Upon learning that Kokomi had defended him, Victor Wang felt a faint warmth in his chest. "Kokomi really is something… getting angry over something like this—it's just not worth it."
Paimon reminded him, "Hey, maybe try not smiling so hard when you say that, huh?"
"You are…!"
"I am…?" As soon as Victor Wang finished speaking, he realized she was teasing him—and noticed that Paimon's own mouth had turned upward too, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
Yoshida's eyes darted back and forth, clearly trying to recall who this tiny floating creature was. Then, when he spotted Lumine behind Victor, he suddenly slapped his forehead. "You're General Lumine's little sidekick!"
"Ha?! Advisor Victor, General Lumine—why… why do I instantly become the little sidekick whenever I show up?"
"Sorry, little sidekick," Yoshida greeted Lumine first, then pressed his palms together apologetically toward Paimon. "What's your official title again? I'll make sure to remember it next time!"
"I… I am General Lumine's little sidekick, so you weren't wrong…"
"Oh, so I wasn't wrong. Ahem. So, the three of you—what brings you to Watatsumi Island this time? Should I go report to someone?"
"No need. We just wanted to ask—can this mechanism carry people?" Victor Wang pointed at the lift nearby that was sitting idle.
"It can. Just hold on tight."
Yoshida pulled a lever, and the sound of gears meshing and pulleys turning filled the air. The steel cables unwound, and Victor Wang and his companions slowly descended through the ever-present mist of the island's inner region as the ground below became clearer and clearer.
"Look! Those black patches down there—those must be farmlands, right?" Paimon exclaimed with delight.
From above, they could see a vast stretch of ground that had changed from the soft pink-violet of coral to rich black soil. A little lower, flecks of vibrant green appeared among the darkness—proof of thriving life.
The only downside of mass-producing farmland was that it ruined the island's once-pristine beauty.
But the people of Watatsumi Island preferred survival to scenery. Under Kokomi's plan, only the area around the Coral Palace itself was to remain untouched. All other land—from the outer rim inward—would be converted into farmland until the island could sustain itself entirely.
Before long, the lift reached the bottom. The workers waiting to receive the usual shipment of silt rubbed their eyes in disbelief when they saw a face identical to the statue that had inspired their labor.
Victor Wang and his group examined the ground-level operations. The area looked more like a massive construction site than a farm.
The silt brought down from above was sent a few meters away into large, orderly pools of circulating water—far more sophisticated than the crude ones Victor had once dug himself. There were dedicated gates for inflow and outflow, and workers waded in to stir, settle, and rinse the silt three times to remove its salt.
Then others shoveled the cleansed silt into wheelbarrows and pushed it to furnace-like drying facilities nearby. There, it was baked, crushed, and mixed with additives to enrich its nutrients and loosen the soil—transforming it into usable black earth.
Finally, the finished soil was bagged and transported inward across the island to be spread over the ground, creating farmland.
Each new plot was cultivated as soon as it was completed, the efficiency so high that the supply of silt never kept up with demand.
Thanks to this relentless productivity, in just a few months, Watatsumi Island now boasted vast areas of fertile fields.
Victor Wang walked toward the very first patch of farmland he had ever created. A three-meter-tall statue of himself stood there, overlooking the black soil at its base. The color had faded somewhat, but the vegetables growing there were lush and vigorous.
It had been four months since this field was born. Was this the second harvest—or the third?
The islanders worked with burning enthusiasm, and the crops thrived with equal vigor. Paimon couldn't help but sigh in admiration. "Watatsumi Island is blooming with life! This is wonderful!"
Looking beyond the first generation of farmlands, those born during the war showed gradual gradations of gray, from pale to deep, as they had once borne the brunt of the holy soil's influence. One could almost tell the age of each plot by its color. But one day, all the new fields suddenly looked the same deep black color.
Just as Victor had suspected, the continuous expansion of farmland had distributed and slowed the holy soil's advance. As a result, even after several months, the newer fields hadn't shown any noticeable holy soilification. The island no longer had any pressing reason to perform the Watatsumi Goryou Matsuri.
If they waited until all the farmland turned white before performing the ritual, wouldn't that mean every extra day was a day gained?
Victor Wang stopped walking and concluded firmly, "Looks like we'll have to wait quite a while before Watatsumi Island decides to open Enkanomiya on its own."
"Eh?! Then what about the treasure and that Bloodbranch Coral thing?"
"It's just a matter of opening Enkanomiya a little earlier. If we ask Kokomi for help, she probably won't refuse," Lumine said calmly, sharing Victor's perspective. "The treasure's secondary. Victor risked engaging with a Duel Before the Throne just to find a cure—he can't stop now."
"Then let's hurry and find—"
"Victor! Lumine! Paimon!"
A figure rushed toward them—Gorou arrived in a flash. "I heard you'd come to Watatsumi Island, but it took me forever to find you! Are you here for sightseeing? The island's recovered really well after the war—I can show you around!"
Victor Wang got straight to the point. "We're mainly here for business. We're on our way to see Kokomi now."
"I see! Then I'll take you to Lady Kokomi first. We can tour the island afterward."
"I used to think you were always so busy, but you really seem more relaxed these days," Victor observed.
"Yeah," Gorou nodded. "The fighting's over, the island's industries are back to normal. The Adventurers' Guild branch, Yae Publishing's shop, even a milk tea shop from Liyue—they've all opened here! Things are stable now. Agriculture's thriving, and even Lady Kokomi finally gets enough rest."
They passed through the guards of the Coral Palace. Gorou knocked on the door, and after a few seconds, Kokomi's voice answered from within. "Enter."
On Watatsumi Island, it wasn't exactly a secret that Lady Kokomi loved to read. The knowledge she'd drawn from her books had even shaped her excellent command of strategy—though whether those books were actual military texts, no one really cared. Results mattered more than labels.
So, when Victor and Lumine entered, she hadn't expected them at all—her desk was piled high with light novels.
Most were top entries from the latest Yae Publishing special submission event. The book at the top was "That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime." Though well-preserved, it was noticeably worn compared to the others, as if it had been read many times.
Kokomi sprang to her feet. "Y-You two… you're here?!"
"Ohoho~ Kokomi, you're reading our books too!" Paimon teased gleefully, her face full of mischief.
"Ahem… I'm simply studying the culture of other lands—other nations, even other worlds. Who knows when such knowledge might prove useful? Anyway, I assume you didn't come all this way just to see what I've been reading?"
"Oh, right! We're here to ask you to open Enkanomiya."
"Enkanomiya?" Kokomi paused for a moment, then frowned thoughtfully. "Given the current situation, with the farmland nearing our target size, the holy soil can be delayed for several years. My plan was to leave it alone for now."
"But Victor's sick! He needs that coral-thing to get better!"
"It's called Bloodbranch Coral," Victor Wang stepped forward and explained. "I need the Bloodbranch Coral to cure my illness. Watatsumi Island will have to address the holy soilification issue eventually. Since Enkanomiya's condition is still unknown, it's best that Lumine and I go down ourselves."
Kokomi's eyes flickered—just for an instant.