A Magnificent Story (Fiction) That Begins From a Memo [Part 1]
George quietly handed a memo to Leonard.
“…I see.”
After a quick glance and a nod, Leonard mulled it over as he looked at the diplomats, who were still prostrated.
Trespassing ninjas, 19 people, already captured (Emma’s coercion complete) One undercover ninja among the diplomats Old Man Imoko might be Imperial Japanese (discovered on basis that Martha possibly picked up Imperial Japanese from them) Imperial Japan – a treasure trove of magic stone deposits; The Kingdom wants magic stones.
Leonard finally understood why the diplomats sought Emma so desperately, after reading the last part of George’s note. There were no decent magic stones left in the Kingdom’s ore deposits.
Even in the event that a magician presented themself, if the Kingdom could not supply enough magic stone charged with barrier magic capable of covering the entire Kingdom, they would perish in less than 100 years.
In the days of Leonard’s childhood, magic stones used to be more prevalent.
Magic stones that were charged with magic other than barrier magic were status symbols of upper-class aristocrats and functioned like the convenient home appliances found in their previous life.
House Stuart wasn’t that affluent at the time, so Leonard had never seen a magic stone. But every time he heard someone bragging about it at school or in high society, it irked him that they didn’t use the magic to defeat monsters.
There were many in the county who risked their lives as hunters to prevent monster invasion.
If they were going to brag so frivolously about using magic stones, then he wanted them to at least use them to defeat at least one monster for the borderland’s safety. A life could have been saved.
Nobles spent enormous fortunes to get magic stones and have the magicians of the age charge various kinds of magic in it.
The magic that magic stones were charged with diminished when used, and as they were constantly exhausted just to show off, the Kingdom’s magic stones were wasted, and its deposits eventually ran dry.
Magic stones charged with barrier magic were supposed to be stocked by the royal family from generation to generation, but it was discovered later on that the noble who was in charge of the management were smuggling those magic stones to line their own pockets. And now, magic stones in the Kingdom had become priceless valuables that people wanted to get their hands on no matter how much they needed to pay.
The local barrier crisis a year ago showed that the magic stones placed at the kingdom’s borders had very little barrier magic remaining. Even the people in the royal castle, who were insensitive to the danger from the monsters, had had no choice but to respond.
The Kingdom could survive for a time if they had a magician, but after that time, there would be problems.
So if Imperial Japan was a treasure trove of magic stone deposits, the Kingdom had to obtain those magic stones at all costs. Otherwise, the Kingdom’s barrier would disappear.
Without a magician, the Kingdom couldn’t charge the stones with barrier magic anyway, but with magic stones in their possession, it would be possible to go to another country with a magician to have it done.
“Count Stuart, that note…?”
The King looked inquisitively at Leonard, who wore a grave expression after reading the memo.
He couldn’t possibly say that he was worried about the true state of affairs of the country, so he covered up, saying with a laugh,
“Nothing, it was a report from Emma’s doctor. She is recovering smoothly, so the doctor said not to worry.”
“………I……see……”
