CH.358 Visiting the Hero’s country with Alice and Lua
853 3 31
X
Reading Options
Font Size
A- 15px A+
Width
Reset
X
Table of Contents
Loading... please wait.

Because I had been invited to the Hero’s country so that I could plant the next set of mana flowers, and to set up the dimensional barrier observer, I used the guild communicator and submitted a flight plan on when I’d be heading over. I also made sure to note that I’d be using a larger airship this time, since I was bringing Alice and Lua with me, and Mariina, Safia as well as the two knights from the Hero’s country would also be coming along.

I wanted to also bring Agunan and Ria, but someone should stay on HomeBase. I’ll give the two of them a few days off so that they can visit the Hero’s country later. Agunan should hopefully be able to make sure they don’t get lost. I mean, he can fly long distances pretty accurately, so it should be fine, I think.

I do wish I could trust HomeBase to someone other than Agunan, Alice, Lua or Ria when I’m gone, but I just really can’t. Cailie and Wilma are an option, as I do trust both of them for different reasons. Cailie because she is fighting for my love and Wilma because she got the System Support. But neither of them have the power necessary to solve issues inside the dungeon part of HomeBase, if a problem does arise, so I cannot leave them in charge. Maybe if they get a lot stronger or maybe if I can get them the Card Summoner skill.

 


 

The next day after I submitted our flight plan, we took off from the capital. I had first used summoned out B.E.S. ride, then beamed myself and Alice to the ground so we could pick up Mariina’s crew while Lua headed straight to our ship, and then I had Lua send a beam down to pick us up to the ship. And the ship we were using was B.E.S. Blaster Cannon Core. 

Spoiler

[collapse]

Of course during the duration of the flight, we used the invisibility given to the ship by Opti-Camouflage Armor, but as we got closer to the Hero’s country and I began to descend, I turned it off so that we could be seen.

Spoiler

[collapse]

And admittedly, that was the point where I realized that maybe I shouldn’t use visible spaceships that are this large. I mean, it didn’t go terribly bad, but my B.E.S. Blaster Cannon Core is still somewhat larger than the large airships that most nobles have. The few airships that I saw on my first visit were between 60 and 80 meters in length, and they also looked like regular boats, except that they had either wings or propellers or both. My spaceship had neither and it is over 100 meters in length. My ship also has quite large ‘wings’, making it look even larger.

Spoiler

Just so you can get an idea of the ‘wings’.

[collapse]

Despite the initial surprise of the bird-folk guards, after I made contact with them, I was let into the city. But as I said earlier, my ship was a bit larger than the usual ships, so it couldn’t land in the places most airships could. 

Not that that is a problem. We’ll just beam ourselves down to the ground.

 


 

“Sir! You simply must let us take a look at that ship!” A dwarven ship mechanic demanded. I remember him from the first time I visited, because he looked at Gradius with hungry eyes that just demanded that he be let to look at my ship. At least at that time he kept his mouth shut. But apparently my B.E.S. monster was just too much for him, so he had to speak up.

“Sorry, classified technology. If you move to work for me, you can take a look, but otherwise, no can do.” I told him somewhat as a joke, but honestly speaking, I do plan on at some point turning Gradius and Victory Viper XX03 into real ‘planes’, so I could really use a skilled mechanic when that happens.

“Is that true? We simply must talk about this more. Where would you need me?” The dwarf quickly asked.

“Lord Wood. Please don’t attempt to steal our workers.” A perky female voice cut in, and when I turned to look at her, a familiar crimson haired cat-girl was there to see me.

“It isn’t stealing. It is offering them a different job.” I commented. “And aren’t we on a first name basis already, Ula?”

“... I suppose so, Brian.” Ula responded. “But still, please stop taking away our best. Cailie was one thing, but Eitri is one of our best airship mechanics, so don’t try to take him.”

“Fine-e. I’ll try to not do so.” I said, as I unsummoned B.E.S. Blaster Cannon Core.

 

The dwarf, Eitri was it, didn’t like that the massive ship he wanted to explore vanished, and it honestly looked like he was about to run up to me and demand I get it back out here, if the bird-folk guards didn’t block his way.

 

“... Is it always like this?” Mariina asked, referring to what happened with the mechanics..

“Basically yes. Well, I’ve only visited twice, but both times, these … dedicated workers have been all up in my business about my ships.” I answered.

“You really have a talent for gathering attention.”

“What can I say? It is my blessing and curse.”

“But still, thank you. And not just for the ride, but also for the … Well, you know what. Also, please give this to Lady Janina for me.” Mariina said, as she handed me a sealed envelope that read ‘to Lady Ami Janina’ on the front. “I never got to thank her for the lessons, even if I must quit before I fully managed to learn it.

“Yeah. Sadly I don’t have two-way teleporters yet. When I manage to make some, I’ll give you one so you can join the lessons again.”

“... Is that true? You are making something like that?”

“... Don’t you know me well enough by now that you can tell when I’m joking?” I asked.

“... True. I should know that you don’t joke about something like that. … but does that mean you have one-way teleporters?”

“Well yes, but actually no. And the letter exchange boxes I have are technically two-way teleporters, I just have to make them human sized.”

“Well, I’m looking forward to when you’ll manage to do that.” Mariina said.

 

Her crew then packed up the stuff I had brought out of my Storage into the four golem carriages that I also brought out from Storage so they could head towards the Sage’s tower.

It is a shame she will no longer be visiting our Soul Magic lessons. She honestly was a great help, knowing all the right questions to ask. But I also think that her influence made Lady Janina into a better teacher, so even though Mariina won’t be able to attend the lessons for now, she still has had an impact on them.

 


 

We of course headed towards the adventurer’s guild in my carriage. I do feel a bit bad about my Overdrive, as it was my go to transportation before the carriage, but what can I say? This carriage is just more convenient. Maybe I should make a card slot that lets machine-type monsters possess my carriage and they could be the driver of my carriage? It probably wouldn’t even be that difficult.

 

The ride through the city took some time, but it was also nice. Ula was showing some of the sights to Alice and Lua, and admittedly even I didn’t know most of them. The times I’ve been here, I really haven’t spent that much time sightseeing.

 

“... The buildings here are so different.” Lua commented. “Even the Royal capital cannot compare.”

“Yes. What are they made of?” Alice wondered. “It looks similar to the house you made in the Factory. What did you call it..?” 

“Concrete.” I answered Alice. “That’s what it is, right Ula?” I asked.

“So you know of it. That’s rare, as it isn’t exported to anywhere but the three surrounding cities.” Ula said.

“... why?”

“Because it has to be kept perfectly dry during transport, or it gets ruined.”

“Oh. So it comes as concrete powder or something. And from there, you mix it with water. Makes sense.”

“... how do you know that?” Ula asked.

“... I just do.” I commented. “Where do you get it? From the Castle dungeon?”

“There too, but the Sage’s tower does know how to make it.” Ula said.

“That’s cool. … what were the ingredients for it again? Limestone and … something else?” I wondered. I think I read up on concrete like … twice or something. It isn’t complicated, but I just don’t remember.

 

“... again, if you don’t mind me asking, how do you know that?” Ula asked. “Can your System Support tell you things like that?”

“Good question. I’ve never asked.” (Laura?)

(I can give you the required list, if you so wish, but I don’t think producing it by hand is worth the time it will take. We can simply make it with HomeBase.) She responded.

“Yes. My SS can tell me that. But yeah, I know a bit about it even without her.”

“... I would ask you from where, but I know you won’t give me a real answer.”

 


 

After we arrived at the Hero’s countries guild, and as we were gazing at how large the building was, Ula headed inside to get someone. She instructed us to wait in the carriage, and we were good little kids and followed her orders.

After not too long of a time, she came out with two others. One was someone I recognized, as I’ve met her last time I was here. Though this time she was dressed in a more reasonable outfit and not full golden plate armor. She was the genderbent hero of the genderbent hero’s party and likely a descendant of the Hero, Wendy Hero. 

The second one was another female, but she was a mage. Actually a sage. Her robe has the exact same emblem on it as Ian Cobba had, and I’m decently sure it can only be worn by a sage. The great witch ID Mariina has, as well as the witch certificate Lua has, have slightly different emblems. 

The sage was an elf with long blond hair. She had on quite simple looking robes, and she carried a staff with her that had a large green magic stone on it. The stone was likely nature attributed, considering the color, and A-rank, if they didn’t compress it during the process. If they did compress it, then it might be a SS-rank stone, but I doubt that it would be one. I mean, Mariina doesn’t know how to compress a magic stone during the conversion process, so it likely is a sage level secret, if they even know of it. And using an SS-rank core for a staff is very much overkill, and I think I’m one of the only people who’d actually do it. And even I wouldn’t do it at the moment, cause I don’t have enough SS-rank cores on hand. 

 

“Hello again, Brian.” Lady Wendy greeted me quite casually, not that I mind. 

“Yes, it is nice to see you again, Lady Wendy.” I responded. “... we have some new people, so perhaps some introductions. I’ll start. This is Lucia, but please do call her Lua. And Alice Watchman. They are both my fiancés.” 

“It is a pleasure to meet you two.” Lady Wendy said. “My name is Wendy Hero, but please just call me by my first name.”

“Yes. It really is a pleasure, Lady Wendy.” Alice said. “I never would have expected that I’d get the honor of meeting a desce…”

“Please don’t mention that here.” Lady Wendy interrupted Alice. “We get enough looks already.”

“... Sure.” Alice quickly understood the issue when she looked around. As Lady Wendy said, we already gathered a lot of attention from the adventurers going in and out of the guild building, and we didn’t need any more of it.

Lua then took her chance to speak. “As Alice said, it is a pleasure. And it is quite an honor to meet a sage from the tower.” 

“You as well, young witch.” The sage responded. “I’ve heard some good things about you. Oh, my name is Shisu Tensei, but  just Shisu will do.”

“Yes, Lady Shisu.” 

“Also, I know you two came here because of Brian, but perhaps you would like to take the test to be acknowledged as great witches. We can offer that to you today, after we are done here.” Shisu offered.

“Yes. We’ll do that, right?” Alice accepted the offer and then asked Lua for her opinion.

“I think we should. We might learn something new if we do.” Lua agreed. “We have the time, don’t we Brian?”

“Yes. I did say we might spend the night.” I confirmed. “And as long as nothing bad happens, we can stay two.”

 


 

After the introductions, Lady Wendy took us to where I was going to plant the flowers. They had prepared a nice spot for us, but sadly, it was a bit too ready, so I had to have a lot of the topsoil dug out so I could install a lot of the equipment that was going to be under the dirt.

While I was doing so, Lady Shisu asked quite a lot of questions about different pieces. I explained to her how the Pitch-Black Magic Stones were made and how they worked with the flowers, then I wired all of the Pitch-Black stones to lead to a larger A-rank magic stone that would work as temporary mana storage. From there, I would then wire that mana to three devices. One was the Dimensional Barrier Observer, which I told Wendy and Shisu was a miasma detector. You know what it does, so I won’t have to go over it. 

The second was a location transmitter. In all simplicity, it let out mana with a certain ‘frequency’ that could then be picked up with a different device, and with it, the device could tell in what direction and how far this device is to that device. In short, it was going to be a part of my locator system that will allow me to share spaceships to people who don’t have System Support or some other way to not get lost.

The last one was a simple mana releaser. It would release the mana that wasn’t used by the two devices, while making sure the A-rank magic stone wouldn’t go completely dry. It also acted as a warning device that could send a message to HomeBase in case something went wrong with the flowers or some part of this system.

 

Other than the truth about the DBO, I did tell all of this to Wendy and Shisu. As well as answering their questions of course. One of the big things Lady Shisu didn’t want to accept was the ability my flowers had to just magically produce mana. I did try to tell her that they produce spell counters, not mana, but to her they were the same. And honestly, they kind of are.

 

And because I planted more flowers, my flower planting mission popped up and gave me a reward.

Spread the Flowers
Flowers planted in The Hero's City at the Adventurer's guild's main office
Reward: Aroma Jar, Aromage Laurel, Aromage Marjoram and Aromaseraphy Jasmine
Spoiler
[collapse]

Not bad cards, I suppose. Aroma Jar could be fun to experiment with, because it lets off a healing aroma. Laurel can make non-tuner monsters into tuners, so I could Synchro summon now, if I had a Synchro monster to summon. Marjoram’s effects are nothing amazing for me, but she is still another Aromage that can use an avatar doll and help Cailie with the fields, so I do welcome her. And Aromaseraphy Jasmine is my third Link monster, so that is cool. Her effect of protecting all of my Plant-type monsters while I have more HP than my opponent is also very useful, so if I ever start using more Plant-type monsters in fights, I might have to rely on her.

Just a shame I didn’t get any Synchro monsters. I really want to know what that locked tab of Pack Opener is. The one that says I need Synchro and Tuner monsters before it will unlock. 

 

“Brian. Do you think the Sage’s tower could have a flowerbed like this?” Shisu asked when we were finished.

“I mean sure, but I don’t have enough magic stones on hand to do it. I’d need at least 5 B-rank magic stones and one A-rank so that I could make one. Realistically, 10 B-rank stones would be even better. So if you can supply those, I can make one. If Alice and Lua are going to take part in some test, I can do that during that time.” 

“... you won’t be watching? And don’t you want to take part yourself?” Wendy asked. 

“I could, but I don’t really care about being a ‘great wizard’, because I’m really not one. I probably would fail in the first place. And as for watching Alice and Lua, I can watch it back in the Factory, so it is fine if I don’t see it live, if there is something I need to do in the meantime.”

“... the Factory?” Shisu questioned.

“My skill that lets me do some cool things. I’ll tell you more about it some other time, as it is a bit difficult to explain.”

“... I see. I’ll wait for that day then. Does the number of magic stones matter?”

“For the A-ranks, no. Well, kind of. They are the mana storage, so … more stones, more mana storage. But the B-ranks are the more important ones, as they are what dictates how much mana the flowers can make. But ten is maximum for this sized flowerbed.”

“Alright. I’ll get you the stones, so it would be a great help if you would plant more flowers.” Shisu said.

 

This is actually an even better offer than I’m letting on, because maybe I’ll get an Aromaseraphy Synchro when I make the flowerbed at the Sage’s tower. And if they supply the magic stones, all I’ll have to add are the install cards and the flowers, and I have plenty of both. … Well I guess there is the wiring, but that isn’t too bad.

31