The port of Prada, built with Wing Crest’s support and the cooperation of many, has reached its opening day.
Today is the commemorative ceremony for that very occasion.
The ceremony itself will be brief, with me giving a simple greeting, introducing the appointed magistrate and guild representatives for the newly formed town of Prada, followed by a light buffet and a boat trip to Glacian.
Tomorrow, a commemorative ceremony will be held in Glacian. As Raus and Rebecca, who will be accompanying me as guards, can use Traveling, and we also have a Gate Crystal, I intend to return to Alka by nightfall.
“Did I make it in time?”
Just before the commemorative ceremony in Prada, my fiancée, Lord Yamato, and my older sister rushed in, looking flustered.
They did not return last night either, and although I was informed of the possibility that they might not be able to attend yesterday, it seems they can participate after all.
“Yamato-san, are Mister and Laofen okay?”
“For now, yes. But the situation is precarious, so Mana and I will be returning to Laofen again shortly. I apologize, Yuri, for not being able to escort the ship.”
While it is certainly a disappointment, given the circumstances, it cannot be helped.
“It’s alright. The Gagun Labyrinth and the Laofen Labyrinth cannot be left unattended, and there are still unexplored labyrinths in Amister.”
“I’m sorry, Yuri. I’ll make it up to you once things calm down.”
“Yes, I’ll be looking forward to it.”
Both Lord Yamato and my sister looked exceedingly apologetic. However, if left unaddressed, the Esmeralda Baronetcy would soon be affected, so it is best to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
“Then, let us proceed to the venue.”
“Ah, understood.”
The ceremony venue is located in a corner of the port. It is very sturdy, having been constructed by cutting and processing quality stone before embedding it on the lakebed. The depth of the Nadal Sea and Veil Lake differs, so the Nadal Sea side has been widened and enlarged to accommodate large ships. Yes, it can berth about five 50-meter-class large ships. In addition to that, it can accommodate several medium-sized ships and over ten small ships, making its scale quite considerable. On the Veil Lake side, with only ship services from Feel expected, it can only berth a maximum of five medium-sized ships. In some cases, we may ask them to head to the Nadal Sea side.
At the ceremony venue, set up in a section of the port, my older brother and the Baron appointed as magistrate of Prada town were already waiting for our arrival.
“Yamato-kun and Mana? Are you two sure it’s alright to be here?”
“It’s hard to say.”
“Unlike the Gagun Labyrinth, where monsters overflowed spectacularly, the Laofen Labyrinth has only overflowed with mid-ranked monsters, so we still need to be vigilant.”
From what I’ve heard, the Labyrinth Flood from the Gagun Labyrinth resulted in the appearance of multiple A-C Rank Monsters, but they have all been repelled. Well, some individuals headed deeper into the Gagun Great Forest, so that situation too is unpredictable. In the Laofen Labyrinth, the highest-ranked monster that overflowed was a P-rank. Depending on the maze’s depth, a second wave cannot be ruled out.
“If it were just one of them, we wouldn’t be struggling this much.”
Lord Yamato sighs, but looking back through history, there has never been a simultaneous Labyrinth Flood from two labyrinths. The current simultaneous Labyrinth Flood from the Gagun Labyrinth and the Laofen Labyrinth is an unprecedented event in recorded history. Furthermore, a large number of A-rank monsters overflowed from the Gagun Labyrinth. Some have even cascaded into the Gagun Great Forest, where the Demise Species Hanuman resides, making the Gagun Labyrinth’s Labyrinth Flood alone of a historically massive scale without a doubt. Other Ancient Hunters have already been issued urgent requests to proceed to either Laofen or the Gagun Great Forest, but for the Laofen Labyrinth, the Black Army’s successful conquest would be a saving grace.
“The Black Army should be able to conquer the Laofen Labyrinth. Even if it’s a labyrinth of unknown details, the highest-ranked monster confirmed so far is the M-I Rank Grand Deathwurm. My guess is that the guardian will be around M-rank as well.”
“I agree.”
Neither my older brother nor Lord Yamato seem to regard the Laofen Labyrinth as a major problem. In the past, subduing a single M-I Rank Monster would require dozens of High Class individuals, but now it can be accomplished by a few. Furthermore, an Ancient Class can handle multiple opponents, let alone a single one. Therefore, unless the Laofen Labyrinth is unexpectedly deep and harbors even A-rank or O-rank monsters, the Black Army, led by Caesar the Ancient Orc, should conquer it within a few days.
“The problem lies with the Gagun Labyrinth.”
“That, too, is giving me a headache. If it were just the Labyrinth Flood, but many individuals headed deep into the Gagun Great Forest, and if it could even provoke Hanuman, we would have to deploy all Ancient Classes there as well.”
“But there’s also the matter of the Laofen Labyrinth, so half at most is our limit. We cannot let our guard down until the Black Army completely conquers it.”
“There’s also a non-zero chance of a Labyrinth Flood during the conquest.”
While my older sister, older brother, and Lord Yamato are troubled, we cannot focus solely on the anomaly in the Gagun Great Forest. The Trial Hearts of Polar cannot be mobilized due to Retisencia, and for the same reason, the movements of the Order’s Guild, Beastar’s Guild, and Soldier’s Guild are restricted. The Father’s Guild and Dragoner’s Guild will also be unable to dispatch reinforcements, as they must thoroughly investigate domestic labyrinths and cull monsters within them, given the current Labyrinth Flood. We have no intention of getting involved in the labyrinths within Retisencia; that is a problem Retisencia must handle.
“It seems to have become more serious than I thought.”
“Indeed. If it weren’t for the ceremony, I would have brought Raus and the others with me.”
“Absolutely.”
Raus, who evolved into an Ancient Ulfy, and Rebecca, who evolved into an Ancient Undine, are staying in Prada to guard me, so they cannot deal with the Labyrinth Flood. I wouldn’t mind them going, but the port of Prada was eagerly awaited not only by Amister but also by Alegria and Acquario. If something were to happen to me, the very person who spearheaded the port’s construction, it could potentially lead to problems worse than the Labyrinth Flood. With the Prada port completed, there is no longer a need to pass through Retisencia, nor for the Duchy of Steilhang. Although Steilhang has ship services, so the impact is small, Retisencia, whose downfall is decided, is unpredictable, so we cannot be entirely unguarded. Retaliation is like their family specialty. If demons were dispatched from Retisencia to target me, even ordinary High Class individuals might not be able to cope. Therefore, to prepare for any eventuality, they have assigned Ancient Classes as guards. In reality, Lord Yamato was supposed to be my guard, but as he is also the highest-ranked combatant for suppressing the Labyrinth Flood, he cannot ignore that duty. This is the truth behind why Raus and Rebecca have been assigned to me.
“After the ceremony, you and Mana will be returning immediately, won’t you, Yamato-kun?”
“Yes. Once reinforcements arrive at Laofen, we plan to head to the Gagun Great Forest.”
“It’s regrettable to have a track record of defeating Demise Species at a time like this.”
My older sister sighs, but I believe it’s unavoidable. Aside from Wing Crest, only El of Falcon’s Beak directly contributed to the defeat of a Demise Species, and he himself stated that his role was limited to assistance.
“Your Highness, Princess Yuriana, excuse me, but could you please give your greeting?”
Oh, dear. This is the opening ceremony for the port, so I must focus on that.
“Understood.”
As I head to the venue with Baron Belano Estoario, the official dispatched as the magistrate, I see not only the invited guests but also many traders who have come from abroad upon hearing the news. The people of Prada also appear to be enjoying themselves in various places.
“I wish I had brought Flam with me.”
“I know, but after hearing what she said.”
Flam, Lord Yamato’s wife and my sister’s co-wife, who is from Prada, is unfortunately not here. Lord Yamato, my sister, and others had encouraged her to attend, but she argued that they could not afford to reduce their combat strength further and remained at the Laofen Labyrinth. While the fate of the Laofen Labyrinth remains uncertain, Flam was invaluable from the start of construction to the ongoing defense, so I do feel she should have been here.
Clutching my regret, I declare the opening of the port’s commemorative ceremony before the distinguished guests. The Trader’s Guild and Crafter’s Guild have set up stalls, but as Prada was originally a small village with fewer than 200 inhabitants, there are not many. However, with so many invited guests, perhaps a few more stalls would have been appropriate.
“Speaking of which, Yuri, didn’t you mention that nobles and traders were vying to secure land for their mansions and shops?”
As I take a sip of juice, my older sister opens her mouth as if recalling something. Some traders were put in quite a difficult situation, and to avoid ruining the atmosphere, I also didn’t want to be reminded of it…
“Ah, I believe a few traders were banned, weren’t they?”
As I hesitate, Lord Yamato answers in my stead. Yes, that is correct. Prada is situated between the Nadal Sea and Veil Lake, limiting its expansion. Thus, the size of the town will be kept to a minimum, but with the completion of the port, it will become a transportation hub, necessitating further expansion. In such a scenario, it would be necessary to build post towns, shops, and private residences to the south, as well as noble villas. However, several traders and nobles suggested demolishing the residents’ houses. The residential area for the people of Prada is located slightly north of the port, between the Nadal Sea and Veil Lake. While the commotion of the port reaches them, it is also the center of Prada. Being a prime location, the land value is high, and for traders, setting up shop there would be advantageous. Their argument was that the residents’ houses obstructing such a desirable area were an eyesore. Naturally, there is no reason or justification to entertain such nonsense, so I exercised my lordly authority to ban the noble and the trader from entering. It is a regrettable fact that this matter eventually reached my older brother. Well, as they were a foreign noble and a notoriously greedy trader, they have received reprimands and penalties from their respective monarchs and the Grand Trader’s Master.
“So that’s what happened.”
“No, I believe I told Mana about that as well?”
“Eh? Did you?”
As Lord Yamato says, I definitely told my older sister. More than that, this was before Baron Belano was dispatched, so my older sister was the first person I consulted!
“Ah, ahaha…”
My older sister tries to brush it off with a laugh, but she has always admired hunters and spent her time in combat training. While she possesses knowledge, she is not adept at domestic affairs. The reason my older brother appointed me as his aide, prioritizing progeny, was undoubtedly to allow me to gain experience in managing a territory.
“I don’t need any territory, but I can’t avoid it.”
Lord Yamato faces a similar situation. In addition to the Esmeralda Baronetcy, he holds the Marquisate of Amatista and even extends to the former Solemn territory. In the worst-case scenario, his workload would be comparable to that of a king. Lord Yamato understands this, and his eyes drift into the distance. Once a child is born and takes over, the burden will lessen. However, it also means Lord Yamato will no longer need to be involved in territorial management, so I can only tell him to accept it.
It’s almost time for departure, so I must board. Besides the Order, Raus, Rebecca, Carol, Reina, and Seras-sama are also present as guards, so I can head to Glacian with peace of mind. It is lonely that Lord Yamato cannot accompany me, but I will swallow my tears and let it go this time. Instead, I intend to have a proper make-up session tonight, so I shall look forward to it, my husband.
My new work, “Heliiosupia Chronicle,” has been posted. It has a different feel from this one, so please take a look if you have the chance.
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n1954fi/
