Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyusoukyoku Vol 14 Chapter 16

Published at 2nd of October 2018 09:51:31 PM

Chapter 16: 16
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14-16. Muno Earldom Satou's here. There were times when work mails didn't reach me due to spam filter. For the mail to not be able to reach the mailbox unless it's been checked to be completely safe, if it's real, it's quite a dystopian world enough isn't it.

◇

When I select the mailbox in the Exchange Column on the menu, the sender's name is shown.

The sender's name is [UNKNOWN].

I don't think it refers to the mysterious little girl who appeared during my fight with the Dog-Head even though both their names are unknown.

In WW and FFW, you can't send and receive items from someone who isn't your friend, but even if that someone isn't in the name list, the sender will be shown as [UNKNOWN].

There's a [Reply] form in the mailbox, but it'd be problematic if I made the mysterious little girl an enemy had I carelessly sent it back.

--What should I do.

After hesitating for a bit, I choose to put a lid on this problem, postponing it.

Although I don't think it's one, it'll be scary if it's a trojan horse.

In addition, I couldn't send an item through the mailbox since I couldn't write an address.

Nevertheless, I didn't know that such a function exist.

◇

"Oblation Strike? Ah, it's about the dwarves in Bolhart huh?"

Hikaru answered so when I asked her.

"I'm not really well-versed in it, but it's when they make a sword to offer to the God when the next Land Lord takes over right?"

"Can it be done in other City Cores?"

"I wonder? Probably not maybe?"

According to Hikaru, it seems making an offering during the change of Land Lord is an old custom that only the fairykin perform.

When I went further to Aze-san to ask about it, it seems during the era of founding kings, they offered items to the God as thanks for the help in every territory.

The receiver of the offering seemed to be the God who brought the City Cores to the founding kings, but Aze-san and the elves didn't know which God it was either.

There were eyewitness accounts saying that the offered items seemed to have been equipped by the elites of Dragon Valley, so perhaps it was the Dragon God.

However, even though I've killed the Dragon God, it seems that the others Gods are capable of interfering the Dragon's Vein, and it's possible for them to steal the offered items.

....Today I heard a lot of new things.

◇

"Would you help me? I'd like to try something."

"Of course I would."

"OK."

I brought Hikaru and Arisa along to the territory that I rule in the Holy State Parion.

It seems the City Core's barrier hasn't been broken yet even now.

"Ooh! So this is a City Core! This is the first time I see one, it's really pretty."

Arisa was astonished when she saw the City Core.

"And, what are we going to do here?"

"I'd like to check whether it's possible to do the Oblation Strike and making an offering during the changing of Land Lord."

I answer Hikaru while putting up the City Core's terminal.

"City Core, I'm changing the Land Lord. Is it possible to do the Oblation Strike?"

『It is not possible. The optional feature has not been installed.』

I-it's optional huh.

Then--.

"What should I do to install the optional feature?"

『Unknown.』

I asked just to test it, looks like it's impossible.

"Then can I make an offering?"

『It is possible.』

Looks like this one is possible.

"Can I specify the receiver of the offering? If it's not possible, who's the default receiver of the offering."

『It is not possible to specify. It is Master.』

....Fumu.

"Who is this 'Master'?"

『The meaning of the question is unknown. Master is Master.』

I wonder if this Master is not the God?

For now let's continue the experiment.

"Then please prepare the ceremony."

『Acknowledged. Please appoint the next Land Lord.』

"The Land Lord is Mito."

『Registration Complete, please appoint the next proxy.』

I asked Hikaru with eyes, and then she pointed at Arisa.

"It's Arischan."

『Registration complete, please make an offering.』

I insert a diamond holy sword to the opening that appeared in front of the City Core.

It's something I've especially made for this experiment.

I've put a marker on this.

『Oblation complete. The ceremony is complete.』

I open the marker list on the menu, and check its current position.

....None huh.

If things went well I thought I'd know the receiver of the offering, but it seems the item itself has disappeared.

"How about it?"

"Not good. Looks like it disappeared."

It seems it won't go that well.

The diamond sword didn't reach the Exchange Column's mailbox.

◇

The airship which industriously advanced through the course entered Muno Earldom during my experiment.

The airship is landing in the open space of Muno castle.

It seems the people of Muno castle are receiving us below.

The loli maids are waving their hands energetically, welcoming us.

"""Chevalier-sama!"""

"Wa, idiots! It's not Chevalier-sama anymore."

"Ah, that's right. Which title was it again?"

"Viscount-sama."

"The same as Consul Ninsama?"

"That's right! Great isn't it!"

"Uwah, that's amazing."

"....Marrying into the wealth."

"If things go well, his mistress."

Attentive Ears skill picked up the loli maids gossiping.

Please be at least more than 20 year old if you aim to be my mistress.

Not like I'd take them even after they were.

"""Satou-sama, welcome back!"""

The airship landed on the wide open space of Muno castle, when I showed my face from the ramp, the employees of Muno castle unloaded their voices together in good coordination.

I thought I wouldn't hear it due to the driving sound of the airship, but they all waved their hands saying, "Welcome back" in loud voices.

"I'm back~?"

"Pochi has come back nodesu."

Tama and Pochi take the shutan poses before the maids.

"Tamchan, cute."

"Pochi-chan too!"

"Oy, you guys! Tamsan and Pochi-san are mithril explorers y'know?"

"Right right! They're now honorary nobles after meeting His Majesty, if yer' adding chan on their names, ya'll be beheaded for lese majeste."

The ones who warned the maids are rabbitkin male soldiers who seem to be newcomers.

Their titles are [Former Explorers], they're probably people who came from the Labyrinth City Selbira.

"Really?"

"Even though they're this cute, amazing!"

"Soft and fluffy~"

The half doubting maids are hugging and touching Tama and Pochi even while being surprised.

Both Tama and Pochi are happily being affable.

"It's the Magic Spear Lizsama!"

"Would she practice with us during her stay? Would she?"

"I want her to teach me the Magic Edge's knack."

"Lizsan is awesome. She's a noble even though she's a lizardfolk, even more it's baronet."

"Yeah, someday we too--"

The soldiers sent passionate eyes to Liza who appeared after Tama and Pochi.

It feels that there are more beastfolks and scalekin than humans among the new soldiers.

◇

"It appears the cityscape has become quite lively."

"Yeah, thanks to your efforts."

Led to the drawing room of Muno castle, we're having a talk with Ninsan while waiting for Earl Muno to come.

Apparently Earl Muno is doing something in the City Core area under the city with Orion-kun.

"By efforts, do you mean the thing about food and human resources collection in the Duchy Capital?"

"Yeah, of course that helped too, but it's not just that."

Ninsan shook her head while smiling wryly.

"Thanks to your activities in the Labyrinth City and the Royal Capital, Muno Earldom has become more recognized. We had a rapid increase in the number of government service applicants and merchants who came here."

Looking at the map, the population in the city has risen by 50%, and the total population in the territory by 20%.

The soldiers who were only 120 now have become around 2000 just in the standing army.

Looking at the population ratio, I think the increase is a bit too much, but Ms. Nina probably has some plan about it.

"By the way, Satou. Do you know how many towns and cities are there in Muno Earldom?"

I hesitate how to answer to Ms. Nina's question.

There are two cities under Muno Earldom, Muno city and another along the main road.

Some of the places that I thought to be villages seem to be towns.

These towns specialize in Gabo fruit productions, they only have a few inhabitants.

The surplus crops from the agricultural villages around the towns are bought by the purveyors and then transported to Muno city.

The towns have no governors, apparently they dispatch civil officials from commoners as the magistrates.

"There are four cities and seven towns in this earldom. Among them, one city and two towns are under Earl Muno's rule, three towns are under the local clans' rule, and the rest are occupied by monsters and savage tribes."

Ms. Nina who got tired waiting for my answer answered ahead, I checked the map.

There's a blank area near the territory located on a different map from Muno territory I visited before, three cities and two towns are located there.

These are not under control of the lord, so it's in another map.

Among these, two cities are under control of fiendish upper level 50s undead type monsters, two towns have become the nests of level 40 hydras and chimeras.

The savage tribe that Ms. Nina mentioned is probably about the kobolds who occupy the abandoned mine city in the mountain district.

Just like Goblins and Orcs, Kobolds are not monsters but a fairykin.

"And so. Now that we have the military power, soon, I'm thinking of taking back the control of the three towns who are occupied by those clans as they please--"

I see, so she wants us to lend our power to take those back.

So I thought, but Ms. Nina was thinking something a bit different.

"--Before that, we have a problem. The kobolds from the abandoned mine city have begun to meddle with the silver mine located in Kuhanou Earldom to the northeast you see."

That's troublesome.

If worst comes to worst, Earl Kuhanou might destroy the kobolds and snatch the territory.