing, and that wasn’t something that could be brushed off. Most of them were victims of the attack on the Holy City by the republic. Thinking about it like that, the situation was worse than it looked on the surface.

As I continued reading, there was an update about Alice.

She was making steady progress in learning how to become a priestess. According to the letter, she had been gaining a lot of support from the community. People trusted her and believed in her. They were already considering appointing her to the position officially.

Even though we hadn’t talked much lately, that was still good to hear.

She was becoming what she wanted to be.

That alone was enough. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

After finishing the letter, I folded it carefully and placed it back inside the envelope. My hand paused for a brief moment before I moved it away, then I tucked it into the usual spot where I kept all of her letters, the same place as the others.