Riot Grasper - Volume 3 - Chapter 4

Volume 3, Chapter 4 【The Royal Magic Research Institute】

I, who had safely returned to Horn, visited the Royal Magic Research Institute.

With 『Royal』 in its name, does it mean it’s under the jurisdiction of the King of Lechelle…?

Because that person would not be frugal in spending money, when it came to objects of his interest, curiosity as to what it was welled up in me.

With the Royal Capital Horn situated at the coastlands, a multitude of buildings lined up facing the sea. Without breaking the tradition, the Royal Magic Research Institute was constructed on a slightly protruded, hilly location. From a distance, it looked as if the building was situated at an island floating on the sea.

The architecture could be called gothic, I guess. Can you even form such a smooth curve with bricks? Looking at those arched windows and that passageway, I could not help but wonder.

In contrast, the roof was conic and pointed. “But why?”

If a girl were to fall from the sky, I can assure you she would be skewered.

“Boss! From the sky, a girl… aaaaaa!!”

…I imagined for a moment. It was scary.

Later, I’ll ask them to round the tip.

――Now then, let’s joke in moderation and get the main work–delivery of goods–done, shall we?

Sorting my thoughts, I went up the stairs decorated with stylish lamps and set foot inside the Magic Research Institute.

It was not a closed space inside. A passage facing a vast courtyard extended. Many doors could be seen on the wall side.

Are they conducting research in those rooms?

I, who was restlessly surveying the surroundings, must obviously look like an outsider. A man, whose body was clad in a robe, came to me and spoke.

「…You are?」

「Erm, I received the quest at the Adventurer Guild. The Quest Paper said the goods had to be delivered here urgently. If I’m not mistaken… the client’s name was Worm.」

The man, as if he had understood, nodded.

「Aa, Grandpa Worm, huh? Wait here; I’ll call him.」

While watching the man–who appeared to be a researcher–disappearing into the other end of the passage, I took the Corolla of the Mana Torrent out of the bag.

Its yellow petals stretched out wide; its size required it to be held in both hands; its shade was strong. It was definitely not fit for decoration.

Observing the Corolla fixedly, I remembered that the man from before had said 『Grandpa Worm』.

He must surely be aged.

If he seemed moody, I would be lucky to deliver the goods and return quickly.

「――Oo, here you are.」

The voice that brought me back from musement had a lightly hoarse impression. From his voice, it could be surmised that he was not young.

「I thought Mana Torrent was a troublesome monster… but you brought it so quickly.」

The old man, who was wearing a robe like the man from before, had a wrinkled face and a pleasant expression.

Owing to his white beard—probably due to his age—and the staff he was holding in his hand, the image of a 『Wizard』 applied perfectly to him. His height was a little shorter than me?

「Now, now. With this, my research can progress.」

After the Corolla has been handed over and the Quest Paper has been signed, the Quest would be complete. However, I tried to hold a conversation.

Because the elderly didn’t seem to be strict.

「Is a Corolla different from normal ones? I don’t quite get it.」

「N? Are you interested?」

When Grandpa Worm turned his clear blue eyes to me, I nodded in a really sorry manner.

「Sorry, but I don’t have much time. Excuse me for taking my leave. Besides, I can’t divulge the contents of research to an outsider.」

It was quite an honest justification.

There seemed to be some mechanism keeping Grandpa Worm, who was returning to the research room, from speaking.

Can’t be helped… I guess. It was merely out of curiosity. All the more since he was busy.

「――Can’t he even observe a bit, quietly?」

Suddenly, a voice resounded from behind. I remembered that voice.

That voice was gentle to the ear like a chiming bell. But that was not the reason. The reason as to why I remembered that voice was because I was afraid for that voice spoke your mind.

Her limbs peeking through her chartreuse green robe were as white as snow; her transparent skin was a weapon that could fascinate those of the opposite gender.

Her well arranged features could make those of the same sex taste defeat before they even got a chance to feel envious; her jade eyes could see through the nature of the person they were cast on; her most charming feature, her ears, were the very proof of her being an elf.

「I… Ilii-san!?」
「Indeed. We meet again, Seiji-san.」

Ilii-san, whom I found upon turning around, visited Merville as an aide to the King of Lechelle, Hardin.

Although I had a fleeting opportunity of getting acquainted with her when I had rescued Marita, I remembered her well.

Her mesmerizing eyes were frightening for they could cursorily read a person.

I could not forget the embarrassment of having my unconscious mind peeped.

I want you to take responsibility.

「W-Why are you here?!」

「Those should be my words. This is the Royal Magic Research Institute; I’m the Court Magician. Is it that unusual for me to assist with the research?」

…She’s right. I agree…

「So, why are you here in Horn, Seiji-san?」

「Erm, the King said it wouldn’t be a loss to come here for once… and I thought it would be a good idea to visit different places.」

At my words, Ilii-san loosened her lips and laughed briefly.

Did I say something strange…?

「Aa, sorry. I’m an eccentric person myself, having left that boring elven hometown of mine. I kind of understand the feeling of wanting to visit different places.」

That perfectly maintained face crumbled a bit… very good.

When such a rude thought emerged inside my head, Ilii-san smiled with a grin-

「In that case, Seiji-san, you must not tell Hardin-sama that you are here in the Royal Capital.」

-and said so.

「Er, why…?」

「Fufu, Hardin-sama likes you very much. He might invite you again; this time with force. You might even be abducted.」

What…
Although Ilii-san said that in jest, for some reason, I could not take it as a joke when I recalled the King’s face.

He had grown up, but he was still a child at heart… It sounded cool to the ear; however, he was just like a kid who would try to get his hands on the toy he liked.

「I-I’ll be glad to accept.」

When I greeted my reunion with Ilii-san to a close, I caught with the corner of my eye a shadow closing in on Ilii-san.

「Ilii~~~~ Chaaaaaan!!」

The voice was unmistakably hoarse, but the tone was entirely different from before. Clad in a robe, the one who jumped at the elven woman was the elderly――Grandpa Worm.

Upon witnessing him moving so nimbly, I wanted to ask him as to exactly why he was using a staff.

With a partly amazed face, Ilii-san—his target—by means of a practised defensive, dodged Grandpa Worm’s offensive that was borderline sexual harassment. (※ It was actually at reportable level)

「Fu… fuu, haa… hi」

「You do collapse when you overexert yourself.」

Although Ilii-san’s remark showed that she had room to be concerned for her opponent, Grandpa Worm—as you would expect of someone his age—could not hide his deteriorated stamina.

He did not move for a while; he only gasped for breath.

Ilii-san’s breathing did not seem disorderly at all.

「…Fuu, haa――――…I see. So this boy is acquainted with Ilii-chan? Then I can show him a little of my research.」

Grandpa Worm continued as if nothing had happened… However, there was not a single fragment left of his dignity as an 『Old Wizard』
.
I said his eyes were clear; I’m taking it back.

Oh well, let’s just hear it since it’s so valuable.

Although half of me wanted to return, it was honestly difficult to refuse because Ilii-san seemed to be accompanying me.

――In a room of research institute.

「It’s a mess here, but don’t mind it.」

The room we were led to could not be called, by any standard, neat.

Beside the cluttered books, pieces of some metal and objects that looked like bones lay scattered. Colorful fluids were strewn here and there across the floor.

「Now then, ‘what is the Corolla of a Mana Torrent used for?’ …is what you asked.」

Grandpa Worm started searching for something in the pile of junk, and what he took out――I remembered seeing that on the street; it was the tip of a street light.

The beautiful stone he was holding in his other hand… resembled the nucleic beads I had collected from the slimes.

…Crystallized form of mana, huh?

When I was wondering as to what exactly did he intend to do, Grandpa Worm opened the lid of the street light and tossed the stone in.

After a short while――a warm, phosphorescent light dwelled inside and lit the surroundings.

「――What I do here is, develop magic tools.」

Magic tools…?

A tool that exhibits magical power?

「When you see this Grandpa Worm, you can tell he’s a brilliant engineer. Beside this streetlight, he also developed the magic tool that filters the drainage.」

Ilii-san, too, was evaluating the work aspect of Grandpa Worm.

I see… so it was thanks to a magic tool that the water in the canal was so clean.

I was sorry to have Rook swim in the same canal where the drainage was dumped into.

Streetlight… and drainage filtration magic tool, huh?

Somehow, the magic tools developed by Grandpa Worm seemed to be focused on the lifestyle of townspeople.

「Although I’m blessed myself, there are not many in this world who can use magic. Even though they don’t have the foundation for magic, what if they derived the same benefits with a magic tool? …Don’t you think that would be wonderful?」

With his hands folded behind his back, Grandpa Worm continued to tell his dream.

「For that reason, I wouldn’t care even if I had to throw my life away.」

Going by just these words of his, he would look cool… but his act of gazing at Ilii-san was plain from a glance.

With him having already sexually harassed Illii-san, there was nothing left of his image to be ruined.

「But… I’m a little troubled.」

Frowning deeply and scratching his beard, he took the crystalloid mana out from the street light.

Shortly after――the light waned and died down.

「As you can see; currently, the magic tool needs crystalloid mana to activate.」

「Hardin-sama is advancing its promulgation in the Royal Capital. The fact, however, is that it’s a bit difficult from the cost aspect.」

Fumu.

In other words, fuel cost… I couldn’t help but interpret Ilii-san’s words so.

Actually, the delivery of the nucleic beads I collected from the slimes fetched quite a sum.

「Though… Doesn’t mana exist in the atmosphere?」

As far as my image goes, the fuel was floating in the air.

It’s a mystery that there was a shortage of fuel.

「Hoho, can the boy here use magic, perhaps? But… How can the mana, that exists in the atmosphere, be contained inside the magic tool?」

Aah… I get it.

To liken, it was the same as the car not moving if you filled the fuel tank with vaporized gasoline even if you closed the lid tight.
Higher density――in this case, solidified mana—crystalloid—was required.

「You understand? That’s where… this Corolla comes into play.」

What Grandpa Worm took out was the yellow Corolla I delivered.

「It is said that the Mana Torrent is an old tree that transforms into a monster. However, there’s a record that attributes the cause of that to this Corolla. According to the record… It has a property of absorbing mana from the atmosphere. If the mechanism of mana absorption becomes perspicuous, won’t there be a possibility of applying it to magic tools?」

Indeed; as far as the work aspect goes, he was brilliant.

「I see… Earlier, you wanted me to cooperate in the research with my Spirit Magic. However, I thought you would just needlessly touch my body, so it didn’t seem like a good idea.」

「Wha- whawhawhawhawhawhawhawhat are you saying!? I’m indeed always thinking of the words of love to offer to Ilii-chan, but research is one thing I’m the most serious about.」

This grandpa was hopeless. Something had to be done quick.

Well, wanting to touch a beauty like Ilii-san… I knew that feeling.

Because, out of nature, I was following the line of her constricted ass and swollen boobs–even though they were behind the robe–with my eyes.

What my eyes met, though, were her eyes.

Ilii-san turned her line of sight to me with a lovely smile.

I turned my neck 180 degrees, but it was already too late.

Ilii-san approached me, put her hand on my cheek, and whispered in my ear.

「――If you are interested… you are welcome to the Royal Palace.」

That bewitching tone of Ilii-san was different from her tone thus far.

What do I do? …My nose must be bleeding.

It was such an overbearing invitation, I might even accept it.

「Alright… I will be leaving soon. Grandpa Worm, please persevere with the research. As you would expect, the moment I proposed the idea of cramming the spirits in as a substitute for crystalloid mana, they got angry.」

「Th-That was partly in jest…」

「…Partly?」

「…Entirely…」

After offering encouraging words to Grandpa Worm, Ilii-san left the research institute.

With the silence pervading the room, I was contemplating what to do.

Since I had already heard what I wanted to hear, I had better get moving.

When I was about to leave the room――an exigent voice rose from behind.

「――Wait, could I not receive consultation?」