Mediation
An explosion sound could be heard from the mine when were looking for a diner.
...Hm, let's not stick our necks where we don't belong, I'm hungry and all too.
<Oh crap, oh crap! Neechan, hurry up get to the mine and stop them!?>
<We beg of you, they won't listen to us!>
"...Little Gnomes? What's wrong?"
The earth spirits under Alma's care came and begged for our help when we were about to enter a diner.
There was no hint of her using Spirit Magic. Meaning these spirits sought Alma through their own initiative.
I've never seen these little rascals look so driven up the wall before.
<Gnome-aniki and that Ifrit idiot are quarreling in the mine!>
<They're gonna cause an even bigger explosion and blow us all away if we don't stop them!>
<We don't actually care if one or two human towns got erased but we don't wanna get dragged in it!>
Yup, nice to see them being honest. It's all ultimately for their own self-interest.
But that does mean they're likely telling the truth here. It's gonna be bad if we leave this issue be.
I guess [Gnome] and [Ifrit] are like the higher tier versions of these guys?
<<Affirmative. They are the mid-class evolved forms of low-class spirits, Little Gnomes and Ifrit Juniors, reached after amassing mana over a long period of time.>>
<<Spirits of this class clashing may result in the town's destruction.>>
Ow crap. Gotta stop 'em.
"Haa, looks like we can't afford to eat first and chip at this issue slowly."
"Uu, denied food when you're hungry is harsh."
"Here, sandwiches for you girls, we can eat as we make our way to the mine."
"I'm afraid I'd get an upset stomach..."
And so we're nibbling on sandwiches as we walk.
The mood is pretty relaxed despite the precarious situation we're in...
"O-oy, think they're still fightin'?"
"Both Vanriza-san and Jibaga-san got real heated there. They ain't stoppin' anytime soon..."
"The mine's gonna collapse at this rate. Heck, the damage might extend to the town...!"
At the entrance of the mine, men who look to be the miners here are timidly peering inside.
Looks like they're too afraid of cave in to enter, which could happen anytime now.
"Excuse me, is there a problem?"
"Hm? Who're you people."
"You see, one of our party members is a Spirit User. Some earth spirits came and asked her to stop a quarrel in this mine."
"O, oh, that so... Please. It'll be risky, but we hope you can stop those two...!"
According to the miners, there's an elf that helps with the mining operation using Spirit Magic called [Vanriza]-san, and a dwarf that helps with the ore processing, also with Spirit Magic, [Jibaga]-san.
For one reason or another, the two ended up quarreling inside the mine which then escalated into them even deploying Spirit Magic.
They're being such a huge pain. Can't they pick a better place to fight among themselves at least.
Heck, do those two have Combat Jobs considering they know Spirit Magic and all? Stopping them could be a bother if they're high leveled.
I understand the situation now. Let's get in and stop them asap.
There's the risk of cave in, but we've got a reliable Spirit Magic user with us as well.
"Alma, if it looks like the mine's gonna come crashing down, ask Little Gnomes to stop the collapse."
"Got it. Little Gnomes, please."
<O-ou. But you better make 'em stop, stat.>
<Ain't nothin' we can do if those two clashed for real and exploded.>
"If worse comes to worst, Reina you use Shadow Dive and I'll Fast Travel away. Would be best if we can stop their quarrel before it comes down to that though."
<You plannin' to abandon us!?>
<You're heartless! You always drive us hard like slaves too!>
"I'll give you plenty of mana in exchange. There will be bonus mana if we can resolve this nicely, do your best."
<<<Yes, ma'am!>>>
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
...She's mastered the way of carrot and stick I see. I'm scared of Captain Alma.
The mine was dimly lit, I thought we could get there in one dash using Reina's Shadow Dive but there were many bright spots lit by Light Ore here and there, we kept making detours in the end.
Reina kept going in and out of the shadows, she looked irritated.
"Mwugaa! We just got in and then out right after, might as well walk, it's faster!"
"We should get there in no time if we trace the huge mana response. No need to rush."
"We're almost there... It's so hot."
Alma wiped the sweat on her face as the temperature rose deeper inside the mine.
Are we gonna be alright? These two won't get heatstroke won't they?
As we advanced deeper, we came across a long eared blond handsome man with a 3 meter tall human-shaped rock next to him facing off against a short muscular bearded old man standing next to a mass of flame with a humanoid upper half.
These two must be the perpetrators. Aren't they hot?
"Fu, fufufu. How about you admit defeat right about now?"
"Bahahahaha! Ya take me for a fool?! Things are just heating up...!"
Yup. Mostly the mine's temperature. Caused by the flaming humanoid next to that old man for sure.
<Hmph, your master has quite the rough temperament. It must be tough.>
<Aa? Guy way better than that lanky ya bastard keep. Yer' stuffy arse got no right to judge me.>
<Birds of a feather flock together. Are you familiar with such an idiom by a human hero? You are exactly that. Savages attract savages.>
<Ha! So yer' sayin' ya got that lanky's feather!>
The mid-class spirits are needlessly quarreling with fluent usage of language as well.
Their mental make-ups don't seem that different from humans'.
<Ah, you're here at last!>
<Neechan, please stop them!>
<You too old man, give us a hand! Heck, go ahead and knock 'em out good!>
The other little gnomes who were by the elf noticed us.
Don't call me old man. And isn't that guy your aniki, you want me to beat him up?
"Err, pardon, can I have your attention please?"
"Aaan? The heck're ya, buttin' in our problem. Get lost!"
"This is a matter between me and him. Please fall back if you don't wish to get hit by accident!"
Uwaah, they're shooting magic our way. Stone Bullet and Fire Ball would have killed ordinary production-type Job people.
They won't hurt us being elementary spells and all, but these guys sure have lost sight of themselves.
I caught both with Mana Cushioned hands.
The spells were stronger than the one used by that triangle hat skeleton we once fought in a dungeon, but so am I.
"...He caught magic, bare handed...!?"
"W-why it ain't exploding...!?"
They're getting flustered.
This is our chance to persuade them, but before that.
"Were you going to shoot these spells if the miners came by here? Fight with your fists if you're gonna fight, at least you won't be bothering people that way."
I gripped both the stone and flame spells, dispersing them.
"I have no idea what started your fight, but you two spirits over there, quit using this chance to have your quarrel as well."
<The hell ya think you are, acting all high and mighty with us huuh!? Think yer' a judge now!?>
<Ifrit, only our contractors can understand us. Have you forgotten? Such is a savage I suppose.>
Gnome shrugged his shoulders like he's making fun of Ifrit. I say, quit that.
"I hear you loud and clear. Quit trying to provoke the other guy, will you."
<Wha...!?>
<Aniki! This old man's bad news! You absolutely don't want to antagonize these guys!>
<This old man can talk, touch and probably kill Spirits if he wanna.>
<Touch, spirits? Kill...!?>
<Yer' tellin' me this guy's a threat to us Spirits huh. That makes it simple, I just gotta slaughter him!>
<<<We're telling you, don't!!>>>
The quarreling Ifrit and Gnome turned their hostility toward me.
...Yup. They've stopped fighting and all, but now they're raring to go. To fight me. But why.
No choice then, guess I'll knock 'em good per the little gnomes' wish.
Posts
