Chapter 815 - Chapter 5: Countermeasures on Vectis Island ②
Since the basic blueprint was finished, after having lunch at the Count's mansion, we went to see the rocks on the bowls operated by Eleanor-sama and Beatrix.
There are no mountains on the island. Not to mention a quarry, there isn't even a rocky area where huge rocks peek out. I wondered where we were going, and it was the sea. It's the south side of the island. There are several inlets on the south side. The largest among them is the inlet where the Bishop who does Kraken breeding lives. The Count says we're going there.
The inlet where we fought the Kraken and the Bishop had changed completely compared to that time. Many small boats were floating in the inlet, fishing. On the sandy beach, fishing boats were lined up, likely having returned from fishing. In the middle of the inlet, a small river flows into the sea, and many houses are built around it. The village that once existed has been revived. One of them is unusually large, but it must be a processing plant for making dried Kraken meat. When we flew around above, people came pouring out of the processing plant. Everyone was smiling and waving when they saw the Count was on board. The bowls landed in the backyard of that processing plant at the Count's instruction.
"the Count, what has happened?"
The one who spoke must be a villager. He came out of the processing plant, but he didn't smell fishy. It's already the latter half of March now. It's the same for making dried boar meat, but it's said that dried meat and the like are better made in midwinter when the air is dry. Since it's by the sea, it might be different from what's made in Sertoria, but since it's warm, the processing itself must be finished.
"I have something I want to discuss with the Bishop. Is the Bishop here?"
"No, he should be resting in the cave now."
"What about the Alraune who interprets?"
"The Alraune is in the processing plant. Shall I call her?"
"No, the sea breeze is not good for an Alraune. We shall go there. The details will be discussed there."
"Understood."
This casual feeling and consideration for the Alraune must be what makes the Count the lord of Vectis Island.
The idea the Count disclosed to the Alraune was to cut out a large rock from the seabed, doubling as an expansion of the Kraken's enclosure. The cut-out rock would be processed by Beatrix into a hut with a water tank. And the spot where it was cut out would be used to increase the number of Krakens to be bred, and when there are no Krakens, they would scatter chum to gather fish. It's killing three... no, one rock, three birds.
There are many villagers in the processing plant. Everyone was stunned by the sheer scale of it.
"Can you do it? I think it'll be quite tough."
"I cannot do it alone. I must consult with the Bishop. If the Bishop says he can do it, then it can be done."
"Hmm. Are you going to ask him now?"
"Yes, I'd like to do that."
At this point, the villagers came to their senses and praised the Count one after another. Well, that makes sense. The idea itself of cutting out a rock from the bottom of the sea is extraordinary, and if it's realized, there's no doubt the village's income will increase.
"You say you will cut out a rock from the seabed, but will you use magic in the sea?"
Eleanor-sama is asking. This was something I wanted to ask too. Surely Beatrix would too. When we did the sea snake extermination in Primordia, the seawater splashed by the rampaging sea snake significantly attenuated the effect of magic, and as a result, even Holy didn't work satisfactorily.
"No, Eleanor-sama, that is not it. We will freeze the area around the cutting site down to the seabed and remove the necessary area of ice. After that, we just cut it out."
He says it as if it's nothing. It would be possible to make a levee with ice and surround the required area. It can be managed if Cocytus is fired repeatedly. If Wilson-san gives his all, it might be possible to freeze it as the Count says. However, how on earth do you use magic to remove a part of it... even though it's a part, it's quite huge since it's a size that a two-story hut can fit into completely... after that? The subsequent cutting out of the rock isn't something that can be done easily either.
"Is such a thing possible if the Count and the Bishop cooperate?"
Even Eleanor-sama is surprised.
"Yes, I am good at earth magic, and the Bishop is good at water magic, including ice. It should be possible."
Eleanor-sama, having heard the Count's talk, glanced at Lyudmila. Lyudmila hurriedly shook her head vigorously and hid behind me. It seems she can't do it.
"Only a True Ancestor could do it. Even a half-blood would find it impossible."
"As expected of someone even the Demon Lord is wary of. It is completely impossible for us humans."
The villagers are murmuring. The hero who defeated the Demon Lord cannot compete. He's nothing but a reliable lord.
As a result of consulting with the Bishop, it was decided to do it. According to the Bishop, since territorial disputes would occur, it's better to make two vertical holes with some distance between them.
Whether vertical or horizontal, it's amazing. According to Beatrix, vertical grooves for cutting out can be dug if Curve is used. It's just a matter of connecting many cylindrical holes. The problem is the bottom part. Naturally, it can't be seen.
"It's impossible for humans. I think Dragonewts could do it, though."
Come to think of it, when we went to South Liber, the Vice-Chieftain was making an extraordinary fireplace. The Count and the Bishop are at that level.
Ignoring the surprise on the human side, the Count and the Bishop on the bowl operated by Lyudmila proceeded with the work smoothly.
The first move was the Bishop's. Based on the blueprint Beatrix made, he adjusted the size and froze a part of the inlet. He was standing still with his hand held out, and suddenly it froze. Voiceless.
"Could it be that the Bishop can activate magic even in the sea?"
If it's activated in seawater, it would be water and ice magic. After that, it's earth magic using the seabed.
The effect of the magic itself was different from what I imagined. It wasn't just that ice formed on the surface. It felt like the designated place just froze as it was. Although the inlet is shallow compared to the open sea, it has a corresponding depth. Nevertheless, even when waves hit it, it doesn't move, nor does it float or sink.
Next, he melted a part of that ice to make a pond.
"How on earth did he melt that?"
Even Eleanor-sama doesn't know.
Since we watched from the bowl, it's clear he didn't use fire magic. There is clearly a magic to melt ice. Such a thing wasn't even in the secret books.
In the third move, he jumped the water in the pond toward the sea surface far away. When the seawater is jumped, the ground, or rather the rock of the seabed, which is about the floor area of the hut, can be seen. The ice seems to be frozen solid all the way to the bottom, and water doesn't seep out.
By this point, it's clear there's a fundamental difference from humans.
In the fourth move, it's the Count's turn.
In the Count's case, when he cast the magic, he chanted and also seemed to have used his voice. I say "seemed" because I'm not confident since it wasn't the language of the White Island. It must be the language of the continent. Even if Eleanor-sama heard it, she didn't understand. Will didn't know either. It seems to be a language fundamentally different from the languages of countries like the Kingdom of Liber that come to mind when you say "continent."
It's magic cast with a chant by the man who calls the storm. I stared at the seabed that would be the target, wondering what would happen.
Suddenly, a square streak of light was emitted from the rock on the seabed without a sound.
No, it wasn't emitted from the rock. Probably, the place that glowed was where the magic was activated. As proof, when the light subsided, cracks could be seen. Crevasse doesn't emit light. I saw the magic the Dragonewts cast, so there's no mistake. Let alone Curve. What kind of magic is it?
"That's earth magic. I saw it at the quarry. Probably, an ultra-high-level version of Curve... an excavation-type magic. No, at that point, it might be an over-ultra-high-level. I don't know what it's called, though."
Beatrix told me. Curve is a mid-level earth magic. I think the ultra-high-level earth magics are Crevasse and Colossus Collapse, but there's another one.
"Is it different from Crevasse?"
Eleanor-sama bit onto the topic.
"Um, it seems to be different. Crevasse just gives an impact and puts cracks in, so it's closer to Colossus Collapse if anything. Curve accurately pierces the targeted spot. To be honest, the required magic control is on a different level. The Dragonewts said so."
"I-I see."
Currently, it seems humans can only use up to the mid-level Curve.
However, it's the first time I've heard of excavation-type magic...
"In short, it's hole-digging magic. You make holes in rocks and such. Dragonewts live in huge caves, right? They probably used that magic."
While listening to Beatrix's explanation, Lyudmila's bowl carrying the Count and the Bishop landed. When it changed its shape into a plate, the Count stepped down onto the waterless seabed.
He walked straight ahead and stood right next to the crack made by the over-ultra-high-level Curve. It was the corner of the square crack. And from there, he went along one side to the next corner, then returned to the first corner. He also went along the other side of the crack to the corner and came back.
"The finishing touch."
Beatrix seems to know what the Count is going to do.
He crouched at the corner and extended his right hand toward the crack. He thrust his right hand into the crack just like that.
And then, his body floated in the air!
While his right hand was thrust into the crack, his left hand was spread wide so as to be parallel to the ground. As for his torso, it was also parallel to the ground. From a distance, it looked like he was supporting his body with just his right hand, but that's not it. The cloak the Count was wearing spread out like wings, and the hem was swaying as if fluttering in the wind.
"That is the Vampire's flight technique."
A chant began, he took a breath once, and spoke. And then, he extended his left hand horizontally along the crack. At the same time, the plate started moving. It proceeded along the crack. It wasn't that fast. About the speed of a person walking.
"He can activate other magic while flying."
Is it simultaneous activation this time? He's doing all sorts of things. It's truly a secret art.
Just before the Count finished moving, the rock started to wobble and tilted. And by the time he finished moving, only the part surrounded by the square crack sank.
"He cut the bottom part. After that, if he pulls that out, the cutting out is successful. The last one is Clump Stone. Well, the rock to be lifted is too heavy for humans to do, though."
Almost at the same time Beatrix finished speaking, the Count, still flying in the air, cleanly pulled out the large cut-out rock. A great cheer arose from the villagers. He's performing great feats one after another with almost no rest. His endurance is also on a different level.
"Beatrix, where shall we work? Is the sandy beach okay?"
He spoke in a loud voice while keeping the large rock the size of a two-story hut floating in the air. This alone is extraordinary.
"Anywhere is fine. Wherever it's easy for the Count to handle."
"Sorry for the consideration. It's a bit heavy, you see, so I'll lower it on the sandy beach."
"Okay!"
A bit heavy, huh. That's not a line for someone who flies to the sandy beach as they are.
Two large rocks were successfully cut out. Since they were carried to the sandy beach, I went to take a look. Two rocks with clean cut surfaces were lined up. They felt smooth when touched. Compared to the one by the seal spirit... I mean, the spirit of the coast, it's a bit rough. It's about the same as the cut surface the female demon in Engrio made.
"As expected, this sharpness is amazing."
Beatrix is even stroking it with her hand.
"Lyudmila, you stroke it too."
"Eh? Why?"
"Apparently it's useful when learning Curve. It's easier to create an image."
"Really? Then I'll touch it too."
Eleanor-sama also joined in stroking it next to the two of them. I'll touch it too, just in case.
They're going to carve these two blocks into huts. However, only one hut with a water tank is needed. Surely they're not going to make a spare?
"I hadn't thought that far. If there are two, we can breed two of them. That's all. I wonder if there's any use for it."
Hmm. It's just right for stone material, one could say.
"Then, can you make stone plates for me? The thickness... let's see, about this much."
She's holding her palms facing each other in front of her chest. About the size of a human torso.
"What will you use them for?"
"Wouldn't it be good to carve magic circles into those plates? If we use them many times, they'll go bad, but since pressure is applied on the exit side, wooden plates would crack."
"Hmm. Then the size can be decided after the water tank is finished."
"That's right. They might as well fit perfectly."
"Understood. Then, shall we use it for practice until the hut is finished?"
"Practice? For the hut?"
"That's right. So that Lyudmila can learn Curve. I'll teach her."
"Is that okay?"
Lyudmila bit onto the Count's words.
"I don't mind. It's not like we're going to make all of this into plates. Let's carve a little bit. Let's practice when you come for agricultural guidance."
"Thank you very much, Count!"
She's overjoyed. If the Count, who teaches magic to the people on the island, shows her an example, she'll really be able to learn it.