Sousetsuka

9-12. Bornean Forest

 

Satou's here. You can discern those who like to ride amusement park's vehicles and those who don't from their screams. Different people have different suitabilities of course, but perhaps they can enjoy it because they trust those game machines.


◇


After we've crossed the mountain range, the airship ark descends on a narrow grassland between the forest and the foot of a mountain.

"Ah~, it's finally the ground."
"Oh Arisa, wasn't it just half a day long."
"But, I hadn't thought that it would be shaking that much."

What Arisa's saying is true.
There were more strange air currents than I thought, so the shaking was worse than I expected. Thanks to [Canopy] magic, we didn't experience the effect of temperature fall and atmospheric pressure change, but since the [Air Control] couldn't absorb the radical change of the air current, I couldn't prevent the shaking.

"E, earth nanodesu."
"Yes, it's the mother earth."

As the result, Pochi and Liza look a bit pitiful.
They fall down to the ground with a plop. The eyes of the two are a bit unfocused. I didn't shake the ark this time though. Rather, it might've been better if I supported it to prevent the shaking.

Maybe I should had let them sleep like the horses that I gave sleeping medicines.
Arisa and Mia seem like they had motion sickness, they looked a bit unsteady. I gave them some anti-motion sickness medicine, but it didn't seem to work well.

Nana is operating like usual. Even now, she's poking on a little flower below that's swaying from wind.

Tama seemed like she was really enjoying the unexpected shaking, she was frolic from the beginning to the end that now she's like a child who has just gone to an amusement park, drained of her battery. She's currently sleeping on the grassland with a satisfied smile.

Lulu was afraid and looked like she would get motion sickness, but she screamed, "Kyaa kyaa" as I caught her on my arm like she was riding a jet coaster, she was smiling until the end. I didn't have any objection since her flushed cheeks was cute.

There's still a long time until the nightfall, but since everyone is totally exhausted, I decide to camp here today.

There's no monster in Bornean forest, but there are some on the boundary here. However, there's no particularly strong monster around, so I leave Nana to guard everyone.

I've found the mithril vein I've always yearned for in the mountain range, so I'm going there to mine it. Since the mitrhil vein is quite deep at one kilometer below the ground, I make a shaft until the depth of my goal after using 4-5 [Mud Wall]. I don't know how much will the mithril decrease after refining it, but several tons of it are probably enough. If it's not, I can just come back here.

It's still a while before it's time to prepare for dinner, so I fly around the mountains, gathering things like clays for making earthenwares, stones for building, and rare earth minerals. There are also gold and silver veins, but there are too little gold per square meter area, so I won't touch it. I can just melt old gold coins if I need some.


◇


There's an unexpected guest when I've returned to the camp ground as the sun begins setting.
Even if I said guest, it's not a person. It's an unicorn living in Bornean forest. Unlike the unicorns in Muno forest, it looks like a zebra with its stripes instead of a white horse.

The unicorn and the hornless are getting along well as they eat the horse fodders I've made myself.

"This is?"
"Mutual love."
"Two hours ago, it came wandering about and they began to flirt. Riajuu, or rather RiaJUU, die."
<TLN: The JUU above mean beasts.>
"I won't subjugate or capture it since it's not hostile, but what should we do with it?"

Arisa curses them dejectedly, but please don't pick a quarrel with even unicorns. After telling Liza that she doesn't need to subjugate it, I begin to prepare for dinner together with Lulu.

Tonight I'm making tofu hamburg steak as the main menu per Mia's request. I also make chicken-less chicken rice, potatoes, and custard puddings. I was going to make fried prawns and sausages, but I made fried bamboo shots, and macaronis instead. Finally, I stab the shaped chicken rice with toothpicks adorned with flags, and it's complete.

"You're really diligent~ after characters bento, now it's kid lunches eh."
"Cute."
"Peerless and wonderful~"
"Yes nanodesu! If just hamburg is the strongest, it'll be peerless with this many additions nanodesu!

Pochi has recovered enough to make you think her exhaustion a few hours ago is an illusion. Her tail isn't enough to show it as she's even swinging her arms. I'm glad that she's excited, but she could faint if she's too excited.

"Master."
"What is it?"

Nana is looking at me with eyes that look very dissatisfied. Since Nana seems like she would go on a rampage, I've restrained her with [Magic Hand] ahead of time. It's unfortunate that there's no tactile sensation.

I've made everyone's shares properly this time. Nana also has one of course. I've especially added all three kinds of the flags for Nana's plate. She probably won't rampage now.

"Keen insight. Praising master for having made something truly wondrous."

I'm glad that Nana is also satisfied. Arisa grumbles, "I'm not a kid.", but it seems it's just spoken words.

Since I feel sorry for them if there's no meat, I pile up wyvern karage on another plate. I use wyvern meat that I've pickled with liquor soup since yesterday. I hear Liza is saying, "It's even more delicious than yesterday.", so I'll use seasoning for wyvern meat from now on.

With this kind of menu, it's easy to tell their habits of eating food; Tama starts from her favorite ones, while Pochi and Mia start from their least favorites. Although the food on the large platter are Pochi's favorite too, so she's eating it.

"Satou, delicious."
"Nn."

I reply Mia who's unusually speaking using two words by mimicking her.
To Mia who firmly demands another helping, I serve it. Pochi and Tama who have finished eating earlier after battling for karage with Liza present their plates while saying, "Another~", "Another nanodesu." when they see that scene.

When the big pot that I've prepared with chicken rice becomes empty, everyone is full as they sprawl on the sheet for sleeping while patting their stomaches.

I leave the cleaning up to Liza and Nana as I begin to make a simple electric fan.
Even though we're beyond the mountain range, we shouldn't be located that far to the south, so we've become a bit sweaty, I'm making the fan to make our sleep more pleasant. By the time I realized that I could just use [Air Control] to create some breeze, I had completed the electric fan.


◇


The next day after breakfast, I asked Mia the way to enter Bornean forest, but since she had never gone out of the forest, she didn't know.

Then, I guess I should ask someone who knows.

I search Mia's parents, Lamisauuya, and Lilinatoa from the menu and mark them. Now then, I guess the one I should contact is the mother.

I invoke [Telephone] magic with Lilinatoa as the target. This magic won't be properly invoked if the other party doesn't want to talk. It's good that it can't be used to attack with prank calls.

"Who?"

The reply is a voice that sounds exactly like Mia's. Only I can hear this voice. It's certain since I've tested it with Lulu and Pochi before.

"Pleased to meet you, I'm Satou, a human. I'm sorry for calling you with magic--"

Right at then, Lilinatoa-san's voice cuts in.

"My!　Satou-san you said?! Are you the one Dohar's mentioned?　That's right isn't it! Then, perhaps you've brought Mia along?　You've brought her right?　--"

She's talking like a machine gun, just like Mia is when she's drunk.
I'm made to listen to her for five minutes straight without any chance to talk back. Looks like they know my name from Dohar-san's message. I'm glad the words that Mia's said in the dwarven hometown like "Mutual love", or "Eloping", aren't taken seriously by them.

In contrast, the letter from Seryuu city's manager-san, Yusalatoya, hasn't arrived yet. It seems Dohar-san employed magic transmission which made his message arrived first.

They're going to pick us, but they don't know our position, so I shoot a fireball to the sky as a signal.

A little while after the fireball has disappeared, two elves appear from the forest that has been divided in front of us.
They're wearing green clothes like the elves in the picture books.

""Mia""
"Laya, Lia"

Parents and child who call each other with their names are hugging.
Really, this is quite a moving scene.

Arisa is pulling the sleeves of me who's being moved as I watch the reunion.
What? Even though it's at the good part?

"Hey, they're Mia's parents right?"
"That's right."
"But you know~"

I understand what Arisa is trying to say.
Mia's parents look like they're only slightly older than Mia, they look younger even compared to Lulu. They seem to be a race who grow slowly, Hayato will be delighted.
The father's face looks exactly like the elf manager-san at Seryuu city. They might be blood-related, their population is few after all.

"Satou."
"Thank you."
"My, Satou-san right? You're Satou-san aren't you. You're younger than I thought?　You're young aren't you--"

I greet the parents whom Mia introduces.
Nevertheless, the father seems like a taciturn person like Mia. There's no middle way between this couple, it's really hard to talk with them.

We're going to enter the Elves' hometown as we're invited by Mia's parent.






Previous Chapter

9-11. Mountain Range Encounter (2)

 

Satou's here. Newcomer's welcome party, year-end party, and new year's party. There are various types of feasts, but I feel that they're lubricant for communications. Drunkards who don't know their own drinking tolerances are troubling though.


◇


"Whoa!"

Just before the fang thrusts into my shoulders, I drive my fist onto it without holding back. The broken fang injures the black dragon's mouth and blood overflow from it. Well, it should be healed immediately since it's a dragon. Probably.
I twist my body using that momentum, and hit the side of the black dragon's head with a roundhouse kick.

However, carelessness really is one's greatest enemy. I didn't think that the flexible shield and the flexible armor could be smashed that easily. I was thinking of countering it when the fang was to be stopped by the flexible shield, but since it was easily drilled through, I lost my composure.

I look at the black dragon who has fainted right beside me.
Did I kick it a bit too hard?　I think that there was feeling of the skull cracking, but a dragon will probably be cured immediately. They're the strongest creatures after all.

However, after waiting for nearly one hour, and even after the [Fainted] status has disappeared, the black dragon isn't waking up.

Is it playing dead?

Come to think of it, the dragons that are depicted on the picture books all like to drink. There are a lot of dragons that are heavy drinkers too in my world, I guess I should try it. If it's a non-drinker dragon, we can just fight once again. I won't let my guard down this time.

I put a barrel of liquor near the tip of the black dragon's nose. It's a strong liquor even among the breweries at duchy capital called [Dragon Slayer]. The strong drink here (this world) is different even though the alcohol strength matches, this one is famous to be severe from the first taste.

I use the broken fang to break the liquor barrel's lid, rich liquor odor spread to the surrounding. The black dragon's nasal cavity has expanded before I knew it.
The black dragon peeks, but it quickly closes its eyes in panic when it meets mine.

Err, you're too late.

"You've awoken right?　Why don't we exchange cups of liquor in praises of our good fight?"
"Uuumuuu, very well, I'll make an exception for this special draw. However, this amount isn't enough for exchanging cups."

While keeping up begrudging attitude, the black dragon gets up. I understand that you're trying to keep your dignity, but it's a fail if you stare at the liquor barrel so fixatedly like that.
I'm being tactful here, and urge the dragon to go ahead and then, it begins to taste the liquor. It's surprisingly obedient.

"Umumwu, excellent. Liquor that humans made really are tasty. But, dragon liquor won't lose to it y'know? I'm returning the cup, now taste the dragon liquor--"

The black dragon howls for very long like it's singing. It is a fantastical magic that summons a spring which gushes out liquor called [Liquor Spring (Soul Well)].

Since it doesn't feel right with just drinking, I add a roasted whole wyvern, and 200 kilograms of grilled whale meat on skewers as appetizers to accompany the drink. I use the whale's small bones for the skewers. For heating, I use furnace flame (Forge).

During the feast, when I was cooking the food, I contacted Arisa with [Telephone] magic. Since there were howls and sounds of destructions like it was some kind of kaijuu great battle at the mountain where I was heading, this was to put them to ease. Arisa and Liza seems to have been worried although not to the degree like before.

And, I've told Arisa and the others that I will be back after I clean up the mess, but--

"Umu, good, good, nectar indeed."
"The liquor from this spring is also delicious. How should I say, it really goes well with meat."

--This has become a simple drinking party.
We exchange cups while I'm listening to the black dragon's stories that are mainly about its battle journey.

I'm most relieved to hear about the dragons among the stories of the black dragon.

There were only 70% of the whole dragons in the dragon valley, while the remaining 30% are located in other continents. I'm glad that they're not on the verge of extinction or something.

The dragons on this continent--except the ones that were on the dragon valley--are the black dragon in front of me, the heavenly dragons that reside on the sacred mountain to the west, and several young dragons, beside those, there are only lower dragons.

Lower dragons are more or less dragons, but they don't have clear intellect, and are no different than beasts. According to the black dragon, likening lower dragons to dragons is like lumping goats and humans together because they are both mammals. Using goats in analogies seem to be the black dragon's favorite. I wonder if he really likes goat meat, it often comes out in his stories. Unfortunately, I don't have goat meat left in the storage, so I can't treat him with it.

While feeling relieved, I put another cup of the transparent green liquor from the spring on my lips. Drinking ginjoushu-like liquor in the depth of a forest, it's a mysterious flavor.
<TLN: A grade of sake, google it if you're curious. :>

I've only noticed that we have fought for half a day when I look at the watch after the battle is over. The black dragon's stamina is amazing. It doesn't look like a level 68 at all. In fact, I feel that he's stronger than the level 69 hero.

I'm hungrier than usual, maybe due to having a fight that lasted half a day. I must have eaten about 10 kilograms of meat already although it might look little compared to the gag-manga like scene of the black dragon gulping down meat in front of me. I have to end this soon.

In spite of that thought, I keep on consuming the appetizers one after another as the feast continues until morning. I've stopped counting after eating 30 kilogram of meat. I feel slightly worried as to where the things I've eaten are gone to while staring at my flat stomach, but that worry vanishes by the slight drunkenness.

I'll bring the dwarves along to drink together next time.

>Title [Friend of the Black Dragon] Acquired
>Title [Mountain Crusher] Acquired
>Title [Hearty Eater] Acquired
>Title [Glutton] Acquired


◇


In the dawn of the next morning, I'm crossing the mountain range on the back of the black dragon.

I want to ride on a dragon just once.

Coming out of the sea of clouds, I overlook the dwelling of the black dragon on the highest peak, and we pass the mountain range. The morning sun shines on the [Sea of Trees]. It's a forest that continues on to the horizon.

And then, at the center of the forest faraway, there's the thread that extends to the sky which I can always see ever since we've entered the duchy territory.  Mia has told me the true nature of that thread.

The world tree.

However, it doesn't look like one no matter how I look at it.
If anything, it looks like nothing but an orbital elevator. Was this not a fantasy world but an SF?

"What's wrong, my kindred-spirit, Kuro. Do you find the world tree unusual?"
<TLN: Kuro can mean black.>

The Kuro that the black dragon refers to is me.

This is something that happened during the drinking bout, by the black dragon's request, I gave him a name, Heiron. He had intended to ask for a name when someone that could equal him appeared. Looks like dragons don't have habit to give inherent name among them.

Maybe because I was nanashi (nameless), I've also acquired the name Kuro from the black dragon Heiron. About this Kuro name.

From what I was told, it was the name of a child that the black dragon raised on whim 900 years ago. Since this name is pronounced with definite Japanese language, that child might have been a reincarnated person. It seems he doesn't remember the child's race nor hair color. Even the name Kuro seemed to have resurfaced like a flash from the corner of his memory.

Going back to the main subject (leaving that aside), it's about the world tree right now.

"Yeah, I'm thinking just how far it's extending."
"That continues on to the void. I don't know how many days it'll take even with my wings."

Is that so, dragons can fly to the space huh.
It must not have anything to do with aerodynamic.

Since I'm outside the duchy territory, I use the [All Map Exploration] after a long time.
The forest before my eyes is really [Bornean Forest]. However, although it's certainly written that the forest is on the neighborhood of the duchy in the traveler's journal, I wish the distance was also written. It's no wonder that the person who's written the traveler's journal doesn't have a description for Bornean Forest.

The place where the world tree is located is in another map, yet the area of these sea of trees are a little wider than the duchy territory. Merely thousands of elves live in such vast area. And then, about 10.000 fairykins beside the elves are living in small villages scattered on the edges of the sea of trees.

"I'd like to take you to the world tree, but the high elf hag will be noisy then. When I got close to it back in the day, thunder cloud descended upon me, and half of my top scales were torn. I was in pain for 100 years until it was time for shedding. Therefore Kuro, you too should only get close around here."

I see, so the defense mechanism of the elves can repel dragons huh, amazing.
I should contact Mia's parents with [Telephone] and have them come pick us up after we've crossed the mountains.
I sure want to meet a high elf once.


◇


I parted with the black dragon Heiron at the place where we were fighting yesterday.

He didn't need the fang that was broken yesterday since it would grow back in 100 years, so I received it. He doesn't need to put dentures in huh.
Since there are broken pieces of dragon scales when I search around the area of the fight, I collect them all. Although the [Liquor Spring] will seemingly turn into normal water spring after a few days, it's still gushing out liquor now, so I fill the barrels I have in hands with it. I'll send some to elder Dohar and Galhar when we get back to civilization.

I have to clean up one thing first before I get back to Arisa and the others.

Due to the utter rampages of the black dragon Heiron yesterday, monsters and beasts are making great migrations. Due to that, the village of the girl that I've saved from the wolves yesterday is in trouble.

I immediately rush to the sky above the village using Sky Drive.

Bizarre ants are besieging the dwellings that also acts as forts with the acid that can penetrate through the wall of rocks. They're just level 3 monsters, but there are a lot of them. If this keeps up, the village will be overrun in less than a few hours.

They're shouting something, but I don't understand the words.

>[Silga Language Skill Acquired]

I decide to quickly exterminate the ants with [Remote Arrows] since casualties will arise if I do it while being carefree. I finished them all after five volleys.

I put one point to Silga language skill along the way. Although I'm hearing it in prattle, they seem to be shouting something like angel, or Garleon-sama toward me.
I might be treated like an angel or god because I was shooting magic while floating in the sky. The bizarre ants acid attack was stinky so I didn't lower my altitude much.

This is only a village with 19 people, so it's probably going to be tough cleaning up the bodies of all these ants. While moving like gliding using sky drive, I put them into the [Bizarre Ants] folder in my storage. If I find an area where slimes are growing en masse, let's throw these there.

The village people who have come out are prostrating themselves on the ground.
Thin fumes are coming out of the hands and feet of the prostrating people due to the leftover acid on the ground.

"Face, raise, stand."

The words for conversing are troublesome. I raise skill level to three, enough for everyday conversations.
I heal them with [Aqua Heal] since they're a bit scalded. The elderly are saying, "The pain on my knee has disappeared", and the women "My scars disappeared". However, the voices that say, "My eyes, I can see with my eyes", or "Lila is standing", mixed among it, catch my attention. It's not supposed to be able to heal loss of body parts though?

I'm using [Pure Water] to remove the acid from the water well and the ground while being treated like a god. I don't know how effective it is, but this was the only magic that seemed usable.

The fields have become tragic after getting trampled by the ants, so I leave them with rice and smoked wolf meat as food for the the meantime. I'll leave the recovery of the fields for themselves to take care on their own.
I feel a bit meddlesome, but I also leave them with 10 bottles of diluted potion, and large quantity of medicines for avoiding monsters that have no purpose with me.

"Farewell! Live in good health."

With skill level three, the vocabulary is strange huh.

"God, please your name! Please tell us your name."

Who's a god.
The girl whom I had saved from the wolves before asked for my name. I'm undecided between Nanashi and Kuro, but I guess Nanashi will do. Let's use Kuro exclusively for when I meet some dragon.
I told the girl, "Nanashi", and left that village.

Since there were three villages that looked like they'd be in trouble, I made walls on the surface of the mountain to change the courses of the monsters and the beasts, avoiding the crisis before it happened. I pray that there won't be any monster who climbs over the wall when it sees it.

>Title [Savior] Acquired
>Title [One who is Worshiped] Acquired

I wonder if it's because of the hardships, the airship ark that we are riding crosses the mountain range without any problem and finally arrive at the border of the Bornean Forest.





Previous Chapter

9-10. Mountain Range Encounter 

 

Satou's here. They say that negligence is one's greatest enemy, but I think it's fine when you're at least aware that you're being careless. Recently, I've begun to think that the real scary thing may be self-conceit.


◇


The next morning, I have a reason for going ahead alone.

There's the fact that I want to look at how the wyverns react toward the air current, but I'm confirming things ahead since halfway of this mountain range is a different territory. I think it's most likely Bornean forest territory, so for the sake of my companions' safety, I should properly confirm it.

Actually I went out last night, but the air current was different, and the monsters weren't moving at night, so I went back because it was meaningless. Going back straight was embarrassing, so I cull out the stronger monsters around the perimeter of the camping ground. There were two horn snakes among the monsters I swept, I'll make another kabayaki next time.

Now then, the highest peak of this mountain range is about as high as the Everest from my original world. Wow, many 8000 meters tall mountains are lined up. Even the valley where I'm going isn't less than 4000 meters high, so it can be called a nature's stronghold.

The wyverns are most numerous on the southwestern 6000-meters tall mountain. Several dozens of them are there.

There is no wyvern on the mountain-crossing course that I've chosen, but the fan-shaped form that can be seen scattered away from the summit of the mountain along the course catches my attention. I wonder if there's something in the summit that attacks those wyverns like the wyvern from yesterday. The enemy search on the map works only in the mountain range, so if there's really something, it's probably beyond that.

Now then, enough about the wyverns, there are several hidden villages scattered about on this mountain. Any one of them is a small village of 10-20 people. There are various races like humans, fairykin, bearmen, and such, but since they're separated quite far from each other, they don't seem to have cultural exchange or competitions.

I didn't intend to get in touch with any of the hidden village, but I saw a girl-san who was being chased by a pack of wolves, so since I didn't want to abandon her, I routed the wolves with [Remote Stun]. My figure was seen, but since I was in silver masked hero mode, it was alright.


◇


I choose a route where I won't be in a near-miss situation with the hidden villages, flying about 100 meters high above the ground along the mountain. Due to that, wyverns and flying beetle monsters attacks me in droves. Thinking that they would be heralds for the airship tomorrow, I cut them with [Magick Swords] whenever I encounter them.
I use [Remote Arrow] only for the monsters called land urchins that shoot out lance-like needles from the ground. I feel like I'd suffer pointed-tip phobia if I fought such hedgehog-like monsters up-close.

However, there sure are a lot of monsters.

There are only a few of them around the outskirts of the hidden villages, but if these many monsters attack the villages on whim, it looks like they'll be annihilated. Let's take care as not to use magic that are too noisy or showy.

I set up the [Magick Sword] against the wyvern that's come out of the mountain recess while feeling a bit fed up with it, but the wyvern doesn't seem to have me in mind.

'Perhaps', I think so while checking the map, and I understand the being that's chasing the wyvern.

I see, no wonder it's running.

While smashing the summit that the wyvern is detouring, that being appears.

A dragon.

Black dragon.

The jet black dragon calmly flies, and then, after it glares at me while flying in the sky, it catches the flying wyvern with one bite from its jaws.
It's a large dragon that's about 100 meters long from the tip of the horn on its head to its tail. However, it's slenderer than the [Bulking and Heavy Western Dragon] in my imagination.

So they haven't become extinct huh. I immerse myself with selfish relief.

Now then, what should we do about this.

The black dragon has been really glaring at me since a while ago.

『ＧＲＯＯＯＵＵＵＵＮＮ！』

>[Dragon Language Skill Acquired]

For the time being, I guess I should talk. I raise the skill to level 5 and activate it.

"Little one, prostrate yourself. You're before the king of sky."
"Heya, nice to meet you, black dragon-san."

I wonder if I should have added honorific title? Black dragon-san sounds like a medicine's name, what's up with that. In preparation for if the other party is short-tempered, I adjust my position and put my back to face the mountains.

"Hou, you understand dragon language huh, little one."

In reality, it's hard to speak this language. If I didn't have ventriloquism skill, I might not be able to speak the words even if I understood it.

"Well then, you disrespectful one. Let's fight."

Why become like that.
To start a battle even before introducing itself, there's a limit even for battle junkies.

When my mouth is hanging to begin negotiating with it, I successively put up [<<Flexible Shield>>], and [<<Flexible Armor>>] while the crisis perception is kicking in.

Jet black color fills the view, and the mountains suffers the blow together with roaring sound.

Even though I immediately moved using the Sky Drive and the Ground Shrink, two out of the eight flexible shields I had put up were gone.

Dragon Breath.

I see, this is indeed.
Two mountains have been hollowed with just one attack. It's good that I changed my position. It probably won't reach the base of the mountain where Arisa and the others are, but in case of the worst happening.

"Hou, you've evaded Black Flame (Breath) huh. As expected of a hero."
"Thanks. I don't want to fight if possible though?"
"This is inevitable. Dragons and heroes, it's a fate for them to fight if they meet."

Wait a minute. Didn't they fight alongside Yamato-san?
The question is lost along with my voice from the second Black Flame (Breath) roaring sound. This time I'm a bit late from escaping, but it seems that I can defend against one blow of it if I use all eight of [<<Flexible Shield>>].

The black dragon has caught up with me since I was inspecting that.
Its tail attacks me from a blind spot.

It's several times heavier than Wagahai-kun's, but lighter compared to an attack from the wild boar king.
In other words, it's not a strength that I can't endure huh.

This time I counterattack the black dragon that has lost its momentum and stopped in the air. By combining Sky Drive and Ground Shrink, I strike the heart of the black dragon with fighting game characters-like kicks.
Many scales are broken the moment a kick connects, but the kicks doesn't pierce through it. That was dangerous, I mustn't forgot that I should not kill it.

However, there were responses like glasses breaking before the scales were broken. There probably are magical defense fields on surface of the scales.

The black dragon, that has become quiet after I fling it to one of the mountain, pushes aside some debris and gets up.
It howls once on that spot--looks like it uses magic.

I'm shot with black lightning.

>[Lightning Magic: Dragon Skill Acquired]
>[Darkness Magic: Dragon Skill Acquired]
>[Darkness Resistance Skill Acquired]

This is the first time I've acquired two skills from one magic.
It's quite strong, maybe because it's a compound elemental magic.  It sips through even the gaps of the dense flexible armor formation, and burn the leather armor inside. The flexible armor still has 80% of its endurance, but the leather armor has been torn.

I feel tingling for a bit, but there doesn't seem to be any strange additional effect.

Now then, what should I do.
It looks like it'll die if I shoot it with an intermediate-level magic, and using holy swords will turn it to pieces.

Of course it doesn't seem like the black dragon is open to discussions.
Can't be helped, let's talk with body language.

I drop the black dragon that's trying to fly to the ground with [Air Hamer]. I've already expected the 150-meters radius crater that it produces. Since the dragon suffers even less damage than I've expected, I randomly pound it not directly, but with [Air Hammer], and [Short Stun] while 'oraoraora'-ing, breaking the black dragon's spirit.

While taking notes of the black dragon's health, I repeat the environmental destructions.
I guard against the Black Flame (Breath) that it's thrown out of desperation with [Aqua Wall]. Apparently, the Black Flame (Breath)'s strength is in proportion with the black dragon's stamina, it doesn't have the trace of power like it's shown in the beginning. [<<Water Film>>] might even be able to guard against it unexpectedly.

Nevertheless, the black dragon's attack isn't stopping even though it's been cornered this much. Just how much of a battle junkie this dragon is. It's used not only the [Lighting], and [Darkness] magic from before, but even the [Fire], and [Wind] magic, yet everything is blocked by the flexible armor, there's no meaning to it.

"Guhahaha, this is fun hero. It's been since my fight with the heavenly dragons that I use this much power to the limit."

This dragon must have certainly troubled the heavenly dragons.
Is it intentional, or unconscious, this conversation is probably for the sake of getting my guard down. Scraping sounds are mixed in the conversation as the dragon seemingly casts magic, jet black feelers that look like shadow whips arise from the shadow of the mountain in the surrounding below me at once. They're not only appearing from below, but also the surrounding shadow, wrapping me.

According to the log, it's a magic called [Dark Snap]. The darkness version of shadow whips huh.

By tying me, is it going to use Black Flame (Breath), or a secret advanced-level magic, or maybe a forbidden magic like the hero's companions was using.

--at this time, I was careless.

The next black dragon's attack is not magic.

It's fangs.

One bite of the primitive fang.

It's said in the picture book that I read for Pochi and the others.

The fangs of dragons penetrate through everything.

The fangs of dragons destroy even the demon lord, it's the ultimate blade.

The black dragon fang penetrates my flexible shield, and tears through my flexible armor.

And then, fresh blood overflow--





Previous Chapter

9-9. Fisherman's Profit

 

Satou's here. During the midsummer day of the ox, it's nice to be able to eat something that you don't usually eat like kabayaki, or winter solstice pumpkin, isn't it. Although, there are arguments from both side when it's about valentine day...
<TLN: From wiki, Kabayaki (蒲焼) is a preparation of fish, especially unagi eel, where the fish is split down the back (or belly), gutted and boned, butterflied, cut into square fillets, skewered, dipped in a sweet soy sauce-base sauce before being broiled on a grill.>


◇


The thing that appears in the forest sky is a wyvern.

Its aim is not us, but the horn snake, as it's swooping down on the defenseless body of the horn snake while completely ignoring us.

The horn snake which was obstinately attacking Nana seems to notice it too, it stops its attack and turns its sickle neck towards the wyvern.

"Liza, leave this to me."
"Yes! Pochi, Tama, take some distance. Arisa, Mia! Use attack magic while the horn snake stops moving."

I strike the wyvern from the side with the short stun that I haven't used for a long time.

It didn't seem to think that we would attack it, the magic hit it directly and it crashed to the forest, mowing down several trees along the way.
The wing span of this wyvern is about 10 meters long. Rather than a dragon, it looks more like a Pteranodon. It's really like a fantasy wyvern to have poison on its tail.
<Rathalos approves>

The horn snake gets half of its body cut by Arisa's [<<Dimension Cutter>>], and its blood grandly scatters. Mia attacked the horn snake with [Water Blade] slightly later, but it seemed that the snake had resisted it as the water dispersed when it hit the body surface.

The horn snake, which didn't expect to suffer great damages, began to try to escape.
Of course Liza and the others won't allow it.

"Nana, we can't let the horn snake runs away."
"Understood. You snake, the preparation for making kabayaki is complete!"

Thanks to Nana's questionable provocation, and the barrier that Arisa had put on its retreat path, the horn snake had stopped trying to escape. Liza's magic spear, and Pochi's and Tama's short swords alternately attack the wound that Arisa has opened.
And then, when the snake movements has become dulled due to the blood loss, Nana pierces through its mouth with the [Sharp Edge]-strengthened sword, and it stops moving.

"Ey ey." "Ou nanodesu."

Pochi and Tama are having victory cry on top of the horn snake, but it's still too early.

"Pochi, Tama, you must not relax your guard. Nana, use the reinforcement magic again. Arisa, Mia, do you still have enough mana?"

Liza gives instructions, and the preparation for the next battle begins.
She's quite reliable.

Since Nana, who's in charge of the front line, is slightly hurt, I heal her with [Water Heal].


◇


Slightly later after that, a kaiju-like roar comes out from the deep of the forest. Apparently, the wyvern has finally awoken. I was cautious as to whether it could use magic by roaring like demons, but it seemed to be just a normal cry.

The advantage of wyverns is their flight ability.

Thus I thought that it would go out to the lake shore to accelerate in order to fly, but---

"Wait, that's a wyvern right?"
"Monkey~?"
"It's bouncing around nodesu."

The wyvern ran up two trees by kicking them alternately, and flew to the sky like that. Seemed that it properly used its talons to gain speed while running on the trees.

I pass some crossbows to Pochi, Tama and Lulu. They're originally anti-wyvern tools. Let's put them to use.

The wyvern is circling in the sky to amass speed, then it lower its altitude and comes attacking from the other side of the lake. It's not breaking through to the center, but looks like it's gliding while grazing the lake surface.

"Mia, strike the wyvern with [Balloon] when it reaches that bush over there. The three of you attack the wing--yes, aim at the right wing. Arisa, use the cutting magic from before on its wing. I don't mind if you cut it whole if you can."

Liza has given instructions to everyone.
Previously, it was Arisa who instructed them, but since she couldn't do it while concentrating on magic, Liza took her place.

I also set up [Magic Hand] and [<<Flexible Shield>>].
Usually I won't interfere, but since this wyvern is level 33, and the snake earlier is level 24, I'm ready to support them anytime.

When the wyvern was nearing the bush, water vapor that suddenly erupted broke its posture. The timing was a bit late, so it didn't seem like its posture got completely broken.

"Mwuu."

I pat and gently brush the head of Mia who's slightly pouting.
Following her, Arisa's [<<Dimension Cutter>>] hit the wyvern, it only scratched its shoulder, either because her level was too low, or because it was resisted.

The bolts that Pochi and Tama have fired at the same time only shallowly injure the tip of the wyvern's nose. Lulu's bolt seems to have flown toward the day after tomorrow. It's hard to hit a flying object even if it's flying straight to you after all.

Looking at this, I guess the opponent is a bit too much?

Nana blocks the wyvern attack with the [Shield] that she's put in front of her, and her own big shield. The wyvern is probably accustomed to combat as it's not using head-butt, but its talons to attack from the side. Since Nana's health gauge is rapidly decreasing, I quickly put the flexible shield between them. Mia has begun chanting to heal Nana, so I entrust it to her.

The wyvern kicks Nana once again and then goes back to the sky. Liza's thrust seems to have grazed its foot, but it doesn't seem to give much damage. I use ground shrink to catch Nana who was hurled away. There's not enough softness. Damn you armor.
Mia has joined the wyvern pursuit, so I heal Nana with my magic.

The bolts from the crossbows, and the attack magic successfully hit the wyvern by aiming for when it's slowing down while trying to go back to the sky. Lulu's bolt seemed to have hit it too. She's taking a triumphant pose beside me, so I congratulate her.

However, the wyvern only suffers some small injury, it's not enough to defeat it.

Seems that it has recognized us as formidable foes, it begins to aim for weaker individual. It's coming for Arisa while not slowing down, trying to catch her with the talons on its hind legs. Nana provokes it, but its aim is unmoving.

As expected, I can't call this a training if a victim falls. I move in front of Arisa with ground shrink and kick the wyvern.
Since it was going to escape over head, I quickly grabbed its tail and slapped it to the lakeside.

They should have enough anti-air training already, so I quickly approach, and cut the wyvern's neck with [Magick Sword].

The magick swords looks just like the shield and protection magic from nature magic, transparent like glasses. I can freely change the blade from the size of a dagger to a two-meters long great sword. It can become extremely sharp, but in exchange it will become thin and brittle, so it's hard to use it without sword skill.

Since I was troubled during the whales extermination back then, I've improved the latter magick sword version that I've ordered to be able to produce 20 meters long blade. Since the blade's strength and the likes are impossible, I don't know just how practical it is.

Arisa and Lulu have leveled up from this battle. Lulu doesn't seem like she's gained new skills. I've let her read magic books recently, but I wonder if her training isn't enough. It's unfortunate.

"It's just one point, just one point more~~~"

I ask Arisa who's stamping the ground what happens, seems like she's short of one point to raise the space magic skill level.


◇


The grilled wyvern is too bitter, so it's lacking, but the kabayaki from the horn snake is superb. It might be nice if I served it on rice boxes like Arisa had requested. I've made tofu hamburg steak for Mia's dinner. With faces full of conflicts, Pochi and Tama compare Mia's hamburg steak with the kabayaki, but they lose to the charm of meat and eat the kabayaki and the grilled wyvern in frustration somewhat.
Since the wyvern's innards contain poison, I buried them in a hole.

And then, we wash our sweat on the open air bath I've made on the lake shore after dinner.
Open air bath under the sky that's full of stars is nice after all.

Arisa who has just got out of the bath, Pochi and Tama are gathered, they drink the fruit milks that have been cooled with ice. I don't think it's good for a girl to drink it in one gulp while putting her hand on her waist, but I leave her alone, since she's properly wrapping the bath towel on her body.

"Fuuh, after some delicious meal, taking an open air bath on the lake side along with the reflection of the starry sky! On top of that, there's even the cold fruit milk, the rest has been decided, right!"

Arisa turns her head to me who's drying Mia's hair.
Please stop that guhehe laugh. I feel the danger to my body. I'll gladly welcome it after 10 years though.

"Hoi, Mia. It's over."
"Nn."

I think it's faster if I just use [Dry] of the life magic, but since Mia shows dislike while shaking her head, I still use a towel even now.

Arisa, whose mood has worsen since ignored, leans her body on my back while rambling like a drunkard, so I lift and throw her to the bed.

I plan to take the airship on the mountain range course that's away from the mass of wyverns on the summit of a mountain. I intend to take a look at it once, since I'm worried with the air current near the summit.

If anything unreasonable happens to the airship, I will fold the blimp and use [Magic Hand] to carry the airship.

While thinking about Bornean forest on the other side of the mountain range, I set off from the campground alone.





Previous Chapter

9-8. Air Travel

 

Satou's here. I've boarded airplanes for business trips before, but I've never ridden on a flying blimp. I have made some hot-air balloon in my school days, but there are many different things between a dummy model and the real thing.


◇


"Hey, won't you raise the altitude? Don't the beasts that hang around the treetops will want to get on the airship?"
"Nah, it's alright."

Arisa's concern is right on mark.
Actually, the airship has been jumped on twice since its departure by beasts that are brimming with curiosity. Of course since it was dangerous, I stopped their momentum with [Magic Hand] by matching the timing when they were about to jump.
All kinds of birds are also coming, but since none of them is like the crow from western anime with beak that looks dangerous for the balloons, I leave them alone.

Thinking for if the airship crash, the airship is advancing only slightly higher than the top of the trees.
I use [Air Control] magic to propel the airship forward. Since it's not originally a magic for flying an airship, the airship only flies at 15 km/h max. Since there's a high probability that the web holding the balloons breaking if I use [Air Cannon] like I've done when I was using Sky Drive, I won't use the magic.

The speed itself is slow, but since it's going in a straight line, the airship covers more distance than the wagon.

I fold the wagon's canopy and put it inside the airship ark along with the horses. I've thought of putting the wagon into the storage, but since the airship can float just fine with it, I leave it outside.

I've made observation windows on all directions in the ark. Even though I've said windows, they're just holes with covers. I've made the side wall higher than the horses. The ceiling, or rather a protective wall, that's separating the blimp and the ark is made of the great monstrous fish's material.

Tama has climbed and sat on that side wall, she has been watching the passing scenery since a while ago. It's dangerous, but since I will pick her before she hits the ground even if she falls, I let her do as she pleases. Tama probably won't fall.

Nana seems to be gazing outside from the rear window. Even though Nana herself seems to think that the rear scenery is the cutest, I don't understand just how is it cute. The day where I can understand it might come soon.

Arisa, Mia, and Lulu who don't have anything to do are playing ayatori since awhile ago. Putting aside Arisa and Mia, I didn't expect Lulu to not be afraid.

And then, whenever Tama leans forward out of curiosity, the ship sway--

"Tama, it's dangerous nodesu! What would we do if we fall nodesuka!"
"That's right! Tama, behave yourself. Sky, we're up in the sky. We can't fly if we fall you know?"

Pochi who is sitting on my lap while I'm sitting on a captain-like chair, and Liza who's holding the back of my chair diagonally behind me without moving an inch warn, or rather, reproach Tama.

"It's alright~"

Tama answers in her own pace.

"I, it's not alright nodesu. Master! Don't laugh, put your hand here nanodesu. It'll be dangerous if you don't hold on properly nodesu."
"You hear me, Tama. It's punishment time if we fall to the ground you know?"

Seems Pochi and Liza aren't good with air travel.
Their voices have been seriously scared since a while ago. I've already expected Pochi to be scared, but I didn't even expect Liza to be frightened.

Whenever the airship shakes, Pochi jolts and petrified on my lap. Pochi's ears are closing down since a while ago. Looks like she's still uneasy with just sitting on my lap, she makes me put my hand on her stomach.
Liza aren't only holding the chair, she's also secretly clutching the sleeves of my clothes. I pretend not to notice it.

Of course Tama's lightweight body isn't enough to incline the ship.
The culprit is me.

Since Tama was leaning her body like she was going to fall, I used [Magic Hand] to match it and shook the airship, but for some reason, it wasn't Tama, but Pochi and Liza who were overreacting.
Since Pochi's reaction is cute, I've done it a few more times inadvertently, but let's refrain myself now.


◇


Now then, even though it looks like it's going smoothly, there are more problems with air travel than I've expected.

The first problem is about toilet.
I intend to build it during the camping tonight, but for now, I'm going to carry the members down one-by-one with sky drive in regular interval.
I wanted to carry many at once, but instead I was made to carry them with princess carry one-by-one somehow.

The second problem is meal.
Since fire isn't allowed, we're going to have a meal with bento I've made in the morning.

"Chicks~?"
"Uwaa, it's chicks nanodesu!"
"Flowers."

The three seem to be really happy as they show me the inside of the lunch boxes.
Err, I'm the one who made those.

Pochi's and Tama's shares are patterned with chicks, Mia has chicken rice without the chicken and vegetables in the shape of flowers.

"You're really~ hardworking aren't you. I didn't think that I would see characters bento here (this world)."
"Ara, even Arisa likes this one better after all?"

Lulu makes fun of Arisa who's looking amazed.

"Will it break if I eat it~?"
"Is it okay to eat this?"
"It's okay, they're food after all."
"Nn."
"Look really delicious~."

The two who are looking at the character bento and me alternatively in delight and anguish look cute. Mia seems to hesitate as to where to start.
Except for these three's bento, the dish for everyone is the same, though there are individual differences. Liza gets a lot of meat, while it's lighter for Lulu and me.

"Pochi, Tama! I will safeguard those characters bento. If you eat something that cute--"

It was a failure of me for not anticipating this kind of reaction from Nana for the characters bento.

"You can't~"
"You can't nanodesu."

As it will be dangerous if the horses get agitated if they make a ruckus in the narrow ark, I raise the three of them with [Magic Hand] to stop the racket.

"Master, this is an unfair capture. Requesting liberation."
"You made a ruckus in the narrow ark, so you're guilty."
"Please reconsider!"
"No. Eat in the air just like that for today."

Good grief, we can finally continue the meal now.
I'll make characters bento for Nana too tomorrow. No, maybe it's better if I don't make characters bento while we're traveling by air.

"Master."

Nana isn't giving up today--

Whatisshedoingiwonder?

Using unthinkable sexy technique, she slips out of the restrain.
Nana is approaching Pochi and Tama while her top is bare, but the two seem to have finished their meals. The lunch boxes might have been too small.

Lulu puts a cloth on Nana who's fallen down and placed her hands on the floor.

Using sexy technique like that, she's grown up.
No, that's not it. That is not it. I have to lecture her later. Yup, let's put the scene earlier in the folder inside my brain. Pictures aren't crime.

Of course I didn't use the photography magic.


◇


The third problem is that it attracts attentions.

Since we're deep in the mountain, there's no need to worry with people, but there seem to be curious monsters and animals as they are following from behind without letting go.

We've arrived at the base of the mountain in the second day, but it was hard to clean up the animals that had gathered when we went down to the camp ground yesterday. Since Pochi and the others were happy with, "Prey!", let's treat it as a good thing.

Originally, it should be unexpectedly hard to ascend and descend with something like an airship. That is because you need to adjust the buoyancy. However, in our case, since the buoyancy decreases if I put the balloons into the storage, we can easily descend. After putting away some amount of the balloons, I can use [Air Control] until we descend to the ground, and then I can retrieve them all afterwards.

Today, the airship is anchored on the side of a lake.
Since the part with the balloons is about 20 meter wide, it's hard to find a place to put it down. Today I lower it on the water surface and retrieve the balloons.

After putting the airship on the bank, Liza and the others immediately intercept the monster. The opponent is the Horn Snake that has been running in parallel with the airship ark since a while ago. Since Arisa and Mia are backing them, I prepare the dinner together with Lulu.

After everyone is done with the hunt, let's go on a stroll around the lake by riding horses while also making them exercise.


◇


"Arisa! Hold back the snake's attack for moment. Nana!　When the snake stops moving, put your shield up again."

They seem to have an unexpectedly hard fight.
Pursuing Liza and Nana, the snake that's come breaking out of the forest is quite big. I can't see how many meters is its length, but it's at least as thick as Mia's waist.

The horn is between its eyes pointing straight about 50 centimeters long. This snake's horn seems to have paralyzing poison, but before that, you're going to be seriously injured if you're pierced by this horn.

I'm on alert while deploying [Magic Hand], and [Flexible Shield] so that I can intervene anytime.

The snakes stands up forming sickle-shaped neck about 3 meters high, and as Nana is about to assault it, Arisa keeps the snake in check with the space magic [Isolation]. This magic seems to make a wall out of space gaps, but it's quite fragile. When we tried it before, I broke it by just hitting it without even using [Magic Break]. Arisa was somehow mad, but wasn't it alright since it was an experiment.
According to Arisa, one should have needed to use [Magic Break] or [<<Remove Isolation>>] of the same space magic to destroy this [Isolation] magic.
As for me, I feel that I can destroy magic that intervenes with [The Other Space] like shadow magic or summoning magic just fine.

Leaving that aside, Nana puts up [Shield] again, and seems to have finished chanting [Sharp Edge].

Arisa removes the barrier, and the second round begins.
First, Mia fires off [Water Cutter], but the horn snake easily avoids it.
Continuing on, Nana executes provocation.

"Now, come! I declare, I'll make you realize that you don't have arms or legs."
<TLN: Japanese idiom for 'can't do anything.'>

No well, snakes don't have arms or legs.
The horn snake uses its horn to repeatedly stabs at Nana. Pochi and Tama are attacking from the sides aiming for its body, but their attacks don't quite reach since the tail obstructs them.

Liza activates magic edge and is taking a posture to attack, at that time--

That thing appears from the shadow of the forest.

--It's not aiming for fisherman's profit right?
<TLN: Japanese proverb for 'profiting while others fight.' Why don't I just use that then? Because it's the next chapter's title. ;>




Previous Chapter

9-7. Highway of Weeds

 

Satou's here. I liked science experiments during my primary and middle school days. Among them, I was really thrilled with electrolysis that separates oxygen and hydrogen. I feel that making up magic tools bring the same kind of excitement as these days.


◇


Not less than half a day after we've passed through the farthest village with population of 200 people, the road begins to be overgrown with weeds and can't be seen.

"The road's condition is just like we've heard isn't it. Are we really going to advance on this road?"
"Yeah, let's cut it for now."
"Leave it to me~" "I'll work hard nodesu!"

I got off the wagon while saying so, Pochi and Tama chased after me after taking grass sickles from the toolbox in the wagon. After posing as if 'clink'-like sfx written on the background, they begin to push their way through the thickets.

No, you girls, I'm going to use magic here?
Since the two are so eager while looking like they're having so much fun, I can't bring myself to stop them. I guess I'll wait until they're tired.

"Master, permission to participate the strategy meeting. Reporting for a different style of grass cutting."

I don't know if the figures of Tama and Pochi cutting the weeds touched Nana's heartstrings or something, but I took out a long grass sickle and pass it to her.

"Master, it looks like the three are motivated to cut the weeds with the sickles, but we don't know how long until we arrive to the base of the mountain. How about we hire the people from the village earlier to cut through it, or spread oil and burn the weeds?"
"It'll be bad if it turns into forest fire, so the burning is forbidden. I'll cut them with magic after Pochi and the others are tired."

That reminds me, I heard that Mia created road in the forest during their way to Muno city back then, but when I asked her, she replied, "Impossible". She can probably only use it for a short course.

Since there are ingredients for medicines and cuisines mixed among the weeds, I leave Arisa and Mia to gather them. I ask Lulu and Liza to prepare for lunch.

"I wonder what~ is that?"
"Hmm? It's a kiln."

Since I saw characters in the manga I had read a long time ago baked pizza with a kiln, I made this one by using earth and fire magic. I must say that I've done a good job for an improvised thing. Even though it's simple, to be able to make it faster than making a cup ramen is too wonderful.

While having a sidelong glance to Arisa who's fallen to the ground with a dry smile, I take out the pizza dough that I've left fermenting in the Item Box.
I take out the tomato sauce I've made in Puta city and spread it on the pizza dough. As for the toppings, there are cheese of course, and also bacon and salami that are standard for pizza, I've also another type of pizza with lots of vegetables like sliced tomato, asparagus, eggplant, and paprika.

Since the pizza dough is thin, seem that it won't be enough to satisfy the appetites of hara heri girls. I guess I'll make some cube steak and french fries as the side menu.

"It stretches~?" "Hot hot, nanodesu."
"Uwa wa, stupid good~"
"Nn, delicious."

The juvenile troupe are awfully excited, looks like they like the pizza. Pochi and Tama get sticky from the dripping cheeses, they have to wash their faces later.
Lulu and Nana seem to like it too, but not to the degree like the four. After eating one slice of the pizza, Liza sets her sight to the unmarked cube steak. She's really unwavering.

I'm glad that they're eating it happily, but I stop Arisa who looks like she'd eat too much. She looks at me reproachfully, but she seems to understand after I explain about the dreadfulness of rebound. The diet back then was hard after all.
That's why Arisa. Please stop looking like that at Pochi and the others eating pizza.


◇


Since Pochi and the others are satisfied, I decide to open the path with magic from the afternoon.

First, I fire [Air Blade] that follows close to the surface of the ground along the road.
The wind released from the short wand cuts the weeds while leaving 10 centimeters of it above the ground. The wind continues on while cutting some slightly elevated grounds, and bushes along the way. In the end, it finally stops 200 meters ahead on a small five meters tall cliff.

"You, you really should learn to stop overdoing it."
"Nn, destruction of nature."

Was it too shocking, Arisa grumbled with more unreserved tone than usual. Is it because you're scolding me that Liza is taking regretful pose.

The fact that the trees along the road are cut is within my expectation, but for even the cliff to be cut in two and crumbles is beyond my expectation.

If we advance just like this, the horses can sprain their legs from the unseen ramp, and soft grounds, so I decide to prepare the soil with earth magic.

This time I'm not using [Wall], but the very thing itself, that is [Flat Land] magic. Seems it's a magic that's used frequently by not only the army, but also the general populace. It was a magic from the scroll that I had bought from the firs magic shop I visited in the duchy capital, but I didn't have opportunity to use it until now.

I set the range to be the course of the road and exercise the magic. Since the ground is covered by weeds, I don't know if the soil really has been prepared, so I check the terrain on the map. Looks like it's been leveled without problem.

Since the cut weeds are hindering the horses feet, the wagon isn't speeding up. The wheels are also looking like they'll slide. I instruct the wagon to running slowly at only several kilometers per hours speed, we're going while opening the path anyway.

I'm leading while using magic, and Pochi and Tama who are walking while picking up herbs and medicinal plants from the cut weeds. Liza and Nana are removing bushes and fallen trees that are out of bounds from the road. Arisa and Mia are sorting the gathered materials.

However, it'll inevitably take some time. Naturally, the road to the mountain range is not just extending straight, and not flat as there are undulations too. Particularly, the road goes around hills, low-laying mountains, and valleys.

Since I don't have any other good plan, we're advancing on while opening the highway, and I decide to camp on the bank of the streamlet 10 kilometers ahead.
Although there are around 20 demi-goblins 1 kilometers away from the planned camping ground, they seem to have become frightened by the sound of vegetations cutting and ran away very fast. It's going to be safe tonight.

I left the dinner preparation to Lulu and went back to the place where I started to clear the path, I put a rough 100 meters wide mud wall [Wall] there. With this, there won't be strange rumor about the road that suddenly appears.


◇


That night, I've assembled an aerodynamic engine that's been half completed.

However, the control is difficult.

After it was finished, it did float when I tried to put mana into it little by little, but it was bad after that.

After the engine fed on a certain amount of mana, it rotates down to the ground with a plop, and then it powerfully plunges to the nearby tree.

Apparently, the fins that are composed on the aerodynamic engine each has its own fixed output on top of having the so-called power band. Due to that, you can't just pour mana into like normal magic tools as it will rotate off-balance and accelerate suddenly.

Looks like it needs a control circuit for tuning the output, but there's nothing about that in the documents I have at hand. There isn't also anything about how the control of aerodynamic engine is difficult written in the documents, don't tell me that the author of this document actually hasn't assembled the engine himself.

"Or maybe the control itself isn't something that's impossible to do?"

Although the frame of the engine that has hit the trees and the shrubs are broken, the fins and the magic circuit themselves are fine, so I'm going to challenge it again. I can more or less make the aerodynamic engine floats for about 30 seconds, but since I have to concentrate on it all the time, it's too bothersome. If it's like this, even lifting the wagon with [Magic Hand] is better.

I'm searching for any other hints until late at night.


◇


The following day, we're going to travel by air.

Of course it's not like I've found some breakthrough way to control the aerodynamic engine.
I've just switched my way of thinking--that's a bit presumptuous.

If it can't be done with magic, then I can just make use of science!

I've only noticed that.
I've become too reliant with magic just because I'm able to create some magic tools. I'm just going to make normal balloons and use them to travel in the air.

Although it was hard after I got the idea.

At first I wanted to make hot-air balloons, but when I thought about the number of the people and the horses, I abandoned the idea. It's a bit too heavy.

Therefore I decided to fill it with light gas like blimps.
The problem is the material for the balloon. When I was doing the preliminary calculation, it seemed that it was necessary to make an ark big enough to carry people and horses in the air.
I search through the storage, and the parts from the parasites of the great monstrous fish seem usable. The specimen that stole life until it became level 50 had particularly grown quite big, so I'm going to use it.

Since there wasn't place that was convenient enough, I flew back to the open space in the underground labyrinth at the duchy capital. The place is not the one I usually use, but on the lower floor that's half submerged in water.
I've decided to make the balloon for the blimp, and the hydrogen for the buoyancy here.

I successfully made the balloons from the parts of the parasites, but I couldn't make something too big, only ones with just enough length. Thus, I decided to make small balloons with one meter diameter and stuff them into a big web.

To create the hydrogen, I make use of [Pure Water], [Discharge], and [<<Electronic Control>>] magic. Since I use [Air Control] to prevent the separated gas from mixing, it's progressing relatively well.

I might as well store the oxygen I've separated into different balloons.

I made a mistake during the operation once and the balloon exploded, but since I immediately deployed [Air Shield] at once, there wasn't any victim like burning clothes, although I was a bit surprised. I'm glad that it's a sturdy labyrinth. It's worth the trouble of going far.
Since the force of hydrogen explosion was greater than I expected, I combined the hide of the great monstrous fish and armored newt's bones to make fire and blast proof ceiling on the ark. The hide of the great monstrous fish are something that I've taken when I was cutting the meat. Since the hypodermis is thick, I only use the epidermis this time.
I make another hydrogen balloon explode as a test, looks like it can defend against it without problem.

I go back to the place where I experiment with the aerodynamic engine, place the ark on the trees around the area, and attach the balloons on it.

I go toward the camping ground while imagining everyone's face when they see the airship.





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9-6. At the Town of Magic Hunters (5)

 

Satou's here. 'Rewarding goods, and punishing evils' reminds me of period dramas, but unexpectedly, it also exists in novels and manga. Of course even in the tale of another world.


◇


Early in the morning the next day, that marquis Dasles and his retainers are to be transported to the duchy capital together by ship. Since they could try to escape, about 20 guards are accompanying them.

Looks like they'll be transfered to a large ship on the town before the great river.

Now then, there's actually quite a complicated reason as to why baronet Poton was accommodating marquis Dasles.
First, marquis Dasles seemed to carry a letter of introduction from the previous earl Bobi at the duchy capital. With the backing of the previous earl Bobi, he earned the cooperation of a certain organization in the duchy territory.
And, it seemed that the son of baronet Poton who went to the school at the duchy capital admired this organization. There'd have been no problem if it ended with that, but this organization was the [Wings of Liberty], and he was in the wanted list from the duke, so it was a bit problematic.

Even though his son was put in the wanted list, that didn't mean that he would be relieved of his duty as a governor, but there were many people who wanted his position, so it was very possible that someone would use it to drag him down.

And, at that time, the fact that the son of baronet Poton was a part of [Wings of Liberty] wasn't well-known.

Furthermore, it seems that this son is safe and currently taking shelter at the other hunting mansion of earl Bobi house at the duchy capital. Of course, if the authority at the duchy capital find out about the location, the son will be arrested, and probably executed later.

Thus, marquis Dasles held the cards for the [Scandal], and the [Life] of baronet Poton's son, and forced the cooperation and submision of baronet Poton.

Of course, he didn't openly talk about this at first.

He told various excuses like he was threatened with fire magic, he had a debt from the person who introduced the marquis, earl Bobi, or that got some bribes, but since they were all full of holes, he finally confessed after I raised the Interrogation skill to maximum.

I've made a deal with him.

Normally, I should have reported to the duke and the kingdom authority about the remnants of the [Wings of Liberty] holed up at the hunting mansion, but I decide to leave it to marquis Lloyd as the leader of the faction to deal with them. As expected, I cannot overlook them.

Marquis Lloyd might try to hide the scandal of his faction, but I expect him to dispose the remnants of the [Wings of Liberty] in the process.
Marquis Lloyd will probably rescind baronet Poton as a governor of this town, but at least he can avoid the worst scenario where this is used by his political opponents to execute or deprive him of his peerage.

Since I've sent a letter for marquis Lloyd pertaining the details, the issue with baronet Poton will probably gradually subside in time.

Now then, I demanded three things from him.

First, distribute the fortunes of the arsonist noble to his victims as the reimbursements.
Second, establish an orphanage in this town.
Third, establish a place for the young magic hunters to train under the retired ones.

He had shown disapproval for the third, but we compromised by making it monthly course instead of permanent one. Since it's for the sake of decreasing loss among the magic hunters, it's (the course) probably going to be alright even if the governor change.

I didn't expect that he accepted the second one easily, but it seemed that there was an orphanage that opened until the end of service of the previous governor, so the building itself still remains at the outskirt of the town. The fund for the orphanage stopped once the governor changed, but since I requested it in the letter for the marquis Lloyd, it's probably going to be alright. It's a request through and through. I'm not coercing him.

Now then, as for the management of everyone who has attacked the inn, they're all turned into slaves.
Of course it doesn't apply to the people who I've asked to infiltrate.

The outlaws that have attacked the inn, and most magic hunters are turned into crime slaves.
However, if too many of the magic hunters were decreased, this town's main specialty, magic cores gathering would stagnate, and so the ones who didn't have offenses before the incident were picked from the ones who had first-class crimes, and turned into common slaves with time limit instead.
The ones who become common slaves are to work under the official of Puta town, and their terms as slaves are decreased in exchange for their compulsion to hunt monsters.

Lastly, I actually got a lot of things from the incident this time.

First, I got equipments confiscated from marquis Dasles, and the money that he had used to pay the assailants, moreover, I also got some of the money from selling the crime slaves to the slave trader.
The latter aside, I don't know why the former comes to me. When I inquired, it wasn't bribes, but payments for capturing criminals from the administration. Ah, confusing.

To be honest, I didn't need the money, but I thought that I could just distribute it after, so I accepted it.

As rewards for this incident, I gave several bottles of diluted potion, and some silver coins for Kena, Ord, and the others. Kena and the women were pondering hard whether to sell the potions for money, but in the end they decided to keep it. Life can't be replaced after all.

I also intended to split it among the victims of Dasles who had their houses burnt, but they gratefully refused.
Instead, I got several baskets of nuts and medicinal plants that they've gathered in the forest first thing in the morning. Since it seem to be thanks for the medicine yesterday, I gratefully accept it. I make baked sweets from those nuts, and pass it to Pochi and Tama for them to share it among the children. The two came back totally exhausted, so it must've been accepted delightfully. Since Nana who had gone with the two looked glossy even while being expressionless, there were a lot of children it seems.

It's decided that baronet Poton is going to pay for the compensations of the villages that Dasles has attacked, so there's nothing in that front from me.

And also, I don't know who's spread the rumor, but it seems that it has been decided that I like tomatoes. Merchants come visit me to the inn while bringing a lot of tomatoes as presents.
There are different kinds of tomatoes than the one at the harbor mixed in, but tomatoes aren't going to be unneeded no matter how many I have, so I gratefully accept them.

However, I firmly refused the suggestion to have a bronze statue of me, as the town's celebrity, put on the harbor. As expected, something like a bronze statue is too embarrassing. They asked me to receive at least the [Puta Citizens Medal of Honor], so I accepted it.

Do the people of this world like medal or something?


◇


"Oh, it moved! It moved just now right?"
"Yeah, if you keep it up, you'd be able to move it like I've displayed earlier, work hard."
"Un, thank you! noble-sama."

Even though it was something that I made to kill time while waiting for the raid, it's working properly huh.

I've given a simple artificial arm made of wood to Kon boy.

The artificial arm has mitten-like part that has movable fingers. When you spread mana on the artificial arm, the magic circuit on the joints will react and the wire will be winded and move the the fingers. If you stop the mana supply, the spring board will spring into action, and the hand will open. Since the opening and the closing response is slow, it's probably impossible to hold weapons to fight with it.

You can also wind it manually for the possibility that he can't handle the mana well. Of course I've also made the lock function.

This artificial arm is a bonus for Kon boy. If he didn't do his best, Ord and the others who were acting in behalf of me would have been included among the criminals.

I've also left him with a leather armor and boots from wolf leather, and also a breast plate and a helmet made from the shell of rhinoceros beetles that are strong for its lightness. I've also made a shield from the rhinoceros beetle shell that can be attached on the joint of the artificial arm.

Since his weapon is a keepsake from his father, I only fix it by sharpening it.

"Uwaa, is it fine, this many! Look at me nee-san, I'm like an explorer!"
"However, if a beginner like you have these kind of equipments, won't the idiots take them away from you?"
"It's going to be alright, I didn't use expensive materials."

Kena is slightly concerned toward the boy who is honestly rejoicing.
I've thought so at this time, but in the future, I find out that these shells of rhinoceros beetle are unexpectedly expensive materials in the labyrinth city. Since the rumor that these materials aren't expensive spread in this city, it's probably alright.

"Then, then, make some for us too."
"I'll reward you with my body."
"If it's your body, far from rewards, you'd need to pay him instead."
"How cruel! It's no different than yours."

Since I've expected these fussy reactions, I've already made breastplates from the rhinoceros beetle shells to give them. They're just simple enlarged Japanese archery-type chest protectors that can be attached to leather armors.

Of course they're not free.

In exchange, I ask them to bring Kon boy together to hunt monsters, it's fine for just one month. In this world, if there's an opportunity, and you can survive, it should be easy to level up.

I feel a bit too busybody, but it's fine if it's just this much.

That's why, Arisa, stop that grinning.


◇


Several days after the raid, we're finally able to depart Puta town.
The wagon would be buried by nuts and tomatoes if we stay any longer.

"Then, young organisms, we'll be parting briefly."
"Nana, you go? You're going?"
"Nana, won't stay together? You can't?"
"Nana, don't go."

After saying goodbye to the 3-5 children, Nana mounts the horse.
I've thought that she'd want to take 1-2 of them, this is unexpected.

"They are in a base now. I have judged that the journey is dangerous for young organisms' life."

By 'base', she probably means the provisional orphanage.
Although the bed are just only spread mats, it's better than sleeping under the hanging roof outside people's houses, or under the trees. There are around 50 orphans, whom Nana has gathered from the downtown, living in the provisional orphanage. The orphans are actually three times that number, but we weren't able to gather them all.

I was going to donate several gold coins to the caretakers of the orphanage, but they gently declined it. There doesn't seem to be any place where gold coins can be used in this city. It couldn't be helped, so I donated 100 kilograms of rice and 100 copper coins. I pray that they won't embezzle it.

We leave the town with the grand farewell from the children, the beastkins, and the magic hunters.
Several fast children are running in parallel with the wagon, but they quickly become tired, and get left behind.

Nana seems to turns her head toward the city several times as if she's reluctant to part.

The wagon continues on the highway, or more like an animals trail overgrown with grasses.
First, toward the farthest village, then cross the mountain range on the southeast toward the forest of Bornean.



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