[40] Zone Strife

-Ash Costatine-

It has been a month since I returned from the capital city of Ars. The company I established has achieved remarkable stability, even surpassing my expectations. With proper management, the business not only survived but thrived significantly.

I entrusted the responsibility of the company to someone truly special—my very own homunculus, who serves as my alter ego. Why an alter ego, you ask? Simply put, I needed someone with sharp judgement, untainted by naivety, to make decisions. Someone more suited to lead the company effectively than I.

Although Raphael, my alter ego, appears as a more skilled and experienced version of myself, he possesses equivalent wisdom and has been able to assimilate knowledge about this world rapidly within a week of his creation.

[I'm not certain that the Homunculus meets your expectations, Sir,] Ciel's voice echoed in my mind, cold and mechanical.

"Of course, he must meet my expectations. Otherwise, everything would be rather dull. That's why I set Raphael up with such a character. You didn't mind when we created him, did you?" I replied with a slight smile.

[Indeed, I had considered that. Had we employed someone else for this role, it could have led to our downfall. I previously informed you of an entity that attempted to breach the Fourth Great Wall in your dreams.]

Ciel referred to an incident from four months ago when the company was expanding rapidly, and the number of staff was increasing sharply. An entity from the astral world tried to influence me, possibly due to my considerable potential. With his advanced capabilities, Ciel analysed and contained the entity. Fortunately, their attempts were thwarted.

However, shortly thereafter, someone from the royal palace began interfering with our company's activities. It is possible that this entity, having realised that I could not be controlled, sought to eliminate me and disrupt our progress.

Despite the danger, Ciel informed me that the entity had certain limitations restricting its ability to take significant actions. To ensure safety, I mandated that all my employees drink holy water, which could bolster the Fourth Great Wall within themselves.

This holy water was distilled from the abundant divine energy emanating from my own body. My body possesses four miracles granted by the god Bilbe, and this energy is invaluable in protecting all our staff and company activities.

Whatever the entity's intentions, whether beneficial or not for the world, I could not care less. What matters now is the present.

At the moment, I am in the Strife Zone, a place fraught with mystery and threat. My presence here is guided by a premonition, and now I find myself caught in an ambush by a group of humans who appear to be from an indigenous tribe.

The language they use sounds foreign and unfamiliar, though I can understand most of their conversation despite struggling to reply. The situation is as follows:

"State your purpose, stranger!" one of them shouted with a firm and threatening tone.

"Jody, shouldn't we shoot him while he's unguarded?" another voice suggested urgently.

"He's right! Outsiders don't understand our language!" another voice confirmed, displaying disbelief and anger.

I am on horseback while they stand on a steep cliff, directing their arrows at me with sharpness and precision. As they prepare to attack, fatigue and frustration weigh on me. This situation reminds me of dangerous moments from my past.

The scene around me starkly contrasts with the calm I often experience. The barren, rocky terrain and the gloomy sky add to the tension enveloping this place. The howling wind and clinking weapons heighten the ominous atmosphere.

Despite being in an unfavourable position, I remain calm. My horse stands firm, indicating readiness for any command. In this critical situation, I must think clearly and find a safe way out.

Relying on intuition and experience, I attempt to communicate with them more diplomatically. I know that if I cannot clearly explain my purpose, an attack will soon follow.

...

"Forgive us!" all the men cried out in unison, bowing their heads to the ground in a full prostration of fear.

I sit calmly on a large rock scattered across the field, cleaning the tip of Gungnir from the blood of one of them. Since effective communication was not possible, I decided that the quickest way to ease the tension was through the use of force.

Although some of them were injured by my spear, I made sure not to strike vital points. After providing basic first aid, they are now in relatively good condition. I only did what was necessary to show that I was serious without causing fatal damage.

Now, the issue is how to communicate with them. Ciel, have you managed to analyse their language?

[Yes, I have completed the analysis. Information on the Broze Kingdom language will now be fed into your brain.]

Moments later, I felt a surge of information flood into my mind, making me feel slightly dizzy. Burgh~ This sensation was very unpleasant, like a wave of information inundating my consciousness all at once.

I furrowed my brow, trying to calm myself while adjusting to the influx of new information. With a little effort, I began to understand the basic structure of the Modo tribe's language, as well as their communication and behaviour.

Eventually, I felt capable of understanding and communicating with them.

"Do not panic, but are you hunting?" I asked in the Modo language I had just learned.

Their reaction was striking. All the men lifted their heads with expressions of surprise and awe, clearly showing their astonishment at my ability to speak their language.

"Oooh~… This outsider understands us!" one of them exclaimed with admiration.

"Sssst! Be quiet!" snapped another man, his eyes filled with alertness while still in a prostrated position. "It is very rare for an outsider to know about us, let alone learn our language so quickly!"

The man who seemed more knowledgeable among them turned his gaze towards me, though he still remained bowed. "S-stranger! What do you want from this place!?"

Their shock and respect were evident, indicating that my language skills had exceeded their expectations. Now, with this opportunity, I must ensure that I convey my purpose clearly and obtain the information I need.

"My purpose is simply to pass through this area and seek information," I replied in a calm yet firm tone. "I do not intend to disrupt your activities. Is there anything I need to know about this area or any specific rules I should follow?"

With this question, I hoped to simplify the situation and obtain clear guidance so that my onward journey could proceed smoothly without further conflict.