Heaven's Despair
The deal for the improved magic bullet launchers with the orcs, brokered through Zenbe, went off without a hitch. They were desperate with the Yosrahim Empire war looming, and the performance of the launchers I offered blew their existing models out of the water.
Thanks to that, not only did I sell the blueprints, but all 15,000 units as well. In exchange, I pocketed a whopping 4 million units of Chaos Pieces.
With that, I sold every last Chaos Piece I had to Padilla for 1.6 million reifs.
Afterward, I paid back the 825,000 reifs I'd borrowed from her to add essences to those 15,000 improved magic bullet launchers, and handed Zenbe 20,000 reifs as a brokerage fee. That left me holding a cool 755,000 reifs. One deal like this, and I'd made enough to live off forever. In theory, anyway.
"Here you go."
Sitting in front of the magic communication orb, I fiddled with the improved magic bullet launcher right in front of Brendel Duke's eyes. I made a point of highlighting the boldly engraved "Made in Kalligo" on the stock, playing up the angle that I had nothing to do with it.
The duke inside the orb examined it closely.
"How's the performance?"
"Just like the catalog specs. Most are overhyped, but this one's the real deal. Looks like Kalligo put some serious effort into developing it."
"So it's definitely as good as you described before?"
"Yeah. If you can't believe it, send someone over. I'll give 'em a demo."
I repeatedly loaded and unloaded the essence cartridge to demonstrate. The ability to swap essences was one of the improved magic bullet launcher's key advantages.
"Understood. But did you manage to acquire the blueprints too, White Mask?"
"Yeah. Got 'em."
The duke glanced at me slyly.
"Could you send them over somehow?"
"Nope."
My flat refusal left the duke looking flustered.
"Pardon? But isn't this different from what we discussed?"
"When did I say I'd send them? I said I'd let you know if I got them. So the empire can prepare."
Brendel Duke let out a small groan as he recalled our previous conversation. Fair enough—he was right; I never promised to hand them over.
"Ah..."
"Honestly, I'd love to share them, but our intel source got them through the Yin-Yang Great Saintess's connections. Handing them out willy-nilly would put Shura in a tough spot. Her hometown's Kalligo Kingdom, after all."
"True enough."
"Anyway, you'd better hurry up and figure something out. Word is, 15,000 units already went to the orcs."
Brendel Duke's eyes went wide.
"Really?"
"Yeah. At this rate, they'll be standard issue before the war even starts."
"What are we going to do..."
"Why? Think it's impossible?"
The duke looked troubled.
"The war's next year, isn't it? How could we develop countermeasures, build them, and get them standardized by then?"
"Yeah, it's tight. Guess there's no helping it. Buy the blueprints."
"But you just said no."
I put on a wistful expression.
"From our blood ally? And Yosrahim Empire's the Yin-Yang Church's heartland. Even if it puts us in a bind, we gotta help each other in tough times. That's what blood allies are for."
"Of course."
"But you guys have to keep it airtight. Make it look like Yosrahim's intel bureau got wind of it early and snagged the blueprints. Saves face for the empire and keeps us out of hot water."
"Naturally. I'll handle it."
I leaned right up to the orb.
"Oh, and about payment—no cash. Something else."
"Like what?"
"We've been needing transport ships lately. All these construction projects are causing massive delays in material imports."
"How many?"
"What do you mean 'how many'? You're prepping for war and strapped for cash—I'm not asking for that. Let's trade ideas for ideas."
"What ideas?"
"Shipyard construction tech, large vessel building techniques, and all the manpower that comes with it."
Kara's biggest headache right now was how far behind they lagged in shipbuilding compared to other nations. They could manage small sailboats, sure, but ocean-crossing vessels? Forget it.
Sure, they'd captured a ton of ships from the previous Robros Kingdom war. But time would wear them out, and they'd need scrapping eventually. Had to prepare for that. If things stayed this way into the age of ruin, it'd be chaos—no way to evacuate to Jores Island.
And the nation with the most advanced shipbuilding tech? Yosrahim Empire. Adopting their know-how would skyrocket Kara's capabilities.
Brendel Duke looked pained.
"But isn't that exchange a bit much?"
"When Bastain Kingdom comes raiding by sea later, we won't stand a chance without ships. And honestly, with us holding Bastain back from behind, it's a win for Yosrahim, right?"
"Well, yes, but..."
"Come on, really? We're blood allies. We help each other out. Right?"
The duke smacked his lips. Fair point—Kara's presence had massively eased worries about Bastain. With Kara as a dagger at their back, they couldn't expand freely.
But if Kara lost its naval power, that buffer vanished. No way for Kara to threaten Bastain's rear after that.
"Fine. Deal. We'll provide it."
"Great. Okay."
I grinned triumphantly. Knew he'd bite. Cancel this, and Yosrahim had no counter for the beefed-up orc army right now—or Bastain later. Strategically, it was a no-brainer.
Problem was me. I got nothing out of it.
But Padilla would. Shipbuilding tech gaps were her top worry for Kara. It was the biggest roadblock to becoming a naval powerhouse. Sweet-talk her right, and I'd rake in a fortune.
It was one autumn day.
A young noble showed up while I was lounging in my office. His name was Rendel Count, a blond lord of some no-name fief on the southwestern peninsula coast of Kokt Kingdom.
Kokt Kingdom—a backwater speck that never made waves in world history. Even within it, his family was a lowly provincial count house. And he'd only recently inherited, without full grip on his own lands yet.
A total nobody. But I knew him well.
Rendel fief was none other than humanity's last survival zone in the age of ruin. I died first, so I didn't see the end, but it was close to where I fell—southwest enough that it must've crumbled soon after.
As the count sat in the reception chair, I extended a friendly hand. Rendel fief was my final fallback if Jores Island fell to monsters and Robros continent was toast. Better cozy up now.
"Long time... Great to meet you. Rendel Count, right? Heard about you now and then."
He shook my hand with a flattered look.
"The honor's mine, White Mask."
"Honor my ass. Hey, Count, you've got a real likable face. Got that certain something."
At my kind words, he bowed even deeper. Makes sense—he was 16, way younger than me, and worlds below my station. I had Kara's queen as a lover and rubbed shoulders with continent powers; he was a rural nobody.
"Thank you, White Mask."
"Enough with the White Mask—call me bro."
"Pardon?"
"You don't seem like a stranger. Kid's got height, looks good too. Born for big things. Haha."
He looked a bit bewildered at the praise. Overdo the friendliness without reason, and it breeds suspicion.
But it was straight facts. By the end of the ruinous age, Rendel Count rose to the world's top power—briefly, sure, but still.
Plus, his fief sat at the corner where Prosia continent's southern coast curved west. Prime spot in the dawning age of sail. Corners are gold in land value.
Rendel fief was a dump for land trade, but my meddling kicked off the maritime era, turning it into jackpot territory.
"Ah, uh..."
Armida sis walked over to me. First time seeing me praise someone.
"Bro. Know him?"
"Not personally, but I've kept tabs. Promising young noble."
"Yeah?"
The count waved his hands frantically.
"No, I'm just newly titled..."
I cut him off, patting his shoulder.
"No need to be so humble. Overdo it, and it looks bad."
"But..."
"You'll be a big name soon. I guarantee it."
"Ah, yes..."
I pulled out a Prosia continent map and spread it on the table.
"This spot looks good."
Rendel Count stared, confused.
"What do you mean?"
"You're here for port construction advice and investment, right?"
"No."
I rolled my eyes. Then why the hell did this kid come?
Right now, Rendel's top priority was building a harbor for ships heading west along the continent coast. That'd pile up riches.
"Then why are you here?"
"A monster appeared in our fief."
"Monster? Hire mercenaries to kill it."
"We hired several companies. All failed."
"What kind?"
"We don't know."
I tilted my head.
"Why not? Didn't the mercs you sent tell you?"
"They were all wiped out."
"Not a single survivor?"
"Yes."
"How many did you send total?"
"100-man, 200-man, 300-man, and 600-man companies."
That's 1,200 mercs total. All dead to the last? No ordinary monster.
Mercs are monster-hunting pros. Total wipeout? Impossible.
"For sure?"
"Yes. Ask the Mercenary Alliance Guild. It's a pretty famous case."
"Any other witnesses?"
"No. All dead."
"How do you know it's a monster then?"
"Some victims left dying messages."
Armida sis sat beside me.
"Bro. This ain't normal."
"Yeah."
"What kind?"
I pondered, then dropped it casually.
"Flying type. Land monsters can't be that fast—someone would've escaped. Has to be aerial."
"What flying monster?"
"Stupid fast one. Even flyers can't wipe everyone without a witness clean like that."
Armida nodded. Sis knew her monsters—Valkyries had been hunting them since humanity's dawn.
One key Valkyrie duty: take down threats to human survival.
"Makes sense. And pretty strong too? Even fast, if weak, mercs would've handled it."
"Yeah. And small size."
Armida raised a brow.
"How do you know it's small?"
"Rendel fief's hot, rainy—dense forests everywhere. Big flyer or not, couldn't kill everyone. Mercs hide in trees, done."
Armida propped her chin.
"Hmm. Okay. But is there such a monster?"
"Yeah. One."
"Which?"
"Sky Despair. Called Heaven's Despair. Eagle-sized, but no joke."
I twitched an eye corner mentioning it.
Armida looked blank.
"Never heard of it."
"Of course not. I named it."
"You? Why?"
"Only I've seen it."
"So why such a grim name?"
"Only I've seen it."
"Huh?"
"Heard the count—total wipeouts. Everyone who meets it dies. Except me."
I gripped Yojyo's hilt and stood. Armida asked,
"Strong?"
"Dunno for sure. But even sis wouldn't find it easy."
She gave me an incredulous look.
"Why?"
"Insanely fast."
"How fast?"
"Dead guys didn't know what killed 'em. Hear it coming only after death."
Sky Despair's threat level was unconfirmed. I saw it, but only ran—no chance to gauge strength.
"What now?"
Armida's question made me clutch Yojyo tighter.
Too dangerous—needed a hunt method now. Numbers were low in the ruinous age, but it toppled fortresses. No countermeasures now, and we'd suffer later.
Especially over Jores Island—no blocking it.
With Armida sis as backup, perfect time. In ruins, it'd be sieged amid hordes—suicide.
Plus, I planned a monster compendium with hunt guides soon. Adding this? Gold. Humans handle it better later.
"Let's go. Minimum 10,000-reif job. And bagging it? Very profitable."
Heaven's Despair. End