Death March — Fixed

“Tek here, it’s said that light is usually followed by shadows. Even though it looks fine at first, something has been overlooked.”

“Ah, Tek! It’s about the Scarecrow Mk.7 that you have entrusted to us, it’s broken through the jellyfish barricade and sent the ‘Currently Watching’ signal.” Lua reports to me.

I have just come back from the Duchy Capital.

I tested the Scarecrows up to the 3^rd revision myself, but Lua suggested that it would be better to leave it to Jia, who would be the one using it in the future, so the plan changed.

The shape of the Scarecrow Mk.7 looks like a beach ball sitting in a stack of swimming rings. The ring part are the batteries, and the beach ball is the main body. The main body has a Philosopher’s Stone as its Core. Surplus Magic Power from the Philosopher’s Stone is pumped into the batteries. The accumulated Magic Power mainly transmits a signal when it finds an enemy, and for changing its course.

***

“Aze, it’s terrible. Beriunan Clan seems to have carried out the plan.”

“Pffft!”

Hey now, High Elf, I don’t think you should do such a thing, since you’re a ‘respectable’ maiden. While Lua is wiping up the bits of pudding that Aialize was eating until just now, Aialize asks the Elf who’s intruded, “And the result?!”

“It seems to be a success. There are no deaths. There’s only one injured person who touched the World Tree, because he got flustered, and suffered a burn.”

The one who is reporting this to us is Jia’s older sister, Roa.

Good, it was a success.

However, according to the plan, this village should have been the first to perform the extermination, so we can follow-up if there’s any issues.

Did someone change the arrangements?

“Thev becom the intial scrifce, so isnt good?” Arisa spoke, while chewing on some of her pudding.

“Arisa, don’t talk when you have something in your mouth.” I roll my eyes at her.

Arisa pauses, finishing her mouthful, “They’ve become the initial sacrifice, so, isn’t it good? With this, doesn’t that mean that the secret operation will be a success?”

“There is no change in our plan.” Roa says, confirming Arisa’s words.

“I understand. As planned, let everyone, other than the Observer, take a rest today, and tomorrow.”

Right as Aialize finished her words Roa runs towards the Fairy Ring with overflowing energy, just like when she entered the room. What an energetic person.

***

Around 500 Elves have gathered in the Observatory. Everyone has a level higher than 60. They had been continuously working to put the jellyfish to sleep and capture them in Ice cages for the last 10 days, alternating.

They will be divided into three groups: one group is taking the jellyfish away from the World Tree with the four Lightships; the second will drag the jellyfish away using Spirit Magic, Aialize will be leading this group; and the third will ride a golem, that looks like a tank with many legs, to use Wind and Nature Magic to launch the jellyfish away.

Of course, I’m not helping--because it’s a test to make sure that the Elves can handle it on their own. It’d be troubling if they suffer from another infestation of jellyfish in another few hundred years.

I am standing by in the Command Room with Jia, in case something happens.

Aialize declares the start of the operation using the Spell Mass Telephone.

Since the Elves didn’t cut the tentacles of the jellyfish when they imprison the creatures, some of the branches of the World Tree break, beginning to fall back towards the planet.

Having the mentality of a poor man, I couldn’t overlook the shimmering, glittering, emerald branches falling before me. When I come to, I have already used Sky Drive and Ground Shrink to gather the ones that can be put into my storage.

However, this instinctive, and slightly embarrassing behaviour ends up saving the lives of many Elves.