Chapter 379: The Farmer
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 379: The Farmer
Fields, created by tearing off bits of sky and earth and stacking them layer by layer inside a building. They didn't exude any overwhelming majesty or unfathomable mystery. The idea of bringing fields indoors was novel, but the soil and light were all real.
However, I could sense a terrifying level of obsession in that idea.
The will of humanity to analyze and deconstruct the world for purely practical purposes, to use it for their own benefit. That will was infused into the artificial fields inside the Lightning Tower.
This probably wasn't all of it. These artificial fields were important, but they must have extended their reach to other facilities as well. Here in Claudia.
But something felt off. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but a vague sense of unease was nagging at me.
"You're saying the Thunderarch created all of this?"
"Of course, I did not build it alone. As exceptional as I am, I only have two hands."
She had a point. No matter how great a person is, they can't do everything by themselves. From what I'd read of the Thunderarch's mind, her words were all true.
However, the Thunderarch I read was a consumer of lightning. She wasn't the one who first thought of harnessing it. There had to be someone who originally came up with the idea. Why were there no clues about them? Did the Thunderarch not know?
I can only read thoughts; I can't know everything about a person. What I know is limited to the information the other person knows. Considering the Thunderarch was raised by her predecessor, she might not know everything either.
Hmm. I should dig a little deeper.
"I'm a bit confused. You said the first Thunderarch returned the lightning the Lightning Thief stole back to the sky, correct?"
"Yes."
"Then who built this Lightning Tower? The Lightning Thief, or the first Thunderarch?"
"The first Thunderarch, of course."
The Thunderarch answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Her tone was so matter-of-fact it made me feel foolish for asking.
Right. The Lightning Tower was clearly a facility. A thief wouldn't have built it. Someone must have constructed it.
But, looking at it from a purely functional standpoint, isn't the Lightning Tower a tool for stealing lightning? Was she saying the lightning currently being used to cultivate the fields wasn't stolen? Did that mean they were creating lightning?
"The first Thunderarch must have been a truly remarkable person. To make such brilliant use of the lightning stolen by a thief."
"She was a great person. As great as I am. But what is the intention behind your questions?"
Did I push too hard? She was becoming a little wary of me. It was only natural for her to be suspicious of a stranger from another country suddenly asking about the Lightning Thief and the first Thunderarch.
In situations like this, protesting that you're being unfairly suspected is an amateur move. As an outsider, I was bound to be suspicious. Instead, it's better to reveal a sliver of your true intentions.
"Haha, it's just simple curiosity. Isn't this kind of technology a blessing bestowed upon the human race? In my line of work, I get curious when I discover new horizons like this."
Fortunately, the Thunderarch smiled as if she had guessed my intentions.
'He said he was from the Military State. As expected, he's trying to dig up something. I brought him here anticipating as much.'
"It's useless even if you find out. This is a miracle only possible in Claudia, where clouds and lightning flow down. If it were possible on any random piece of land, Maximilien, who fled to the Military State, would have accomplished it long ago."
"Ah. Mister Maximilien."
No need to mention that we half-killed him before chasing him out.
What should I do now?
There are two ways to use mind-reading. You can either read the opponent's thoughts and act accordingly, or you can deliberately poke at their blind spots. The former involves inserting yourself into their perception as part of the background so they don't notice you, while the latter involves constantly catching their eye to draw their attention.
It depends on the situation, but with an arrogant person like the Thunderarch, the attitude I should take is probably... to be a little pesky.
"Lady Thunderarch. If Shei kills the Thunder God, Claudia will become very peaceful, won't it? Aggressive lightning won't strike anymore, making it easier to do other things. The city will overcome its dangers and prosper even more. So..."
"You want to ask for Claudia's wisdom as compensation?" the Thunderarch replied, as if it were obvious. I smiled awkwardly and scratched my head.
"Ugh, to put it less politically, that's about the gist of it. Since we're in a mutually beneficial relationship, if you could just show us a little of the first Thunderarch's legacy..."
"That's not a problem."
"Really?"
"I do not go back on my word. If he truly kills the Thunder God... if he ensures the Thunder God's apostles never come to Claudia again, I am willing to reward him with my body and soul."
Don't say things that can be so easily misunderstood. Even if you mean it.
Still, thanks to that, I understood why the Regressor liked the Thunderarch. If we cleared the quest of eliminating the Thunder God, we would gain her complete trust. It was the kind of simple, clear-cut logic the Regressor would appreciate.
"However, that is a reward to be given to the one who kills the Thunder God. There is no reason to give it to you."
"But Shei is our comrade."
"In that case, hear it from his own mouth later. That is, if he truly kills the Thunder God, wants the reward, and decides to share it with you."
In short, she had no intention of giving me anything directly. I clicked my tongue, feigning disappointment, and replied.
"I understand your position, Lady Thunderarch. I'll be sure to ask again later."
"I'm glad you understand now. I don't have the patience to explain it again."
"Tch."
When I showed a hint of a bruised ego, the Thunderarch actually seemed relieved.
'The legacy of the first Thunderarch... His intentions are so blatant that it's actually reassuring. Not that I'll ever reveal it, of course.'
I was relieved, too. She had dismissed me just as I'd expected.
Thanks to that, I now knew where it was.
The legacy left by the first Thunderarch was buried beneath this Lightning Tower. A legacy that even the current Thunderarch couldn't fully comprehend.
*
Though the Thunder God had retreated in a state of incomplete combustion, the people of Claudia were unconcerned. This was the city of clouds ruled by the Thunderarch. They had layers upon layers of countermeasures prepared for dealing with lightning. They could handle a few minor troubles.
Besides, living creatures are designed not to fear things they see and experience often. Familiarity proves harmlessness. If something were truly dangerous, one wouldn't live long enough to get used to it.
A few who were quick to hear the news spread the word discreetly.
"Did you hear? It's a rumor going around among the Guardians, but they say the Thunderarch is planning an operation to subjugate the Thunder God."
"Didn't the Thunderarch herself sortie just a while ago? Something about an invasion."
"I'm not sure, but it must have been related to the Thunder God subjugation. They say if it succeeds, the Thunder God will be annihilated."
"Really? That's good news, but it's a bit of a shame. I'd grown fond of it."
"You fool! Fond of what? How many people have died from the Thunder God's lightning!"
"They died because they were loitering outside the Lightning Towers."
"Tsk. Watch your mouth."
"Well, I'm sure the Thunderarch will handle it! What could possibly go wrong!"
No one had leaked the information. The rumors were deliberately spread through the disciples to avoid panicking the citizens. Knowing in advance lessens the psychological blow.
Their faith in the Thunderarch was so absolute that it wasn't particularly effective, but her method of managing the city was quite systematic. She had every right to be proud.
Passing by the people chatting peacefully, I returned to our lodgings.
The Regressor and Azzy were there. The Regressor was swinging Chun-aeng, which had become pure white after absorbing a great deal of cloud, back and forth. Every time she did, small sparks of lightning crackled from the Jizan placed on the floor. It made Azzy's fur stand on end.
"Oh, you're back? Welcome."
The Regressor was greeting me? She must be in a good mood. I asked the subtly excited Regressor.
"Shei. You seem to be in high spirits."
"Well, I suppose so."
He wasn't even being prickly in his response. He really must be in a good mood.
"The Golden Lord is gone, and I've met the Thunderarch. Once this is all over, the war will stop too. Everything's going well. It's all new, but strangely, there have been no weird detours or unexpected accidents."
'Usually, when I deviate from the route this much, things get forcibly twisted at least once!'
He doesn't appreciate my efforts at all. Things are going well because I've been secretly fixing all the minor details you missed.
Well, I've benefited from the Regressor too, so I can't really complain.
"Once we defeat the Thunder God, the problems on this side will be almost completely solved! We have Tyrkanzyaka to handle the Duchy, and the Military State is quiet! There's nothing that can go wrong!"
Why did seeing him so happy suddenly make me anxious? My worries were lost on him as he grinned like a child. He must have enough leeway to smile like that.
"Heh heh. This is a new record. I can see hope!"
"Shei. Don't get too happy. Something I learned from drifting through countless gambling dens is that the moment you're most confident and feel like anything is possible is when you're about to lose the most."
"And you still gamble knowing that?"
"Because I was the one who filled the suckers with confidence. My role was to pump them full of hot air until they bet their entire fortune, then watch them lose it all with a bang. In vulgar terms, a shill."
"...You say you were a crooked gambler with such confidence."
"I told you, it wasn't crooked! The gambling itself was fair and square, with no tricks."
I just used mind-reading, fair and square. It was a far cry from ordinary cheating.
"More importantly, when are you going to kill the Thunder God?"
"The sea breeze blows during the day. The same goes for the clouds of the Cloud Waterfall. When the sea breeze comes tomorrow afternoon, the Thunder God, who has temporarily retreated, will return. The Thunderarch will give us the exact time."
"With a massive event like the disappearance of the Thunder God, Claudia is bound to get a little chaotic, right?"
"I suppose so. To prevent any potential accidents, a state of emergency will be declared throughout Claudia tomorrow. The Thunderarch will gather her subordinates and disciples to deal with the remnants of the Thunder God."
"You're well-informed."
"I heard it from the Thunderarch."
You idiot. You haven't heard it in this timeline. You just blurt things out, don't you?
Anyway. That wasn't the important part. I got to my real point.
"I don't really need to go watch, do I?"
"Huh? Watch?"
"Yes. As you know, I'm afraid of lightning. Even if you handle it well, Shei, I'd rather not take the risk."
"It'll be over quickly. It won't be much of a threat."
He sounded vaguely disappointed that I said I wouldn't watch. Does he want me to see him fight that badly?
"It's not like I'd be any help just by watching, right?"
"That's true."
"What was that?"
"Still, it's just, um..."
'When you're involved, things have a strange way of working out. There's something suspicious about you, but things go so smoothly it doesn't even matter. Ugh. I'd feel more at ease if you were there.'
Huh? You knew?
That's actually a little touching. I thought you were completely oblivious since you never seemed to pay any attention. So you did notice.
"You were relying on me that much? Hmm, I suppose I have no choice. If you want it that badly, Shei, I'll lend a hand."
I was trying to be magnanimous, but the Regressor snapped back.
"Ha? It's not like that! In the first place, you're no help in a fight. You're the negotiator, not the combatant!"
"The negotiator? Was that my role?!"
"What did you think it was? You've always used your silver tongue to charm women or move people, but you've never been much help in an actual fight, have you?"
Hey, that's harsh! Do you know how many life-or-death situations I've been through?!
Up until now, I've let others like the Regressor or Tyr handle it because they were there, but I can still fight like a normal person!
"Hmph. Then have fun hunting the Thunder God by yourself. I'll be here, comfortably lying down and watching from the window."
"Hmph. That was my plan from the start."
Perfect. I've created a rough alibi, so I can make my move at that time.
As I stomped toward my room, the Regressor, who had been watching me, muttered something in a voice so quiet it was almost inaudible.
"...Still, I do rely on you, in my own way."
"Huh? What did you say?"
"I-I didn't say anything!"
'Damn, he's got sharp ears! How in the world did he hear that? I was just talking to myself!'
Talking to yourself is something you do alone.