Book 15 Chapter 36
Episode 67
“You’re going to the Slicing Iron Archipelago (斬鐵諸島)?”
The next destination of the Golden City <Haraldoniki> was a little different from what was known in history. Lista is a madman, and should not be understood with the thoughts of an ordinary person.
Slicing Iron Archipelago.
It is said that this name was given because weapon artisans gathered and lived in the production area of ‘sea iron’ (海鐵), an iron that can even cut steel, passing down their skills from generation to generation.
“The Slicing Iron Archipelago is further north from here.”
The problem was the location of the Slicing Iron Archipelago.
The Slicing Iron Archipelago was a cluster of islands floating in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, the boundary between the lands of humans and fairies.
In short, it was not located on the southward trajectory from <Haraldoniki> to <Terbenople>. More precisely, they had to go north.
“Hey! We’ve come all this way to this port, striking all sorts of poses, and now you’re talking about going north?! We’re not some crazy unfilial child who says, ‘I’ll study from today,’ and then goes out to play!”
As Friede shrieked into Lista’s ear, Lista gave an awkward laugh and raised his right arm and left leg.
“Sorry, Friede. I need to fix my equipment. My right-hand gauntlet and left-foot greave were completely damaged in the last fight.”
“Just use anything. They say a master doesn’t pick their tools.”
“Honestly, shouldn’t a master be allowed to pick their tools?”
When I looked up at Kiese for agreement, Kiese also nodded. Since even the master of bows and arrows acknowledged it, my words would gain more credibility.
“Who wants to hear realism right now? You two, shut up.”
“No, no! I’ve become a body that can’t be satisfied without Slicing Iron armor! Ugh, Slicing Iron is so good.”
Llista shivered, rubbing his face against the gauntlet on his left arm. I exchanged glances with Friede and shook my head.
“Is it that a hero and a madman are separated by just a sheet of paper…?”
Our smart Pipi wiggled its head back and forth, repeating those words.
“Madman, madman, madman.”
“Madman, madman, madman.”
That’s strange.
But why was even an echo audible?
Something felt strange, so I looked towards the source of the sound, and lo and behold, another Sun Parrot was perched on my shoulder!
“Cl-cloning technique?”
“Pipi, when did you learn cloning too!”
“Hmph, you were secretly working to become the [Strongest Sun Parrot] behind our backs…!”
I felt a wave of emotion stemming from a sense of kinship, and Friede also pulled the brim of her conical hat deep over her eyes, wiping away tears of emotion.
“No, no, no. You fool.”
“No, no, no. You fools.”
Come to think of it, this Sun Parrot was smaller than Pipi and its voice was also more delicate. It seemed it wasn’t yet skilled enough at the cloning technique, so it had summoned its younger self.
“The reason Lord Lista is going to the Slicing Iron Archipelago is because of information that one of the Four Enemies (四敵) might be there.”
At that voice, the Sun Parrot flew up from my shoulder and soared to the back.
Confirming that direction, I shivered chillingly. It was because a quite familiar face was visible.
More passionate than me in the ‘Strongest Mage’ role-playing… I don’t remember her name, but I do remember that she was the foremost princess of the North.
“Long time no see, Lord Rin.”
She was dressed in the golden robes of the Special Operations Division (the Special Operations Division was an agency under the Mage Alliance and also received orders from the Papal Curia, thus granted the honor of wearing the attire of the Golden Dragon Legion), and five other division members were with her.
“This is the first time since the <Central North> incident. Have you been well?”