Chapter 765 - Chapter 6: Negotiations with the Dragonewt Race ⑤
In the end, I stayed in Morandine for ten days. Because I was asked to come along when greeting the Dragonewts. I think the Henry Party or Harris-sama would be much better than me, but the Henry Party won't come forward to support the Church, and Harris-sama seems to be returning early after explaining to the field team with Price-sama. Well, Beatrix is in the field, so I agreed to go along to see how things were going.
The Henry Party accompanied us to the site. So, we flew in the bowl.
When we arrived at the site, the dry moat and earthworks on the south side were almost finished. No one is there anymore. When I went to the village where I spent the New Year, I was told they were in the west. We decided to go west along the earthworks.
The earthworks on the outside of the dry moat are neatly shaped. The height and angle are sufficient. And it's not a straight line. It's zigzagging. The angle is about one-third of a right angle. Since it's long, it looks like a straight line at a glance, but it's obvious from the side. According to Eleanor-sama, the zigzag bends at a width of about seven or eight hundred paces. The bend part must be a watchtower; it's one step higher and juts out. The other parts are just earthen walls and don't look climbable, but only that part is gentle and you can climb up. If it's made into an outer wall later, soldiers will line up on the outer wall centered there. Seven or eight hundred paces is apparently considering the range of longbowmen.
After flying west from the front of the village for a while, we encountered the site where they are doing construction right now. There are several soldiers in front.
The site was exactly the Regnentes army's turn. I'm sure the positions of each country on the White Island were their respective turns. Since Finis is the furthest north and Primordia is the furthest south, and Regnentes is to its left, Primordia must have gone east.
When I asked a soldier who looked like a lookout, he said Teacher Beatrix was further ahead.
"Teacher?"
"Yes. She is the temporary instructor of our country's magic school."
Oh boy, she's finally become a teacher.
Since she's further ahead, when we advanced the bowl carrying the lookout, the teacher was grandly digging a dry moat. The lookout called out to the unit commander of the Magic Corps, who is the person in charge. On this side, there are three former heroes: Price-sama, Henry-sama, and Eleanor-sama. The unit commander jumped out of the tent. Since he said he would guide us, we had him ride in the bowl and observed from above. Harold-sama, who hears about this later, might get sulky, but it can't be helped.
When the first earth magic user lifts the dug soil into the air, the second one, Beatrix, compresses it in the air and turns it into blocks. The third one takes the blocks and moves them, stacking them in front of the dug hole. When they are stacked to a certain height, the fourth one covers them with the dug soil to make earthworks, and Beatrix hardens that part and shapes it. Probably, once it's done to some extent, they'll bake and harden it all at once with fire magic.
"As expected of the teacher, she's skillful."
Eleanor-sama is impressed. It wasn't this efficient when I was there. Moreover, there was another set of three earth magic users working with Beatrix, and when one finished one task, they swapped. There was another person next to Beatrix, so he must be a super-high-level magic user paired with Beatrix. The spell used is [Clump Sand], but it must be quite hard to harden it firmly and make blocks. It's a feat only a super-high-level magic user can do.
After watching for a while, someone with a lantern announced the time in a loud voice. It must be a break, as the work stopped. It's a chance to talk. We descended and spoke directly.
Beatrix was also surprised by the sudden visit, but she was praised by Eleanor-sama for being skillful, and she's proudly raising her chin with a 'fufun'.
At the unit commander's offer, we were guided to the tent. We go inside and sit in a circle. There are no tables or chairs, but there's a carpet on the ground, so it's comfortable.
"You've improved your skills."
It's Eleanor-sama.
"Well, yeah. Jeanne, I've become a two-spell user."
She learned her second super-high-level magic!
"Congratulations. When did you learn it?"
"When I teleported the stone material last month. I had a diviner look at me in the Royal Capital. Then, I learned [Colossus Collapse]."
We all toast again to congratulate her. The magic soldiers are also having a drink with the liquor we brought in the bowl. Since it's a break now and the one who provided it is Price-sama, it's polite to drink.
"I'm using [Flame] too, so I wanted to learn [Prominence] if possible."
Two super-high-level spells simultaneously? That's greedy. Why don't you apprentice under Salamander?
The fact that the return home was moved forward had been conveyed to the field too. Since the reason hadn't been told, they seem to have thought it was preparation for farm work.
"Actually..."
It won't be made public, but it's not a secret, so Price-sama explained.
There are beastmen in Regnentes, and the scouts are deeply involved. Those scouts are also participating in this support. For that reason, even though there was surprise at the revelation of the legendary Dragonewts, the understanding was quick. They easily accepted that non-human races would help with the encirclement operation and expressed their gratitude for the early return home.
"Do I have to go home too?"
The one who disliked the early return home was Beatrix. She's serious about learning [Prominence].
"Can't I stay somehow? Can't I stay if there's a recommendation from Price-sama or Henry-sama?"
She's currently here as a temporary magic advisor to the Regnentes army. If Regnentes says to go home, she has to go home. To stay, a corresponding reason is needed.
"Will you apprentice under a Dragonewt?"
Price-sama, what are you suddenly saying? She'll take it seriously.
"Can I?"
See, she took it seriously.
"The opponent is a Dragonewt. It's an opponent that's too much for me or the Henry Party, so let's ask Jeanne to request it."
"I see, then I'm counting on you!"
Why does it turn out that way? You should know that the Dragonewts are trading with the Sertoria Royal Family.
The Dragonewts came four days later. Just as I thought, three Dragonewts with brown wings, who are strong in the earth attribute, and one Dragonewt with red wings, who is fire attribute, came. One of the brown ones is a village elder with a loach mustache. A formal request was made orally by Price-sama with a writing in Henry-sama's hand, and it was conveyed to the Dragonewts via Magdalena-sama from Eleanor-sama, who attended. Dragonewts know well where the Demon Realm is. There's also the map of the White Island made by the Henry Party that the Sertoria Royal Family gave them, and since they can fly freely and at high speed, they came on their own. Considering the time it took, it would be about the speed of a high-speed bowl on average.
"Is it not the Henry Party? Jeanne is here too. I heard you were planning to go north, but did you change it?"
The village elder of the earth attribute, who is a subordinate of the Vice-Chieftain, is friendly to humans. Since the Chieftain's daughter is serving her sentence, the Vice-Chieftain is managing the exchange base on the Dragonewt side. The subordinate wind and earth elders also seem to come often. There shouldn't be a difference between attributes in trade itself, but Magdalena-sama and Mary are clearly paying attention to the young men and women involved in fertility treatment, and the favorability toward humans is higher among those age groups who come to the base more often.
"Oh! Elder-dono! Good of you to come."
Henry-sama also knows what he's doing, emphasizing that he's an elder. With this, the people of Morandine behind the Boy King also clearly understand who the central figure is. Price-sama is saying in a low voice that an elder would be of a status equivalent to a Grand Duke in human terms. It's quite a stretch in terms of population, but if you think of the Dragonewt village as a single country, it's appropriate given its organizational structure.
If the opponent is a Grand Duke, even the kings of each country on the White Island cannot treat him as an inferior. It's already diplomacy. The Boy King's expression also changed.
After that, the meeting was successfully held, and the liquor and food we brought were served. The place for the banquet was made in an instant by the Dragonewts using magic with the trees, stones, and soil around there, doubling as a temporary residence for the Dragonewts during the construction period. Before, the Chieftain said that even if hundreds of thousands of humans attacked for revenge if I were killed in the village, they would be no match for the Dragonewts, and just looking at how they use magic, I knew it was true. At least they are not an opponent humans should be hostile toward.
Eleanor-sama, Beatrix, the Boy King, and the accompanying Morandine camp were also staring at the extremely skillful work. Price-sama's mention of a Grand Duke also worked. The Boy King and the two leading knights were also responding with a cautious attitude so as not to anger the Dragonewts with rude words or actions.
"Now that you mention it, is there a woman named Beatrix of Sertoria?"
When the banquet was in full swing and the Dragonewts were also drinking liquor in a good mood, we were talking about whether to start the apprenticeship talk. The name Beatrix came out from the Dragonewt side.
"I'm Beatrix of Sertoria, but?"
She seems suspicious, perhaps because her name was suddenly called.
"Oh, it's you. The one who is Gnome's disciple."
"That's right."
He knew.
"I hear you use [Teleport] directly from Gnome. Won't you help us with the transport of stone materials?"
This is lucky. I was thinking about how to get the opponent to bite, but the opponent bit on their own.
"Sure. Want to see?"
"Can you show me?"
I see, the Dragonewts want to see it.
"Sure, but I want to see Dragonewt magic too."
"Hoho, I wonder if a human like you can learn our magic?"
"Honestly, I think it's impossible. But if I can work together while watching such amazing magic, I might learn one of the super-high-level magics that humans can use."
"Ho, you understand. And you have quite an upward-looking spirit. Impressive, impressive."
The middle-aged man-taming skills work even against Dragonewts. I learned something.
The fact that the super-high-level magic Beatrix remembered was two types of earth attribute also made a good impression on the elder. I'm the same, but earth attribute magic somehow has a plain impression. In fact, its popularity among children in the village where Beatrix is a landlord is low. After all, flashy fire and lightning come first.
In fact, Beatrix is also aiming for [Prominence] next. Because she's already learned both earth attributes.
"What, you want to learn fire next?"
The young one with red wings grinned, and the brown group including the Chieftain are dissatisfied. They must be thinking that a disciple of Gnome should prioritize other attributes.
"Because I've already learned both of the earth super-high-level magics. There are no more."
"Two?"
"That's right, even if I look like this, I'm a two-spell super-high-level user. It's thanks to Gnome, but still, isn't it amazing?"
She puffs out her chest grandly. You'll fall over if you lean back that much.
"Eleanor-dono."
"Yes."
"Are there only two earth super-high-level magics that humans use?"
"Yes. That's right, but could it be that Dragonewts know more?"
Oh boy, Eleanor-sama's eyes lit up.
According to the Dragonewts, there are others in the super-high-level or higher class of earth. Among them, the ones that don't require magic control are [Colossus Collapse] and [Crevasse], which humans learn. In other words, they are the lowest rank.
"If you try to cast magic that is too powerful, the burden is great. Shall we have a test of skill?"
"A test of skill?"
I wondered what they would do, and they decided to cast [Crevasse] and see its power. Eleanor-sama also participated, and it became a magic competition with the Dragonewts.
There is a wasteland to cast magic. First, Beatrix cast it. It would be about five or six paces long. A crack ran through the ground. With this, if combined with [Colossus Collapse], even a stone hut could be destroyed.
"You're quite good. It's a destructive power that doesn't seem like a two-spell user."
According to Eleanor-sama, because she can use many high-level magics, the power is also great. Beatrix looks proud. In fact, the Regnentes magic soldiers who are watching are cheering.
Next is Eleanor-sama. It's not three times as long as Beatrix's, but a crack about two and a half times as long was made. Not just a hut, but a tower could be destroyed. As expected of the former strongest magic user on the White Island. The magic soldiers are buzzing.
"As expected."
"No, no."
This time Eleanor-sama is proud.
However, everyone was aghast to see what the young Dragonewt cast. It's twice as long as Eleanor-sama's. Moreover, the width of the crack is enough for one adult to fit in completely. With Eleanor-sama's, at most an arm could fit. The power is on a different level. If it's like this, a stone fortress could be turned into a pile of rubble.
"Splendid."
"I give up. As expected, Dragonewts are amazing."
Both of them threw up their hands.
The elder is also grinning while stroking his loach mustache. In a sense, it's good publicity. If they are shown such a difference, they will never try to be hostile to the Dragonewts. The Boy King of Morandine, the two leading nobles, and the Magic Corps commander are all just staring and clapping awkwardly.
"I generally understand. Then I shall teach you just one."
"Really!"
"Yeah, it's the third from the bottom, but it should be fine. In return, you'll need to accumulate quite a bit of earth magic practice."
"I understand. I'll do my best to learn it. Even if I look like this, I'm Gnome's disciple."
"Umu. A good attitude."
What will he teach? As a result of Eleanor-sama's begging, we were allowed to see it once. Since the class is a bit above super-high-level, it's tentatively an over-super-high-level.
"In human tongue, it's apparently called [Quick Sand]. Well, watch."
"Yes!"
Surprisingly, the elder himself will teach it.
Beatrix and Eleanor-sama, of course, the young people of Morandine, and the Regnentes soldiers are all surrounding the elder.
"I'll cast it over there."
Everyone comes forward so the place the elder points to is easy to see. The young one directed traffic, so a safe distance should be secured. The power also seems great, as they scattered quite widely.
"Then, here I go. %$#()‘&&$’&‘%’!"
The name of the magic is probably the Dragonewts' own language. I couldn't catch it. However, I knew the magic was cast. Because the ground at the end of his palm started to move strangely.
Before the eyes of the observers, the ground is wriggling in a circle with a radius of about ten paces. When the young one threw a fairly long tree branch near the edge of the circle, the tree branch is heading toward the center of the circle as if crawling on the ground.
While staring at the branch in amazement, when the branch headed toward the center as if sucked in, it stood in the ground. No, it's being sucked into the center of the circle. It became shorter and shorter until it finally became invisible.
"Q-Quick Sand..."
Beatrix groaned as she called the name of the magic.
"That's right. It causes a convection of earth at the enemy's feet and drags them into the center. It's quite deep, you see. It's about as deep as the radius of the circle on the surface. This is a demonstration for humans, so it's this size, but when we use it in actual combat, we can produce three times this radius."
If it becomes three times the radius, the Ghost Mansion will be swallowed whole.