“Young Master Zeppelin. Did you happen to get scammed again?”
“No. Do I look like the kind of person who gets scammed?”
“You look like someone who’s been scammed quite a lot. Last year, when you visited the Armand Alliance, didn’t you buy that beast you claimed was a spirit creature from the Sky Mountain Range? It turned out to be just a fox with a nice coat of fur. Because of that, the Family Head told you not to make any deals for a while…”
“Ahem, th-that was unavoidable. My eye for merchandise is a bit lacking, isn’t it? But this time, I’ve invested in a person. A person! My eye for people is excellent.”
“Really? You said the same thing before when you bought all those grimoires and elixirs to invest in a ‘precious prospect,’ but he turned out to be an inferior student without a lick of magical talent. It caused quite a stir when it was revealed the dean of the magic college had fabricated the whole thing just to secure an investment…”
“Cough, cough! That was because it was magic! He certainly seemed like a knowledgeable fellow. This time is different! He’s a swordsman, you see? I am a descendant of Gold! A descendant of Gold!”
“…I’m sure you have talent. But Young Master Zeppelin, you’ve never even held a sword because you hate sweating.”
“Hmph! Do you really lack that much faith in me?”
“I believe in you as a person. Where else could one find someone as good-natured as Young Master Zeppelin? But honestly, I don’t think you have any talent as a businessman or an investor. To be frank, I don’t think even you would hire someone like yourself as a subordinate.”
“Well, that’s true.”
“Hahaha, Young Master Zeppelin. Anyway, this deal is a no-go. It’s too dangerous. With a great war approaching, tying up funds anywhere carries too much risk. Wasn’t the original goal to recruit heroes for that very reason? Plans that go against the general trend are always dangerous.”
“But don’t dangerous plans offer the greatest returns?”
“That’s true. But the Red Bank is an organization that doesn’t necessarily need to take risks.”
“Sigh, I wasn’t going to say this, but… actually, the Matriarch told me about this.”
“The… the Matriarch herself?”
“Yes. I’m telling you. It paid off that I, unlike my brother, kept in constant contact with her. Hehe, I borrowed the wisdom of the great Matriarch who built the Red Bank into what it is today.”
“Good heavens. Then there’s no way it could be wrong! Is the era of Zeppelin finally arriving? Oh my, I thought my blood pressure would burst from looking after you my whole life! If it’s the Matriarch’s word, I can believe it!”
“Wait, is that really what you thought of me?”
“Hahaha! The Zeppelin boom is coming!”
“Hey, don’t change the subject…”
* * *
The Caravan Estate flourished thanks to the massive influx of funds from Zeppelin Gold—an amount so large it was more of a sponsorship than an investment. I heard that immigrants were pouring in from the surrounding regions. As a result, the demographic of the Caravan Estate, which had once been comprised mostly of the elderly and farmers, began to change. It had become a land teeming with young people and children. They had migrated here not just from the Verdi region, but from other areas as well.
“I heard the situation in other regions is similar.”
“Similar how?”
“The Iron Kingdom has abandoned everywhere except for the major cities. Aside from this place, the rest have either been occupied by the Magic Corps or destroyed by the Steel Legion. Those who came to the Caravan Estate are those who barely escaped, or those who fled in anticipation of what was to come.”
Indeed, the Caravan Estate was an anomaly. Other lands would never have been able to withstand the assault of the Machine Empire. Thus, many refugees flowed in, and among them were those with useful skills. The influx of new people—it was the process of the land regaining its vitality and coming back to life.
“So, for this part, we should—”
“No! It has to be done like this!”
A true genius of estate management.
Even after her brush with death, Haelin was working with a fire in her eyes, taking charge of various administrative tasks. With Haelin and Audrey playing active roles, the estate was somehow running smoothly. The mercenaries from the Black Archipelago had not only secured the perimeter but had even constructed a fortress. With the help of the stronger refugees, the work proceeded smoothly. Having finished its normalization and entered a new phase of development, I gathered the neighbors who had been helping me and spoke.
“I must leave again.”
“Leave?”
“In exchange for the help of the Witch Elizabeth, I promised to find the witches’ treasure as soon as the estate was stabilized. I even swore an oath not to delay, so I must head out immediately.”
Yes.
I had to leave almost as soon as I had arrived.
Those who heard me were disappointed, but most understood.
“In the end, it’s right for you to be active on the outside. Your soul has become incredibly strong since you returned from the Sky Mountain Range. With the investment from the Red Bank, the estate will be fine.”
Indeed, it was reassuring.
But I couldn’t help feeling uneasy.
Seeing my expression, Haelin spoke.
“Don’t worry and go.”
“Next time, don’t overdo it. If it’s dangerous, just run away.”
“No, I won’t run. More than anything, I’ve realized that we need to have the strength to overcome things even without you, Lord Caravan. The magic I learned from Lady Audrey wasn’t enough. So, I’m going to hone a power that suits me better. While not neglecting the estate management, of course!”
“What kind of power are you planning to hone?”
“Shamanism. Orcish Shamanism.”
Haelin’s eyes sparkled.
“Lady Sherizik has agreed to stay here for a while and help me. She said she would teach me Star Sorcery. And forgotten black magic as well.”
Forgotten black magic, Star Sorcery.
Hearing those words, I glanced at Sherizik.
“Is that really okay? It sounds a bit dangerous.”
“It is dangerous. If the Sky Empire saw it, they might come to execute us.”
“What?”
“She said it’s fine as long as we don’t get caught.”
Hmm.
“I suppose that’s true.”
It was a valid point.
“My body will recover soon as well. I suppose this old man really has aged. In my prime, I would have taken three or four of those Ash Knights with me as companions in death.”
“Don’t talk about taking them with you. You need to stay healthy for a long, long time.”
“Fortunately, the Ash Knights won’t pursue us further. I’ve shown them that this old man is no pushover, and they know that even if I’m only a half-baked Sword Expert, they would have to sacrifice a lot to deal with me. They are clever bastards.”
Tom, whose body was still not fully recovered, laughed brightly.
The injured Tom and Audrey decided to remain at the estate. Sherizik also decided to stay behind to teach Haelin. This meant I would have to undertake this journey alone.
“Safe travels, Young Master.”
Tom patted my shoulder.
Then.
“You won’t need to worry too much.”
He delivered some rather welcome news.
“When I went up to the city briefly to ask the Legion for help, I heard some news from the Eastern Continent. They say the Great Land is quite noisy right now. A certain swordsman appeared there and is stirring up the Infinite Steppe.”
“…”
“The people of the East call that swordsman the ‘Black Bride.’”
The Black Bride.
“She will return soon, much stronger than before.”
* * *
The witches’ treasure.
Quite some time had passed since I received that request. I had gained several things thanks to taking on the witches’ task. First, Audrey, a capable magic asset, had joined the party and played a major role, and I was able to grow by absorbing the legend contained within Ascension. If I hadn’t absorbed the soul of the legendary adventurer, or if Audrey hadn’t been with us on the journey so far, there would have been many difficult situations. Now it was time to pay the price.
“…You really solved the Labyrinthos?”
“It’s not a difficult cipher. It’s just that there are no rules. It’s a design that only the human who created it could solve. A cipher with no hints and no clues.”
The former master of Ascension.
The cipher created by Icarus, the son of the old adventurer. The cipher created by the genius inventor, who was famous even in the Sky Empire, was not complex. There was simply no way to solve it. Because this was a cipher Icarus created to cherish the last moments he spent with his father. It wasn’t made for someone to solve, but to be kept precious. Like a puzzle Icarus and his father used to put together one by one when he was a child.
“So, if we put this together, the location is…”
“The Crevelin Great Forest.”
The Crevelin Great Forest.
Along with the Sky Mountain Range, it was one of the Forbidden Zones of the continent.
“The witches’ treasure, Thunder, is hidden in the ‘Storm River’ located in the northern part of the Crevelin Great Forest.”
“That certainly explains why we haven’t been able to touch it until now.”
Yes, the ‘Storm River’ was a dangerous land.
Just as there were varying degrees of danger even within the Sky Mountain Range, which was classified as another Forbidden Zone, there were particularly dangerous places within the vast Crevelin Great Forest. One of them was the Storm River. A place where storms always raged and countless perils lurked.
‘Furthermore, the Crevelin Great Forest is the land of the fairies.’
I had a bad history with the elves.
‘High Elf Nadine.’
At the moment of the attack on Cherni, the Blade City and capital of the Iron Kingdom, that old High Elf had seen right through my identity. Recalling the name ‘Caravan,’ High Elf Nadine had described the very fact that the blood of Steel flowed as a sin, calling me a being that should never have appeared in the world.
And even.
‘I even provoked her, saying we should meet again once I get stronger.’
Yes. I had explicitly provoked her.
Because at the time, I thought I wouldn’t have to see her for a while.
But.
‘I’m not strong enough yet.’
If we fought again.
Could I win?
‘No.’
The answer was impossible.
‘Our journey was thrown into chaos because that crazy old elf went on a rampage in her anger. She’s a woman who is practically one with the forest. A mad old hag who entered the capital of the Iron Kingdom alone, made a mess of it, and walked out alive…’
My head began to throb.
But unlike me, Elizabeth was smiling.
“That’s a relief. The Crevelin Great Forest is a dangerous land, but in the end, it’s just a branch of the woods. And doesn’t the Descendant of Steel possess a treasure-like sword imbued with a part of Gaia, the Earth Spirit King? The Father of the Sky is surely helping us.”
“…”
“Phew! As long as you haven’t committed some great sin against the fairies or been branded a mortal enemy by the beastfolk, this will be a piece of cake!”
Um.
“Can’t we send someone else?”
“Pardon? This is something the Descendant of Steel can do best. Besides, it’s most certain if you go, since you have the specific memories of the legendary adventurer.”
“I’m not on good terms with the fairies.”
A piece of cake.
I don’t think I can eat it.
“…Let’s talk about this in more detail.”
Elizabeth’s bright face cracked.
After the story was finished, Elizabeth clutched her head.
“No, why, just why does nothing ever go smoothly?”
“I’m sorry.”
“You are the incarnation of misfortune. You’re ominous just by existing. From now on, the scholars of the continent should designate you, not the crow, as the symbol of bad luck, and put it in textbooks to inform all seven races living on the continent. Arhan Caravan is the very symbol of misfortune…”
“…”
“I never thought I’d live to see a human who provoked High Elf Nadine.”
Ah.
I said I was sorry.
