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Chapter 295 – To the Next Country
The capital city of the Kingdom of Freyville, Grazil.
I came to this city with Felin, Riste, and Ril.
Riste was conducting the now customary market price survey in the capital.
Felin was checking out the local cuisine and ingredients, while Ril, claiming to help Felin, was eating nonstop.
I was checking out the mercenary guild in the city. Satisfied that I could fly back here immediately if anything happened, I exhaled deeply on a rooftop overlooking the surroundings.
“This is already the third country, huh?”
“This one went pretty fast, didn’t it?”
“Probably because Loki’s flying speed has gotten faster.”
“Fufufu, it’s still nowhere near Ril’s wings, but it’s gradually taking shape.”
We nibbled on delicious fatty meat bought from a street stall, our eyes closed as we studied the completed map.
I spent the first half exploring Palmera, but for Freyville alone, it was probably a little over a month total.
As they mentioned, travel speed is an issue, but more importantly, there are fewer hunting grounds to stop at.
That’s probably the biggest factor in saving time.
At this rate, I feel like I could finish mapping a country the size of Lagreath or Waltz in about a month.
Of course, that’s assuming I don’t stop anywhere and focus solely on mapping.
“I’d like to visit various parts of Lagreath soon. The only other place I’d stop is a shop that seems to have a wide variety of spices.”
“Ah, a shop specializing in magic tools!”
“Mm. Ria said she wants to study in her free time, so she wants one of each type.”
“What about Feeril’s wish?”
“A horse, right? I sometimes see wild ones when I fly. Yeah, I’ll bring one back when I have enough magical power. Until then, she’ll have to make do with Alicia’s cat.”
“No need to rush. We might find something in the next country.”
“Oh! Isn’t the next place the dungeon that Loki wanted to visit?”
“Yep! I’m already super excited!”
“Me too! Be sure to bring back lots of seeds!”
Everyone donned their robes and shuffled along, chatting, as we made our way toward our destination.
They were calm, clearly showing that they had grown accustomed to life in the lower world.
Someone must have pinpointed our destination through wide-area scouting.
A smile naturally spread across my face as I watched the group leading the way. As the financier, I followed behind, gazing at the increasingly dependable backs of the goddesses.
▽ ▼ ▽ ▼ ▽
After finishing my shopping, I gathered my luggage and we dispersed on site.
The first place I went afterward was the Hunter’s Guild in Bezart.
I handed Yagov-san and Amanda-san, who were sitting next to me as usual, the barrier magic tools that I had collected multiple times in Guinier.
Then, I handed over the “Nails” that I had made the day before, the design for the “Screws” that Lodge said he couldn’t make, and Kojo-san’s bag.
—along with the design for the makeup brush inside and a set of unicorn horsehair from Palmera.
The bag’s contents were strictly limited to the “brush” design, which seemed highly reproducible.
I agonized over what to do until the last moment, but ultimately decided not to reveal them. I would keep them hidden myself.
I didn’t want to burden the Bezart people with unnecessary risk or have them die.
My selfishness and stubbornness were the primary reasons.
Since I had gone to the trouble of carefully holding onto those relics from the past, Yagov-san and the others would surely seek out more, fully aware of the risks.
They might even seek out the other worlders themselves, targeting “points where transmigrators spawn with high probability.”
Even so, if the information stayed within Bezart, it might be manageable. But what if word reached other nations? No one would tolerate such a lucrative spot being monopolized.
It’s easy to imagine Bezart being attacked first.
(If I lack confidence in my ability to protect them, I can’t make a choice that deliberately exposes them to danger.)
While showing them a Phillips screwdriver that I hadn’t seen in a long time and the back of a calculator to explain the purpose of “screws,” my mind was elsewhere entirely.
It’s a secret I’d rather not keep.
Even so—
Offering a quiet apology in my heart, I finished my explanation, hoping it would spark something. Then, I left Bezart.
After that, I headed to the royal capital, Falmenta.
I went to the Commercial Guild and greeted Wadle-san, the guy with the side-parted hair who was gradually becoming my point of contact.
After confirming the situation, I learned that discussions with the Commercial Guild of the Kingdom of Waltz had concluded within the past two months and that they had begun selling their own maps.
Very well then. I received several sheets of parchment for expenses and handed Wadle-san the third map, that of the Kingdom of Freyville.
“Negotiating with Freyville next?” he grumbled. However, his tone and expression clearly showed that he was pleased.
With this, the Commercial Guild would surely give it their all for profit, even without being told.
Finally, the destination.
Inside Belia Palace, I raised my voice toward a single door.
“Hellooo!”
“What is it? You’re so noisy!”
An old granny appeared, fuming, but her wrinkled hand immediately reached out when I handed her the souvenirs.
“Here are some souvenirs from Freyville. I found some fabric with an unusual pattern that would be perfect for a lap blanket. I also got some tea leaves that don’t seem to be available in Lagreath, as well as this honey, which seems to be a local specialty.”
“Well, not bad. Loki boy drinks, too, right? I’ll brew some for you as a thank you.”
“Please do!”
I looked around but couldn’t see her noisy great-granddaughter, Enny.
I wonder if she’s still working hard on the book as usual.
“But you’re traveling to Freyville? It seems Loki boy had a hand in convincing the Old Man Org to sell a large quantity of dragon materials.”
“Eh?”
“Fufu, those are materials that were rarely available because Waltz blocked them. The country is overjoyed, so don’t make that kind of noise.”
“Ahahaha… So I did a good job?”
I chose to sell them to the guild instead of negotiating with the old woman because it felt like I was siding with Lagreath.
Ultimately, Org-san sold it to the country, rendering my actions pointless. I could only manage a bitter smile.
Well, if it means I wasn’t directly involved, then maybe it was for the best.
After having some tea and taking a breather, I went with the old woman to the room across from the library.
Since I appeared so suddenly, I heard that they entrusted book management to Altrico-san, who was almost always in the palace. I suddenly remembered the last time I visited.
“Come to think of it, there was a girl named Keira who was making books the other day. Is there something about her?”
“Ah, have you already seen her, Loki-boy?”
I couldn’t tell what she meant.
Since I had seen both her unusual appearance and her special skill, though, I nodded firmly. After sighing, the old woman answered.
“It’s called ancestral regression. Humans, too, if you trace their long history, are mostly mixed with demi-humans. It depends on how thick the blood is, but rarely do the mixed demi-human traits come out strong like that.”
So that’s why you protect her?”
“Protect? That’s too soft. We make sure she works and studies properly, and let her figure out how she wants to live. Once she finds something she wants to do, she can take responsibility for herself and challenge whatever she likes.”
“They’re blessed, aren’t they? Keira-chan and Altrico-san, too.”
“Not really. If they just have a few beastman or elf traits, you can manage. But those two’s traits aren’t that simple. People’s eyes are far crueler than you’d imagine.”
“…”
Bullied, persecuted, and isolated, they become spectacles just to scrape by.
I suddenly recalled Rubiera-san, the reincarnator whose voice was destroyed, and how I managed to avoid that all-too-plausible path.
I had gained opportunities to learn, and it seemed like I was happier than most children.
But then again, that’s right.
I remembered that humans can become infinitely cruel with just the slightest trigger.
“Altrico, we have a customer. Bring the finished product over here.”
“Here he comes—oh, it’s Loki!”
“Long time no see.”
“Ah, hello…”
“…”
“Ri-Rico-san! Great-grandma’s here! Rico-san, I say!”
“Huh? What—waaaaaaaaah!”
She must have been incredibly focused. As I watched Altrico-san jump up after being nudged in the side, I decided to test it for now.
―Mind’s Eye―
(It worked this time… but I see.)
I won’t ask for details, nor is it something I could possibly ask about.
Besides, even without asking, it’s almost certainly a case of Altrico-san reverting to her “Giant” ancestry.
However, the unfamiliar skill, Pain Block, made me wonder about the true nature of the Giant race.
“Loki-san?”
“Ah, sorry.”
“We worked hard this time, right? Loki, can you pay?”
Nine books of varying thickness had been laid out before me at some point.
Having apparently pushed the current three-person team to its absolute limit, they taunted me confidently as I disgorged the roughly 200 million Beeke they demanded in a mountainous heap.
“Huh?”
“Wh-what!? Th-that’s… insane!”
“Where did that come from?”
“…You definitely didn’t have that much at the start, right? Did you get it after that?”
“That’s how it is. Once the culprit of the dragon material was led back to me, you could’ve guessed, right?”
“Yeah. Waltz is still wary, so they said materials that could be used for equipment or gear were still restricted. But suddenly, a huge amount of A-rank materials came in. Considering the quantity and the route, I figured there was no other explanation than ‘that skill.’”
“That’s why. Tell the higher-ups. Make sure they don’t get any funny ideas.”
There are kids right in front of us.
I couldn’t say anything too extreme, but I figured it would still get through to the old woman.
“Honestly, staying out of it isn’t going to cut it anymore, is it?”
“Also, be careful with those magic tools they’re digging up up north. If handled incorrectly, they could make our worst fears become reality.”
“…I see. By the way—”
“Hm?”
“That tasteless history book I gave you before. Have you looked at it yet?”
“Ah, sorry. I haven’t gotten around to it yet.”
“Hehehe! The country basically forced it on us, so you really don’t need to look at it. But I’ll tell you this much: Everything in that book is true. That much is absolutely certain.”
Since I hadn’t seen the contents, I didn’t know how to react. But if the old woman says it’s true, then, for better or worse, it must contain the real story.
(Then I guess I should finally read it.)
With that thought in mind, I finished the tasks I needed to do and returned to base.
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“gazing at the increasingly dependable backs of the goddesses”
Backs, certainly.
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( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
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So all the humans in that world are actually mixed with demi-humans? 🤔
Well, let’s see what’s written in the book. 😃
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