Sousetsuka

14-Intermission 4 Satou's Research (2)

 

Satou's here. The world's distance has narrowed down since the introduction of the internet, but it seems it's not zero. Transmission lag in conference calls with people from overseas weighs on my mind.


◇


『--Master, can you hear me?』
"I can. It's a bit too far, so the voice is lagging."

I talk with Arisa who's in the solitary island palace through the space magic [Unlimited Telephone (World Phone)].
While waiting for the reply due to the long lag, I gaze at the fountain of blue light gushing out from a black disk.

Dear me, I never thought the day would come for me to look at such superb spectacles.
I want to let everyone see this someday.

『But, didn't you say that World Phone had no lag even if we were far away?』
"Normally, that's the case--"

Since I've made a base point for the Unit Arrangement here, I move to the desert sub-space.
Looking at the Menu, my magic power hasn't been consumed besides for the [World Phone] usage. My [Unit Arrangement] really does not consume magic power regardless of distance.

『--Normally?』

Arisa said in askance through World Phone.

"I just went to somewhere slightly far this time."
『Huh? The voice isn't lagging.』

I put the void sky clothes for use in the outer space into my Storage and came back to the solitary island palace.

"That's cause I've got close to you."
"Master~?"
"Nanodesu!"
"Satou."

I catch the jumping youth troupe and confirm Arisa's business.

"Oh it's nothing urgent. I heard from Aze-tan that high elves from another clan were asking for Master so I wanted to tell you."

It's probably an invitation to banquet from Burainan Clan.

"Burnt smell."
"Burnt burnt~?"
"It's the smell of burnt meat nanodesu."

The children who are rubbing their faces on me are looking up at me with worried looks.

"I just got a bit too close to a fire source."

I was nearly charred.
It seems the smell from the spectacle I watched earlier that was on the void sky clothes remained.

"Mou! Don't do anything dangerous."
"I only realized at the actual site that the heat was that scattered."
"Geez, I don't know if you were in a volcano or the planet mantle, but please stop being rash."

Arisa is unexpectedly a worrywart.
I show the crystal I got from the fire source this time to Arisa and the others.

"Pretty~?"
"It's glittering nanodesu."
"Fire Crystal Orb? Light Crystal Orb?"
"What's that? It looks pretty but I can feel vast magic power from it."

It was something I created from experimenting with Primeval Magic.

"This is an elemental crystal that has both fire and light elements. Right then--"

I stare at the crystal that looks like a small sun.

"--Should we call this Sun Orb?"

I've decided to fuse the Sun Orbs into Arisa's and Mia's wands.
Of course by using Primeval Magic.

Primeval Magic needs enormous amount of magic power and makes me tired, though not as bad as Ancient Dragon's, so I don't want to use it much.
However, it sure is useful for making peculiar magic tools like in this case.


◇


As expected, Aze-san's business was about the banquet invitation from Burainan Clan.
Since Aze-san couldn't leave Boruenan, I went with my companions and attendants.

"Hohou, gravity magic huh--interesting."
"Yes, it was something used by a greater demon."

I give the introductory book of gravity magic to the high elf-san of Burainan Clan.
Only 10 basic spells are written in it.

Magic that can be used once I can chant them are not limited to human magic. I'm now also able to use dragon language magic to create dragon spring liquor and demon magic.
Gravity magic was a magic used by the blue-skinned Nari demon that appeared in the opening performance of the [Golden Wild Boar King] fight in the Duchy Capital's underground.

I had trouble analyzing it since there were only two spells which I copied by ears.
After understanding the way to interfere, create and annihilate graviton, everything after that are all my original magic.

I might even be able to create a small black hole if I gathered all the magic power on the planet.

"You're only teaching Keze of Burainan, it's unfair!"

The one who forced her way between me and the high elf of Burainan Clan was the high elf of Beriunan Clan.
Both of the clans like to research, but unlike Burainan Clan who are like investigators, Beriunan Clan regards Burainan Clan as a rival.

"Saze of Beriunan huh. Can't you at least greet when you're visiting other clan."
"Oh spare me, we've known each other for 100 million years. We're like family right."

Miss Saze slides onto my lap like an eel.
Tama and Mia who were absorbed in the banquet looked at Miss Saze with "Oh no!" expressions, but it seemed they lost to the dishes' charm and went back to eat them.

"This is a thanks for letting me inspect the library of Burainan Clan freely."
"What! Then you can also look at Beriunan's library all you want, so give me magic book too."
"That's fine by me."

I took out a gravity magic book from my satchel and gave it to Miss Saze.

I'm not hiding the introductory books anyway, and I've also given it to Aze-san and Boruenan Library.

"Hee, so this is also preserved food... There's no taste?"
"That is because these Chlorella pills are specialized for mass production and long-term preservation."

The reason why it's lacking taste unlike the ration in the snow kingdom is to prevent it from destroying the market of the existing preserved food. Rations created with Lulu's involvement are too delicious.
I've developed this to help places where disaster or famine occur.

Lulu's and Chlorella rations are being endlessly produced by the dolls in the satellite factory in the void sky.
The most troublesome process, freeze-drying, can be done there with low cost.

The factory can create 100.000 of the former food in a day, and 10 times of that for the latter as long as the ingredients are available.
Moreover, since the latter's ingredients only consist of Giant Kelp and Deep Shellfish that clings to the kelps, there's no fear of them running out for the time being.
The Giant Kelps that extend from the trench to the surface are ridiculously big.

"Might as well make sweet preserved food."
"Mold grow easily on sweets you know."
"Then you can just seal it."
"The canned peach pickles with syrup are delicious aren't they."

The high elves of two clans are talking about the preserved food in excitement.
Looks like I've successfully planted interest about preserved food to the two.

"Right, I've got my hands on this thing--"

I ask them to analyze the pitch black [Philosopher's Stone] crystal that I got from the black octopus.

"What is this?"
"It looks like a kind of Sacred Tree Stone."

The two high elves look at the crystal's light with interest.
I think the only difference is in its color, but I sure want to know if there's any meaning behind that.


◇


After the banquet was over, we went back to Boruenan Forest.

"Aze-san, I've brought you some souvenir."

Aze-san who usually welcomed me pleasantly keeps looking at the other way.

"Is there something wrong?"
"I don't care about Satou."

Aze-san who turns her face away again makes me want to tease her.

"Aze-sama is burning with jealousy about the matter of Saze-sama of Beriunan Clan sitting on your lap."
"W-wait, Lua!"

Lua-san who usually looked like she'd vomit sugar at us flirting made the first move.

"It seems she's also sulking about the matter of you receiving 『Solemn Harp of Beriunan』 from Saze-sama and 『Tranquil Bell of Burainan』 from Keze-sama."

The things Lua-san mentioned are a sign of friendship from a particular clan, you can get various accommodations if you show them to that clan.
Leaving that aside, I'll explain the thing with Miss Saze.

"I'm sorry, Aze-san. Since Saze-sama's gestures are childish, I inadvertently reacted like I was with letting Tama and Mia sit on my lap."
"Mwu."

Mia seems dissatisfied with my apology.
Tama who's on my lap muttered "Don't worry be happy~", and made happy sounds with her throat in contend.

"Then, would you consult me about the preserved food too?"
"--What?"

Aze-san, what are you saying?

"I can't?"
"No, that's not it, I consulted about it to Nea-san first and foremost you know?"

It's basic to consult about it first to the elf chef of Boruenan Clan, Nea-san.

"Is that so?"
"Yes, I got various idea."

In the first place, Aze-san declined about it with a single word before I could even consult her, but she might have forgotten since I didn't express it as something important.

"Alright then."

Aze-san pushes her hand in front of me while still looking at the other way.
She's holding a wooden bell on her hand.

"This is?"
"It's the Calm Bell of Boruenan. It's something given to trusted people who come to this forest to study."

Huh? Does that mean that I wasn't trusted?

"I-it's not like that! It's not that we didn't trust Satou! I forgot to give it to you since I felt that you were always a member of our clan."

I act coolly by not smiling my whole face with the help of Poker Face skill.

"Thank you very much, Aze-san."

Thanking her for two different things, I take the [Calm Bell of Boruenan].
I'll wear it always when I'm Satou.

"Right, although this is not meant to be gift in return--"
"It's a beautiful amulet."
"It's an equipment to cope with magic absorption called 『Magic Eater』."

This is only effective for its wearer, but it can protect against 10 times the power of the Weasel Empire's [Magic Eater].
Since the power of the [Magic Eater] created from the black octopus material is unbelievably high, even the equipment I gave to Aze-san can't prevent it.
I intend to store the material away since it's too dangerous.

In addition, since the material from white gem space kaijuu has the same ability as the black octopus's, I've created magic-sealing tools from them.
This one can be prevented easily by the equipment I gave to Aze-san.
Nothing can replicate it since the material (black octopus) is too peculiar anyway, so these equipment should be quite useful for my companions.


◇


"Satou-san, what are you searching?"
"Records about divine punishment in the past."

This place is the forbidden library of Tenion Temple in the Duchy Capital.
I came after getting the permission from the elder head-miko, presently a miko apprentice, Lily. Of course, Lily got the permission from the present head miko and temple head.

According to Princess Shistina, books regarding belief and miracles are more complete here compared to the books in the kingdom's forbidden library.
Apparently, these books have been handed down from the time of the Orc Empire before Shiga Kingdom, or even older than that.

"There sure is a lot of priests that misrepresented things as god's divine punishment."
"Yes, unfortunately, there's always some imprudent priests no matter the age."

When the little girl Lily said such things with a serious look on her face, she looks like a child who's trying her best, it's heartwarming.

"Satou-san, this slate here has records older than Furu Empire era written!"
"Ara ara, oh Sera. I was going to guide him there later."

Lily sticks out her tongue and makes a face that looks like a child who's failed in her mischief.

"Let's go, Satou-san. Records about big divine punishment probably only exist in things that are more than 1000 years ago."

Are the gods more mild than I thought?
I imagined them like [Wrathful Gods] from the Dog-head's and Corpse's talks, but perhaps they seldom intervene directly.

Let's stop judging them as evil unilaterally.
They do give forecast of demon lords and great disasters through oracle after all.

That said--.

"These divine punishments seem to be quite merciless."
"Oh my, you can read the slate from the age of gods?"
"Yes, it's the same language as the ancient language dictionary that Sera-san found."

Written there, a divine punishment made 80% of the people living in a continent to go extinct through flood and glacier. It's quite severe.

Such a severe divine punishment happened several thousands years ago, after that the scale got gradually reduced.
Most calamities come from the rampages of monsters from dungeons and monster dominions all over the world, attacking cities near them.


◇


"I have read the document you submitted."

After saying that, Earl Seryuu throws the copy of the report onto the table.
As Kuro I'm visiting Earl Seryuu's castle and meeting the earl.

The report the earl read is titled [The Possibility of Divine Punishment and the Critical Situation of Seryuu City].
I've also given them to the king and the prime minister, and also to the important people of Labyrinth City Selbira with slight alterations for the city.

In case of the labyrinth city, they have various ways to deal with monsters before they can jump out of the labyrinth, and there are explorers and former explorers that can fight in the city itself.

However, that's not the case here in Seryuu city.
Their military is powerful, but the common people are all ordinary people. They don't have ways to cope with monsters that overflow from the labyrinth.

"As long as you understand the content. What I want to know if there is an impregnable defense line situated around the labyrinth's entrance."
"None. There is no budget to set up such a ridiculous thing."

Figure. Seryuu city is currently in the midst of investing things.
They won't have enough money before the labyrinth is on track.

"No need for money, that line should've been written there I believe?"
"I do not intend to create a debt."

I'm not going to demand gratitude, but there's no way Earl Seryuu can believe that with his position.
As for me, I don't mind as long as the people of the Gate Inn and Nadi-san of worker guild, and also Semone-san are fine.
I guess I'd be happy if Viscount Belton family are safe.

"I see, then you should at least take proper measure for when monsters overflow into the city."

After saying that I teleport away from the earl castle.

The destination is a large warehouse inside Seryuu City. Since there's no Echigoya branch office in Seryuu City, I've bought it as Akindo-san with Viscount Pendragon's letter of introduction.
It's just a stone's throw away from the labyrinth.

There's no one here, not even Echigoya Firm's personnel.
I've only contracted Nadi-san of worker guild to go around here once a week.

I summon Zena-san here with Unit Arrangement.

"So the negotiation broke down?"
"Yes, regrettably."

Looks like she understands the situation after seeing herself got summoned.

"Then, I'll be counting on you to persuade them."
"Yes, Satou-san."

Zena-san gathered 10 people.

As Kuro of Echigoya Firm, I plan to power-level these people in 10 days to be the emergency defense force while also thinning out monsters in Seryuu City's underground labyrinth.
Aside from Zena-san's little brother and the handsome middle-aged Garleon priest, the remaining eight people are all female soldiers of the territory army. There's no magic soldier, but since I'll be the one exterminating the enemies anyway, there's no problem.


◇


Without succumbing to the rumor about a dangerous group gathering in the warehouse every night, we've successfully cut down about 80% of the monsters in the labyrinth's middle layer and deeper.
Since the territory army was patrolling in the upper layer, I opened a teleport gate in the middle layer and deeper, but there were only small fry contrary to my expectation.
Due to that, everyone besides the handsome middle-aged priest only barely broke through level 30.

Among the eight female soldiers, three have learned [Earth Magic], and the remaining five have learned [Water Magic].
Since I've made them learn the way to fight monsters using golems like Princess Shistina, they should be able to be the defense even if Labyrinth Hazard happens.
<TLN: Resident Evil is called Bio Hazard in Japan.>

"If the monsters overflow from the labyrinth, destroy the water tank there to flood the labyrinth."
"""Yes, Kuro-sama!"""

The young female soldiers gave a good reply to my instruction.

"Take these, you two."
"Is this wand made from an old tree? The circulation of magic power is wonderful."
"No, that's made from the World Tree's branch. It's a valuable item granted by the Fairy Queen, so treat it carefully."

The handsome middle-aged priest received it timidly.
The thing about getting it from Aze-san is a lie, but it really is made from the World Tree's branch.

"Magic sword? N-no it's not--Kuro-dono! Isn't this a holy sword!"
"That's right, it has special effect against monsters. Do not ever assume yourself a hero and plunge into swarms of monster. Think of that as a flag to evacuate the people."

I've thoroughly trained Zena-san's little brother to be the shield-user and guide.
His technique is equal Nana when she was level 30. Furthermore, unlike Nana's force art, I made him learn earth magic that were optimal for defense.
He hasn't learned Magic Edge yet, but he has [Diamond Shell], [Endurance Reinforcement] and [Physical Reinforcement].

I'm sorry for this young one, but his duty is to guide and evacuate people until the reinforcement come.

Further, I've given the basic equipment set disguised like territory army's equipment and ring-shaped magic invocation object to the female soldiers.
The golems commanded by the girls are shaped like stuffed toys so that the common people won't get scared of them.
I've asked Nadi-san to lend small stuffed toy golems to the minstrels inside the city.
Their movements are traced from Tama and Pochi's cute movements, so I have no doubt that they'll be quite popular.

"Take care of Seryuu City okay."
"""YES!"""

Leaving the students, I came back to the solitary island palace.
Now then, it's about time we go to the Weasel Empire.


























Previous Chapter

14-Intermission 3: Satou's Research (1)

 

Satou's here. In this world, there are people who are puzzled to hear that doing research needs money. Do they think that you can research things with just a pen and paper?


◇


"Satou speaking. I've collected the void sky's probe."
『Saze of Beriunan Clan speaking. Is it possible to reuse the probe?』
"Yes, the Ether Drive is just dented, the Mana Accumulator Branch is fine."

While having a long distance talk with no lag with the high elf of Beriunan Clan through [World Phone] magic, I repair the void sky probe.
This void sky probe has been deployed by Beriunan Clan's initiative in order to investigate the jellyfish's nest.

I was asked to investigate probes whose communication had been cut, and then I found one of them stuck between the inner and outer planetary debris when I searched with Flash Drive and visual-based Unit Arrangement.
Since I've come this far, I might as well create several space houses with earth magic from several debris and put carved seals for teleport magic inside.
Next I shot the debris toward the deep space, each with different velocity while only leaving one here.
Now I don't need to repeat visual-based Unit Arrangement to go around.

After finishing the extra work, I replenish the void sky's probe magic power and put it back to its planned course.

"Satou speaking. The void sky probe has departed. I've checked the beacon deployment, so you should be able to receive the signal by tomorrow."
『Thanks Satou. Come to Beriunan Forest after this, we'll have a party to show our gratitude.』
"Thank you, Saze-sama."

It seems the research about preserved food is currently getting popular amongst the elves of Beriunan Clan so I'd like to bring Echigoya Firm's new products and talk about various research.

According to the info from the map, there are a lot of large debris on the brink of the current map, so I'm going there to see.


◇


"Ooh, it's a mountain of treasures."

There's a lot of rock debris, but around 30% have iron mixed within. There's even pure iron lumps among them.
Inquiring the map, a lot are alloys, but I also found marble blocks and gold lump.

It's as if they were discarded into the space on purpose.
I was slightly suspicious, but since they're undoubtedly useful, I put the debris I found en route into my Storage.

Every one of them is as big as a small island, so it's quite a profit even if they were all just iron.

--Crisis perception.

"Geh, aren't these radioactive material."

I erase the radioactive material with space magic [Space Disintegrate] while being surprised with the information on the AR.
Even though it's usable even in time of peace, there's no need for nuclear substance in a fantasy world.
Corpse said that, [Gods used their miracle to turn every radioactive material into lead], but it seems it didn't reach the void sky.

And anyway, when the time comes for me to need it, I can just use space magic or force magic to create nuclear fusion magic.
Further, even though there are cosmic ray in the void sky, there's no problem as long as I use [Astro Suit] magic since the density is low.

I found an especially big lump of iron when I was loitering around the group of debris.
It's shaped like a sword, but there's no way you can swing such a huge sword like this. There's no point to it unless the opponent is as big as the moon.
When I tried to put it into my storage, I was able to without problem. Looks like my storage's size really is infinite.

I thought of using the iron as a base for the floating continent, but it's too big.
I want something a bit smaller. Thinking the damage possibility if it crashed, perhaps I should make it a floating island instead of continent.

The candidates increased when I lowered the size I wanted.

I found a huge crystal of hard quartz so I put it into the list of candidates.
I also found lumps of corundum and topaz which were even harder, but since they were only as big as the solitary island palace, I wrote them off the list.

Let's make a floating island using this as the base.
The solitary island palace is better as our base camp, but I couldn't resist the appeal of floating island.

Due to my pondering, I forgot to consider the danger in the void sky.
Without realizing it, I had crossed the map and entered the next map.


◇


"Woooo"

'Zuin, zuin', metal-like sounds reached my ears who was protected by [Astro Suit] magic.
The barrier created by the automatic defensive item repelled some silver spears.
The spears look like spear squids.

Apparently, I was attacked by mysterious creatures in the vein of the jellyfish.

They're accelerating in the void sky while leaving red light behind on their paths.
The spear squids which failed its attack disappear into a huge black body I could see in the distant. It's huge enough to be an asteroid.

I did not chase them carelessly and collected information with [All Map Information].
It seems the ones in this are are only 100 of the [Spear Squids] like the ones earlier and the black body ahead.
That's right, that black body is also a mysterious creature read as [Unconfirmed Object].

The [White Ball Space Kaijuu] and [Dark Grey Space Kaijuu] I saw back then were also [Unconfirmed Objects] weren't they.

When I got a certain distance closer, the black body spread itself.
At first it looked like a black starfish, but then its eight tentacles stretched toward me.

--It's a Black Octopus Space Kaijuu!

The tentacles whose tips are divided into small string-shaped things stretched.
The thin strings on the tips look like feathers, but I know that each one of them is as big as a skyscraper.

--Huge.

The diameter of the main body alone might be around 100 kilometers.

No no, that's way too big.
Even the moon is only around 3500 kilometers in diameter.
What's up with its astronomical size.

Even the biggest one yet, the dark gray space Kaijuu's diameter was only about 3 kilometers....
However, it'll be bad if this thing comes to the planet orbit.

I take out an Orichalcum wand and use a forbidden spell suited for long-distance attack.

--Divine Banishing Laser.

The light of the forbidden spell that's been said to cut a continent burns the void sky.
The spear squids that were trying to make a surprise attack on me from behind the tentacles were evaporated in an instant.

When I had cut two of its huge tentacles, it dealt with the laser quickly.
Jet black spheres that are floating around the other tentacles and the main body curved the laser that should have flown straight and absorbed it.
Don't tell me, are those black things black holes?

The octopus that should have been 60 kilometers away got close to me in a straight line like dropped frames.
I managed to escape since I reflexively used Unit Arrangement, but its acceleration is odd.

....Come to think of it the White Ball Space Kaijuu also accelerated like this eh.

The octopus suddenly accelerated again without taking a breather.
Would love to have this inertia-canceling acceleration to be more moderate.

I tried looking for points of attack using advanced light magic [Photon Laser] which only consumed a little magic power, but unfortunately it ended in vain.
It seems the main black body surface can also absorb magic power like the jet black spheres as the [Photon Laser]'s composition loosened when it hit it.

With the help of [Parallel Thought (Thread Think)], I keep thinking while keeping a distance away from the octopus.
There were too many notices from Crisis Perception it's blocking my thought, so I temporarily put them into the log.

Since the combination attacks of the octopus and the spear squids were too annoying, I created a void sky artificial spirit Full Burnern 4 to play with them.
It's the artificial spirit I remodeled from Beriunan and Burainan clans' research result, on top of being furnished with high powered laser, it's also highly mobile.
It has short operating time, but that's a fair trade-off for its performance.
Even though it's a big artificial spirit that's more than 500 meter long, it looks small since the surrounding scale is just too big.

I'll record the anime-like dogfight of the artificial spirit's fight to enjoy it later, while I myself will fight the octopus.
I repeat several Unit Arrangement and fly about on the center of the map.

--Chiiiii.

It looks like it had read my pattern, the black body waited ahead of me on the teleport point.
With its size, its speed is like a short-range teleport.

My magic power is being absorbed at far higher force than the weaselkin's [Magic Eater] machinery whom I repaired.
If this keeps up my magic power will be exhausted--.

An idea flashed on my mind suddenly.

I landed on the black ground with Unit Arrangement.
It's the octopus's body surface.

Just as I thought, the octopus's body surface can also absorb magic power, my [Astro Suit] has been canceled.

However, don't think you're the only one that can absorb magic power you know?

I execute mid level force magic [Mana Drain].
Unfortunately, there's no advanced or forbidden spell that's more efficient than this one. Of course that's only if I use it.

As its magic power got tremendously absorbed, it's losing its black color, turning white.

--ＶＯＷＶＯＯＯＯＯＷＷＷＮ.

The octopus's scream is transmitted on the black body.
It tried to escape from me in panic, but it's useless no matter what inertia-canceling movement it uses. My [Magic Arm] is firmly wedged on the octopus's white body.

I use the fire magic forbidden spell [<<White Inferno>>] on its defenseless body.
The white flame scoops out the octopus without even leaving an ash.

The spell created a crater several hundred meter wide, but it seems its fat could also absorb magic power so the destructive power of the spell wasn't as high as I hoped.

Even my forbidden spell can't instantly kill this one due to its unrealistic size huh....

--The stars over my head suddenly disappear.

The jet black spheres are approaching to wrap me up.
It seems the octopus wants to kill me using the jet black spheres even if it means injuring its body.

The white liquid from the gouged octopus spews into the void sky.


◇


I look down at it from the void sky.

I was able to somehow escape with the little chance I had. After repeating Unit Arrangement and getting separated around 1000 kilometers away, I wait for the replenishment of my magic power that has been used up on the forbidden spell.

The sword-shaped lump of iron that looks like it can even pierce the moon flashes on my mind.

"If magic is useless, then I can just hit it physically."

The difference in size is too extreme, but I'll do something about it.
I summon the void sky artificial spirit Full Burnern 3. Unlike the Full Burnern 4 earlier, this one cannot shoot laser. Instead, it has long whip-like feelers.
It's an artificial spirit created to launch and carry things into the void sky.

I link eight artificial spirits and make it accelerate toward the octopus.
With speed that can tear one's body, even 1000 kilometer distance is over in an instant.

The octopus ran away in a hurry, but this time its gigantic body becomes its undoing.
I take out a lump of rock from my Storage and fling them to the octopus's body.

The lump of rock broke on the octopus's body surface, but the broken pieces gouged the octopus.
The suicide attack of the artificial spirits expands that wound even bigger.

--ＶＯＷＶＯＯＯＯＯＷＷＷＮ.

The octopus's scream echoes in the void sky that can't transmit sound.
It's probably transmitted through Ether.

"The way to exterminate a gigantic creature like this is by--"

I plunge into the huge hole opened by the rock buckshot and the artificial spirits.
The wound is closing at great speed, but there's quite enough gap for me to enter.

--Moreover, my velocity isn't slowing down.

I throw a second lump of iron toward the meat wall of the octopus that's closing in.

--ＶＯＷＶＯＯＯＯＯＷＷＷＮ.

The meat wall that's not as tough as the outer skin was pierced by the iron lump.
The lump seems to have arrived at the gastric region of the octopus--in the huge space of the central part. The gastric region is shaped like tear drops, even the shorter ones are several kilometer long.

Jet black spheres appear inside the stomach.
Creatures that looked like the White Ball Space Kaijuu also appeared inside the octopus's body.

I'm amazed to see that it also has ways to attack inside the body.

--However, it's too late.

I take out an item from my Storage.

The sword of iron lump that can even pierce the moon.
Since it's bothersome, let's just call it Moon Piercer Sword.

--ＶＯＷＶＯＯＯＯＯＷＷＷＮ.

Torn by a foreign object from inside, the octopus's scream reverberates in the stomach.

I repeat storing and taking out the Moon Piercer Sword, shaving off the seemingly unlimited HP of the octopus.

The mock-White Ball Space Kaijuu and the Jet Black Spheres come attacking to stop me.
The White Ball Space Kaijuu which boasted high mobility couldn't show its potential inside the stomach with the limited space and got easily mowed down by my advanced light magic [Photon Laser].
The jet black spheres were a bit tough, but once I knew that it could be annihilated with [Mana Drain] by robbing its magic power, it was easy.

More of them came after that, but it was simply a work once you knew how to handle them.
After more than one hour, it finally ends.

>Defeated [Black Octopus Space Kaijuu: Cast-off Skin]!

--Huh? Cast-off Skin?

I store the Black Octopus Space Kaijuu's body into the storage and return to the void sky.
Thousands of White Ball Space Kaijuu that were living as parasites inside the Black Octopus Space Kaijuu are floating in the surrounding void sky, they all simultaneously run away toward the outer space.
An object that looks like the [Black Octopus Space Kaijuu] is escaping ahead of them while leaving a trail like a meteor.

--I won't let you run you know?

I put a marker on the [Black Octopus Space Kaijuu Small].
All set.

I start to chant without chasing it.
It's a magic that I haven't had the opportunity to use even after its completion and has been left sitting on the Magic Column since it's dangerous to use it near the planet.

Once the long spell is over, the [Black Octopus Space Kaijuu] has left the map's edge.
It'll be difficult if I chase after it now.

Therefore, I'll pull it.

I pick the forbidden spell of space magic [<<Aport Any Object>>]
Even though I have completed the chant, I'm only able to choose the second magic from the Menu thanks to [Parallel Thought (Thread Think)] skill.

The [Black Octopus Space Kaijuu] that appeared in front of me is floating in the void sky in blank amazement after losing its velocity.

Then I execute the original forbidden spell that's on stand by.
The Flame of Genesis overflows in the void sky, thoroughly burning the octopus that was trying to leave again. Unlike before, the direction is perfect this time.
The octopus reveals its black body to try to absorb it, but it's meaningless.

It'd be a different story if it was a black hole, but a technique that can only absorb magic can't go against this flame.
Because, even though it's invoked by using large amount of magic power, the flame is thoroughly a physical phenomenon

"Is it over?"

After the octopus has burned out, something is floating.
I thought it was a small octopus or an egg, but I was mistaken.

"--Sacred Tree Stone?"

The color is black, but the Sacred Tree Stone--a huge object equaling the so called [Philosopher's Stone] is floating.
Did the enormous mana contained within the Flame of Genesis condensed and crystallized the jet black body of the octopus?

I put it into my Storage since it looks useful for many things.
It seems usable as the power source of the floating island.

Since the octopus's cast-off skin has the ability to absorb magic power, using it to make a [Magic Eater]-like tool might also be a good idea.


◇


"Takoyaki yummy."
"This akashiyaki is good too."

The crispy takoyaki with sauce is good, but I also can't leave the dashi-dashed limp-textured akashiyaki alone.
I made them not with the Black Octopus Space Kaijuu's body, but the normal octopus I caught in the sea of the solitary island's archipelago.

"Both are very good it's hard to say which one won."
"Delish~"
"Trivia nanodesu."
"Nn, tasty."

The princess, Sera and Zena-san were repulsed by the strange appearance of octopus so they didn't come to the octopus meet, but Lady Karina was delightfully eating it.
Looks like Mia can eat octopus normally.
I'll retort for once, Pochi, it's très bien, not trivia.

"Putting jerky inside instead octopus would be delicious too wouldn't it."
"Ufufu, would you like to try one?"

Lulu smiles at Liza who said some meat-lover remark.

"Lulu, I also want the prototype, so I inform."
"Tama too~"
"Pochi too, nanodesu!"

Nana, Tama and Pochi were also eager.
Lady Karina looks like she's in agreement, but she doesn't seem to have time to mind it while putting the piping-hot takoyaki into her mouth.
Relaxedly eating snacks with everyone really is a special time isn't it.

I'll have to think of menu that can be enjoyed by Zena-san and the others too next time.


◇


"It sure is big~"
"It can only float yet though."

I put the debris island installed with floating engine from space into my storage and then carried it into the desert sub-space.
It's far smaller than the Moon Piercer Sword that defeated the black octopus, so it was easy.

The floating engine which makes this island floats isn't using the Darkness Stone manufactured in the elemental stone factory in the void sky, but the lump of Darkness Crystal Orb I found in the black octopus's body.
The Darkness Crystal Orb is a high-purity crystal that's rarely created during the darkness stone production.

I also found some high-purity metal crystal, lumps of corundum and topaz and many others inside the octopus.
Looking at its structure, they were all near its excretion hole.

The lump of crystals in the group of debris were probably the octopus's excrement which were processed and not needed inside its body.

The figure of the black octopus gnawing planets flashes on my mind.

"Must've been my imagination."
"What is?"
"--It's nothing."

I smile at Arisa who looks worried.

"Oh right, I've created some new gravity control magic and inertia control magic. Do you want to try flying together?"
"Really? I want to fly--you've tested it before right?"
"Isn't it obvious?"

I immediately denied Arisa's remark.
Using it on my companions without testing first is too dangerous after all.

I invoke gravity magic's [<<Gravity Control>>] and force magic's [<<Inertia Control>>].
In case anything happened, I could just use [<<Inertia Cancel>>].

I fly with Arisa and look at the dolls that are working to shave off the surface of the floating island.

"It looks like it'll become a seedling ship that flies off into the outer space. Master and me like Adam and Eve, oh how wonderful."

I heard some thoughtless words from Arisa, but I lightly ignore it.

Moreover, the void sky is a danger zone worse than this world you know. Normally it'd be straight path to the bad end in nightmare mode.
It's totally not possible until I've conquered the whole map of this star system.

Moreover, the floating engine can only absorb gravity, it has no way to move in the void sky.
If I can put the magic I used just now to practical use and make the gravity control engine, the island should be able to move in the space.

First, maybe I should make an artificial spirit graviton version to investigate out of the system.
I smile complacently, having got a new idea for my research.



























Previous Chapter

※ This is not from Satou's point of view

14-Intermission 2: Immigrants of Governor Pendragon

 

◇Royal Capital - Downtown◇


"Good work today, how 'bout we get some drink after this?"
"Sorry, my family's waiting."
"Yer' an unsociable old man."

I waved my hand lightly to my co-worker who cursed me and left the place.
The pay from the construction site today is good, but I've to go to the middleman office first thing tomorrow.

This Royal Capital which we arrived at after fleeing from Lesseu Earldom for our life wasn't a paradise at all.
It's a life where I can't even drink a bottle of ale easily even if I work from morning till night.

"Boruto-san, it's been a while."
"Akindo-san! Long time no see!"

The one who appeared in front of me as I walked sluggishly was a male merchant who saved us when we were attacked by monsters in Lesseu Earldom.

"You're not with the dogkin and catkin children this time?"
"Yes, that is so."

This man is awfully humble even though he said he was a merchant exclusively contracted by a noble-sama.
He's speaking politely even with a mere village liker me.

"How is the life in Royal Capital?"
"Thanks to Akindo-san for getting a place for us to live, we're getting by alright although barely."

I'm really indebted to this person.

"Is that so--if it's hard for you, since Viscount Pendragon-sama is looking for immigrants, how about applying for one?"
"By immigrants, you mean for pioneer village?"
"Yes, that's right."

Looks like Akindo-san who's a merchant doesn't understand how difficult a pioneer village is.

Shaving off your hunger by eating weeds and tree skins, several people will die within three years.
And even when you can finally harvest some crops, the officials will take 'em all.
I don't mind if it's just me, but I don't want to let my child and wife to live such a life.

"I hope you can keep what I'm about to say a secret, about that pioneer land--"
"Is that true?"
"Yes, it is."

Unbelievably, on top of having fields where crops can be planted right away, it's fully equipped with houses complete with the minimum furnitures, what's more there's even water wells that the village can use.
It's too good to be true even if you take it with a grain of salt. You'd normally think it's a fraud.

However, I can't imagine Akindo-san, who lent me several gold coins with no pressure in payment when we just got to the Royal Capital, tricking me.
Rather, if he wanted to trick and turn me into a slave, he'd have asked for unreasonable interest from the first loan.

In fact, the tax collector and village elder who fled from Lesseu Earldom earlier were turned into slaves by that kind of trick.

"T-then I can ask it from you?"
"Echigoya Firm will be acting as the contact. I'm rarely in the Royal Capital after all."

Echigoya Firm huh.... If I'm not mistaken it's a firm managed by the servant of Hero Nanashi-sama.
My wife is also working as a contracted employee in Echigoya Firm's mill, she said that the pay was good even though the work was hard.
Think she was surprised that it was a firm that properly paid as much money as promised in the beginning.

"Thank you, Akindo-san. I'll talk about it with my wife."
"Yes, that's a good idea."

Akindo-san left after smiling.


◇


"Eh~ Pioneer village~. I don't want to!"
"Dear, you forgot the story of our great grandfathers' pioneer village?"

I immediately talked about the pioneer village with my wife and daughter once I got back home, but they strongly rejected it as expected.
Our village only became easy to live in starting from 20 years ago, I and my wife lived our childhood in fear of starvation, so this reaction is normal.

I told the story I heard from Akindo-san in a hurry.

"You're being tricked dad."
"That's right dear. There's no way such thing like having ready fields and houses with furnitures can be true."
"No but, Akindo-san said--"
"That's cause Akindo-san is being deceived too isn't it?"
"That person is a softhearted person who was even worried about us after all."

I still want to plea back, but no way I can win against two women's mouths.

However, even if we cling on Royal Capital forever--.

"We'll hit the wall if we keep this up. We can live without starving cause the food price is stable, but the construction works from the monster disturbance from back then are going to disappear soon. Once the day laborer works decreased, I've to start to seek job in the crowded job market. If my wage decrease, we can't pay the rent here."
"But but, there's also wages from me helping in the bar, and mom's work in Echigoya's mill."

Looks like my daughter who hasn't become an adult doesn't know that being a waitress in a downtown bar is no different from being a cheap prostitute.
The crime number has decreased thanks to the scary guys from the downtown mutual aid society patrolling the area, but that doesn't mean there's no more prostitutes or perverted drunkards.
As a parent, I don't want to let an unmarried daughter to work there forever.

"Our live would become easier if I became a regular worker instead of contracted in Echigoya Firm...."

My wife put her hand on her cheek and sighed.

I've heard that the people employed in Echigoya Firm in the Royal Capital are well-paid enough to buy their own house, but only educated people and trained in skill can become one.

"That's the Echigoya y'know."
"What is?"

I didn't say it?

"The mediator for the pioneer thing is that Echigoya."
"I-is that true?"
"Y-yea."

I nodded to my wife who suddenly was in high spirits.

"Hey, dad. Where's the pioneer village at? Is it Lesseu Earldom?"
"No, seems to be a village under Viscount Pendragon-sama's administration in Muno Earldom."
"Pendragon! By Pendragon, it's that Pendragon right! 『Pendragon the Woundless』--A Mithril explorer and the one whose female lizardkin spearsman retainer defeated a Shiga Eight Sword!"

My daughter put her feet on the desk and thrust her fist toward the ceiling.
I also know what my daughter is talking about. My daughter heard it from some drunkards, I heard it from someone who liked rumors on the construction site. The story sounds faked, but apparently it's the truth.

"Dad! That story earlier might be true after all!"

According to my daughter, it seems the treasures Viscount Pendragon got from defeating the [Floor Master] were sold for more than 30.000 gold coins.
A merchant's maid who was in the bar seemed to have heard it it by accident in the auction venue.

"Guess it's okay if Echigoya Firm is the mediator. Cause Echigoya is strict with lies after all."

My wife murmured seriously.
Something probably happened at her workplace.

"Then, we're applying?"

The two nodded, and then I went to Echigoya's branch office in the downtown the next day.
It seems they only started the open recruitment in the noon today, the receptionist woman was surprised.

The recruitment was overflowed in a blink of an eyes it became a raffle but it seemed we were treated as referrals from Akindo-san, so we were accepted to be ones of the immigrants.
I haven't met him again after that time, I want to thank him properly at least once.


◇


"A-airship?"
"Dad, we're really immigrating right?"
"We're not being led to become slaves are we?"

My wife and daughter pulled my sleeves from the sides.
I can't comprehend the situation before me.

I heard that Muno Earldom we were going to was on the opposite side of Fujisan mountains, so I thought that we would go around the mountains on foot for sure.
Who'd have thought we'll be moving with an airship....

"Dad, we're like nobles."

My daughter who acted daringly pulled my hand to the airship.
The ceiling is low. When I sit down on the floor with mat, my back touches the neighbor's already.

"This must be why there's a restriction to the luggage."
"Yes, that seems so."

I thought it was strange that there was a restriction from carrying household items even though we were immigrants, but I can understand why now.
I grasped my luggage and tally tightly and waited for the departure.

--Hm, looks like I fell asleep before I knew it.

"Everyone, thank you for waiting. We've arrived at Brighton City of Muno Earldom."

A girl wearing Echigoya uniform opened the door and went around to ask us get down from the ship.
Is Muno Earldom near enough from Royal Capital for the ship to arrive in a nap?

"Unbelievable.... It should have taken three to six months on the land route, two months on the sea route...."

A young man who said that he was a merchant's third son muttered alone.
My daughter is looking at the man creepily from behind my back.

"I heard that even regular air lane needs three days from the Royal Capital and the Duchy Capital, so how..."
"Oh my, you know well. It was a five day trip from the Royal Capital to here. Since we stuffed five time the normal capacity of people, it'd have been difficult in various ways if we flew normally so we put the people to sleep with magic."

The Echigoya female guide cheerfully explained the situation to the merchant's third son.
The reason why they didn't explain it beforehand was because the magic would not work effectively if we knew.

Getting locked in that jam packed place for five days would surely make me lose my mind for sure, so I'm not going to complain.
Come to think of it, I don't feel that hungry even though it's been five days.
You don't get hungry if you're made to sleep with magic huh, the magician employed by a wealthy merchant of the Royal Capital sure is amazing.

"It's a beautiful town."
"It really is, I sure want to stay at this place at least once."
"This area is probably for noble-sama mansions."

My wife and daughter are looking at the white mansions lined up in the townscape longingly.
I want to fulfill their wishes but we're just mere immigrants. No way that dream can come true even if the whole world got toppled.

"Everybody, your attention please!"

An Echigoya Firm's girl shouted out loud from a tall platform.
There are a young girl who looks like a noble and a white haired young man with a wound on his cheek standing behind her.

"Who's that princess?"
"Maybe she's the lord's wife?"
"No way, why would the wife greet mere immigrants herself?"

Rustles spreads amongst the immigrants.

"Quiet please! The acting lord will make a greeting."
"Nice to meet you everyone, I'm Lina Emlin the acting lord. I may trouble you due to my lack of experience, but please consult to the city hall freely if you're troubled with anything."

Looking at the teenage acting lord who was desperately spinning her words, I have mixed feeling of anxiety and wanting to support her.

"Thank you very much acting lord-sama. We have a lot of experienced public employees in the city hall so do consult to them."

Echigoya Firm girl added something, it seemed she sensed the immigrants' worries.

"The villages everyone is going to can already accept new people anytime, but since the day will end if we go now, we'll be going tomorrow."

Then we're going to sleep in this city today huh.
Since grass is growing on the open space for the airship, looks like we'll have some good place to sleep on.

"Please head to the lodging inn. Land lord-sama is paying the lodging charge, today's dinner and tomorrow's breakfast, so please use them freely. I'll be guiding you according to the tally's color. And also, we've taken your luggage to the inn."

....This too much good treatment made me feel anxious instead.

Isn't it too generous no matter how you look at it?
Letting us sleep in the open space and providing warm soup would have been enough to make us shout "Hurray for Lord-sama", yet they even provided lodging and meals....

What does the lord want from us?


◇


"It was an amazing inn wasn't it dad."
"The food was delicious too~"
"You're right...."

I'd be happier if I didn't know that the lodging cost one gold coin for each room and the meals cost three gold coins....
I accidentally heard that from the employees' conversations.
When I think about earning five gold coins, just how many years would that take.

We put our luggage in the cart in the lodging's courtyard.
Pulling the cart was an unfamiliar animal called yak. It was like a big goat with brown fur.
Looks like the shepherds who are guarded by envoys are traveling with us.

There are around 50 people going to the same village as us.
There's a lot of unmarried youngsters, and it seems there are some families who have girls as if matching them.

We parted way with the shepherds along the way, and arrived at an open place after climbing a mountain road. There are two wolf statues on both sides of the village's entrance. It's probably the village elder's hobby.
In front of the vast maintained farmland, there are lines of splendid houses that are as good as the village elder's mansion.

"Oy, this soil is great see."
"You're right, it's soft like the soil in a forest."

The men who couldn't wait anymore and jumped to the field and exchanged words.

Don't tell me, the settlement village we're going to live in is this splendid?
Such wishful thinking floated in my mind.

"Everyone, please gather here."

The guide girl called us, and then we gathered while leaving the carts.
Several people came from the village. Everyone is wearing fine clothes. They must be the tenants of the lord here.

"Good work. This is the settlement village everyone is going to live in."

--What?!

I can't believe it, I look at the other people with asking glances.
I'm too surprised I can't speak.

"These people here are the workers who will help everyone getting used to the village. Please ask them about the village's facilities."

It's really unbelievable.
Field that's twice as big as the one in the Lesseu Earldom's village, and a big mansion that can hold 10 people complete with a barn. There's even a livestock hut even though there's nothing inside.
They say that in one month, land lord-sama will provide us with goats and orange chickens.

Right at that time, the northern part of the village became noisy.

"Oh no! Look at the sky!"

Geh, aren't those rhinoceros beetles.
Even though they look so weak, they're strong enemies, the knights in Lesseu Earldom couldn't win unless they fought in a group.

"Oh my, they're the leftovers from the hunt huh~"

The guide girl muttered carefreely while holding a short wand.

"There's no need to panic. Look--"

The girl points at winged statues knocking down the beetles to the ground.
And then, two wolves which ran from the village's entrance rushed to the beetles.

"Dad, aren't those the stone statues on the village's entrance?"
"Y-yea..."

The one-sided battle ended quickly, and then the statues went back to their places while leaving the beetles' bodies behind.

"I was going to explain later, but there's no need to now. Those statues are state-of-the-art golems provided by Echigoya Firm by land lord-sama's request. They will defend against burglars and monsters, but they can't cope with harmful animals like wild boars and monkeys, so please keep that in mind okay."

I never hear any village protected by golems.
But, looks like they can defeat most monsters with their strength.
My eyes became hot as I remembered the time when we were prepared to die to repulse monsters while sacrificing several people in my village as we waited for the land lord to get off his heavy ass.

Our life has been made this much easier, I'll grow enough vegetables and wheats to pay the tax next year.

"Dad, this is amazing."
"Dear, we'll have to work hard."
"Yea, let's start the planting today!"

I stepped toward the field while holding a brand new hoe in my hand.












※ Akindo-san is one of Satou's disguises

















Previous Chapter

※ Not from Satou's point of view.

14-SS1: People of the Ancient Dragon Continent

 

"Darn it, not even one dragon scale despite walking this far...."
"It probably means that even the demon lord couldn't hurt Ancient Dragon-sama at all."

Knights in traveling outfits are exchanging words with each other.
A group of 50 people including knights who were dispatched by a kingdom on the south of the Ancient Dragon continent have come to investigate. Everyone is riding a highly mobile Running Bird.

"Ooy! Come here quick!"

One of the soldiers who had gone ahead of the wasteland as scouts greatly waved his hands.
The other four who are with him are captivated by the ridge on the other side of the wasteland, they're not waving their hands.

"Th-this is...."
"I can't believe it."

The young captain snatches the Farsight Tube from one of the scouts and stare at the scenery before his eyes.
A red haired woman vice-captain who appears beside him does the same thing and peer into the Farsight Tube.

"For fertile land to spread beyond the wasteland like this."
"That's not the surprising part, look at there! The city is safe."
"Impossible. I saw it myself when the royal capital of this Katahira Kingdom was burned to the ground by the demon lord's army. The rampart was also half destroyed by a huge demon beast from the demon lord's army."

Unlike the wasteland that the investigation team has witnessed so far, there are lush greenery and a city with systemically built houses before their eyes.

"We won't know anything from here. Let's go into the city."
"H-however, it might be the demon's trap."
"Then have the summoner to summon a carrier bird and send a report."

After giving the order, the captain whipped the Running Bird and went ahead.

"Scout unit! Go ahead of the captain! Don't miss any danger!"
"""UNDERSTOOD."""

With the vice-captain's order, the scouts hurriedly jumped onto the Running Birds.
Since they're lightly dressed, they probably would quickly catch up with the captain.

The vice-captain takes along the following unit toward the solemn and mysterious city.


◇


"--Does nobody live here?"

Even though there are houses lined up which look ready to live in anytime, there's not even one soul.
There are furnitures installed inside the houses, yet no tablewares nor food can be found.

Unbelievably enough, every house has waterworks and drainage system installed.

"Captain, the door of the central castle is open."
"I see, the rampart gate also opened by itself when we touched it."
"Is it inviting us in?"
"I don't know."

The captain and the others continue their search without stopping even while feeling weirded out.
After wandering in the wasteland for two months, arriving at a ruined city--nay, a city with virtually brand new houses that are left unattended, there's no way they can leave it alone.

"However, such mysterious buildings they are. I've never seen buildings like them before."
"Yeah, they look weak against earthquake."

Apparently, Shiga Kingdom-style stone buildings are unusual on the Ancient Dragon Continent which has a lot of volcanoes.
Houses made with Architecture magic are stronger than they look against earthquake, but none can see through that on their first sight.

They finally get off the Running Birds when they've trespassed the central castle, and then they dip their hands into the fountain in the front garden.
It seems they've judged that the water is safe after looking at the Running Birds poking their heads into the water.

"Looks like it's safe. Let us drink the water too."
"Alright! It's been half a month since we have such clear water."
"Yummm, this sfuff's not gritty to drink."

Unlike the captain who could get drinking water from water magic, the team members plunged their heads into the fountain and began to drink the water.
The following group who arrived later lost themselves when they saw their companions plunging their heads into the fountain and rushed up to them, the vice-captain scolded them.

"And, does that seems to be here?"
"Yeah, the rampart's gate opens by itself and the fountain is working. It's possible."

Accompanied by the vice-captain and escort soldiers, the captain heads toward the underground passage the scouts discovered.
The escort soldiers were repelled by the barrier on the passage's entrance, but the captain and the vice-captain were able to enter into the lower floor without problem.

"As I thought, only upper nobles can enter huh."
"Probably only people who can become a landlord."

The captain runs toward the blue light shining in the lower floor.

『Welcome, qualified one.』

An overlapping voice of woman and man of unknown age could be heard.
The source of the voice is the crystal body floating in the air--City Core.

『I've been ordered by the previous lord [] to hand over the throne to the first qualified one who come here. Which one of you will be registered as the Land Lord?』

The captain steps forward to answer the City Core.
It seems the two who are bewildered with the situation don't notice that the previous lord name told by the City Core was blank.

"I will inherit it. Former Prince of Natenha, Jeba Natenha will become the new Lord of this land."
『Registering Jeba Natenha.』

The captain's body is wrapped in light, a mysterious light crown appears on his head.

Figures of people living a poor life in a foreign country appears in the captain--King Jeba's mind.
And, the cheering voices of his subjects whom he leads to the new land.

"Your Highness, you look splendid."
"Stop with Highness. I'm the king of this new Natenha Kingdom from now on."
"Yes, Your Majesty."

Disregarding the two who were overwhelmed by their emotion, the City Core asked 『Would you like to change the city name from Katahira to Natenha?』 at its own pace.

Thus the captain became a prince who obtained a foundation to revive the fallen kingdom as a godsend, but only later on they found out that the city was only made to look like the city before it was destroyed.

The one who reconstructed these cities were not a god, but it was beyond their imagination as ordinary people.
Much less about the purpose of that person; a practical site for magic experiments and expectation for the revival to complete when he comes to sightsee in the future, none could imagine it was for such a random reason.

"Also, Haryu. You be the first queen."
"Jeba-sama."

Apparently the new king has also found his spouse following his kingdom.
As if blessing the two, the song of the Ancient Dragon that rules over regeneration is echoing on the continent.








※ This is the sequel to 14-Intermission 1: Ancient Dragon Continent and Primeval Magic
※ Satou only made the city's buildings, the City Core had existed from the start.
























Previous Chapter

14-Intermission 1: Ancient Dragon Continent and Primeval Magic

 

Satou's here. Perhaps due to the influence from picture books and foreign anime geared toward children, when I think of magic, I imagine an old magician using a wand and invoking a spell. It was denied by a friend who was experienced in fantasy from home console though.


◇


『So this place is that continent?』

I asked my fellow traveler while surveying the wasteland that spread in front of us.

『That Ancient Dragon guy should be around here somewhere. That wasteland over there must have been what left after Ancient Dragon's Breath of 『Ruination』』

Black Dragon Heiron who's carrying me to the south continent keeps his confidence.

Whoa, looks like we're going to come out of the marine area into the south continent area soon.
This continent doesn't have a World Tree so this is the first time I've come here.

I acquire the information about the south continent area with [All Map Exploration].

Looks like the acquired map is for the northern half part of the continent.
The map's name is [Wasteland of Ancient Dragon], there's only a small number of people with only a few villages and small towns along the eastern and western coasts.

Looks like the Ancient Dragon is rowdier than I thought.

『Heiron, fly a bit to the right toward that mountain ridge you can see far away.』
『Your eyes are good Kuro. It's too far I cannot see it.』

Well I also can't see it you know.
I have him flying toward the point reflected on the map.

--Crisis Perception.

In accordance to my bad feeling, I create a square shaped magic shield using advanced force magic in front of Black Dragon.
The surface area of the protection is small, but it's an excellent little thing that could directly defend against Black Dragon's breath many times.

『What's wrong, Kuro--』

Heiron suddenly made a sharp turn to the left when he was still talking.
My view inclined nearly 90 degree.

Something sparkled from afar, and then at the next moment, a black jet passed through near Black Dragon's stomach.
It's probably the Ancient Dragon's breath.

The other party shouldn't have been able to see us from this distance, it must have shot it using perception.
Still, that's some tremendous range.

With a roaring sound, Heiron let out a breath toward the Ancient Dragon.
Maybe it was a retaliation, but Heiron's breath disappeared in the middle of the way before even arriving at the Ancient Dragon.

『Fumu, now that Ancient Dragon guy should notice me too.』

After saying that, Heiron corrects his direction.
Rather, I feel that it was a declaration of war.


◇


--In the end, Heiron's act was the right thing to do.

After using the breath to reply, there was no more breath coming from Ancient Dragon.
Before long, we could see the Ancient Dragon lying sprawled on the mountain's ridge.

--Huge.

The ancient dragon in Fujisan mountains was already twice as big as a true dragon, yet this Ancient Dragon is an order of magnitude bigger. Its length is at least one kilometer. It looks like it'll be 20% longer if the dragon stretches its body.

How does a living being maintain such size I wonder, but it's probably of something magical.

The Ancient Dragon is basking in the sunlight, its crimson scales are glittering.

『Black Dragon the wild kid huh, wait until the afternoon if you want to have a match. Today is a fine day to take a nap. Fighting is nice, but having a pleasant nap is even better.』
『Umu, agreed.』

Heiron agreed with the Ancient Dragon who spoke with very low frequency sound which shook your body, then he landed on a ridge near the Ancient Dragon and began to sunbathe.
How do I say this, they really are on their own paces.

I came here to ask the Ancient Dragon to teach me after all, as they said 'when in Rome, do as Romans do', thus I decided to take a nap together with the dragons.
There were cold strong wind like in alpine and intense sunlight like in the southern region, but I was able to adjust them making them feel like comfortable wind and sunshine by wrapping my body with light magic power.

I open my eyes when I feel someone's gaze.
According to the clock on the menu it's been two hours.

Right in front of me, there's the face of the Ancient Dragon and its ruby-colored eyes that's bigger than me.

『--Are you Riui?』
『No, I am Kuro.』

I remember this Riui that the Ancient Dragon mentioned.
The founder king of Silga Kingdom should be called Riui.

Perhaps the legend of King Riui I heard in Silga Kingdom's Dragon Shrine is a historical fact.
I'm intrigued as to whether the suspicious story about dragon turning into human is true.

At least the Silga Kingdom's dragon weapons were of lesser dragons'.

『I see--』

Looks like the Ancient Dragon lost its interest in me after I denied the question, after blinking once, it turned its attention toward Black Dragon.

『--Should we fight now, Black Dragon?』
『I have obtained a name, Heiron. Call me Heiron instead of Black Dragon.』

The battle junkie Black Dragon snapped at the matter about his name rather than about the match.

『Hou? Did Dragon God-sama bestowed you the name?』

Oh? They normally get it from the Dragon God huh?
Come to think of it, Black Dragon didn't name himself even though he has Naming skill.

『No, my name was given by Kuro. I also gave Kuro his name y'know.』
『You got your name from a human child?』
『Umu, Kuro exchanged blows with me in equal term y'know.』
『Exchanged blows you said? Fighting a dragon by exchanging blows in close combat rather than using magic from afar, that's quite an admirable youngster.』

Ancient Dragon laughs out loud pleasantly.
Since its laughter is like a shockwave attack, please leave it at that.


◇


『So, you're not going to fight?』
『Umu, I'm fine with fighting, but I've brought Kuro here cause he has some business with you.』

Black Dragon told our original business faithfully to the Ancient Dragon who looked eager to fight.
It seems like he's already satisfied since he fought with me plentifully the other day.

Ancient Dragon turned its line of sight toward me uninterestingly.

『I had heard that Ancient Dragon-dono excels at ancient magic, so I'd like to learn from you once.』
『Fumu, I do not mind, however.... Magic (majutsu) is faster in invocation and needs less magic power than Primeval Magic (mahou) y'know?』

I answered the Ancient Dragon who looked wondering.
According to AR reading, the Ancient Dragon doesn't have [Primeval Magic] skill.

『Teach him without grumbling over the trivia. We're having a banquet after you teach him the magic.』
『Fumu, drinking Black Dragon liquor after a long while is nice too.』
『Besides, the dishes Kuro makes are tasty y'know.』
『Hou--better than whole roasted goats?』

So Ancient Dragon also uses goats as the standard?
They like goats too much.

『Fumwu.... About the same.』

Black Dragon concluded so after thinking hard about it for a bit.
Looks like even the whale meat with the spicy mayonnaise couldn't win against the demi-glaced roasted goat.

It got derailed a bit like such, but the Ancient Dragon's lesson finally starts.

『Primeval magic is all about spirit.』

With just that, the Ancient Dragon shuts its mouth as if it has told everything.

『Do you mean using magic with thought?』
『Roughly like that. Desire for something strongly, and make it happen using magic power and spirit.』

That's quite a lackadaisical magic.

『Is there no need for spell and prior-preparation?』
『That's magic (majutsu) right? Don't you want to learn about Primeval Magic (mahou)?』

Apparently, Primeval Magic is really a magic that create phenomenons only with imagination.

『I'm hungry y'know....』
『Now that you mention it, I feel hungry too.』

Black Dragon and Ancient Dragon said those things even though the lesson had just started.
These guys really do things as they please.

『Experience is the best teacher. I'll show how it's done, imitate it.』

The Ancient Dragon stares at a rock.
Looks like it's going to do something with that rock.

I motivate myself and observe the process.
I can see the magic flow of enormous magic essence (mana). It seems the spirits aren't moving.

There's nothing happening even after 10 minutes.

However, the amount of magic power gathered on the rock is substantial.
There's at least enough magic power to cast several advanced magic spells that's wrapped on the rock.

『I'll get some fish and octopus from the sea for a bit.』

Black Dragon yawned and then he went toward the shore.
Seafood from an unknown place sound good, but I have to concentrate on the Ancient Dragon's Primeval Magic right now.

After about an hour, Black Dragon came back while carrying a huge squid-shaped Kraken and a Deep Sea Serpent.

『What, not yet huh--this is why I dislike Primeval Magic.』

It's true that this can't be used as attack magic if it takes this long.

--Crack.

A small sound entered my ears.

I turned around and saw the figure of a sheep emerging from the transparent white rock.
Its realness accelerates as the rock as big as an arm turns into a statue of goat.

However, it doesn't end with just that--.

The statue's fur became tinged with real-looking fur, the statue's eyes blinked, turning into a living creature's eyes.

I reflexively stretch out my hand.
The fur that my hand touches feels exactly the same as a goat's.

――ＭＷＥＥＥＥ。

The goat cried once and then it began to walk.
Its first few steps were awkward, but it's hopping normally now.

Amazingly, even the AR reading shows that it's a [Goat].

『This is Primeval Magic. You understand?』
『Y-yes, thank you very much.』

It's strange for me to be surprised at a rock turning into a goat since the forbidden spell [Another World] can create plants and fish, but looking at a rock turning into a goat before my eyes was amazing.

Unlike all the magic up until now, I didn't get [Primeval Magic] skill.
Since the Ancient Dragon itself doesn't have the skill, I guess it's only natural.

『You just do it like that. Kuro, cook this goat.』
『Fumu, one is not enough, but using Primeval Magic is tiring so I don't want to do it again.』
『Then, I'll bring them here from a certain place.』

After telling so, I brought around 20 goats from the live stock-farming [Another World].
I take out the whale meat too while I'm at it. I chose half the body of the whale since I'm treating the huge Ancient Dragon.

『That's quite a huge fillet.』
『Umu, it's the Great Monstrous Fish's fillet. It's good y'know.』
『T-that Great Monstrous Fish huh. Those guys can eat my breath and they're quick to escape into the bottom of the sea, they're bothersome so I've never eaten one.』

The Ancient Dragon is looking at the whale's half body interestingly.
I start to cook using [Magic Arm] and [Forge].

The dragons are smiling at the smell of the roasted meat.

I think back upon the Primeval Magic earlier while looking at them.
You probably have to do something after saturating the magic power, but I don't understand what to do after that.
Like sending signal by pulsing electricity, I think you need to create waves from the saturated magic power and produce some kind of magical phenomenon from it, but I don't have any proof in that.

--Hm?

A music with megavolume pulled me back to reality.
Apparently, the Ancient Dragon and Black Dragon are humming.

--Ooh, amazing.

Green buds have begun to sprout from around the Ancient Dragon and Black Dragon.
I can feel waves of magic power, this appears to be a type of Primeval Magic.

The greenery spread vigorously, flowers are blooming spectacularly. There are even some rare things called Spirit Grass and Bewitching Flower among them.
Looks like trees and shrubs have begun growing in far-off.

The spring and lake created in a slightly distant place must be of the Dragon Spring Liquor.
I guess the one created by the Ancient Dragon should be called Dragon Lake Liquor huh?

『Kuro, put demigla on this goat.』
『On mine too please.』

It's easy to put on the sauce since it's whole roasted, but my demi-glace sauce stock is running low.
Using space magic [Telephone] I ask Lulu to make more.

『So good, this tastes so good! Heiron, you've found yourself a good servant!』
『Wrong. Kuro isn't my servant, he's a friend.』
『Fumu, friend huh. I will use Primeval Magic to make the things you want if you give me more delicious dishes. At present, you want to turn dragon's fangs and claws into weapons right?』

When I was listening to the two while dismantling the Kraken and the deep sea serpent, the Ancient Dragon told me that.
Might as well, I take out Bouryuu's fang for the occasion.
I've cut it a bit to make some tool, but it's mostly intact.

『Could you turn this into a sword?』
『Fumu fumu, I can but after the banquet is over. Humans must not be hasty.』

The dragon is right, you've to enjoy the time to enjoy yourself fully.

I make fine white noodles from the huge squid and sashimi from the deep sea serpent.
The sashimi's accent isn't enough since I haven't meet any wasabi monster. As expected, using common wasabi isn't enough for this size.

I deep fried the deep sea serpent's bone with meat, creating a super huge bone senbei.
I can make deep-fried food using little oil with fry cooking magic, it's quite convenient.

『The senbei is better than the sashimi. This is how it's like when you fry things in oil huh.... Humans sure come up with amusing things.』
『I don't like it much. Goats are better after all.』

Crackle crackle, with very loud sound the Ancient Dragon bit the super huge bone senbei.
Black Dragon who was attracted by that tried the bone senbei, but he didn't like it much.

Once the two's appetites were appeased to a degree, I was also freed from cooking and began to drink the Dragon Lake liquor while snacking on the squid dish.

The moment I put the Dragon Lake Liquor into my mouth, strong smell pierced through my nostrils. After a bit, I got used to the tongue-numbing strong alcohol, then a rich mild flavor permeates.
The taste is different from the Dragon Spring liquor, but this one is quite a good liquor too.

I'd like to let my dwarf acquaintances who like liquor to drink this.
I'll share the remaining liquor later.

『Still, it looked like you really rampaged violently, did your Inverse Scale got wounded?』

Black Dragon suddenly turned his head and asked the Ancient Dragon.

『Fuhahaha, such idiot has not appeared for the past 10.000 years. I just couldn't put up with the scuffle between the demon lord and the little ones on the mountain nearby.』

Apparently the wasteland on the northern half part of the continent is the trace from the time the Ancient Dragon rampaged to defeat the demon lord.

I see, so this is an example of the [the damage is great when the dragon intervenes] talk.
The damage is bigger than my Meteor Shower combo for sure.

The [Demon Lord of another continent] spoken in the oracle was probably from here.
Only the ones in the Weasel Empire and the Ratkin Principality remain.

I had tried searching in the Ratkin Principality near Shiga Kingdom, but I couldn't find anything that seemed like the demon lord.
The [Trazayuya Maze] is located near the Ashrat Principality after all, perhaps the last demon lord is what Zen would have become.


◇


"Eh? So you went today and were taught immediately?"
"Yeah, these are the Dragon Fang swords and Dragon Fang daggers that I got."

Affirming the surprised Arisa, I show her the swords created by the Ancient Dragon.

I had more of the lesser Dragon Fangs, so I asked the dragon to create two Dragon Fang swords and several Dragon Fang daggers.
Looking at the fang's volume, there should have been some left, but most of the huge fangs were absorbed into into the Dragon Fang swords. Primeval Magic is quite fantastical.

"Normally you'd get turned down and get to stay sitting down in front of the gate no matter how many times you got sent away, the readers won't feel the suspense like this."

As always, Arisa still loves mixing up fiction and reality.
Even though it's better when they teach you easily.

"Satou, there's a lot of daggers--don't tell me?"」
"Yes, I have one for everyone."

I nodded to Hikaru and put all the weapons on the table.
The Dragon Fang swords are for Pochi and Tama each, the Dragon Fang daggers are for everyone including the late-starters.
I didn't give the Dragon Fang sword to Nana who could use a sword because she won't be able to use her defense with the sword that's too sharp.

The members who are used to getting weapons from me and Lady Karina were simply overjoyed, but Hikaru, the princess, Sera and Zena-san received the swords with trembling hands due to their surprises.

"Amazing, this is a Jingi created from dragon's fang with Primeval Magic...."

Hikaru traces the dagger in her trembling hand.
Calling it Jingi is exaggerating, but there's no mistake that it's of higher class than a common Artifact.

"It can cut the inside of the magic bag, so make sure to put it into the sheath before storing it into the bag okay."
"Aye aye sir~"
"Yes, nanodesu!"

Tama and Pochi stretch out greatly to answer me.

"Satou-san, is it alright for us to receive such amazing weapons?"
"Yes, Zena would be fine, but Her Highness and I can't use weapons...."
"That dagger can cut barrier, so please carry it in cases of emergency."

It cut through the barrier I created with space magic, so they should be able to break through most barrier.

"Dagger that can cut through barrier huh.... I feel excited somehow."
"Nn, anticipation."

Arisa and Mia are smiling while picking sheaths with different colors.

Lulu tilts her head while holding the dagger like a kitchen knife.
It seems she's going to use the Dragon Fang dagger to cook.

"Master, what is that, so I ask."
"This? This is a failure you see."

Nana points at the ill-formed dagger in my hand.
I was able to invoke Primeval Magic somehow after spending half a day and used up most of my magic power, but it felt like I needed more training before I could use it freely.
Looks like it'll be a bit longer before Liza's magic spear reinforcement.

"So, in the end, what is Primeval Magic anyway? Is it an 『Iya Boun』 type of technique?"
"The Ancient Dragon said that it was magic invoked with your spirit, but if I have to say, I guess it's the root of the 『Current Magic』? It's hard to be used by humans so the 『Current Magic』 is the form after it's been improved, or something like that."

The part that isn't included in the current magic (mahou)--magic (majutsu) skill has no merit.
I can understand why Primeval Magic became obsolete and the current systematic magic succeeded in the natural selection.

The current magic (majutsu) with the skill support is far easier to use and more efficient.
The support from skill is big after all.

--By the way, I wonder what's the [Iyabon type technique] that Arisa said in Japanese?

Arisa's reference is too old sometimes, I don't know them.





















Previous Chapter

14-47. Follow-up Processing

 

Satou's here. Ending things are several times harder than starting things. It's not only once or twice I thought of having someone else to do the last debug. I wonder where the utopia without debug is located....


◇


"Well well, you're Sir Pendragon aren't you?"
"White hair with a cut on the cheek--You must be Kuro-dono of Echigoya Firm right."

I'm doing this farce in the royal castle of Tonaoku Kingdom, a small kingdom located next to Silga Kingdom.
Kuro who was visiting to thank for the permission to open the branch office accidentally met Satou doll who were together with the entourages, and then they had a chat.

Since we're in the hall leading to the audience chamber, the eyes and ears of the people of Tonaoku Kingdom are gathered to us.

"Let me borrow your ears for a bit--"
"What! Weasel Empire invaded Makiwa Kingdom!"

Using Amplification skill, Kuro's loud voice reaches all the nooks and corners of the royal castle.

"--Kuro-dono, please lower your voice slightly."
"Oh sorry! Even if there's Silga Kingdom inbetween, this matter is not unrelated to Tonaoku Kingdom. Have you informed Tonaoku King?"
"Not yet, I'm going to after this. I've stopped by precisely to inform the matter."

The people in the surrounding look anxious.
Since a person who looked like the errand of the king showed up from the interior door, I move the farce forward to end it.

"However, please do not worry--"
"Hou? The dragon knights of the 『Dragon Valley』 went there huh! That's splendid! However, my master would reprove me if I didn't at least help transporting the refugees."
"That's reassuring. Please give my best regards to Hero Nanashi-sama."
"Understood, I have come here to pay my gratitude to Tonaoku king who's given the permission to open a branch office here, however I'll leave such thing to the branch manager, I'm going back to accomplish my duty as the Hero's servant."

In order to finish the farce, I create white smoke and disappear from the place like a ninja.
Secretly changing places with Satou doll is quite easy then.

I tell my entourages that I've changed places with Satou doll with eye contacts.
It seems only Lady Karina acting as Lady K after a long while who hasn't noticed.
There's no particular problem with that anyway, so I'll leave her as is.

"He disappeared?"
"So that was the rumored Elusive Kuro-dono of Echigoya Firm."
"As expected of a hero's servant."

The bar for being a [Hero's servant] has raised somehow, but since the story is an embellishment of the people who created the rumor, I guess there's no harm done.

After creating witnesses, I quickly ended my audience with the king, used the gift I brought, [Chestnuts of Land and Sea], to dispel the anxious mood and relished on Tonaoku Kingdom's specialties in the banquet.

This is a small kingdom located between Shiga Kingdom and the Wyvern Kingdom--Silga Kingdom, it's also next to the Black Dragon Mountains, but there were many more uncommon dishes than I thought that I enjoyed.
There were variety of dishes developed from substitute foodstuff like nuts and wild plants, there was even a mysterious dish made from pickled moss pine skin, but the bean sake of Tonaoku Kingdom was especially good. Every one of them has complex flavor, it's interesting.

While lightly ignoring the marriage proposals from the artless Tonaoku Kingdom's nobles, I got to know many specialty dishes of the kingdom.
I'm going to secretly visit the place with everyone as commoners once we depart after the formal tour is over.
I can't really enjoy this relaxedly before finishing the plan to transport the refugees.


◇


"Kuro-dono, what happened to the entire crews of the warships!"
"Don't worry, I'll bring them back safely--"

After making them fell sleep, I sent the crew members of the two Shiga Kingdom's large warships to the underground camp of Echigoya Firm in Royal Capital.
Going with them will be bad in many things since I plan to move the warships to the border between Makiwa Kingdom and Silga Kingdom with Unit Arrangement.

"--I expect great work from you."
"""YES"""

I leave the interior decoration to the brownies as I do the final tuning of the unfinished aerodynamic engines.
Since I completed it in less than half a day, I brought the two warships to the destination with Unit Arrangement in turns.

I had prepared heavy fog using the spirit [Misty Fog] beforehand, so there was no problem even if two large airships appeared out of nowhere.

"The weaselkin flying units are coming!"
"R-run away! Escape into the mountain!"

--Oops, I should have announced beforehand.

"We're from Echigoya Firm of Shiga Kingdom. By the request of the representative of Marquis Dasles, Dame Shelmina, we are to transport you. Please prepare for departure calmly. I repeat--"

I gave names that would calm the refugees through the external speaker to clear the misunderstanding.

"Da-Dasles-sama?"
"Oh good, the young lady is safe."
"Isn't Dasles the great lord of the east?"
"Yeah, if it's that man, he would even use his private funds to move Shiga Kingdom."

U~n, I wonder.
Was the pyromaniac noble originally a splendid noble?

My impression of him is that he's a troublesome noble who has lost his sanity from grudges, but to think it's this different just from a different perspective.
I'm intrigued with the things that happened between the time of the pyromaniac noble that I know and Marquis Dasles that they are familiar with.
According to the weaselkin's Wheel Chief, Weasel Empire's army was quite cautious with Marquis Dasles, they might have done something to turn [Marquis Dasles into a pyromaniac noble].

It might be a good idea to be cautious with the Tactician when we visit Weasel Empire.

Since the refugees weren't all from one city, I ended up transporting them to many places.
I crammed them into the airships and carried them after making them asleep.

It was easy since I had created several base points for Unit Arrangement in Makiwa Kingdom.
It unexpectedly became a practice for transporting immigrants from Shiga Kingdom's Royal Capital to Muno Earldom.


◇


"So you're Kuro of Shiga Kingdom huh. Rumors about you reach even here."

I stopped by Silga Kingdom as Kuro after I was done transporting the refugees.
Under the pretext of flying large warships near the kingdom.

My real intention is to ask the true intention of the weasel merchant, who's inside Silga Kingdom's underground prison, as to why he was meddling with Shadow Castle in Rumooku Kingdom, the country of the pink-haired Princess Menea.

"I've heard that you specializes in doing shady businesses that Hero Nanashi can't."

I don't know no shady businesses.
They're fundamentally good deeds you know?

"Are you paying the weaselkin merchant who did a grave sin out of the prison for the sake of such shady business?"

--Grave sin?

In a world where people's live worth almost nothing, killing someone is never called a [Grave sin].
I wonder what did the weasel merchant do to get him caught?

Strangely enough, the weasel merchant's Offense status is white.
Perhaps he was caught on false charge?

The one who told me the answer was the Macho Warrior who broke in.

"King! Is it true that you're going to release the fools who intruded the sanctuary of dragons-sama!"
"It's still under negotiation. Step back unless you're interested in becoming the next king."
"Gu, gununu."

Handled by the experienced king, Macho Warrior groans in vexation.

"One airship. I won't ask for the big one. Just one like the small airship that Viscount Pendragon rides on."
"Outrageous. It's totally unbalanced compared to the life of one weaselkin merchant."

I can make a private airship's aerodynamic engine immediately and I have plenty of the material needed for it, however, since Shiga Kingdom has asked me not to sell them outside the kingdom, I refused the king.
Silga king probably isn't demanding an airship for real, it's probably a light check before the actual negotiation.

"Then what would be balanced?"

I don't want to do troublesome transaction since I'm not a professional merchant.
I'll go with something that will make Silga Kingdom immediately agrees and has little influence in foreign countries.

"--How about a ship that can be used on the wetlands?"
"How disappointing, Kuro of Echigoya Firm. The fact that you have manufactured large airships for Shiga Kingdom is known even by spies of a rural kingdom y'know."

It appears the Silga King didn't like my reply, he glared ferociously.
Please don't snap back before I could finish explaining the ship.

"Do you not like ship? Perhaps it can't be compared to a wyvern, but it's a high-speed craft which makes use of wind magic device y'know?"

It's a magic ship called Wind Ship modeled after the hovercraft that can operate in wetlands in modern earth.
It needs littler magic power compared to an airship, and an aquatic hovercraft similar to this one has also been deployed in Oyugock Kingdom for emergency contact use.

After glaring at each other for a bit, he was pleased with the Wind Ship when he saw it himself, and agreed to get the weasel merchant released.

And then, when we tried it on-site--.

"Ooh, this is great! It's sliding over the wetland's reeds!"
"Truly! Wind Ship is truly the right name for it!"
"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

--From the beginning to the end, it was a big hit for the king and the prince.

The Macho Warrior who was smiling till the end was noisy, but now he's probably going to overlook the weasel merchant with this.

"By the way Kuro-dono. The ones who broke into the sanctuary were not only the weaselkin merchant, there were also a male rabbitkin slave and a female human slave you see. If you want to save them, give another Wind Ship--"
"I don't mind if the negotiation breaks down. I will withdraw, taking the Wind Ship with me."
"Wa-wait! Forgive the prince's impertinence. We will give you the slaves as an apology."

I tried to take an attitude as supported by [Negotiation] skill when the prince was trying to ask for another Wind Ship, the king restrained with great force.

--He likes the magic driven hovercraft that much huh.

"Fumu, I won't say no if you're willing to. Then it's a deal, King of Silga."

After getting the Wind Ship's startup key, he took along the queen and their children toward the port in high spirits.


◇


"Are you the great criminal who trespassed the dragon sanctuary and tried to destroy Silga Kingdom?"

When I called out to him, the emaciated weasel merchant quickly jumped to the prison's lattice.

"Human? Judging from your speech, you're a Shiga Kingdom's man right? I want to make a deal."
"Do you wish to be freed? What can you give in return? I'll say it beforehand, I have no interest in money or women."
"My family has a seat in the senate, you can demand anything you want. I can grant you most things you see."

I thought he was just a merchant, but it seems his family is quite prestigious.

"Right then, I demand three things. What were you plotting in Rumooku Kingdom?　That's one of--"
"Shadow Castle's investigation. I needed to know whether the sentries of god were really there. Don't ask me what for. It was a request of my uncle who's in the senate. I don't know the details. It would be quite an achievement if I were to get magic tools from the age of gods, but the Saga Empire's adventurers seemed to have failed."

The weasel merchant gave information quite readily.
I haven't even used mind magic's [Honesty], [Speaker], and [Foolish Field]--.

"--You're quite eager to talk."
"There's no point in keeping it a secret here. I don't know what kind of foresights His Majesty the Emperor has, but living creatures are ones who put importance on their safety above all. There is no need to weigh my options even if it's something that involves the life and death of the empire."

I did think that they were a selfish and rational species, but it's quite extreme.

"Then, my second demand. Why did you sneak into the dragon sanctuary?"
"I wanted to employ the people from the Silga Branch and Silga Kingdom's crime guilds, but everyone shrunk back, saying 『We're afraid of the dragon's wrath』, so I had no choice but to go myself."

Fumu, the people of Silga Kingdom revered them as gods, so it's understandable.

"Don't dodge the question. I asked not 『Why are you』 but 『What is your purpose』 for going into the dragon sanctuary."
"You did huh, so the criticism I felt in your words was just my imagination. My purpose was simple. I sought dragon's scales for my company's profit, and searched for fallen dragon's claw and fang as requested by my uncle."

I know that there demands for lesser dragon's scales since they can be used to make lesser version of holy tools.
However, [The request of the uncle] who belongs to the [Weasel Empire Senate] huh....

"What are you going to use dragon's claws and fangs for?"
"There is no point to the question. What can they be used for for anything but weapons. Are you telling me to use dragon fang as a cutting tool?"

The weasel merchant spits as if sneering.

However, that may be unexpectedly possible. The dragon fang that [Penetrates All] is very useful to whittle super hard metal.
I have the fang of the lesser dragon after all, might as well use it as a lathe tool.

"Then, my last demand. I want to meet the emperor. Mediate between us."
"W-with the emperor eh--"

The weasel merchant stiffens after hearing me.
Arranging a meeting between a suspicious man and the one who holds the most power in the empire should be quite difficult.

"--Can it be with His Excellency royal prince instead? That person is in Dejima Island as a diplomat, so I should be able to arrange a meeting with him if I ask my uncle."

It seems I can meet that one normally, so there's no need to ask for a mediation.
Leaving that aside, shouldn't the honorary title of a royal prince be 'His Highness'?

"There's no point if it isn't with the emperor."
"Are you scheming to assassinate him? It's useless even if you can meet him. The Temple Knight of the Imperial Castle is filled with knights that even Shiga Eight Swords are no match against."

Temple Knight huh, the name seems strong.

"Simply put, you have to be at least level 50 to become a holy knight of the Temple Knight. And there are 100 of that kind of knight. Even if you're outside the norm as a hero's servant, you'll just be crushed to death by the sheer number."

--That's amazing.

Where did they get that much experience point?
The life span of weaselkin should be lower than humans', can they really train that many people in just one labyrinth?

That aside, I'd like to refrain from having power inflation like in a manga with declining popularity.
Our girls are stronger, but since instant death techniques and tools exist, I can't be at peace.
Maybe I should make new equipment without restraint....

"I'll say this again, give up with the assassination."
"Nonsense. I do not plot to kill the emperor. Do you know smoke car? I only want to talk about that."
"--Smoke car? What's that? Are you going to promote your product?"

Strange.... There's no need for him to play dumb about the train now, and there's no way someone of his position never saw the smoke car....

Come to think of it, even if I have few contacts with weaselkin, I've never heard any rumor about the smoke car.
Perhaps, by using [Geass] or other skill and magic to impose gag order, they delete or bind memories regarding things that can't be brought outside the empire.

I add that concern in the memo pad for weaselkin of my menu.

"You don't need to know the content of my talk with the emperor. It's over if the other party refuses. I don't care if the empire is destroyed by the god's wrath, but it'll be troubling if we get dragged up so I only want to meet to talk about that."

I've said most of the things, but since it looks like he'll laugh it out if I talk about the taboo and such, this much information is enough.

"Even if it's not comparable to my own safety, I do have some attachment to my motherland. Moreover, even if by any chance the emperor is assassinated, that just means His Excellency royal prince will replace him.... Very well, the cheerful royal prince who's easy with business and diplomacy is more convenient than the emperor who dislike other people."

Like I said, I'm not going to assassinate him....

"I vow that I will strive to arrange the meeting with the emperor...."
"I can't put any trust in your vow, I'll have it in a written contract."
"Very well--"

I take out a parchment from Item Box and sign a contract with the weasel merchant.

"You haven't written the penalty for not fulfilling the term within the promised time."
"Kuh, you're good for a human...."

Such was one dispute during the contract writing.
The experience I got when I accompanied Mr. Overweight who was the project leader to sign a contract with the client was made useful.


◇


"So this is freedom--"

The weasel merchant stretched his body while still wearing prison uniform outside the castle.

A robust rabbitkin man appeared.
He's the former slave of the weasel merchant.

"Yo, boss. I'll take you to Dejima Island for 100 gold coins, how about it."
"Uzahi, you weren't executed?"
"Yea, looks like I was saved by the human over there."

The weasel merchant sent an asking glance at me.

"You'll need transportation right."

The price of the confiscated tamed wyvern was a bit steep, but it's something needed.

"My uncle in the imperial capital needs to make a move in order to fulfill the promise. I want three, no, two month time. Once the preparation is complete, I'll send a messenger to the office of Norouino Firm in Dejima Island."
"Okay. I be waiting for good news in Dejima Island."

The rabbitkin who sensed that our talk was over blows a whistle to call his wyvern.
Before long, a wyvern lands, the two rides on it and then they make a long run before the gate.
While they were only glancing at the screaming fleeing people, it flew and then went to the south-east direction after circling the sky twice.

The next time we meet, it's probably going to be in the Weasel Empire.

"You sure you don't want to go?"
"It's OK."

I call the woman who was watching from the shadow.
Like the rabbitkin man, she was a slave of the weasel merchant.

She only has [Item Box] skill even though her level is at late 20.
Of course, all of the contents inside the Item Box have been confiscated by Silga Kingdom.

"If you have no place to go, do you want to go to ours?"
"Echigoya Firm?"
"That's right."
"Then, I'll go. Employ me."

Looks like she's not from Shiga Kingdom, her words are disjointed.

"What's your name?"
『Safe』

Oy, weasel merchant.... don't call her 'safe' in weasel language.

"Do you have a name before you became a slave?"
"Myu."
"■■ Name Order, Myu."

I change her name back.

Thus, Myu got a job as a new treasurer of Echigoya Firm.
Looks like she's going to get along well with Tifaliza as fellow taciturn.

For some reason, Manager treated Myu harshly, but after a while, her attitude became normal with her.

--[Getting along well with each others is a beautiful thing] isn't it.


◇


"Sharu, I'm counting on you to take care of this girl okay?"
"Yes, Kuro-sama. Uwaa, can I really have this much travel expense?"
"I don't mind. You can replenish the fund in Echigoya branch offices along the way, I also don't mind if you donate them to poor villages or churches."

I hand over a bag with 50 gold coins to the former chivalrous phantom thief now working as a trade member of Echigoya Firm, Sharururuun.
There wasn't much she had to do as a phantom thief in the Royal Capital, so I asked her to become the fake apostle Kei's teacher.

I feel that a type of person like Kei would rebel against hot-blooded type like Armor or straight type like Arisa and Hikaru, so I picked Sharururuun who was doing good deeds even while dirtying her hands as she walked the outlaw road.

"Let's go, Kei."
"U-un."

Kei who's wearing a brown wig is looking at Satou doll with eyes like that of an abandoned cat.
I felt slightly guilty seeing such face, but she needs re-education. I'll be an ogre here and send her off.

"Kei, be careful with injuries and monsters okay. Sharu-san, please take care of Kei."
"Leave it to me, Sir Pendragon."

Sharururuun sticks out her chest to answer Satou doll.

They departed with Sharururuun pulling Kei's hand.
Tracing back her path as a fake apostle, she's going to walk as a normal traveler this time.

I actually knew several means to collect prayers in order to revive God Zaikuon, but since I felt that pushing the answer to her would be wrong, I restrained myself.

"--Kuro-sama, then I'll be leaving too."
"I've talked with Sharururuun so be careful not to be found out by Kei only."
"Understood."

Two women traveling together would be easy targets for bad people so I've added the former phantom thief, now Echigoya Firm's slave, Pipin to support them just in case.

After sending them off and going back to the Royal Capital with Unit Arrangement, I changed to Hero Nanashi form and conveyed the matter about Weasel Empire and taboo to Shiga King and the prime minister.

It looks like the problem with taboo hasn't been actualized yet in Weasel Empire, but I'll be visiting the Imperial Capital after getting the appointment for the meeting in two months and talk about the taboo with the emperor.

Let's continue doing various experiments and creating magic tools which, were stopped at time, in these two months.
I absolutely need to meet the ancient dragon who's on another continent, I also need to continue the development plan of the floating continent, the more things I can do, the more things I have to do like an exponential graph.

--Right!

Making weasel suits and then infiltrating Weasel Empire to sightsee the science sounds nice as well.


























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