Chapter 205 - <12>
Ritz had kept his senses sharp just in case while he slept, but when he came to, he realized he must have been sound asleep, because it was morning. Beside him, Franz was curled up, sleeping with his usual anguished expression. Edward, as always, was gone. He'd never say it out loud, but old men woke up early.
It had been a little over two weeks since they'd entered Zeum, and this was the first peaceful morning they'd had. It seemed Taisha really had no intention of turning them over to Kuchiba. His intuition that there was no deception in her expression had been correct.
He stretched wide, listening to the birds chirping and taking in the light streaming through the curtainless window, when a wave of pain from his various wounds hit him.
The self-inflicted cut on his cheek was the worst. Every time he brushed the wound, he remembered Anna being taken right before his eyes and gritted his teeth. Whenever he dozed off in the carriage, he would wake up to visions of Kuchiba's face and Anna's screams, but he couldn't let Franz see any of it.
If Ritz showed impatience or anxiety, Franz would feel even more of it. He had to remain solid and calm here.
Still, sometimes, like now, he found himself alone, wrestling with mortifying thoughts of Anna. The soft touch and shy smile she gave him right before Kuchiba took her. If he didn't get Anna back, he would lose everything.
"Blaming yourself again?"
He looked up at the voice to see Edward standing in the doorway with a bitter smile, looking like a big brother concerned for his younger sibling. This sliding door, which made more noise than he expected, had been left open since last night.
"Regret won't change anything. The priority is to think of our next move and get out of here."
"I know that."
Ritz looked away, avoiding Edward's direct gaze, and Edward laughed.
"Don't act like a child forever. That's why Anna calls you cute, you know."
"…Cute? Me?"
"That's right. She says it often. Apparently, because you're so cute, she feels like she has to protect you."
"What's that supposed to mean…"
It was easy to imagine the look on Anna's face when she said it, and he scratched his head in embarrassment. I'm the one who wants to protect her.
"Anna is fine. So if you're down, it'll only make things harder for her."
With that, Edward patted Ritz's shoulder and sat down on the floor. This room, like the inn they stayed at in the city, had no chairs to sit on.
"…I know, I know."
His chest ached with a mix of embarrassment and the loneliness of Anna's absence. To distract himself, he sat up and roughly kicked the still-sleeping Franz awake.
"Hey, it's almost noon."
"…Still sleepy."
Showing no intention of getting up, Franz pulled the blanket over his head.
"Jeez. You wouldn't think this was the same guy who was so tense last night, thinking Taisha might be an enemy."
He sighed theatrically and spoke in a light tone. Franz poked his head out from under the blanket and sat up with a start.
"…Right…"
It seemed he had forgotten even where he was. Looking at Franz's messy, bed-headed golden hair and puffy, sleepy eyes, Ritz shot him an exasperated, teasing look before turning back to Edward.
"Ed, out for your usual walk?"
"Yes. Old habits die hard."
"Well, you're an early riser, can't be helped."
As he said it casually, a glint appeared in Edward's light-blue eyes.
"Is that a provocation, implying I'm an old man?"
"That's not what I said, is it?"
Though he was smiling, there was a subtle hint of seriousness in Edward's tone that put Ritz at ease. Being fussed over by Edward made him uncomfortable. He'd rather be yelled at than worried over. But Edward must have noticed it in his face, because he gave a wry smile.
"Well, never mind that. Something strange happened, you see."
At Edward's sudden change of topic, Ritz looked at him. Edward's gaze had turned serious.
"Do you remember coming through the forest when we arrived at this house by carriage?"
"Of course."
"Well, did you think that forest was a deep one?"
"Huh?"
As he recalled, the path they took was more like a grove than a forest. Edward couldn't have failed to notice that. Not quite understanding the meaning of Edward's question, Ritz furrowed his brow. Franz asked with a perplexed look.
"I don't understand what you mean…"
"The meaning is exactly as I said. Was the forest we passed through deep?"
With the question repeated, he exchanged a look with Franz. Seeing Franz's baffled expression, Ritz asked on his behalf.
"You're being serious, right?"
"I am."
If he was going to say that, they had no choice but to answer seriously.
"It wasn't much of a forest, was it? Only took a few minutes to get through."
"Right. By any measure, it was closer to a grove than a forest."
"If you knew that, then…"
"And yet, no matter how much I walk, I can't get out of this forest."
It took a few seconds to comprehend the meaning of those words.
"Why not? You just have to go straight, right?"
"I thought so and tried. I wanted to see how far those men from yesterday had come. But I can't leave the forest."
"No way. Did you get lost?"
"…Me?"
He averted his gaze from Edward's calm stare. He had meant it as a joke, but looking at Edward's face, this seemed to be a serious situation.
"…Why would that be?"
"I do not know. But it is a fact that some kind of force is at work, keeping us from leaving."
"So, you're saying we can't get out of here?"
"It would seem so."
"I don't get it…"
A voice suddenly cut into their conversation.
"That's because I am a former High Priest, and an exile."
At the unexpected words, they turned and gasped. Taisha stood at the entrance of the sliding door, smiling as always. While Ritz and Franz stared at her, dumbfounded, Edward asked on their behalf.
"So, you were before Kuchiba?"
"Oh, you know that child? Yes, I was the High Priest before Kuchiba. Though I believe I am the only High Priest in history to be dismissed."
"Dismissed…?"
When he asked, Taisha nodded calmly and smiled.
"That is why I am confined here. That forest is a barrier; people without the guidance of a Spirit King cannot enter, and even those who enter with a Spirit King's guidance cannot leave."
"Cannot leave…?"
"It has been about a hundred years since I came here, and I still cannot leave. Well, animals and cargo wagons can come and go, so there's no problem having supplies delivered. I won't starve to death, so you can rest assured."
They were speechless at Taisha's matter-of-fact and utterly hopeless words. Did this mean everyone here was trapped until they died?
He glanced over and saw Franz sitting dumbfounded, and even the unflappable Edward's cheek was twitching slightly.
A hundred years…
To be here for that long, and for Taisha, a former High Priest, to be unable to leave, was no small matter. And while a hundred years was still within Ritz's lifespan, the other two would certainly be dead. In other words, under normal circumstances, neither of them would ever be able to leave.
"Shall we discuss the details after we eat?"
With a calm smile, Taisha invited the three of them to the dining room they had been in yesterday. Their minds reeling, they sat at the table, where steaming white rice, grilled fish, and salted vegetables were laid out. There was also a soup he'd never seen before, and beside it, what appeared to be boiled potatoes.
"The rice is delivered in large quantities once every six months, and other ingredients arrive by an unmanned carriage once a month. The temple in a nearby town arranges it for me. The vegetables are homegrown, so they're not spoiled. Feel free to eat."
Taisha looked a little pleased as she explained. It was hard to imagine given the mess when they first arrived, but it seemed Taisha had prepared all this herself. There was no cutlery, only chopsticks.
In an instant, his confusion was forgotten, and his stomach rumbled. They had been so exhausted yesterday that they had collapsed into sleep, making do with whatever preserved food they had. So a warm meal was something they hadn't had since leaving the city.
Even Franz, who usually looked on in exasperation at Ritz and Anna's gluttony, was staring at the food, practically drooling. The shock of their confinement was one thing, but they hadn't eaten properly in a week, so it was only natural.
The instincts of a living creature are thousands of times more powerful than thought. Ritz himself was well aware of that.
"Franz, was it? Could you make some tea? It's been a long time since I've had such delicious tea."
As she spoke, she pointed to a pot and a tea caddy. Franz came to his senses and wiped his mouth. He must have been truly hungry.
"Well then…"
He was about to nod but glanced at the table and let out a small sigh.
"…I don't think this meal would go well with black tea."
"Is that so? I don't mind at all."
"I'll make green tea. That would be better."
Franz, who had brewed and drunk plenty of green tea in Suien, said this, rummaged through the tea caddies, pulled out a can of green tea, and put the leaves in. A pleasant aroma filled the room. This, too, was likely part of the food delivered by the unmanned carriage.
"Now, let's eat. When we're done, I'll tell you everything I know, so don't worry."
With that, Taisha put her hands together.
"I give thanks to the spirits that dwell in all food and to the love of my God who has provided it."
Watching Taisha, he somehow found himself lightly putting his own hands together before picking up his chopsticks. Having used them in Suien, he was somewhat accustomed to them. Franz and Edward seemed to be struggling.
Between the long-awaited meal and the new flavors, he found himself eating with abandon. A week of just preserved bread and water had been tough, after all.
Once everyone had finished eating and settled down, Taisha once again requested tea from Franz. She seemed to have taken a great liking to yesterday's tea. Sipping the warm beverage, Taisha finally told them what this place was.
"You seem to know Kuchiba, so you must know what the High Priest does, correct?"
She asked calmly, and they nodded. They had been made to understand all too well.
"I broke the foremost taboo imposed upon the High Priest. That is why I am confined in this place. A place from which I can never leave."
As she murmured this, Taisha glanced at Franz.
"You look puzzled."
"…I thought Kuchiba would kill anyone who broke a taboo."
It was a conclusion born from past experience. Ritz agreed with him.
"Indeed, I thought so too. But surprisingly, God saved me. Perhaps God could not bear to kill me. You see, I am the High Priest who was with God for the longest time in history."
"Does that happen often?"
At Franz's question, Taisha nodded.
"I knew such things could happen. God occasionally saves those who break taboos on a whim. We are forbidden from knowing or asking why, however."
"I see…"
Franz said with a sigh of relief. If God was Orphe, it would have made Orphe a cruel being who ordered their deaths. But knowing that he also saved people must have brought him some peace of mind.
"In my experience, I am one of only two people whose lives God has spared. What to do with the other one was something I asked God myself."
"Another one?"
"She was a girl from my clan, a candidate for High Priest. It was over two hundred years ago now."
Realizing who it was, he couldn't help but stare at Taisha.
"Her name was Moegi, wasn't it?"
"You know her well. An acquaintance?"
"…She's my mother."
"! Moegi's!?"
Taisha stared at Ritz's face in astonishment.
"You certainly have a trace of Moegi. Ah, and you resemble Kuchiba, too. I see, the child of Moegi and a young man from the Clan of Light. Is Moegi well?"
"Very well, yes."
He sighed, remembering how affectionate his parents had been when he returned home. It was hard to believe she had a past like this.
"That is good to hear. I was concerned about Moegi, but I was dismissed myself less than a hundred years later, so I had no way of knowing. So, you are Moegi's child…"
Taisha murmured this, looking fondly nostalgic, then raised her head.
"What brings you to Zeum? From your appearances, you are clearly not from this country."
At the question, he glanced over. The color had completely faded from Edward's and Franz's hair, returning them to their original gold. As he wondered how much to say, Taisha smiled calmly.
"Yes. Before I ask about you, I should tell you my own story. After hearing it, you can judge whether I am a person worthy of hearing yours."
With those quiet words, Taisha closed her eyes, as if reminiscing.
"I was dismissed because I was captivated by the power of God and wished to create it myself."
She spoke quietly but with force, then opened her eyes.
"God called his own power 'Science.' Though I was a spirit user, I became fascinated by science. Even though it was forbidden as an absolute law."
"Science…?"
It was a word he'd never heard before.
"Yes. God was a great spirit user. But on rare occasions, in my presence, he would refer to himself as a scientist."
Seeing their confusion, Taisha smiled.
"There are countless spirits on this continent. With their help, one can see far away, fly, and make it rain. Depending on how they are used, spirit magic holds infinite possibilities. Various tools have also been created by utilizing the habits of these spirits. Of course, the power of spirits can be used to start wars, to fight, and to heal the wounded. It is a double-edged sword."
With that, the man sipped the long-awaited tea Franz had prepared.
"But to do so, a spirit user is required. Only through a spirit user can that power be obtained. You know this, do you not?"
Taisha asked, looking at the three of them in turn. Franz, the spirit user, gave a small nod. It was common knowledge to everyone living on this continent.
"But what if one could obtain power similar to that of the spirits without using them?"
Taisha's gaze was fixed on Franz, the spirit user, but it was because of this that Franz was even more bewildered. Edward answered in his stead.
"If everyone could use it, there would be nothing better."
With the expression of a teacher, Taisha gave Edward a deep nod.
"Yes. Everyone thinks so. I understand science to be the creation of such things through various tools."
"Indeed…"
Edward nodded, impressed.
"But do you understand what would happen if science were to spread throughout this world, and spirits were to be disregarded?"
Taisha asked, looking around at all of them, but they were at a loss for words, having never imagined such a thing. Ritz, for one, had never thought about it so deeply. But Edward, after some thought, murmured softly.
"They would become unnecessary. Both the spirits and the spirit users."
"That's right. And the power that only spirit users of special birth could wield will be used by everyone, science will spread throughout the continent, and the spirits will be forgotten. And this continent, supported by the spirits, will follow a path to ruin."
"Why would it be ruined? What connection is there between convenience and that?"
Taisha smiled at Edward, who asked with a furrowed brow.
"Spirits have hearts, and those who use them also have hearts. Spirits will not lend their power to those who disrespect them. But science has no heart. The more convenient it is, the more people will praise science and lose their hearts, stealing the places where spirits dwell. If that happens, just as a spirit user can be dominated by a spirit's rampage, people will be dominated by the silent rampage of science."
The man stood up and went to a small altar.
"You are all human, are you not? Then you must have myths that have been passed down."
With that, Taisha began to recite a certain passage.
A long, long time ago, there were four wars on a blue planet.
Time and again, people repeated their mistakes, and the planet gradually became exhausted.
It was a legend Franz knew well, one passed down among humans.
"It is said that the land where the gods dwelt was ravaged by four wars, killing both humans and spirits, and the land they lived on was poisoned."
"By just four wars?"
In this land where civil wars and conflicts still broke out sporadically, there had been far more than four wars. For Ritz, it was even a part of daily life. Seeing Ritz's confusion, Taisha gave a pitying smile.
"We cannot know, but it is said that weapons were used that could take hundreds of thousands of lives in an instant with a single strike. The land where those weapons were used was poisoned and died out."
"…Can't even imagine it…"
He shrugged with a sigh and glanced at Edward, who had also lived through war. Edward crossed his arms with a sigh of his own.
"Indeed."
"I'm sure. But in the land of the gods, that actually happened. The spirits eventually cried out in despair, and the people perished in agony, with no way to escape."
Taisha's detached words described an unimaginable horror. As he frowned, Taisha gave a small nod.
"I hear the catalyst was the advancement of what should have been convenient science. Science, which should have made people's lives easier, killed the spirits, killed the people, and killed the world. The legends passed down on the human side are cautionary tales to prevent humans from repeating the same mistakes, while those passed down on the higher race side tell the story of the gods creating this country. The two are two sides of the same legend."
As she spoke, Taisha stood before the cluttered altar and opened what looked like a small door. Inside was a gem identical to the one Ritz and the others carried.
"When I was dismissed, God secretly had me take this. I was taught that my God was the one and only absolute, and I believed it to be so, but in the three hundred years I was with him, I feel that he sometimes had doubts and worries."
She murmured, gently cradling the gem in her hands.
"It may have been my imagination, but God was not absolute; he was a person who hesitated."
At Taisha's words, Franz's face lifted.
"At times, he was ruthless and merciless. I myself once destroyed an entire city on his orders."
Taisha's detached words brought Kuchiba to mind. He remembered how Kuchiba had plotted to destroy the city of Suien without any hesitation.
"But what my God did was always consistent. Those he ordered to be assassinated were always those who created 'science' that approached the realm of God, and the times he ordered war to be waged were when a country became too prosperous in peace and was about to become a breeding ground for 'science.' And one other thing, God would sometimes wield a great axe to protect all the higher races. My God was fighting a lonely battle to protect the higher races and the spirits."
With that, Taisha helped herself to the rest of the tea from the pot and poured it into her cup.
"But by being with him for so long, I could sense that God was saddened by it. Because I understood, I tried to learn what this 'science' that tormented God was. However, I became fascinated by that science myself. This was a great miscalculation. Though I was in a position to regulate it, I myself ended up seeking science."
Taisha took down a stack of papers that had been piled on the table and spread them out. On them were drawings of various things he had never seen before. A mountain with two long, crossed poles attached to it, a basket with wings, and more.
Among them, a drawing of a particularly large ship caught his eye. The ship had several large, round, ball-like objects attached to it, and a fin-like object at the stern. The ship, unlike anything he had ever seen, was covered in detailed writing and numbers.
"Does that one catch your eye?"
Noticing Ritz looking at it, Taisha took out a single sheet of paper and spread it on the table. What he had seen was only a folded part; when spread out, he could see it was quite large. But he couldn't quite tell what it was.
"It is a vehicle I designed. It can fly without the power of spirits."
"Fly… in the sky!?"
"That's right. The 'science' most strictly forbidden by God was flying. The sky is the domain of God, leading to the heavens. But that is what I found most fascinating. Such a me, God sadly confined to this place. And he let me keep this."
With that, Taisha carefully returned the gem to the altar.
"That is enough about my personal history. For over a hundred years since then, the Eye of the Spirit King never once shone. But a little while ago, it suddenly began to glow. And then, for the first time in a long while, I heard the voice of my God."
"God's?"
"That's right. He said that those who would satisfy my quest for knowledge were coming. For me, the words of my God are absolute. So I boiled water and waited for my guests. And then you arrived."
Taisha picked up the teapot to pour some tea, but noticing it was empty, she reluctantly set it down with a disappointed look.
"So you have been here alone for a hundred years?"
At Edward's question, Taisha gave a small shake of her head.
"That is not so. I actually had one guest before."
Strange words. If he couldn't get out, then that guest should still be within this barrier. Noticing Ritz's suspicious expression, Taisha gave a wry smile.
"I understand your doubt. Even I still don't fully understand it. The guest who appeared from somewhere returned to the sky, you see."
"The sky?"
"Yes. The sky. It was then that I learned. The only place this barrier connects to the outside world is directly above my house. It's a place that cannot be reached even by flying with a wind spirit, so it should be impossible for a person to leave, but I can only think that the man who visited came from there. And right before my eyes, he left from there."
There was a man who crossed a barrier that even the High Priest of the Clan of Darkness could not. Didn't that mean one thing? Yes, that man was the god that the Clan of Darkness worshipped… Waiting for Taisha to continue, she opened her mouth with a deep sense of emotion.
"When that man appeared, I was surprised and wondered where he had entered from. He did not seem like a man who would do something so audacious."
"What kind of man was he?"
As Franz leaned forward to ask, Taisha laughed.
"He was an interesting man. Though he seemed somewhat absent-minded, he was quite firm when he commented on my research. And yet, he was completely hopeless at cooking and cleaning. When the two of us, he and I, who are both clumsy, did the housework, we would end up making a mess in each other's domains. I believe he said he was researching tools that used spirit magic."
At the familiar description, Franz shot to his feet.
"Could that person, by any chance, be named Orphe?"
"…You know him well."
"I knew it…"
"An acquaintance?"
At Taisha's furrowed brow, Franz answered firmly.
"He is my master."
"Master…? I met him about fifty years ago, but is he still alive? He does not belong to any of the higher races, though?"
"…Yes. He's still about twice my age."
At Franz's answer, Taisha fell silent, then eventually muttered with a groan.
"So, it's true, then."
"What is?"
"So… it was true…"
As Taisha remained silent, Franz declared.
"I have traveled this far to meet my master again. I am heading to Kuchiba. Don't you know? Who my master is."
Even with Franz pressing him, Taisha remained silent, lost in thought. At first, Franz waited for Taisha to speak, but after several minutes with no movement, he reluctantly went to make tea. It seemed Franz thought that if he made Taisha drink his tea, she might open up.
Even after boiling the water and returning, Taisha was still lost in thought. Franz placed a cup of steaming tea in front of her, and as if waking up, Taisha blinked.
"Ah, my apologies."
Taisha immediately picked up the cup she received. For a moment, she held it, letting the steam warm her chin as she thought, then finally took a sip and murmured.
"When I first met Orphe, I didn't feel like he was a stranger. I even felt as if I had known him for a long time. I tried to think it was just sentimentality from being trapped alone for so long, but Orphe was… my God, wasn't he…"
"…My God…"
"In fact, he disappeared into the sky. He disappeared so lightly, as if he had no weight at all. There is no way a human or a member of a higher race could do such a thing. That was my God."
Taisha, who had spoken as if muttering to herself, stared intently at Franz.
"You were his student?"
"Yes. Until about two years ago."
"I see… My God is well."
As Taisha fell silent again, Franz pressed her.
"Who is this God? Is he the Darkness Spirit King? Or is he the god paired with the Goddess?"
It was a question the three of them had pondered endlessly without reaching a conclusion.
"Please tell me. Who is my master!?"
Frustrated, Franz raised his voice. Taisha looked up at him. Staring intently into Franz's eyes, Taisha let out a quiet sigh.
"My God is neither a Spirit King nor a paired god. The Darkness Spirit King died, leaving our clan behind, and the paired god refers to that Spirit King."
"Then…"
"My God is the Omniscient God, who eternally manages the order of this world in place of all the Spirit Kings and the Goddess who have left their physical bodies and returned to the land of the gods."
"The Omniscient God… that master?"
Franz collapsed weakly into his chair.
"Impossible…"
Indeed, even Ritz found it hard to believe that the Orphe he knew was the Omniscient God. After all, the Omniscient God had treated them to royal milk tea, made shop banners with overly artistic lettering, and accidentally sold junk to petty crooks.
The only things he had done that seemed worthy of an Omniscient God were creating the 'Infinite Nightmare' and secretly leaving a letter in the underground storage of the royal castle.
Seeing their reactions, Taisha furrowed her brow suspiciously.
"You seem dissatisfied."
"Well, I mean…"
He couldn't help but give a bitter smile to brush it off. Beside him, Franz sighed.
"I was with him for five years, but he never did anything god-like… not once…"
"You lived with him for five years?"
"Yes. For five years, he was hopeless at housework and always had a dazed, sleepy look on his face."
At Franz's light nod, Taisha's eyes widened.
"That's unbelievable. I thought he was just putting on a clumsy act so I wouldn't notice…"
"I don't think he could keep up an act every day for five years."
"I see… Then for what purpose did my God, in the form of Orphe, come to me here?"
With a small sigh, Taisha fell silent again. Averting his gaze from Franz, who was impatiently waiting for her to speak, Ritz examined the unfolded blueprint of the flying vehicle before him. He noticed that Edward, next to him, was also looking at it.
"…If it really flies, it's an amazing thing."
"Yeah. If it flies, that is."
Suddenly, the paper vanished from before the two murmuring men. He looked up to see Taisha standing with the paper in her hand.
"I've figured it out."
Taisha said and spread the blueprint.
"God may have been telling me to try it. To see how the world I know would change as a result. This must be what he meant by 'those who would satisfy my quest for knowledge are coming'."
Confused by the sudden turn of events, he looked at Taisha. The quiet, elderly atmosphere she had had until now had vanished, and she was overflowing with the energy of a man with a purpose.
"What is your destination?"
Leaning forward suddenly, she asked. Franz, taken aback, drew back slightly and answered.
"To my master. And first, there is a reason we must go to the Great Temple of Darkness…"
"I see! Then that's perfect!"
"Um…"
Taisha, who no longer seemed to hear Franz's words—he probably wanted to say that their companion was being held captive—shone with her energetic, dark brown eyes.
"You all, there is a way to get out of this barrier."
"Really!?"
He leaned forward involuntarily, and Taisha smiled confidently.
"Really. We'll fly out."
"Fly?"
"That's right. With this!"
With that, Taisha slapped the blueprint of the flying vehicle with a thwap.
"No way… it really flies!?"
He couldn't help but shout, and Taisha beamed.
"The only way out is through the sky. Of course. Now, come with me!"
With that same momentum, Taisha dashed out of the hut. From the open door, the peaceful sound of birds chirping could be heard.
Mixed with that sound was the loud crash of something falling.
"…You okay, old man?"
He murmured involuntarily, and Edward patted his shoulder.
"'Okay' or not, if the only way out is the sky, we have no choice but to bet on it. We can't be trapped here for a hundred years like the old man, and you want to see Anna as soon as possible, don't you?"
"…Well, yeah."
"It's worth a shot, isn't it?"
When put so cheerfully, it was true. They had been saved by the guidance of the gem, and he had no intention of dying in this place.
"But, the sky?"
Franz, who was afraid of heights, shivered as if he had heard something terrifying.
"I'd rather not…"
"Then you'll just have to rot here, huh?"
"…Absolutely not."
"Alright then, let's go."
He slapped Franz's shoulder repeatedly. Whether from the pain or his dislike of flying, Franz made a grand grimace.
"See you later."
Leaving Franz behind, he stepped outside and was enveloped in crisp, clear air and bright light. A midsummer afternoon in Yuresla was so hot he wouldn't even think of going out, but here, the dazzling light of the brightly shining sun was pleasant.
"Hey, where's the old man?"
He muttered, looking around. Edward, who had come up right behind him, pointed.
"Over there, it seems."
He looked in that direction and gave a bitter smile. A tremendous amount of dust was being spewed from the entrance of a large, stable-like wooden building. The inside was probably covered in as much dust as the guest room Ritz and the others had cleaned yesterday.
By the time Franz emerged from the hut, his steps heavy and slow, Taisha came out of the building, coughing violently.
"Over here, come over here."
He stood before the building where Taisha was waving her arms with the same momentum as before, but he couldn't see inside clearly due to the thick, billowing dust. As the four of them stood silently, staring into the building, the amount of dust spewing from the entrance gradually decreased, and they began to see inside.
Illuminated by the slanting light pouring in from the many windows in the upper part of the large building, there was a large ship.
"A ship…"
Franz, who hadn't seen the blueprint, murmured softly, while Edward just uttered a single, impressed, "Hoh." Ritz, too, stared at it with a sigh.
It was a ship large enough for five or six people to board. In the middle, a sturdy-looking cloth was rolled up and stacked. On each side of the ship, a small boat was attached via unfamiliar wooden poles. Boards were laid across the top.
What was there was the flying ship drawn on that blueprint.
"This is the flying ship I created through a hundred years of trial and error. It is still in the prototype stage, but it seems it will finally see the light of day."
Taisha struck the wooden beam running through the center of the ship hard. A dry, pleasant sound echoed. The ship, a hundred years in the making, had likely been carefully protected from the wind and rain here.
"If you help me, it will be complete in a few days. What do you say? Care to try flying?"
Hope welled up at Taisha's confident words. With that giant elephant appearing, it had become almost impossible to aim for the Great Temple by carriage as they had been. But they might be able to make it from the sky. If Taisha was a former High Priest who regulated science, then there was nothing else like this ship in the world.
In other words, the Great Temple had absolutely no defense against this ship.
"Will it definitely fly?"
"Absolutely. I've flown models made just like this many times. There's no doubt."
"And we can reach the Great Temple?"
"With this ship, it's possible. However, piloting it will be up to you."
He turned and looked at Edward and Franz. If there was no other way, they had no choice but to bet everything on this. Ritz wanted to get to Anna, no matter what.
"I'm in on this."
As he declared this, Edward laughed.
"I'll join as well. I can't afford to waste away here."
Receiving the gazes of the two, Franz bit his lip and then let out a big sigh.
"…If I don't go, who's going to complain to my master?"
"Then it's decided."
Seeing that the three had agreed, Taisha happily slapped the ship again.
"Finally, you can fly! You must be happy."
The ship responded with a clear, resonant sound.