Chapter 165 (1/2)
In the dead of night, we arrived at our destination.
The biggest problem facing my life right now is the territory I was given, Radius Grasslands. It’s also the location of the battlefield where I fought soldiers of the Pussy Republic just days ago. Even with our little detour, we managed to arrive here within a day of leaving the capital.
“This place looks different at night, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah, I get what you mean.”
We were standing atop a high hill looking down over the featureless plains beneath us.
There wasn’t much to the land and I understood how difficult the task that lay before me was, but I still felt a sense of pride. The same feeling I had when I purchased my home in Kalis.
“Everything you can see from here is land granted to you by His Highness….”
“It’s spacious yet cramped at the same time.”
From atop the hill, I could see the entirety of my land. Even with the only light being provided by the moon, I could still see everything. Bodies that had been blown to pieces, bits of flesh and meat, and destroyed armour and weapons littered my land.
The grasslands stretched from the hill we were standing on to the forest that led to Tricklis. The Pussy Republic bordered the rest of my territory. One of the problems with this territory is that it partially stretches out into a forest that lies within the borders of the Pussy Republic.
Basically, my territory is a flat piece of land sandwiched between two large forests and many hills.
The border with the Pussy Republic has no wall or anything indicating where my land ends and the Pussy Republic begins.
It would be nice if I had something similar to the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border but nothing convenient like that exists.
I could see a watchtower off in the distance that was clearly within the Pussy Republic’s borders but I’m guessing that tower is just used by the Pussy Republic to watch for any potential invasions.
“Even lower ranked nobles like barons usually aren’t given such difficult territories to manage.”
“I didn’t think so.”
Considering I’ve lived in a one-room apartment for most of my life, being told that all of the land before me is mine sounds amazing. But if I were told that I need to earn fifty gold per month using just this land, I’d say that’s an impossible idea.
I was basically given a vast, empty plot of land and told to turn it into Shinjuku over the course of the next year.
This will be almost as difficult as trying to open a new business in Tokyo and make it a success.
Well, there’s no point agonizing over what’s already happened. I’ll just have to work my hardest going forward. I also don’t want that Prime Minister to get whatever it is he’s aiming for.
“It’s what we’ve been given and it can’t be helped now. We just need to do our best.”
D-Do you have any idea of where we should start?”
“I wonder….”
Without towns or villages, we can’t utilize the natural resources found in the hills or rivers. Crops aren’t an option either. We don’t have enough time to grow them before the taxes will be due. Every solution I can think of requires something my territory lacks.
Tourism could be an option, but the bloody fields and rotting corpses probably won’t be a huge draw. Actually, with all of the rotting corpses, the plague is a real concern. Wait, are there zombies in this world?
“By the way, Ester-san, is it just me or does the ground appear to be glowing?”
“E-Eh? Oh, it is!”
“I thought it may just be my vision playing tricks on me. It must not have been visible during the day when we were last here.”
It looked as if the entirety of the grasslands was emitting a pale glow. The darkness swallowed up the surroundings, but the grasslands were just barely lit up enough for me to see the ground from up high. The light was just slightly brighter than that of a firefly.
At first, I thought it may just be the light from the moon reflecting off the ground, but the light completely disappeared outside the boundary of the grassland. There’s no doubt that the grassland itself is emitting this dim light.
“Is this a magical phenomenon?”
“I’ve never heard of anything like it.”
“I see.”
Just because she hasn’t heard of it doesn’t mean it isn’t a known phenomenon.
It would’ve been helpful if I brought the noble mage along.
“I’m going to go down there and get a closer look.”
“I-I’ll come with!”
“You should stay here, Ester-san. There’s a chance it could be dangerous.”
“Then I should be with you!”
“…fine. Just make sure to stay by my side.”
“Ah! Y-Yes! I will always stay by your side! I’ll never leave!”
I flew down from the hill with the loli bitch by my side.
The moment we landed on the ground, a soothing feeling enveloped my body. It reminded me of the feeling I get when sinking into a hot bath or breathing in fresh morning air.
“W-What is this…?”
“It feels very minor, but I think I can feel the exhaustion leaving my body.”
What’s causing this?
There’s no hot spring in sight.
The temperature is the same here as it was on the hill or in the forest.
“…it feels refreshing.”
“Yeah, I feel the same.”
It felt like I had been soaking in a hot bath for a while.
It feels great.
There was one possibility I thought of that could be the source of this feeling.
“Umm, d-doesn’t this remind you of….”
She seems to be thinking the same thing as me.
“Was this caused by you repeatedly using your recovery magic? The area that’s shining covers the area of the battlefield. Plus, this glow and warm feeling remind me of the magic you use.”
“It’s strange, but I was thinking the same thing.”
Ester-chan looked excited just by hearing me agree with her.
“It might be possible for us to use this!”
“R-Really!?”
“Yes.”
But I’ll need a lot of help to make it possible.
***
After examining my territory, we travelled to Tricklis.
Again, I held Ester-chan in my arms as we flew. It didn’t take long for the city I had left a few days ago to come into view. It’s still late. The entire town looked asleep aside from the entertainment district.
For now, our destination is the Adventurer’s Guild.
We managed to make it in just before they closed for the night.
“Oi, oi, I don’t care who you are. We’re closed for the day….”
There was a bald, macho man standing opposite us behind a counter.
His eyes quickly landed on Ester-chan.
“W-What business does a noblewoman such as yourself have here at this hour?”
The bald man was almost yelling at us when we entered and he was trying to look as scary as possible, but the moment he saw Ester-chan, his body went stiff and he dropped the tough guy act.
But, it isn’t Ester-chan that has business with him.
“Excuse me, do you have a way to get into contact with Gonzalez?”
“…what could a noble need Gonzalez for?”
The macho clerk looked cautious of us.
The Twilight Company has a close relationship with the commoners of Tricklis, but the nobility of Tricklis appear to dislike them.
I was reminded of the Great Thief.
But she isn’t important right now.
“Can you tell him that Tanaka needs to speak with him?”
“Tanaka, you say?”
I met him before but he didn’t seem to recognize my name or face.
He was here when I first arrived and I also ordered food from him with the Dark Elf. There were many other adventurers at the time and I’m sure he sees dozens of people a day so I guess it can’t be helped.
“Yes. He’ll know to find me with just that.”
“Is that all?”
“If you get in contact with him, tell him to find us at Tricklis castle.”
“The lord’s castle?”
“Yes.”