Chapter 623: Information Gathering
With some extra time left after the dragon disassembly work, I decided to come to the Spirit Library to research the Land of Ruin.
Before it was known by its current name, the country was called Chrisdrum. It seems to have been a land of green fields, sheep, magic, and ships.
It appears that they wished for something related to magic at the King’s Branch. In this world, the use of magic involves Spirits, so the backlash from breaking an oath must have been quite severe…
During the Age of Winds, many ships were built, and the exploration of sea routes flourished, but before that era, they had already established dominance over the seas.
They seemed to have used magic instead of gunpowder to launch magical cannonballs from their ships. This method resulted in less recoil on the ship’s hull and allowed for greater range, making it quite convenient.
The people who possessed shipbuilding and ironworking skills formed the nation of Chrisdrum, while another half remained in the Northern Lands, living in clans.
It looks like Es and Marina were engaging in near-pillage activities during that time? Back then, Marina didn’t have the King’s Branch, and the glory of Naruadeid was still far off. The prosperity of Naruadeid came after the Age of Winds when the number of ships increased.
Particularly, it seems they stole a lot of gold from Es. The people of the Northern Lands still adorn themselves with jingling gold decorations.
Just before entering the Age of Winds, the country transitioned into the Land of Ruin. It seems that there were already Demon Beasts like Wraiths in the northern part of the island of Chrisdrum, but it officially became an island of ghosts.
I don’t really understand why it suddenly changed like that. There were various theories, such as conflicts among the royal families, the King’s Branch being tainted by the blood of an illegitimate heir, or failing to offer what was promised. However, nothing is clear.
In any case, the King’s Branch reversed, and in a single night, the bodies of the people perished, transforming the land into one where souls are trapped. By the way, it seems that anyone who lands there is immediately targeted to join their ranks.
The Land of Ruin is known for its past prosperity and for hoarding gold. Because of this, many have attempted to land there to raid its treasure vaults, despite the dangers.
All of them failed.
During the Age of Winds, there were even attempts to boldly sail to the Land of Ruin and bombard the area near where the Royal Capital once stood. It seems that was pointless, though.
—Should I prepare my island for bombardment as well? Large ships can’t approach, but long-range attacks are still frightening. So far, it seems that the range of cannon fire from ships isn’t very far, but I’m still caught up on the mention of launching cannonballs with magic.
I need to think of something.
Returning to the topic, it seems that many people were blinded by gold and did various things. Almost no one who landed returned, and those few who did only got close without actually entering the buildings.
The outside is dangerous, but it seems the insides are even worse. We don’t know what’s going on inside or how dangerous it is since no one has come back to tell the tale.
I really don’t want to just walk in there.
No, I can’t. I might get scared, so I’ll leave the investigation for when I actually go. What I want is the Traveler’s Stone. The stone from Chrisdrum is the Seikouseki, which the sailors used to guide them on the right path, so the destination should be the port.
The sea is filled with that black kelp or ghostly hands, so I’d prefer to find it on the land side where the port town used to be.
For now, I’ll have Haulon check the lantern’s quality and fix any improvements before heading out. But Haulon is busy, so I’m not sure if he’ll have time to spare.
After relocating the People of Esha, we shifted our focus from securing personnel to running the country more effectively, which has reduced Haulon’s time in Kanum. He’ll still come to gather information about Nakahara, including Shulm’s movements.
I asked through the Spirits if he could spare some time, but the designated time was during the hottest part of the afternoon. Since that’s the entire country’s break time, it would be better for him to rest properly, I think.
If Haulon has dark circles under his eyes, I’ll just drop off some refreshments and quietly head back.
Now, to adjust my schedule, it’s lunchtime! Today, I’m having tantanmen and half a serving of fried rice with roasted pork.
The spicy orange soup with meat miso, the white of the shredded green onions, and the noodles peeking through. It’s loaded with sesame, and despite its appearance, it doesn’t taste as spicy as it looks—tantanmen!
The fried rice has larger pieces of roasted pork, with green onions and eggs as the other ingredients. There’s garlic, a bit of ginger, and chicken bone broth. This is delicious too—long live carbohydrates!
I love meat, but I also love carbohydrates. I like vegetables too, especially since I started cooking.
Maybe the happiest moments are when I’m eating. No, I also feel happy when I’m petting Rishu. I stroke Rishu, who has nestled between my knees, and reconsider.
I enjoy chatting with everyone in Kanum, going on long rides with Ash, and hearing about the island’s development from Soleil and the others.
I’ve gained so many things I love.