Otherworld Nation Founding Chronicles-Chapter 73 – Witch I

“It’s just as Merlin-dono suggested, huh. For this to go this well.”

King Rozel mutters inadvertently.

Merlin answers.

“It’s all thanks to these dragons. Thanks to them, I was able to immediately discern the state of affairs.”

She caresses the small dragon on her shoulder.

Using this small flying dragon with a speed of more than 500km/hr, confirming the situation in the field of battle can be done easily.

They had known yesterday that the De Morgal Kingdom’s army on its northern border had moved to reinforce its forces defeated by the Rosyth army.

Merlin, who immediately saw that, proposed to King Rozel to mobilize the troops.

Because of this, they managed to seize a huge chunk of territory.

“The De Morgal army that had invaded the Rosyth Kingdom has received huge damage with no hope of recovery. They have become exhausted and useless. Even just holding their present borders would probably be too much for them. They don’t have the strength to take back their northern nor their southern territories.”

That means that one of the three great kingdoms of the northern Adernia peninsula has technically crumbled.

“Then should we attack the De Morgal Kingdom in these circumstances?” 𝑓re𝘦𝔀𝗲𝘣𝘯𝘰νℯ𝒍.c𝗼ｍ

“No, we should wait. The commander of the southern invasion force is the First Crown Prince Carlo. However, he has failed. Most probably, his right of succession has already been divested. Internal discord concerning the succession is sure to follow. We’ll take advantage of that.

However, the eye of discord is still not coming to a head. Let’s just say despair turns cowards courageous. Let’s focus our efforts towards a ‘rich country, strong army’ while grabbing territory from the Fardam Kingdom. …….Besides, the consolidation of Gallia is still not over, yes?”

The Rozel Kingdom only controls the souther part of Gallia. There are 32 tribes in Gallia, twenty of which have already been subjugated by the Rozel Kingdom. The remaining 11 tribes are defiant.

Fundamentally, they desire to conquer the Adernia Peninsula after they have subjugated Gallia.

“Is that so? As expected of Lady Merlin. My country keeps getting indebted to you.”

“Fufu, I am the first retainer and foster parent to His Majesty, the First King. For me, this country is…….kind of like my grandchild, you know?”

Merlin smiles inappropriately.

Although you could see nothing but a young girl around 17 to 18 years of age, it must be said that expression is certainly of a witch that has lived for several hundred years.”

“Now then, Your Highness, it’s about time I excuse myself. I still have experiments to do.”

Merlin walks away with her mantle fluttering.

The officers and men send her off with gazes of awe and respect. 𝐟𝘳𝑒𝗲𝘸e𝒃𝘯𝒐𝐯e𝚕.c𝒐𝒎

Merlin’s house looks exceedingly small from the outside.

However, deep under it lies a gigantic basement.

There, strange medicine with complicated geometric patterns are drawn on them are found on shelves, their use, unknown.

Merlin sits down on the sofa.

“Nee, are you there, I wonder?”

—Yeah, I’m here—

A child-like voice answers Merlin.

Furthermore, this voice can only be heard by Merlin. Perhaps, it can even be said that if someone where to look at Merlin, she would look as if conversing with the devil.

“I’ve been thinking this a long time ago. I want to see you guys’ figures.”

—No way. It’s embarrassing. Just letting you hear our voices is already embarrassing enough, you know.—-

The voice teasingly replies.

—By the way, is your research progressing?—

“Yes, it’s about 90% completed.”

—It’s the fruit of 500 years worth of effort after all, yes? It’s also thanks to the Divine Protection I gave you.—

“Yeah, this “Divine Protection of Perpetual Youth” yes?”

As she said such, Merlin cuts off her own finger with a knife and displays it.

While fresh blood did flow, it immediately stops, and a new finger springs forth from the cut.

“Rather than perpetual youth, constant prime regeneration of the body would be more correct, yes? The cell regenerates the instant it dies. However, if the body gets decapitated and the soul separates, then it would be game over. In other words, there’s no escape from instant death. It’s not immortality…..”

Merlin mutters with a sigh.

It’s all fine that she managed to live a long life, but if she gets killed, it’s the end.

Furthermore, she had a hard time because of this divine protection.

Because she had lived for a long time, her fear of dying had worsened than that of a normal person.

It was probably a much less objectionable end for her if she had died much earlier.

—It couldn’t be helped, right? Although we could make a hundred from one, we can’t make one from nothing. We also can’t turn a hundred into infinity.—

All living things are bound to the cycle of life and death.

These two things are inseperable.

A living thing will someday die.

Immortality is a contradictory existence on the same plane as a card with only a face.

Namely, it’s an impossible, not to mention forbidden taboo.

“Well, my research is about immortality but…it’s beyond sorcery. It will twist the fabric of this word and rewrite it. It’s rebellion against the gods – the realisationof this magic.”

—I can’t wait for it. Whether you’d succeed or not. I want to see it soon. This magic, I wonder how it’ll be? Is it the dawn of a heavenly world where no one would die? Or rather…….—

Is it the dawn of a hellish world where no one would die?

Or perhaps, the world itself might collapse into destruction.

“I don’t want to die, just like that Etzel. I’ll keep living even if I have to go down on my hands and knees to do so.”

Merlin smiles.

—Come to think of it, those guys are trying to hinder us again. This time, they seemed to have put a lot of effort. Be careful.—

“That’s the 10th time I’ve heard that. Those bunch are mostly no match for the King of Rozel I’m manipulating. Who can? Is it the Persis Emperor? That old man can’t even be bothered to come here.”

—It’s a transmigrator. However, the body is of this world. Only the soul is of another world. Was it intentional? Or was it an unexpected happenstance? Well, it doesn’t matter eitherway. The name is….—

—Almis, was it?—

“Oh, really?….Very interesting, yes?”

Merlin makes tea for herself and drinks it.

It’s green tea procured from the far east.

It’s unappetizing compared to the tea from Merlin’s hometown but she prefers it more than wine.

—What an uninteresting bunch, yes? To be scared of making something impossible possible. Even though the unknown is the most fun―

“Much like you commendable fairies who enjoy the thrill of the possibility of dying.”

—Is that so? Well, it’s not like other guys would be any better. Well then, I’ll be waiting in anticipation….”—-

— Kurosaki Mari—

The voice disappears.

Merlin—Mari puts down her emptied cup on the table and stretches her body.

“Almis, huh….For the meantime, I guess I’ll see him with my own eyes.”