kscans

Chapter 192 - The State of Frontier

It seems there is no pharmacology or medicine in Frontier.

"Why was it lost?"

That’s technology that should have been protected.

"All the doctors died in the war."

"You sent them to the battlefield? All of them?"

I can understand why doctors would go to the front lines, what with all the wounded soldiers, but sending every single one seems unlikely.

"Of course, some doctors were sent. But the direct cause lies elsewhere."

"Hmm? But you said they died in the war, right?"

What does he mean?

"Then I shall tell you how the war ended, something I couldn't say this afternoon. The one who ended the war was that alchemist."

I have a really bad feeling about this.

"If it’s come to this, I might as well hear it."

"Yes... The nations fought one another over the alchemist. But the alchemist grew weary of the situation. They had used alchemy to save people, but instead of saving anyone, it only created further tragedy... The alchemist did not approve of this state of affairs."

"What did this alchemist do?"

"They reached the pinnacle of alchemy... and created the Philosopher's Stone."

This is bad. I don't know exactly what’s wrong, but as someone with the Alchemy skill, warning bells are screaming inside my head that this is dangerous.

"What kind of thing is it?"

"Anything... It can do anything. I do not know the details, but that is what is said."

That’s amazing.

"Do you know the ingredients?"

"People."

There it is. This is bad.

"How many people were used as ingredients?"

"Ninety percent of the world’s population suddenly vanished."

This is not good. This is way too dangerous.

"If I raise my level, will I be able to make that too?"

"Probably."

If the bigwigs on Earth find out about this, I’ll be killed for sure.

"I’m really going to stop leveling up any further... I’ll be honest. I can create an item called the Water of Life, which can bring people back from the dead."

"The Water of Life... a legendary item. You can create that..."

"I don’t have the ingredients, though. It’s called a Crystal of Life."

"That too is a legendary drop item. In the long history of Frontier, it is said to have dropped only a few times. It is nearly impossible to obtain."

So it’s useless. Can't even use it.

"I suppose that means life is precious?"

"That must be it."

The King nodded slowly.

"Hey? The Water of Life is an item that can revive someone before they turn to smoke, but why do people turn to smoke and disappear when they die in Frontier?"

I decided to ask a question that had been on my mind for a while.

"The Status Card is the cause. When a person dies, their Status Card also disappears. And when the Status Card disappears, the person turns to smoke. In fact, if you discard your Status Card, you won’t turn to smoke."

So it's the Status Card's fault.

"So, if you burn the Status Card after someone dies, the body remains?"

"That is correct. And you must never tell anyone this."

"Why?"

"Because everyone would riot, demanding their Status Cards back."

Ah, so that’s it... Well, that makes sense. I asked Kaede-chan about it before. The funerals for adventurers who die in Frontier are apparently heartbreaking, held without a body. It must be the same in this world.

If the citizens learned of the causal link between the Status Cards and their bodies disappearing, they would absolutely want them back. But that would be inconvenient for the state, which wants to manage skills.

"Well, I don't know anyone here besides you and Mia, and I can't talk about something this crazy back on Earth either."

"Please do that."

Honestly, I kind of wish he hadn't told me in the first place.

"Still, the Philosopher’s Stone... I thought even the Water of Life was dangerous, but to think there’s an item that far surpasses it."

"It is an item that can grant any wish. Do you not want it?"

"My wishes have already been granted. All that's left is to protect them."

My wishes are money and Kaede-chan.

"I see..."

"Besides, if ninety percent of the population dies, the people I care about might die too."

"That is correct. That was the alchemist’s greatest miscalculation. After creating the Philosopher’s Stone, that alchemist lost their own family. The stone required a great number of people as ingredients, but they could not choose who would be taken."

So it was random.

"What happened to the alchemist after that?"

I asked, though I already knew the answer.

"They took their own life. They finally understood the horror of what they had done."

I knew it... It’s obvious that alchemist is no longer in this world. They chose death.

"I really don’t need anything like that. I am not a witch, nor am I a foolish alchemist. I’m just an ordinary commoner."

"Please keep it that way. In truth, I believe an alchemist should be killed. But given the current situation, I am not in a position to say so."

Oh, so you were planning to kill me. Please don't.

"So the doctors and pharmacists were turned into the Philosopher's Stone... Aren't there any books left?"

"Almost none remain. The population suddenly dropped to ten percent, and we had bigger concerns."

Securing food and uniting the survivors took priority, I guess...

"Isn't there healing magic or anything?"

"There is. But the number of users is overwhelmingly small."

"So that’s why you need potions... Arc’s siblings also fell ill, but they couldn’t be saved."

"That is the long and short of it. My wife as well."

So that’s why the Queen isn’t in this mansion.

"That’s a heavy story. No wonder you’d risk so much to request aid from Feire."

"Yes, we sought food. Your country sent various other things as well. That is why we allowed many Gates to be established in Japan, and why we lease out so many areas."

Japan really is good at this sort of thing.

"And the countries that closed their Gates, you tried to invade them in turn?"

"That is correct."

"I have one more question. Why can’t we use Earth’s heavy weaponry in Frontier?"

Firearms are no good, and apparently drones and helicopters are impossible too.

"In the past, Frontier also had such weapons. Airships, cannons, bombs... But now, they are all completely unusable. What can be used are primitive things like swords and magic. The reason for this is simple. The alchemist used the Philosopher’s Stone just before they died."

So the alchemist, who had seen such tragedy from war, wished for it to never happen again. That’s why they used the Philosopher’s Stone at the very end to create a world where heavy weaponry couldn’t be used.

"I see. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing..."

"It has its good and bad sides. It is true that conflict among people has decreased, but exterminating monsters has become more troublesome. That is why we desire Buff Potions."

Well, if it weren't for that, we probably wouldn't have made contact with Earth. A blessing in disguise... I guess?

"I understand the situation in this world now. So why is Arc pretending to be a boy?"

"It is a matter of succession. Only a man can become king."

So that's it...

"So if you die or abdicate, Arc automatically becomes king. But Arc is a girl. What happens then?"

"A conflict will arise over the next king. In a situation like this, that must be avoided at all costs."

That’s true.

"I don’t know who the next king will be, but what about the Gate problem? Isn’t that the royal family’s teleportation magic?"

"It is. That is why Arc’s husband will become the next king."

I see. That way, the bloodline won't be broken, and Arc’s child will be able to use teleportation magic.

"Why don’t you just nominate a husband for Arc yourself?"

"That leads to another problem."

"There’s a problem? Is there no suitable candidate?"

"It would likely be the son of some powerful figure. There are candidates."

So even in a world like this, there are powerful people other than the King. Well, of course there are. In any world, there’s bound to be a power gap between the rich and the common folk.

"Then he should be fine. You shouldn't be so picky."

Though for me, it's Kaede-chan or no one.

"Mm... The truth is, Arc has been pretending to be a boy since before the succession issue arose."

"Excuse me? What’s this? Arc, are you a cross-dresser? Or are you the real deal, a lesbian?"

"Yes."

Yes?

...Hey, this kid just nodded without missing a beat! Which is it?! Which one was she nodding to?! My response from here on out will change depending on the answer!