30
Chapter 30
As the doors to the Magic Tower opened, a scrawny old man appeared.
A long beard, a shabby brown robe, and a piercing gaze.
That was my first impression of Harry-something.
- How did you know we were Barbarians?
I asked him what I was most curious about first.
"The weapons you and that woman are carrying; only Barbarians use those. You can disguise your appearance, but you can't change the weapons you've used your whole life."
Ah, was it because of Rake's curved sword and the hand axe I carry for emergencies?
The one I have is a hand axe made by the Blue Moss Tribe's blacksmith, so it does look a bit unusual.
Well, that curiosity is satisfied.
- Are there any other survivors in the Magic Tower?
"There were only corpses when I arrived. Now, it's just my granddaughter and me. ...Luna, come out now."
"W-will it be okay?"
Someone answered in a small voice from behind Harry.
"The god has staked his honor, so it'll be fine."
The seasoned mage spoke with certainty.
She gave a soft, hesitant answer.
A girl slowly stepped out of the door, leaning against the wall.
"This is my granddaughter, Luna Winston. She's a mage apprentice."
She offered a faint, shy greeting.
She looked hollow, as if she hadn't been eating well.
Harry's wide robe masks it, but he's probably skin and bones too.
I wonder if these two were just trembling inside the tower, waiting for the day they'd die.
They likely rejected the offer because they couldn't trust Barbarians, but decided to join since they can trust my oath.
It seems a god's status is recognized, even if they are served by an enemy force.
- What is the condition of the Magic Tower?
Since it looks fine from the outside, there might be items that could help me and the Tribe Alliance.
If I'm lucky, I might even find a few magic scrolls.
"The shell is intact, but the inside is empty."
Harry coughed and continued.
"Do you know the first thing the demons who took the Capital did?"
They targeted the cathedral, the Magic Tower, and the knights' headquarters. Fire-breathing lizards attacked the tower; though protection spells kept the building standing, everything inside was scorched.
"My granddaughter and I only survived because we took refuge in my private shelter."
Fire-breathing lizards that fly? That sounds exactly like dragons.
I hadn't seen any mentions of dragons on the community boards... maybe they were demons from long ago.
- Do you know what happened before the surface world was destroyed?
"I was a professor of Golemology at Serun Academy. I fought them until communication between all the Magic Towers was severed. I'm confident I know more than that Barbarian girl who lived huddled in the mountains."
"You pathetic old man, I'll let it slide this once since you're in the presence of Lord Mallak. Watch your mouth if you want to live to a ripe old age."
"Ahem."
Harry lowered his gaze at Rake's warning.
It seems that meeting face-to-face robbed him of the courage he had during the argument earlier. Then again, my Rake does have a quite an intimidating presence.
More importantly, didn't this old man claim to be an Archmage earlier?
He was just an academy professor. What a fraudulent old geezer.
Regardless, I can now obtain information about the time before the fall through Harry. This is a huge win.
"Is there anything you need to pack before we leave?"
"All I brought with me is two weeks' worth of preserved food. My private shelter was raided by demons, so I fled to the Magic Tower in haste... I do have my Scout Glasses and Golem Controller with me."
That's a bit disappointing.
I wonder if those spinning glasses I used to verify my identity inside the tower were called Scout Glasses? At least it's good he has those.
- Can we take that golem?
I looked at the golem standing blankly beside Harry.
A giant made of rock. It might not handle mid-tier demons, but it could probably withstand a few hits from low-tier ones.
Since it's not a living creature, there's no risk of status ailments or decreased combat power from injuries.
The Tribe Alliance might actually get a frontline tanker.
"It runs on a magic stone, and there's not much operational time left. It will be difficult to take it with us."
- Then how did you bring the golem here?
"It's not mine; it belongs to the Magic Tower. I just tweaked it a bit after finding it lying around outside."
So, since he's a Golemology professor, he can handle that much.
Well, fine.
- Then you're saying we can take it as long as we have enough manpower to carry it?
"...That is true. As you can see, golems are quite heavy. The four of us couldn't manage it."
- I've cleared out all the demons nearby. We have plenty of manpower.
I just need to bring people from the village where the warriors are waiting.
...There's a chance Harry is lying, so I'll have to send someone to investigate the Magic Tower later.
I need to be thorough about these things.
***
The golem was loaded onto a large cart the warriors brought from the village, and we headed up the mountain to the Tribe Alliance.
"Dammit!"
"Loa Almighty!"
They say it was heavier than expected. Without Rake and Kanto's help, several people might have fainted during transport.
Then again, it's a three-meter giant made entirely of stone; it must weigh at least a few tons.
Still, since it's to gain a reliable frontline tanker, I hope everyone sees this as a necessary struggle.
"What? A civilized person? Lord Mallak brought one?"
"He must have his reasons."
Since I brought civilized people into the tribe, I expected some opposition, but they accepted it surprisingly quickly.
Maybe it's because there were only two of them, an old man and a girl.
If I had brought ten strong young men, they might have protested.
After bathing and eating, Harry and Luna took a moment to introduce themselves.
Perhaps because they had been surviving on things like grain powder, they ate the Barbarians' exotic fare—grilled lizard, scorpion stew, and mysterious seasoned mushrooms—quite well.
If I were a living being, I'd have to eat that stuff too. I'm glad I'm a totem.
"Hmm. Members of the Barba—no, the Tribe Alliance. I am Harry Francis Winston, a mage who has joined the Alliance by the will of Lord Mallak."
"I'm Luna Winston. Nice to meet you."
And so, a mage and his granddaughter joined the Tribe Alliance.
Since they both belong to the intellectual class of mages, they were quite proficient in the Barbarian language.
There were no dramatic events or conflicts, but that's just how life goes.
The unprecedented situation of the demon apocalypse and my existence as Mallak basically drew cooperation between civilized people and Barbarians.
First, I asked what Harry and Luna could actually do.
- I'd like to see the magic you can use.
A mage. I've never seen one in the game Survival as a Holy Knight. Are they a class that fires things like fireballs or wind cutters like the mages in other media?
"I specialize in Golemology. I've spent sixty years researching nothing but that. I pride myself on being at the top level of Golemology, but I've never used other types of magic."
I told him to show me some Golemology then, but Harry only fiddled with the rock golem we had brought along.
Wait, if that's it, how is he any different from an engineer on Earth?
Where are the fireballs going swoosh-swoosh and wind cutters going slash-slash?
"...Still, if I have the time, budget—no, the materials—I can create various types of golems."
Harry hastily made an excuse, knowing that besides controlling golems, he wasn't of much help in direct combat.
- If you have all the materials, how many days does it take to make one golem?
"Usually one month. No, since we lack professional facilities, it'll likely take about three months."
Old man, what do you mean three months? I'll go crazy waiting for you to finish.
I suppose I should be grateful that we at least have the rock golem.
Next, I asked Luna what she could do. I didn't have high expectations.
"My major is Electrics. I gather mana like this..."
A small spark flickers at Luna's fingertips.
Oh?
"If I gather enough and then fire... hup!"
Sizzle!
The electricity shot from Luna's fingertips shattered the wooden target in a single blow.
This should be enough to deal a meaningful hit even to a low-tier demon.
- That's good.
Harry, the golem specialist, and Luna, the electric spark. Their roles were now set.
Now, all that's left is some socializing. It's time to 'get close to the Barbarians'.
This is something that takes time, so I can't rush it.
"I would like to see the magic called... shamanism. Would that be alright?"
Harry, glancing at Paya (while Muri lay passed out from overwork), asked for my permission.
As expected of a mage, he's quite the academic.
It's a good sign. This is how people bond—by sharing their respective fields of expertise.
- Very well.
I also wanted to see Paya's shamanism.
I'd heard she specialized in birds, but I'd never seen exactly how it was applied.
"Just a moment. I'll be right back from the House of Feathers."
Paya returned, cradling a single chick in her hands.
She held the chick gently with both hands and closed her eyes.
A mysterious aura swirled around the chick's body before sinking deep inside.
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
Perhaps due to the energy, the chick suddenly became plump and flapped its wings.
It then escaped Paya's grip and flew a full circle.
How fascinating. Did she accelerate its growth? Or was it an evolution?
"Quite peculiar. It seems to follow a different principle than magic."
I continued to watch the exchange between Harry and Paya.
'Can you hear me, Lord Mallak? The Sky Tree Tribe calls for you.'
Nyx's voice echoed from somewhere.
Using the Binding Totem blessing, I shifted my presence to Totem No. 2 in the Sky Tree Tribe.
Nyx, looking slightly exhausted, greeted me. It was good to see her after so long.
- What is it?
"...At the foot of the mountain, the zombies are at war with the demons."