After having a break and drinking the tea brewed by the attendant at Princess Mimir’s mansion, the observation party immediately boarded the carriage to observe the Sanctuary.
「The northern side has an orchard as well as a forest and thickets with various medicinal plants, therefore I will guide you to the west and south sides.」
Princess Mimir gave an explanation in the carriage.
Because the carriage might not be able to travel in the north and the east is where they had passed through, they will only tour the west and south.
The village in the west where the Cat Siths and the children reside came into view.
The number of Human and Beastkin children increased in the village. They were toiling in the fields with the Cat Siths.
Watching the children and Cat Siths inhabiting the continually expanding village, King Lomaria asked Princess Mimir.
「Every child is smiling. Were all these children sheltered in the Sanctuary?
「Indeed. These are the children that the Great Spirits had picked up.」
The children looked happy working. Little children were playing in the vicinity. Their complexion looked very healthy too. King Lomaria and Valkyra Prime Minister Simon observed this with complex expressions. Margrave Volton had established orphanages in every town or village in his territory, but he knew that in the territories of other noble houses, there were many that didn’t, so he felt the same.
They left the village and approached the sea. And this time, a settlement with many erected houses close to the coast came into view.
They were able to see some mermaids fishing in the sea. They also grasped that the numbers were quite high within that settlement.
「That settlement is the place where the sheltered Mermaids live. I believe that they number nearly 250 as of now.」
「Mermaids, huh…………, this place has nothing but rare races.」
「Your Majesty, it is difficult for these rare races to subsist in the outside world.」
Surprised by the rarely seen races, King Lomaria and Prime Minister Drehd thought about the currently existing harsh life of the rare species in their own country, deciding to reexamine the present state of these races there when they return.
They headed south from the Mermaid settlement. From the sandy white beach, it became more and more rocky until finally, they arrived at a place with an artificial port. There, the gazes of the observation party moved from the carriage to the coastline, and they all froze, wide-eyed and mouths hanging.
An enormous shipbuilding dock built on the harbor and a gigantic sail-less metal ship was moored there. Seeing the gigantic ship that exceeds this world’s common sense with their own eyes, the people who could be said to be at the top of their countries couldn’t hold back the cold sweat that ran down their backs.
「I’m so glad that my country does not face the ocean.」
「If this can trade by way of sea which hasn’t been feasible until now, I would definitely want this ship…………」
Prime Minister Simon who didn’t know of the existence of the gigantic ship was relieved by the fact there was no immediate threat on Valkyra Kingdom, while Lomaria Kingdom’s Prime Minister Drehd made a remark regarding its usefulness in trade.
The landlocked Valkyra Kingdom and Lomaria Kingdom didn’t feel directly threatened, even so, they still couldn’t help but dread the technological strength of being capable of creating the gigantic ship.
The carriage ran south for a while from the port and the shipbuilding dock, and this time the mining area that the Great Earth Spirit Gnome and Great Fire Spirit Salamander manage could be seen.
「Princess Mimir, this is?」
「King Lomaria, this is the land that the Great Earth Spirit Gnome-sama and the Great Fire Spirit Salamander-sama had created. I do not know it in detail, however they are able to mine various metals.」
The plentiful ore deposit had many potential spots for open air mining and the Dwarves were hard at work there right now.
「The Dwarves’ ages are hard to estimate, but am I the only one that sees more of the aged ones rather than young ones?」
「Simon-dono, it appears that way to me too.」
Even in Valkyra Kingdom and Lomaria Kingdom which have adopted the principle of racial harmony, Dwarven craftsmen aren’t that many. A few oddballs live in large towns and at the royal capital, but not many Dwarves live outside the Dwarven nation, Gnomstoll Kingdom. There were at least 30 Dwarves working at the mine as far as Margrave Volton and Prime Minister Simon could see. Aside from them, there were also Dwarves in breweries and shipbuilding dock, so their numbers were no less than 100.
「There are currently over 500 individuals living in this Sanctuary. The cultivation of farmland is progressing quickly as well, and owing to Great Tree Spirit Dryas-sama and her retainers, there is no food insecurity at present. I believe it would not take that long to become a large city, no, a small country.」
「…………it would already be much better to consider associating with this place as a country, wouldn’t it?」
「If that is the case, we would like for you to trade Spirit Tree materials, rare medicinal plants and such with our country.」
When Princess Mimir explained the current situation of the Sanctuary, Simon and Drehd started changing their thoughts to building a relationship that involves trading with their country.
「Well then, now that you have examined the Sanctuary, let us continue the discussion in my mansion.」
Princess Mimir instructed the attendant driving the carriage to return.
◇
「Now then, would it not pose a problem for the city the three countries will establish to be 10km east of the Sanctuary?」
「The Sanctuary’s barrier will not extend that far so it will be no issue.」
At Princess Mimir’s reception room, the country representativesー the Prime Ministers and the King himselfー were nervous as they faced Undine, the Great Water Spirit. As the representative of the Great Spirits, she appeared before the country representatives.
「Great Spirit-sama, would you be able to trade in Spirit Tree materials and rare medicinal plants to our country?」
「Great Spirit-sama, if it is by any chance possible, may we ask you to sell Spirit Tree materials and rare medicinal plants that could be made into high grade potions?」
Valkyra Kingdom’s Simon and Lomaria Kingdom’s Drehd timidly sounded Undine out for the purchase of materials.
「Let’s see, Mimir’s place has the World Tree so they wouldn’t need the Spirit Tree’s materials, would they? H~mm, the Spirit Tree is still young so the amount would be little, but if you are fine with that, how about bartering food, seasonings, and building materials for it?」
「Yes, that is of course welcome.」
「Our country also agrees to those terms, and we would like it if we could discuss the exchange rate separately.」
「Our Yggurle Kingdom had come only to declare that we are not hostile against the Great Spirit-samas.」
「………… You Elves and we Spirits have maintained a close connection for a long time. However, there are also Elves that sit cross-legged[1], and don’t naturally show respect.」
Yggurle Kingdom’s Prime Minister Balza was afraid that if he loses his hearing for the Spirits’ voices, he would lose Spirit Magic. Actually, even at this time, soldiers and mercenaries sent by a certain carnivorous elderly elf are searching for a way to pass through the barrier.
「T-that is… please pardon us. Even His Majesty is unable to hold that man’s reins, and Yggurle Kingdom is struggling against him too……」
Balza was sweating and making excuses about Earl Hordia. At first, Earl Hordia struggled to hide his affiliation to the soldiers and mercenaries at the barrier, but now, he is brazen and doesn’t hide it as the private army of the House of Earl Hordia attack the barrier and attempt to lift the magic formula.
「Well, there are fools in any country. Next time, you all will be allowed to bring one civil official with experience, as well as an attendant and two knight escorts to pass through the Sanctuary’s barrier.」
「Undine-sama, will it be alright for a knight to pass through?」
Princess Mimir asked in concern for the inhabitants of the Sanctuary when Undine gave two knight escorts to accompany them.
「It’s fine. If it’s that amount of knights, then Takumi and the others will be able to deal anything that happens.」
「Undine-sama, what is a Takumi?」
Hearing the name Takumi coming from Undine’s mouth and then once more from King Lomaria, Margrave Volton and Simon grimaced.
While thinking unpleasant thoughts about the unfettered remark of the Great Spirit, Margrave Volton decided to give up because continuing to hide matters about Takumi is impossible anyway.
As her cheeks grew stiff, Princess Mimir believed in her heart that she had erred by Takumi, who is in a neighboring mansion.
***
Footnotes:
1. In Japan, when sitting on a chair, it is impolite to cross your legs. Whenever you’re talking to someone who you don’t know well or who is senior to you, you should basically not cross your legs. A discussion about it vs other cultures here.
2. Title is actually: Takumi, found.