Kays Translations

Chapter 15: Knight Attendant《Tsukaeshi》③ – Awakening Water.

Four days later.

By now, battling the Minos Dolls had become part of my daily routine.

But it wasn’t for the sake of my relic anymore.

The truth is, Munieka-san had already told me: at this stage, my relic, Silent Automove (Half), would not evolve.
It was unexpected, and unless there was some external factor, it would be impossible.

Still, the reason I continued to fight the Minos Dolls was to gain live combat experience.
I lack many things—but especially experience.

The Minos Dolls’ strength ranges from that of normal Minos Units up to Minos Guardians.
Not especially strong.

But—they possessed the combat techniques of a First-Class Explorer, Munieka-san.
That was more valuable than venturing into a dungeon to fight monsters.

And so, I continued my training battles with the Minos Dolls.

Although… I did tell Munieka-san about Shardina, so she stopped coming. She was banned.

Still… no, surely it’s just my imagination.
But every time another Minos Doll appeared, I felt a bitter, vengeful presence from somewhere.
It’s probably just in my head—but someday I really should give Haiyaan a good scolding.

Anyway, back to the point.

That night… and the following morning—the witch was still the witch.
But somehow awkward, smiling faintly to cover it.
Well, I was probably the same.

More concerning was Chive-san.
I’d gone too far when she got drunk and bold, because she was just too cute.
When she fainted, I carried her to the sofa and cleaned up.

But when she woke up, she drove Shiro out and locked herself in the nap room.

That almost started a fight with Shiro, while Munieka-san silently watched me.
Yeah… I think she figured out a lot.
I braced myself, knowing it was only natural I’d be avoided.

Later, after training, I went to bathe, only to find Chive-san waiting.
Of course, she was naked. But when I tried to talk, she said nothing.
So I stayed silent too.

By nightfall, though, she seemed back to normal.

But still… I don’t think our relationship can ever truly go back.
From that day on, she stopped sleeping on the sofa beside me.
She even tidied up one of the guest rooms and started sleeping there.

I thought she was avoiding me—but she still spoke to me in her usual lighthearted tone.
And sometimes, from a distance, she would cast me a heated glance.
When our eyes met, she’d quickly look away. What was that about?

Even so…

It feels like I crossed a line, despite never actually crossing it.
I really need to reflect on this.

And then tonight.

Before dinner, the witch returned.
She set a slightly ornate bottle on the table.

“Fufufu… fufufu… fufufu… fufufu… at last! At last, it’s finished!”

She looked delighted—but oddly more excited than usual.
Munieka-san sighed.

“So noisy. What is it?”
“Hm?”
“What is that?”
“Witch, what’s in the bottle?”
“Well, well! Listen, all of you! This is none other than—Awakening Water!”

What kind of shady name is that?
The amber glass hid its contents.

“Eeehhhhh!? You mean that Awakening Water!?”

Chive-san, who’d seemed uninterested, cried out in shock.

“What’s the racket?”
“Pipe down.”
“Eh? You two—Munieka, Shiro—you don’t know!? Awakening Water is the legendary elixir that makes you awaken and become stronger instantly!”
“W-What!? Something like that!?”
“Now that you mention it, I faintly recall hearing of it. A superhuman potion, they called it.”
“Yes, that one!”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“Fufu… even for me, it took a very long time to make.”
“So that’s why you were always away, Witch? To gather ingredients?”
“Exactly. Some were very hard to obtain.”

So that’s it…

“Wait wait! But it’s not just the ingredients—the recipe itself should’ve been lost! How did you even know how to brew it!?”
“Ah—The Lab!”

I blurted it out. Chive-san clapped her hands.

“Ahhh, of course—that explains it!”

If the Lab’s database had the recipe, that made sense.

“I see… so that’s the case.”
“Smart thinking.”

Both nodded in agreement.

“Yes yes, I managed it with Haiyaan’s cooperation. Somehow, we did it.”
“Hmm… that Lab might be even more dangerous than I thought…”
“Well, your concern is understandable. I’ve considered that too. Now then, Wof-boy—take the Awakening Potion!”
“Y-Yes. I-I’ll take it.”

I picked up the ornate bottle and drank.

Hm… this taste—!? My memories from my previous life made it unmistakable.

This is cola! Flat cola!

Shocked, yet overcome with nostalgia, I downed it in one gulp.
Instantly, thump! My body quivered, mind and soul shuddering.

“――――――!?”

What. What. What. What.
What. What. What. What.

My body… no—my heart… no—my soul… going somewhere… somewhere…

“Wof-boy!? Wof-boy!?”
“Master! Darling!”
“What’s happening to him!?”
“Wof-chi!?”

Their voices echoed from afar.

『Here we are.』

A pale blue space with white lines running through it.
Cold, inorganic—like the Verse.

Floating there was a spherical frame.

That was Vanish. Somehow, I knew.

A transparent orb. But why a transparent sphere?
If it’s invisible, why does it need to be spherical at all?

Why a circle? Why not a square? A triangle?

『I see.』

The reason it’s round is because it’s meant to be used with the hand.
A sphere best fits the palm.

But then—why hold it in the hand at all?
Why give it shape at all?

『…It wasn’t necessary.』

Just like this inorganic blue Verse-space.

I activated Vanish. A framed sphere appeared in my palm.

And then, I tore it apart.

『But how?』

No, I get it. This must be…the effect of the Awakening Drug.

Understanding everything, awakening little by little.

The frame sphere slipped out of my hand.

Clown’s 【Vanish】 was also a sphere, but it was released from the hand.
Yes. 【Vanish】 wasn’t like that at first.

But because it was dangerous, too dangerous, I shaped it into a sphere that fit into my palm so it wouldn’t fly off.
The first time I used it, I made it safe.

“Let’s return it to how it was.”

I reset 【Vanish】.
Returned it to its original form.

The frame sphere vanished easily.
That’s fine.

Then, the space of the blue frame burst faded away.

I opened my eyes. My vision was hazy.
A pair of grey reptilian eyes were staring at me up close, wide open.

“Woooah! Everyone, Woffy’s awake!”

That was Chive-san’s voice. Huh? I was…lying on the sofa.

So she was nearby. Everyone quickly rushed over, and upon seeing me, they looked relieved.

“Wof boy, Wof boy, are you really okay!?”

I saw the witch’s panicked face.

“Calm down. How do you feel?”

Shiro-san looked at me with a gentle voice.

“Master. Please drink this.”

Clink — Muniéka-san placed a glass on the table.

“I… collapsed, didn’t I?”

I asked as I picked up the glass.
How kind. My throat was dry.

“It was really tough, you know—Witch and Shiro were freaking out!”
“And you weren’t?”
“Well, well, I never thought it’d turn out like this, you see!”
“I can’t believe you didn’t even do a trial test of the reagent.”
“But but, we did check in the lab that it had no toxicity or side effects, you know.”
“Even so—there are always things you can’t predict.”
“Witch. When it comes to drugs and concoctions, that’s unlike you.”
“Ugh, ugh… I’ve got nothing to say.”

The witch lowered her head and groaned.
As I sipped the cold potion, I thought — this was a basic blunder, uncharacteristic of her.

Normally, you’d test it several times on lab animals to confirm it isn’t dangerous.
Even she usually used test animals and instruments for new drugs.
The lab is highly trustworthy, but the fact remains — I collapsed.

The witch looked at me. Her moist amber eyes always make my heart skip.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Wof boy. This was my fault. Forgive me.”

She bowed her head deeply. I was taken aback, then let out a small laugh.

“…Please be more careful next time.”
“I really, truly am sorry.”

The witch bowed again. She seemed to have reflected.
I knew that her anxiety and loneliness had pushed her to rush the results.

Shiro-san set down her teacup and asked:

“So, how is it? Do you feel stronger?”
“Well, about that…”

I briefly explained everything that had happened.

“Hmm, hmm. So you were suppressing a spatial-type Relic on your own, huh.”
“You unconsciously restrained the relic that manifested in your childhood, considering safety?”
“That happens fairly often. But forgetting about it entirely isn’t so common.”
“So you remembered it—and released it, right?”
“Yes. I reset 【Vanish】, and it returned to how it was when it first manifested.”

Chive-san let out a thoughtful groan.
Shiro-san asked:

“What’s with you? Why the face?”
“Well, you know, for a legendary Awakening Drug… it’s kinda plain.”
“Legends are usually like that.”
“But but! The fact that Wof boy noticed he’d unconsciously been suppressing it, and managed to undo it—that’s only thanks to the Awakening Drug!”

The witch emphasized the results. Gathering the materials must have been really difficult.

Then Muniéka-san spoke:

“So… what exactly is the reset 【Vanish】?”

What exactly, huh.

The next day, in the morning.
I immediately tested the initial 【Vanish】.
The witch and the others observed.

As an opponent, a Minos Doll appeared.

“…Sh–Shardina…”
“What does this mean?”

There was no mistake.
It was Shardina—the one who had been banned from appearing.

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