Volume 3 - CH 10

Chapter 10 – I Accepted Milia’s Request

Fortunately, the earthquake was not that strong.

I thought it was about the same as the shaking of a commuter train. As long as I stand on my feet a little, I can endure it without falling down.

However, Iris, perhaps because she was drunk, lost her balance.

She fell toward me.

“Kyaaa!”

“Oops.”

I caught Iris with both arms.

…She is slim. And also light. Her body feels very delicate.

Iris is a woman, and I am reminded of this again.

Soon after, the shaking stopped. It lasted less than five seconds.

With an earthquake of just this magnitude, there was no need to worry about a tsunami.

“Iris, are you okay?”

“Y-yeah…”

Iris was leaning against me with all her weight on me, but then she slowly regained her posture.

“Thank you. You’ve been a great help.”

“Don’t worry about it. You didn’t sprain your leg, did you?”

“…Yeah, I think I’m fine.”

Iris checked the movement of one leg on each side and then turned to me and said.　

“By the way, your arms are a lot thicker than they look, Kou.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I was surprised to see how much stronger you are than I imagined.”

“I’ve been through a lot of hard fights in the past. So it’s a good exercise whether I like it or not.”

“It’s good to be manly, isn’t it?”

“Well, it’s not a bad thing.”

We began walking back to the inn, exchanging words in our usual lighthearted manner.

On the way, [Full Assist] was activated, and an inorganic voice echoed in my brain.

Analysis of the earthquake is complete.

The epicenter is a volcanic island located about 200 kilometers northwest.

There is no danger of a tsunami caused by this earthquake.

The message sounds like an early warning for an earthquake.

* * *

“Good night, Kou. I had a good time today.”

“Yeah, me too. Let’s go again one day.”

“Yeah. Promise.”

When we returned to the inn, we exchanged these words and parted ways. My room and the room Iris was staying in were right across from each other.

When I entered my room and closed the door, I felt a sense of reluctance and glanced toward Iris’s room, and my eyes met hers.

It seems that we were both thinking the same thing.

“See you later.”

“See you.”

We exchanged one more word and closed the door.

“…Fuh.”

With a slight feeling of loneliness in my heart, I headed for the bedroom.

Surara should have gone back to the room before me, but I wonder how he spends his time.

“Kuh… Supiii. The futon is delicious… chew chew…”

He was sleeping soundly.

By the way, he is not eating the futon. He was just talking in his sleep.

“…He looks like he’s sleeping very comfortably.”

I think he slept through without even noticing the earthquake.

I felt sorry for him, so I took care not to make any noise, took a bath, and went to bed.

Many things happened today.

When I arrived at Fort Port, I found that the city was in danger of being destroyed because of pirates.

It was a surprise to learn that the boss of the pirates was a former mercenary, Dox.

It’s true that in life, you never know when something will happen…

When I returned to the city after the pirate extermination, I found Milia there. Her bright smile, the same as when she was in Aunen, and this warmed my heart.

After that, Surara gave me a massage at the inn, and we went out for dinner.

The famous sea boat paella was delicious. It was also quite impressive to look at, and if there were social media in this world, I would have uploaded a picture of it.

As for the rest…

I told Iris that I was from a different world, albeit over a glass of wine.

I was worried that she would think I was crazy, but Iris even told me that she wouldn’t mind being fooled by me.

Iris must have trusted me very much. I am very grateful for that.

Good night.

“…Iris, she was so slim.”

I feel like my hands still have the feel of her body when I caught her body.

The following day, when I woke up and went to the washbasin, Surara was posing in front of the mirror.

“Alright, I’m all round today, too! …Oh, Master-san, good morning!”

“Good morning, Surara. Did you sleep well?”

“Yes! I slept very well until the morning!”

Surara put on a bright smile.

When I asked him about last night’s earthquake, he replied that he had no recollection of it.

“I fell asleep as soon as I got back to the room! Maybe that’s why I didn’t notice it!”

“That’s fine. I’m just relieved that everything is alright.”

I patted Surara on the head.

“Hehehe! Master-san’s hands are so warm!”

“Are they?”

“Yes! I feel so comfortable! Yay!”

Surara shook his body in a good mood.

After that, we got ready and left the room.

When we went down to the lobby on the first floor, we found Iris and Lily there.

“Good morning, Kou. Surara-chan.”

“Good morning. Kou-san, Surara-san.”

“Good morning, Iris-oneesan! Lily-oneechan!”

“Good morning, both of you.”

I raise my right hand to greet Iris and Lily.

“All that’s left is Leticia, huh?”

“Right. She’s not very good with the mornings, but I hope she’ll be okay.”

“Don’t worry. She’ll be fine. She just arrived.”

Oops.

Before I knew it, Leticia was standing right next to me.

“Good morning, everyone. I apologize for keeping you waiting.”

“No, it’s no problem. Me and Surara also just arrived a few minutes ago.”

In the first place, we still have about fifteen minutes to spare before the meeting time. The party was quite excellent, as all the members arrived early before the meeting time.

“Since everyone is here. Then, let’s have breakfast first.”

We left the inn and entered a nearby cafe.

We were shown to a table with a view outdoors, where we could see the morning cityscape and the ocean of Fort Port in the distance. Unfortunately, the sky was covered with black clouds.

The food arrived quickly.

I ordered pancakes with salmon and cream cheese.

Next to the pancake, there was an avocado that looked like it was about to melt in the mouth.

It looked delicious.

I hold a fork in my left hand and a knife in my right and begin to eat the pancake.

“…Oh!”

I unexpectedly let out a sigh of admiration.

It tasted even better than it looked.

The salmon was fresh, and the cream cheese was rich. The pancakes were so soft and fluffy that it was a shame to finish them.

It was a perfect breakfast.

By the way, Iris ordered the same salmon and cream cheese pancakes as I did. Lily and Leticia had egg sandwiches, and Surara had a hamburger with fries.

Everyone seemed to be very satisfied with the taste and had happy expressions on their faces after the meal.

As we looked out at the sea while sipping the cup of tea that came with the meal, Iris said.

“There aren’t any ships out at all, are there?”

It’s true, as she said.

Although this is a port town, there are almost no ships on the sea. Only a few small boats were floating around.

Yesterday, the port of Fort Port was thoroughly destroyed by pirates’ bombardment.

Because of this, there is probably not a single large ship left in the harbor.

“…I wonder if the ship to the royal capital will ever sail.”

“I doubt it.”

I answered, and Leticia said from the side.

“How about going on the ship that we used when we were exterminating the pirates?”

“You mean the Exceed Cruiser? …Well, I’d say it’s possible.”

“From the way you said that, it sounds like there might be a problem.”

“There’s no sleeping quarters on that ship. At night, we have to sleep in cabins on the ship.”

The speed at which the Exceed Cruiser can sail is considerable but at the expense of a little bit of livability. Aside from day trip cruising, staying is a bit painful.

As for me, I would prefer to spend a relaxing time on a ship with a passenger room if possible.

“Well, we still have plenty of time on our schedule. Let’s check the availability of the ship first, and then we’ll take the Exceed Cruiser as a last resort.”

So, after lunch, we headed for the reception office of the passenger ship.

We asked the staff there about the availability of the ship, but it seemed that the next ferry to the royal capital had been destroyed by pirates. A replacement ship was being arranged, but it would take about eight days to depart.

We still have about 20 days to wait for the award ceremony in the capital, so we can wait eight days.

There are casinos and many tourist attractions in Fort Port.

I left the reception office thinking that it would be a good idea to spend some time playing around… when I ran into Milia just as I was leaving the office.

“Oh, Kou-san. You are just in the right place!”

“What’s wrong?”

“The guard reported to me just now, and we found out where the pirates found the ancient weapon. It will be a long story, so why don’t you come down to the Adventurers’ Guild? We have some snacks as well.”

I look forward to the snacks.

Actually, I wasn’t completely full from the breakfast.

* * *

Milia led us into the Adventurers’ Guild lounge. The room was about the same size as the branch manager’s office, with four large sofas surrounding a table.

After we sat down on one of the sofas, Milia left the room, saying, “I’ll go get the snacks.”

Soon after, Milia returned with several small plates in her left hand and a platter of apple pie in her──

“Kyaaaah!”

She stumbled on the floor and leaned forward.

Although she did not fall, the impact caused the apple pie to pop right out of the platter.

I quickly activated《Divine Speed Blessing EX》and tried to… but Surara had moved first.

“I’ll protect you, snack! …Chew chew, gulp!”

Uh, well…

What happened was that Surala opened his mouth wide, caught the apple pie, and ate the whole thing. Everyone, including me, rolled their eyes at this unexpected turn of events.

“Milia-oneesan! This is so delicious!”

Surara was smiling with satisfaction, seemingly unconcerned with the reactions of those around him.

“Hey, hey, do you have some more? I want Master-san and the others to have some, too!”

“Uh… Y-yes. I have five more. I’ll bring them over.”

There are five more? That’s a surprise.

Milia left the room and brought the apple pie with careful steps this time.

“Kou-san, can I ask you to cut it into pieces? If I do it myself, it’s likely to be uneven…”

“Alright. I’ll take care of it.”

I accept a knife and fork from Milia. Then the [Dexterity] was activated.

The six of us here are me, Iris, Lily, Leticia, Surala, and Milia.

The apple pie is about the size of a large whole cake, so let’s divide it into twelve equal portions.

“Kou-san, you’re really good at everything you do, aren’t you? I envy you so much!”

“It’s no big deal.”

I replied, distributing the apple pie to each person’s small plate.

When everyone had been served, I spoke to Milia.

“Let’s get down to business for now. You said you found out where the pirates found the ancient weapon, right?”

“Yes. Please take a look at this first.”

Milia spread a map on the center of the table. The map depicted the city of Fort Port and several islands in the surrounding waters.

“It looks like this is where the pirates found the ancient weapon.”

Milia pointed to the sea northwest of the city.

“There is apparently a large island here, though it is not shown on the map.”

“A large island that has never been found before?”

“Yes. It was rumored among the local fishermen to be called ‘Mahoros Island.’ It is said that on a clear day, when you look through a telescope, you can see the island at the edge of your sight, but when you try to look at it directly, it disappears. …I have my own theory as to why.”

[T/n: I’m not sure to just translate the name of the island or just put it like what the author wrote. The author uses katakana for the name of the island. (マホロス島) マホ (Maho) can be translated as Magic, ロス (Ros) can be translated as Loss/Lost, and 島 = Island. So it can be translated as Magic Lost Island.]

Milia’s expression and tone of voice had become serious at some point.

I guess that’s how important this story is.　

“It is said that there are magic tools of ancient civilizations that cover a wide area with barriers so that the inside is unrecognizable to the surroundings. It may be that these barriers are working… or that they have been working until recently.”

“The malfunctioning of the magic tool that concealed the existence of Mahoros Island resulted in the pirates discovering the island and arriving at the ancient ruins. That’s what Milia thinks, isn’t it?”

“Yes. We, the Adventurers’ Guild, believe that an immediate investigation is necessary.”

Milia turned to me and said this with a tight expression.

“But due to the pirate attack, there is not a single ship left that can reach the island. …I heard that you have your own ship, Kou-san. If you don’t mind, would you please investigate the ancient ruins on Mahoros Island?”

“Indeed…”

It is still many days before a ship to the royal capital is available. I am curious about the ancient ruins, and it is not a bad idea to go there.

“I think I’ll take care of the investigation. What about you guys?”

Iris, Lily, and Surara all nodded their heads in agreement.

“I’ll go with you. Leave it to me to be the shield in case of an emergency.”

“I’ll go with you, too, Kou-san. …If an undead appears, I will exterminate them immediately.”

“I’m your slime companion! I will accompany you, Master-san!”

It seems that three of them will be coming with me.

The remaining one ─ Leticia ─ was staring at me with an expression as if she wanted to say something.

I have seen something similar before, but at that time, Leticia was thinking about her brother.

I wondered if the reason was the same this time.

I thought about it for a moment, and then I told Leticia.

“If you want to prioritize the search for your brother, we can go our separate ways. Please don’t hesitate now.”

“Eh?”

Leticia came to her senses and shook her head.

“Oh, no, there’s nothing to worry about. I will take my time with that, and I think I have a pretty good idea of where he is at the moment. …Putting aside my own matters, please allow me to accompany you on your investigation of the ancient ruins.”

Thus, we all decided to go to the ancient ruins on Mahoros Island.

“Thank you so much, Kou-san and everyone!”

Milia stood up from the sofa and bowed deeply.

“Information about Mahoros Island is limited, and we know almost nothing about it. If you decide that it is too dangerous, please come back immediately. …Reports coming in from the lighthouse to the west just a few minutes ago say that smoke has been sighted from the direction of Mahoros Island, which appears to be from volcanic activity. There have been a series of small earthquakes in Fort Port recently, so maybe Mahoros Island has an active volcano.”

“Understood. I’ll check that out too if I can.”

“Thank you very much. That’s all I have to say about Mahoros Island. …I have one more important matter to discuss with you, Kou-san.”

“Me?”

What in the world could it be about?

The way Milia looked, it seemed like she wanted to talk to me alone.

When I looked at Iris, she nodded her head as if she knew what I was thinking.　

“Then let’s split up. The island survey may take a while, so we’ll go restock our gear and food supplies.”

“Can I count on you?”

“Yes, I’ll take care of it. I’ll meet you at… Orichalcum Rox.”

That’s a good idea.

The Orichalcum Rox is a huge ship, so it would be an excellent place to meet up.

So, it was decided that Iris and the others would go separately.

“Let’s get going, then. Lily-chan, Surara-chan, Leticia.”

Iris said, getting up from the sofa and heading for the door.

“See you later, Kou.”

“Kou-san, Milia-san. Excuse us.”

“I’ll get you some souvenirs, Master-san!”

“I’ll ask around about the island. See you later.”

Finally, Laeticia closed the door with a polite gesture. The only two people left in the room were Milia and me.

“Everyone is very cheerful, isn’t it?”

Milia said with a bright smile on her face.

“I am relieved to see everyone enjoying themselves, too.”

“I think we are a good group. I’m very grateful for that.”

“It is because of the popularity of Kou-san, isn’t it?”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. It’s because nice people gather around other nice people as well. …Well, I’m sorry to take up so much of your time, so I’ll get right down to it.”

Milia turned to me again as she said this.　

“Kou-san, do you still have the spirit ring?”

“Yes, of course.”

I took out the spirit ring from my [Item Box].

The night before the battle with the Black Dragon in Aunen, Milia gave it to me.

On the surface, there are ancient words that say: “You who come from faraway lands, if you challenge the dragon, empty your vessels. The blessing of the spirit dwells there.”

“The spirit ring originally belonged to one of Milia’s relatives, didn’t it?”

“Yes, it was given to me by my grandfather, a distant relative, when I was little. He said, ‘When someone challenges the dragon, give them this ring.’ I didn’t know what it meant at the time, but I felt it was important, so I carried the ring with me all the time.”

“Thanks to that, I was able to defeat the Black Dragon. I really appreciate your help, Milia.”

In the battle with the Black Dragon, all my magic power was absorbed by the [Dark Field], a unique ability. This would normally be called a desperate situation.

However, just before the Black Dragon’s breath was about to scorch me, the skill hidden in the spirit ring ─ the [Blessing of the Spirit] ─ was activated, and I achieved a miraculous victory.

As I was soaking in the memories, Milia continued to speak.

“The day after Kou-san departed, I received a gift from my distant relative’s grandfather.”

“A gift?”

“Yes. A letter was also enclosed. ‘I want you to entrust the ring to the chosen one.’“

Saying this, Milia took out an old scroll from her bag, which she had put aside, and spread it out on the table.

In the center of the scroll was a magic circle that looked like a combination of a circle and a triangle.

At each tip of the triangle, there was a small picture of the spirit ring, a dragon holding a shield, and an old man blowing a horn.

What on earth could this be?

At any rate, I activated [Appraisal].

The Twilight Scroll: A scroll that contained a formula for uniting the five great powers ── Spirit, God of Creation, Dragon God, God of War, and Calamity. It is required to perform certain recipes in [Creation].

Uniting the five great powers…?

From the description, it seems that if one were to use this scroll to perform with [Creation], an incredible item would be created.

However, no new recipe has come to mind so far. Perhaps other materials are needed.

“Milia. Who is this grandfather who sent you this scroll?”

“I don’t really know either. When I met him when I was little, he said he was an archaeologist. Could the spirit ring and this scroll be relics from an ancient civilization…?”

“I wonder…”

That seems a little different.

I know it’s subjective, but ancient civilizations are a mix of fantasy and science fiction. The underground city of Aunen is full of futuristic houses, and the magic communicator looks just like a cellular phone. As for Orichalcum Rox, it is equipped not only with a laser cannon but also with missiles.

To sum it up in short, “the near future where magic exists” from my original world would be a perfect description.

In comparison, this scroll is too analogous.

If it was a relic from an ancient civilization, we would at least find a tablet with a magic circle recorded on it.

“Can I keep this for now?”

“I mean, you can keep it, or rather, you can have it. It’s just like the spirit ring. It’s probably meant for you to have it.”

“I understand. Thank you.”

I thanked her and stored the twilight scroll in my [Item Box].

“No, no! Actually, the main reason I was in such a hurry to chase after Kou-san was to give you this scroll. I am relieved to have done my job.”

“The scroll arrived the day after I left Aunen, didn’t it? So if I had delayed my departure by a day, it would have made things a little easier for Milia.”

“But in that case, wouldn’t Toue have been destroyed?”

“…That’s true, too.”

The Devil Treant attacked the city of Toue on the evening of the day I left.

If my departure had been the next day, the city of Toue would have been destroyed during that time, and many of its residents would have lost their lives.

“Kou-san, don’t worry about it. The trip to Fort Port was a bit difficult, but I did it of my own accord. If I was of any help, all is well! That’s it!”

Milia winked with her right eye and made an OK mark with the thumb and forefinger of her right hand at the same time.

It was quite a cute sight, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.