The Safest Place
Sir Taize could barely maintain his image as a graceful elf.
He was almost faint with joy.
A short while earlier, his team had found a fragment of a magical wand on the island... or perhaps a warhammer. He had sent it back to the Wings of Wayne for the master to examine.
According to Adjutant Mailun, the master had been so intrigued that he had wanted to come to the island himself, but the captain had talked him out of it. After all, the Holy Seal Archipelago suppressed all supernatural powers. Warriors were better off, as they could still rely on their fighting skills and strong bodies, but spellcasters had a much harder time.
Even though mages also placed great importance on physical training and had developed a series of close-combat techniques for self-defense, those techniques required the support of spells and were still no match for a warrior's. Under these circumstances, allowing the master to set foot on an unknown island that had yet to be fully explored would undoubtedly involve risks and uncertainties.
The master had no choice but to give up, but he had asked Adjutant Mailun to pass on a message. To show how seriously he took the matter, he had even written a letter himself. He claimed that the staff was extraordinarily valuable. Though it was badly damaged and the power within it had almost entirely faded over time, the power that remained was still remarkably pure and possessed an extremely high spiritual rank.
Unfortunately, the Holy Seal Archipelago suppressed all supernatural powers, preventing him from circulating his mana, so he could not immediately appraise or analyze it. Even so, the master was certain that an analysis of the nature and structure of the staff's remaining power alone would be enough for him to publish a tremendously influential paper in the journal Arcane.
Its value was easy to imagine.
In the letter, whose handwriting was somewhat hurried and untidy, he hoped Sir Taize would order the soldiers to search the entire island thoroughly and find as many valuable objects as possible.
He also claimed that obtaining as many sacred artifact fragments as possible would bring the entire crew of the Wings of Wayne immense glory and merit. They would become heroes of the Dusk Moon Dynasty and might even have a chance to be received by the empress.
Sir Taize realized that he had still underestimated the value of the weapon fragment. He felt a little regretful; he should have found a way to keep it for himself.
But soon, he had no time for regrets.
The pleasant surprise came so suddenly that he was almost mad with joy.
Reports of discoveries came back one after another. Several groups had found fragments and wreckage, and all kinds of fragments emanating mysterious fluctuations of power were brought back. Sir Taize could not recognize a single one, but that did not stop him from sensing the vast power contained in each fragment.
One, for example, resembled a short rod. Its surface was covered in cracks, and its top looked like a pair of spread wings. Holding it, he could sense the power of light, as though a powerful and benevolent life-form in the boundless universe, countless light-years away, were calling out to him.
There was also a broken saber with a long hilt, made from an extraordinary material. Holding it gave rise to a strange impulse. At the very least, Sir Taize thought of his mother and felt the urge to kill... it was too strange.
Soon another dagger arrived, likewise badly damaged, with a ruby set in its pommel and the word "Azoth" engraved on it. The elf could not read the letters and thought they must be some kind of runes he did not know. Sir Taize played with it for a moment, then ordered his adjutant to send it to the master.
The master, too, was nearly mad with delight.
Another hundred sailors came ashore by boat, and the master was among them.
"I promised the captain I wouldn't stay ashore and would return to the ship afterward."
He and Sir Taize greeted each other, and then he said gravely, "I suggested that the captain send more soldiers, not only to continue searching this island for sacred artifact relics, but also for a more important task..."
The marine captain pondered for a moment, his expression darkening. "The Goth People."
"That's right, the Goth People."
The master said slowly, "The Goth People arrived here before we did. If we can find things on the island, so can they. They may have found more than we have. That is absolutely intolerable."
Every fragment represented a hefty amount of merit. It was a simple calculation.
Sir Taize said firmly, "Intolerable! Everything on this island belongs to the dynasty, to the empress. Those despicable Goth robbers can forget about taking what's ours!"
The master nodded.
"Although I don't like plunder and killing, things are different now. We have one more reason to wipe out the Goth People," he said. "We must make sure every member of the Goth People sleeps forever on this island, taking its secrets with them to the land of the dead. The secret of the Holy Seal Archipelago can belong only to the Dusk Moon Dynasty."
Sir Taize stood at attention and saluted. "Understood!"
With only the few hundred crew members of the Wings of Wayne, thoroughly searching all seven islands would be an extremely difficult and inefficient task.
They only needed to kill all the Goth People and then make a cursory search of the islands. After that, they could return to the royal capital with enough to show for it and report the matter to their superiors.
The council would then send a fleet to conduct a thorough archaeological excavation and obtain even greater rewards. As the discoverers and pioneers of this secret, the entire crew of the Wings of Wayne would receive generous rewards and compensation. The Dusk Moon Dynasty had never treated its brave explorers unfairly.
Their first priority, therefore, was to find and kill all the Goth People.
That way, the elves could have the island's secrets to themselves.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Sir Taize."
"All for Twilight Moon."
The two elven nobles exchanged courtesies, and the master prepared to return to the ship.
"Oh..."
The magister's gaze fell on Sir Taize's shoulder, where a magnificent golden parrot was looking at him with easy confidence, without a trace of fear.
Its appearance really was exceptionally impressive.
The master smiled. "Is this your new pet?"
The parrot stared at him for a few moments, then spread its wings and flew onto his shoulder.
The bird's easy familiarity pleased the master. After all, the magister was in an excellent mood. To a spellcaster like him who sought a breakthrough, those sacred artifact fragments were treasures no amount of gold could buy.
He laughed. "It seems to like me."
A thought occurred to Sir Taize, and he said, "I found it on the island. It's quite intelligent. If you like it, master, please take it as a gift. It seems quite fond of you, too."
A magister held an exceptionally distinguished position aboard the ship. Even the captain had to heed their advice and opinions, and this one seemed very satisfied with what they had found.
So why not win the spellcaster's favor? Reports aboard the ship concerning discoveries in the magical field were usually drafted by the magister.
In other words, if the master chose, the credit given to Sir Taize might increase a little... so an appropriate investment and gesture of goodwill were necessary.
The master happily accepted the gift.
"I brought a hundred soldiers from the ballista crews. The captain ordered them to join the expedition temporarily, under your command. Please put them to the best possible use."
The master smiled and saluted. "With that, I'll take my leave, though I'd be happy to stay on land."
"Please do return, master," Sir Taize said with a bow. "This is the Holy Seal Archipelago, after all, and a spellcaster's power is greatly weakened here. Your status is too esteemed for you to take risks before the situation is clear."
He accompanied the master all the way to the boat.
Sitting in the boat, the master bid the knight farewell. Holding the dagger engraved with the word "Azoth," with the magnificent parrot perched on his shoulder, he said to Taize, "Thank you for your concern. The Wings of Wayne really is the safest place, isn't it? Staying in a warm cabin, no one can threaten me."
The parrot spread its wings and repeated in Elvish, "The safest! The safest!"
The two elves laughed together.
After watching the master depart, Sir Taize turned back. He was considering how to deploy the fresh force of a hundred soldiers when bad news struck.
A scouting party had gone missing.
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PS1: The staff in the previous chapter was the weapon used by Cardcaptor Sakura, the original moe king. Given its shape, it was more of a mace than a staff... so, since magical girls exist, are there physical girls too?
PS2: It's Monday. Please vote...