novelraw Chapter 252 : Floating Territory (6)
Chapter 252 : Floating Territory (6)
“What…?”
The mutter that first broke the silence from Ludwig’s lips failed to form a proper sentence.
The reason was simple.
He knew all too well just how absurd the ‘independent mana utilization system’ Kim Satgat had mentioned truly was.
However, Kim Satgat seemed to have anticipated Ludwig’s reaction.
Or perhaps he simply didn't care.
He shrugged his shoulders and continued unperturbed.
“Since it will be difficult for you to learn a new way to utilize the system… we will temporarily make adjustments so that our side can interpret the existing magic circle methods.”
“…….”
“You all can just use your magic circles as you’ve always done.”
The explanation that followed was even more nonsensical.
Not only were they using an independent mana utilization system, but they were also going to adjust it to match the Order’s methods?
That wasn't something you could talk about just because you knew how to handle a bit of mana.
Even the Order, which had undergone the history of magical development for an eternity, had never been able to invent any magical power source equivalent to the Central Satellite Magic Device.
Of course, its utility was so great that it went without saying, so it wasn't as if there hadn't been attempts to create things like 'portable magic power sources.'
However, those experiments failed one after another and were discarded, eventually being regarded as virtually impossible.
But if what Kim Satgat just said was true, it wasn't just a ‘portable magic power source’; it was essentially no different from saying they had created another ‘Central Satellite Magic Device.’
And that was something unheard of, even for someone like Ludwig Allegro, who had traversed the continent and uncovered every secret of the world, or Leonardo Louis Button, who had experienced the singularities of demons on the front lines and resolved countless bizarre occurrences.
‘…….’
Yet, it was difficult to flatly reject it as nonsense.
Right now, while the veil of the Black Sea was up and providing mana shielding, the very existence of the Floating Territory—separated from the Central Satellite Magic Device and floating in the sky—was proof.
It was as good as saying they possessed some kind of power independent of the Order’s magic.
However, there was a difference between vaguely thinking it might be so in one's head and hearing it directly from someone’s mouth; the level of shock was bound to be different.
In the first place, except for U-jin, no one in the tent had ever imagined that, no matter how great they were, they would have developed a mana power source that functioned like the ‘Central Satellite Magic Device.’
Breaking the momentary silence, Louis carefully summarized in a tone of utter disbelief.
“Does that mean… a place called ‘Floating Territory Joseon’ has created a satellite magic device on par with the Order’s?”
“Haha—”
“On par… it’s not quite that much.”
Kim Satgat shook his head and waved his hand in front of him.
“At most, there’s just a bit left over after operating the Floating Territory. It’s not as vast as the Order’s. Just how much mana supply are you expecting, young man?”
“…….”
“I can’t provide as much as you think.”
Kim Satgat burst into a hearty laugh as if it were nothing, speaking jokingly, but it was absolutely not something that could be called ‘nothing.’
No matter how ‘little’ it was, as long as he didn't say he couldn't do it, it meant that the minimum amount of mana supply needed to deal with the ‘Orc Mountains’ was more than possible with just the surplus from the mana power source that operated ‘Floating Territory Joseon.’
The room fell into a state of shock.
“…This is a spectacle. A tiger the size of a house was crawling on the roof.”
“…….”
“And I didn't even know it was there because I was sitting down fiddling with paper.”
Ludwig, the head of the UMC in charge of intelligence, muttered as if reproaching himself.
The words he spat out with a smirk were playful, but the meaning contained within them was not something to be taken lightly.
‘A secret force with an independent mana utilization system.’
While the scale was certainly different, the fact that they possessed a mana utilization system comparable to the Order’s Central Satellite Magic Device, regardless of that scale, signified the emergence of a third force that could threaten both the Order Alliance and the Demon King Alliance.
“Haha. I’ll say it again, it falls far short of the Order’s, so don’t speak like that.”
“…….”
“It’s just a single mouse that was running around the roof.”
Haha—
Of course, as Kim Satgat added, it didn't mean it was completely equal to the magic system based on the Central Satellite Magic Device of the Order Alliance.
After all, the size of the Order Alliance was what it was, and since the Order Alliance was not just a single organization but a literal ‘alliance’ formed by numerous organizations across the continent around the single axis of the ‘Holy Cross Order,’ the area they covered was different.
In the first place, if that ‘independent magic system’ could be applied far beyond the range of that ‘Floating Territory,’ they wouldn't have bothered to reveal themselves after hiding for hundreds of years.
The very fact that he had come here personally meant it was incomparable to the Order’s, which had spread a network of satellite magic across the entire continent.
Furthermore, although the people in the tent were surprised to see the massive Floating Territory hovering above the camp, ‘massive’ was only in comparison to a ‘flying vessel.’
Comparing it to natural features like the Central Continent was entirely meaningless.
Therefore, whether in terms of magic or the size of their force, it was nonsensical to say that the unknown organization called ‘Floating Territory Joseon’ possessed a power strong enough to face the Order Alliance or the Demon King Alliance one-on-one.
However.
‘…….’
What mattered was the current composition.
If the Demon King Alliance didn't exist, they might be a force the Order Alliance wouldn't need to worry about, but the current situation was one where the Order Alliance and the Demon King Alliance were engaged in a massive conflict called the War against Demons for an eternity.
And the fact that the war had lasted so long meant that both sides were so evenly matched that it was difficult to reach a conclusion.
If, in this state, a third force like ‘Floating Territory Joseon’ with an independent magic system decided to join one side, the tide of war would inevitably tilt in that direction.
Of course, the words ‘independent magic system’ were all they had, and the exact power of ‘Floating Territory Joseon’ had not yet been revealed.
But the fact that they had shown themselves here, right now, was as good as saying they were confident they could handle the risks even if a battle broke out due to some incident.
Because of this, Commander Kanna Cartier, Leonardo Louis Button, and Ludwig Allegro roughly guessed that Floating Territory Joseon could easily handle a force of ‘Legion-level’ scale.
And that ‘Legion-level’ force was enough to hand the victory of the War against Demons to one side.
Even in the Northern Subjugation War, the force the Order could form only after a very long period of painstaking work was a ‘Legion-level’ force.
The fact that ‘Floating Territory Joseon’ possessed that much power meant that their movement itself was no different from participating in the subjugation war.
“The magic system is one thing. Well, the rest is a matter of supplies. We’ll share some of the materials remaining in our ‘Joseon.’ Would that suffice?”
“…….”
Kanna Cartier remained silent for a moment at Kim Satgat’s words.
And instead of answering immediately, she asked one thing.
“…Just why are you helping the Order to this extent?”
“Haha. Well, isn't it obvious what should be done? It is not the way of the world to pass by sentient beings in distress.”
“…….”
“Why, isn't the way of the world to live by helping one another?”
Kim Satgat gave a slick, immediate answer, but Kanna Cartier shook her head.
“…No.”
The reason was simple.
“If that were the case, there would have been no reason for you to come looking for us like this.”
“…….”
If the Floating Territory truly only wanted to help the Order’s army in distress, they could have just dropped off supplies and enabled the magic that wasn't working.
In the first place, it must have taken considerable effort and sacrifice to hide their appearance from the sharp-eyed Order until now.
There must have been a separate reason for them to endure such effort and sacrifice.
Despite that, there had to be a reason why they appeared here, even revealing themselves in the process.
Furthermore.
There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.
Kanna Cartier knew the truth all too well: if something goes out, something must come back.
And to Kanna’s question, Kim Satgat, who burst into a laugh, said:
“You’re quick on the uptake.”
Thud—
“In exchange, lend me this fellow for a bit.”
He placed his hand on U-jin’s shoulder.
* * *
It was a story revealed only at the end, but the reason the old man in the bamboo hat helped the Order was not because of some high-sounding way of life like ‘mutual aid.’
It wasn't just a little help; re-establishing the Order’s magic system and delivering Legion-level supplies would inevitably incur significant expenses even for the Floating Territory.
The situation the current Subjugation Alliance faced was bad, but it wasn't as if only one or two regions had collapsed due to the War against Demons until now.
If they had truly arrived here for such a purpose, they should have appeared at the Anti-Demon Fronts that had collapsed before.
No, without going that far, they should have helped when the North was collapsing due to the Black Blood Disease earlier.
The fact that they didn't appear then but appeared now meant his words were logically inconsistent.
So, his claim that the Floating Territory came to help those in distress had to be a blatant lie.
The Floating Territory revealed itself and supported the Subjugation Alliance solely because of the old man’s persistence.
Except for his time as a Hero candidate just out of the Gateway Zone, he had long ago left the Order and belonged to the ‘Floating Territory Joseon’ side, so he had no particular lingering attachments or feelings toward the Order.
However, if there was one thing, he felt a certain sense of responsibility regarding ‘Isaac Einstein.’
…It was no different in my previous life.
He had simply used me as a pretext within that connection.
In my previous life, the reason the old man went out of his way to lead the Floating Territory and appear before the Order was because he knew Isaac Einstein had left a trap here.
And it was because he felt responsible for the Northern Subjugation Army that would collapse because of it.
…Well.
If I were to pick one thing that was different from then, it would be that back then he left the cure and solution for the Black Blood Disease, whereas now he provided help in a different direction because I had taken action in advance.
“If you’re ready, let’s head out. We don’t have much time, after all.”
“…….”
“Then let’s go, my coincidental and lucky friend.”