Bh7K1nZ9

1Chapter 1452: The Deviating Sky-sea Realm
2Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations
3
4A minute later, another tank squadron rushed over to the intersection of Convoy 12’s and Convoy 9’s battlefield.
5
6“Amy, Balshan, are you guys alright?” The leader, Iffy, shouted from afar.
7
8Balshan waved her hand to indicate that she was fine, while Amy shouted back excitedly. “Why are you here? We just got rid of a large fella!”
9
10“Wasn’t it because of the loud cannon booms.” Iffy finally relaxed after seeing that the two were unharmed. She jumped down the tank and quickly walked over to the monster’s body that had experienced having a high explosive shell tear through its body, and asked in shock. “What is this?”
11
12“It should be a Nest Mother, but honestly, I’m not too sure,” Balshan muttered.
13
14It could be said that the discharge had been delivered cleanly, not only were the internal organs completely destroyed, even the head had been blasted off. Of course, whether or not the monster had a head was a different question altogether—since according to logic, living creatures would not flee while running backwards.
15
16The magic power within the monster dissipated subsequently, causing it to turn into its meat pulp state the instant the body collapsed. The only thing left standing were the two rows of completely damaged ribs.
17
18“Are you sure this is a Nest Mother?” Iffy fished out her manual and compared them with a frown. “The bone structure seems similar, but it seems smaller, and there aren’t many tentacles… Right, have you seen the eyes inside its body?”
19
20The enormous compound eye was the Nest Mother’s most prominent feature. According to the manual, it was more or less the same size as the Nest Mother’s internal organs and situated right in the center. It was impossible to miss.
21
22Balshan shook her head. “I guessed that she was the Nest Mother, only because it was able to carry many blade beasts. As for everything else, I’m as confused as you are. But…” She paused for a moment. “Ignoring the Nest Mother, all the monsters here differ slightly from all the ones stated in the manual. If you don’t believe me, look at that dead blade beasts—”
23
24Iffy then realized that the peculiarities on the blade beast corpses around the Nest Mother. “Are those… wings?”
25
26“That’s right,” Balshan answered. “It looks as light and thin as a cicada’s wings, but much larger in size. Using these wings, they were able to pounce across large distances, that is something unprecedented.”
27
28“I sort of understand why the higher ups wants us to retrieve intact Sky-sea Realm specimens.” Iffy sighed after staring at the corpses for a long time. “Their rate of evolution and variation is too astonishing.”
29
30“That is a question the higher ups have to consider.” Balshan climbed up her tank and gestured to Iffy. “As for us—we just have to destroy them.”
31
32…
33
34The report of the First Army reclaiming the Taquila Ruins quickly arrived at Roland’s office.
35
36In this “city battle”, the demonic beasts were no longer the main enemies. This was the first large-scale appearance of the Sky-sea Realm and the majority of the threat were from the blade beasts.
37
38But compared to the previous time when a single or two blade beasts were enough to thwart the troops’ defense line, the outcome could be said to be completely different.
39
40The newly commissioned armor unit displayed its decisive effectiveness in battle, not only by locking down the enemy’s position but also winning most of the battles. The First Army paid an extremely small price to eliminate most of the Sky-sea Realm’s presence, and gained a stable foothold on the Fertile Plains. Amongst the achievements, Convoys 12 and 9 had eliminated a Nest Mother as well as over ten blade beasts together while coming out unscathed, which completely overhauled how the army perceived battles. Aside from asserting details of the battle, the remaining report were related to applying for an increase in production of the tanks. Even with insufficient witches, the army was willing to allow ordinary officers to take command of the vehicles.
41
42Obviously, they had tasted the benefits of having the heavy armor with all-encompassing offense and defense capabilities.
43
44Roland was not surprised by the outcome—the title of being the king of ground battles was established from the two World Wars, declaring the importance and weight of tanks in battles. If not for that, he would not had transferred a team to specially learn how to pilot the vehicles during the early phase of producing the tractors.
45
46Compared to this matured weapon, Roland was more concerned over the monster corpses being delivered back by trains.
47
48At noon time, Agatha’s phone call came. It was regarding the preliminary verdict on the dissection and analysis of the corpses.
49
50…
51
52Upon entering the Magic Tower’s lower levels, a cold breeze welcomed Roland.
53
54A pile of large ice cubes were arranged in an orderly manner inside the large basement. People unaware would assume that the place was an ice storage, but Roland knew that the ice cubes were frozen Sky-sea Realm corpses transported back from the front lines for the Witch Union to research.
55
56The dissecting area was located in the center of the room, where Agatha removed her gloves and performed the union’s hand salute to him.
57
58“You seem happy,” Roland tightened his collar and commented.
59
60“Because I’m back to my old job again.” Agatha smiled. “To be honest, the ice-cold laboratory still suits me best. Representing Taquila’s expeditions, all those political meets and conferences aren’t my strengths.”
61
62With regards to the best representative of the ancient witches, Pasha was obviously the most suitable, but moving the carrier’s large body was mostly inconvenient, thus Agatha was rationally chosen as the second best candidate.
63
64Seeing Roland’s desire to express himself but at a loss for words, the Ice Witch took the initiative and waved her hand. “Relax, your Majesty, the Battle of Divine Will takes precedence, I understand that.”
65
66He nodded and focused on the pressing issues at hand. “What did you discover?”
67
68“Your Majesty, please take a look here.” Agatha condensed an ice blade at her fingertips, and pricked into a large organ. “This was retrieved from the new Nest Mother, I found distinct signs of age in its interior. Likewise, I haven’t seen such a thing on any of the blade beasts.”
69
70“Signs of age?” Roland frowned. He noticed that there was a clear dark blotch of creases at where the ice blade was.
71
72“That’s right. Magic Power is capable of strengthening the magic user’s body, something proven on witches and demons, so naturally the Sky-sea Realm will not be an exception. And the most obvious indicator of the physical enhancement is an increased life expectancy,” Agatha explained in detail. “I have consulted the reports supplied by the demons, and there are no clear mentions of how long Nest Mothers can survive. On the contrary, it does state that blade beasts and the other beasts do not have long life expectancy. Even though they die fast, the Nest Mothers are able to breed new beasts quickly.”
73
74“You mean to say… that the situation here is reversed?” Nightingale spoke up. “Could it be that this Nest Mother is old?”
75
76“If it was a single case, it would be hard to tell. But we received four corpses from the frontlines, and I found similarities in all cases. This cannot be a coincidence,” Agatha replied. “And you’ve come across a Nest Mother yourself and know how big they are. In terms of size, all of these monsters that are less than 10 meters long do not look as though they’ve hit their prime.”
77
78“That’s true.”
79
80“And regardless of the wings they use to pounce or the increasingly larger scythes, everything is going against their past characteristics.” She turned and looked at Roland. “Your Majesty, I do not think that these things are the same as their old counterparts, those that reside freely in the water.”
81
82“So your conclusion is?” Roland’s expression became solemn.
83
84“I’m afraid that the Nest Mothers are moving their own magic power onto their servants to create even stronger sources of troops.” Agatha enunciated each and every word. “It is just that their evolution is deviating away from the ocean, to the extent that I can say that they are sacrificing the future of their species.”
85
86Roland sighed. “But that means we are in trouble.”
87
88Chapter 1453: Shadow of Blackstone Region
89Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations
90
91To the north of the Fertile Plains.
92
93Since leaving Neverwinter, Lightning and Maggie had continued their flight for close to ten straight days.
94
95They patrolled across the plains cruising over hundreds of kilometers at an “economic speed,” where their magic power recovered through the night able to sustain a day’s use. The two only dropped to the ground when they needed to camp or hunt.
96
97The current Exploration Group had entered a new phase; although they held the latest maps provided by the Union, the centuries of vicissitudes that constituted desolate paths, dried canals, abandoned cities that were overwhelmed with weed and shrub, made them useless to locate road signs. The only things that guided them directionally were the stars in the sky and the large ridge of the continent in the distance.
98
99And at such a distance, the Sigil of Listening no longer broadcast messages, leaving the bird and the girl alone in the vast lands. The sense of desolation and solitude was a large barrier to adventuring, and without the company of her trusted companion Maggie, Lightning did not know if she could persist for long.
100
101The purpose of the journey was clear—to confirm the location and route of the demons’ new Deity of Gods, as well as “illuminate” the plains beyond Taquila.
102
103Even so, looking for a floating island in the vast lands was not an easy mission. To lessen the exhaustion of the vein, the enemy’s city would not be flying at a high height, and might possibly be clinging close to the ground. This way, the Deity of Gods would resemble any small mountain from a distance, and they had to get up close to verify the target through Red Mist, provided that the weather permitted it.
104
105So as to avoid brushing past the Deity of Gods, Lightning chose to fly in broken paths with the edge being the ridge of the continent.
106
107“Grrr…”
108
109Suddenly, the stomach of the gray eagle flying above grumbled.
110
111“You’re hungry again?” Lightning looked up.
112
113“Owh.” Maggie nodded.
114
115“But you didn’t even move much, how are you hungrier than me so much earlier?”
116
117“Because I’ve been staring at the ground, aooo!” She leaned over and rubbed Lightning on the cheeks. “The eyes and brains are connected, and according to the book, using the brain is most exhausting, owh!”
118
119Wait a minute, that’s not what was written in Theoretical Foundations of Natural Science… The paragraph clearly stated that even while stationary, the brain’s energy consumption remains the highest out of all the organs in the body, that doesn’t mean that a moving person isn’t using their brains.
120
121But the itch on her cheeks prevented Lightning from flying properly, leaving her no choice but to slow down and head towards the ground. From the color of the sky, they were only able to fly for another half hour at most, so stopping earlier to rest was not an issue. Additionally, they had few jerkies left on hand, thus making use of the additional time to restock was not a bad idea.
122
123Of course, the most important thing was her being unable to refuse the adorable Maggie.
124
125“Same rules; you hunt and I’ll make the fire. Use the Sigil of Listening for contact in the case of any emergencies, understand?”
126
127“Got it, owh!”
128
129Before her voice trailed off, Maggie was already up in the air in the form of a Devilbeast.
130
131Without a choice, Lightning looked for shelter and prepared dinner. With Roland’s technological advancements, flints, fire wool and torches, tools that were needed for adventuring were replaced by compact and intricate products. For example, the windproof matches that was the size of half a palm, the single-use torchlights, as well as the multi-functional knife that every member of the Exploration Group adored…
132
133All of these items could be stored in a pocket, and because of that, the majority of space in her bag were replaced with all sorts of spices and condiments. If they had time, they were even able to produce a full table of dishes. There were times that even Lightning remained unclear whether or not she was better at adventuring or had a talent towards being a gourmet.
134
135It was most probably related to Maggie becoming hungry so often.
136
137What followed proceeded in a systematic structure—Maggie quickly brought a bison back and used her sharp talons to slice it into pieces. Lightning chose the best parts, and either smoked or baked them in mud. The two had repeated the process countless times and their coordination had become smooth and natural. By the time the fire had died out, they were not only full but had restock their haversack of jerkies. It was as though everything had been reset to the moment before they set off. The only difference was their progress, and maybe their objective for the trip.
138
139Any little bit of a guilty conscience was quickly replaced with food coma.
140
141After laying out the Sigil of Screaming, Lightning burrowed into the sleeping bag with Maggie and quickly fell asleep.
142
143The next morning, when she opened her eyes in reverie, she surprisingly discovered an additional shadow that loomed in the distance.
144
145Lightning rubbed her eyes in confusion—the land was a flat plain the day before and they had verified the surrounding topography, it was impossible for them to have missed out the small hill.
146
147After spending a few good minutes in her drowsy reverie, she held her breath and took a good look again. This time, she was taken aback. Through the thin morning mist, the hilltop was unexpectedly flat, completely unlike any natural landform. The shocking thing was that it actually became larger in a few short minutes, which meant that the shadow was approaching them.
148
149Lightning knew what the moving “Hill” on the Fertile Plains was.
150
151She shook Maggie up in disbelief. “Peck me once.”
152
153“Coo.” The latter raised her forefingers and poked Lightning on the forehead—
154
155The pain immediately cleared up her mind.
156
157It was no hallucination.
158
159Right at this moment, a gust of wind swept past the two and sent Maggie’s long, white hair fluttering.
160
161Along with the wind came a thin mist.
162
163In that instant, the shadow revealed its true form—on the triangular black mountain form stood a gigantic pyramid structure formed completely of Blackstone; its sheer size and bulk difficult to fathom. If the old Deity of Gods’ center was the demon city, then this pyramid itself was able to hold the entire city on it.
164
165This “form” was most probably the reason for the lack of Red Mist.
166
167One large and one smaller inverted awls made the floating island look extremely oppressive. Compared to the first Deity of Gods that had the resemblance of a mountain range, the new Deity of Gods looked completely unnatural. Be it the structured exterior or the symmetrical form, the entire structure manifested the power of the demons.
168
169Who would have thought that the second Deity of Gods they were looking for had appeared right before them.
170
171Without even packing their sleeping gear, Lightning pulled Maggie and soared into the sky.
172
173After the continuous ascension, the sight behind the demon city gradually revealed itself.
174
175Numerous densely-packed black dots rushed forth on the plains like a turbulent wave, amongst which were countless alternating red lines, forming a cloth that devoured everything in its path with the black dots. Lightning gulped. If the black dots were all demons, their numbers were more than the human population of the Four Kingdoms combined!
176
177It was without a doubt the enemy’s main force in motion!
178Chapter 1454: Take Off
179Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations
180
181The investigation group immediately sent news back to Neverwinter.
182
183“It’s really like the entire nest is out…” After listening to Lightning’s report, Roland sighed. This would undoubtedly be the first direct collision between both races and might even be the last. Regardless of the outcome, it determined the future for both humanity and demons.
184
185“Can we… win?” Lightning asked with hesitation.
186
187She was dirty from head to toe; her hair ends tangled and unruly, with the smell of sour sweat lingering on. Obviously after finding out about the demons, she had rushed back without any rest at all.
188
189“Of course.” Roland acted relaxed and patted her shoulders. “Not only will we win, but we will enjoy a clean and decisive victory.”
190
191It was evident that the demons held the undisputed advantage in terms of numbers, but this also showed just how much pressure the Sky-sea Realm had placed on them. The First Army’s technology had its own advantages, but since they could not afford to fight in a battle of attrition, it would be a Pyrrhic victory if the demons entered the Four Kingdoms.
192
193By the same logic, even if the demons won, it was inevitable that they would suffer a tremendous loss. Roland believed that the best outcome was an internecine one if the demons were not stopped to the west of the Impassable Mountain Range.
194
195Lightning heaved a slight sigh of relief, then suddenly became embarrassed. “Er, do I smell… weird?”
196
197Roland chucked. “A bit… but it is the smell of adventure, so it’s nothing bad.” He deliberately pinched his nose. “To be honest, I think it isn’t bad.”
198
199The girl’s face flushed red, immediately grabbing Maggie, who was sniffing down her collar, before rushing out of the office with her head lowered. “I-I’m going to take a bath!”
200
201“Coo?” Maggie remained confused.
202
203“Lightning, Maggie.” Just as the two were leaving, Roland called out to them. “It was tough on both of you; have a good rest.”
204
205“Yes…”
206
207Once the door closed, he immediately grabbed the phone and called the Administrative Office. “Notify the cabinet for a meeting, the time to set off is here.”
208
209…
210
211Inside the meeting room, the higher-ups of Neverwinter sat in a circle.
212
213Roland pasted Lightning’s hand-drawn map behind him and repeated the exploration group’s findings.
214
215“There are two verifiable points from this information, one being the existence of the new Deity of Gods located less than 300 kilometers away from the ridge of the continent and continuously moving north. The second point is that it is bringing along a large number of demons to the extent that the new floating island is incapable of accommodating all of them; therefore, they are resorting to such an inefficient method of movement.
216
217“I think it isn’t difficult to comprehend the former—to infiltrate Everwinter and the Kingdom of Wolfheart, the demon army not only built an obelisk in the middle of the ridge of the continent, but they have even established a supply line through the Land of Dawn. By flying along the mountain range, not only does it prevent a deviation in course, but they are also able to ease the burden of Red Mist by using the supply line. It is considered a rather reliable route.
218
219“The latter isn’t clear in the sense of the specific quantity, but since their full strength is out, I expect that the demons capable of battle numbers is around ten million without any exaggeration. According to their current progress, we can expect them to arrive at the edge of the Four Kingdoms in half a month.”
220
221Upon the mention of numbers, Roland noticed the fear shown on many of their faces. But it could not be blamed; after going through two Battle of Divine Wills, humanity had suffered terribly and the survivors did not even reach ten million, not to mention their weakened army. To Barov and the others, the scale of ten million was no different from an astronomical figure.
222
223“This enemy attack is one whereby they have cut off their means of retreat, and also a battle that will determine the fate of humanity. The Eleanor Skycruiser must move out immediately to rush to as close as possible to the Impassable Mountain Range and stop the enemy’s advancement northwards.”
224
225“But… Your Majesty,” Barov said with much difficulty. “The enemy has an astonishing population, while the force the floating island can bring is limited. Is taking the initiative to meet the attack too risky?”
226
227“Holding the ground at Graycastle is what’s most risky!” Edith stood up and gave the old director a glance. “Everybody, do not be intimidated by ten million demons. If they are unable to reach Graycastle, their numbers mean nothing. You will understand just by thinking about it—the Blackstone region had that many demons since the first Battle of Divine Will. The reason for their inability to travel all the way here in the past was because of the Red Mist supply line. So our true target is only one thing—the enemy’s floating city.”
228
229Once her reasoning was out, the atmosphere in the room changed ever so lightly, since no one was willing to admit their fear of the enemy.
230
231“That’s right,” Roland suppressed a laugh and added. “Once they lose their supply of Red Mist, the demons in the Fertile Plains will have difficulty inching forward. Additionally, us setting out now isn’t an indication that we are going into battle, we will be using this time en route to allow the army to have sufficient time to prepare.”
232
233There was an additional point that he did not say—Sky Lord and Silent Disaster who returned to Sky City to bring together the troops.
234
235Since the demon’s movement used the supply line at the Western Front, it was impossible for Hackzord to be unable to know of the new location of King’s City. To the King of the demon race, Hackzord was a complete traitor, so him amassing more strength was the best way for self preservation. The fall of the King’s City would undoubtedly be his best opportunity, and Hackzord would not remain indifferent at that time.
236
237Upon thinking about this, Roland turned to Tilly. “Right, how’s the take off and landing training going for the Aerial Knights?”
238
239“Far easier than I had imagined,” Tilly replied. “There isn’t much difference from landing and taking off on the ground. As long as the weather permits, the students are able to accomplish their tasks with ease. The only trouble is that we previously only had to use the Impassable Mountain Range or the shoreline for the pilots to roughly determine their location and from there, find the landing site. But from here on out, the enemy and us will be constantly on the move. Adding the lack of direction that the Fertile Plains provides, I’m afraid that there will be difficulty locating our point of departure. Of course, it isn’t an unsolvable problem, you only need to supply us with more fuel.”
240
241This was also a difficult problem for aircraft carriers in combat—In a battlefield that spanned over a few hundred kilometers, any tiny divergence would accumulate to form a large error. The fortunate thing was that compared to the unvarying ocean, there were bound to be some “reference objects” on dry land that could be used to determine their location—for example, forests, rivers, mountain peaks etc. Roland was able to guess at her plans—if the pilots were unskilled with the maneuvering, they had to train more and fly more. Naturally, they would learn to be more aware of their own locations.
242
243“Relax, they will be able to fly for as long as you want them to,” he promised.
244
245In the upcoming battle, the Aerial Knights were without question the main fighting force. It was also because of this aerial force that mankind had the opportunity to attack and stop the demons a thousand miles from home.
246
247Seeing that no one else had any objections, Roland surveyed the hall once more and gave the order. “With that, I shall announce the commencement of Phase Three of the Heaven Plan. We shall set off on the floating island, and the target is the northern regions of the Fertile Plains!”
248
249Chapter 1455: Pioneer
250Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations
251
252Two days later, the Eleanor Skycruiser completed its final resupply at a cliff pier, rose to the sky, and flew towards the Land of Dawn hinterland.
253
254A hundred thousand citizens from Neverwinter were present to sent it off—the crowds flooded the streets, climbed the roofs, and even ascended the Impassable Mountain Ranges, just to witness this historic moment. The entire western side of the city was filled with people, once again setting a new record for the number of people attending an activity.
255
256And that was just a portion of Neverwinter’s population.
257
258There were even more people working at the factories, port, and farmlands, every one of them participating in a way for the expedition.
259
260It was coincidentally the same day when the Border Area and Longsong District’s total population broke through the million mark, with more than fifty percent of the source coming from the Kingdom of Wolfheart and Everwinter. Although they were unlike the initial migrants that harbored negative emotions towards Neverwinter, everyone was able to sense the shock from the surge of people, as well as the common consensus that the day was extraordinarily meaningful.
261
262Following the loud booms from the ceremonial cannons, the Eleanor Skycruiser traveled parallel to the mountains and moved towards Longsong Stronghold before turning west. It moved steadily into the distance, and finally disappeared from everyone’s sight.
263
264But the elevated atmosphere among the citizens did not stop there.
265
266Graycastle Weekly’s tracking reports caused the sales volume to reach an all time high, and everywhere on the streets, the topics discussed lingered around the topic of this attack. Gradually, the day of the departure became widely known as Miracle Day, representing humanity’s new beginning of conquering the skies. This was the second event to be hailed as a miracle after the Miracle Building.
267
268However, it was much quieter on the floating island.
269
270After the initial enthusiasm passed, the engineering team dedicated themselves to the tense but orderly work.
271
272It was the same with the Aerial Knights as well, aside from the routine flights conducted by the detection squad, all the students took flight at least once a day to familiarize themselves with the surrounding terrain. The large floating island, the busy runway, and the thick smoke from the furnace area formed a rather distinct and unique scene.
273
274“How does it feel? Are you able to adapt to your new body?”
275
276In the core region of the floating island, Roland stood at the bottom of the mine and looked at Eleanor, who was firmly tied to the God’s Stone pillar.
277
278In the past month, not only did the pillar become bigger, the Mother of Soul had even grown more tentacles and dug them into the soil beneath like the roots of a plant. According to her logic, the tentacles were additional perceptive organs for her, providing her better control over the island. In a sense, the island was the body and the tentacles were the nerves.
279
280“Much better compared to before.” Eleanor’s voice was much lighter and casual as well. “I can see; I can hear; I can think. How can I be dissatisfied with that? Compared to Elena and the others, I am considered extremely fortunate already.’
281
282“Lady Chief, don’t say that,” Pasha lowered her main tentacle and replied.“Everyone knows that if not for your choice to merge, we would never have survived. Furthermore, you didn’t know that this day would come. This act of bravery is already enough to—”
283
284“I’m talking about the outcome and not the process,” Eleanor interrupted her. “I believe that I wasn’t the only one who was willing to sacrifice for the Union. My other sisters would as well. I merely was first.”
285
286Seems like she’s doing well, Roland thought to himself. He had his worries previously. As a Witch, she had fought against the demons for decades, and he was afraid that she would ultimately turn into a demon herself. But by the looks of it, Eleanor was extremely mature and did not worry about the form of her body at all.
287
288“I know what you’re thinking.” Eleanor suddenly turned her attention back to him. “You were afraid that I couldn’t get over it and become depressed and reclusive? If I were the only person left in the world, that might have happened. But with basically everyone here and the state of the war far better than how it was four centuries ago, and with so much new knowledge that requires studying, where do I have the time or effort to act like that?”
289
290“Er… Studying?”
291
292“For the Union to become the rulers of humanity, it does not rely only on abilities. Back then, we were equipped with the most advanced technology and ideas. Similarly for us, calling it three representatives isn’t an exaggeration either. Although the Union’s glory no longer exists, I still have to rely on studying and learning to keep up with the current generation’s progress.”
293
294Roland was speechless. The familiar terms used by her were clearly picked up from the God’s Punishment Witches. God knew what they were teaching her. “And what have you learned up to now?”
295
296“College level,” Eleanor replied. “Almost at the graduation phase.”
297
298“Previously, we had Celine, Ling, and the others to guide and teach Lady Eleanor, but now, Lady Eleanor is the one teaching them,” Pasha added with a laugh.
299
300Wait, she just woke up less than two months ago and she’s already finished with a college curriculum? Roland clicked his tongue. Before, he did not attach importance when Eleanor forced Mask away, and it was only then did he realize that he had underestimated the learning ability of dozens of brains.
301
302“By the way, I made a miniature core apparatus that might help us in the following battles.”
303
304With Eleanor’s consent, Pasha pulled out a frame the size of a palm and placed it on the “palm.” It floated silently and produced a dazzling blue luster at its center, just like gigantic magic power cores.
305
306“What is it capable of?” Roland asked.
307
308“It is able to imitate, to a certain extent, telekinetic powers, and is able to influence foreign objects… For example the rotation of handles and the pressing of triggers, etc. If it is combined with a specific machinery, I can control the machinery using magic power,” Eleanor explained. “Although Mask had taken away all mobility features of this body, he did not seal the use of the magic power completely. It means that when enemies come, I am able to operate weapons and engage in battle myself. The theory involved is somewhat similar to the automatic weapons in the Dream World.”
309
310Roland gaped in shock.
311
312And that wasn’t all as she continued, “In a sense, firing a gun can be considered computational, something that I am proficient in. Compared to an ordinary soldier, I am able to increase the effective hit rate of firearms to ninety percent within their effective maximum range. The shortfall is that I am unable to move nimbly and need to match the firearm with a gun turret, and also have to position my tentacles and the miniature core beforehand. But at the very least, the weapon turrets will become highly effective while defending the island.”
313
314“How many can you control at once?”
315
316“That depends on how many tentacles I have.” She paused for a while. “I’m guessing a few hundred?”
317
318Upon thinking of the scene whereby a few hundred machine gun turrets, or even cannons, were controlled by Eleanor to fire at the enemy, Roland almost smacked his lips. But this was not the reason for his lament. What he cared about was Eleanor’s combination of magic power and machinery. The knowledge of both aspects came from Mask Nassaupelle as well as the Dream World. Not only did she absorb the knowledge, she had also taken the initiative to combine them! If given additional time, how much change would she bring to the world?
319
320“If this mission hadn’t required the use of the floating island, I would never have thought of sending you personally into battle.” Roland revealed his thoughts. “What humans are lacking the most at present is guidance in this direction.”
321
322“Oh? You’re not afraid that my understanding of these things will exceed yours?” It sounded as though Eleanor was giggling.
323
324“Lady Eleanor…” Pasha wanted to stop Eleanor, but she did not know how to phrase her sentence.
325
326“Why should I be afraid?” Roland returned with a question. “It is extremely normal for successors to surpass their predecessors. This signifies continuous progress in a civilization. If humanity’s knowledge is limited by me, that is when I will consider our future bleak.”
327
328“…” The other party remained silent for a moment before speaking up again.“You are truly not qualified to be a King. But…”
329
330“You are definitely worthy of being hailed as a trustworthy leader.”
331
332“Then I will go acquire the goods immediately. I look forward to your next visit.” (Emilio)
333
334Emilio sees them off, casually waving a hand with a charming smile.
335
336“As if I’d visit this place again!! Just you wait! One day I will challenge you to a duel you shitty brat, got it!? Hah!?” (Pariel)
337
338“Pariel…your language…” (Mahiro)
339
340“…Ah. …Uh, I just, my local dialect…” (Pariel)
341
342“What kind of home town is that supposed to be?” (Mahiro)
343
344As they talk, they walk.
345
346“But! Please choose your friends a bit better, prince! You are absolutely forbidden to enter that store ever again! Do you understand!?” (Pariel)
347
348“Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah… banned from a store by someone other than the owner…I never expected that.” (Mahiro)
349
350By the time they left the western lower city, it was already noon. The setting of the trap in the name of decorating the main street has paused. People were chatting and eating lunch under the warm sun and clear blue sky.
351
352“… This is really a trap?” (Pariel)
353
354“Hey, hey, don’t touch it carelessly. It’s not like a mere shock will do anything, but still.” (Mahrio)
355
356That’s only natural. After all it would be a serious matter if the trap could be triggered by small children bumping into it. Mahiro roughly looks over three of them.
357
358“Hmm, that should do it…I guess?” (Mahiro)
359
360Touching parts as he goes, he examines the gate. Then suddenly, he loses all his liveliness from earlier.
361
362“…” (Mahiro)
363
364“Prince?” (Pariel)
365
366Seeing Mahiro begin to look around restlessly, Pariel sighs and asks him what’s wrong
367
368“Come on, prince, there’s nothing interesting left to do now, right? We don’t have time to waste on meaningless things. If you’re done, let’s go back.” (Pariel)
369
370“…Ehhh?” (Mahiro)
371
372“Don’t ehhhh me.” (Pariel)
373
374Suddenly, Mahiro stops walking. He pulls the brim of his hat low over his face. Following the furtive glances from under his hat, a stunningly beautiful woman in boots, trousers, and a coat can be seen. Two rather familiar maids stand behind her.
375
376“P-Prince…those…no way.” (Pariel)
377
378“H-…How strange…that princess is crazier than I am…!” (Mahiro)
379
380It’s obvious just from her regal air, but with such magnificently sword at her hip, there’s no way she could be mistaken for anyone else.
381
382“Pri-…Princess Lunas, right? What for did she come here…?” (Pariel)
383
384“As if I’d know! Anyway, we are running away, Pariel! What would become of me if I was discovered after everything that happened yesterday…!?” (Mahiro)
385
386Unfortunately, it seems she noticed them surreptitiously turning around.
387
388“? You over there, aren’t you Mahimahi?” (Lunas)
389
390Caught immediately.
391Backs still to Lunas, they exchanged a look….and made a run for it!
392
393“Hey…” (Lunas)
394
395Lunas’ objection hanging in the air, they made a desperate break for the castle.
396
397“W-Whaat do we do!?” (Pariel)
398
399“I told you, I don’t have a clue! Wait, aren’t there too many footsteps?” (Mahiro)
400
401The two look over their shoulders.
402They are being chased.
403
404“”Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…!?””
405
406Running in a panic, they stop looking around and focus on running faster and faster.
407
408“Pariel, distract them! I will use that to make my escape! I will definitely manage to get away!!” (Mahiro)
409
410“What are you saying, young master? Aren’t you the one they have business with? Aren’t you the one called Mahimahi!?!” (Pariel)
411
412“You are still my guard, right!?” (Mahiro)
413
414“No, I’m just one of your private tutors!!” (Pariel)
415
416While they were bickering, they ran frantically from one back alley to another, haphazardly threading through all the backstreets…until they finally stopped in a deserted street.
417
418“Haa, haa, haa, see, I’m a good runner! What Empire, this is Mismarca, my own backyard. We’ve come this far, they won’t be able to cha….” (Mahiro)
419
420*baaang*!!
421
422“Oooooooooooooouuuch…!!” (Mahiro)
423
424A heavy boot in the back of the head sent him tumbling forward, faster than he’d been running, until he splatted against the dead-end. In short, they were overtaken.
425
426“Gah, I will die!! I will definitely die!! By the way, this is the sixth time!! Tell me, just what did we do to you!! Ah man, why are you chasing us!?!” (Mahiro)
427
428“Probably because you are running away.”
429
430“No… Yes.” (Mahiro)
431
432Mahiro meekly agrees once Lunas says this, the atmosphere reminiscent of a carnivore and its prey.
433The princess isn’t out of breath either. The maids are right behind her, though their faces have somewhat changed in color. It’s probably a matter of life and death if they lose sight of their master in enemy territory. 
434Putting it like that, I feel some sympathy for them since we’re all just being dragged around, or rather, being abused by our masters.
435
436“Ha-Haa, haa…great… Princess Lunas, these people…”
437
438“Haaa…princess, you are really fast, huh…?”
439
440They quickly put their hands together in front of them again, and waited calmly. As if nothing had happened.
441
442“… Yeah, Pariel.” (Mahiro)
443
444“Yes?” (Pariel)
445
446“I want proper maids like that as well.” (Mahiro)
447
448“Proper, you say…what, are you not satisfied with the perfect maid already at your side?” (Pariel)
449
450“… Her character is too flawed.” (Mahiro)
451
452…
453
454If the person herself was here, I have no doubt that she would have reminded you exactly why she is called the Harisen2. Startled, Mahiro anxiously scanned his surroundings before clearing his throat. Visibly pulling himself together, he said,
455
456“… Or rather, princess, after you said such disturbing things yesterday, it’s unreasonable to expect us to not run away. Anyway, what did you come here for?” (Mahiro)
457
458“Ah, about that. You informed the prince yesterday, right?” (Lunas)
459
460“I properly informed the castle, yes.” (Mahiro)
461
462“… I see. What’s with that peaceful main street then? According to one of the residents, there’s going to be a festival, but…” (Lunas)
463
464“Indeed. They say that the prince ordered it. Apparently he wants to marrymake before the king returns.” (Mahiro)
465
466“Hmm…by the way, you are fairly quick on your feet, aren’t you?” (Lunas)
467
468“Ha ha ha, you are absolutely right. Just the day before yesterday I even raced a horse…” (Mahiro)
469
470Lunas drew her sword.
471
472“In other words, you are trained. You bastard, you are Edelweiss’ spy after all, aren’t you?” (Lunas)
473
474“Ah…no, what are you talking about…?” (Mahiro)
475
476“Didn’t you say so when you left yesterday?” (Lunas)
477
478The sword was deftly pointed at Mahiro’s throat.
479The escape to the backstreets had completely backfired. Especially with the festival in the main streets drawing people away, not a single soul was here to object. Seeing how the situation has progressed, it seems that she can no longer remain silent. Pariel raises a hand to to draw her sword…and feels a spike of bloodlust. One that conveys a willingness to kill without hesitation. One of the maids reveals several throwing knives that Pariel hadn’t realized that she had drawn, and the other one appears to have begun something magical.
480
481“… Pariel, knock it off with the dangerous stuff.” (Mahiro)
482
483“Under…stood.” (Pariel)
484
485It seems that a surprise attack will be impossible. Mahiro appears to have it under control. Pariel removes her hand from the hilt.
486
487“That’s a wise move.” (Lunas)
488
489The maid also puts the knives in her hands away…into her sleeves. The presence of a magic attack fades as well.
490
491“Yes, so…”
492
493“There’s only one thing I want to know. What is Edelweiss thinking? Why is she preparing a festival even though she knows about the enemy army on her doorstep?” (Lunas)
494
495“No…that’s…a trap after all, no?” (Mahiro)
496
497Bah, this idiot prince spilled the beans so easily after all this.
498
499“A trap, you say?” (Lunas)
500
501“A trap disguised as festival decorations…or something like that. At least, that’s supposed the ploy here, I think.” (Mahiro)
502
503Lunas lowered her sword, looking astounded.
504
505“If you’re going to lie, do it better. From the looks of it, everything is made of wood. As if that could put a single scratch on the armor of the black knights.” (Lunas)
506
507“No…well, that doesn’t matter to me…” (Mahiro)
508
509“… Hmm, that makes sense.” (Lunas)
510
511No, no, no, no and no! We saw them yesterday! What are we supposed to do if the person who devised the trap in the first place doesn’t care?
512
513“Umm…young master. That…” (Pariel)
514
515“Eh? What? I’m currently doing my very best to ensure our survival.” (Mahiro)
516
517Ah, that’s true. I will save the questioning for later
518
519“There’s another matter to be solved. Why haven’t you guys run away?” (Lunas)
520
521“…” (Mahiro)
522
523For an instant Mahiro stared blankly at her.
524
525“Why are you so surprised? I told you, didn’t I? I’m going to destroy this country. And yet, you haven’t run away. Why?” (Lunas)
526
527“No…I mean, I don’t believe you.” (Mahiro)
528
529Mahiro said it clearly. I’m pretty sure that these are his true feelings, and not simply an excuse this time.
530
531“There’s no way that I’m going to believe in something like the destruction of this country. You saw yourself, right? The happy faces on everyone preparing for the festival. How could I possibly believe that everything will be destroyed?” (Mahiro)
532
533As a retainer, I wonder if I should admire my lord for these feelings? Or should I lament that I can’t defeat the enemy general even though she’s right in front of my eyes?
534
535“I do understand that it’s something beyond my status, but, no matter what, since I have the opportunity then I will ask: Your Highness Lunas, couldn’t you at least wait until the conclusion of the festival before you begin the battle?” (Mahiro)
536
537“I have no obligation to wait. After seeing it with my own eyes, I know that there’s no trap. There’s no need to wait any longer…but.” (Lunas)
538
539After a short pause.
540
541“When will that festival or whatever take place?” (Lunas)
542
543“I believe it was from today at sunset for around nine hours.” (Mahiro)
544
545“I see. Got it. You have until then to escape. If I encounter you on the battle front, I won’t have the time to speak with you like this anymore.” (Lunas)
546
547And then she turned on her heels and left.
548
549“… Pheew.” (Mahiro)
550
551Mahiro sighs. Seeing this, Pariel also allows her shoulders to drop in exhaustion.
552
553After a long sigh, “… For a moment I wondered what would happen to us… But…” (Pariel)
554
555“No, well, we got something out of it as well.” (Mahiro)
556
557“Oh?” (Pariel)
558
559“Come on, let’s get back to the castle. We have to prepare the festival’s program.” (Mahiro)
560
561
562
563Unfortunately, when they finally got back to the castle, what they had feared had come to pass. Lunch time had ended long ago, and the dining hall was deserted. In other words, they missed their chance to get a meal.
564The leftovers having been cleared away, Pariel and Mahiro could only miserably eat their rice mixed with tea, something they had only obtained after cornering the chef.
565
566“Uuh…for my meal to be only one cup of tea with rice…” (Pariel)
567
568“Well, don’t say that Pariel. Just think of it as diet.” (Mahiro)
569
570“Ah, you’re right! Diet, diet ♪…bah, who’s fault is this!?” (Pariel)
571
572*slurp**slurp*
573
574The sound of rice and tea being eaten echoed through the empty dining hall, adding to the sorry atmosphere.
575*slurp*
576
577“Did you come back safely, Your Highness?” (Edelweiss)
578
579Edelweiss. Kaen is with her, too.
580
581“Prince…once again…you are here eating something amazing.” (Kaen)
582
583The prime minister, who rarely comes to the dining hall, was apparently taken aback by the sight of royalty reduced to eating tea and rice.
584
585“Yoo, you two. Good work. How come Kaien is with you?” (Mahiro)
586
587“Ah…no, I just met her.” (Kaien)
588
589“Okay. So, how’s the progress?” (Mahiro)
590
591“The city is about 70% done. The majority will likely be complete by sundown.” (Kaien)
592
593“As expected, that’s fast. What about your side, Edelweiss?” (Mahiro)
594
595“It hasn’t progressed as far, since there are fewer people working compared to the vicinity of the castle.” (Edelweiss)
596
597“Hmm, oh well. The city is the most important. Well then, let’s hold the festival as planned.” (Mahiro)
598
599At which point Edelweiss interjected,
600
601“However, Your Highness, in the worst case, when the enemy attacks, this means that the people will be directly in the line of fire.” (Edelweiss)
602
603“No, that won’t happen. I was able to narrow down the time of attack when I went out to the city just now.” (Mahiro)
604
605Edelweiss blinks. The Prime Minister expresses his surprise a little more directly.
606
607“What did you say?!” (Kaien)
608
609“The opponent is already aware of the festival’s schedule. It’s as you said before, Prime Minister, this isn’t a force for total domination of the area. It’s a surprise attack. They also want to avoid a riot. It’s not like a military parade, marching through streets teeming with people isn’t advantageous to them either. Besides, Lunas is a battle maniac, but she isn’t a madman who wants to commit genocide. I’m using that against her.” (Mahiro)
610
611You could almost see the question marks popping up above everyone’s heads. Mahiro looked at each of them and elaborated,
612
613“Everyone is obligated to participate in today’s festival. Make sure to gather everyone in the northern plaza, even if you have to put the sick on stretchers or prop up the injured with canes.” (Mahiro)
614
615Obviously having guessed something, the prime minister narrows his eyes at Mahiro,
616
617“Not inside the castle?” (Kaien)
618
619“Correct. Take note, I want all the maids and soldiers in the castle to gather at the northern plaza as well. If they don’t fit, have them go north. Given where they’re camped, Lunas definitely won’t be coming through the northern gate” (Mahiro)
620
621After hearing this much, even Pariel could guess at Mahiro’s plan. In other words, Mahiro has really no intention to sacrifice any of the citizens to the imperial army.
622This is an evacuation…under the guise of a festival.
623If he openly declared an evacuation, everyone would have fallen into panic. And even without that, there would have probably been injuries what with all the pushing and shoving. No, people would be tempted to bring along unreasonable large luggage, the roads would be jammed with wagons and carriages, and even that might not be the worst of it. But, if it’s a festival…
624Kaien sighed. He looked as if he were forcibly calming himself after suffering a great shock…but cold sweat still formed at his temples. Pariel could sympathize. It’s the same as when he recklessly charged into the enemy camp, but this time it couldn’t be played off as a coincidence any longer.
625
626“I suppose that’s that.” (Edelweiss)
627
628Only Edelweiss keeps her usual, calm expression.
629
630“I have no doubt that the castle will fall. Is that fine with you?” (Edelweiss)
631
632That’s also true. All that’s left in the castle and the land beyond is an unmanned trap. With a little time and effort, it will be easily broken.
633
634“Isn’t that fine?” (Mahiro)
635
636Mahiro declared.
637
638“If I had to choose between the castle and the people, you know, I will pick the people without even thinking about it.” (Mahiro)
639
640It’s a magnificent way of thinking, but,
641(Prince…)
642Ideals are ideals. I wonder whether he really understands that that’s not reality.
643
644It is a long-term vacation soon, so I am now organizing my luggage at Mama Kou's home.
645
646What shall I bring? If I can not go back for a while, I would like to bring this and that too. What a long vacation, it's about 3 months! Well I think a lot will be taken by travel time because I will return to the territory. I think that's why it's a super long break.
647
648Still, when the long vacation is over, I'll already be a second grader? It's surprisingly fast.
649
650I put up with a stalker, I put up with loneliness, and I put up with the Lady Katerina, it is over....
651
652Especially, the stalking, I thought my student life was over!
653
654Well, I guess this is the first year. Surely, I can get along well with Charlotte-chan and I feel better.
655
656The long-awaited library did not have the knowledge I wanted, but it might have been good just to learn that.
657
658That's how I felt about my school life, just putting up with it, then I looked over the room for a while, and I found some sugar left over from making ice cream.
659
660Shall I bring some sugar? Going by carriage with Alan and Cain-sama, it might be good to make and bring some sweets.
661
662Ah, that's right. Make a Ryo-chan's signature secret tool with sugar and saltpeter and bring it too!
663
664No time like the present. I will start to make secret tools.
665
666I mix sugar and ice magic stone powder on a small plate and place on a tripod. Then I place a candle under it and light it on fire. Then as the sugar in the plate melts and drips while turning it, curl it up.
667
668Okay, this is probably the completion of the smokebomb! It should be! It's been a while!
669
670I look at the finished light brown, small ball and I am satisfied with it.
671
672Yes, but I have never used it, so I wonder if it can play its role as a smokebomb. I know only how to make smokebombs from reading books in my past life, but I don't know for sure because I haven't actually used them.
673
674「Ryou-chan, what is that?」
675
676Mama Kou, who was preparing medicine nearby, asked.
677
678This?
679
680Here it comes! My new secret tool! Rookie expectations, a new face! (TL: "rookie" and "new face" are in English)
681
682「It's a smokebomb! When it's lit, unbelievable amount of smoke comes out!」
683
684「Smoke? What do you do with such a thing?」
685
686「Eeeh!?」
687
688「Eeeh!?」
689
690I was surprised when asked what to do with it and Mama Kou was surprised by how I reacted like that.
691
692Certainly, what I intend to do is make a smokebomb. Am I a ninja? Do I want to be sneaky?
693
694Me, no, it was because it was fun. Smokebomb... because it was fun to make...!
695
696In a word, I feel that my hobby is making secret tools. Even the coin shuriken was able to be used because I happened to come across to a demon by chance at the power sink, but it could not be used if it was not there.
697
698Other than that, it was possible to stop Alan's runaway behavior thanks to the pepper bomb, and the improvement of secret tools should not be a bad thing!
699
700Yes, yes, besides, if there is a smokebomb, even if attacked by the stalker again, it may be possible to bewilder them in the smoke!
701
702From now on, it will be a long journey to return to the territory, and even when attacked by demons and wild beasts, it is good to have a variety of secret tools to protect yourself!
703
704Oh yeah, expansion of the secret tools is never a waste! Probably!
705
706「If there is a smokebomb, when danger comes, smoke can confuse it, and you can get away!」
707
708Mama Kou made a sad face for my desperate excuse.
709
710「Danger? Distress? Are you doing something dangerous recently in a school?」
711
712No, that is not the case...
713
714「...if you are prepared you don't have to worry, that kinda feeling. It's a long vacation soon, and it will be a long journey until we return to the territory. It will of course have escorts, but I think it would be better to have smokebombs!」
715
716「So, fuuu~, well, it is always the case that Ryou-chan suddenly produces something, so Ryou-chan is as usual. So how much smoke does this smokebomb put out when it is lit?」
717
718Even when living as bandits, Mama Kou knows that I made various things, so well, it was as usual, it seems that any doubts were closed off by saying that. Of course usual habits are fine.
719
720Even so, honestly I do not know the effect of smokebomb well. Let's try using a little now. Even if there is a lot of smoke, I doubt it will be much larger volume than the smoke from an anti-mosquito coil.
721
722It is also bothersome to go out now and find a vacant area or similar, and there will be smoke but no fire, so it should be fine and won't set fire to the room.
723
724I should put it in the water as soon as I see how much smoke comes out.
725
726「I don't know how much smoke comes out, so let's set fire now and try it!」
727
728I say so and open a window for ventilation.
729
730Then, I pinch the smoke ball with something like tweezers and light it, and from the smoke ball, a bright purple fire and then billowing smoke was...
731
732I did not expect this level of smoke! The smoke comes whooshing out!
733
734What's this? Unexpectedly immense smoke. Absolutely, do not do it indoors!
735
736As I coughed goho~ goho~, I put the smokebomb in the water and extinguished it.
737
738Mama Kou coughed goho~ goho~, and opened the door to ventilate.
739
740S, sorry! Mama Kou!
741
742I did not think so far!
743
744The new face of the secret tools seems quite powerful.
745
746...How many should I make.
747
748「Ugh, Ryou-chan, goho~ I wanted warning first if there's so much smoke, goho~ goho~」
749
750「I'm sorry, for me too, geffu~ geffu~, I didn't think that far.」
751
752Mama Kou was a little angry. Tehe~pero. (TL: tehepero (テヘペロ): laughing embarrasedly and sticking out one's tongue)
753
754But, certainly, how many more should I make!
755
756When the doors and windows were fully opened, the smoke flowed out with the wind.
757
758Even so, the smokebombs are quite powerful.
759
760I took it to heart, and I started to work again to make some.
761
762「Ah, I'm going to make something. I wonder when I'll use that kind of thing. I hope that there will be no such opportunity.」
763
764「Hey, hey, I agree!」
765
766Yeah I think so too! But I really want to use it a little. I don't want to use it but I want to use it. Is this enough to shake my maiden's heart? Being a young girl is difficult!
767
768「Still, Ryo-chan is strange, huh, I wonder how you got the knowledge to make such things. I feel I understand that Tagosaku-san making such noise.」
769
770Ah, I do not want to remember about Tagosaku-san. It is his presence that makes me the most uneasy about returning to Rubyfallen. I'm not good with that person.
771
772「Mama Kou, please don't talk about Tagosaku-san... I don't want to remember.」
773
774「Even if you say so, something must be done about him, he will be amazed by whatever.」
775
776Yeah, I know. I will try to persuade again when I return to the territory. That I'm only human, I will try to persuade.
777
778...We talked several times so far, but after all the talk did not go through and I gave up.
779
780「I will try somehow at the next long vacation.」
781
782I declared without force. I was honestly not confident.
783
784-----
785
786We have a safe closing ceremony, and the first year of school life was over.
787
788I looked through the library books I could see as a first grader, but I did not find what I wanted to know. So I want to somehow read books that are shown only to magicians.
789
790That will be my second grader task.
791
792I finished my first year of student life, and I think I decided on my goal for when I become a second grader, so I was at Mama Kou's house.
793
794It is not necessary to sleep in the dormitory during a long vacation, and the closing ceremony is over, so I just stayed with Mama Kou.
795
796「Tomorrow is an early morning, right?」
797
798Mama Kou listens to me while taking care of green beans. I also answer while helping.
799
800「Yes. Alan and the rest will come to pick me up. It looks like they're preparing a carriage and escort.」
801
802「That so, certainly the difficult workload is on the Rainforest family.」
803
804「Cain-sama told me not to bother because they were originally intended to be hired.」
805
806「Cain-sama is... Alan-kun's older brother, right? That kid has quite amusing future prospects.」
807
808Mama Kou seemed to be licking her lips. I wonder if it may be better not to call Cain-sama to my home anymore. I wonder if the finger that had not moved on Alan might make a move (on Cain-sama).
809
810「Ah, that! Give them this as a visiting gift!」 (Temiyage (手土産) is a present brought by a visitor. It's sorta the opposite of a souvenir.)
811
812That's why Mama Kou gave me a bag containing various things.
813
814「This is a cosmetic oil with a lotion... It is a set of specially formulated cosmetic medicines by Mama Kou! Rainforest family Countess Irene-sama was managing and keeping up hard at work, so she will surely be delighted!」
815
816It's a set of cosmetics that Mama Kou and I made together. It has not been sold to the public yet, but it has a good reputation. There is also a real effect. Thanks to this, Mama Kou and my own hair and skin were shining tsuya~ tsuya~.
817
818「By the way... Alek said, isn't there a lolicon man in Rainforest who wants to marry Ryou-chan, that is, are you going to be okay?」
819
820Claude-san, huh... Speaking of which, I had made such a promise.
821
822「Probably, it is fine... It was a promise from a few years ago, and at the time I was a maid bought with money, but now I'm more-or-less a count's daughter.」
823
824I expect Claude-san is not still putting out his hand. Besides, it seems that he already bought three other girls, so that business is already settled.
825
826「If so, it's fine, but... please be careful.」
827
828「Yes!」
829
830Mama Kou smiles when I reply, but I actually don't feel spirited.
831
832Mama Kou stopped her hand stemming the green beans and touched the back of her left hand with my right hand. It was a gesture that Mama Kou did well when I was uneasy.
833
834「...Rainforest territory is where Ryou-chan was before meeting Alek.」
835
836「That's right... Are you worried about something?」
837
838「No, I'm fine! I will pick up Ryou-Chan at the Rainforest residence after I finish my work too!」
839
840Mama Kou who said that was the same Mama Kou as always, and after that, we spent time with the usual chatty chat.
841
842Speaking of it, since I met Mama Kou, we have been mainly together because I came to play regularly even with the school's dormitory life, this may be the first time we can't meet as long as this time.
843
844Immediately the next day, Alan and the rest came to pick me up, and we are going to Rainforest, but I am already homesick.
845
846With a slightly more expensive copper shovel on my shoulder, I lead 200 of my people. They all have some sort of tool with them. We will be starting a big work now.
847
848However, unfortunately, compared to the liveliness behind me, my eyes were lacking in spirit.
849
850We don’t really need 200 people to dig hot springs. But the people were dying to dig hot springs and so after a lot of them gathered up, we had a lottery draw to select 200 to follow me. They were jabbering noisily behind me. There seems to be youngsters who are messing around as well.
851
852“Make sure to not fall behind.”
853
854“””Yessir!”””
855
856I like this in sync response, though.
857
858It seems I was a pro at digging up hot springs before losing my memories. I am not really sure if there’s a pro or amateur at that but considering the fact that Helan territory got rich by that, I am guessing it probably isn’t an exaggeration to call me a pro.
859
860And since now I have come back, it seems they think it’s only natural to first revive the hot springs. And I, who had no way of knowing that, had been neglecting it all this time. But finally, their hot spring fever boiled up and erupted.
861
862Such passionate opinions were delivered to Lotson-san, who thought it couldn’t be held off any longer and half forced me to carry a shovel.
863
864I really don’t like this. I wanna go back already. What do I not like? Well, it’s not like I don’t like heavy labor. In fact, I am probably better at those. And it’s also not like I am busy with other work. What I don’t like is my people’s twisted conviction that if I dig, there will 100% be a hot spring source there.
865
866There’s no way that’s possible if you think of it normally.
867
868I learnt about hot springs a bit but this is impossible. Impossible, impossible. There’s no way I will find a hot spring. No way at all.
869
870It seems the craving towards hot springs was also present when prince Arch was ruling. However, the work he did wasn’t quite well received by the people. It’s because he didn’t dig up that many hot springs. Looking at it objectively, the prince’s ruling period was wonderful. It wasn’t anything extreme but he contributed to the land’s development steadily by building up the base. On top of that, he also had dug up hot springs to a certain degree. But even then, it seems the numbers were low compared to before.
871
872I mean, that’s also natural.
873
874It was absurd back then.
875
876It seems I was the one to pull that off but unfortunately, I don’t remember any of it.
877
878I can’t help but think I had some sort of special knowledge. But I don’t have it anymore. If so, there’s only one conclusion to this.
879
880…..We won’t be able to dig up any hot springs!!
881
882It’s truly regrettable. Even I do want to dig it up if possible. But reality isn’t so nice.
883
884These guys will also probably disappointed for some time. Well, time will surely also heal that.
885
886What I need to do today is not desperately try and dig up hot springs.
887
888I need to tell them. That the man who dug up countless hot springs no longer here.
889
890Let’s just diligently progress as we can. The craftsman city is also coming along nicely. Isn’t that enough? After all, a different path is waiting for the Helan territory.
891
892After walking a reasonable distance, we had reached the wastelands.
893
894It was an unusual sight for the Helan territory, which is filled with life. Even in this territory, where most lands are covered with greenery and flowers, there’s a place like this. I jammed in my shovel into a cracked portion of the dried up land.
895
896“Here.”
897
898The group behind me were perplexed.
899
900They had been replying in unison all this time but even they were confused.
901
902The sun shined on the dried up land. Even weeds wouldn’t like to grow on this land. You can’t even hear any birds chirping here. It wasn’t even a land suited for crop fields so there was no one living nearby.
903
904I had decided to dig up this land, which was hated by everything.
905
906Translations by AsianHobbyist .com Website. Stop reading at pirate sites that steals translations. Check novelupdates. com for legit fan translations
907Of course, they would have doubts. Will a hot spring really gush forth here?
908
909And naturally, there’s no way that’s happening either.
910
911I know that best. But it’s no good if I am the only one who knows it. I have come here today to teach them. That I no longer have the ability to dig up hot springs.
912
913“We will dig here.”
914
915I took the lead and started digging.
916
917thud thud
918
919Sound of copper grazing with dried land reverberated. The people also reluctantly continued after me.
920
921Where did all that energy go?
922
923Everyone’s movements are dull except me.
924
925I can’t mop up their painful feelings but this is fine. This is fine.
926
927I just kept on digging. Probably because my body is used to digging, my speed was much faster. I had already gotten far enough to completely bury my torso. I don’t need a hidden skill like this, though… Well, I guess it’s fine, I was getting closer to my original objective either way.
928
929That was how it was supposed to be… supposed to be but… hmm? It was the moment I thrust in the shovel into the hole I had dug. I feel like the area underneath me just started shaking a bit. The hole was big enough to cover me completely.
930
931And then, immediately after, a sound could be heard from the land….
932
933A few of the people around noticed the sound.
934
935“What was that just now?!”
936
937A few others came rushing. They looked down at me inside the hole.
938
939Oi, oi, oi, don’t tell me… don’t you tell me that…
940
941“What was that sound?!”
942
943“Sorry. It seems my stomach grumbled a bit. Do you guys wanna have lunch?”
944
945“Ehh, we just started, you know?”
946
947Translations by AsianHobbyist Website.
948Of course, they wouldn’t be satisfied. They weren’t hungry nor was it time for lunch yet. But, it’s just that, I have this bad premonition… If I were to go on like this…
949
950“Well, that’s fine, isn’t it? You heard the sound just now, didn’t you? Our landlord is that hungry, it wouldn’t hurt to eat lunch a bit early.”
951
952“Haha, landlord-sama, did you have breakfast properly? I guess it’s fine. Then, I will go tell everyone!”
953
954That lively youngster went around and told everyone about lunch.
955
956I also came out of the hole to have lunch.
957
958It was just when I had gotten both of my hands on the ground. It shook again.
959
960“………”
961
962It is probably my imagination.
963
964I will try climbing up once again… this isn’t good, it’s definitely shaking. It isn’t my imagination. I held my head.
965
966I can’t get out of the hole!!
967
968Not getting out of the hole after suggesting lunch myself?! There’s nothing more unnatural than that.
969
970Now then, what to do?
971
972I am probably acting as the lid here.
973
974There’s no doubt that the moment I get out of the hole, the shaking will continue and the noise will spread. And then, the blessing of hot springs will await us!!
975
976Hmm? Isn’t that fine? No, no, no, nope. I was this close to falling for a trap.
977
978I do not have the ability to dig up hot springs. It was just a miracle this one time. What’s important today is to tell them that I can’t do it so actually doing it won’t be good.
979
980Yep, I am in an extremely difficult situation.
981
982As I was worrying in vain, that previous lively youngster came back, peeking into the hole.
983
984It seems he found it weird since I didn’t come up. That’s only natural.
985
986“Landlord-sama, everyone’s waiting. We can’t start eating if you don’t come.”
987
988“Ah, start eating without me. Right, I will have my lunch here so could you bring my lunch box here? I want to confirm the geological features of this land a bit more.”
989
990As I said that, his face lit up.
991
992“As expected of landlord-sama! To think you were thinking of hot springs even during lunch! Even though it’s only normal to not want to think about anything during break. But you are even thinking about the geological features? This is how prodigies are made, huh!”
993
994“…..Well, yeah.”
995
996Is it just me or is he agreeing with me a bit too much? Sorry, I don’t have any interest in geology.
997
998He immediately went and brought the lunch box. Fortunately, he went back to his group soon after. I couldn’t have moved if he stayed. I mean, if the ground shook every time I raised a leg, surely he would find out.
999
1000Even if I have lunch, I wouldn’t get any closer to the fundamental solution. After all, this doesn’t change the fact that I can’t get out of the hole.
1001
1002However, I mustn’t panic either. I will gladly become the lid today. I will slightly increase my weight by having lunch and will resist. You know what? The hot spring will also probably stop feeling like gushing out if I stay seated here for 2-3 hours. After all, feelings are mostly fired up temporarily in this world.
1003
1004This hole is quite narrow to have lunch. I guess I will extract the shovel for now.
1005
1006I pulled it out and put it on the surface. With this, I can sit down.
1007
1008The lunch box was made by Eli. After settling down, I opened up the box. A sweet-smelling scent spread throughout the hole from the vivid contents inside.
1009
1010“Such intricate cooking from the morning… thanks, Eli.”
1011
1012I expressed my gratitude and started eating.
1013
1014The flavor spread throughout my mouth…. but at the same time, something spread throughout my butt as well…. Uhh.
1015
1016I desperately sharpened my senses and realized what had just happened.
1017
1018My butt—on my right butt, to be more precise—a large amount of water is there.
1019
1020“….”
1021
1022This place is weird for a leak. And I don’t have any experience of suddenly having my right butt sweat this much. I mean, it would have been troublesome if I had but I don’t have such a characteristic body.
1023
1024….This position. It’s the portion where the shovel was inserted. And it’s just underneath my right butt.
1025
1026Shaking, noises, and now finally water, eh?
1027
1028Even though the surface was that dry… There’s no way. I mean, nothing’s impossible but no, still, this is impossible.
1029
1030Cold sweats wouldn’t stop flowing down my forehead. I don’t feel like eating my lunch anymore. I am afraid of even a little movement at this point.
1031
1032Only time passed by.
1033
1034After lunch was over, the lively youngster came to me again.
1035
1036I wonder what he thought after looking at my serious face with the half-eaten lunch box on my hands.
1037
1038“Landlord? Are you not feeling well?”
1039
1040“I just feel a little bad after being exposed to the sun. I will be fine if I rest a bit.”
1041
1042“Then please come to a cool spot. There’s a shade there.”
1043
1044He extended his hand to bring me out.
1045
1046Translations by AsianHobbyist .com Website. Stop reading at pirate sites that steals translations. Check novelupdates. com for legit fan translations
1047“No, this hole is fine. I like it here.”
1048
1049Of course, I rejected his hand.
1050
1051“Even if you say that, you have been digging vertically so the sunlight will hit you altogether, you know?”
1052
1053“This much sunlight is just perfect.”
1054
1055“Even though you were feeling bad after being exposed to the sun?! What kind of a physical condition do you have?!”
1056
1057“Explaining would be a bit hard. Now, now, go back to work already. Ah, right, digging up a different place might be good.”
1058
1059“We can’t do that. We will continue digging with your spot in the middle! Now then, I will get back to work!”
1060
1061After giving a refreshing big smile, he left.
1062
1063After a while, I could hear their lively voices around the hole. They were going at it at a good pace.
1064
1065Sitting like this inside a hole is quite difficult so I tried lifting my waist just a bit to change my position but the shaking, the noises, and the water came gushing out at once. I immediately sat back down.
1066
1067Now my whole lower body is wet.
1068
1069Are you telling me I am not permitted to move anymore…?
1070
1071It’s over. It’s all over.
1072
1073…After a while, I made up my mind.
1074
1075But first, I will finish up Eli’s lunch box.
1076
1077I was also reaching my limit as it was getting warmer underneath.
1078
1079I hurriedly stood up and crawled out of the hole.
1080
1081“Everyone!! Run!! Boiling water—the hot spring will start gushing out!!”
1082
1083I started running, all my people started running and with a grand sound, the whole area started strongly shaking.
1084
1085Before we could go far enough, large amounts of water came gushing out from the hole.
1086
1087“Ah!!”
1088
1089And before I knew it, the dried up land and the men’s skin was sprinkled on with water.
1090
1091The gushing water formed a high pillar. We kept gazing at it in wonder.
1092
1093Ah, would you look at that, it finally came gushing out.
1094
1095Translations by AsianHobbyist Website.
1096In large portions as well.
1097
1098If maintained, it will become a wonderful hot spring spot.
1099
1100The people were hugging each other in joy. It was an unfortunate miracle but I guess seeing their smiles isn’t so bad.
1101
1102But it’s still a fact that I don’t have the ability to dig up hot springs. I should let them know quick.
1103
1104I grandly celebrated with them that day but decided to go to an even worse place the next day.
1105
1106And so, the following day.
1107
1108“Oh, would you look at that—”
1109
1110Moving on, the next day.
1111
1112“Ooohh, would you look—”
1113
1114And so, after another day.
1115
1116“WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT—”
1117
1118And like this, a few days passed by.
1119
1120Today as well, a pillar of water came gushing forth as if it was only natural. The water scattered, making a warm pour. I wasn’t even surprised anymore.
1121
1122This is no biggie. It seems that I actually do have a skill to dig hot springs. This is definitely a level you would call pro.