The Fourth Study - Drought (3)

“Teacher. Father has become strange.”

“?”

“He completely removed the 外出 (wàichū) restrictions that had been binding me From today onward, I can wander anywhere inside the castle or outside it without worrying about the time!”

Iron Mace White had controlled Belladia with extreme strictness. He believed that only by keeping her on a leash could he even partially suppress her madness.

‘For Iron Mace White, there was no other choice, but it wasn’t the best decision. He should have acknowledged ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠early on that his daughter was different from others and provided her with tailored education. If he had, there would have been fewer victims.’

However, uncontrolled restrictions and misguided treatment had only worsened the situation. It was fortunate that things were finally returning to their proper place.

“Make sure you always wear the ring.”

“Yes! I won’t disappoint you, Teacher.”

“What about your father?”

“It’s fine if I disappoint Father!”

“….”

The father-daughter relationship was still complicated, but it had certainly improved compared to before. Once trust built between them, meaningful change might come in the future.

‘These days, Iron Mace White meets with the Troll Chieftain every day to receive advice on his daughter’s discipline.’

While interpreting the methodology of discipline for them, I too received intellectual stimulation. Marriage and child-rearing were areas even a Lore Master knew nothing about.

‘It seems there is wisdom that can only be gained through marriage and parenting. I won’t be able to acquire it myself, though…’

My previous life had been devoted to gaming, and this life would be devoted to research. Forming special bonds with someone and strengthening them was neither my strength nor my interest.

“The river has revealed its bed!”

“The Stone of Famine has appeared!”

“Uwaaaah! We’re all going to die!”

The record-breaking drought was driving the people of the territory into terror. Just as everyone began to believe there was no future and fear spread like a plague—

“All lords and village chiefs from across the lands, gather at Harrington Castle! His Excellency the Count has an edict!”

Chancellor Urban had summoned the territory’s leaders. Once the audience chamber was packed so tightly that there was no room to step, the briefing began.

“His Grace the Young Count has prepared a way to save you all. We will draw groundwater from the Troll Mountains and supply it to every village. All local officials must actively cooperate in constructing the water channels!”

Belladia needed to solidify her position as the official heir to the County. The achievements from this project would belong to her.

“Tellorian. Is it truly acceptable for you to hand over all your merits to others? As the one receiving them, I am truly grateful, but…”

Urban stroked his brown beard with an awkward expression. In the script I had written, Belladia was the planner of the project, and Urban was the executor.

“Is there any reason not to hand them over?”

“Do you not desire fame and accomplishments?”

“How honest an answer do you want?”

“Hmm…”

Urban fell into thought as he smoothed his beard. Tellorian’s inner thoughts sometimes ruined the taste of bread. When the arrogance of a genius and the haughtiness of a mage combined, it naturally turned out that way.

“I’d like the truth at about half strength.”

“A mage is not a profession that requires popular fame. The true value of magic is never revealed to those who value appearances.”

To the public, mages were those who could foresee the future and shoot flames from their hands. But those with wisdom knew the truth. A mage’s real power lay in the ability to define problems and solve them.

“The public hates those who try to teach them the most.”

“…That is true.”

“Moreover, they greatly fear power they cannot understand. Therefore, the public has no reason to like mages, and mages have no need to try to win their favor. It’s impossible anyway.”

Mages are people who know more and see farther than others. But not everyone acknowledges that. Especially devout people tend to believe that human intellect has clear limits.

“Therefore, rather than popular recognition, I need the support of awakened individuals like you or Iron Mace White. That’s why I handed over the merits.”

In my previous life, I would have judged myself for saying something that would get a spellcaster hit with a hand axe. But after rolling around at the bottom of this medieval land, I had become certain.

‘Those goat-brained fools cannot be enlightened!’

It was far more efficient and comfortable to persuade the nobility instead. Since they had received education, at least they understood when taught.

“Thank you for being honest with me, Tellorian.”

“I feel better after revealing my true thoughts as well.”

“I’m glad I can be someone you can speak your mind to!”

When the Stone Trolls finally appeared at the construction site, the people of the territory fell into panic. The man-eating monsters were going to work alongside them at the site?!

‘This isn’t something that can be solved with persuasion.’

An ordinary mage would have gathered the village chiefs and given a lecture. Explaining how the trolls that had arrived were different from other trolls, and how excellently he had civilized them with his magic…

‘And then he would have slammed into the wall of reality.’

In a world where the ability to read and write was the privilege of the educated, even if a suspicious person like a court mage appeared and tried to persuade them, the commoners would never believe it.

“Everyone, attention!”

“…Y-Your Excellency the Count!”

The people of the territory knelt toward the fully armed Iron Mace White. He was a model monarch who received both the respect and fear of his subjects in equal measure.

“From today onward, the trolls are your comrades.”

“…?!”

“I personally subdued their chieftain and brought them under my command. They are now the same vassals as you, so do not fight them. Get along well! Understood?!”

Yes.

Yeees!

At first, the people accepted the Count’s command with half belief and half doubt. No matter how strong Iron Mace White was, the idea of a human subjugating trolls sounded strange.

“Carry! Stones!”

“Move! Human!”

“Stack! Stone piles!”

“Follow! Great Chieftain!”

“…???”

But as the Stone Trolls quietly carried out the construction work, the people widened their eyes and began whispering among themselves.

‘The trolls are really working with us?’

‘No one has died for three days!’

‘It was possible to tame trolls?’

‘That just shows how great our lord is!’

The fact that they had to live alongside monsters was uncomfortable and frightening. However, the immediate reality that the water channels were desperately needed made them forget that discomfort and fear.

“Hey! Troll brother!”

“You call? Me?”

“Yeah! You! Want to have a snack together?”

They sweated together and gradually adapted to each other’s presence. The humans ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠learned how not to provoke the trolls, and the trolls began learning how to live mixed into human civilization.

“Brought! Today! Gift!”

“T-Tiger meat?!”

“Good at. Hunting! I am!”

Thanks to this, the Stone Trolls were accepted as citizens of the County. Many people would still find the situation uncomfortable going forward, but they would not voice complaints in the face of Iron Mace White’s strict orders and practical necessity.

‘The experiment is a success.’

The ultimate goal of troll research was to erase the boundary between monster and person. To make everyone recognize that all intelligent beings are equal people, and that there are norms of respect that must be observed between people.

“That sounds excessively self-righteous.”

“I’ll hear your objection, Urban.”

“Humans are creatures that discriminate against their own kind based on appearance and status. Yet you intend to make people treat hideous monsters like trolls as equals? I could understand if it were similar-looking races like elves or dwarves, but trolls?”

Urban spoke with a cynical smile.

“I can say with certainty that if you wish to achieve your goal, you will end up following the precedent of the Mage Kings. You will have to build a colossal Magic Tower, scramble human minds, forcibly crossbreed different species to create hybrids, and you must not tolerate even the slightest resistance to your tyranny. Because all of humanity will come to hate you.”

Urban’s criticism was a point worth pondering. Mages evaluated the standard of [person] based on [intelligence]. But not all humans would agree with such a standard.

‘When humans arrived on the western continent during the Age of Conquest, the rise and fall of various races intersected. The representative cases are the elves and the goblins.’

Elves and goblins shared a significant biological commonality. They had a common ancestor with humans, allowing interbreeding, and their innate intelligence was similar.

‘Yet the conquerors’ attitudes toward them were extremely different. Elves became consorts to human kings and princes, while goblins were exterminated.’

The fundamental difference?

Goblins are hideous.

Elves are beautiful.

“Tellorian. Are you a mage? Or a human?”

“I am a mage of human origin. The two are inseparable.”

“If you had to choose only one?”

“That’s a difficult question.”

Tellorian gave an awkward smile.

“It’s like asking me to choose between my mother and father. Who could make such a choice?”

Urban shrugged.

“I am absolutely on my father’s side.”

“…Is that so?”

“Mother would hit me every time she drank. She would always complain that if it weren’t for me, she would have given up on this kind of family life long ago.”

An unexpected fact.

He must have come from a well-off household.

“I hope that before you are a mage, you will remain human. No matter how outstanding an intellect a heteromorph may possess, they are still a heteromorph. It means they are worth less than a human.”

Urban was a typical humanist. Was it because he had studied in an empire that made humanism its national policy? Or had the antipathy he originally held toward heteromorphs simply been reinforced after meeting like-minded people?

‘But Urban’s ideology is a problem Urban himself decided. On the other hand, I could not give a clear answer to his question.’

I felt closer to humans than to heteromorphs, yet I preferred an honorable orc over a vile human. I believed that anyone with intelligence and conscience deserved respect regardless of species.

‘The time to decide will come soon.’

Once the drought ended, a great flood would sweep over Heartland. But this great flood would not be one of river water mixed with mud.

‘For now, let’s focus on the task before us.’

I shook off my idle thoughts and checked the construction site through the crystal ball. Urban, who was supervising the site foremen, waved his hand in response.

“Tellorian! We’re running out of stone!”

“Even after preparing that much stone?”

“Yes! The trolls’ construction speed is faster than you predicted, so supply can’t keep up.”

When I went to the construction site, Olgoldugolro the female chieftain’s vigorous activity was dazzling. Perhaps because her intelligence had risen to 20, she easily understood even complex architectural blueprints and was giving optimized instructions accordingly.

“Greetings, Olgoldugolro, female chieftain.”

“Welcome, Grey Sage.”

The troll chieftain bowed her head and spread both hands, grasping at the empty air. It was an imitation of ladies’ etiquette. Well, she was a baroness now.

“…Grey Sage?”

“You always wear only grey robes, so I thought you must like the color grey. If you prefer another color, I can come up with a new epithet…”

No.

The color wasn’t the issue.

“Why do you call me Sage?”

To be called a Sage, one needed the approval of the Council of Sages. Just as an independent monarch needed the approval of other kings to claim the title of king.

“I understand why the peasants call me Sage. But you are someone who has received a noble title and possess greater intellect than anyone else in the territory.”

Therefore, having the official title of Sage become fixed could cause problems. Just as drunkards calling someone king was harmless, but nobles doing so would create discord.

“Ah. I apologize.”

Olgoldugolro bowed deeply without hesitation.

“This one’s learning was insufficient, so I failed to consider the Grey Sage’s position. From now on, I shall call you Lord Grundark.”

Grundark?

Deep Rock?

“Yes. I will use it as a common term for Sage.”

“…I told ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you I am not a Sage.”

There were two conditions for entering the Council of Sages. One must be a mage of level 50 or higher. One must have acquired four or more Legacies. At the very least, one had to be at a level worthy of being called the greatest mage of the era.

“That is something I still cannot understand.”

Olgoldugolro tilted her head in confusion.

“You have evolved us trolls—who were no different from monsters—into intelligent beings. Thanks to you, those who once devoured each other are now learning how to coexist. If someone who has accomplished such a great feat is not a Sage, then who could possibly be a Sage?”