Chapter 547 - Chapter 5: Northern Gram Wetlands ⑧
After finishing lunch, we investigated the high ground at the southern end and the high ground at the western end. Not much different from the others, a Teleportation stone slab and an altar beneath it were in places hidden by rocks or groves. The Signs were as expected. South was □ representing Earth, and West was ▽ representing Water. The Teleportation Circles were all exit circles.
Today's investigation ends with this, but the sun is still high. On the way back to the fort, we stopped by the ruins of the fort in the center. This was because Eleanor-sama wanted Gwyn-sama and Eowyn-sama to see the fort ruins and the surrounding ponds.
"What a spectacular pile of rubble. Seeing that it's melted in places, it's Megiddo Fire. Was firing Megiddo Fire, when Prominence would have sufficed, a declaration of war against the Demon Race?"
"I thought that if I did that much, the Demon Race would come for revenge."
When Gwyn-sama asked amusedly, Eleanor-sama answered.
The stone fort, which I remember being larger than a large mountain hut, is just a pile of rubble. It must have been a shock to the Demon Race too, as they came to get proper revenge. The strategy must have been a success.
"According to Fiona's exploration results, the fort was an empty shell. There was apparently no basement."
"Even if we remove the rubble, I wonder if any clues will be found?"
This time Eowyn-sama asked.
"I don't know. I thought there was a basement, but if Fiona didn't find it, something might be buried."
"A magic circle for activating the barrier of the entire wetlands."
"Yes."
If there really is a magic circle, it might lead to the elucidation of the Testament. Both Light and Dark magic are necessary, and the magic circle deep underground in the Ruined Town must be activated. Afterward, the birth of the fifth spirit, but this will require Gnome's protection. Since it shouldn't be easily obtained, it won't be relevant for a while.
"That is the pond."
Eleanor-sama pointed. There is one pond right next to the high ground. Since it's about the same size as the high ground, it's reasonably large. Because the pond is muddy and also because a large amount of waterweed has manifested, the state inside the water cannot be known just by looking.
"Shall we try searching with Sense Living?"
If the two-heads are ultra-high-level, it might be exposed, but that probably won't happen. Since everyone agreed, we decided to explore from a height, just in case. If it's at maximum, even schools of fish in the shallows of the sea can be known. A pond should be fine.
I lean out from the bowl and thrust both hands downward. Even the children were that big. According to Eleanor-sama's story, they might be larger than sea snakes. If they are there, I should know immediately.
"Sense Living!"
There was a reaction simultaneously with the utterance. From the shape, no matter how I think about it, it's a coil. Moreover, it's huge. Because it has two heads, it feels considerably larger than a sea snake.
"They're here!"
The corner of the pond, near the fort, and near the water surface. They were probably there since we were investigating. Like a snake, they must have been watching the situation.
"Are we fighting?"
Currently, Eleanor-sama is operating the bowl. If we are to fight a parent equivalent to C-rank, it's better to swap with Beatrix.
"No, let's stop for this time. It's after we've sufficiently prepared for defense, including the fort."
Gwyn-sama and Eowyn-sama became serious. This is because Eleanor-sama decided to withdraw without doing anything even with the enemy before her eyes. It must be a formidable opponent.
On the way back, I also tried exploring the remaining marshes with Sense Living. The result was that it was found that there are four in total that are thought to be the parents of the two-heads. If a pair is formed, they'll lay eggs and increase more and more. Perhaps the two-heads are in large numbers throughout the wetlands. It has been found that the things that must be resolved, including the altar barrier, are piled up.
When we returned to the fort, the plain-looking fat noble who was staying behind came to meet us. He says the analysis of Teleport is finished.
It immediately became a meeting. The meeting was joined by Eowyn-sama's staff and the ghosts. There must have been some progress.
"Regarding the Teleportation Circle you copied, it was not drawn by a human. The utterance is fundamentally different. It is likely the Demon Race. And, as that person said, it is an exit. Also, regarding the entrance, I would like to hear Eleanor-sama's opinion before the report."
Northern Gram's ultra-high-level mage said. This person is a tough one who survived the battle with the Second of the Demon Race executives in the Demon Lord's cave.
"What part did you not understand?"
Eleanor-sama asked. If Eleanor-sama doesn't know, we have no choice but to ask Alex.
"Please look at this."
The mage stood up, went to Eleanor-sama's side, and spread the parchment Beatrix had copied on the table. He is explaining while pointing to one point.
"Then..."
"Yes. The destination connected to the magic circle is not this island. It is far northwest from here, slightly north."
Far northwest? Isn't that the sea?
"Beatrix. When you copied this, did you get Jeanne's confirmation?"
"Yeah. While I was drawing, Jeanne was illuminating with Fireflies and watching everything, and we confirmed the important parts together while drawing."
"Yes. That's right."
There shouldn't have been a mistake.
"Analysis, difficult?"
"No, that's not it. It just exceeded the initial assumption."
When Beatrix asked, Eleanor-sama answered with a very serious face. The ultra-high-level mage beside her nods greatly.
"Eleanor-sama, just where is it connected?"
Gwyn-sama asked.
Eleanor-sama, who lightly raised her right hand and had Gwyn-sama wait, answered after exchanging two or three words in a small voice with the Northern Gram ultra-high-level mage.
"Gwyn-dono, you must know the Ice Island. It is likely there."
The God's Ice Island? What is that? I've never heard of it.
At Eowyn-sama's instruction, an explanation about the Ice Island was given by the staff. The royalty seem to know... for some reason Henry-sama was looking diagonally upward and being elbowed by Eleanor-sama... but other countries' people except for Will didn't know, so that was why.
According to the Northern Gram mage, the Ice Island is an island that is about five days of sailing from the northern tip of the White Island, and its existence was accidentally confirmed by a shipwrecked hunter about a hundred years ago. Of course, Ice Island is a common name and it wasn't an island that originally had a name. It's far to the north, and as it's called Ice Island, it's an island with a considerably harsh environment and no one lives there. The overall picture of the island is not yet clear, and also, depending on the ocean current and wind direction, it cannot be found, so they can't easily go out for exploration.
But if it takes five days by boat from the White Island, I wonder if magic can't be used. Is there a point in connecting it with Teleport?
"It can be used. If it's within the range of one post station from the island's coast, it can be used without being inferior to this island."
"!"
There was such an island. It's a shocking fact.
"In other words, does that mean monsters were being sent from that island?"
Beatrix asked.
"It would be reasonable to think so."
If the two-heads were originally on that Ice Island or whatever, they'd certainly be strong against the cold.
"But, it was buried and blocked with rocks and stuff, right? That means it's not being used anymore, right?"
"Probably. However, it is not known when it was used. There is no guarantee that it hasn't been used recently either."
"But, if it's used, the Demon Race has to activate it at the entrance, right? ...Could it be, are there Demon Race members on that island?"
"Unconfirmed. However, the fact that there is a magic circle, doesn't it become evidence that there are, or were, Demon Race members on that island?"
"...That's right."
"To confirm if they are still there, there is no choice but to actually go to that island and explore."
This has become a troublesome story.
Afterward, there was an explanation from the plain-looking fat noble, the moderator, about the progress of the literature search.
"At the present time when it has been found, we have not obtained influential information. The investigation itself is continuing, and I would like to wait for future reports. However, there is one concerning legend in Gram."
Eowyn-sama looked at the moderator. He must not have known.
"Once, there was apparently a Demon Race member in Gram who was called the Demon Lord's right hand. That Demon Race member was called the Ice Vice-Demon Lord and was feared by people. They were apparently good at ice magic, causing blizzards, freezing ponds and rivers, and making people suffer. That Demon Race member apparently stopped resurrecting since the time they were defeated by a party in which a hero from Gram participated."
It seems they were defeated hundreds of years ago. It's a story that is passed down to only a very small part of the people even in Gram.
"Until now, even if a hero defeats them, the Demon Lord and the executives have resurrected. Therefore, the legend was kept only within the bloodline. After all, it was not known until the next time the Demon Lord resurrected, and it was not known where they would resurrect. My house is a lineage connected to that hero. That is why I know. When considered together with what has been found at the present time, it seemed like there was some connection, so I disclosed it."
At the moderator's words, everyone went quiet. In other words, is the Ice Vice-Demon Lord still active on the Ice Island?
Then, let's explore and subjugate them as soon as we find them—the reason no one says so is probably the political situation. It concerns the future of that island. The country that defeated them might claim ownership of the island. On the other hand, a declaration that 'we will defeat them' cannot be made by our country.
"Then, shall we go?"
It's the Wetlands Priestess. It's a sudden statement.
"We belong to the Western Church, and independent action is permitted. How about we go as representatives of the Church, defeat that ice Demon Race member, and make that island Church territory?"
Don't say it so easily. Because it's too easy, everyone is taken aback.
Of course, the ghosts cannot go to that island alone. Without something to possess, ghosts cannot move... no, they cannot move beyond the range of extremely short-distance movement. However, the statement of the Priestess, who is participating as a guest general so to speak, is not the official view of any country. With the support of the border Lord and Queen, it was decided that it is sufficiently worth considering in the future. If we actually go, the permission or request of the Archbishop of the Medioland Royal Capital Great Cathedral will be necessary. Because the ones who actually put out the boat are living humans. However, if it becomes as the Priestess says, there won't be trouble over ownership. Probably.
In the end, it was concluded to prioritize investigating the remaining five high grounds and defeating the parents of the two-heads. Because we have to handle the immediate goals first.
Perhaps because the ice levee had not completely melted, there were no nighttime attacks. We were waiting in ambush while resting in rotation, but it was a swing and a miss.
That said, it was convenient for us. After the sun rose and we finished breakfast, we decided to conquer the five inner high grounds. The members are the same as the previous day.
The inner barrier is, when viewed from the ruins of the fort where the Demon Race was in the center, in the positions of one in the north, one in the east-northeast, one in the southeast, one in the southwest, and one in the west-northwest. If there are Teleportation Circles, they will likely be entrances. And if there are altars, the Signs should be, looking clockwise from the one in the north, □ for Earth, ▽ for Water, ☽ for Moon, △ for Star, and 〇 for Sun. It can be predicted that it will be the same as the arrangement of the altars of the secret books.
The first investigation is the first one. It's at the furthest north. The high ground is narrower than the outer ones, about half. Here too, there is indeed one large rock, surrounded by much smaller rocks and groves. When we move the large rock and dig the ground, the Teleportation Circle indeed came out. This, Eleanor-sama copied. As for whether it's an entrance or an exit, it's an entrance as expected. There is a possibility they flew monsters from here to somewhere.
We broke the stone slab after finishing copying the magic circle, and dig further down. As expected, the altar was there.
"It is as expected. The Sign is □ representing Earth."
It's decided. It's a barrier.
"Hey, those altar Signs? Does that arrangement have some meaning?"
Beatrix, holding a parchment in her hand on which she had drawn a pentagon and the Five Great Signs at its tips for clarity, asked. But we're the ones who want to ask.
"Normally thinking, the orientation is different, right?"
What did she start saying?
"What do you mean?"
Eleanor-sama asked back. Beatrix must have noticed something.
"Because, normally Earth? The ground is below and the Star is above, right?"
Well, that's true. If a star were under the ground, it wouldn't shine in the night sky.
Beatrix changes the orientation of the parchment.
"Look, if you do this, Earth and Water are below, right? And the Sun is top right, the Moon is top left, and the Star is directly above. If the right is East, it's the time when the Sun rises and the Moon sets, so it's dawn, maybe."
I see. That's certainly true. Because she likes drawing pictures, the places she looks are different.
Everyone looks at the parchment in turn.
"You've noticed something interesting. The Sign of the Moon is a crescent moon, but if that's just to make it easy to understand that it's the moon and the original meaning is a full moon, then in the early morning in winter, it becomes exactly that arrangement."
It seems even Eleanor-sama hadn't noticed. After all, the four greats of the mainland have their directions decided. She must have thought the five greats would surely be like that too. In fact, we've had such a talk. She didn't think it simply represented the up and down and the scenery of a winter dawn.
"Hmm, I mean, that would limit even the season. But what if it's just the direction?"
"Direction?"
"Yeah. For example, the base of the pentagon is Earth and Water, and you look at the Star that comes at the very top from the middle of that base. Then maybe you'd find something, or something like that."
Saying so, she looked toward the ruins of the Demon Race fort. It feels like there's nothing in particular.
"That sounds interesting. Shall we go to that place after the investigation here is finished?"
Eleanor-sama said.
Even if we actually go to that place, there isn't any change in particular. The direction is halfway, and it doesn't seem to be related to the summer solstice or winter solstice. A mountain can be seen far away, but surely that's not related.
"Perhaps we won't know unless we see the magic circle in the center."
Eleanor-sama is following up.
"As you know, magic circles have the words for activation and deactivation added. Normally, they are written under the magic circle, but if you don't want it to be deactivated by others after activation, you add another circle outside the normal magic circle's circle and string characters between that circle and the second circle. It is to make it so it's not known where it starts."
Creating magic circles with codes was something I had heard of. Of course, because it's a high-level and sophisticated method, I've never done it. You add characters to the magic circle. Normally it won't operate properly. A certain amount of law is necessary, and it cannot be done unless one is very familiar with magic circle creation. Marcelo Company doesn't handle it. Because even Marcelo-san and Angelica-san can't do it.
Basically, the wording is like a poem, so it can be partitioned. However, if the order of reading is different, it won't activate as a magic circle. If it's made into a code, it won't be able to be deactivated unless the code is seen through or the altar that becomes the starting point of the barrier is broken. If the barrier is Holy Magic-based, the Demon Race cannot even lay a hand on the starting point altar. In other words, because it cannot be deactivated or destroyed, as long as the barrier itself is not broken by a natural disaster, or a human or a neutral spirit deactivates it or destroys the starting point, the barrier itself will continue to operate forever.
"If that is the case, then after all, this altar is likely a Holy-based barrier against the Demon Race and monsters. Beatrix, you found it well."
At Eleanor-sama's words, everyone is impressed. When Gwyn-sama patted her shoulder as if to say 'well done,' the mage who likes drawing pictures smiled bashfully.