Ch.210The Navigator’s City. Vecarium (4)
by fnovelpia
“My lord. I have a message to deliver.”
The messenger approached me in a straight line, his eyes fixed on me.
In his hand was a neatly rolled parchment, which he respectfully presented to me after a slight nod of his head.
“Hmm… an exploration request… certainly not something for the mercenary guild to handle.”
Exploration typically involved investigating ruins.
Of course, people of the past didn’t just build tombs; there were various types of ruins.
From valuable facilities like hospitals and factories to commonplace structures like residential areas and marketplaces.
Naturally, all of these had their own academic value, which is why scholars were always involved in exploration requests. Occasionally, when ruins from the ancient empire era were discovered—especially those preserved well enough to still be operational—wars would break out over ownership rights.
Just recently, those merchants I connected with the knights had obtained a room-temperature superconductor from ruins. While ruins from the Dark Age were one thing, those from the Nariaki Empire era were particularly valuable since they represented humanity’s technological peak.
“Let’s see…”
I began scanning the parchment.
The request was simple. Ruins had been discovered nearby, and they needed an escort to ensure the safety of scholars and excavators while they worked.
With my military force of 10,000 men, I could easily cover even large-scale ruins. The high training level of my soldiers and the quality of their equipment meant that no matter what dangers emerged from the ruins, we could at least buy time.
Normally, such exploration requests were rarely issued because the government didn’t trust adventurers at all.
If important components were stolen, there would be no way to recover them, and the government would be anxious about adventurers acting unpredictably inside ruins, beyond the control of authority.
However, the government also had limited time and budget, and above all, soldiers didn’t enjoy such adventures.
These requests were only issued when sending money-obsessed armed thugs who wouldn’t flee seemed more profitable than sending low-morale conscripts.
“Lucky us.”
“So you accept?”
“Yes.”
After saying that, I sent the messenger away and requested a checkout at the desk.
Later, staff brought down our luggage, and I contacted the brigade commander.
[Brigade Commander.]
[Yes, my lord.]
[Assemble the troops. It’s time to deploy.]
[Understood!]
We leisurely took the carriage provided by the hotel to where the airship had landed.
Looking around, I could see my soldiers in military uniform rushing about, yet even in this situation, they maintained their formation, moving in squad and platoon units without anyone breaking ranks.
“If all soldiers were like these, adventurers wouldn’t be necessary.”
“Well-trained soldiers are hard to come by, but finding skilled adventurers isn’t so difficult. We exist because there’s a need for us.”
“Hmm.”
I nodded and boarded the Sky Warden again.
From the captain’s quarters, looking down, I could see soldiers entering the airship in formation under their officers’ guidance. In the distance, children were watching my troops with expressions that said “so cool.”
Ah… I was like that once too.
Beeeep!
[Coordinates set! Ready for takeoff!]
-All personnel! Take your positions and wait until takeoff procedures are complete!-
And once again, my army and I began our journey toward the battlefield.
*
One day later.
We arrived at the excavation site with our army.
True to its description as a “large-scale ruin” in bold letters, the site was massive enough to be visible from the sky. Near the entrance were hundreds of tents and temporary buildings. More than what looked like thousands of large trucks were busily transporting something between Becarium and the ruins.
“Well, well. Becarium has found quite the jackpot. Ruins of this scale could easily cover a century’s worth of taxes.”
“Ruins have value in themselves… Even after they’ve extracted everything, they could turn it into a tourist attraction and rake in money by the shovelful.”
When I replied, everyone nodded in agreement.
Many cities had started as temporary camps set up to excavate ruins, with those camps growing into villages and eventually developing into cities. Since ruins contained the condensed history of both ancient and ultra-ancient civilizations, finding even a single diary could change one’s fortunes completely.
“Security is tight… they’ve stationed an entire armored division here.”
“Could we win against them?”
“Not a chance. Unless we use the ship’s cannons. How could a brigade of infantry defeat an armored division in an open field battle?”
“Can’t we buy tanks too?”
“Are you paying for them?”
The difference in combat power between infantry and tanks is clear.
Considering that just having tanks loitering near a border could worsen diplomatic relations, it was evident that the Becarium city government was literally betting its survival on the excavation of these ruins.
An armored division is no small force.
It was stationed here as the maximum security and minimum deterrent.
[Lord Victor. We’re beginning our descent.]
“Mm.”
-Lord Victor. Incoming communication.-
“Connect it to the captain’s quarters.”
As the landing procedure began, all the ground artillery turned toward the Sky Warden.
Even I couldn’t help feeling my heart sink when all those anti-aircraft batteries, capable of turning our patchwork modified warship into a moth in flames, aimed at us. The intimidation projected by a military force was truly tremendous.
“This is the field control team of the Becarium Ruins Excavation Unit. Who is the captain?”
“Victor Walker. Knight Errant.”
“…Ahem! Lord Victor. May I ask your business here?”
“I’ve come on a request. Weren’t you notified?”
“Ah! So you’re the knight commanding the army. Landing permission granted. Welcome to ‘the Ruins of Becarium.'”
“Hmm.”
The controller heavily emphasized that the ruins belonged to Becarium.
It wasn’t hard to understand why. Ruins of this scale could, with slight exaggeration, contain tons of orichalcum or mythril.
[Currently descending. Landing procedure phase 3 complete.]
[Mooring tower in sight. Confirming light signals. Landing according to procedure.]
As our altitude gradually decreased, we finally landed.
It had been 26 hours and 13 minutes since we took to the sky.
*
“Hmm… smells like a construction site.”
Inhaling the distinctive odor created by workers and trucks, we disembarked from the airship.
As we got off, dozens of heavily armed soldiers stood before us, all with their faces concealed behind bulletproof masks, making identification impossible.
Of course, they weren’t special forces, and there was no benefit in concealing their identities, so rather than for actual protection, the masks were likely worn to intimidate.
“Bring me the person in charge.”
“Before that, there’s something that needs to be done.”
“Oh?”
The one who appeared to be the leader among the soldiers handed me a document.
Looking closely, I noticed three silver pinecones on his shoulder board, indicating the rank of colonel—the highest field-grade officer rank.
However, that was one thing, and what needed to be done was another. I took the document and carefully examined it.
The document stated that during the execution of the request, command authority over my army would be transferred to Becarium’s military. Without hesitation, I tore up the document and turned around.
“The request is withdrawn. Let’s move to the next city.”
“…Alright! What was the next city again?”
“Peredias.”
“Good. Tell them to set course. No supplies wasted, perfect.”
Fools.
This army is mine.
And they want me to transfer command authority to them? There are limits to aggressive negotiation. When they act with such lack of business ethics, I have no choice but to fire the nuclear shell.
“W-wait, please!”
See? When things don’t go as expected, it doesn’t even take a minute before they’re clinging to my pant leg.
My companions deserve credit here. They handled my sudden reaction well, clearly demonstrating to the colonel that I was the one leading this party.
If they had hesitated or asked what was going on, the colonel would have somehow exploited that to cause division within our party.
But now we’re a party that has shared life and death together. We’ve reached a level where we understand each other perfectly, even when acting crudely.
“Th-this is the division commander’s order! Not my own initiative! Please hear me out!”
“Is that so?”
After hearing the colonel’s words, I turned back with a mocking expression.
Despite the mask, I could see the bewilderment in his eyes.
“Then bring the division commander here.”
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