Arc 27: The Reverse World

Chapter 280: The Chief of the “Red Cats”, and the Curse Removal

The eastern district of Alen, the capital of the Holy Kingdom Alentt, is an area where ordinary and impoverished citizens are living.

The sub-chief of the “Red Cats”, Est-san, is now walking into that area as I and the two other girls, the ponytailed girl called Yuni and the long wavy-haired Yuri, follow along.

Different from the central district, the streets are somewhat rundown. I see worn-out people as we walk through the central street.

Eventually, we move away from the main street and enter a declining back alley. After turning around a corner, we reach a dead end.

The surroundings are packed with the walls of nearby buildings, with several big empty wooden boxes, one meter on each side, piled up at the dead end.

After going around those wooden boxes, there is a metal-made manhole-looking lid on the ground, which can’t be seen from the opposite side.

「This is...」(Touya)

「It’s an entrance to the underground tunnels that has existed in the royal capital since the olden days. There are a whole lot of these places more than anyone could expect in this city.」(Est)

Opening the lid, Est-san descends underground. I follow after her and descend via the staircase straight into an underground area that feels pleasantly cool. I then immediately emerge to a spacious passage.

「It looks just like dungeon...」(Touya)

The passage is bright despite being underground. About every ten meters, something shiny is hanging on the wall, hooked with strings.

Taking one in my hand, I discover that it’s an object the size a cylindrical AAA battery, and it’s made of glass with some sort of liquid and a stone inside it. It’s this stone that dimly illuminates the surrounding areas.

「What’s this?」(Touya)

「Eh? Don’t you know what it is? That’s a magic light stone. Doesn’t the whole town use them?」(Yuni)

「... I’ve only arrived to the royal capital today. After all, I’m someone from a province.」(Touya)

So this is the magic light stone that the shopkeeper of the general store has talked about. Apparently, this ore produces light by reacting with water in some way. That’s why it’s only being mined at night time when it’s raining.

In that case, the neon lights used in the signboards of the stores probably works with the same principle. It’s likely that there’s a finely grained magic light stone inside that long and narrow glass tube. That means that the light coming from that neon sign is produced by allowing water to pass through it.

This ore is something the Surface World doesn’t have...

While being the target of Yuni’s doubtful glance, I continue walking through the passage as we are being led by Est-san.

Turning around the corner of the passage, Est-san stops. She holds the handle of a short sword, and begins scraping the surface of the wall. It looks like her scraping has some sort of rhythm to it... I’m still wondering about it when one part of the wall slides like a horizontal door, making a way for a new passage. A hidden door, huh?

As soon as we step into the new passage, two men who are standing next to the door, close it completely once again. Aha! So the sound earlier is the signal to open and close the door, right? They are being watchful.

Having advancing through the tunnel, we eventually arrive into a cavity where men in red bandanas are sitting in groups.

Upon looking at us, each of those men stand up. They then sit again after giving a silent bow. They are probably the members of “Red Cats” in the middle of their rest.

We proceed straight through the passage without changing directions and arrive before a heavy-looking iron door with a man in red armor standing in front of it. He is at least two meters tall in terms of height.

A giant human... no, this one isn’t a human. It’s a golem. It has the form of a Japanese warrior, but the joints and gaps in his armor are mechanical. Above all, its eyes are shining.

There are two large horns extending conspicuously from either side of its head. Those horns are similar to the ones on the large buffalo helmet presented to Fukushima Masanori by the military commander Kuroda Nagamasa from the warring states period.

「It’s “Akagane”, a golem of our sub-chief.」(Yuni)

Yuni softly murmurs as she turns to me. Even its name is Japanese–styled. I knew it. This Reverse World probably has a country similar to Ishen as well.

The red-armored warrior “Akagane” opens the heavy-looking door and guides us inside. He then closes it again after all of us have entered. That golem must be the gatekeeper here.

Behind the door is a spacious room with objects scattered around disorderly. On the ceiling is a glowing light source similar to a fluorescent lamp or something. That thing must be using magic light stones as well. The multiple tubes attached to the walls are apparently bringing in drinking water.

On top of the desk in the middle of the room, there’s a telecommunication device with headphones attached to it and some scattered rough sketches of a house from somewhere. There are also things similar to a photograph. It’s definitely surprising for me to see photographs in this world. This place must be a strategy command room.

What catches my attention even more is the girl who’s slovenly sitting on a large chair in front of the desk and snoring sleepily and grandly while facing the ceiling.

「Who’s this?」(Touya)

「... She’s our chief, Nia-sama.」(Yuri)

Making a troubled face, Yuri, who has a long wavy hair, answers my question.

Your chief, you say...? So she’s the leader of this chivalrous group, eeh~?

Back to the chief who continues to snore. Vice-chief Est briskly walks up to Nia and, along with a delightful sound, slaps her face.

「Fubuoo!?」(Nia)

Bataan! Both the chair and the chief sitting on it topple over. Nia then opens her half-asleep eyes and faces Est-san.

This girl, who seems to be the same age as me, has a long red hair in a twintail hairstyle. Wearing a red jacket and short pants, she has a rough appearance but the style of her clothing makes it easy for her to move.

「What was that for?! .... Hey, aren’t you Est?」(Nia)

「 Don’t sleep with a slovenly face! That appearance is not proper for a young lady, Nia.」(Est)

「Isn’t it fine? It’s not like anyone can see...」(Nia)

As she tries to object with a pouting mouth, Nia stops her gaze on me.

「Who is he? This guy is?」(Nia)

「He’s a gentleman who may be capable of curing the professor’s curse. I happened to see him on a street and took him with us. His name is Mochizuki Touya.」(Est)

「Really?!」(Nia)

Nia kicks away the chair with a bang and stands up.

「Are you saying that you really can cure her condition? You kinda have an unreliable air on you though...」(Nia)

「We won’t know unless I see her personally.」(Touya)

Sorry for being unreliable. I lightly joke at Nia who’s glaring at me with suspicion.

Oh well! I really won’t know anything for sure without seeing the curse first.

「Well, that’s fine. Anyway, come and examine the professor. I will say this in advance, you will pay if you dare do something strange. Got it?!」(Nia)

A smooth chop suddenly wedges into the parietal area on the pigtails of the girl who’s glaring like a Yankee at me.

「Do you really understand the position we are in? Do you? We are the ones requesting him to do the impossible, you know? Don’t I always tell you to think first before you act?」(Est)

「That hurts~! It hurts~! I-I understand! I said I understand! Stop...」(Nia)

Smack! Smack! Vice-chief Est gives Nia a series of chops without reserve. As for the red-haired pigtailed girl, she’s already in tears. I somehow have a difficult time understanding the power relationship between those two.

「Anyway, we would like you to examine her first. Come this way.」(Est)

Opening the door in the depths of the strategy room, we enter into a small passage where yet another iron door is in front of us. Yuni and Yuri remained in the previous room, so only Est-san, Nia, and I enter that room.

Inside the twelve tatami-wide room, someone is lying on the bed alongside the wall.

Next to it is a dog... no, a wolf? It’s staring at us who have entered this room.

『Nia-dono, Est-dono, who might that person be?』

「It talked?!」(Touya)

The wolf talked in a far-reaching baritone voice of a man. Is that a summoned beast?!

「This is Mochizuki Touya-san. He may be able to undo the professor’s curse. Touya-san, this is Fenrir. He’s the professor’s... he’s a golem of the person who’s currently suffering from a curse.」(Est)

「A golem?!」(Touya)

I’m surprised at Est-san’s introduction. Is this wolf a golem? It looks like a genuine, living wolf in terms of its appearance... Say, are there also even talking golems in this world?!

『Is that so?! I am grateful for that. My master won’t be able to leave on her journey if she doesn’t wake up.』(Fenrir)

The wolf golem happily wags its tail. It’s just like a real dog, having features up to that level.

「... Well, shall I take a look at this curse?」(Touya)

Although I’m also interested in the wolf golem, I still have to check the condition of the girl lying on the bed. In terms of age, she’s probably about 20 years old. Even her seemingly long unkempt silver hair is tucked inside the futon. On the side table next to the bed are thick round spectacles. Those are probably hers. Since she’s called a professor, she must be someone really famous.

Her flow of magic is normal. This curse doesn’t seem to belong to the mental derangement category.

「So she has fallen into this lethargical state due to a cursed artifact, right?」(Touya)

『Aah, that’s right. That curse is an effect placed in the jewel box that’s in the possession of a noble. Apparently, anyone who opens that box becomes cursed』(Fenrir)

Fenrir answers my question.

「Do you still have this jewel box?」(Touya)

「We do. It’s here.」(Est)

Est-san opens a drawer in the side table and takes out a jewel box adorned with lavish ornaments. The box is wrapped around with a string so that it won’t open. That string is probably a safety measure.

Asking to leave the box on top of the table, I then invoke Analysis Magic.

「”Analysis”」(Touya)

Hm.... mm, it’s enchanted with a “Lethargy” curse. It’s a good thing that the curse is simple, but it might indeed be worrisome if I consider how limited the recovery techniques in this world are. Being a curse, this abnormal state will make the victim sleep until that person dies.

So the curse is set by reciting a keyword and pouring magic power into the box while it’s closed, huh? Typical kind of anti-theft curse. So they’re using curses instead of locks here, eh? It’s probably the noble owner who has placed the curse in that box so... Well, I will be able to cancel it with “Recovery” if the level of the curse is only like this.

「Okay. I’ll be able to undo her curses since it’s not that severe.」(Touya)

「Really?!」(Nia)

While giving Nia, who looks at me reflexively, a sidelong glance, I concentrate my magic power on the girl lying on the bed.

「Recovery」(Touya)

The girl gets wrapped in a soft light, which slowly vanishes before long. The curse should’ve been removed with this, but...

「U...」

『Master! It’s me. Can you hear me?』(Fenrir)

「Uu? Fenrir? Sorry, just five more minutes...」

『Don’t be half-asleep!』(Fenrir)

「Gufuu?!」

Fenrir wedges himself with a jumping bodypress from above the futon onto the girl who is trying to sleep again. It doesn’t really matter right now, but I’m wondering just how much do golems weigh. A creaking sound caused by a very heavy weight reverberates. Her bones might have been broken with that lump of iron...

「Ooh! You did it! Not bad!」(Nia)

Saying this, Nia strongly pats my back. That hurts, you know! This woman must be the same as general Leon from Belfast. Besides, what’s with this strength?

The professor, who has been awakened (it seems her name is Erka Patolaqshe), says that she’s going to change her clothes, so the rest of us returns to the strategy room.

Upon hearing that Professor Erka has awakened, Yuni and Yuri, who have been waiting for us, both gently put their hand to their chest in relief.

「We are really thankful for your help in this situation. It’s about time we talk about the reward, but I wonder how much would suffice for you?」(Est)

「Hmmm... receiving the reward for solving the curse... Aah! Will I receive a big reward similar to the Duke of Ortlinde’s or the King of Belfast’s case? 」(Touya)

「Belfast?」(Est)

「Aah no, nevermind that.」(Touya)

I vaguely reply to Est-san. Accurately speaking though, a curse wasn’t the cause for those two cases.

If I’m not mistaken, I received a sum of money and a medal, which secured my social standing, during the Duke’s case; and a sum of money and a residence in the King’s case.

As for receiving something this time, I’m kinda reluctant to “receive” something from a troupe of thieves.

「Well, there’s nothing that I want right now... I will think of something and tell it to you on our next meeting I guess.」(Touya)

「However, we will move to our next destination away from here in a little while, you know? 」(Yuni)

「Eh? Is that so?」(Touya)

historical

「Yep. We originally came here to repair my golem, so we built a small base in this area. Our true base of operations is located on the mountain to the north from the capital. Soon, that place will likely be leaked to the members of the knight order as well, so we have to run away.」(Nia)

Well, they are supposedly chivalrous thieves or whatnot, but that still doesn’t change the fact that they are a group of criminals. It would get dangerous if they get caught. Apart from that, does Nia has her own golem as well?

「Just so you know, Professor Erka is a first-class golem engineer, and I’m currently asking her to repair my golem. As wide as the world may be, only someone like the professor, who’s being hailed as the “Restoration Queen” or the “Instructor”, can repair the “Crown”. Even so, the professor is only capable of restoring a part of it when I asked her to, apparently.」(Nia)

I don’t really understand what the “Crown” is, but it looks like this Chief asked Engineer Erka to repair her broken golem. Then, during their search for the necessary materials, the professor contacted the curse of that jewel box and fell into lethargy.

「Well, I can use Search Magic. I can easily look for you if ever I decide to meet you in person, so it’ll still be alright for me.」(Touya)

「... Say, what sort of things can you look for with your magic?」(Est)

「I can only look for objects or people that I know of. That’s why searching for Est-san’s mother will be impossible for me even if you tell me to. It’ll be another story though if you have a photo of her.」(Touya)

Be that as it may, the range of “Search” is limited as of the moment since the input of data in the map application isn’t finished yet. It’s limited only up to the outskirts of this capital. Though I believe that I will be able to fill the map in a few days if I summon a few thousand birds or so.

「Hey, you seem to be able to do a lot of stuff. How about joining the “Red Cats”? 」(Nia)

「I refuse.」(Touya)

「What a quick reply. C’mon, isn’t that fine? Ah, you’ll also teach me magic. The one which can blow off my enemies with a “Dobabaan!*」(Nia)

Nia shakes my arm while she says those. Damn! This one is annoying.

「Speaking of magic, you won’t be able to learn it if you don’t have an aptitude for any of its types. That’s why there are people who can’t learn it at all no matter what they do.」(Touya)

「Then, let’s try and test if I have those “aptitudes”. If I have none, then I’ll give up.」(Nia)

「Maybe next time.」(Touya)

Seeing as magic isn’t that developed in this world, I don’t really know if it’s fine to teach magic to a group of outlaws, even if they call themselves “chivalrous thieves”.

「Eeh~, What’s with that?! So stingy~! Teach us magic~! Magic~! It’s not like you’ll lose anything or what. ~Ow! That hurts!」(Nia)

A chop by Est-san is once again wedged into the crown of the fool, who’s strongly pulling my hand.

「You don’t really learn from what I’ve been telling you, do you? I’m talking about you acting in such a way that fits your position, don’t you agree? It’s because you act like this without any regard for the consequences that I’m the one stuck with repairing “Rouge”.」(Est)

「I’ll become even stronger if I can learn magic, won’t I? If so, then I won’t make that kind of blunder again. That’s why, teach me magic, Touya!」(Nia)

Nia once again pulls my arm. As Est-san is about to prepare for another chop, the door behind us opens.

「All of you here are having an interesting conversation now, aren’t you? I want to join in as well.」(Erka)

Turning toward the voice, I see the wolf-type golem Fenrir and engineer Erka who has been released from the curse. But is that really her?

Her appearance is too disappointing. She’s wearing a white worn-out robe with her silver hair left unkempt. To make it worse, she’s wearing bulky round glasses that looks like the bottom of milk bottles. I think her general look isn’t bad. Isn’t it better for her take more care of her appearance?

「Let me introduce myself once again. I’m Erka Patolaqshe. I work as a golem engineer. Thank you very much for helping me.」(Erka)

「I’m Mochizuki Touya. Please don’t mind it.」(Touya)

Engineer Erka bows her head. To be honest, I just tagged along to satisfy my curiosity, so it is not a big deal.

「Well, I’m glad that you cured the professor. I wonder, will you now cure Rouge as well? 」(Nia)

「I’ve already said this before, right? Think before speaking... Stop saying as if that’s what will happen after healing the professor」(Est)

「It hurts~?!」(Nia)

Once again Est-san’s chop explodes. Just how many times have you hit her already?

Seeing the exchange between the two, Engineer Erka starts to talk.

「The amount of materials is still insufficient, you see. Amongst those, getting our hands on Orichalcum, which is also known as the divine gold, is a serious problem. Someone like the king of this country should have some, but...」(Erka)

「If he’s a tyrant, we will snatch it without batting an eyelid」(Est)

「What’s with that? Do we have to gather information as to where we can find those again?」(Nia)

Badan! Nia falls prostate on top of the desk in the strategy room

「If Orichalcum is what you need, I have some」(Touya)

As I calmly speak out my thoughts, the prostrating Nia jumps from her desk and stares at me.

「You say that you have... divine gold?」(Nia)

「I do. Look」(Touya)

Opening “Storage”, I then take out an Orichalcum ingot and place it on top of the desk. Engineer Erka takes it in her hands, takes out a pole-looking object from her pocket and begins examining the ingot by hitting it for some reason. Sancho-san had the same article with him as well. Is that a magic artifact that can identify the composition of metal ores?

「It’s genuine. It’s my first time seeing an Orichalcum having a purity this high. ... Could it be that you also have some Adamantine or Hihiirokane?」(Erka)

「Speaking of those two, I have them, but the amount is lower. Well, I have some at the least」(Touya)

Same as before, I take out Adamantine and Hihiirokane ingots from “Storage”. Engineer Erka then confirms that they’re the real thing with her examination.

「Touya-san, it may sound impolite, but how would you like to sell these to us? We’ll pay a proper, reasonable price for them」(Est)

「No problem. It’s nothing major if I sell this much」(Touya)

「Hey, whose rich noble’s son are you...?」(Nia)

No, I’m a king. Without saying as much, I mislead her by laughing ambiguously.

「Anyway, I’ll now be able to repair “Rouge” with this. If I have a day for it——— 」(Erka)

「I-It’s terrible!」

The door being guarded by the armored warrior golem, Akagane, opens, and a single man enters inside the room. It’s a youth with a red bandana. His breathing is rough, and he’s sweating profusely. It looks like he ran toward here with all his might.

「The hideout in the northern mountains is under attack! Those guys from the Knight Order are heading toward that place in huge numbers...!」

「WHAT?!」(Nia)

「We have dispatched a messenger over there. Was he caught...?」(Est)

The expression on the standing Nia’s face changed. It looks like the information about their stronghold she talked about was leaked.

「Damn! Rouge cannot be used... We should be able to rescue them with just Akagane... What should we do, Est?」(Nia)

「I wonder if we can make it in time or not, even if we return there right now... Our best option is to get away from here and abandon the other side, but... 」(Est)

「As if we can do that! The “Red Cats” do not abandon their comrades!」(Nia)

DANN! Nia strikes the desk. So she thinks of them as her comrades. She won’t deserve the position as their chief if she doesn’t think about them by this much as the bare minimum.

「Should I lend a hand?」(Touya)

「Ah?!」(Nia)

Don’t glare at me. Though I do understand where that’s coming from.

「Map Display. The outskirts of the capital Alen」(Touya)

『Displaying』

「Uooo?!」(Nia)

Looking at the map of the capital outskirts being projected in the air, Nia’s group leaks out surprised voices.

Hmmm. As I feared. The places being displayed are only those that I’ve seen when I was coming here with “Fly”. In case of the Surface World (the other side), it was Kami-sama who filled up the map for me. There is no way I can shamelessly ask for the same thing again. Can’t be helped.

「I can use Transfer Magic, which allows me to instantly travel to the places I have been to, at least once. It’s my first time in this capital, so I can’t go to any place, except for those currently being displayed on this map」(Touya)

「Transfer Magic...!? Are you saying that you can instantly teleport to the place if it’s on this map? How many people can you take with you?」(Est)

「It’s probably safe to say that I can take any number of people. I’ve also happened to transfer more than a hundred people at the same time」(Touya)

「Yuni! Go and immediately gather all members currently in here into the exit! Prepare for battle!」(Est)

「りっ、了解っス！」

「R-Roger!」(Yuni)

Yuni reacts to the voice of Sub-Chief Est-san and starts running toward the passage leading from the entrance door and outside in hot haste.

「You really can do anything, don’t you?... Are you not a “Crown” of the pseudo-human-types?」(Nia)

「“Crown”?」(Touya)

「A golem referred to as the “Crown Series”. They are ancient machines, Legacy, who possess unique abilities, which are cut out above the rest. It’s one of the golems standing at the summit of this world」(Erka)

Engineer Erka gives me an explanation. So there are even golems like that here, huh? While I am admiring at this piece of info, Est-san follows up on that knowledge.

「As a matter of fact, Nia’s golem, “Blood Rouge”, is one of those “Crowns” as well, but it was rendered unmovable after the battle with another “Crown”」(Est)

「A surprise attack disabled my golem... This “Purple” bastard! My golem won’t easily go down next time」(Nia)

I don’t really get it, but it looks like this issue she’s talking about is a private quarrel.

I would like to take a look at this “Crown” thing for a bit, but now is not the time for doing that.

「Sub-chief! All members are assembled!」(Yuni)

Yuni forces her head through the door and shouts. Responding to her, Est-san faces the passage once again. There are two rows of “Red Cats” members that are lined up, are facing this way and are waiting for orders.

「First division will be on standby here! Second division will go along with us to save our fortress! We will be moving to the immediate location via Transfer Magic, so make sure you are ready to start the battle immediately!」(Est)

『Haaa! !』

Having returned to the strategy room from the passage, Est-san motionlessly gazes at the projected map and points at a certain spot.

「Can you transfer us in this location of this northern mountain?」(Est)

「I can. Is the group over there and the ones here going to be the ones going with us?」(Touya)

Based on the discussion from before, it will be the guys from the second division along with Chief Nia, Subchief Est, Yuri, Yuni, Engineer Erka, and the golems Fenrir and Akagane, right?

「No, we will have both Professor and Fenrir remain here. Honestly speaking, I would also like for Nia to remain here as well, but...」(Est)

「I. will. absolutely. go.」(Nia)

Says Nia while breathing roughly and while tightly grasping her fists.

「I don’t believe that you without your Rouge will be of any use though」(Est)

「So harsh?! I AM useful, ain’t I?! I am reasonable strong, even without Rouge!」(Nia)

Are you really though? You look delicate. Oh well, it should be fine to lend a helping hand once things get dangerous, but I don’t really want to be treated as a comrade to thieves.

Becoming a wanted man in the Reverse World is kinda... Even though it’ll be fine to just go and escape to the Surface World, but gaining a negative reputation here is something that I don’t want to happen. Guess I have no other choice but to ensure that I won’t be recognized by other people.

Speaking of which, I also can’t simply kill their opponents, who aren’t even bad men to begin with. If only I could allow the members of “Red Cats” to escape the siege by skillfully maneuvering through the Knight Order... Hm, isn’t that possible?

「Map display. Color the members of the Knight Order in blue, and the Red Cats in red」(Touya)

『Displaying』

「Uoo! What are those markers?」(Nia)

Nia looked surprised at red and blue markers that appeared in the vicinity of the stronghold in the forest. The red dots are being encircled by a swarm of blue dots bit by bit.

「The blue ones are members Knight Order, and Red ones are “Red Cats”. It looks like the battle has yet to start, but it seems the people in the fortress are being encircled. Should I do it then since the situation has become like this...?」(Touya)

「What are you talking about?」(Est)

I give a rough reply to Est-san.

「Say, is it okay to abandon this fortress if it ensures the safety of the people inside? In the first place, aren’t you planning to eventually leave that area?」(Touya)

「Eh? Yeah, it will be bad if certain things become exposed one way or another, but we aren’t too obs-->>

next page