Chapter 459 - Enemy Attack
We were set to depart around the time the crescent moon sank.
Since there were three bowl-users, we split into three squads and flew north. Our Sertoria group was allowed to ride in the bowl carrying Godwynn-sama and the magic soldiers. Wilson-san is known as a bowl-user directly under Henry-sama, but he was held in reserve as an evacuation specialist in case something happened.
Time to depart.
The three bowls soared into the night sky, where only the stars stood out overhead. After flying west for a while, we headed north. They probably didn't know that Wilson-san was actually a Revenant and could see the surroundings in the dark of night; he emerged above the trees. Publicly, he's supposed to be a bowl-user employed by Henry-sama, so they might not have been told anything. If things go well, he'll likely be able to deduce our current location from the terrain.
The two scout bowls flying ahead remained visible, acting as decoys. In fact, they held up torches, so their location was clear even in the dark. It seems they are flying in a triangle, with the front two as the base and our bowl as the apex.
This bowl, which acts as the main body, is hidden with Camouflage and Magic Reflection just in case.
The crescent moon had completely set, so it was pitch black; I couldn't even see the shadows of the mountains. The stars were exceptionally clear. Since we were heading north, the Star of the Class of 175 was visible directly in front of us. It was the same during the Primordia fortress reclamation operation—the stars shining as if they were trembling looked like they might fall at any moment.
Godwynn-sama and the scouts seemed used to it and had calm faces, but it's early March. To be honest, it's cold. I wore my autumn/winter Green Marble, but maybe the Boar one would have been better. In particular, Harris-san, who was wearing his priestly robes, was crouching to avoid the wind. He originally had a fear of heights. I felt sorry for him, so I cast Warm on him.
"My apologies, Jeanne."
"Are you alright?"
"Thanks to you, yes. However, when it's this dark, I can't tell the height, so it's not that scary. A discovery! From now on, I'll choose to fly on dark nights."
I see. A blessing in disguise, I suppose.
Covering the distance of one station takes about an hour at normal speed. Since there was a mountain stream about half an hour away, we decided to fly toward it while watching for a reaction from the Gnome Detection Stick. During that time, Godwynn-sama told me about the recent situation of mages in Regnentes.
"I believe you know, but last autumn, four children from the village where Beatrix is the landlord became able to use magic. The children who learned magic were those who entered the village in the first to third phases. That means four out of thirty learned it."
That's right. They are all beginner mages, but they are still children. Even the disciple of the eldest, Mary, should be fourteen this year, so they will finally reach adulthood next year. Mary's disciple can now use two beginner spells. It took four years to finally reach two, but even at the Nakanohara orphanage, they only allow the oracle to be received twice before adulthood. If one rushes too much into learning magic, they become obsessed and stop thinking about other things. Even adults can fall into darkness, so even for beginner magic, the burden on children is heavy.
"In other words, the legends told in the world were wrong."
In the world, it's said that one in ten people learns magic, and if neither parent nor grandparent can use it, it's one in fifty. Within the class system of a single village of at most three hundred people, it's nearly impossible for the child of a serf, treated as the lowest class and unable to use magic, to learn it. That was overturned by continuing various studies and magic training from early childhood.
The village once called a cursed land has become the most watched place in the country.
Since the village is near the border with Sertoria, it also serves as a checkpoint. Such duties and village security are managed by those dispatched by the Lord. On top of that, the security around the village, including the dried meat processing plant, is handled by the scouts under Godwynn-sama's command, so the households and population have increased accordingly.
"In that village, it seems applications are flooding in from nobles wanting to send selected trainees. They want to dispatch them for a year to have them learn what's being done in the village and bring it back to their own territories. Some are even suggesting building a magic school in the Royal Capital."
"If they build rental housing, the landlord can collect rent."
"Hahaha, that's how it goes. In fact, they even charge training fees. There are textbooks for adults too, right? Since Bishop Harrison is also participating as an instructor, it's gained quite a reputation."
Knowing Beatrix, she'll surely make the nobles shoulder the construction costs. The sixth phase has moved in, and the number of households has finally reached sixty. The population increased, agricultural work progressed, and the entire area around the village became fields or grazing land.
Now, the village facilities are better than the downtown of the Royal Capital. Since it also functions as a checkpoint for the Sertoria border, offices for both countries, dormitories for guards, inns, and dining halls have been built. Using the reparations paid by Engrio, waterworks connected to tanks storing rainwater and cobblestone roads have been developed. People wash their bodies with water from tanks embedded with Anti-Sepsis magic circles. Beatrix and Lyudmila visit once a week, and occasionally Mary and Henry-sama's group—disguised as peddlers, meaning even Eleanor-sama participates—use agricultural magic. Since the manager is a Bishop and Harrison-san is there, no major disputes occur.
The research results of Lyudmila and Flora are applied as needed, and since mid-level magic was made a labor requirement for the entire basin, harvests are steadily increasing. The dried meat processing plant also continued to expand for export to the continent, and as a result of becoming a major project for the entire basin, the cash income of the farmers also rose.
Since Mary and the Lord are reaching out to high nobles and retired priests connected to them, the new farming methods are spreading widely in Regnentes.
It seems serfs from other territories who heard the rumors want to migrate, but unfortunately, further population growth is impossible due to the area. Instead, under the Lord's leadership, the entire basin is being improved to follow the village's example, and along with that, high nobles are starting to implement reforms in their own territories. Godwynn-sama's view is that it will eventually become a national policy.
"His Majesty is very pleased. Especially thanks to Flora, prominent nobles are becoming proactive, so he says public opinion will form even if left alone. Increasing the harvest of serfs to raise the income of the entire territory seems to have shown results in Engrio as well; it's quite impressive. It seems the smiles of the Elders when talking to His Majesty are widening day by day."
The only problem is the successor. Since the father king has a good reputation, the nobles will likely interfere.
"Indeed. If only he would choose his words a bit more carefully when speaking to nobles and priests."
He sighed while laughing. The reputation must be bad.
Time passed as I listened to Godwynn-sama's talk, which I couldn't tell was a complaint or gossip about the Prince.
Perhaps so he wouldn't be heard by the subordinates operating the bowl, or perhaps to show a backward-looking stance, Godwynn-sama turned away from the direction of travel and leaned his elbows on the bowl, looking melancholy, so I turned around with him.
Just as I thought it was about time to arrive.
One of the torches of the two bowls ahead was waved. Apparently, we reached the destination.
"No! Stop!"
Suddenly, Wilson-san shouted.
"Eh?"
The bowl-user came to a sudden halt.
Because of that, I tumbled backward. Fortunately, Harris-sama only let out a scream, and I was unharmed.
"Ascend. Move backward."
This time, we moved rapidly diagonally upward in the direction we came from.
I tried to stand up, but I fell flat on my butt, ending up sitting on Harris-sama. I heard another scream from under my bottom, but it wasn't my fault.
"W-What happened?"
Since I couldn't stand up because we were continuing to ascend, I asked just like that.
"The bowls in front were dispelled. This bowl was hidden and kept its distance, so it's safe. However, the two going ahead were taken out. I don't know if they dispelled the Wind Barrier or used Magic Break, but there seems to be a capable user there."
According to Wilson-san, the two bowls in front seemed to have been dismantled, and the six people riding them were suddenly thrown into the air. If so, the opponent is at least a high-level mage.
"All the Wind Barrier users in our country are handled by the scouts, and their placements are fixed. There should be no one but us in this area."
"Then, Magic Break?"
"If it's someone from within the country, yes."
The speed of the bowl is about the same as a station horse. Additionally, at that height, they'll die if they fall properly.
Fortunately, there seemed to be a sound of them falling into the water, so they might be safe.
"Let's go look for the people who fell."
"Bishop Jeanne, that cannot be done."
I was opposed by Godwynn-sama.
"We haven't been found yet. Those who fell won't expect us to search for them. They are scouts. They have no choice but to overcome hardships on their own."
"B-But..."
When I tried to argue further, Godwynn-sama turned back to Wilson-san. Despite the emergency, I was completely ignored.
"Wilson-dono. This investigation is temporarily suspended. After delivering you to the station we departed from, I will suggest as much to Sawelyn-sama."
But then, we would truly be abandoning them.
"Don't worry. They are scouts."
No matter how much I said, he wouldn't listen. The bowl-user also nodded while looking into my eyes, as if that were only natural.
"Godwynn-dono, that is not a good plan."
Wilson-san turned to oppose him.
"What do you mean?"
"Think about it. The bowls that were taken down weren't hidden. In other words, we haven't been found yet."
"I know. That's why we're suspending it. We can't let you face any more danger."
"Well, don't say that and think about it. It sounds bad, but the front two were supposed to be decoys from the start. The opponent will be off guard after taking down those two."
"True. But even so, we can't continue the investigation like this."
"Is that so? They haven't found out about us, right? Even if we continue the investigation while staying hidden, they won't find out. In fact, isn't tonight better for not being found by the opponent?"
"B-But..."
"The true worth of the scouts is operations within enemy territory, right? Besides, don't worry. Jeanne is a Dragon Killer. If she could use all the means available to her, she has the means to annihilate a nation's army. It'll be fine."
Um, please don't treat people like monsters.
Certainly, if I had the cooperation of the Black Dragon Child and spirits like Dune, it would be possible. However, I can't let them participate in human conflicts. In the first place, setting aside the Black Dragon Child, the spirits would probably hate it.
U-Um, Godwynn-sama, everyone in the scouts. Please stop looking at me with those strange eyes.
"Hmm. Then, is it a better plan for us to continue the search as we are?"
"Yes. Even if you count Jeanne as just a priest, we have enough combat power for covert action."
"But they dispelled a high-level Wind Barrier. The opponent must have corresponding strength. And if it's someone from within Regnentes, they should know how to hide themselves."
"True. It'll be a struggle where both sides don't know each other's location. Between the pursuer and the pursued under the same conditions, which is more advantageous? As you know, it's the pursued who decides the destination."
"Do you think we can outwit them?"
"It's all in how you do it."
"Hmm."
After the exchange with Wilson-san, Godwynn-sama fell silent. He's likely trying to organize his thoughts.
After a short pause, a conclusion seemed to have been reached. He looked up at Wilson-san.
"Then, shall we do it?"
His voice was calmer than I expected. More than that, it felt somewhat... heavy.
"That's the spirit. What's the plan?"
"Let's see. Just in case, let's increase our altitude and cross the mountain stream from a different location. We'll search for the place that seems to be Gnome's location from above."
After that, he discussed various things with Wilson-san, and the plan was decided.
The force will center on three scouts, including Godwynn-sama. They are skilled in covert action, and there's a magic soldier who uses the bowl and Camouflage, and above all, the Scout Captain. Additionally, there's the secret weapon Wilson-san, and two priests who use high-level magic. Since it's a conflict between humans and Godwynn-sama and the others are there, I can't easily call Dune and the others. But this time, since it's related to the Demon Lord's containment, Fiona can participate. Since the opponent is likely scouts as well, there's a possibility they'll attack with silver weapons while hidden, so she's not invincible, but if she uses illusions, she won't get hurt. She could also merge with me.
"And that's the situation. I don't know who the opponent is, but it's fine if we give them a surprise, right? What do you think, Jeanne?"
"I understand. I'll leave the combat to you, so let's find Gnome."
If we outwit the opponent and quietly search for the altar, there should be no problem. Even more so if the opponent is from the Prince's faction; we can put the delinquent Prince in our debt. It might make Mary's activities easier.
"By the way, Jeanne. Wouldn't it be better to stand up instead of using the unconscious Harris as a chair forever?"
O-Oh no. I completely forgot.