**Side: Lydia**
After finishing our report on clearing the Instant Labyrinth and seeing the beast carriage off, we decided to return to the Float.
Yamato had finished with the Gate Crystal records as well, but I felt he might have some regrets about the Instant Labyrinth being so malicious.
Even though it was a six-floor dungeon with many high-ranking monsters throughout, I tried to convince myself it was still useful for combat training.
Emperor Reinhardt had given his permission without hesitation, so I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Feel’s Order.
Upon returning to the Float, we immediately placed the labyrinth core in its designated room and offered the magic stone of the Guardian, Mithril Colossus.
I had informed Prime Minister Raine about our expedition to the Instant Labyrinth, but she hadn’t expected us to actually clear it. His Majesty and the others received quite a scolding because of it.
Afterward, we guided Dianos, Associate Order’s Master and Mina’s father, and Sierra, Head Hunter’s Master, to the beast carriage. Then, we transferred to Arca. Since our vacation was still ongoing, Emperor Reinhardt, His Highness Elis, His Highness Maruca, His Highness Lessheit, who had been staying at Amagi Castle, and Sayuri, who had also returned to the Float, accompanied us.
We arrived back in Arca after dinner. His Highness Lessheit, who is only two years old, seemed sleepy and was taken to the West Guest Wing, Komine-dono, by Rera.
“So this is Arca. It’s an amazing place.”
“It really is floating in the sky.”
“I heard about the stone monument from Gaia-sama, but I never expected something like this. Truly unexpected.”
Sayuri, a guest like Yamato, had also heard stories of the stone monument at the base of the Treasure Tree from Gaia in her youth.
The stone monuments are located in the Solpreza Mountain Range, Gagun Great Forest, Temellario Great Sky Wall, Seryado Volcano, Enigma Island, and Mylight Mountains. However, the Treasure Tree in the Solpreza Mountain Range is the nest of the Demise Species Tescatlipoca, and the Mylight Mountains are home to the M-C rank Rud.
The Seryado Volcano is where the Slume Lord sleeps, and the Enigma Island is said to house Nidh. There are also rumors of a Valkyrie Empress at the Temellario Great Sky Wall. I’ve also heard that the Gagun Great Forest has a Demise Species.
This is why Sayuri never considered visiting the stone monuments.
“Kazushi and Shinichi said they cornered the Slume Lord at Seryado Volcano but were terribly wounded at the same time, so they gave up on the stone monument. They were truly battered; Kazushi suffered severe damage to his left arm, and Shinichi to his left leg. Eliel was… her right arm and left leg were eaten, they said.”
The battle to subjugate the Slume Lord, which took place about 180 years ago, was the largest alliance to date, involving all five Ancient Classes alive at the time and about 300 High Classes.
While some information can be obtained at the Hunter’s Guild, the details are kept secret, so much remains unknown. Sayuri heard the story directly, so she is currently telling us about it.
“This is the first time I’ve heard this story.”
“Yes. I knew that the Ancient Classes were severely injured, but I didn’t realize they were so gravely wounded.”
“Even now, the existence of Ancient Classes greatly influences the survival of a nation, so it couldn’t be made public. In fact, O-rank Hunters and O-rank Orders from Amister also suffered considerable injuries.”
“I am aware of that. It’s not something the Royal Family can ignore.”
Even High Classes can sometimes determine the fate of a nation, so Ancient Classes would naturally have a greater impact than High Classes. In fact, after the successive deaths of the Ancient Classes Kazushi and Eliel, Solemn began its invasion of Torencia. Conversely, they don’t attack Alegria because the Grand Hunter’s Master resides there.
“It was truly a gruesome battle, with over 70% of the over 300 High Classes who participated perishing.”
“Although no Ancient Classes died, with even 30% of High Classes surviving, it is spoken of as a historic achievement for the alliance. Normally, utter annihilation would not be an unexpected outcome.”
While we haven’t heard of Demise Species subjugation recently, it occurred several times until about 50 years ago. Sayuri alone knows of three such instances: the first with Nidh on Enigma Island, the second with the Valkyrie Empress at the Temellario Great Sky Wall, and the third with the Antlion Empress in the Praia Desert. However, the third instance, the Antlion Empress, was on Solemn territory. Hence, only about 20 Hunters participated. Kazushi and Eliel, who had abdicated the throne, also participated, but unfortunately, they didn’t even get to see its form, let alone subjugate it. They retreated after defeating about 20 ordinary Antlions. Since then, no Demise Species has appeared, and no Demise Species subjugation has been performed. That is, until two months ago, when an Orc Demise Species appeared in Mylight.
“That’s about it.”
“That’s why Solemn is hated by Torencia, but Torencia also finds it difficult to mobilize the Saber’s Guild because of the Slume Lord incident. Nevertheless, Solemn sends its army regardless, so Torencia has no choice but to intercept. Should we truly destroy that country?”
Yamato said this after hearing the story, but I really wish he wouldn’t. No, I don’t for a moment think that Yamato would lose, but there’s the issue of what to do with Solemn afterward.
“Lydia is right. If you were to destroy Solemn, it would be considered an act by Amister. That would mean my work would increase by about three times.”
Yamato is an O-rank Order, so naturally, any achievements would be credited to Amister. Although the coronation ceremony has not yet taken place, Emperor Reinhardt has formally ascended to the throne. Therefore, if someone were to clean up the mess, it would naturally fall to King Reinhardt.
“If the Slume Lord problem can be resolved, I believe Torencia will land on Solemn.”
“Then shall we hunt the Slume Lord?”
“Don’t say foolish things. It’s a Demise Species. Even if Yamato has the achievement of subjugating an Orc Emperor, there’s no way we can casually ask him to do something like that.”
Yamato gives an incomprehensible answer to Elis’s prediction, but Mana immediately interjects. It is true that Yamato and Prim might be able to defeat the Slume Lord, but the situation is different from when they encountered the Orc Emperor and Orc Empress. Please, really don’t do that.
“Regarding Solemn, I believe Torencia will handle it. They owe Kazushi and Eliel a great debt, and they are repaying it with hostility. Torencia must have accumulated considerable resentment.”
Indeed. Kazushi and Eliel also participated in several subjugations of Anomaly and Catastrophe Species that appeared in Solemn. Of course, it was as part of an alliance, but there is no doubt that the two of them were the core force. I heard they even submerged a Labyrinth once. Yet, the moment they died, they dispatched an army to occupy Torencia. They deserve to be called ungrateful.
“By the way, is it true that Mirroring can be imbued up to thirty times by High Crafters?”
“Yes. I was recently promoted to a B-rank Crafter and tried it, and I was able to imbue up to thirty times. However, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t go any further, so I think thirty times is the limit for Mirroring by High Crafters.”
“For me, it was fifty times. I couldn’t go any higher either.”
The conversation has shifted from Torencia to Mirroring. Sayuri, being an O-rank Crafter and also a High Crafter, seems very interested.
“That’s why the inside of that beast carriage is so spacious.”
Sayuri, along with Dianos and Sierra, also received a tour of the beast carriage. Like Emperor Reinhardt, she seems to be considering using it for the Alliance and the Order’s Guild. Therefore, she intends to perform Mirroring imbuitment herself and wishes to hear in detail from Yamato, Flam, and Fina.
“Even with that beast carriage, if the interior is modified, I believe about a hundred people can ride in it. Especially the courtyard; it’s not necessary to make it that large if it’s going to be used by the Alliance or the Order’s Guild.”
“Also, for the bedrooms: Order’s Masters and Sub-Order Masters could have private rooms. For Orders, several guest rooms. Then, considering important guests, two or three VIP rooms, and a spacious dining room combined with a living room.”
“For the private rooms for Orders, rather than a large communal room, how about a space that can accommodate four to five people for sleeping?”
“Not bad. However, I think the courtyard should have a certain amount of space. Of course, it’s because we’re traveling, but having space to swing a sword, even lightly, would prevent lack of exercise.”
Yamato, Flam, Fina, and Sayuri are discussing the concept of a beast carriage exclusively for the Order’s Guild in detail. They haven’t officially decided to build it yet, but has it already become a done deal among the four of them?
“Sorry to interrupt your passionate discussion, but it hasn’t been officially decided, and besides, aren’t your beast carriages not even completed yet?”
“This is a concept. Of course, I understand it hasn’t been officially decided, and I know the Wing Crest’s beast carriage isn’t finished. However, the purposes for Orders and Hunters are different, so it’s better to differentiate them now. This way, even after the official decision, we can start production quickly and save time.”
Emperor Reinhardt, with a wry smile, cautions them, but Sayuri persuades him with plausible reasoning. Well, Emperor Reinhardt didn’t seem to be truly intent on stopping them.
“I understand that, but even if it is officially decided and production begins, we’ll have to rely on my great-grandmother, Yamato-kun, and Flam for the Mirroring imbuitment. There are other High Crafters, but these three are the ones that immediately come to mind, so the burden on my great-grandmother and the others will be immense, won’t it?”
Emperor Reinhardt’s concern is not about the production of the beast carriage, but the Mirroring imbuitment. The High Crafters that immediately come to my mind are Flam and Sayuri, and Yamato is an Ancient Crafter. There are rumors of a few others. They are certainly not in Valentia, but Amister is a country where the Crafter’s Guild was founded, so crafting activities have been thriving for a long time. Torencia also has many Crafters. They are likely to be in these two countries. However, with High Crafters, it’s unlikely they can easily leave their home cities. Therefore, Yamato, Flam, and Sayuri, who can move freely, are likely to be the ones responsible for imbuitment, and Emperor Reinhardt is worried about that.
“That’s right. But since it’s such an item, you don’t intend to involve Crafters from other countries, do you?”
“Yes. If we were to do it, we would gather skilled individuals in Feel.”
This beast carriage, which will likely be able to transport hundreds of Orders by itself, is nothing short of a threat to other countries. Therefore, to prevent information leaks, foreign Crafters cannot be involved. The core technology, Mirroring imbuitment, can only be performed by High Crafters, and even if it were known, it’s not something that can be easily replicated. However, it’s as simple as registering High Hunters or High Class knights as Crafters, so it’s a matter that the country should keep secret. Ah, although Ludia, Athena, and I are from Valentia, we are also fiancées of Yamato, an O-rank Order of Amister, so I have no intention of telling my father.
“That would be the safest approach. Oh, and Fina. About the Mirroring imbuitment, assuming we make a beast carriage of that prototype size, how much Magic Power does a High Crafter consume?”
“Yes. According to Flam, the estimated consumption rate is about 30%.”
It consumes more Magic Power than I thought. Indeed, Fina collapsed from Magic Power depletion after Yamato assisted her in imbuing 30x Mirroring onto a beast carriage before. Fina is a Harpy, so her species has a large amount of Magic Power. Yet, she ran out of Magic Power, so when I think about it, it’s natural for even High Crafters to experience significant Magic Power depletion.
“Thirty percent, huh? It’s difficult to judge, but if possible, two units per day. What about you, Yamato-kun?”
“Is that for fifty times imbuitment? Or thirty times?”
“Thirty times.”
“Uh… I’m sorry, I don’t know.”
It would be like that for Yamato. Yamato was the one imbued with 50x Mirroring on the prototype beast carriage, but he seemed perfectly fine afterward. So, from Yamato’s perspective, he likely didn’t feel much depletion.
“To not even know about fifty times imbuitment… I wonder if it’s the magic power of an Ancient Class, or if Yamato-kun’s magic power is monstrous… it seems possible either way, so it’s hard to judge…”
Sayuri places her right hand on her forehead, a tired look on her face. If Flam and Sayuri were to perform the imbuitment, they would be limited to four units per day. However, Yamato’s limit is unknown. Of course, they could find out by testing, but even for the same 30x imbuitment, the amount of magic power used varies depending on the size and area of the target. To make an accurate judgment, they would need to prepare something the same size as the beast carriage. Frankly, that is not practical at all.
“I can’t help it. Let’s give up on Yamato-kun. Given how he says such things, he can probably handle imbuing ten units, so it should be fine.”
Sayuri says this with a determined look, but at the same time, she directs a look of exasperation at Yamato. However, Yamato, who is accustomed to such looks, avoids her gaze slightly with a wry smile. He’s probably thinking of changing the subject.
“By the way, Your Majesty, have the new Order’s Master and Sub-Order Master for Memoria been decided?”
“That. Yes, they have. They are scheduled to take office soon.”
Did you find that topic? However, Rika also came to Arca not long ago, and we were involved, so it would be a lie if I said I wasn’t curious. Chris, who was escorting Yuri’s Escort Order, is provisionally chosen as the Sub-Order Master. However, since it was a major scandal that could shake the Order’s Guild, there’s a possibility he could become the Order’s Master. I wonder who it has been decided to be?
