Archer watched as Ashoka, Inara, and Maeve rushed off down the road after saying their goodbyes. The three women were surrounded by one hundred Oathkeepers who would protect them against anything. Once they were gone, he turned to Alexa, a charming smile crossing his lips.

''Would you like to go out for dinner?'' he asked.

The young woman's green eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly agreed. ''Yes, please!''

Following that, Archer grabbed her hand and teleported them to Dragonheart City back on Draconia. When they appeared in the main square, some of the people were shocked, on to relaxed when they noticed it was their emperor. Alexa instantly saw this and grabbed his arm with a proud smile.

They began walking down Main Street as he asked. ''What would you like to eat? Noodles? Burgers or something more local?''

''What are the noodles like?''

''Delicious, some of the best in Draconia,'' Archer answered, smiling. ''People from Pluoria, Avidia, and Orientia are traveling here to try the food or buy some of our rare metals.''

''Rare metals?'' she questioned, looking intrigued.

''Yes, I have Draconian Mining Platforms all across the surface of the sea,'' he revealed. ''They mine so much that we have to build warehouses for the storage rings that hold everything.''

When Alexa heard this, her eyes lit up in excitement as she pleaded. ''Instead of eating in a restaurant, can we get something to go and go check out one of these platforms?''

Archer was surprised but agreed. ''Let's do that, I've got noodles in my Item Box, so we don't have to go anywhere,'' he said. ''Though our first stop will be one of the biggest that tears up the western seas.''

He grabbed the navy-haired beauty by the waist and teleported them to the first Mining Platform they built. When Alexa saw it, her jaw dropped as she mumbled. ''It's a mini city! There are apartment blocks, shops, and all kinds of stuff.''

''Yes, that's how they're designed,'' he responded, leading her down the street where workers rushed around or Homeguards patrolled to keep trouble away. ''We wanted people to feel at home, so we even built a school, dance hall, and everything they'd need to survive.''

Alexa was partially listening as she was taking in the sights. Everything was either metal or wood. A shimmer caught her attention, and she glanced up only to mutter. ''Wow!''

Archer followed her gaze and chuckled. ''That's the Mana Shield, it protects my ships, aircraft, and underwater stuff, a powerful bit of magic went into it thanks to Dellah, that Dwarf is a genius in creating stuff.''

''What is it for?'' she asked.

''Let me show you,'' he said.

Moments later, Archer grabbed her hand and led her toward the edge of the Mining Platform, where it dropped ten meters into the sea. The waves crashed against the shield, but they weren't moving. The water within the barrier was still, surprising her once again as he pointed at people fishing in small boats nearby.

''The shield protects the platform, people, and most importantly, the elevator down to the sea floor. Would you like to see it?''

Alexa nodded without saying a word, making him laugh as he led her to the most heavily guarded place on the Mining Platform. It took them about ten minutes to get there, but when they did, what greeted them was a metal fortress, soldiers patrolling the walls, and standing guard by the gate.

''It's that important then?''

''Yes, now that the technology is getting better, we can increase our yields thanks to the shield getting bigger, allowing the miners to mine even more resources for the empire while getting a good salary,'' Archer explained.

When the duo got close, the commander appeared as every soldier knelt as the older man spoke. ''My Emperor, it's good to see you again. It's been many years since I've seen your face.''

Archer looked at the man, eyes narrowing before they widened. ''You're Joseph, the man protecting the Dragonkin all those years ago.''

As those words left his lips, the commander beamed. ''It makes me happy that you remember, but enough of that. What brings you here?''

''I'm showing one of my more business-savvy wives the Mining Platforms,'' he answered, glancing at Alexa. ''She may be able to help us.''

The older man nodded, a smile stretching across his weathered face as he spoke. ''Come right through, we've just dug another layer and hit the jackpot. There's talk that the Company will give us a bonus.''

When Archer heard this, he chuckled and nodded in agreement. ''I'm sure Ella will do that, she's ruthless after all.''

''That she is, my emperor,'' he said.

While this was happening, Alexa was looking around at the fortress that was built around a mana lift in the center. Archer let them there as he spoke. ''This thing is the lifeblood of the Mining Platforms; they bring up the resources and lower down the workers who have to check in with the soldiers every day.''

''Interesting,'' she muttered in response. ''Why don't you build cities down here once the war is over?''

''That's a good idea,'' Archer said, curious as the lift lowered them down to the mining site below. ''This place may be the place to start, we've gone through several layers and apartments are already built around the bottom.''

As the lift continued its descent, his gaze drifted toward the shield wall, its translucent surface rippling with mana. Beyond it, the dark sea churned, a roiling, inky abyss that pressed relentlessly against the barrier. His magic-infused technology held it at bay, the shield glowing brighter where the sea's tendrils tested its strength.

''See that?'' Archer said, nodding toward the wall. ''My magi-tech would need a few upgrades to be able to house normal people. The miners have been here for years and have gotten used to the conditions.''

Alexa followed his gaze, her eyes narrowing at the ominous waves. ''How long can it hold?'' she asked, voice tinged with awe.

''Long as I keep the Mana Generators charged,'' he replied, a hint of pride in his tone. ''But it's a constant battle. The sea never sleeps, and the giants of the deep love attacking the shield, it's why I've got a swarm of Blood Sharks patrolling every platform.''

Following that, they arrived at the bottom only to see massive containers being pushed onto the lift once the duo stepped off. They were welcomes by a square carved out of the sea floor, there was stalls all over the place selling everything the miner and workers would need to live under here.

Alexa glanced around like a little girl in the doll section and pointed at a town hall-looking building and questioned. ''What's that for?''

''Resource management,'' Archer revealed. ''They take count of everything, transfer it to the ships that come pick them up once a month, each platform is competing against each others. If I remember correctly there's a leaderboard at the Company's headquarters in Dragonehart City.''

Afterward, he took her around showing her the apartment complexes that he built years ago and the people now made their homes. The coupel toured the place until coming to the edge where a barrier stopped them from going further. Alexa glanced at a passing school of giant sharks.

One of them turned and bit a turtle in half, causing a frenzy among the others. ''Wow, this is like another world,'' she mumbled.

''Yes it is, you should see the sea bases,'' he said, a smile crossing his face. ''One of my bedroom gives a room that overlooks a beautiful ravine full of glowing plants and other underwater greenery.''

Archer glanced at Alexa, her eyes wide with a spark of curiosity, her lips curving into a pout that made the dim glow of the lift seem a little brighter. He chuckled, the sound warm against the hum of descending machinery. ''Can't say no to that face. Yeah, we'll swing by the main vein after we hit bottom. Just don't expect it to be clean.''

Alexa's eager steps echoed as she followed him through the makeshift city. He led her toward a broad tunnel entrance, its flanked entrance by two soldiers clad in sleek black armor. They snapped to attention as Archer approached, their gauntleted hands parting to allow passage.

''Emperor,'' one soldier grunted, voice muffled but respectful, as he stepped aside.

Archer gave a curt nod, guiding Alexa into the tunnel. ''This is the primary vein,'' he said, his tone carrying the weight of pride. ''Where the real work happens.''

The passage ahead glowed faintly, veins of luminescent ore streaking the walls like frozen lightning, beckoning them deeper into the ground. By the time they reached the first chamber, there was massive containers full of all kinds of rare and expensive ore. Imperial Guards watched over each one.

''Looks like the works respect you enough not to steal anything,'' Alexa commented.

''They wouldn't because the benefits they get from the Company is too much to risk, free schooling, housing, food, clothes and all kinds of other things,'' he responded.

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