Arc 26: What can be done for tomorrow

Chapter 264: The Kingdom of Slaves, and the Strangeness of the Desert

That reminds me, Touya-dono. Youve been investigating the Sandora Kingdom lately, havent you?(Trystwin)

Aah! I myself thought of asking about that matter as well.(Zephir)

You guys have sharp ears, dont you?(Touya)

I cry out without thinking to what the Belfast King and the Regulus Emperor have said.

The representatives of the nations that belong to the East-West Alliance wanted to relax after the regular meeting, as such, I let them into the gameroom until evening.

The King of Belfast, the Emperor of Regulus, the Beast King of Misumido and I are around the mahjong board while the Knight King of Restia and the King of Rynie, both being young rulers, are playing billiards.

Inside the soundproof area at a corner of the game room, the piano performance of Kousuke-nii-san and Clair-sans cooking fascinate the Statewide Governor of Rodomea and the Monarch of Referees. Meanwhile, Karen-nee-san, Moroha-nee-san, Sousuke-oji-san and Karina-nee-san are lecturing the Ramisshu Pope on matters about Gods at the opposite corner of the room. Suika is, by the way, lying on the floor with a bottle of sake in her arms.

Well, its not like Touya-dono is the only one investigating the matters regarding Sandora. O~to, Beast King, this is Pon.(Trystwin)

There are a lot of issues in that country that make us worried, you see ~t-to.(Zephir)

Like what?(Touya)

I pick up a tile from the pile in front as I listen to the discussion. I dont need it, so Ill just throw it away.

Ive heard that more and more slave traders started gathering there after Yuuron had vanished, and Ive also received several reports of what appears to be Regulus citizens being kidnapped by slave traders.(Zephir)

Same for us. There were cases where groups of bandits attacked villages and carried off young men, women and children. Theres no doubt that the slave traders are secretly behind those attacks mainly because beastkins are considered to be expensive combat slaves, and the one getting along with those slave traders is Sandora.(Jamca)

In Misumidos case, its an easy country to invade since it borders the Great Forest Sea. Also, every beastkin has a special ability depending on their tribe, and its this trait that makes business lucrative for the slave traders.

We would prefer it if you crushed that country sooner, Touya-dono. (Trystwin)

Ha-ha-ha, thats a good idea. Touya-dono should be able to do it in a single blow. If you want to, well even help you out on that endeavor, right?(Jamca)

We can probably gain total control of their royal capital within less than a day if we send out several Frame Gears.(Zephir)

You guys are letting this talk pass as a joke, yet youre being half serious here, arent you? (Touya)

All three of them turn their faces away. Hey, you three! Look at me!

The talk about destroying Sandora is really a joke, but well nonetheless be truly grateful if you can do something about the slave trading business.(Trystwin)

From their words alone, I feel that slave traders who are attempting to enslave people from other countries are more of a problem than the Sandora Kingdom itself. Though those slavers may have no other choice but to follow the orders of that country.

It even looks like Sandora has no diplomatic relations with any other country aside from Yuuron. There are no countries wholl be troubled even if we crush Sandora, but No, I guess theyll be troubled once refugees and the like start coming those people may possibly go toward Lail Kingdom which is the nearest.

As I thought. The problem lies in the Subordination Collar(Touya)

How in the world is that Subordination Collar being mass produced in the first place? Is there some kind of enchanter who can use magic that belongs in the enchantment system like me?

However, no-attribute magic is not hereditary. Assuming this magic was limited by one generation, how could Subordination Collars be that widespread in the Sandora Kingdom for such a long time?

Of course, its a fact that the choker is still there even if the slave dies, so the slave masters should be able to reuse the collars though.

The most important thing is, whos the one gathering the slave traders? Is it the king? Or possibly

O~to, this is Ron, Touya-dono. Chinitsu. Haneman, 12000(Jamca)

~ack(Touya)

His Majesty The Beast King drops a hand with circle tiles of the same color down with a flop. Damn it! Ive been careless! And to think that its against such an obvious hand

I pay up the scoring sticks, and we start over again. My tiles this time are worrisome as well

If I remember correctly, wasnt this Sandora Kingdom originally founded by someone called a Slave King? (Touya)

Thats right. It seems a large number of tribes had squabbled over there during that period. Still, its said that a man, along with the people from the Frau tribe, suddenly showed up and brought the other tribes all together in a flash, then they established the kingdom of Sandora.

They also say that this man had shackles on his feet, and that he was a slave from some unknown country and was a gladiator.

So he was called the Slave King because of that, huh? Did this gladiator desert his own country back then and turned up at the place that would be the future Sandora? How should I say this? I suppose there were slaves during that period as well.

Still, its one theory. There were also stories that he made the chief of the tribe who was accompanying him into a slave(Jamca)

Umu, theres also a story that the one who had created the original version of the Subordination Collar was the Slave King himself even if it was a certain great magician who mass produced it after the country had been founded(Zephir)

I tilt my head to the words of the Beast King and the Emperor. Mu-mu-u. Did he really gather all the tribes with the help of those chokers by force, rose up, and then created a country? But can a mere gladiator really do something like that? It seems like theres an underside to all of this.

Releasing the Sandora slaves looks easy to do as it is, but what will they do once theyve been released? Will they rebel? Will they run away?

They probably wouldnt forgive the nobles.

Even if that noble lot are nothing but those who dont think of them as people, it probably cant be helped, given the environment in which theyve been brought up. But even so, theres no way the slaves will recognize that.

Mu-mu-mu or shall we go and say to that king Release the slaves who have been illegally brought from other countries?

However, will they obey if we tell them that? I suppose they have no reason to do so. Economic sanctions will normally be implemented but then again, that country itself has no diplomatic relations whatsoever.

With regards to food, slaves arent allowed to eat anything satisfactory, given that of the kingdoms land are deserts while only the remaining area is the fertile lands.

They dont have any form of exchange with other countries. Aside from the merchants who come and go, Sandora seems to be in a state of isolation.

Should I build black ships and aim their cannons to that country?

(TL: probably reference to http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/japan_1750_perry.htm)

Muu. Its really troublesome.

Rather than throwing down a country, thoroughly crushing the operations of the slave traders is more

O~to, this is Ron, Touya-dono. Chinitsu. Haneman, 12000(Jamca)

Again!?(Touya)

Not good! I shouldnt be thinking very deeply right now! I have to concentrate more on the game or else Ill be completely defeated if it goes No-no-no, its different. Different, I say.

Lets wait for the reports of the three kunoichi for the time being.

=== === === === === ===

Starting the next day, rain falls gently onto Brunhild. Rainy season, huh?

It looks like the knights of the knight order are taking a rest from training and are in their own rooms doing either some studying, reading or maintaining their weapons.

As for myself, Im currently sitting on a chair and reading a book under the eaves of the balcony roof, but I then hear music coming from a distance. Its Sousuke-nii-san, huh?

This is it certainly is a melody for a rainy day, but theres probably no one who will dance under an umbrella and be festive in this rain.

Still, the rain is pouring down for quite a bit Though I wonder, how long will this rain continue? I hope the river wont overflow. Even so, it will be helpful if a weather forecast of some sort exists in this world.

No, wait a minute.

An idea suddenly enters my mind. I then try enchanting the weather forecast app of my smartphone with [Search].

A weather report for one week together with umbrella and rain marks and the current atmospheric temperature appears in the air with a *poof* sound. Ive done it.

Uh-huh. Looks like the rainy weather will clear up the day after tomorrow. Guess well have to be patient for a little bit more.

In any case, one more month and it will already be summer. Brunhild doesnt have a natural beach, but it has one in the dungeon archipelago. Everyone might go there with pleasure if I liberate it from danger and create a beach. Although there are a lot of magic beasts in the surrounding seas, theyll stay away if I summon and place there a Leviathan as a guardian. Jellyfish and others of that sort will still turn up there though.

It sounds fun, with beach houses and food stalls and all. Itll look like a festival or a fair Hmm?

Come to think of it, this country doesnt have festive-like occasions. Not even a year has passed since it was founded, so we havent done anything resembling an anniversary for its foundation. Yet New Year has already passed.

There are no Shinto shrines here as well Oh well. Its fine not to make a Japanese-style festival specifically. However, an enshrined deity is necessary when one speaks about a Shinto shrine. Though if Im to say which God I worship myself, theres no one else besides that person.

Making him an enshrined deity on my own accord is kinda~(Touya)

He probably wont get angry, but I guess I still have to ask for his permission just in case if Im really going to do it.

If its simple Gods, theyre just lurking around right? How should I say this? Theyre really only idling about, right?! Like the Alcohol God!

The moment I start feeling a headache after remembering Suika whos sleeping like a log with a bottle of sake in her arms, my smartphone rings due to an incoming call.

The screen says Sarutobi() Homura. Oh, the Sarutobi() girl, huh? Have they already arrived at Sandora?

Yes, hello(Touya)

Ah~, Ano~, Is it really you, Your Majesty?! P~, people, people in town are, they are!(Homura)

Calm down. I dont understand what youre saying(Touya)

Whats this? It looks like shes in a terrible panic. Has something happened?

People, they sparkle, and die! The sparkling, it comes from their bodies Ah Excuse me, Your Majesty. This is Shizuku. Ive taken up the phone(Homura/Shizuku)

I hear the voice of a composed Shizuku who has taken the phone from the panicking Homura. Thats good. I wont understand a single word and will be confused if Homura is the one speaking.

Where are you right now?(Touya)

Were in the city called Astal to the east of the royal capital of Sandora, Kyurei. Weve stopped in this city to book an inn before embarking toward Kyurei, but weve encountered a strange situation (Shizuku)

Strange situation?(Touya)

She said Astal city, but isnt that the second largest city in Sandora? What the heck is happening there?

The citizens of the city are dead. Every one of them(Shizuku)

Wha!?(Touya)

I end up rising from the chair instinctively. Everyone? Astal should be quite a large city. Is she saying that it has been completely annihilated?

A type of crystal similar to a crystal rock sprouts from their whole bodies and they die. Its like it has taken all the moisture in their bodies, making them completely parched and dried up(Shizuku)

Crystal rock? I suddenly recall the crystal bodies of the frazes. However, Ive never heard of such symptoms before.

I can also assume that its some sort of virus. If thats the case, those three are in danger.

Is there anything wrong with your bodies?(Touya)

No, were still fine as of the moment. Nagi has just ended up not feeling good for a little bit(Shizuku)

Get away from that city at once! Anywhere is fine as long as you three move far away from there and stay put once you find a new location. Ill come to you within an hour(Touya)

Yes(Shizuku)

After hanging up the call, I then open the map of Astal city, project it in the air and look for survivors. There are three dots moving toward the edge of the city. Those must be the kunoichi trio, but

Theres no one else being indicated aside from them. Is everyone really dead? What the heck happened over there?

Theres no use thinking about it. Lets go meet those three for now(Touya)

Itll be bad if this is really a pandemic due to an infectious disease, so I first call Flora from the Alchemy Building and ask her to prepare a quarantine room and examination tools in her medical office. Should I request the lolico no, Atlantica from Laboratory to go there as well?

After explaining the circumstances to the trios superior, Tsubaki-san, I open a [Gate] at once. I then transfer to the place where weve discovered the Babylon ruins in Sandora and move out from there.

Having passed through the [Gate], I notice that theres a lot more sunshine here, different from the rainy weather of Brunhild, and that the desert sky is clear. As usual, its very hot in this place

I then open the map of Sandora and soar with [Fly] toward the location of the three kunoichis.

Everyone in the city are dead. What the hell is happening here?

I speed up my flying even more than usual, as if trying to wipe off this ominous feeling.

TL: greujnik

TLC: Airsblue

ED: Blackswordsman, Empress

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