The journey on the carriage pulled by Tsubaki continues. Given how we could teleport to the mansion in Volton at any time, we don’t actually need to camp.
There hasn’t been a trace of attackers, but since Valkyra Kingdom doesn’t share borders with Divine Empire of Sydnia, the harm might have come to Lomaria Kingdom. His Majesty was said to have alerted Lomaria Kingdom, but I imagine it’s impossible for every village and town to be vigilant in this current situation.
Akane-san had become cheerful, as if she had overcome something. Oh, right. I have to address her as Akane without any honorifics. As I’ve been calling her “Akane-san” and her calling me “Iruma-san” all this time, I’ve been told we should mutually drop the honorifics. It might not look awkward since we appear to be the same age, but for my 40’s salaryman self, addressing a female high school student without honorifics reeks of a crime.
Around the time the end of the request to install security golems and Barrier MD approached, Laeva and I were still racking our brains inside the carriage.
「A strong barrier that obstructs the intrusion of unregistered individuals is possible, correct?」
「It’s possible, but that would turn the ins and outs of villages and towns into a downright mess. It would end up limiting the coming and going of peddlers and adventurers.」
「How about requesting his Majesty to establish a vigilante corps at villages and towns?」
「Sophia, I don’t think a vigilante corps can arrest the zealots and heroes.」
I shook my head at Sophia’s suggestion.
The zealots are like guys that have screws missing from their heads, but as one might expect from them conducting themselves as “Kamui”, many of them have topnotch abilities. I explained that hasty preparations will only increase the damages.
「If only there’s one Kaede in every village, they’d be able to prevent any invasion.」
「Master, Arachne same as Kaede are rare, you know~」
「Haha, you’re right.」
According to monster ranks, Kaede has become an S rank Monster. Since she’s also a unique species, her rank is essentially S+. If a monster like that were in great numbers, the people would have long been exterminated from this continent.
「There would be an effect even if Takumi-sama just prepares equipment, though.」
「Marnie, there isn’t enough of a budget to simply give out Takumi-sama’s equipment for free. With just the security golems from this time, it already makes me wonder “Will the coffers of the kingdom be alright?”」
「Right, it’s different from Master Husband working for free.」
As Maria said, Marnie agreed that that was the case. Having lived in a small settlement, she isn’t quite aware of the value of weapons and armor.
「I’m reluctant with simply working, but what’s scarier is for the equipment to enter the black market.」
「If it’s equipment made by Takumi-sama, even a sword or spear forged with an ordinary metal would sell for a good price, after all.」
「Hee~ so the equipment Takumi makes is that amazing. Wait, is the price of the light armor I received very high, Sophia-san?」
「………… I believe it would be best not to ask.」
I had given Akane and Lulu-chan light armors similar to everyone’s, but it seems they didn’t realize the value of those armors. Originally provided a robe and iron breastplate by Sydnia, Akane couldn’t imagine the price of the armor which used extravagant materials, like mithril alloy, spider silk, dragon scales, and adamantite alloy for reinforcement, that she couldn’t imagine the cost of. For their selling price, even I don’t know how much it should be set at.
「…… It’s t-that expensive.」
「Hmmm, rather than expensive, it’s probably something that can’t be bought with a pile of money.」
「It can’t be bought, huh~ In any case, Takumi-sama doesn’t restrain himself, so the first armors he made were transmuted and reinforced with orichalcum.」
Hearing Sophia and Laeva’s discussion, Akane’s face increasingly grew cramp. In my point of view, the materials such as ores came from our own efforts with mining and finding treasure chests in dungeons, and we hunt the monster materials ourselves too. That’s why, since we didn’t spend money, I don’t know nor can say its value.
「…… umm, is it, by any chance, national treasure class?」
「Let’s see, in Yggurle Kingdom’s national treasury, there wasn’t one of this class.」
When Sophia implicitly stated that it was above national treasure class, it caused Akane to gaze into the distance, deciding that she didn’t hear this conversation.
After installing the protective measures in a number of villages and towns, I wondered how the interrogation of the assailant leader was going, so I teleported to the royal capital and asked Prime Minister Simon.
「A transmutation in magic power?」
「Umu, to be more accurate, we sensed a very small amount of miasma.」
「?! …… miasma?」
Apparently, the interrogation that happened until the slave contract was performed did not end well. Apart from saying that he was a believer of the Light God Faith, they could not find out the contents of his directive nor the organization he belonged to.
The moment they tried prying information out of the man forcibly with the slave contract, he died. It was likely that they had conducted some sort of sorcery beforehand.
That aside, there was miasma. It was something impossible for a normal human.
Miasma is said to be malicious magic power, but in reality, it isn’t clearly known.
「There is a possibility that the miasma raises the physical abilities of those people. It appeared they’re resistant to pain and were able to move exceeding their bodies’ limits.」
When I heard that, I wondered if it was some kind of nasty drug.
「I don’t know if it is a kind of curse, but if they’re enveloped in even a miniscule amount of miasma, then I might be able to develop a magic device along those lines.」
「I see, a magic device that senses miasma, huh. If it can sense minute amounts of miasma, it would also lead to the prevention of monster invasions. Very well, Iruma-dono, immediately upon the completion of the current commission, please undertake the development of the magic device. If it is that magic device, it might be possible to distribute it as a set with the Barrier MD to even Lomaria Kingdom.」
「Understood.」
In my discussion with Simon-sama, I am to undertake the development of a new magic device. And so, to finish the installation of the security golems and Barrier MDs quickly, I teleported back to everyone.
***