Sisyphe

　The next day I come to the Republic of Ariadia.
　I leave my sister Kayna and Nora, who came with me from the free city of Tessesia, and head in the direction of the temple of Lord Heybos, the god of blacksmithing and treasure.
　As I walked down the main street, I saw many carts and people coming and going.
　Most of them are probably merchants and their servants.
　Master Heibos is worshipped by craftsmen and merchants. And the temple is also a meeting place for craftsmen and merchants. So many merchants come to the temple.
　And next to it, the temple of Lord Kvelia, the god of commerce, is built next to it.
　This temple of Lord Kvelia is not a temple, but a huge warehouse.
　Kvelia is the god in charge of the treasures brought by the dwarves in the heavenly realm according to Heybos and the treasures that Heybos makes.
　That's why the temple is not a place of worship but a warehouse.
　And I've heard that the temple of Lord Kvelia is one of the most robust buildings in the Republic of Ariadia, probably because it also holds public money.
　The Lord Kvelia faces the sea and the main street, with many warehouses lined up around it, and a lot of goods are brought in and shipped out.
　And some of them bring in gold and other coins.
　Some of the merchants who handle the money lend out the deposited money and charge interest.
　These merchants are especially called financiers.
　I think that some of the people who go to this temple of Heybos go there to borrow money.
　It's possible that I am one of them.
　But I am not here to borrow money. I have business elsewhere.
　So I pass through the warehouse district.
　My destination is a huge high tower built near the temple of Lord Heybos.
　This tower is the post office of the Republic of Ariadia.
　I look up to the sky and see the birds at the top of the tower, on which Pugmayoi and his friends ride, carrying the mail.
　As I enter the tower, I see many people at work.
　I find a young woman among them.

'Oh, it's Sisyphe. It's been a while.

　When the woman sees me, she calls out.

'Long time no see, Mariela. Is Memoru here?

　I call out the name of the young woman at the reception desk.
　Mariela is a receptionist at the post office, seventeen years old like me, and recently married. She is 17 years old, same age as me, and apparently just got married.

Yes, we are here. You're in luck, Sisyphe. Memor is only back yesterday.

　I am relieved by Mariela's words.

'Good. Could we meet for a moment? I brought sweets. Yes, would you like to join us, Mariela?

　I hold out the bag.
　I made this candy before I left. I thought I would give them to Memor.

'Good. I thought it was time to take a break. Then I'll go get Memoru.'

　Mariella laughed and led me to a rest stop before excusing herself.
　And when she reappeared, she carried a little girl with purple hair on her shoulders and a pointy hat, the costume of the red race.

'It's been a long time, Sizfe. I heard you became a war maiden. Congratulations.
Thanks, Memor. I've come here today to ask you a few questions.

　I thank Memor on Mariela's shoulder.
　Memor is a dwarf (pugmayoi) girl. I hear she's about the same age as us, but I don't know exactly how old she is.
　And, like all Pugmayoi, she is small enough to ride on a human's shoulder.
　The Pugmayoi get along well with birds and can talk and ride them.
　There is a famous story of a young Pugmayoi boy who made the magical journey with the Acker who led the migratory birds.
　Other famous people, such as Aunt Golden Spoon, who didn't care about her appearance, are also very famous.
　And many Pugmayoi use their bird-riding abilities to act as postmen.
　They can't carry large packages, but they can deliver letters.
　Most of the countries that belong to the Ariad League have a resident Pugmayoi postman.
　They live in towers on the walls of the city and ride birds to deliver mail to each country.
　The Pugmayoi of each country cooperate with each other and actively exchange information.
　Since they fly in the sky to exchange information, they are able to obtain information faster than humans.
　The reason why this tower was built not on the walls of the city but near the temple of Lord Heybos, where merchants come and go, is because the merchants wanted that kind of up-to-date information.
　And I, too, came to Memor for the same kind of information.
　Memor and Mariela met six months ago on a job involving the post office. It was a simple job that was quickly resolved, but I've known the two of them ever since.
　I take a pastry out of the bag and unfold it, and Mariela makes me a cup of tea.
　We sit at a table for four and have tea. Memor is naturally small, so he sits on the table and drinks the tea.
　She was very cute as she drank from a pugmayoi tea cup.

'You've raised your arm, Siszfe. Before you became a war maiden, I would have told you to quit being a freedom fighter and go to your wife.'

　Memor says as he eats his pastry.

'Hey Memor!

　Mariella hurriedly chides Memorie.

Okay. Mariella. I've heard it all before.

　I chuckle.
　I know I'm not cut out to be a warrior myself.
　My sister Kayna told me as much.

'I'm sorry Sizfe. But it's different now. Because you were chosen by the Goddess. She must have had a hidden talent.''

　Memor nodded yes.

'I'm actually surprised myself. It's not that I don't think I have the talent to be a warrior, but I would like to live up to the expectations of Raina-sama, who has given me her blessing. But I would like to live up to the expectations of Lady Raina, who has given me her blessing.

　Memor and Mariela let out an exclamation when I said that.

''If that's the case, I'll have to ask you for a favor or something. So, what do you need?
'Yeah, that's it, Memor. Actually, you can go to .......

　I explain the request I received.
　Memor, like all the other Pugmayoi in this tower, flies in the sky on a bird to deliver the mail.
　Flying demons are a threat to the flying Pugmayoi.
　For this reason, we hear that Pugmayoi and his friends share information about flying demons.
　Would there be any information about the Harpies among them?

Okay, so you want to help the man who was kidnapped by the Harpy. Is that man your boyfriend?

　Memor says with a twinkle in his eye.

'What?　I've never met him.
'Boo, that's boring. I was thinking of a war maiden rescuing her kidnapped lover.

　I chuckle.
　Unfortunately, that's not true. I don't have a man I can call a lover in the first place.
　Maybe I'll never get married.

'Oh my God, Memor. Sisyphe is serious about this.

　Mariella chides Memorie again.

'Oh, I'm sorry Siszfe. There's one piece of information about the harpies that I'm curious about. I have a companion who claims to have seen some harpies carrying food to the foot of the mountain.

　Memor says something that bothers him.
　Because of their work, some of the Pugmayoi fly near the Central Mountains.
　For those Pugmayoi, the movements of flying demons are a concern for them.
　That's why it is necessary to share information with them. Memor was also getting that information.

'I'm curious. I can't believe the harpies are carrying food ...... I wonder if there are any kids there?
'Maybe not. The harpies would build their nests higher up in the mountains to lay their eggs. They don't build them at the foot of the mountain.
And if so, what does that mean?

　I nod my head.

'Probably high up in the mountains, they have creatures that would die from the cold. Humans, for example.
!

　Memor's words surprise me.
　Humans will freeze to death on the high mountains where the harpies live. That's why, it seems, the harpies sometimes hold abducted humans in a wooden prison they've built at the foot of the mountain. So Memoril explains.

'Then that's where Phineas might be trapped!

　I said and Memorie nodded.

'I can't be sure. The friends I saw didn't check until they saw what was there because there was a possibility that they could be attacked if they got too close. ...... I came up with that possibility when I heard Sizfe's story, though.

　Memor says over a cup of tea.

'Shall I bring you a map, Cizfe?'
Please, Mariela.

　Mariella brings out a map with the Central Mountains on it.

'I'm pretty sure it's right around here,'

　Unfolding the map, Memoril gives a rough idea of where the Harpy is carrying the food.
　It's close to where he was abducted.
　Phineas could be there.

'Thanks Memor. Looks like you've found a clue.

　Well done for coming here.
　Let's get the word out.

Shenna.

　I will come to the Republic of Ariadia the next day after accompanying my brother, Decius, in his investigation.
　Your brother should be back at the temple of Lord Odis in the Republic of Ariadia.
　It seems that the potions your brother was investigating were not in circulation in the Free City of Thessesia.
　Perhaps it is only circulating among the upper class in the Republic of Ariadia for now.
　So far, there were no problems caused by the drug.
　However, it has slowed down the investigation.
　It also seems that there has been some interference from the senators who want this potion.
　This doesn't make for a proper investigation.
　In the end, the brother had to investigate alone.
　But the brother was also ordered by the temple to do another job.
　There will be no further investigation of this drug. The source of the drug is still unknown.
　But I think it's for the best.
　Maybe whoever is distributing these drugs is a very dangerous man.
　If you drop the investigation, your brother will be out of harm's way.
　So that's the end of this story.
　With that in mind, I come to the harbor.
　The reason I'm here is to meet someone.
　The person is a woman named Regina, who has been sponsoring me and the donkeys' ears.
　From this connection I go to see her from time to time.
　In the harbor, there is a gathering of ships going in the Gulf of Ariad and the River Kish.
　I go to one of them.
　The place where the ship is anchored is where the river boats gather.
　The ship I'm going to is the largest of them all.
　Its size is second to none in size to ships sailing on the sea.
　Normally, riverboats are small in size.
　They are good for going down the river, but they can be difficult to get up the river.
　There are several ways to go up the river, such as setting the sails on the boat, rowing with oars or poles, or pulling the boat on the land, but the other ways are more difficult if the boat is large.
　Therefore, the boats on the river become small.
　However, this is not the case with the ship I'm going to.
　This is because of the ability of the ship's captain.
　The captain of this ship is Regina, a woman about my age.
　She can use lizardmen.
　Lizardmen are so powerful in the water that they can pull a ship up a river. This is something no other person can do.
　This lizardman made her the captain of the ship, even though she had no skills in navigating it.
　She can also carry more cargo on board without the need for someone to paddle at the oars.
　For this reason, she is said to be the most profitable of all the other river traders.
　I go to Ms. Ligena's ship.
　When I get close, one woman is instructing the servant men where to unload the cargo to be put on the ship.

'Um, is Miss Regena there?'

　I call out to the woman.
　I've met this woman once before.
　She was born in the St. Renaria Republic in the far east.
　She is a follower of the younger sister of the brave Lord Raige of Light.
　She seems to have been sent to this Ariadia Republic.
　She is an excellent woman who can read, write, and even calculate.
　She is from a non-citizen's background and was a vagrant.
　That's why she didn't receive a proper education until she met the Brave Masters.
　However, looking at her now, it doesn't seem so.

''This is Shenna-san. If it's Lady Ligeena, she's on the ship. If it's Miss Shenna, I'm sure you'll be able to meet her as she is.

　Her language is polite. She feels like some wealthy citizen's daughter-in-law.

'Well, thank you very much.'

　I thank her and go to the gangplank.
　Then someone comes down from the boat.
　It's a group of men dressed as warriors, probably warriors of some kind.
　It's probably a warrior group of some kind.
　I make my way to the men.
　The men pass by, seemingly uninterested in me.
　And that's when the men pass by.
　I pick up a scent.
　I look in the direction the warriors have gone.

"Who are you?

　I could smell the potions that my brother had in his possession from the warriors that passed by.
　I climbed up the gangplank and made my way to the captain's office.
　When I enter the captain's quarters, I see a woman looking at a document.
　This woman is the captain of the ship, Regina.
　She's nicely dressed and looks more like a princess than a captain.
　Well, it seems she was actually a princess from some country.
　Her behavior is very elegant.
　It is said that she is popular among the upper class people in the Republic of Ariadia because of her elegance.

Hi, Miss Shenna. Come in.

　Regena looks at me and smiles.

'Um, Mr. Regena. I just passed by with some people who looked like freedom fighters, who are they?

　I ask about the men who look like warriors from earlier.

'The warriors?　Are you talking about the New Green Warriors, by any chance?

　Rigena says, tilting her head.

'Perhaps so. Who are these new green warriors?'
Ummm, what do you mean? I don't know how to answer that question. We're a rather unremarkable warrior group, Shenna. I got to know them through Tormarkis's letter of introduction: ....... The only other thing I can tell you is that I use this ship a lot.

　Rigena says with a troubled look on her face.
　'Tormarkis is a man who was once a great merchant. But now he is a subordinate of Mr. Ligena's.
　It seems that through his introduction, he has decided to let the new green warrior group on this ship.

''Um ......, what's wrong with that new green warrior group?''

　Rigena asks anxiously.
　Apparently, she doesn't know any more than that.

'No, it's nothing. It's just something I had to do some research on.

　When I said that, Regina-san looked at me anxiously.




◆Kilius the Magician.

　The three of us are in the basement of our temporary home.

''So Lord Kilius will be going with the Commander this time?

　I nodded at Tormarkis' words.

''That's why, Commander Walras. I'll be going with you this time. I look forward to working with you.

　I say, looking at the man in front of me.
　The man's name is Walras.
　He is the leader of a warrior group called the New Green.
　Walrath is a big man who looks like a freedom fighter.
　It seems that he used to be a subordinate of Atrana, the wife of Tormarkis.
　After Atrana disappeared, he is said to be following Trumarkis.
　Atrana had connections to demons and various demons.
　That connection has been passed on to her former subordinates.
　It was also thanks to this man that he was able to obtain the Harpy's bodily fluids, the raw material for potions.

''Heh, it's quite a tough road. Can we come to the sorcerer-dono?

　Walrath says with a chuckle.

'We'll be fine on that one. I'll have him carry it for you. He'll be slower during the day, but if he's just carrying him, he'll be fine.

　I look at the back of the room.
　There is something covered with a cloth.

What's that?

　Walrath asks curiously.

'It's a great piece of magic. 'Commander,'

　I laugh and reply. This is a relic of the great magic that I inherited from what was originally created by Master Talaboth.
　However, I don't explain further, as I don't think a freedom fighter can understand the greatness of sorcery.

'Okay, well, that's fine,'

　Walrath lost interest in it once more. After all, you don't understand anything. You are an ordinary man if you don't care about these magical crystals.

I'm sure you'll be able to find it. I'm looking forward to working with you.
You can count on me. It's money. I'll do anything to make money. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.

　Walrath laughs.
　It was a laugh, without a shred of intelligence.