The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick up Trash - Volume 5 - Chapter 274

Chapter 274:

We Made a Friend

As the sinister magic energy welled up around Snakey and enveloped it, its giant body flinched a little. Was it waking up?

“Snakey!”

“What’s wrong?”

“I think it just moved.”

I scooted closer to get a better look, but a gray substance covered Snakey completely, obscuring it from view.

“What is this? Is it magic energy?”

Magic energy wasn’t supposed to have a color, but ever since it emerged, I could tell that this skin-prickling energy had intensified in strength. I decided to try moving over to see if I could get a better glimpse of any part of Snakey. As I examined its entire body, I found one spot where the gray energy was a bit thinner. I walked over there and strained my eyes to look inside. It was then that I noticed Snakey’s eyes were slightly open.

“Mr. Druid, its eyes are open.”

“Really? But what is this creepy aura? It seems like magic energy, but I’ve never heard of it being colored gray.”

So Druid also seemed to feel that this gray stuff was magic energy. A strange magic energy that pierced the skin. It seemed like it was welling out from Snakey, but it was not the serpent’s own energy. Its magic energy was warm, rather than icy cold like this.

“Gwaaah,” a voice suddenly howled in pain nearby. I looked at Druid, thinking it was him for a moment, but he was looking at me, thinking the same. Realizing we were both wrong, we looked at Snakey. It was hard to see through the gray stuff, but the serpent was floating a little off the ground, wriggling back and forth in pain.

“What should we do?”

My heart pounded nervously against my chest. I had no idea how we could help.

Mee-yaaa!

A sound I’d never heard from Ciel bounced off the cave’s walls. Then, the next thing I knew, the adandara’s magic energy had filled the cave. Its dense power struck my head and knocked me onto my bottom, but I somehow managed to look up at Ciel. It was facing Snakey, its hair standing straight up, and hissing angrily.

After a while, the gray stuff disappeared, and the stabbing pain on my skin stopped along with it. So was the gray stuff magic energy after all? Once everything had cleared up, Snakey fell to the ground with a thud and lay still. I wanted to go up to it, but my legs wouldn’t move.

“Phew…that was some powerful magic. Ivy, are you okay?”

“Yeah, but…I can’t stand up.”

“The strength of the magic probably gave your body a bad ­reaction. My legs are a shaking mess, too. Don’t push yourself—just sit down until it wears off.”

“Okay.”

Druid cautiously approached Snakey. This time, Sora didn’t stop him.

“Is it dead?” There was a catch in my voice.

Druid gently touched Snakey and closed his eyes. After a while, he turned toward me and smiled. “It’s alive. It’s weak but breathing.”

Relief washing over me, I slumped further to the ground. Then my downturned eyes caught sight of something. “Mr. Druid, look at the ground! We’re on the summoning circle!”

“Huh?!” Druid looked beneath him. When he saw the circle, he noticed he was on it, too.

“That’s quite a big summoning circle. Do you think it’s what created that sinister magic energy?”

Mrrrow, Ciel answered Druid. Did it know the truth about the summoning circle?

“Ciel, did you know that this summoning circle was what trapped Snakey here?”

Mew! Ciel answered that it hadn’t known.

“Did you sense that creepy energy?”

Mrrrow.

“Wow, Ciel, you found the magic energy this deep into the forest!”

So now we knew why Ciel had been acting so strangely: It had been following the sinister magic energy.

“Ivy?”

“Is something wrong?”

Oh, I can move my legs! It’s probably safe for me to stand up.

“We’ll need to report this.”

“Oh, right!”

Druid was right. We couldn’t let whoever drew this summoning circle get away with it, although we had no idea who was involved. That sinister magic energy tugged on my conscience as well.

“What do you think we should do?”

“Hmm…maybe we should let Captain Tableau handle this.”

That was probably the best idea. He was captain of the watch, after all. “I’d hate to bother him since he’s already got his plate full as it is.”

“Well, it’s tough, but that’s what it means to be captain of the watch.”

He was right. We needed to inform somebody about the problem the village was facing. But relying on somebody who was already overworked still didn’t sit right with me. The only other person I could think of was Guild Master Priya, but I didn’t know him very well and I was sure he was quite busy, too. I guess we’ll have to go with Captain Tableau after all.

“Te! Ryu, ryuuu.”

Flame? Wait a minute, where did it go? I looked in the ­direction of its voice…and found it surrounded by the little black orbs that were Snakey’s children. I slowly rose to my feet and made sure my muscles were alive again. Okay, I’m good to walk. I wobbled a little, but by going slow and focusing on my footing, I was able to walk again.

“Are you okay? Don’t force it, Ivy.”

“I think I’m okay. I really am impressed with Ciel’s magic, though. It’s incredibly powerful.”

“Well, that’s an adandara for you.”

Ciel’s magic energy was much denser and more beautiful than anything I could have ever imagined. Slowly and carefully, I made my way over to Flame.

“Whatcha doing, Flame?”

When the black orbs noticed me, they opened up a pathway to the slime.

“Thanks, guys.”

Pong!

Hm? Was that a pong? I looked in the direction of the sound, and sitting before Flame was a large, clear aquamarine magic stone with hints of silver. Aha, that was the ponging sound of a magic stone getting created… Wait, was Flame making a magic stone? As I curiously reached for the stone, one of the black orbs expertly picked it up and moved it. I followed it with my eyes and saw it was headed toward Snakey. I wasn’t sure whether to stop it or keep watching, so I cautiously looked on. Then the black orb tossed the magic stone right into Snakey’s mouth.

Druid and I stared at the serpent…then at each other…then we both made a face. How were we even supposed to react to that? To be honest, I had no idea.

“What was that magic stone?” Druid asked.

“Flame made it.”

“Oh.”

“Yes, it was crystal-clear blue, with silver mixed into it.”

“A silvery-blue magic stone?” From the look on Druid’s face, it was clear that Flame had once again created a ridiculously rare magic stone. “That magic stone…” Druid began, but before he could finish what he wanted to say, Snakey was enveloped in a beautiful silvery-blue light. I felt magic energy from the light like before, but this time the energy had a warmth to it. As it slowly seeped away, all I could do was just stand and stare.

“Okaaay, ummm, so what just happened?” Druid sounded bewildered.

I had no idea how to answer him. All I could do was wonder what was going on. As we both stood there in confusion, Snakey slithered itself up off the ground.

“Oh, look!”

“Snakey! Are you okay?” I asked the creature. I felt its magic energy softly flow through the cave and then evaporate into the ether. I gave Snakey a curious look. Then its face moved until it was just inches from mine.

“Whoa! You scared me.” Our gazes locked…then its tongue slithered out and licked my cheek again and again. Umm…huh?

“Looks like you made a friend,” Druid said.

So Druid thinks so, too? I’m honored that you like me, but…my cheek is all slobbery now. Could you maybe stop?