Volume 8
Chapter 38
To get away from Arcazam, Triforium had brought Shina to the southern commercial district. Numerous horses and people came and went around the south gate, loading and unloading various kinds of cargo. The south gate was, so to speak, Arcazam's main entrance. The outer area before the giant gate, unlike other districts, had spaces for loading and unloading logistics, warehouses for storing goods, and administration offices for delivering cargo throughout Arcazam. Triforium, in this southern part of the commercial district that had become a logistics base, pulled his hood low so as not to be recognized as an elf. He held Shina's hand, scanning the area, looking for a carriage that would take them.
"I must get out
of this city at once... The spirits are beginning to stir."
It had taken him more
time than he'd expected to get here. This was because Shina, despite being
under his control, would occasionally resist, stopping in her tracks. Her mind
was suppressed by Triforium's spirit magic, "Manipulating Grass Whistle," but her heart continued to fight
back. Feeling complicated about his great-granddaughter's resistance, Triforium
concealed his own rising impatience and called out to a nearby carriage driver.
"You there,
human. Can we ride in that carriage?"
"Huh? Sorry, but
try somewhere else."
The carriage had two
horses, likely for pulling heavy loads. The carriage was large, with plenty of
space for Triforium and Shina. Arcazam was situated in a forest, and the only
way to the nearby towns was via the highway. The traffic on the highway was high,
and there were always shared coaches running. Securing transport to the next
town, where Arcazam's authority did not reach, should have been easy. But Triforium
was having more trouble finding a carriage than he'd expected. This was partly
because his haughty, condescending attitude toward humans put all the drivers
off, but more than that, their suspicious appearance—a pair with their hoods
pulled low despite the clear weather—aroused their caution.
(I must get out of
this city before Laurus notices!)
"Fine. How about
this?"
He took a gold coin
from his pocket and pressed it into the driver's hand. The driver's cautious
face turned to one of surprise, and his mouth twisted into a grin.
"Looks like
you're in some trouble. Well, as long as you don't cause a scene, you can get
on."
"Hmph..."
Snorting at the
driver, whose entire demeanor had changed at the sight of a little money, Triforium
led Shina to the back of the carriage. The carriage was already loaded with
wooden crates and hemp sacks. Triforium pulled Shina's hand, and they settled
into a space between the cargo. The driver, confirming they were aboard, swung
the reins, and the carriage headed for the south gate. There were two main
roads from the commercial district to the outer area and the south gate. Each
was one-way, designed to alleviate congestion. Once they passed the logistics
base in the outer area, it was a straight shot to the south gate. However, at
that moment, a mounted guard galloped past Triforium's carriage. Nearly ten
guards holding spears were stationed at the gate as sentries. The mounted guard
reported something to the sentries, who suddenly began to move about hurriedly.
The old elf frowned at the sight. It was clearly the movement of people
responding to an unforeseen situation.
"Has Arcazam made
its move? Hmm, I should take precautions..."
To heighten his
connection with the spirits, Triforium began to slowly release his magic power
into the surroundings, calling out to them. At that moment, a guard, sensing
the faint magic power Triforium had leaked, turned his gaze to their carriage. Triforium
grimaced, surprised that his slight magic had been instantly detected. A small,
faintly glowing stone was grasped in the guard's hand. The old elf had no way
of knowing it, but the guard was holding a magic tool—one that indicated a
reaction from the magic barriers placed around Arcazam as a countermeasure to
the violent incident caused by Ken Notice. The tool, which normally showed no
reaction, was now glowing, and the guard's vigilance spiked.
"Hey, you there!
What are you doing!?"
Four of the guards
from the gate ran over to Triforium's carriage.
"Oh, nothing.
It's nothing serious. I was just startled by a mouse."
"You say you were
'startled,' but you don't look like it... Where are you headed?"
"To the next
town..."
Triforium tried to
keep his voice as flat as possible, but the guards' suspicion did not fade.
They were already on high alert due to Vitora of the Imperial Kingdom being in
the city. There was no way they would overlook two suspicious figures hiding in
the back of a carriage with their hoods up.
"I see. But why
don't you at least take off your hood when you talk? It's like you're screaming
that you're suspicious."
Triforium cursed
inwardly. If he took off his hood, they would immediately see he was an elf.
And the guard in front of him did not miss the old elf's slight hesitation. The
guard's eyes turned from suspicion to distrust.
"What's wrong? Is
there a reason you can't take it off?"
Triforium remained
silent. The guards' wariness rose another level, and the four of them spread
out to surround the carriage. Resigned, Triforium put his hand to his hood. At
the same time, he ordered the spirits to change his face into that of an
unremarkable, elderly human.
"! A stronger
magic reaction than before! This guy's using magic!"
However, his action
was immediately detected. The guard with the magic tool shouted that he'd
sensed even stronger magic, and the guards surrounding the carriage were instantly
in an uproar.
"You! What magic
did you just use!"
"Don't
move!"
"It can't be
helped... Spirits of the earth. Bind them with chains of stone."
Faced with the guards
pointing their spears, Triforium chose to force his way through. He raised his
magic power and gave an order to the spirits he had already contracted. The
next moment, the paved stone road rippled like jelly, and countless chains
erupted, lunging at the guards.
"Whoa!"
"What!?"
The stone chains bound
the guards' bodies, pinning them to the ground.
"Aaaaaah!"
"What's going
on!?"
"Run! Someone's
using magic in the middle of the city!"
At the sudden event,
the carriage driver abandoned his vehicle and fled in a panic, triggering a
wave of chaos. Many of those who came to Arcazam were traveling merchants from
far away. Naturally, many had experience being attacked by bandits or magic
beasts, and their reaction to a potential incident was extremely fast. Almost
over-sensitive. Even if the magic Triforium used was only for binding, the very
fact that "a powerful force like
magic had been used" was enough for the merchants present to begin
evacuating all at once. And once the commotion began, it was like a boulder
rolling downhill. The chaos spread, and nearby guards began rushing to the
scene.
"Tch, this has
become troublesome!"
Triforium moved to the
now-empty driver's seat and waved his hand, imbuing it with magic. Wind and
earth spirits moved a dozen carriages that were blocking his path.
"Brrrr,
brrrr!"
"Neigh!"
"It's alright. I
don't mean you any harm. I just need you to run... just a little."
"Brrrr..."
"Fshuuuu..."
At Triforium's
magic-infused voice, the agitated horses instantly calmed. Communicating with
animals was one of the abilities of the fae
races. The two horses, now connected to the old elf, began to dash for the
open south gate, still pulling the wagon with the two of them.
"Like I'd let
you!"
The accelerating
carriage was heading straight for the south gate, just moments from leaving the
city. At that moment, a shadow leaped between the carriage and the gate with a
rough shout, swinging a greatsword from his back. The blade, swung down with only
his left hand, blew apart the stone-paved floor.
"Hee-HIIIIIN!"
The horses pulling the
carriage neighed and screeched to a halt, startled by the flying stone debris
and the whirlwind.
"Tch, you've
caught up already."
"My bad. This
road is closed."
The one who had cut
off Triforium's carriage was the large, blond-haired youth, Mars. The moment
they realized Shina had been taken by her great-grandfather, the first place
they headed was Arcazam's main exit, the south gate. His right arm was still in
a sling, but he hoisted the greatsword he'd swung with his left hand onto his
shoulder and grinned fearlessly.
"It was a pain
running all the way here. Don't make any more trouble for me, old man."
"You mere human!
Move!"
Triforium's magic
flared, and he ordered the horses to ignore the human and charge. The spirits
he'd contracted enveloped the carriage, bestowing it with all manner of
protections. They soothed the horses' fear, further synchronized their minds
with Triforium, enhanced their physical abilities, and reinforced every
component of the carriage. Furthermore, they created a barrier of wind,
wrapping the entire carriage in it. The spirit-blessed carriage, now clad in a
wind that resembled a tornado, began to charge at Mars, its enhanced leg
strength crushing the ground.
"Hoo..."
Mars quietly exhaled,
lowered the sword he was carrying on his back, and held it in a stance as if
letting it trail behind him. He showed no sign of agitation, even as the
tornado-clad carriage bore down on him. If anything, he even had the composure
to smile.
"Time for a test
run."
The next moment, a
giant blade of wind formed on Mars's greatsword. A massive wind-blade, two or
three times his height. What was most unnatural was the density of the
compressed wind. A gale, far more powerful than the wind barrier Triforium had
created with the spirits' help, now wrapped around his greatsword.
"Zeeeeeeei!"
Rending Dust
One-Slash. Mars's wind blade, swung down with only his left hand, easily tore through
Triforium's barrier, sliced the harness connecting the two horses, and slammed
into the ground. It created a shockwave and a storm of wind, blowing Triforium's
carriage away. The carriage flew into the air, and the cargo, along with the
old elf, was thrown into the air.
"U-Oooooooh!"
Triforium frantically
ordered the spirits to try and soften his and Shina's fall. Shina was protected
by the spirits' power, but his own body was slammed hard onto the ground.
"Gah, cough,
cough..."
Groaning, Triforium
pushed himself up. The carriage was overturned, and the horses had been knocked
unconscious from the impact. The other horses that had been near the south gate
had all fled, meaning he had lost his means of escape. Triforium ground his
back teeth in humiliation, ordering the spirits to retaliate. The shattered
earth and sand that had been blown into the air gathered, forming countless
stone arrows. They all shot toward Mars. The arrows flew, seeking to pierce
Mars's body. But before they could reach him, they disintegrated in mid-air.
"Triforium-sama,
that is enough."
"So it was you
after all, Laurus."
Laurus appeared from
the side. Magic power seeped from his body, and particles of light danced
around him. He was the one who had disintegrated the stone arrows.
"Yes. Your
actions, this time, I cannot overlook. For the sake of our people, I will stop
you."
Triforium's mouth
twisted at Laurus, who had interfered. He flared his magic power with all his
might, raising his hand to command even more spirits. Reacting to the old elf's
movements, Laurus also flared his magic and thrust his arm out. Laurus's magic
interfered with Triforium's, obstructing his communication with the spirits.
"Tch!"
"I cannot strip
you of the spirits you have already contracted, but I can prevent you from
issuing new commands. And buying time is more than enough."
"What?"
"Ya left yerse-lf
open!"
"Give Shina
back!"
The next moment, from
behind Triforium, two shadows leaped from the swirling smoke. It was Feo and
Mimuru, who had been waiting in reserve. They jumped on Triforium from behind,
pinning the old elf to the ground. Feo slapped a talisman from his pocket onto Triforium,
and the magic power seeping from the old elf's body instantly scattered.
"It's a
magic-sealing talisman. With this, ya can't use spirit magic anymore."
"Shina!"
"Guuu!"
Triforium was not
physically strong. There was no way he could shake off a beastman who was
physically superior and fully trained. Meanwhile, Mimuru left the binding to
Feo and ran straight to Shina.
"Shina! Are you
okay? Are you hurt!?"
Her mind sealed by her
great-grandfather, she was staring into space with a hollow expression. Mimuru,
seeing Shina didn't react, remembered Laurus's words: "He sealed her will."
"...Change Shina
back."
Mimuru looked down at
the restrained Triforium, her voice laced with anger. Her gaze, directed at the
old man who had harmed her best friend, was scorching with fury. But the light
in her eyes was chillingly cold. However, even in the face of Mimuru's palpable
malice, Triforium's defiant attitude did not break.
"...I refuse. You
all should leave this city as well. It will be destroyed, eventually. By the Dragonslayer's hand."
"You...!"
"Calm down.
Laurus, can't you change her back?"
Mars held back Mimuru,
who had raised her hand, and glanced at Laurus. But he shook his head.
"I cannot. The
spirit maintaining the spell is refusing to communicate with me. He must have
formed a very strong contract."
"Then what's
going to happen to Shina!?"
"Unless Triforium-dono
undoes it, she will remain like this for decades."
"...What do we do
now?"
Mars looked up at the
sky, faced with the reality that their only ally who could use spirit magic had
just thrown his hands up. The sky, which he hadn't noticed, had become covered
in thick clouds, and white particles began to drift down.
"Snow? But,
something..."
It was the right
season for it, but this snow had a faint residue of magic power. At that
moment, Mars, who was suspicious of the strange snow, saw a pillar of light
rising into the sky in the distance.
"What... is
that..."
"A pillar of
magic? I've never seen magic on that scale... And the direction... "
The pillar was rising
from the north. The direction of the Francilt mansion.
***
The guest hall of the
Francilt mansion. In a room adorned with white marble and tasteful furniture, a
silver-haired beauty sat on a leather sofa, savoring a glass of wine. On this
day, Vitora had visited the Francilt mansion to formally sign the
aforementioned agreement. The sun was already past its zenith, slowly beginning
to tilt west. Winter had arrived, and the air was cold. But Vitora looked up at
the sunlit sky, so different from her homeland, with satisfaction. Rugato stood
behind her, silently refilling her wine glass with deep red liquid the moment
it became empty. As Vitora gazed out the window, the door to the hall clicked
open.
"Vitora-dono, my
apologies for the wait."
The man who entered
was Victor, who had been entrusted with full authority for this negotiation.
And behind him stood his attendant maid, Mena.
"There is no need
to concern yourself. I have been enjoying this exquisite wine. Still, it is a
lonely mansion. Are there no other servants?"
Vitora raised her wine
glass as she spoke. The wine Rugato had just poured was already half-gone.
"Considering the
importance of this matter, I have had them temporarily leave the premises. On
that note, that wine is a special vintage, found only in the Brûgne region. If
our nations form relations, we will be able to deliver enough wine to satisfy
Your Highness in the future."
"Enough with the
tedious formalities. Let us begin."
Without once looking
at Victor, the vampire princess propped her elbow on the table, toying with her
glass, and began to flatly state the conditions that had been presented.
"What you seek is
the purchase of mithril ore from my domain. In return, you will guarantee the
imports and bear the full cost of expanding the Ijen port facilities and
developing the trade roads, correct?"
Ijen Port was a harbor
in the northern part of the Kingdom of Forsina, and currently its northernmost
ice-free port. It was close to the Dizard Imperial Kingdom's border and a
suitable port for gathering trade goods. However, its facilities were
insufficient for large ships laden with imports, so it needed to be expanded.
Road development was also essential. The Francilt family was to bear the full
cost of those as well.
"The goods the Wajiart
family seeks will be gathered by us at Ijen Port, and the exchange will take
place at the border checkpoint. Furthermore, the Francilt family will guarantee
the safety of the goods up to the border."
A high-purity mithril
vein existed within the Imperial Kingdom. Its purity was undoubtedly the highest
on the continent, and it was this resource the Francilt family sought. In
return, the Francilt family would provide the expansion of Ijen Port, road
development, and a guarantee of the quality and safety of imported goods up to
the border. This guarantee included insurance for maritime transport. For sea
transport, cargo owners often took out insurance in case of loss. Because it
was suitable for mass transport, the damages in case of loss were immeasurable.
Furthermore, transporting by ship incurred various fees at port. Wharfage,
facility usage fees, warehouse fees, etc. The Francilt family was to handle all
of these. This was a huge burden for the Francilt family. The Wajiart family,
meanwhile, would also have to undertake large-scale development of the port,
roads, and border checkpoint. However, the Wajiart family would become the sole
diplomatic window within the Imperial Kingdom, putting them in a position to
monopolize trade profits. This was because the Imperial Kingdom had no
large-scale ports, and because it was a cold land, all its ports froze over and
became unusable in winter. The remaining issue was the currency exchange rate,
but that had already been discussed. Also, the exchange of goods and money
would happen at the border, and the Wajiart family would almost never enter the
Kingdom of Forsina. The initial investment was enormous, but a stable supply of
mithril was a huge military and diplomatic advantage. But the fundamental
meaning of this treaty was that "two
nations with no diplomatic relations whatsoever have signed an agreement,
albeit a limited one." If money flows, people will flow, connections
will be made, and friendships will be born. This will, in turn, suppress war
with other nations. That was Victor's ultimate goal.
"Yes, if you
would be so kind..."
"Enough. I have
heard the details from Rugato. There is no need to repeat them. To put it
simply, we have no objection to signing the treaty."
"Thank
you..."
"However. I will
add one condition."
Vitora cut off Victor's
thanks, toying with her wine glass and turning a meaningful gaze on him.
"Child of man,
fulfill your duty. Honor the contract made with my clan in the past, and see
your obligation through. That is the condition for this treaty."
At this stage, Vitora
had brought up the secret pact again. Victor, however, had anticipated this. He
showed no particular agitation and replied in a flat tone.
"The matter of
the past pact should have already been settled. The capital provided to your
country for this treaty is all shouldered by the Francilt family. I believe
this treaty holds only advantages for you, and no disadvantages."
"Ah, yes. We will
suffer no losses. But no. The fulfillment of the past contract must be
added."
But Vitora had no
intention of backing down. Faced with a treaty so favorable it could be seen as
submission, she was taking the insane action of tearing it up herself.
"That is utterly
unacceptable. The contract itself has been lost. The pact is invalid..."
"I do not
care."
"What did you
say?"
"I said, I do not
care. Whether the contract exists or not, whether it was a past head of your
family who made it... it is all irrelevant."
Vitora drained the
last of her wine and had her attendant refill the empty glass a third time. She
turned her gaze back out the window. Victor, who was trying to argue, was not
reflected in her indifferent eyes. From the very beginning, her eyes had not
been on anyone in this room.
"To be blunt,
your words, and this treaty, are all irrelevant. My reason for coming to this
city was not to have this discussion. This is a trifle I could have left to Rugato."
"Nozomu
Bountis... is it?"
The moment his name
was spoken, a strong light lit in Vitora's impassive eyes. The Death-Demon Princess, who had only been
paying attention to the distant Dragonslayer,
finally turned her gaze to Victor.
"Ah, that's
right. Hand that man over to me. If you will not, then hand over the favored
child of the Francilt family and fulfill the past contract."
Hand over Nozomu
Bountis. As she spoke, her face had, at some point, twisted into an ecstatic
expression. Perhaps from her excitement, Vitora's magic power began to rage. A
cold that felt as if his entire body was being flash-frozen assaulted Victor. Crack... crack... The glass in her hand
froze and shattered. The cold air erupting from her body began to spread
throughout the room. The room creaked, and the very air began to scream. Her
seeping magic power soon became dense enough to be visible, enveloping not just
the guest hall, but the entire Francilt mansion. When Victor glanced out the
window, snow had begun to fall, likely due to her magic. A true witch. No,
something more. A being from a completely different dimension. A transcendent
being who could sow disaster as easily as breathing. Desperately holding onto
his breaking spirit, Victor squeezed out his words.
"...That is
impossible. He is currently a student of Solminati Academy. I hold no authority
over his person."
Even while being
crushed by her overwhelming presence, the words Victor spoke were of refusal.
Vitora, who had assumed he would offer up Nozomu for his daughter's sake, was
surprised by his answer. For the first time, she turned her gaze to the
middle-aged gentleman with interest.
"Hoh. Then, the
favored child of Francilt..."
"That is also
impossible. I no longer have any daughters."
I have no daughters.
Vitora, sensing the meaning behind his words, gave a slight smirk.
"I see, I see.
You disowned them. True, if the ties are already cut, the contract cannot force
my hand. But do you truly believe that will make me back down?"
"No, I do not.
However, I have a much better proposal for you. One that will, at the very
least, alleviate your boredom..."
Vitora's magic was too
strong. Even her own kind feared it, which was why Rugato was the only
subordinate in her castle. But even as he was bathed in that magic, the man
before her stared right back. His eyes held a powerful desire: the will to
seize Victory. Faced with Victor's gaze, Vitora's eyes finally began to fill
with a look of amusement. In terms of personal power, he was laughably weak.
But she was interested enough to at least hear his proposal. And Victor slowly
opened his mouth.
"Vitora-dono, I
would like you to marry me."
"...Huh?"
From the mouth of the
peerless witch, a dumbfounded sound, completely unsuited for the tense
atmosphere, leaked out.
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