Ossan Saikyō Chapter 13 Part 07
On the second day of walking, we finally caught sight of the mountain range that formed the border in the distance.
However, the mountains rose up like a wall, with an elevation difference of around 1,500 meters.
If the mountain trails were properly developed, an ordinary person might barely be able to cross them, but there was no way this was a mountain range that could normally be crossed with ease.
“Soushi-sama, we're going over those mountains, aren't we?”
It was only natural for Freynil to look up at them with a slightly worried expression.
“There seems to be a route, so with our stamina, I don't think it'll be a problem. Though it looks like it'll take some time.”
“Yes. I'll do my best not to fall behind.”
As we continued walking and talking, I noticed Sphenia looking up at the sky. When I followed her gaze, it looked like something was flying toward us.
“Sphenia, do you know what that is?”
“Yes. I believe it's probably the『Divine Beast』we rescued the other day.”
When she said『Divine Beast』, she meant the giant moth, the Garuda Moth. Looking closely, it certainly did look like a moth flying toward us.
We watched it as we walked for a while, and it became clear that the moth was enormous, with a wingspan of at least 20 meters. The patterns on its wings also looked familiar, so there was little doubt that it was the same Garuda Moth from before.
Seeing the giant moth gracefully beating its wings, Shizuna let out an “Ooh!”
“Is that not the『Spirit Beast』? It is quite rare for it to show itself before people.”
“『Spirit Beast』? You know about that Garuda Moth?”
“Indeed. It is a benevolent『Messenger of the Spirit Queen』that brings blessings to the land. They say that the abundance of Orz's soil is also thanks to the『Spirit Beast』. But more importantly, how is it that you know about it as well, Soushi-dono?”
“We rescued it before! It had been caught by a giant spider monster!”
When Rani answered enthusiastically, Shizuna looked astonished.
“What?! If that is true, then〈Saul's Guidance〉are benefactors of Orz!”
“Huh? Is it really that big a deal?”
“Of course. The『Spirit Beast』is an extremely important existence, indispensable to the nation of Orz. Goodness, this will make quite a story to take home.”
As we continued talking, the Garuda Moth, which had been leisurely flying through the sky, drew quite close to us. In fact, it was clearly flying straight toward us...
“Soushi-san, it seems to be coming down this way.”
Just as Sphenia said, the Garuda Moth made a circle overhead before gently landing right in front of us. It was strange that its enormous wings didn't stir up any wind despite their constant flapping, though perhaps some kind of magical power was responsible.
“Oooooh, the『Spirit Beast』is this close...”
The giant moth's face was surprisingly endearing when viewed up close. Shizuna approached it unsteadily, as though overcome with emotion.
When she reached it, she bowed deeply and began making movements that looked something like a ritual prayer. During that prayer(?), Shizuna kept saying things like “My goodness” and “Would that truly be acceptable?”.
Could she possibly be having a conversation with the Garuda Moth?
“It seems Shizuna-sama is talking with it.”
I nodded at Freynil's words as we watched. Once their communication seemed to be over, Shizuna came back over to us.
“Everyone, the『Spirit Beast』says it will carry us all the way to the capital of Orz. I have never heard of such a thing before, but what say you? Shall we accept the aid of the『Spirit Beast』?”
“Shizuna-sama, you can actually talk with the Garuda Moth... the『Spirit Beast』?”
“Of course. I may not look it, but I am a shrine maiden of Orz, you know.”
Rather than “not look it”, she was plainly dressed like a shrine maiden, but that was beside the point. I decided that being able to talk with it was probably just another normal thing in this world. Still, I couldn't believe we'd stumbled into an unexpected ‘repaying a favor’ event.
“So, the『Spirit Beast』carrying us to the capital is basically a reward for rescuing it?”
“Indeed. It seems it wishes to repay us for the favor of saving it. You truly are something, Soushi-dono.”
No, no. We only rescued it because we happened to come across it... But I suppose we had no choice but to go along with this flow that ‘someone’ must have set in motion.
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“Whoa! This is amazing, amazing, amazing! Flying through the sky! It feels like a dream!”
The one making a fuss at the very front of the Garuda Moth's back was Rani.
“I am overwhelmed with emotion as well... To think I would not only touch the body of the『Spirit Beast』, but even be allowed to ride upon its back...”
Shizuna, meanwhile, seemed more moved by that than by the scenery below us.
“I owe this wonderful experience entirely to you, Soushi-sama. As I thought, you truly are a man who bears the weight of destiny.”
Freynil was the one trying to assign some strange attribute to me, while I sat behind her.
The arms wrapped around my waist belonged to Sphenia. Apparently, she was afraid of heights, because she seemed to be trembling as she clung tightly to my back.
“This is certainly an achievement that must be entered into the Guild's records. If we report this to the Grandmaster, things could become quite serious.”
Meanwhile, the one sitting at the very back was Mariane, ever devoted to her work. It was only then that I realized that the members of my party were a rather gutsy bunch, or perhaps simply a group of girls who all did things at their own pace.
In any case, we were currently flying over the mountain range on the back of the Garuda Moth.
I had wondered whether a giant moth could really carry six humans through the air, but apparently it was no problem at all. The Garuda Moth continued flying with plenty of room to spare.
When it shot upward all at once, I worried about altitude sickness, but apparently an adventurer's body was unaffected by such things. Even when we flew at an altitude of around 2,000 meters above the ground, there were no particular problems.
Though, naturally, it was a little cold.
Once we crossed the mountain range without difficulty, we found a vast plain... or rather, farmland stretching out before us. There were also lush forests all around, with rivers winding through various places.
It was immediately apparent that this land was extremely well suited to agriculture.
“Orz is quite prosperous in agriculture, isn't it?”
“Indeed. Orz has emphasized agriculture since ancient times, and our people have never once gone hungry. In exchange, our magical-tool technology and the like are inferior to that of other countries.”
Shizuna spoke with a hint of pride, but ensuring that one's people never go hungry was surely one of the most important things for a nation.
“From what I can see, there seem to be relatively few houses despite the vast amount of farmland. It must be difficult to cultivate all this land.”
“That is our secret... though perhaps it isn't quite secret enough to call it that. In truth, we borrow the power of Spirits.”
“You have the Spirits help you with farming?”
“Indeed. Spirits never tire, you see. As workers, you could hardly ask for anything better.”
“I see. They really are the ideal labor force.”
“Though it is somewhat frustrating that people mistake the forms of the Spirits vessels for undead. I did not even know that people called us a ‘Nation of Sorcery’ until I became an adventurer.”
Leaving aside the whole “Nation of Sorcery” matter, having Spirits help with agriculture was an incredibly fantastical concept. If someone from Orz came to modern Japan, I imagine they'd be in extremely high demand.
After enjoying our journey through the sky for a while, we began to see a large city in the distance.
Unlike the fortified cities surrounded by walls that I had seen until now, this was the kind of city I was familiar with, where buildings gradually increased from the outskirts and became larger and denser toward the center.
The only unusual thing was that watchtower-like structures stood at regular intervals around the city's outer edge. They were presumably defensive installations in place of a city wall, but it was a rather strange sight.
“That is the Capital of Orz, Garouz. In Orz, when we say ‘the Capital’, we mean Garouz. Basically, there is no other capital. There are many small villages, though.”
“So the country itself isn't all that large?”
“I doubt it is even a quarter the size of Vermilion. In exchange, Garouz should have a larger population than Vermilion's Royal Capital.”
“I see.”
As we continued talking, the Garuda Moth entered the airspace above the capital and began approaching a large shrine... or rather, a building that somehow reminded me of a Japanese shrine, located in the center of the city.
A spacious garden surrounded the building, and it seemed that was where the Garuda Moth intended to land.
“Indeed, that is the center of the Nation of Orz, the Grand Spirit Shrine. It is where the High Shrine Maiden, who rules Orz, resides.”
I understood, thinking of it as something like a Royal Castle. But then I realized that, if we continued like this, we were about to suddenly intrude upon such a place. And we were arriving on the back of a『Spirit Beast』, no less. This seemed like it could cause all sorts of problems...
Damn it. Should I have asked it to land outside the Capital first?
But it was already too late to do anything about it, and the Garuda Moth began preparing to land.
It slowed its forward speed and gradually began descending.
There was a soft, light impact, and the floating sensation we had felt until then disappeared. The Garuda Moth had landed in the middle of a spacious garden covered in grass.
Looking around, I saw more than a 100 people standing around the Garuda Moth. I had seen many people coming out of the Grand Spirit Shrine as we approached, so they were probably officials and soldiers assigned to guard the area.
When we dismounted from the Garuda Moth, a commotion arose among them. Naturally. Seeing people descend from something resembling a divine messenger would obviously provoke such a reaction.
Once we had dismounted, the Garuda Moth gave one great flap of its wings and took off. After circling once overhead, it flew away in the blink of an eye. I hadn't even had time to thank it, but somehow I felt that we would meet again.
“Could it be... Shizuna?”
A woman stepped forward from among the assembled crowd.
She had long, beautiful black hair flowing down her back and wore an elaborately decorated shrine maiden's outfit, making it immediately apparent that she was someone of high standing.
She looked to be around 30, but judging from her bearing, she was probably somewhat older. She was a fair-skinned beauty who looked like an older version of Shizuna herself.
Shizuna stepped forward when her name was called.
“High Shrine Maiden, this unworthy Shizuna has returned under these circumstances for reasons beyond my control. The people behind me are those who escorted me all the way here, so I humbly ask that they be treated as honored guests.”
“Hmm...”
The woman called the High Shrine Maiden turned her gaze toward us. The intensity of her gaze was comparable to that of His Majesty the King of Vermilion, but as the High Shrine Maiden was the head of Orz, that was only natural.
“You appear to be adventurers. I would like you to explain why you have brought my daughter Shizuna here. And, together with the fact that you were riding upon the back of a『Spirit Beast』, I would ask that you explain the circumstances to us.”
“Understood. Of course, I will explain everything. ...Hmm? Did you just say your ‘daughter’?”
“I did. Shizuna is my daughter, and she was the shrine maiden who was meant to become the next High Shrine Maiden.”
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E/N:
Thanks for the lift, Garuda-dono!
Also, Anime Mommy moment right there! 😂
Stay tuned!
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