Ch.241The Road to Cape Falcata (1)

“It’s nice to eat outside after so long.”

“Everything’s good, but my ears feeling clogged is a bit annoying.”

“Ahem… That can’t be helped. Humans were designed for one atmosphere of pressure.”

We were having a meal above the columnar joints. That is, about 1360km above ground level.

If an ordinary person were to step out here without protective gear, they would die instantly as all the moisture in their body would boil due to the low pressure, but for us, all Aura users, there wasn’t much of a problem aside from slightly clogged ears.

Once again, thanks be to the Sun for granting us the blessing of soul and body becoming one.

“Still, the view is absolutely spectacular. How massive must a volcano have been to create columnar joints 1300km high?”

“Ah, that. There’s been quite a bit of lively discussion among scientists. The most plausible theory is that it was formed during the Era of Eclipse.”

“The Era of Eclipse…”

It’s incredibly difficult to discover what happened during the Era of Eclipse.

First, you need survivors and remaining debris to have something to research, but during the 50,000 years when humanity rapidly regressed, everything accomplished during the Imperial Era turned to dust and disappeared.

Not in a figurative sense. Literally, destructive technologies and weapons were used indiscriminately to that extent. For a full 50,000 years.

If historical records had survived, the remaining humans wouldn’t have named their common calendar the Perish Calendar (A.P. – After Perish).

“Ah… I’m getting tired of just eating meat. I’m starting to crave fish now.”

“That yellowtail we caught while crossing the Meridia Continent was the most delicious.”

“I know, right? I still remember the taste.”

“The next continent… There should be even more delicious fish on the way to the Yenisei Continent. If not, we can always buy some in the city we’re heading to. With the number of mouths we have to feed, the market merchants will probably mobilize even their newborns to pressure the fishermen.”

Fresh food holds great value in itself.

There’s even a specific term—food desert—referring to areas where fresh produce is unavailable and only canned goods or processed snacks abound. Humans instinctively prefer things that are fresh and vibrant.

“So where are we heading? Aren’t we running low on supplies?”

“Well, yes… We loaded quite a lot, but it’s almost all gone now…”

The amount of food consumed by 10,000 soldiers was truly beyond imagination.

They were all robust adult men, and due to the nature of their military profession, they burned far more calories than even the average physical laborer.

And since that had to be multiplied by five, even the vastly expanded storage of the Sky Warden would need to be packed to capacity from now on.

“I’ve never been so grateful for having money. We owe Bekarium a great deal.”

“It’s all thanks to you, so no need to be so modest. If you weren’t the Sun’s Apostle, we wouldn’t have earned that money.”

“True. Looking back, I should have squeezed out 10 million instead of just 1 million.”

As I joked like that, the other six burst into laughter. Now that I’ve developed some sense for negotiation, I could probably extract more than just 1 million.

With me around, ruin exploration becomes a free pass, so extracting 1 million or 10 million wouldn’t be too difficult.

“Still, don’t get too carried away. What if real apostles show up and hijack the Sky Warden?”

“Oh dear… Even fame has its downsides.”

“Oh come on, Jaeseop.”

“What did you say? Want your head cracked open?”

“Gyaaah! I’ve been drinking!”

*

After lengthy discussions, we decided to head for Cape Falcata.

Falcata refers to a curved sword shape, and the cape was named so because its overall form had curves resembling a falcata.

“Being a coastal city, it should have a large population, and Centrum’s military supplies should be easily accessible. If not, we can always put in a request at the Adventurers’ Guild.”

“Haha. An adventurer employing other adventurers—this seems like quite a luxury.”

In reality, adventurers could employ other adventurers depending on the situation.

Just look at the definition of a party. As an adventurer, I’ve had other adventurers under my command through contracts for almost two years now.

Although it differs from the common form of employment, it’s employment nonetheless.

“Our army will finally have armor! With tanks and armored vehicles, we should be able to handle most wars with ease!”

“Hehehe… I can’t wait to hear the rumble of tracks and wheels…”

The dwarves were already drooling, acting as if the armored weapons were right in front of them.

Well, to be honest, I’m also the kind of man who gets excited at the smell of tank fuel, so I couldn’t really blame them.

“By the way… when will we arrive? How many supplies do we have left? About a month’s worth?”

“Exactly one month and two weeks’ worth, sir.”

“Ah. Right. Thank you.”

When I asked about the remaining supplies, the staff officer next to me checked his tablet and gave me a more precise figure.

A month and a half means roughly 60 days… that should be enough time to arrive on schedule.

“When can we expect to arrive?”

“Assuming we maintain our current speed, generously speaking, we should arrive by the end of July or early August.”

“I see.”

Already, 1202 has progressed this far. There are less than 10 months left until the rest of the world recognizes Laisha and me as adults.

Time really flies disgustingly fast.

I started my adventure around April to May, just as winter was ending, so it’s been a solid two years since I began adventuring.

“Sigh… I thought adulthood was far away, but now it’s just a year…”

“Hehe. Growing old isn’t so bad.”

“Sorry, Simon, but research shows humans continue to develop until the age of 25.”

“…”

When I said that, Simon became sullen and walked away, leaning on his staff.

I mean, I’m sorry, but… that doesn’t mean I should be described as “growing old” yet. I’m not in my 30s or 40s. Neither my wife nor I have even reached our 20s yet.

“You’re right. This old man was just being sentimental out of loneliness.”

“Grandpa’s crying! Boo-hoo~ Trash~”

As Simon deliberately put on a gloomy face, Lucia, without missing a beat, stuck out her lips and started criticizing me.

That damn woman. She’s definitely doing this on purpose.

“Shut up, you pointy-eared fools! Anyone can see you’re setting this up!”

“Boo-hoo~ Such nastiness, wanting to win against an old man too~ Boo-hoo~ Trash~”

“HAH!!!”

*

In the end, Lucia’s head was cracked open once again, and we turned the bow of the Sky Warden toward Cape Falcata.

After a very long time, we would see the sea again.

As I spread out the map and looked at the location of Cape Falcata, Simon entered the captain’s quarters, and I asked him about something that had been puzzling me while looking at the map.

“Come to think of it, cities seem to become fewer as you move inland. Why is that? Wouldn’t it be better to be closer to the Heart Cities?”

“Ah. There’s a reason for that.”

“Really?”

Simon pointed at the map, rubbing the area close to a Heart City as he spoke.

“When you’re close to a Heart City… most people choose to just go to the Heart City. You’ve been to Faerus Veil, right?”

“Mmm.”

“Right. Did you feel like living in any other city after that?”

“No.”

I answered immediately.

Anyone who has seen, felt, and lived in a Heart City, even for just a few days, would say the same.

Partishal? Of course I feel nostalgic about my hometown, but if asked whether I’d prefer to live in a monthly rental apartment in a Heart City for the rest of my life or in a five-star hotel suite in Partishal… everyone, including myself, would choose the former.

Skyscrapers of staggering height, looking down on the columnar joints we had climbed. Underground facilities extending like mazes, and shopping districts wrapped in the light of signs that shine brighter than any building despite being covered by the shadows of skyscrapers…

People living in Heart Cities, which seem to embody the very concept of “human cutting-edge,” have the privilege of looking down on citizens of other cities as country bumpkins.

“So that’s how it is. The continent is vast, but if one deliberately travels only between specific destinations like we do, it doesn’t take that long. With international trade being conducted via aircraft and ships in the modern trend, whether we like it or not, human civilization consists mostly of port cities, the singular Heart Cities, and fortress cities isolated and tucked away at strategic points in each region.”

I sighed as I looked at the map.

Someday, I too will stand as the master of a nation shown on that map.

Just not right now.