724

21–35 The Botsfa Ruins

Mid-afternoon, January 12.
“We can see it! It’s a huge golem!”

A report came into the Egerea Kingdom survey team from a scouting hot-air balloon that had gone ahead.
The location was Tsubou Village, in the former Leonard Kingdom.

“Oh! Is that Egerea’s hot-air balloon?”

The Klein Kingdom survey team also noticed the balloon flying overhead.

“They did it!”

Cheers went up.
It had been one week since they entered the former Leonard Kingdom. With this, the expedition had achieved about eighty percent of its goal.

***

One hour later, at 1:30 PM, the two nations’ survey teams shook hands.

“Thank you for coming such a long way. So it’s called ‘Goliath,’ is it? What a presence.”

“Yes. It helped us a lot.”

“No, it was a very interesting journey.”

Inside a tent set up on the edge of Tsubou Village, the following people met face-to-face:

• Bernardo, captain of Klein’s survey team, and Gloria, vice-captain
• Bruno, captain of Egerea’s survey team, and Jade, a magi craft meister
• And reinforcements such as Major Fritz of the Shouro Empire

They exchanged reports on the route and the results of the expedition so far.

“At Newrea Village, you should be able to get seafood. At Owning Village, you can get wild sheepa.”

“At Uugon Village, you can get honey and citron. Also, along the way we found rye that has partially gone wild.”

Those were the reports. The main one who would benefit from these resources would likely be Klein Kingdom.

“The path Goliath walked is simple, but it has been leveled and made easier to travel. We tried to keep the route with as few climbs and drops as possible.”

As Fritz explained, the two from Egerea nodded.
Jade Nefloy looked like he could hardly wait to examine Goliath.

“The investigation of Tsubou Mine is still ahead, but we made a major discovery at the Soldrake Ruins.”

Because it would be found out sooner or later anyway, and because he wasn’t good at bargaining, Bruno chose to admit it openly.

“Oh… magic crystals (magi crystals) and a golem. That’s… truly enviable.”

Bernardo, captain of Klein’s team, said it with a slight hint of disappointment.

“We still haven’t investigated the Botsfa Ruins. Shall we investigate it together?”

Seeing Bernardo’s reaction, Bruno made the suggestion.

“Oh, that would be exactly what we want.”

***

The Botsfa Ruins lay about 30 kilometers southwest of Tsubou Village, where they currently were.

A hot-air balloon, Goliath, knights from both nations, and a magi craft meister.
With this lineup, Bruno believed the ruins investigation would go smoothly.

Normally, they should prioritize their own country’s interests first, and inviting another nation would not be a common choice.
It was a proposal that suited Bruno, who was not good at political judgment.

***

However, someone stopped them.

“No!”

It was the chief of Tsubou Village.

“Hm? Why not?” Bruno asked.

“Y-you must not go in there!”

“Hm? Why?”

“Something dangerous is sealed inside!”

“Something dangerous? What is it?”

This was the first time Bruno had heard such a thing. None of the villagers they had met so far had mentioned it.

“I don’t know. But I heard that long ago, near the ruins, there was a sign that said ‘Danger, do not enter.’”

“I see… ‘Do not enter,’ huh.”

Bruno thought a little.

This was the former Leonard Kingdom. Records showed it still existed during the Magitech War.
From the viewpoint of a knight, several possibilities came to mind:

• Weapons or military tools were hidden there, or abandoned there, and it was dangerous for ordinary people to approach.
• Emergency supplies were stored there, and the area was closed to protect them.
• Something truly dangerous was inside.

Bruno was a blunt man and not skilled at thinking deeply.

“…Has anyone actually confirmed it?” he asked the chief again.

“…”

The chief could not answer clearly. Of course not. He hadn’t checked it with his own eyes, and nobody else had either.

“B-but the legends—!”

Even as the chief insisted, Bruno raised his hand to stop him.

“Alright, alright. But we came all this way for our countries. How about we go slowly and carefully?”

He added that they also had a giant golem on their side.

Indeed, Goliath’s huge body looked reliable and gave a sense of safety.
The chief could not push any harder and finally backed down.

＊　　　＊　　　＊

The next day, the 13th, the expedition began moving southwest.

At the front was Goliath. In the sky, the hot-air balloon floated and guided their direction.
More specifically, it floated slightly ahead in the direction they should go, and Goliath moved toward it.

“Wow, this is amazing. Very reliable!” Fritz said, impressed.

“So observation from the sky can be this effective…”

The Egerea members were also thankful, because Goliath carried everything except their personal items, making their bodies feel lighter.

From this experience, the expedition style would likely include a scouting hot-air balloon and a transport golem.
It proved there was value in forming a three-nation mixed force.

They could travel at about 4 kilometers per hour, so the group covered the full 30 kilometers while there was still daylight.

“So this is the Botsfa Ruins…”

What stood before them looked like nothing more than the entrance of a collapsed mine.

To begin with, the “ruins” of the former Leonard Kingdom had two types:

1. The kind anyone would recognize as ruins, likely former research labs or supply warehouses.
2. The kind near villages that locals simply called “ruins.”

This place seemed to be the second type.

“…There might be valuable ore or magic crystals, but…”

The group’s mood dropped. A little… no, quite a lot.

Either way, the excavation would start from the next day onward.
They found flat ground near the ruins, set up tents, and that night passed without incident.

***

The next morning, the excavation finally began.

The area near the entrance, likely a tunnel mouth, was filled with collapsed dirt and rocks. It looked like it would take time to dig out.
But this group had Goliath, a powerful golem.

Goliath slowly removed the piled rocks at the tunnel entrance.

“Oh, amazing.”

“…I’m glad this giant golem is on our side.”

While the knights shared those thoughts, the tunnel finally opened its “mouth” before noon.

“Goliath can’t go inside, of course. So the rest is our job as knights. But first, let’s eat.”

As if holding back the eager members, Bruno said it half-jokingly. Bernardo agreed.

“Right. Let’s hurry and eat lunch.”

At the two captains’ words, the members calmed themselves, yet still rushed to prepare lunch.

Still, it was simple: warm soup, grill dried meat, and slice and arrange hardtack.
These experienced people finished in fifteen minutes.

“…Sir Fritz, what do you think?” Gloria asked.

After swallowing dried meat, Gloria decided to ask the opinion of Fritz, who happened to be beside her.

“Hm? About what?” Fritz asked, looking puzzled as he swallowed bread.

Gloria added the detail.

“No, about what is sealed in this ruin.”

At that, Fritz made a rare serious face.

“I don’t know. But if the captain decided it, I’ll just follow.”

“You’re a soldier of the Shouro Empire. Don’t you have discretion in matters like this?”

“I do, sure. But once I become part of an organization, unless there’s a very strong reason, I follow the policy of the whole organization.”

As if adding a final note, Fritz gave a wry smile.

“I’m not good at thinking, you know.”