Chapter 76

"Um, Grace will have the improvement of the axe in addition to the shoes. Ashley will have Aqua Walk and Levitation. Sheila will have the three basic ones, and Ilm will have Air Blast and Levitation, I guess."

"Turning those magic spells into equipment, right?"

Alfred and Viola are summarizing the key points of their discussion.

Since each of them has different specialties and combat styles, the types of magical equipment they need will vary. Especially for Ashley, considering her proficiency in water magic, it would be better to apply the water-skimming technique she learned before rather than jumping using a shield as a foothold.

Sheila is dexterous, so she should be able to handle the three types of magical equipment well. The wider the range of applications, the more she can adapt and use them effectively.

For Ilm—though it's a bit of a trial and error, since she can't use a shield to jump and considering her weapon is a bow and arrow, the plan is to increase the number of Air Blast magical equipment.

"Well, now that that's decided, I'll go take everyone's measurements."

With the basic guidelines set, Viola walks over to Grace and the others.

The scene of Marian intently watching Grace and Ashley's embroidery is quite striking. Sheila, sitting in a well-ventilated shady spot, is gently rowing a boat in a drowsy manner.

It seems they are enjoying a peaceful and harmonious time.

"Still, it's good. Marian seems to be having fun today too."

Alfred looks at his sister with a gentle expression.

"Hmm, well, they are mostly good with children, after all."

"Yes, it seems so."

—Marian, also known as Princess Marlene, is... destined to become a priestess of the Moon Temple.

In BFO, she was said to be the most capable priestess of her generation.

Her magical aptitude is suited for a priestess, and by closing one of her senses—whether visual or auditory—she can deepen her connection with the goddess.

The longer the period of constraint, the better. Considering her magical aptitude, lineage, appearance, and the duration of the constraint, the temple likely sees her as a very promising priestess.

However, Marlene's path to becoming a priestess was not of her own choosing. From the fragmented information obtained from BFO quests, it seems she was targeted for assassination.

Whether it was due to the aftereffects of poison at a banquet or a psychological cause, she survived a near-death experience but lost her mother in the process. Since then, Marlene has been unable to speak.

In the future, her role as a priestess is partly due to King Melvin and Prince Albert's desire to keep her away from power struggles and noble society because she cannot speak, and partly because the head priestess dotes on her... There are various reasons.

The temple provides a place where she is needed, and even if she stands out, she is separated from royal power and thus not a target for political enemies.

Prince Albert, on the other hand, is gathering talent while pretending to be a dissolute prince wandering the city.

He decided early on that martial arts take time to develop, so he chose to focus on knowledge and dexterity, becoming a magic engineer. He avoids active involvement with the nobility and keeps a distance from power struggles.

By secretly visiting the city and pretending to be dissolute, he strengthens his ties with adventurers and the Adventurer's Guild, eventually becoming indispensable to the kingdom. It's a rather shrewd strategy.

When I went to the castle after defeating Linette, if I had sought a place within the castle, Prince Albert might have kept his distance from me.

If I were to actively involve myself in the castle, Prince Albert's proximity to me would draw unnecessary attention and suspicion. While the current situation is not without risk, after weighing various factors, he likely decided it was acceptable.

"Sorry, I got off track. Um, we'll need some basic equipment for training and testing. I'll try to get it ready as soon as possible."

"Thank you."

We will train with the aerial combat equipment, gather data, and refine the equipment through repeated adjustments.

"I'm sorry, but this will delay the development of the magic communication device."

"No, it's fine. I'm looking at it in the long term. I don't want to rush it. More importantly, I'm a bit concerned that Theo is using formal language with me."

"Hmm, does it bother you?"

For me, it feels like business as usual.

"Yeah, I'm just a fourth son of a minor noble family. You don't need to worry about formalities like employer and employee."

Well... It's quite a statement for a prince to call himself a minor noble. If King Melvin heard this, he would probably laugh.

And he subtly hinted that he is the son of a noble family, probably because I don't ask enough questions.

But, if that's the case, I can act more casually.

"Got it. Is this okay?"

"Yeah, so let's continue to work together."

"Understood. I'll get the parts I can do done as soon as possible."

I'll transcribe the incantations and add annotations to the parts that need modification.

Then Alfred will translate and refine it, and we'll work with Viola to integrate it into the equipment and magic stones.

While Alfred checks the seasoning of the potion pot and writes with a quill, he speaks up.

"By the way, about Sir Chester."

"Hmm?"

"Because he was originally part of the Greg faction, his position is a bit delicate, but he won't be held responsible."

"He participated in the demon slaying. I thought he would be pardoned for that."

"Yeah, but it seems his relationship with Princess Rosamary hasn't returned to normal."

That's right. While Chester's actions are tied to the downfall of the Greg faction, even if Greg falls from power, it doesn't mean Chester's actions will revert to normal.

"Sir Chester being sent to the Great Rotting Lake didn't sit well with her."

"Because it's dangerous?"

"No, because it's dirty. She apparently said to his face that she doesn't need a knight who chooses filth over her."

"..."

I don't want to get too involved with Rosamary, so I don't really care. But from Chester's perspective, I think he prioritized his duties as a knight over his relationship with Rosamary.

While it may not align with Rosamary's preferences, being told that to his face must have been quite harsh.

Lately, it seems Chester has been repeatedly shaken in his worldview.

"Does Sir Chester's exploration team have any magical equipment to deal with the Great Rotting Lake?"

"Huh? For the Great Rotting Lake?"

"Yeah. They could use Air Screen to block the odor and toxins, and regularly purify the air inside the Air Screen with Purify. They can use Aqua Walk to traverse the muddy lake directly. I think the difficulty level would be much lower if they can freely use a foothold. They need to be mindful of the lake's surface and the air above, so long weapons like spears would also be effective."

If they don't get their feet stuck, they can fight effectively. Sludge men emerging from the mud would be much easier to deal with if they are not trapped inside.

If they don't have to worry about the odor or the effects of toxins, they will have more mental ease. If each member can calmly assess the situation, coordination should come naturally.

"Um, I wonder."

Alfred is crossing his arms, deep in thought.

He might suggest that Chester rely on his own determination, but if the higher-ups show concern, he would likely be grateful and use it sincerely.

So, if I provide these hints for the strategy, if Prince Albert is interested, he will act on his own.

Chester, who has broken ties with his faction and is dedicated to knighthood, is a floating entity like Talcott from the prince's perspective.

"If we need to rush it... another all-nighter, I guess."

I can hear Alfred mutter this in a small voice. Yeah, I feel bad for adding more work, but...