Kays Translations

Chapter 61: Museum

I accept Souzy’s relics and leave the workshop. Galatea seems to be assisting Gimli and the others in the production of the magic gun-sword.

As I head towards the building where research materials on the mining ants are collected, I hear a song accompanied by the sound of a harp or something similar.

Curious, I follow the sound and find Ein playing with a gentle expression that he doesn’t usually show. It seems he’s telling heroic tales surrounded by dwarf children.

“In that place, they use a plant called potatoes as food, and Grace, the lord…”

“Wait, is that about me?!”

“Huh? Grace-sama?!”

I couldn’t help but interject, and Ein noticed me hiding. She awkwardly laughs. She’s changed quite a bit since we first met…

The dwarf children, as small as Ruby, are both girls and boys, with such cute faces that it’s hard to tell them apart at first glance. It’s really strange to think that in a few years, they’ll grow up to be bearded old men like Bowman or Gimli.

“What’s going on here, Ein?”

“Well, I was trying to explain to the children who Grace-sama is since you’re visiting this time, but I thought it might be more interesting to present it like a heroic tale…”

“Huh? This person is Grace-sama? You’re so skinny!”

“But you seem smart!! My dad says humans might be weaker than dwarves in strength, but they know a lot of things.”

“Hey, if this person is Grace-sama, she said you’d protect us from the mining ants. Is that true?”

“Hey!! That’s rude of you!!”

Ein tries to calm down the rowdy children, but they don’t listen. I crouch down, gesturing for Ein not to worry, and speak to the children.

“Yeah, I’m weak. That’s why I rely on knowledge and my comrades, and I work hard. I’ve learned many things and used them to defeat strong enemies. So, I, Grace Vermilion, will make a promise. I’ll protect this town and Dwell from the mining ants!”

“Wow, big brother!! That’s so cool!”

“Hah, what can a skinny guy like you do… But if you really protect us, I’ll admit it.”

“Yeah, leave it to me. I’ll make them beg to be my subordinates. Ein, can you guide me while we’re at it?”

“Yes, leave it to me.”

I wave goodbye to the children and leave the square.

“Please forgive the rudeness of those children earlier, Grace-sama. Some of their parents were injured by the mining ants…”

“So when I came to help, they looked happy or anxious…”

They must have been shocked by their parents’ injuries. And there were children who found hope in me and those who remained in despair.

I feel even more determined. It’s not good for them to live in fear of the mining ants, and I want to save them.

Eventually, Ein’s footsteps stop in front of a brick house.

“Here we are. This is the archive room where research on minerals, mining ants, stone armadillos, and other topics was conducted. There should be plenty of documents here about the ecology of the mining ants. There used to be a caretaker here, but now it seems like dwarves come in periodically just for cleaning…”

As I open the door, a musty smell assaults me. Well, I guess dwarves aren’t really interested in places like this… It used to be managed by humans, but perhaps the caretaker fled somewhere.

Despite these thoughts, I start arranging a large amount of documents on the desk.

“Grace-sama… um… that’s quite a lot. Should I help you? Also, some of the older documents might be written in Dwarvish, so it might take time to decipher them…”

“Hmm? Oh, it’s fine. I can read Dwarvish too. It’s the symbol script that spread among dwarves before they started interacting with humans, right?”

“Huh? You know Dwarvish!?”

The dwarves of old used only simple symbols. However, as they began to interact more with humans, they found human script more convenient and started using it instead.

“In the castle’s library, there were books from various countries, so I learned from reading them. I’ve always loved reading books, and my ‘World Library’ helps me learn more detailed information the more I study. And…”

There are raw materials from the dwarves who developed civilization from a different perspective than humans. Faced with this unknown knowledge, I feel like licking my lips in anticipation.

“I just love researching things.”

“I-I see…”

I’ve always been a bookworm. This amount of material isn’t a problem for me. Rather, it’s a reward. With that in mind, despite Ein’s slight hesitation, I begin to delve into the books.

Previous chapter | TOC | Next chapter