Lystie looked worried, but the probability of the sorts of vegetables that ended up on people’s plates turning into monsters was slim to none. “Ah. L-Lystie…” “Hm?—Ahhh!” It wasn’t Lystie’s fault, having been the victim of the sneak attack, but her clothes had been torn, and I’d ended up seeing more skin than usual. I averted my eyes as fast as I could, but they coincidentally stopped on Nanase, whose clothes were equally tattered. “Wh-why did this happen? Are turnips really such a lewd vegetable?” “I’m pretty sure they aren’t, but you can’t exactly fight monsters like this. You three, I’ll—” Seeing the disappointment on the girls’ faces, I stopped myself before saying “I’ll take care of everything.” I did want all four of us to gain experience together, but this job was turning out to be unsuitable for female adventurers. “Oh, no you don’t, Might. I have yet to protect you with my shield!” “I’m pretty sure you’ll just end up like the two of them.” “Ngh! I can’t deny it! However, my armor is heavy. It won’t be as easy to pull me into the air!” “Don’t underestimate the power of the vines just because they came from turnips,” Lystie warned. “If it wasn’t for Might’s coins, there’s no telling what could have happened to us.” “You know what? I think I can regain the life force these leaves sucked from us if I make a potion out of them.” “Wha—? No, don’t you dare! At the very least, I refuse to drink it if you do. Use my share for something else.” A chill ran down my spine as I wondered if Nanase would also force me to drink her experimental potions one day. Just then, a young woman ran our way, shouting, “Heeey, are you adventurers? Here, this way! We’re the clients!” We had ended up getting into battle before even officially starting the job, but it was already clear we really needed to get the full story of what was going on here. The girl led us to her home, where we met her mother, the person who’d posted the request. “Thank you for coming all this way, adventurers. I am the client for this job, Ally Miller.” “I’m her daughter, Marino Miller.” Ally went on to share that their family had worked this land for generations. The previous generation, Marino’s grandparents, were currently traveling the world. “I’m sorry, my husband’s recovering at the hospital in town.” “Dad was the first person to get attacked by those monsters. He protected me when those big leaves came up from the ground, and they wrapped themselves around him.” “It really does only go after girls,” Platinum growled. “What an indecent turnip.” “So…it really is a turnip?” Marino said. “Ah, what are we going to do?” “Ms. Ally, if you have any idea what’s causing this, please tell us,” I said. “What made the turnips turn into monsters?” “Of course. Every year, we hold a ritual to worship the local earth spirit and give thanks for the land’s abundance. However, we’ve…been remiss in our duties lately.” Earth spirits had the power to make a land bountiful, but when angered, they could also harm humans. Their true form varied, but this time, we were most likely dealing with a dwarf. “If nothing is done, your other produce might turn into monsters, too,” I warned. “If an earth spirit is the cause, our options are to either kill it or negotiate with it.” “Um, Mr. Adventurer, the reason the earth spirit is angry… It’s really my and Mom’s fault…” “Hmm…,” murmured Platinum. “It sounds like there’s a reason you are unable to perform the ritual. Very well, we will do it for you!” “Will you really?!” Marino grabbed Platinum’s hands, her eyes sparkling—as well as half filled with tears. “…What exactly does this ritual entail?” I asked. “One more thing,” Lystie added. “I’m very sorry to ask this of you, but since our clothes have been ruined, do you have any that you can spare? We’re more than happy to pay for them.” “Oh, there’s no need for that. We’ll prepare everything for you, so all you need to do is help us with the ritual,” Ally said quickly. Ally and Marino looked at me, and for some reason, a faint blush colored their cheeks. I got the feeling there was something about this ritual that a guy like me had to be mindful about. “Now, then… Come with me so I can fit you for the costumes used for the ritual. And, uh…” “My name is Might. I assume you want me to wait here?” “Y-yes, please. We will have the girls change first…so please give us a moment.” Lystie, Platinum, and Nanase followed the Millers into another room. Left all alone, I sipped on the tea I’d been given, commenting to myself how good it tasted, while I waited anxiously. Part 7: The Earth Spirit Altar It was taking longer than I expected for Lystie’s group to get changed. I had heard what sounded like protests a few times, but it had been silent now for a little while. “…They’re still not done.” I gazed out the window but didn’t see any more vegetable monsters. I had a feeling that the mother and daughter pair knew why the earth spirit specifically targeted only females. “Sorry for keeping you waiting, Mr. Might,” Ally said, appearing from within. “Ah, you’re finished. How do they look?” I asked. Ally put a hand to her cheek, looking troubled, so Marino answered instead. “By their own request, the girls will remain inside the carriage until we get to where the ritual is held.” “Oh?” “I’m very sorry, but would you mind sitting with us in the front? We will be driving the carriage.” “Is there a problem if I see them? Or is that something I’m not supposed to ask?” “O-o-o—Of course not,” Marino stammered. “They look wonderful—” But before Ally could finish, I heard heated voices from inside the room. “Ah! Ow, it hurts… I have a medical condition that’s acting up, and I can’t move a step! I’ll hold the fort here, so you two go ahead!” came Nanase’s voice. “C-calm down. I’m equally as uncomfortable wearing something with so little protection!” I heard Platinum say. “Now hold on, Nanase,” Lystie said. “When we formed our party, we made a promise that the three of us would stick together no matter what. Moonlight is together through thick and thin!” “It’s not fair to bring that up now!” Nanase cried out. “It makes me sound heartless! Are you saying I don’t have a big enough chest to have a heart?!” “What are you even talking—? No, Nanase, don’t take it off! Ugh, now I’m feeling embarrassed, too!” The Millers and I stood in awkward silence. “…I guess this means you won’t be taking our request?” Ally asked, with tears in her eyes. Seeing Marino make the same face, I couldn’t bring myself to answer them right away. I stood up and gently knocked on the door to the room the girls were in. “…Are you all ready?” “W-wait a minute, Might!” Lystie exclaimed. “Don’t open the door, no matter what. Let’s talk like this.” “We’re fine; we just want a bit more time to compose ourselves,” Nanase said. “Sorry for causing a commotion. Wait—you could hear us?” “I…I guess…I don’t mind if it’s you, Might,” Platinum said. “After all, you’re a wise man.” I didn’t really understand Platinum’s trust in me—I was a Sage, yes, but it wasn’t like I’d achieved enlightenment. Still, I got the feeling it would ruin things if I pointed that out, so I said nothing. Lystie, Platinum, and Nanase emerged from the room wearing white cloth capes that fully covered their bodies. Seeing how embarrassed they still looked, I couldn’t help but imagine just how extreme their costumes must be. We all got in the carriage, and after about half an hour, we reached the top of a small hill. The three of us in the driver’s seat got off first and secured the horses. Lystie’s group was still in the carriage. I still hadn’t caught a glimpse of them. “See over there?” Ally said, pointing. “That is the altar dedicated to the earth spirit.” “I see. It looks quite old.” “Apparently, this land used to be very barren,” Marino explained. “When my grandpa was young, the local lord asked us to cultivate this area, so he worked hard to turn it into farmland.” The Millers’ silence on the most important topic was so loud that I almost felt it prickling my skin. “So…what happens in this ritual to celebrate the earth spirit?” “Um… Mr. Might, please take these.” Ally handed me a piece of parchment and a barrel-like object so large that I had to hold it with both hands. “A drum…and a score?” Seeing how Ally was taking out a harp for herself and that Marino had produced a flute, I inferred that we were going to play music together. The score that I had been handed was simple enough that I could pretty much sight-read it. “So, the ritual is basically music with girls dancing in front of the altar wearing ceremonial garb?” “Y-yes…” Ally looked very apologetic—yet despite her demure personality, apparently she also did something daring like this. “U-um, just so you know, Mom and I don’t like showy clothes like these. It’s just that grandpa told us this is the only outfit that makes the earth spirit happy.” “Ms. Ally? Marino?” The voice speaking from the carriage made the mother and daughter pair both react in the exact same startled way. “Didn’t you promise earlier to show us how it’s done?” “Um! W-well…” “I—I’m so sorry, but we weren’t planning to…” “Don’t get me wrong—it’s not that I don’t believe you. Just wondering if you were trying to get away with only wearing normal clothes after forcing us into these.” Lystie’s voice was calm, but her Dignity skill was making the Millers shake in their boots. “Uh, uhhh…” Ally’s voice shook. “Please don’t judge me for wearing something like this at my age, Mr. Might.” “Since we’ve come this far…I’ll do my best, too, Mom!” The mother and daughter were shrewd, but they’d still brought outfits for themselves. They disappeared into the carriage to change. Just as I was wondering if I had to change, too, a voice spoke from the altar. “They didn’t need to bring the boy, but fine. I’m going to enjoy this.” I couldn’t see anyone, but I certainly felt someone’s presence. There was no telling whether I would get to meet the earth spirit, but at least it sounded like we were on the right track, so I banished all unnecessary thoughts from my mind and resolved to do my best to complete the mission. Part 8: The Ritual Dance and Song I was given a little time to practice, and I managed to get pretty good at my part. At least, I thought I did. Ally’s vocation turned out to be Troubadour, and when she performed using her skills, she had the ability to completely change the atmosphere of the performance. Marino was a Shepherd, which also gave her skills related to playing the flute. “You two are good enough to make a living performing…” “I actually used to perform onstage in Fortune when I was young,” Ally replied. “Dad was a fan of Mom’s. His vocation is Farmer, but he’s amazing. When he holds a hoe, he practically turns into a completely different person.” “Makes sense that a Farmer would rather thank an earth spirit than fight it.” That was probably another reason why Mr. Miller had gotten hurt by the vegetable monsters. Farmers actually also had combat skills, and at a high enough level, they could even use farming tools to take on large monsters. “Normally, I’m just chasing sheep around the paddocks, too,” Marino said. “Vocations are such a mystery. We have such wildly different ones even though we’re family.” “You mean…how your parents’ skills passed down to you as the vocation Shepherd?” “That’s right,” Ally answered instead. “My daughter is also talented at the flute, so it makes me happy that we can perform together.” As we chatted peacefully, I shot a glance toward our carriage. The three girls were supposed to be practicing on the other side, out of sight from where I was, but Lystie’s face was peeking out from behind the carriage, looking our way. “Um, Ms. Ally? I think we’ve nearly got it down. Can we go over it one more time for you to check?” “Of course. I’ll be right there.” As Ally walked over, Marino called out, “Just give us a signal, and we’ll start playing with you. It’s best if we keep time together.” Ever since getting changed, the Millers had also been wearing white capes covering themselves. I had assumed Lystie, Platinum, and Nanase still were as well, but apparently they’d taken them off to practice the dance. “…Does not seeing them make you more curious about their costumes?” Marino asked. “If it’s necessary for the job, I don’t mind whatever it looks like,” I replied. “Though I guess saying that makes it sound like I’m evading the question. So, yes, I am curious.” “Are you dating any of your party members?” “Oh, um, no. We actually only met yesterday.” I was a little taken aback by how forthright Marino was. I’d heard that young girls loved talking about romance, and apparently Marino was no different. “All three of them seem to really trust you, though.” “Well, a lot happened yesterday.” “Oh man, now I’m dying to know. Mr. Might, is this what you always do to attract girls’ interest?” “Shouldn’t they be giving us the signal about now?” “Oh! My bad. Let’s pick this up after the ritual.” At the sound of Ally’s harp, we both started playing, too. Marino looked right at home with her transverse flute, but I was pretty sure I looked extremely awkward with my drum. That said, music was all about getting into the rhythm, and even with just a harp, a flute, and a drum, we didn’t sound half bad. Hopefully, we’d play just as well during the real thing. When we finished practicing, Lystie’s group appeared, covered again in their white capes. The cloth only reached their knees, revealing their bare feet. “Well…shall we get started?” “…Can’t we just perform like this? Keeping these capes on?” Lystie said, her expression serious. Ally shook her head, and Lystie’s face immediately turned bright red, as if she’d just been trying to act composed so far. “…Might, don’t look at us too much, okay?” “We’ve come this far, so there’s nothing for it but to brace ourselves,” Platinum said. “If Might is going to be in our party, we’ll have to get used to him seeing us in embarrassing situations sooner or later.” “I feel like it’s best if we just never let him see us in embarrassing situations, though…,” murmured Nanase. “Can you two stop saying the word embarrassing? It’s making me really want to run away.” “I’m so sorry for asking so much of all of you…,” apologized Ally. “Do you really think we’d let you run away? If you try it, a hundred sheep will block your way and attack you with their fluffiness and make you fall into a really comfortable sleep!” Marino’s threat didn’t sound like a threat at all, but Lystie sighed, looked at her party members, then removed her cape with them. Platinum took hers off in one decisive movement, whereas Lystie and Nanase did it slowly, their hesitation making everything feel more nerve-racking. “Why are outfits for a ritual so small?” Lystie mumbled, blushing furiously. “Maybe it’s because many ceremonies are held when it’s hot out,” I suggested. Their costumes had so little fabric that they looked like something a dancer would wear during a nighttime performance. It was so alluring that it made even a Sage like me lightheaded. I knew that I shouldn’t look at my party members this way, but somehow, I also felt like it would be rude to appear entirely unfazed. “Good thing I brought bug repellent, isn’t it?” Nanase said. “In these outfits, it would be easy to get bitten somewhere you shouldn’t be showing anyone.” I could see why Nanase was being a little snide. Lystie had curves in all the right places, while Platinum hadn’t lost any of her voluptuousness despite all the training she did to handle her heavy armor and shield. “You train every day, Falina, but does your chest never get any smaller because you eat so much?” “You’re one to talk, Sheska. Why is your chest so big even though you’re an elf? Aren’t your kind supposed to be slender?” “We automata have varying body shapes depending on our use. I’m sure that this size suits me best.” I wanted to tell Nanase that the size of her chest was also what suited her best, so she had nothing to be embarrassed about—but I had a feeling she’d test her new potions out on me if I did. Part of being a wise man is knowing when to keep my mouth shut. “…Might, was there something you wanted to say?” That “women’s intuition” was terrifying indeed. It had been a while since I felt myself in such dire danger. If I said the wrong thing here, my life was over. “N-no, I was just thinking that, uh, even though you look embarrassed…it looks good on you, Nanase.” “Wha—? You think it looks good on me? I was actually thinking the same thing. It’s like this outfit was tailor-made for me!” “It really does. You look like an angel.” “Aw shucks, I’ve been an angel all along? Good job realizing my charm!” Ah, so she’s the type who gets easily carried away? Would praising her more help her to grow? “Well then, I suppose it’s time for us to do the same. I feel so self-conscious…” Ally and Marino also took off their cloaks, looking embarrassed. However, a certain part of their bodies was so drastically different in size that it caused Nanase to spiral again. “Right… Who am I kidding? The bigger they are, the more impact they have. That’s what people always say…” “Everyone is different and unique in their own precious way,” Ally quickly said. “Might will tell you the same.” “…Is that true, Might?” “Ms. Ally, should we get started with the ritual?” I asked, forcibly changing the topic. Ally nodded. She plucked a few strings on her harp, then Marino and I joined in. Lystie, Platinum, and Nanase started dancing close to the altar, their pareos fluttering up into the air and the ornaments on their hands jangling. The sky’s darkening. This must be the earth spirit reacting. It’s watching… The area only around the hill was turning into night, and the altar started giving off light, illuminating the three girls as they danced. Ally started chanting a prayer. “O great earth spirit, please calm your anger and grant us your benevolence once again!” If this worked, monsters would stop appearing in her fields—but it wasn’t going to be so easy. “Children of man, if you wish to quell my anger, you must worship me at my altar five times a day.” What we were hearing should be the earth spirit’s voice, yet it sounded young and childlike. Because of that, it came across as callow and naive. Five times a day was too great a burden on the Millers. “If that is enough to stop the vegetables from turning into monsters…we will come five times a day.” “You must bring those three girls, too. It’s hardly a celebration with just two people.” “But that’s…!” Marino was at a loss for words. Little wonder, as the conditions being presented were practically impossible to fulfill. “I will wait until tomorrow for your answer. If I don’t hear from you by sundown, I will no longer respond to your worship.” After the earth spirit had arbitrarily declared what it wanted, its presence faded, and the sky returned to normal. “…Ms. Ally.” “Say no more. I understand. It is our fault for not keeping up with the ritual. We will pay you what was promised.” “Everyone, I’m so, so sorry for asking so much of you,” Marino sobbed. “I didn’t—didn’t know that the earth spirit was so angry… I thought it would forgive us if—if we just did the ritual…” Platinum gave her a hug. I could see from the look in Lystie’s and Nanase’s eyes that they weren’t ready to give up yet. “Guess we’ve no choice but to meet this earth spirit in person,” I said. Ally’s eyes widened. “N-no, you can’t. There’s no telling what it would do if it gets any angrier!” “It’s already plenty angry,” I countered. “The conditions it set forth are unreasonable, and I think it knows that. There’s no need for you to force yourself to accept them.” “B-but how would you even meet it?” Marino sounded unsure, but it looked like Ally knew the answer. Regardless, I walked forward to take a closer look at the ornamental relief on the altar. When the earth spirit reacted to the ritual earlier, I had seen something glowing. It was a hidden keyhole—something I could open with White Key. Part 9: The Mechanism of the Altar “Does this altar have an inside…or something like that?” I asked. “My father-in-law always told me that I must never dig below this altar,” Ally replied. “He said that if I did, it would anger the earth spirit.” That sounded to me like there was a high chance the earth spirit’s real body lay somewhere inside this hill. “It would be extremely difficult for us to come here every day to perform the ritual,” I said. “This would be a gamble, but may we have your permission to open the lock on the surface of this altar and go inside to talk directly with the earth spirit?” “A lock…? I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve examined the altar countless times, but I’ve never seen anything resembling a keyhole.” “It’s really cleverly camouflaged into the relief. Right here.” Seeing the Millers make no move to approach the altar, Nanase stepped up instead. “You’re right—there really is a hole. Are you sure this is for a key, though? I don’t see what it’s supposed to open, either.” “I assume that the person who first cultivated this land—which would be Ms. Ally’s father-in-law?—probably has the key. However, I can create something that would do the job.” “I’ve never heard of the existence of any such key.” “Then maybe it’s a secret, or maybe there never was a key. In any case, we can’t just go along with these new conditions set by the earth spirit. Even finding three girls to take Lystie’s, Platinum’s, and Nanase’s place would be difficult, so we really need to negotiate.” This was the earth spirit who’d turned this entire area fertile, though, so I understood that it was a difficult decision for the Millers. “…If you need more time to consider it—” “Please do it.” “Are you sure?” “I feel bad enough asking your party members to wear the ceremonial garb today. The surrounding families also used to help take part in the ritual, too, but…well, you can imagine… If there is a way to make the earth spirit happy besides wearing this embarrassing outfit, I’ll take it any day.” She was right about one thing: It was definitely embarrassing. Ally’s costumes were like the sort of thing you saw dancers in the city wear late into the night. They were little more than string, really, and exposed way too much skin. “…Does the fact that we wore this costume just because the job required it make us embarrassing people?” “Lystie, everything depends on your perspective. It’s thanks to you wearing this embarrassing costume that we’re now considering protesting the earth spirit’s tyranny.” “Ahhh, please stop repeating the word embarrassing again!” cried Nanase. “I’ve almost gotten used to the outfit!” Platinum’s unflappable demeanor was a godsend. Part of it was probably because her outfit, by comparison, wasn’t quite so revealing. It had its own unique charm, with wool decorations covering all the important parts. “Since I have your permission, I will now open the lock.” “Please, go ahead. But where will you get the key from?” “That’s a trade secret.” I stuck a hand in my pocket and created a key, feeling the mana drain from me. I wondered if leveling up was the only way to increase the maximum amount of mana I had. “That looks less like a key and more like a long stick,” Marino commented. “It must be a special kind of key,” I told her. “The surface is covered with letters, and it has very detailed engravings.” Nanase peered closely at it, interested. “So this is the magic of a Sage…? It’s a whole world that I know nothing about…” Under the five women’s watchful gazes, I inserted the key into the hole in the altar. Immediately, the entire hill beneath our feet started to shake. Light coursed through the parts that looked like patterns, and the entire altar split in two, revealing a magic circle with a thin column in the middle slowly rising from the ground. “Whoa… I never knew there was something like this here,” Marino murmured. “I’ve heard that ancient ruins have large-scale mechanisms, but this is my first time seeing one in person,” Platinum said. “Look, there’s a mark here that’s shaped like a palm,” commented Nanase. “Are we supposed to touch it?” “Yeah,” I said with a nod. “I’ve seen this kind of thing before. But…” “When you enter a ruin, you’ve got to feel it rejuvenating your heart. Because of how quiet and full of life it is…” “Are you sure you’re okay staying behind, Sheska? It’ll just be me and Might, then.” “You’re going to make your big sister wait till you come back? I’ll be so frustrated… Hee-hee. What a bad girl you are.” Well, that memory wasn’t exactly relevant now. In any case, chances were that when we activated this magic circle, we’d get sent into the ruins that lay beneath here. We needed to mentally prepare ourselves. “Everyone ready?” I asked. “Or do you want me to do this alone?” “That’s just mean, you know,” Nanase protested. “This is what being an adventurer is all about.” “I’m all for it, too,” Lystie said. “I’ve got my sword here.” “As am I. All I need to fulfill my role is my shield.” “Great. Ms. Ally, Marino, this is very likely a teleportation magic circle. Please don’t touch it even after we’re gone.” “O-okay… Sorry, I’ve gone weak in the knees…” “Geez, Mom… Mr. Might, everyone, please come back safe and sound. We’ll definitely repay you for all this one day.” Ally and Marino watched as the four of us stepped onto the magic circle. Then, on behalf of the whole party, I placed my hand on the column that had risen up. Light burst from underneath our feet, and for a split second, we lost all sense of up and down. It felt like we were thrown into the air. “Ah!” “Ngh!” “Eeeeek!” Whoa… Having lost their balance when we were teleported, all three girls fell on top of me, interfering with my efforts to land properly. I hit the ground so hard that I would have gotten whiplash if I hadn’t trained my body. “This happens quite often when teleporting, so—” “D-don’t speak right now!” “Mfgh!” Something soft was pressing into my face. Lystie’s voice came from somewhere above my head, which meant that the soft thing was— I’m a Sage. A Sage. I won’t lose my composure over this kind of luck or whatever you wanna call it! “M-Might, don’t you move! Your arm is touching a really weird place!” “Yes, please don’t move! Don’t even look at me. In fact, please shut your eyes!” To break out of the situation, I obediently lay still and kept my eyes closed. Eventually, the others extricated themselves and stepped back. It was only then that I realized we’d overlooked a big problem. It wasn’t a fatal mistake—but in a way, it probably could be. “Uh… We should have probably waited for you three to change before coming here.” “But we’re going to see the earth spirit, right? Maybe this might help placate it.” “Good thing it isn’t cold here. Is this underneath where we were just now?” “I think so. My compass has gone haywire, though.” I was surprised that Nanase had kept her compass on her while wearing the ceremonial outfit. That was, until I realized that she was still wearing her belt with small pockets for carrying potions and other items around in. Lystie looked around. “What a huge space. There are really ancient ruins like this just lying around?” “Oh, I’ll give us some light,” Nanase said. “I extracted the liquid from luminous moss to make a light potion.” Nanase took a potion out of a pocket, faintly illuminating our dim surroundings. This also lit up Lystie’s back, as she was facing away, and it suddenly struck me that this was my first time getting a good look at her costume from behind. We have to put a stop to a ritual that makes women dress up in outfits like this. Otherwise, I might not be able to remain a wise man much longer. “…? What’s wrong, Might?” “Oh, uh, I’m fine. Why don’t I go scout out a little way ahead?” “You’re a Sage, though,” Platinum pointed out. “Shouldn’t you stay at the back?” “I’m sure Mr. Might has his reasons. Let’s let him go in front.” Thanks to Nanase, I was allowed to take the lead and therefore spared the tribulation of having to stare at the girls’ backs. I swore in my heart that I would make the earth spirit pay for causing me so much grief. Part 10: Exploring a Ruin “Look at how high the ceiling is,” Nanase said. “How far underground are we?” “This place almost feels too large for enshrining a mere earth spirit,” commented Lystie. “Maybe there was some sort of reason it was built like this,” suggested Platinum. “Though if it was made by the people who ruled over this area, why would only the closest family be left to perform the ritual by themselves? Or did it just end up like that as time went on?” While listening to the conversation of the three behind me, I walked on, my footsteps reverberating through the large tunnel. The walls on either side were decorated with murals depicting stick figures doing what looked to be the same dance the girls had been performing earlier. I stopped to take a closer look at one. “This…shows people dancing and playing music to the earth spirit’s altar.” “You’re probably right,” Lystie agreed. “And I think that’s the earth spirit in the middle of the circle of people.” “Um, aren’t there two figures in the center?” Nanase pointed out. “There’s a big one…and a smaller one.” The larger one looked humanoid, but I somehow got the impression that it wasn’t human. There was no way to tell if both were earth spirits or if only one of them was. The murals were interesting, but we had to stay alert. I kept a sharp lookout, continuing until I felt a sense of wrongness that I recognized. “Be careful of the ground there. I’m pretty sure it’s booby-trapped. Everyone, please make sure you step over it.” There was a slight bump surrounded by a faint groove on the otherwise flat-looking ground. Many ruins had traps like this to deter intruders. This particular one didn’t look like the kind that would instantly kill someone, but it never hurt to be careful. “Step over there, right? Then it’s probably best just to jump over it. Hyah!” “Hup. Like that?” Lystie and Platinum cleared the trap in turn, and Nanase followed their lead. Clank. “Huh?” “Hm?” “What?” The very back of Nanase’s heel was touching the trap, depressing it slightly. Given she was the one holding the light potion, it made sense that she was having trouble seeing the floor around her feet. “Um…what’s happening?” The ground had started rumbling, and the walls on either side were closing in. Needless to say, it wasn’t just a figment of our collective imagination. “RUN!” “W-we triggered the trap…?!” “We’re going to be crushed! Nanaseeee!” “My heel just brushed it! Ah, my outfit got caught!” “Lystie, Platinum, go on ahead!” There was no time to add that I would take care of Nanase. With a hand chop, I cut off the decoration from Nanase’s dress that had gotten caught, but she was still having trouble moving. I knelt in front of her. “I’ll carry you. Hop on!” “Thank youuuu!” “Good. Hold on tight!” Nanase’s grip was fairly strong, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t bear, and I charged forward with a yell. “M-Might, you’re so fast—! Eek!” “I won’t lose to—! Ahhh!” I quickly caught up to Lystie and Platinum, so I scooped them up and carried them under my arms without slowing. It was faster that way, and, well, I figured the faster, the better. After I’d made it through the enclosing walls, we suddenly found ourselves in a massive, empty cavern. The path narrowed considerably, leaving no doubt that one wrong step would mean falling to our deaths. I simply continued running, my mind free of all other thoughts. “Hngh… HAH!” Eventually, a landing came into view. With one last roar, I jumped onto it. When I landed, I was so out of breath that I couldn’t immediately lower my companions. I just stood there, gulping in air. “…Are you all okay?” “I’m sh-shorry,” Nanase mumbled. “I fall for this kind of thing really easily…” “That was a little scary…but it looks like those walls didn’t actually close all the way. There’s still a gap between them, though it’s really narrow.” “I wonder… Maybe we got out before it fully closed because of how fast Might ran.” “In any case, we made it through. I’m letting the three of you down now.” I let go of Lystie, underneath my left arm, and Platinum, beneath my right. “Ah! …Sorry!” Nanase practically slid off my back with a flustered apology. I’d been so single-minded escaping that I hadn’t taken any notice of what the terrain I’d passed through was like. On a whim, I turned around to take a look. “M-Might! Wait! Not now…!” “Huh?—AH!” I promptly turned right back around. “S-sorry, Might. Our outfits have gotten all disheveled,” explained Lystie. “It was bound to happen, but we can hardly proceed as we are,” Platinum said. “Nanase, I’ll help you retie your laces.” “I’m sorry, it’s all my fault,” Nanase apologized. “This stupid ruin is the enemy of all women.” “I-it’s fine. Let’s work together to make sure you don’t fall for that kind of trap again.” “Oh, yes please… I really wish I was more athletic, but my level is still too low to brew agility potions.” There was no set time when someone’s level increased. A lot of the time, it happened when they accomplished something or rested at an inn after returning from an adventure. I was keeping my fingers crossed that we would all level up after this request. “Am I okay, Platinum?” Lystie asked. “Nothing’s showing?” “Looks fine to me. Might, we’re good to go.” “Got it. Let’s keep exploring, then. Though I really hope we’re close to the end…” We crossed a bridge that led to a short, arch-shaped path. Once we got to the end of it, we found ourselves in a big room. In the middle of the room was a large humanlike statue that looked like a pile of rocks. It was clearly a golem, so I warned the other three not to get too close, in case that woke it up. “Is that the real body of the earth spirit?” Lystie asked. “Well done, coming this far, children of man. I applaud you!” boomed the voice that we had heard at the altar. “Wh-where is that voice coming from?” Platinum looked around warily. “It’s calling us ‘children of man’ just like the earth spirit did!” Nanase exclaimed. This confirmed my theory that the earth spirit had been watching us aboveground. “First, please forgive us for entering this place without permission,” I said, thinking it best to start by apologizing. To my surprise, the voice laughed. “You managed to enter, which means you found the key. That is not something for which you should apologize. I’d thought the key lost, so I did not foresee that happening.” “It was lost?” “What does that mean?” Lystie and Platinum looked puzzled, but the fact that the key had been lost led me to a number of conclusions. First, that the key to the altar did indeed exist but had disappeared for some reason. And second, that even a being like this earth spirit was unaware that a Sage like me had magic that could create the key. “Um… O great earth spirit,” Nanase called out, “we have come with an entreaty.” “An entreaty? You may speak it. I have already received my offering, after all.” “You’re saying we’re the offering?” I asked. I noticed a ripple of alarm run through my companions. Still, I wasn’t fond of beating around the bush. “There is no leaving this place. If you try, you will learn the power of Mother Nature. Now, what will you do? Do you wish to fight my earth golem?” In response to the earth spirit’s question, the rock statue started moving. It stretched to its full height to loom over us, with every tiny movement it made shaking the cave and causing small rocks and dirt to fall from the roof. Now we knew what the large figure in the wall mural from earlier was. “An earth golem…?” “Isn’t this area way too low-leveled for golems?” Lystie and Nanase were dumbfounded. They were right; a golem wasn’t the sort of opponent a party of level-3 adventurers could handle. In fact, this entire area would never see a job asking for someone to deal with one, as they were far too powerful to appear here. But if our only way out of this place was to defeat one, we had no choice but to give it our all. “If we defeat this earth golem, you’ll let us out, right?” I asked in confirmation. “And also, if you’d please stop turning vegetables into monsters…!” Nanase added. “Very well, fine by me. The three of you are cute, so I’ll accept those terms. And as for you,” the voice said, addressing me, “give it your best shot.” Judging by the earth spirit’s attitude, it couldn’t care less about me, though it wasn’t against me joining in the fight. That was enough for me. I knew exactly what to do to deal with golems, though it was a little underhanded. Part 11: Dungeon Boss “Ah!” Lystie cried. “Wh-when it moves, it creates a shock wave!” Boom! The earth golem took another step, and its weight shook the ground once more. “I can’t move!” Platinum groaned. “Is this shaking an attack in and of itself?” “Platinum!” I cried out in alarm, seeing the golem pull its arm back, keying up for a big swing. Stopping for even a second within the earth golem’s range was fatal. There was no way she could withstand the punch, shield or no shield. “Stand down!” Lystie shouted in a regal voice. “…Lystie?” Platinum braced with her shield, knowing that the golem wasn’t going to stop just because Lystie told it to. But the attack never landed. It actually stopped? …Lystie wasn’t just shouting, she was using her skill! “It’s doing what I said… U-uhhh, surrender!” A loud rumble echoed around us as the golem started moving again. “I suppose that was too much to hope for—Ah!” “Lystie, get out of the range of its arms!” I yelled. “…!” The monster slammed a fist into the ground, which proved enough to shake the ground and keep us from moving. On top of that, fists made of earth burst from the ground, trying to grab Lystie’s feet. She took a big leap backward. “That’s its next move? It’s sure keeping us on our toes!” “Hmph…! Those hand movements are so lewd! It’s just like the earth spirit that made us dress like this!” “You three will make fine displays once I catch you,” said the earth spirit. “Don’t you agree, young man?” “We’re taking this fight very seriously, thank you very much!” I snapped. “Ahhhhh! Wha—? That’s a LOT of hands!” Lystie cried. “Please stop making that groping motion!” Nanase wailed. “Just looking at it is giving me goose bumps!” Rummmmble…! Again and again, hands sprouted from the ground and tried to grab my party members. There was no point in fighting them off one at a time; the only way out of this situation was to destroy the golem itself. “That’s enough already!” Lystie drew the sword on her waist and stabbed the earth golem. Weapons from this area—and one wielded by a level-3 adventurer, no less—should be ineffective against the enemy we were facing. Yet the thin blade created cracks in the golem’s unprotected arm when it landed. “Hmm… It seems a lump of earth isn’t enough to stop that sword.” “Lystie, watch out!” “…!” The earth golem’s head shone, and the ground beneath Lystie’s feet emitted the same light at the precise moment when she was immobile after attacking. I rushed over and whisked her away a split second before a pillar of earth shot up where she had been standing. “Platinum, Nanase, don’t stop moving! Incoming!” “Ugh!” “Ah, wh—?! Eeeek!” The ground beneath Platinum’s and Nanase’s feet also glowed, followed by pillars shooting up at their positions. All golems possessed special attacks based on their element, and this earth golem apparently had the ability to manipulate earth and rock. “Ha-ha-ha! So this is all you’ve got? Why don’t you give up while you still can?” The room was filling with pillars. Soon, it was going to become impossible to even approach the earth golem—at least, it would be if we didn’t have a way to go over them. The best time to take an enemy unawares was when they were assured of their victory, which was now. As a Thief, it was my job to provide a support role to my party. “What I’m hearing, Falina, is that you don’t want to put Might in dangerous situations.” “I am more than capable of drawing the attention of enemies. As an automaton, I have self-repairing functionality.” Falina had been against letting me take part in fights at first. Part of it was an insistence against having someone else take the vanguard. Even so, I did my best to utilize the skills that my vocation had given me. Eventually, our party’s fighting style settled on having someone draw the attention of our enemies while the others landed decisive blows. If I apply that same strategy to this party… “Platinum!” I shouted as my view grew increasingly obscured by pillars. I couldn’t say anything more out loud, as the earth spirit would hear it, too. “Please, Platinum!” Lystie cried, as if she were praying. I don’t think her voice reached Platinum, but her thoughts did. “Get over here, golem!” Platinum shouted, using Sacrifice not on the earth golem but to draw the attention of the earth spirit controlling it. “So that’s where you are. I’ll come to you, just as you wish!” The golem’s eyes gleamed, and cords of mud appeared from the ground. They snaked everywhere, looking as if they were alive, climbing Platinum’s and Nanase’s legs. “Ugh! Such torture…means nothing…to me!” “Seriously, what is with this perverted golem?!” “You two have indeed done well for humans. However, against me—” “You’re right; they are inexperienced. But they’re not weak.” “What?!” The earth spirit was convinced that it was no longer possible to get anywhere near the earth golem, surrounded as it was by tall pillars. As such, it wasn’t on guard at all against attacks to its back—that is, until I scaled a pillar, leaped over the golem’s head, and landed on the back of its neck. “Whoa…!” “You think that will stop it…?” A lump of earth started gathering in front of me, but I paid it no mind. Instead, I plunged the sword that I’d borrowed from Lystie down, channeling every last drop of mana that I had. “Grrr! H-how…are you so strong?” “I’ve had a lot of practice. Sorry.” All golems shared one weakness: the core that they were formed around. It was a word of power for some, a magic stone for others. While the location of these cores differed for each golem, based on the flow of mana that I observed when this particular one attacked, I could tell that its core was at the back of its neck. Figuring out the magical weak points of opponents used to be Sheska’s role, but since obtaining some mana, my eyes had gained the ability to see more. Perhaps I was starting to live up to having a magic-based vocation. The moment its core was pierced, the earth golem lost the ability to maintain its body and fell apart. The stone pillars sank back down into the ground, revealing Platinum and Nanase covered in mud from head to toe. Their outfits were ruined so badly that, in fact, the mud was doing them a service. Realizing that I only had one jacket, I froze, not knowing what to do. “…Did we win? Against that big golem? Ooooh, is this sand what’s left of it?” “Don’t let your guard down yet, Nanase. All we’ve done is defeat the golem. We still have the earth spirit to deal with.” “…Might.” Hearing Lystie calling my name, I turned around and found her staring at me. “Your sword was a huge help,” I told her. “I wouldn’t have been able to destroy the golem’s core with my coins alone.” “I—I didn’t do anything. I shudder to imagine what would have happened if you weren’t with us… Huh? What are you doing, Platinum?” “Hm?” The surprise in Lystie’s voice prompted me to turn around once more, and I saw Platinum rushing in my direction. I thought she was going to hug me, but then she shot past and wrapped her arms tightly around Lystie. I cringed at my brief moment of misunderstanding. “Oh, thank the heavens! When we got split up by the pillars, I felt so lost!” “O-of course… Thank you, Platinum. But you heard Might’s voice, didn’t you?” “I did.” Platinum looked my way. “Strangely, when I heard him, I immediately understood what it was that I had to do.” It had been a gamble for me, too. I had managed to go straight for the golem’s weak point only because Platinum had drawn its attention. “…What a surprise. I did not see that coming. What is someone like you even doing in a place like this?” The earth spirit sounded somewhat disappointed but not shaken. It let out a sigh. “You got me. If I’d known this was going to happen, I’d have prepared better. Like being meaner with where I put the golem’s core. I feel like I’ll be looking back on this day for the next hundred years.” “Are you going to stop turning vegetables into monsters?” “…I hate to say it, but a promise is a promise. Now go on. There’s the magic circle that will take you back to the surface. I’ve activated it for you.” The presence of the voice faded into the distance. However, none of us made a move toward the magic circle. Lystie picked up the cloaks that everyone had shed to move freely in battle to cover up Platinum and Nanase. Finally realizing the state they were in, the two girls grew so flustered, I felt bad for them. Unfortunately, these things happened when you were fighting. “Am I the only one who doesn’t feel satisfied?” I asked out loud. “We still have no idea why the earth spirit did any of this. We don’t have the full picture.” “If you weren’t with us, Might, we might have been done in by the golem,” Lystie said. “Then again, I guess we wouldn’t have made it here in the first place.” “I’m pretty sure the earth spirit is as surprised as we are,” Nanase said. “Mr. Might, are we just going to leave this place?” All three were feeling like something was off. I did, too, and recognized what it was. “The earth spirit…sounded sad. Or is it presumptuous for humans to think that?” “I don’t believe so,” Nanase said, shaking her head. “I heard it, too. And when it was moving the earth golem, it sounded kind of happy.” “Maybe they’re just lonely,” mused Lystie, “and that’s why they’ve been turning vegetables into monsters. To get attention from Ms. Ally and her family.” “Is there some way we can meet the earth spirit and ask it in person? Or is there a reason we can’t? Are earth spirits even beings that humans can meet?” Platinum asked thoughtfully. The answer to that question, of course, could only be “It depends.” Given that they were beings who controlled the power of nature, there were many aspects of them that were beyond human comprehension. We defeated the earth golem, but I don’t see anything that could be the earth spirit’s main body. That probably means… “…Um, Might?” I looked around the spacious room, then started walking along its walls. Squinting, I examined the walls closely, just as I had done when I found the keyhole hidden in the altar. “…Ah!” Once again, I had found a small keyhole. My companions all rushed over and gasped. I could bet that the earth spirit hadn’t expected us to find it. “If I open this…” “We’re coming with you, of course,” Lystie declared. “If it’s dark, you’ll need a light source,” Nanase said. “And no being mean and saying that you only need a light potion. I’m way too scared to stay behind on my own.” “To be perfectly honest, the secrets you find always turn out to be exciting,” Platinum said. “There’s no way we’d stay behind!” “All right, all right. Then let’s go!” This time, I created a White Key in full view of my three companions, and it entered the keyhole as if it were sucked inside. Part 12: Unsealing the Subterranean Pillar We braced ourselves, expecting some sort of mechanism to be triggered like when we had unlocked the altar. However, things were different this time. “…Ugh!” “Might!” The moment my key entered the hole in the wall, all of us felt our strength draining out of us. Uh-oh… Is this a trap? No, maybe not… Somewhere in the spacious room, something was shining. I turned around, fighting the overwhelming lethargy, and saw a new magic circle that looked like a counterpart to the one that supposedly led outside. “I think our mana…was absorbed…to activate this mechanism…” “Hold it together, Might!” Platinum lent me a shoulder even though she was unsteady on her own feet. I knew I shouldn’t take it, but my consciousness was growing fuzzy, and I was having trouble standing. “I’m sorry—we always rely on you for everything. Is there some way for me to give you my mana? I don’t use it at all when I fight.” “…Platinum?” “…Oh, wait. I can do it.” Platinum placed a hand on my shoulder and looked closely at me. “Wh-what?” “When I was in bed last night, I had a dream. It felt like I gained something, and I thought I heard a voice saying ‘Your lock has been opened.’” “R-really?” Lystie asked. “…I had the same dream, but I thought it was just me.” “Wait, isn’t that usually a sign that your level went up?” Nanase asked. “It should show up on your guild card.” “Nah, it was just a dream, not a level-up.” Lystie looked at me. For some reason, her cheeks were red. Normally, the number of skills that someone could use went up when they gained a level. Sometimes it was one, sometimes two, and sometimes none at all. However, Lystie and Platinum hadn’t leveled up. Even so, something had changed in them. I remember seeing a lock appearing in front of them and disappearing into particles of light. At the time, I also heard a voice, though what mine told me was that I could now use Break Seal I. And also… The image that I had of Sages was very different from what I myself had become. Everything that I had experienced so far had left no doubt in my mind. Almost certainly, something would happen if I used Break Seal I. What Platinum felt she had gained was very likely a new skill. “Platinum, can I try something?” “Sure. However, although I feel like I’ve gained something, I’m still not sure what I’m supposed to do.” Is this…? No, this is probably the proper way to do it… But can I really…? Before I knew it, the knowledge of how to use Break Seal I was already in my head. And knowledge of skills gained this way was never wrong. I took Platinum’s hand, evoking a murmur of surprise from Lystie and Nanase. “M-Might…?” Platinum squeaked. “What are you…?” The hand that had been holding a shield minutes before was flushed. Platinum looked a little embarrassed about it, but she kept her eyes trained on me. “I believe that doing this will enable you to use what you think you gained. I know I’m being vague, but can you trust me?” “It’s a bit too late to be asking that, isn’t it? I’m a woman who recognizes those who I am indebted to.” Platinum smiled gently, despite not knowing what was going to happen next. “S-since it’s you, Might, I’m sure this is something necessary,” Lystie said, before adding, “Uh…it is, right?” “D-don’t mind me, I was just a little surprised,” Nanase explained. “Please go on.” The two other girls took a step back to watch Platinum and me. It was embarrassing being at the center of so much attention, so I stopped stalling and just went for it. “…!” I kissed the back of Platinum’s hand. Not like a Thief or a Sage, but like a knight waiting on the mistress to whom he’d sworn his loyalty. “Break Seal I” activated. The Sealed Skill “Maiden’s Devotion” belonging to Platinum has been released. “…I thought it must be something like that. You drew out a power that I didn’t know I had within me, Might.” Platinum cupped my hand with both of hers and closed her eyes in prayer. “So I can do something like this…? Thank you for teaching me.” Power surged into my mana-deprived body. The more Platinum prayed, the more mana flowed into me. Although she had introduced herself as a Paladin, I knew that her real vocation was Royal Order. To the best of my knowledge, that was a vocation that specialized in serving a master of high standing. This vocation had a skill that let one offer their mana to their master, which is what Platinum had just learned, thanks to Break Seal I. “Thanks, I’m all good on mana now. Platinum…?” “Ngh… I—I think I made a mistake with the amount…” “Are you okay? I really only need a little.” Effect of “Break Seal I” ended. The Sealed Skill belonging to “Platinum” has been resealed. Seeing Platinum wobble on her feet, I lent her my shoulder this time. She had apparently tired herself out giving me too much mana. Her new skill was far more effective than any with a similar effect that could be learned at level 3. Clearly, it couldn’t be used repeatedly in quick succession. We’d have to figure out how long she had to wait to use it again. I crossed my fingers that it wasn’t just a one-use skill. “So now Platinum can share her mana with other people?” “Does Mr. Might need to k-k-k…kees her hand every time?” “I’ve no idea who Keith is, but if you’re talking about the kiss, it’s a bit embarrassing for me, too, but yes, it appears I do.” “Hold on. Since Lystie had the same dream I did, does that mean she can also use a new skill if you kiss her?” Platinum had no ill will whatsoever and even looked happy for Lystie, but the other girl blushed all the way to her ears. “I—I did have that dream, but unlike you, I don’t feel like I gained anything. But when I do, um, I’ll be counting on you, Might.” “R-right… I’ll appreciate your cooperation when the time comes.” I was doing my best to play it cool and act like I wasn’t overly bothered, but based on the glare I got from Lystie, it seemed that had been the wrong answer. “That was a little tactless, Mr. Might,” Nanase said disapprovingly. “I second that,” agreed Platinum. “‘Appreciate your cooperation’ sounds so businesslike.” “…! I-it’s not like I cared—Ahem. In any case, Might’s key opened a new magic circle. Let’s see where it goes.” “About time. I’m starting to get hungry and also need to…” A shiver ran through Nanase, and she pressed her legs together. Indeed, there were many reasons why adventurers had a hard time staying in dungeons for prolonged periods of time. We didn’t have long. This time, Lystie took the lead. All four of us stepped onto the magic circle, which then filled our field of vision with white light. Unlike when we entered the ruins, the teleportation went off without a hitch, and when the blinding light subsided, we found ourselves in a completely different place. “Are we…floating in midair?” I murmured. “Is this really underground?” The space we were standing on was floating in a boundless darkness. There were no visible sources of light, but there was just enough illumination for us to see a staircase stretching into the distance. We began climbing it carefully, making sure not to look down in case it made us freeze up. We didn’t think we’d fall but thought it best not to take our chances. “Hey, did you guys know? I—I’m actually afraid of heights,” Nanase said with trepidation. “That’s news to me, but don’t worry,” I replied. “I’m right behind you. I’ll never let you fall.” “Ahhh, I’m going. I’m going already, so don’t push me!” We proceeded single file, with Lystie at the head, followed by Platinum, then Nanase, and me at the rear. The reasoning was that this way, I could immediately catch anyone who fell. However, it placed me behind the girls and at a low angle looking up, to boot. I nearly yelped, then closed my eyes. However, realizing that doing so defeated the whole purpose of the order, I opened them again and watched out for Nanase, all the while battling the guilt racking my mind. “Phew, we finally made it,” Nanase said, groaning. “My legs are dead.” “We’ll most likely have to take this staircase again on our way back, won’t we?” Lystie sighed. “Complaining isn’t going to help us any.” “I quite enjoyed the thrill,” Platinum said. “I’ve always liked crossing rope bridges.” “…How did all of you enter this place?” asked what sounded like the earth spirit’s voice. Taken by surprise, Nanase let out a short shriek. “Did I mistakenly bring you here? No, there’s no way…” We only thought it was the earth spirit’s voice because we didn’t know for sure. What we’d heard merely in our heads before was now different. There was actually someone talking to us. “Are you the earth spirit?” Lystie asked. Like the rest of us, she had noticed the earthen pillar a short way in front of us. Upon drawing closer, we saw that there was a child bound to the pillar, suspended from chains around his neck, arms, feet, and waist. “I’m not exactly an earth spirit, though I suppose there’s not much point in denying it.” “What are you, then? Why are you here, and why are you chained up?” I asked, walking closer. The child was wearing tattered clothing and had overgrown hair, but strangely, he looked rather clean. He seemed to be around ten years old, but there was no way to tell if he was human or demi-human. “I’ve forgotten almost everything from before I came here. All I know is that I can’t leave this place.” The child looked at each one of us in turn. His smile seemed so innocent and youthful, yet at the same time completely foreign and unreadable. Part 13: White Key “You forgot…?” I asked. “When the Millers arrived here and began cultivating this barren land, didn’t you bless it as an earth spirit? Isn’t that what happened?” “Y-yeah, and the ceremonies began as a way to give you thanks,” Lystie added. The child tied to the pillar laughed softly with an expression that looked far too mature and worldly for someone so young. “That was just me being bored. I’ve been like this for as long as I remember, so I decided to have some fun. I blessed the area aboveground that’s in range of what I can affect and asked to be entertained in exchange.” “And your definition of entertainment is dance and song.” “Pretty much. But more specifically, dance and song by cute girls. Underneath a starry sky, around a brilliantly lit altar. That’s what makes me happy.” “For someone who looks like an innocent young kid, you have surprisingly adult tastes… But you’re not as old as you look, are you?” “I’ve lived for at least a hundred times longer than you.” “A hundred—?! Ack, cough. And how long have you been tied up?” The child fell silent. Long, reddish hair fluttered and fell across his face, covering his eyes. “…In any case, all of you being here must be some freak chance. I’ll make you a new magic circle to return to the surface.” The child muttered what sounded like a chant in a low voice, and a magic circle appeared on an empty patch of ground. “There is nothing more I can tell you. I’ll stop demanding worship from the children above as well.” It was clear that he wanted us to leave as soon as possible. However, there was a part of me that really didn’t want to leave him tied up here. Even if he was a completely different being than his appearance suggested and much older than we were. “You don’t have to be here to make this area fertile, right?” “That’s how it was at the start, but not anymore. After I made the barren soil bear fruit, it was you humans who continued to nurture it. All I did was help a little, like making it rain when it was dry for a while.” “…It might have seemed insignificant to you, but what you’ve done has saved many lives. But anyway, my point is, there’s no actual problem with you leaving this place, yes?” “As you can see, these chains can’t be undone. The humans around these parts are at most level 5, right? Even I can’t tell how high someone’s level has to be to break these chains.” “Do I look like a level 1 to your eyes?” The child raised his face, still smiling faintly, and looked at me. “Someone who can break these chains wouldn’t come all this way. That includes you.” “I might be able to. Just like you, what I look like is not all I am.” “What…are you saying?” “Why did you turn vegetables into monsters? Why did you demand that the ritual be repeated? That’s because you—” “Don’t talk like you know me! I—I was just…” The fact that the child raised his voice was answer enough. Even Lystie and the others had already figured out the answer. “It was because you were lonely, wasn’t it? You’ve been here, all alone, for far too long.” “…I am not the sort of being who feels such emotions. I shouldn’t be.” “And who decided that?” Platinum asked gently. “You used your powers for the sake of others. Freeing you from those chains can’t be wrong.” Everyone in my party was in agreement; we couldn’t just leave the child be. “But these chains… No one can undo them…” “All I want to know is whether you want to be free. Based on your answer, there’s only one thing for us to do.” “Why are you so insistent on helping me? I sent monsters to attack all of you.” “Well…you had a reason for it, so I can’t really hold it against you. But once you’re out of here, I’ll make sure you apologize to those you troubled. Whether you’re forgiven or not will be up to them, though.” “I-if I may,” Nanase cut in. “Just saying, I think they’ll at least hear you out. Though that might be just me being overly optimistic.” Platinum nodded. “Even if they don’t accept your apology, haven’t you already done enough to help just as many people?” There was indeed a shade of idealism to what Nanase and Platinum were saying. At the very least, Ms. Ally and Marino would probably be troubled if the one they’d called an earth spirit this whole time suddenly popped out to meet them. However, as with all things, there was no telling what would happen before trying something. I personally lived by the creed that giving up before trying wasn’t an option. “So, what do you want to do?” Lystie asked. “I’m sure Might will be able to help you.” The child looked down, hiding his face. I wondered if he’d gotten tired of how much we were pressing. “—leave.” His voice started off too soft for us to hear, but it grew in strength until it rang in our ears, hoarse with desire. “I want to leave. Please free me! Please undo these chains!” The moment I heard those words, a lock appeared in front of the chains. Even the child couldn’t see it; only I could. “I know it’s too much to hope for, but there, I said it. Now I look silly. It’s all your fault, you know.” “I knew it; you were faking that smile. There’s no way you aren’t angry about being made to suffer such a fate without even knowing the reason for it.” “Even if it was a god who left me like this, I feel like I deserve to curse him once or twice, don’t I?” The child fumed and laughed but never cried. Even if he was a being beyond human comprehension, he still had emotions that we humans could understand. He still had the right to hope for freedom. “Everyone…give me a minute.” “Can you actually free him?” “I know you said your magic can create keys, Might, but without a keyhole…” “Such common sense can’t stop Mr. Might! …Right?” Hearing the hope in my party members’ voices, I opened my right hand and channeled all the mana I had to it, willing a key to appear. “Come to me!” Light gathered above my palm, forming the shape of a key. It was bigger and far more detailed than any other key I’d made before. So this is the key to unlock that lock. But I’m nearly all out of mana again! “Are you materializing mana in the form of a key?!” “That’s right. I’m pouring everything I have into this key. It will open your lock!” When my key made contact with the lock on the chains, it got sucked into the keyhole despite being too large to fit. The next instant, the lock scattered into particles of light, and all of the chains shattered. “…!” I caught the child before he hit the ground. However, I was so exhausted that it took all my remaining strength just to support him. “This…might be the first time I’ve ever been so surprised. You, a human, have succeeded in surprising someone like me, who’s not human.” “I don’t fully understand this myself, either. All I know is that when I open locks, things happen. That’s what my power is.” There was no other way for me to explain it. However, crude though my explanation was, the child seemed to understand. He closed his eyes, and his breathing slowed. He’d fallen asleep. “So your key can destroy chains?” Lystie asked. “Or did it work this time because the chains were special?” “I honestly don’t know. But hey, it went well.” “Just means there’s a lot of mystery behind his key. It’s helped us get through everything today.” “It’s not only the key. I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t have been able to save the child if Mr. Might wasn’t who he is,” Nanase said, smiling softly. My eyes widened. A lock had appeared before Nanase’s chest. One lock discovered with “Lock Eye I” has been released. “Break Seal I” can now be used on the target with a released lock. Upper limit of Bonds has been removed. The lock turned into particles of light that faded away. Does this mean my Bond with Nanase has just gotten stronger? “Might, I’ll carry the child. I see you’re quite spent.” “No, no, I can manage—” “Just listen to Platinum, Might. Look at you; your legs are wobbling worse than a newborn deer’s. Don’t underestimate mana exhaustion.” “It’s times like these when we should help each other out, Mr. Might. When I can’t walk, I’ll be counting on you to carry me.” Lystie and Nanase took up positions on either side of me. I was really grateful for their help—but they were seriously brave to be able to completely ignore their own appearances. “Well then, let’s use the magic circle that this child made and leave at once.” All of us nodded at Platinum’s suggestion and gathered at the magic circle. I gazed at the face of the sleeping child in her arms and thought just how glad I was that we’d decided to come here. In a space composed of only a navy blue night sky and a boundless sea, the moon illuminated the goddess Lunaris as she closely watched the window floating in front of her. Under her gaze, Might and his companions were teleported from the earth spirit’s altar, kept exploring, then entered a separate dimension and discovered a child suspended from the earthen pillar. “Earth Mother Ursula… So this is where you were sealed.” The childlike appearance wasn’t Ursula’s normal appearance; Ursula was a divine being just like Lunaris. “So Might’s White Key can even undo heavenly seals. Dare I hope it can free other gods who have been sealed, too?” “…Elder Sister.” Hearing Iris’s voice, Lunaris swiftly dispelled the image of Might’s party. The next moment, a seven-colored light appeared out of nowhere and melded together to reveal Iris’s form. “Should I begin preparations for the next phase?” “…Demonic Dragon Leticia has fulfilled her duty and is now asleep. Are you speaking of summoning another Demonic Specimen?” “Yes. Holy Knight Falina is as yet unfinished. I wish to bring her closer to perfection and to becoming a Heavenly Pawn.” “You play too much with Heavenly Pawn candidates. That is not what our master desires.” “I am only fulfilling my duty as a goddess. It isn’t like you to phrase what I do as ‘playing,’ Elder Sister.” Lunaris simply closed her eyes in response to her younger sister’s teasing tone. Iris drew closer, placed a hand on Lunaris’s shoulder, and whispered into her ear. “Humans forget threats and grow weak all too easily. Now that the Demonic Dragon is gone, we need to give them a replacement.” “…Not all of them can be reasoned with, like we could with Leticia. You understand this, yes?” “If it proves a threat to us, we can simply call on another hero.” After giving Lunaris one last smile, Iris backed away and disappeared from the world of night. Lunaris brought Might’s image back up and stared intently at the group, who hadn’t the faintest idea that they had just saved a deity. “…I need to confirm exactly what powers a Sage has.” Yet these quiet words reached no one, and the white-haired goddess disappeared as well. All that was left was the night sky and the silent moon. Part 14: Escape After teleporting, we found ourselves standing in front of the earth spirit’s altar, the setting sun blinding us for a brief moment while until our eyes adjusted. “Mom! Mr. Might and the others are back!” Marino shouted loudly while running over. The tears in her eyes spoke volumes about how worried she had been. “You waited for us?” I asked. “Thank you. The monster problem should be resolved, but how have things been?” “Oh! Come to think of it, Mom and I did talk about how our fields have gone quiet.” “We thought it was just temporary,” Ms. Ally explained, “but did you manage to talk with the earth spirit?” “Indeed,” Platinum said with a nod. “This child is who you have been calling an earth spirit.” The Millers stared at the sleeping child in Platinum’s arms, shocked. “This child…is the great earth spirit?” “Ahh, turns out he’s not actually an earth spirit, but he does have the power to make rain fall and do other things.” “…Fwah. Ah, did I fall asleep?” The child opened his eyes, likely having been woken up by our voices. I asked Platinum to put him down. He gazed at the setting sun in the west, squinting. “I…didn’t think I’d actually ever make it back out. Has the world always been so bright?” “U-um, we’ve always thought you were an earth spirit, and w-worshipped you, but it was really embarrassing, so we foisted it onto Ms. Lystie and the others, but…” Despite getting tongue-tied, Marino did her best to explain what had happened so far. When she was done, the child turned around so that the sun was behind his back and laughed with delight. “Though you are young, your dancing was very enjoyable to watch, Marino. Yours, too, Ally. Lystie’s group did it this year, true, but their bashfulness only made it better. That is how a cute girl’s dancing should be!” The Millers froze once again, as Lystie and Nanase exchanged looks and shrugged. Platinum looked rather unfazed. “That said, I actually knew that I was asking too much of you, and that it was a burden. I knew, but I couldn’t help asking for more. I was being childish.” “…! N-no, that’s not…” “Even though Dad got hurt, he said he’s still grateful to you. He also said he’s sorry that we didn’t do the ritual like we were supposed to. Though it’s thanks to you that this area is so fertile now.” “That’s not actually true,” the child replied. “You only have yourselves to thank for your bountiful harvests. I—” I did my best to summon the strength to stand without Lystie’s and Nanase’s support and approached Ally. “For some reason, this child was locked up underground for a long time. We thought it best to bring him out, as long as there are no problems in doing so. I apologize for doing something beyond what we were hired to do.” “If this really is who we’ve been addressing as ‘great earth spirit’ all this time, it is our greatest honor to meet him in person.” “I feel the same way. I’m sure Dad and Grandpa and Grandma do, too.” “…Are you sure? Aren’t you scared of me?” “Not at all. Would you like to stay in our home? We would love to host you for as long as you wish. Though I can only hope our food is to your liking.” Given that the child was in human form, he would need food, clothing, and a place to stay. Still, it surprised me how quickly Ally was adapting to the situation. “Would I be a bother? I was thinking of taking care of myself somehow…” “Please don’t have any reservations; just leave everything to us. Mom, I’ll go home first to draw the bath.” “Please and thank you. Oh, and sorry that this is belated, but I am Ally, and this is Marino, my daughter. How should we refer to you?” “My name is… That’s right.” The child shot me a quick look. “Thanks to you, I finally remember it.” “What?” I had no idea what I’d done other than using the White Key. “I’m Ursula. You may call me ‘Ur.’’” “Understood, Master Ur,” Ally said. “I am greatly honored to make your acquaintance.” “There’s no need to call me ‘Master.’ You’re the one looking after me. The same goes for the rest of you.” “Very well. I’m Lystie. Nice to meet you, Ur.” “A-are you sure we can just do that? Just call him ‘Ur’?” “Of course you can. You’re Nanase, right? And you’re Platinum. As for you…I don’t like guys much, but I consider you a special case, Sage Might.” “O-okay…” He must have heard us using one another’s names. Still, I was such a pushover. It made me so happy that he’d noticed I was a Sage. “Would all of you like to join us for dinner?” Ally offered. “Or will you be returning to Fortune?” Lystie turned to the rest of us. “What do you want to do?” Just then, Platinum’s stomach growled. “…When I’m on the road, I tend to forget how hungry I am.” “Y-yeah, me too,” Nanase said meekly. “I’ve been able to hold out so far, but now…” “Oh my!” exclaimed Ally. “In that case, let us hurry back.” Always being prepared to explore a dungeon was an important part of being an adventurer. However, I merely made a mental note to work on it in the future, considering the unusual outfits and everything else this time that had been out of the ordinary. Part 15: The Blessing of the Land In the end, we decided to spend the night at the Millers’. They served us milk and meat that they said came from nearby ranches and a stew made from turnips that hadn’t turned into monsters. After they took just one bite, praise spilled from the lips of my party members. “So this is what ‘blessing of the land’ truly refers to,” Lystie marveled. “Food made with freshly harvested vegetables tastes so different.” “This truly is delicious,” Platinum agreed. “There is such depth to the flavor, and the seasoning is perfect. The meat practically melts in the mouth.” “My cheeks are falling off from how gooood this is,” Nanase gushed. “I can eat this forever. Ahhh, it’s just melting on my tongue…” Ally smiled. “There’s plenty, so eat up. Let me know when you want seconds.” “Okay!” the three girls said in unison. It was as if Ally had become their mother. I suppose everyone reverts to their childish self when fed delicious food. “Ur, are you sure you’re fine with only water?” Nanase asked with concern. “Mm-hmm, I’m good. All I need is clean water.” Ursula, having been bound in that place for so long, proved that he could live without food. Even so, like Nanase, I was worried to see him only drinking water. “If you’re worried about me…you could always put on those outfits again and dance around a bit for me. That will top up my life force.” “Your life force…? Were you absorbing ours when we were dancing?” “That is one function of that altar, yes. But it wasn’t enough to make you feel tired.” The talk about absorbing life force brought succubi to my mind, but a monster like that was a threat to even high-leveled adventurers. Yet what Ursula had been doing didn’t sound anywhere near as dangerous. What did bother me was how Ursula repeatedly kept glancing toward me. His eyes seemed full of amusement, or maybe he was looking for an opportunity to play a prank. Am I overthinking it? But that’s exactly what it seems to me… “With Might around, we won’t be wearing those outfits again anytime soon.” “I don’t know, Lystie. With how much he’s already seen, there’s not much point worrying about it anymore, is there?” “You can only say that because you have confidence in yourself, Ms. Platinum.” “Confidence? …I don’t think that I’d say that about myself. Having confidence about wearing that outfit means you’re used to exposing yourself.” “…! Hold on, Platinum. You can’t say that in front of Ms. Ally and Marino!” The same outfits had once been worn by Ms. Ally and Marino. As I’d feared, their faces were now as red as beets. Ursula looked sad. “You hated it that much? That explains why you stopped holding the ritual. Just so you know, I was told that’s what people wear for ceremonies. Everyone made them on their own accord.” “When times change, people’s ways of thinking change, too.” “That’s true. You really are a wise man, Might.” I thought Ursula was poking fun at me, but apparently not. He looked honestly impressed, which made it hard for me to say anything back. In the bathroom at the Millers’ house, Lystie finished washing up and slid into the warm water, letting out a moan of satisfaction. “Phew… I feel alive again.” “It’s quite rare to see a private residence with such a large bath,” Platinum said. Nanase scooped a bit of water in her hand, her face flushing a little from the steam. “I hear that they draw the water from an underground hot spring. As in, the water just comes out of the ground by itself.” Knowing how easily Nanase got overheated, Lystie gave her a look of concern. “With my power, finding a hot spring is a piece of cake,” Ur said proudly. “Unfortunately, you can’t find them just anywhere, though.” “I didn’t know you had a power like… Huh?” Lystie blinked. “Aaaah!” Nanase screamed, but then got confused. “Wait! Is it a problem having Ur join us?” Ursula, who had somehow entered without anyone noticing, chuckled. “I really can’t get enough of seeing humans being embarrassed, but I suppose saying that makes people wary of me. You can’t get my master’s heart racing without a little blushing, though, you know?”
Chapter 9
70 min read