Chapter 66: Again to the fortress
While waiting for Yukurishisu′s response for a few days, I was working on my talismans in the royal library when Arrack-san came over.
“Ah Tsuchio-kun. You were here as expected” Arrack-san
“Ah, Arrack-san. There still no word from Yukurishisu-san yet” Tsuchio
“I came to inform you that Osnyl-san is moving to the fortress. If possible, I want Tsuchio-kun to move with him..." Arrack-san
“You are busy with the management of the knight orders” Tsuchio
“Yes, I’m going to leave the minimum amount of staff and participate in this strategy. Because plan has already been set in motion, we will have the whole force gathered at the fortress by next week. I also heard, that reinforcement will come from the other countries” Arrack-san
“That is wonderful news. Then when will we be departing?” Tsuchio
“Simultaneously with tomorrow's sunrise. Therefore please prepare yourself” Arrack-san
“Understood, will Osnyl-san and the guards be moving together?” Tsuchio
"Yes,it’ll be like that in addition to Tsuchio we will be three" Arrack-san
"Will Arrack-san be staying in the castle town?" Tsuchio
"Yes, the defense of the imperial capital can’t be neglected indeed. Although I also want to go to the mountains..." Arrack-san
"Let's handle each role properly" Tsuchio
“That’s so. Well then” Arrack-san
There are 3 weeks remaining of the summer vacation. When I think that we are going to move to the fortress in a week...I’m also think of returning to the academy after staying in the fortress for a week.
“Good, all the talismans that I use are replenished. Shadow-san, can you confirm the number of sheets? Good, that’s correct. Then shall we think about what else we can do now?”
Just the earth pillars and the fire-bees are lacking in the decisive factor and only Tsuiraku passes as a trump card.... The preparation time is long and the amount of magic needed for it’s use is ridiculous. It is more convenient, if you don't think about talismans with high killing power. Loreen′s talismans are for support. Traps are strong, but wherever I go, there aren’t any traps. There is no meaning if the enemy doesn’t get caught in it.
“Umm...If I think about it positively, it only uses a small amount of (magic/mana). I can use the fire bees again and again as long as they aren't scrapped, because that is troublesome. Is there any quality paper left?"
Shadow-san took out a roll of paper from her body. Mana grass seems to be very convenient and can be used for making talismans as well as a magical power catalyst. It's expensive, but it's a paper which can be used fairly easily because paper has good magic conductivity and also has its own high endurance. I bought a large amount of it with the money I got on Danze island...but why does Shadow-san have it?
“I still have plenty. Hmm, thank you. Now, should I write the patterns on them for the time being?"
Shadow-san cut them to a suitable size, and I took a pen for the draft. When using quality paper, how many times can it be used before it reaches it’s limit. One problem is the killing power. Because my magical powers may increase to some extent, let's increase the killing power. After I decided what I was going to do, I am going to try putting the plan into action immediately while I’m still excited about it! Ah, but I have a hard time when I make plenty of new ones...the snakes took me several months to make. Shall we improve them using what I learned from what the previous guy did.
I was enthusiastic about manufacturing a new talisman, and by the time I noticed, it was already evening. Ruu was laying down while reading a book and Lime was able to read Priscilla′s techniques up to the chapter of development. The practice volume is also picked up at times. This book isn't too thick, but she is reading it slowly and carefully....
Originally I came to the capital with some baggage, so my preparation are rearranging the contents. I must carry out my latest experiment tomorrow on the way while moving....
And before the sun rose on the next day, I left the inn and headed to the north gate which is our meeting place. I reserved the room for longer, so I might be able to get some money back for the remaining days. Because it’s rare to have your money returned if it's an advance payment... I'll also stay in the spotted puppy inn next time.
“Oh, Tsuchio this way. Isn't it hard with it being so early in the morning” Osnyl-san
“No, I'm an early bird. Now, will we go to the fortress?" Tsuchio
"Yes and these are my guards. Good grief, I said that it wasn't necessary” Osnyl-san
“That’s to be expected, without guards it is dangerous...and we don't know what might happen on this journey” Tsuchio
“Well, It’s like that.... Good, let's leave quickly!” Osnyl-san
Osnyl-san and the others go out of the north gate on horses, while I′m riding Rin. We ignored the monsters on the way to the fortress because we are in a hurry!
Because we ran for a long time on a road, it wasn't necessary to talk. Rin seems so happy to be together with me for such a long time, that it can be said that it is a bit excessive. It was a totally peaceful journey, one where no robbers or devil beasts appeared.
"How is it, did a report come from that young lady?" Osnyl-san
“There wasn't even a slight response.... Well, the knight orders haven't gathered yet, so isn't it fine?" Tsuchio
“I guess, that's true.... I asked too much and prepared fairly, and there is still the guards’ problem here, so we can't wait for too long" Osnyl-san
"Or rather, you were able to move the knight orders well. Yukurishisu-san is a demi human, and as a princess she doesn't have any guarantee anywhere" Tsuchio
“...Ah is that so, doesn't Tsuchio know? The qualities of a human’s magical power is a little different from a demi human’s. Talented guys are able to tell the difference clearly" Osnyl-san
Heee...so Ruu and the others also noticed. I didn't notice at all.... However, from Yukurishisu′s and Ruu’s bunch′s reaction it’s probably a demi human’s, and from that sentence too, I think. Somehow there seems to be some difference.
"Well, if you don't come fairly close, you wouldn't be able to tell that there aren't many guards. Even if you sneak in, it's meaningless."
“The B-rank adventurer didn't notice either..."
"Because this is a sense, it is reasonable if you don't notice. That's why demi-human understood the young lady"
“Then, as for the princess?”
"We already finished scouting the north to some extent. Only around the fortress. After I checked the map I got from that young lady with the scouts’ reports, I agreed that the information is accurate. It's still necessary to be cautious and I can't move the knight orders without more information. Even though things may appear this way, a minister has power" Osnyl-san
"The only problem is the organization of the army.... How are you going to get that information?" Tsuchio
"Going that far...we have no way to find out. Even if the map is good, I still need to check it while advancing" Osnyl-san
“That's right...I trust Yukurishisu-san. However, there is also a possibility that she is just dancing to her elder brother’s tune" Tsuchio
"This map and organization of the army, perhaps may be a lie after all.... Well, we can't return since we have already come here. There are also times when you are deceived which is regrettable" Osnyl-san
"If what Yukurishisu-san said is true, then the war will surely end" Tsuchio
"On the contrary, we could gain peace and may even have interchange....Coexistence of humans and demi-humans. Tsuchio, how about tamers” Osnyl-san
“That's so...there are good and bad people. I think that also applies to demi-humans. If there are people like Yukurishisu-san, then there are also people like her elder brother. Isn't that fine?" Tsuchio
“That’s true...or rather, this isn’t our job. We only defeat the enemies who are in front of us” Osnyl-san
“I don't want to participate. I’ve had enough of this war” Tsuchio
Coexistence of humans and demons...is not something that can happen suddenly. From the point of view of someone who has a grudge towards devil beasts, even a demi human can become a target of that grudge. Well, there is no helping it even if I think about it now as the proverb goes, don't count your chickens before they are hatched.
With this and that, Osnyl-san′s party arrived at the fortress in one week. I carried out my latest experiment during the turns of the watch at midnight. Because I remodeled the existing talisman, I want to verify their effects in actual battle. You will only be able to tell the true value of a weapon in actual battle after using it multiple times in real battles.
“Then, will be in the center. Because there is a considerable amount of people who come here, there should be plenty of inns. Though there would be no tamer exclusive inn...well, forgive the neighborhood" Osnyl-san
“I understand. If the report comes I’ll go to the central building" Tsuchio
“Ah, you can go in immediately if you use my name. Well then” Osnyl-san
At the entrance of the fortress, I parted from Osnyl-san. By the way, shall I look for an inn first? The Guild...it is troublesome if I can't get any information.I need to know various things before I go to the north later. Let's stay at a place that has good horse stables.
I got a suitable inn and went to the guild afterwards. First of all, I tried looking at the map of the fortress that was stuck on the request board where adventurers surge for information.
"When you head north for a while after leaving the fortress...a big forest spread there. On the road we used in the past, there are traces that the demi-human army used it. It is relatively easy to pass through the forest if you go along this way. A plain seems to spread ahead of the forest...how should I say, it is vague"
Just in case, I think that scaling is decided. There will be few people who went to the forest. The knight order will have a more detailed map.
“The monsters that can appear...aren't that many”
“The forest is full of trents. Other monsters who live together with the trents...are ducks, monkeys and ghosts”
“Monkeys are everywhere..."
“...” Purupuru
“Basically, everything will be fed to Shadow-san. Ah, do you also want to eat some Lime? Okay...then how about fifty-fifty?”
“Koku”
“Shadow-san seem to be fine sharing the defeated monsters with you. The reason why we are troubled with money...and well I can't say so, if I graduate from the academy"
Before I go back to the academy, I want to level up Lime and Shadow-san as much as possible. What am I going to do when I graduate...I must decide it to some extent. Haa, indeed I never thought I’d be troubled about my future even in another world.
I left from the north gate of the fortress and headed to the northern area. Calling it the north, it isn't even that cold. Although it isn't everlasting summer, but the kingdom has a mild climate throughout the year. You can say that it's to the extent that I feel a little chilly. I’m wearing a normal short sleeved shirt and pants.
"There are no signs of devil beasts at all"
"Well, the number of monsters who approach places with a lot of people are few. Apart from that, the forest has come into view"
The Trent forest located in the north of the fortress feels dark and spooky overall when seen from far away. If you say Trent, then it normally imitates a tree to attack...how are they detected?
"Ruu, are you confident that you know where the trents are?" Tsuchio
"...Is it impossible? Probably there is no smell...ah, I think I will know it when there is blood thirst” Ruu
“Then fall behind. Lime?" Tsuchio
“...Koku”
“Oh, is it good? Probably with magic perception...then Rin can also go” Tsuchio
“Buruu”
“Shadow-san...you’ll be able to tell if you go into there shadow? Well, it's also troublesome to dive and check them one by one, so should I ask only when you don't understand it?" Tsuchio
The basics won't be any problem for Lime and Rin who have magic perception.
“Then shall we enter the forest? It is morning now and we already took a moment to have an early lunch so there shouldn’t be any problems before lunch. It is quite a dark forest and we may get lost if it becomes too late. Make sure that you are careful and rise rather early. Let's leave the forest before sunset”
“Bururuu”
“Hmm, call out to me if you do not notice"
Good, I was interested in the northern devil beast for some time. I won’t be staying for long at the fortress, so I should hunt as much as possible.
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