CH 70

They’re gone.”

“Yeah.”

Zynis and Arthur were on the castle balcony and watching Aeris’s airship floating and swaying off into the distance. Well, Aeris would have been angry if he heard them use those words. However, it was definitely odd seeing a box flying in the air like that.

“Father.”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

Zynis turned around. There were three dog people behind him. One was ash-colored, just like him. The other two were a pale, golden color. While the golden pair was a man and woman, they were all much smaller than Zynis.

“We’ll be late. However, I wanted to see Maki and Chiharu’s cheerful departure.”

Zynis said as he returned to his room. The ash-colored dog man wagged his tail as he replied.

“Do they really have such worth? Mother is fighting monsters at the frontlines of the beastkin territories.”

“I heard the Saintesses are just lazily eating and drinking as they travel.”

“Yes.”

Zynis looked at his son, who seemed very bothered. This dogman appeared to be about 20, but he was actually almost 100. Usually, he was with Zynis’s wife and fought daily in the dungeons.

“So that’s what you think, Dilon. What about you, Ortha and Corete?”

Zynis asked the golden dogfolk.

“I don’t agree. They are doing what they can. Mother just likes to fight, that’s why she is there. And you deal with diplomacy because you are good at it, father. Besides, previous Saintesses never went outside, so this is a huge improvement. Please introduce us one day.”

“I don’t care either. Also, they were pretty cute.”

“Hmph. That just sounds like a convenient excuse to me.”

Dilon said with annoyance. Ortha was Dilon’s older sister. She was 130 years old. But she looked to be the same age as Maki and Chiharu. Her pale but rich golden fur was from her mother. Corete was Zynis’s nephew and was the same age as Ortha. He seemed to never feel stressed wherever he went, and so he was often sent on special missions.

Zynis sighed inwardly. It was an important time and he had some reservations about bringing his inexperienced son on this mission. However, Ortha, who was unlike her parents and rather small in stature, was already active in special missions within the human territories. Dilon was also small for a beastkin, but he wanted to fight on the frontlines. And yet he had been assigned to this mission against his will.

Could he succeed when he was this emotional? Zynis was worried. But Arthur had assured him.

“Zynis, you saw what happened with Edwy.”

“Arthur.”

“He has grown so much in just two months. There are not many opportunities for beastkin to leave their territories. It will be good for him and for your people.”

Arthur patted Zynis on the back consolingly.

Yes. His body was too big for him to blend in with the humans. And so he would have to leave it to them.

Just then, there were the sounds beating wings by the window. It was the birdfolk.

“It’s a bit tiring flying across the sea.”

“Most people aren’t as stupid as Sauro and Saikania.”

They were birdfolk that lived within a limited area and didn’t travel long distances. Of course, that limited area still had a radius of dozens of kilometers. While Sauro and Saikania’s tribe were more fit for traveling long distances, they attracted too much attention on land. That’s why Arthur had gone out of his way to call birdfolk that had brown feathers. The feathers were a glossy, burnt brown color with white on the inner side. Their eyes were light brown. Perhaps it was because of this, but they looked more thoughtful than Sauro.

“Have the Saintesses left already?”

“Yes. Just a moment ago.”

“Ahh! I wanted to see them!”

The birdfolk moaned.

“They were so cute.”

Ortha said.

“We should have just come by train. I always wanted to ride a train. But the thought of being under the ground just makes me sick.”

“We can wait for the Saintesses here after we finish our mission.”

However, they were typical birdfolk inside.

“Now, Kleo and Kaela. I’m sorry to interrupt you, but I must explain your mission.”

Arthur’s serious voice echoed. He sat down behind his desk, and the others all settled into chairs.

“I’m sure you have all heard the news. But we received a warning from the merfolk.”

“It was something like ‘beware of the inland mirror lake.’ That doesn’t really tell us anything.”

Dilon said. Arthur nodded.

“That’s why we are having the beastkin help us.”

Arthur said as he touched the wrinkle between his eyebrows.

“There has never been any animosity between the human tribes. However, I’m sure you all remember the recent incident where the Saintesess were insulted by the inland people.”

Everyone nodded. The story had spread to all of the other lands.

“It was so unreasonable that we cut off all trade with them temporarily. The thing that should have hurt them the most was the import of magic stones. However, they do not seem to be affected at all.”

They imported the same amount once trade had continued. Of course, the inland people apologized before too long, but it seemed almost like they did it out of boredom. As if they were humoring them. That’s what Arthur thought.

“Something is happening there. It was when we started to suspect this, that Amia gave us the warning. It’s very rare for merfolk to send humans a warning. Of course, it’s very like them to send a warning that we can barely make sense of.”

Arthur said with a sigh and then he rubbed his face tiredly.

“Of course, we’ve already sent out some human scouts. However, I want the beastkin to avoid any main roads and search the area around the mirror lake from the mountains. If necessary, you can also infiltrate the nearby town.”

Arthur said as he looked at the others.

“Thankfully, the Saintesses are headed to the elf lands. I heard that the merfolk saved them from the gazers when they were at the mirror lake in the dwarf lands. That being said, Maki and Chiharu claim that the monsters would never attack a Saintess.”

“As someone who fights in the dungeon every day, that is hard to believe…”

Ortha muttered.

“Kaider and Nyran witnessed it.”

“Kaider and Nyran? Then it must be true.”

Kaider and Nyran were trusted by other dungeon crawlers.

“Zynis and his team will go from the mountains. Kleo and Kaela can go from the sky. Don’t do anything dangerous, but gather as much information as you can.”

“Understood.”

“Understood.”

They all nodded.

The dwarves, including Grudo, and the elves, including Aeris, had spent the last 300 years inventing useful magic items. All of these required magic stones, which meant that the number of monsters had to be increasing to make up for it. Had they not been developing these magic items, they might have realized this sooner.

Something was happening. Well, it had been happening for the last 300 years.

Arthur saw the scout teams off and then looked in the direction that the airship had gone. It would be best if the scouts found nothing. And it would be best if the Saintesses could live in peace.