Episode 854 New Year (4)
Rumors were commonly circulating on the frontiers of other continents that ownerless lands were truly stained with blood, war, and suffering.To a simple person who had lived their entire life in a village smaller than a town, such gossip did not feel very real.
Still, where there is smoke, there is fire.
Myla, the director of the Lascabel Orphanage, who had heard such a story from Wallick, a former war mage, was frightened in advance, assuming it would surely be a terrifying land.
Given that, to think we are semi-forced to relocate from a remote village on the western continent to a battlefield on the central continent? On top of that, the thought of taking the children I was caring for at the orphanage with me weighed heavily on my mind.
However… it was difficult to refuse the invitation of the mysterious wizard who politely introduced himself as Aldevan, the 12th Phase of Eon.
Since it was the first time I had seen Wallick so nervous.
Since she declared that if she did not want to move to a new place, she would immediately deal with the villagers who could pose a danger to Myla.
That must never have been a joke.
I don’t know why you’re trying to protect me, but…
He could not simply let the people of Lascabel be murdered. Yet, he also could not tell them to leave him alone or the village. After all,the orphanage was being persecuted by the villagers due to food shortages caused by the epidemic.
Starved to death by the villagers, ordied of an infectious disease.
She could not bear to let the children experience the worst situation, which was like a famine. The famine had remained a heavy stone in Myla’s heart since about 21 years ago.
I have to protect the children at all costs.
Filled with anxiety and resolute determination, Myla immediately followed Aldevan from Lascabel to the ownerless lands,using a spatial teleportation circle created by no fewer than several wizards.
The place I arrived at was surprisingly peaceful.No, much, much more peaceful than I had imagined.
‘ah.’
The outermost edge of the city of Arrain was being expanded in real time. Wizards and laborers worked diligently on the construction, consulting blueprints.The streets were packed with people, far exceeding the crowds of Lascabel. There were even boulders flying around and walking about.
“Director, what is that?!”“Uh, well. I’m not really….”
This was the first time Myla had ever been this far from Lascavelle. She was in a situation no different from the children.
“A-an artificial golem? That’s impossible. This should be technology that is impossible to reproduce…?”
Wallick, who had come to Arrain with Aldevan after obtaining permission due to Myla’s persistent pleas and demands, also looked utterly flustered.His reaction was actually more intense than that of the children.
A sudden move.Motion sickness caused by spatial displacement.A golem guarding the city.A vibrant city despite the rampant epidemic.… … .
Everything was new to Myla. She never dreamed she would have an experience like this at an age where she was endlessly close to forty.She still didn’t know where the goodwill of the Eon faction stemmed from, though.
“Wow, to think you survived the Bone Dragon incident followed by the Blood-Crying Plague, yet still have your limbs intact. I really made the right decision coming to this ownerless land just based on the name.”“Were you in the Republic of Beldirn? On that day?”“I watched with my own two eyes the scene where He delivered the final blow to the Bone Dragon. The gray explosion shook the entire city, and it was just… I plan to follow His Majesty Verden around like a puppy from now on, hahahaha!”
People who look like mercenaries are having a conversation while raising their glasses at a nearby restaurant.
‘Verden… …’
Myla’s gaze sank as she silently murmured the name. Verden. She never imagined she would hear the name she had given to a child so long ago again like this.Of course, it must be a namesake.The Verden she knew had died in an accident at the Magic Tower years ago.
“Director, are you crying?”“Huh? No, I’m not crying.”
Myla lifted her head and smiled broadly as if nothing had happened.Tears welled up at the corners of her eyes, and the corners of her mouth trembled, but the child made an effort not to point it out. Instead, he gripped Myla’s hand even tighter.
And so, a daily life completely different from usual began.
Myla, having received a new house to replace the orphanage and ample living expenses from Aldeban, felt quite burdened but did not refuse. After all, shehad more than one mouth to feed.She decided to accept the situation, considering it a donation of a slightly different nature.
Myla did her best to look after a dozen or so children as always, and volunteered to be Wallick’s caregiver when he was struggling with his chronic illness.She felt that it was her destiny to live as the director of a small orphanage.
“…….”
A night where moonlight has settled.
After putting the children to sleep, Myla sat on a chair in the front yard holding a warm cup of cocoa. The chill of winter and the warmth of the cup mingled simultaneously.Enjoying the tranquility, so different from her busy day, was one of her little hobbies.
Myla breathed in the crisp air and looked up at the beautiful night sky.
At that moment, several seaplanes crossed the wide sky, obscuring the soft moonlight.
A flying ship.It was the first time I had actually seen one.
“awesome…….”
Myla took in the sight of Eon’s seaplane fleet descending for a while.
* * *
Lunch the next day.
Ownerless land—large-scale complex mines in the conflict zone are already active, extracting enormous quantities of minerals.
The reserves were comparable, if not on par, to those of a volcanic region, so there was no fear of depletion for a long time.Moreover, there were only a little over 200 dwarves living here.
“Little brother!!!!! The alcohol tastes so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Geraldin gulped down the chilled liquor in one go and shouted in a booming voice. The surroundings trembled, and a little dust fell from the ceiling.
Linus Baltimog, who was right next to him, chewed on a snack with his one remaining hand as if nothing were wrong. It seemed he had finally adapted.
Gharun chuckled.
“So you are growing, too.”“……?”
Linus took off the earplugs he had asked Eon to make specially.
“What did you say?”“You haven’t grown at all.”“Huh??”“Shut up, disciple.”
Linus grumbled and grumbled, then grabbed a huge amount of well-cooked meat. Gharun was about to smash the guy’s earplugs with a liquor bottle but restrained himself.
It was then.
Were you having a meal?
Even though Verden had shown up at the fortress without notice, there was no significant unrest. This was because it was not the first time such a thing had happened.
“You’re here.”“Oh!! Verden!!!”“You have arrived, Your Majesty.”
Linus quickly brought a chair. Welcomed, Verden naturally sat down and joined them.Then, he brought out meat of a quality hard to find in the market and expensive liquor.
“It looked like a small portion. Is this enough?”“Well, it’s enough for one meal. Linus, try grilling it properly.”“Yes, yes.”“Hahaha, aren’t you working your apprentice too hard? I’ll help you out too!”
Geraldine and Linus quickly trimmed the meat and grilled it until golden brown over charcoal. Smoke was not a problem as the ventilation system had been installed a long time ago.
“Is the World Conference over?”“It adjourned at dawn. Arkul is doing well. It looks like he has firmly formed an alliance with the Empire.”“He’s still doing things I don’t like. Well, since he’s alive and well, that’s fine.”
Gharun lightly pulled out the cork and took a big gulp of the drink.
“This tastes good, too. Though not as good as that ginkgo something-or-other wine I had last time. So, what is it you want to ask of me today?”“I’ve come to make a request.”“A request?”
Gharun showed great interest.
“The investigation into the Desert God’s artifacts hadn’t been making any progress to begin with. Fine, tell me in detail.”
If it is Verden, he will surely be trying to create something tremendous like [Interis]. In other words, there is a high possibility that he will provide new materials.I look forward to it.G’harun was a dwarf of the orthodox and a pure blacksmith.
Verden said.
“I need the hardest material.”“Hard…?”
Gharun stroked his orange beard.
“Judging by the fact that you called it ‘matter,’ it can’t be taking the form of a weapon. And judging by your tone, it doesn’t seem to be imbued with runes or magic. Do you really need just pure matter? Something that is simply hard? What do you intend to use that for?”
Verden asserted.
To destroy it.
The unique magic
How should one set one’s direction to realize the concept of destruction more deeply?
Verden, who had been agonizing over this since he was in the silent desert, recently reached a conclusion.
First, approach it from a material perspective.
In other words, reinforcing the concept of destruction through primal tempering, much like forging a red-hot sword by ceaselessly hammering it.A complex and abstruse path is not the only answer. A simple path can be the fastest solution.
“Create a substance to destroy. Hmm.”
Gharun crossed his arms and frowned repeatedly as he fell into thought. It was a completely unexpected request, but he could understand it.
Except for Verden… … for it was G’harun who best understood Verden’s power.The greatest masterpiece completed at the Black Volcano by joining forces with other dwarves and disciples—the End of Order, [Interis]—proves everything.
That’s original.
chin.
Gharun brought a blank piece of paper and a special pen and placed them on the table.
“If you disregard various functions and focus solely on durability, you will be able to craft exactly what you want using only the finest metals. It doesn’t need to be too heavy or too massive. If you design the external and internal resistance to be perfectly identical and prioritize structural efficiency, the result will likely be small enough to fit in your hand.”“Does that mean density is the key?”“That’s right.”
Verden asked.
“Do I need a separate tool?”“Do you think I need one?”
Crunch.
Gharun clenched his fist. Short but incredibly thick muscles bulged. His hand was the very tool for creation.
Gharun drew something on a piece of paper while exchanging various opinions with Verden. Soon, Linus and Geraldin brought out some appetizingly cooked meat.
Linus glanced at Gharun’s blueprints.
“……sphere?”
A drawing of a 3D circle with annotations here and there.
True to the craftsmanship of a legendary dwarf, the sphere was drawn without a single flaw. It was no exaggeration to say that it was a perfect circle.
“It seems quite small, but may I ask if it has any functions?”“It has no functions.”“Then are you planning to play ball with this?”“You bastard, I kept telling you you were doing well lately, and look at you trying to climb over me? Make sure you play ball with it when you make one later. Make sure your head or hands get smashed.”“Master, I… … Ow!”
As Gharun grabbed the nape of his neck, Linus was pinned down and unable to move. The difference in their physical strength was far greater than that between a child and an adult.
Geraldine laughed heartily and transferred the meat into their respective bowls.
“Whatever it is, take it easy. There’s a saying that when you’re in a hurry, you should take your time.”“Just like a village chief, you’re talking nonsense. Anyway, it will take some time to get the density right, but as you can see, it’s not a difficult task. I’ll contact you when it’s finished. I’ll discuss the fee with my apprentice later.”“I’ll leave it to you.”“Then let’s grab something to eat.”
It was right before lunch.
Linus stood up, stroking the back of his neck, and then subtly raised his hand.
“But hasn’t there been a strange smell for a while? Ah, it’s not there now, though.”“Hmm?”
Gharun twitched the bridge of his nose.
“What smell are you talking about, disciple?”“A slightly cool…? It was a smell you couldn’t find in the mines. Seeing that Master and His Majesty didn’t smell it, I suppose it was just my imagination.”“You really are something else. Go chew on some meat.”“Yes, Master.”
Linus cautiously cleared his throat and picked up the utensils.
Clatter clatter.
Verden’s gaze grew heavy as he quietly watched the two dwarves and their apprentices eating noisily.
A smell… …
I wonderif it really is Linus’s delusion.
* * *
Verden, having entrusted the task to Gharun, crossed over to Dalehin. It was to discuss the World Conference with the first Necromancer.
Dumal, the lord of Dalehin, greeted politely.
“Welcome, Your Majesty. It seems the World Conference concluded successfully. That is truly a relief.”“Is he inside?”“Of course. He is in his usual room. Ah, but… there is one thing I am personally curious about.”“Speak.”
The vampire, who had blended into human society, gently brought his face closer and twitched his nose slightly.
I heard that the World Conference is being held in Gargant; has the location changed by any chance?
Verden paused.
“What do you mean?”“Ah, excuse me.”
Dumal scratched the back of his head.
I smelled the sea on Your Majesty, so I thought you had just come from the coast.
