Chapter 2 - World of Sea and Island 1 Noah"s ark──.
Even j.a.panese who was unfamiliar with bible or Christianity, like Rokuhara Ren for example would know it.
It was said 『Because sinful humans on earth had increased too much, G.o.d caused a great flood in order to cull and decreased the number of humans. However, the chosen human Noah was told about what would happen. Noah took his whole family and every kind of animal on board of the ark that he created himself』.
The place that the ark was washed ash.o.r.e at was nowhere else than Ararat Mountain……
「No, strictly speaking it"s different.」
Julio with his extensive knowledge added a comment.
「In the Old Testament it was said that『And on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. The waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible』. This description can also be interpreted as『a mountain somewhere in Ararat』. We cannot conclude that it"s the Ararat Mountain at the present day.」
The lecture was carried out while listening to the sizzling sound of cooking meat.
Eastern part of Turkey, the border city Dogubayazit. At a roadside of a small city that should be called as a simple rural city. Beside a stall that was roasting meat on charcoal fire.
A lot of tables and chairs were placed out at the main street in broad daylight.
It was a road under the sky but──
People gathered and enjoyed having meal and talking. Julio and Rokuhara Ren, and then Riona too were mixing among the people there.
The chair with fading color was made from plastic like the chair used in j.a.pan"s bathroom.
On the table that the three were sitting around, there were roasted meat of sheep, beef, and turkey seasoned with spices, slices of melon, watermelon, and orange, whole tomatoes, roasted corn, and Turkey"s long and narrow bread lined up.
All of the foods were obtained from the food stalls and carts.
They arrived to the eastern part of Turkey from Spain at the morning today.
They took late lunch and had strategy meeting while Ren looked at faraway──outside the city.
「Ararat"s mountains huh……. Certainly there"re even two mountains that look like Fuji Mountain side by side. Eh, which one is the Ararat Mountain?」
Whether it was the ridgeline or the white snow crowning the vicinity of the mountain"s summit, the two mountains were really similar with j.a.pan"s Fuji Mountain. They were stretching out like twins.
「Both of them are Ararat Mountain, which make it ambiguous and misleading.」
It was Riona who answered.
「The big one is Greater Ararat Mountain, its height is a little bit under 5000 meter above sea level. The small one is Little Ararat Mountain, with height of 3900 meter above sea level. This one is similar with Fuji Mountain even in height.」
「By the way, there will be other mountain to if you cross the national border.」
「The north of this city Dogubayazit is Armenia territory. Originally Ararat Mountain was the symbol of Armenia people. But at the end of the World War 2 it was incorporated into the territory of this country……it"s a place with a bit complicated situation.」
「It"s also not permitted to enter the mountain without permission from Turkey government.」
Riona and Julio informed him together.
Even climbing the mountain needed permission. However this was Julio, so surely he would manage somehow. Ren ignored the information just now and asked.
「So in the end, which mountain I should climb?」
「Actually, it doesn"t look like there"ll be any problem this time even if we don"t climb the mountain.」
「Yes. The location of s.p.a.ce distortion that was discovered by the investigator of Campiones a.s.sociation is near the foot of Little Ararat Mountain.」
「Then, it looks like it won"t be anything really troublesome then.」
「If I"m force to say, it"s my little sister that might be a problem.」
「We cannot expect anything from her as a combat strength after all. If possible I want her to accompany us in the infiltration into the sanctuary this time too though.」
Unlike her big sister, Toba Fumika had weak mentality. Just in case they brought her until here, but she was completely hesitating and fearful. It was unthinkable that she would agree with going to a trip into a mythological world.
Ren muttered.
「First thing first, for now we"re making her sightseeing around aren"t we?」
「Aah, to persuade and win her over you mean.」
Julio spoke just like the sharp an able person he was.
「I sent her out of the city with a tour guide. There is Ishak Pasha Palace. It was completed through three generations of father, son, and grandson who were a Kurdish people feudal lord of Ottoman Empire in 17th century. It"s a sightseeing spot where tourist can fully enjoy the atmosphere of foreign country. About this time Fumika too must be feeling fascinated by the traveling mood.」
「That place seems good but, it feels somewhat lacking for a middle school girl……」
「Is that so? Near the palace there is also a fortress and mosque from that time. The historic ruins in the meadow between the mountains are also a spot where you can encounter a flock of sheep and their shepherd if you"re lucky……」
Seeing the leader of Campiones looking surprised, Riona felt impressed.
「So Julio likes that kind of thing.」
「I also don"t dislike that. But I wonder about Fumikchan.」
A n.o.ble youth and an extraordinary prodigy, Julio Blandelli.
However, things like romance or woman"s heart were outside his expertise. Ren slightly smiled wryly at Julio"s slightly off opinion that was like usual. On the other hand, the big sister with Spartan policy spoke.
「Just now we saw a hammam──a Turkish bath. Let"s throw that girl into it later. The signboard said that it"ll also give scrubbing like in South Korea and Thai-style ma.s.sage. When she goes limp after going through the full course service, I"ll drug her and bring her to the mythological world while she is sleeping.」
It was a really inhumane idea even though she was Fumika"s biological big sister.
Ren smiled wryly and suggested an alternate plan.
「Her motivation when arriving over there will be worrying if we forcefully bring her. I"ll try personally asking her a bit.」
「Books research fund?」
Fumika"s eyes snapped wide open. Ren replied to her cheerfully.
After they finished their lunch and private talk, Fumika came to the table they were sitting around. Her face looked tired without any excitement of travelling abroad.
Ren winked at the middle school girl who was like that.
「Yep. Our company, or rather a.s.sociation has that kind of system. A member of Campiones can purchase books or videos or software that will be useful for the theme of their research with the expenses paid by the a.s.sociation.」
Ren also received the same explanation when he was welcomed into the a.s.sociation.
However, he didn"t like piling up private things inside his room. It was a system that Ren himself didn"t make use at all.
「By the way, a colleague named Anita will use this system when buying things like j.a.pan"s anime or DVD or manga or "doujinshi".」
「Fueh!? Really!?」
Fumika was shocked. Beside her Julio tilted his head.
「What is doijinshi? I"ve read her research expenses application before. If I remember right she wrote that it"s for 『advancing study of sodomism as well as modern vision culture』.」
「I, it"s a data that was self-published by unaffiliated researcher you know, ehehehe!」
Fumika glossed it over with a laugh, then she immediately turned back toward Ren. Her face was serious.
「Rokuharsan. Tell me in more detail.」
「Anita is an older girl born in Portugal who loves anime and game where j.a.panese sword can turn into human. She said that our a.s.sociation is nice with how flexible its way of thinking is regarding the research data. She told me that even the request to purchase materials from that kind of field will easily go through.」
Julio also nodded toward Ren"s additional explanation.
「Naturally. There was also research that progressed from pursuing a theme that only looks 『unrelated』 in a glance. The investigation of new culture shouldn"t be rejected because of one-sided decision or preconception. And, with that in mind what is the relationship of that topic with h.o.m.os.e.xual love and j.a.panese anime?」
「So, something like that doesn"t really matter-. More importantly me too!」
Fumika cut off the leader"s words and pleaded.
「I might want to try joining Campiones a.s.sociation too……」
「Hahaha. Of course we"ll warmly welcome you.」
「Hooray!」
Fumika was happy because of Ren"s agreement. Julio was struck with happy surprise hearing that.
「……Really? However Fumika, when I invited you several days ago, didn"t you instantly answer 『No matter how great the benefit is, I"ll pa.s.s from anything dangerous!』?」
「I changed my mind!」
Fumika pa.s.sionately insisted to Julio who looked puzzled.
「It"s financially difficult for a middle school student to pursue that kind of hobby-. I also can"t do any part-time job-. But if I"m using research fund, then Okasan also won"t be able to stop me!」
「Now that you mentioned it that happened before.」
Riona joined the talk.
「Our mother refused the remuneration from the Inst.i.tution of Divinities.」
「That"s right, Onee-chan-. She said that it"s still too early for a middle school student!」
「By the way I won over Kasan so I could manage my own salary from the Inst.i.tution of Divinities since when I was still middle school student though.」
「Even though it"ll be great if Onee-chan used that smooth talking for your little sister"s sake-」
「Be silent-. You should be able to carry out a negotiation of that level by yourself!」
Riona loudly rebuked, and then she turned toward Ren.
「Even so……Rokuharsan who look like a normie in a glance actually know about 『doujinshi』, it"s really surprising.」
「Actually I once freeloaded in the room of a lesbian older girl who loves BL.」
「……Ha?」
Riona blinked in surprise. Ren grinned.
「I"m normal after all and she also wasn"t someone I was romantically involved with. When I offered to do work in exchange for paying rent, I was recruited to help with polishing off doujinshi ma.n.u.script. I was also taught to use Clip Studio perfectly.」
「Wait, you mean manga ma.n.u.script!?」
「When she want a.s.sistant to help before an event, she would call me every time. I"m skillful at that even though I look like this. She even told me 『I"ve nothing else to teach you』 at the end.」
Ren winked and boasted about his special skill.
2 The sun had gone down greatly.
Ren and co left the city of Dogubayazit.
This place was a national border. It was bordered with Armenia at the north and Iran at the east.
Along with several members of Campiones a.s.sociation that Julio called here, they rode separately using several cars and arrived at the border with Iran.
It was a plain with good visibility and undulating hill that were continuing without end.
There were few trees. However, there were meadows here and there. This was a land where nomads riding their horse were flourishing. Even now it wasn"t rare to see shepherd here.
In a corner of such plain──
A crater with diameter of 35 meter suddenly opened up. Ren asked.
「Is this, a trace of meteorite? I heard in the city that there was one that fell here more than a hundred years ago.」
If he took one more step, he would fall headlong first to the bottom of the large hole.
He talked with Julio after approaching the crater until that near. The commander-in-chief of Campiones a.s.sociation shrugged.
「Actually that story seems to be a fake.」
「Oops. So that"s one tourist spot gone.」
「The truth is dubious, but there isn"t a single scientific proof of it. Anyway it was a pit that was 60 meter deep and later on it was filled up until the depth became half. However──」
「Right now the bottom of the hole cannot be seen huh.」
Inside the big hole that Ren and Julio were looking down into.
Countless lights were blinking there, shining brilliantly like a nebula.
s.p.a.ce distortion──. User of spiritual sight from Campiones a.s.sociation who investigate the surrounding of Ararat Mountain said that there was an out of place feeling here. After that when they purified this crater using spell and prayer with several people, it came out. The gate toward a sanctuary.
And then today, Rokuhara Ren finally entered the scene──.
「Oh. Riona returned.」
A blue swallow flew out from the glittering s.p.a.ce distortion.
The small migratory bird nimbly moved in front of Ren and others and turned into the form of a high school girl. Becoming Toba Riona who was wearing her usual blazer as her battle clothes.
「I"ve finished scouting. There is a mythological world at the other side just as expected.」
Riona a.s.serted. But she immediately frowned.
「But, which myth is reproduced in this world──is unclear. It"s a bit difficult to confirm it in a short time of scouting……」
「What kind of special trait this world has?」
Julio asked. Riona answered with a troubled face.
「That"s……there is only sea. I tried flying for thirty minutes searching for land, but I couldn"t find even a single island.」
「Looks like we will need to travel it genuinely in order to learn the world"s true state of affairs.」
「That"s just what I wish for. Let"s enter right away.」
Ren immediately declared, but Julio stared straight at him.
「If I can speak my true feeling──there is no rational reason to send you into there. If the danger to the world is approaching, then the G.o.dslayer Rokuhara Ren ought to stay on earth. You"re the only hope that can possibly stand against the threat that would attack earth soon.」
「That might be so. But I"m going. I"ll bring back Ca.s.sandra.」
Ren said without the slightest hesitation.
「For me, both the world and the princess who is like my little sister, all of them are important.」
「That"s a thinking that I find really hard to understand. Foolish and illogical. Although she is the prophet of Greek mythology, I don"t think she has that much value.」
Julio apathetically spoke many words that denied Ren, and then──
He quietly held out his right hand.
「But, as you"re the 『king』, I and Campones a.s.sociation will obey your decision with everything we have. You can act following what your heart wish and bring about great chaos to earth and mythological world as well as a slight hope.」
「Roger. My big thanks to this 『loyalty』of yours.」
Ren smiled and clasped the right hand of his outspoken confidant.
Riona muttered in front of the exchange between fellow men.
「Julio is also a strange person yourself. Even though you belong to the logical faction more than anyone, at the end you leave everything to Rokuharsan who belong to the instinct faction──」
「Because that"s how someone who is serving a devil king should be.」
Julio said that as though it was only natural.
「No matter how much wisdom I obtained, in the end it"s just the shallow thinking of a shrewd human. It will only be kicked away like pebble before the unruly devil king. There isn"t any human who can control the G.o.dslaying beast. Risk your whole body and soul to follow the king, use your wisdom to adapt yourself to the moment and balance the situation──that"s the family precept that has been pa.s.sed down through generations of our Blandelli House.」
「Did Julio"s ancestor taught something like that?」
「That"s right Ren. And then that teaching is likely to be correct. After I personally witnessed you and that marquis……the actual G.o.dslayers, I myself come to think that this teaching is indeed correct.」
Julio a.s.serted with conviction, and then he glanced at the only woman among them.
「Riona is also the same person of logical faction like me. Why are you able to accept Ren"s course of plan?」
「It"s simple for me.」
The reincarnation of Yatagarasu answered easily.
「I"m one in body and soul with Rokuharsan after all. A wife should do her husband"s bidding and vice versa. Our relationship should be win-win for each other. Besides」
「She doesn"t really show it at the surface, but Riona is also worried.」
「Shut up goshujin-sama. Well, I don"t hate that happy-go-lucky princess at all. If she was forcefully kidnapped, then going to save her is also the moral way of life.」
Riona declared as a proud queen.
「The power to do that──is something we have after all.」
「Yosh. Then we"re going to temporarily named the mythological world this time as Sanctuary Hyperborea.」
Julio changed the topic as befitting the leader of the a.s.sociation.
「We"re going to for an exploration team right away. Ren and Riona will naturally be included──」
「E, excuse me-!」
Fumika came running in a hurry.
「My heart is feeling really restless, perhaps Taishi-sama is warning me about somethi──wait, aaaaaaa, look at that!」
The girl who might be matching her big sister by wearing middle school sailor uniform pointed at the distance.
The greater and little Ararat Mountains that looked similar with Fuji Mountain.
The sun had moved near the two mountain summits that were decorated with pure white snow, dyeing them with vivid orange color. The sun would set soon.
And then, within the light of the setting sun, a human silhouette descended from the sky.
It was approaching rapidly. The precise size was unclear, but it seemed to be quite gigantic. The silhouette looked quite clear even from the surface.
「There"re wings growing……. Could it be that"s an angel?」
Ren focused his eyes and muttered.
A beautiful form clad in simple white robe holding a somewhat small sword appeared from between the clouds and descended to earth──furthermore toward the crater where Ren and others were at.
The person had a terrifyingly well ordered face. It was unclear whether they were man or woman.
And then, he or she had pure white wings growing from their back.
It was an existence that Rokuhara Ren completely perceived as 『angel』. Julio folded his arms and pondered.
「Thinking back, Ararat Mountain is a holy land that is connected to the Old Testament. If a s.p.a.ce distortion is occurring there, then even the divine spirit of this land might get awakened too──. We should have expected this.」
「We called that angel here-!?」
「I wonder about that. The 『end of the world』 should be soon after all. Even without us doing anything, the possibility that they"ll still come down from heaven by themselves is big.」
Fumika was getting into panic, while her big sister was staying calm.
Rokuhara Ren──said 「How troubling」 and scratch his head.
「I"m feeling a heated gaze from that angel. I think that the angel is falling in love with me at first sight, or they find me offensive and want to brutalize me.」
「G.o.d and G.o.dslayer are arch-enemy. Surely the angel want to do the latter one.」
Riona pointed out right away.
The wind kept getting stronger and blowing with whistling sound. The fighting spirit that was released from the angel could also be felt granting momentum to the air.
Ren resigned himself and sighed.
「Can"t be helped. I"ll take care of this as fast as possible before we go into Hyperborea. It"ll be nice if the angel isn"t too tough.」
「No. If the angel is directing will to fight toward you, then we can just make them lost their target.」
Julio stopped him. Ren asked.
「What do you mean?」
「Jump into the s.p.a.ce distortion right away. I"ll do something about the rest. Rescue Princess Ca.s.sandra quickly and come back. In order to stand against the destruction of the world!」
「Julio……」
「Ple, please wait a second-. If the G.o.dslayer Rokuharsan is gone, then certainly that angel too might feel appeased!」
Fumika who had become an interim member of Campiones desperately expressed her opinion to the commander-in-chief.
「But, if that doesn"t happen──!?」
「Certainly. But don"t worry. That angel"s divine aura is tremendous, but it"s not to a hopeless degree. I think that they"re low cla.s.s as an angel, in a level of subordinate G.o.d. We"ll be able to deal with them if we use the Holy Grail.」
Holy Grail. The trump card of Campiones a.s.sociation.
It was kept in secret in the cathedral of their stronghold Valencia. Julio spoke its name. It was a corpse of a G.o.d who died on earth and used as a pool of immense amount of magic power.
Using that power, they could summon──
Ren guessed his friend"s intention. Riona nodded to him.
「Let"s go Rokuharsan.」
「Yeah. Of course you and Fumikchan will come too!」
「Uuu-, so I"m going too as expected.」
「That"s the natural personnel selection. If possible I should also come too, but as the commander-in-chief there is a mountain of work that I have to do in this world. But seeing how you"ll be going to an unknown sanctuary Hyperborea, I wish that a capable supporter will come with Ren.」
「Yes. It"s perfect if Umayado no Ouji also come as a set. We"re going!」
「Fueeeeh!?」
Riona held her little sister"s shoulder without listening to her complaint and they jumped together.
They jumped toward the crater in front of them, to the vortex of light of the s.p.a.ce distortion. Ren made a thumb up and grinned to his trusted friend before following after the sisters right away──.
「They"re gone.」
Julio saw of the three departing and smiled.
The whirlwind was getting even stronger. It was already a hurricane of the highest order.
However, as someone with the status of high cla.s.s magician, he applied the protection spell from wind on his body. Thanks to that he was able to stand up somehow.
The low cla.s.s angel who descended from heaven was about eight meter tall.
The angel would descend on the ground if there were 50 or 60 more seconds.
Even though their arch-enemy the G.o.dslayer had gone, the angel was still emitting an intense divine aura. As though they were making a threat. Their fighting spirit was still not settling down.
As expected, he should prepare to intercept the angel.
Julio summoned his family"s inheritance magic sword. The sword of lion Cuore de Lione that had been pa.s.sed down since the era of his ancestor Caesar. It was a one handed broad sword.
But, the strongest inheritance that his ancestor left behind was──
「O ancient war G.o.d of spear! Receive the blessing of the Holy Grail and come here!」
「Very well, beloved child.」
The female knight wearing white helmet, mantle, and chainmail, the White Queen.
She appeared beside Julio in htat beautiful and gallant appearance. She held a long spear in one hand and a round shield at the other. And then unusually she was riding a horse.
Straddling the sleek white horse, she was fully equipped as a knight!
「Let me say this first o scion of Blandelli House. This place──it"s far from the city where the Holy Grail is stored. For now I"ll draw divine power from the grail as much as possible.」
The protector knight informed with a calm voice from above the horse.
「If the power dried out, then that"s it. It will be nice if the power recover after it get drawn, but during that time I won"t be able to protect you. Keep that in mind.」
「Then there"s no problem.」
「Hou?」
「A war is something that is done with all one"s strength at the fastest possible time. We"ll be defeated in one attack or we"ll win in one attack. Previously you said that after all that"s the battle style of the White Queen──」
「Did I say that?」
「You did. I wish to tell my offspring that the protector knight of our house won"t lie. I wish you luck.」
「Hah──! A man who doesn"t even has any prospect of making child is speaking nonsense!」
The queen burst into laughter while pointing the tip of her spear to the sky.
She firmly ascertained the low cla.s.s angel flying down from above Ararat Mountain as a prey.
「But, I accept. Become a blowing wind and galloping down lightning, smash the enemy in one breath. Know that this is my only etiquette. Keep your eyes open and watch attentively!」
The next moment, the white G.o.ddess and her beloved horse turned into light.
They became a flash that flew in a straight line toward the low cla.s.s angel. Both the knight and the horse were enveloped in dazzling white lightning.
She thrust her spear with the horse"s charging force backing it and routed the enemy soldier.
It was truly a knight"s charge. A streak of light rushed up from the ground and the spear pierced into the angel"s stomach. The angel was thrust up higher and higher to the sky.
『Ah──aaaaaaa!!』
Yell of anguish burst out from the mouth of the low cla.s.s angel.
The white knight and her horse paid that no mind and became light that continued to climb steeply. They were pushing the hostile angel vigorously to the height of the sea of cloud.
The scene was just like the reverse reproduction of falling meteor──
「So that"s the full strength of the queen. It"s tremendous……」
Julio was in admiration. Because usually he would save the use of Holy Grail, she would hold back her strength. But right now she was finally released from that shackle and immediately displayed this feat of strength.
The figure of the low cla.s.s angel was already gone.
And then, Julio was convinced that they absolutely wouldn"t return.
3 The world of sea.
A world of blue ocean that was stretching out forever.
「It"s the same with Sanctuary Troia that we visited before.」
Riona transformed into Yatagarasu and flew through the sky with her golden wings spread wide open.
For the time being she just went straight forward. She went toward the direction that seemed to be north, travelling the sky above the ocean. She intended to do this until she found a land.
「Compared to Troia that has the Mediterranean Sea as its inspiration source, this sea is far more refreshing.」
The wind and atmosphere were really cold.
The huge body of Yatagarasu that was flying in the sky was. .h.i.t by the wind that felt very cold. Having said that it wasn"t as chilly as Sanctuary Midgard.
To make an example based on Europe, the temperature felt closer to the north central region of Germany or France──
「The humidity level is also not that high.」
Riona=Yatagarasu flew north for several dozen kilometers like that when she finally found it.
「I found a sign of island! What"s more there"re several of them!」
There were several small islands gathered to form an archipelago.
She flew around above the islands and overlooked it with bird eye"s view. The number of the islands was six. Each of them had mountain, forest, river, and so on, and even plain.
And then──the sharp sight of the sacred bird discovered it.
Flock of goat hopping through steep mountain, sheep forming herd on gently sloping gra.s.sland, there were also deer and buffalo running through plain, the variety of birds was also a lot.
Also, beside the sheeps there were man-made objects that looked like tent.
「It seems there are humans or intelligence race in demi-human category!」
The island with tents was located at the northernmost.
It was the biggest island among the archipelago. Riona spread opened her wings and swooped down.
Hyperborea──.
It was a place name that appeared in Greek mythology. Starting from 『Apollo goes toward beyond the northern wind』 that Julio said, there were several episodes when this name appeared.
「One of them is 『paradise legend』. Hyperborea is at the north, a paradise where sun is constantly shining. There is no winter or night, it"s warm throughout the year……」
The air was cold. It didn"t seem like it was warm like in myth.
「But there is also a theory of 『dest.i.tute remote region at the end of north』.」
In order to learn the truth of Sanctuary Hyperborea, Riona flew powerfully as sacred bird Yatagarasu.
「You brought me to a countryside sanctuary again, Ren……」
「Hahahaha. This isn"t countryside anymore but more like an empty island though. But, Riona said that she found a sign of people living there.」
Stella who was sitting on the left shoulder glared at him reproachfully. Ren casually laughed.
On the other hand, Fumika was looking around fearfully. They were right in the middle of a plain. They could see a herd of sheep eating gra.s.s at far away.
「Uwaa……. I finally came until the rumored mythological world. Uuu-. Even though I want a world with lower difficulty setting because it"s my first time.」
「This world looks alright compared to Yomotsuhirasaka that is filled with zombies.」
Riona curtly told her grumbling little sister.
Everyone was put inside the body of Yatagarasu and brought until here.
「Well, be on your guard. If this is in A Princess of Mars series, the first other world will be a Mars kingdom that is ruled by warrior race with four arms. Furthermore they will be in the middle of chaotic battle. Compared to that this is a better beginning isn"t it?」
「I, it might turn into something just as harsh!」
The worrywart Fumika complained with a tearful gaze at her big sister"s rea.s.surance.
But, right now wasn"t the time to care for her. Ren approached the herd of sheep with Stella riding on his shoulder.
He found a duo of adult man and a boy who seemed to be parent and child.
Both of them were riding together on a small horse. There was no saddle, but a leather mouthpiece and a rein were connected to the horse"s mouth. The adult who seemed to be the parent was holding on the rein.
「He really look like a shepherd.」
「Indeed. He has the appearance of a mountain shepherd.」
Stella and Ren nodded to each other. The father and son on the horse were normal human. The looked like Caucasoid in earth term. They had white skin and finely chiseled features.
The father and son were watching the approaching Ren and Stella with suspicion.
They were dressed in cloak and large piece of cloth with hole at the middle for head that seemed like could be found in any region. In any case, the clothing seemed unrelated with Mediterranean area Troia that was hot.
The father was growing his goatee. His age was at his early thirty.
It was unknown what language they were using. Ren resolutely greeted in j.a.panese.]
「Nice to meet you. I am Rokuhara Ren. Someone in the middle of a journey. This one here is Stella.」
「 X X X X X. X X X X X X X X X」
The father and son talked in a language that was unknown for both Stella and Rokuhara Ren.
They didn"t know if a smiling face would become a proof of friendship in the culture here, but for the time being Ren along with the G.o.ddess of love smiled brightly while approaching.
He also casually exposed both his hands and appealed that he carried no weapon.
Anyway he didn"t stimulate the other side"s wariness. In order to make the first contact with the residents of the mysterious world Hyperborea a success, he intended to fully utilize his communication skill.
And then, the shepherd father and son riding on a small horse were──
The adult who looked like father was looking suspicious, while the son was rattling on in excitement.
None of them showed any sign of timidity. Perhaps traveler wasn"t rare here, or perhaps they were simply courageous.
And then Stella"s face turned pensive while listening to the words of the father and son──
From Ren"s left shoulder she suddenly yelled 「○○○○、△△△△△！」.
She used the same language like the father and son and talked cordially with a smile like flower that was just as expected from the G.o.ddess of love.
「I"m gradually comprehending what everyone is saying.」
「Me too. Soon we will be able to go even without Stella"s translation.」
「I, I"m still no good……. Uuu-, I"m feeling a bit alienated-」
They were welcomed as guest in the house of the shepherds and several hours pa.s.sed.
Their family was formed from mother, father, two boys, and grandmother. Several tents were set up on the plain where the sheeps were let loose.
Ren and co right now were inside a tent. Night had arrived outside.
The family of shepherd that they encountered in Hyperborea world was surrounding the small G.o.ddess Stella and pa.s.sionately stared at every single action she made.
Stella looked really satisfied at the attention she gathered.
「Hohohoho. What honest humans. They"re wishing for a G.o.ddess like me to stay here forever. But I can"t. I"m in the middle of an important journey with my attendants over there.」
「That"s unfortunate.」
「If G.o.ddess-sama will stay here, then this island will also stay peaceful……」
The father and grandmother showed their disappointment.
They easily believed Stella who introduced herself as a 『G.o.ddess』, showed simple respect toward the 『divine one』, and gave her a warm welcome.
At the middle of the tent, the soil was dug out to serve as a simple hearth.
The family and Stella were surrounding that fire.
Ren and others were taking distance from that circle. Riona muttered with a small tone.
「The language might be Indo-European languages, furthermore I feel that it"s a language from really ancient era. I"m a bit unable to ascertain the specific time though.」
「Could it be, the language is even more ancient than the language used in Troia?」
「Most likely──no. Perhaps it"ll be fine to judge it so.」
The special technique to naturally learn unknown language by listening to it for a while.
Not only Ren who was a G.o.dslayer, Riona was also doing that with her grounding as a genius onmyouji. Furthermore she also had knowledge regarding ancient language as the reincarnation of Yatagarasu.
This place was a world of 『ancient mythology』 that was even older than Trojan War──.
Beside the surprised Ren, it was Fumika who spoke this time.
「The food is also really simple.」
Fumika brought the flatly baked pan to her mouth.
The ingredient must be a mix of flour from barley and wheat. However, the soup that was filled with vegetable and meat pieces was also mixed with "viscosity" that came from wheat flour. It was quiet elaborate. The steak of roasted lamb meat was also soft. There was no smell from it.
While it was simple, the meal was quite fulfilling.
Riona drank goat milk using earthenware bowl. She muttered in a low voice.
「They live in tent, ride horse, and rear sheep. If they"re periodically moving in order to look for gra.s.s as fodder then they"re nomad. Well, at the very least it"s certain that they"re people specializing in stock-farming.」
「Is there no farmer at this area?」
「When I watched from the sky, I also found a place that looked like a small wheat field. In other words the people here are half farming and half shepherding. Their style of life is in the transition period from stock-farming at the open-airs to living in group settlement.」
Ignoring the conversation of the two j.a.paneses, Stella asked the shepherd family.
「Can I ask something? Have you seen travelers in this appearance?」
She quickly explained the looks and appearances of sun G.o.d Apollo and Princess Ca.s.sandra.
However, the whole family answered that they didn"t know. There was no clue of the people they were looking for. Ren sighed "fuu", it was then.
「Eh?」
Ren felt something out of place and focused his eyes.
There was only the fire burning on the hearth, so the inside of the tent was gloomy. There wasn"t any storage like chest of drawers here.
But, there were various miscellaneous goods put on the fur that was spread on the ground.
There was a glittering object among them. It was a diadem decorated with gold craftsmanship. There was also a pearl necklace. Then a bracelet that seemed to be made of silver.
That dull golden colored goblet was most likely made from bra.s.s──.
All the precious metal had delicate engraving carved on them. Images that gave the impression of『bird』, 『lady』, or『warrior driving chariot』, they were drawn with delicate touch like a brush painting above the gold and silver.
Ren secretly pointed at the jewelries secretly so that only the Toba sisters noticed.
「Those things, aren"t they strangely out of place?」
「I agree. They"re absurdly out of place OOPArt in this residence of shepherds who spend simple life in an island that is like an unpopulated island. Especially the silver and bra.s.s, they couldn"t be created without refining ore and mixing them.」
Riona also whispered secretly.
「It"s really unthinkable that they can make those things with the civilization level here.」
Fumika was taken aback by her big sister"s opinion.
「Don"t tell me, they stole it from somewhere-?」
「Even if they got them from stealing or robbing, the story won"t make sense if there is no『attack target that have that kind of treasure』 around here. Now then, what is the truth……」
「We can only ascertain it directly.」
Ren listened to Riona"s words and stood up. He called out to the family.
「I"ve a bit of question! Where did you get those pretty things?」
He asked straightforwardly with merry voice that contained no malice.
Then the father of the family answered right away smilingly without any guilt.
「Aah, those things, they were washed away to here.」
「Washed away?」
「Yes, from the sea. When I walked on the beach they were accidentally washed ash.o.r.e.」
From the sea──. Ren exchanged glances with the Toba sisters.
Furthermore, the father told him even more information.
「You see, in the other island there is also some people who intentionally dived until the bottom of the sea to pick them up.」
「There is also wrecked ship at the bottom of the sea!? Or perhaps it"s an underwater ruins?」
This time it was Riona who asked vigorously.
「Could it be, there"s a dragon h.o.a.rding its treasure in its underwater nesting hole?」
But the father tilted his head and said「Who knows?」.
It seemed even he didn"t know where the treasures came from.
In the end, they stayed the night in the tent of the shepherd family.
And then the morning came. Right after he woke up──Ren noticed something strange.
「Eh?」
「……What"s the matter, Rokuharsan?」
Riona who was sleeping together in a huddle beside him also woke up.
She rubbed her eyes sleepily. In the mythological world that didn"t have any custom of man and woman sleeping separately, both the shepherd family and also Ren"s group were sleeping inside the same tent.
「The family, where did they go?」
「Let"s look for them.」
Fumika and Stella were still wrapped in blanket sleeping. However, the father, mother, two boys, and the grandmother, the five people of the family were all gone.
He went outside together with Riona. The morning sun was dazzling.
A horse was eating gra.s.s leisurely beside the tent. There was also a cart that this horse would pull. However, that wasn"t what they were searching for.
In the end──they immediately found the family.
All of them were at a slight distance away. Right beside a precipitous cliff. They could look out over the sea from there. This plain was right beside the sea.
All of them were kneeling and bowed their head toward the ocean.
「It"s that, the first sunrise of the year.」
Ren recalled the New Year in j.a.pan.
「They"re like j.a.panese people who are praying to the rising sun.」
「Rather they"re like the Muslim that kneeled and worshipped to the direction of Mecca. I can feel how they"re praying really piously from here. Besides, they"re facing another direction from the sun.」
Riona pointed at the direction of the morning sun.
Certainly the direction of the sun was 90 degree off from the sea where the family was bowing to.
「Then, are they offering grat.i.tude to the sea?」
「Perha──nn? Nnnn……?」
The two of them walked until the cliff and tried staring at the sea.
But midway Riona frowned. She started staring hard at one spot of the sea surface.
Ren also tilted his head saying「Eeeh?」. Right beside them, the five people of the family in this island was prostrating and offering prayer…….
「Rokuharsan. That tiny island, does it look like it"s expanding?」
「I see it. It"s like bread dough that is fermented, it"s getting bigger into plump shape by itself.」
At first, that island was only as big as the parking lot of a convenience store.
It was nothing more than a tiny reef. However, it was bloating up while they were watching and reached the size of a baseball field.
It was rapidly spreading further and became an empty ground that could be filled with several Tokyo Domes.
Before long the bloating land──reached around the same size like Enoshima!
That island was covered with greenery.
Plants were sprouting in terrific speed. They were growing and gave birth to a forest that filled the island before long.
Riona who witnessed all that quietly took out a talisman.
「One shikigami, come to me.」
The piece of paper that originated from onmyoudou became a white heron and flew away.
It was Riona"s familiar. It became the ear and eye of its female master and gathered information. It was often given that kind of role.
From there Riona seemed to confirm something from the eyes of the white heron──
「As I thought!」
「What"s wrong?」
「This island, from among the six islands it"s at the northernmost, located at the end of the archipelago. But just now the seventh island is created.」
「The island increased……?」
「Yes. There is no doubt.」
Ren hurriedly ran toward the family kneeling right beside them.
「Sorry to disturb! That island, it wasn"t there yesterday right!?」
「Yes. It"s the blessing of light.」
The kneeling father lifted his face and spoke happily.
「The One Who Bring Back Light enlarged the land for us. You guests too, rejoice. There is blessing even in this world that is filled with despair!」
4 Four days pa.s.sed since they came to Hyperborea.
Riona transformed into Yatagarasu several times so that Ren and co could travel with her wings. They would fly above the vast ocean and stopped by each time they found island.
There were only small islands.
However, no matter which island, it would be blessed with nature and had a lot of birds and animals in it.
Sometimes they would also found inhabited island, but it wasn"t difficult to find human.
「Until now, everyone we met were stock-farming people.」
Riona muttered while gliding above the ocean in her transformation as golden phoenix.
She was talking to her goshujin-sama and little sister who were taken into her body.
「They are living in unit of family and half farming half shepherding. The population of the islands is diverse. There are islands like the first island that is only populated by a single family, but there"re also islands that are populated by more than ten families. However even in the latter case, the islanders won"t reach the phase of gathering in one spot and making a village……」
(Eh, why is that?)
Rokuhara Ren"s thougth was transmitted from inside her body.
(Even though it feels like it will be convenient if they make a city with everyone.)
「It"s simply because there isn"t that kind of living style here. But, if the population of each island increase, then I believe that the settlement will also increase naturally. That is an inevitability of history.」
Riona also spoke indifferently through telepathy.
「People with the main occupation of hunting, picking, and stock-farming will start farming, then create village or city as base for community life and commerce. That"s the birth of ancient city. And then people living inside the city and outside the city will sometimes mingle and sometimes in opposition……」
(Opposition?)
「Yes. The hunting people and nomad people living within the harsh nature will become unable to secure food when a little trouble happens. If that happens then their eyes will be turned toward the settlement of non-nomadic people who have sufficient reserves of water and food──」
(I see. They"ll go there to steal them with brute force.)
「Look, the Greek mythology is also like that but, the people in mythology wouldn"t hesitate at all to plunder other country"s belonging. It"s to the degree that even in Old Testament G.o.d expressly ordered humans to『Don"t kill』『Don"t steal』. Those were normal acts in the era of mythology.」
(How dangerous.)
She landed on a new island while having that talk.
Accompanied by Riona who returned to her human form and Fumika who had become completely silent, Ren casually called out to the islander they found.
「h.e.l.lo. We are traveler.」
There was an old couple casting a net to catch fish just nearby.
There was only sea in this world, so naturally fishing was also popular. People making wooden raft or pelt ship to go out to the sea also weren"t few──
『Plate ship?』
『No. It"s pelt ship. It"s a ship with framework from wood and then it has pelt affixed on it.』
That was the explanation from Riona.
『In an era that has no metal tool, it"s really difficult to make a wooden ship. Because of that they will make raft by tying logs or bamboos together or making ship from animal skin.』
There were a lot of birds and animals so hunting was also popular.
Picking, hunting, and stock-farming were truly the pillar of living here. Because they had that kind of life, the people of Hyperborea would routinely migrate. Perhaps because of that, they were kind to traveler. It was also easy to beg for a single night of lodging. This time the fishing old couple also were also the same.
「Travelers, it"s amazing how you come this far.」
「Please rest for a bit. Here, here.」
The old couples welcomed them into their tent. There Riona casually looked around the inside.
「……So this place also has them.」
The inside was quietly decorated with a『doll』.
It was made from clay. It was hardened by burning it, in other words it was a clay figure.
It had very simple make. It had a primitive design of "head and pole that seemed to be the torso with sticks attached like legs and arms, looking like a distorted cross".
It couldn"t be compared at all with j.a.pan"s Buddha statue or Venus statue of ancient Greek that were refined.
Similar humanoid figure was placed here and there inside people residences. Riona frankly questioned the old couple who possessed the figure.
「That is the G.o.d who you worshipped isn"t it?」
「That"s right. Glory to The One Who Brought Back Light.」
The old man smiled cheerfully. Riona questioned deeper.
「The One Who Brought Back Light. Please let me be frank. what is his name?」
「Name? Who knows?」
The old man looked puzzled as though to ask why she was making such meaningless question.
「There"re great number of hero──chosen one who brought back light. They will also keep appearing from here on. They head to beyond the darkness and bring back light and fire to this land.」
「That might be so.」
「However, well, if I"m forced to mention a name」
The old man spoke in respond to Riona"s dogged question.
「Something like DyuuSky, what do you think dear guest?」
In the end, they stayed the night in that old couple"s tent.
They were also treated to a meal. The main dish was a fish that looked similar to sea ba.s.s that they caught in the afternoon grilled with salt. Things like sh.e.l.lfish and vegetable cooked as soup, grilled prawn and octopus were also adorning the dining table.
The old couple were placing their tent right beside the beach. Naturally the food consisted only of seafood.
「Let"s go to the sea after eating, Fumika.」
「Uuu-. I knoww-」
Fumika answered to the idle remark of her big sister with slight reluctance.
It seemed she wasn"t really motivated. The fourth day since their arrival in Hyperborea. The second daughter of Toba House had been in low spirits all the time since yesterday.
Anyhow, they finished their meal, then Ren and the sisters exited the tent.
「Even the house here is calling The One Who Brought Back Light as Dew.」
Ren spoke while walking toward the beach.
He lit the torch his hand was holding and illuminated the night path. Riona was muttering with low voice while looking deep in thought.
「Dyuu──the sky. The word makes me think. The word with the same meaning in Sanskrit is Dyau. It"s not a coincidence that the they sound similar, both languages are Indo-European languages……they have familial relationship.」
Riona stared at the darkness spreading ahead of the unreliable light and spoke further.
「Dyau. Dyuu. The same word in ancient Greek language is Zudeus. This word become p.r.o.nounced as Zeus following the flow of time.」
「Could you mean, Zeus-san who we met at Troia?」
Ren recalled the nostalgic G.o.d. Riona affirmed it.
「Yes. His name come from the word of sky being used as it is for his divine name. And then sure enough the ancient Greek language is also from the Indo-European languages.」
「It was that thing Riona mentioned right after we came here huh.」
「Sanskrit"s deva and Latin"s dues are also words that were derived from sky. Both of them has the meaning of G.o.d……」
「Which myth this world, Hyperborea originated from?」
Ren spoke seriously.
「As expected was it a myth from somewhere between Indo until Europe?」
「I still don"t know. Anyway we learned that the faith toward The One Who Brought Back Light is the standard religion here. We should continue our information gathering.」
They came until the beach at night.
The dark sea surface was reflecting the full moon"s light and the starlight.
「Is an island going to appear tonight?」
「I wonder. There isn"t any more like that at all since the first day after all.」
An island was created without them noticing while they slept.
It was the event they encountered at their second day in Hyperborea. The same mysterious phenomenon like that hadn"t happened again. However.
「When we investigated with the questionnaire survey of 『Do you think it"s natural for a new island to suddenly get created at the sea』 to the families we visited until now, everyone gave the answer 『I think it"s natural』. That is a phenomenon that occur daily in Hyperborea.」
They wanted to watch that phenomenon in real time if possible──.
The mythological world had few entertainment unlike earth. Ren and others stared at the sea every night which also doubled as distraction from the boredom of the night without television or smartphone.
「Uuuuu-」
Fumika suddenly burst into tears.
「What"s the matter Fumikchan?」
「Do you have stomachache?」
「That"s not itt-. The life without any internet or late night anime or manga is painful……. Potato chips and rice cracker, meal of white rice……」
Fumika grumbled her yearning for modern civilization.
She realized that smartphone was working even at the sanctuary of Hyperborea. She was distracting herself from the long night of the sanctuary that was too lonely using web comic that she downloaded, but.
Her smartphone immediately ran out of battery and her lifeline was severed.
On the other hand, Riona was curt.
「That"s why I"ve told you before. Join the one month training camp of mountain seclusion that I produced. If you have the survival experience of living in extreme environment without any electricity, signal, gas and water service, and smartphone, you will be able to endure toughly even at this kind of time.」
「Even so doing nothing but staring at sea vacantly in the night is just too sad!」
「I"m having a lot of fun in this kind of wild trip though.」
「Well, Rokuharsan is also someone who is out of standard after all.」
「Uuuuu-. These two, they"re just overly too tough for j.a.panese people of 21st centuryyyyy……」
Fumika was weeping tearfully seeing the condition of the older duo who were following their own pace. In addition.
『That"s right! Even I"m fed up with this kind of boring world!』
It was a voice that came from below Ren, from a ground that had been stepped firmly.
Stella expressed her displeasure with only her voice without showing her figure.
『Compared to this the cramped earth of Ren and other humans is still better! Quickly finish your mission and bring me back-. Everything about this sanctuary is really no good. There is also no one who come even when I called, this place is really not suitable for this queen of Cyprus!』
「Aaa, you mean how even the Circle of Friendship ended up in vain.」
Riona nodded.
The authority of G.o.ddess Aphrodite to summon her friend, lover, servant, or the like and asked them for help. Even in the mythological world where she had no acquaintance, this authority could summon 『someone with good compatibility』.
However this time no one came.
They tested it the next day after they arrived in Hyperborea. Ren muttered.
「We have traveled quite far since then. Should we give it a try again soon?」
「Stella"s mood will worsen even more if it failed. Let"s not do that yet. By the way according to my judgment」
Riona declared full of confidence.
「I think the civilization level of this world is around the same with the period of 30th century BC.」
「Thi, thi, thirtieth century!? What kind of civilization level that period has!? Does that age have any manga!?」
Fumika asked tenaciously. Her big sister told her bluntly.
「Please don"t ask something irrelevant. This era"s skill in earthenware production and stone tool manufacturing is quite high level. But their skill in metal tool is still at the early stage. I was able to confirm metal and copper items with simple make at each household. However until now I haven"t seen any iron tool necessary for metallurgy──」
Riona muttered as though to check her memory.
「Also, the important point is the cart──in other words the existence of wheel here.」
「By wheel, you mean that thing spinning around?」
Riona affirmed 「Yes」 to Ren"s question.
「Actually the invention of wheel was a historical turning point for mankind. The way the civilization work after and before of wheel"s invention is completely different. ……Well, it"s also alright to have a night chat about it to tide over the boredom. But it will soon be the limit for a heaven-sent child of civilization and decadence like Fumika.」
Fumika was in a daze from the shock she received due to the civilization level. Her face looked like her soul had left her.
Riona shrugged and took out a single talisman.
She threw it. The paper made a whishing sound and transformed not into the usual white heron but into a horned owl that flew toward the night sky.
「Let"s leave the lookout of the sea to the night version shikigami and sleep already tonight. Also I have a good news for Fumika.」
「Eh, what? Does Onee-chan actually bring manga magazine here!?」
「I don"t have anything like that. But, a report come from the shikigamis I sent to scout various places.」
The investigation of topography and the state of a country using shikigamis which was useful even at Troia and Midgard.
She also practiced it at Hyperborea. Riona told her little sister whose eyes were shining in expectation with a face that seemed to say 『Guess I should give her some carrot sometimes』.
「I finally discovered a settlement──what"s more it"s a port city. It"s a place that seem to be a base for sea trade. Well, it"s only at the level of this mythological world but, you"ll be able to enjoy the scent of civilization after so long.」
「Really!? I want to enter a bath!」
Fumika"s eyes brightened after so long and she yelled.
Even though they could clean their body by taking bath in place like spring or the like, it had been several days since they were last able to use things like shampoo, hair conditioner, shower, and the like.
5 「Fuwaaaaaah!」
After a long time, Fumika was finally able to erupt in great joy.
At the wharf of the harbor, there were raft from tied up logs, pelt ship using animal skin, and then sailing ship even though they looked primitive being moored there.
Yes, sailing ship. It had twin hulls that looked like canoe lined up and a sail attached.
It was a mini sailing boat that ought to be called as the prototype of yacht. When all those ships were counted together, there would be forty or fifty ships easily. It was quite a sight.
The island this time had a size that was similar to the main island of Okinawa or Guam Island.
「I, I finally can see a city, Onee-chan!」
「Even if you call it that, the number of households is around 500, a population of five or six thousand people is meager.」
Riona was keeping her cool.
But, she also narrowed her eyes in delight while staring at the situation of the harbor.
The harbor was facing a calm inlet. Huts made from wood lined up disorderly, bringing out the bustling of the city.
Ren smiled seeing dozens of people walking the streets.
「Recently we were only visiting lonely place, so seeing a crowd makes me feel nostalgic.」
Whether man or woman, everyone here was wearing proper clothing.
Cloak that seemed to be woven from wool, cloak made from animal fur. Man would wear a plain piece of cloth, a long trouser, and sandals underneath that. The clothing they wore was mostly in that one patter. The variation was lacking.
On the other hand, the woman clothing was in different style.
There was tank top, bolero, dress (clothes that were similar with those). The variation was quite abundant.
The people were also wearing also a lot of accessories like necklace, ring, hat, and so on. Both man and woman were the same in that respect.
There was also a street that seemed to be a main street after a fashion.
There was a great number of people who seemed to be stallholder. They lined up foodstuff, general goods, and the like that seemed to be their merchandises on cloth or fur that was spread out on the ground or on wooden stall while talking to the pa.s.sing by pedestrians.
Riona muttered.
「It"s a market, or rather a place of bartering that is the prototype of a market.」
「They aren"t shops!?」
「They aren"t selling and buying with money?」
Riona spoke at length toward her surprised little sister and Ren.
「Just like I said last night too, the civilization level of Hyperborea is at the Copper Period. It seems to be at the middle of New Stone Age and Bronze Age. It"s not at the stage where people use gold, silver, and bronze as currency.」
An era that possessed both the tool to process ores like gold and copper and stone tool.
Riona who talked about archeology terms pointed at a stall.
「They"re deciding the terms of exchange through the dialogue of the selling side and the buying side. Or perhaps they"re bringing goods that have universal value as currency replacement. Over there they"re bartering furs right now.」
「Ah, it"s true.」
「Textile and cloth. Fur. Foodstuff. Stone or precious metal that can be used to manufacture tool. Those things are valued highly no matter the era. There are also many cases where they used pretty sh.e.l.ls as primitive currency. Ah, over there they"re bartering a sheep──the livestock itself.」
Ren recalled an episode in j.a.pan before the war and right after the war.
「It"s something like how they brought chicken to be exchanged with medicine huh.」
「Yes. With nomadism and agriculture being close to each other, utility value for livestock as currency will be created. It"s like the well-known story in Otoyomegatari, a hundred sheep was presented as betrothal gift in order to take a wife.」
「What now, Onee-chan!」
Riona talked about her extensive knowledge, on the other hand Fumika was receiving a shock.
「We don"t have anything that can be used for bartering!」
「Smartphone can be used for that isn"t it? The LED screen is sparkly from reflecting light after all.」
「Do, don"t joke-. Within our current equipment that"s the most important thing after our life you know!?」
Fumika twisted her body and dodged the gaze of her big sister that was poured on her back.
The rucksack on her bag was filled with all her belonging.
「I haven"t done any procedure to inherit the data in my mobile games!」
「You"re a child who can still say such thing even in this real RPG situation aren"t you.」
「Well, if we want to do it in a quick way, then it will be to ask them to share something in exchange of manual labor I think?」
The nimbleness of his footwork was his pride. Ren entered the 『market』.
「Everyone!」
He yelled loudly at the middle of the traffic with a lot of stalls around.
The attention of the gathered people immediately turned to him. Ren continued further.
「Is there anything you want me to help with!? Ask for anything! I"ll do anything!」
「Ro, Rokuharsan-. Is it alright to declare something like that!?」
Fumika who followed him spoke in worry.
Ren grinned and winked.
「It"s fine. I"ll somehow manage. Even if a strange request comes, I"ll think about it at that time.」
「──Anything is really alright?」
Right after he said that, a voice of a man in his prime called to him.
The tailoring of his cloak was good. He was also wearing a green bracelet that seemed to be made from jade.
He was even wearing a necklace that was made from jaspers connected with string like a rosary. His appearance was quite wealthy. His bearing was also dignified.
Perhaps he was an influential person in this city──. Ren held such expectation. The man told him.
「The King of Sea will come soon. We need warrior.」
「Listen, o people of the city!」
A man wearing a white kerchief was calling out from above a small ship.
The ship was on the sea in a distance of seven or eight meter from the harbor"s wharf. Two young men were rowing on the boat using oar.
The young man who seemed to be the spokesman of a pirate group spoke loudly.
「The holy king and his army who rule this sea will soon arrive. You shall prepare until then. Prepare to prostrate before our king──」
「No, no way we"re going to do that!」
The one who talked back was the person who called out to Ren before this.
The man who seemed to be the leader of the city raised his voice loudly toward the sea from the wharf.
「The people who swear fealty to your king have to offer their livestock, wealth, house, field, everything they have isn"t that right!? You ask for everything that we have built!」
Nearly a hundred townspeople gathered at the harbor"s wharf and held their breath.
Everyone was considerably scared. The spokesman watched that in satisfaction and declared.
「Then, prepare to challenge us with force and welcome your death!」
That was the last notification. The small ship that was boarded by the spokesman left. And then──
「Haaa……」
Riona sighed in lamentation. She was standing by at the wharf together with Ren.
「What I said yesterday became a prophecy……」
「Aa. Your talk about how the city of non-nomad people will get attacked by 『outside』.」
A group of large boat was gathering at the inlet that the port city was facing.
The ships consisted only of the aforementioned fur ship, but the all the 『pirate ships』 had the same size with a yacht. They also had sail. More than a hundred of such ship were a.s.sembled.
The eyes of the men glaring at the port city from those ships were filled with murderous intent.
They weren"t friendly no matter how one looked at it. Many of the pirates were man, but there were also women mixed in. However the eyes of those women were also terribly grim. They were filled with fighting spirit.
Both men and women were lightly equipped.
They didn"t wear any cloak. They wore clothes that looked like T-shirt with half sleeve or long sleeve and trouser with relative length.
They possessed short sword, hammer spear, or short battle axe that seemed to be made from copper. There were also a lot of short spear.
And then the pirates──were all wearing white kerchief. Not a single one was an exception. It must be to identify their fellow comrades.
Riona spoke seriously.
「Becoming pirate using ship is the best way to do looting act in a world of sea. The efficiency will also be great if they gathered fellow like-minded people and formed a faction. After that they moved around attacked from island to island……」
「Fi, fighting something like that──will you be okay Rokuharsan!?」
Fumika was worried for him. But Ren laughed lightly.
「There"re also other warriors, I"ll manage somehow. You know about my escaping feet right?」
「Well, I don"t think there is any human who will be able to touch the serious Rokuharsan.」
Riona was also relatively easygoing.
Around a hundred warriors of the city gathered on this wharf.
Similar like Ren, they were volunteers who were asked to stop the enemy from landing. But the warriors at the defending side were obviously fearful. They were starting to get restless.
It must be because the combat strength of the pirate"s side was just too overwhelming. But, Riona was calm.
「When push comes to shove, I"ll burn all the ships of the pirate group with Yatagarasu"s flame.」
「As expected from Onee-chan-. I"m relieved to have such a reliable and strong ally!」
Fumika too finally calmed down hearing her big sister"s boast.
However, the essential strongest combat force──Ren was muttering with a subdued tone.
「Those pirates, they"re a bit of bad news.」
「What"s the matter?」
「Their leadership feels surprisingly firm. It looks like they"re full of fighting spirit……」
The fleet of large ship was deployed on the sea and the pirates were closely watching the port city from their ships.
There was more than 200 meter distance from the wharf until their ships. But, the fierce expression and glare of the pirate group could be clearly seen from the scouting of the white heron shikigami.
The pirates whose fighting spirit was blazing hotly were exactly like 『beast in heat』, and yet──
「They"ve been waiting obediently all this time like they"re waiting for someone"s order isn"t it?」
「Ah……certainly.」
Riona was taken aback.
「With their state it won"t be strange even if they strive to be the first to rush the city and begin their attack disorderly──or rather, it"s normal for pirates or a ragtag group to do that. Even the Greece allied army that attacked Troia didn"t really have firm leadership.」
「Their matching costume also gives me a bad feeling.」
Every single one of the pirates had white kerchief wrapped around their head. Also, the sails of all the ships had the pattern of 『billowing serration』 drawn on them using black paint.
And then, from the sky──the white heron that was sent as reconnaissance swooped down.
It perched on the shoulder of its female master. Riona gulped.
「It"s the report from the shikigami. Something outrageous is coming, Rokuharsan!」
「Eh……what"s that!? It"s really big Onee-chan!」
Fumika was astonished and pointed at the sea.
A gigantic ship that was like a tanker was entering the inlet with a leisurely speed.
It was a wooden ship. There was no mast or sail on the deck. It didn"t even have oars attached on its hull like a galley ship. Its length vertically surpa.s.sed a hundred meter.
If forced to say it had a shape like 『a super big coffin』.
Even though it didn"t have any oar or sail to move it, it was smoothly advancing on the sea.
「Its length is 300 cubit, its width is 50 cubit, its height is 30 cubit……」
「What"re you saying Riona? Is that related with that huge ship?」
「It"s unclear whether there"s relation or not, but that"s the size of Noah"s ark. Translated then the length is 133.5 meter, the width is 22.2 meter, and the height is 13.3 meter.」
「Could it be, that ship also has the same size?」
「Yes. According to the measurement of my shikigami, the result is almost the same.」
The appearance of the super large ship caused unrest to spread through the warriors gathered at the wharf.
They were already preparing to run away. They might escape immediately just from the ships of the pirates advancing to land.
And then from the deck of the 《ark》──
*DON! DON! DON! DON, DON, DON, DON!*
There was a sound of hitting a drum rhythmically.
It must be the signal. The pirate group consisting of more than a hundred ships started moving toward the harbor simultaneously.
Furthermore, the ships made small groups of five or six ships each so that they didn"t cause congestion on the sea. They approached the land with an orderly movement.
「They"re as trained as modern army! It"s at the level that it won"t be strange if they"ve received the merciless training of Frederick the Great!」
「As expected, they aren"t just mere pirate!」
Around Yatagarasu and her master, the warriors who should be protecting the harbor were starting to run away.
They didn"t move to intercept, but scattering away like baby spiders. In that case, the fate of the port city now depended on them.
「Fumikchan, move back.」
「Ye, yes!」
The second daughter of Toba House obeyed what she was told. Now there were only the two fo them there.
Ren and Riona stood side by side and faced the sea. In that instant.
*Byuhn. Dooonn!*
The sound of something heavy moving through air and the sound of smashing loudly.
Surprisingly from the ark──a large rock was fired, flew in the air, and crushed the house that looked like hut at the beach of the port city!
Furthermore, it wasn"t just a single shot.
*Byuhn. Dooonn! Byuhn. Dooonn! Byuhn. Dooonn!*
Rocks were falling one after another toward the port city.
The ground was gouged each time. Huts were crushed. The ships moored at the wharf were smashed into pieces.
「They got really amazing projectile weapon there!」
「There is catapult──in other words stone throwing device on the ark"s deck! Furthermore its super big type with size and power that are thrice the one used by ancient Roman army!」
Riona"s white heron that was sent to the sky was looking down on the gigantic ship.
There was something on the deck that had the total length of 133 meter. The scenery that the shikigami sent to Riona was also forming in Ren"s brain through the connection from the Contract of Wings.
「That"s catapult!」
Ren was shocked.
Ten catapults were lined up at the starboard side of the deck, aiming at the port city.
Thick squared timber──the catapult"s wooden arm with length that might reach four meter was fastened using spring that seemed to be created using animal"s tendon. The catapult was fixed in place on a wooden foundation. It was that kind of mechanism.
The squared timber arm was shaped like a large plate at the tip. The rock carried by several people was placed on it.
After that the arm part was pulled down with effort──and it was fired.
Using the spring action, the large rock was thrown to the air!
「This sanctuary is in the phase where metal weapon"s propagation will be from here on! And yet the other side possess invention at the cla.s.s of Leonardo da Vinci!」
Riona yelled. Ren muttered.
「You mean that genius inventor person. Isn"t that unfair?」
「Yes. This is truly a cheat.」
And then even more surprising scene was occurring on the ark"s deck.
There were a great number of pirates wearing white kerchief there. Their total number might be a thousand pirates. Furthermore they were lined up orderly.
In addition it was a well-organized formation that was just like the modern army parade.
The one thousand pirates above the deck were all doing『attention』 posture. They were sending gaze of fear and reverence──toward a tent.
On the deck of the gigantic ship, there was a white tent put up on it.
Several rods were erected around the tent with flag of red cloth tied on them. Those flags were flapping from the sea breeze.
「That"s an extravagant set up that I will believe it even if I"m told that is a gertent used by a khan of equestrian tribe……」
Riona was impressed.
Furthermore, near the tent there was a band playing drum and flute.
There were even men and women holding stringed instrument that looked similar with a koto or being empty handed like a choir.
This one numbered around a hundred in total. It was a large group even when compared with the modern orchestra. For this kind of personnel to exit among pirate group of super ancient era──
「They"re even more elegant than the Greece army we faced in Troia.」
「That ark, that catapult, the discipline of the soldiers, they"re all too advanced that it disturb the outlook of this world slightly. Let"s be on our guard.」
Ren and Riona nodded to each other.
The enemies were still advancing even while they were being surprised.
The advance guard of the landing force that was made up from small sailing ships would arrive at the harbor in just ten more meters.
「Yosh. I"ll take care of that so──」
「I will be in charge of anti-air defense. Roger, goshujin-sama!」
Riona called her master with an att.i.tude that was really far away from being respectful. The her eyes started to shine blue.
On the other hand, Ren started running in full speed.
He ran toward the tip of the wharf that was jutting out toward the sea.
There five pirate ships were rapidly approaching. Ren headed toward the ship that was at the forefront──and jumped toward its prow.
Using the momentum of his full speed sprint, he utilized his whole body like a spring!
「TEYAAAAAAAH!」
Natural reflexes and flexibility. Those were Rokuhara Ren"s secret strong point.
With a great leap that even resembled the eight-boat leaps, he splendidly boarded the enemy ship──but just before that. The pirate on the ship aimed at the charging Ren── (TN: Eight boat leaps, reference to Minamoto no Yos.h.i.tsune)
「Eat this, you d.a.m.n idiot!」
He threw a spear.
The copper spear tip should gouge Ren"s torso. However, G.o.dspeed movement. The nimble feet and agility of G.o.ddess Nemesis granted Rokuhara Ren with mobility like he was flying.
Ren smoothly dodged the spear midair, and in that instant he landed on the enemy ship.
Within a moment that was less than a second, and furthermore it didn"t even take a percent of a second.
He rushed with a lightning speed and pushed the back of the four pirates on the ship. He also swept their legs and pushed them into the sea.
*Splosh! Splosh! Splosh! Splosh!*
Sound of falling into water came in succession──Ren already finished jumping to the next ship when the sound reached the ear. The six crews of this ship were also pushed into the sea.
After that it was repeating that action.
A human who could stop Rokuhara Ren who was running in G.o.d speed didn"t exist among the landing force.
In the end, the soldiers boarding more than a hundred pirate ships were pushed into the sea. Even so not even a minute had pa.s.sed since he started running from the wharf.
And then, Ren called out.
「I"ll say this, if you guys intend to continue, then next I"ll have your life.」
The number of pirates falling to the sea was several hundred.
Every single one without exception was staring at Ren with a gaze of awe. They were soaked in sea water while trembling with a face as though they had encountered an evil G.o.d.
Even during this time, the launching of rocks using catapult was still continuing.
But, in the air the golden sacred bird Yatagarasu appeared. The large phoenix with wings span of more than ten meters showed long-slitted eyes that were shining blue.
Those blue eyes were staring at the ark coolly.
All the rocks that were launched from the giant ship using catapults were annihilated with sizzling sound.
They evaporated on their way toward the port city. The spirit of fire and sun that controlled the sacred flame, Yatagarasu used her spiritual power──.
「The other side will realize now that we"re also not ordinary people won"t they?」
「I hope so. Even if we"re facing pirates, I don"t want to take their lives if possible.」
Riona was flying as Yatagarsu above the small sailing ship on the sea where Ren was standing at.
They could exchange conversation with telepathy even from distance. And then, the rhythmical sound of drum was starting to resound from the super dreadnought cla.s.s ark.
*DON DON DON DON. DON DON DON DON. DON DON DON DON.*
It was the beginning of a heroic melody.
There was sound of flutes combined with the chorus of men and women too. Even though it was simplistic, an impactful great musical performance was started!
Also, a small ship was approaching.
The pirate wearing white kerchief standing on the prow declared toward Ren.
「Our leader, the one without equal under heaven 《Byakuren OuWhite Lotus King》 has invited the two of you! Both of you are specially permitted to embark on 《KairyuuouSea Dragon King》! Come with me!」