kscans

Chapter 28 - The Necessity of Golems

Episode 21: The Necessity of Golems

After shooting down the two unfortunate beauties who were vying for first place in 'Matsuo Race' with cow dung, I took a sip of juice and returned to what she called the 'main topic.'

Although she called it the main topic, I had only come to say thank you, so I had no idea what she was talking about.

"So. What's this all of a sudden about selling me a golem like 'Byakuren'?"

"How cruel, Kyou-chan-kun... to cover two maidens in filth..."

"I've been... defiled. Sob, sob..."

"Quiet, you."

It was just in a game, but they were making it sound terrible.

"You said it was for home security, but its fuel efficiency is pretty bad, you know? There's no way it could run 24/7."

Golems are notorious gas-guzzlers. Especially the ones that use a homunculus.

On top of that, I don't even have an 'Alchemy' skill. I'm just making them based on knowledge I read in my Arcane Gear's grimoire.

It's probably even less energy-efficient than one made by someone with the actual skill. I managed to boost its output instead, though.

The only reason I can use it normally in dungeons is because I, a walking mana tank, am constantly refueling it.

"Ah. It seems there's a misunderstanding. I don't want a golem for 'home security,' but as 'my bodyguard.' It doesn't need to be running 24/7. It's enough if it can move and fight for a while after I pour some mana into it."

"...Is someone targeting you?"

I lowered my voice and asked Aira-san.

Her words and actions may be unfortunate, but she has the face and figure. It's entirely possible she's being targeted by some ill-intentioned person for that reason.

Perhaps she even has a stalker.

"No. While it's no exaggeration to say I am the greatest beauty of this century, I haven't felt that my life is in any danger so far."

"And if any such insolent fool were to appear, they would be rusted by Erina-san's ninjutsu!"

"What does 'rusted by ninjutsu' even mean... Well, if that's the case, then fine, but why do you need one?"

"It's a warning from my grandmother. There have always been 'forceful recruitments' targeting Awakened Persons, but they've apparently been gaining momentum lately. I wanted a means of self-defense for myself."

"Forceful recruitments, you say."

I had heard rumors about it online.

Most Awakened Persons possess high physical abilities and can even use superpowers called 'skills.'

It's only natural that various government agencies and shady organizations would want them.

Moreover, some 'magic' could even make a perfect crime possible. Whether it's to use for assassination, to defend against it, or simply as a threat, the mere existence of 'such a method' is effective... or so I've heard.

In fact, it seems quite a few Awakened Persons have been headhunted by various countries.

"Until now, they've been targeting strong Awakened Persons or those with skills related to unknown technologies. But it seems there's been a development at the Dungeon Agency."

"At the Dungeon Agency? So, it's related to dungeons, then?"

"Indeed. The Dungeon Agency has submitted a proposal to the Diet for the 'partial liberalization of the sale of drop items.' It might pass soon. For all we know, it might have already passed and just hasn't been announced yet."

"That's..."

I was starting to see where this was going.

"Various organizations are now more eager than ever to acquire 'Awakened Persons who are advantageous for dungeon exploration'...?'"

"So it seems."

Aira-san popped a chocolate cookie into her mouth and shrugged.

"I mentioned before that items from dungeons are sent through the Japanese government to a limited number of research facilities both domestically and abroad. Naturally, our lab isn't the only one unhappy with that arrangement."

"So they want to have their own adventurers bring back the drop items they want."

"That's another thing we have in common!"

Aira-san laughed before munching on her cookie.

I see. Until now, they could only experiment inside dungeons, but if that proposal passes, they can bring items back and analyze them with proper equipment.

In that case, even legitimate businesses would probably start seeing things differently.

The words a certain reporter once said, 'Dungeons are the new frontier,' are still heard everywhere.

Unknown minerals, new species of plants. With things that could bring immense wealth depending on how they're used, it's a given that countless corporations and nations would scramble to get their hands on them.

"I am a frail and lovely maiden with next to no direct combat ability."

"You're saying that yourself?"

"Even so, my skills are considered exceptionally useful. I've had a few recruitment offers before, but they've been increasing lately... I don't think anything will happen right away, but I do feel my life is in danger."

"So that's what this is about. But in that case, wouldn't a human bodyguard be better?"

"Oh? Are you volunteering?"

"No. I'm saying if you have the money, you should hire a professional."

A golem is certainly useful as a 'wall,' but it can't be a countermeasure against kidnapping or blackmail 'professionals.'

From the looks of this house, she seems to have money to spare, so it would be better to rely on a professional.

"Hmph... How naive you are, Kyou-chan-kun."

Aira-san shrugged and shook her head as if to say, honestly.

What's going on? Is there some serious reason...

"Have you not considered that I might die from the stress of being surrounded by strangers?"

"Ah, right."

"Please think of me as a creature more delicate than a rabbit or a hamster."

"Got it."

I forgot. This person is socially awkward.

"Kyou-chan, Kyou-chan. Hiring a pro is a good idea, but there's always the fear of betrayal. Dungeons might become a huge market soon, so it's possible the people you hire are already working for the bad guys. That's how much money and how many items could be involved."

"I see."

"Yes! That's the reason, Kyou-chan-kun!"

I nodded at Erina-san's words and turned my gaze back to the noisy, unfortunate beauty.

"With a golem, as long as I have command authority, I don't have to worry about betrayal. As long as nothing has been planted inside it, that is."

"Right. I'll deal with the 'inside' part by doing regular checks, and refueling its mana isn't a problem. I have a decent amount of mana myself. If I have it with me when I'm alone at home or traveling by car, my safety will increase just by its presence."

"I see... Sorry for all the questions, but why me? As I said before, I don't have an 'Alchemy' skill, so I'm just making these based on knowledge from reference materials, you know?"

The materials are from the book derived from my unique skill, not the internet, but there's no need to tell them that. If I use the power of my [Sage's Nucleus], there's a high chance I could improve the success rate and precision of my alchemy, but that could lead to my true power being exposed. I don't use the 'Nucleus' directly when creating a golem, so it's not relevant right now.

"To put it simply, it's a matter of trust."

"Right."

"Don't look at me with such suspicious eyes. I'm serious."

Aira-san continued with a wry smile.

"Part of it is that I trust you're not the type of person to do anything drastic, being the cowardly, socially awkward virgin that you are."

"I'm going to punch you, you unfortunate college student."

"You've only ever seen other adventurers explore dungeons in online videos, haven't you?"

"Are you ignoring me? Yes, well. I don't have any other sources of information."

After all, besides Erina-san, I don't know any other adventurers.

...It's not because I have few friends or anything. It's just that there aren't that many Awakened Persons to begin with.

"Basically, those who upload videos online have some kind of 'strength.' In other words, they're often the cream of the crop among adventurers."

"That might be true."

"So you might not realize it, but your 'Byakuren,' which can fight monsters in an 'E-Rank Dungeon,' is plenty high-performance. Besides, there's a rumor that for golems, the more mana the creator has, the better the performance."

...I was convinced.

While the part about my personality was a little grating, it's true I don't have the nerve to willingly commit a crime. Not that I'd call committing a crime 'having nerve.'

Her point about performance also seemed logical. In that case, there was no reason to 'fuss' any further.

Resigned, I let out a small sigh.

"Alright. I have a spare for when 'Byakuren' breaks, so I already have a 'pseudo-homunculus' itself. All that's left is the exterior to protect the flask and a body."

"...By the way, Kyou-chan-kun. Does a homunculus really use, um... a man's semen as a material?"

"A normal homunculus does, but mine is different. It's a 'pseudo' one, so the materials are just a lump of mana and a few types of herbs."

Don't ask me with a blushing face. This kind of topic is embarrassing for me, too. Having a beautiful older woman ask me 'if I use semen' is awkward beyond belief.

"Is that so? Well, I was prepared to use a golem covered in your semen if it meant ensuring my safety, but what a relief!"

As soon as she learned the materials were normal, Aira-san crossed her arms under her chest and started teasing me with a smug look. I was irritated, but I was too busy trying to avert my eyes from her emphasized bust to say anything. You got lucky, unfortunate college student.

"That's great, senpai! You were so worried yesterday, wondering what you'd do if he gave you one made with semen!"

"Hahaha. Erina-kun. Let's just drop that topic, shall we?"

Good. It seems Aira-san is a young lady of a certain age after all...

As I felt a slight sense of relief, my client let out an exaggerated cough.

"Well, about that. Regarding the exterior and the body, I'll provide the materials, so I'd like you to make it in advance. I can't very well construct it on the spot in an emergency."

"Understood."

Constructing the body requires a certain amount of mana, about ten seconds of time, and knowledge of alchemy.

I've heard that some people run out of mana just from the construction, and 'ten seconds' is too big of an opening in an emergency. If you have that much time, you might as well call the police.

To compensate for that, I've seen on the 'Alchemy Enthusiasts Club' website that some people prepare a body separately in advance.

In my case, I prioritize portability, so I procure the body on-site.

"Please make it about my height, if possible. It'll be easier to carry. Now, about your payment..."

"No, you don't have to pay me."

I cut off Aira-san's words and refused flatly.

"Why not? You're accepting the request, aren't you?"

"I'll make the golem. But I'm doing it as 'thanks for the other day.' I won't take any money."

This was one thing I wouldn't budge on. I stared back at Aira-san.

"I'm not a professional in this field. I can't be confident in its performance or quality. I can't accept money and be responsible for someone's life. In other words, 'I'm not prepared to take responsibility.'"

To be blunt, just as I said, I have no confidence.

The thought of someone trusting my golem and dying because my skills weren't enough... I absolutely hated that idea.

After seeing the destruction in the town where the Orcs rampaged, it's impossible not to have thoughts about death. After much deliberation... the conclusion I came to was, 'I don't want to be responsible for someone's life.'

I had to tell myself that the lives lost on that day, in that place, were 'unrelated to me.' Otherwise, I was afraid the corpses I'd seen on the way would haunt my dreams.

Fighting in a dungeon is still okay. Acting as the vanguard is okay, too. The possibility that my mistake could get Erina-san killed... I can't accept it, but I can anticipate it.

But I refuse to be in a situation where someone dies somewhere out of my reach and it's even slightly 'my fault.'

Accepting money means accepting responsibility. For this job, I can't take it. It has to be purely a 'repayment of a favor.'

"Hmm... You're quite a troublesome one yourself, aren't you?"

"I don't want to hear that from you..."

"Hey, hey, senpai."

Erina-san, who had been eating snacks, tilted her head as she looked at Aira-san.

"You might have forgotten, but..."

"What is it? Did I do something wrong?"

"I think 'buying and selling' things made with alchemy and stuff is illegal, isn't it?"

"It's fine, we'll use a workaround to get away with it."

"Doesn't that just create more problems?"

I had completely forgotten, too, but now that she mentioned it, there was a regulation like that in the Dungeon Law.

That law is hard to remember because it's still being amended and is in a state of flux.

"Well, that was half a joke. One of the proposals submitted to the Diet by the Dungeon Agency was the partial liberalization of the sale of items made by those with production-type skills. By the time the golem is finished, it should be legal."

"As expected of you, senpai! You're not afraid to charge right into the gray areas!!"

"Of course. I am a woman who leaves no stone unturned."

I wonder if that was a compliment. Well, if they're fine with it, I guess it's okay...

I put a little distance between myself and the two of them and nodded. In the end, I agreed to create the golem for free. They said they'd provide the materials for the exterior and body, anyway.

To repay the favor from the other day, one or two golems is a small price. Unlike my parents' lives, they're infinitely replaceable.

Speaking of which, thinking about parents and family reminded me of something.

"By the way, are Aira-san and Erina-san's grandmother's bodyguards all set?"

'A national university professor who is researching dungeon-related matters' and who has a granddaughter with a useful skill like Aira-san. Honestly, a person like that seems like they'd be a target in their own right.

When I asked, the two of them looked at each other and then waved their hands dismissively.

"No, that woman doesn't need a bodyguard. They'd just be a burden. Her potential rivals even yours."

"Grandma is an Awakened Person and an elf, too. She's super strong, and she even dives into dungeons herself to do research, so she's been leveling up."

Alright, so she's a fighter. I get that.

But the grandmother of these two is an adventurer... what kind of person is she?

I had a feeling she was a whirlwind of a person, nine times out of ten, and I also understood why Aira-san had said 'a bodyguard for when I'm alone at home.'

When her grandmother was home, she was the strongest defense, so no other bodyguard was necessary.

In my mind, I imagined a being that was a mix of Erina-san and Aira-san, with the combat power of an Orc Champion.

.........Hmm.

What a terrifying creature. She definitely doesn't need a bodyguard.