Chapter 276: Something is Strange (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 276: Something is Strange (1)
It was only after about a month had passed that Alon returned to the Marquisate.
"……Hmm?"
He sensed a slightly strange atmosphere.
It wasn't that anything specific had happened.
The statue Deus had erected, reminiscent of the Northern Chief, and the auction house that would bring prosperity to the Marquisate—everything was in its proper place.
At least, that was how it appeared on the surface.
Then what was this subtle sensation?
Alon, feeling puzzled, was only able to solve the mystery after facing Alexion and the mountain of documents piled up in his office.
"You say bandits are running rampant?"
"Yes, things have been difficult lately because of that."
Starting with that, Alexion explained what was currently happening around the Marquisate.
"From what I’ve heard, it’s not just Asteria. It seems bandits are swarming across the entire United Kingdoms."
Alexion let out a short sigh, muttering that things used to be better.
After a moment of silence, Alon asked, "Is it because of the Abyss Bodies?"
"Yes, that’s correct."
"The situation seems more serious than I thought."
"It is. Unlike last time, they’ve been released in massive quantities. Even when insignificant nobodies use them, they grant power, making the situation even more disastrous."
Alexion lamented, then suddenly clapped his hands as if remembering something.
"Come to think of it, did you not encounter any, My Lord?"
"I didn't encounter a single one."
"Is that so?"
"……Is there such a staggering number of them now that it’s strange not to run into them on the road?"
"To be honest, yes."
The situation seemed even more dire than Alon had initially realized.
‘It’s almost like the mid-game of Psychedelia.’
In the mid-game of Psychedelia, once more than one Sin appeared, descriptions would follow of the world slowly descending into ruin as the level of enemies rose overall due to the sudden increase in bandits caused by the Abyss Bodies.
"I understand for now. I’ll try to devise a countermeasure."
"Understood."
Alexion bowed politely and left the office.
"……The situation must be really serious."
"So it seems."
"But for it to be that bad, isn't it weird that we didn't see a single bandit?"
Evan was right. During the long journey back to the Marquisate, they hadn't encountered bandits even once.
‘A single carriage should have been an obvious target…… Was it just good luck?’
The doubt was fleeting.
"……I should handle the paperwork first."
Looking at the documents that had piled up like a mountain in his absence, he felt as if he were facing a horde of bandits.
Alon let out a sigh and reluctantly picked up his pen.
A week later.
"Phew—"
Alon had processed most of the backlog.
He had even managed to finish the tasks that required on-site inspections, though they had consumed a few more days.
‘Now then, shall I start on what I actually need to do? The deadline…… Magrina told me to take my time last time, so I’ll set it at two—no, let’s say three months to be safe.’
Just as Alon began to formulate his plans.
"My Lord."
"Alexion?"
Unlike before, Alexion appeared with a bright face, his worries seemingly vanished.
He approached Alon with quick steps and gave a radiant smile.
"I was surprised, My Lord. I didn't expect you to handle it so quickly……!"
"……Handle what?"
"Yes! Thanks to you taking care of the bandits, the merchants are all praising you, saying the area around the Marquisate has become safe again!"
It was complete nonsense to Alon.
"……?"
Alon could only swallow his confusion internally.
* * *
At that same moment, on the outskirts of the Palatio Marquisate.
"P-Please, spare—Gack!"
A one-sided slaughter was taking place.
"S-Spare me—"
Slash—!
The elf mercilessly took the head of a bandit who was looking up at her in terror.
Rim brushed off her hands and looked around.
Even at a glance, dozens of bandits were dying, exhaling ominous black smoke.
"Phew—"
While Rim caught her breath, an elf appeared behind her as if they had been waiting and bowed.
"Captain."
"Status?"
"We have finished clearing out all the bandits in the vicinity of the Marquisate."
"What about the south and the east?"
"I heard the lizardmen took care of those areas. Or rather, strictly speaking, some places had already been dealt with."
"Already?"
"Yes. We suspect it was done by the beastkin and the half-demon who share a close relationship with Him."
"I see."
Rim muttered softly as she looked at the fallen bandits.
"Still, check the surrounding areas just in case. They are insignificant pests to Him, but…… He might find them annoying."
Her gaze turned cold and sharp.
"Yes, understood."
The elf who received the order vanished, and Rim quietly disappeared from the spot as well.
* * *
Though Alon was momentarily bewildered by Alexion’s sudden praise, he decided to move forward with setting his schedule and organizing his plans.
The tasks ahead could be broadly divided into two categories.
The first was the proper establishment of his magic.
It wasn't that Alon had been using magic incorrectly until now, but his magic tended to lean heavily in one direction.
For instance, he often focused too much on the Phrases alone, or conversely, on the Hand Seals alone to cast his spells.
Therefore, Alon felt the need to redefine magic in his own way.
This was partly because he wanted to explore the magic of a Magus more deeply, but also because of what Sparrow had said.
Sparrow had told him that before learning how to use a Magic Formula, it was important to properly understand the Phrases and Hand Seals first.
The second task was training with Kailas.
"At least you can last a minute now."
"Huff, huff—"
In a world where everything had been destroyed.
Alon panted heavily in front of Kailas, who spoke leisurely with the Spirit Dragon looming behind him.
Even though he had only been moving for a minute, he felt such intense fatigue that he collapsed where he stood.
Watching him, Kailas muttered in a detached voice.
"Still soft."
"……."
Alon glanced up at Kailas.
He wondered if the man was also exhausted but was just posing to look strong.
However.
"?"
Seeing Kailas looking perfectly fine, Alon let out a long sigh.
He wasn't using the Art of Defying Heaven to fight, but even considering that, Kailas was undeniably strong.
[Kyu?]
As he caught his breath, Blackie tilted his head next to his shoulder.
Alon stroked Blackie’s head and spoke.
"I remembered what you asked last time."
"……Last time?"
"You asked about the origin of magic."
"Ah."
A low exclamation escaped Alon at Kailas’s words.
A few days ago, while organizing his magic, he had grown curious and asked a question.
"Didn't you say you knew nothing other than the fact that the Primordial Magus spread magic?"
Kailas nodded.
"That’s right. However, looking back through my memories, there were a few theories circulating at the time."
"Theories?"
"Yes, theories that arose after the Primordial Magus spread the Phrases and Hand Seals."
Kailas stroked his chin.
"First of all, most Magi concluded that the Primordial Magus was the one who first created the Phrases, Hand Seals, and Magic Formulas."
"……Is that so?"
"Naturally. At that time, Phrases, Hand Seals, and Formulas didn't exist at all, so there was no particular reason to question it. However, there was another opinion."
Kailas paused to think before continuing.
"That the magic the Primordial Magus taught us was simply something from the era before ours."
"……From the era before?"
Kailas nodded.
"As you know, the period when we Magi existed is called the 'Forgotten Age of Gods' here. But there were eras even before that."
Alon had heard this story somewhere before.
After a moment of thought, he realized.
"Ah."
He nodded, remembering that he had heard this from the Observer he met in the sea of Laxas.
"I have heard that such an era existed. Though not in detail."
"I’m not much different from you. If I know a bit more, it’s just that the Phrases and Hand Seals we use were created in that era."
"They were created in that era?"
"Yes. The Primordial Magus might have been the one to craft magic using those Hand Seals and Phrases, but the Phrases and Hand Seals themselves existed long before. Well, that’s about all I know."
Kailas gave a light shrug.
Alon organized the information he had heard today in his mind.
"I see. Thank you for telling me, anyway."
When Alon expressed his gratitude, Kailas stared at him intently.
"You said you were establishing your magic?"
"Yes."
"Tell me when you feel you’ve set up a proper system. I’ll teach you one thing you can use at that point. Probably—"
He swung the Spirit Dragon’s tail behind him toward Alon.
"—it will be of quite a bit of help in your current state."
With a crunching sound.
"Oh, you woke up later than usual this time? It’s a new record."
Alon woke up in the 2nd Office where Penia was, as he always did.
While Alon spent his days doing what he needed to do, a strange rumor began to circulate in the Ashtalon Kingdom.
"I mean, why is His Majesty preparing such a gift? There aren't any special events, are there?"
"You haven't heard?"
"Heard what?"
"They say Marquis Palatio is getting married. And to the Elf Queen, no less."
……A bizarre rumor that didn't reflect the intentions of the parties involved at all.
"What!? Really!?"
"Hey, hey! Lower your voice!"
"……Gasp! But is that really true?"
"It’s certain; I heard it from a guard. He said His Majesty definitely said so."
"Wow…… So that’s why he’s preparing in advance?"
At the question from the wide-eyed knight, Jack, another knight next to him nodded secretly.
"Right. It seems he’s trying to make up for what the Prince did last time. Anyway, he told us to prepare secretly, so keep it to yourself, okay?"
"Of course. You know me, right? My lips are sealed."
"I know, I know."
The two of them firmly swore to keep the secret (?).
However.
"Did you hear?"
Despite such oaths.
In a kingdom where the only tasks given were tedious duties, such sensational news was far too interesting a topic.
No matter how "sealed" a knight's lips were, they blabbered the contents more easily than a sheet of paper blowing in the wind.
Thus, the report that was supposed to be secret—
"Oh, Sir Jack! Good day to you."
"Oh, Hanson. What is all this?"
"Gifts for you, Sir Knight, of course."
"Haha, I see. I’ll make good use of them. It’s not much of a reward, but I’ll give you a piece of important information. It might be of help to you."
"Oh, what information is that?"
Like a horse without feet traveling a thousand miles, it spread outside the kingdom in an instant.
"Gasp, is that true?!"
"Yes, make sure you’re the only one who knows."
"Oh, of course! Where would I ever say such a thing? My nickname is Marlot's Anvil!"
The rumor, which had even reached Marlot's Anvil, then—
"Eh? Hanson? What’s going on?"
"Padric, come here. Do you know what I heard?"
In less than five hours, it reached the ears of the merchants traveling together in the guild.
And that rumor—
"……So, what did you say?"
"A rumor is spreading that the Great Moon is getting married."
"Is it true?"
"……It seems to be true."
By the time it reached the ears of Hidan, who was on his way to Rosario once again to report to Yutia Bloodia—
"……Yuna."
It hadn't taken very long at all.
"What?"
"Could you go to Rosario instead of me—"
"Ah, sorry. Someone’s calling me. I gotta go!"
Yuna cut off the communication with obvious haste.
Left alone in the hideout, Hidan—
"……Ah."
Even though he had done nothing wrong.
He squeezed his eyes shut as cold sweat poured down his face.
"I want to go home……."
Only a low groan echoed through the hideout…….