Chapter 112: Hero Fondale
After dropping Ignat and the others off at Leben, Yuri and I went to report to Pops.
First off, I told him I’d discovered an untouched plain beyond the mountains, flying southwest from Leben. Since it seemed there was a salt shortage, I asked if it was okay to develop it and make it my territory.
“Seriously? I never knew there was a plain in a place like that. Of course, I don’t mind. It’s a great help to have more salt production sites right now. Just like with Leben, I’ll back you up if anything happens, so do as you please. As long as you don’t forget to report, that’s fine.”
“Thanks. Well then, I’ll give it a shot. And also… since it’s an empty land, I went to buy a mansion, you know?”
When I explained the circumstances, he was exasperated that I went to the Empire to buy a mansion, but he was angrier that I took the “third party” guys with me. He said that if they, who hold confidential information, were captured, the country could be ruined if things went badly.
R-Right. I just kind of took them along with the flow, but that’s seriously bad. It wasn’t something I should have risked just because I trusted Ignat…
I was genuinely reflecting on it, but he was astonished that the mansion fit into storage, and seemed busy, holding his head over the story he heard from Ignat’s younger brother, so he didn’t seem to dwell on it too much. And in the end, he praised me for gathering information.
“However, the Northern Church is making a move, huh… This is troublesome.”
“So, is the Church really troublesome even from the country’s perspective?”
“Yeah. Honestly, I don’t want to get involved. The current Church is in a state where wicked people are deceiving and leading the populace.”
Wondering if it was really that bad, I listened further. They apparently alter everything from the scriptures as they please, interpret them as they please, and at the drop of a hat, they threaten people, asking if they intend to defy God’s words.
I’ve heard that story too. If you’re suspected, they supposedly come to kill you while calling it an inquisition. I remember thinking strongly, “That’s not an inquisition, is it?”
“Good grief, if you trace it back to its roots, it’s a church established by Belfast, yet it’s a ridiculous story.”
“Eh…? And yet their headquarters is in the Empire?”
“They know full well that we are the original lineage, yet they call themselves that without permission. Because of that, there was a conflict a long time ago, but our side, being a proper church that follows the original scriptures, lacked power. We ended up having the seat of the Pope forcibly taken by the Northern Church, which has Temple Knights, and were absorbed. But disgusted with the Northern Church for altering God’s words, many churches here closed down one after another, causing our church to decline.”
When I was allowed to read the original scriptures, it was only a few pages long, and the content was like elementary school ethics. To summarize, it was something like “Let’s live together peacefully and get along.” Among such content, there was one sentence that felt out of place and caught my attention.
It was, “Thou shalt not enter the deepest floor of the Dungeon.”
I had never heard such a thing.
“So, you’re not supposed to clear the deepest floor of a Dungeon?”
“Yeah. You mustn’t. Well, to be precise, it’s said that terrible things will happen if its functions are stopped. It’s written so in the documents left by our first king, who held the title of Hero. It states that if a Dungeon is destroyed and its function is lost, Monsters will overflow onto the surface, and the country will perish. Dungeons are places where resources are produced, so no one would usually try to attack them, and you, Rui, are about the only one who can even reach the deep floors. We don’t publicize it because it would be problematic if the idea that destroying a Dungeon could destroy a country spread.”
Ah, so that’s how it is. So, if you destroy a Dungeon, which acts as a receptacle for Mana Essence, ridiculously strong Monsters will appear on the surface.
Hmm… wait a minute. The Hero is the first king? The one who built Fort Fondale? That story is definitely intriguing. I might want to read those documents.
“Is it okay for me to read those documents from the first king?”
“It’s not a matter of ‘okay’; Belfast Royalty are obligated to read them. It’s not heavy stuff, so take this opportunity to read them, Rui. Though, you can only take out copies. If you want to know more quickly, you should ask your elder sister. She’s been nagging for you to visit, so it’s good timing.”
Ah, so the Hero that Cornelia-san and the others admired was the first king. She certainly seems like she’d know a lot, but… just the way he phrased it already sounds like a pain.
Pops asked, “Is that all you wanted to talk about?” and I remembered there was one more thing.
“Oh yeah, I wanted to consult you about the operation of the new weapon…”
“Understood. Go ahead and tell me.”
To Pops, who showed a serious demeanor, I spoke about the danger if malicious parties learned the manufacturing method, and confessed my anxiety that something terrible might happen unless we acted with the intention of not leaving it for future generations.
“Indeed. If the Empire mass-produced that, we’d be checkmated at that point. I see, because it’s a simple mechanism, there’s a risk of the technology being stolen just by showing it in use, is that it?”
“Yeah. That’s why I’m worried about what to do. There’s also the matter of protecting the craftsmen who know the manufacturing method, right?”
If the Empire or Lestall start sniffing around, they’ll surely reach for them first. Of course, there’s the option of continuing to protect them in the castle, but that would mean they’d be inconvenienced indefinitely.
“How about we just take them to that new territory?”
“Ah… if they agree to relocate, that might be the easiest. That place is isolated from the outside world.”
“That’s true. If we have them produce it there and keep it secret within the Royal family, there shouldn’t be a problem. We’ll discuss that over here.”
From the way he’s talking, I guess he’s against abandoning it after all? Though, it’s only natural, I suppose.
“Is it no good to discontinue the manufacturing method even after peace is achieved?”
“Yeah. I understand your concerns, Rui, but it’s still no good. There are also things like Monster active periods. We can’t afford to discard the means to resist the unreasonable. I agree with the basic direction of not using it as much as possible, even if war breaks out, though.”
Ah, right. In this world, there are things like mass Monster breeding periods. Well, our side can definitely maintain it, so it seems we have no choice but to accept it as a deterrent.
“What, are you that worried?”
“Well, yeah. I’ve thought a lot about what would happen if Mildrad stole the manufacturing method.”
“Th-That’s terrifying. The country would really perish… If Mildrad had something like that, they would have used it for annihilation, not subjugation.”
“Yeah, right?” Pops and I exchanged wry smiles, and an indescribable atmosphere settled between us. After that, we decided on how much to keep in stock, and the discussion about the bomb’s operation concluded.
Then, I decided to go read that book left by the first king, the one that Royalty supposedly has to read, which came up in our conversation.
“Well then, shall we go?” Yuri and I moved to the underground archives and did some reading, but nothing particularly significant was written there. To summarize, it was about how kings must cherish their people and vassals, that war is bad, and things of that sort. I also went to the underground area where the originals were stored, just in case, but the sheer volume was so overwhelming that I lost the will to read. I looked up at the rows of bookshelves, thinking how Cornelia-san and the others must have painstakingly read through all of this.
“Hmm, there weren’t any interesting stories, so shall we go back to village building?”
“Eh? Aren’t you going to ask Cornelia-sama about it?”
Ahh, yeah. It seems like a pain, but I guess I should ask her just in case. So, I left the archives and headed to the building deep within the castle grounds where Cornelia-san lived.
“My, my, Rui-sama! How good of you to come!”
“Um, yes. There’s something I’d like to ask… Is now a good time?”
“Yes, of course! Ufufu, even if it were the middle of the night, it would be no problem at all, you know?”
No, I wouldn’t come in the middle of the night…
While politely declining, I told her my purpose, and she exclaimed with delight, “Oh my, that is my area of expertise!” I was then guided to a relaxing room. Sweets and tea were prepared, and once the catch-up talk was over, we got to the main topic.
“So, what is it that you wish to know about the Hero-sama?”
To be blunt, I want to know if he was a reincarnated person, but if I ask directly, she’ll wonder why I’m suddenly bringing that up. How should I ask…
“Ummm, like his origins, or how he became king?”
“Ufufu, in that case, I can certainly answer! Fon-sama’s mother wandered into the Garden of the Gods and was blessed with a child by a god. It’s said that there, he cultivated divine power and then journeyed to the human world. As for how he ascended to the throne, he used his divine power to unite the people, primarily in the Dale region, and changed his name to Fondale. Drawn by his character, people who admired him gathered, his influence grew, and thus he established a base in the Fast region, giving birth to Belfast.”
Eh…? I didn’t quite understand the beginning part?
“What’s the Garden of the Gods… Does such a place exist?”
“I do not know. However, it is written so in various places in the documents from that time.”
Eeeh… Could this be a world where you can actually meet gods? That in itself is pretty scary… No, it’s a story from old documents, so it’s possible it was just a place described that way. Yeah. No point in freaking out about it until I actually meet one.
“Also, there were words saying, ‘The god concealed themselves within the earth.’ It’s information from restored erased characters, so it’s not certain, but… Other than that, when you speak of the Hero-sama, it’s the Abyss, isn’t it!”
“It seems that just like Rui-sama, Fondale-sama also frequently visited the Abyss, I hear.”
Come to think of it, the story was that only the Hero and the Champion returned from the Abyss.
Does “receiving power from a god hidden in the earth” mean something like copying magic circles from monsters, or something along those lines?
No, there’s also the possibility they received power on the surface and then went down.
If taken literally, it would mean they went from the surface into the earth.
It’s also possible it’s a way of describing a great individual, revered as a god, dying and being buried.
Mmm, as I was lost in thought, Yuri placed her hand on my knee and peered at me.
“Rui, if you want to know that badly, isn’t this a good opportunity?
We also need to get stronger, so let’s aim for even lower Floors, shall we?”
“Eh, well, it’s true we need to get stronger, but…
We’ve never been below the Treasure Chest Floor, so it’s an incredibly dangerous place, you know?”
I stared earnestly at Yuri, thinking that monsters might appear there that are so strong, no number of lives would be enough.
“Of course, descending immediately would be the height of folly.
However, once we’ve acquired the appropriate strength, there shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
“No, we can’t get that strong so quickly.”
Even the Abyssal Monsters are finite, and we’ve been annihilating them every time they spawn, for the most part.
Especially since I only have enough combat skill to barely manage as a frontline fighter, and that’s only after exceeding the appropriate level.
“No, there is a way. We just need to defeat Bloody Bears with the intensity of annihilating them.”
It was only when she said it that I realized.
The fact that it’s the easiest place to go to and offers the highest efficiency.
“Ah, that’s right! As expected of Yuri. We can do that safely, so that’s a viable option!”
Yeah. That mountain range is incredibly vast, and I’ve confirmed there’s a considerable number of them.
We can defeat them safely from the sky, and it really seems efficient.
And so, Yuri and I nodded to each other, then I expressed my thanks to Cornelia-san for sharing her story and stood up.
“Are you leaving already…?
Rui-sama, this isn’t a war, so please take me with you as well.
Cornelia wishes to be by Rui-sama’s side.”
“Eh, no… um…
To be blunt, I don’t mind taking you along, but I can only love Yuri, you know?”
When I clearly told Cornelia-san once more that leaving things ambiguous is the worst, I made her look sad.
“Is there, um, not even a little hope?”
“No. I’m sorry, but I have no intention of taking a concubine, no matter who it is.”
“Is that so…”
I was tormented by a rather significant sense of guilt, but I convinced myself that being vague would be more insincere, so it couldn’t be helped, and then I left the place.
Then, concluding that my errands were finished, I took off and flew towards the town of Leben where everyone was waiting. As I did, Yuri slapped her own cheeks with both hands.
“Wh-what’s wrong!?”
“I was steeling myself. If Rui is going to say that much for me, I can’t look down anymore.
I’ll do my absolute best. I’ll become a woman who can stand by your side!”
“O-oh. I’ll do my best not to be left behind too, but please go easy on me, okay?”
She suddenly slapped her own cheeks, which made me a little worried she might be brooding over something, but even as her cheeks reddened, Yuri had a refreshed expression and was looking straight ahead.
“Well then, since we’re at it, shall we hunt some monsters in the mountains before heading back?”
“Yes! Let’s go!”
And so, the two of us, Yuri and I, flew around above the mountain range, relentlessly defeating Bloody Bears with the Laser Gun.
However, as expected, continuing to fly consumes a considerable amount of Magical Power.
The sun was also setting, so we wrapped it up after a few hours and returned to the town of Leben.