85 Lady of Pygmy (1/2)

Sisyphe

The next day I come to the Republic of Ariadia.

I leave my sister Kayna and Nora, who came with me from the free city of Tessesia, and head in the direction of the temple of Lord Heybos, the god of blacksmithing and treasure.

As I walked down the main street, I saw many carts and people coming and going.

Most of them are probably merchants and their servants.

Master Heibos is worshipped by craftsmen and merchants. And the temple is also a meeting place for craftsmen and merchants. So many merchants come to the temple.

And next to it, the temple of Lord Kvelia, the god of commerce, is built next to it.

This temple of Lord Kvelia is not a temple, but a huge warehouse.

Kvelia is the god in charge of the treasures brought by the dwarves in the heavenly realm according to Heybos and the treasures that Heybos makes.

That's why the temple is not a place of worship but a warehouse.

And I've heard that the temple of Lord Kvelia is one of the most robust buildings in the Republic of Ariadia, probably because it also holds public money.

The Lord Kvelia faces the sea and the main street, with many warehouses lined up around it, and a lot of goods are brought in and shipped out.

And some of them bring in gold and other coins.

Some of the merchants who handle the money lend out the deposited money and charge interest.

These merchants are especially called financiers.

I think that some of the people who go to this temple of Heybos go there to borrow money.

It's possible that I am one of them.

But I am not here to borrow money. I have business elsewhere.

So I pass through the warehouse district.

My destination is a huge high tower built near the temple of Lord Heybos.

This tower is the post office of the Republic of Ariadia.

I look up to the sky and see the birds at the top of the tower, on which Pugmayoi and his friends ride, carrying the mail.

As I enter the tower, I see many people at work.

I find a young woman among them.

'Oh, it's Sisyphe. It's been a while.

When the woman sees me, she calls out.

'Long time no see, Mariela. Is Memoru here?

I call out the name of the young woman at the reception desk.

Mariela is a receptionist at the post office, seventeen years old like me, and recently married. She is 17 years old, same age as me, and apparently just got married.

Yes, we are here. You're in luck, Sisyphe. Memor is only back yesterday.

I am relieved by Mariela's words.

'Good. Could we meet for a moment? I brought sweets. Yes, would you like to join us, Mariela?

I hold out the bag.

I made this candy before I left. I thought I would give them to Memor.

'Good. I thought it was time to take a break. Then I'll go get Memoru.'

Mariella laughed and led me to a rest stop before excusing herself.

And when she reappeared, she carried a little girl with purple hair on her shoulders and a pointy hat, the costume of the red race.

'It's been a long time, Sizfe. I heard you became a war maiden. Congratulations.

Thanks, Memor. I've come here today to ask you a few questions.

I thank Memor on Mariela's shoulder.

Memor is a dwarf (pugmayoi) girl. I hear she's about the same age as us, but I don't know exactly how old she is.

And, like all Pugmayoi, she is small enough to ride on a human's shoulder.

The Pugmayoi get along well with birds and can talk and ride them.

There is a famous story of a young Pugmayoi boy who made the magical journey with the Acker who led the migratory birds.

Other famous people, such as Aunt Golden Spoon, who didn't care about her appearance, are also very famous.

And many Pugmayoi use their bird-riding abilities to act as postmen.

They can't carry large packages, but they can deliver letters.

Most of the countries that belong to the Ariad League have a resident Pugmayoi postman.

They live in towers on the walls of the city and ride birds to deliver mail to each country.

The Pugmayoi of each country cooperate with each other and actively exchange information.

Since they fly in the sky to exchange information, they are able to obtain information faster than humans.

The reason why this tower was built not on the walls of the city but near the temple of Lord Heybos, where merchants come and go, is because the merchants wanted that kind of up-to-date information.

And I, too, came to Memor for the same kind of information.

Memor and Mariela met six months ago on a job involving the post office. It was a simple job that was quickly resolved, but I've known the two of them ever since.

I take a pastry out of the bag and unfold it, and Mariela makes me a cup of tea.

We sit at a table for four and have tea. Memor is naturally small, so he sits on the table and drinks the tea.

She was very cute as she drank from a pugmayoi tea cup.

'You've raised your arm, Siszfe. Before you became a war maiden, I would have told you to quit being a freedom fighter and go to your wife.'

Memor says as he eats his pastry.

'Hey Memor!

Mariella hurriedly chides Memorie.

Okay. Mariella. I've heard it all before.

I chuckle.

I know I'm not cut out to be a warrior myself.

My sister Kayna told me as much.

'I'm sorry Sizfe. But it's different now. Because you were chosen by the Goddess. She must have had a hidden talent.''

Memor nodded yes.

'I'm actually surprised myself. It's not that I don't think I have the talent to be a warrior, but I would like to live up to the expectations of Raina-sama, who has given me her blessing. But I would like to live up to the expectations of Lady Raina, who has given me her blessing.

Memor and Mariela let out an exclamation when I said that.

''If that's the case, I'll have to ask you for a favor or something. So, what do you need?

'Yeah, that's it, Memor. Actually, you can go to .......

I explain the request I received.

Memor, like all the other Pugmayoi in this tower, flies in the sky on a bird to deliver the mail.

Flying demons are a threat to the flying Pugmayoi.

For this reason, we hear that Pugmayoi and his friends share information about flying demons.

Would there be any information about the Harpies among them?

Okay, so you want to help the man who was kidnapped by the Harpy. Is that man your boyfriend?

Memor says with a twinkle in his eye.

'What?　I've never met him.

'Boo, that's boring. I was thinking of a war maiden rescuing her kidnapped lover.

I chuckle.

Unfortunately, that's not true. I don't have a man I can call a lover in the first place.

Maybe I'll never get married.

'Oh my God, Memor. Sisyphe is serious about this.

Mariella chides Memorie again.

'Oh, I'm sorry Siszfe. There's one piece of information about the harpies that I'm curious about. I have a companion who claims to have seen some harpies carrying food to the foot of the mountain.

Memor says something that bothers him.

Because of their work, some of the Pugmayoi fly near the Central Mountains.

For those Pugmayoi, the movements of flying demons are a concern for them.

That's why it is necessary to share information with them. Memor was also getting that information.

'I'm curious. I can't believe the harpies are carrying food ...... I wonder if there are any kids there?

'Maybe not. The harpies would build their nests higher up in the mountains to lay their eggs. They don't build them at the foot of the mountain.

And if so, what does that mean?

I nod my head.

'Probably high up in the mountains, they have creatures that would die from the cold. Humans, for example.

!

Memor's words surprise me.

Humans will freeze to death on the high mountains where the harpies live. That's why, it seems, the harpies sometimes hold abducted humans in a wooden prison they've built at the foot of the mountain. So Memoril explains.

'Then that's where Phineas might be trapped!

I said and Memorie nodded.

'I can't be sure. The friends I saw didn't check until they saw what was there because there was a possibility that they could be attacked if they got too close. ...... I came up with that possibility when I heard Sizfe's story, though.

Memor says over a cup of tea.

'Shall I bring you a map, Cizfe?'

Please, Mariela.

Mariella brings out a map with the Central Mountains on it.

'I'm pretty sure it's right around here,'

Unfolding the map, Memoril gives a rough idea of where the Harpy is carrying the food.

It's close to where he was abducted.

Phineas could be there.

'Thanks Memor. Looks like you've found a clue.

Well done for coming here.

Let's get the word out.

Shenna.

I will come to the Republic of Ariadia the next day after accompanying my brother, Decius, in his investigation.