Volume 9 Chapter 220, Demonic Dragon ~ 35
Satoru and the others begin to resume their movement at the Sacred Mountain Nevis.
Satoru's sense is that they are spiraling down this large mountain body, slowly curving to the left. There are occasional forks in the road, but just before the fork, Amon precedes them and shows them the correct path, so there is no way to get lost.
Gradually the path becomes wider and higher.
It is not hard to see why it would take 10 days if you walked slowly. Normally, this natural cave would be teeming with monsters and beasts, and if you had to keep them out, you would have to walk even slower. Satoru had entered from the top of the mountain, which is said to be the shortest way, so it would have taken longer from the original entrance that Isolde had mentioned.
It was quite a distance, and they just kept running through.
The rock surface, which had been dark gray with bluish tints, gradually turned white, and they could sometimes see parts of the rock surface glistening in the light of the 【Light」. It may be buried in gold.
「...... Oh. It's starting to have a certain atmosphere」
Satoru, carrying Liz in one hand, was able to run at a fairly high speed, but still had time to spare. The road became wider and wider, and it was easier to get a foothold. Just before the field of vision opened up, Amon's conscious body seemed to precede Satoru's and the others, and then it soared upward.
『This is as far as I can take you.』
「Oh?」
Everyone's feet stopped. At first glance, it looks like a dead end, but it is not. There is a half-major hole in the side, through which a pale white light can be seen leaking. It seems to be the goal.
『Beyond that, there is the Holy Dragon.』
As if to confirm this, Amon's consciousness danced softly toward the entrance of the hole. The guidance seems to end here.
「I see. Thank you for your help.」
『It's because the Holy Dragon asked me to, so don't worry about it.』
There was no hint of care in his voice.
『I doubt we will ever see each other again. At the very least, I wish you a successful journey.』
「That's a very honorable thing to say. Thank you.」
『What. I'm just glad that you didn't feel weird when you found out that I have a man crush on you, just because you don't have one yourself.』
Satoru couldn't help but smile bitterly.
In today's world, sexual minorities are tolerated, but in a world such as this, male homosexuality would have been a subject of persecution. Perhaps that is why Amon was forced to become a solitary being, and he took the path to become an Immortal King.
「It's in my nature. I don't want to discriminate against anyone.」
Satoru does not discriminate unless he feels like it. As he has told before, he even has an ex-male friend who has had his dick cut off.
In fact, he has seen people with various backgrounds at his former workplace. Some of them even had criminal records. But that didn't stop Satoru from keeping his relationship with them. If he thought the person was a villain who wanted to take advantage of Satoru, he would have kept his relationship with the person on the surface, but if not, he did not want to separate the two.
「Live long and study sorcery as much as you like. Thank you for your help. Farewell.」
Satoru, with a wry smile, takes the initiative to enter the side hole, wondering if it is strange to live so long against an Immortal King.
The conscious body of Amon, the Immortal King, having completed his role, trembled a little, as if regretting, and then disappeared.
＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊
The cave glowed with a pale light.
The height and size of the cave deep within the mountain body of the Sacred Mountain are not apparent at a glance. It was that big.
In the center of the cave, there was a large mountain.
At a quick glance, it looked like a mountain covered in pure white snow. It was a divine mountain of about 20 majors (180 meters), with a white base and a light golden color.
Slowly, the mountain leaned back. It leaned its long neck and gazed intently at its first visitor in several years.
Each of its scales glistened white as snow, and although its face looked old, it was sharp in proportion to its physique. On the back of its head are two huge horn-like horns. Apart from both eyes, there is also a vertical eye on its forehead.
「Are you Kasahara Satoru-dono, the man summoned from another world by Leia Löwenstadt?」
「Yes, that's right.」
「You have come well. I am the protector of this world, the 『Golden Dragon』, Feather Dragon.」
A tremendous presence. That's probably true. Even in the real world, a creature of such an unbelievable size is overwhelming. The 『Golden dragon』 Feather Dragon is said to be the king of this world and has lived for at least several thousand years.
The Holy Dragon opens his mouth only a little, but his voice can be heard clearly and distinctly. He sounds like an old man with a croaky voice, but it is probably with the help of sorcery that he sounds so clear.
(...... protector, yeah)
Strangely, Satoru's mind was strangely calm.
Even in the face of an existence that is obviously foreign and alien, he is as calm as the surface of a calm lake. Neither fear nor hostility appeared in his heart.
「Normally, monsters and beasts would try to prevent humans from coming to me. But that would be pointless against you, so I asked Amon to guide you. I apologize for my rudeness.」
The Holy Dragon is moving only from the neck up. To Satoru's eyes, it looks as if he is using his body to cover something or to warm an egg.
And the word "Protector" that his Holy Dragon uttered.
This old dragon is a being that is protecting something. Satoru does not know what it is, but perhaps it is something that only this dragon can protect. For example, the world itself.
「...... you have some kind of situation where you can't move, right? Then I wouldn't call you rude. It saved us a lot of trouble too.」
「I shall be glad to hear you say that.」
The Holy Dragon closed his eyes and moved his head up and down toward Satoru. The length of his head alone must have been at least two majors.
「Now. What do you want to know, you who have found your way to me? A sealed history? Magic of the most profound kind? Some of these are forbidden, but all others I will answer for you.」
The third eye on his forehead opened. Both eyes remained closed, and the pupil of the third eye, upon closer inspection, had an eight-pointed star on it.
「You're being theatrical. I mean, I think you seem to know the questions I'm going to ask.」
Satoru stepped forward, scratching his head.
The Holy Dragon looks at the face of the man with dignity, and then Satoru opens his mouth. Satoru asks a question to find out if his wish will be fulfilled.
「I ask clearly. The world I was originally from, from this world's perspective, is a different world. Do you know the sorcery to return there, or if not, do you at least know whether or not it exists?」
「Unfortunately, I don't know the substance of the art.」
Satoru got an immediate answer. Before Satoru could react in shock, the Holy Dragon continued and opened his mouth.
「It's just that... The art exists. It has never been used, so all I know about it is its existence. Apologies, but I do not know the chanting.」
「It exists!」
An elated Satoru exclaimed unconsciously.
The fact that the art exists means that there is indeed a possibility of returning to the original world.
It may be slight, but hope was indeed connected.
「~~~~~!」
Satoru clenched his fists tightly, his whole body trembled strongly, and then he looked up. His eyes are strong and full of hope.
「Now for the second question. ...... If you don't mind, I'd like to you hear it from the mouths of my friends.」
Satoru looked back. The only one who is keeping her composure amidst most of the restless looks is the Magic Doll, who meets Satoru's gaze and takes a step forward.
「May I?」
It is Solor. Her emotions are extremely thin. She probably doesn't feel the fear that the other magical slaves feel. Her demeanor is magnificent. Satoru nodded back at Solor.
「Now, the question Master just asked, who knows the art of repatriation, or where the art is hidden?」
「The Immortal King Yarth, whom you have been searching for, only he knows.」
「!!」
Satoru's spirit was once again lifted as he was told once again that his journey had not been a mistake in itself.
The Immortal King Yarth, Leia's mentor, was the original master who had given Leia the Deepest Labyrinth. From the many books that had been left behind, Leia discovered the art of 【Otherworldly Summoning】, which had been sealed away as a forbidden spell, and by diligently storing magic power in the core of the tower of magic that had been lying around, she was able to summon Satoru.
Likely, Yarth was also researching the art of 【Otherworldly Summoning】. Although he perfected 【Otherworldly Repatriation】 as a result of his research, the 【Otherworldly Repatriation】 art is meaningless if there is no one to send them back to in the first place.
Now, however, Satoru himself is the target of the repatriation.
「I would also like to add that he has been in and out of Rothfort for some time now, so I can't give you a definite location.」
「He is moving from one place to another ......?」
The information that followed was also significant. It made his destination somewhat clear.
However, Satoru felt a sense of discomfort.
Not only the Immortal King but also other high-ranking Immortal Retainers such as True Ancestor-level vampires are basically confined in labyrinths and the like. In addition to being vulnerable to sunlight, Immortal Retainers are also anathema to all living things. Even if they are hated a little, high-level Immortal Retainer has the ability not to make a problem, but they rarely take the initiative to attack people.
Leia was in the Deepest Labyrinth, and Amon was holed up in this Sacred Mountain. But Yarth is said to be moving from place to place. Satoru thought that if they searched through the labyrinths that would be scattered throughout Rothfort, they would eventually find him...
「Next...」
Satoru looked up at the sound of the Holy Dragon's grave voice.
In any case, the direction of the journey would not change. It was only more settled now.
「So, then, it's my turn....」
Leia took a step forward, though she was acting somewhat suspiciously. It seems that even existence as great as Leia's is unsettled in front of the Holy Dragon. After swallowing soundly with fresh spit, she resolutely looked up at the Holy Dragon.
「The 【Otherworldly Summoning】 art, that art that can be reconfigured to summon a specific person ― well, you already know what I am going to ask, so let's be clear: is it possible to summon my Lord's sister into this world?」
Satoru's heart pounded.
Depending on the answer, Satoru would have to be prepared to part ways with the friends he had formed a bond within this world.
After a pause, the Holy Dragon opened his mouth in a relaxed manner.
「If you ask me if it is possible or impossible, it is possible.」
Satoru made a small but powerful triumphant pose
When he had asked Leia about it before, she had replied that it was almost impossible, but the Holy Dragon had made it clear that it was possible. There, he had found a certain silver lining.
「But, I do not know how to do it. However, I can create a method that does not involve the core of the tower of magic, which you may consider the biggest problem in summoning. In the beginning, the art was not mediated by the core of the Tower of Magic」
「My ...... words」
This is precisely the reason why Leia had assumed that it was almost impossible. The core of the Tower of Magic, which she thought was an indispensable catalyst, was clearly stated to be not indispensable, and she was perplexed.
「Specifically, sections 1903 to 2356. But after that, it takes about 65 more points.」
「H-Hold on a minute. Solor.」
「It's all right. I memorized it.」
Solor replied to Leia's flustered look with a confident smile as if she had just gotten the message. After looking at Leia, who let out a sigh of relief, as if amused, the Holy Dragon opened his mouth again.
「The answer to the question should have been given just now, but I was a little amused. I can't tell you the results of the analysis of the art because it violates some taboos, but there are a few conditions for using the art.」
Satoru, Leia, and Solor looked up.
Apparently, this Holy Dragon was even more loose-tongued than Satoru had expected. The conditions should have been handled as a question, but Satoru doesn't understand why he would go to the trouble of opening his mouth in such a pushy manner.
「Perhaps the most problematic point is that this world is a different world from the one you were in. Only those who 『Believe in the existence of another world』 can be summoned. If you summon those who do not believe, they will be lost between dimensions, and their souls will be lost there.」
For a moment, Satoru failed to grasp the gravity of what was being said. He examined the words carefully.
「......I wonder if I believed it?」
「If you didn't, you wouldn't have come into this world.」
In response to Satoru's half-convinced mutterings, the Holy Dragon gave a very light-hearted explanation.
However, he can understand this point of view, although it is only at a vague level. If you do not believe that there is another world, it is difficult to pull you to this world. It is not hard to understand.
「Do you think your sister believes in such stories?」
「...... That's a hard one.」
Satoru whispered back unintentionally. Alice is still basically showing a young side appropriate for her age, but she is a realist for her age.
There is no Santa Claus, parents are not watching over us from the other world, and there is no God― Perhaps it was her upbringing that made her so, but she has a rather cold view of the world that has surprised Satoru on many occasions. Does such a girl believe that there is such an unreal thing as another world?―Satoru has to be skeptical.
It is doubtful that Satoru himself even believed in the existence of another world.
「The next point. 【Otherworldly Summoning】 depends on the wavelength. The wavelength of the practitioner and the summoned.」
「......You're telling me that Leia and I were on the same wavelength?」
「Exactly. If you were to be the practitioner, it would not be difficult to be on the same wavelength as your sister, who is of the same blood. But if the flow of the stars and the moon do not match, it will not be connected to your world. I hope you know this as well.」
The reason why Satoru was chosen for Leia's 【Otherworldly Summoning】 becomes clear. Although it doesn't quite make sense, the Immortal King and Satoru must be on the same wavelength. That is why Satoru is attracted to Leia, and the same goes for Leia.
And Satoru also heard a word that caught his attention.
「The flow of the Stars and the Moon .......right」
It was Christmas in the original world when Satoru was summoned. For example, just as the moon and Mars are closest to the earth at certain times of the year, there is probably ease of connection between this world and the other world depending on the operation of the stars.
However, there is a problem with this too. The daily flow of time seems to be almost the same, but the yearly cycle is somewhat different between this world and that world. The year is shorter in this world. If he may add, there is also the concept of leap year in the other world. Satoru was horrified to realize that the two worlds may only coincide once every few hundred years.
「Next.」
「Uhh, uh, ......, then Minerva's turn.」
With some hesitation, Minerva steps forward. The Holy Dragon squints.
「Erdeade's child, huh. I understand your question.」
「Eh, huhh?」
Minerva raised her voice in confusion, and the Holy Dragon gave a small shake of his head from side to side. Perhaps Minerva, a Flying Dragon, is connected to the Holy Dragon in some way. If that is the case, Satoru thinks that he may have understood her question even if she did not say it out loud.
The dragon's ancestor opened his mouth gravely to the daughter of a distant relative of his.
「A little child in your belly. If you continue to travel together with others, unfortunately, your child will be stillborn.」
「!!」
Everyone was shocked.
Minerva was stunned for a moment and then became flustered.
「Eh ...... Eh, child, can't Minerva has a baby?」
「If you still want to go on the journey with the others.」
Minerva turned pale with shock and staggered, and Satoru hurriedly approached her and hugged her shoulder. Minerva gives Satoru a grateful look, but her expression is so sad. Biting his lip and chattering his teeth, Satoru shoots a strong glare at the Holy Dragon.
「Is there, is there something I can do to prevent that!?」
「...... may I regard that as another question?」
「You can have mine.」
The brown-skinned girl showed her face to support Minerva from the other side of Satoru. She was also strongly dismayed to see the legendary Holy Dragon in front of her, but now a strong light was properly shining in Rico's eyes.
「I hate not being able to see Satoru and Minerva's child! It's okay, right!?」
「Of course!」
Satoru glared at the Holy Dragon after shouting out a rant. Even though he had given a very lenient answer to Leia's question earlier, he was harsh regarding Minerva's. Satoru doesn't understand what on earth this ancient dragon is thinking.
The Holy Dragon did not react at all to Satoru's gaze, which was just shooting him dead, but opened his mouth in a leisurely manner.
「Let me proceed with my answer. The growth of Dragon People requires a special environment. It is not possible in today's world of humans, elves, dwarves, or aquatic races.」
「Eh ......」
「But there is one way.」
「That was」
「Stay with me until the birth. I can take care of you.」
「......!!」
A shiver ran through Satoru.
Minerva, although very upset, looked at Satoru and Rico, and then stood up to the Holy Dragon, her ancestor, in a dignified manner.
「Uhh,....... ...... Err, if Minerva doesn't say goodbye to Danna-sama, Minerva won't have a baby?」
「Correct」
「If Minerva stays by grandfather's side, will he watch over Minerva until the baby is born?」
「Indeed. As it is now, the child will become a stone. To avoid that, a special environment is needed. The current cultural lifestyle of the four races is not suitable. Therefore, there is no other choice but to stay with me until birth.」
Neither Minerva, Satoru, nor Rico, who asked the question, could speak.
The Holy Dragon's demeanor was always dignified, and there was no sign that he was lying. The Holy Dragon, the king of this world, does not seem to have the narrow-mindedness to lie to people and deceive them, so what the Holy Dragon says must be the truth.
「It's been 40 days since conception, just barely enough time to start the procedure. Exactly 200 days until the birth. Of that, 150 days must be spent in a special environment.」
It is shorter than the human conception period. However, if 150 of the 200 days must be spent in a special environment, then there are only about 10 more days to spare, and certainly just barely.
「Furthermore, The way to raise a child is no different from that of a human being. As an infant, the mother should give milk to the child, and after weaning, the child should be given the same food as a human being.」
Satoru carefully examined the words of the Holy Dragon.
If what the Holy Dragon says is correct, then a special environment is needed to raise the child in the mother's womb. And that environment is not possible among humans, elves, dwarves, or aquatic races that lead a modern cultural life.
If the baby is born safely, then it can be raised in the same way as a human ― but...
「......Sorry, can I give you an answer later?」
「I don't mind.」
Satoru finally squeezed out a response, to which the Holy Dragon replied aloofly. Slowly, the Holy Dragon turned his head.
「Two to go. ......【Immortal King】 Leia Löwenstadt.」
「W-What is it?」
Leia's reaction to the unexpected call left a trace of nervousness in her voice. Very lightly, the Holy Dragon points his chin.
「To the half-elf's daughter there gives her the art of 【
「Ah, ......, h-hmmm. Liz?」
At the mention of it, Leia looked back at the youngest half-elf magical slave. She was quiet on the outside, but the truth was that she had no strong point of view, and her face was pale and she clattering her teeth(?). Leia sighed at the obviously frightened and confused appearance.
「...... Well, I guess it can't be helped, can it? 『
Even Leia herself was about to be swallowed up by the intimidation that the Holy Dragon radiated. It is not something that a girl with such a small soul can withstand. After using the art that brought her mental peace, Liz finally blinked her eyes and recognized the girl of about the same height standing in front of her.
「Ah, ......,eh, ah, ahh, Leia-san」
「Are you okay? Do you have a grasp of the questions up to now?」
「Y-yes, but only vaguely.」
I wonder if it's true──Leia gave a small smile. It is doubtful that a girl who had so plainly almost blown her ego would have understood the flow of what had been said so far. However, if she is even vaguely aware of what has been said.
「Then, you know what questions to ask the Holy Dragon, don't you? Ask Feather Dragon a question from your own mouth.」
「O-Okay」
Liz took a deep breath, calmed herself down, and looked at the Holy Dragon again.
「.........」
Their gazes collide. Facing the Holy Dragon of uncommon size, Liz's instincts as a living creature called out for danger, and her teeth began to clatter once again. Her whole body trembled, and her mouth was all but clamped shut, unable to speak.
The Holy Dragon snorted. Liz trembles violently.
「It is understandable, but do not be so frightened. I have never eaten a man, elf, or dwarf.」
「Y-Yesh!」
Liz took a step forward, closed her eyes, pulled her chin back, and took a deep breath. Only one question per person can be asked in front of the Holy Dragon. If I ask a strange question and get no information, what's the point of coming all the way here?
If they made eye contact, Liz would inevitably become intimidated. Liz kept her chin pulled back and her gaze fixed on the feet of the Holy Dragon, collecting her thoughts before slowly opening her mouth.
「.....Uhh, I was wondering if you could tell me what has changed since our Lord Satoru-sama was summoned to this world compared to the original world.」
There was a slight pause in the Holy Dragon's reply. Liz was too scared to open her eyes.
「It's a cunning way to ask a question.」
「.......I'm sorry」
*down* Liz was depressed. Certainly, Liz herself did not think it was a cunning way to ask the question. A snort was heard, and Liz jumped again.
「Well, that's all right. It would be easy to say, "I can't answer your question," but that would not help―To answer your question, it's rewriting the mind and granting it a soul.」
「Rewriting the mind, but granting a soul?」
Satoru raised his voice. Satoru glanced at the Holy Dragon, who looked at him.
「It's not so much a rewriting as an increase. More violent, more sexually voracious. These are things you seem to have grasped, but the question is the granting of the soul.」
The Holy Dragon's third eye moved.
「Leia Löwenstadt.」
「W-What is it?」
「The magic power that you have been diligently filling the core of the Tower of Magic for the past two hundred years has been imbued into this one's soul.」
「What!!」
Leia's shocked voice, and at the same time Satoru was greatly convinced. I see. If that is the case, it is easy to understand.
「That's 200 years of your magic power. It must be an interdimensional amount.」
「...... My goodness」
The core of the Tower of Magic has a tremendous amount of storage capacity due to its nature of collecting magic power from all the people who had the magic core implanted at that time. It took more than 200 years to fully charge the core, even though Leia, who had a high soul, became an Immortal King and her soul quadrupled in size.
「As I said earlier. The 【Otherworldly Summoning】 art, using the core of the Tower of Magic as the medium, is to transfer the magic power contained in the core as a soul. Of course, your magic power was not enough, so the magic power in the core was also used, but the rest of it all resides in this man's soul.」
「Leia's 200 years worth, huh ......, That would be an order of magnitude difference.」
According to Leia's statement, Leia's soul before meeting Satoru was estimated to be around 3,200.
If she was transferring 2,000 a day, a year in this world is 340 days. Assuming 200 years of transference, that would be 136 million. Although it is not known if those many numbers are actually souls, the average human soul is 100 and the highest is 1200. That number is not possible.
*Bufuu* the Holy Dragon snorted.
「To tell the truth, there was no need to accumulate magic power until the core was full.」
「......eh」
The voice of the Holy Dragon was filled with a little bit of ridicule, and Leia exclaimed for the first time. The fact that the core of the Tower of Magic was necessary, and that she had honestly and diligently accumulated it for more than two hundred years until it was full, she was told that she did not need to go to that extent. The shock was great.
At the same time, the structure of the 【Otherworldly Summoning】 art began to dimly appear in Satoru's mind.
After all, in order to live in this world where magic power exists, magic power is essential. When summoning a person, it is necessary to give them magic power as the soul. Leia can only speculate as to how it came to require the core of the Tower of Magic, but she can suspect that it was simply because of the enormous amount of magic power required for the formula.
Even with Satoru's limited knowledge, he understands that 【Transfer】 type arts require transcending dimensions. If the destination is another world, the magic power required will be enormous. It is not the kind of magic power that is possible for an ordinary human being.
However, if Satoru is the practitioner, the medium should be able to be, for example, a magic crystal or a magic stone.
Leia can reiterate that the question she had previously been concerned about, whether the world Satoru was in had a vast number of souls across the board, is different.
At the same time, he agrees that they must be on the same wavelength. If the magic power that Leia has stored up becomes a soul, it stands to reason that she would be someone who can easily accept that magic power.
「The last one.」
Satoru looked up from his prone position at the same heavy bass of the Holy Dragon. The last question ― before that, I have a few things to think about.
「Sorry, can you give us some time?」
「I can give you up to half a koku (2 hours).」
「That's enough time. Sorry.」
Satoru pulled his chin again and turned around. His gaze fell on a woman who was the largest among the magical slaves.
Yes, I must think about Minerva's future.
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