Chapter 45.2
Breithilde PoV
My name is Amadeus Freitag von Breithilde.(T/N: >> Amadeusu Furaitaku fon Buraihireda Wendelin PoV
Its been a while. It feels like I finally returned. (Erwin)
I carried the luggage over last week. (Wendelin)
Wend is the best. (Luise)
Abruptly our studying aboard in the capital was extended for two and a half years. At our adventurer dbut we came close to death on our first underground ruins exploration.
Safely managing to finish various matters influenced by politics and adults, we returned at last to my mansion in Breitburg.
As a matter of fact I had occasionally returned using teleportation magic, but I was busy due to training and studying the things necessary as an adventurer.
Since I also went on dates with Elise and such on my days off, there essentially wasnt any time to visit the mansion.
It was slightly regrettable as it is a good mansion with precious facilities, but now it became finally possible to settle down in it.
We completed our first job of capturing that troublesome underground ruin and received the reward for the discovered items and facilities.
After bidding farewell from everybody, we were indebted to in the capital, such as Erich-nii-sans group, everybody of the Brandt family and furthermore Armstrong-doushi as well as Warren-san, we returned to Breitburg by teleportation.
Actually, during that time, the three of Erws group caused an incident by returning the majority of the reward, they obtained, to me.
It seems they didnt want the money as it would become the seed of troubles due to its sheer amount.
Furthermore, being courteous, they have used the adventurers guilds system of filing a formal objection of dividends.
If they didnt use this system and didnt leave an official entry in the records behind, the news of the three of them possessing a large amount of money would end up gradually spreading.
Furthermore, Elise entrusted the majority of her share to me as well.
Though the payment is split throughout 20 years, the kingdoms government, without increasing my platinum coins once again, issued it withKingdom Tokenof which I have 5 pieces within my magic bag.
As for those kingdom tokens, those are wooden tokens built using a magic tool device.
Its something you can exchange for the money written on it by bringing an application to the royal castle.
In the so-called olden days it might have been something like currency issued by a feudal clan.
I think it is a measure against counterfeiting to use the technique of a magic tool, but there are only few people possessing those tokens to begin with.
Since the person in charge easily remembers the faces of the owners, it doesnt seem like there has been a case of counterfeiting until now.
With it being easy to expose a counterfeit of a kingdom token, there arent any people challenging the criminal law of death penalty by creating counterfeits, I guess.
For such things as gold and silver coins there were occasionally incidents of counterfeiting, but it looks like the criminals were executed once they were caught.
Naturally the kingdom token is something that is rarely seen at all.
It is only given if, for example, the payment with platinum coins proves to be difficult. Therefore it is something rarely circulating on the market.
By the way, this times value of the kingdom token is one billion cents.
Therefore I, who got those kingdom tokens, handed 100 platinum coins, I had at hand, to each of Erwins group, who had reserved a reward of 100 million cents for themselves.
Although Erwins group told me that there wont even be a problem if the reward is another digit less, the split would have ended up with a too slanted ratio as expected.
Therefore I partly forced the 100 million cents on each of them.
Take me along with you as well. Master is telling me to reduce the costs.(Burkhart)
Returning to the story, since I was asked to take Burkhart-san alongside us, it has become a situation of me leading him back to Breitburg as well.
My teleportation magic wasnt able to transport more than up to 6 people including myself no matter how much I practised it since then, but this time we barely managed to finish it with only one transfer.
I have decided to ask the boy at the times I have business in the capital from now on.(Burkhart)
At the times I dont have to work as adventurer?(Wendelin)
It is faster to just wait a day or two. It saves costs as well.(Burkhart)
Since its very useful, Burkhart-san and his boss, Margrave Breithilde, apparently ended up zeroing up on it.
Given that any magician, capable of using communication and teleportation magic, is obligated to register it, even as private person, its impossible to hide the ability in the first place.
It appears to be a matter of being available to be recruited in case of emergencies and for the sake of maintaining public order.
Even if that recruitment itself hasnt happened here for close to 200 years.
Therefore, I took along Burkhart-san in the return to Breitburg as well and informed Margrave Breithilde of it right away.
Continuing onwards, I went to the adventurers guild Breitburg branch on the way and turned in the relocation notification. In the last few days we hunted normal monsters in the closest monster domain near Breitburg.
Originally something like an adventurer receiving an obligatory request from the kingdom at the very beginning is impossible. Usually you advance as adventurer by steadily hunting monsters like this.
Heading towards the forest, where the monster domain indicated by the guild can be found, we continuously hunt monsters there.
Monsters resembling bears, monsters resembling wolves and monsters resembling wild boars.
This sort of monsters occur due to long living wild animals being for some reason lured into the domain.
It seems they mutate and change into monsters there.
As for additional traits, they are several times bigger than normal wild animals and they are possessing a magic core within their bodies.
Also, they loose the common fertility and growth. Will the raw materials like flesh, bones, pelt and fangs sell well, I wonder?
Just, something like a bear several times bigger than normal cant be dealt with in any way by normal people either.
If they are unlucky, they will be instantly killed by a single swing of its paw.
Embracing such danger was the trade of adventurers, who earned large rewards for it.
Somehow Erw and Ina are in high spirits. (Wendelin)
With our dbut battle being far too crazy (Elise)
Certainly, its as Elise has said. In the underground ruins investigation Erw as well as Ina have experienced an extreme situation.
Even during the battle with the two dragon golems, where Burkhart-san and I were fighting for a long period of time with magic, they were active as opponents to the approaching golems.
Although I guess its better than being useless, they dont consider that sudden investigation as dbut fight.
I have no doubt that they are enthusiastic because its normal adventurer work.
Luise always had such feeling therefore there was no change. Elise, whose role was recovery, had no turn since there was no one getting hurt.
Except being on meal preparation duty, that is.
Well then, lets return since we hunted enough already? (Wendelin)
Erw and Ina continued to hunt monsters at the forefront right after we entered the forest. Luise assisted them.
Elise and I were on standby being ready in the worst case enveloped by a magic barrier in the rear. But we should have already hunted a sufficient amount.
Deciding this, I advised everyone to withdraw.
Thats true. It seems like we already hunted plenty. (Luise)
Ano, does Luise-san have no need to hunt? (Elise)
Although I yielded it to those two and settled with supporting them, my turn didnt come at all. (Luise)
In those few days Erw and Ina took the leading part for us and hunted a reasonable amount of prey.
I guess, if they hunted this much, they would be quite satisfied. It became a good experience, I think.
That doesnt mean that we have particularly relaxed our attention or cut corners.
Even though we are irresponsible outsiders to others, Erwins group complained incessantly, right? (Wendelin)
No matter which world, there was the frightening nature of being jealous of others.
Even in regards to me, who eliminated dragons, there are magicians and nobles gossipingThe brat has good luck.
Also in regards to Luise, there are guys criticising her taking lessons in magic combat style withImmature brat.
As expected there wasnt any unfavourable criticism against Elise who was treated as saint, but there were folks relentlessly bad-mouthing Erw and Ina over and over again.
They are only lucky to be affiliated with Baron Baumeister.(Rumors)
In the case of the underground ruins investigation where they ended up earning a large reward, it apparently reached the point of them being told it was too much for them.
In a normal underground ruins investigation obtaining such kind of reward would be nothing else but a miracle.
Since the discovered items were valuable, the point of the kingdom having bought it for a high price to monopolize it was great as well.
Even confirming the fact that I, who refused the majority of it, had it pushed onto me, the amount of money they received is 100 platinum coins per person which is roughly ten billion in Japanese yen.
Because it was a treasure a normal adventurer wouldnt be able to obtain even if they spent their whole life with great efforts, they ended up gathering excessive reproaches onto themselves.
Even on my side, I suffered from eccentric folks getting excited and sayingRather than such greenhorn and lass, it would be of more use for us.
As for Luise, at the time it became public that she was Armstrong-doushis pupil, those criticizing folks stopped.
It looks like there isnt anyone who wants to pick a fair and square fight with that doushi.
It could be called natural since even I wouldnt do such reckless thing.
Despotic declining the majority of the reward, arent we a party that obtained many accomplishments? (Elise)
Nevertheless, since it is a hundred million cents, there probably will be a lot of people who want to complain about it. (Wendelin)
It didnt seem like Elise could I agree with it, but its like this because even a part of it would be an outrageous amount of money.
Especially the value of the magic airships amongst the items is large.
The new magic airships, which were now operating successfully, began to be used as passenger ships within the kingdom increasing the number of flights and the places of destination.
Paying the sailors wages and the maintenance costs with the passenger fares, they can even learn such things as operation and servicing skills.
Normally contributing to the flow of goods and money within the kingdom, they are also useful as means to maintain the supply and as strong war potential for raids during war time.
There were 8 ships, including the spares as well, operating in the Helmut kingdom before we went to the capital.
Well, in fact, getting hold of a super large magic core from the undead ancient dragon allowed one magic airship to go into service successfully as the super large magic gem had been the final obstruction until now.
That ship has been named Lingaia, the continent we are inhabiting, and is currently advancing into practising for battle.
Continuing onwards, it has by now become possible to place one ship into commission with the magic core left behind by Grade Grande. That ship is travelling an already existing course safely.
And now, it had already become possible to operate four ships with the two matching power sources of the underground ruins, the the two magic cores left behind by the dragon golems and the available seven ships left behind at the underground ruins.
In other words, the potentially operating magic airships have been doubled to more than 20 ships thanks to us(T/N: dont ask me how the author concluded that one). Furthermore the army is also advancing the development of a super large magic airship.
The military should considerably get the upper hand in regards to the northern Holy Empire Urquhart. That alone gives us the right to receive a reward.
If its the lot who reproaches Erw and Ina, I guess they dont intend to accept the merit of luck.
I guess so. Shall we return soon? (Erwin)
Apparently even Erw thinks that it is already enough.
While wiping the sword with a cloth, he calls out to us.
It appears to be a sword with a fine sharpness. (Erwin)
Well, you earned a lot of money and bought an excellent specialized weapon. (Wendelin)
Erw purchased an excellent specialized weapon with the reward he acquired.
Or rather, Erw is looking at swords at the weapon shop in his spare time. He is owning 10 short swords including the spares as well.
Because he couldnt use anything but a worn-out, tattered sword as legacy of his elder brothers during his childhood, he will usually end up wanting a new good sword against his better judgement.
I dont quite understand the quality of a sword, if I dont use appraisal magic. (Wendelin)
You, arent you pretty much the child of a knights family? (Erwin)
Erw laughs while partly complaining in jest to me, who is completely indifferent towards swords.
Certainly, until the age of 12 years, I didnt miss a single morning to do basic training for around an hour.
But, since I was completely untalented, I ended up shifting to archery and magic nowadays.
More or less. If a child is born, I will hire a good instructor for teaching. (Wendelin)
I have the social rank of Baron for the time being after all.
Seeing that the possibility of genetically handing down the magic ability to the child is like a miracle, I thought that I should give the child a normal noble education.
Theres no need for that as I will teach them. (Erwin)
Now that you mention it, Erw is my retainer after all. (Wendelin)
Although it was only in name and unpaid since they had no achievements at all, it was decided that Erws gorup would become my retainers.
But, you know. Since we obtained a large amount of money at great pains, shouldnt we reclaim some territory?
As for the kingdom, they are avoiding the act of buying peerage with money.
If you want to sell it to someone else, do you yield it to someone previously capable of inheriting it? Or do you adopt the inheritor? The logical move is to relinquish it to the kingdom.
Also, in regards to adopted children, for the sake of preventing the purchase of peerage with money by someone like upstart merchants, there are strict conditions in things like lineage etc. to become an adopted child.
In Erich-nii-sans case it was relatively easy with having to be just recognised since nii-san was a nobles child.
Assuming someone like a merchant would suddenly take a son-in-law into his family, the government would right away hand down a verdict of not authorizing it.
Also, there is the option of receiving the approval for a territory if you reclaim the uninhabited land by yourself.
Given that you have contributed to the kingdom, anyone can become a noble without any relation to lineage and such, but you have to reclaim the uninhabited land from the scratch.
Of course, if it was ordinary effort, the success would be doubtful.
There isnt anyone you can call suited to the task if they merely have money, if their strong point is only magic or if they just have strong physical prowess.
You have to have the ability to handle many people efficiently.
If you dont have that, it will just be a waste of money.
Even if you wage a large sum of money and the possession is approved, the restoration of the funds will take several tens of years. During that time it will also become a matter of decreasing the funds on hand without having any income.
If you rush the restoration of development capital, it will cause heavy taxations for the residents. They, who arent yet attached to the region, would escape. I hear that there are plenty of feudal lords devastating their territory like that.
Naturally, if that is exposed to the kingdom, that feudal lord will be deemed to have no ability to reign and the peerage and territory will be confiscated.
In other words, the waged money will end up to be in vain.
The kingdom has established strict rules in order to not limitlessly increase the number of nobles.
You could even say that the rules considered the majority of the vested interest, but since it was nobles who established them, you might say that this was something inevitable.
Besides, there are also people becoming nobles by succeeding in developing a territory.
Even if the success is uncertain, they wont be willing to spend money on the development of the territory. If they leave money behind, the inheriting descendants can freely use it. (Wendelin)
Since there isnt any inheritance tax in the kingdom, it was a better way to hold onto houses and fields, that have the potential to be harvested, as well as precious metals and money.
It might be difficult to supply money to the community, but because it became the role of the prodigal son of the rich to spread money around, this society kept a balance.(T/N: In other words, the parents are frugal but they son spends it all and thus keeps the money circulating)
Thats right, isnt it? The management of the territory takes time. (Erwin)
Though its also different if you come across a skilled, reliable magistrate. (Wendelin)
While stuffing the hunted prey into the magic bag, Erw and me found out that we agree on planning to not get involved with the administration of a territory.
But I felt that the environment surrounding me is gradually growing in severity.
However, it was nice to have a large catch today. (Ina)
I finished putting the prey into the magic bag. I could produce several different things with that.
It is a magic tool that requires a basic talent, but it is relatively easy to use the magic bag.
Though it had the tag of beingExclusive use for magicians.
A commoner cant use anything but a general purpose bag due to their mana capacity, but the production of that general purpose magic bag is complicated to the degree of being completely out of my reach.
But, if it is used by someone with the mana of Luise and Elise, even I can easily make it.
Because its monsters, the meat will sell for more than normal animals. (Wendelin)
Currently we dont really need the money though. (Ina)
Even so, all things considered, it is better than wandering around aimlessly. After Elise has collected the prey in her own magic bag, we will go back to Breitburg.
We will immediately leap back to the back yard of Breitburgs guild with teleportation magic and head towards the shopping street after leaving the prey at the reception.
Since everyone had worked today, we decided to settle with a restaurant for dinner.
Usually the female faction prepares it whenever possible, but the girls are now in the same situation as us, working as adventurers.
They shouldnt be excessively burdened with housework.
Erw and I had that kind of thoughts.
Ok, I think we became familiar with fighting against monsters. (Wendelin)
Yea. (Ina)
To begin with, Erw and Ina are easily recognised as adventurers possessing a superb strength if they are in other parties.
With us already being close the entrance of the monster domain, there shouldnt be any necessity for us to hunt for the sake of getting used to combat.
Why dont we fight a bit farther in? (Erwin)
Still, I dont think the monster types will change overly much though (Wendelin)
Its not like such things as monster types will change much unless you head very deep inside. If I had to say, the parts, that change a lot, are the regional differences and the place itself.
Also it was common sense that the monsters have been unified by a dragon type or such, who stands at the top of the food chain as boss of the domain. But it is rare to find that being.
If it was that easy to find and subjugate it, the monster domain should have been completely destroyed long ago.
Most of those in the adventurer business start with this domain. (Ina)
With it now being close-by, you usually wont discover something like a new historic ruin or a new labyrinth.
If you want to discover such things, you have to travel far. Without true strength it is difficult to set out on an exploration at such distant place even if you discover it.
Since you will be far away from human habitations, it will be hard for amateurs as the dangers of combat and camping will increase.
Yo, isnt it the boys group? (Burkhart)
When I turned my head because of being abruptly called from the back, Burkhart-san stood there floating a great smile.
Formerly he was a remarkable adventurer. Now he is employed as magician by Margrave Breithilde.
It seems the latter had great hardships, but I couldnt do nothing but just having a bad premonition seeing that current smile.
Probably he was waiting for us with a request from Margrave Breithilde.
On the topic of dinner, you have been invited to be treated in Margrave Breithildes mansion. (Burkhart)
I have a bad premonition. (Wendelin)
Dont say that. Isnt my master the boys patron? (Burkhart)
Do you really think that, Burkhart-san? (Elise)
(Burkhart)
While seeing Burkhart-sans face becoming stiff, we ended up imagining just how difficult it is to serve at the court from the bottom of our hearts.
Your reputation is superb although you are still young. Even I, as your patron consider myself to be proud of you. (Breithilde)
Guided to Margrave Breithildes mansion by the partly overbearing Burkhart-san, we were treated to cooking indulged in luxury.
Margrave Breithilde is even recommending dishes in a good mood to my fiance, Elise.
Though I guess there are also various things he thinks about within his mind, I also dont think that he will imprudently make an enemy of the granddaughter of a big-shot of the church.
At least it doesnt seem like he will treat her coldly.
He offered dishes to her while smiling.
Dragons, golems and various monsters, there doesnt seem to be anything giving you a hard time. (Breithilde)
For the moment (Wendelin)
No, in fact there were very many hard fights.
Or more precisely, they were to the degree of being close to dying.
We felt that we didnt want to ever again encounter such extreme situations.
If you can defeat a dragon, arent the other monsters almost easy? (Breithilde)
It depends on the conditions. (Wendelin)
It really depends on the conditions.
Even my master, who suffered an unnatural death, wouldnt fall behind a dragon if he felt like it.
Even without defeating it, he should have plenty of room to at least escape before being killed.
But, while protecting his lord and the allied military forces, he wasnt able to oppose the violence of numbers by the crowd of monsters.
Although I think he could have run away if it was only himself, I dont think that he wanted to leave behind his employer and his troops.
Given that Im far more inexperienced, I would probably end up dying a lot faster than master in the same situation.
Thats right, isnt it? It depends on the conditions, right? But, there happens to be a single thing I want to ask you to do (Breithilde)
That wish of Margrave Breithilde is without a doubt a request that wouldnt be allowed in the guild considering that he even expressly summoned us here.
Even though we will incur the animosity of the guild, if its true, it was very likely that he already finished discussing it with the guild given that Margrave Breithilde is the ruler of Breitburg.
So, what kind of request is it? (Wendelin)
In this case the choice of turning it down was non-existent.
If it cant be done, we will withdraw from it. It should be better to report the failure.
At any rate, because this request hasnt gone through the guild, it wont leave a stain in our personal careers even if we fail.
Its a kind of subjugation request. (Breithilde)
Kind of? (Wendelin)
Its cleaning up after my father. (Wendelin)
With only those few words, I conjectured all of it.
Margrave Breithildes request is a remedial measure for the reckless act of heading to the Demon Forest with an expedition involving my familys home and my master which was started by the wilfulness of the previous Margrave Breithilde.
Close to 2000 people died having been left behind in the monster domain. It is necessary to settle this. (Breithilde)
To say it clearly, they have transformed into undeads with almost no doubt. Purifying them should become the main part of the request.
There are extremely few cases of becoming a Talking Corpse as they had to possess a strong ego like master.
The majority is evolving from zombies to ghouls, then to skeletons and wraiths one by one in that order.
If they even gathered into an assembly of several hundreds souls changed into evil spirits, it would already be difficult to purify them without holy magic of Elises or my class.
Even in case they didnt assemble, it should be extremely troublesome to purify them due to their high number.
To begin with, the place, the Demon Forest, is a problem.
From the Knight Baumeisters territory, that was south from here by crossing the mountain range, there was moreover the vast Savage Land spreading several hundreds kilometres to the south.
The Demon Forest is at the southeast end of that.
You can go to the Demon Forest with teleportation, right? (Breithilde)
Yea, well (Wendelin)
If it was a normal adventurer, it would be difficult to just go to the Demon Forest.
However, with my explorations in my childhood, I can freely go to the entrance of the Demon Forest with my teleportation magic.
But I guess Margrave Breithilde already knows about this.
Eeto But arbitrarily exploring the Demon Forest located in the territory of Knight Baumeister is (Wendelin)
Its alright. On top of being your father, he wont refuse the request of his patron. (Breithilde)
Certainly, that ultraconservative father thinks about nothing but the preservation of his territory, but it is highly unlikely that he will refuse the request of his patron, Margrave Breithilde.
Besides, in this case, its not like we are demanding reinforcements from fathers group as it is only us going to the Demon Forest.
Since it will be fine if he just gives us permission, it shouldnt become such a troublesome matter.
Supposing that a few hundred years later it will become possible for adventurers to enter that forest and they are attacked as intruders by undeads, strengthened due to eating each other, our reputation will fall if they realize that we were the reason for that. (Breithilde)
(The honour of an important noble, how troublesome. With this the hope of being able to refuse it has been totally crushed, huh? However, at the very least its 2000 undeads as well) (Wendelin)
Well, while I wondered whether it would be fine to flee if it was hopeless, I began to consume a second helping of the cooking as a little revenge.
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