Chapter 37
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Fully Prepared! (2)
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The night two days before our departure.
We were sweating bullets in one corner of the guild courtyard, modifying the carriage. We needed to make a few adjustments as necessary.
"Let's mount a weapon rack here first."
"Sounds good. Later, we can slap a heavy ballista on it and fire away."
Mani and I chatted about our future plans while we worked.
"If you spin this handle like this... it fires automatically. Mani, your mines have something like that, right?"
"Yep. We call it the dwarf bolt cannon. It's made for taking down flying monsters."
By the way, what should we name the next divine weapon? It'd be nice if Rodentia liked it too, but nothing's coming to mind right now.
For now, let's recycle an existing name.
"Rapid Bow-Machinegun. How's that?"
Mani's eyes sparkled with excitement as she gave me a thumbs up.
"Great name! The sound of it is perfect! Machine gun? Smaller than a cannon but more powerful than a regular bowgun, right?"
"Exactly!"
Mani and I quickly dismantled part of the carriage's canvas roof.
Normally, it's covered with waterproof tarps, but pulling a cord from inside opens the canopy, revealing a round hole.
Then, assemble the parts from inside the carriage?
A 360-degree rotating weapon mount rises up onto the roof.
Just like a modern armored vehicle's turret, capable of aiming weapons in any direction.
Of course, this world doesn't have machine guns as far as I know.
Cannons are out of the question under this kingdom's adventurer laws. But we do have ballistas.
"They say the roads to the capital are unsafe, so if monsters or bandits show up, we can turn them into Swiss cheese with that!"
"We have to build it first, though. Oh, let's add this too."
I attached a pre-carved bust of Lady Rodentia and a small hamster wheel ornament above the carriage door.
"Perfect."
Once we finished, we sat on the ground for a bit, staring blankly at the night sky. Sena had already finished her evening prayers and gone to bed.
Maybe because there's less pollution, Oakwood's night sky sparkled like it was studded with jewels.
Mani suddenly spoke up as she gazed at the stars.
"Reti, I told you I want to go to the Pantheon Temple too. Do you know why?"
"Yeah, what's the reason?"
"Well, our dwarf ancestral gods are enshrined there too. There's something I want to ask them."
Mani fiddled with the well-worn forging hammer at her waist.
"Then I'll go back to those stuck-up elder geezers and make my declaration."
"You said you got chased out of the mines?"
"Yeah. Truth is, I was a bit unusual for a dwarf. I kept suggesting new tech and inventions we didn't have. For example..."
Mani muttered with a frustrated look.
"...airships."
"Airships?"
My ears perked up at the unexpected word.
This world definitely has airships.
Expensive and complex tech, but major cities and countries have adopted them quickly for cargo and passenger transport.
Mani waved her hammer in the air, making a whooshing sound with her mouth.
"Reti, people out in the world fly around in airships. So why are dwarves stuck underground? I suggested we build our own to zip between mines. It'd make hauling ore easier and let us cross rugged mountains to distant places comfortably."
"Oh, genius! Logistics revolution."
"Right? But the elders? They said, 'A dwarf leaving the ground? Madness! The sky belongs to birds!' They treated me like a crazy dwarf. Called it blasphemy."
Mani stomped the carriage roof in frustration.
"They did the same for every other idea. 'Sticking to tradition is our ancestors' will.' What's the point of tech if your thinking's stagnant? So when I tried making one myself, they kicked me out to 'reflect' outside. That's why I came here instead of going back."
"Wow..."
It was a glimpse into the rigid dwarf society.
I knew they loved earth and tight tunnels, but denying the sky?
"Our ancestors are super tight-lipped, though. They rarely respond directly! That's why I'm going to the Pantheon Temple. It's like gods' HQ, so if I go argue in person, maybe I'll get an answer?"
"You want to prove it there."
"Exactly! If they just say one thing like, 'Introducing new tech is dwarven too,' those elders will shut up. If the ancestors approve, they can't argue."
This girl had her own desperate reason for heading to the Pantheon Temple.
I patted Mani's shoulder.
"Then let's prepare properly and go. I'll carry Lady Rodentia's divine image, and you'll get your ancestors' approval!"
"Heehee, yeah!"
We giggled under the starry sky.
* * *
A few days later, we loaded up and sat in the driver's seat, ready to depart.
The back was packed with ample food, a sack of carrots for the ponies, and even rock candy.
The two ponies sensed the trip ahead, snorting and pawing the ground.
"Alright, let's go?"
As I reached for the reins, the guild master came huffing out the guild doors.
"Wait! Hold on! Look at this before you go!"
"Old man? Come to see us off?"
"It's a send-off, but... since you're heading to the capital, this was bothering me."
The guild master panted as he pulled out a worn leather binder from his pocket.
The cover had clear burn marks, and a smoky char smell stung the nose.
"What's this?"
"Found it cleaning up the black mage hideout ruins last night. Most burned away, but a few pages survived... and the contents are ominous."
The guild master opened it. Hasty scribbles and transaction records dotted the pages.
[...Month...Day. Secured 20 rodent beastkin. Good condition.]
[...Rank rejects to Blackstone Mine.]
[...Goods and mana-responsive subjects classified separately. Transfer to mansion...]
"...!"
My ears stood straight up.
The devil worshippers were systematically hunting beastkin, grading them, and selling them as slaves.
And targeting rodent beastkin specifically!
"Blackstone Mine and a mansion? Know where?"
"Blackstone Mine's near the capital Dunholm. Shady place. The mansion... probably their funders or higher-ups. Exact location burned off."
The guild master glanced darkly at me, Mani, and Sena before speaking low.
"Showing you 'cause you're rodent beastkin. Be extra careful. Rumors of rodent and rabbit beastkin vanishing along the capital roads. Probably black mages raising funds."
[...]
Rodentia, listening quietly, shuddered.
[Apostle!]
Her chilling voice mixed displeasure and rage.
[The audacity! Treating my children like merchandise! Even grading them! How dare they!]
I felt sick too.
Traffickers are the worst scum, past life or this one.
And against my own kin.
But we couldn't do much now. No location, no scale.
"Be careful. Don't play hero and butt in. They're organized."
"Thanks for the heads-up, Guild Master. We'll steer clear of anything suspicious."
He patted my shoulder reassuringly.
"Don't worry too much. I already sent word to guild HQ. Local security judge wired the Royal Security Bureau and High Court too. Capital military police will handle it. The kingdom's got it."
"Good."
I sighed in relief.
Royal Security Bureau and High Court are this kingdom's top law enforcers.
State power beats a newbie adventurer party any day.
'No need for us to risk it.'
We worked hard against devil worshippers; no thanks to another crime syndicate. We're silver-bound rookies.
"Don't worry. We'll head quietly to the capital, take some quests, and push for silver promotion."
"You deserve it. Safe travels."
He extended a hand. We shook.
"Tell Mace hi. He was bummed you left... Can't chat via Slate Gallery once you're in the capital region."
"I'll write!"
We climbed aboard.
"Let's roll!"
"Bye, Oakwood!"
Sena and Mani waved. The guild master waved back as we pulled away.
"Hyah!"
I shook the reins like I'd practiced. The ponies clip-clopped forward briskly.
Clatter-clatter.
The carriage kicked up dust passing the gates.
Across the vast plains stretched the endless highway to capital Dunholm.
"Whoa! Great weather!"
"Picnic time later! Those ham sandwiches I made!"
Sena and Mani buzzed like kids on a field trip.
I leaned back, whistling. But a nagging unease lingered.
'Rejects to the mine, goods to the mansion...'
The burned ledger haunted me. What were the devil worshippers plotting? Just money?
Rodentia sat silently on her wheel, staring afar. Her cute rat ears twitched faintly.
We might cross paths with them again.
Just hope the kingdom's security handles it right.
Reti's party's carriage rolled boldly toward the heart of Winster Kingdom.