Volume 3 Chapter 10

Volume 3 Chapter 10: Circulating rumors

Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Ryunakama”

「It’s about time the last delivery of today should come…」

The person in charge of the magic science guild, Moka Fei, was awaiting the resupply or at least a message, at the upper part of the corridor leading all the way down to the bottom floor.

The top of the God Tree was turned into quite a sizable square with a hole at the edge of it, which served as a passageway. And on the other side from it, occupying a large portion of the square, stood the stronghold of the magic science guild, the magic research laboratory.

Walking between that passageway and the laboratory with a nervous appearance, she kept adjusting her glasses and glancing between the exit from the passage and the guild’s building.

「……Can they really deliver the supplies today?」

Moka muttered to herself as if to expel at least some of that nervousness.

During this month the order of God Tree transported supplies for dozens of researchers daily.

Even though they also had to monitor the God Tree. I felt very guilty towards the order and especially its captain since they even took care of everything related to transport and storage.

However, as the captain saidー

『It’s distribution of duties. There are some things we cannot do. So don’t worry about this. And carry on with your research.』

And as it was important for the analysis of the current abnormality and discovering the ways of resolving it, I suppressed my feelings.

…Our staff and the researchers that we additionally took on, spent their time at the lab without even going home.

Though I told them that it’s dangerous so they should return home, for the time being, everyone insisted that they won’t go home until they find a way to fix this situation.

Cutting down on provisions…… Or rather on time to eat itself, they run around.

Both knights and researchers are very keen on doing this, saying『Since we usually benefit from the God Tree, we’d like to pay it back』.

……And if they go down they won’t be able to return for a while.

There is only one rope ladder intact.

Since descending or ascending it would mean monopolizing it during that time, it creates big difficulties time-wise.

We also made the separate team on the ground and exchanged information with them, but among them, there is no one to climb up here yet.

……Even if we want to put multiple ladders unless we choose the place properly it will soon wear down and tear.

Unnecessary use will only put more strain.

A number of them already snapped, putting a few lives in danger.

We have multiple spares prepared, but this spot is the only one where it can be used safely.

And most of all, a great number of people preferred to stay up on the tree to advance the research with the maximum possible efficiency.

With all those various reasons, everyone stayed of their own volition dedicating all their forces to the cause.

As such, I understood, that instead of apologizing for those inconveniences. I should prioritize resolving this problem.

……However, because of all of this, when I heard that because the captain is feeling unwell a different person was entrusted with delivery it really hurt my consciousness.

If the burden of transportation was this big, I should’ve given up on the maximum efficiency and narrowed the number of remaining personnel.

I wonder if the captain is okay.

I wonder if that other person can make it.

In the first place, can we really restore the God Tree?

And while my thoughts kept going in circles, I took a breath to calm my mind and looked to the sky.

It was at that moment.

…I noticed something coming down from the sky with a whistling sound.

「Eh?」

At the very top of the God Tree Aleden, high up in the sky.

For Moka that dwelled there for a long time, seeing a person come from even higher was quite a rare sight. Andー

「Oops. Though I wanted to make it for sure, the last leap was overkill.」

What she saw next was the sight of a carrier-like man landing in front of her with a transportation bag in his hand.

●

After getting through the passageway of the God Tree Aleden, I ended up in a pretty spacious area.

As I was descending, I checked the situation below and found that on the square etched in year rings stood a huge building.

……Is that the lab of the magic science guild that I heard about?

To think there would be something this grandiose on a tree. You’d never guess until you get there, I thought and looked in front of me as I landed.

There, stood a single person.

Wearing glasses and a white robe, her hair was assembled in two round buns on both sides of the head.

On her chest, I saw a name tag with『Head of the Magic Science Guild Moka Fei』written on it.

「Since you have this tag… You are the head of the Magic Science guild awaiting supplies from the captain?」

When asked though, she choked on her words, but replied with her eyes wide open in surprise.

「Y-yes. That’s so, ehm, and you are…?」

「The carrier that was asked by Sidonius to carry supplies from the ground.」

「……Carrier? Ehm really? B-but, but how…」

「As you saw yourself, I just normally jumped here.」

「………Eeerrr, what?」

Tilting her head to the side, Moka appeared a bit dumbfounded.

It looks like she doesn’t understand me.

Well, it’s getting pretty late, maybe she didn’t see me jumping out?

「Well, leaving the small details aside, the main point is that I came with the supplies from below. For now, let me unload somewhere. Where can I put this?」

With that question, Moka’s expression somewhat sharpened.

「Ah, y-yes, the luggage. Yes, that’s what’s important. Ehm, can you leave it on that log stand?」

She pointed to a place near the exit from the passageway. There was a platform that looked like a huge stump.

It’s nice to have a designated area, I thought and started unloading the luggage there.

「Then, this is the luggage that the captain asked me to deliver.」

I turned the transportation bag upside down and started unloading the goods.

Thought the platform was quite big, resembling a dinner table enlarged several times, the volume being so much, it soon was completely filled.

「You carried all of this at once……?!」

Moka raised such a voice as astonishment and bewilderment was written on her face, but for me, it was a bit of a troublesome situation.

「Sorry. It seems that the designated place can’t hold everything. Can I put the rest beside it?」

I asked since I had a problem with the selected place, to which Moka nodded, still with the same bewildered expression.

「Well, it’s fine, do you by some chance have something special? It’s usually only one day worth of supplies, so it doesn’t take even half of that platform.」

「Yeah, I just made a regular delivery but extra large. But it’s not even half of it. Well, I’ll put the rest nearby.」

Since I’ve got permission I resumed retrieval of the goods.

And a few seconds later the luggage completely buried the platform.

「Okay, now it’s all of it. Please confirm, Moka-san.」

I said to Moka after I re-equipped the transportation bag, as she stood nearby watching all this time.

Then, while glancing from the luggage to me and back, she muttered.

「Indeed, one week worth of supplies…… But to think there was such a spacious transportation bag. Or rather, how you actually got here………」

「I already said earlier, I simply jumped my way here……」

Looks like she still had her doubts.

And while I wondered how should I explain this so she would understandー

「PHAAH, that was amazing.」

Rustling, Daisy popped out from my chest.

「My friend, I thoughtfully enjoyed your speed, body heat, heartbeat, and skill! That was a good ride!」

She seems pretty excited.

Her voice was a bit higher than usual and she kept shaking with excitement in my bosom.

Her expression also looked quite pleased.

Seeing Daisy frolicing in my clothes, Moka once again fell in a dumbfounded stateー

「Eh, Daisy-san……?」

Perhaps hearing her words or maybe becoming aware that her merry appearance was seenーー

「……Cough cough. Ah, Moka. It’s been a while.」

Daisy instantly changed her attitude and expression to a calm one and faced Moka.

「Y-yes. A few days. I have never seen you this ecstatic though.」

「Don’t mind it. I’ve just got a little lax after being in contact with my good friend.」

Looks like she was still the same even in front of the head of the magic science guild.

「O-oh, really…… Or rather, why are you here as well?」

「Why, you say. As you can see, I just tagged along. I wanted to observe Axel’s work as a carrier.」

「Axel…… Then, are you that 『Flying Carrier Axel』-san? The one that became a popular topic in the City of Stars?」

Moka said when she heard my name.

It looks like she knows about my activity at the City of Stars.

「Yeah, unless there is some other person with the same name and job, that’s probably me. I’m happy you heard about me.」

「N-no, happy, that would be about me at the moment…… ……To be honest, I’m very confused about why you are here, so far from the City of Stars, and how you even got this far…… But first of all, I guess I was saved that the part of the rumors that said that you transported by flying was true. Thank you, Axel-san……」

Somehow, her face doesn’t look so skeptical anymore.

……For the time being, it looks like we reached a certain understanding.

It seems that the long conversation gave her time to finally put everything in place inside her head.

Then it’s fine, I thought whenー

「Ehm, Axel-san? When did you come to this city…… Or actually, for how long are you planning to stay?」

Those words came.

「Well. I arrived at the City of God Tree today. I’m planning to stay for a while at one of the inns below, so if you get any requests let me know.」

「Understood. ーThank you very much, Axel-san. Though no one here says it out loud, but everyone was awaiting new supplies, so they should be quite happy……!」

「Glad to hear that. By the way, it might be a bit late to ask, but is it really fine to leave supplies here instead of the guild?」

「Yes. The laboratory is currently in disarray, so this is fine. We leave the supplies here and when someone needs anything they just come here to take it. I’ll go and immediately tell everyone that the supplies arrived……!」

And half running Moka went to the laboratory.

With that subtle excitement that could be felt from her running figure, I felt that transporting those was really worthwhile.

「Well, let us return as well.」

「Yeah. I shall enjoy your movements on our way back!」

And while chatting, I slowly descended to the lower level of the God Tree. Thus this urgent request can be seen as completed.