kscans

Chapter 103 - Chapter 5. The Seeds of Development

"So, there are two likely points. A weak magic vein has appeared between Bertold and the Royal Capital, and the miasma from that vein caused the eggs to hatch."

"Which means the next question is where those eggs came from."

Fulsy's words affirmed my premise. I nodded and continued the discussion.

"There are a few possibilities, but one is that they were already there."

"That would mean they've been dormant for several hundred years."

It's possible for them to survive for a long time in a dormant state. I remember news from Japan about a lotus seed over a thousand years old sprouting. Seeds, if not eggs, can endure long periods of starvation and drought. But this situation is unprecedented since the kingdom’s founding. The idea that a vast number of spores were just sleeping in the soil feels off.

"Another possibility is that the spores are actually flying in constantly, but we never noticed because they couldn't hatch without a magic vein."

It's like a plant sprouting from a crack in the asphalt. Seeds are always blowing in from a distant meadow, but most of them just get scorched on the asphalt surface. When the asphalt is perfectly intact, no one even notices the seeds. It's only when a crack forms and exposes the ground that you realize seeds had been coming all along.

Even dragons came flying in. It wouldn't be strange for seeds to fly through the air. On a bacterial level, it happens all the time.

"That seems unlikely as well. If that were the case, we would have seen Mucus appear at Tuvil Mountain, for instance. Or it wouldn't be strange for it to happen near the Red Forests to the east and west."

"I see..."

I fell into deep thought.

"I get that you're anxious, but shouldn't you just leave the monsters to the Knight Order? Besides, if that thing is really dangerous, the Royal Capital is in more trouble than Bertold."

"You're right about that."

The Knight Order has already decided to head out for subjugation. By the time we get back to the capital, they'll have gathered more information. Just as Noel said, it's not even certain if this is related to the disaster in the prophecy.

"If you keep making that gloomy face, you'll depress me too. I'm opening a window."

Noel opened the carriage window. Having been stuck in the same position thinking, I stretched my neck and stuck my head out the window, seeking fresh air. The surrounding area was a flat grassland. We were on the main road, so we would arrive in Bertold by tomorrow.

We were heading to Bertold for the honey and the workshop anyway. There were other things I needed to think about.

Wait, what's that?

"Remi, stop the carriage," I said to our driver on the box seat, having spotted several figures in the grassland. Three men were driving something like a plow into the ground.

"Aren't they just digging for peat? It's not that unusual."

"Isn't it a bit far for that?"

We should have been quite a distance from the nearest village. Peat is heavy with water. It felt odd that they would come all the way out here to dig for it. With my mind on how carriage improvements could open up access to previously unreachable resources, this caught my attention.

"Y, y, yes. We're digging for peat. Um, have we done something against the law..."

The man, who said he was from the nearest village, was clearly on edge. Our carriage had not a shred of luxury on its exterior. But we had a single knight as a guard. And Fulsy and Noel were both dressed quite respectably to any normal person.

"No, that's not it. This spot is quite far from your village, isn't it? I was just thinking you could find plenty of peat much closer."

"Oh, ah, I see. Actually, the peat here is dry and easy to use."

"Is that so..."

I reached out and touched the black soil that had just been dug up. It was indeed somewhat crumbly.

"Yes, we only started coming out to dig here about a year ago."

If the water content is lower, it's certainly lighter and requires less effort to dry. But why did the peat dry out? Did the groundwater level drop? And if so, what was the cause?

I looked at the black hole dug into the ground. Peat is soft and makes for weak ground. Surely the disaster isn't something like land subsidence, right?

◇◇

"Wow... it's gotten kinda lively, hasn't it..."

"You're right, the number of carriages has clearly increased."

As soon as we passed through Bertold's gate, we could see how much the city had changed. Noel and I both spoke in low voices as we took in the bustling streets.

"My, it's gotten quite crowded," Fulsy agreed.

I know it's a good thing. But some people just have a reflexive aversion to crowds.

"It's true. Merchants who never visited before are starting to come now. It's become difficult to find an inn. This summer, we'll have to transport honey from the nearby farming villages, which has the chairman quite stressed."

As we headed toward the workshop, we saw a building that was just a frame. A new inn, perhaps.

"Hey, hey, you need to put more angle on that. It's different from before..."

Entering the workshop, I heard Dolph's voice. He seemed to be teaching a young craftsman how to install the leaf springs.

In the back, Bowgan stood silently watching an apprentice working frantically at the furnace. It seemed the expansion of their workforce was going smoothly.

"Hey, it's the young master of Vinder."

Dolph noticed me. Bowgan stood up as well. Five men, all except the one at the furnace, gathered before me. The new faces were whispering things like, "That's him," and, "So young." I wonder what kind of stories they've been told about me.

"Ah, no, don't mind me. You all must be busy." I said, looking at the carriages lined up in the workshop. The number of workers had tripled, but it was clear they were still short-handed. And this was just for "repairs."

"That we are. We're completely swamped. We've got another man coming next month, though. Then we'll be able to train the new kids from scratch," Dolph said. He didn't seem displeased by the situation.

"H-how is the mold holding up?" Noel asked Bowgan timidly.

"We've been using it heavily, but it's unbelievably durable. It doesn't need any maintenance yet. So, our production efficiency for bearings is up. We can delegate the finishing work now."

So the installation is the bottleneck at the moment. But once Dolph gets that part running smoothly, the bearing production might not be able to keep up. After all, we only have one mold.

"Bowgan-san, how are you managing the furnace fires?"

Dealing with the prophecy takes top priority over expansion. Of course, I have to assume the worst. I have to think about how to avoid a fatal blow even if Bertold collapses. After that, I can think about how to prevent the collapse in the first place.

"Fire management is fundamental for a blacksmith. I've been strict with the newcomers, but..."

"What about in an unusual situation? Like if a dragon suddenly attacked, for example."

When I said that, one of the new faces flinched. I see, he must be from Kurtheite. I felt bad for triggering a trauma, but I would have to make use of that experience.

"Please talk with him and draw up an evacuation plan for emergencies. However, your priorities are this. People come first, always. The mold comes after that."

The people we've trained are our greatest asset. The mold can be remade.

◇◇

"Have you seen the state of the city? It is quite something, is it not?"

In the grand ducal residence, which could have passed for a castle, Euphillia spoke with a look of satisfaction, fanning herself with a feathered fan.

"It seems things are going well," I replied, forcing a cheerful tone.

The cathedral tower was right next to the residence. If that tower fell, this place wouldn't escape unscathed. I wished the Grand Duchess could flee, but I knew that wasn't an option for her.

"With the increase of workers at the workshop and the completion of the first phase of improvements for the Knight Order's carriages, merchants have begun to flock here. It seems the number of craftsmen who handle carriage decoration and the like has also grown."

The finance official behind her nodded in agreement.

"Our own knight order is also proceeding with replacing its carriages," the butler added.

Right, I had seen a rugged-looking carriage with the Bertold crest at the workshop. Considering what was to come, the more transport capacity we had, the better.

But the good news ended there.

"It seems good fortune attracts trouble."

When I told her about the Mucus outbreak I'd seen on my way here, Euphillia's expression soured.

"Between the Monster Flood in the west and the dragon attack, there have been too many strange occurrences in recent years. As you say, there must be some large scale change behind it all."

"We are increasing our vigilance so that we are prepared for whatever may happen," the butler confirmed with a nod.

"Speaking of which, our bid to purchase timber from the Empire was a success, partly thanks to that tea party. It has already crossed the river and is on its way. What was the quantity again?"

"Yes, my lady."

Euphillia changed the subject as if to clear the air. The finance official showed me what looked like a contract.

"This much? The director will be overjoyed. Do we know where it was felled?"

I was astonished by the amount. It was more than enough to build two or three more workshops, let alone an inn. I had heard the Empire was eager to sell timber, but we were competing with places like Kurtheite. And the Empire was supposed to be leaning toward their side. Surely it wasn't because of the Ogura Matcha Ice Cream. Still, this would give me a large number of samples.

"That will depend on our skill."

"Please try to find out as much as you can. For instance, you could say that since the climate and soil are different from the Empire's, you're concerned about how the wood might warp."

"I will see what I can do. Yes, if I subtly mention the influx of people to Bertold and the expansion of our farmlands, they will likely see us as a good customer, will they not?"

"From a merchant's perspective, yes."

In reality, they'd probably just think, here we go again with the noble's boasting. I'll have to do some research on the temperament of Imperial merchants myself.

"...Speaking of expanding villages, there was something I wanted to ask. Before I arrived..."

I told her about the villagers I had seen digging for peat.

"The rise in firewood prices in the capital has affected us here as well. It seems consumption in Bertold was higher than usual this past winter," the butler explained.

"Furthermore, the farmland in that area has been expanding for several years now."

"I see."

So increased use of groundwater for agriculture caused the water table to drop. I should probably keep the possibility of Bertold collapsing due to land subsidence in mind.

"It seems the population is also expanding in the north, near the great river. Those who can no longer make a living there might be drawn to Bertold's reputation," Euphillia said, pointing to a spot on the map. I noticed a strange blank area there. Being near the great river, it should have been suitable for agriculture.

"Speaking of which, what's the situation with the trade hub with the Empire?"

"The center of it is here, in Kavir. Although it is in the west, it is under the King's direct control, so my power does not extend there directly."

Euphillia pointed to a square city mark on the map, a little distance from the great river.

"It seems to be far from the river..."

"A relic of the old days. Back when we fought the Empire, the basic strategy was to draw them away from the river before striking. Bertold itself served as a rear base. Of course, for a young woman like myself, this is all just hearsay."

"The Empire's horses were larger than the Kingdom's, which apparently put us at a disadvantage in battles between knight orders. Each of their soldiers was also a formidable foe, hardened by battles with monsters. The Kingdom absorbed their momentum with its castle walls in various regions and countered with superior numbers. This is from when I was a child, however."

I see, a limited scorched earth strategy. So even fifty years ago, the Empire was superior in individual combat prowess.

"But in the last fifty years, villages and such have expanded. If we were invaded now, I wonder how well we could respond. I am particularly concerned about that Imperial carriage you saw."

"As long as it's operated on flat ground, I don't think our improved carriages would lose, but..."

In the end, it all depends on how effectively that carriage can be deployed. If the enemy's supply capabilities are greater than we assume, the old anti-Empire manuals will be useless. In the worst case, if Bertold itself were attacked, the entire western part of the Kingdom could fall into Imperial hands.

I recalled the sight of the bustling city I had just witnessed.

"We have to protect it, no matter what."

That magic-powered carriage, the one we saw at the race...

"Wait a minute, that race!"

"What is it?"

I stared intently at the map. The spots where we'd investigated the drop in magic power... from there, a series of spots continued to the south-southwest. The line of spots, curving gently, was far off the main road used for the race.

But that location was near where we had lost track of the Imperial carriage during the preliminaries. Normally, taking such a huge detour on a bad road would be unthinkable, but it would be possible for that Imperial carriage.

"There's no doubt. The source of the eggs is the Empire."

My memory of the time before the race started flashed through my mind. What had Fulsy said back then? He said the Imperial carriage blocked magic. During the main race, they stopped hiding it, so I thought it was just to misrepresent the carriage's performance.

But what if it was a measure to prevent the eggs from awakening due to magic? If so, everything connects.

"In other words, that swarm of slimes was..."

It would be Imperial bioterrorism... no, a biological weapon. This was an act on a completely different level from simply interfering with a carriage race. I had to tell Craig as soon as possible.

In the gardens of the grand ducal residence, pink flowers were already beginning to bloom. There was no time left regarding the prophecy, either.

"I'm returning to the Royal Capital at once," I said to Euphillia.

Right now, Alfina was supposed to be meeting with Lisabet. The location was Plural Company, and besides Claudia, Mia and Vinaldira were supposed to be "coincidentally there for a business meeting," so I think she'll be fine, but still.