Chapter 72 – Convoy from the Capital #2
Regardless of Theo"s and Ellenoa"s intentions, the procedures of the convoy proceeded at a rapid pace. The magicians shook away the fatigue of the ma.s.sive s.p.a.ce movements and were ready to leave in an instant.
They would be accompanied by a high elf. High elves were symbols of the elves, and there were said to be less than 10 in the whole world. If Ellenoa died in the Meltor Kingdom, there would be repercussions from Elvenheim.
It was confirmed that it had been the Austen Kingdom which had tried to capture the high elf, so they still had a grace period left.
Herman gave a formal goodbye to Earl Bergen, "…Thank you for your cooperation, Earl Bergen. His Majesty will keep your loyalty in mind."
"Ohh, such glorious words! I was just doing my duty as a servant of the Meltor Kingdom. Herman, you don"t need to give such flatteries."
Indeed, it was the eloquence of a n.o.ble family. The earl"s smooth answer humbled himself without losing his dignity. However, Herman merely waved his hands. "Hmm, I understand. Excuse me."
Unfortunately, Earl Bergen wasn"t aware that Red Tower magicians didn"t care about things like that. Instead of giving the antic.i.p.ated answer, Herman indeed left the earl"s office, and only the sound of the wheelchair"s rolling could be heard. There was no time to build up a relationship.
Dururuk… dururuk…
Herman"s wheelchair rolled at a fast pace until it stopped in front of an old man. There was no need to mention the ident.i.ty of the old man wearing white robes.
Elder Shugel of the White Tower looked down at Herman and clicked his tongue. "How can a conversation end in less than five minutes? Did you just throw a few words at him? A person should use his mouth to get good treatment."
However, Herman didn"t agree and scoffed at him. "Stop talking nonsense. If I keep talking with that guy, we will be delayed at least for two hours, and won"t that be foolish?"
"What is? Aish, it is no use talking to you. How can I teach manners to this ignorant man?"
"At any rate, we can use teleportation. Don"t you know the importance of time? I"ll think about it if you give me a pair of useless legs."
Herman knocked on his loose pants, and Shugel was forced to step back. How could he refute someone who didn"t even have legs to walk around? Even excellent healing magic wasn"t enough to regenerate lost limbs. The two elderly men were always arguing like this.
It would"ve continued for 10 more minutes if Vince hadn"t intervened with a bitter smile. "Elder Herman, I need to talk to you."
"Oh, Vince!"
The two elders stopped quarreling as if they had been waiting for this. The fierce frowns and wrinkled expressions went away. They didn"t actually have any bad feelings toward each other. After doing this for almost half a century, it had become like a daily routine.
Shugel turned away first. "Hmm, then I’ll return to the capital first and we’ll meet again there. The wind power may be a bit burdensome for you… Well, at this age, your joints probably feel sore. Isn’t that right? Hahaha!"
"That d.a.m.n old man…!" Herman stared at Shugel"s back but didn"t try to catch him to start another fight. They were elders of the Magic Society and knew how to part.i.tion things.
This was proven by the fact that a calm expression appeared on Herman"s face. "Yes, what did you need?"
Vince started to tell the story he"d heard from Ellenoa the other day. He had been accompanying Theo when she told them. Despite a "question and answer" with Gluttony, they hadn"t been able to find out the truth behind the incident. More than anything else, the information they had was too lacking.
Herman"s expression became serious as he heard the story.
"I roughly understand." Herman accepted the information with a tense expression. "It is true that the agents from Austen kidnapped the high elf, but something separate killed her guards?"
"Yes, that"s correct."
In the first place, abducting a high elf wasn"t that easy. Any mutant high elf would be noticed by Elvenheim as soon as they were born, and it was a rule to send elite warriors to escort the high elf to Elvenheim. The elites were of a warrior cla.s.s among the peace-loving elves and were equal to aura warriors.
They weren"t at the level that a unit with only one Janissary could kill. Yet Ellenoa hadn"t been able to meet her guards.
"The escort from Elvenheim were eliminated without anyone knowing?"
"Perhaps. Ellenoa was caught by the Austen agents while waiting for her escorts. It would be simple for her to escape, but her friends were captured as hostages, so she couldn"t help being caught."
"Hrmm… It is hard to judge. There are too many things we don"t know."
The two people contemplated it for a while but couldn"t come up with any answers.
"It can"t be helped." In the end, Herman came to a conclusion. "We need to move quickly. It might"ve been quiet for a few days, but if they haven"t given up on the high elf, just the power here can"t guarantee her safety."
"Isn"t it better to stay here?"
"I would do that if there are no reinforcements coming."
Herman didn"t lose his calm despite finding out about the threat. He noticed Vince"s confused expression and tapped his forehead. It might be different for the other magic towers, but there was only one person which a magician of the Red Tower would trust with their lives.
"The Tower Master has been sent somewhere, but she is hurrying to join the convoy. If we move toward the capital, we can meet up with her sooner."
"Ah…!" Vince nodded at Herman"s words.
If they joined Veronica on the way, there was no need to be afraid of anyone. If the enemy were strong enough to kill Veronica, they would all be dead no matter where they were. Otherwise, Veronica would turn the enemy into chunks of charcoal.
Vince had been full of concerns about his disciple, but he could now calm down.
"Why are you feeling a.s.sured? Aren"t you leaving your disciple here?"
"I can"t do that." Vince smiled bitterly at Herman"s question. "If "that b.a.s.t.a.r.d" is tracking the high elf, it is likely they will come to Theodore. It would be safer for Theo to join the convoy and head to the capital."
"I understand, but you will stay here?"
"I will grab the ankles of the enemies aiming for my disciple. If they come to me, I can hold on for a few minutes."
Vince was ready to die at any time. However, he didn"t want to die in front of Theodore. Additionally, if his disciple were killed, then it would be the worst shame of Vince Haidel"s life. A wounded person was a burden on the battlefield, so Vince couldn"t join the convoy.
He was determined to remain alone in Bergen and risk his life to slow the enemy down.
Herman nodded vigorously at this att.i.tude. "I can"t stop someone who has already decided. Do your best to defend yourself. We will safely escort your disciple along with the high elf."
"Thank you."
The two of them shook hands. Rather than acting like senior and junior, they respected each other as war mages who lived in the same era. Both of them might have withdrawn from active service but the pride engraved inside was still the same.
Thus, the two war mages split apart at the crossroad.
* * *
Unlike normal wagons, the White Tower magicians climbed into the back seat and shouted in a loud voice, "Now then, let"s go!"
Simultaneously, the three wind turbines moved the wheels in turn. The wind coming from the magicians at the rear caused the sails to blow up halfway, as it started to move at a speed similar to a horse-drawn carriage.
Theo was astounded as he watched the process. "Wow, almost one hundred magic spells are used to drive this wagon… What is this obsession?"
Magic to adjust friction of the wheel, magic to balance the body of the carriage, magic to reduce air resistance, magic to automatically adjust the direction with wind…
Theo was convinced that he could buy dozens of artifacts with the money and effort used to make the wagon. This was the crystallization of the madness which desired that wagons ran on wind power.
Theo looked back and forth while watching the wind power. "Moreover, there is tight security. It would be hard to come within 50 meters even with Canis" level of stealth."
As the wind blew, Herman and the Red Tower Magicians proceeded around the border while also sticking closely to Theo and Ellenoa. They could buy some time even if a Master level enemy attacked.
Due to Vince telling them about the enemy, the vigilance of the convoy was at its peak, and they would continue moving with maximum vigilance until Veronica joined. As the wind increased, the wagons created by the magicians of the White Tower started to reach its full speed.
Huuuuuuong!
"What is this?"
After hearing the strange wind sound, Theo and Ellenoa cried out as they looked out the window.
"Heok…!"
"Oh my G.o.d…!"
There was hardly any inertia inside, but the landscape outside the window was pa.s.sing by at a truly terrifying rate. It was a speed which quickly distorted the trees and bushes. Theo now understood why they had been warned not to reach their hands out. If they hit something at this speed, there would be enough force to break their bones.
Mitra was also shaking as she looked out the window.
[Hoeee~]
Her eyes spun around like a vortex, as if she was dizzy by the scenery pa.s.sing at a fast pace. Theo grabbed hold of her small body while a.n.a.lyzing the principles of the wind. The more he looked, the crazier the wagon seemed.
"I understand the principles behind it, but I can"t follow it."
Theo was convinced after a short moment that this was a feat only possible for those who devoted their lives to wind magic and were at least of the 5th Circle.
It was easy to blow wind into the sails and accelerate. However, they needed to take care of the air resistance and headwind while making sure that the power didn"t scatter. It was like using five different spells at the same time.
Rather than using magic, it was a technique closer to controlling magic power.
"…Maybe we really will arrive in one day?" Theo had honestly thought it was a bluff, but it wasn"t impossible if this speed was maintained.
The distance covered would normally take a week for a top level company. If this ridiculously fast method were to be known, the Meltor"s Merchants a.s.sociation might go on strike. Theodore looked at the receding Bergen with half admiration and half anxiety.
He prayed unconsciously in his mind. "Please let this convoy reach the capital safely."
Then he would be able to reunite with his master, Vince.
I’m going New Zealand tomorrow for 5 days. I’ll have time to post one more chapter tomorrow but then it will be no chapters. The chapters will be slowly released when I get back, including those from when I went to the hospital as well.
Chapters owed: 13 PTO, 13 BEM
Current schedule: Next Patreon goal has been reached!! Thank you for the support. There will now be 14 chapters a week, meaning two chapters every day.
Chapter 73 – Convoy from the Capital #3
The three gust wagons rushed down the mountains.
Transformed into the wind itself, the wagons occasionally ran into monsters obstructing the way. The wagons slammed into kobolds and goblins with huge destructive power and turned them into blood on the wheels of the wagons.
Even big monsters like trolls and ogres couldn"t escape dying.
Kw.a.n.g!
It seemed like the number of those killed by the wagons had increased by one.
"Wow, isn"t it completely shattered?" Theodore clicked his tongue as he watched the blue blood scattering outside the window. Since the blood was blue and there were the remains of an insect, it must"ve been a giant mantis which was crushed.
A threatening monster which even first-cla.s.s mercenaries were afraid of had been destroyed by the wagon. On the contrary, the wagon didn"t feel the impact at all.
"Maybe this could be used as a weapon?" Theo rejected it as soon as he had the thought. "…No, it is impossible."
The wagon had great power and speed, but the workforce required to get the most out of the wind power was too advanced. Rather than a.s.signing a few 5th Circle magicians to a wagon, it was more efficient for them to fight directly.
He shook off the thought and turned to Mitra who was playing in the seat next to him.
[Hoi!]
Pororong.
She was playing with the sylph Ellenoa had summoned. The elemental, which looked like a translucent sparrow, spread its wings at Mitra"s signal. The scene of a little girl and a bird playing together happily was like an ill.u.s.tration from a fairy tale book. Theo"s heart calmed down slightly at the sight.
At that moment, he felt a soft touch as fingers entwined with his.
"Eh, Ellenoa?"
Theo looked down at his hand and was shocked as he realized the ident.i.ty of the other person. It was because Ellenoa, sitting across from him, was holding his hand. The pleasant sensation of her slim, soft hand was vividly transmitted through the palm of his hand. This was despite him knowing that Ellenoa was a neutral gender.
However, her voice was as calm as always as she said, "Are you worried about your mentor?"
Those words pierced right inside of Theo.
His blushing complexion instantly turned pale. His thoughts turned grim as soon as he thought about his mentor, Vince, volunteering to stay behind in Bergen. They had talked a few times about the decision, but Theo still couldn"t fully understand it.
To Theodore Miller, Vince was his one-of-a-kind mentor, and his value was immeasurable.
"Yes, that"s right." Theo nodded with a bitter smile.
It was funny that he was worried about his mentor, but Vince was in an injured state. According to Shugel, Vince"s injury would worsen if he moved using s.p.a.ce magic. Theo was reluctant to let such a person act as bait.
Then Ellenoa squeezed his hand and whispered in a small voice, "Don"t be too concerned. His fate has yet to reach the time when the knot will be tied."
"Huh?" Theo"s eyes widened at the words.
He would"ve ignored her if she were a fortuneteller on the streets, but Ellenoa was a mysterious high elf. Furthermore, elves were a species famous for not being able to tell lies. Theo mulled over the meaning of Ellenoa"s words before asking in a trembling voice, "…Ellenoa, can you see the future?"
Seeing the future—or in other words, Foresight—was a type of power given to G.o.ds, demons, and ancient dragons a long time ago. The weakness of mortals was always time, as they feared the future. So, the prophets who could see the future were considered as G.o.ds.
Ellenoa was a descendant of an ancient species, but could a high elf really see the future? In response, Ellenoa shook her head with a subtle expression. "It isn"t anything so tremendous. I can just understand when the "end" comes. It is a half-power that appears when I"m in danger."
"No, but…!" Theo tried to say something more, but he soon fell silent.
Ellenoa wouldn"t lie just to rea.s.sure him. As long as his mentor was safe, there was nothing more to ask. Besides, there was something he should say first before questioning Ellenoa"s abilities.
"Thank you for your concern."
"It is nothing."
It was an appreciation for exposing her ability in order to comfort him. As Theo"s face brightened a little bit, Ellenoa smiled and shook her head. Then Mitra leaned back and fell to the floor of the carriage.
[Heeeng?!]
The awkward air in the wagon broke.
"Pfff!"
"Ahaha!"
The atmosphere inside the wagon became brighter, and as the two people laughed at Mitra"s behaviour, Mitra hit Theo"s feet with a sulky expression. Her gesture was telling them not to laugh, but it just made the duo laugh even more.
As the pleasant sound emerged from the windows, the wagons pa.s.sed by the middle point of the mountain range thanks to the wind power.
How long had they been on the mountain trail? Around this time, the sun was going down, so the magicians lowered the pace and handed Theo a package. The ident.i.ty of the small bag was soon revealed.
"This is your meal with Ellenoa."
"Ah, thank you."
Theo picked up the bag and placed it on a table in the center of the wagon. He hadn"t realized it, but he was really hungry. Theo opened the bag and pulled out a few fruits, baked sweets, jerky, and two bottles of water. The fruits were probably prepared for Ellenoa as the conventional wisdom was that elves didn"t enjoy eating meat.
However, Ellenoa denied it outright. "Well, it isn"t that we don"t enjoy meat. It"s just that living beings are all the same, so is there a reason to discriminate between plants and animals? Rather, our bodies will weaken if we don"t consume meat at all."
"Uh, then why do the Elvenheim elves only eat fruits on their missions?"
"I"m not sure." She ate an apple and thought about it for a while before answering the question. "Maybe there is a problem with the way the meat is cooked?"
"The way it is cooked?"
"An elf"s tastebuds is a few times more sensitive than that of humans, so it is hard to eat food with a lot of spices. I guess they only ate fruits that weren"t cooked separately." Ellenoa proved her words by eating the jerky. "We basically eat raw food, so there isn"t much food that is cooked using fire. It is common to eat a fresh and lean cut of meat."
Theodore involuntarily imagined the elves eating meat.
An elf hunter running through the forest, shooting a boar, and then cutting its flesh with a dagger and eating it…
He imagined the elf"s mouth covered in blood and felt like his fantasies about elves were being broken. It had been imagined that elves were graceful beings who enjoyed fruit and tea leaves, as well as playing with wild beasts.
However, that was just a fantasy of humans.
* * *
It happened around the time when Theo had finished his meal and Ellenoa was putting down the last apple core.
"2nd Car, 3rd Car, stop!"The wind power stopped after a yell was heard from outside the window.
Thump.
Simultaneously, the door of their carriage opened, and a magician entered. The blue robe indicated he was a Blue Tower magician, and he was powerful enough to make Theo"s sensory perception tingle. The magician came from the third car which was attached as an escort role and explained why the carriage had stopped so suddenly.
"The 1st Car that is 250 meters ahead has started to engage with something. We will go again as soon as the "Clear" signal is received, so Ellenoa shouldn"t worry."
"Wait a minute. You aren"t joining the fight?" Theodore asked with a strange expression.
He was questioning a senior, but the magician replied calmly, "That"s right. The formation of the Red Tower is so unique that is it different for other towers to fight with them. Elder Herman is there, so there is no reason to join."
"But what if—"
"If it can destroy the 1st Car in a short amount of time, there is no way to win even if we join. And the important thing isn"t winning."
They were escorts, not combatants. It was the duty of the convoy to deliver the high elf, Ellenoa, safely to Mana-vil Capital. Even if they could defeat the enemy, they had to first eliminate any possibilities of Ellenoa being harmed.
However, Theo had just been thinking about winning. The experiences he"d absorbed were all about "fighting and winning," not escorting someone. Theo was convinced by the difference and fell silent. No, he was forced to shut his mouth.
Kukukung…!
It was a Heat Wave Chain. As a pale red pillar rose in the distance, the earth started to cry out.
It shook like an earthquake. A part of the dim sky became brighter. Clouds were torn apart by the strong flames and explosions rang out. Despite the interval of a few hundred meters, the mana in the atmosphere was struggling like crazy.
It was the aftermath of a magic collision which was at least of the 6th Circle!
"Kuk…!" Even the air touching Theo"s eyelids felt hot. A wind shield was opened in a reflexive manner.
After using the cold magic, he felt the ambient temperature going down a little bit. If there was this much heat from the aftermath, the center must be as hot as lava. It was proof that Herman"s group was literally pouring out their power.
The total number of magic power detected with his senses were eight. "Five 5th Circle magicians and three 6th Circle magicians.’
One of the 6th Circle magicians was half a step away from the boundary. It was without a doubt Herman, who used to be at the 7th Circle. Just him alone was a huge threat. No matter who the opponent was, they absolutely couldn"t be safe. Even if the opponent was of the master level, this much firepower would be enough to take care of them.
However, Theodore frowned instead of feeling relieved. Why? It wasn"t because of a chill down his spine but cold air flowing from his left hand which tickled his bones. Was it a warning from the sleeping Gluttony? Or maybe a feature he didn"t know about had been triggered? Either way, there was no way to resolve the question immediately.
Kukung…! Kururung! Kung! The thunderous sound rang out repeatedly.
A fire pillar tore apart the clouds, and smoke which looked like a mushroom covered the sky. It was magic which would tear apart any defenses Theodore had. Despite such fearsome attacks being launched, the battle still hadn"t finished.
Shortly after that, all sound was cut off like it had been sliced by a sword.
Silence covered the night sky, and the burning flames were overwhelmed by the darkness of the night. A few burning treeS were the last remaining traces of the battle. The silence was so clear that the sound of someone gulping could be heard.
"…Is it over?" Someone asked.
The signal indicating the end of the battle hadn"t risen yet. As the magicians of the 3rd Car waited for instructions, "it" fell from the night sky.
Tok, todok, tok…
It was dark red and round. The ungainly shape rolled forward between the two wagons. Someone used "Light" magic reflexively as the shape gradually grew clearer.
White hair turned to ashes, wrinkles distorted by burns, and eyes which were filled with fear…
A name escaped from Theodore"s mouth, "…Elder Herman."
It was the head of Herman, who had been brutally murdered.
I’m going New Zealand tomorrow for 5 days. I’ll have time to post one more chapter tomorrow but then it will be no chapters. The chapters will be slowly released when I get back, including those from when I went to the hospital as well.
Chapters owed: 13 PTO, 13 BEM
Current schedule: Next Patreon goal has been reached!! Thank you for the support. There will now be 14 chapters a week, meaning two chapters every day.