Chapter 17: Venture (3)

The carriage stopped and the door opened.

Two lines of maids bowed down as they made way for the guest of the mayor.

"Welcome to my house!"

The mayor of the Vermillion mountain city, who is also known as the strongest warrior in the city, came out of the door and greeted Marco with a loud voice.

"I am Tilron. I hope that you and I will have a wonderful time!"

The mayor exuded bloodlust causing the others to freeze in their place.

"....? I am Marco and behind me is my comrade's son, Aldo junior. We are pleased to be greeted by you, Sir Tilron"

He said as they bowed.

"Do you not find it weird?"

"That you are small?"

"Yes!" The three feet tall man said with enthusiasm.

"Not at all. This is a weird world we are living in where all sorts of things are possible. I were to be taken aback by someting liket his, then it would bring shame to my pride as a merchant"

"Hohoho~ Alright then! Come in! We shall talk to our heart's content as men. Alone that is"

"I understand. Aldo junior"

"Yes, Sir Marco?"

"For all the hard work you have done, why don't you take this opportunity to fly up high and stretch those wings of yours"

"... Understood. I will use this time to relax myself in the sky"

Aldo junior spread his wings and took flight immediately.

"Hahaha! You sure are carefree!"

"And you are magnanimous yourself, mayor!"

Behind their laughing expression, Tolrin was agitated that instead of successfully intimidating Marco by restricting the gargoyle, Marco used that against him by letting Aldo junior fly above their city which will allow him to surveil everyone in the city.

In a meeting room with all six elders of the city present,

"Come. Have a seat. I am sure it will take us some time before we reach a conclusion, right?"

The elders were thinking of what to do and say in the current unprecedented situation they were in.

"Thank you"

Marco said with a smile, not bothered by the intimidation of the elders.

...

Meanwhile behind the mayor's residence, in a small shrine at the center of a garden, the two were having fun as they talk about themselves.

"With my ability as a priestess, I can tell when people lie, but... are you really sure that you are incapable of casting basic magic?"

"That is true. While my ability to construct magic circles exceeds the norm, my control and precision is garbage"

Jarianne laughed as she covered her mouth with her sleeve upon hearing Aldo's words.

"It is my first time hearing a magician incapable of doing such a thing. There sure are many things in this world"

"There sure is"

The two quietly drank their tea as they enjoyed the warm spring breeze.

"May I know what it is you need help with?"

"What makes you say that?"

"There is no way you would have brought me here, the cornerstone of this city's barrier where man gathers, for idle talk"

"I guess I should work on my divination skills more"

Jarianne stood up from her chair and touched the altar of the shrine.

"Four hundred years ago, the greatest priestess of Vermillion mountain city created this altar that continously conjure a protection covering the entire city. Thanks to it, our safety increase more than tenfold each century"

"Perhaps... it is weakening?"

"Yes. That is why I ask of you, not as a priestess who serves a God, but as a fellow magician to look at this altar and determine whether you are able to help me and my people"

Jarianne knelt down on both knees as she looked up to Aldo.

"Priestess! You-"

She raised her hand, gesturing others to stop.

Under her veil that covered her face, her eyes were filled with dignity as she tossed her pride away.

Her guards who could see the unbelieveable event unfolding right before their very eyes could not help but clenched their fists and obey the priestess' command.

"Your compassion for your kin is commendable. And even if you did not showed such a thing, I would have still tried my best to help you out"

Aldo reached out his arm for her to grabbed on.

"I thank you from the bottom of my heart"

After Jarianne got up, Aldo took a look at the intricate formation circle carved onto the altar.

Ten minutes passed and Aldo was still looking at the magic circle in complete silence.

".....!?"

Jarianne and the others watched carefully as Aldo suddenly raised his hand and begun constructing his own magic circle.

"... Amazing. I never thought such a thing could exist"

Aldo continued to create multiple complicated magic circles and overlapped them with each other.

He placed it on the altar and a blinding light was released, causing everyone to rush to the priestess' side in order to protect her from the potential danger the blinding light possess.

".....!?"

The mayor, Marco, and the six elders had chills running down their spine as the shrine was covered in bright light.

Shing!

The shrine fired a beam upwards and created a pillar of light.

"The barrier is being restored!"

The beast kin celebrated as they noticed that the barrier covering the city got stronger.

"No! It is being altered into an entirely different one!"

An elder said as the barrier kept on growing sturdier and thicker than the previous one.

"Phew~!"

The guards in charge of the priestess' safety, the elite of the elite in the city, knelt down on one knee, except for one whose name is Morin who knelt down on both knees.

"As people of the Vermillion mountain city, we thank you for your action at helping our city!"

"Stand up. I also learned something from this so no need to be thankful for too much"

"What happened here?"

The mayor, the elders, and Marco arrived at the scene.

They saw how the guards were kneeling down to Aldo to offer their gratitude to him which means only one thing; Aldo is the one responsible for the strengthening of the barrier.

"I would like to ask this question to clarify things here but, were you the one who repaired the barrier?"

"I am the one who did it"

Baffled, the elders could not say anything but bow down to show their gratitude.

"I, the mayor, thank you both for willingly wanting to help our city out"

Aldo looked at Marco. He then winked at Aldo with a smile, indicating he should just go along with it.

"It is no problem to us at all. If anything, it is only normal to help those in need so please raise your heads and maintain your dignity as high officials of this city"

"Yes... yes... In any case, you must be tired from just now. So please take a rest first. You as well, Sir Marco"

"We gratefully accept that"

After catching up with the rest, Henry escorted Aldo and Marco to their rooms after guessing what had happened.

"Please ring the bell if you need any assistance. The maids will be right outside if you are in need of something"

"Thank you. You can go now"

The door was closed after he bowed once more.

[<Aldo Achterberg> and <Marco Gracia>'s intimacy with the demi humans has increased by another 10%]

"What did you do earlier for there to be such a commotion?"

"To summarize what I did: I created a sort artificial intelligence that will react to any malicious attacks from the outside. It also increased the rate at which it absorb energy in the surrounding area.

What about you?"

"I manage to acquire a contract. It's just that the mayor hasn't signed it yet because we ran outside the moment we felt a surge of energy outside so the mission is till ongoing"

"I mean what did you do for him to treat you, us in that way!"

"I promised him to help his city with its enemy city, the <Beast kin: Lizard tribe> in exchange for information. From common infromation to latest news around the world, as well as a map"

Marco replied with a 'Tee-hee' expression.

Hearing that the things they have earned is worth the extra job, Aldo lay down at ease on the bed.

"Tell me everything before I go to sleep. But first, AQA is it possible for you to send information we alreay know to the others?"

[That is possible. But, trivial communication is not allowed]

"Explain it to me while you write it"

"No please?"

"Should I cast a golem?"

"Should I sing beside your ear?"

".... Sigh... please?"

"Okay"

After some time, Marco was done writing and sent the message back to the rest for AQA to send.