Book 5: Chapter 4
Book 5: Chapter 4
I was riding on a magic airship for the first time in my life. But it was unbelievably cramped.
The airship, which was shaped like a plump rectangular sea lion, was about the size of four freight containers placed side by side, and carried cargo in most of its space. Humans were the side characters, and the cargo was the main character on this airship.
The border territory is a production area for rare monster resources and rare plants. It seems that the Adventurers’ guild temporarily stores these resources and then exports them to the Holy City to convert into cash.
The cash is then stored in the Adventurer’s Guild in the Holy City. The adventurers who laboured and made an income in the border territory will return to the Holy City with a promissory note and receive the cash in the Holy City’s guild.
In other words, cash does not flow into the border territory.
——Money is heavy, so it cannot be transported via airship.
Mira-sama said. So I responded,
——If so, you should transport it in small quantities. If two airships make a trip in a month, you should be able to transport it.
——I have proposed to the Adventurer’s Guild, but since our guild is a “branch”, it is inferior to the “headquarters” in the Holy City.
——Why not have the Border Earl do it himself?
——That’s because we don’t have much money… We spend it on villages in our territory that have been devastated by disasters and monsters.
Mira-sama, who seems to already be involved in the family finance, let out a deep sigh.
Still, what the Border Earl was doing is the right thing as a noble.
——Then how about the fuel used for the magi engine?
——Fuel?
——I mean magic stones which are used as catalysts. Are they replenished in the Holy City for making a round trip?
After looking it up, it seems that the fuel for making a round trip is loaded on the airship in the Holy City. It was quite a considerable amount.
If this was replenished in the border territory instead, the load will be lighter. You can load more cargo by that amount instead, or you can improve fuel efficiency due to the lighter load. The border territory can also sell the magic stones.
“Cheap but heavy” items such as grain and salt which are not found in the border territory are transported from the Holy City. However, these are expensive to buy in the Holy City, but cheaper to buy in the neighboring territory.
——But if we don’t buy it from the Holy City, the magic airship will not transport our materials.
——What are you talking about? It is the Holy City that wants the rare materials from the border territory. The magic airship will fly regardless.
——I see.
——Buy grain from the nearby territory. So when the airship flies from the Holy City, it will have plenty of space. And you will be able to transport cash in due time.
Human beliefs are terrifying. When there are a large number of beliefs and assumptions that have been predetermined since long ago, it is difficult to go against them. I came to notice that there were a lot of “predetermined assumptions” which most people do not realise are wrong.
I gave suggestions as an outsider who was not influenced by the predetermined assumptions while discussing with Lady Mira on ways to improve the Border territory.
Well, while doing so, I was also having a mock battle with the vassals of the Border Earl. By the way, in all the conversations I mentioned earlier, I was battling against a large number of soldiers at the same time on a field while Lady Mira was going through the documents on the side.
At the end of the mock battle, the Border Earl himself appeared, saying “I can’t be patient anymore!”. But then his sick wife appeared and reigned him in, so the Border Earl retreated from the field in low spirits.
Regarding his wife’s illness, when I looked through【World Ruler】, another trouble occurred, but talking about it right now would take too long.
After spending an incredibly jam-packed two days, I waved goodbye to the people who came to see me off and then I left the border territory. The wounded vassals were saying “Make sure to come again”, “I’ll win next”, “I’m looking forward to these Dark Elf guys” and such. …I’m sorry, Knock-san. I’ll leave the rest to you.
I wrapped myself in a blanket in one corner of the magic airship and immediately fell asleep. When I noticed, I was already in the Holy City. …Whoa, I slept for more than a whole day.
「Whoa!? Who are you!? Did you get in here without permission!?」
「Eh… uh, where is this place?」
「It’s the departure and arrival area in the Holy City!」
I explained myself to the cargo carrier and got off the airship.
…Man, to think I don’t remember my first flight in another world at all.
I gazed at the Holy City after a long absence.
「Before I get sentimental…」
I need to use the toilet.
**
There were no airships travelling from the Holy City to the Lev Magic Empire. And since airships are valuable in the first place, making round trips to the border territory was a special case. The materials obtained in the border territory are probably that valuable.
After feeling refreshed, I thought about getting on a carriage bound for the Empire right away, but today’s trips have all been booked.
「——What is going on in the Lev country?」
「——Who knows. I heard things are at a standstill.」
「——His Majesty the Holy King went there, right?」
「——Former Holy King. Well, for better or worse, the current Holy King is a normal person…」
Such conversations can be heard everywhere.
I went to the Adventurer’s Guild to find out what the situation in the Empire was like.
Although I had been to the Adventurer’s Guild in the city many times, I had never used it as an adventurer. Looking at the solid stone building, windows fitted with iron bars, and the imposing huge doors that remained open during business hours, I felt as if I hadn’t visited this place for years.
「Hey, boy. Don’t stand in the middle of the entrance.」
「Ah, I’m sorry.」
As I hurriedly moved to the side, I heard a man say, “Even if you beg for food here, none of these stingy bastards will give you anything. So go someplace else.”
I saw the adventurer walk into the guild, in a neat appearance. I was confused as to why he said that. After pondering for a while, I realised what he meant.
I was in a tattered hooded cloak with a lot of dirt. It’s only natural that people would take me for a street urchin.
In the border territory, fortunately or unfortunately, no one cared about appearances. But this was the Holy City. Looking around, under the late summer sky, everyone wore clean shirts and dresses, and I was the only one left behind season.
「Well, it can’t be helped.」
I couldn’t afford to change clothes at the moment, so I entered the Adventurer’s Guild as is—and an even greater shock awaited me.
I heard cheers and whistling from the attached bar in the guild.
In the center of the crowd was a bard, singing while plucking a lute-like stringed instrument, which is not so different from a guitar.
『During the Holy Blue King’s Reign, In Our Great Holy City,
Dark clouds appeared, calling forth a disaster,
A giant snake emerged from hell,
Swallowing even the most valiant swordsman,
Clad in light, a boy wielding a sword appeared,
With a swing of his sword, the giant snake was brought low,
Bringing peace to the Holy City,
Honor the Hero, whose name is Reiji,
The Adventurer of Light, whose name is Reiji.』
I stood there for a few minutes in shock.
「What the hell…?」
At that time, I suddenly remembered a conversation with Dante-san.
——It was as if “a hero subjugating a monster” like in fairy-tales..
——Huh?
——When I went to the Adventurer’s Guild the next day, I came across a bard. It seems that he was watching the whole thing from a distance.
——A bard? I’m kinda getting a very unpleasant feeling.
——He was enthusiastic about wanting to make a song about how you defeated Ouroboros.
——………….
——N-No, I refused. I didn’t become an adventurer to stand out, after all. But he was too persistent and said he wanted to tell the city about the hero who saved them, and since I didn’t want it to be about me, and it was none other than you who actually defeated the snake, so….
——Basically Dante sold you out by giving the bard details and removed himself from the song.
Dante-saaaaaaaan! Why did you do this!? I have a grudge on you now!!
And what is this song? What “Adventurer of Light”!? That light was Non-san’s【Light Magic】! It has nothing to do with me!
「Today’s song was awesome too.」
「Yeah… Did you see the traces of destruction caused by that giant snake? To think that a guy who can stop a monster like that was in this Adventurer’s guild.」
「I am proud to be a fellow adventurer.」
The adventurers are misunderstanding something!
I have never actively taken quests here!? I only sent a letter! For a client!
(Ah maaaaaan~~~ It hurts my ear to hear all this! How am I to collect information now?!)
I was scratching my head over my hood, thinking that I should seriously turn around and leave this place. …No, I need information on Lev Magic Empire.
「TskTskTsk. That’s not who “Adventurer of Light, Reiji-sama” is.」
「Hah? Do you know something, cat girl?」
「Despite my appearance, I have actually gone on many adventures with the great Reiji-sama… No one knows more about that esteemed gentleman than me.」
「H-Hey, are you serious?」
「I-I have actually heard about that. The “Adventurer of Light” was seen travelling with a cat beastman.」
「Fufufu. That person is none other than myself.」
「Seriously?! Please tell us more!」
「Oh, do you want to hear more? Suuure~. However, one silver coin per person first.」
「Huh!? You want money!?」
「Well, of course. It’s information about the great Adventurer of Light-sama… There are also stories of monster subjugation that Reiji-sama told me about while claiming my body every night!」
「…Hoho, I definitely want to hear about that.」
「Isn’t that right? Then one silver coin is a cheap–」
The cat girl beastman’s entire body stopped mid-sentence, as if time itself had stopped for her.
「Ah, Ah, Ah…」
「It has been a long time, Zerry-san, a fellow companion of the Adventurer of Light Reiji-sama.」
I grabbed her face firmly, as if my hands were an iron claw.
「ANGYAAAHHHHH~~~~~~~~!!!!!」
A scream echoed throughout the bar. And it seems that not only the people inside of the building but the passersby on the main street outside also heard the scream and were peering inside.