"A powerful southern kingdom? Bigger than the Alliance and the Kingdom put together?!"
Beside the bean-planted fields, Priest Mekat's eyes went wide as he imagined the unknown tribes on the Southern Continent. This was the first time he had heard news of the Inca Kingdom, the first time he had learned of "Ta-wan-ting-su-yo"—no, "Tawantinsuyu."
He suddenly realized that the future southern voyage would likely be far more than an expedition to search for new crops and spread the Main God's glory. It would also be the first embassy from one powerful kingdom visiting another... And the captain and vice-captain in charge of the fleet would naturally also be envoys to a foreign land, Alliance representatives communicating with another kingdom! Such precious experience would be more than enough to make his path of promotion much smoother!...
"Ahem! Captain Chiwako, did His Majesty leave any other prophecies about the voyage to the Southern Continent?..."
"I think there were more, but I don't remember."
Old Militia Chiwako blinked, looking at Priest Mekat with a half-smile. Only then, under the other man's anxious expression, did he speak at a leisurely pace.
"Anyway! Before we truly set out, His Majesty will send someone to deliver a prophetic scroll of Divine Revelation... When the time comes, that scroll will probably be handed to you to manage!"
"Ah! Handed to me to manage?! Then I'll be... one of the two, captain or vice-captain!..."
Hearing such good news, Priest Mekat's face showed both delight and unease. When he looked again at Old Militia Chiwako, the other man had lowered his head and was digging a section of Sword Bean root out of the soil, examining it carefully.
"Mm... His Majesty said that on the roots of these beans, those swollen lumps, like little round beans, are called 'Root