Chapter 101: Babel (1)
So, after patching up the conflict between the dwarves and elves, the hero and I, along with the mute beast god, set out to explore the world.
This world was vast, and there were countless suffering people. Traveling in a human body wasn’t exactly a walk in the park… but thanks to the beast god, we managed to get around somehow.
If we needed to cover land quickly, it would turn into a four-legged beast, galloping across the plains, and when faced with mountains, it would morph into a gigantic eagle, soaring through the skies.
If it weren’t for this little guy… the hero would have wasted eons dragging himself around on two legs.
Hmm. Honestly, saving this creature was the best decision I’ve made. Who knew it would make such a handy mount?
Sure, if I really put my mind to it, I could circle the globe in a day. But hey, the adventure’s protagonist needs to be the hero so his feats can be written into history!
As we roamed, we passed through the lizardmen’s territory and found ourselves in a city at the entrance of the blazing desert.
Babel, the city of mages.
What used to be a tiny village had now blossomed into a city big enough to boast a massive tower. They must have cashed in big time.
But with a name like Babel and a giant tower… can’t shake this nagging feeling that something’s off.
No, no, focus! That’s their problem, not ours. Just because the name’s the same and they have a tower, doesn’t mean bad things are bound to happen. Nah, not at all!
After shaking off my inner anxiety, I peered into the bustling streets teeming with people.
Well, naturally, mages who can whip up magic scrolls are perfect for piling up wealth.
On top of that, scroll-making mages are one-of-a-kind. Other countries and cities tend to hunt mages down, so doing business like this elsewhere would be… well, impossible.
Anyway, we just happened to be passing through, but since we’re here, I’d better check how many dark fragments have gathered in the magic stones.
I wonder how much is in stock? Feels a bit like checking on an automated hunting process!
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
After dropping the hero at an inn, I made my way to the Temple of Life in Babel.
It’s been a few years since my last visit, so I expected a decent amount to have piled up.
But what the actual…
“Is this all there is?”
After all those years, the amount barely filled a single small box! Something’s definitely amiss.
“For some reason, the amount sent by the mages has significantly decreased,” said the dragon kid managing the Temple of Life.
This Babel is a city with the flames of Ifrit, akin to a parent for the red dragons. From their view, there’s no reason not to set up shop here.
So I trusted them… but still…
“The amount has dropped, huh?”
“I inquired with the chief, and they said the discovery rate has indeed dwindled. Not sure if it’s the gospel truth, though…”
“Well, if it’s true, awesome, but honestly, it probably isn’t.”
Unless there was a drastic decrease in the frequency of powerful monsters, which is hard to believe.
And the frequency of monster appearances hasn’t really changed either.
So in the end, the magic stones containing the dark fragments…
“Are the mages pocketing them?”
“Yeah, probably. It’s a breach of contract, for sure.”
I had given them the tools to distinguish the magic stones with dark fragments, and they were meant to handle those stones. But breaking the contract like this… what’s their game?
Maybe… they’ve even figured out how to use the darkness inside those stones.
I don’t know the whole truth, but one thing’s for certain.
The chief of this place… wait, this isn’t a village anymore, so calling them chief doesn’t fit.
Now that it’s a city, they can be referred to as the mayor.
“I should meet the mayor.”
“Understood. I’ll send someone to get in touch.”
“Thanks a bunch.”
I nodded slightly at the red dragon’s words. Ah, since someone knows who I am, things are moving along nicely.
“But… when do you plan to wrap up this little ‘travel game’ with that hero kid?”
“Huh? Travel game?”
The red dragon kid nodded at my words.
“If you wanted, you could wipe out all the monsters in this world in the blink of an eye. But you choose to travel with that puny human – such an inefficient endeavor. I just don’t get it.”
Hmm, yeah, it’s definitely not the most efficient approach.
I could stop time entirely and incinerate every living thing if I wanted to.
Or, I could craft countless autonomous robots, golems if you will, and command them to wipe out the monsters nonstop.
“But wouldn’t that be a drag?”
“A drag…?”
“Yeah. It’s also kind of a romantic idea, you know.”
The reason I’m engaging in this inconvenient and time-consuming task is that I want to leave the hero’s adventure as a new story for the world.
Myths, legends, heroic tales, epics.
If I manage to leave the story I envision in this world, have it shared orally by many, and eventually published as a book – when I look at that book in the far future, won’t I be able to grin?
Thinking to myself, ‘Ah, the story has changed so much since then.’ That anticipation is why I put in so much effort.
Hmm, maybe I shouldn’t do it myself next time. Playing the role of the Dragon Priestess accompanying the hero… kind of a hassle.
It might be more convenient to create a clone that can adequately support the hero, or even embed my essence into the clone, letting it live and form its own identity.
Though that might be a bit inhumane. But hey, who cares?
I’m not human anymore, anyway.
“Is that fun for you?”
“Hmm, fun or not, once you blend into the world as humans do, you’ll understand.”
The ancient dragon games portrayed in fantasy tales. Long-lived dragons experiencing countless lives as entertainment.
Honestly, being a pilgrim at the Temple of Life and simply observing the world isn’t exactly a thrilling hobby.
It’s nice to explore the world, but there’s no joy in just being a plain old pilgrim, is there?
“Sometimes, it might be good for you to live as an entity separate from the Temple of Life.”
If they experience various forms of existence, dragons could genuinely enjoy life.
“I’ll keep that in mind. Though, I’m not sure it’ll be as fun as you claim.”
I nodded slightly at the red dragon’s words.
Well, the choice is ultimately his to make.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
So, the hero and I set off toward Babel Tower to meet the mayor.
When I mentioned that I had business with the city mayor, the hero insisted on accompanying me, saying he couldn’t let me go alone.
I mean, I could totally handle it solo. I told him to chill and enjoy some sightseeing, but he kept worrying like I was about to face some great danger. In the end, he persisted and we ended up going together.
Honestly, he worries way too much. Is there even anything in this world that could harm me?
“It’s a worry, even if it’s not your own,” he insisted.
“Huh? Not my own?”
“Nothing, just forget it.”
Ugh, what a dullard.
As if I’d ever dream of demolishing this tower. Ridiculous!
Where would one find someone as cool-headed and kind as I am? This world is filled with life today because of my contributions!
As I bantered with the hero, we strolled into the tower.
“Oh, it’s pretty bustling in here.”
The tower’s interior was packed with people bustling about. Young folks hauling boxes full of scrolls, and middle-aged mages barking orders at others.
Quite a sight to behold.
While we were busy checking everything out,
“Excuse me. You’re from the Temple of Life, right?”
A young female mage approached us.
“Yeah. I assume you’ve been informed. I’m here to speak with the mayor of this city.”
“The meeting is a bit overbooked, so you may have to wait for a while. Is that alright?”
“Sure.”
How long could it really take? Given the crowd, I understand that things might be a bit slow.
They wouldn’t dare underestimate the hero’s party that the Temple of Life contacted directly!
So, following the female mage’s guidance, we went upstairs and settled into a nicely decorated reception room to wait.
Let’s see… how long will this take?
The mayor must have a packed schedule. Maybe we’ll be waiting for around an hour?
For now, let’s just kick back and relax until the mayor arrives. Hmm!
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