Chapter: 663
A giant whale suddenly appeared in the sea where there was nothing, so massive that it could be mistaken for an island.
It’s definitely something astonishing and magical. Even if you’re just boating and catch a glimpse of a swimming whale, you’d be mesmerized. But a whale the size of an island floating around? Anyone would be curious!
Okay, I admit that’s interesting. But—
“Is the whale an artifact?!”
Despite the fascination, I couldn’t help but voice my doubts.
Claiming a living creature as an artifact is a bit odd, right? If a giant squid washed up on the beach, everyone would declare it a new species, not some relic of Atlantis.
Yet, the Wise Duke insisted it was an artifact, going so far as to pinpoint its origins back to the Trika Empire era. As much of a drunk as he is, the Wise Duke wouldn’t lie about something like this.
“Oh, great! The report’s two-sided!”
‘Ah.’
Right, this isn’t just a one-sided report; it’s a double-sided one.
‘Double-sided report, huh?’
Even though I was merely reading it, a chill ran down my spine.
They only write double-sided reports when they’re in a hurry or if there’s a chance something crucial might get lost. It’s the kind of report that if it gets sent to the duke, might earn you a slap!
So, taking a deep breath, I flipped the report over and read,
[ A general analysis of typical whale skin was compared with the so-called ‘island whale’ skin. The island whale’s skin showed similar but distinct properties. ]
[ The island whale’s skin was infused with massive amounts of mana and divinity and had a unique ability to absorb these energies more effectively than other substances. ]
[ The patterns on the island whale’s skin were oddly regular, with identical designs across certain areas. ]
[ Upon a secondary investigation of the island whale, buildings covered in moss were discovered near the center, confirming architectural styles and scripts from the Trika era. ]
My mind clicked into place.
This is definitely an artifact. The island whale is not a natural occurrence but an artificially created life form.
‘…But how was it made?’
Now I felt awe replacing my initial surprise.
Creating life is something even Ainter, with all his advanced technology, couldn’t pull off. Despite being able to create insane stuff like amphibious armadas and flying fleets, he couldn’t even produce a simple ant or dragonfly. That’s territory for the divine.
But Trika managed it. If they had less tech than Ainter, they certainly weren’t superior.
“Whoa! Isn’t this amazing?!”
“Yes, I never expected to find something like this.”
As the Wise Duke chuckled broadly, I nodded in agreement.
A whale the size of an island existing is astonishing enough, but the fact it’s a manmade marvel from humans? That’s simply unbelievable! I felt like I just had three cultural shocks in a single page.
However, experiencing cultural shock and having my questions resolved are two different things.
“By the way, how did this thing get forgotten?”
Humans created life, and this creature is not a tiny insect or livestock but a freaking island-sized whale! There’s no way it could vanish without a trace, right? Even if Ainter tried to erase the records, it would definitely be noted as unofficial history.
Yet, there’s no mention of the island whale anywhere in any history or lore. This is a milestone in human innovation, after all.
“Where has it been all this time to be discovered only now?”
That massive creature had to have been hiding in a place nobody could see. A body that size going unnoticed?
I couldn’t grasp it. It’d be more believable if Enen had been bored and created a new life form.
“I don’t know!”
The reply was cheerful but exactly empty.
“We still don’t know! If it really is an artifact, Jo-ka will contact you!”
“Oh, I see.”
Though I had no choice but to accept it, that made sense in the end.
If they figured out the huge artifact’s identity completely, the rumors would already be flying everywhere. The fact that only the Wise Duke and I know means it must have only been recently revealed.
“Wait! Was it sleeping the whole time?”
“Yes?”
“It was said to be resting down there in the depths of the sea, and now it’s just floating up!”
That thought only complicated matters further. I couldn’t determine if a whale the size of an island sleeping was a blessing or a curse.
At least it wouldn’t swim around causing tsunamis, but flip it around—who knows when it might wake up and cause chaos?
Or maybe it could drift onshore and smash some ports or ships while snoozing?
[ Moreover, five days after the discovery of the island, it was confirmed that the island’s position had shifted about 5 kilometers east from its original location. ]
Unfortunately, that concern wasn’t unfounded since the island whale was also confirmed to be moving while sleeping. This is a possibility too significant to overlook.
“Auntie.”
“Uh-huh! What is it, Jo-ka?”
“I think we need to check this out ourselves.”
“Sounds good!”
As if ready to jump into action, the Wise Duke eagerly nodded.
I might have inadvertently invited a troublesome situation upon myself, but once I arrived in the Wise Duke’s domain, my decision was sealed. I couldn’t say I didn’t want to move; who would pass up a chance to see an artificial life form?
‘…But is it really a living creature?’
But as soon as we decided to investigate, a thought crossed my mind.
Although it looks like a whale and has what seems to be whale skin, could it really be a living creature? What if it’s just a robot draped in artificial skin?
‘That would be remarkable in its own right.’
A massive size akin to an island that can safely float in the sea? That alone qualifies as a great artifact.
In the end, it didn’t matter which one it was; either finding a life form or seeing a robot model would be groundbreaking.
Including the Wise Duke, a handful of us moved toward the island whale.
It was disappointing that we traveled by ship instead of teleporting, but teleporting requires precise coordinates, and if the island whale was drifting elsewhere, we’d just be diving into the ocean.
Fortunately, thanks to the mages controlling the winds, our vessel sped along nicely.
“Is that it?”
“Wow! This is the real deal!”
Even from about 100 km away, we could reach it quickly.
It really is big enough to be mistaken for an island. Who would look at that and think it’s a whale? Naturally, they’d assume it’s an island!
“Luckily, its location hasn’t changed much since the last survey. The minor shift in the current just makes it more likely that the island whale is still floating there.”
“Is it too big? It sure is hard to miss!”
“There’s a chance of that too. It must consume a vast amount of energy to maintain its bulk, so it might drastically reduce its activity time.”
The magician beside the Wise Duke responded seriously to his words.
It was a peculiar sight. Just by looking at him, he seemed like a drunken fool, but he was saying surprisingly insightful things.
“Captain.”
Just then, a magician observing the island whale approached.
“What’s up?”
“The island whale seems to have risen higher than before.”
“What?”
The magician, known as the captain, instantly darted his hand out and muttered something.
“…It’s true. It has risen since our last check.”
He confirmed the anomaly with the island whale.
This was alarming. The creature, presumed to be buried beneath the sea, was gradually surfacing and now was inching closer to the surface. What happens when it reveals its full back? Would that mean the island whale wakes up?
‘There’s still a lot submerged.’
Should I be grateful? I couldn’t tell if I should.
The current status of the island whale resembled that of an iceberg. The small portion above water was just the tip of the iceberg.
…
‘Even that little bit is as big as an island.’
I felt more anxious. If this goes on, a small territory might just emerge on the sea.
“Get ready! We already have a ship waiting far away!”
“Approach the island whale! We’re landing!”
“Prepare for landing! Knights will disembark first to escort the Wise Duke and Count Tailglehen!”
The mention of escorting made me absentmindedly turn my attention to the knights.
It’s been a long time since anyone has escorted me.
The top of the island whale—no, its back, was nothing particularly special.
Considering this place felt more like ruins of buildings half-destroyed by moss than an actual whale, it was quite unremarkable.
In fact, all the information that could be gathered from its back had already been collected by the previous exploration team. They’d already peeled back the whale’s skin and examined the architecture.
Aside from the fact that the Wise Duke and I were here to see the island whale ourselves, this trip held little significance.
“Huh? There’s a hole here!”
“That’s presumed to be the island whale’s fountain.”
“Wow! What happens if we go in there?!”
“Yes…?”
Listening to the conversation between the Wise Duke and the captain of the mages, I scanned the surroundings.
Various letters were etched on the walls, but since they were written in Trika’s script, I couldn’t read them. The second exploration team had taken rubbings, so by now, they’d likely be busy deciphering it.
‘Hmm?’
While I was distracted, I noticed a drawing in a corner of the wall.
At the top corner was a bird with spread wings, the bottom right corner featured a quadruped resembling a cow, and the bottom left corner showed a whale within a triangle. In the center of the triangle was a book.
What is this? Since it’s a relic from the Trika Empire, that book is likely depicted as a symbol of Trika, and that whale seems to indicate the island whale.
‘What about the bird and the cow?’
What were those even? Could there be something else besides this island whale?
“Jo-o-o-ka! Let’s go already!”
“Oh, yeah.”
While I had been lost gazing at the painting, I turned at the Wise Duke’s shout.
The exploration team had undoubtedly taken rubbings of this drawing too. There’s not much sense in me staring longer—
– Uuuuuuuuuuuuu…!
?
– UuuuuUUUUUUUUU──!!!
The sudden roar froze everyone on the exploration team in their tracks.
No way, could it be…?
“Gather in one place! It’s too far to reach the vessel now!”
Suddenly, the Wise Duke, still slightly tipsy, swiftly issued commands.
“Captain! Deploy defensive magic!”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
At the Wise Duke’s orders, an immense torrent of water gushed from what was presumed to be the fountain.
Its power was enough to shatter nearby structures.
‘Damn it.’
I knew it would wake up eventually, but why did it have to do so right now as we were disembarking?
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