CH 76

Chapter 76 – Foreign

After leaving the imperial capital, we flew 10 km in continuous teleport back to the rocky area where Heimann-jiisan and the others were waiting for us.

Because the city road took a largely circuitous route along the incline, the lead of the mounted golem unit was not yet within visual range.

While waiting for the enemy forces to arrive, I hear from Myrill about the alarm system.

According to her confirmation, it seems to be a magical device, or in the common sense of the world where I am from, something like an “electrical product powered by magic.” She told me that it functions as an alarm system to protect the entire vast imperial capital from intruders.

“I know it sounds simple, but from what I could see, the imperial capital was several kilometers in length and width. How much money are they spending on that?”

“Indeed. Aside from the soldiers, the inhabitants of the capital… the number is close to ten thousand from what I can see from the walls, but how are they getting in and out?”

I think I have some idea of the function of the alarm system, but I don’t have a complete picture of the equipment as a whole. Seeing that we were tilting our heads, Heimann-jiisan interrupted us.

“No, that’s the thing, Jou-chan. The Beastman merchant who came to Casemaian…”

“Merel-dono?”

“Yes. I heard from that man that magic tools are a specialty of the empire and are so low-priced that even common people can get them if they are simple and functional. I think that instead of spending a lot of money to operate a large scale of magic tools, they are placing a large number of small and inexpensive ones. I think that the residents have some kind of identifier for this.”

“How are the magic stones being supplied?”

“In the western area bordering the Dark Forest, it is said that they collect them from weak magical beasts. In some parts of the country, they are said to maintain a kind of cattle-raising system for the beasts.”

A magic stone is like a battery in an electric appliance. Incredibly, a system for low-cost mass production has begun to be built. I don’t know if this is true or not, but judging from Myrril-san’s reaction, Heiman-jiisan’s theory seems to have a certain degree of reality.

“I wasn’t able to investigate the inner workings of the imperial capital, but it’s good to know that the defense situation there is different from that of the kingdom.”

I could have seen the rough force structure of the invasion force, but I know that the result would have been the same even if I had stayed here, so I dare not say anything about it.

I was satisfied with the fact that I was able to spend some time making out with noja loli-san in secret in the cramped watchtower, holding my breath. I know it’s a bit of a pity to lose, but… Yeah. I’m so restless because I’m always on the lookout for people’s eyes. It was a sweet and sour time on a junior high school level.

“Oh, Yoshua, the lead is about to pass over your trap, isn’t it?”

At the sound of Yadar’s sleepy voice, I snapped out of my light pink dreaming and back to reality.

Turning on my binoculars, I saw the advance guard of the Imperial Army invasion force, which had arrived at some point, moving along the road.

In the lead were about ten cavalrymen. They passed through without incident and stopped at an unmanned watchtower. It seems that they are annoyed at the lack of troops, but the leader of the large force cannot afford to stop, so they continue to move southward along the road. The road ahead is flat and hardened. They will probably be scouting and clearing the road for the time being.

Slightly behind the cavalry is a unit of clay golems accompanied by light infantry. It seems that 20 infantrymen per two clay golems are one action unit. That is ten units, which means that about half of the total number of clay golems are in the vanguard. The rest are rear guards.

This also passed without incident. Myrril-san looked at me questioningly.

“Is it done yet?”

“I wonder, where the limit is exceeded by the total amount, we’ll have to try…”

“What is it, Yoshua, a planted bomb?”

“No.”

That would make it clear that it was the work of Casemaians. It’s better to do nothing than to waste hate. If they are not good at it, they will even draw to themselves the troops that are supposed to be heading to the kingdom.

Troops of wood golems. This is also half of the total number, four of them, two on each side of the street, passing by with a mixed force of infantry and cavalry in tow. Following them are about 20 large, heavy-looking wagons. The backs of the wagons are covered with waterproof cloth, but they are probably decomposed ore golems. Following them is the only ore golem in working condition. It is the one with the mortar gun we saw in the imperial capital.

“Ah, is this… about time?”

The ore golem, which had been moving forward at a leisurely pace while keeping a watchful eye on its surroundings, suddenly collapses forward unsteadily. The leg it had put out to catch its balance was buried, and the hand it tried to thrust was also buried, causing it to fall forward at a tumbling pace. The collapsed ground swallowed up the wagons and the unit of tree golems in front of them, and the screams and shouts of the people around them echoed in our ears.

“…This is quite gruesome…”

It’s a pit I dug. I dug a vertical hole from the side of the watchtower, and from there, along the street, I gutted the ground ten meters long, seven to eight meters wide and deep, and stored it extensively.

I didn’t think it would hold up to the main passage, either. It seems that the hard compression of the surface layer on the empire side had taken its toll, and the endurance weight was terribly high.

The situation of the golems and soldiers swallowed by the hole was invisible. If they can be neutralized by the impact of the fall, good; if not, we’ll just have to think of other means.

For example, see…

“I’m going to go. Myrril?”

“Whenever you’re ready.”

I carry noja loli-san in my arms in the princess carry, and I take the short teleport out to the road. Hiding behind a carriage that had collapsed and was caught on the edge, I peek into the hole, keeping a wary eye on my surroundings. I’m going to try something that’s been bothering me for a long time.

“Storage!”

Despite an enthusiastic attempt, it was a failure. The golem we were able to take was only the end part of an ore golem that had been disassembled and transported by wagon. It had one arm and two legs. One tube that looked like a weapon.

I shook my head at Myrill and teleported back to the top of the rock pile before being discovered.

“How did it go?”

I can only return a wry smile to the expectant Heimann-jiisan.

“Not good. Is the golem considered a living organism?”

“It depends on the definition of the term living. I hear that the origin of the riding golem was a monster that lived in the Dark Forest and was converted into a magic tool by the empire.”

“If I know that much, there is no more reason for us to be here. We must retreat. Yadar, Jii-san, hold on.”

I think we were able to drop five or six giant golems and three to 40 accompanying foot soldiers, but I am not sure if we were even able to neutralize them. There seemed to be some moving at the bottom of the hole, but we could not get to the point where we could stop them with the weapons we had on hand. The pursuing party was closing in on us even during this time. It would be better to return to the vicinity of Casemaian and prepare to intercept them.

With the three of them in my arms, I teleported to the end of the road. At one point, I tried to teleport all the way to the edge of the forest, which is about three kilometers long, but I almost collided with a cavalry unit that was ahead of us, so I quickly changed my destination. The place I teleport to is still on a flat road with an excellent city view. I must have been in a hurry and misjudged the situation. I should have targeted the bushes at the edge of the road. The road conditions would have made us visible and a target.

Looking back, we saw a giant crawling out of a pit about 200 meters away.

“Magic detection is coming.”

“We’re shifting. Hold on!”

A short distance teleport into the bushes on the side of the road (though 20 meters away from the road). Avoiding the possibility of being detected, even if only visually, I prepare for the next teleport.

“The magician is quite powerful; I wonder if the detection blockade could have prevented it…”

As if instructed by the mage, the ore golem kneels on the ground and points a mortar gun at us. Obviously, it had sensed us.

As I was about to move on, I watched suspiciously as the mortar gun the golem was carrying billowed white smoke.

“…H-huh? I thought it was just a tube that shoots out gravel…”

Before I had time to be puzzled, the ground in front of me where the bomb landed in a time lag burst into flames with a flamboyant explosion.

“Hey, wait a minute, Myrril! There is black powder in this world, too!”