Chapter 35

Sora, who had set out from the town, was swaying in the carriage as he made his way to the capital. Inside the carriage, which was made in the Bercze Marquisate and had not experienced a single malfunction, Sora wore a stern expression. He was troubled by the single type of tree that made up the forest.

"It looks like birch."

When they first left the town, the landscape was a continuous expanse of scorched earth, but after crossing a mountain, they found themselves in a birch grove. They must have entered a plateau. What made Sora frown so deeply was the impressive size of the birch trees. The thickness of the trunks, which could barely be embraced by an adult male, was not uncommon for pines, but it was abnormally thick for birch trees. Finding something unexpectedly otherworldly, he felt more confused than moved. Was it a problem of his scientific mind, or was this the standard for birch trees in this world? No one else seemed to care.

The common topic of conversation among the others was still the scorched earth around the town.

"The forest definitely burned. The only question is what caused it," Sania said, walking her horse alongside the carriage. Zuzu agreed.

Lylu placed a finger on her temple and spoke her thoughts.

"Even if it was a fire, I'm concerned about three things: the reason for the existence of the giant soldiers, the cause of the gag order, and the content of the secrets."

When they tried to get Sora's opinion, they followed his gaze, which was fixed on the birch trees. They speculated that there might be some clue about the fire in the birch trees, but of course, there was none, and they all tilted their heads in confusion. If anyone knew what Sora was thinking, it would be Razzette, who had known him the longest. However, when they looked at her, she was staring blankly at the birch forest, completely relaxed, as if she were about to melt.

"Sora, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Seeing that they weren't getting anywhere, Sania called out to Sora. Despite his indifferent response, she continued, and Sora's attention gradually shifted from the birch forest to Sania.

"If you ask me what I think about the town, I don't have enough information to say for sure, but—"

Sora prefaced his response with this.

"The fire was probably sudden, and the response hasn't caught up. To prevent the residents from rioting, they likely sent the popular giant soldiers. By sending elite giant soldiers, they can also show that they haven't abandoned the town. However, it probably won't last long."

"Even with the giant soldiers, the town will still riot?"

In response to Sora's prophetic words, Lylu asked for the reason.

"It's not a riot, but the town's functions will die. After all, it's a forestry town. If all the timber, the raw material, is burned, there's no work to be done."

Replanting and rebuilding sounds easy, but it's unknown how many years it will take to recover. Skilled workers will abandon the town, leaving behind the hollow remains of a forestry town. If countermeasures aren't taken while the performance of the giant soldiers is still effective, this future is inevitable.

"If skilled workers spread out over a wide area, they won't have to compete for jobs," Sania said.

Sora smiled wryly.

"Materials are gathered in one place, processed, and sent out. Workers strive to maintain their skills to secure work. The assurance that there will always be available workers in that place attracts more work. The town's functions are irreplaceable, especially for a well-known town in other territories. Good reputation can't be bought with money."

The notorious heir of the Kleinzelt family said this self-deprecatingly. If he had a good reputation, he would buy it first. The Marquis of Bercze knew this, which is why he sent the giant soldiers. Imagining the character of the Marquis of Bercze, whom he had yet to meet, Sora evaluated him as at least competent.

"The secret they were hiding was probably the town's stockpile. If the stockpile is known, it can be a factor in being taken advantage of when importing from other places."

Zuzu interjected in the conversation between Sania and Sora.

"I'm not an expert in forestry, but what about these trees? They're not far from the town."

He pointed to the birch trees with his thick fingers. Sora shook his head.

"It would be difficult with these trees."

Birch trees are prone to rot and insect infestation. Even when they are still growing, they can rot, making them difficult to handle. However, Sora had an idea for processing them. "I didn't become Japanese for nothing," he muttered to himself.

Three days later, Sora and his companions entered the royal territory, and two days after that, they arrived at the capital. Many people were bustling about, merchants' voices were flying, and children were running around. The roads were paved with bricks, and various shops lined the streets. Elaborately designed iron signs reflected the sunlight, and in a café, a beast person was drinking tea with dignity, while elderly men were reminiscing about their mischievous past on the balcony of a second-story building. Sora observed the city with great interest. Although he was clearly a tourist, he didn't feel embarrassed. People who noticed him waved at him with smiles. Since children of local nobles sometimes tour the capital, mesmerized by its vibrant atmosphere, the residents were used to it. To them, Sora was relatively calm, and they even thought he had a promising future. They tried to identify his family crest to determine which noble family he belonged to, but for some reason, it was hidden.

This piqued the interest of a woman in her mid-thirties, who spoke to a younger lady friend while shopping.

"Is that the son of a noble on a secret tour?"

"Oh, it's a boy? I thought it was a girl."

"How embarrassing, I can't even tell the gender of a young person. I must be getting old."

"Would you have targeted him if he was a boy?"

"Of course not! I'm loyal to my husband."

"Sure, sure, thank you."

Unaware that their conversation had strayed, they continued to chat about their romantic lives. They had no idea that the child they were talking about was the heir of the kingdom's most disliked noble, the "Fat Pig" Count Kleinzelt.

Three figures passed by the two ladies.

Zuzu, Sania, and Lylu. Since entering the capital, they had been acting separately, following one instruction.

"Even if we're told to obtain a magic book," Lylu said, looking around at the many shop signs.

Sora's cherished wish had been entrusted to them.