At the site of the highway, small groups of mercenaries were gathered, a confirmation of the survey area was being perform. A small fortress that blended into the surrounding scenery was built in this unnatural location and was being used as the forward base for the survey, water and food were brought into the place.
“Well, we shall head back first.”
“Thanks for your hard work! Leave the rest to us.”
After the survey duty of the Darkness God Corps was taken over by the mercenary troop, they took the carriage back down the night road to the relay town. The adventurer group was still at the site continuing their activities. It seemed that the recovery and transportation of the victims’ bodies will be done by tomorrow or the day after.
“Has Sun gone to sleep?”
“Yes, most likely she is tired from all that tension.”
Yuusuke felt relieved after peeping and seeing that Sun was quietly asleep on Aisha’s lap. As she continued to let her sleep until they reached the town while gently stroking her bangs.
“Ah erm, would you like to switch….?”
“Nonono, it’s alright. Anyway, it will become embarrassing.”
Yuusuke joked about it as he saw Sun lying on her lap. While Isotta who was sitting directly opposite began staring at Yuusuke’s lap without him noticing.
Just before midnight, Yuusuke was still awake in the relay town planning for the trip back to Sanc Adiet tomorrow morning, at the same time he was eating his late dinner within the living quarters of the trade association branch.
“I believe that Sun did well.”
“I agree, it was quite a job well done.”
“Just a shot from her and the situation changed.”
“Ahm, Thank you very much.”
Sun was getting embarrassed from all the praises she got from everyone. To witness a ghastly scene, not to mention an encounter with a magical beast on her first mission, one that was a mutation made for battle, for some reason it felt similar yet different from Yuusuke.
“However, that beast….I wonder who had controlled it?”
“Although it didn't look normal, the way it moved felt like someone was controlling it.”
The topic about the magical beasts came up. Shaheed and Vermeer began discussing the magical beast’s artificial nest and it’s unique ability, an ability which could obstruct divine arts itself, the topic had developed that the magical beasts might be military trained since it’s movements seemed systematic.
“There’s the military used magical beast …..”
“In the end, to surmise that time, both parties might have been successful.”
「軍用の魔獣なんてのもいるのか……」
In other words, the initial thoughts of Vermeer were “obtaining the magical beast” and “dealing with the one controlling it”, though Yuusuke pointed out that “the magical beast had an ability which obstructed divine arts”, up until now no one had ever thought about this kind of situation.
But, when it comes to the use of strategic objectives, whether it could distinguish between friends or foes, thus it is difficult deploy them. Even though Blue Garden’s spies had used them to attack Fonclanc’s ranches, how much control they had is unknown.
In other words, even if that was resolved, it would be difficult to handle them as a strong military asset.
“So the person performing this experiment might be in Trent Rietta.”
In any case, now they have to let the higher ups decide, as Yuusuke had already achieved his mission objective.
12th day, wind month of Zalnar, Evening ~~
A large number of refugees who had fled Nossentes’s destruction had begun to show up, while Gazzetta had not shown any signs or large movement up until now. After returning safely to Sanc Adiet and reporting on the completion of their mission. The Darkness God Corps members went into standby mode, after dropping Sun off at the mansion, Yuusuke headed to his private room in the palace to tamper with the tool he had purchased in the relay town.
“Sun! Yuusuke! Ng? Where’s Sun?”
After slipping away from her studies, Violet had come over to the room immediately as she saw the Darkness Corps returned.
“She seemed to be very tired, so I dropped her off at the mansion earlier.”
“Fumu, I see….thanks for your hard work.”
Violet was scratching her cheek while looking at Yuusuke toying with the tools. It looked like a cylindrical with a square top umbrella covering a hanging bracket lamp.
On the outside it looked like a common ordinary lantern, however when the lights were turned on, it emitted a mysterious pale blue and green light.
“Rin Lamp, what are you going to do with it?”
“Oh, so this is a Rin Lamp.”
“What? Is it possible you bought it without knowing?”
“Ah, cause it seems fun.”
It’s a general lamp that is commonly used in the cities of Trent Rietta. It’s made from a moss called “solar moss” which sticks on the skin of a particular tree bark with an ore called “Water stone” allowing it to emit light. That said once every 10 days there is a need to top up with water instead of oil.
The solar moss was a light source that clinged onto trees, and could only be found in parts of Trent Rieta’s Sea of Trees. Because the tree required special environment to grow, it had limited the harvesting location of the moss.
In addition, contrary to it’s name, the solar moss was very weak to dehydration and withered easily. Unlike other countries, there is a natural humid climate around Trent Reitta, thus it was difficult to export it.
Violet explained that due to these reasons, although the Rin lamp was a convenient and safe tool for a stable light source, without the use of fire, it wasn’t widely spread, only within the region of Trent Rietta.
Violet had a hobby of liking unusual things, apparently she had previously mail ordered one of them, after obtaining one through difficulty, due to the brightness of the room it didn’t work.
“We have some researchers who tried cultivating the moss, but it isn’t really working out.”
“Hmm, the Solar moss?”
Since the relay town was the closest Trent Reitta town to the road, the lamp that was used is normally easy to come by. But, due to the arid climate of Fonclanc, to use and maintain a certain number of mosses would be difficult.
Incidentally, the water stone is easily available. Since there was no other uses for it other than the Rin lamp, thus only a enthusiast tool shops deals with it.
“Let’s cultivate them under my basement. I will get Razshia who has spare time to manage them in the mansion.”
“Hohoho, that is quite interesting.”
It would be a good reliever for her who isn’t going outside much, this might also be able to be used for chemical research, as Yuusuke viewed the solar moss through a dull cylinder which emits a low light.
A customized cultivation case would be needed in order to prepare a suitable environment. To make full use of the gimmick feature, would allow the temperature and humidity constant and it shouldn’t be difficult.
If the cultivation was successful, it could replace the lightning of an oil tree with this convenient light source.
“I would like to go over to Trent Rietta to examine the ecology of the Solar Moss.”
“That’s true….but the timing now is bad, wait until the situation calms down before going.”
“O yeah, there was the magical beast incident.”
“Uuu, umm.”
From the start of a normal mission, which became a beast extermination, but ended alright as Yuusuke muttered. But first Sun’s success of the mission should be reported, in order to complete the first step of the plan Krielov had hatched.
“I pity those adventurers who became victims….”
“....Violet?”
Seeing Violet showing her consideration for the victims of the incident, Yuusuke felt a little discomfort. Previously, when Yuusuke had survived the Gearhawk Fortress, Violet had caused some friction between them when feelings of disagreement had occurred, thus due to that she had began to think about things.
The mission this time around was recommended due to it’s safety, but it had turned into quite a dangerous mission. Due to that, Yuusuke was confused about the situation that had taken form. But soon enough, the air had began to flow between these two people.
<....that’s not like you.>
Yuusuke began to change the topic in order to change the atmosphere.
“Ah, erm Violet.”
“? What’s up?”
“Soon that thing will go into production.”
The new prototype gimmick motor which was entrusted to Sorzak for R&D will soon be ready, the main gist was to mount a container on it. And that said, Violet’s personal Go-Kart will go into production.”
“OHHH! Finally the thing’s completed stage, is it done?”
Yuusuke recalled the time he tested the free-running experimental sofa, the shining eyes from an excited Violet. As it wasn’t a good idea to run amok down the palace corridor, they began discussing plans of running the experiments in places like the training field.
“It’s going according to the forecast and currently it’s around jogging speed.”
“Ohhh~~I can’t wait for it.”
The previous cold atmosphere had disappeared.