29-sai Dokushin wa Isekai ch.72

Weekly chapters (2/2)

New chapter for 29-sai~
The prelude of something big will happen.

Enjoy and stay safe everyone.

Translator: Raizu
Editor: Mirp

Episode 72 – ~An Encounter with God~

The news of my attack on the Gobbel Kingdom ran across the continent in about a week. When I reported it in the Kingdom of Mischronia, Ir-san iron-clawed me with a smile, and King Erwin, the father of Marl and Tina, slapped me on the back for doing a good job. When I told him that I had the Crown Prince soaked in Surströmming-senpai, my brother-in-law, Prince Albert, even asked me to shake his hand. Just how much did you all hate that crown prince?
On the other hand, when I spoke to Zondark of the Karendil Kingdom, his face turned pale and he collapsed. Apparently, he was so worried about Princess Kalynera, that when I told him that I had rescued her, he suddenly jumped up and let out a cry of joy.
I didn’t meet King Karendil in person, but it seemed that he would have a similar reaction to old man Zondark.

[Yo, the villainous stinking demon king.]

[Should I stop saying that I am the source of the stench?]

[Perhaps. It seems that the smell left on that castle hasn’t been removed yet.]

[I’m trying to be humane, you know? I gave them food as a present instead of an explosive light bullet.]

[That’s not food. If you carried it in a carriage, the shock would leak out the contents and ruin other products.]

Crossroads was a frontier town in the eastern part of the Karendil Kingdom. In this city, which was the city of my beginnings, I was having tea with Huey, who was in charge of me in the commercial guild. Today there was some free time after sending my wives to the Mischronia Kingdom and Karendil Kingdom respectively. We’re getting ready for the weddings.
Me? My job is to send people to the site and pay them. I left it up to my wives about the ceremony. Women were the main characters in the ceremony. I just wanted to be able to marry everyone.

[And, what about the commerce guild?]

[You can guess from the fact that I’m here. People and things are already gathering. What about that?]

[The road has already been completed. Right now we are using a loaded carriage for test runs, and we are in the process of developing a resting point. Three days if we hurry.]

[A week by carriage from the capital to the border, and two weeks to cross the Kingdom of Geppels.]

Don’t kick me, Huey made a bad face. Shorter distances meant lower shipping costs. This meant you could buy things cheaper. Even if you sold at the same price, you could make a lot more money than before. Well, it’s also a matter of how much we would tax.

[I still don’t know how long it will take from my house to the Kingdom of Mischronia.]

[Huh? What do you mean?]

[The highway that will lead the Kingdom of Mischronia hit a huge wetland. For the time being, the wetland has been reclaimed and a road is being built. I think it will open in a month or so ]

[I feel like I’m going crazy when I talk to you. Something like reclaiming a swamp is a big project that usually takes decades.]

If it’s done normally, perhaps he’s right. But I had ridiculously high MP and skills that used an exorbitant amount of MP. I created a straight path with the magic of the earthen wall, hardened it, and it’s done. It’s okay because there were a few holes that allowed water to pass through. If there were any problems, I would adjust them.

[Hold it, how long are you going to keep sipping on the tea cup, Mister Demon King?]

When Huey and I were silently absorbed in our thoughts, a bright voice complained from the side. This was Pinea, the main chef and proprietress of Burning Anvil. The master and general of the tavern was wiping the glass with his usual smiling face.

[Eh…but there’s no dessert here.]

[There are. Fruits that I peeled myself.]

[That doesn’t count as a dessert, does it? Dessert is more of a sweet object made with sugar, milk, and eggs.]

[If a beautiful chef peels the fruit, it automatically counts as a high-class dessert.]

[Beautiful chef (laughs)]

[What are you laughing at? I’ll kill you.]

[Sorry, I’m just kidding. Please give me a fancier dessert.]

Don’t screw around against a woman with a kitchen knife. This was written in the Kojiki.
And four copper coins wasted on one dish of『very normal』fruit that had been peeled cleanly and washed. What bullcrap. But I didn’t say all that, okay?

[What about monster countermeasures? People say that monsters in the Sea of Trees are vicious.]

[The method is a trade secret, but it’s already done.]

The mithril plate used as a passage pass had a moderately strong barrier against monsters attached to it, and the post town would have an even stronger barrier against monsters that was equal to Clover. I set up a checkpoint at the entrance to the Sea of ​​Trees and issued a pass there. If you used the highway without passing through the checkpoint, you would be picked clean by monsters.

[Our liaison officer will be here in a few days, so please fill them in with the details.]

[A horse beastkin called Yamato, right?]

[Yeah, a true workhorse.]

Yesterday, Yamato loaded a carriage drawn by a centaur with monster materials from the Sea of ​​Trees and special products made in various villages in the Sea of ​​Trees, and left for Crossroads. They should probably arrive here the day after tomorrow or the next day.
By the way, can a carriage pulled by a centaur be called a horse carriage? They got angry when treated like horses. Centaur car? A carriage? Could I call it a Kenta transport? The Kenta transport was faster than the carriage. It seemed that they used magic power to strengthen their body, and even if they pulled a load of the same weight, they could run at nearly twice the speed of a normal carriage. Moreover, even in the unlikely event that a monster attacked, they could defend themselves.
There were a lot of centaurs available, so it might be a good idea to let Kenta Transport operate both inside and outside the Sea of Trees. But for the time being, it could become a high-speed transport that connected the edge of the Sea of Trees and Clover.

[The first thing will be to bring things from Clover and sell them. The route from Crossroads to Clover will come a little bit after. It will depend on the construction of checkpoints and post towns.]

[Yes. Well, I’m looking forward to seeing what’s coming.]

[I bet that you’re gonna lose your mind.]

Weapons and armor made from the materials of the Sea of ​​Trees, textiles and bows made from Arachnean threads, pottery and sake made by the Oni, jewels mined by the Antillians, and the Sea of ​​Trees collected by the riverkins and fairies. There were curiosities such as wild fruits and medicinal herbs. According to Benjano, who ran a general store in Clover, it seemed that all of them were items that he had never seen before, and the prices were quite exorbitant.
My personal favorite were products that used Arachnean thread. Arachnean’s thread was strong and had an excellent affinity for magic. The bows were light and strong, and the weave was beautiful and durable. After all, just by pouring mana into the clothes and strengthening them, the defensive power would be higher than the poor metal armor. On top of that, it felt good on the skin.
I also recommend the vodka made by the Oni. A distilled liquor made from the potatoes grown in the village of the Oni, it was their favorite specialty. However, since grains were not cultivated in the Oni village, it would be great if we could exchange it for liquor made from grains and fruits that couldn’t be obtained in the village.
The vodka of the Oni was very easy to drink because of its high concentration and soft mouthfeel. It’s a very popular drink in Clover.
I parted with Huey after exchanging information to some extent. Yamato would arrive at Crossroads in a few days, so there seemed to be a lot of work to do.

[There’s still time…now then.]

I left the Scorching Anvil and started walking around. It’s past noon now. It’s almost time for snacks.
Marl, Melchina, and the three little girls are in the Kingdom of Mischronia, Fram, Tina, Kalynera, and Stella were in the Kingdom of Karendil, while Kusuha and Deborah were in Clover. Each of them were preparing for the wedding ceremony, making detailed contacts, and doing business.
I should do what only I can do.
First, explore the Great Sea of Trees.
There were still many unexplored areas in the Sea of ​​Trees. A lot of unexplored regions that not even the Arachneans and the Oni who lived in the Great Sea of ​​Trees had ever stepped foot in. It was believed that there were many unexplored ruins. Unexplored ruins often contained ancient items that couldn’t be reproduced with current technology, and untouched treasures, so searching for these was a job that only I could do.
Second, the large-scale development and material procurement around the capital Clover and along the highway.
There was nobody other than me who could cultivate a wide area in a short time. Leaving aside wood materials, my earth magic was necessary to prepare stone materials on a large scale. This was because there was no place where we could get a large amount of stone materials in the Sea of ​​Trees. In the sense that only I could do it, it had a higher priority than exploring the Sea of ​​Trees.
Third, the development of magic tools.
The development of mental resistance magic tools was an urgent task. In addition to the fact that the equipment needed to prevent the kind of magic that manipulated the mind, it would also be necessary to develop tools to remove the kind of mind magic that had already been cast. We also needed a magic tool to ward off monsters to be installed in the post town and to be incorporated into the passage pass. Only I could make these.
Fourth, investigating the Gods, heroes, and the Great Flooding.
I haven’t told anyone about this either, not even to my wives, but somehow the existence called the ‘God’ in this world smells suspicious. I can’t help but worry about the False God Alliance that the Moribito series I went to mentioned last time and the countermeasures that they had.
Wasn’t the black hole that came out during the Great Flooding a system that sent in living weapons raised in a different dimension to cause damage?
That black space appeared only on the battlefield where I was rampant and the death toll was extremely low. And the black beast that came out of that black space called me ‘the one who disturbs the planned harmony’. I don’t know who planned it, but I think that prearranged harmony refers to the death of more than a certain number of people.
People didn’t die as planned due to the flood that came “as planned”, and that black space appeared to correct that. Considering this, it was easy to predict what caused the flood.
Wasn’t it God who caused the great flooding?
The Great Flooding was not a natural disaster, but a culling of humans by God using monsters?
When I thought about it, I think that the self-proclaimed god also acted suspiciously several times. I thought he was talking about a disgusting monster with a pinched SAN value in the construction site of Clover, the capital, called a “preliminary plan”. I had a bad feeling that an existence that specialized in killing such creatures was just a backup plan.
Then I don’t think that self-proclaimed god is my enemy.
If my power was getting too strong and it’s getting in the way of his plans, he should be able to take my power away, and he’d probably say something. But his demeanor consistently seemed to feel that he enjoyed watching me.
If the Great Flood was caused by a God, then I think it’s safe to assume that he and the God causing the great flood had different motives. Maybe, but he’s on my side. At least, as long as I’m entertaining him.
As I was walking while thinking, before I knew it I had walked to the edge of the city of Crossroads.
Apparently, there were many temple-related facilities around here. Did I come to this place because I walked while thinking about God? But what I was thinking was supposed to be rather irreverent.
I felt so out of place.
Many of the people walking around are wearing white, ash, and other chic colors that seem to be related to the temple.
On the other hand, my outfit was black slacks woven with Kusuha’s thread, a black shirt, and a Hydra leather jacket on top of it. Not to mention that I’m also carrying a sword.
Anyone would think that I’m a dangerous person. The gazes directed at me from the surroundings hurt.

[――♪]

[Hm?]

When I turned around to return to the center of town, I heard a song. I’ve never heard this song before, but somehow it makes me feel nostalgic. Somehow curious, I turned my foot toward the song.
The singing came from what looks like a large chapel. The door was open, and it seemed anyone could enter, so I turned my feet as the song invited me.

[Oh…]

I couldn’t help but raise my voice when I saw the inside from the entrance of the chapel.
Boys and girls were singing in the chapel.
They were all dressed in what looked like white monk robes and were singing loudly. I can’t understand the meaning of the whole song because it’s from the middle, but it seemed to be a kind of hymn. The appearance of them singing under the light of the stained glass felt somewhat divine.
There were many benches set up in the chapel, so I decided to take a seat in the backmost seat and listen to the boys and girls singing. There were quite a few people sitting in the front seats, but the seats near the entrance were empty. I’m not a religious person, so this seat near the entrance would suit me. I pulled out the godsilver jointed sword from the sword belt together with its scabbard, took a seat and propped it up.
This hymn seems to be a song praising the Mother Goddess Gaina.
She was the wife of Vault, the God of Order and Judgment, and a Mother Nature Goddess who gave birth to various Gods along with Vault. The mother who gave birth to all living things. In other words, was the land of Eriard itself, the Goddess of Compassion who gave us the sustenance to live every day. She’s often depicted as a Goddess with blond hair, blue eyes, and a plump body.
On the other hand, it was said that incurring her anger would cause plague and famine. Did that mean that everything was both sides of the same coin?
Boys and girls sung words of praise to her. The Karendil Kingdom was blessed with fertile land, and it was said that there had been only a few years of famine in its long history. So said the old priest after the boys and girls had finished singing that it was the Kingdom of Karendil, the land which the Mother Nature Goddess blessed.

[Hmm…]

I thought as I glanced at the people leaving the chapel, wondering if the service was over.
If the Gods were culling people, what was their purpose?
I wonder if it would be inconvenient if the human population increased too much. Or maybe the goal itself was to kill humans.
What were the results of the increase in human population? Hmm… conflict between humans immediately came to mind. As the number of people increases, their range of thoughts also expands. That way people become more prone to disagreement and likely to fight each other. Human history was the history of struggle. At least that’s how it was in my original world.
Regularly using monsters to thin out humans and keep them constantly conscious of monsters as common enemies of humans. Yeah, wouldn’t that have the effect of deterring conflicts between humans due to wars of aggression? I don’t think it’s a completely ridiculous theory.
The other was when the murder itself is the goal.
For example, this would be a story about killing humans, collecting their souls, and gaining that power. In fact, that disgusting monster that devoured many human souls obtained an object with extraordinary power was called a soul crystal. Was God going to get something like that on a regular basis? This was also not an impossible theory. Perhaps that was the source of God’s power.

[Hello there. Are you coming to worship?]

[Hmm?]

Somebody addressed me while I was deep in thought on my seat.
She’s beautiful. Blonde hair, blue eyes, clothes that look a little more luxurious than nun clothes, well-equipped features, and a slim body. Umu, I should be familiar with beautiful women by now, but she’s definitely very high in the ranks.

[No, when I was walking while thinking, I heard a beautiful singing voice. I was interested and listened to it. After that, I was lost in thoughts. Excuse me, I came in without permission. Was I in the way?]

[No, it’s fine. It seems that you’ve been thinking about it quite seriously, but is there something you’re worried about? If it’s alright, I’ll listen to you. If you have any worries, just talking about it with someone might make things a little easier.]

Saying that, she smiled softly. Yeah, this kind of motherhood, or rather tolerance, was a type not found among my wives. No, sometimes Deborah and Shitan gave off such an atmosphere.
Now then, should I talk about it? The other side seemed like a firm believer. I think she’ll get angry if I say something bad. Hmm, but if you want to ask about God, you should ask a professional in that field.

[Then take my word for it… I’d like you to know this for starters, but I’m not a religious person. I’m afraid you’ll get angry at my insolence. Until relatively recently, I’ve been shut up in a secluded place, so I don’t have much knowledge about Gods.]

[I see. There are many adventurers like that, so it’s alright.]

[Thank you. I was thinking about the Great Flooding.]

Perhaps she was surprised to hear that I was thinking about the Great Flooding, but her eyes widened for a moment. Was there anything surprising?
Ah, is that surprising? I thought the Great Flooding was already a daily life problem. It’s kind of like when I ask about social issues or workplace worries, I get an answer like “I was thinking about peace for mankind” or “I was thinking about why wars happen”. Isn’t it unreasonable to be taken aback?

[Excuse me, how should I put it… does it sound childish to think about this seriously?]

[No, that’s not true. This time the flood was repelled by Hero-sama, but it’s not unreasonable to feel uneasy. Did you also fight in the Great Flooding?]

[I did. At the frontline even.]

[That is… it must’ve been tough]

[There was this unknown giant black beast.]

I had a head-on collision with a giant dragon, and I was badly injured by an unknown black beast. That black beast in particular was a formidable enemy. I wonder if that was the biggest pinch I’ve ever faced after coming to this world.

[And that’s what I was thinking, why is God causing the Great Flooding?]

[…..you think the Great Flooding is God’s work?]

[Yes, I mean God even gives us an oracle before the Great Flooding. Being able to detect it in advance and not stop it means that the Great Flooding itself is caused by the Gods. …..this must sound disrespectful. Sorry.]

I scratched my head in front of the beautiful woman who closed her eyes and fell silent. As expected, this remark to a clergyman in a chapel enshrining a God was a bad idea.

[No, don’t worry about it. The temple teachings don’t have any mention about the Great Flooding, but I can’t say with certainty that it’s not God’s work, as you say. Or maybe it’s God’s trial for us.]

[Trial?]

[Yes. Some people think it’s a trial to make humanity stronger.]

[Trial. Trial, huh… I see, it’s like making a selection.]

Selection by divine will? This was an idea I overlooked.
Just like iron was forged into steel, the idea of ​​giving humans the ordeal that was the Great Flooding and refining the existence of humans as a stronger species may certainly be a fair enough theory. It’s a large-scale poison that kills monsters and humans.

[Of course, there is no way a mere human like me can comprehend the will of the divine. But, there is no doubt that the Gods love humans. If They have abandoned us, no crops will grow in the ground, and no oracle will be given as to when the Great Flooding will occur.]

[Hmm, that does make sense…]

In other words, this person was saying this.
It’s true that the Gods will not stop the Great Flooding from occurring. However, they still alerted the humans in advance, gave us time to prepare for battle and gave us enough to sustain ourselves in the meantime. It was a trial to see human growth.

[As expected from a priestess. I must have been a bother, haven’t I?]

[Fufu, it’s natural that each person has their own thoughts.]

The priestess let out a giggle.
Well, any way of thinking can coexist with each other. It may be that they are reducing the number of people themselves, collecting human souls, and at the same time increasing the strength of human existence by promoting selection.

[The only other thing I can think of is that it was an act of someone other than the Gods… Hmmm, in any case, in order to eliminate the Great Flooding itself, it might be necessary to make direct contact with God once…]

[Direct contact with God…?]

[Oh no, I’m just babbling nonsense. Thank you very much for listening to this trivial story seriously. I’m sorry.]

I thanked the beautiful priestess who had a dubious expression and stood up with the Godsilver Jointed sword in my hand.

[Wait.]

When I was about to leave the chapel, I was stopped by the beautiful priestess, and as I turned around.
My spine shivered.

[What does God mean to you?]

The blue eyes of the emotionless priestess pierced right through me. I felt like I’m going to retreat involuntarily from the pressure coming from her. The hand that held the sheath of the Godsilver Jointed Sword unconsciously tightened.
It’s as if she’s not the same person who was listening to me with a smile until just now. Who was this person in front of me? I desperately use my confused head to search for an answer. There was only one answer that came to mind.

[Gods are tricky opponents, aren’t they?]

[That perception is correct. You should not let your guard down.]

She said so without a smile and closed her eyes. Something like an intimidating feeling softened at once. Cold sweat broke out. What the hell was going on here?

[Prepare yourself, the time of the trial is right around the corner. It seems to stretch as long as possible, and there will be no grace period.]

The blue eyes caught me again. The pressure hit me once more. No, this feeling is similar to when my POW was resisting some kind of magical effect. I feltl like I’m slowly running out of room. No more.
My heart ached and I felt like my tears were about to overflow. I want to go home. I want to go home.

[Yes… mother.]

Mother closed her eyes.
Mother? The Goddess was right in front of me? I’m such an idiot!

[You are such a spoiled child, aren’t you?]

The Priestess closed her eyes and let out a chuckle. Stop it! Seriously, stop saying things like that!
Her clothes changed in an instant. It’s a thin cloth that barely hides her plump body. It’s so thin that I could see the skin underneath.
Then, she opened her eyes again. Same feeling as before raided me. My POW was reacting against something. Stay strong and don’t lose. Do not lose! Remember Marl’s face, remember everyone’s faces!

[You don’t have to be so stubborn.]

[I, I refuse. Being a mother’s boy pisses me off!]

[That’s a pity. Then, why don’t you speak with him instead? You know who I mean.]

The area was surrounded by light, and her figure disappeared. Involuntarily, I fell to my knees and let out a rough breath. It was crazy today. That was really bad. God was amazing. It’s probably the Earth Mother Goddess Gaina just now, right? I didn’t know, but I’m sure it’s true.

[The development of mental resistance magic tools is an urgent task…]

Because I had a high POW, I’m fine. Besides, Gaina also said something worrying. The time of trials was right around the corner, so be prepared. God herself warned me, so it must be something that can’t be overcome with half-baked preparations.
I opened the menu and pressed a button that I had never touched. No response.
I decided to return to Clover with a determination not to weigh myself down.