Chapter 392: Pedestal
I teleported to the City of Es and headed to the inn.
With still some time left until evening, I couldn’t just take a nap; instead, I had to move with Asas in tow.
“Clear the area. I’m going to rest for a while, so no one is to approach,” Karn instructed, sending the room’s attendants away.
“O Spirit who brings fertility, I beseech you to transition from this temporary dwelling to your eternal abode,” Karn said reverently, addressing the hemp sack displayed on the sideboard after the attendants had left.
There was a high chance that the attendants were waiting outside the door, but for now, the room had been cleared by Karn and locked. The terrace had no door, giving a sense of openness, but it was still a secluded space without anyone around. Well, it was wide open, but still.
As Karn stepped back, Haulon approached the hemp sack. So, he would be the one to carry it.
“Alright, let’s go. 【転移】” Haulon said, supporting the sack with both hands before swiftly performing the teleportation.
“…That’s terrible,” Haulon muttered as the surroundings changed in an instant, still holding the hemp sack.
The destination of the teleportation was the grand hall where I first met Karn. This underground temple had been a tranquil space where I could hear the soft sound of sand falling when I came alone, but now it felt different.
Well, if I listened closely, I could still hear the sound of sand falling, but the atmosphere lacked that serene quality. The memories of everyone, including the children, being here, along with the presence of familiar faces, made it feel more like a living space.
“What’s terrible?” I asked.
“The secret arts of my clan are far too convenient!” Haulon exclaimed, his eyes brimming with tears.
“I’m not going to tell you now to prepare a magic circle or a catalyst for teleportation, am I? But at least you could have prepared your companions mentally beforehand, right? It would be nice if only those who consented could teleport…! Just a little more!”
I wished he would stop approaching me with tears in his eyes while holding Asas.
“There are some restrictions, you know?” I reminded him.
“Where are they!?” Haulon snapped back.
“You can’t teleport to a place with strangers,” I replied.
“That’s just a margin of error! It’s better if no one notices!” he argued.
That was true. In a wide, unoccupied area, I could have teleported before, but now I could teleport to places I remembered well, even if they were empty. Like the room in the Island Tower.
“Calm down. First, we should place Lady Asas in her designated spot,” Karn interjected, calming Haulon.
“You could at least make it a bit more special, you know?” Dinoss said with a disappointed expression.
“Well, if we’re moving, don’t just say it; check a bit more. If you forget something, it’ll be a hassle to go back and forth. That would be foolish,” Retze added.
“That’s true. I’ll confirm it,” I said. It was easy to return, but it felt a bit restless, not very cool.
“Is that really the issue?” Dinoss looked at Retze, puzzled.
“It’s resolved, but for Jean, it’s an issue,” Retze replied.
“Umm…?” Dinoss made a dubious face at Retze’s words.
“Where are we going to place Asas?” I asked.
“Don’t call it ‘placing’! Just say ‘setting up’!” Haulon insisted, still teary-eyed.
But she’s a pillar.
“I thought about the place where Shahira was kept, but that area is steeped in the determination of my subordinates. —This throne room will do. Once the city is restored, we can move her above ground,” Karn said, surveying the hall.
Now that I think about it, some priest-like individuals had attacked us back then. Karn had stopped them all, though.
“Should we set the pedestal around here?” I suggested.
“Wait a moment, at least sweep the sand from the setup area,” Haulon said.
Alright, Retze also said ‘setup’!
“What I meant was about the pedestal, you know?” I said, making a small fist pump. But then, Retze stopped and let out an exasperated voice. Please stop reading my thoughts. Is Retze a mind reader?
I swept away the sand and tidied the area.
“Wow, it’s beautiful,” I remarked as the intricate mosaic revealed itself from beneath the sand in the center of the hall.
Creamy white and yellowish hues, deep navy blue almost black. The mosaic depicted geometric patterns mixing flowers, stars, and the moon.
“The center of that flower will do nicely. If the Es River meanders and brings water back to this land, then water will flow here as well. I won’t say it will return to its former glory, but it will become a beautiful place,” Karn said, unusually unable to hide his joy as he scooped up the sand from the floor.
His fingers sank at an impossible angle into the flat floor, so there must be a channel for water there.
Even if this place becomes beautiful, it will eventually be moved above ground, but still, the underground temple and the king’s throne beneath the earth have their own romance. I understand the desire to keep it nice.
“Now then, the pedestal,” I said.
“Yeah,” Dinoss replied, stepping back from the center.
“Here we go,” I said, pulling out the masterpiece crafted by the island’s stonemasons from 【収納】.
It was designed to resemble two winged whales leaping from the sea, larger than Karn, supported by those two whales. Above the flat space where the “Spirit’s Branch” would be placed, there was a roof with a wolf sleeping on top.
This was the pedestal that was supposed to hold the haniwa. The image of the surrounding sea’s bounty and strength, with my lordly emblem of a wolf lazily resting on top.
“Now that’s dynamic,” Retze commented.
Yeah, it was indeed too dynamic for a haniwa to sit on…