Volume 3 Chapter 8

Volume 3 Chapter 8: Knights’ Situation

Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Ryunakama”

I was shocked upon entering the passageway inside the God Tree.

「What, what is this……」

Since I was presented with a sight I have never seen before.

Perhaps noticing my reaction, Axel-san looked around and then asked.

「Judging by Cecile’s shock, it’s not how it’s always been.」

「Of course! Normally it’s a lot more beautiful, with a pleasant smell to it…… A very magnificent place!」

The pathway in our memories was made of a beautiful arbor with vibrant wooden texture, adjacent to the inner wall forming a path.

It was the path one could climb in serenity, surrounded by the smell of all kinds of trees.

However, the current path not only had noticeable shades of decay, but even holes all over it.

Like the path itself is withering.

「It never withered before, and first of all, the God Tree has self-restoration ability, so it should never get like this… Just why? Wha-what is the meaning of this decay, father!」

As I am overwhelmed with astonishment, I shouted my question, father calmly replied.

「As you can guess from my children’s surprise, it’s something that has never happened before, I will explain everything in order. First of all, this decay spreads all the way to the upper parts. At this point, the way to the upper floors can hardly be used at all.」

Father said, putting his hand on the arbor path near him.

Upon his touch, that part of the stairs turned into wood chips and crumbled away.

「Around the sixty percent of the pathway is in such a brittle state, some parts are even worse. Some intact parts still do remain, but it doesn’t change the danger. As you already know, it’s difficult to use magic here, so using wind magic to get up there is impossible.」

「Fumu, it’s just as difficult to stabilize magic inside as it is outside, huh.」

As Axel voiced his thought, Daisy, that was riding on his shoulder, said.

「Even if you absorb some of the God Tree magic, it just keeps emitting more and more. Well, that’s the God Tree for ya…… But now it complicates the situation a lot.」

「Yeah. This rope ladder is our only way to climb there. After all, that small elevator we have over there cannot bear the weight of a regular person. Small objects are the most those blocks can pull up there.」

Father pointed to a rope ladder hanging from the upper floor.

With a pathway in the inner part of the world tree, this ladder looked quite difficult to use.

And then there was a board hanging on a rope nearby.

It appears quite old. Though, it wasn’t like this when my brother and I were here previously, so it shouldn’t have seen much use—

「Though it’s only for small things, it’s all we have now.」

「Yeah, but with the wither spread to the upper floors as well, there is a constant threat of falling wood. ……But since it’s necessary to transport numerous things up there, we still can’t help but use it.」

「Hm? Deliver goods…… The laboratory of magic science guild was supposed to be up there, are you saying that people still remain there?」

●

When I asked, Sidonius nodded and replied with a serious expression.

「Yes. Dozens of researchers from the guild are working to establish the cause. Then again, not limited to the upper floor, with the help of Daisy-dono,《Tree Surgeons》and《Pharmacologists》that we called under utmost secrecy, we are trying to investigate the tree on the inside.」

「So that’s why Daisy was in this city.」

「That’s right. Under the appearance of request from the Magic Science guild.」

「……And as the investigation by Daisy-dono and the guild’s staff concluded, it’s the result of poisoning from outside.」

「Poisoning?」

Daisy replied.

「A poison, strong enough to seriously doubt that it could result from any conventional mutation or natural processes, found its way inside. The one that moves around like a virus or some living creature.」

「That’s right. I don’t think it could’ve formed naturally, as the top of the guild said, for it to be man made its way too complex even for the pros from the guild, a《High Pharmacist》, to handle it. The manufacture method is unknown, so it makes them think that it’s a sudden mutation exceeding current human knowledge.」

Sidonius said, looking above.

「Anyway, you know that it’s a strong poison.」

「Yes. They tried to compound it, and it seems that such deadly poison would certainly kill anyone. Origins, how it got here, was it intentional or not, all of that is still under investigation.」

Daisy agreed with Sidonius’ words.

「Well, that’s how it is. And so, my friend, I was acting in an attempt to establish that mysterious reason.」

「Yes. For Daisy-dono we made a laboratory on the lower levels, where she can work on her research. 」

「Well, even though it’s called a laboratory, we just remade one of the small deserted houses for my purposes, it’s quite a small building. The laboratory on upper floors is way bigger.」

「Yet, even so, Daisy-dono made an equal amount of progress in her research as the whole of the magic science guild. It’s a really great help for us. And she even goes out on patrol.」

「Ah, which reminds me, Daisy was chasing people away.」

That’s how we met.

「Why were you doing something like that?」

「Well, I think you know, my friend, but I’m sensitive to human presence. I’m going on patrols as a change of pace, and also because I can’t concentrate on research with other people loitering in the area.」

Generally, Daisy goes on high alert mode when strangers come near.

During the war, she also would be distracted whatever anyone approached her lab. So I can understand her plan of wanting to clear the area of people to increase the efficiency of her research. But, it seems that this was not all there was to the situation—

「……Well, to begin with, we aren’t supposed to let people in this area.」

As she said, continuing.

「Weren’t supposed to you say…… Was there a decision of that sort passed?」

「Yeah. Leaving my own problems with the presence of other humans aside, the order and the guild concluded that they can’t let people enter the area where such a thing is going on. 」

While saying that, Daisy looked at Sidonius. Then, he, with his hand still on the tattered pathway, looked towards the entrance.

「Indeed. Withered and crumbling parts just keep falling around the area, it’s dangerous. ……And, also, for the possibility of the main reason behind this being a living being acting out of malice. In case they are still alive and capable of doing additional harm to the tree, we cannot allow them to see our desperate efforts of resolving the situation.」

「You are quite careful. ……Is that also a reason why you won’t put the rope ladder outside?」

Sidonius gave a positive reply.

「Basically. To cover just how bad the situation is, we made it on the inside. And also, with the unevenness of the surface and the wind, it would be very hard to use, so the effectiveness wouldn’t be that great.」

Indeed, looking at it from up-close, the surface of the God Tree appeared quite rough, with fat trunk-like branches and remains of pruning.

Putting a rope ladder there would have the same difficulties as on the inside, but—

「Vigilance and wind aside, there is no point in doing it.」

Sidonius nodded with a smile.

「Exactly. I’m glad that you are so fast at understanding. ……Since we can’t say that it’s a natural phenomenon, we have to be careful. As a part of it, we are chasing away people, like various peddlers we cannot trust, and that is without any prior notification or room for rebuttal, so the order’s reputation is taking a hit, but nothing can be done.」

After saying that, Sidonius looked a bit apologetically at Daisy.

「……And I feel very regretful about involving Daisy-dono in that infamy…」

But Daisy only laughed at the captain’s words, showing her teeth.

「Didn’t I say that I couldn’t care less about the rumors, captain. I have the reputation of an oddball to begin with, it’s nothing to make a fuss about. Yeah, rumors tend to get even more exaggerated as they get passed around, but if you worry about something like that you’d never get around to doing anything. Quite the contrary, I’d be happy if it will reduce the number of people trying to get close to me.」

Daisy said with a smile, but Sidonius doesn’t look convinced—

「……I also said before, but our policy is to conduct business in a way that would put the least amount of worries on the residents of this town, so all of the explanations will happen only after we resolve this…… However, the order will exert itself to the best of our abilities to restore, no, to improve your reputation even higher than it was before.」

「He is a good person, but a really stubborn one, this captain.」

「With Daisy-dono’s help, the analysis of the poison and means of recovery are proceeding at an enormous speed, if we won’t do at least this much our own reputation will suffer.」

「……How should I put this? In the outer ring of the city, everyone was pretty normal. But in the inner ring the situation seems pretty complicated……」

Just from listening to the conversation between Sidonius and Daisy, it seems quite troublesome with a lot happening in this city that a mere outsider wouldn’t notice.

And right when I thought so.

「Captain! Per your orders, the fifth logistic team finished the preparations.」

With those words, a lightly armored group entered the passageway.

They brought some kind of a giant leather bag.

Seeing that Sidonius made a deep sigh.

「Phew…… Is that so. Then let’s carry another one.」

「Another one? Are you transporting a few of those?」

「Yeah, it’s one of the huge problems that we have since the tree became like that. Shortage of supplies up there. We carried another one just a few hours ago.」

When told so, I recalled how Sidonius looked when we first met.

「Could this be the reason why you were drenched in sweat?」

Hearing those words Sidonius bitterly smiled.

「Sorry for showing you such a sorry sight. It’s over 700 meters to the upper part. Including me, there is only a handful of people in the order with proper skills, physique, and equipment to surely scale it. On top of that, the person that was supposed to make the delivery today collapsed, so I stepped up. ……You can’t deliver a sufficient amount of supplies with the elevator after all.」

He said with his hand on the huge leather bag that several knights carried together.

「Supplies are of the utmost importance to the people on the upper floors… So I have no choice but to deliver them myself.」

While talking, Sidonius tried to put the huge bag over his shoulder. But—

「—Ah……」

He staggered and fell to one knee.

His breathing was also rough. Seeing that, the knights nearby called out to him in panic.

「Please, don’t force yourself, captain……! You’ve been making those round trips for almost a month already, one after another, on some days you repeat it for dozen of times……! Others collapsed long ago, so you should also take a rest……」

They spoke such sympathetic words, but Sidonius shook his head.

「Even so, not delivering is not an option. The people up there of the magic science guild and those wishing for the restoration of the tree are fighting. Since we can’t deliver in sufficient volumes, we have to compensate with the number of trips. I have, to do this……」

Looks like it’s a delivery he has to make even by overexerting himself. If so—

「If it’s fine with you I can help as well? Since the loading capacity seems to be the problem here, I think I might be able to help.」

I said.

From what I’ve heard so far, they seem to want to transport a large amount of resources.

If so, it sounds like quite an easy job.

And so I made a proposal, but—

「……」

Hearing that, Sidonius completely stopped moving for a few seconds, as if he fell deep into thought. And after looking overhead, then at the rope ladder, he then turned to me—

「……There are at least 700 meters until the upper part of the God Tree. So I’m happy about your proposal, but with your strength after you became a carrier, you wouldn’t be able to climb the rope ladder all the way, no matter how you……」

And then said such a thing.

Well, indeed, it’s a proper view of a carrier.

However, there was other voices that cut him off.

「Ah, father. Axel-san is at least several times stronger physically than us.」

「Eh…… What did you say……?」

「Yeah. Actually, from how he is able to move faster than us, he should be even stronger than most with high-grade combat-oriented jobs.」

It was Cecile and George.

Hearing their words, Sidonius once again looked at my hands and legs.

「Hmm…… He indeed has such a bearing…… But even so…… It’s life-threatening. Even if he has enough stamina to climb if he actually falls…… Stamina is not the most important thing here. I can’t expose you to such danger…」

It seems that he is worried about my life.

I do appreciate that, but—

「Well, more or less, but I’m being responsible about my work as a 『Carrier』. I made my decision being fully aware of the danger, there is no problem, Sidonius.」

I learned some of the transporter’s sensibility from my senpai, Marion.

And made my proposal with those considerations in mind.

「Yup, yup. You shouldn’t worry about that, uncle Sidonius. Even if he falls from that height, nothing will happen to Master.」

「Your lack of faith in Axel’s abilities is quite disappointing…… Well, even if he falls by some unlikely event, it will be a boon for me, as I will catch him in my embrace. So no need to be anxious about that, captain.」

Looks like Berzelia and Saki are trying to ease Sidonous’ worries.

Perhaps influenced by their words, Sidonius finally changed his mind.

「Nnhm…… Is that…… so? To be honest, if I can count on you, then I would be quite happy to ask this of you……」

「Just like I said in the beginning. I think I might help. That is if we can put those goods in the transportation bag.」

It’s Sidonius’ choice to make.

Thinking so I awaited his reply, and after a few seconds of deliberation with his eyes closed.

「—Then…… I hardly can call this a safe task, but can I request this of you, Carrier Axel-dono?」

「Aye. Roger that.」