Kays Translations

Chapter 423: The View from the Clock Tower

At one point, I had imagined that the five of us could simply go sightseeing. Our lack of planning immediately became obvious.

“So Ijidol doesn’t know much about the territorial capital either?”

“No. Whenever I went out, I was always with Axel and Caro-sama.”

“Hmm, Nero…?”

Nero’s brows drew together, and he looked genuinely apologetic. This was not his fault; I had never asked him to research sightseeing spots. Still, I had expected Ijidol to know more, since he had been staying at the House Mulan estate longer than we had.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t gather information about the territorial capital’s attractions.”

“It’s fine. I never asked you to. Shall I consult one of House Mulan’s knights? Several of them are accompanying us.”

I opened the carriage window and called to the same House Mulan knight who had guided us to the magic-tool workshop. When I asked for suggestions, he proved surprisingly familiar with the territorial capital. Had Marquis Mulan anticipated this situation? He was shrewd enough that he probably had.

“There’s a large clock tower? Let’s go there first. We might be able to see the gears.”

“I’ve been there! The big bell is at the top!”

Ijidol spread his arms wide, visibly excited. This sounded promising. On the way, I watched the city through the carriage curtains. The streets were lively and crowded. Traffic might have thinned during the monster incidents, but no trace of that remained now.

After riding for a while, we spotted a tall rectangular building through the front window of the carriage. A huge clock was set into its wall. It was magnificent. Nero noticed where I was looking.

“We can see it now. Even from this distance, you can tell how big it is.”

“It’s incredible. It looks about five storeys tall.”

“To think they could make such a big clock.”

Christopher and Giles stared at it in amazement. Clocks were rare enough; seeing one tower over the centre of a city would naturally leave an impression.

The clock tower seemed to be a popular tourist spot. Many people were looking up at the clock from below. Maybe it was also a rare sight for them.

“It looks like we can go inside. Since we’re here, let’s take a look.”

“Ah, Julius, I think there’s an entrance fee.”

“I’ll pay. I have more than enough money, so it isn’t a problem.”

I had little to spend it on anyway. I could not openly purchase materials for magic potions, and there was nothing else I particularly needed. If I collected swords like Brother Cain, I might have spent more.

I wondered how Brother Cain was doing—and where he found the money for all those swords. I received regular royalties from my magic-tool blueprints, Brother Alex earned profits through the Heine Trading Company, and even Rosalia was already making money from magic tools. Cain’s finances remained a mystery.

“Is it alright? Then, I won’t hold back. I’ve been wanting to go inside. Last time I was here, I only looked at it from the outside.”

“That’s how you knew the bell in the clock tower was so big.”

“You can tell the size from here, too.”

Ijidol pointed upwards. Sure enough, we could see the enormous bell hanging near the top. Curious whether it ever rang, I asked one of House Mulan’s knights. Apparently, it sounded only on special occasions, such as a marriage within House Mulan or an emergency. I hoped we would not hear it for the latter.

Inside the clock tower was a broad open space filled with enormous gears. Watching the mechanisms turn in a steady rhythm was a rare sight, and everyone’s eyes shone.

Boys really like this kind of thing, don’t they? I do too.

I carefully climbed the narrow staircase. Surprisingly, it had no handrail. It was frightening. Ijidol and Christopher pressed themselves against the wall and advanced like geckos.

That position, isn’t it hard to walk? On the contrary, it seems dangerous. I wonder if they’re okay.

We eventually reached the top. According to our guide, the tower was roughly five storeys high, just as Christopher had estimated. No nearby building approached its height, and we had a clear view all the way to the distant forest.

“Hmm? What’s that? Smoke?”

“What’s wrong, Ijidol?”

“Look, Julius! There’s black smoke rising in that direction!”

I looked where Ijidol was pointing and saw black smoke rising from deep within the forest. Was it a fire? If the forest was burning, that was serious. I activated Exploration at full strength and focused it in that direction, extending its range as far as possible.

Immediately, information flooded my mind. It seemed like humans and monsters were fighting.

“It looks as though the Eastern Margrave’s army is fighting monsters.”

“You can tell that? How?”

Everyone turned towards me. Oops—I had said it aloud. It was too late to take it back, and I trusted this group, so I explained that I possessed the Exploration skill. Ijidol looked disappointed.

“I see. It’s a skill, then. I can’t learn that.”

“It would be useful if exploration magic existed, wouldn’t it? Ha ha…”

I laughed it off for the moment. Exploration was not magic, but I believed skills could still be acquired through dedicated practice. Rosalia had proved that, and Fabienne was likewise developing skills in fields that suited her. In the end, motivation and perseverance mattered.

“Julius-sama, what’s the situation of the battle?”

“For now, the Eastern Margrave’s army seems to have the advantage. They’re fighting what appears to be a Big Ape leader, and both sides are using magic. The black smoke probably came from fire magic. The army’s mages are desperately trying to extinguish the flames.”

They were being forced to fight while suppressing a fire. The Eastern Margrave’s army would have to divert a considerable number of troops to the task, which could leave the main force short-handed.

But if they concentrate their forces on the monsters, the fire will spread. Could that monster have used magic with that in mind?

“Hey, is everything really okay?”

Ijidol was perceptive; he had evidently reached the same conclusion. We were both magic users, so we understood how profoundly the way magic was employed could affect a battle.

Ijidol seemed to have sensed the urgency in the situation. The other three were also looking at me with concern. Well, I can’t help it.

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