Chapter 221
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 221
Chapter Title: The Northern Calamity (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The day after returning to the city.
Arriving at the lord's castle early in the morning, Kailler let out a heavy sigh in front of the family head's office.
'How... should I report this.'
The heavy truth she now had to convey to her family seemed to weigh down on her entire body.
Her brother was already burdened with the responsibilities of being the grand lord on his two shoulders, after all.
How could she tell such a person that a calamity was about to strike at any moment?
"Damn."
But it was something that had to be done eventually.
She lifted her heavy arm to open the door and stepped inside.
There sat her blood kin, at his desk as usual even at this early hour.
"Kailler. What had you so lost in thought that you were pacing in front of the door like that?"
"......"
"Hmm. Your expression is grim. Did things not go well on your trip?"
"That's... not it."
"Then?"
"......"
She couldn't think of how to even begin.
As she stood there silently for a moment, Camillo rose from his seat first.
"Haha. It's been a while since I've seen you like this. Just like back when you declared you'd give up the family head position to become an adventurer."
"......What? Why bring that up all of a sudden?"
"When Father passed away so suddenly and we were left without a successor, countless retainers eyed our position like hyenas. Do you remember?"
"......Yeah."
"You saw through their intentions and declared first that you'd step down as family head. You left with nothing but a single sword, heading off to Blackout. You can't even imagine what I felt then."
"Haha... Yeah. That happened."
It had been a time when everything felt pitch black.
Perhaps she'd even run away from it all.
That was why she'd climbed this far with a burning desire to succeed as an adventurer more than anyone.
"Both you and I have done our utmost in our respective positions. That's how we've survived until now."
"......Yeah."
"So tell me honestly. What did you see out there to leave you as terrified as when you heard of Father's death?"
"......It's a serious matter."
"I figured as much."
With that, Kailler began explaining the truths she'd learned, one by one.
"A calamity is coming... Something like the Dimension Reverse?"
"That... We'll have to see it directly."
"Directly?"
At Camillo's question, Kailler placed the purple orb she'd received from Jun on the desk.
"This is...?"
"The White Whale Mercenary Corps captain saw it in a vision while conversing with an ancient spirit in a tombstone. Apparently, this contains part of that memory."
"Such magic exists...?"
"Who knows. I wouldn't know that far. But I've never heard of it, at least."
"Hmm. Truly a fascinating mage."
The method of use was simple.
Place a hand on the orb and infuse it with mana.
"Kailler. Let's watch it together."
"Me too?"
"Yes."
"......Got it."
The two placed their hands on the purple orb.
And as Camillo infused mana into it, a certain landscape began to project over their vision.
It was a scene from the great calamity that the beastkin somewhere in the world had endured.
"I wonder if they're watching it by now?"
Jun muttered to himself as he rubbed his eyes.
"I hope Count Camillo takes it seriously."
He recalled Kailler's troubled expression right up until she left.
'Still, I did everything I could.'
He'd even borrowed the power of illusion to project the scene he'd seen in Maya's dream into the recording orb.
Since the guy was so lazy, convincing and coaxing him hadn't been easy at all.
'No one could stay idle after seeing that. Unless he thinks I'm a complete fraud.'
And if the count refused to accept it...
'Then there's truly nothing more I can do.'
But perhaps such worries were unfounded.
That very evening, Jun received a summons from Count Camillo.
"Welcome. So you're the famed mercenary captain."
Fortunately, the count's first impression wasn't bad.
A man who had ascended to count at a relatively young age and now reigned as the hegemon of the north.
He greeted Jun courteously.
"Thank you for the warm welcome."
"No need for such formalities. Our current situation doesn't call for it."
It was a signal to get straight to the point.
The count then pointed to the purple recording orb on the table.
"If this is true... we can't just sit idly by."
"Exactly. The damage will be immense."
"But even I had trouble believing it after seeing it. The other northern lords are even less likely to comply obediently."
"......"
"No matter that our house is called the hegemon of the north, this is reality. We have retainers who are uncooperative even with blocking the annual monster waves."
How had things fallen to this point?
It would be hard to blame it all on the loss of the seal.
"Do you know the reason?"
"Hmm. There are our house's personal matters, but the bigger issue is the east."
"The east... you mean...?"
"Yowan in the east. The territorial war that started there shows no sign of ending; if anything, it's intensifying over time."
"The problem is that it's negatively affecting the various northern lords."
From Kailler's supplementary explanation, Jun could roughly grasp the situation.
"You're saying the other northern lords are harboring vain hopes?"
"Precisely. The empire's situation has been shifting in many ways lately, hasn't it?"
It dated back about fifty years.
The fall of Merdein, the heart of the south.
The entire world had suffered economic blows as a result.
And the territorial war in the east had stemmed from that very event.
The northern lords were watching that situation closely as well.
"But... if we don't pass on the information, it'll cause even bigger problems later."
"I know. That's why what I need is conviction. Conviction that this calamity will happen."
"......"
"My position isn't light enough to act without proper proof. So, will you prove it?"
"You're asking me to stake something as well."
"Indeed."
Wasn't the burden too great to proceed based solely on one mage's word?
"Understood. I'll request assistance from the Gilenoi Merchant Guild."
Gilenoi.
A name that was making waves even in Blackout now, but on the surface world, it held even greater sway.
"The golden hand, Gilenoi Jake. If that man moves personally, it changes everything."
"I'm not sure if he'll move. But his granddaughter Cloi will."
"Her name has been buzzing in the industry lately too. They say she's the rightful heir in every sense."
"Yes."
"That should suffice."
A name of that caliber was more than enough.
So now, bring results.
That was the implication.
'Our name still doesn't carry that much weight.'
It was only natural, really.
Though the White Whale Mercenary Corps' reputation had risen to an undeniable level in the industry lately, it wasn't yet on par with the hegemon ruling the north.
"I'll await word."
With those words, Jun left the lord's office.
"Sorry. I tried my best to persuade him, but that was the most I could do."
Kailler had followed him out.
But Jun wasn't disappointed at all.
"No, I think it's fortunate he responded that way for now. Doesn't the count believe the calamity is coming?"
"Yes, he does. After seeing that..."
Recalling the recording orb Jun had handed over, Kailler grimaced.
"He just needed some minimal safeguards. I can understand that much."
"So... what will you do now?"
"As I mentioned, I'll have to put someone else's name on the line too."
The first person who came to mind was Cloi, just as he'd told the count.
It would undoubtedly be thunder from a clear sky for her, of course.
[What? What did you say? A calamity? Caaa-lamity?]
'Where do I even start explaining...'
His head was starting to ache.
Should he call this fortunate?
Since getting to know Jun, Cloi had been shocked plenty of times before.
And she knew full well that Jun wouldn't lie about something like this.
On top of that... in his conversation with Cloi, there were things he hadn't been able to tell the Ron family members.
[So... this is the doing of the Open Heaven Church too?]
"That's right."
Cloi's reaction from the communication orb was one of utter disbelief.
But Jun calmly explained what he knew.
[To sum it up... the Open Heaven Church is using the God of Death to influence the surface world, and it just happens to be the north?]
"Exactly."
[Sigh. And a calamity will strike the north... and the lord there wants our names involved.]
"He said it's hard to move based on my reputation alone."
[I get what that means. Then we'll have to put out a request on this side too...]
"What do you plan?"
[Our guild's name isn't what matters. We're a merchant guild, after all.]
"Hm."
[What they want is someone who can act with our backing.]
"Like the Imperial Family, say?"
Support from the Imperial Family.
That would be reassuring, but unfortunately, Cloi's response was negative.
[Even the Imperial Family can't move rashly. Especially not for something happening in a territory. You know about the east lately.]
"Yeah, true."
[I'll handle things on this end. Keep a close eye on your side for now.]
And once again, Cloi didn't betray Jun's expectations.
The very next day, she arrived with a most reliable ally in tow.
[The Lord of Ranes Mage Tower is stepping in.]
"What?"
[Ah, correction. The Ranes Mage Tower is mobilizing.]
"The Ranes Mage Tower...?"
The count, unaware of any connection between Jun and the Ranes Mage Tower, tilted his head at the sudden name.
"Yes. The Lord of Ranes Mage Tower is mobilizing personally."
"Heh... If it's him..."
Ranes.
Not even Camillo, called the hegemon of the north, could speak of them lightly.
They usually holed up in Blackout, but if requested on the surface world, they would head to any battlefield at a moment's notice.
"They're really stepping in?"
"Yes."
"How long will it take?"
"About a fortnight from now."
"A fortnight..."
No one knew exactly how much time remained until the calamity, but reinforcements were always welcome regardless.
"Then... it's my turn to respond. I'll send letters to my retainers today."
"I hope as many as possible come."
"I hope so too. But..."
The count's expression wasn't bright.
How many retainers would heed his letters?
He figured fewer than half.
"Still, we must do our utmost. You've worked hard. And... I heard from Kailler that you're calculating the time until this calamity arrives?"
"Yes."
"How's it going?"
"We should have it figured out by tonight."
"That's... good news."
"I'll inform you the moment we know."
"Very well."
With that, Jun left the lord's castle, and night fell late.
Camillo finished all the letters to his retainers and pondered what lay ahead.
'The fortunate part is that the westerners won't arrive for a while yet.'
Those currently sailing over were expected to be delayed due to worsening weather.
If the calamity struck while they were here, that would be a different kind of trouble.
To shake off the fatigue accumulated in that one day, he stepped out onto the terrace.
The north's frigid air whipped fiercely, but even that was familiar to him.
"......"
And then, his gaze naturally turned toward the direction of the problematic tombstone.
Camillo's expression hardened.
Why?
Why did the sky look like it had faint cracks?
Rubbing his eyes didn't make the sky's wound disappear, and he realized once more—this was reality.
A calamity was descending upon the north.
And soon.