Interlude 5: Prologue of the Seventh Part
“Finally made it through…”
I wiped the sweat from my forehead, relieved to have passed through the danger zone. While I knew, in theory, that we could make it safely, the reality of it could only be confirmed through experience.
We were aboard a large ship floating on the sea. Our journey had been aimed at the new continent said to lie to the west, and surprisingly, we had arrived much sooner than expected. The only reason we hadn’t reached it before was that we had been unable to cross the waters inhabited by giant marine creatures over a hundred meters long.
“Captain, are we ready to disembark for our investigation?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
It had been ten years since the development of a magic tool that allowed us to hide from marine creatures. Two years had passed since the discovery of the new continent, and we had just completed our survey of the nearby coastline.
Looking back through history, our ancestors were said to have migrated from this western continent, but with nearly a thousand years having passed, that was of little relevance now. It was just an unknown land.
The coastline directly to the west was steep and rocky, leaving no place to land. If we circled north, there were sandy beaches, but even if we managed to disembark, we would be immediately met by a dense forest, teeming with monstrous beasts of incredible strength, making it impossible to establish a foothold.
Heading south, the cliffs gave way, allowing us to venture further west. The waters in this area were calm, devoid of giant marine creatures, making it quite safe. Perhaps that was why, further in, we could see locals setting out in their boats to fish, even from a distance.
While we had no concrete evidence, it appeared to be a bay, and the inner waters seemed relatively safe. We had yet to discover any harbor towns or fishing villages, but it was certain they must be nearby.
“We don’t intend to clash with the locals, do we?”
“Of course not. Unless they attack us without warning, our priority is to survey the uncharted territory.”
Fortunately, the distance from our kingdom to the western continent was not too far. Given that we shared the same ancestry, the chances of us being able to communicate were quite high. Our initial goal was to send in scouts gradually to gather information.
First, we would make contact with the locals, assess the level of threat they posed, and then decide whether to engage peacefully or consider them as potential adversaries. From what we could see of the fishermen in the distance, there didn’t seem to be any immediate threats. While I didn’t expect any strong individuals among mere fishermen, their statuses appeared to be on par with our own citizens.
“It would be nice if we could conquer them easily.”
“If you approach with that attitude from the start, it could backfire on us in the worst-case scenario.”
I admonished my subordinate, who shrugged in response, but I couldn’t help but share his sentiment. Historically, our ancestors had fled from this continent. Though it was too long ago for me to care, there were still some who interpreted it as a banishment, and many held negative feelings towards the people of the western continent.
“Captain!”
At that moment, a crew member rushed towards me from the stern.
“What is it?”
“The sea looks strange… Could you come to the back?”
“Understood.”
With the crew member’s furrowed brow, I had no choice but to follow. If the sea was behaving oddly, it was all the more reason to investigate. Could it be that a giant marine creature was approaching? However, the crew member didn’t seem overly panicked, so it likely wasn’t an emergency.
“Over there.”
As I looked in the direction he pointed, I indeed saw something unusual. We were at the entrance of what appeared to be a bay. Any fishing boats from the land would rarely venture this far out due to the risk of being attacked by giant marine creatures.
In that dangerous area, a giant marine creature had leapt out of the water. Was it chasing something? As I pondered this while focusing on the distant giant fish, something unexpected happened.
“—Huh?”
The marine creature, which seemed about to land on the surface, suddenly vanished.
What just happened? I peered through my telescope, and to my astonishment, I saw a person floating in mid-air.
“Is that… a person?”
My subordinate, who had come with me to the stern, murmured as he looked through the telescope.
“Hey! Get someone who can appraise that person right now!”
As soon as I realized it was a human, I raised my voice, causing the crew member to dash back into the ship in a flurry. Meanwhile, the giant fish continued to appear and disappear in the distance, creating a bizarre spectacle.
“Did you call for me, Captain?”
After a short while, I was approached by one of the crew members, led by another.
“Ah, Grek. Can you appraise that person over there?”
Grek turned his gaze to where I pointed, and he froze, witnessing the phenomenon of the giant fish re-emerging from the water only to vanish again.
“Here.”
To snap him out of his stupor, I handed him my telescope, which he took with a start and peered through.
“Eh… They’re flying…?”
As he exclaimed at the sight of a person suspended in mid-air, he pulled out a mirror from his pocket and held it up to the telescope. That mirror was the Mirror of Truth, a tool used to reveal true forms and see through illusions, but it had other uses as well. By appraising something reflected in it, one could do so without the target noticing. Some strong individuals or high-ranking monsters could sense when they were being appraised, but using the telescope from a distance like this would keep us undetected.
“…Huh? …Eh?”
Grek’s voice was filled with disbelief as he finished the appraisal.
“What is it?”
“I-I can’t believe it…”
“What is it?”
“T-The name is Shu Mizumoto. Their status is—”
“Huh?”
I was left speechless as he recited the status. It seemed there was another person named Rio Mizumoto, and their status was similarly astounding.
“Th-Those two must be thoroughly investigated! Their affiliations and the potential for future hostilities are our top priorities!”
“““Yes, sir!”””
My subordinates responded immediately to my urgent command. No one in that moment cared about where the giant fish that had vanished in mid-air had gone, overshadowed by the overwhelming statuses of the two individuals.
＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝
The stage is set at the entrance of a bay in the eastern part of the Kingdom of Faerdehelde.
Here’s a rough map for reference:
https://kakuyomu.jp/users/m-kawa/news/16818093072929123693