Volume 4 - CH 7

Chapter 7 – I Tried To Add More Equipment

This is bad news.

…I can’t sleep.

After the debriefing, I left the Thor room and went back to my room with an intention to sleep until lunch. I changed into something comfortable and went to bed, but by then, my sleepiness had already passed.

Instead, my eyes were wide open.

In my experience, time would just fly by even if I just lay there, so I decided it was better to do something else.

“I think I’ll go for a walk.”

Fortunately, the guest house had a large and beautiful garden. It was a nice day outside, so I decided to go for a walk.

If there was a bench on the way, it might be a good place to take a nap.

No, wait.

It’s morning, so does that mean it’s a morning nap?

Well, that’s okay.

I selected a shirt and slacks from my [Item Box], changed, got up from bed, and left the room.

I walked through the garden surrounded by colorful flowers, bathing in the gentle sunlight. I could hear the fountain in the distance, and every now and then, a soft breeze would caress my cheeks.

“…Not bad.”

I’ve been spending a lot of time with other people lately, so it’s refreshing to spend some time by myself.

After a while, I found a bench with a bit of cover… and what would be called an arbor in Japan.

It faced a small pond, and the view looked quite nice.

I sat on the bench and gazed idly at the surface of the pond as it swayed in the breeze and suddenly remembered that I still had some work to do.

“[Creation], I haven’t done that yet, have I?”

In the battle I had just fought, I defeated the White Dragon and the Green Dragon, and their corpses had been stored in my [Item Box] by [Automatic Collection], and a new recipe was floating around in my mind.

White Dragon Carcass x 1 → Ice Emperor Dragon Ring x 1

Green Dragon Carcass x 1 → Wind Emperor Dragon Ring x 1

I had wondered about this when I created the Flame Emperor Dragon Ring from the Black Dragon’s carcass, but why is the name of the item after [Creation] not “White Dragon Ring” or “Green Dragon Ring.”

I wonder if research into ancient civilizations will someday clarify this mystery.

Anyway, let’s try [Creation].

I concentrated in my mind.

Ice Emperor Dragon Ring: A ring that possesses the power of the Ice Emperor Dragon. Equipped with this ring, the wearer is granted the highest level of aptitude in ice magic. It can only be equipped by Kou Kousaka.

Granted effects:《Successor to the Ice Emperor EX》and《Exclusive Equipment A+》

Next, I also used [Creation] for the Wind Emperor Dragon Ring.

This one had the《Successor to the Wind Emperor EX》and《Exclusive Equipment A+》effects, and equipping it seemed to give the highest aptitude for wind magic.

I opened my [Item Box] and took out the two rings at once.

The Ice Emperor Dragon Ring had a large blue jewel attached to it, and the Wind Emperor Dragon Ring had a large green jewel attached to it.

Let’s equip them for now.

I put the ice emperor’s ring on my left index finger and the wind emperor dragon ring on my right middle finger.

Soon after, [Full Assist] automatically activated, and the magic was learned.

Apparently, “Ice Arrow” and “Wind Arrow” can now be used.

By the way, if I equip the Flame Emperor Dragon Ring, I can use the Fire Arrow.

…All I see are arrows.

Isn’t there any more variation?

To be honest, with magic, just the fire arrow is enough. It’s not so bad to use.

Just as I was thinking like that, a recipe popped into my mind.

Flame Emperor Dragon Ring x 1 + Ice Emperor Dragon Ring x 1 + Wind Emperor Dragon Ring x 1 → Three Emperor Dragons’ Bracelet x 1

Hohoho.

The three dragons are the fire, ice, and wind dragons, and I wonder if they are called three dragons because they have the power of all three elements.

Perhaps new magic will become available, so let’s make one.

“──[Creation].”

Three Emperor Dragons’ Bracelet: A bracelet that contains the power of the Flame Dragon, Ice Dragon, and Wind Dragon. The wearer is granted the highest aptitude in fire, ice, and wind magic. If the wearer possesses [Creation], they can activate《Magic Creation EX》

Granted effects:《Successor to the Three Emperors EX》《Exclusive Equipment A+》《Magic Creation EX》

As expected, the power of the three rings is contained in a single item, but what is more noteworthy is the《Magic Creation EX》.

By consuming magic power, new magic can be created.

The attributes are limited to fire, ice, and wind, but it is also possible to combine more than one attribute.

And in my case, since I have [Full Assist], all I have to do is vaguely imagine “this is the kind of magic I want to use,” and it seems that the magic creation is fully automatic.

This sounds interesting.

I’d like to go outside of the royal capital later and experiment with it.

Oh, yes.

This time, I performed [Creation] three times in a row, and that raised my skill level from 25 to 27.

An inorganic announcement echoed in my mind.

A new skill, [Item Duplication], has been unlocked.

Hmm.

What in the world is this skill?

I activate [Appraisal].

…Fumu, fumu.

The effect is just as the name says.

When an item in the [Item Box] is specified, a duplicate of the item can be created. The duplicated item has exactly the same performance and effects as the original.

This skill may be very useful depending on how it is used, but of course, it has many limitations.

One of them is that ‘[Item Duplication] requires magic power to activate, and the amount of magic power consumed depends on the performance of the targeted item.’

Perhaps the more powerful the item is, the more magic power it consumes.

So, for example, it is impossible to duplicate the magic sword Gram and use them as a twin sword… Huh?

Hey.

Wait a minute.

Do you want to use [Item Duplication] on the dragon slayer’s magic sword Gram?

The magic power consumption is 100,000 MP equivalent.

By the way, my MP is currently 100,000 and 300.

…I can duplicate it.

Shall I do it?

Is it okay if I do it?

The magic sword Gram is a sacred weapon, a one-of-a-kind event item if you want to compare it to an RPG. If you try to throw it away, the system message will say, “It’s outrageous to throw it away!”

The fact that it can be duplicated is nothing short of a cheat.

I’m getting nervous.

A sacred artifact, which should be unique in the world, would be duplicated. Would it be okay to do such an immoral or blasphemous thing?

But when the choice is presented before my eyes, I cannot suppress the interest that wells up.

What should I do?

Just when I was wondering what to do, I heard a voice behind me.

“…Um, Kou-san.”

“Uwahh!?”

Oops!

I was so surprised that I activated my skill.

Uh.

I fearfully check my [Item Box].

Dragon Slayer’s Magic Sword Gram x2

I did it.

* * *

If I think about it calmly, I didn’t do anything wrong, did I?

It’s okay to have one more Gram.

You never know what will happen in this world, after all. It’s important to have a reserve.

If I could, I’d like to make another copy for propagation purposes (?)… but [Item Duplication] has a cooldown time, and the next time it can be activated is 24 hours later.

Anyway, let’s calm down a bit.

Suuhah.

“Are you all right, Kou-san?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I was just a little surprised.”

I answered and turned around to look behind me.

Lily was standing there. She was looking at me with a concerned look.

“I’m sorry. I’m calling out to you so suddenly.”

“No problem. Is there something you need?”

“No, I just happened to see you… Can I sit next to you?”

“Sure.”

I move over to the left side of the bench to make room for Lily.

“Here.”

“Thank you.”

Lily bowed and sat right next to me.

“It’s a nice view here, isn’t it?”

“It’s good for a change of pace.”

After exchanging words like that, a moment of silence passed. The sound of a fountain could be heard in the distance.

“Um…”

Lily spoke up.

“What’s wrong?”

“…The future has changed, hasn’t it?”

Lily is probably talking about the [Foresight].

Originally, the Royal Capital would have been frozen in ice by the White Dragon, and every single inhabitant would have lost their life.　

However, we arrived at the Royal Capital much earlier than originally planned and were able to finish the battle without any loss of life or damage.

“I actually had my suspicions all the way until we reached the Royal Capital. No matter how much the Blaznir accelerated, there will be trouble, and we won’t make it in time for the White Dragon to appear. I thought it would be just as I had predicted. That’s what I was thinking. …I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize. You have never had a clear-cut [Foresight] that didn’t come true before, have you?”

“Yes. I was really surprised this time.”

Lily muttered sincerely.

“Perhaps that dream has already come to be, after all.”

“Hmm?”

“It is the [Foresight] I had when I was a child.”

Ah, that one.

When the seal of Yggdrasil’s bow was broken, she would sacrifice her own life to summon the arrow to kill the calamity…

Lily apparently had such a [Foresight] when she was little.

However, when I summoned the arrow to kill the calamity in the battle against the Gluttonous Dragon, I only needed to consume magic power, and not her life.

Did her fate change, or will there be another occasion where she would offer her life?

No clear conclusion had been reached yet, but Lily had previously claimed the latter possibility.

What about now?

I asked, and the answer came quickly.

“Even if it is the latter, I can change my destiny together with Kou-san. …I believe so now.”

“I understand. Then I’ll have to live up to your expectations then.”

“Please take care of me. …I want to live a long life, too.”

That’s good to hear.

The first time we met, Lily had a tendency to underestimate the value of her own life, but it seemed that she had changed her mind somewhat.

“It is thanks to Kou-san that I have come to believe that.”

“What did I do?”

“We traveled around together and had a lot of experiences. We went to hot springs, saw the ocean, and ate delicious food… I still want to enjoy this world.”

“That’s a strange coincidence.”

I reply with a giggle.

“I haven’t had a chance to enjoy this world yet either. So let’s all go somewhere together.”

“…Yes!”

Lily nodded with a bright smile, befitting a girl of her age.

Now.

The atmosphere was getting good, but I had one thing to tell Lily.

She is the [God of War’s Shrine Maiden], and her mission is to manage the weapons of the God of War.

…I’d better be honest with her.

Reporting, contacting, and consulting are the basics of being a member of society, and it’s not a compliment as an adult to hide something from a child.

“Lily, listen to me. I have something important to tell you.”

“…What is it?”

“You know, I have Gram right here.”

I open my [Item Box] and take out the first Gram. The sun shone on the silver blade of the sword, and it glistened.

“Is there possibly something wrong with the sacred weapon?”

“No, it’s not like that. …Look.”

I also took out the second Gram from my [Item Box].

The sun was reflected on the blade of the sword, too, and it shone brightly.

“I’ve got an extra Gram.”

“…Eh.”

Lily completely froze in front of the two Grams.

She blinked from time to time and didn’t utter a word.

For the time being, I told her about the effects of [Item Duplication] and explained that I had accidentally (?) activated it for Gram.

“Um, that’s… I’m sorry I did something strange to the sacred weapon.”

“Um.”

Lily opened her mouth with a puzzled look on her face.

“Can I check the Grams a little? Both of them.”

“Yeah. Take a look at them as you like.”

There was a table near the bench, so I put the two Grams on it.

“Thank you very much. Excuse me.”

Lily stood up from the bench and first held her right hand over the original Gram.

After that, she held up the copy of the Gram.

“Can you tell which one is the duplicate?”

“Yes. I am a [God of War’s Shrine Maiden], after all.”

Lily pointed to the copy and said confidently.

“This is the original Gram.”

Uh…

“How is it?”

“It’s very difficult to say, but… it’s not.”

“…?”

Lily tilted her head. Her gesture was very cute.

“Kou-san.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Let me try again. I’ll definitely win the next time, in the name of the [God of War’s Shrine Maiden].”

Lily’s expression was filled with unprecedented spirit as she said this.

“I understand. Then, I’ll put it back in the [Item Box] once.”

“Please do.”

I put both Grams into the [Item Box].

After that, I put the original on the left side of the table and the copy on the right.

“The right one?”

“…It’s on the left.”

“One more, one more, please.”

“Okay, how about this one?”

“Left.”

“Oh, you got it right this time. That’s good for you.”

“Maybe it was blind luck. Can I try one more time just to be sure?”

“Let’s make this a ten-round game, shall we?”

“I’ll try my best…”

In the end, the game was extended again from ten to twenty rounds, but Lily’s correct answer was eleven.

“In short, you can’t tell the difference between an original and a copy.”

“…It’s frustrating.”

Lily nodded her head as her shoulders slumped in disappointment.

She has a surprising competitive nature.

I felt a little better for having discovered a new side of Lily.　

“By the way, what were we originally talking about?”

“I had asked Kou-san to let me check the Grams.”

“What were the results?”

“Both the original and the copy are imbued with almost identical divine energy. They looked so much alike that even I, a… [God of War’s Shrine Maiden], could not distinguish between them.”

Lily seemed to be still a little depressed and muttered in a downcast manner. But she quickly regained her composure and looked up at me and said.

“Is it possible to duplicate Yggdrasil’s bow as well?”

“Wait a minute. I’ll check.”

I lightly close my eyes and focus my attention.

I activate the [Item Duplication].

The cooldown time had not yet ended, so it could not be activated, but if I specify the item, I will know if it can be duplicated or not and the amount of magic power required.

So, how about the Yggdrasil bow?

…I see.

First of all, if you ask if it is possible or impossible to duplicate, it is possible. However, the amount of magic power required is 2.5 million.

If I want to increase the number of bows, I would need to activate [Limit Break].

When I mentioned this, Lily sighed in admiration.

“Truly, Kou-san is out of the norm in every way.”

“At any rate, can I have the second Gram as well?”

“Yes. And you can keep it as a backup in case you need it.”

“Or maybe I can use it as a dual sword.”

Speaking for myself, it’s pretty cool, isn’t it?

I hold the Gram in each of my left and right hands and strike a pose while activating the [Dexterity].

Swoosh.

“…What’s the matter?”

Lily raised her voice in wonder. Apparently, she didn’t understand the man’s romance.

“No, it’s nothing.”

I answered while putting the two Grams together and storing them in my [Item Box].

If Leticia had been here, I wonder if she would have agreed with me about the coolness of the two swords.

Then we left the bench and decided to return to the guest house together.

On the way, Lily said.

“I may have been mistaken.”

“Oh.”

“Sometimes, I feel a kind of divine energy.”

“What do you mean?”

I asked, and Lily answered after a bit of hesitation.

“I think there may be something close to the God of War nearby, something that should be called… a familiar.”

What does that mean?

That’s… a little worrisome.

“Assuming there is such a thing as a familiar nearby.”

“Yes.”

“Wouldn’t they be so mad when they find out I’ve added Grams?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong, and I think you’ll be fine. …Maybe.”

Maybe, you say?

…I’m a little scared.

* * *

When I returned to the guest house with Lily, I felt something strange.

The staff was all nervous, and the atmosphere was somewhat tense. If I were to apply my experience from when I was in Japan, it was as if some bigwig from the company had suddenly arrived for an inspection tour.

“…This is a little strange.”

Lily seemed to sense something and looked around curiously. I decided to ask a male staff member who was nearby.

“What’s going on?”

“N-no! T-t-there is nothing in particular… Yes!”

“I see.”

He probably wanted to say “nothing” but inadvertently said “yes,” and in his haste, he probably tried to deceive me in a panic.

“L-lunch is ready. Please go to the dining room! And now, if you’ll excuse me!”

The male staff member bowed in a panic and quickly ran away from the scene. The wording he used was strange, and there must have been a serious situation going on.

Lily and I both tilted our heads and headed for the dining room.

On the way there, Lily stopped with a gasp.

“…Kou-san?”

“Hmm?”

“I can feel the divine energy. It’s faint, but it’s there.”

“Does that mean the familiar is nearby?”

“Yes. Probably in the dining room.”

Now, what should I do?

I honestly wanted to turn around and say, “Bring the food to my room,” but I couldn’t show my shame in front of a child.

I guess this was the point where I had to make up my mind.

I headed for the dining room.

Two female staff members were standing at the entrance, and when they saw us, they bowed and opened the door.

Beyond them stood a man as large as a bear. He was quite well-dressed and wore a red cloak over a luxurious gold-rimmed garment.

My first impression was that he looked like a king.

When the man saw me, he smiled a friendly smile with a thickly bearded mouth.

“Oh, I’ve been waiting for you. Kou Kousaka-dono.”

He seemed to know who I was and approached me in a friendly manner.

Then, while extending his right hand, he said in a rather informal tone.

“I am Octo di Nordic, the eighth king of this country. Pleased to meet you, Kou-dono.”

Uh…

The man──Octo, called himself the king.

In other words, he is a very important person.

The staff of the guest house might have been in a panic because such a person suddenly arrived.

How should I behave in such a situation?

I hesitated for a few seconds, then decided to respond to the handshake.

“My name is Kou Kousaka. Pleased to meet you.”

“Umu. …You have a good hand, Kou-dono.”

King Octo muttered as he gripped my right hand.

“It is the hand of a hero who can save many lives.”

“I am grateful.”

I replied and observed King Octo again.

He seemed to be very friendly with me, or at least, he seemed to have a strong liking for me.

“Kou-dono, you have done a great job defending the Royal Capital. As the king of this country and as one of the residents of the Royal Capital, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

After shaking hands, King Octo said this and bowed deeply.

King Octo seemed to come to the guest house to thank me and the others in secret.

“Normally, I should invite you all to the palace for an audience, but it seems impolite for the one who has been protected to summon a benefactor to his place. I will arrange another formal occasion in due course, but this time I have come to you myself… That’s what I thought.”

By the way, I had been so preoccupied with King Octo that I had not noticed that Iris, Leticia, and Surara were already in the dining room.

There was a large circular table in the dining room, and Iris and the others were sitting on the chairs.

Me, Lily, and King Octo sat down in the empty seats.

“Where did Milia go?”

“She went to the headquarters of the Adventurers’ Guild.”

Iris, who was sitting next to me on my left, answered.

“She said she was going to calculate the rewards for you, Kou. She’ll be back this evening.”

“The timing of my visit was not good. I know it’s an unexpected visit, but it’s unfortunate.”

The one who groaned was King Octo, who was sitting right next to me.

“I’ve heard that Miss Milia was in charge of the procedures when Kou-dono registered with the Adventurers’ Guild. I thought it would be interesting to hear about your early days in the guild.”

“I’d be interested to hear about that.”

Leticia, sitting diagonally across from me, said with a chuckle.

“By the way, where is Relic-sama?”

“He was sleeping in his room!”

Surara answered cheerfully.

“I tried shaking him, but he didn’t wake up at all. I wonder if I should try again.”

According to the details of the story, Surara had entered Relic’s room through a crack in the door.

That’s the kind of behavior only a slime with an irregular shape could pull off. He shook Relic, who was asleep, but he did not seem to react at all.

“Don’t mind it, don’t mind it.”

King Octo said while laughing with a generous attitude.

“He must be tired from the long journey. Let him take his time.”

“You are very generous, aren’t you?”

When I said so, King Octo replied, “I have known Relic for a long time, after all.”

“By the way, Kou-dono. You should not hesitate in front of me. You may speak with ease, as an adventurer would.”

“No, that is indeed impossible…”

“I am here on a private visit, not an official one. You don’t have to worry about it. ──I have to have a friendly talk with you.”

King Octo muttered something like that as he quickly tightened his expression.　

…Hmm?

Currently, we are seated in the order of me, Iris, Leticia, Surara, Lily, and King Octo, clockwise around the circular table.　

And as for Lily, she had been silent since a while ago, staring at King Octo.

What on earth is going on?

Wait a minute.

Come to think of it, Lily said earlier. She said that there might be a familiar of the God of War nearby.

I will ask him a little.

“Your Majesty, may I ask you a question?”

“Kou-dono. As I said before, you can speak more comfortably.”

King Octo smiled at me.

“You have saved not only the capital but also many other cities from the crisis. You are truly the savior of our country. I cannot decline such a great hero. I hope you can treat me as you treat your friends. Above all, if you are awed in a strange way, it is in my nature as king to read what is behind the words.”

“I understand. …No, I got it.”

I decided to accept King Octo’s proposal.

To address the king, in other words the head of the country, without any honorifics, but because I felt something sincere in the expression of King Octo when he muttered that, I could not help but read the back of his words.

It is only my personal imagination, but I guess that there is a complicated and intricate game of gut feeling in the world of politics, and King Octo may be tired of it.

Anyway, let’s get back to the main story since I have digressed.

I have to make sure if he is the God of War’s familiar or not.

“I have a question to ask the king. Can I ask you a question?”

I observe the expression of King Octo as I say so. I tried to talk to him in a rough tone following the king’s request, but I wondered what his reaction was.

“Mm! There is no need to hesitate. If it is your question, I will answer as much as you want!”

…He seems a little happy.

I asked him, thinking about that.

“I’m sorry if I’m mistaken, but do you have any relation to the God of War?”

“…Hou.”

King Octo raised his voice as if he was impressed.

“You guessed right. Or have you used [Appraisal] on me?”

“No, not yet.”

I answered honestly.

If the other party is a hostile existence, or there is a high possibility of being hostile, it is not a problem, but it is impolite to look into another person’s profile without permission.

Especially because King Octo is the king of a country, as for me, I think it is a place where I should be careful.

When I told this, King Octo smiled, showing his white teeth.

“It is a wonderful thoughtfulness. You are not only strong but also honorable.”

I like you more and more, he said, patting me on the shoulder.

After that, he dismissed the surrounding servants and said.

“Now, let me answer your question. It is not generally known, but Thor di Nordic, the first king of this country, is a demigod and a half-human being, being the son of the God of War, Warden. I am descended from him. I am, so to speak, a descendant of the God of War.”