Chapter 311 - Genius

Itsuki finished his copying, and returned.

Well, it’s not like he can put those weapons to use yet. He’ll have to strengthen them.

As we keep the carriage on course, we slowly draw near a castle much larger than the one in Melromark.

White dove-like monsters fly in the airspace above the structure, giving it a resolute fantasy-ish feeling.

If I had been summoned here, I would have been greatly moved by this scene.

It’s more grandiose than Melromark, and it seems that living here isn’t too bad.

If you think about it, this world is more medieval-ish than it is medieval.

In those days, large cities like this one would have terrible sanitation. I’ve heard that waste matter was simply dumped out windows back then.

High heels were apparently created to avoid stepping in such matter, but I wonder if that’s true.

Unlike that, I don’t see any lack of hygiene here.

Plumbing seems to have already been perfected here.

Though I guess the villages on the edges of the country should still be rural.

This area’s been made with the knowledge of different worlds.

Zeltburg seemed to have bad public order, but this one seems more like a modern metropolis, or more like…

Naofumi: “Now that I think about it… it seems there’s less of a difference in treatment between Demi-Humans and Humans here.”

Because of our efforts, Melromark is currently working to rid itself of Demi-Human discrimination.

But it’s not like it’ll settle in immediately, and I don’t feel that any of the Demi-Human adventurers or merchants in Melromark are aiming to take permanent residence there.

Of course, there are plenty of Demi-Humans in the village on my terriory, but Faubley truly seems to have… no discrimination.

I rarely see Demi-Human and Human children playing together, so the sight is quite fresh.

Queen: “That’s right. I’d like to follow their example.”

The Queen looks over the scene.

Because of me, the country’s Demi-Human conditions are gradually improving, but Demi-Humans in my territory have started discriminating against Humans too.

Oh?

We just passed by a large church.

It had an impressive emblem displaying four weapons out front.

I guess it’s a Four Hero Church.

The churches near my place also have that emblem.

Next to it is another building, with clock-like circular plate hanging over the door. Around the edge of the clock, the shapes of various weapons are carved.

Queen: “That one is a Seven Star Church.”

The Queen points to both churches.

Queen: “Its altar contains various devices from past heroes. The proof of their existence is enshrined there.”

Naofumi: “Was that the stuff the Three Hero Church used?”

Queen: “Yes, it seems they secretly swapped out fake items, and took the real ones from here.”

Naofumi: “Hmm…”

After the audience, perhaps I’ll pay a visit.

Though I might not get a chance depending on what I find out there.

Queen: “See, you can see it even from here.”

Naofumi: “Eh?”

Saying that, the Queen points her finger towards the stained class above the emblem.

When I concentrate my eyes, I can make out four glass symbols above the first emblem, and seven above the second.

Each symbol glows with a strange light.

But the Seven Star stained glass is… a little strange, isn’t it?

There’s a single area that’s heavily chipped…

How should I say this? It looks like Pa○man, where only a single segment’s been chipped away.

Still, the seven symbols shine brilliantly.

Queen: “Until recently, only six of them were lit, but as the Hero of the Gauntlet was selected, the seventh one finally appeared.”

Scholar-like people in front of the church are offering prayers as their eyes dart towards us.

They embarrassingly turn their gazes to the heroes inside of the carriage before breaking eye contact.

Motoyasu is in another vehicle, but it seems nothing’s happening to him.

If the fact that we were heroes came to light, I think that these people would jostle us around, so I keep quiet.

Naofumi: “Heroes… Faubley has five of them, right? I’m surprised Silt Welt and the other countries permitted that.”

Queen: “Strictly speaking, they don’t own them, but are merely being aided by them. So I guess you could say their allied to this area.”

Naofumi: “Hmm…”

Queen: “Silt Welt also has a Seven Star weapon, you know. That would be the Legendary Claw. The weilder is a Demi-Human native to this world.”

Three were summoned, so two of the Heroes in this country should be native to this world.

Naofumi: “And the Cane is Melromark’s?”

Queen: “Yes.”

The Queen pokes Trash.

He quietly nods, and looks over at me and Fohl.

I don’t sense any motivation or ambition from him.

Queen: “In the past… The previous Hero of the Cane fought to the death with Trash for the right to wield it, though.”

Naofumi: “No, I don’t really care.”

I have no need for Trash’s backstory.

I’ve heard more than enough about him.

Queen: “Because of Iwatani-sama, I was able to get all sorts of information about the Hero’s legends from the generals of the Silt Welt army.”

Naofumi: “I see…”

Queen: “First, you understand that their country worships the Hero of the Shield, right?”

Naofumi: “Well, yeah…”

I mean, people do come over to pay tribute to me.

I seem to be the only hero that gets that high of a treatment.

Queen: “Anyways, I heard their legends, and realized a certain something.”

Naofumi: “That being?”

I know that legends are apparently this Queen’s hobby.

Melty also likes to talk of them.

And her love of Filo Rials apparently stems from the Queen telling her of their legends.

Forest of Illusions, was it? (Note: Chapter 65)

Queen: “Of the Four Heroes, the ones who were active in their country were the Bow and the Shield. Similarly, I also heard of the Seven Star Legends they knew of. Specifically, the Whip, Claw, and Hammer.”

Hearsay, is it?

Well, the Shield and the bow do have fundamentally good compatibility.

And the claw is currently residing in their country.

Queen: “What I realized from reading into their legends was that Humans rarely ever made an appearance.”

Naofumi: “Well, it’s a Demi-Human country, right?”

Queen: “That’s true, but the older the legends, the fewer humans, besides the summoned heroes, make an appearance.”

The older they are?

Naofumi: “Then the newer stories have more human interaction?”

queen: “Yes. I think that finding the meaning behind this fact may prove to be interesting.”

Fumu… Old Demi-Human tales are devoid of Human characters.

By that same logic, perhaps old human ones don’t have Demi-Humans.

The Human side mainly has tales of the Spear and the Sword, I guess.

Queen: “A similar phenomena takes place in Melromark. Strictly speaking, in the books left by the country that would one day become Melromark. The farther in time you go back, the less you hear of Demi-Humans.”

Naofumi: “Are they mostly stories of the Spear and Sword?”

Queen: “Yes, the opposite of Silt Welt. Inversely, the legends we have of the Bow and Shield are few in number.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

It truly is strange.

It’s not like Melromark and Silt Welt are separated by Sea, River, or Desert.

Could it just be that they had little cultural exchange?

I mean, in truth, the country of humans, and the country of Demi-Humans have a language barrier right now.

Because of the legendary weapons, the Heroes can understand all speech, but in the past, Raphtalia was troubled because she didn’t speak the language of Demi-Humans.

In my world, I heard that the language barrier during the Meiji Restoration turned out to be quite troublesome too.

Because of that, Japan was tricked into signing an unfavorable treaty, or something. At least, according to history.

Was it Middle School, or High school? Where did I learn it? I don’t really remember.

Naofumi: “Isn’t it just a difference in their cultural sphere? They didn’t expand, so they never met, or something?”

Queen: “That is the current established theory. Anyways, both sides appeared in this world around the same time, and lived Neolithic lifestyles constantly fearing attacking monsters. In our country, Demi-Humans were categorized as monsters, and in theirs, Humans were treated similarly.”

Until they could come to understand one another, they each thought the other was a race of monsters. So they didn’t include them in their stories.

That sounds possible.

Queen: “But… the rest is just my speculation, so please wait a little bit for me to find concrete backing for it.”

Naofumi: “You’ve already made me curious. What is it?”

Queen: “Even if you tell me that… just wait a while, okay?”

I follow the Queen’s eyes, and find that we’re in front of the castle.

I guess we don’t have the time for a long story.

Naofumi: “Then let’s finish the entry procedures.”

The queen nods, and calls out to the gatekeeper.

“You’re the Queen of Melromark, and the Heroes, correct? I’ve already heard… go ahead!”

We already declared we were coming, so the gatekeeper easily lets us through.

“…?”

Fohl looks over the scene, and tilts his head.

Naofumi: “What’s wrong?”

Fohl: “No…”

I look back to the gatekeeper.

He’s seeing us off with a smile? What’s wrong with this scene?

Fohl: “Is it my imagination? I sensed something was off somewhere.”

Naofumi: “Really?”

The keeper happily beckons us in.

I do find it suspicious, but if I’m too doubtful, I won’t be able to get anything done.

The carriage enters the castle, and the gate closes behind us.

Naofumi: “Should we park Firo in the stables before we proceed?”

“You can just leave the carriage in the courtyard.”

Naofumi: “I see.”

We stop the carriage, and enter the interior of the palace.

Oh, it’s grander than Melromark’s, and it gives off more of a dignified feel. The difference in the width of the passages is quite great.

It isn’t this world’s most powerful country for nothing…

A red carpet extends endlessly in every direction, and before us is a flight of stairs.

I feel we’ll get lost if we stray.

There also seems to be a path to the basement, but I guess that one’s to the dungeon.

Melromark has one too.

We’re guided as a large group as we climb the castle.

Naofumi: “Oh, right. What sort of people are these Seven Stars?”

I may be able to tell their personalities if I meet them, but I should at least know of their rumors.

It would have been best to ask earlier, but I don’t have another chance anyways.

Queen: “Then shall I speak of the Hero of the Whip, the one who participated in the Kirin battle?”

Naofumi: “Is the Whip from this world?”

Queen: “Yes.”

The Queen starts explaining as we walk.

Queen: “First, the Hero of the Whip was born into this world a rare super geniuses.”

Naofumi: “Born as a genius?”

Queen: “Yes, around once per generation, special people come around who greatly reform this world’s technology, commerce, magic, and many other fields.”

Naofumi: “Hmm… what a peculiar phenomenon.”

Queen: “He was born into a noble family that served the Faubley royal family, and he managed to master the art of magic at the young age of three.”

… I guess geniuses exist in every world.

So someone like that was selected as a Hero.

Wait, wasn’t Trash supposed to be some sort of master strategist in the past, or something?

Fohl is also… Among Demi-Humans, his battle prowess is top notch, and he’s a member of one of the strongest Demi-Human races.

Is that sort of strength a criterion for selection?

Queen: “And when he was five, he reformed our process of making paper, and he rapidly revived the industry for book-making in this world.”

Five?

Well that’s something.

… Itsuki matches the Queen’s pace, and starts walking next to her.

Well Itsuki was born into an Esper world with half-assed abilities, so he may have a few things to say about a super genius.

Queen: “Because of his overwhelming talent, he was constantly surrounded by praise. At seven, it was alchemy. He absorbed the knowledge of mechanics, and various magical fields, he graduated at the top of Faubley’s best academy, and left to be an adventurer. He quickly made his name as an S Rank, he won the martial arts tournament in Shield Frieden. Finally, just before the wave hit, he was selected as the Hero of the Whip.”

Naofumi: “A stereotypical genius, I guess.”

Queen: “Currently, he is researching transportation, I hear.”

The Queen points out of a window in the corridor.

Hmm? Something’s flying this way.

I thought it was a dragon, or some sort of flying beast, but… is that an Airplane?

Naofumi: “He made that?”

Queen: “Yes, a design left by past Heroes. A way to fly without using Dragons, Gryphons, or any sort of Magic. He’s doing research to put that technology to practical use.”

Yep, that’s a genius alright.

… What is this? For some reason, this sounds quite familiar.

But where did I hear it before?

I think it was a long time ago.

Even before I came to this world… no, that’s impossible.

But still, I feel that someone told me something similar before.

Hmm…

I feel irritated, as if something were stuck in my teeth.