Ch.188The Jewel of the West Sea. Zirconia (1)

I was starting to get tired of picking fish bones and the texture of oatmeal was becoming nauseating.

But skipping meals wasn’t an option either, so I was in a bind. Flying through the sky was nice, but I was increasingly eager to set foot on land and stuff my mouth with beef, pork, and chicken.

And as I was languishing in my misery, a most welcome sound began to echo from the bow.

“I see a city!”

“Land! It’s land!”

At the end of our long flight, we had finally arrived at the western coast of the Meridia continent.

Even through the thick sea fog, we could make out the sandy beach, the docks, and ships crossing the horizon in the distance.

Ah… at last, we could descend from the sky.

According to the map, the city visible in the distance was Zirconia, a city known as the jewel of the west coast.

It seemed to have a nickname similar to Parsifal’s, but I suppose all port cities were alike in that regard.

“We’re entering the city. Communications officers, keep the radio channels open.”

“Understood.”

As the Sky Warden approached the city’s airspace, a patrol ship monitoring the skies above the city headed toward us and demanded we stop.

-Identification… Sky Warden. Your vessel is currently passing through Zirconia’s airspace. Stop immediately and state your business.-

-This is the Sky Warden. We are approaching Zirconia for trade and to exchange military vouchers.-

-Confirmed. An inspector will board to verify cargo. Open your hatch and hold position.-

-Understood. Holding position. Opening the hatch.-

After the static-filled radio exchange ended, we stopped and underwent inspection from the patrol ship.

The inspector examined the state of our cargo, nodded, scribbled something on a piece of paper, and handed it to me.

“Your trading permit, sir.”

“Thank you. This is my first time in this city—where can I sell fish?”

“Imported goods are handled by the Trade Department. You should go there. And military vouchers can be exchanged at the Procurement Office under the Defense Department.”

The inspector answered my question with practiced ease.

I suppose such questions were routine given his profession.

“Ah, and one more thing… I want to recruit soldiers. Where can I do that?”

“Mercenaries, is it… For that, you’d best seek out the Veterans Association. Government offices can’t help with such matters.”

“Are there any restrictions on recruiting soldiers?”

“Forced conscription is prohibited, of course. Anyone with Zirconia citizenship must be paid at least the minimum wage set by Zirconia’s Economic Department, regardless of circumstances… Follow that rule and you shouldn’t have any difficulty recruiting. Anything else you’d like to know?”

“No. That’s sufficient. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

The inspector departed via the cloud bridge, and we closed the hatch before following the control tower’s guidance to moor at a docking tower, securing our airship with ropes.

And finally, after more than a month of flying, we could return to solid ground.

*

“You go to the Procurement Office to exchange the military vouchers, and you go to the Trade Department to sell the cargo.”

“Yes, sir!”

Before I could even feel the ground beneath my feet, I quickly instructed the cargo manager and my adjutant to handle the voucher exchange and cargo sales.

I considered doing it myself, but experts would surely handle these matters better.

I distributed one silver coin to each crew member to allow them to unwind on land, and I too descended from the docking tower with my party.

“Ah… I can smell the earth. I’ve missed it so much…”

“Who knew standing on unmoving ground could feel so stable!”

“Indeed, dwarves should live on land!”

We kissed the ground in gratitude for having our feet on solid earth again.

However, unfortunately, I couldn’t rest yet.

“Simon, go and recruit 1,000 soldiers. I’ll wait here at the docking tower.”

“Understood. I’ll be back shortly.”

As Simon rode off on horseback, I mounted my own horse and called out to the remaining party members.

“The rest of you have free time. Gather at the Sky Warden by 30 o’clock today!”

“Aren’t you giving us money?”

“It’s time for you to spend your own money. I’m heading to the Adventurers’ Guild to look at quests. If anything happens, come find me there.”

“Got it!”

I truly had no money left now.

After giving each crew member a silver coin, I was genuinely out of funds.

I had only 20 silver coins remaining. While that might seem like a lot, it was mere pocket change for a nobleman commanding hundreds of vassals.

“Bruiser! Run!”

“Neeeiiigh!!!”

Clippity-clop!! Clippity-clop!!

Bruiser, who had been confined in the airship for a month, galloped with foam at his mouth.

This feeling of the wind rushing past is something you can only experience on land!

I happily rode with my wife, cutting through the wind, and before long, we arrived at Zirconia’s Adventurers’ Guild.

“Watch Bruiser. I’ll be back shortly.”

“Yes, master.”

I handed Bruiser’s reins to Raisha and dismounted.

Ah… the Adventurers’ Guild.

How long has it been since I last visited one?

My heart was already pounding with excitement.

As I opened the door with trembling hands, the characteristic tinkling of wind chimes echoed in my ears, and I saw dozens of adventurers bustling about inside the guild.

Yes… it’s the same everywhere. The scenery inside a guild, that is.

I removed my helmet, attached it to my side, and headed toward the quest board.

The neatly organized section was always the Firewood-rank quest board, while the sparsely populated one was the Metal-rank quest board.

I chose the most eye-catching one.

A quest requiring a large number of people… something I couldn’t have dreamed of before.

[Epidemic Containment.]

[Hemorrhagic fever is spreading in five villages on the outskirts of Zirconia. Rapid containment needed.]

[All use of force authorized. Exemption from responsibility for civilian casualties.]

[Urgent request from the Zirconia city government.]

An epidemic.

Securing a containment line and isolating patients and carriers was a standard procedure.

Hemorrhagic fever was a disease that caused bleeding from the eyes, ears, and mouth, and once it spread, it could easily wipe out several villages.

There were vaccines and treatments, but how could the poor afford them?

And for the city government, villagers without voting rights were of no concern, whether hundreds or thousands died.

I tore off the quest notice and left the guild.

*

When I returned to the docking tower, my adjutant and cargo manager were waiting for me.

“How did it go?”

The cargo manager answered first.

“It was a successful transaction. We sold everything for 600 gold coins, and the laborers hired by the Trade Department are unloading the fish now.”

“They paid quite well?”

“They say there’s a food shortage… which is good news for us, isn’t it?”

I recalled the contents of the quest.

With five villages devastated by the epidemic, their produce would have been incinerated for quarantine purposes, naturally reducing the food supply and driving up prices.

Is it a sin to profit from the deaths of others?

I pondered this philosophical question as I turned my attention to the adjutant.

“There was some negotiation at the Procurement Office, but they eventually gave in. I suppose they couldn’t ignore military vouchers issued by a lieutenant general.”

“What happened to that lieutenant general?”

“From the way they spoke, he seems to have been stripped of his uniform. They didn’t even use honorifics when mentioning him.”

“Well… he couldn’t have expected a happy ending. So, the money?”

“I’ve placed it in the captain’s quarters.”

“Well done. Has Simon not returned yet?”

“The Sage? No, he hasn’t arrived yet. Recruiting 1,000 people is bound to take some time, isn’t it?”

“Tsk… I suppose so. I’ll go with my wife to buy supplies at the nearby market. If Simon arrives, tell him to meet us there.”

“Understood.”

*

“140 tons of milk. 30 tons of honey. 200 tons of flour. 100 tons of fresh meat. 10 tons each of salt, pepper, and sugar. 40 tons of eggs. 60 tons of fresh vegetables. 100 tons of alcohol.”

“How much is all that?”

“173 gold coins, sir.”

I opened my chest and handed over 173 gold coins, and the wholesaler left with a broad smile.

With this, 600 tons of supplies would be loaded, and the cost included the wages for the laborers who would carry them.

Watching the muscular workers diligently carrying boxes back and forth to the docking tower, I smiled quietly.

Soon, it would be my soldiers who would consume these supplies with abandon.

“Captain! The Sage has arrived!”

“Finally!”

I turned around.

There was Simon, leading a column with his staff, and behind his horse’s tail followed 1,000 soldiers.

They finally reached me, and Simon arranged them in a long formation.

“As you wished, this old sage has brought you an army.”

As I surveyed the soldiers, they responded to me in unison.

“””Long live Lord Victor!”””

And thus, I finally had an army.

An army of the sun that would follow only me.