Chapter 154

The capital of Hardenfell, full of the sounds of Dwarves at work, as usual. Already two days had gone by since their meeting with Veig. Now, sheets of paper were raining over the underground city. Posted here and there, flying through the air, they showed a photograph of a blushing girl with her suspenders being tugged on, along with the following caption in the Dwarven tongue: LOST MOLE Til Age 84 Girl Smooth as a dolphin If you see her, contact “ ”, bitches “So yeah… Til somehow managed to successfully run from Jibril, so we’re looking for her.” “…Anyone…have an, idea…where she…might be?” “……………………Errr… Why, you can’t be serious?” Yes—to run from Jibril, despite Jibril chasing at full speed… She was truly an epic gamer to beat such a punishing game. Fiel couldn’t believe her long ears when she heard Sora and Shiro ask where Til was. Just how did one run from a Flügel, who could shift position at will? Fiel was dumbstruck, which was of no concern to Jibril. “… I do apologize, my masters. I have made an inexcusable lapse… I should have anticipated it.” Jibril was hanging her head, her fists and voice similarly trembling. She wept as she expressed her contrition. “I cannot follow her to the afterlife!! I did not intend to drive her to such…!! Now I have allowed your precious resource for spirit arms to escape and obstructed your victory… H-how can I ever atone for this…?” “Yeah, you’re jibbing up what to apologize for as always… And by the way, she’s not dead!!” I—I think… No, definitely! Sora reassured himself as he thought back two days. Yes…when the self-described grubby little mole…the flightless bird had flown— “I—I should have known—I don’t have any home at all, I dooooon’t!!” As Jibril gave chase, Til cried out, and light poured from her hammer. The end of the hammer struck the ground, and the next moment—Til flew… Yes…she truly flew… Flew, or rather… Well— Got blown away… The blast shook the capital… She left nothing behind but that great explosion and the remnants of her totaled hammer. Not even a trace of spirits “That wasn’t an act of self-destruction… Til wouldn’t do something like that.” “…Which means…mission successful… She gets…the platinum trophy…” Jibril was sure she was dead, while Sora and Shiro only became even more sure that she was alive. Which necessarily also backed up a certain conjecture they had—but leaving that aside, they’d known from the start that Fiel wouldn’t know. If even Jibril had concluded there was no trace of her spirits—then she wasn’t in the capital anymore. “So that’s why we’ve been asking around, you know. For someone who might have some idea where she went…” And that’s what had brought them here. Looking from the control room, they figured they’d ask the Dwarves down there building the “humanoid machine”—but first, Sora squinted back at the Elf girl sitting on a chair. Fiel was capable of using seal rites, in the Elven style, at least. So she was able to take up Veig on his promise, borrow materials and personnel, and give the staff design drawings for seal rites and have them build a unit accordingly. …The thing was, the personnel seemed a little too loyal. Sora brought up a salient example. “…Maybe I should ask first whether I can ask questions—say, to that chair for now?” Sora pointed to the Dwarf on whom Fiel was leisurely sitting, her legs crossed. “~~~~~~~~~~! ~~, ~~!!” “Mmm? Why, Mr. Chair…who permitted you to speaaak? ” The chair spoke what probably was Dwarven. Sora and Shiro didn’t understand, but they winced to see Fiel kick her underling. It was true Veig had said he would lend them personnel—make them help in other words, but… “Isn’t that…past the bounds of asking for help?” …he hadn’t said he’d give them to them, had he? And hey, she just kicked the Dwarf. Wasn’t that against the Covenants? “Asking for help? Me, of these moles? Why, your jokes are so haaarsh. ” Fiel answered with a smile as bright as the midday sun—the scorching desert sun. “Why, this thing licked the floor and swore by the Covenants, ‘I’ll do anything to make up to you my sin in being born, Lady Fiel.’ So I just haaad to allowww him to help. Look at him choke on his tears of joy. ” She again dug her heel into the chair who was crying, reportedly, for joy. Loosely translated: I used a game to make him pledge himself into bondage. Uh, okay, that was pretty messed up, but if it was a game then it was the Dwarf’s fault for losing. And it did have the advantage that this way she could force the Dwarves to apply their crafting sensibility in a loyal fashion. Only Dwarves could process the material for spirit arms, but the Dwarves couldn’t be trusted—it made sense. On the other hand, not to disparage Fiel, but would it really be so easy to sucker those savvy Dwarves? “—Why, it was simple…for the twooo of us. ” Sora’s confusion was ultimately dispelled not by Fiel… —Clack, clack… “…? Ohh, if it isn’t Sora… I haven’t seen you in two days… Heh-heh…” …but by Chlammy, whose heels shrilly echoed as she entered. Or to be more precise— “You’re here to observe the work—is that your excuse? Whatever you say, I know what you’re really here for. Very well. If you get on your hands and knees and beg, I’ll be nice and let you look at least… Mwah! ” —by the hip-swaying, Marilyn Monroe–inspired strut of the fake-boobed abomination blowing a kiss. …She’s this uppity just from getting big boobs… Contemplating the factors that would lead to this reaction, Sora almost cried. Conversely… “…B-Brother… Can having boobs…really give you…that much…confidence…?” —Maybe I shouldn’t have deactivated it, either… Shiro fought back tears of regret. Sora smiled warmly and rubbed her head.