Kays Translations

Chapter 94 – Abracadabra: Begone Miasma

I wonder if I should gather things like talismans, amulets, crystals that might be used for sealing, or lamps and other types of containers, and try experimenting. Or perhaps… should I use a jar after all?

I used to be a member of a club called the Antique Art Research Society.

Commonly known as Kobiken. Whenever I mentioned the name, people would inevitably ask,  “Are you researching pots or something?”

We were asked that so often that when I was in charge of the club’s finances, I used the leftover budget to buy every book on jars I could find and lined the clubroom shelves with them.

So, I do feel like I have a strange connection to jars. Though come to think of it, I don’t remember actually buying any actual ones.

　

I wonder if something like a Klein bottle or a Möbius strip could be used to seal something.

Now that I think of it, even car license plate screws are also a kind of seal.

Anyway—how exactly does one seal a Demon King, I wonder?

I think someone told me that I wouldn’t be able to do it, but if my ability has any room for growth, perhaps I should train it.

The problem is, while I do have the sealing skill, I don’t have a skill to undo the seals. Judging by how the miasma clumps eventually disappeared, I guess they just wear off over time?

For now, I think I’ll try taking out envelopes from the 1,000 yen repeat purchase and practicing sealing them.

I think I’ve bought 100 kraft paper envelopes with reinforcement lines for 98 yen a long time ago. Technically, when it comes to envelopes, the term is “sealing” in the sense of closing a letter, not magical sealing, but still.

I just realized that it would have been easier to buy envelopes made of kraft paper rather than buying kraft paper and folding the seed bags one by one.

I wonder if sealing skills grow just by using them, like in video games. Or maybe, like in games, you have to use them at an appropriate difficulty level for the skill to level up.

Anyway, I’m pretty sure my sealing power is too weak to do anything about the miasma on its own.

“So, Neg-san… This might sound strange, but could you try mixing some oil with another oil?”

I said it bluntly at the Alchemy Guild.

“What the hell are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“Saki-san, maybe add a bit more context…?”

Since I started with the conclusion, they were understandably confused. Hakase-san who was standing behind Neg-san, also gave me a troubled look.

“I’ve been a little concerned about the new batch of olive oil that’s been circulating. Like this one here.”

I placed the olive oil from Darcia that I bought at that store onto the table.

“There is someone in my household who is sensitive to ‘miasma’, and it seems there is a little bit of it mixed in.”

That’s what I told them.

“Miasma? You mean that stuff that makes monsters act crazy?”

Hakase-san asked.

“Yes. It’s only a small amount, so I don’t think it’s a huge issue right now, but…”

Even small amounts could build up over time and cause problems. Like pollen allergies—some people are fine, while others react severely to small doses. If everyone has a different threshold, then whether someone gets sick or not might depend on the individual.

Most of the mysterious illness cases are concentrated in the royal capital. The highest-grade olive oil gets shipped to the capital first, and after that, the leftovers or lower grades go elsewhere.

“Hmm,” Neg-san tilted his head, thinking.

“There’s something else I wanted to ask—about that nutritional supplement.”

“Ah, that one.”

“Does it contain oil?”

“That’s right. That type of nutritional supplement is compounded with oil extracted from the roots of a medicinal herb called Sassa. In some cases, emulsified olive oil is also added as a nutritional additive.”

After hearing Hakase-san’s explanation, I think that there is some oil in it after all.

“You’re saying olive oil is to blame?”

Neg-san asked, frowning.

“It might not be, but oil and alcohol easily absorb and carry other components.”

“Then if we just need to stop using the problematic olive oil—well, that’s not very realistic, is it?”

Exactly. Olive oil is sometimes blended at the production site to maintain a certain level of quality, and sometimes merchants blend oils from different regions together. The everyday oil used by common folk is also a mix of various oils. It’s not realistic to isolate and eliminate only the problematic olive oil. Of course, there is also the issue of origin being falsified.

“So I figured, if we assume that some harmful substance—say, miasma—is present in the oil, maybe we can neutralize it by mixing in something that counters it.”

This is just my amateur opinion, but still.

“And what are you thinking of mixing in?”

Neg-san seemed open to considering it.

I placed a bottle of canola oil—the one pressed at the Alchemy Guild from our harvest—on the table with a thunk.

“This oil. It’s made from seeds we grew at our place, and I think… well, it’s probably good for your health.”

“Oil from Saki’s farm, huh?”

Neg-san pondered for a moment, then grinned.

“Okay. Hakase, get it arranged.”

“I’ll ask the merchants who handle our oil to cooperate. But even then, I don’t think that might be enough.”

Ah… yeah. We’ll try to increase production as much as we can…

“I’ll bring it in as raw seeds, so, um…”

Hakase-san smiled brightly.

“Got it.”

He answered.

It’s reassuring… though a bit scary how quick he is to catch on.

The result: the oil-mixing plan turned out to be very effective.

When it was tested in the royal capital, the incidence of the mysterious disease was significantly reduced. Even those who still got sick seemed to be managing it with basic treatment.

Afterwards, when I asked Hakase-san, he told me that in some olive oil-producing regions, there had been unusual surges in monster activity. He suspects a connection.

Mad Bear appearing in a forest where it normally wouldn’t.

A mass outbreak of Amame.

The appearance of a Lesser Dragon.

Abnormal monster outbreaks in various places.

Contamination of olive oil with miasma.

It feels like danger is gradually creeping into this world.

It seems that certain people are especially sensitive to miasma. Many of those badly affected by the mysterious illness were people more vulnerable to it, and some of them apparently have the ability to sense it to some degree.

I wonder if it’s like those people who can tell the weather from their headaches?

So now, a system is being created to efficiently filter out abnormalities by having such people taste test olive oil and rejecting any olive oil that tastes too unpleasant.

I wonder what the Heroes who must have been summoned to the royal capital are doing.

I want them to take care of the Demon King, but at the same time, I question whether it’s right to entrust the fate of the world to kids who are probably still in high school.

In anime and the like, the fate of the world is often placed on middle or even elementary schoolers, probably because it’s easier for viewers to relate—but still, is that okay?

I know I don’t have the power to help directly, but I feel like sending them healing medicine or some herbal liquor or something. I’ll support them however I can—please, do your best.

“Hakase-san… do you happen to have any connections at the royal castle?”

I asked, not expecting anything, but he gave me his usual cheerful smile.

…Wait, he does? That’s amazing.

For now, the mysterious illness has mostly settled down.

I just hope someone will take care of the root cause, so I can go back to enjoying my slow life.

Also, thanks to Mimi and Kirara and everyone, I’ve kind of stopped worrying too much, but…

If those high school kids can go back to Japan someday, they should find a way to do so.

That’s what I thought.

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