Chapter 230: Return to Antil Island
When I returned to the royal capital of Silesie, my wives had all gathered for me, shortening my time to stay considerably. After a brief moment of rest, I stood in front of the teleportation magic circle drawn in the castle courtyard, embracing each of my wives one by one, bidding them farewell.
「Caroline, I’m counting on you to take care of things here.」
「Yes, leave everything to us while you’re away.」
Though her words were reassuring, I couldn’t help but worry, especially for Eleonora, who was pregnant. It pained me that I couldn’t be by her side during this time. I embraced her tightly once more, placing a hand on her belly, where our child was growing.
「Please, Eleonora, don’t push yourself too hard.」
「Don’t worry, in six months, the baby will be born. Honestly, I’m just disappointed I can’t join the battle across the sea, but you better come back safely.」
Though I was trying to express concern, she ended up scolding me instead. Six months until the birth, huh?
Once the blitz campaign against the demon army begins, I won’t be able to return. It’s disappointing that I won’t be there when the baby arrives.
Even if the campaign goes incredibly smoothly, I won’t be able to return until after the birth. I can’t help but hope the operation wraps up much quicker than expected.
Though a new route to the New Continent was found, traveling from Silesie’s Nant Port via Rango Land Island, it’s still a journey that takes nearly three months by ship. It wouldn’t be wise to push the fleet too hard. Silhouette and Sharon also embraced me.
「Takeru-sama, may you have great fortune in battle.」 「Please, come back to us safely.」
「Of course, I will.」
Then I was held in turn by Neneka and Celestina.
Man, I’m really popular.
「Hero-sama…」 「Shall we come with you?」
「No, I can’t let that happen. But I appreciate the offer. Well, it’s about time…」
With my wives seeing me off, I stepped into the magic circle. Inside the large circle drawn in the courtyard, Kaara was preparing the teleportation spell.
「Ah, Kaara, thank you for taking the time to come pick me up despite being so busy flying around the continent.」
「It’s also part of my duty to transport you, but are you sure you’re alright, Nation’s Father??」
「Huh? Me?」
「Did you hurt your back?」
「Oh, you noticed? Yeah, a bit.」
It felt a little heavy. Given the time I’ve been away, I might have overexerted my back… or maybe it was overworked for me.
When I gave a sheepish smile and rubbed my lower back, Kaara seemed to understand.
「I’ll ask Oracle-sama to prepare some good medicine for you.」
She offered, but I’d prefer a more natural recovery instead of forcing it with some magical doping.
「Hey, Kaara, shouldn’t we be worried about weight limits more than my back?」
「Yes… actually, if you could lighten the load a bit, that would help. Especially with those two knights…」
The teleportation spell from Silesie to Antil Island uses a tremendous amount of magic power. As a result, we have to carefully select what to send.
First, we sent over equipment that couldn’t be found on the island, fabrics, and seeds for experimental farming. Then there were seven people.
By Lyle-sensei’s request, four elite scouts from Neneka’s spy unit were sent along. We also had one emergency messenger wyvern knight (complete with a carriage).
That much was fine… but for some reason, two knights from the Royal Guard insisted on coming as well.
Since knights bring their horses with them, it significantly increases the weight. Still, I couldn’t refuse when Jill and Marina insisted, so I had no choice but to accept them. They were dressed rather extravagantly too.
As I mentioned before, the Royal Guard seems to have finally given up on wearing those full medieval suits of armor. Instead, they’re now sporting wide-brimmed hats adorned with tall feathers, black woolen cloaks fastened with intricate clasps, and well-tailored tunics made of shiny red fabric. Their sword belts and the boots folded down to their knees are made of carefully tanned, high-quality leather.
And of course, their saber scabbards and the spurs at their heels glitter with gold leaf, used so lavishly it almost hurts to look at. The Royal Guard’s attire is just too flashy.
「Do you two have any idea what kind of battlefield we’re heading to? I’ve told you, this is unconventional warfare!」
This isn’t some nobleman’s leisurely outing! I shouted up from beneath my horse, and the two Royal Guards shouted back in unison.
「Leave it to us!」 「We’ll be fine, King-sama!」
「No, you’re not fine… Look, I won’t say anything more about the horses or your ridiculous outfits. But at least leave behind that gigantic lance. It’s sticking out of the magic circle!」
「See, I told you King-sama would get mad! I told you not to bring the lance, Clementine!」
「But… charging with a lance is my specialty!」
The two Royal Guards in question—one, Berenice, a dark-skinned elf with long ears, seems at least a bit more practical. She’s brought along a short-barreled gun meant for mounted use.
The other, Clementine, with her blonde drills, has brought a massive lance taller than she is. This is too much, even for her.
「I’ve told you countless times that Louise and the others are engaged in guerrilla warfare.」
We’re dealing with light cavalry here, so stop trying to charge in with that jousting lance. The situation over there is dire, so spare me the knightly fantasies.
Of course, the fact that they’re fully trained Royal Guards doesn’t mean they’ll be useless. In battles led by our musketeer units, their mobility as light cavalry will be invaluable, whether for reconnaissance, diversion, or disruption.
There may even be moments when a saber charge is necessary, but this isn’t a medieval jousting tournament. There’s simply no place for a lance charge anymore.
As I thought this, the dark-skinned elf, Berenice, waved me over. ‘King-sama, King-sama.’ she beckoned, though I’d told her many times I wasn’t a king.
「What is it?」
She leaned in, speaking just loudly enough for Clementine to hear, ‘King-sama, Clementine just likes things that are thick and hard.’
She was teasing Clementine, who immediately blushed bright red.
「N-No! That’s not true! Fine, I’ll leave the lance behind, alright?」
「Then why don’t you ask King-sama for something thick and hard to hold tonight?」
「Berenice! That’s not what I meant! This lance is a magical weapon passed down in my family…」
Berenice’s relentless teasing was a bit crude, and it seemed that she, like Roll, had dark elf dwarf blood in her veins. But her slender frame didn’t match the typical image of the dark elf dwarves I knew.
With her love for dirty jokes and her habit of teasing her colleague Clementine, coupled with her dark hair and skin, she gave off a bit of a ‘black gyaru’ vibe. I wonder if Roll will turn out like this once she grows up.
Well, whatever. This type of banter seems like more trouble than it’s worth, so I’ll just get back to my work.
「Anyway, that lance is confiscated. If it’s that important, I’ll make sure the knights take good care of it… Heavy. What the hell is this thing?」
As I took the gleaming silver lance from Clementine, I almost thought my arms would be torn off by its weight. No wonder it would cause a weight overload in the teleportation magic circle.
Clementine, with her blonde ringlets, may look like a demure young lady, but the fact that she can wield this lance with one hand shows she has incredible strength.
「My father gifted me this Demon Killer lance when I became a knight… It’s a family heirloom.」
I can understand wanting to bring a magical weapon like that when facing demons, but we’re not in that kind of era anymore. My horses have been trained not to flinch at the sound of gunfire, so if you want to bring a weapon, use a short gun and a saber like Berenice.
For the record, Clementine is the daughter of the Viscount Mancine, who governs the town of Vienne in the southern part of Silesie. Although she isn’t the eldest and thus won’t inherit the family title, she was definitely raised as a noble lady.
Berenice, though small, seems resourceful and capable. But is it really safe to send such a noble young lady into a guerrilla war zone?
I turned back to Marina and Jill, who were watching us, and handed over the lance.
「Hey, Jill-san, are these two really up for this?」
「Berenice can be a bit reckless, but she’s clever and quick-witted. Clementine, as you’ve seen, is shy and a bit slow to react, but she’s the strongest knight in the entire order. Together, they complement each other’s weaknesses and should be highly effective.」
「Is that so…」
「They both have experience from the capital’s defense battles and have trained hard for this day.」
As I glanced at this mismatched duo with skepticism, even the usually silent Marina chimed in.
「If you think they’re not enough, I could accompany you…」
「No, no, it’s fine. I’ll make full use of these reinforcements.」
The last thing I needed was to have her clinging to my waist again. Having the commander and division leader of the capital’s defense force tagging along would be far worse than dealing with these two troublemakers.
Even if they’re a bit of a handful, Louise will surely find a way to put them to good use in the field. I’m not the one who has to manage them, so it’s fine.
From within the magic circle, Kaara called out.
「Nation’s Father, we’re right at the weight limit, but we can manage!」
「Alright, then, I’m off.」
With Jill and Marina wishing me luck, we activated the teleportation magic and were transported to Antil Island.
※※※
「Hah… Hah…」
「Are you okay, Kaara?」
She had pushed the teleportation magic to its absolute limit. The strain was immense, leaving her feeling as if she had sprinted ten kilometers at full speed.
This kind of effort would leave her completely exhausted for at least half a day. It’s only thanks to Kaara being an advance mage that she could handle this much. Any other advance mage would have likely died attempting the same feat.
「Ah, welcome back!」
「Yeah, I’m back, Oracle. Anything unusual happen while I was away?」
Then again, I guess saying ‘I’m back’ might be strange. We’ve been using Antil Island’s Avana Port as our base for nearly three months now. It’s starting to feel like a second home.
「Not much has changed… Just more ships, more buildings, and more fields. That’s about it.」
「Well, that sounds like everything’s going smoothly.」
Tools like chisels, saws, and planers, as well as shipbuilding tools from Silesie Kingdom, have gradually been transported here, allowing for the creation of proper boards.
As a result, even the shipyard that previously could only build small galleys is now capable of constructing cog ships with a proper keel.
Although we’re not at the stage where we can make our own tools yet, iron ore deposits have been discovered on the island. Eventually, once iron production starts in earnest, this port will likely be able to build even larger ships.
While it won’t be ready in time for this war, Avana will surely become an important hub for both military and international trade.
「By the way, Lyle has been eagerly waiting for you.」
「Got it. I’ll go see him now, so please take care of Kaara.」
Leaving Kaara in the care of the Oracle, I set off with the new team to visit Lyle.
The bustling town, in the midst of a construction boom, is alive with energy. Clementine and Berenice follow me on horseback, chatting leisurely.
「It’s lively here.」
「It looks peaceful, though.」
「Don’t let the calm appearance fool you; the real guerrilla warfare is happening on the other side of the sea.」
Even as I praised Avana, it felt good to hear them commend the town. For those who live in the capital, seeing the town as peaceful means it has improved significantly.
The main roads of the town are not yet paved with cobblestones, but they are well-maintained gravel roads, making transportation by carriage easy. Roads are fundamental to civilization.
With the roads in place, transportation becomes more active. The major thoroughfare from the port through the town is now named Amorette Street, after the queen of the Abysspania Kingdom.
This is a sign that the demons who joined us and the Abysspanians are getting along well. It’s all thanks to Sherry and the others working hard on town development.
Passing through the bustling main street with markets set up here and there, I made my way to the town hall in the central square.
「Welcome back, oniisama!」
「Yes, I’m back, Sherry. Is sensei inside?」
I naturally said I was back. It feels like home here, thanks to Sherry and sensei.
「She’s waiting inside. It’s been quite hectic, so I’m glad you’ve returned.」
「More trouble, huh… I’ll get the details from sensei.」
Sherry, who was busy negotiating with the demon generals at the front tent, was still occupied with town administration. I entered the town hall, where scattered documents and maps surrounded Lyle-sensei, who was waiting.
「Ah, Takeru-dono, you’re back sooner than expected.」
「Sensei, more of that kudzu starch tea?」
She seemed to be drinking the same kudzu tea again.
「When things get busy, this is the best option.」
「You’ve lost a bit of weight, haven’t you? Even if you’re busy, make sure to eat properly.」
「I’ve had extra made. Would you like some as well?」
「Sure, I’ll have some.」
Lyle-sensei’s kudzu tea is made from starch extracted from potatoes mixed with sugar. It’s an easy way to get nutrition, which seems to be her favorite since she eats little.
Already on the thin side, sensei tends to skip meals when deep in strategizing. It’s important for her to get proper nutrition, so I might need to prepare some more substantial dishes.
Potato starch can also be used to make potato flour or clear noodles, so perhaps I should try making some dishes with those ingredients. I ponder this while sipping the thick kudzu tea.
「So, you’ve supplemented the personnel I requested, huh?」
「Yes, indeed. Four spies from Neneka’s group, one dragon knight, and two additional royal guards have accompanied us, although their flashy appearance might be a concern.」
The key here is to avoid alerting the enemy to our presence. Given that we’re going through the trouble of mobilizing farmers as militia and orchestrating a rebellion, such a conspicuous entourage seems out of place.
「That’s actually a bit of a blessing. It might be just what we need.」
「Wait, has something happened to Louise and the others?」
Sherry’s mention of trouble had me worried that something might have gone wrong.
「No, Louise and Barland’s Abysspanian Liberation Front is progressing well. They’re in a situation where any help is welcome, so the royal guards should come in handy.」
「I see. Then, what about Ria and the others?」
Ria’s team was supposed to work miracles in the distant lands of Abyss, rallying the followers of the Artham faith. I thought that with the strongest Dragon Maid Brigade protecting them, they would be safe no matter what.
「Something did happen, but it’s a bit complicated.」
「Did they get attacked by enemy forces?」
The full scope of the demon army remains a mystery. There could be beasts even more powerful than the Dragon Maid Brigade. As I pressed anxiously, sensei looked troubled.
「Hmm, it’s hard to explain.」
「Are Ria and the others safe?」
Given that they had ventured to Baal Province, a remote area akin to Mexico in my world, I hadn’t expected any contact since Kaara’s magic circles weren’t set up for such distances.
「They are likely safe. You can be reassured about that. The issue is with the occupying forces in Baal Province.」
「What do you mean? Come to think of it, it’s strange how we received information about Ria’s side.」
「Well, it turns out the information came through the Demon Country. You’re aware that with Kaara’s help, we’ve established contact with the old powers of the Demon Country.」
「Yes, I’m aware.」
「Here’s the astonishing part: the city of Teotihuacan, the capital of Baal Province, was attacked and captured by a mysterious dragon tribe. The 5,000-strong demon garrison in Baal Province reportedly fled in disarray.」
「Ah.」
「Having lost the city they had previously subdued, the capital of the Demon Country is now in an uproar. Though unconfirmed, there are rumors that Governor Abaddon of Baal Province was killed in battle. Ria and her team… I didn’t expect such a dramatic turn of events. It’s forcing us to reconsider our strategy.」
Sensei sighed and took a sip from her warm kudzu tea. It seems that Ria and the others may have overstepped their bounds.
In retrospect, perhaps it should have been anticipated that sending such a pair without a proper mediator would lead to chaos.
「Even though I repeatedly emphasized the importance of stealth…」
The excessive actions of the Dragon Maid Brigade led to the fall of Baal Province’s capital, the death of the governor, and the fleeing of 5,000 demon troops. This will undoubtedly force a significant shift in the strategic landscape of the Abyss Continent.