Mushoku Tensei (LN) - Volume 14 - Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

A Day in the Floating Fortress

TWO DAYS FLEW BY in the blink of an eye.

After regaining consciousness, Zanoba merrily toured the castle, enjoying all the handicrafts within. Being able to mill about freely had him in high spirits. I was relieved that he’d fully recovered from my electric spell. If he hadn’t regained consciousness, I wouldn’t know what to tell Ginger.

Cliff, on the other hand, had changed. Immediately after the battle, he’d spoken with Kishirika and I’d wondered what that was about. It turned out they were discussing his reward for helping her before—a demon eye. He got the Eye of Identification from her. It allowed him to look at any item and understand its characteristics. He chose it so that he would be able to help if anything like Nanahoshi’s illness ever happened again. As always, Cliff was nothing if not heroic.

That heroism, however, wasn’t helping him to master the eye. He was struggling with it. Apparently, everything he looked at came with a name tag and an explanation. To him, the whole world was flooded with text. He couldn’t walk around without Elinalise guiding him by the hand. I was sure he would master it eventually. When he did, people would surely call him Cliff the Wise! Until then, he’d probably have to wear an eyepatch.

Next was Nanahoshi.

We decocted the tea leaves we brought back from the Demon Continent and had her drink the tonic. Not too long after, Nanahoshi began complaining that she had to use the restroom. Yuruzu helped her to the sickbay, and…well, to preserve her honor, I’ll spare you the details. Let’s just say she was on the mend.

“How are you feeling otherwise?” I asked.

Nanahoshi was still bedridden. Her complexion had improved considerably, but the fatigue still remained. She’d also lost a lot of weight. It was as if everything she had in her stomach had been flushed out, leaving nothing but a skeleton behind.

“I’m feeling quite a bit better.”

To be on the safe side, she would need to rest another month, but at least she was in better spirits now. 

Her expression was different from her usual tense one. Rather, she looked like she was dazed from having just woken up. Her hair was a disheveled mess, sticking out in every direction. I used to think she lived an unhealthy lifestyle, but at least she kept her hair brushed every day.

“Thank you for helping me.” She bowed her head, hands cupped around a warm mug of Sokas Grass tea. Her formality and sincerity were a rare display. “I truly appreciate you shouldering so much risk to go get these tea leaves for me. You, um…really helped me out.”

There was something deeply unsettling about hearing her talk like that.

Nah, I’m sure she’s just feeling weak, so she’s kind of out of it.

“No sweat.”

“You looked after me last time I was in trouble, too. I said some pretty insensitive things to you, and yet you helped me without ever resenting me for it. I don’t even know how to begin to thank you…” She gave me an apologetic look.

I’d never witnessed Nanahoshi acting so politely. Maybe Yuruzu of Atonement’s abilities could transfer personalities on top of stamina.

“Now that I think about it, I was pretty casual and crude with you, even though you’re older than me.”

I shook my head. “I don’t mind at all. In this world, I’m only eighteen.”

“And how old were you before coming here?”

“Thirty. But don’t worry about it. Let’s forget the whole age thing. And you don’t have to be so polite. You can talk to me the way you always have.”

“All right.”

Her expression was serene as she slowly nursed her drink, as if she could feel the immediate effects.

I cleared my throat. “I am sure they already told you, but your sickness…”

“Won’t go away entirely. Yes, I know.”

Nanahoshi wasn’t fully cured of Dryne Syndrome. Sokas Grass would temporarily break up the mana building inside her, but if left untreated, it would accumulate to the same levels it had before. Since she wasn’t from this world, she didn’t have the immunity to the syndrome that the rest of the people here did. Fortunately, drinking Sokas Grass tea daily would keep it from building up.

There was also the possibility that even a little magic could make her sick. The next illness she came down with might be something even Kishirika didn’t know—something even more ancient than Dryne Syndrome. As long as she was here she couldn’t entirely avoid mana. It was everywhere—in the atmosphere, in the food we ate.

“Nanahoshi, you have to return home. You can’t die here.”

“…Yeah.”

“I’ll do anything I can to help you secure a way to get back.”

“But I…”

I shook my head. “I don’t need your gratitude or anything. Although if I get myself into trouble along the way, I hope you’ll be there for me in return.”

Nanahoshi started sniffling as the tears welled up in her eyes. She let out a muffled sob, her voice barely above a whisper as she said, “Thank you.”

I patiently waited for her to stop crying. 

She continued sobbing for a bit, her eyes red and swollen. She spoke in a nasally voice as she said, “But I will go home.”

“Yeah. I’m sure you want to get back as fast as you can.”

“No, I mean, I might not be able to repay you for everything before I leave.”

Wait, so she wants to repay me for everything before she goes home? She’s more conscientious than I gave her credit for.

“There’s no need to pressure yourself like that. You’ve helped me out before too, after all.”

“I did that to thank you for helping with my research.”

“All right, then I would like some detailed advice on a small matter.”

She frowned. “What small matter?”

“For instance, what does a girl around my age want? Sylphie and I have a long future ahead of us. We’re married and have a child, but I still don’t know what’s going through her head. Given that you’re about the same age, I thought you might know something.”

“About what Sylphie’s thinking?” Nanahoshi stroked her chin and stared down at her blanket. She seemed to be seriously considering the matter. She sure is dedicated to paying me back.

“You don’t have to answer right now,” I said. “You can wait until we have a fight or I want to make up with Sylphie or something.”

“All right.” Nanahoshi nodded, her expression sincere.

Although she was close in age to Sylphie, there was much that separated them; they came from different worlds and Sylphie was married. Nanahoshi couldn’t understand her completely. Even I had no idea what the guys my age were thinking.

“In that case, we’ll leave it at that. I’m sure your body is still weak, so take your time recovering.”

“Yes, I will,” Nanahoshi replied. “Thank you.”

I left the room. If I hung around with just her for too long, I might make Sylphie jealous again. She was cute in that mode, but I took no pleasure in giving her anxiety. I never wanted to make her second-guess my love. The fact that I had yet to succeed in doing that was a failure on my part.

***

As I strode down the hallway, evening sunlight poured in through the windows.

Ah, the sunset is beautiful no matter which world you live in.

I wasn’t so fond of heights, but the view from the floating fortress’s spacious garden was tempting. From there, I could look out at the sea of clouds as the sun ducked behind the horizon. 

Even I liked a little pampering on occasion. With that thought in mind, I made my way outside.

The shrubbery was perfectly trimmed, and there were dozens of flowers I had never seen before. As the sun sank beneath the clouds, it bathed the area in radiant light, making it look like a mirage.

If I brought Sylphie to a place like this and whispered sweet nothings to her, how would she respond? Knowing her, she would probably turn bright red, drop her gaze to the ground, and squeeze my hand. Surely her reaction would be an adorable one.

All right, once Sylphie fully recovers, let’s give it a try!

I wanted to do the same with Roxy, but alas, demons were forbidden from entering the fortress. Also, it probably wouldn’t go over very well, considering Roxy’s personality. She’d probably stare blankly at me and say, “You know you don’t have to use those corny lines with me, right?” She’d be willing to sleep with me regardless. She was frank that way, even though she didn’t look it.

But that ain’t it! It ain’t about sex. I just wanna be lovey-dovey! I wanted us to watch the sunset together. Roxy would say, “It sure is beautiful, isn’t it?” And I would reply, “Yeah, but not as beautiful as you.” And then she would blush and act embarrassed—that was what I wanted to see!

Well, she isn’t here anyway, so I’m outta luck.

“Hm?”

As I walked, lost in thought, I spotted a table at the edge of the garden. Three people sat around it.

“And that was when my master used his magic. This purple light shot out of his right hand, and it charred Atofe’s body, paralyzing her in place.”

“Aha. So it was his magic that weakened her that much.”

“Lord Rudeus’s magic does seem to know no bounds.”

Zanoba, Ariel, and Perugius were having a nice chat. As the evening sunlight washed over them, they seemed to be enjoying their conversation. Luke and Sylvaril waited nearby, though they weren’t participating. They merely stood and listened in on Zanoba’s conversation.

“Master Elinalise and I did get caught in his attack, but I don’t think there is another mage in the world that can use such a spell outside of my master.”

“I hear it resembled lightning,” Perugius replied. “But if it was able to paralyze Atofe, as you say, it must have been quite potent.”

“And? What happened after that? How did the battle end?” Ariel asked.

“Unfortunately, I’m afraid I lost consciousness at that point, so I’m unable to… Ah, there’s the man himself.” 

Zanoba’s gaze found me, so I had no other choice. I bowed and made my way toward their group. “Good evening. Are you having a tea party?”

“Yes, Master! Lord Perugius said he wanted to know how our battle with Atofe transpired, so I was explaining the finer details to him.”

“I see.” I glanced over at Perugius. He seemed in much better spirits than when we first had an audience with him.

“I heard that it was your magic that weakened Atofe so greatly, Rudeus,” he said.

“No, that was largely thanks to Zanoba locking her in place. If I had aimed my spell at her without his help, she may have deflected it.”

“I see, yes. Hehe, that image of her still lingers in my mind.” His face cracked into an obscene grin.

Does he really hate Atofe that much? He was in a good mood.

“You seem to be quite chipper,” I said.

“Of course I am. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get an opportunity to exact revenge on someone who has given me grief so many times I have lost count.”

“Revenge, you say?”

“Yes. A grudge, if you will, that’s lasted a number of years.”

He was probably referring to the war that happened 400 years ago—Laplace’s War. Perugius was a young adventurer at the time, but he aided the humans, fighting on the front lines. Atofe had also spearheaded some of the demons’ forces, acting as a general. Perugius encountered her many times on the battlefield. Since he was young and inexperienced, he wasn’t able to beat her, instead sustaining life-threatening injuries at each encounter. Two people who saved him back then: the Dragon God Urupen, an older brother-type figure to Perugius, and North God Kalman. 

Perugius could only grit his teeth in frustration at each loss. He planned to eventually take revenge on Atofe, but then North God Kalman married her. When Kalman died, he made the two swear an oath that they wouldn’t kill each other. Thus, Perugius never went back to the Demon Continent, destroying his chances for revenge. He had almost given up hope on ever striking back at Atofe, but this timing was more perfect than he could have imagined. He took a shot at her without her coming after him in return. That was what had him on cloud nine.

“I must thank you for that,” said Perugius. “You did a splendid job.”

“Are you sure it’s okay that you broke your oath to North God Kalman?”

“He forbade us from killing each other. I am sure he wouldn’t fuss over some one-sided pummeling.”

Beating up a defenseless opponent for something they did centuries ago seemed pretty barbaric to me. Although that spoke volumes about the depth of the grudge they shared.

“It appears I may have misjudged you a bit. I should give you some kind of reward,” said Perugius.

“I don’t really need a reward.”

No thanks. Count me out. I do not want power—not like Atofe offered.

“Ah yes, once Nanahoshi finishes recovering, I will personally teach you how to use summoning magic.”

I hesitated. “Uh, I’m not going to be stuck here and unable to return home for the next decade if I agree to that, right?”

“Do not compare me to Atofe.”

Oh, well, as long as I could go home, there was no reason to refuse. I did want to know more about summoning and teleportation magic. Plus, I might face a similar crisis in the future. It wouldn’t hurt to learn other ways to fight, just in case. I wasn’t fond of conflict, but in this world, you needed a modicum of strength to escape danger. I thought it would be enough to protect my family, but after the hydra and what happened this time, it was pretty clear I wasn’t powerful enough. I wanted to think that situations where I would have to fight anything of that level would be few and far between, but better safe than sorry.

“Um, Lord Perugius, do you think you could possibly do some training with me or teach me how to fight better? I don’t mind if it’s after the summoning lessons.”

“Hmph. Was this brought on by your encounter with Atofe? Or are you not satisfied already with the power you possess?”

Ah, crap. Now his mood has soured. This isn’t good.

“It’s nothing like that. I just thought it would be nice to have better options if I ever got into that kind of trouble again.”

After a long pause, he said, “Very well. I will give you an item so that you can contact me. Sylvaril.” He shot a look over at her.

Sylvaril produced a flute from her pocket, one that resembled a tower with a dragon wrapped around it.

“If you use this in any place I have a connection to, Clearnight of the Roaring Thunder will hear it, and Arumanfi will come to see you.”

I accepted the flute and tucked it away. It sounded like he would come to help me if I ever needed it. That wasn’t a bad solution either.

“Hm, seems the sun has set.”

I glanced back; the evening light had faded. Now the moon was hovering in the sky. Strangely enough, the area around us wasn’t dark. That was thanks to the blue glow the flowers in the garden gave off.

“This table is made from illuminators,” Perugius explained. “Go on, have a seat. Why don’t we continue to chat for a bit?”

Obediently, I plopped down.

***

“The dwarves’ craftsmanship was really at its height prior to the second Great Human-Demon War.”

“Indeed. If the dwarves hadn’t lost their homeland during the conflict, they might still be making masterpieces now.”

Perugius was actually an interesting fellow once you got to talking with him. He possessed great wisdom and loved the fine arts. He was also a man of culture who had an appreciation for creative work.

“The dwarven race has endured, at least. They possess such dexterous hands, I am sure they will one day produce another craftsman capable of creating superb work.”

“Speaking of which,” Perugius said, redirecting the conversation, “I believe you said one of you was raising such a craftsman.”

Zanoba nodded. “Yes, though he may not look it, my master is deeply knowledgeable about figurines. We thought that if we taught a dwarf such techniques, we might achieve new heights.”

“You did show me one of Rudeus’s figurines. It was quite interesting. It’s incredible that he was able to create a replica of a person with such intricate detail.”

The two of them were enjoying their conversation. Sadly, I lacked the level of knowledge they possessed, so I wasn’t able to keep up with them. The discussion was still interesting enough to listen in on, though.

“No,” I said, “you flatter me too much.”

“No need to be humble,” said Perugius.

“Agreed. Sylphie has told me many times about how talented you are, Lord Rudeus.”

There was actually one more participant in our tea party. While the other two merrily conversed with each other, she tried to jump in with her own suggestions and knowledge. Sadly, her attempts were fruitless. These two were so hardcore that she, like me, could not hope to keep up.

“It’s not just magic. Lord Rudeus is knowledgeable about the arts as well. He truly is an amazing person.”

“Thank you, Princess.”

Acting as a third wheel in the conversation was none other than Ariel Anemoi Asura. She desperately wanted Perugius’s help, but she was at a loss on how to gain his favor. I smiled uncomfortably as she showered me with exaggerated praise. For the better part of the conversation, she had turned into a robot that awkwardly inserted herself and parroted the same generic lines. It was obvious she had nothing of substance to add to the conversation.

She’s got a long road ahead of her.

“Incidentally, Lord Perugius, we were thinking of putting some of these figurines on the market soon. Might we ask your honest opinion on the idea?” Zanoba blurted out. He reached for a box that he had left at his feet—one I had seen before.

“Oh?” Intrigued, Perugius gazed at it. When Zanoba lifted the lid, however, his mood quickly soured. “A Superd figurine?”

“I should have known you would recognize it at a mere glance.”

Perugius’s lips thinned.

Zanoba lifted out the Ruijerd figurine that Julie had made. Stylistically, it was a little different from the one I’d made, but the pose and overall design made it feel life-like. That wasn’t enough to satisfy Perugius, though.

“You ask me this question, knowing how I detest demons?” He stared at the Ruijerd figure in disgust as he spat, “You had better give up any illusions you have about selling this thing.”

Hopeless, as I expected. Perugius really did loathe demons. He was an otherwise tolerant person but held greater prejudice against demons than anyone I had ever met. Zanoba should have known that showing a Superd figurine to someone like Perugius would only ruffle their feathers. What was he playing at?

“Nonetheless, the model for this figurine is someone to whom you owe a debt, Lord Perugius,” said Zanoba.

“A debt, you say?” Perugius frowned. After thinking for a moment, his eyes went wide. “Don’t tell me you used Ruijerd Superdia as a model for this?”

“Yes, we did. You’ve told me that in your last battle with Laplace, it was Lord Ruijerd who assisted you.” 

The words rolled smoothly off Zanoba’s tongue. He wasn’t bringing this up on the fly. The two of them had enjoyed a number of tea parties without me; Zanoba must have gotten that information out of Perugius previously. Now I could see where this was going—and it gave me hope.

“Of course, I am perfectly aware of your distaste for demons. However, I also believe that if my master’s skills had some public exposure, this type of craftsmanship would take the world by storm. Wouldn’t you like to see that happen? Imagine it—a splendid world overflowing with art.”

“Hmm…” Perugius pulled a face.

We were so close to convincing him. Maybe I should hop into the conversation, too?

“I hate the Superd. They move in the darkness, massacring innocent lives. Though it is also true that without Ruijerd’s help, I wouldn’t be alive today. However…”

“Lord Perugius, Ruijerd regrets the things he did in the past,” I blurted.

“He does?” Perugius tilted his head.

Now, how should I best explain this…

“Yes. Laplace deceived him.”

“Laplace, you say…” Perugius’s face clouded over.

Looks like this is a good direction.

“That’s right. Laplace gave him a spear that robbed him of his senses. Ruijerd was manipulated into dishonoring his entire clan. Worse, he even killed his own family. Now, he feels ashamed of himself and hates Laplace for what he did.”

Perugius listened quietly.

“That’s why he’s traveling the world right now, looking for a way to restore honor to his people. This plan of ours is one way we can help him in his endeavor. I also owe Ruijerd a great debt. If you’re grateful for the help he provided you, then I hope you’ll approve of what we’re doing—as a way to repay him.”

Perugius folded his arms, closed his eyes, and furrowed his brows. After a long silence, he finally said, “I care not for the Superd and their reputation, but I must honor my debts.”

“Oh, then?”

“Do as you like.”

Although he wasn’t pleased, Perugius had acquiesced, at least. Now we could sell our Ruijerd figurines without fear of Arumanfi appearing out of nowhere and destroying our shop. In fact, if someone disapproved of our doing so, we could tell them that Perugius had given us his permission. I had no idea how much weight his name carried, but it was sure to be handy, given his fame.

Anyway, Zanoba sure made a persuasive argument. Being able to wriggle his way through such a difficult topic—he was definitely impressing me more and more lately. I needed to learn from his example.

“We appreciate your consideration.”

Both Zanoba and I bowed our heads. We were one step closer to selling these figurines to the public.

Just wait a bit longer for me, Ruijerd.

“While we’re on the topic, Master, why don’t you give Lord Perugius a taste of your skill?” Zanoba smacked his palm as if this idea had just occurred to him.

“My skill?”

“You know, your special ability to make these figurines out of nothing.”

I glanced over at Perugius, who nodded in approval. “Show me. I am interested in this magic of yours.”

And so started my real-time demonstration of making a figurine. I did the same thing I always did: use earth magic to create the general shape, then chip away at each part until the overall figure came together. This time, I decided to create one around the size of a Nendoroid figurine. It made things easier and meant I could finish it quickly. The quality wouldn’t be the best, but at least the parts were simple to construct. I created a bird’s mask over the figure’s face. This would be a Sylvaril figure.

“This is Sylvaril? You’re quite dexterous.” Perugius’s eyes were fixed on me as I worked, closely observing each step. He seemed greatly interested. I wondered if he could actually see my mana. Or maybe he could just sense how I was manipulating it. He was a legendary hero, after all. “I never dreamed anyone would use earth magic in such a way.”

“If you have a request, I can make anything you want,” I offered.

“Very well. In that case, bring me one high-quality figurine you make, and I will buy it from you.”

Nice, now we had a regular customer. Considering we had no idea where Badigadi had disappeared off to, securing another business opportunity like this was important.

“In that case…” Ariel spoke up, joining the conversation. “We also have some splendid craftsmen back in the Asura Kingdom.” She went on with a spiel about how skilled their craftspeople were, and promised she would have a statue of Perugius installed once she took the throne. 

The whole time she rambled, Perugius looked annoyed. When she was done, he spat, “Asura’s craftsmen only create works to satisfy the vanity of the nobility. There is nothing interesting about their art at all.”

“…What?” Ariel was struck speechless.

As if to hammer the nail further into the coffin, Perugius continued, “If you truly do become king, will you not have more important things to do than create a statue of me?”

“W-well, I…”

Perugius cut her off. “Or is misappropriating the peoples’ taxes to live in luxury your definition of being king?”

“N-no, not at all. My apologies. I spoke out of turn. Please, forget I said anything.” Ariel dropped her gaze, trying to backpedal. It was hard to believe this dejected person normally overflowed with charisma and confidence.

Still, the way Perugius coldly rebuffed her was uncalled for. Did he really hate her that much? Had what she said really got under his skin that badly?

“Wait, Ariel Anemoi Asura,” Perugius called out as she tried to slink away. His oppressive gaze bore into her. “What does being king mean to you? What does a true king possess?”

“Well…they’re wise, listen to their cabinet ministers, and don’t forget their position in society…”

“Wrong.” Perugius shook his head, not even letting her finish. “The Asuran king I knew was a true king, but he was nothing like you describe.”

“Which king?”

“The man who took the throne in the wake of Laplace’s War, my sworn friend, Gaunis Freean Asura.”

I had heard a bit about King Gaunis before. He was the last surviving member of the Asuran royal family after Laplace’s War. He became a great ruler who brought the country together after it was ravaged during the conflict. The fighting took a great toll on the Asuran lands, but his skills as a monarch kept the country from descending into civil war.

“I have heard that King Gaunis was a great ruler. I doubt I could ever follow in his footsteps.”

Perugius shook his head again. “He was not great. He was a coward who hated conflict and was always running away. He couldn’t study to save his life, possessed no skill in battle, and he was always sneaking out to some pub to ogle the women there. He had no ambition to take the throne, but he had the most important quality a ruler can have. That, I believe, is what made him a true king.”

“What quality was that?”

“If you can bring me that answer yourself, then I will give you my support.”

Ah, so this is the trial he intends to give her. He’s testing Ariel, to see if she’s someone deserving of his assistance or not.

“The most important quality a king can have,” Ariel echoed, stroking her chin as she stared at the table. She was probably trying to remember the stories she had heard of King Gaunis.

Sounds like to me the guy was just a complete idiot. Or maybe he was a genius in disguise, similar to Oda Nobunaga?

“Rudeus.” Perugius turned to me. “What do you think?”

“I’m afraid I would have no idea how to answer the question, given I’m not royalty.”

“What a dull reply. You don’t have to contemplate the answer, just say whatever comes to mind.”

That’s still kind of a tall order. 

A king, huh? What was a king supposed to be in the first place? I knew they appeared a lot in fantasy stories, but what did they actually do? They were someone at the top. A country’s ruler—like a prime minister, I knew that. To be honest, I didn’t have much of an interest in politics even in my previous life. All I did was look at how other people online reacted to politicians and followed their lead. 

“Personally, I think I’d prefer a ruler who can put themselves in the shoes of the common folk, rather than someone who relies on their own abilities.”

“Aha.” Perugius exhaled, seeming impressed with my bland answer. “Ariel, this boy just gave me a much better reply than you.”

After a pause, she argued, “But a person cannot be king if they only ever think of the people.”

“True. It’s not as though Gaunis only ever thought about the people, either. However, those around him did lend him their help, and he was able to suppress the potential for uprisings in Asura.”

“So you’re saying a king’s own abilities are meaningless?”

“Is that what you think? Is a country who makes an imbecile their ruler a good country in your eyes?”

Ariel’s expression contorted with sadness and frustration. What exactly was Perugius trying to get her to say? I had no idea. Well, not that I really needed to. I had no designs on any throne. Perhaps Perugius was actually trying to test Ariel’s determination and character. Maybe there wasn’t a “correct” answer.

Still, is a king so great that it’s worth going through all this trouble to become one?

“You should think long and hard about this, Ariel Anemoi Asura.” After a brief pause, Perugius said, “Now then, it is late. Why don’t we return to the fortress?”

With that, our tea party was over.

I would long remember the way Ariel looked as we made our way back inside, her shoulders slumped forward as she shuffled along with Luke close at her heels.