Chapter 70 – Astonishment of Vian and Finkle

I got the information from Finkle and I decided to move quickly for confirmation.

It is not as the same level as modern Earth but I have an advantage over other countries.

That is checking things from the sky.

「Hie, hiiiyaaa….hiiiiiyaaaaaa!」

「No-no way. I-it’s really a dragon…!」

Vian is screaming noisily while clinging to me.

Finkle is looking at the scenery on the sky while muttering something with a stunned face.

The escorts that will accompany me are Sedeia and Rosa for scouting.

We are flying at a high altitude riding Lagreat in dragon form.

In order to reduce the fear of the two civilian, I brought the two S-rank adventurers from Silver Wind party, Brunhilde and Meldia.

Brunhilde is looking around while fidgeting while Meldia was clinging on the back of dragon form Lagreat while shedding tears for some reason.

「Oi, Brunhilde. Is Meldia afraid of high places? Vian seems to be scared too.」

When I inquired to Brunhilde, she looked down on Meldia whose cheeks are on the back of Lagreat while crying. She gave off a wry smile.

「No, Meldia is just overwhelmed. She is a noble’s daughter and became an adventurer because she admired the legend of the dragon knight….」

I see. In other words, she’s crying because what she’s longing for is fulfilled?

So that is the reason why she’s hostile from the beginning. She can’t forgive a dragon knight impostor because she admires the dragon knight.

「Well, good. So, how many major cities of Galland Empire are around this area?」

When I asked, Brunhilde twisted her head and looked down on the ground.

「Two in Alda, four in Emres, hmmm… I only know that much…」

Brunhilde said that and looked at Vian.

Vian is clinging at me while shivering and is giving off a rattling sound.

「…Finkle.」

When I called his name, Finkle got startled and looked back at me.

「Wh-what is it?」

Finkle said so in a trembling voice.

「How many cities in Alda and Emres are gathering soldiers?」

「Alda has three big cities in contact with His Majesty’s country. Emres has four fortress city for the purpose of glaring Rembrandt Kingdom.」

「Which are the five cities in Alda and Emres are gathering foods and soldiers?」

「Three cities in Alda and two cities in Emres.」

Finkle answered my question without hesitation.

He answered in a clear tone as if he’s speaking the fact and not just a rumor.

I looked at Sedeia and Rosa who are sitting next to me.

「Sedeia, Rosa, let me know if you see a big city on the ground.」

When I say that, Sedeia immediately points to the ground.

「Leader, there’s a big city diagonally in front of us. It’s like a fortress city.」

When Sedeia reported so, Rosa looked at the ground immediately with a frustrated face.

「There is no fortress city in the immediate vicinity of Alda…」

Finkle who had heard the report of Sedeia said so but unfortunately our speed is different.

Although not much time has passed, flying on Lagreat will get you to your destination faster than you think.

「Do you want us to descend a little bit? Even if we lower our altitude a little more, we will not be noticed.」

「No one will ever think of being scouted from such height.」

Finkle murmured something as if tired to my words.

「Boss, I also found a city over there. I felt something big there.」

「It’s only your imagination, Rosa.」

When I was looking at the direction pointed by Sedeia, Rosa reported the discovery of a new city as if competing with Sedeia.

「A fortress city?」

「No, that is… it looks like a city with two tall towers.」

「The City of Topal!? That’s ridiculous!」

Hearing the characteristics of the city from Rosa, Finkle unusually roared.

「Is it a city that gathers soldiers?」

When I asked, Finkle nods and turned his face to the direction Rosa reported.

「It is a city between two major fortress cities. Those two cities are being supplied by Topal with food and slaves.」

After saying that, Finkle was surprised upon seeing the city.

「It’s really Topal… It takes two weeks in a carriage… in a few hours.」

「You probably need to cross mountains in a carriage. That kind of thing will not matter with this kind of travel.」

When I said that, Finkle took a deep breath and sat back.

And look up to the blue sky.

「…Thank you for today. I learned a lot. I was able to realize the fact that I should not get in trouble with the country of the dragon knight.」

Finkle said so and looked at me with a bitter smile.

Somehow, it felt like something fell from his face and he looks refreshed now.

「That’s good. Would you report that back to Maeas?」

「…No… I’ll just boast to my fellow peddlers that I was able to ride a dragon.」

Finkle returned a suitable reply to my question and laughed.

「Boss, it seems to be a hit.」

Was she listening to my conversation with Finkle? Rosa’s timing to interrupt our conversation is good.

Looking at it, the vicinity of Topal as a large number of different color of tents.

「Mercenaries?」

「They’re wearing various kind of equipments and they don’t look like a knight order.」

When said Sedeia and I said so, Brunhilde came to our side and looked at the ground.

「…They are the red monkey mercenary group… and also the dragon fangs. Their flags looks like those.」

「Red Monkey and Dragon Fang? Their names have no tension. What kind of mercenaries are they?」

「Red monkey are a large group of mercenaries with many slaves. It is a famous mercenary group that maintains their number to 1,000 at all times. Dragon Fang is a group of former adventurers of a few elite conversely. They are about 50 people and many of them are ranked B. They also often appear in battlefields.」

「Hmmm… wouldn’t it be better for them to stay as adventurers?」

When I said that, Brunhilde frowned.

「Most of them are the adventurers who were expelled for committing crimes. Now, rather than fighting monsters, it seems that they want to fight against humans.」

「I see.」

I replied to the words of Brunhilde and looked down at the mercenary group again.

If they’re still gathering, how many more soldiers will gather here?

「Let’s return for the time being. Finkle, tell us the road where the Galland Empire’s force would likely come from. Let’s take a look at it at the way back. 」

I said so and looked around.

If there are many roads crossing the mountain, there will be no problem even if we were attacked from three places at the same time.

It would be easy for my subordinates to annihilate them if they took the mountain path.

However, there is something to worry about.

The mountain paths are part of the empire’s territory.

In other words, it might give the impression of invading Galland Empire.

They might use it as a defense from other countries.

It is a troublesome place.

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