9 『To Arms I』 (1/2)
It has been a couple days since Jack had first rested his eyes since his arrival in this strange new world. A medieval life with so many magical commodities from Runecrafting to outright enchantments.
With the help of his Guardians, he began to learn more and more of this world. Names of people, places and things. The main thing that opened his eyes however was that the World wasn't a merry place as he first thought. Nature was all around them, the world seemed pure and full of fantasy, but out there dangerous lurked in the shadows and in broad daylight.
Monsters, pests. Humanity was alone. They isolated themselves, discriminated against those who weren't human, all the while Demi-Humans killed enslaved and even ate humans. Humans were sometimes even used as currency.
Jack didn't know what to think. He was considered a higher being, a greater life form than most of those who were out there. Sure, he would let that get to his head if he wanted it to.
Slavery? His view on it was simple. Economics. Most people wouldn't see him as correct in the head, but it did good for a budding country that had fallen into disrepair. At the same time, he could relate, he wouldn't want to be a slave. Slavery was inherently distasteful for just about anyone who knew what it was like to be mistreated by those who were supposed to be above them.
So now that the City is almost perfectly hidden, its security raised high to protect itself from probable invaders, he was situated in the Throne Room. Floating in front of him was a Mirror of Remote Viewing.
Doodle and Teetle had given him countless reports on the Adventurers Guild, the Merchants Guild and even the Magician's Guilds. There was quite a system in the Re-Estize Kingdom, along with a well founded Black Market for illegal goods.
He learned the entire roster of the Village as well as their daily lives. The nearby threats were incalculable. It wasn't hard to see how dangerous it was living out there on the fringe.
For instance, his eyes were on the smoldering ruins of a village. A frown on his lips.
A shrill escaped from the end of the room. ”Jack-sama!”
”J-jack-sama!” Another shout emitted from the Throne Chamber door.
Glancing up from the mirror, he noted two skeletons running towards him with mirrors in their hands. A brow raised as he knew they were still watching the closest village and the rest of the Re-Estize Kingdom.
”What is it, Teetle… Doodle?” Jack inquired curiously, all while keeping his composure as to seem indifferent to something that might even be objectively great news.
”There's an armored troop heading towards the Village!” Doodle exclaimed loudly, flailing his mirror over his head, ”They look to fit the description of a Baharuth Empire Knight I extrapolated!”
”Ah...” Jack looked over the mirror he was flailing around before glancing to Teetle.
”There's another armored group that had been heading from E-Rantel towards its surrounding villages on the border's edge, as we speak.” Teetle informed with a solemn voice, much calmer than his brother.
”Ah… I see, in that case we should prepare the Honor Guard to take care of the Knights. Have you been able to identify the ones attacking the nearby villages?”
”Attacking… Jack-sama?” Doodle glanced at his mirror, then up towards Jack.
”There are three other smoldering villages which seemed to have been attacked in the past few days while we were watching just the City and the Frontier Village.”
”Carne Village,” Doodle corrected Jack, or more so informed him of its name.
Jack nodded slightly at this, ”So have you?”
”From what I've found, is that it's unlikely they're from the Baharuth Empire. Based on my findings, they came from the South West towards another Territory called the Slane Theocracy.”
Jack cringed at the idea of a Theocracy, a country ruled by religious figures. Religion was one of the most powerful creations of mankind, capable of rallying hundreds if not thousands to go to war at the drop of a hat. It even allowed people to commit atrocities such as Genocide without feeling a single shred of guilt or remorse.
Of course Anti-Religion could do the same exact thing.
Jack would let out a light sigh and shake his head. ”Then it's likely you're correct and they're trying to either cause a commotion, or pick a needle out of a haystack.”
”Needle?” Doodle caressed his bony chin.
Jack would shift the mirror in his hands towards that of Carne Village, looking over the approach of the Knights. ”Once the hostiles begin attacking, we'll defend against them on my mark.” He'd claim as he stood from the throne and keeping the mirror in his hand.
His eyes shifted towards Silva who had been standing directly beside the throne the entire time in silence. ”Will you accompany me?”
”Mmm...” Silva gave a simply smile and nodded.
”Ready the Honor Guard, I'll meet you in the Plaza.” Jack ordered with a nod of his head, before walking towards the doors of the Throne Chamber.
The two Overlords stood there, watching him go.
”Continue to Scry the surrounding areas. I want to learn more about the places and people you've seen.” Jack needed them to watch the surrounding areas in case they truly needed to go to war with the native population of the continent. ”We must...”
”...Know our enemies, and know ourselves. For we will become undefeatable...” The twin skeletons let out an overlapping continuation of what Jack was going to say. Though not in exact words.
Jack grinned slightly as they followed through with the quote before nodding his head. Pulling the Guild Weapon from his Item Box, Jack would turn on his heel and vanish from sight.
Reappearing in the Plaza with the help of his Guild Ring, he gazed about the City like he did every time he stepped outside. It was an amazing sight. The Waste had been cleaned up and the once abandoned buildings were under repair for common use.