1st release of the day.

Thank you for the wait, here comes lots of chapters.

Chapter 34 – Magic and Poison and Memory

「I as prepared for this, but......looks like it’s going to turn troublesome again」

「Isn’t it fine, not like there is some disadvantage. Well, being the center of attraction is indeed not a comfortable feeling」

Here is city of Volca.

We returned to the inn at full speed, asked Tanya-chan to refuse every sorts of interviews and every other thing, and were stuffed in the room. After that we retreated into our room.

......I don’t want to go out for a while.

We had to report about the quest within the time limit......that is by day after tomorrow, so we would have to go to the Guild for giving the wrists of Kobold as proof.

But well, waiting a little bit more for the situation to calm down would be better than going to guild which is currently in great turbulence. At least it would be good if I can think like that.

Currently, the Guild was bustling with activity, so it was doubtful if they would even pay our quest any attention.

So like that we returned to our rooms in inn, and were in the middle of relaxing ourselves from fatigue caused by fighting for many hours.

☆☆☆

After going through the fierce battle, we returned to the city of Volca and were engulfed in a great uproar, to the extent that the uproar caused during the『Naga』-case seemed as a joke.

Well, thinking the things that happened during the time of our return, it was natural.

And, we also brought the corpses of the『exceed hopper』which had a good condition by tying them up in the carriages.

Seeing that, the city-people were noisily talking while standing on the edge of street.

During that time, the center of defense, me (dressed in black), was riding the leading carriage, so I was seen by other adventurers who crossed by us.

That reason, and the fact Elk said she was really tired, were the reasons we returned to city, dashed to inn and secluded ourselves in the rooms.

As the platoon leader, Suura-san, was dealing with the after effects related to this case and was reporting about it. It’s not like we had heard about that, but she said it would become like this.

The smuggling of『blood maple』was discovered, furthermore, there was great possibility that due to the landslide this time, the ecosystem of the『Crimson Forest』might have changed. So it is needed to report back to the Guild and the Army about this information/intell, after that there is also the need to investigate and explore about this.

, therefor is also a need for (recon)/(investigation and exploration) the area. [AKs alternative version]

Management sure is very tiring.

Those two delinquents, after returning to city, stuffed themselves in their rooms, it seems.

Though they were injured but not to the extent of a grave injury. Rather than physical injury, the problem might be a mental shock.

For Suura-san and other knights from the guard troop, it is like a good thing, that haughtiness is shivering in the rooms.

It is understandable, after all they are rank D and were cornered by the crowd of rank B or rank A.

After calming down, at a later date, they will carry out the hearing along with us.

Furthermore, I heard this accidently from the subordinate members, that Suura-san asked the person in charge to delay it for a later date because she was caring about our circumstances.

And the last, Zari.

Different from those two, though he had signs of physical fatigue, but he had mental shock or fatigue.

After hearing that we would be taken later for hearing, he left in a nonchalant way.

Though based on the result that they were saved, the subordinates of Suura-san too had mental damage inflicted on them.

And, due to the fact he had covert ability which couldn’t be sensed by Suura-san and the fact he said that he could fight 2 exceed hoppers, makes me feel like he really isn’t some normal person.

Though I didn’t confirm his face, but from the smell, I can affirm that it was Zari hiding there, on that morning......

He didn’t seemed to have intentions to peek or be violent so I left him, but thinking more, this in itself is more mysterious. Just why was he sneakily roaming around?

It bothered me, but there was no answer coming out, so I decided to forget for the time being.

☆☆☆

So, currently, Elk and I were resting in the room of inn.

I am giving the food to Alva, while sitting on the bed with the『Necromicon』in my one hand.

[AK: reminds me of the Necronomicon or is it the same book ]

[ET: What is Necronomicon?]

I am reading it, while making sure, that the grilled meat of the『exceed hopper subspecies』which Alva was eating while perching on my shoulder, doesn’t fall on the book page.

Alva was eating the meat of the dark green grasshopper with an happy expression.

Moreover, he was liking the rare-grilled parts more than the not-grilled ones. Just like a gourmet. It makes an unsatisfying expression while eating raw parts.

So, when it urged for seconds, I grilled it with fire magic and gave the meat.

......I just gave a part, though......

Then, Elk, who was maintaining the weapons while sitting near the table in the center of the room......

「Hey, it has gotten dark, isn’t the light too less for reading a book?」

「? Is that so? I have no problem though」

「Currently you don’t have, but if you keep on reading books with less light your eyesight will get worse」

Well, certainly, it had become hard to read, but that is only for normal people.

Furthermore, currently Elk was repairing the weapons......more precisely, she was in process of sharpening the aforementioned『dagger』.

Since it was an blade, so caution is needed, in that case, good light source for looking at it would also be needed. It would be bad if her hand slipped and she got hurt.

Incidentally, the whetstone used to sharpening that『dagger』to is a special one, but we got it somehow after consulting Noel-neesan.

It was quite pricy, but not something we couldn’t afford.

So, ever since then, on every opportunity she found, Elk started to sharpen her『dagger』, maybe because of sharpening effects, the original lustre of crystal blade was returning bit by bit.

I don’t want that hard-working Elk to get hurt, so I took out the candle (a box with a dozen of them) I had bought before.

Then, I placed them in the candlestand used for holding candles.

This is a candle made from magic for『illumination』purposes, so it was brighter than normal candles. But, it had a brightness like that of a naked light bulb, so I used three of them.

Then, the moment I was about to light up the candles, Alva, who was perched on my shoulder, flapped its wing and started to fly.

Like that it neared the candlestand, and hovered in air without making flapping sounds.

Elk and I were watching it thinking what it is going to do, then it moved the front of claws near the part used for lightening up the candle.

There, I finally understood what Alva was going to do......the next moment,

SFX: Poof

A miniscule amount of flame came out from the front of claws, and light up the candle.

「Whoa, this is great, so you really can use it now, you’re really great~, Alva」

「......？ ......!? !!?」

I looked at Elk only to find her completely stiff while making an expression as if she saw something really impossible with the dagger in her hands.

Oi, it’s dangerous to blank out with a blade in hand, don’t you know?

......Ah, I see. I never told Elk about Alva.

Apparently, Alva somehow learned the way to use fire magic by seeing me make fire with magic.

For me, I just fill fire magic in my hands and make it damn hot, so I can fire up anything with just nearing my hand to the object,

But before was with a snap.

In that way, I could fill magic in my finger, then with a finger snap, make sparks of high temperature to ignite the candles or bonfires.

It’s easy to imagine and looks cool, so based on my mood, I could alternate between the two choices.

And, I could maintain the heat in my fingers for a long time.

The grilled meat which I gave to Alva before was grilled in this way.

Seeing that cycle, apparently, Alva learned it on its own.

Though there was no finger-snaps, but it released somewhat powerful flames, currently, it was even able to grill the somewhat heated meat given by me.

At first, it failed in controlling the spark power, so the meat was charred.

......Even though I explained, but for some reason Elk didn’t agree to it.

「......No, that just cannot happen. Normally, it just is impossible」

「Even if you say that......well, doesn’t it mean that Alva has really good brain, right? It looks like it can understand our words」

「That is the strangest thing....... The demons with that much intelligence only appear after crossing a certain high-leveled line......in the first place, learning magic, though easy one, by just watching, that feat is even impossible for humans. Even more, not even two complete days have passed since its birth, right?」

......Well, yeah, she’s right.

If magic could be copied by just watching a few times then......people aiming to be apprentice of renowned mages would be extinct......

It hasn’t been much time since Alva was born......it hatched out from egg in front of my eyes.

Thinking carefully, why can it understand everything in a conversation and our words, though it shouldn’t have had connections with language?

Isn’t it like asking a japanese who doesn’t know other languages, to listen to a professional russian talk and reply in perfect russian, right?

And, I don’t even know what sort of demon Alva is.......Suura-san too, Zari too, didn’t seem like they about it.

It also had the unique nature of liking magical substances. Looks like I would have to look into it.

「Hmm......just what are you」

PiiiiiiIIIiiiIIiiII?

I tilted my head.

Alva too tilted its head by imitating (?) me. ......It’s more and more owl-like.

「......You guys are quite intimate」

Thanks for that.

PiiIIIIiiIII!

☆☆☆

「I thought about this randomly」

Why are you even thinking, I would not ask it.

「I thought it during the training, that you can use various things, right? Darkness magic aside, like pheromone......even demons get pale due to that, right?」

「No, you don’t have to say that much......it has different varieties and different activation sequences」

「Eh? Really? Aren’t you making it with magic?」

「Well right......」

Strictly speaking, it is about the process at start......something like a『trigger』. Now that I think, I never talked about it.

I too am, more or less, related to『succubus race』.

Within their inherent ability, something called as『charm』exists.

The nature succubus’ have was『energy intake』. This power assisted for that nature.

It was the power to seduce a man for doing as they want......a power like hypnotism.

However, this power was not completely dependent on magic.

My power is a power closely related to the the『sex pheromones』that a living being emits......for seducing the other gender person.

My『Magic Pheromone』are not pure genuine『Pheromone』(do they even exist in humans), but it is with similar power made from from using『Charm』, it is something like quasi-ish magic. Being a part succubus, I too『have』the power.

Though, I cannot use it so easily at all times. After all this and that, it is still a power requiring『Magic Control』.

But because it was a power that would make me regret not using, I did something and manythings with the secretion substance, by using『Elemental Blood』at full power, and in the end I became able to use it too.

But, in reality, it isn’t『Pheromone』, but a『Pheromone-ish Magic』like power.

At first『Magic Pheromone Charm』was created, then I got the hang of it, created『Intimidation』『Warning』『Gather』『Provocation』et cetera, and practiced them.

As for the test subject, I used the bandits which I captured during the bandit extermination when I went with mom. I had even finished the fine adjustments at that time, so it was completed with a high level of perfection.

When I told Elk about it, she admired me, and as though she remembered something,

「So you can actually create substance like that inside the body? Though it comes with magic added」

「Yeah. My body enhancement magic, I cannot tell in details, but it directly affects the vitals and other stuff, so fine control like that is possible for me」

「In that case......can you make poison inside the body?」

「Poison?」

Said that.

Hearing Elk’s, casual questions incited by curiosity......triggered something inside my mind.

Elk’s question was『If you can make god knows what substances called pheromones, then you can make easy thing like poison too, right?』.

historical

We could use it against demons as insecticides or rodenticides.

No, the question in itself had no problems or strange things.

Certainly, I......If I use the body function control of『Elemental Blood』, then I can make toxic substance using the matter inside my body......perhaps, maybe.

My body, with magic particles existing in the cellular levels, could control the functions of body to the level that other people can never reach. The toxic substances present in the body, which are constantly removed, if collected together and used in an attack......

And, I could also add much more stuff to improve it. If I use the waste materials properly, I could produce sulfur easily......supplementing it with magic would make it more reliable.

But,

All that is fine......still, something is getting triggered in my head.

「......Poison......eh?」

「? So is it impossible?」

「No, it’s not it’s impossible......but......」

「But?」

「That idea......I’ve got a feeling that I too have thought about it before......?」

What is it, this seems like a dejavu.

Creating poison from matter inside the body, this idea, seems like I have thought about it before.

I, by nature, am a person who tries to experiment whatever I think is interesting or is interesting for other people. Poison hand or poison mist, fights like these which include poison seem just too much interesting, and it can be put to use with utmost results. This truly enters the category of『Interesting』.

In fact, this is something I would’ve thought about......so why, in all 10 years of training, had I never thought about this?

No, in the first place, did I really......『Not think about this』?

In real, I could’ve have『Thought』about it, but have forgot about that time?

I don’t know exactly, but that sort of feelings, keeps on rolling in my head after hearing『poison』from Elk. Just why is it so......?

Just what the heck is this gloomy feeling? I don’t think I just『forgot』it nice and easy......?

「Hey, Minato what happened? Why are you staring blankly......if you cannot do it then it’s alright, I just wanted to hear due to curiosity」

「Eh? Ah, no, it’s not like that......sorry, I was thinking something.」

「Hmm, I see」

「As for poison......I will try to research on it. I think it would become a magic for various practical uses」

「I see. But don’t try the impossible. If you yourself could not control it, it would be a disaster. It would become a problem, right?」

「You’re right. Getting seriously ill by my own poison is something I cannot laugh at easily」

「That and......I too would be troubled」

Ah well, if her comrade became a poison-man, who spreads the poison using poison attacks, it would be troublesome. Let’s do the research discreetly.

When I thought that,

Elk muttered『No, that is sure but also......』, blushed......and looked at me with her fascinating reproachful gaze.

「......After all isn’t it like that......like even if you remain fine but your body spreads poison to anyone it touches then......」

And, for some reason she stood up while blushing, crossed the room, sat and bed......and tapped the newly spread bedsheet.

「Look, that......wouldn’t it be troublesome? For you and me too. Mainly......in night, here」

「Ah, err, umm......」

Indeed......if it came to that, then well......it would be trouble and inconvenience would occur when communicating, no, it would become impossible.

I too would be pained both on the desire aspect and mental aspect......hm? Would Elk be pained?

「No, idiot, don’t misunderstand! I mean......if you became too much worked up then it would be leave me a bad conscience, I really didn’t mean it that indecent way......it was only as a comrade, you see!?」

......Huh, this is gonna be bad, right?

This story progress......reminded me about the day of『Naga』.

At that time too, Elk blushed, got irritated and following it......

「I......It isn’t like I got worried for your health, neither did I worry that our distance would increase, I seriously didn’t think (collapse) about......why did you fall down before I finished speaking!?」

I-It came after 2 long weeks......the sure-kill attack combo (unknowingly) of Elk......!

「E-Elk......try learning......」

「No, why don’t you try to become used to this!? We both, on top of bed......have did many indecent things......so why are you falling down with this......」

Surely, you are right.

However, maybe my brain has been made this way for a girl to my liking that this attack on brain, even with our distance closed within the two weeks, didn’t made much difference from that time. Maybe I could never get used to this thing.

This has more stronger effect than the attack of big-serpent, or wind magic of a giant grasshopper, or even the poison of bandits. Seriously.

If these tsundere phrases had an offensive ability, I would be have been killed five or six times.

I’m happy, It makes my heart go harsh, It is cute......with those words my mind filled, but it looks like I wouldn’t be fainting this time......

「......! Geez......this why this great idiot makes me worried about him......ah, no, it was lie! Complete lie! I wasn’t really worried ab......Huh!?」

「......Spurt」(TN: *nose blood spurt*, not your normal nosebleed)

Ah, I see, so I’m going down this time too.

While looking at Elk with a『Oh no!』written on her easy to read face, and Alva, on the opposite side, with eyes saying『What the hell is wrong with this couple』(?), I wasn’t able to hold my consciousness. Looks like this became a pattern.

Is the resistance to night work different from......resistance to『Moe』and『Type』 ......? I don’t feel like I could get used to this.