Chapter 23
Prejudice is a terrifying thing.
Even if it's not actually true, prejudices built up over long years can distort the truth and stop rational thought.
This prejudice exists in magic as well.
For ages, dark magic has been shunned by all, treated as a taboo not to be touched, and those who learned it were branded as villains for that reason alone.
But in truth, there is no malice in dark magic.
If we're talking about the cruelty of magic, elemental magic or healing magic can be just as cruel.
There is neither good nor evil in techniques or objects themselves; it exists only in the people who use them.
How foolish is it to be robbed of the right to research and have knowledge censored because of someone's circumstances or misguided perceptions?
Just as poisonous herbs can be used as medicine depending on how they're used, magic classified as dark magic could have other uses if researched...
I hated this reality.
So when I got the chance to research dark magic in the demon realm, I didn't miss that opportunity.
Hoping that dark magic would bring a new wind to the magic of the human realm.
But it seems these thoughts weren't something everyone could understand.
Perhaps because of the stereotype of dark magic, Baron David and his knights froze up.
Feeling the air grow heavy, I belatedly offered an excuse.
"J-just because it's dark magic doesn't mean it's all bad. To begin with, the classification of dark magic itself is nonsense arbitrarily decided by the temples and magic towers—"
"Ah, no..."
Before I could finish my excuse, Baron David shook his head and cut me off.
"...Honestly, we don't care about dark magic."
"Capturing or breeding magical beasts to obtain research materials—Wait, what do you mean...?"
"We're not in a position to be picky about this or that. It's not like we've been wronged by dark magicians or anything... Though the talk of breeding is a bit concerning."
He laughed dryly, saying it didn't matter either way, and the other knights nodded in agreement.
"Then why did the atmosphere suddenly become awkward...?"
"Well, when a monster's face pops out of the shadows, wouldn't it be weirder if we stayed calm?!"
The baron glared, saying some idiot even spoke as if he was questioning something.
Feeling the sharp gazes of his comrades from all directions, that knight shrank back, unable to straighten his shoulders.
"It's not our place to concern ourselves with Your Excellency's research into dark magic. But you don't have any unusual religious views, do you?"
"Unusual religious views?"
"You said earlier that you directly saw the goddess."
"Ah..."
The idea of going against the goddess's will seemed so ridiculous that I inadvertently blurted it out.
I could easily imagine how it looked to these devout knights for a magician using dark magic to claim they saw the goddess.
Baron David, perhaps thinking I was some kind of evil god's apostle, asked me in a seemingly frightened tone.
"Do we have to perform some kind of s-suspicious ritual? Like drinking drugs and having an orgy...?"
"...Absolutely not."
"That's a relief then. I still wanted to save it."
"Save what...?"
"Ah, it's nothing."
Just as I was about to ask, Baron David hastily shook his head and glossed over it.
I was curious about what he meant, but since I had things to hide as well, I wasn't in a position to pry.
"Ahem..."
To clear the air, and to discuss future plans, we moved to the tent.
"I intend to develop the El Berg Mountains and make it my territory. What do you all think is needed to do that?"
Since it wasn't an easy question to answer, no one dared to speak up hastily.
To discuss this issue, we first need to know what kind of place the El Berg Mountains are, but none of us knew anything about it.
"The first thing that comes to mind is carpenters," said Ivanna, raising her hand beside me.
"Your Excellency's power has somehow solved the food problem, but the housing issue still remains unresolved."
Carpenters and those skilled in urban development.
Beyond that, we'd need priests to treat illnesses, farmers to grow crops, and lumberjacks to fell trees in the mountains.
The list was endless if we went through it one by one.
"Your Excellency! Since there are many farmers among the refugees, why don't we prioritize finding carpenters and blacksmiths to lay the foundations of the city first?"
"I think that's a good idea, but I wonder if anyone would actually volunteer to come to the El Berg Mountains..."
"Even if we can't find people right away, if rumors spread that we're looking for people, merchants trying to sell supplies needed for migration will flock here!"
When merchants gather, rumors naturally spread, and news about a group trying to develop the El Berg Mountains would spread in an instant.
If that happens, it might reach the ears of carpenters who fled the front lines, and some of them might consider coming to our territory.
No matter how things unfold, there's nothing to lose.
Nodding my head, I approved Ivanna's suggestion.
"Let's do that then."
Afterward, we decided that Baron David would stay here to finish preparations for departure, while we would return to Bart to prepare the necessary supplies and personnel.
I'm not sure if there will be brave carpenters willing to come all the way to the El Berg Mountains, but we have to at least try to find them, don't we?
"This is the funds we have. It's not much, but please use it wisely."
Before leaving the refugee camp, I received a pouch of funds from Baron David.
It wasn't a lie when he said it wasn't much; it wasn't heavy even as a figure of speech.
Still, it was their entire fortune.
"I'll use it gratefully."
I didn't say I'd return it.
Not only would that ignore his sincerity, but even if I tried to return it, he wouldn't accept it.
Keeping the money I received from him close to my chest, we returned to Bart.
*****
When we returned to Bart, even though barely a day had passed, refugees had gathered in front of the gate.
Roughly counting, there were about 30 people.
It was fewer than yesterday, but still a significant number, and with injured people among them, we couldn't just leave them be.
Transporting about thirty people with teleportation magic wasn't much of a task, so just as I was about to lead them—
The knight named Dens, who had returned to Bart with us, stepped forward and started gathering the refugees on his own.
"Hey! Gather over here! Your Excellency, I'll explain the situation to them."
"Are you sure?"
"This is my job, after all. More importantly, you should hurry to the viscount. He's a sensitive person, so he's probably worried sick."
Since we needed to leave early to gather people, I accepted his kindness and entered the city first.
I thought he might still be sleeping since it was early dawn, but the viscount hadn't slept and was waiting for us.
His face looked even more gaunt than yesterday, as if he hadn't slept a wink last night due to worry.
"...How did it go?"
"Everything was resolved well."
When I reported exactly what happened last night, the viscount blinked with an expression that seemed not fully awake.
"...Really?"
"Yes. It might be hard to believe, but it's true."
Was it because the tension had eased?
His bottom sank onto the sofa as his eyelids started to close as if he would fall asleep at any moment.
"Ahem."
The viscount's consciousness, about to sink into slumber, rose back to the surface with Ivanna's fake cough.
He rubbed his eyes and bowed his head to us, offering both apologies and thanks.
"...I don't know how to repay this kindness. You've truly solved a problem that has been a headache for years, and perfectly at that."
"I just happened to be in a position to help. There's no need to speak of repaying kindness."
"No, that's not true."
The viscount confessed, as if making a confession, how powerless he had been all this time, how many lives he had let die.
Listening to his words, it was as if I was watching from the side how difficult those days of hardship had been for him.
Originally, it wasn't his responsibility.
If someone should be blamed, it should be the Demon King who started a war no one wanted, or the king who has the duty to care for his people.
"It's not your fault. None of the refugees blamed you."
I hadn't actually talked with them, but if they knew the circumstances, no one would be able to criticize him.
"More importantly, may I ask you for a favor?"
When I told the viscount about what we had discussed in the tent, he thought for a moment before speaking.
"I owe you a great debt, so I'm willing to give you any slaves employed by the government office. However, all skilled carpenters and blacksmiths belong to guilds, so we can't force them..."
We could conscript them by law, but ordering them to go to the El Berg Mountains would be tantamount to a death sentence, so they would all refuse to follow orders and run away.
Above all, I don't want to do that.
I don't think talent brought in that way would work properly either.
If it's about building a city, we need not just carpenters but many laborers too, so we can't force all of them.
However, he gave a positive answer that he could dispatch officials needed for urban development for a long period.
"Your Excellency, why don't we ask the viscount to post a public notice in his name? If it's a matter of payment, even the master craftsmen will move."
"Payment..."
Even if we combine my savings and Baron David's entire fortune, it's not that impressive an amount.
Viscount Hamkin can provide some support, but it seems it's not a very significant amount either.
Ivanna, who knew our situation better than anyone, strangely seemed overflowing with confidence.
"It's alright. I have money!"
When she said that, I momentarily doubted my ears.
Did she receive some kind of severance pay from the castle?
But I'm sorry to Ivanna, even if we add a maid's severance pay, it wouldn't make much difference.
"Your Excellency. Please take out my travel bag. It's the bag embroidered with numbers 4 and 5."
"Bag? Right here, right now?"
It was a bit of an out-of-the-blue request, but I was curious about what Ivanna was thinking, so I summoned the bag as she asked.
The bag's volume was about 40L.
It wasn't particularly large, but because it was packed full, it looked unusually big.
Ivanna untied the tightly bound straps of the bag and poured its contents onto the table for us to see.
At first, I couldn't understand what it was.
Dozens, hundreds of gold coins and dazzling jewels reflecting the sunlight, shining even more brilliantly.
It was far too enormous an amount to be a maid's severance pay, leaving both the viscount and me speechless, looking at Ivanna with a mixture of fear and doubt in our eyes.
Despite the fortune that could probably buy a castle, Ivanna didn't even bat an eye, remaining perfectly calm.
"Looking closely, aren't these platinum coins?!"
"Not just platinum coins, but jewels and ornaments too..."
Where on earth did such a fortune come from?
As if interrogating her, our gazes turned towards her, and she playfully put a finger to her lips as if it were a secret.
"...Where did this come from?"
"I brought it from the royal palace. But it's fine. I left a proper letter."
"A letter?"
What kind of letter...