Chapter 160
Chapter 160
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 160
Chapter Title: Interrogating the Baron
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Pengolians were elite archers well-trained for battle, but unfortunately, they couldn't take down every single Spiral Wing.
Of the Spiral Wings that attacked Basen Rak Orasun and the Pengolians, seven were shot down, and eight of the fourteen Oguri pilots were found dead.
The remaining pilots had either passed out or fought until the bitter end, but Basen judged it best to capture them alive if possible.
Fortunately, that proved easier than expected.
Basen and the Pengolians managed to take six Oguri pilots prisoner. Then Basen said,
"What a pathetic blade."
Basen swung the notched dagger, and it even bent slightly.
"Even a hundred years ago, our kingdom wouldn't have used something like this."
As he spoke, Basen's gaze fell on the most ornately dressed Oguri.
Baron Golt Tevari of the Fabyrang Union had been discovered with a broken arm.
Golt had escaped his wrecked flyer and lain in ambush, successfully targeting Basen's back.
Though defeated, Golt was a soldier who knew his pride, honor, and duty to his rank.
'That Lizardman is the commander? If I can just kill him, this defeat will have been worth it.'
Golt's ambush had been quite successful.
Basen couldn't help but let his guard down amid the Oguri's pathetic defeat.
He never imagined they could launch such a sharp, silent strike.
But Golt's iron dagger merely glanced off Basen's breastplate.
'Well, even without the armor, this level of sharpness wouldn't have caused much damage...'
Golt muttered like he was making excuses.
"W-We Fabyrang Union haven't built proper forges since crossing to the New Continent... If not for that, you'd be dead!"
"Lucky for me, then."
Basen nodded and pocketed the dagger.
'Union? First I've heard of it. But if they can't even build forges, it makes sense their tech level is so poor. Can they really beat Rakshasa?'
Thinking the prisoner might make interrogation easier, Basen took him to Siol.
He first had the wounded prisoners treated, which left the Oguri, Golt included, visibly flustered.
"Why are you treating slaves so well?"
"Well..."
"No need to answer. I get it. You're going to sacrifice us alive to your guardians!"
Golt pointed at the temple with his uninjured arm, unbandaged.
"We already know you savages offer living sacrifices to your guardians."
Basen was about to explain that neither he nor the Pengolians here were savages—that he hailed from Heukrin beyond the western sea, where healthy prisoners held value.
But what was the point? Instead, Basen said,
"Union, was it?"
"The Fabyrang Union."
"Right. How does your Fabyrang Union handle wounded prisoners?"
Golt declared proudly,
"Keeping them alive wastes resources. We grant them the mercy of death."
"Hmm."
Basen refrained from calling Golt barbaric.
Instead, he inferred the man's upbringing.
'Harsh environment, maybe? Short on food resources?'
Basen asked,
"Where are you from?"
"We crossed the mountains."
"Did your ancestors live on this continent too?"
"No, the Fabyrang Union crossed the sea."
"I see."
Basen had suspected as much.
'Far away, beyond the western continent... no, should call it the eastern continent.'
The world being round was basic knowledge by now.
There were even solid scientific proofs.
'But no direct evidence like this. Cross the eastern sea, and you hit the eastern continent.'
Basen understood they'd developed entirely different tech trees due to the distance.
"Why come to the New Continent?"
"Uh... well... exploration, yeah."
"Exploration. Same as us."
Basen knew Golt was lying.
Golt, meanwhile, thought his lie had worked.
'Their tech is dangerous. If they underestimate us and attack, the Fabyrang Union might not hold without divine aid. Ah, but... their weapons seem awfully advanced—probably rare, expensive ones not standard issue.'
Golt was right about the Fourth Continent.
But he didn't know a Heukrin expeditionary force armed with matchlocks was en route.
Basen said,
"Does everyone on your continent use tech like yours?"
"Huh? No, not at all."
"So yours is the most advanced?"
Golt suddenly puffed up, thumping his chest and snorting.
"Of course. Our rubber power tech is the Fabyrang Union's unique development, honed through long oppression."
"Oppression?"
"Yes. The three races of our Fabyrang Union endured attacks from other races in the continent's fringes. But we defended with fortresses built by superior masonry and achieved self-sufficiency."
Basen interpreted that.
'Isolated, no trade with others.'
To him, it sounded like they'd fortified so well that attackers deemed them not worth the effort and cut diplomatic/economic ties.
Golt continued,
"Then, a dozen years ago, as continental wars intensified, we discovered we could make a powerful substance called rubber from Duduba tree sap. All thanks to the grace of the Wing-Folded Golden Bird..."
"Go on."
"We used that rubber to craft war tools. Over time, we stockpiled them in warehouses. When the moment was right, we'd show our power."
"Oh ho."
Basen said,
"So you unified the continent?"
Golt scolded,
"Ridiculous. No nation, however strong, can unify every country on a continent."
Basen said nothing.
Golt missed the slight upturn of Basen's lips.
"Eventually, a small nation picked a fight. On the Triad Council's orders, we struck. It seemed successful at first."
"And then?"
"Their counterattack began. They lacked your... loud-stick things, but had solid steel. And far greater numbers."
"Wasn't it a small nation?"
"Neighboring countries aided them..."
"Why?"
"We don't know... some diplomatic blunder..."
Basen nodded.
Declaring war beforehand was standard.
A surprise attack without warning could seem unfair.
To justify it, you'd need total victory or crush all complainers by force.
'So this Fabyrang Union ignored basic diplomacy after centuries... holed up... isolated.'
Basen said,
"So you fled to this New Continent?"
"...Yes."
"Didn't you just say you came for exploration?"
"Ah, no. Right, exploration. Slip of the tongue. We came here to recover from defeat. Plenty of slaves to wind rubber bands."
Basen suppressed a laugh and said,
"Hm, attacking your expedition might be dangerous then?"
"Huh? Yes. Best not. Our homeland would send a massive army."
"I'll be careful."
Basen stood and said,
"Rest, Sir Golt. Soon..."
Golt's eyes narrowed.
"Planning to interrogate me?"
"...?"
"Waste of effort. I won't say a word."
Golt clamped his beak shut and glared at Basen.
Basen had meant to say a fine dinner awaited for his cooperation.
'Too late now; it'd hurt his pride.'
Basen glanced at Golt and nodded.
"Golt, may your resolve hold strong."
Even after Basen left the interrogation room, Golt sat glaring for a long time.
The intel Basen gleaned from repeated talks with Golt, plus the captured rubber power and Spiral Wings, raced back to Heukrin's Orasun Palace via regular and fast couriers.
Kyle Rak Orasun, inspecting the better-preserved Spiral Wing and rubber power, said,
"Fascinating. What do you think, Rumph?"
"I agree with Your Majesty. Truly intriguing."
The two stared at the Spiral Wing, not the rubber power.
"This rubber power baffles me. Valuable for storing energy, but..."
"As tested, it takes too long to wind the rubber. And unstable..."
"Exactly. The real marvel is these 'gears.' Wooden, yet so precise... Never seen this tooth pattern. Seen anything like it?"
The Minister of Technology and dwarf Rumph nodded.
"Not identical, but similar. Back home, we gifted kids toys with crank handles. Village artisans made them."
"Interesting. I saw some in ancient ruins."
"Ancient ruins?"
"Precisely, an automaton city."
"Oh ho."
Then the tech workshop door opened, and a white Lizardman entered.
"Knew I'd find you here."
"Deanin, come take a look."
"No, Your Majesty. The Second Expeditionary Force—no, Second Exploration Team—has landed on the southern continent."
"'Just now'?"
"Yes. 'Just now'."
Kyle smiled faintly.
"Our plan worked."
"Yes."
"Then subordinate the Second to the First as planned, and send orders to Basen."
"Understood."
Kyle pondered.
Basen's intel had intriguing points.
One: The so-called Fabyrang Union's military wasn't that strong.
'They invented rubber power but lost chances to refine or integrate it by cutting ties with others.'
And another boon:
With the New Continent discovered, the Fabyrang Union had abandoned their homeland for the Old Continent. Smaller eastern continent nations likely reached the southern continent too.
'Intensifying competition isn't ideal. But...'
Kyle, grasping the structure like his own creation, pulled a gear from the Spiral Wing.
'They haven't invented gunpowder weapons. Just starting to grasp rubber power? Heukrin holds the edge.'
Kyle said to Rumph,
"Think we could make something like this?"