Chapter 639 - Third Story: The Demon Race Woman of Engrio ④
“What are you doing? That's filthy.”
I thought the female demon would say that, and she did.
“No, this is, the slugs...”
We explained this and that.
“Heh, water with soap dissolved in it, huh. And because there's no one to use [Magic: Clump Water], it turned out like this.”
“Yeah. I thought about asking you, but you're tired, right?”
“I slept for about an hour, so I'm fine now.”
That's encouraging.
“Then, want to try it? You can use it when doing laundry too.”
Recently, at the [Class of 175 Shop], they've been using it to wash the clothes of the silica diggers. It's because I, who use [Magic: Clean Up], am frequently absent. There are a fair number of people who use [Magic: Clump Water], so it can be used every day. Similarly, a disciple of Mary's at the second shop recently learned [Magic: Clump Water], so they've started a laundry service too. The customers are people who came for magic training and soldiers. Since they do it carefully, it's gaining a reputation for being cleaner than hand-washing, and there's talk of giving her commoner status from the Lord soon and making her the manager of the second shop.
“Sure. Let's try it. I'll clean you up too while I'm at it.”
“I would be most grateful.”
How kind.
She seemed to find it interesting when she actually tried one. She strode forward without a care for the barrier.
Washing away the slime doesn't mean they die. They just become limp and look a bit thinner.
“Heh, so this is what its skin feels like. It's surprisingly rough.”
She was catching and touching the slugs that were trying to run away in dislike.
Come to think of it, I've never touched a slug's skin. I didn't think it would be rough. When I touched it with her, even though I say rough, it felt like it wasn't smooth because the protrusions were fine.
“It's quite moist. It doesn't repel water, does it?”
Saying so, she produced a little bit of water with magic and poured it on the slug.
“Ah, it sucked it up!”
It was true. The water that should have been on it disappeared. Come to think of it, if you put a slug in water, it gets bigger.
“This guy is interesting. I wonder if its skin is useful for something?”
It absorbs water, huh. But if it's just the skin, it would only be a tiny bit. If that's the case...
“It might be good for a bath mat.”
“A bath mat?”
“Yeah. You lay it on the floor and step on it after getting out of the bath or after getting wet from a wash. Then, it'll suck up the water from the soles of your feet, making it easier to wipe them, and you won't have to wet the floor after leaving the bathroom.”
“Ahahaha, that's interesting. I didn't have that idea. But humans, they really come up with strange things.”
“It's ingenuity, ingenuity.”
“I see.”
The female demon's house didn't have carpets. I think it's fine to have at least a bath mat.
The slugs were defeated by being washed by the female demon, who had become interested in bath mats. We all skinned them. Since there were six of them, it was a fair amount. We temporarily brought them back to the hall with the altar and washed Harrison-san while we were at it.
The female demon manipulated the water she produced with [Magic: Clump Water] to create a mass. As expected of the Demon Race, she created eight large water orbs floating in the air just by spreading her hands and chanting twice. She immediately chanted a third time and merged them into one mass. If it were a human, the water orbs would be smaller, and they would fall to the floor before they could be merged with [Magic: Clump Water]. Price-sama and Harrison-san were also marveled by this. It's a feat that can only be done because she is over super-high-class.
When she put pieces of soap into the mass of water, she stirred it around to make soapy water. Harrison-san, who had stripped naked, became clean just by having only his head sticking out of the swirling water. Since his priestly robes were also thrown in, the laundry was done too. It would be finished if she made another water orb and did the same with fresh water. The wet clothes could just be wrung out tightly with Harrison-san's monstrous strength and then dried while applying [Magic: Warm].
“As expected of the Queen, such wonderful magic control.”
“Right, right? But, I think it's a bit much being told that while you're in that state.”
Naked, he was fluttering his undergarments—the ones worn on the bottom, at that—in front of me as I used [Magic: Warm].
“This is... I am sorry for being like this in front of women.”
Harrison-san turned red.
The female demon, the red-faced Sianya, and I looked at each other and giggled. Price-sama and Harris-sama laughed out loud. Circumstances being what they were, and since demons don't originally wear clothes and priests look after the injured and sick, it wasn't a problem, but Sianya wasn't quite used to it. Since he was naked, I had thrown in his clothes to teach the female demon about laundry, but it might have been better to use [Magic: Clean Up].
After that, it was easy. After having the female demon promise in the name of the Demon Lord not to tell anyone else, we proceeded with the exploration of the cave. We walked while illuminating with lanterns, detected bugs with [Magic: Sense Living], and defeated them with [Magic: Holy] as soon as we found them. Harrison-san and I stood at the front, Harris-sama and Sianya were second. Price-sama and the female demon were last. However, Harrison-san did all the fighting. The other four had nothing special to do besides illuminating the ground with lanterns, and especially the two in the third row followed along while chatting casually.
We also defeated the final giant centipede without incident and easily reached the wall.
“Is this it? The wall that magic doesn't work on.”
The female demon was looking around. As before, it was a wall with nothing unusual about it.
“Let's see.”
BOOM!
She suddenly released lightning horizontally. Since the distance was close, there was no way it wouldn't hit. But nothing happened. If it were [Magic: Magic Reflection], it would bounce back. Since she fired it knowing that, she didn't fire it straight. She fired it diagonally. However, it wasn't bounced back either. Of course, it wasn't absorbed either. It just hit. If it were a normal wall, it would break or get scratched from the impact, but there was none of that. No mistake. It's the fifth one.
“Heh.”
CLANG!
This time she drew a black sword and slashed at it. This was my first time seeing it. However, it was just bounced back, the same as with the silver sword... or a steel sword for that matter.
“That hurts!”
Her fingertips must have gone numb; she was shaking her hand. After that, she examined the blade, but there seemed to be no change there either.
“We're going to break through this?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“We use [Magic: Light].”
“[Magic: Light]?”
“Yes.”
“I wonder if [Magic: Dark] works too?”
“That's...”
I've never tried it. Or rather, I didn't even think of it. However, the people from the Ruined Town couldn't break through the wall at the mountain. It's probably impossible.
She fired it, but as expected, it didn't work. When the black mist hit the wall, it changed its direction of travel and came drifting back toward us. We scrambled to get away.
“Whoops, it really doesn't work. What happens if you hit this with [Magic: Light]?”
“It disappears.”
“Disappears?”
“Yes. Slowly, but it gradually gets thinner and eventually vanishes. If you stop illuminating it with [Magic: Light], it reverses and returns to its current state.”
This time she started patting it with her hands.
“Hmm. I see.”
After patting it all over, she took a step back and crossed her arms. Did she figure something out?
“Did you understand something?” Price-sama asked.
“I guess. It's probably [Magic: Make]... no, [Magic: Lock], huh. The caster must be a human with considerably high ability... no, that's impossible. A spirit, and a high-ranking one at that. About the same rank as us. This feeling... a Dwarf, maybe?”
Amazing, she hit the mark! Even though I only deciphered it because of King Griffith's autobiography, she identified it just by touching it.
I couldn't help but exchange looks with Price-sama. The other three also gathered around.
“What do you mean?”
“It's a combination of a magic circle and magic. Are humans not very familiar with it?”
Any priest would know about barriers. As for [Magic: Lock], I know about it because I saw the First King's letter in Sertogne, but others might not.
She explained this and that. The gist was the same as the [Magic: Lock] I understood. However, in the case of a wall or something, a part of the wall is scraped off, made into powder, and that's used as a pigment. It's mixed with water along with magic stone powder to draw the magic circle. Once it dries, you can't tell at all by looking.
“Is it a type of magic from the [Magic: Dark] lineage, which is the opposite of [Magic: Light]?”
“That's right. Because it's of the light lineage, it can be canceled with [Magic: Light]. To be precise, it's the attribute of the caster, I guess. For example, if Jeanne draws it, it should be something that can be erased with [Magic: Dark], and if I draw it, it should be something that can be erased with [Magic: Light]. In short, it's the same as a barrier.”
I thought so. But I wonder what [Magic: Make] is?
“[Magic: Build] is a strengthened version of [Magic: Lock]. [Magic: Lock] is basic, [Magic: Make] is intermediate, and the one that handles even bigger things is [Magic: Build].”
That means, probably, the Demon Lord's Palace is a dark version of [Magic: Build] or something.
“Thank you very much. Thanks to you, I was able to learn another thing.”
“It's fine. More importantly, this is something that humans should properly pass down to later generations. Do something about it, will you?”
“I am terribly sorry. I will take it to heart.”
“Do that.”
The only ones who could lecture Price-sama would be the Demon Race. No, he said he had been scolded many times by the Headmistress. As expected of Catherine the Apostate. She was on par with a high-level demon.
“So, are we opening it?”
The female demon asked, so I looked at Price-sama. I couldn't answer.
“Yes. Once we open it, enter, and confirm that it is something left by our ancestors, this investigation will be over.”
“Aren't you going to investigate the inside?”
“That will be after reporting to King Seldic. He will likely enter for the investigation with his own presence.”
“Hmm.”
“Also, there is a gatekeeper for this wall. The gatekeeper might not permit your entry.”
“That's fine, I'd heard that kind of talk originally.”
“I appreciate your understanding.”
In fact, the Dwarf gatekeeper who appeared when the wall was erased refused the female demon's presence.
“Sorry about that. That's the contract.”
“It's fine. I'd heard it was that kind of place.”
She was about to wave her hand and leave.
Even though I knew it, it was pitiful.
“Since we're here, why don't we have a small banquet as a sign of our new acquaintance?”
Dwarfs are neutral, so it should be fine. Everyone has a canteen. I gave mine to the demon, but there should be a little left. Probably.
“Is that okay?”
“I don't mind as long as it's on this side of the wall.”
The Dwarf also gave the OK. It's undoubtedly because he can drink free alcohol.
“Then, wait a bit. I'll bring some alcohol and bowls.”
As she said that, she disappeared in an instant. It must be [Magic: Teleport].
“Whoa! You brought someone amazing again.”
The Dwarf wiped sweat from his forehead. He had been responding with a calm face, but he was apparently terrified inside.
“Is that person really strong after all?”
“Yeah, insanely strong. Why on earth are humans coming with a monster like that?”
“We managed to catch her somehow.”
“It's a wonder you didn't die. You've got guts.”
I was praised by the Dwarf.
The female demon brought one barrel of fruit wine, which had been highly praised, and one barrel of human wine, perhaps for the Dwarf. She brought bowls for everyone in a leather bag.
“Wine, huh.”
“What? You got a problem with it?”
“No, I know the alcohol you guys make is delicious.”
“Then it's fine, isn't it?”
Since Dwarfs like strong alcohol, fruit wine probably isn't enough.
“I think this might be better.”
Harris-sama produced a canteen. It must be Finis alcohol. Ordinary priests don't drink it.
“Oh, thanks. Ooh! This is good! It's the stuff my well-to-do companions have been drinking a lot lately.”
I knew it. I can tell by the scent. Could those well-to-do companions be Alex?
“That's the one, right? The one so strong it makes you choke if you drink it.”
The demon furrowed her brows.
“This is for the men. We women will have this.”
Sianya immediately raised the bowl of the female demon's fruit wine and took a sip. I completely agreed.
“Right. After all, women should have this.”
The three women toasted.
“I'm sorry, but please let me join you.”
Price-sama, who loves wine, joined in.
Everyone toasted and we briefly introduced ourselves again.
The Dwarf seems to be digging for mortar ingredients and such at a mine on the eastern edge of Engrio. Since Engrio is basically all plains, I didn't know there was a mine.
“I made this place, but no one came for a long time. I thought no one would ever come again.”
The person who made it apparently moved to the plains. He must have lived where the Black Stone was placed.
“About how long has it been?”
“About a thousand years, I guess.”
A thousand years ago. It was a time when a lot happened. Since then, well, magic would naturally be lost.
“Well then, I'm going home soon. You guys are going inside, right?”
“Yes. It seems we have to go in.”
“You don't really have to go in, you know.”
Wait? Is that so?
“I was told that once it's opened, we have to go in.”
“That depends on the gatekeeper. I won't say such a thing.”
“Is it not in the contract?”
“Whether to let them in or not is up to the individual.”
What. Then we can go home together.
“Now, don't be in such a hurry. Drink a bit more.”
The female demon and I looked at each other and laughed.
Price-sama and Harris-sama were also laughing. No, everyone started laughing.
“We have to report about this wall. There are people waiting outside. So, how about this? We change the location and drink again. I can prepare more of that strong alcohol you like.”
“Oh, that sounds good. Are you inviting me?”
“Yes. Please give me some time to consult with the people outside.”
“I don't mind.”
They'll surely go back to the fortress to drink.
“How about it? I would be grateful if you would join us as well.”
“Is it okay?”
The female demon also looked happy.
“Of course, I don't mind.”
In the end, it was decided that the Church would pay, and we all had a great time back at the fortress.
Since it was the Church's treat, everyone made a fuss. That said, since they believe in holy poverty, it wasn't a huge ruckus.
When I was catching the breeze by the window to sober up, Price-sama also came.
“This is truly coexistence and co-prosperity.”
Where Price-sama was looking, the female demon, the Dwarf, Sianya, Harris-sama, Harrison-san, Falstaff-san, the Unit Captain, and the Fortress Captain were all drinking at the same table. Carla and Annabella were there too, but since everyone around them was a big shot, they were shrinking back. Today, the soldiers of the fortress were also sharing in the treat. They probably wanted to go over there, but they were dragged along by Falstaff-san.
“Jeanne! How long are you going to catch the breeze! Come here and drink more!”
The female demon started making a fuss. She was banging on the empty seat next to her. Carla and Annabella next to her were also beckoning me to come.
“Go on. It seems things liven up when you're there.”
Price-sama giggled.
Honestly, I have no choice.