101 Episode 101: "Once I got the information from the sky, I realized the importance of mapping.".txt (1/2)

”Even among the wyverns, there are some who are intelligent and others who are not.

Putting his head down close to the ground so that we could talk more easily, the flying dragon said.

''I'm an intelligent one, needless to say. O Aruji-dono.''

We didn't know it, but I heard that the mummy flying dragon Raizika is a legend among the 'intelligent flying dragons', and those who are recognized by it will be the top ones without question.

But ...... 'Aruji-dono'.

It's not that we don't intend to dominate or pander to this flying dragon.

''I'd like to hear your name. I'm Nagi.

”Garfe

Okay. So, Garfe, can we agree to keep each other's secrets?

What I'm about to tell you has some important information in it, so I'd like to 'contract' it if I can.

'Of course. I only need to hear whether or not Raizika has fulfilled her mission in the Valley of the Mist.

The flying dragon Garfe shook his blue head.

''We can't talk about the treasures of the Valley of the Mist, you know.

Unspeakable?

''We flying dragons have sworn to protect the secret treasure. So we've decided to protect the secret by not talking about it and forgetting about it. I don't know what the treasure is and I don't know its value. Therefore, I will not ask and I will not tell.

I see.

The ”Heavenly Dragon's Egg” is like a world item.

I was going to use the contract to keep him quiet, but I didn't need it.

''All right. I'll give you the information first. The legendary existence of the Mummy Flying Dragon, Raizika the Mummy Flying Dragon, to the flying dragons, has completed its mission and disappeared.

I told Garfe the flying dragon how I came to go to the Valley of the Mist.

After we fought with Garfe on the street, he heard about the Valley of Mist.

The fact that our amnesiac friend remembered the place.

We set out for Foggy Valley in order to regain our friends' memories.

And after clearing the ordeal in the Valley of Fog, I received the Jewel (Raizika's Eye) from Raizika the Mummy Flying Dragon. I also regained some of my friends' memories. And that I witnessed the sealing of the Valley of the Mist.

I told them briefly about the Ancient Elf and the Celestial Dragon's Egg, but not much else.

''The Mummy Flying Dragon I met was a nice guy.

After all, he did tell us who Rafilia was.

He trusted us and left us with White's egg.

”I will not discuss the things I was entrusted with. But I promise to take good care of it. That's all the information we'll be able to give you.

'Oh!　Did your ancestors fulfill their centuries-long mission?” ......

'Does Garfe know about the 'Foggy Valley' facility?

I know. That's a treasure house that was built using a natural magic pool. I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about it. I only had to pass over it.

The flying dragon, Garfe, gurgled and gurgled - it looked like he was crying.

''I've got what I need to get. Then I will answer your question.

I want to know two things. Information on the site of the luminescence phenomenon in the west the other day, and what happened to the fort occupied by the demons.

”Where the magic in the form of a dragon was released.

Do you know what that is?

”Didn't I say 'shall not speak'?

Fei Long's mouth twisted and he seemed to laugh.

''That is just the ruins of a line of stone pillars. Right now, it's just crumbling. When I passed over, I saw about ten people. They were soldiers in silver armor, the kind you would see in castles. There's nothing else to say.''

What about the demon-occupied fort?

''That's right next to the ruins. The low grade demons were swarming around, but they are beginning to disperse. From the looks of it from the air, it looks like it's just a bunch of belligerent goblins.

Saying that, the flying dragon Garfe closed his mouth.

That's about all I can tell from the sky?

In summary, the place where the magic power of the Heavenly Dragon was sealed, the soldiers like the ones in the castle - probably the prince's people - are going to investigate. The fact that the Prince's 'quest to capture the fort' is going to take place from now on means that they might be investigating the demons in the fort as well.

As for the fort, the number of demons is decreasing. Right now it's being occupied by belligerent goblins.

That means that the difficulty of the quest is decreasing. If we get a group of adventurers and soldiers to work together, we should be able to take it. We'll have no chance.

That's why there's no reason to go near the ruins or the fort at the moment.

If you'll allow me one last thing.

”Be my guest. ”Aruji-dono.

I've heard that there's an island across the sea where the Tenryu used to live.

This is the story I heard from The Heavenly Dragon's Residual Demonic Power.

That island is the territory of the Heavenly Dragon, and they were going to give it to us.

'Can we go there with your wings?　How long would it take by boat?

”I don't understand.

Garfe, the flying dragon, shook his head.

'Legendary wizards and witches might know this. I've never thought of crossing the ocean.''

There's a demon king on the other side of the sea in the middle of nowhere.

”Well, well. I'm an intelligent flying dragon. I don't want to be associated with anything violent.

I'm intelligent.

”I am intelligent.

How confident are you in your memory and distance?

”I'm intelligent, so that's pretty much it.

Garfe turned his head and laughed.

I see.

Then this is the place to start.

I spread the map I got from the carriage on the ground.

”Can you see this map, Garfe?

”...... too small

Garfe, the flying dragon, shook his head.

This map, it's an A3-sized tapestry.

Is it too small for a flying dragon that is nearly five meters tall?

Rita, Iris, help me with this. I'm going to draw this map on the ground.''

I'm sorry.

”Yes, sir. Brother.

It's just as we discussed.

We each take a stick and draw a map on the soil.

The original map is from the villa where we are staying.

It shows the area from the port city of Ilgafa to the winged city of Sharka and around the resort town of Michelin. But the inland areas are almost entirely blank. There's no place for 'Magical Experimental City', 'Land of Seals' or 'Fort'.

This is a map for maritime trade, so the information is focused on ports and seas.

You can combine it with other maps, but there aren't many proper maps in this world.

The map in the adventurer's guild is also accurate for the area around the town, the streets, and the surrounding area, but the rest of the map is pretty lame. There's no way you can survey the world in which demons appear, so it can't be helped.

As someone who made a game in the original world with a crappy map in mind, I'd like to make a more accurate map for ourselves.

That's why I called up Garfe the Flying Dragon.

''Oh. I can see it!　That's a picture of the terrain!'

Garfe, the flying dragon, is shouting in an excited tone.

''I see!　So this is how people keep track of things. Interesting.'

'You know this is a map: ....... You're an intelligent flying dragon indeed, Garfe.

”Well, it's embarrassing to hear you say that, Luigi-dono!

Garfe scratched the ground with his hind legs, looking embarrassed.

''Well, well. I am a descendant of the legendary existence, the Mummy Flying Dragon Raizika!''

No, but it's great. It's very reliable. It's not an ordinary monster that can understand a map made by humans at a glance. It's just like the dragons in the myths. It's amazing. I respect that. I'm honored to be called 'Irujidono' by someone like that.

”Oh, oh.

You're an intelligent flying dragon. When you fought us, we just barely won, but it was a paper-thin line. You never know next time, do you?

”No, no. 'No, no, I won't be fighting with any of them again. I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one. It is for this reason that I have given you the Blood Crystal as a token of my loyalty. I'm back again, and together, we will strive for greatness!

That would be very helpful.

A good one. Garfe the Flying Dragon.

''Well, while we join forces, can you help me make a map?

”...... wow!

The flying dragon Raizika's eyes widened.

A flying dragon's pupils contract when it's surprised? I didn't know that.

''The reward is the meat of a rock lizard in its shell. ''If a flying dragon eats a rock lizard, though.''

”The ...... large lizard type is a normal target for predation, but ...... Aruji-dono and his ilk have a strange way of thinking about it.

The flying dragon, Garfe, looks at us with his fanged mouth open.

I drew a map the size of a blackboard on the ground. Me and Iris both trace the map. Rita's map is a little crooked, but we can get the gist of it, so it's okay.

Don't be so precise.

I looked up at the flying dragon's face and said.

''Could you take a look at this map and tell me the location of all the important places?　We'll post it there.

About an hour later...

'Oh, oh, oh, oh!　I can see it. I know, whoa, whoa. This is on the ground!'

Garfe, the flying dragon, was impressed with the finished map.

As expected of a creature that actually flies in the sky, the information is accurate.

We are in an abandoned village between a recreational area and a mountainous region. The road will take you from the 'Land of the Seals' to the 'Fort'. The distance is about 2 to 3 days. There are several small villages on the way.

Head north on the road and you'll reach the Valley of the Mist.

The ”Magical Experimental City” is further north. There's another mountainous area on the way, so we'll have to make a big detour. I've been told that the experimental magic city is warded and that the flying dragons don't want to get too close to it.

Rita, Iris and I drew a detailed map on the ground.

The streets, rivers and the terrain around them. Mountains are triangles pointing upward. Valleys are triangles pointing downward. A forest is an arrow pointing upwards.

For now, I have completed the ”Resort Area Map of Mishurira”. It's not as accurate as the original world map app, but it's good enough to use in this world.

Now I finally have a local map.

Even in games, there's a big difference in strategy between having a map and not having one. With this, I can know the exact time it will take to move around, and from there I can calculate the food and water I'll need.

Let's update this map with dangerous places, locations of demons, and important points. That would give us an unparalleled advantage in our adventures and in our business.

''That's great big brother!　This is something any merchant would want!

Really?

'Of course!　If there's anything this extensive and accurate at ......, it's the treasury of the royal palace: ......

'Eventually, I'm going to update this with the location of the demon's appearance.

...... This is going to be copied on board or cloth, right?

Yes.

Will you let Iris take care of it for me when it's done?

Iris clutches the hem of her pants and is kind of excited.

'Let's help your brother 'live a life that doesn't require you to work'.

Okay. When it's done.

Maps are so romantic, aren't they?