Book 15 Chapter 40
Episode 69
Geographically, the Blade Iron Archipelago is a collection of islands scattered across the Mediterranean Sea, centered around four large main islands.
The southernmost island is named <Guran>.
This island, which must be passed through as a relay point for goods from the southern continent crossing the Mediterranean Sea, soon gave its name to the city.
“We’ve finally arrived.”
The dock, viewed from the merchant ship, was as bustling as the golden city of <Haraldoniki>.
There were laborers unloading cargo, and odd-job workers bringing supplies for voyages on carts to replenish them.
The salty smell of the sea pricked at the nose, and the world where gulls flew above the blue horizon somehow seemed far removed from conflict.
“Hmph, there are so many people, like trash.”
No sooner had he said that than stars spun in his head.
It was about three seconds later that he realized the pain originated from a monk's staff being poked into the top of his head.
Lysta, you fiend!
“Rin, your tone?”
“…There really are a lot of people.”
“That’s right, well done.”
Damn it… how can being so restricted be [The Strongest]?
He realized the important truth that if he borrowed the title of [The Strongest] through trickery, he would inevitably become this pathetic. Give me my body back.
Cecil Duren said.
“Let’s check the plan one last time. Lady Lysta and Lady Friede are the infiltration team! You’ll contact the private individual by winning the sea arena.”
“Yes, I know.”
“His Excellency the Palace Lord will deal with any unforeseen incidents from a position where he can observe the entire city, and Rin-nim and I will conduct an investigation while attention is focused on the sea arena. Let’s go then.”
Just as everyone was about to nod, Friede exhaled a long stream of smoke from her pipe, her eyes shining seriously.
“Wait a minute. Didn’t we forget something very important?”
“What do you mean by important…?”
“What’s the sea arena? It’s a gambling den! A gambling den with a 100% chance of winning! If we’re going there, we naturally need a stake, don’t we!”
“Huh?”
“Rin, come here with Lysta’s body! Quickly!”
Friede grabbed my hand and tried to jump off the ship, but… we ended up flailing our feet in mid-air side by side.
“Where are you going and what are you trying to do?”
Lysta, who was clutching the backs of our necks, smiled brightly.
“Pipi, what’s that sign? Friede gave it to you, didn’t she? Bring it here. Quickly.”
“No, Pipi! Run away!”
“Run, run, if Pipi runs, Pipi dies.”
Pipi, pale with fear as their survival was threatened, obediently brought the sign hanging around their neck to Lysta.
Selling Hugs
1 silver coin per hug
Lysta carefully examined the words on the sign and smiled sweetly.
Whack…!
The time it took for a fist-sized bump to appear on Friede’s head was instantaneous! I couldn’t help but tremble at that terrifying iron fist rule.
“Rin, you promised me, didn’t you? If you go around playing strange tricks with my body, what will happen…”
“I will act befitting the [Strongest] in name and reality.”
“You should act like a hero.”
“It’s roughly similar.”
“It’s very different.”
It didn’t seem like there would be much difference.
“Listen carefully, a hero is! Blah blah blah, mumbling and grumbling, this and that, thump-thump, da-da-dum-boom-ba-ba-ba-ba.”
But Lysta’s chattering lecture continued throughout their crossing of the dock area, about what exactly was so different.
Of course, I successfully defended against all those attacks in [Reading a Grimoire to a Pig's Ear] mode.
In fact, saying it was successful was a bit of an overstatement. It was simply difficult to concentrate as usual.
“Why do you keep glancing at us like that? It’s terribly uncomfortable.”
Then Friede replied, her pipe in her mouth.
“Are you asking because you don’t know? It’s because Lysta and I are beautiful.”
“?”
“Cecil is pretty too, but she can’t compare to the two of us. And even I, strictly speaking, can’t compare to Lysta.”
“???”
“I’m not joking. A woman who captures attention like this, regardless of age or gender, would be at most one per era.”
At Friede’s words, Cecil Duren chuckled.
“The bloody battles fought by past sword saint candidates because of Lady Lysta’s mother’s beauty are also famous.”
Something like that happened?
Hmm, interesting.
“Right, but Lysta is even more incredible than her mother. If Lysta hadn’t become a Fae Warrior, it wouldn’t have ended at just that, would it? Perhaps the entire empire would have been stained with the blood of men who wished to marry Lysta.”
“Hmm, is it that much?”
“Friede, stop talking nonsense and come here. You and I have to go to the sea arena.”
The Blade Iron Archipelago is a city of water.
This geographical factor, where the island’s land is submerged in water, determined the islanders’ unique architectural structures and modes of transportation.
The buildings are stilt houses built over water, and instead of carriages on the roads, canoes transport people and goods.
The sea arena was located in the center of the Blade Iron Archipelago, literally built on the sea. Using the waterways would be faster.
[(o_o)7]
Kies also left this emoticon and suddenly disappeared somewhere, so now the obstacles are gone, and I am left alone.
They took charge of all the troublesome tasks, and even gave me free time to conduct an investigation!
The hero party might seem like an extreme profession, but once you join, good things like this occasionally happen.
“Rin-nim, then… shall we go?”
“Let’s go, let’s go, then let’s go.”
My learning objectives these days were threefold.
Complete interpretation of Osarius-style beast-folk was a given, but there was also mana enhancement and rune development to increase the power of Brain Disgorge.
The last one was Sval’s technique, which supposedly protected me in the decisive battle with Ken Sherman.
“I’ll get a canoe. Boatman there! Come over here!”
“Come here, come, come!”
A dormant state of body freezing…!
The fact that it freezes the caster themselves in the form of self-curse is a bit concerning, but I felt a significant advantage in that it allows for definite evasion of an opponent’s ultimate technique.
“Come out, Rudyen.”
The amount of magic power Lysta’s body possessed was so immense that she could summon and control three Rudyen at once. Butterflies of light scattered photons as they settled on my fingertips.
“You, find the rune of creation, you, find lightning-type runes for Brain Disgorge, and you, look for knowledge about binding spells.”
I was soon able to get into a canoe.
This seemed to be the first time in my life I had ridden in such a small boat. The sea waves didn't reach this far, so the water's surface was calm.
The boatman asked for the destination.
“Follow that butterfly.”
“Aye. A mysterious butterfly indeed.”
I saw Cecil, who was rummaging through her inner pocket and pulling out a scroll, flinch in surprise. But why is she following me?
“The necessary locations for the investigation are… Oh, surely you haven't memorized all of this content too? As expected, you are…!”
“You, you, you are.”
This woman is serious about her [Strongest Mage] role-playing. It seemed best to keep a moderate distance to avoid any further annoying incidents.
“Hmph…”
As we were crossing the waterways of <Guran> by canoe, another canoe appeared from the opposite side. Someone arrogantly placed their foot on its gunwale and shouted.
“Hah, who is this! Is it not Lysta, who is at least somewhat chosen among the Samigle (Samigle; in Elvish, the unchosen people)!”
However, because his legs were so short, his posture was unstable, and as the canoe swayed in the current, he fell over into the water. His companion shouted.
“L-Lord Simian!”