------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"What are your plans for winter break?" Nubes asked, and Latia was the first to answer.
"I'm thinking of going home for a bit."
Bellum and Liber shouted at the same time.
"Can't I come too?"
"I want to go too!"
Nubes tilted his head, puzzled.
"Bellum, Liber. Why to Latia's house?"
Liber started to make a fuss.
"You're asking that even though you know? Nubes?"
"What?"
"Latia's house, I mean. It's the Meridian Duchy! The largest magic family in the Alkancia Kingdom! There are five castles in total, and there's even a rumor that if you combine them all, they're as big as the royal palace!"
Latia shook her head slightly.
"It's not that big."
This time, Bellum made a fuss.
"That big? You said that big? So it's comparable? To the royal palace?"
"Well... I only ever go in and out of the inner castle, so I don't really know how big the whole castle is. I've never even been to the North or West castles. But I think I heard that the area isn't much different from the royal palace..."
Bellum grabbed Liber's shoulders and shook him.
"She doesn't know. She doesn't know! She doesn't really know how big her house is!"
Liber grabbed Bellum's shoulders and shook him too.
"She's never even been to two of the five castles! And it's her own house!"
Bellum asked Latia.
"Can I come with you? Huh?"
"Well, then come along. We're leaving right away next Monday."
Liber, who had been excited, suddenly drooped.
"Ah...? Next week? I have to go to my family next week too... My father told me to come because of the traces of the great mage..."
"Ugh! I was supposed to go see my grandfather with my parents next week too!"
While Liber and Bellum were sighing deeply.
Latia looked at Davian.
"Ah! My uncle told me to bring you along if you have time, Davian."
"Me?"
"Yeah."
"Why? He's never even met me."
"He's probably seen you. He was invited when we had a friendly match with Kanzar Academy."
So he saw me that day and invited me.
"Where is he now?"
"In the Magic Tower. He'll be coming home next week."
So, he's planning to invite me to the Meridian Duchy first and then recruit me to the Magic Tower.
Anyway.
It's the first time I've been invited to Latia's family.
Of course, it's also the first time I've been there.
The Meridian Duchy.
The best magic family on the continent, and the second most powerful force after the royal family.
But.
Next week.
The head of the family will be murdered.
I first learned about it in the second playthrough.
In the third playthrough, I tried to prevent the assassination to prevent Latia's mental collapse, even a little bit.
But I wasn't even allowed to enter the Meridian Duchy.
But this time, Latia is telling her friends to come along if they have time.
Even her uncle specifically invited Davian.
In order to use Latia, who is growing more and more every day, as a great sub-dealer.
It's better to remove anything that could greatly shake Latia's mind before she becomes a third-year student.
And, if I prevent the head of the family from being murdered.
I can completely bring Latia over to Davian's side.
The Meridian Duchy, the best magic family on the continent, as well.
'If the game is set up this much, I should go.'
Davian nodded.
"I have to go since I've been invited."
Latia looked back at her friends.
"Anyone else going?"
Luna answered weakly.
"I want to go too... but I have to go home. My father took a vacation, so we're going on a family trip..."
Bellum nudged Luna's side and whispered.
"Hey, Luna. Are you okay? Davian's going to Latia's house, but you're not?"
"I can't help it... It's been a family trip planned for months..."
Bonita also expressed her refusal.
"I'm not going anywhere this winter break, and I'm going to go all-in on internal energy training."
Bonita made eye contact with Davian once and then continued.
"Because I got caught up by a scary guy."
Nubes nodded.
"Davian is a bit scary. I think I should go home this time. It's already been a year since I left home."
So the people who decided to go to the Meridian family on Monday were Latia, Davian.
And.
"I don't want to go, but. Davian's going, so I have to go too."
It was Karin.
"Wow..."
Karin exclaimed without realizing it.
"This is Latia, your family's castle?"
"Yeah."
"All the castles visible nearby?"
"Yeah."
"Even the castle far back there?"
"Yeah."
Southwest of the continent.
To the west, there is a valley flowing below a steep cliff.
Next to it, five castles stand tall.
The castles are far apart, enough that you have to travel by carriage.
The tallest castle is visible in the center of the five castles.
I haven't seen a castle that tall even in the royal palace.
Davian reached out and pointed to the tallest castle.
"Is that the inner castle?"
Latia nodded.
"Yeah."
This time, Karin asked.
"Were you born and raised there?"
"Yeah."
"You lived in an incredible place."
Davian nudged Karin's shoulder.
"You lived in the royal palace too. The royal secret weapon."
"I was just noticed by chance and dragged there. I didn't have a choice. But Latia, this is the house where you were born. You have parents too."
Ah.
I guess this kid doesn't have parents.
Come to think of it, I didn't know anything about Karin's past.
Except that she entered the royal family when she was young and was raised as a secret project.
The carriage dropped us off in front of the main gate of the North Castle and returned.
A moat was dug around the high castle walls.
The scale of the artificial waterway was enormous.
It was the size of a river that had been flowing there since the beginning.
Latia put her palm on a pillar set up on the right side of the road and gently pushed in her magic power.
A person's voice flowed out from inside the pillar.
"Is it you, Miss Latia?"
"Yeah."
"Please wait a moment."
Davian shook his head.
'Crazy. Is that a magic intercom?'
It seems like they can see everything here, asking if it's the young lady without asking who it is.
But there was something unique.
If the structure has a moat around the castle walls.
Usually the castle gate opens vertically.
The high castle gate comes down and becomes a bridge to cross the moat.
But the castle gate across the moat is a normal hinged door.
To do this, a separate bridge must be installed, but there is none here.
Ddddd.
I felt the ground rumbling.
"What, what is this!"
Karin shouted.
A huge stone bridge rose from under the deep, wide moat like a river.
The arched stone bridge completely came out of the water and connected the castle gate to the outside road.
Davian shook his head.
There was no mechanical device on the stone bridge that rose from under the moat.
It means it moves with the power of magic.
It wouldn't take that much magic stone to move that huge stone bridge so smoothly.
"Hey, Latia."
"Why? Davian."
"Your family has a bit of a boastful side."
"That's right. Let's go in."
The boasting didn't end at the main gate.
After entering the castle, Karin's barrage of questions began.
"What's that? Latia."
"Streetlight."
"All those things embedded in there are magic stones, right?"
"Yeah."
"What's that moving door?"
"Elevator."
"What's that?"
"Vertical moving passage?"
"What's that again? The stairs are moving!"
"Escalator."
"So that means it's a moving staircase, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then what's that?"
"Moving walk."
Davian asked.
"Do you guys seem to have gotten a little closer?"
Karin turned her head sharply.
"Us? Not close?"
Latia also answered.
"There's no way we could get close."
Karin also devoted her whole life to studying magic.
She couldn't help but be amazed by this castle, which was full of all sorts of magical objects.
But even taking that into account.
It was true that Karin and Latia's conversation had become more natural than before.
Walking a little along the main street inside the outer castle, well-dressed servants ran out in a line.
"Miss. Have you arrived?"
"Where's Father?"
"The Lord is in the inner castle. All the family members are gathered for dinner."
"I guess I'm late. I'll go straight to the dining room."
"Yes, Miss."
Following the servants' guidance, I entered the North Castle.
The floor was high and the interior was extremely luxurious.
Passing through the lobby, I saw a warp room on the right.
There were several magic circles drawn inside, but the door wasn't properly closed.
"What's that warp room? Isn't it connected to various places in the castle?"
"That's right."
The warp room door in Elton Academy is always closed.
Only some authorized faculty members have the key.
The warp room is guarded by Academy guards 24 hours a day.
"But why do you leave the door open so carelessly?"
"The warp magic circles drawn there only react to the magic power of our family members."
"Does that mean it's a warp magic circle that outsiders can't use?"
"Yeah. If I had come alone, I would have gone there and warped straight to the inner castle. But if I want to go with you guys, I can't use that magic circle."
Davian nodded.
If that's the case, then the security problem is solved.
"Then is there a warp magic circle for guests? The castle is so big and large."
"There is. But the usage permission procedure is complicated. It's better to just take a carriage."
Karin asked.
"Take another carriage?"
"You can't get to the inner castle even if you walk all day."
"Ha......"
Going out to the backyard of the North Castle, a fancy carriage was prepared.
Another servant opened the door and waited for Latia's party.
"Welcome, Miss Latia."
Davian asked.
"Still, the carriage is pulled by horses normally, right? I thought there would be a carriage floating in the air with magic."
"There used to be one. There was a big accident once, so it's currently out of service."
"Ah... there used to be?"
The carriage started running quickly on the main street.
"Huh?"
Karin sensed something strange first.
"Why isn't there any vibration? We're definitely driving on the road, aren't we?"
No matter how good the suspension is, there can't be no vibration at all if it's touching the ground.
"There's a vibration control device on the floor."
"That also works with magic stone, right?"
"Of course."
"I don't think even the king's carriage has something like this."
"I heard that the royal family doesn't use magic this much because there are various interests involved and there are risks."
Davian nodded.
That's right.
If you put magic stones even in the carriage the king rides in.
You don't know what will happen if the royal magic department has other thoughts.
In fact, the probability that the royal magic department will do such a thing is very low.
But various organizations that check the growing influence of the royal magic department are somehow blocking the use of magic in various places.
But here is a long-standing magic family.
There is no force to check the use of magic in everyday life.
The smoothly running carriage stopped just as smoothly.
The servant who was riding next to the coachman quickly got off and opened the carriage door for Latia's party.
"We have arrived, Miss."
Comments
Post a Comment