Chapter 376. The Return (1)
The North Sea, which had once claimed countless lives, was no longer dangerous.
With the dark mana that had churned its depths now gone, the waters had become astonishingly calm. It was so calm, in fact, that the entire expedition returned safely to the continent.
"At last... We're back," Caron said quietly as he stood on the deck, gazing toward the distant harbor.
Raelnia had begun as a northern outpost built by the Ducal Family of Leston, but it no longer served that purpose. Yet compared to how it had been before their departure, the city had grown so vast that it could no longer be called a frontier town.
"Why are there so many people?" someone muttered.
"Do they really need to keep building when the war's already over?" another asked.
"I guess money really can move mountains," a third said.
Even as the expedition's ships approached the harbor, construction continued ceaselessly. Cranes were lifting beams, towers were rising, and the sound of hammers were echoing over the sea breeze.
Caron let out a snort, amused by his comrades' astonishment. Shaking his head, he said, "This just proves you all have no sense for how the world works. Half that construction's being done directly by the duchy."
"Why would they bother?" one asked.
"Because this is the closest city to the Demon Realm," Caron replied. "That alone makes it valuable."
"Ah, I see," someone murmured in understanding.