## Chapter 379 – Reapers of the Machine (6)
.
.
.
.
.
.
Truthfully, it wasn’t much of a rumor.
“Wow… aren’t they just advertising their arrival?”
“It’d be hard not to recognize them when they come in something like that.”
The gondola was on the ground, but the airship’s gasbag remained tethered to steel wires, floating in the sky.
Standing in front of Floraz’s garden, Ranieri was making sounds of wonder, while Vivian, beside her, was also looking up at it with a hint of surprise.
They say experiencing new things broadens your perspective, but who would have thought they’d see something like that in the land of magic?
The delegation from Barmhausen had arrived on a massive airship.
After an audience with the king, they dispersed, each conducting investigations tailored to their respective fields.
“Now…!! Isn’t it, Vivian?”
“No, not yet.
We just need to wait and prepare.
We’ve already set things in motion, you know?”
Normally, that timing would have been the best to strike, but Vivian, watching the delegation from afar with her arms crossed, was content to simply observe them.
‘They each carry a mechanical lifeform…
Are those things replacing the Nemea for them?’
The members of the delegation she observed clearly displayed the characteristics of Barmhausen.
Unlike the ornate, medieval feel of Groden, their attire was simplified, reminiscent of the Industrial Revolution, with subtle decorations expressing individuality.
And, above all, as befitting the leading nation in mechanical devices, each of them carried a mechanical device called a pod.
‘They look fascinating.
But they don’t seem to be just for show.’
Considering the usual portability issues, they had to have autonomous movement capabilities, and their appearances were made to resemble various creatures or monsters to increase efficiency.
Moreover, they were packed with various functions, allowing the pods to be deployed and used as needed. Antonio von Sterben’s mechanical bird, Regulus, had demonstrated this during the previous special evaluation.
Antonio deployed Regulus to create a large armor that covered his upper body.
With that destructive power, he even briefly contended with Leah, who was relentlessly pushing forward with her heavy weight.
Antonio’s pod was designed with versatility and activity in mind, but some artisans’ pods could function as entire mobile workshops.
In a sense, Carla’s ‘Spider Army mk-1’ was also a type of pod.
Not everyone in Barmhausen had a personal pod, but pod users made up a significant portion.
This highlighted how important personal pods, which replaced magic tools, were to them.
Watching one of the delegation members take out a strange round disc, like a crystal ball magic tool, and interview the citizens of Groden, Vivian felt a covetous desire stirring within her.
‘But they say it’s pointless if you can’t fix your own pod.
They’re precise and useful, but that also means they’re prone to malfunctions.
Nemea’s functions are simple, but it never breaks down. In a way, Nemea is better.’
Comparing them like that, Vivian, filled with a strange sense of national pride for Nemea, which didn’t have to worry about malfunctions, shrugged her shoulders. Ranieri, who was watching her, had a face full of question marks.
“What kind of preparations did you make…”
“Nothing special.
If you put out enough bait, something’s bound to bite.”
“Alright, this way!!”
Some of the delegation members, who seemed to be passing by a bit further away, suddenly changed direction towards them.
Dumbfounded, Ranieri wore a blank expression for a moment before her body reacted, leaping up and rushing to greet the guests.
“You must be tired from your travels, so you need to relax a bit, right?
In that sense, this place is highly recommended.
Hey! We have a group! Are you ready to accommodate these distinguished guests?!”
“W-welcome!! Welcome to Floraz!!
Before helping you with the assignments, we’d like to conduct a brief survey…!!”
Seeing Ranieri start her unexpected reception, Vivian chuckled and began to head inside, thinking she should help out.
“I’ll handle the check-ins. So, guide the guests to their rooms.”
Relieved to be free from the headache-inducing calculations, Ranieri smiled brightly and began to guide the guests to their rooms one by one.
“R-Rene…!!
Nida couldn’t come to work today…
I’ll fill in for one spot,
but we’re still one person short…!!”
In the midst of it all, a Henia rushed over and whispered the situation.
Ranieri, who had never experienced accommodating such a large group of guests, made a face of realization and turned her head towards Vivian.
‘Ugh… if this continues, our reputation will suffer…
I can’t let Vivian be tarnished…!’
As Ranieri was about to tell Henia that she would fill the last spot, trying to handle the situation as naturally as possible,
“Is there a problem?”
She faced the last two guests and froze, as if her breath had been taken away, looking up at the two men who were a head taller than her.
“I heard they’re short on staff.
I was just dragged along by Lord Petelburg, so I don’t really have any thoughts on it.
If you want to do it, you can go ahead.”
“Yeah, yeah, sure.
Enjoy it while you can charge it to the entertainment expenses?
I heard the women here are really something.
Are you planning on starting a pure love story or something?”
One man with dark brown hair, who seemed a bit gloomy but possessed a unique taciturnity and gravitas.
Not only had she encountered him very recently, but she had even bumped into him and almost fallen over. Next to Antonio,
A blond young man with a familiar, hearty smile was nudging his side as he tried to politely back away.
“It’s okay, Antonio.
Is this a world where that’s a flaw?
Are you even going to have a proper first night?
Your future wife is going to be a virgin, so you should lead the way.
Think of it as practice?”
“I’m a practical person, so I don’t really need practice.
You seem to be looking forward to it quite a bit, so I’ll pass.”
Whether they had been following the delegation since their arrival, the two men, having put all the members of the delegation they were escorting inside, were now pushing each other forward, saying, “You do it,” “No, you do it.”
But the other man was holding onto Antonio, preventing him from escaping as he repeatedly declined.
That man’s name was…
“Ludwig Aura…!!”
“Oh? You know me?
Have we met somewhere before?
You certainly have a familiar face…”
When Ranieri, about to shout loudly, covered her mouth, Ludwig, who had already heard his name and turned to look at her, was looking at Ranieri with a puzzled expression.
That was because Ranieri, like Vivian, had slightly altered her face with Parasite while working at Floraz.
Thanks to that, even though her face was similar to before, her aura had changed, making it possible for acquaintances not to recognize her.
But thanks to that, Ranieri was able to quickly recover from her mistake.
“Ah… haha… you’re one of the most talked-about handsome nobles…!!”
“That’s right!! That’s why it’s tiring wherever I go.
I can’t help it that people recognize how handsome I am!!”
‘Ugh…’
“Anyway, what are we going to do if there’s no one to work?
Do we have to wait? Or…
are you going to entertain me?”
“Eeeeh……”
Ranieri, taken aback by Ludwig’s natural gesture of gently lifting her smooth chin with his hand, was struggling to think of what to say next.
With the current atmosphere, she would have to flirt and spread her legs for her half-brother, who shared the same father, even though they were half-siblings.
Even though Ranieri usually enjoyed flirting with various men without any restraint.
The instinctive dislike of such cheesy older brothers was an instinct ingrained in the DNA of all younger sisters.
“W-well… that’s…….”
Unable to hide her bewildered expression, Ranieri gently turned her eyes away from Ludwig, who was gazing at her intently, and looked at Antonio.
Antonio slowly blinked his eyes and took a step forward, taking her hand and starting to walk down the hallway.
“I’ll be back.”
“Huh? Weren’t you not going to do it?!”
Eventually, the last Henia came and took Ludwig away, and a quiet silence lingered in the hallway of Floraz, which was now full of group guests.
“Guest!! I’m sorry for the delay!! I’ll guide you right away!!”
“Oh, okay… then can I ask for your help?
It’s a bit of a shame.
She looked quite cute, a bit like my younger sister.
So that’s his type…?”
