“There’s a town just up ahead.”
Dana said, leading the way. We followed her for a while across the rocky terrain. But when she stopped and gestured before us, all we saw was barren wilderness stretching to the horizon.
“Mm. Where?”
“I don’t see any town.”
Anje and Fana looked around curiously.
“…So you truly have lost your memories.”
Dana murmured, pity flickering in her eyes.
“Anyone born and raised on this island would know about this.”
(…A barrier huh.)
『Indeed. And quite an advanced one too. It not only conceals the town from outside view but also weaves in several other enchantments.』
Even from the airship, we hadn’t been able to spot any sign of a town. Now it was clear why. The settlement had been hidden within a powerful barrier.
“It’s designed to keep monsters out. There aren’t any native to the island, but on rare occasions, a creature with strong flight abilities like that dragon earlier may wander in from outside.”
The barrier allowed us to pass through effortlessly. It repelled monsters, yet seemed to permit humans—even outsiders like us—to enter without issue.
“It’s warm in here!”
“Mm. The air’s thicker too.”
“There’s even greenery!”
“The barrier also regulates the environment. It maintains a temperature and air density comfortable for human life.”
What an astonishingly versatile barrier.
Just as Lindwurm had said, its structure was intricate—an advanced piece of magical engineering. If the people of this island were maintaining something of this scale themselves, then their mastery of magic was no small feat.
“Without the barrier, life here would be impossible. Naturally, every other settlement on the island is protected by one as well.”
“So when you say other settlements, you mean there are more towns here, Dana-oneechan?”
“Yes. At present, this island holds more than ten towns, home to roughly two hundred thousand people.”
Apparently, towns were scattered all across the island. Because the land outside the barriers was so harsh and uninhabitable, travel between them was rare. Each settlement seemed to live in near-complete self-sufficiency, sustaining itself within its protective dome.
Dana led us to her home. It’s a fairly impressive residence, with what looked like a workshop attached to it.
“As you can see, I’m a magitech artisan. I specialize in creating and developing magical tools for everyday use.”
“Oh? Then that ship-looking thing from earlier….was that one of your magic devices too?”
“W–well… yes, something like that.”
She answered, averting her eyes slightly.
Apparently, on this island, where natural resources were scarce, nearly everything relied on magic. Food, clothing, even the very houses themselves were all products of magical creation. It wasn’t quite on the level of the magic metropolis Endelsen, but it was clear that the island’s magical technology far surpassed that of the surface world.
“Amazing. To sustain two hundred thousand people on a barren island like this… it’s incredible.”
Anje murmured, genuinely impressed.
“That is all thanks to the Three Sages of the Beginning.”
Three Sages of the Beginning?
“Mm. Who’re they?”
Fana tilted her head.
“What—!? You mean to tell me you’ve forgotten even them?”
Dana stared at us in disbelief.
Still speechless, she eventually sighed and began to explain.
“They were the three great magi who first cultivated this island. Our ancestors once lived on the surface, enslaved and oppressed by a certain nation. But the Three Sages saved them, leading our people here—to this land of peace and freedom.”
Though the island had once been a harsh and lifeless place, the Three Sages transformed it in the blink of an eye with their magic, reshaping it into a land where humans could thrive. They had also shared their vast knowledge of magic freely, teaching the settlers everything they knew.
The barriers protecting each town were among their creations, now maintained by the island’s own mages who inherited that legacy.
“Since then, we’ve lived here in peace. Our ancestors numbered only a few thousand when they first arrived, yet now our people have grown to two hundred thousand. That alone speaks to how comfortable life on this floating island has become.”
The names of those legendary three were Avices, Monides, and Domas.
(Huh? Those names sound kind of familiar. Linlin, do you know them?)
『Indeed I do. Those three were once your apprentices, Master. The disciples who trained under you at the Tower of the Great Sage.』
(Ah, right! That’s why I remembered them!)
I recalled now—each of them had been young and full of promise back then. I didn’t know the full story, but it seemed that after my death, they had gathered an oppressed people and brought them here, to this floating island.
“Our ancestors arrived aboard a great ship built by the Three Sages themselves. Normally, ships are meant to travel across the sea, but this one… it could soar through the skies.”
A giant ship, huh?
Most likely it’s a magic-powered airship. But it would have to be far beyond ordinary models to carry a group of people across the sky.
“It still exists. It’s enshrined within the Grand Temple. I’ve visited it myself a few times.”
So the vessel had survived all this time. That alone was enough to spark my curiosity.
(A magic airship crafted by those three, huh. I’ll have to see for myself what kind of work my apprentices managed to produce.)
『…You really are the worst kind of teacher, Master.』
I turned to the others with a grin.
“Since we’re here, why not go take a look at that ship? Maybe seeing it will help jog our memories. Dana-oneechan, where is this Grand Temple located?”
“It’s in the town on the western side of the island. That’s said to be the very first settlement our ancestors built when they arrived. If you wish to go there, you can take one of the regular transport ships.”
Apparently, there’s a special magical tool for traveling between towns on this island.
However, it only departs once a month, and the next trip isn’t until two weeks later.
“I can’t wait two weeks.”
“Hm.”
“You’re right. It’s only about 20 kilometers away, so I think we should just head there normally.”
“No way! We’re on the east side of the island, and if we want to go to the town on the west, we’ll have to go around the mountain in the center! Going there on foot would be suicidal! And with such scanty clothing too!”
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
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