Chapter 316 - Trout Fishing
After being seen off by Eowyn-sama and Saxburg and leaving the port of the Northern Gram royal capital, we went to Finis on Eleanor-sama's bowl and went to see the Water Dragon. It was to consult the Priestess about the Black Dragon. Saxburg wanted to come along, but since she had to clean up after the Duke Hexham incident, she didn't participate.
Of course, since we had given notice in advance, it wasn't an illegal entry. When we arrived in the bowl, Gwyn-sama, who came to meet us, and the attendants brought by Aira took care of the procedures properly. They weren't even surprised by Eleanor-sama's presence. Finis also has a sense of humor; the occupations for Eleanor-sama, Wilson-san, and Will were already listed as 'Traveling Merchant' even before they signed. Additionally, a line had been drawn through the part at the very top that seemed to be for Henry-sama.
Watching Eleanor-sama greet the person in charge familiarly and hand over Highway Cookies Deluxe and souvenirs from Northern Gram, Gwyn-sama burst out laughing.
We went to the temple and greeted the Priestess. When I said I actually had a consultation, she led us to the room with the statue of the Goddess. The matter of the Black Dragon is top secret. A [Vow of Silence] is necessary.
For some reason, Gwyn-sama, who shouldn't know about the Black Dragon, is there. When I stared at him, Eleanor-sama said, "It's fine." Gwyn-sama was smirking. Apparently, she spilled the beans. Surely James-sama must know too.
"Black Dragon? Did such a dragon really exist?"
Even the Priestess didn't know. I explained the dragon's circumstances like this and that.
"I see, so such a thing happened. And it took a liking to Jeanne, didn't it?"
"No, um, rather than taking a liking to me, it seemed to be looking for a human who uses [Light]..."
"But that Black Dragon sat on Jeanne's lap and ate dinner together, didn't it?"
She was laughing, "Ho ho ho."
Did it take a liking to me? I don't really know how it is, but if that's the case, then fine. If the Black Dragon will listen to what we have to say without going on a rampage, nothing could be better.
"However, it was originally a Wyvern, wasn't it? In that case, we might find out something if we ask the Wyverns."
"Wyverns?"
Is it not the Water Dragon?
"Actually, at the northern tip of Finis... that is, the northern tip of this island, there is an island with several steep mountains just a stone's throw away, close enough to connect with a suspension bridge. Wyverns live there."
Apparently, it's not a small island. The northeastern part of the island has a series of canyons and steep mountains, and the coast is a cliff. However, the southwestern part has gentle terrain and many plains. In the flat half of the island, there are three large villages, and nearly a thousand people seem to live on the island as a whole. The islanders apparently make a living by cultivating rye, grazing sheep, hunting, and sea fishing. Of course, everyone is a warrior, and their religion is the same as Finis. The technology for imbuing orbs with magic is also the same, and they officially submitted to Finis after they started imbuing orbs with local ghosts.
She's telling me to go to that island.
"The Priestess of Finis and the ghosts that enter the orbs are all Jeanne's allies. In other words, the priestess of that island is your ally. Besides, since Wyverns live there, the residents also revere Wyverns. Even if it's a Black Dragon, it was originally a Wyvern, right? If you protected its child, I'm sure they will cooperate."
"But will the Wyverns accept us?"
Dragons hate humans. I don't think they'll listen to us so easily.
"Oh? Isn't Mel here? It should be easy if you ask her, right?"
Eleanor-sama said. I see, we'll have the Wyverns cooperate.
When I called Dune and Mel and asked, they gave an easy OK.
When I asked for the island's location, I was told it takes three days by ship from the port of the Finis royal capital. Looking at Eleanor-sama, she was nodding. Apparently, she'll go with us. However, going to a place for the first time will naturally be official. No matter how much we have the right of free passage, we have to talk between both royal families.
"I'll tell Father myself. In exchange, I'm participating too."
Gwyn-sama also said so, and it was decided.
Just in case, I had Dune and Mel translate and asked the Water Dragon as well. Long ago, several Wyverns apparently flew together over the lake toward the northeast. Maybe they were the ones who escaped. If they have survived on that island, we might understand the meaning of the mother dragon's words.
That said, we can't go immediately. Henry-sama will apparently sulk if he's not included. So, we decided to stay only one night at the Water Dragon's temple, return to Sertoria once, and start over.
It's already been over a month since we left Sertoria. As for the side jobs, I'm managing because they had prepared scrolls in advance in various places, but I have to regenerate the Northeastern Forest and study the ancient language.
"Mary will likely go with us to Primordia. It will probably be around the time when the rye threshing is finished and the turnip sowing is over. If we go in November, then going to see the Wyverns should be in October, considering the coordination with the local area?"
At Eleanor-sama's words, Gwyn-sama and Aira nodded, and the schedule was decided.
By the way, Bonnie is seeing the Water Dragon for the first time. Officially, Will should also be seeing it for the first time, but seeing her feeding the fish with a practiced hand, it seems she has been here several times.
"It's amazing! It's pure white and smooth!"
She says while stroking the head it thrust out. The reason she didn't say it was big is probably because she has seen the Black Dragon.
"How about it? Why don't you fish with the Water Dragon? You can catch trout that are big and taste the best!"
Since we were coming, they had apparently refrained from fishing this week. Come to think of it, the one who proposed trout fishing with the dragon was Beatrix. I was there at the time too, but I had never actually seen it. Naturally, everyone wants to see it. We decided to take them up on their offer.
"How are we going to watch?"
Mel asked.
"On a ship, or maybe from the air on a bowl?"
"Hmm."
She seems to have some idea. Mel is talking with Dune. Once they reached a conclusion, they turned toward us and proposed a viewing method that only spirits can do.
Six fishing boats set sail. The port at the river mouth has developed along with the village's prosperity, and ships with quite a large width are moored there. Water tanks are installed under the decks, and five or six people per ship work together to pull up large trout caught in special nets. Apparently, they were custom-ordered so they wouldn't capsize. At the port, there are smokehouses with chimneys and holding ponds; it's said that on the day after trout fishing, the whole village comes out to fillet them and make smoked fish. Since the lake is long and narrow from east to west, they divide it into three sections—east, middle, and west—and do trout fishing in one section once every three weeks. The next day they fillet the trout put in the holding ponds and put them in the smokehouse, and the day after that they catch normal fish and release them into the lake after putting them in the pond behind the temple. It seems they've become able to earn quite a bit with two fishing trips a week, and they apparently do agriculture on other days.
While waving and seeing off the ships, the mothers gathered. They all expressed their gratitude to us for creating the opportunity for the fishing. "Gwyn-sama. You said to bring the children..." Next, one of the apprentice priestesses brought the children.
Until they were able to earn from trout fishing, they had worked since they were children. Now, they have a school at the temple where they learn reading, writing, and calculation, and since it's Finis, they apparently learn combat techniques from warriors who came from the fortress. Of course, they also help at home when there is no school. Gwyn-sama and Aira are popular with the children. After distributing one Highway Cookie per person as a souvenir, they were being pestered by the children to teach them swordsmanship and unarmed combat.
"Sorry. Swordsmanship is impossible today. Instead, I'll show you something good."
"Something good?"
Gwyn-sama bowed to Mel and Dune, saying, "Please."
As Mel told me, I drew a large circle on the ground.
"Look, over here! Get inside this circle!"
Mel said to the children.
"Gwyn-sama, what's that? A spirit?"
"It's the Wind Spirit. Look, if you don't listen, a great wind will rise and blow you all the way to the top of the mountain!"
When he raised both hands and threatened them with a "Baa!", the children laughed and entered the circle with cries of "Kyaa kyaa!" Next, we entered as well. The Priestess and the apprentice priestesses entered too.
"Okay, here we go!"
When Mel drew a large circle in the air with both hands, it felt like our bodies floated, and we were enveloped in a giant bubble. Mel is also inside the bubble.
"What is this?"
The children were poking the bubble fearfully and pulling their hands back.
"Look, everyone, sit down!"
At Mel's words, everyone crouched on the spot, and then we floated softly into the air. The children were in an uproar. Some children were surprised and started crying, but the apprentice priestesses were quick to find and comfort them. Some were clinging to Gwyn-sama or Aira.
"Now, here we go!"
We plunged into the lake with a splash.
From here on, Dune's power is needed. Outside the bubble, she manipulates the lake water to move the bubble. We sink deeper and deeper toward the bottom. Judging the timing, I illuminated the surroundings with [Light]. Large trout swimming around can be seen. Because she's holding back and because of the bubble, they don't run away.
"Uwaa! Amazing!"
Large trout are swimming around. The children are surprised.
"It's okay as long as you're inside the bubble. Fish can't break the bubble, so rest assured."
When Mel said that, the children nodded repeatedly and looked into the lake again.
When I illuminated the direction Dune, who was outside the bubble, was pointing, the Water Dragon swam over.
"Look, the Water Dragon is chasing the trout."
As Gwyn-sama said, it's chasing many trout. It's swimming in an undulating way, right and left, up and down, so they don't change course and escape. It gradually drives the trout up from the deep water where they are to the shallow water where the nets are set. The children cheer for the dragon, "Go, go!"
As we ran alongside diagonally behind the dragon, many trout were caught in the nets. The children's cheers rose.
The bubble surfaced slowly. By the time it floated on the lake surface, the dragon had also thrust its head out.
"Ah! It's Dad!"
"It's true. My dad is there too!"
A simple explanation had been given to the fishermen, but they probably couldn't have imagined their own children coming out of the lake in a bubble; they were looking this way in a daze. When Gwyn-sama stood up and showed his clenched fist, they seemed to get fired up, and shouting could be heard.
"Now, your dads are going to pull up the fish!"
The six ships drew a circle, and the hunters lined up on the inner gunwales pulled up the nets with shouts of "Eiya, eiya!" Before we knew it, the children's cheers were directed at their own fathers.
"Look, you have to thank the Wind and Water Spirits. They helped a lot when the Water Dragon got sick."
When we returned to the port and landed on the ground, the children, as told by Gwyn-sama, lined up and thanked Mel and Dune. The two spirits who were thanked didn't seem to mind it at all.
"You're quite enthusiastic about education. Are all the royalty and nobility of Finis like that?"
I asked the Priestess.
"Gwyn-sama is special. However, it is a fact that the royalty and nobility of Finis... the former chieftains, bear an obligation for the discipline and education of children. We people of the north are said by those in the south to be all warriors who do not fear death, but it's because those on the side who command the fighting take care of things like that that they don't have to worry about what happens after they die."
The reason former lords remain as ghosts even after death to protect the land seems to have had such a background.
"It's because life is poor. Those without power rely on those with power. Those with power protect those who are not. There is a thought in the north that the one who is strongest and most reliable should be king."
However, there is apparently one condition.
"A strong person is not necessarily someone with a good heart. Those who are only strong but have an evil heart must be defeated by everyone. That is why those who live in the north receive an education so that each individual, as a warrior, does not fear fighting against the strong."
Therein lay the reason for most revere the War God, who was granted a precious sword by the Goddess and went alone to exterminate monsters. And while the fine details differ, it's a way of thinking common to the story of the first King of Sertoria's Black Dragon crest.
"Then, for example, how are orphans treated?"
The topic changed, and she seemed to tilt her head slightly, but she pointed to a place that was stepped, saying, "Let's sit over there for a bit." I took her up on her offer and sat with her.
"In the case of orphans you asked about, the child of one who fought bravely and died is revered as one who carries that blood and is taken in by someone with means. Unfortunately, the child of one who died of disease or an accident is taken in by relatives or taken into an orphanage as a candidate for a priest or priestess. Of course, only those with holy magic or the aptitude become priests or priestesses."
Disease is brought by the Demon Lord, and accidents are brought by misfortune. They learn prayers and break through them. Regardless of the right or wrong of the ancient way of thinking, they apparently follow it as a custom.
"A person does not end in one generation. A child succeeds them and completes what the parent could not. If the child is no good, it's entrusted to the grandchild, and if the grandchild is no good, it's entrusted to further generations. That is how eras are made."
"Then, for example, what happens to the existence of ghosts? I was taught that ghosts are those who have strayed because they have lingering attachments to this world. And I was taught that the duty of a priest is to eliminate such attachments and hesitation in those facing death and restore their peace of mind. However, I can only think that everyone who has entered the orbs became a ghost of their own will."
"Is it not self-responsibility?"
"Self-responsibility..."
"Yes. As long as one is not satisfied that they have completed their life, attachments remain. Is it not a matter of whether they can entrust it to those who come after? If they cannot entrust it, isn't it fine to become a ghost by self-responsibility?"
Entrusting it to those who come after. So that's what peace of mind means... I inadvertently hadn't noticed until now. Certainly, to make them feel at ease, in most cases, others guarantee the safety of the things they are worried about. For my mother, too, the Headmistress and Jennifer-sensei swore to raise me with responsibility. For the person I was present for, the bereaved said such things, and I added for them to rest assured. To those who fear death, I repeatedly told them there is nothing to fear because they are going to the Goddess's side.
"Self-responsibility, is it?"
"Yes. Others should not handle the dead. Should they not be allowed to leave their souls only by their own will? In your country, as long as they are not evil spirits, don't you respect the person's will and let them ascend?"
That's exactly right. Until the person shows the will to ascend, even if the person in charge changes, we listen to them patiently. When the Great Southern Church was attacked, the young female Revenant who was discovered likely chose to become an undead by her own will. That's because she couldn't entrust her child to others. In that case, we have no choice but to build a system where they can feel at ease. And if even that is no good... it has nothing to do with the church or the country. It's self-responsibility.
"Thank you. I've learned something."
"I'm glad you said that. Was I of even a little help?"
Just as I bowed and thanked the Priestess, Beatrix called out.
"We're going to grill the fish now! If you don't come quickly, we'll eat it all!"
Everyone is surrounding an open-air stove enclosed with stones. The two sheets of bunting stretched out as a roof are probably for sudden rain. One fish has already been filleted. The Water Dragon had received one and was already biting into it.
"Oh, this won't do. We must join them. Shall we go?"
"Yes!"
The result was apparently eight fish. Of those, one was eaten by the dragon, and one was grilled for the banquet for everyone to eat. There are six fish in the holding pond for smoking. It's not bad.