The news of my attack on Goebbels Kingdom ran all over the continent in about a week. When I reported it in the Kingdom of Miscronia, Mr. Iru iron-clawed me with a smile, and King Erwin, the father of Marl and Tina, slapped me on the back for doing a good job. When I told him that I had the Crown Prince soaked in Surströmming-senpai, his brother-in-law, Prince Albert, even asked me to shake his hand. How much do you hate that crown prince?
On the other hand, when I talked to Sondark of Kalendale Kingdom, his face turned pale and he collapsed. Apparently, he was too worried about Princess Calynella, but when I told him that I had rescued him, he suddenly jumped up and let out a shout of joy.
I didn't meet King Karendil directly, but it seems that he had a similar reaction to the old man of Sondark.
"Yo, the villainous stinking demon king."
"Should I stop saying that I am the source of the stench?"
"It's true. It seems that the smell hasn't been removed yet, that castle."
"It's humane, isn't it? Giving food as a gift instead of exploding light bullets."
"That's not food. If you carry it in a carriage, the shock will leak out the contents and ruin the product."
Crossroads is a frontier town in the eastern part of the Kalendale Kingdom. In this city, which is the city of my beginnings, I was having tea with Huey, who is in charge of me in the commercial guild. Today is free time after sending the wives to Miscronia Kingdom and Kalendale Kingdom respectively. Get ready for the wedding.
I? As for me, my job is to send people to and pick them up and give them money. I leave it up to my wives about the ceremony. Women are the main actors in the ceremony. I just want to be able to marry everyone.
"And what about the commercial guild?"
"You can guess from the fact that I'm here. People and things are already gathering. What about that?"
"The road has already passed. Right now we are using a loaded carriage for test runs, and we are in the process of developing a resting point. Three days if you hurry."
"A week by carriage from the capital to the border, and two weeks to cross the Kingdom of Geppels.
Huey makes a bad face. Shorter distances mean lower shipping costs. That means you can buy it cheaply. Even if you sell at the same price, you can make a lot more money than before. Well, it's also a matter of how much we will tax.
"I still don't know how long it will take from my house to the Kingdom of Miscronia."
"Yeah? What do you mean?"
"The highway on the side of the Kingdom of Miscronia hit a huge wetland. For the time being, we reclaimed the wetland and made a road.
"I feel like I'm going crazy when I talk to you. It's a big project that usually takes decades, like reclaiming a swamp."
If you do it normally, it will be, but I have a skill that uses ridiculously high magical power. Create a straight path with the magic of the earthen wall, harden it, and you're done. It's okay because there are a few holes that allow water to pass through. If there is any problem, I will adjust it.
"Wait a minute, Demon King of the world, don't stick with a cup of tea."
When Huey and I were silently lost in thought, a bright voice threw a complaint at us from the side. This is Pinya, the main chef and proprietress of Burning Anvil. The master and general of the tavern is wiping the glass with his usual smiling face.
"Eh... because there's no dessert here."
"There are. Fruits that I peeled myself."
"That's not a dessert, is it? Dessert is more of a sweet object made with sugar, milk, and eggs."
"If a beautiful chef peels the fruit, it becomes a high-class dessert."
"Beautiful chef (laughs)"
"What are you laughing at? I'll kill you."
"Excuse me, please give me a fancy dessert."
Don't go against a woman with a kitchen knife. This is also written in the Kojiki.
And four copper coins were taken from one plate of fruits that had been peeled cleanly and uselessly. It's terrible. There is no such thing.
"What's going on with monster countermeasures? They say the monsters in the Sea of Trees are vicious."
"The method is a trade secret, but it's already done."
The mithril plate used as a passage pass has a moderately strong barrier against monsters attached to it, and the post town will have an even stronger barrier against monsters that is equal to Clover. Set up a checkpoint at the entrance to the Sea of Trees and issue a pass there. If you use the highway without passing through the checkpoint, it will be cleaned by monsters.
"Our liaison officer will be here in a few days, so please fill in the details."
"It was a horse beast called Yamato."
"Oh, it's a horse that can do it."
Yesterday, Yamato loaded a carriage drawn by a centaur with monster materials from the Sea of Trees and special products made in various villages in the Sea of Trees, and left for the crossroads. They should probably arrive here the day after tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.
By the way, can a carriage pulled by a centaur be called a carriage? They get angry when you treat them like horses. Centaur car? Horse-drawn carriage? Can I use the Kenta flight? The Kenta flight is faster than the carriage. It seems that it uses magic power to strengthen its body, and even if it pulls a load of the same weight, it runs at nearly twice the speed of a normal carriage. Moreover, even in the unlikely event that a monster attacks you, you can even defend yourself.
There are a lot of people like that, so it might be a good idea to operate Kenta-Bin both in and outside Taiki. For the time being, I wonder if it's a high-speed flight that connects Taiki overseas edge and Clover.
"For the time being, the first move will be to bring things from Clover and sell them. The flight from Crossroads to Clover will still be a little ahead. It's up to the construction of checkpoints and post towns."
"Yes. Well, I'm looking forward to seeing what's coming."
"I think you're probably going to lose your waist?"
Weapons and armor made from the materials of the Sea of Trees, textiles and bows made from Arkenian thread, pottery and liquor made by the Oni, jewels mined by the Antilles, and the Sea of Trees collected by the river people and fairies. There are curiosities such as wild fruits and medicinal herbs. According to Benjano, who runs a general store in Clover, it seems that all of them are items that I have never seen before, and the prices are quite bullish.
My personal favorite is products that use Arkenia thread. Arkenia's thread is strong and has an excellent affinity for magic. The bow is light and strong, and the weave is beautiful and strong. After all, just by pouring mana into the clothes and strengthening them, the defensive power will be higher than the poor metal armor. On top of that, it feels good on the skin.
I also recommend the vodka made by the Onijinzoku. A distilled liquor made from the potatoes grown in the village of the Oni people, it is their favorite food. However, since grains are not cultivated in the demon village, it would be great if we could exchange it for sake made from grains and fruits that cannot be obtained in the village.
The vodka of the demon tribe has a high degree, but it has a soft mouthfeel and is very easy to drink. Clover is also a very popular gem.
After exchanging information with Huey to some extent, we broke up. Yamato will arrive at Crossroads in a few days, so there seems to be a lot of work to do.
"There's still time... now."
I left the scorching anvil and started walking randomly. It is past noon now. It's almost time to eat a snack.
Marl, Melkina, and the three daughters are in the Kingdom of Miscronia, Flam, Tina, Calynella, and Stella are in the Kingdom of Calendil, and Kusuha and Deborah are in Clover. Each of them is preparing for the wedding ceremony, making detailed contacts, and doing business.
I should do what only I can do.
One, exploration of the Sea of Trees.
There are still many unexplored lands in Taikikai. There are many unexplored regions that Arkenia and the demons who lived in the Great Sea of Trees have never set foot in. It is believed that there are many unexplored ruins. Unexplored ruins often contain ancient items that can't be reproduced with current technology, and untouched treasures, so searching for these is a job that only I can do.
Second, large-scale development and material procurement around the capital clover and along the highway.
There is no one other than me who can develop a wide area in a short time. Leaving wood aside for materials, my earth magic is necessary to prepare stone materials on a large scale. The reason is that there is no place where you can get a large amount of stones in the Sea of Trees. In the sense that only I can do it, it may have a higher priority than exploring the Sea of Trees.
Three, the development of magic tools.
The development of mental resistance magic tools is an urgent task. In addition to the equipment to prevent the kind of magic that manipulates the mind, it would also be necessary to develop tools to remove the kind of mind magic that has already been cast. We also need a magic tool to ward off monsters to be installed in the post town, and a magic tool to ward off monsters to be incorporated into the passage pass. Only I can make these.
Fourth, Gods and Heroes, an investigation into the Great Flood.
I haven't told anyone about this to my wife, but somehow the existence of the 'God' in this world seems suspicious. I can't help but worry about the false god alliance that the Moribito series I went to last time and the countermeasures that the Moribito series said.
Isn't the black space that came out when I rampaged during the Great Flood the countermeasure of sending a living weapon raised in that different dimension space to the opponent's center and causing damage?
That black space only appeared on the battlefield where I was rampant and the death toll was extremely low. And the black beast that came out of that black space called me 'the one who disturbs the planned harmony'. I don't know who planned it, but I think that prearranged harmony refers to the death of more than a certain number of people.
People didn't die as planned due to the flood that came 'as planned', and that black space was visited to correct that. Considering this, it is easy to predict what caused the flood.
Was it not God who caused the great flood?
Isn't the Great Flood not a regular disaster, but a culling of humans by gods using monsters?
Thinking about it, I think that self-proclaimed god also acted suspiciously several times. I think he was talking about a disgusting monster with a pinched SAN value in the construction site of Clover, the capital, called a "preliminary plan". I have a bad feeling that an existence that specializes in killing such creatures is just a backup plan.
Then, if that self-proclaimed god is my enemy, I don't think so.
If my power is getting too strong and it's getting in the way of his plan, he should be able to do whatever he wants, including taking my power away, and I'm sure he'll say something. But his demeanor consistently seemed to enjoy watching me.
If the Great Flood was caused by God, I think it's safe to assume that he and the God causing the Great Flood have different motives. Maybe, but he's on my side. At least, as long as I'm entertaining him.
While walking while thinking, it seems that I have walked to the edge of the city of Crossroads.
Apparently, there are many temple-related facilities around here. Did he come to this place because he walked while thinking about God? It must have been rather irreverent to think about it.
But it feels out of place.
Many of the people walking around are wearing white, ash, and other chic colors that seem to be related to the temple.
On the other hand, my outfit is black slacks woven with Kusuha thread, a black shirt, and a Hydra leather jacket on top of it. He is wielding a free sword.
From the looks of it, he's the dangerous person. I feel like the gaze around me hurts.
"-♪"
"yeah?"
As I turned around to return to the center of town, I heard a song. I've never heard this song before, but somehow it makes me feel nostalgic. Somehow curious, I turned my foot toward the song.
It was like a great chapel from which the singing was heard. The door is open, and it seems anyone can enter, so I turn my feet as the song invites me.
"Oh..."
When I saw the inside from the entrance of the chapel, I unintentionally raised my voice.
Boys and girls were singing in the chapel.
They all wear white monk robes and sing loudly. I can't understand the meaning of the whole song because it's from the middle, but it seemed to be a kind of hymn. The appearance of them singing under the light of the stained glass feels somewhat divine.
There were many benches set up in the chapel, so I decided to sit in the backmost seat and listen to the boys and girls singing. There were quite a few people sitting in the front seats, but the seats near the entrance were empty. I'm not a religious person, so this seat near the entrance would suit me. Pull out the Shingin Jizaiken from the sword belt together with the scabbard, take a seat and prop it up.
This hymn seems to be a song in praise of the mother goddess Gaina.
She is the wife of Vault, the goddess of order and judgment, and a mother goddess who gave birth to various gods along with Vault. She is the mother who gave birth to all living things. In other words, she is the land of Eriard itself, the goddess of mercy who gives us the sustenance to live every day. She seems to be a goddess with blond hair, blue eyes, and a plump body.
On the other hand, touching her anger is said to cause pestilence and famine. Do you mean that everything is two sides of the same coin?
Boys and girls sing words of praise to her. The Kalendale Kingdom is blessed with fertile land, and it is said that there have been only a few years of famine in its long history. So said the old priest after the boys and girls had finished singing that it was the Kingdom of Kalendale, the land where the Mother Goddess blesses.
"Hmm..."
I wondered if the service was over as people left the chapel.
If the gods are culling people, what is their purpose?
Is it inconvenient to overpopulate the human population, or is the goal itself to kill humans?
What is the content of the increase in the human population? Hmm... What I can think of is a conflict between humans, or something like that. As the number of people increases, the range of human existence expands. That way people are more likely to fight each other. Human history is the history of struggle. It is clear from the history of the previous world.
Regularly use monsters to thin out humans and keep them constantly conscious of monsters as common enemies of humans. Yeah, wouldn't it have the effect of deterring conflicts between humans due to wars of aggression? I don't think it's a completely ridiculous theory.
The other is when the murder itself is the goal.
For example, this would be a story about killing humans, collecting their souls, and gaining that power. In fact, from that disgusting monster that devoured the souls of many humans, he obtained an object with extraordinary power called a soul crystal. Is God going to get something like that on a regular basis? This is also not an improbable story. Perhaps that is the source of God's power.
"Hello. Are you worshiping?"
"yeah?"
I was told that I was deep in thought while sitting in my seat.
You are beautiful. She has blond hair, blue eyes, and clothes that are a little more luxurious than those of a nun. She umm, my wives should be used to seeing beautiful women, but she's always there.
"No, when I was walking while thinking, I heard a beautiful singing voice. I was interested and listened to it. After that, I continued my thoughts. I'm sorry, I came in without permission. Was it?"
"No, it's fine. It seems that you've been thinking about it quite seriously, but is there something you're worried about? I can't."
Saying that, she smiled softly. Yeah, this kind of motherhood, or rather tolerance, is a type not found in my daughter-in-law. No, sometimes Deborah and Seatan give off such an atmosphere.
Now, should we consult? The opponent is God's apostle. He seems to get angry when he says something bad. Hmm, but if you want to ask about God, you should ask a professional in that field.
"Then take my word for it... I'd like you to listen to it as an introduction, but I'm not a religious person. I think I'll get scolded. Also, I was born. Since then, until relatively recently, I've been shut up in a secluded place, so I don't have much knowledge about gods."
"I see. There are many adventurers like that, so it's okay."
"Thank you. I was thinking of the Deluge."
Surprised to hear that I was thinking about the Great Flood, her eyes widened for a moment. Was there anything surprising?
Oh, what a surprise. I thought it was a daily life problem, but it's a big flood. It's the same as when I asked if it was about social issues or workplace worries, and the answers were ``I was thinking about peace for mankind'' or ``I was thinking about why wars happen''. Isn't it unreasonable to be taken aback?
"Excuse me, how should I put it…does it sound like a child thinking about this seriously?"
"No, that's not true. This time the flood was repelled by Hero-sama, but it's not unreasonable to feel uneasy. Did you also fight?"
"Yeah. On the front line, right?"
"That's... you had a tough experience."
"Well, that's right, that's about it."
I had a head-on collision with a giant dragon, and I was badly injured by an unknown black beast. Especially that black beast was a formidable enemy. I wonder if that was the biggest pinch after coming to this world.
"And that's what I was thinking, why is the god causing the flood?"
"...God's Great Flood?"
"Yes, God will give you an oracle before the Great Flood. Are you disrespectful, I'm sorry."
I scratched my head in front of the beautiful woman who closed her eyes and fell silent. As expected, this remark to a clergyman in a chapel enshrining a god was bad.
"No, don't worry about it. The temple teachings don't mention the Flood, but I can't say with certainty that it's not God's work, as you say. maybe there is
"ordeal?"
"Yes. Some people think it's a trial to make people stronger."
"Trials, trials... I see, you're encouraging selection."
Is it the point of view of selection by divine will? This is an idea I didn't have.
Just like iron is forged into steel, the idea of giving humans the ordeal of a great flood and refining the existence of humans as a stronger species may certainly be an ant. It's a large-scale poison that kills monsters and humans.
"I can't consider the will of the gods as a small person like me, but there is no doubt that the gods love people. If the gods have abandoned us, No crops will grow on the ground, and no oracle will be given as to when the Great Flood will occur."
"Hmm, I see..."
This is what this person is saying.
Surely the deluge will come, and God will not stop it. But he teaches it in advance, giving people time and food to prepare for battle. It is a trial because of the desire for human growth.
"As expected of a priest.
"Fufu, it's only natural that people have their own ideas."
Giggle and the priest laugh.
Well, any idea can coexist with each other. It may be that they are reducing the number of people themselves, collecting human souls, and at the same time increasing the strength of human existence by promoting selection.
"The only other thing I can think of is that it was an act of someone other than God... Hmmm, in any case, in order to eliminate the Great Flood itself, it is necessary to make direct contact with God once..."
"Direct with God...?"
"Oh no, this is the story. Thank you very much for listening to my trivial story seriously. I'm sorry."
I thanked the beautiful Shinto priest with a dubious expression and stood up with the Shingin Zizai sword in my hand.
"Wait"
When I was about to leave the chapel, I was stopped by a beautiful priestess and turned around.
A shiver ran down my spine.
"What does God mean to you?"
The blue eyes of an emotionless priest pierce through me. The kind of pressure coming from her makes her want to back down. The hand that holds the sheath of the Shingin Jizaiken is filled with strength.
She wasn't the girl who had been listening to me with a smile until just now. Who is that in front of her? Her confused mind struggles to find answers. There was only one answer that came out.
"It's a tricky opponent, isn't it?"
"That perception is correct. You should not let your guard down."
She says so without a smile and closes her eyes. Something like an intimidating feeling softened at once. Cold sweat breaks out. What the hell is going on here?
"Prepare yourself, the time of the trial is right around the corner. It seems to stretch as long as possible, but there is no grace."
Blue eyes caught me again. The pressure hits me again. No, this feeling is the feeling that my POW is resisting some kind of magical effect. I feel like I'm slowly running out of room. No more.
My heart aches and tears start to overflow. I want to go home. I want to go home.
"Ah, mother...san."
Mother closes her eyes.
mother? The goddess in front of me? So stupid!
"You're a spoiled child, aren't you?"
The Priestess with her eyes closed laughs. stop it! Seriously stop saying things like that!
Her clothes changed instantly. She is a thin cloth that barely hides her plump body. It's so thin that you can see the skin underneath.
and she opens her eyes. Same feeling as before. My POW is against something. Stay strong and don't lose. Do not lose! Remember Marle's face, everyone's face!
"You don't have to be so stubborn."
"Oh, I refuse.
"That's a pity. Then, did you really tell him? That person's message."
The area is surrounded by light, and her figure disappears. She falls to her knees involuntarily and she lets out a heavy breath. It was crazy today. It was really bad. God is amazing. It's probably the Earth Mother Goddess Gaina right now, right? I don't know, but I think so.
"The development of mental resistance magic tools is an urgent task..."
Because I have a high POW, I'm fine. Besides, Gaina also said something to worry about. The time of trials is right around the corner, so be prepared. God himself warns you, you can't get over it with half-baked preparations.
Open the menu and press a button you've barely touched. No response.
I decided to return to clover with the determination not to weigh myself down.