Chapter 469: Fragment (8)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 469: Fragment (8)
The day after the mercenaries' festival in Shu.
Alon began his journey toward the Empire once again.
"Ah, here we go again..."
Evan spoke as he gazed listlessly into the forest.
"Indeed."
Penia didn't ask what had happened between Alon and Seolrang the previous night.
"Wow! Eunsa! Look at that! The shape of that tree is so weird!"
Seolrang was also acting as if she had completely forgotten everything that happened last night, behaving exactly as she always did.
"I see."
"Right?"
Looking at Seolrang, who wore a refreshing smile like a clear autumn sky, Alon felt a strange sensation but followed her gaze up to the heavens.
...The autumn sky was a piercing, chilly blue.
"It’ll probably take about two more months, right?"
While Alon was staring blankly at the sky, Evan asked a question.
Alon nodded.
"Well, most likely."
"Phew—that’s going to be exhausting."
"Haven't you gotten used to it by now?"
At Alon's question, Evan let out a low groan.
"I mean, I have, but... you know how it is, don't you?"
"How what is?"
"We spend way more days in a carriage than out of one during the year. I’m starting to get sick of it."
Alon found himself agreeing instinctively.
Evan was right.
Lately, the days spent inside a carriage far outnumbered the days spent outside. Especially since they had started traveling back and forth to the Empire.
Because of that...
"...Maybe I should look into a new method of transportation."
Alon stroked his chin.
He was used to it now, whether it was riding in a carriage or sleeping outdoors, so he hadn't given it much thought. But strictly speaking, they were wasting a vast amount of time on travel.
"A new method of transportation?"
"Yes. We've been losing quite a lot of time just moving from place to place."
"Hmm—it was like that before, too... but it definitely got worse once we started heading to the Empire."
Penia chimed in, agreeing with him.
"Realistically, in this situation, the only thing faster than what we have now would be an airship."
"...An airship? Are you talking about the kind Ladan uses?"
"Ladan?"
Penia looked puzzled for a moment at Alon's words, then let out a soft "Ah."
"No, nothing that grand. Of course, we could build one if you wanted, Lord Alon, but those things require an absurd amount of mana just to keep them running."
"Because the mana consumption is so high?"
"Yes. It’s been over thirty years since airships were first developed, but even so, there isn't a single place that actually operates them practically, is there?"
That was true. Even when he played Psychedelia, he had never seen an airship in use.
"If, by some miracle, we found a storage device that could hold an almost infinite amount of mana, the story might change."
"That would certainly make it viable. No matter how much mana it consumes, as long as you use Defying Heaven, you could fill it enough to travel."
Penia added that they would still need to work on improving the efficiency.
As Alon looked at her...
"...?"
A thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
It was something he had seen in Calypsophobia.
Wait, would it have been put to use by now...?
Alon tried to piece together fragments of information he had picked up long ago—not from direct experience, but from bits and pieces he’d gathered on community forums.
But the thought was brief.
"Lord Alon, what are you thinking about?"
"No, it's nothing."
Well, I know the location, so I can just go and see for myself.
Alon waved off Penia's follow-up question with a light gesture.
Then, a fact he had forgotten suddenly occurred to him.
...Wait. Come to think of it, where is the protagonist of Calypsophobia?
He had forgotten because of the falling Divine Blood and the Empire being smashed to pieces in an instant, but the protagonist of Calypsophobia was definitely supposed to be in the Empire.
And according to the setting, the protagonist of Calypsophobia was an even greater monster than Elivan.
However, in all the information he had gathered while moving around, there hadn't been a single word about the protagonist, which made his curiosity grow.
"Evan."
"Yes?"
"When we reach the next town, look into rumors about a certain individual."
"...Rumors about a person?"
"Yes."
"...? Understood, for now."
Alon decided to start by looking for clues through Evan.
####
Another month passed.
Alon’s party passed through the deserted borders and approached the Imperial border governed by Serdea.
If they wanted peace of mind, it would have been easier to go to the Northern Empire's border, but unfortunately, his calculations showed they wouldn't have enough time if they did that.
Having reached the border, Alon...
"What should we do?"
"Hmm..."
...fell into deep thought.
...Will this go smoothly?
Alon recalled the time Serdea Polantisia had come to find him.
I think it'll be fine to just go.
They hadn't been able to talk properly because of Irenena Polantisia, but it was clear that Serdea had come seeking some kind of reconciliation.
"Let's just go."
"Yes, sir."
After some deliberation, Alon made his decision.
The moment they moved.
Thud—!
Rumble—!!
As the gates swung open—
"Welcome!"
The man he had seen the last time he crossed the border—Commander Palkindas—greeted Alon.
And he did so with a very bright, beaming face.
Furthermore.
"Then, in the name of Palkindas, I hereby grant you passage through the border!"
Without even having a proper conversation with Alon, he shouted the command instantly.
Alon’s party stood there with blank expressions for a moment.
"...Uh."
Naturally, Alon was the most bewildered.
He hadn't expected a situation like this at all.
I thought I wouldn't be treated like a complete pariah, but...
This treatment far exceeded his expectations; it was even better than the last time.
While everyone was stunned, Palkindas offered Alon a respectful salute without any further explanation.
"Ahem—please remember the name Palkindas!"
The man laughed boisterously, as if he were trying to make sure he was on the right side of the fence early on.
Alon wanted to ask him what was going on, but he decided to suppress the urge.
Whatever was happening, one thing was certain: Palkindas held a favorable view of Alon and had willingly opened the border gates. And because of that, they had crossed the border with ease.
Of course, even if everything was going well, his questions didn't just vanish.
Suppressing his curiosity, Alon passed Palkindas and reached the other side of the border.
"Evan."
"Yes."
"...Just in case, what are the odds that he hasn't heard the rumors yet?"
"Hmm—probably zero? We were already rejected once before."
"...Then the misunderstanding he had last time should be over by now, right?"
"Logically speaking, yes."
As Alon questioned Evan...
"What are the chances that a new rumor has spread?"
Penia suggested another possibility.
Evan pondered for a moment, looked back at the border where Palkindas stood, and said, "If he's showing such a blatant attempt to pick a side, then the rumor going around must be something like, 'Lord Alon’s marriage to that little princess has been confirmed!'"
"...That... is true. But logically, I don't think such a ridiculous, garbage rumor would have spread."
It felt like a bit of harsh language had slipped in there, but Penia maintained her composure.
Seolrang wondered what they were talking about, but on the other hand, she looked at Penia strangely for the way her aura had shifted for a split second.
But Penia was right.
It made no sense for such a rumor to spread when everything had already been settled in its own way.
Therefore.
"Evan, can you look into it?"
"Yes, I'll check as soon as we reach the next town. The information guild has finally started settling into the Empire, so I should be able to get info pretty quickly."
Alon ended the discussion by giving Evan his orders.
Three days after they began moving toward the Eastern Empire again.
"Lord Alon."
"What is it?"
"Do you remember? You asked me to look into the rumors."
"Did you get any information?"
"Yes, but something quite surprising has happened."
"What?"
"What we suspected was correct."
"...It was correct?"
Alon heard the truth behind the rumors.
"Yes. A rumor has spread among the nobles that Princess Serdea and Lord Alon are to be wed."
"???"
A question mark practically floated over Alon's expressionless face.
"Ha...??"
Penia frowned as if the whole thing was absurd.
But that was only for a moment.
"Anyway, it seems the rumors at the border stemmed from what's being said among the nobles... and I have one more thing to tell you."
"What is it?"
"I heard that Yutia is currently in the Empire."
"...Yutia is...?"
"Yes. I heard she went to meet Serdea regarding the Goddess Sironia."
At Evan's following words, Penia's face, which had been frozen in a serious scowl until a moment ago, brightened up like a blooming flower.
"Really?"
"Huh? What is?"
"That Lady Yutia went to meet her."
"According to the information guild, yes."
Evan shrugged at Penia's question.
With that final confirmation, Penia even began to hum a short tune with a smile on her lips.
"I see."
She leaned back against the seat with a bright face that was the very definition of 'at peace.'
"Eunsa—is she okay?"
Watching Seolrang point at Penia, whose face had gone from a scowl to a smile in an instant, Alon sank into an awkward silence.
####
While Alon crossed the Imperial border and moved to participate in the final stages of the subjugation.
In the palace where Serdea Polantisia resided.
"Hmm—so, you are the one who requested to build a temple here as well."
"That's right."
"Do you truly think I would grant such a request?"
Serdea Polantisia was conversing with a girl named Yutia Bloodia, who she had heard was a cardinal of the Goddess Sironia.
"Oh my, is it impossible?"
"..."
Serdea looked at Yutia with an incredulous expression as the girl asked nonchalantly.
She hadn't realized it immediately upon meeting her, but the girl before her was someone she had already met. And it hadn't been on good terms, but bad ones.
Serdea was about to answer the question, but...
"Well—actually, it's fine."
Yutia continued speaking without waiting for an answer, and a look of confusion appeared on Serdea's face.
"I didn't come here just to increase the number of temples, anyway."
The moment Yutia finished speaking.
Serdea saw it.
"Hey, Princess."
In the sky where the sun had been shining, a red moon suddenly rose.
And before she even had time to process the sight.
"...Do you want to die?"
Yutia's chilling voice pierced Serdea's ear.
Chapter 470. Astaroth (1)