Ch.444Episode 17 – The Blood-Drinking Tree

As I placed my hand on the brick house covered in moss and water stains, the world turned upside down. Through my shaking, turbulent vision, I caught a glimpse of Necropolis.

-RUMBLE!

The bricks writhed and swallowed my entire body, yet strangely, I felt no pain. Everything was peaceful. Except for the nausea turning my stomach inside out.

“Urghh…”

“Whoa there!”

Joaquin caught me as I staggered, nearly collapsing. Then he asked if I was alright.

I shook my head and muttered to myself. Please don’t speak. Your breath smells like marijuana…

“Hieeeek!”

“Kyaaaak-!”

The nymph and beastkin burst out from behind.

The wall, which moved like it was breathing, spat out the nymph and beastkin. Or rather, vomited them out.

Caer, who had fallen flat on the ground, was panting with her four limbs trembling, while Charnoi seemed unable to regain her senses, as if intoxicated by the spinning world.

At this, Francesca, who had joined us belatedly, asked:

“…What’s going on here?”

The walls parted like curtains opening, and Francesca walked out alone, looking completely composed. Her appearance contrasted sharply with the nymph-beastkin duo who had been spat out like saliva.

Having finally regained my senses, I gestured toward Joaquin. A motion urging him to explain.

Joaquin smiled brightly.

“You know that Necropolis is just a nickname, and it has a real name, right?”

“Yes.”

“Follow me, friends. I’m going to show you the true face of Necropolis!”

Episode 17 – The Blood-Drinking Tree

The crimson glow of soft lamps and the sound of water droplets falling in rhythm with our footsteps—drip, drip.

As two humans, a beastkin, and a nymph walked along, Joaquin raised his lamp to illuminate the path ahead.

The light didn’t drive away the darkness. The gloom in the alley was too thick for a single lamp to handle.

However.

When the light illuminating the alley suddenly disappeared with a whoosh of wind, something strange happened.

-Saaaaa…

It was light.

In the pitch-black darkness, light revealed itself.

Like moonlight clearing away clouds and opening up the distant world, a gentle light extended along the alley, leading somewhere.

Joaquin quietly closed his lamp and gestured toward us.

“This is the way. Just follow it.”

He was guiding us into the alley illuminated by the soft light. The extinguished lamp dangled at his waist, jingling.

“Where exactly are we going? And where is this place?”

I asked.

Joaquin slightly turned his head—no, he completely turned his body and began walking backward. Then he answered my question.

“I told you earlier! We’re going to meet the Abyssal Feeders. And we’ll do some sightseeing while we’re at it.”

Magicians as a species have a few screws loose. In that sense, Joaquin was the most magician-like person I had ever met.

In other words, he was insane.

Joaquin added, still walking backward without even looking ahead. And quite naturally at that.

“I was planning to show you a famous spot. You’re first-time visitors to this city, right?”

“Yes, and? What were you planning to show us?”

The Necropolis resident grinned.

“It goes without saying. The ‘Harbor,’ of course!”

I knew about the ‘Harbor.’ Or more precisely, I’d heard rumors about it a few times.

Judging by everyone’s reactions, they all seemed to know what the Harbor was. Caer was originally an intelligence officer operating in the Moritani continent, and Francesca was an administrative officer in the Magic Tower’s secretariat. The only one who didn’t know what the Harbor was would be Charnoi, who had worked in the Inspection Office.

“What is this Harbor…? It seems different from the harbor Charnoi knows…”

“Well, it’s…”

– ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ …!!

Just as Joaquin was about to answer, a massive noise swept over us.

Caer’s and my heads turned almost simultaneously. Since beastkin hearing is more accurate than humans’, it made sense to look in the direction Caer was facing. Francesca also turned her gaze in a similar direction where the sound came from, seemingly having vaguely sensed something magical.

“W-what…!”

Startled, Charnoi couldn’t even finish her words.

As the air vibrated, a sound like a brass instrument’s cry came from far away. A rather long cry.

Joaquin, who had stopped mid-sentence, raised his head to look at the sky. He pulled at the corners of his mouth, as if waiting for something entertaining to watch.

At that moment, I suddenly felt as if the surroundings were darkening.

Sensing something strange, I raised my head.

And saw it.

Sparkling crystals. A milky way drawn along gentle curves. Dense light seeping through the cracks of buildings and the rat holes of alleys, illuminating the underground city.

A whale with a massive silver body,

Was flying through the air, letting out a long cry.

“…What is that.”

Caer and I stared blankly at the whale, while Francesca, arms crossed, cast an interested glance. Charnoi couldn’t regain her senses at the jaw-dropping sight.

It was a scene straight out of a fantasy film.

An underground city and a whale flying through the sky.

“…Ah, it’s already started!”

The stoned magician smiled brightly.

“Let’s head to the Harbor too! Quickly, before it’s too late!”

*

The underground city built by exiled magicians is known by many names.

The most widely known name is, of course, Necropolis. But the true name of this underground city is,

“…the Harbor!”

As we turned the corner, an endless sea stretched out before us.

Between the sheer rock face and the water’s surface was a narrow gap. Light squeezed through this gap, reflecting off the gentle waves and melting into every corner of the city.

Beyond the boundary between the underground and the waves, that place was clearly a sea with large, slow swells rolling in.

“Let me introduce you! This is the ‘Harbor of Dead Whales’!”

Joaquin raised his voice, pointing to the ‘Harbor’ with both arms.

It resembled a coastal cave found along the Mediterranean coast. Gentle waves of seawater flowed through the gaps in the rock, and in the distance, fishing boats lined the horizon, while whales of enormous size were entering the city.

The Harbor of Necropolis, also the official name of the city, “Harbor of Dead Whales,” thus revealed itself before us.

“I think they called it that above ground too, right? In Necropolis we always just call it the Harbor, so I can’t remember. Hmm… Ah, whatever! I haven’t heard any news from above since I came here…”

Scratching his head, Joaquin waved his hand limply and got back to the point.

“Anyway, what is this place? It’s Necropolis’s lifeline, the greatest trading port where milk and honey flow!”

“Honey…? Does honey really flow here…?”

Fixated on that one word, Charnoi began looking around eagerly. The beastkin watching the nymph folded her ears in embarrassment.

“Hmm… It would have been nice if milk and honey really flowed, but unfortunately not. It’s just a figure of speech.”

“Ah…!”

Joaquin cackled at Charnoi’s dejected face. The stoned magician, finally coming to his senses, wiped the tears hanging from his eyes and then began rubbing his palms together while looking at the harbor.

Wait, rubbing his palms is fine, but why is he licking his lips, the crazy bastard. Is he really insane…?

The four of us, along with the resident, entered the Harbor of Dead Whales.

The moment we took a step forward, the surrounding scenery began to ripple, and the smell of salt characteristic of the seaside and the fishy odor of fish wafted strongly.

“This is the fish market! A market dealing with fish, shellfish, shrimp, and such.”

Colorful stalls lined up in rows. Locals with tanned skin, who appeared to be merchants and customers, exchanged conversations with large gestures and loud voices.

It seemed we had visited during a busy time. The fish market was bustling with people.

The fishy smell that stung the nose, the chattering voices. Hundreds of people were making a racket, each trying to say something.

“If you go straight ahead, you’ll see the harbor! That’s our destination!”

“There are so many damn people, can’t we meet somewhere else?!”

“We can!”

“Then let’s go there! How are we supposed to get through this crowd to the harbor?!”

“No way! On delivery days, the pasta noodles sold at the harbor are the cheapest!”

“…Why the hell are you looking for pasta noodles here, you lunatic!”

After shouting at Joaquin, I belatedly remembered. Ah, right. We were following this bastard to go shopping.

I shot a resentful glance at Francesca as I recalled why Joaquin had gone out. If we had shot him earlier, we wouldn’t have to suffer like this. Of course, the mistress (not really) had no reason to care about the glance of a slave (short-term). She coolly ignored me by pulling down her cape.

As we pushed through the crowd, I made eye contact with fish laid out on the stalls. One was an ordinary fish, sprawled on a rusty iron plate with its mouth open, dying. The other was a peculiar fish buried in ice in a locked tank.

“It’s a Jaratan.”

Francesca muttered, looking at the fish in the tank.

“What? Jara-what?”

“Jaratan. A whale that grows plants on its body.”

A whale that grows plants on its body. Thinking it was a fascinating creature, I was observing it with interest when a shocking explanation followed.

“It’s a representative harmful organism that eats humans.”

“Harmful organism? How can such a small whale be dangerous?”

“Adult Jaratans are as large as islands. They’re so massive that sea swells can’t even roll over their backs. Jaratans use their size as a weapon for hunting, and there are frequent reports of them attacking ships, mistaking them for food. By the way, that one is small because it’s just a baby.”

Francesca continued as she walked a step ahead. I was sticking right behind her.

By the way, I had to stay behind her in any situation because it was considered impolite for a slave to walk ahead of a magician. Damn bourgeois bastards.

“Hmm… That’s surprising. To think that such a small creature grows to the size of an island and eats people.”

“It’s not unusual in the marine ecosystem. Still, the plants growing on its body are used as raw materials for high-grade potions, so there’s demand for it. But… judging by the cut plants, it seems someone has already bought them.”

“Are there other parts that are traded besides the plants?”

“Many. The heart, brain, organs, and bones. Marine creature hearts, for instance, can be used as auxiliary materials for golems used at sea. If you’re a necromancer, you can study souls using whale brains.”

It’s all about money, I see.

Being a port area, the fish market was enormous. Looking around, there was nothing but people or seafood, and the path seemed endless.

“Caer…! Stop drooling and come along…!”

“Meowng…!!”

While Caer was drooling at the fish on the stalls, Charnoi grabbed her tail and dragged her along. Meanwhile, a local came running with money in hand.

Gesturing urgently toward a merchant, he looked every bit like a customer. He jumped out from a blind spot like a deer on a highway in the blink of an eye.

“Oops…?”

Just before colliding with the customer who appeared in front, Joaquin spun around in place. Having nimbly avoided the customer with fluid movement, the magician smiled and complained of dizziness.

“Oh my, I’m dying…! The world is spinning…”

“There are a lot of people, Joaquin. Is it always like this?”

Francesca asked as we were leaving the market. Unlike the disheveled resident in everyday clothes with a bird’s nest for hair, she was clearly a magician at first glance, wearing clothes made of quality fabric and a cape pulled down.

Perhaps because of this, while Joaquin frequently bumped into people, no one approached Francesca. Thanks to that, I could walk comfortably.

“No! It’s not usually like this.”

“Then why is it suddenly so crowded today?”

“Because it’s delivery day.”

Joaquin, suddenly coming to his senses, wiped his forehead.

Rolling up his sleeves and wiping his forehead, his eyes sparkled with a hint of intelligence. It was completely different from his appearance in the dark room, intoxicated by marijuana.

“The Harbor of Dead Whales is the only transportation network connecting Necropolis to the outside world. Small items are brought in by peddlers, but to bring in container-sized goods, you have to use the sea route!”

And today was the day when goods arrived at the harbor.

“See those whales?”

Our collaborator and guide pointed toward the sea. Whales of various sizes and types were entering the harbor one after another. I could also see the whale that had been flying in the sky.

I tried to find which whale he was referring to, but there was no need.

The whales Joaquin pointed to meant all the whales currently entering.

“Those whales are raised by the Abyssal Feeders. They’re for cargo transport!”

“…All of them?”

“Yes, all of them!”

The magician nodded and crossed his arms, as if finding it amusing.

“Talk about perfect timing. How is it that we came to meet those friends and they appear right away? And it happens to be delivery day too. There’s even a festival going on.”

“…Festival?”

A festival in a city populated by exiled magicians, cultists, smugglers, slaves, mercenaries, and whatnot. It seemed like an incongruous word.

Could it be human sacrifice, collective self-harm, witch hunts, orgies? To be honest, I wasn’t sure about the latter ones, but human sacrifice seemed entirely possible. With cultists mixed in.

Though they worship different gods, even those who stole Lucia’s blood are cultists in a way.

If such people were holding a festival…

“……”

Seeing my questioning look, Joaquin scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile. He waved his hands as if to say it was fine and began to offer an explanation that wasn’t really an explanation.

“In case you’re thinking something strange, let me tell you in advance, it’s nothing weird! It’s a festival! Think of it as a commemorative event. Like Thanksgiving.”

“Who’s hosting it?”

“Hm? Last year, the Draufnif Merchant Guild over there was in charge. This year, the Abyssal Feeders are taking over.”

“…So cultists are holding a festival?”

“Yeah, I guess so if you put it that way?”

“……”

“Ah, don’t worry. They’re good folks! Relax, relax.”

…Ah, yes. I’m sure they are.

*

Three humans, one beastkin, and one nymph began walking down to the harbor.

Lines stretching to the harbor and a teeming crowd. Seeing the densely packed people, Joaquin’s shoulders drooped.

“There are so many people because it’s the day the whales come in. Maybe I should have gone to the market tomorrow.”

“……”

Honestly, at this point, would it be okay to shoot him? Just to give the stoner an injection (physical) to bring him back to his senses.

I whispered quietly into Francesca’s ear.

“Should I shoot him, Magician?”

“Endure it.”

Whether it’s an injection or a bullet, it doesn’t hurt if you take it gently.

Joaquin explained that he was now going to find the Abyssal Feeders directly. He said he had friends in the cult group, so he could buy things cheaply and find people at the same time.

Wait, this bastard already took our money and is still thinking about shopping first.

I was tempted to snatch Caer’s rifle and bash Joaquin’s head in, but sadly, good opportunities always slipped away before they could be grasped.

“Here, here! Come this way!”

Joaquin, who had been shining his lamp around, shouted as he discovered something.

Following the stoned magician, we arrived at warehouse buildings right next to the harbor. While goblins with ropes around their waists were entering whale mouths to unload boxes, Joaquin spotted a man, stopped humming, and waved.

“Friend~”

“Goodman, you’re here?”

It was an Abyssal Feeder.

“It’s been a while! Are you back from your voyage? If you have any interesting stories, let me hear them.”

“Of course. But who are these people?”

“Ah, they’re my friends! They recently came to the city.”

Joaquin, who was happily greeting the cultist, quickly introduced us as friends. To be precise, he introduced Francesca as “an acquaintance from the Magic Tower” and referred to me, Charnoi, and Caer as “people vouched for by the acquaintance.”

It was a very natural introduction.

“My friend was recently exiled and had nowhere to go, so she came to Necropolis. I told her to visit whenever she was bored! But it seems she’s looking for someone.”

“What kind of person?”

“A cultist.”

Francesca cut into the conversation between the two. She tried to speak directly with the Abyssal Feeder instead of Joaquin.

But the Abyssal Feeder didn’t respond to Francesca’s answer. Instead, he looked at her with an expression that seemed to say, “Who the hell is this?”

Though stoned, Joaquin still had enough sense to notice the cultist’s mood. He smiled and drawled:

“Ah, sorry. She just arrived yesterday and doesn’t know the rules yet.”

Joaquin explained to Francesca that there was a “rule among Necropolis cultists not to casually speak with strangers.”

I could guess the reason. Probably because of the Inquisition or the Punishment Committee.

When Francesca slightly nodded her head apologetically, his tense eyebrows relaxed a bit.

“It’s not that she doesn’t know the rules, but that she forgot what you told her.”

The cultist, his expression softened, playfully nudged Joaquin. Joaquin grinned and asked if he could help find someone.

The answer was positive.

“It’s possible. But there’s a condition.”

‘What condition?’ Joaquin asked.

Before helping to find someone, the Abyssal Feeder set one condition. It was to allow him to verify the magician’s identity.

“Identity verification? What’s that?”

Joaquin expressed reluctance, but the cultist firmly shook his head. The reason was that she might be a religious police informant.

Of course, the Abyssal Feeder wasn’t really suspicious of Francesca and requesting identity verification for that reason.

“Identity verification isn’t a big deal. It’s just checking your name and ID against your face.”

“That’s it?”

“What, did you think we’d capture and imprison you? Don’t think so negatively. Sometimes worthless scum sneak into this city pretending to be exiles… It’s just a preventive measure.”

Certainly, there was no reason not to accept such a level of identity verification. Francesca was hiding under the guise of an exile.

She was disguised as a real exile with similar appearance, height, and age range, and even had an ID made. It wasn’t a forged ID made by a contractor but an officially issued ID from the Magic Tower.

Not only that, but she had also slightly altered her appearance with magical tools, so the chance of being discovered was virtually non-existent.

“I’ll do it.”

Francesca readily agreed to the identity verification.

Joaquin tried to stop her, and so did I, but it was useless. Her resolve was firm. She said she was absolutely confident she wouldn’t be discovered.

However.

“…Huh?”

As with all things, plans always go awry,

And the word “absolute” doesn’t exist in this world.

“Isn’t that Ranieri?”