Though it was a hideous monster, ever since creating the Corpse Abomination, the party's speed had increased tremendously.
The Corpse Abomination pulling the farm wagon they had obtained did not slow down no matter how much cargo or how many people were loaded upon it.
Azadin's party crossed the border of Bruma and arrived at the first gateway, the County of Kimalhaji.
Perhaps because Bruma was abundant in water and soil, the outer walls of the County of Kimalhaji were made entirely of clay.
The inner defensive walls were built of stone, but the outer walls were made of earth, and such earthen walls were easily damaged by wind and rain, requiring constant maintenance.
Even now, they could see earth being shoveled, poured into wooden frames, then elephants stomping upon it to pack it down.
"Oh, elephants… amazing, isn't it? This is my first time seeing one. I've seen them in pictures, but in reality, they're truly enormous."
Azadin, seeing an elephant for the first time in his life, widened his eyes in astonishment.
It wasn't only the elephants that were surprising. Incredibly, the County of Kimalhaji was already crowded with many people of the Blue Sky Order.
They seemed less like refugees and more like natives. They were busily working on the construction of the earthen wall.
"This County of Kimalhaji is precisely the holy land of the Blue Sky Order."
Jiswa explained.
"A holy land?"
"Yes. It was here that our Sky Lord was struck by lightning and awakened to the principle of the Azure Sky."
"Then is that Sky Lord here? If possible, it would be good to gain his support to save Bruma."
"Regrettably, after that the Sky Lord left Kimalhaji, journeyed throughout Bruma spreading the principle of the Azure Sky, and currently resides in Bruma's royal capital, Bruma."
"Is that so? Still, there seem to be a great many Blue Sky Order followers here. I worry they might run wild."
It was then, as Azadin looked around, that someone called out to his group—more precisely, to Jiswa.
"Oh, Brother Jiswa. So, did you spread much teaching in Korasar?"
The voice came from a dark-skinned Bruman atop an elephant, smirking as he looked at Jiswa. He was tapping his back with the cudgel—the symbol of a Blue Sky Order master—as if it were some massage tool.
Jiswa, uncomfortable, replied.
"Brother Komosal. In truth, there was an incident."
"An incident?"
"In Adirof's domain, I was preaching the Way of the Azure Sky to the people, when suddenly they ran wild and became Followers of the Nether. Many died, and I judged that further preaching was impossible, so I returned."
"The people ran wild and became Followers of the Nether?"
"Yes. Did nothing of the sort happen here? It seems the medicine we gave to those suffering fever and plague may have been the problem…"
"So then, how many Korasar dogs did you kill?"
"What?"
"If a good number died, then that's a splendid achievement."
Amazingly, this Blue Sky Order master was less concerned that believers had run wild, and more concerned with how much harm had been inflicted.
As though he had known they would go berserk, his attitude left Jiswa bewildered.
"Wait! Just what are you…."
But then Azadin placed his hand on Jiswa's shoulder.
"Brother Jiswa. Introduce me."
"Ah… yes."
"Hm? And who is this?"
"This is Brother Adan, who has taken my place as a Blue Sky Order master."
"What? Taken your place? What do you mean by that?"
"I felt myself lacking in virtue and unworthy to shoulder the heavy responsibility of a Blue Sky Order master. Just then, Brother Adan, a man of great virtue and chivalrous spirit, willingly assumed the position in my stead."
"As you can see."
Azadin tapped his own shoulder with the Blue Sky Order's cudgel, massaging himself.
"What the—!"
Komosal was aghast that Jiswa had arbitrarily transferred the position of master to a complete stranger he had just met.
Clearly, Azadin wasn't the only one surprised by Jiswa's impulsive behavior. But now that he had taken the position of master, he decided to press forward.
"Well then, since I've heard the explanation, shall we talk, Brother Komosal? May I call you brother? I am of the Blue Sky Order, you are of the Blue Sky Order, are we not all brothers?"
"..."
"Just in time, we have brought with us Blue Sky Order brethren, as well as refugees wandering in search of work and food. Please arrange work for them."
"Work, you say?"
"You are building earthen walls here, are you not? It seems you could provide ample work for the people."
"Ah, well, that, that is…"
"And here I have some leftover medicine. Would you care to take a good swig?"
Azadin held up a vial.
"Ugh?!"
Komosal flinched at the sight of the vial Azadin held out, reacting as though it were poison. Azadin was certain then.
"So, you tampered with the medicine, did you?"
But when Azadin pressed him, the laborers building the wall approached with shovels and mallets in hand.
"Master Komosal!"
"Who are these men?"
"As you see, Blue Sky Order brethren!"
Azadin held up the cudgel, and they recognized it, looking puzzled.
"Master Komosal?"
"T-these ones are impostors! The corrupt Jiswa has sold the office of master to some random fellow! Arrest them!"
At Komosal's shout, the workers gathered with shovels and wooden mallets.
Seeing this, the Blue Sky Order members of Azadin's group also rose to their feet.
And then…
"No, I don't really want to get up. Just standing up makes my muscles sore."
When Scott rose, everyone was shocked.
Though disguised as a human, the naturally developed muscles of an Orc had been carried over into his transformation, making him appear an enormous, muscle-bound giant.
"…Good heavens."
"What kind of muscles are those."
"He looks like an Orc."
Everyone shrank back before Scott's appearance.
Moreover, hearing that Azadin had gotten into this mess while asking for jobs for refugees and Blue Sky Order members, the Order's followers crowded around to back him up.
"You dare provoke our master, are you sane?"
"Our master, you know, he cuts down monsters like autumn leaves."
"Don't go messing with the master unless you want to end up dead. Want to see this place become a sea of blood?"
"You'd best do as our master says."
"Give us work!"
Having seen Azadin's power firsthand, they were emboldened, demanding work.
Komosal and his Blue Sky Order followers did not dare to challenge this overwhelming pressure.
'What in the world are these people, to be so overbearing?'
'Is that fellow really such a great man? They speak as though if he grows angry, we'll all be dead.'
As Komosal and Azadin's company clashed noisily, an elephant approached.
"What is happening, Komosal?"
"Ah, my lady!"
Atop the elephant was a young Bruman woman, accompanied by her handmaidens.
"…Lady Gimela."
"Who is she?"
"She is the daughter of the Sky Lord."
"Ah."
Gimela, daughter of the religious leader, was a beauty with black curly hair and confident green eyes. Those green eyes swept up and down over Azadin.
"You look like a newcomer, yet you say you are a master?"
"This is a violation! Jiswa foolishly and arbitrarily transferred the office of master, thereby undermining the authority of the Sky Lord."
"Well, as far as the law goes, there is no passage forbidding the transfer of the master's office."
"B-but even so."
"And that master aside, the others are wearing blue scarves, are they not our brethren? You said they wanted work?"
"Yes."
When Azadin replied, the woman called Gimela smiled.
"Good. As it happens, we have more than enough work. We must quickly reinforce the earthen walls and gather arrows."
"Because ogres have attacked from the north?"
"Ah, you are well informed."
"We encountered some ogres on the way here."
"Is that so?"
Gimela showed interest in Azadin's words.
Komosal trembled uneasily as he watched Gimela's interest turn toward Azadin.
"M-my lady."
"That is enough, Komosal. Give these people work, and pay them with food. Then the matter is settled, isn't it?"
"…Yes."
"Then disperse."
The daughter of the Sky Lord, called Gimela, dissolved the situation, then cast a sidelong glance at Scott.
"And as for that new master, and Jiswa, and their companions, have them come to me shortly. I must hear their story."
"…Hm?"
Gimela's gaze swept across Scott's muscular body. It was clearly a look of interest.
"Ah, really now."
Scott shrugged at the look Gimela gave him.
"Being handsome is such a pain."
***
Thanks to Gimela's mediation, the refugees and Blue Sky Order followers whom Azadin had brought were able to obtain work here.
The County of Kimalhaji was spending its own private wealth to strengthen the fortress and prepare weapons against the ogres coming from the north. Since it had long been wealthy from trade, its expenditures were generous.
"This place looks like it will defend itself well."
Shati made this assessment, seeing the preparations for defense in the County of Kimalhaji.
At that moment Azadin called to Shati.
"Hey, Shati."
"What is it?"
"Can you tell me the way to the Naga Empire?"
The Naga Empire lay within the jungles of Bruma, and the path leading into it was known only to the Nagas themselves. Moreover, powerful magic, venomous insects, and layered defensive formations blocked the way, a common piece of knowledge to all.
Yet Azadin asked Shati the way into the Naga Empire.
"Are you mad? Even I cannot reveal something like that. In truth, I don't even know it myself."
"You don't know?"
"That's right. I am of the lower class, I was raised outside the Naga Empire, in the colonies."
"Then is there no way to report to your superiors? At this rate, the Naga Empire will again fall under the control of the Herald Clan."
"They won't just be controlled for nothing. Without doubt, the Herald Clan gave them something tangible. Most likely, a copy of the Book of the Divine King."
"You think they gave them a copy of the Book of the Divine King to draw them in?"
"Otherwise, after what happened once in Korasar, do you think they would be tricked again?"
"Hmm."
Azadin was now painfully aware of the power contained in the copy of the Book of the Divine King.
It was the light of the king's virtue itself, a treasure beyond imagination.
Though the grimoire's interpretation was incomplete, even so, to hand over such an immense treasure to the Nagas, enemies of mankind….
It was no exaggeration to say that the Herald Clan had committed a crime against humanity.
"Do you think they gave the Book of the Divine King to the ogres as well?"
"The ogres were probably brought in by the Nagas. We Nagas are the leading race of the Kurt Pantheon, after all."
Among the followers of the Kurt Divine Clan, the Nagas possessed the strongest organizational power and wealth.
As the leading power among Kurt's devotees, it would not be difficult for them to draw in the ogres with even the promise of some profit.
"If only I could meet that Naga Raja and persuade him. If the Nagas are used again this time, I may have to kill far too many with my own hands."
"Haa…."
Shati clicked her tongue at Azadin's arrogant words.
Azadin was actually worried that too many Nagas might die.