Chapter 182 The Man Curious About the Holy City
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”E-Eeeh… I thought my vacation was finally over, but now you want me to head to the Kingdom…?”
”You have a complaint?” Delgaria asked.
”No… I’ll do it… Ugh… I’ll do it ssu…” I replied.
Greetings, world. Allow me to introduce myself: I am the most unfortunate man on the entire continent.
Through a bizarre stroke of luck, I ended up activating the unique Invisible¹ ability of a First-Grade Secret Treasure Orb². This unfortunate development led to my assignment in a shadow organization—one that doesn’t even appear on the official organizational charts of Holy City Ragnarond³.
Just recently, I was dispatched to investigate the Demon Forest⁵. Despite the fact that I should have been completely undetectable, I was relentlessly pursued by a mysterious group of maids who tracked me solely by my footprints. I barely managed to escape with my life.
However, because I returned with such precious intelligence, my female superior currently standing before me—Delgaria—granted me a brief holiday.
And so, that brings us to today, the day my vacation ended. I have just been ordered by Lady Delgaria to infiltrate the Emmeld Kingdom⁴ next.
The objective is an investigation into the “Hero.” Surely the spies who have already slipped in are looking into all manner of things by now, though…
”But is it really okay to leave the Demon Forest as is? I mean, it’s not like I’m saying I’m dying to go back there to investigate or anything, you know?!” I asked.
”We can’t simply leave that place be… but obtaining information from the Republic will likely prove swifter,” Delgaria said.
I learned this only later, but apparently Delgaria already possessed knowledge regarding the King of the Magic Labyrinth⁶.
While both the Kingdom and the Empire are aware of the Labyrinth King’s existence now, at the time I went on my investigation, the rumors were only just beginning to circulate within the Republic.
In other words, the fortress walls and the maids I encountered back then were all associates of the Labyrinth King. Hearing my report gave Delgaria the ultimate confirmation that the King of the Magic Labyrinth truly existed.
I really wish she’d shared that with me beforehand…! Not that I could ever actually voice such a complaint, obviously!
”That maid you crossed paths with… and the existence of these so-called consorts of the Labyrinth King are certainly points of concern. Tell me… did they seem superior to our nation’s Holy Flame Ten Brave Warriors⁷?” Delgaria asked.
”It’s not as if I saw the maid’s true potential, and I don’t exactly have any acquaintances among the Ten Brave Warriors, so I can’t really say for sure. But if they were indeed superior to the Ten Brave Warriors… wouldn’t that mean there’s absolutely no one on this continent capable of suppressing the Labyrinth King?” I replied.
The Holy Flame Ten Brave Warriors—ten guardians heralded as the supreme military force of the Holy City. Every one of them wields a First-Grade Secret Treasure Orb, and unlike my Invisible, theirs are properly specialized for actual combat.
Those ten individuals alone are likely powerful enough to keep an entire nation in check. Besides, within Holy City Ragnarond, there are plenty of others capable of wielding First-Grade Secret Treasure Orbs as well.
It isn’t a mere city-state surviving alongside major powers by sheer luck. Holy City Ragnarond is a metropolis where the continent’s most advanced technology and elite masters congregate. Ah, I’m certainly not counted among those elites, though.
”Fair enough…. Very well, just see to your duties. I’m expecting results, ‘Abyssal Fang’ Seto.”
”Could you maybe give me a slightly cooler alias…?” I muttered.
* * *
Upon waking, I partake in breakfast and proceed to the Room of the Great Phantasmal Soulstone as per my routine. Once I’ve concluded my daily tasks like domain maintenance, I enter the cafeteria for lunch. I sat there chatting with everyone while we shared our midday meal.
”Eh…? To the Empire…?”
”Yeah. I’m also considering making a trip to the Kingdom as well…” I said.
I’ve turned it over in my head quite a bit, and the name of the Labyrinth King is steadily gaining traction. I want to find a way to prevent groups like the White Lily Knights from coming to meddle with us.
But I don’t know what’s necessary for that, or even how I should go about it. Consequently, I decided that I should visit the towns in the Kingdom and the Empire first to gather some raw information.
That said, I have no intention of venturing as far as either capital. I don’t even know the location of the Empire’s capital, and the Royal Capital of the Kingdom is home to the Hero and Viorga. My face is known to them, so I believe it’s far more prudent to keep my distance.
”The Kingdom’s movements are certainly a cause for concern. This location’s general area has been grasped, and neither the White Lily Knights nor the Guru have returned yet,” Cleonora said.
”They must be searching for their next tactical move,” I said.
Well, if I truly wanted to obtain information of that caliber, I’d probably have to venture all the way to the Royal Capital anyway.
For the time being, Cleonora provided me with the location of the largest nearby city.
”I wonder if we’ll be conducting business in the Kingdom and Empire as well?” Aris asked.
Business, huh… certainly, we have the ‘Demon Forest’ brand working for us now, so I imagine we’d find buyers in an instant, but…
”It would be most prudent to maintain our exclusive contract with Lord Lambdaine for a while longer. That will also serve as a means to protect Lord Lambdaine desuwa,” Liliarette said.
”Is that so?” Aris asked.
”Indeed. Currently, the position of a Council Member who has successfully established a direct trade monopoly with the King of the Magic Labyrinth carries far more weight in the outside world than we might imagine desuwa,” Liliarette replied with a confident nod.
Well, I am quite indebted to Lord Lambdaine and the Kelna Merchant Guild. It seems wise to let them continue profiting for the time being.
”Ah, but… rather than agricultural produce, we might be able to sell items like condoms, depending on the recipient,” Liliarette added.
”Eh…?”
”That way, it wouldn’t result in direct competition with the Kelna Merchant Guild desuwa.”
I see… honestly, hearing the word ‘condom’ fall from Liliarette’s lips makes my heart flutter just a little.
Iris was the one who spoke up next.
”If we are going to trade new commodities regardless, wouldn’t the Empire or the Holy City be preferable…?” Iris asked.
”How so?” I asked.
”Simply in terms of their value as currency. The Balz currency¹⁰ of the Shital Republic⁸, the Dirusu currency¹¹ of the Egdia Empire⁹, and the Rona currency¹² of the Holy City. These three possess immense purchasing power across the continent.”
Whoops… a rather dense topic has been broached. It seems the legal tender issued by each nation differs significantly.
On this continent, those three particular currencies are referred to as ‘reserve currencies,’ and they are accepted for use in a vast array of countries.
Furthermore, while the Kingdom’s currency isn’t particularly strong compared to the others, the Kingdom’s gold coins possess high purity and hold considerable value.
I suppose being able to issue your own currency in the first place is a hallmark of a top-tier nation.
Actually, despite being a single city, the Holy City issues its own unique currency…. That fact alone speaks volumes about the sheer scale of its economy.
”Where exactly is the Holy City located?” I asked.
”It is situated west of the Emmeld Kingdom’s capital, northwest of the Republic’s capital, and southwest of the Imperial Capital of the Egdia Empire, I believe,” Iris said.
In other words, from the perspective of the Demon Forest, it’s located to the west, beyond the Kingdom. It seems like a considerable distance to travel.
”One of the continent’s most distinguished mountains—the Sacred Peak of Mount Granvais¹³—is located there. Holy City Ragnarond is constructed from the foot to the middle slopes of that peak,” Iris added.
”They transformed a whole mountain into a city…?” I asked.
”Yes. Furthermore, the surrounding area is characterized by vast canyons and dense forests; there is only a single route for entry into the Holy City.”
I’m informed that a colossal lake stretches out before the Sacred Peak of Mount Granvais. Every single person entering or departing Holy City Ragnarond must travel by ship.
Even if one attempts to bypass the lake, they would have to traverse the canyons, which is impossible with standard equipment.
Additionally, the Holy City apparently refuses to recognize entry via any route other than the lake, and they are said to mercilessly eliminate anyone who attempts to cross the canyons.
Remarkable… simply hearing the description reveals a formidable natural defense system. I suppose one of the reasons they’ve managed to thrive as a mere city-state is this terrain that makes invasion by foreign powers nearly impossible.
Logistics and transportation costs must be astronomical, though. Goods produced in the Holy City likely trade at high premiums everywhere, and I suspect the cost of living there is equally steep.
(Still, I’m starting to get interested… the Holy City, huh…)
If I recall correctly, it’s the only country capable of refining white sugar. And they produce Secret Treasure Orbs, too.
”Hey. Would you mind telling me more about the Holy City?” I asked.
”Princess Cleonora and her peers would likely possess more intimate knowledge on that subject than we do,” Liliarette said.
”High-ranking nobility in every nation maintain connections with the Holy City, after all. Very well, I’ll tell you,” Cleonora replied.
Cleonora and Liliarette then elaborated further on their knowledge of the Holy City.
”There are three representative things that exist only within the Holy City: their high technological prowess, exemplified by white sugar refining; their magic tool manufacturing techniques, such as the Secret Treasure Orbs; and the fact that there exists a specific lineage capable of wielding the only sorcery in existence that can heal wounds.”
It appears the Holy City has pursued research into Magic Power in a direction entirely different from that of the Emmeld Kingdom.
While the Kingdom developed a vast array of sorceries, the Holy City focused its efforts on the research and development of magic tools that are activated via Magic Power.
Secret Treasure Orbs appear to have been born as a result of that pursuit. They are mysterious magic tools that allow a user to manifest a unique ability depending on their affinity, provided they possess the necessary Magic Power.
First-Grade orbs only exist within the Holy City; other nations are forced to pay exorbitant sums just to be sold Second-Grade items or lower.
They also possess sorcerers capable of mending even catastrophic injuries; foreign nobles are required to pay immense fortunes to receive such treatment. In the past, many high-ranking nobles and even members of royalty have made the pilgrimage to the Holy City specifically to have their wounds healed.
Due to these factors, every nation strives to maintain a certain level of amicable relations with the Holy City.
Should international relations sour, the Holy City simply ceases the sale of Secret Treasure Orbs and refuses to provide healing for injuries.
Furthermore, because they issue their own currency and have deep-rooted ties with numerous nations, it is difficult—no, impossible—for a single country to apply enough economic pressure to corner them.
”There is also the fact that the Holy City is governed by four Holy Dukes, which is a rather unique political structure,” Liliarette added.
”Holy Dukes… does that essentially mean they have four kings?” I asked.
”The nuance is largely correct desuwa. There are fifteen houses in the Holy City that correspond to high nobility. From among them, the heads of four houses serve as the collective representatives of the Holy City on a rotating basis desuwa.”
It sounds like a system of four kings and eleven high-ranking administrators. However, even the four kings serve for fixed terms.
Incidentally, the lineage capable of wielding healing sorcery is also one of those fifteen houses.
”But why is it that the Holy City possesses such distinctiveness… or rather, such unique skills?” I asked.
”The exact details are shrouded in mystery. However, there are legends,” Cleonora said.
”Legends…?” I asked.
”Yes. It is whispered that the Holy City was founded by four radiant individuals… commonly referred to as the ‘Sacred Radiant Lords’¹⁴.”
”Eh… that sounds a bit suspicious…” I muttered.
”Fufu. Yet there is a logical basis for it desuwa,” Liliarette said.
In the ancient past, it is said that spirits—or rather, ether—were far more abundant than they are today.
This was in an era before modern sorcery was even established, but the current theory suggests that the Sacred Radiant Lords may have been individuals who absorbed an excessive amount of spirits into their very bodies.
It is hypothesized that the unique sorcery formulas engraved into the bloodlines of the Sacred Radiant Lords are what allow certain lineages to handle healing sorcery today, or so the story goes.
”Even in the Kingdom, it’s often said that far more advanced sorceries existed in ancient times. I believe the magic circles used for Hero Summoning¹⁵ are a prime example… it seems that even among sorcerers of equal caliber, those of the past were capable of handling far more potent sorcery,” Cleonora said.
”And yet, flight sorcery did not exist even in that bygone era,” Aris pointed out.
Advanced sorceries seemingly withered away with the passage of time… or rather, they fell into obsolescence as those capable of handling them gradually vanished. At this point, Aris voiced a curiosity.
”I have a general understanding of the Holy City now… but I can use healing magic myself, right? I wonder which is truly superior: my magic or the Holy City’s healing sorcery?” Aris asked.
”The magic we utilize and the world’s sorcery are fundamentally different systems. Since I haven’t witnessed their techniques firsthand, I cannot make a direct comparison… however, in a certain sense, our flight magic could potentially become a major vested interest for us,” Liliarette said.
That’s a valid point. If the existence of Magic Girls became known to other nations, the number of people attempting to contact the Labyrinth King through any means necessary would surely skyrocket.
After all, simply by being intimate with me and raising their Affection Level to 50 or higher, they can effortlessly take to the skies.
”Ah, speaking of which~. Among the summoned heroes, wasn’t there one designated as the Healing Hero~?” Ami-chan asked.
”Yeah… I believe there was someone like that,” I said.
”Based strictly on the title, it sounds like they’d be able to use healing magic too, right~? I wonder how the Holy City would react if they discovered someone else possessed the recovery magic they’ve monopolized as a vested interest~?” Ami-chan asked, her eyes narrowing with a playful glint.
Indeed, for the Holy City, recovery sorcery is a lucrative business and a primary pillar of the international relationships they’ve cultivated while extracting wealth from numerous nations.
Should they learn of another source of comparable healing magic, they certainly wouldn’t be pleased…. Though, it remains to be seen if the Healing Hero can actually use such magic.
Furthermore, the discovery of someone like Aris or Lace Agate would likely be far more troublesome than the Hero.
”Well, we can’t know for sure yet… but for the time being, I think I’ll make a trip to the Holy City once,” I said.
Once I have Ami-chan drive a ‘Wedge’ into the location, I’ll be able to travel back and forth at will.
”If you intend to operate within the Holy City in earnest, it might be wise to adopt an alias,” Liliarette suggested.
”Eh…?”
”The name ‘Shimizu Shouichi’ is entirely unfamiliar on this continent… and the Holy City’s intelligence-gathering capabilities are formidable. There is a chance they might suspect a link between you and the heroes based solely on the phonetics of your name. Your facial features are quite similar as well, are they not?” Liliarette asked.
I see… and now that I think about it, we still don’t even know the names of those four heroes….
Well, the time we spent in that same space was incredibly brief. They likely don’t even remember me at this point.
However, it’s an undeniable fact that we share the same homeland. The linguistic roots of our names are probably similar… or rather, there’s even a chance we share a surname. It’s not exactly a rare name back home.
Thus, the group began brainstorming a pseudonym for me. I’m not entirely certain yet if I’ll actually be active in the Holy City, but hearing all the different suggestions was actually quite enjoyable.
—
Summary:
Seto is ordered to the Kingdom. Shouichi learns of the Holy City’s dominance. He decides to investigate under a false name.
—
Character Insight:
Shouichi moves from tactical defense to strategic geopolitical positioning.
—
Behind the Scene:
The author contrasts ‘Magic’ and ‘Sorcery’ as separate laws.
—
T/L:
Notes:
• Seto – An operative of the Holy City’s dark organization. He wields the Invisible ability but suffers from chronic misfortune.
• Viorga – The First Princess of the Emmeld Kingdom. She is a beautiful, young woman with long golden hair and sharp blue eyes, always dressed in an elaborate crimson and gold royal gown. She is utterly ruthless, viewing all people—including the summoned Heroes and her own family—as disposable assets in her political games. Looks like Aileen Lauren from certain series.
• Cleonora – The second princess. Have a yellow blonde hair. Usually styled as hairbun. D-cup.
• Liliarette – The other Princess, who sacrificed her ability to walk and her sorcery talent to save her sister, Cleonora. She is imprisoned in the East Tower and is being used as a political and monetary pawn by Viorga. C-cup, true golden hair, waist-length hair, the fringe was a slightly blunt, hair on her left side was braided to the chest.
• Lambdaine – A powerful Councilor of the Shital Republic and a successful merchant who built his fortune from nothing. He is the grandfather of Iris and Aris.
• Ami – A palm-sized fairy-like being from a world separate from both Earth and the isekai realm. She has light blue hair tied in a ponytail, mischievous blue eyes, and tiny wings that flutter behind her. Her outfit consists of a provocative high-cut leotard and a short jacket that looks like a miniskirt from the back, leaving her legs bare. Despite her playful appearance, she is actively searching for a contractor who can protect her from dangerous pursuers in exchange for the powers she offers.
• Lace Agate – Magical girl Aris with elf-like long ears, 144 cm tall, A-cup, and a white-and-blue theme. She wears a leotard-style outfit with an open-front skirt cloth. Her pale blue hair has long bangs covering her left eye, shoulder-length back, blue highlights, and a ribboned braid on the right side.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply