第８４９堀：わすれているもの (Part1)
Click, clack...
That sound had been audible for a while now.
It wasn't a significant sound.
Just the sound of a clock ticking.
However, it was quite rare for such a sound to catch my ear.
Well, that just meant it was quiet.
But when this sound got into my ears while trying to sleep, it became impossible to ignore.
"So, that's how stuck I am," I mused.
Realizing this was a sign of my lack of focus, I stood up from my seat and stretched.
"Mmm."
Before I knew it, it was already past eleven at night.
That's unusual.
For me to be working until this hour.
I usually finish work on time.
Well, today I went to the Seasypho Royal Castle for a report, so that's probably the reason.
When I have these kinds of external duties, my schedule often gets thrown off.
It's incredibly troublesome.
No, perhaps it's because Queen Emerald and Prime Minister Aquamarine were very understanding that I finished at this hour.
Today, as soon as I arrived at the operational sea area, I engaged with monsters.
When I reported that we successfully repelled them without any casualties, they were overjoyed.
It was a moment that made me realize they had been put through a lot of hardship.
However, I informed them that it wasn't a fundamental solution yet, that the monsters' magic power was depleted, and that there was a possibility they had flowed in from somewhere else.
Therefore, I explained that we would conduct a marine survey starting tomorrow, and with that, today's report concluded.
Yes, I thought it was over.
But...
Rustle.
I picked up Kirika's report from the desk again.
"Beyond this region, beyond the great mountain range, the monster power dynamics have changed, huh..."
Information Kirika brought regarding the Gusdo Kingdom, the source of magic stone imports.
The cessation of imports from there was the beginning of the current problem.
Perhaps it's reasonable to assume that the change in the monster power dynamics in this great mountain range is the cause?
No, there might be another possibility...
"Yuki."
"Master."
"Hm? Seraria and Rurua?"
I looked up at the sound of their voices and saw Seraria and Rurua had entered the room without me noticing.
"Honestly. I heard you hadn't left your office even at night, so I came to check. It's unusual for you to be wrestling with documents like this."
"Was there some major problem, perhaps?"
"Ah, no, it's not that I've figured out anything in great detail yet... It's just that something is bothering me. To be precise..."
There was no reason to lie or deceive them now, so I honestly explained the situation.
"So, the distribution of monsters inhabiting the great mountain range has changed. And you think that might be related to the monsters appearing in Seasypho's waters this time?"
"Yes. That said, the evidence is still insufficient, and it's not a definitive conclusion. And it feels like I'm overlooking something."
"Something?"
Rurua asked back, looking puzzled, so I nodded.
Yes, I feel like I'm overlooking something.
As I was pondering this, Rurua, as if struck by an idea, opened her mouth.
"Hmm. Indeed. In that case, I suggest you try to recall everything you've done on the New Continent so far."
"Recall?"
"You know, that thing. Writing it all down on paper and reviewing what you've done so far. You might be surprised at what you reconsider and remember. Though, you taught me that yourself, Master."
"Come to think of it, that did happen. But I only remembered because you told me, Rurua, so it's thanks to you. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Even so, have there really been that many things since we came to the New Continent?"
"Well, the goal is to remember what I've forgotten. Let's try writing it down. It's a hassle to dig through all the archived documents and read them all."
"Oh, I dislike those; there are so many."
"Haha, well, the reports are written in great detail, after all."
They are reports for that very purpose, but perhaps I need to summarize the general outline of what has happened as a light review for the future?
Thinking such thoughts, I began to compile a list of events on the New Continent.
- Kidnapped to the New Continent
- Mediated the war between Haiden and Findar
- Due to Haiden's strange movements, went to meet Kagura's ducal parents
- Stormed the Haiden royal capital and drove out the Assembly of Wisdom.
"The Assembly of Wisdom. Come to think of it, what happened to their remnants?"
"I haven't heard any reports about them since."
"They probably haven't been caught yet, have they?"
Exchanging such remarks, I continued writing.
- Prepared for intercontinental exchange, rushing around If Continent and Rogari Continent.
- Stationed at the Magic Academy for the inter-country conference...
"Wait, hold on, what happened to that matter of staying at the academy for the inter-country conference?"
"Well, how would I know? So many things happened after that, it's probably just been put on the back burner, hasn't it?"
"That's true. After that, there were also the atrocities of the Haile Faith..."
"Come to think of it, that did happen. For now, it's probably best to just compile the list first."
- Investigated ghost stories at the Magic Academy and discovered missing students
- The atrocities of the Haile Faith came to light.
- Stormed the Haile Faith's main temple, successfully captured the fanatics, and apprehended the Mad God Aquenoki...
My hand stopped after writing that far.
I remembered.
"Ah, this is what I forgot!"
"Aquenoki? Who was that again?"
It seems Seraria had completely banished Aquenoki from her memory.
Well, I had forgotten him too until I started writing this down.
"Seraria, he was a god, technically."
"Oh, right, there was someone like that. He was the least impactful of all, wasn't he?"
Forget impact, he was writhing in agony after being kicked in the groin.
There was no divine dignity or anything.
"Wasn't he stripped of his powers by Luna and banished?"
For now, Rurua somehow prompted me to continue.
"That's right. Aquenoki was banished as bait to gather and hunt down the remaining remnants on the New Continent. After that, I heard he went to a country along the border."
"Along the border?"
At those words, Seraria's gaze sharpened, and Rurua's eyes widened.
"Could it be that Aquenoki is involved in this current problem?"
"No, I think that possibility is low. The Seasypho problem existed even before we came to the New Continent. The timing doesn't match if Aquenoki started moving after being banished, but..."
I had the same discussion before.
At that time, too, both chronologically and geographically, the connection to Seasypho seemed weak, so I had ruled it out.
But...
"That's certainly true, but couldn't it have been from before?"
Yes, as Seraria said, if he wasn't acting after we got involved, but had been reaching out to Seasypho from before, then the story changes.
"From before? Could such a thing really be...?"