Volume 14 Chapter 1 Arsella Dorman’s Barrier
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
*Clayd’s perspective…
”Still… you guys are pretty strong… No wonder, living near the Abyss Gate your whole life. You’re not falling behind the party I used to run with. I, the strongest in the Demon Continent, give you my seal of approval.”
I had been rolling around in the village led by Valentina Ockini for over 2 months now.
In this remote Southern Region village, the 4 breeds of the Garuda Clan, once thought to be extinct, lived and worshipped Valentina’s family, the ‘Guardians,’ leading an idyllic life.
”Mr. Clayd, whether it’s combat skills, physical techniques, or magic, you possess a level of mastery we could never hope to reach. I, who fought ‘another world monsters’ since my youth, had some confidence in my abilities, but you’ve shattered that. Haa, haa…”
Among the 4 Garuda Clan members I was sparring with, the tiger-striped woman, panting, looked over at me.
She was named Feche, a survivor of the Tiger breed that was wiped out by Orphée Bleu during the founding of the Kingdom.
The others, Iola of the Panther breed, Shiina of the Bear breed, and Bera of the Lark breed, also watched me, panting on their shoulders like Feche.
”Nah, I was pretty serious in our spar too. Had to be, going up against you guys in your beastly forms. No doubt about it, you’re top-class fighters even in the Demon Continent.”
I coolly observed the 4 of them, but if they knew I had to boost my abilities with Body Enhancement Magic multiple times just to dodge their attacks, it would restore their confidence. But then my title as the strongest in the Demon Continent might be questioned, so I had no intention of telling them.
”Sir Clayd… has your training concluded? I’d like to discuss something with you, so please come to my house.”
From behind, Valentina called out to me.
This woman of the Rakshasa Clan, an engineer by trade, is revered by the villagers as both the village head and the ‘Guardian’ of this sanctuary.
Despite being barely in her twenties, she’s taken over from the previous ‘Guardian’ and has had her hands full──since my arrival, I’ve been a regular advisor for her various troubles.
”Valentina, huh? Got it. Fiche, let’s wrap up today’s training here.”
”If it’s for Lady Valentina’s business, we shall take our leave.”
Upon catching sight of Valentina, Fiche and the others bowed deeply and exited the scene.
And so, I followed after Valentina.
* * *
Valentina’s house was located deep within the settlement, much larger than the surrounding dwellings.
Entering the reception room, she plopped down onto the sofa without waiting for an invitation.
”So, what’s this consultation about? Another ‘another world monster’ showing up near the village?”
”That’s also a concern, but… today it’s about something else…”
Valentina stared at me with a serious expression.
I’ve been asked to deal with another world monster that have crept close to the village before, but today’s matter seemed to be different.
”Something else? Marrying you is out of the question. I’ve got a scary wife already. And I’m not looking to take a wife.”
At the mention of ‘another matter,’ the first thing that popped into my head was the marriage proposal I received when I first came to the village──Valentina’s, to be exact.
Due to the remote location, inbreeding was a concern, making it difficult for children to be born. I was asked by Valentina, and later by Fiche, Iola, Shiina, and Bera, to sire offspring, but I declined──I already have a wife.
If it were Kent, Dee’s husband, he’d probably have jumped at the chance, but unfortunately for them, I only have the libido of an average man.
”Rest assured, I’ve given up on that matter. Today’s problem is… we’ve discovered we must abandon this village soon. I was hoping Sir Clayd, with his knowledge of the outside world, could guide us to a safe haven…”
”Hah?! From what you said, this place protects the vital machinery maintaining the vast, continent-spanning barrier Arsella Dorman put up around the Demon Continent! Why the hell are you abandoning it?!”
The suddenness of Valentina’s words made me lose my cool.
Valentina had already told me this village was a hidden settlement of the extinct Garuda Clan, and the place where Arsella Dorman placed the machinery and barrier stones to maintain the massive barrier that isolated the Demon Continent from the other continents.
”…It’s embarrassing, but… the barrier machinery Lady Arsella created is finally about to fail. I’ve been using the repair techniques I inherited from the previous generation to try and restore its function, but I couldn’t… I could only stop the barrier from going completely berserk.”
Valentina’s face clouded over with disappointment at her failure.
”So, what happens when the barrier machinery fails? Just give me your prediction.”
The vast barrier Arsella Dorman implemented currently prevents intrusion from other continents into the Demon Continent, but as a side effect, an another world gate (Abyss Gate) appeared.
This was a policy pushed forward under the pretense of sealing off the invasion from the human continent when Arsella Dorman took office as Demon Lord. The barrier itself was successful, but it had connected to another world.
Valentina was a descendant of the engineers who installed the barrier machinery at that time.
”…According to my predictions, the barrier will dissolve in about a month. The wide-scale, large barrier covering the Demon Continent will lose its effect, making it possible for humans to invade. Along with that, the rifts in the ‘Abyss Gate’──the gate to another world──are likely to maximize, and ‘another world monsters’──could crawl over here in droves… In fact, the ‘Abyss Gate’ is expanding non-stop, and the number of ‘another world monster’ is rapidly increasing…”
Just as Valentina said, the number of monsters near this village was quickly decreasing, but conversely, the ‘another world monster’ were multiplying.
”Hey, you! No way! If you stick around here, you’re gonna get surrounded by ‘another world monster’──you get me?!”
”Yes… Therefore, I was thinking of abandoning the village… and wanted to ask if you knew of a place we could turn to Sir Clayd.”
Valentina seemed quite troubled; if you looked closely, there were faint shadows under her eyes, as if from many sleepless nights.
I mean, being suddenly asked to abandon the village and tell us where we can go… There are nearly 2 hundred people here, you know… Taking them to Fabulanova would be a huge hassle later, with all the questioning… Sending them to Dee might work… Kent would be the most troubled if the ‘another world monster’ start breeding like crazy.
I’ll have to convince Dee to take action against Kent.
”Once the ‘another world monster’ start roaming freely, that’s terrifying enough. But they also have the ability to breed with monsters and produce Beast Monsters. If we handle this wrong, it could lead to a crisis for the entire Demon Continent.”
”Got it. As it happens, my daughter’s actually a concubine to the Margrave of the South District. I’ll use that connection to request protection for you all. Also──do we have any way to seal the another world gate──the Abyss Gate?”
I decided to ask Valentina if there was a way to shut down the Abyss Gate──the thing dragging the world straight into chaos.
”Seal it… well, I’m not totally sure, but I think if we destroy its seal device like with a regular crack in time and space, it should close. I can’t promise, though. The Abyss Gate’s the only spot that links directly to the other world, so…”
Valentina answered, her face full of apology, doing her best to give me a guess.
A direct line to the other world, huh… So worst case, we really might not be able to seal it… If I don’t warn Kent soon, this could turn into a complete disaster…
”So there’s a chance we can’t seal it… Valentina, I’m heading to Fort Felward. Tell the villagers to get ready to evacuate. I’ll be back to pick everyone up in a week──at most.”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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