CH 113

“Sire, the magic power of the spirit trees has stabilised.”

“…Ah, the tea trees.”

When I log in, my personal maid, Elianora, informs me that the magic of the tea trees is finally stable.

Because of the special environment of the Nether, where my palace is located, the tea trees that I got from an event exchange have mutated. I wonder how the taste will have changed now that the magic power has settled down.

I could go and take a look while on my way to mine the ore vein. Not that I expect there to be any change to its appearance anyway. In fact, I’ll be more confused if there is.

Looking at the trees within my range of vision, I can only describe them as normal. Very normal. There is a change from the last time I was here when looking at the magic though.

“Without any disturbances, the magic has spread out through the leaves.”

“According to the gardener, it’s better to wait for it to grow a bit older if you want to use it as a magic catalyst.”

That might be a matter of acclimatisation. Well, I’m not planning to change my catalyst, or to cut down the tea trees. They are trees I got from events… I don’t know any other way to get them, so I don’t want to cut them down.

Let’s head back to the room for tasting. The important thing is the taste! Being delicious is everything.

“Again, we have steeped the tea longer than with ordinary leaves.”

“So no change in approach. The strong aroma and lack of astringency is a great advantage. There seems to have been progress with the blend. Has the quality stabilised?”

“That’s right.”

That’s good, because when the quality of the food is stable, the taste is stable.

Eh, the change from before the quality stabilised? …There’s no way I’d remember. It’s impossible to have a stable supply before the quality is stable, so it’s useless to remember.

Green tea, oolong tea and black tea are produced in different ways…well, that’s fine. There is no need for anything other than black tea, and those who care about it will do their best.

Oh, the tea gave me a buff.

Relax

You are moderately relaxed and in a state of increased concentration.

Increased natural recovery of HP, MP and stamina.

Slight quality increase when using production skills. Does not exceed the limits of the quality rules.

…That’s pretty good. For crafters. I’ll investigate a little.

The key ingredient is probably the leaves of the spirit tree. In this case, tea leaves. It should be possible to get this buff from things other than tea…right? My spirit tree is a tea tree, so maybe cookies made from tea leaves.

And what’s more, it can coexist with cooking buffs. If you drink this tea with a meal, you can get two buffs. It won’t increase stats, but there’s no loss in having increased recovery speed for HP, MP and stamina.

I’ll post a SS of this information on the crafting board.

«Holy Magic» has a [Relax] spell, but the effect is different from this one. I think they are separate buffs, so both should apply.

Now, to the alchemy room.

[Sealed Crystal]

Process gemstones to produce crystals that contain magic and magic power.

Here it is at last, sealed crystal. Multiple recipes are unlocked along with this, so I’ll have to test various things.

For example, using [Inventory Expansion] from «Spatial Magic» to try and make a magic bag.

The extended storage I get from #1 is a magical modification caused by the Silver Key, or rather, it shares his inventory with mine. It’s like it is playing around with space at the entrance of the backpack. I doubt it’s possible to do that with a sealed crystal.

…Well, it’s impossible for me to test everything by myself. For the time being, I’ll make some sealed crystals with the gems I have. I’ll give some to Ertz-san, Primula-san and Nephrite-san. It should be possible to use them with blacksmithing, woodworking and handicrafting.

And there’s one more thing I want to make.

Prepare a magic stone that matches the size of the largest gemstone I have.

Liquefy them both with [Change State]. Mix them together and use [Sealed Crystal] on that!

[Material] Doll Core　Rarity: Ep　Quality: B+

The heart and power source that serves as the core of an automatic doll.

It is the crystallisation of the combined wisdom of «Summoning Magic», «Puppet Magic» and [Golem Building].

It came out at B+…a quality that can’t be considered either good or bad.

Currently, the size of the magic stone can be increased a bit more with [Magic Stone Processing]. The size of gems can also differ based on the level of the gathering skill and the location. However, the quality of the gems is left to luck. The quality of the gem depends on the quality of the stone, even if it changes a little due to extracting it.

In other words, it’s very difficult to improve the quality of the doll core.

For now, I can…either give this to Abbie or put it on consignment. This is about the best I can do. Any more than this will depend on the crafting skill of the doll maker.

«Alchemy» is a skill that is aimed at providing materials.

Next, I’ll go to the castle’s training ground.

«Kokon Musou» should reach 60 soon, but will the quest to obtain full mastery end? It’s around the level for third tier, so I’d like that to be acknowledged.

I’ll check out the arts I learned during the week at the training ground, then get «Kokon Musou» to 60 by the end of the day, in the ruins dungeon.

Now then, I’ll see what the BBS has to say while I try things out on the target dummy.

I’ve reached the third tier of «Slender Sword» and «Book». They are currently at level 2 and level 5, with the first art for the melee one not being until 5. I learned two arts from «Book».

[Inflect]

Divert a portion of your threat to the target party member.

[Circulation]

A technique to increase power and enhance durability, by coating the magic catalyst with magic power and magic attributes.

[Inflect] is…more likely to be used by Ske-san…or the twins. I prefer to be the second on the threat table when playing in a party. I sometimes end up fighting for aggro with Ske-san, but if he uses [Inflect] on me or Alf-san, it should make hunting more stable. If I’m playing solo, I could push it onto lump of meat mode #1.

As for [Circulation]… unfortunately, I won’t use it. Or rather, Athame already has this function, so it seems not to have any effect.

And there’s the classic move I learned when «Book» reached 60.

[Banish]

Removes one of the target’s buffs. The removed buff is random.

I can’t try this on a wooden target but, according to the BBS, the success rate is not 100%. There seems to be something deciding if it lands or not.

For the third tier of light and darkness, «Aurora Magic» and «Chaos Magic», I learned new spells at 15. Up until now, they were the same spells with different attributes, but now they have unique spells.

[Seras Embrace] creates a winged being of light, that plunges into the target. It’s hard to tell against a target dummy, but it seems to be a high-power, single target spell, with a strong homing effect.

It’s inferior to «Lightning Magic», but it is fast and the guidance is strong enough that it will turn at a right angle. It’s like an improved version of magic missile, with the downside being a fairly high MP cost. My MP will quickly run dry if it’s used often.

The keyword with «Ancient Divine Linguist» is ‘Aten’.

[Damnation] causes darkness to spread over the designated area, with countless arms rising from it to drag enemies down. It has a restraining effect and a very low chance of causing instant death.

The disadvantage of this spell is that it is a coordinate targeted spell and it takes a while for the attack to occur. However, it’s easier to use than flak spells, so it may be a magic worth adding to the roster of darkness spells. It might be fairly good as offensive magic.

The keyword with «Ancient Divine Linguist» is ‘Motu’.

«Holy Magic» is good because it’s basically used for healing or as a countermeasure against undead. «Shadow Magic» is often based around obstructing enemies, so it’s pointless using it against the wooden targets. «Shadow Magic» especially, is not easy to figure out until you actually use it, so I’ll try it out while hunting.

Other than that, I don’t think there are any major changes.

So with that, let’s go and play jedi in the ruins dungeon and get «Kokon Musou» to 60. After that, I’ll have something to eat and go visit Lana in the afternoon.

I’m a little late, but when I arrive in the living room around noon, I run into my sister.

“Ah, you’re just coming down now, Onee-chan?”

“Mm, I was levelling up my skills.”

“I’m guessing it was battle skills, in a dungeon.”

While talking to my sister, who is chomping away at her own lunch, I prepare myself something to eat.

“Has anything caught your interest?”

“Hmm…a few things related to crafting. I just need some collaborators…”

“Ah, alchemy.”

“Other than that, I’ve got a surplus of SP, so I’m pondering what to do with it.”

“There sometimes is too much, huh? But if you take too many things you’ll struggle to level everything.”

I’d like to take all the passives I can get, but skill experience gets spread among them. Each skill will earn less experience, making it more difficult to increase the skill level.

My skill composition already has a lot of passives… But you can only use a limited number of active skills anyway. My mainstays are «Kokon Musou», «Aurora Magic», «Chaos Magic» and tentacles.

I rarely use active arts from «Slender Sword» and «Book», and I think I would only use «Serpentine Sword» for cleaning up weak enemies? Swatting those away with tentacles works just as well.

«Necromantic Secrets» is used for summoning, but only for summoning. «Space-Time Magic» is for support, with «Shadow Magic» being used about the same amount. Other than that, I use «Holy Magic» for healing #1.

It’s nice that abnormal conditions have become easier to use recently, thanks to the «Eye-chan’s». They’re different from the ones inflicted by the tentacles, so having the eyes stare while I’m fighting is a good way to raise the skill.

In the end, it’s a pretty simple skill composition.

“What Onee-chan does might be simple, but it can’t be copied.”

“Jedi is fun though?”

“How many people do you think can do that, even with the same skills…”

“You just have to feel the Force…”

Really, it’s something you just have to get used to. Starting with sight, though.

After lunch, a cup of tea and relaxing for a bit, I log in for the afternoon.

I’ll head over to the training ground. Hopefully there will be some kind of event.

The Nether army Residents are training as usual, at the training ground.

Oh, I found Lizzy’s soul, Lisa. She seems to be doing her best.

“Ah, Sire. Good timing.”

“You needed something?”

“Let’s do it.”

After Lana comes over, she pulls out her sword with a smile.

I’m usually the one calling out to her, so I guess it is an event.

“Let’s start with some form practice.”

Usually the fighting starts right away!

After the usual form practice, I take on some of the Nether army troops, followed by Lana.

I’m attacked from differing directions with various levels of speed and power, so I’ll keep on parrying.

Lana might be the commander, but she’s not really the brainy type. She is the kind of commander who leads from the front line, along with her troops. The type who would declare “Strategy and tactics are only necessary when the forces are closely matched”.

She’ll knock down everything that stands in her way without any tricks. That’s why she is a great hero. It’s probably largely due to the fact that…in Lana’s case, the enemies were monsters.

What I mean to say is that she is very militant. A genius who takes the best actions in battle instinctively and gives instructions based on intuition.

And she’s a much higher level than I am. She moves at a speed I can’t follow, only slowing to a speed I can recognise when attacking, to change the timing and force behind the attack.

In other words, I have to prevent the attacks with great dexterity in terms of force, timing, direction, method of attack, number of attacks, and so on.

When I think I’ve blocked a thrust at the very edge of recognition, the speed is reduced all at once before becoming three strikes in quick succession, for example. Preventing them might be a matter of course, but it’s extremely difficult to do so.

It’s coming quite close, but I’m managing to prevent any of my limbs being cut off. No, that’s not right. It’s just that they haven’t been cut off.

A thrust comes from directly behind me, so I twist my body while moving Athame to my back, to stop it from landing. This subordinate of mine has strong murderous intentions.

“Fumu…so you can react to and deflect that now.”

“It took all I had to stop it.”

“If it doesn’t pierce you, it’s good.”

Lana is in a good mood, isn’t she? I wonder if I passed.

“…This feels like a good point to consider you qualified.”

“Finally.”

Quest: “Aim for complete mastery” has been completed.>

『Title: Successor to Ancient Swordsmanship』 has been upgraded to 『Title: Ancient Swordsmanship Master』>

[Ancient Swordsmanship Master]

The title given to one who has completely learned the Single Sword Style of Kokon Musou, regarded as a style unique to the Sword Princess Svetlana.

This point can generally be described as mastery. …However, it is still far from the extremes that can be achieved.

System assistance is added to form effects.

“But don’t neglect your training, okay?”

“Of course.”

“…If it’s Sire, you might be able to achieve something different to me.”

“Is there more to it?”

According to Lana, there is more. But while she says there should be, even Lana can’t say for sure. Nor can she teach it.

[Ex4 Uncontrolled Fervor]

[Super-Enhanced Swordsmanship]　[Super-Enhanced Slashing]　[Super-Enhanced Leg Strength]

[Enhanced Defence]　[Enhanced Parry]　[Enhanced Reflection].

This is the form used by Lana at her full strength. It is a completely offensive type, derived from her habitual use of [Ex3 Shura Form] during her lifetime.

Perhaps for me, who mainly uses [Ex3 Water Surface Form], it will derive into a different form…

…I wonder when I will learn it. But it’s true that I have a lot more fun with this. Let’s keep on with the Jedi style, as before!

Now…then, what should I do?

I’ll go to the Starting Town, for the time being.

“Hihihi! Ain’t it Princess!”

“Ara~, hasn’t it been quite a while~?”

“Oh, good morning.”

…And I meet Mohican-san and his interesting group of friends! From right to left, a nice guy doing ‘Hyaha’ roleplay! A very effeminate man! A crossdressing boy! …They’re as intense as ever.

“Good day, Mohican-san, Mizuki-san, Ayumu-san. And, nice to meet you?”

There are a man and woman I’m not familiar with. Moreover…humanised aquatic races. Judging by their tails… maybe sharks?

“Sharkukuku! I’m Shar-KUN, nice to meet you! The KUN is part of my name, thanks!”

…Intense. Incredibly intense. And it’s a shark after all. It is a shark, right? You wouldn’t tell me it’s something different after all that?

Is he purple in colour, with spiked black hair? His eyes are sharp and black. The teeth are jagged like a shark’s. And he’s wearing a bandana with a sawtooth design.

His clothes are…a masculine beach outfit. The upper half is an open shirt, with shorts on the lower half. White and blue in colour, like a sailor’s uniform.

I think he’s around 170cm tall. His weapon is a sword…I think, but it’s kind of interesting? It looks like the snout of a sawshark and is hanging at his waist.

“I’m Shark Fin. It’s nice to meet you.”

Shark Fin-san…looks to be about 180cm? Her chest is small, but she’s tall and well defined.

Her hair is dark blue and tied in a ponytail. Light blue eyes and jagged teeth. She’s wearing hotpants and has her navel exposed. She’s also wearing sailor colours.

Her weapon is…a kusarigama, or chain sickle? Another unusual one…

“I don’t think we see humanised aquatic races very often…”

“They don’t have many advantages, do they?”

I have heard that the humanisation of aquatic races is race specific and quite finicky.

If they are not humanised, if an aquatic race raises their «Swimming» skill they will become able to swim on the surface and in the air. But if they were to leave the water as they are they would be unable to breathe and die, so the racial skill «Labyrinth Organ» is necessary.

After becoming humanised, they become able to walk on land, but won’t be able to swim on the surface or in the sky, and become slower in water. The advantage is becoming able to talk to Residents on the surface and use the same equipment and skills as humans. …Though I’m told that they don’t receive the same bonuses when doing so.

“In other words, most people who bothered to choose fish or shellfish won’t want to become human.”

“Sharkukuku! We’re the odd ones!”

“Gyahahaha! In many ways!”

“I don’t want to hear that from you!”

It’s definitely true for both sides.

Shar-KUN seems to be an easy-going person, even so far as his name. Shark Fin-san looks to be more of a stoic girl.

Incidentally, their race name is Kariaroid. Shar-KUN is a Cirratus…evolved from a saw shark. Shark Fin-san is an Obscurus…an evolution of a dusky shark.

“Ah! It’s Princess!”

“Yura-san. It’s been a while since we talked.”

“Uwa, what a group…”

The shocked figure of an ordinary person.

Someone from century’s end, an okama, a trap, two humanoid sharks and me. I’ll admit I stand out too. Mm~…intense.

The man from the end of the century and the okama are pulling muscle poses at Yura-san…Strong.

By the way, Yura-san has short, light pink hair. It’s tied with a ribbon, above and behind her right ear, and hangs down to her shoulder. Basically a ponytail that is tied at the area around her right ear.

She is quite small in size, maybe a little above 150cm.

Her clothes…maybe I could call them a pink and white idol costume. Sleeveless and with a slightly fluttering miniskirt.

“Isn’t it too intense around Princess?”

“Because Princess is huge!”

“Hey, Mohican-san, sexual harrassment!”

“Ohh, what did you imagine? All I said was huge?”

“Eh!?”

Mohican-san is teasing the crossdresser… I’ll just continue to proudly stick my chest out.

“…It seems fun?”

“Was there a pause there?”

“I was just thinking back.”

While I’m talking to Yura-san, it seems like the others are heading off hunting.

….There’s no tank, is there? Those guys. Mohican-san uses daggers, Mizuki-san a staff, Ayumu-san a sword, Shar-KUN a sword and Shark Fin-san a kusarigama. It looks like it’s going to be a difficult hunt.

Well, I’ll see them off with Yura-san.

“By the way Princess, how easy to use are the magic eyes?”

“The passive magic eyes are very good, but the evil eyes that cause abnormal condition not so much.”

“It’s inconvenient?”

“They have a counter that progresses while looking, then resets once the target is out of sight. The time it takes is fairly long, and the evil eyes compete with other skills, so it’s troublesome…”

“Compete with other skills…”

This is a weakness in PvP…so I won’t go into details, but the effect of the evil eye conflicts with the counterattack of «Sphere of Shaking Flesh».

By the way, the satellite effect of «Eye-chan’s» overrides the effect of «Sphere of Shaking Flesh». If I disable «Eye-chan’s», I won’t be able to use the magic eyes and the effect will return to the original one, with the spheres repeatedly joining and separating randomly.

“Honestly speaking, comparing the ones I have, mucus is better than the evil eyes…”

“Ah, the one from the tentacles.”

It’s quite difficult to use the ones that obstruct an enemy’s movement, such as stagnation and slowing. It would be good if I could thoroughly beat them up the moment they stopped moving, but it’s hard to do.

When I’m soloing, such as in the ruins dungeon, I can only really use Eye of Fear. It doesn’t help if they stop moving due to stagnation, or slow down due to slowing.

Eye of Death can be resisted, so using it when there are too many enemies around…yeah, that’s impossible. Even if I wanted to use it, taking 5 minutes to activate is too long.

Using it in a party would mainly affect how Alf-san has to behave, so I would have to consult before using them. Being unable to handle a change of tempo is quite a problem in an action game. Your senses and muscle memory will become out of sync.

With those problems in mind, if I’m to use an evil eye, fear is the best choice since it reduces incoming damage. Aside from that, using «Unknown Organisation» doesn’t interfere with the actions of the enemies and being able to apply it by hitting them with tentacles is great. The damage over time is useful too.

“By the way, I see you’re streaming, but does it have stream chat?”

“There’s a lot!”

“So that’s how it is.”

“And Princess isn’t filtered either.”

Ah, the streaming related filter. A filter against videos and streams by non-official players..was it. Now you mention it, there was such a thing.

“I feel like there aren’t that many people using that function in the first batch.”

“It’s the same as the first batch during events, but it’s true that not many people use it. Some of them even come to show themselves instead.”

“Are there any difficulties with streaming?”

“Hmm….trolls sometimes show up, but it’s fine as long as you block them. The viewers don’t particularly react and just report them, so…I think that’s about it?”

“You don’t need to worry about getting a good shot?”

“Ahh, I did at first.”

It looks like there’s no need to worry about that these days, with the AI in this game being so good. Rather than worrying about recording from a good angle, she seems to prioritise getting rid of the offensive viewers. Being able to watch continuously is probably an advantage.

“Eh, PvP with Princess? I don’t want that. There’s only a future where I get beaten up.”

“Speaking of which, what’s your main weapon, Yura-san?”

“A two-handed axe.”

“…That’s not how you’d expect an idol to be armed.”

“I hear that often. But that’s just that. Weapons are cooler when they’re rugged!”

So she’s wearing a pink and white idol costume and swinging around a rugged two-handed axe… I think that’s great! Yura-san’s petite size is also a big plus!

“My weapon is quite specialised…”

“I do like the blade of Princess’ sword.”

Probably the blade with the spatial attribute. It’s the one I use most often, so it should have the most sightings. It looks like a beautiful night sky.

I call Athame to my hand and deploy it with the spatial attribute.

“That’s it! Yeah, it’s beautiful.”

“This is its spatial blade, so an attribute that focuses on reflecting and defence. That’s basically it.”

The Athame can only be used by me, so I can’t hand it over, but I’ll lay it down so she can have a better look at it.

“Oh, it’s so beautiful! Look at that!”

She manipulates some part of her UI, then takes a closer look. I wonder if she was switching the stream to first person perspective.

…She’s very excited. It certainly is beautiful, though.

“Nyowaah!”

She suddenly turned away, with her hands to her chest.

“…What’s wrong?”

“Our eyes met…it surprised me…!”

“Ah, so it was these kids.”

“Oh…comments are flowing in. They’re doing a lot of damage.”

“Sorry. I’m still the horror type.”

It was the «Eye-chan’s». These children are basically on autopilot. I can see from here…or from one over here…so I can control them a little. But that’s used during battle, so I usually leave them to themselves.

“This is the flavour text of the skill…”

“…Eh…? Can they use the evil eye without permission?”

“I wonder? I’m trying to get them to stop staring for now, but I think players are fine while in town.”

The town is basically a safe area. Players can’t attack each other.

“It’s best not to look at Princess while playing in first person…”

“But there’s still a first person view in the small window, right? There’ll still be damage in the end.”

“…Then no other choice! I’ll try and focus on Princess!”

“Well, if I temporary disable «Eye-chan’s» they shouldn’t be able to stare at people…”

There’s still the effect after disabling «Eye-chan’s». Which one is better?

Oh, in that case… what happens if I leave «Eye-chan’s» active and disable «Sphere of Shaking Flesh»?

“Let’s give this a try. It should change the effect…”

“Eh?”

“I’m going to try disabling this skill instead of «Eye-chan’s»…hm?”

…Fumu? The eyeball satellites have disappeared. Then maybe I can just disable this one…

“It’s apparently better to leave such skills active to show off my position to the Residents.”

“Ah…the world of social division, huh?”

“That’s right…”

Considering the impact on the Residents and the ease of understanding, I wonder if I should disable «Eye-chan’s». Still, I can at least do it while talking to Yura-san.

“Aaaaahhh! Don’t do that! Really don’t do that!!!”

“I see, so they come out like this. As expected of a horror character.”

…The eyeballs are no longer appearing as spheres, but from random parts of my skin.

It’s hell.

“…Let’s just put up with normal eye-chan’s? Aren’t they cute if you look at them normally?”

“Their big, round eyes are nice and they surprisingly have their own personalities, but I don’t really think the horror part is that good.”

“Oh, maybe you could add a filter? Considering Shoggoth.”

“Oh, I see!”

There are various types of filters, and they can be set up in batches or by race. I think it’s probably okay to apply them to Outer Ones…

“Is it only showing spheres now? Farewell, eye-chan’s…”

“Anyway, so you didn’t already have a filter set up.”

“That’s not the kind of thing I would meet often, right? At least with the Halloween event, I was prepared from the beginning…it’s that kind of thing.”

“That’s true. A surprise will hit differently.”

“That’s how it is.”

Well, I don’t have to play around with my skills anymore.

“Ara, Tasha, good day.”

“Good day! Tasha.

“Good day.”

While talking to Yura-san, Ellie and co. have come over.

“Ara…? Make sure I look nice, please.”

“Yes, Ojou-sama!”

“No, Yura-san is an idol too, so I think she’s on the side that gets filmed.”

“A trivial matter. O~hohoho!”

Trying to change her mind is pointless. I wonder if she’s still practicing her laughter.

“It became glamorous here all of a sudden. Wonderful.”

“I don’t have a servant, but…I can call #1.”

I summon the armoured, knightly #1 and the large #1 with the atmosphere emphasising robe I had made before, and have them stand behind me.

“No, only Princess has a different atmosphere…”

“Isn’t it wrong to call her an ojou-sama?”

“Definitely a boss!”

“Why? The atmosphere is there.”

“It’s at the level of a band breaking up due to creative differences. It would be perfect if the surroundings were darker.”

Letty-san and Dorie-san are nodding too.

I don’t understand.

“Oh, setting that aside, Abbie. I was able to make this after levelling up «Alchemist».”

“Ah! I can’t use it yet…”

“So it is for the third tier after all.”

“I think it will take a little longer.”

Abbie is from the second batch, and does not focus on crafting, so it would seem she hasn’t reached the third tier yet.

Hmm…then maybe I should sell it?

“What is it?”

“It’s a doll core. It’s a material needed to make an automaton.”

“Eh? When you say automaton, that would mean the ones that can move on their own.”

“The details are still unknown, so perhaps I’ll put it on consignment and see if anyone can use it.”

“How about the quality?”

“It’s easy to make, but it’s difficult to improve the quality.”

I’ll let Abbie know the needed materials. If she starts collecting the materials now, she can bring me them once she reaches the third tier.

After the core is done it’s up to the doll maker, so I don’t know if it’s the quality or the size that is important. We don’t know the impact of each, so it might be difficult to secure the materials.

“A conversation between two young ladies, nice…very nice…”

“Nobody told you to focus on filming.”

“A trendoid?”

“I think it’s good that she seems to be enjoying herself.”

I was thinking it had been a while since Yura-san had said anything, but she had completely become a cameraman. As Letty-san says, it looks like she’s having fun… I wonder if she’s getting excited along with her viewers.

Me, Ellie and Abbie are talking in a triangle and Yura-san is filming from a distance. Letty-san and Dorie-san are behind their respective young ladies.

“Oh…?”

“”?….!?””

“Hello, Nemeseia-sama!”

The upper body of a boy has popped out of thin air, upside down, just above the middle of our triangle.

Not just Ellie and Abbie, but most of the witnesses are surprised. He didn’t manage to catch me by surprise due to being able to see into subspace.

“It has been a while, Arkady.”

His atmosphere is different from before. Rather than the innocence he showed when we first met, it’s more like the mature feeling he started to show when we separated. Is this his true self?

He drops down and lands on his face, facing me. Still with the clown-like appearance. He seems quite committed to it…

“This is a letter from my father.”

If it’s his father, that would be the head of the Proa family. What would that be about? A person of significance might need to be wary of traps in letters, but there’s no point in that for me.

I receive the offered letter and read it quickly, without taking any precautions.

There are several display modes for things like this, including the original text, a summary and a translation.

Letters from aristocrats tend to be quite stiff, so the translation is helpful. ‘In three lines, please!’ would be the summary. Reading both the translation and the summary is probably ideal.

Despite my family being in charge of the gathering of information, I feel ashamed that I was not aware of the worries of my own child.

I am very grateful to you for taking the time to talk with my son and for asking him to speak with us. Thank you.

I will promise to cooperate as much as possible, if you ever find yourself in need of help. Please put the power of us distortion devils to good use.

This is… in short, a letter of thanks. And also letting me know that he intends to repay the debt.

“…I see you were able to properly talk with them. Did you resolve your worries?”

“Hmm…for now.”

In that case, I’m glad it seems like he won’t be falling to the darkness.

No, really.

“Is that so. Then it seems like you were able to get enough answers to convince yourself.”

“Yes. Thank you very much.”

Hmm…that’s a proper thank you. He’s overflowing with the impression of being a good child.

…Though he’s dressed like a clown.

“I’m glad I could help someone who follows the same god.”

When I speak to Arkady, who had been bowing for some time, he raises his head and his serious demeanour changes to an innocent, smiling face, similar to when I first met him.

“But I’m not going to stop playing pranks! It’s a privilege of being a child!”

“Ah, well. There’s no doubt that is a child’s privilege.”

It looks like the stomachs of the people around him will continue to be sacrificed for a while longer, but it’s something he can only do as a child, so it will settle down.

“Ah, is it about time?”

“You have plans?”

“New technology is being unveiled in the Empire!”

“Details.”

“In more detail.”

“I’m curious!”

To summarise what Arkady told me, they’re planning to disclose the technology for making magic guns. In other words, restoration of the technology of the Mi-go and Yith, that created the armoured types. It’s going to be big news around the world, but the magic gun is the important point. Can they also make light swords?

The crafting board is going to be excited.

“I doubt I’ll ever use one.”

“I’m wondering if I could use them with dolls!”

“No, but, maybe they can make serpentine swords…”

Indeed. If it becomes possible to make serpentine swords, it could be a boost to Ellie’s firepower. Though she’ll have to learn the «Sword» skill.

“The workshop is near the coliseum.”

“Near the coliseum…”

I’ve yet to go there. I’ll take a look on the BBS.

“It used to be for the nobility, but now it’s open to the public!”

Apparently there was a post about it a while ago. They were curious about an area that was under construction, but even after it was completed, they couldn’t enter… It seems like an expensive door, with a restriction function, was used. Maybe the door itself is made with the new technology?

“Hmm….want to go check it out?”

“I’ll go!”

“Right, shall we go?”

“I’m coming too!”

….The Silver Key should be okay. Opening the gate.

Ellie and Abbie, with their attendants Letty-san and Dorie-san. Yura-san, who is still playing cameraman. And along with the Resident Arkady, off we go to the capital of the Dinite Empire in the south.

“This way~”

We follow after the skipping Arkady.

Looking at him again, his movements are very natural. Just like a child in high spirits.

…No, it is impossible for a normal child to move like that.

“I wonder if that’s a waste of strength and ability.”

“I can only say it’s amazing!”

He moves like he’s dancing. He is moving with whirling, fluid motions. He doesn’t forget to show us the way and keeps a steady pace. He adjusts his distance by jumping and turns to change his stance and angle as he lands. And occasionally does short-distance subspace transfers.

“Isn’t it like figure skating?”

“Ah, it really is like that.”

“You probably couldn’t endure doing that with the physical abilities of our world.”

To begin with, Arkady isn’t really a normal person anyway, with his level.

Being that it is so big, there are several entrances and exits to the coliseum, but all of them face a wide street, with many shops, so it is quite crowded.

As we make our way along the street in our conspicuous group, Arkady vigorously opens a door with a “Here it is~”

From behind me comes a forceful whisper of “Dynamic entry!”. I almost laughed at that. Please stop, Yura-san.

“…Doesn’t it look like a gun shop?”

“Ah, there are dolls too!”

As Ellie says, gun racks are lined up, properly displaying the products. The dolls that Abbie noticed are sitting there dressed up too, so it’s a rather interesting shop.

“Hey, not here? I’ll go look.”

There’s no clerk in the shop, so Arkady…too long. Al is fine. He went to the back of the shop.

We’ll stay and take a look at the items. It’s very interesting.

Abbie and Dorie-san have gone to look at the dolls. The rest of us are checking out the magic guns.

“Auto cartridges, magnum cartridges, pellet cartridges, rifle cartridges.”

“Handguns, revolvers, shotguns, rifles.”

“This shape is for a bolt action, isn’t it?”

Apparently Yura-san is looking at the bullets, but it seems like she can tell the type of weapon they are for by the shape…

And the rifle is a sniper rifle. As expected, it looks like there aren’t any assault rifles that can be fired continuously. Is that because the bow would become nothing but sadness? It’s also possible that it’s an issue with convergence time because they fire out magic.

“…Hm?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Aren’t these cartridges different from what I heard about from from the Yith’s?”

“Ah, Princess wrote about them on the board, right?”

The stage before they were improved by the Mi-go and Yith…is it? I can’t deny that it has been changed to be useable by players. It happens often in games.

“Ah, is this the answer in the appraisal?”

“Really?”

[Bullet] Auto Cartridge　Rarity: Ra　Quality: C

A cartridge for use in automatic handguns.

Bullets with a shape standardised for use in automatic weapons, designed to make the energy easier to handle.

“They have been made easier to control by eliminating versatility…I think?”

“Isn’t there also the problem of the user? Weren’t the ones you were told about made for the armoured types?”

“I see, there is that reason.”

The magic guns were originally created as a means for the magic-impaired to defend themselves. It would be impossible for people to handle the version that was designed for robots.

[Equipment/Weapon] Shotgun　Rarity: Ra　Quality: C　Durability: 100

A common magic gun that uses magic power to fire clusters of small projectiles.

Ammunition used: Pellet cartridges

«Appraisal Lv10»

ATK: △

Attack Type: Magic / Piercing

Applicable skill: «Magic Gun»

«Appraisal Lv30»

Strengthening Skill: «Magic Engineer»

«Appraisal Lv40»

Suitable Occupations: Adventurers, knights and other warriors.

And apparently, from the game’s perspective, that is a magic gun. A gun operated with magic power.

It’s the same as the armaments used by the Markarant Navy. Technology that is already being used by the military.

“Sorry for the wait!”

“Welcome.”

Oh, a shopkeeper came out with Al.

Abbie and Dorie-san, who were looking at the dolls, have also come back to join us, so let’s hear an explanation already!

“Then, let me explain. These weapons are made with «Magic Engineer». It’s a skill that becomes useful when used in conjuction with skills for making equipment such as «Blacksmith», «Sewing» and «Doll Maker».”

By allowing a «Magic Engineer» to work on a blueprint for equipment made with a different crafting skill, you become able to create a product with a combination of both skills.

For example, using «Blacksmith» to make a blueprint for a sword, then add a gimmick to the blueprint using «Magic Engineer». After that, «Blacksmith» is used again to create the finished product…apparently.

It is easier to think of it as technology or knowledge than a crafting skill. It seems like linking it with another crafting skill is necessary to make equipment with it.

“If you have a second tier crafting skill that can be used to make equipment, and «Super-Class Magic Ability», I can teach you.”

“I can learn it!”

“…Oh, then I can’t learn it?”

“I don’t have any crafting skills to begin with.”

“I don’t have any either.”

The crafting skill I have is for making materials!

“What crafting skills do you have, Nemeseia-sama?”

“I have «Alchemist».”

“…What about your master?”

“Megan, in the Principality of Markarant.”

“…I see, what is your current skill level?”

“It’s level 5 of «Alchemist».”

“Then I recommend that you visit your master.”

Will there be something there? I haven’t had a chance to since reaching the third tier, so I should go pay her a visit…

“See you again~!”

“Yes, see you next time.”

Al-kun is going home because it’s time to study with his tutor. After I get permission to call on him, we say goodbye.

“Isn’t he cute? I don’t think I’m even bothered by seeing someone dressed as a clown any more.”

“He is cute, isn’t he. …Even that is nothing if you’re used to seeing Mohican-san.”

The impact of Mohican-san is no joke.

I’ll go and see my master. It seems like the others want to stay here.

I’m curious, so I’ll move quickly and head to her shop.

“Master.”

“So it’s you.”

“Is it possible to make equipment with «Alchemy»?”

“Oh…so you heard about that. You’ve reached the third tier, so I suppose I can teach you now.”

Then let’s get her to properly teach me!

“This is a technique that can be considered the secret of «Alchemist». Making such things without tools or equipment…it makes such a dreamlike idea a reality. You do need materials, of course.”

When master takes an iron ingot and a piece of wood, the shape changes and forms into a knife.

“This skill is only shaping. If you’re expecting to turn iron into steel, then into a knife…you can’t do that.”

“So make it normally with [Synthesis] first…right?”

“Right. It sounds simple if you use [Synthesis], but it’s not so easy. The difficulty of controlling the magic is completely different, and if you fail with it you’ll end up with junk. Try it. Make sure to use [Magic Vision].”

I’m given an iron ingot, so I’ll choose to make a knife and give it a go.

…Now, the mini-game started. I have to follow the system announcements.

First of all, magic power is applied to the entire ingot… I wonder if it’s okay to distribute it evenly.

Then, move the magic power so that it forms the shape of the knife that is faintly displayed.

…Ah? I see, that’s difficult. Of course, the knife is three-dimensional. It’s no good to look only at the side that is displayed. I have to make it thinner towards the edge of the blade, and it’s out of the question for it to be uneven.

And since it’s a mini-game, there’s a time limit.

“That’s no good. One more time.”

“Mm, it’s difficult.”

Another try!

…It’s my second attempt, so it’s going a lot better!

“Fumu, it’s not bad. Of course, the procedure changes according to the materials and objects used. Don’t neglect your training.”

“Yes.”

<«Magic Alchemist» was unlocked due to your actions so far.>

<«Magic Alchemist» has been learned. Linked to «Alchemist».>

It was 12SP, but there’s no choice but to take it.

Oh…this skill doesn’t have a level.

«Magic Alchemist»

[Magic Power Alchemy]

Using magic power to interfere with matter and mana, it is possible to produce practical equipment.

Is it possible to make a sword that breaks easily without this then?

After replenishing Master’s Nether materials…my friend list is showing that the others are still in the other shop, so I’ll head back over there.

“…Oh, it got quite busy here.”

“『Hi, Princess.』”

After moving back to the empire and then returning to the shop through subspace, I find that quite a large group of players has gathered. As the number of players has increased, so has the number of shopkeepers.

However, it seems that Ellie and the others are being taught in a different room from the shop.

After asking the clerk to guide me to the other room, I find that in addition to Ellie and co., there is also Ertz-san the blacksmith, Primula-san the woodworker, Dantel-san the tailor and Nephrite-san the handicrafter. Salute-san is a mixer and Magillas-san a chef, so those two are not here.

“It’s Princess. Is there any point to this with alchemy?”

“Fufufu, I just learned it!”

“Ehh? This is difficult for machineries, because it uses magic.”

Machineries, like Nephrite-san, don’t have any MP. They use EP instead. It seems like it can still be used though, so it’s not hopeless.

I head over beside Abbie to learn too. The clerk one learns from differs depending on the skill you have and what they can teach.

The first step is to make a blueprint, as you would before. In the blueprint stage, you specify the [magic path], which is the route the magic power follows, the [magic furnace], which converts magic power into energy, and the [transmission path], which is the path that the energy follows.

“You have to be careful not to put the paths too close together, or the flow will worsen. Be aware that it is basically a one-way street. A path is like a river.”

On top of that, the durability will decrease if too many paths are added. The material becomes brittle.

The gun appears to have a muzzle, but there doesn’t look to be a physical path to it. I don’t really understand the principle behind it, so I’ll just assume that it works.

<«Magic Engineer» was unlocked due to your actions so far.>

<«Magic Engineer» has been learned. It can be linked to the following skills: «Alchemist»>

<«Magic Engineer» has been linked to «Alchemist».>

This one cost me another 12SP, but I have plenty of SP available.

“And since you know «Magic Alchemist», I can teach you one more thing.”

Saying that, the clerk puts an auto cartridge in front of me.

“First, leave the size aside and make the same shape with your magic power. Then you just compress, compress, compress… and you will end up with an empty cartridge, which only needs to be filled up.”

He made it seem easy when he showed me, but….yeah, it’s no good!

“The reason you don’t have to worry about the size at first is that once it’s compressed to the right size, any excess becomes internal fuel. There’s no need to worry about it since you’ll be filling it up later anyway.”

I see, then I’ll give it a try.

Gather the magic power in the palm of my hand, compress it until the shape and size are correct, then fill any gaps with magic power…

“Be careful not to fail in solidifying the outer shell, or it will disperse. Make sure that the magic power is lined up neatly. If the size or shape are different, the weapon will jam, so be sure of it.”

So this game has weapon jamming… Well, perhaps it happens because the physics engine is so solid.

By the way, jamming is a weapon malfunction. It’s a situation where the bullet casing is not ejected, stopping the next round from being loaded. You have to remove the casing manually, which is quite costly in combat.

The residue of a cartridge disperses into the air after firing in this game, so won’t it be resolved if left alone? It might be better to switch to another gun than fix the jam.

<«Magic Alchemist»’s art [Create Cartridge] was acquired.>

It took me a few attempts to learn the art. I’ve learned the recipes for auto, magnum, pellet and rifle cartridges.

I can’t make each one of these bullets individually, so I’ll do my best to make one of perfect size and shape for each type, then use [Reproduction] to mass produce them…

“…Can you make these with other skills?”

“With magic tools.”

Ah, maybe you can make use of the mana concentration barriers for housing.

“They are available in our store.”

They’re going to be expensive though? I know. I suppose it might be better than continuing to buy consumables, or to make up for what isn’t available, through automatic manufacturing.

This game has a stock system, so it’s possible to put some on consignment to make money. It’s not like there won’t be plenty of magic gun users!

I’m done here for now, so I’ll head back over to the shop.

“Can you dual-wield pistols?”

“You can do it, but it’s going to make it impossible to reload.”

“So, save it for a burst during knockdowns and the like.”

Oh, Shirabesuki-san and his cheerful group…

In other words, the verification team guild.

“Princess, good timing!”

“Yes?”

“From our tests, the magic guns are still questionable in the areas of dexterity, intelligence and spirit.”

“Oh? But I think bows use dexterity and strength.”

“Exactly! So, fire the rifle, Princess?”

“I’ve raised my intelligence and my spirit, so I don’t think it’ll help.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Data is about numbers, Aniki.”

Well, I’m curious, so I might aswell shoot for a bit.

Ohh, it’s convenient that Dantel-san is here.

“Dantel-san. This is a sealed crystal containing [Inventory Expansion].”

“Seriously!?”

“I just made it, so you can try it out.”

“I’m going to be busy.”

There will also be the testing of «Magic Engineer»

I’ve also learnt «Magic Alchemist», so I might be able to test it myself, but I can make my own sealed crystals. I can give this one away.

“Time to go back and start researching!”

“Can it be used to strengthen leather armour?”

“Is there any benefit to processing it into a staff? I’m excited!”

“I wonder if the size is okay for accessories…”

Ertz-san, Dantel-san, Primula-san and Nephrite-san have gone home while talking.

After seeing them off, I head over to a target dummy that can be used for testing. Bringing along a sniper rifle and rifle cartridges as requested.

…It comes with a scope and holds six rounds. But it’s not an ordinary gun.

“Do you know the right stance?”

“Yes, no problem. Like this.”

“『Buhaa! Th-that’s it!』”

“Just kidding.”

I’ll change from the stance shown often in comics and take a proper one.

Rest the stock below my collarbone and bring my cheek to it so I can look through the scope.

“Okay, okay. If you send magic power from your right hand, you will feel gradual resistance. The power will increase or decrease depending on the amount of magic you put in, so adjust accordingly. Then pull the trigger normally.”

It fires with a high-pitched ‘kin’ sound. The bullet speed is quite high.

There’s not enough recoil to be concerned about it. Though because of my high base stats, that’s not too helpful.

“It sounds like a mortar, doesn’t it?”

“Mortar… Ah, those. The sound right after firing is definitely similar.”

“So, is it cocked like a normal rifle since it uses cartridges?”

“Yes! The sniper is a bolt action, so just like that!”

“Understood.”

“Once cocked, put in the magic power, then pull the trigger to activate the cartridge. Pull the trigger again and it will fire. If you do it quickly, you can fire multiple cartridges, as long as you can control it. But it will probably break if you can’t…”

I see, that’s interesting.

But I already have equipment in both hands, so I can’t use it. Maybe I’ll keep one for fun.

I’ll try consuming a cartridge without putting in any magic power.

…With a ‘kashun’ sound, the magic power increases, then when I pull the trigger again, it fires, but…the recoil is much stronger. It must depend on the energy of the shot.

“Fumufumu. Princess does high damage after all.”

“More damage than a pure mage. Princess had higher spirit, right?”

“That’s right. It seems there’s a large bonus from spirit.”

“Isn’t there a healer somewhere?”

“I want see the damage of someone specialised in spirit!”

Spirit specialisations are quite rare in this game…

According to the official help, spirit affects maximum MP and magic defence. It’s also known to affect so-called religious magic. Specifically, «Holy Magic» and «Sacred Magic». In which case, healer and priest builds.

Ah, if magic guns are strongly affected by spirit, it’s highly likely that healers will abandon staves and take up guns. It should be stronger than attacking with «Light Magic», so they’ll become healers who manage the party’s HP and their own MP while firing a gun.

…I like that!

“Oh, someone logged in…calling.”

“Then we can get some more results!”

It sounds like they found someone specialising in spirit.

Since I’m here, I’ll try everything. I’m interested in the handgun.

Automatics are called that because they are automatically loaded, but I wouldn’t want it to use the cartridge without permission.

It looks just like a handgun, huh? I can’t tell how it works just from looking at it.

“Well, the trigger has two stages.”

“Oh? So if you don’t pull it all the way it only activates the cartridge?”

“Right, right. It’s a bit tricky if you’re not used to it, huh?”

While I was looking at the handguns, a member of the verification told me about them, so I’ll give it a go.

First, put in some magic power and pull the trigger. …I see, there’s no blowback like when firing normally. The trigger also stops in the middle, though it feels like it can be pulled further.

Putting in more magic power, I pull the trigger all the way back. The bullet fires and the next cartridge is loaded by the blowback.

“Once loaded, the first stage of the trigger activates the cartridge and the second stage fires it.”

“…What happens if you repeat the first stage?”

“Don’t you know? The gun explodes.”

That would be quite a story.

The active cartridge is ejected if the trigger returns from the first stage. A new one is not loaded in this case. Quickly pulling the trigger twice to the first stage loads a new round after one has been ejected.

“It seems like you’ll misfire if you aren’t used to this?”

“No doubt it’s easier once you get used to it. Compared to handguns, revolvers, shotguns and rifles have simpler gimmicks.”

Revolvers use a hammer, shotguns use pump action, and snipers use bolt action for loading and activating their cartridges. The handguns are a little more complicated.

However, the handgun is undoubtedly the easiest for continuous cartridge use, followed by the shotgun. If you consider reloading, the handgun is the best.

The ones with the highest attack power are the rifle and shotgun, which require both arms.

“Oh, you’re here! Shoot!”

“This looks cool…what are the specs?”

It looks like the person specialised in spirit has arrived. Testing is beginning straight away.

“Hmm? The correction from spirit is strong after all. It should be in the order of spirit, dexterity and intelligence.”

“Swords are strength, dexterity and agility. Guns are more troublesome if they need spirit.”

“It’s hard to raise spirit.”

“I don’t really understand the spirit boosting skills…”

I have a large basic stat boost to my spirit due to my race. In the case of my race, I’m quite strong in terms of spirit and vitality.

If muscle training can improve your strength in this game, then I would think prayer should increase your spirit.

“Now we need to wait and see what arts show up after learning the skills.”

“I didn’t learn the skill when trying them out.”

“I expect there’ll be some to increase the magic power efficiency.”

“Ah, by the way, is Princess non-attribute?”

“Yes, unattributed.”

“Then if someone with an attribute shoots, will it take on that attribute?”

“I see, now I’m curious.”

“Mutt….can’t use a gun.”

I think the person I’m closest to that is humanoid and has an attribute is…Fairellen-san. I’ll get in touch with her.

『Hallo hallo~?』

“Are you interested in magic guns?”

『Oh~, what about them~?』

“I’m with the verification team at the moment, and it seems like they scale in the order of spirit, dexterity and intelligence.”

『…That’s not great for me~.』

“Uh huh, and they’re wondering what happens if someone with an attribute fires one.”

『Oh, right. I’m coming now.』

“Yes, we’ll be waiting.”

I’m glad she was quick to understand!

A little while later, Fairellen-san slowly flies up to me.

“It’s Ellen-chan, I’m right behind you now.”

“I can see behind me too…”

“Gaddamn! That’s right!”

But I can understand wanting to do that kind of thing.

“From a different point of view, she’s a good girl who comes back to you no matter how many times you sell her.”

“That’s true. Does it contribute to earning some pocket money?”

“But it would be a hassle to go to a different shop every time you sell her.”

“When she comes back, you’ll have to dress her up nicely and sell her again, so that’s a hassle too, isn’t it?”

“That’s true. She would end up pretty dirty from walking home.”

“『It’s not that kind of story.』”

Mary-san wasn’t that kind of story? If you went to Hokkaido to sell her, how would she get back? I wonder if she would get on an aeroplane or something.

Well, if you described it to that extent, it would definitely be a comedy rather than a horror story.

“So these are the ones for testing! Let’s see…”

“I’m curious about why they have guns sized for dolls and fairies?”

“『Understandable.』”

“Oh, that reminds me, Shirabesuki-san.”

“What is it!”

“Do you have someone with the third tier of «Doll Making»? I’ve got something like this.”

“I see.”

“Abbie isn’t at the third tier yet, so she can’t use it.”

“They’re not on the verification team, but I do know someone! I think she’s bought your magiclay in the past.”

“Then I’ll give it to you and you can check the specs.”

“Of course!”

Now then, as for Fairellen-san…that shot was unattributed, wasn’t it?

It might be losing its attribute due to the conversion from magic power to energy in the [magic furnace]. In that case, there are likely to be arts that add attributes.

“In my case, it’s faster to shoot magic~. What about for Princess?”

“I already have both hands full…”

“Ahh, the book~.”

The book floats on its own, so I could hold a gun, but it’s a game. The famous line “Weapons and armour are useless if you don’t equip them!” will occur.

I think a sword in the right hand a gun in the left is very possible, but…the required stats are fairly demanding in this game, so it’s going to limit the people that can do it.

“So, the racial attribute enhancement doesn’t work with guns. It’s no good after all.”

“What about the advantage of being able to perform non-attribute attacks?”

“Unless you can only use one attribute, it’s hard to say it’s helpful.”

It might be useful when fighting enemies that can mitigate your attacks, but I don’t think there are that many people that can only use a single attribute of magic for attacking… There are currently no enemies that can only be damaged by non-attribute attacks. Though they might appear soon.

And it doesn’t matter in my case. Light and dark make dealing with that easy. In most cases, if they have a resistance to one, they have a weakness to the other. Though it’s useless against my colleagues. Even so, there are other options, such as using Athame as a serpentine sword and Lizzy…

We’re more or less done with the testing, so I’ll go back to the shop with Fairellen-san.

“It’s finally time for this equipment!”

“Oh, more like a gunslinger than a soldier.”

“A shame.”

“I’m glad the size fits. It was a good idea to make it adjustable. It would have burned through my savings!”

In appearance, this person is more cowboy than military. Using a revolver against his prey. And a shotgun, too. He is carrying the pellet cartridges in a holder on his shoulder. It looks like he also bought several speed loaders for revolvers and shotguns.

And the magic tool for making cartridges, so it must have come to quite a price.

In the end, the cowboy gunslinger, looking rather rugged, leaves the shop with an excited look on his face.

“The number of people keeps increasing.”

“The firearm enthusiasts are very excited~.”

“It feels like they’ve been waiting for it, so it makes sense.”

“I don’t mind magic. I’m not particularly dissatisfied with my current style~.”

“I’m not going to change mine either…it’s fun.”

Jedi style is a lot of fun.

“By the way, Fairellen-san.”

“Mm~?”

“What does the fairy land look like?”

“Hmm…it’s kinda like a fairytale, but…more normal than you’d expect?”

More normal than expected…is it.

Well, if someone asked me about the Nether or Abyss, I’d probably saying they’re more normal than you’d expect…I think. Though the Abyss isn’t especially safe.

“The life of a fairy is just that of a small person, isn’t it~? Fairy sized, which makes it like a fairytale, but normal on the inside. If I had to mention something, there are a lot of flowers~.”

“Are they related to fairy honey?”

“It’s treated as a common sweet in that country~.”

So as long as the shape is similar, they’ll be almost the same. It’s just a difference in scale.

…It’s impossible to describe the Medium as normal. The Immortals still have a resemblance to humanity, but there’s none of that in the Outer Ones. Like Tindalos, they all have a rather unfriendly appearance. I wonder what would happen if a normal living being went to that dimension.

“Ah, but you can eat all the apples and pigs you want, and drink as much wine as you like. It’s really strange.”

“The land of the young, Tir na Nog, was it.”

“Right, right, really strange. The apple trees that quickly bear fruit and the alcohol that gushes out, I can understand. The pigs that are defeated in battles to the death come back to life though. I don’t get it.”

“How do they come back?”

“I wonder~? Before you notice it, they’re already back~.”

When Sophie-san told me about this, I just let it be, but now that I think about it again…this should be impossible without the involvement of Stellura-sama, right?

“I doubt that the piggy is the same as the phoenix…”

“Ah, there’s a phoenix?”

“I think there should be, because Cyäegha mentioned them to me before.”

“I don’t think those pigs are as big a deal though, right~? I did ask around a little, but nobody knew anything.”

“It might be something that only people in a certain position would know.”

“Those pigs have the same marker colour as Residents. They’re not marked as enemies, so I didn’t touch them anyway~. By the way, the apples and wine were delicious, but I didn’t eat the pigs.”

The same as Residents…would mean green? Summons, servants, and livestock owned by Residents are marked as pets, which I think are yellow.

“Want to go to Tir na Nog now~?”

“That might be good. Let’s go.”

“Alright. I’ll show you the way. I’m sure Princess can keep up with my flying speed~.”

“It should be possible if I follow you in subspace.”

“Hmm….let’s go as a party~.”

Tir na Nog, the land of the fairies, is in the southwest sea. So we’ll need to go to Posmunt, the port town on the empire side, first.

Fairellen-san will be guiding me, so I set up a party and we head to the coast of Posmunt.

“Great flying weather! Let’s go~!”

“I’ll be in subspace, so let’s use the party channel.”

“Okay~!”

After Fairellen-san takes off, I enter subspace and follow after her. Among the races currently playable, Éclasídhe has the greatest ability for flight. …At least for the people that are able to control it.

If it’s only flying in a straight line, I might be faster. But there would definitely be a warning that ‘Safety is not guaranteed, only if unobstructed, and only while MP is sufficient’! It only applies to the so-called catalogue specs.

Éclasídhe is definitely better in the sky. Wind fairies, Angels and Devils are easier to control though.

An Éclasídhe’s flight…particularly that of Fairellen-san, who is used to it, is quite challenging to follow. However, my race has subspace, the greatest space for movement. There are no obstacles or air resistance in this space.

The Silver Key is just a portal version of the town statue…I can’t go to places I’ve never visited before. And at the moment, my transfer spell is only for short distance jumps.

『Can you follow me~?』

“No problem.”

Fairellen-san is leaving behind the bird type monsters, flying as though threading herself through a needle to avoid the enemies in her path. That way of flying is really impressive. It’s impossible for my race. If I tried to imitate her, I would end up having to knock down the enemies in my path with tentacles.

Now then, I wonder what kind of place the fairy country is.