Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 161: “Challenging the Researchers of the Heroes’ World”
—Thor’s point of view—
We were staying at an inn in Noza Town.
After completing our investigation and entering the town, Princess Sophia arranged lodging for us.
We were staying there so we could analyze the Mysterious Box.
Erte-san and the soldiers from Raisenga territory were staying in the town’s barracks.
It was the soldiers’ first time in a human town, so Erte-san, the senior member of the group, had been assigned to look after them.
The rest of us had rented a house and gotten a good night’s sleep.
The next morning, Mabel, Agnis, and I gathered in the living room.
We were supposed to begin analyzing the Mysterious Box, but—
“The analysis of the box is already finished…”
I identified the materials using the [Material Appraisal] skill.
The box was made mainly of iron and an otherworldly material called “concrete.”
I recognized “concrete” because it was mentioned in the Mail-Order Catalog.
There were things like “brushes to clean concrete surfaces.”
Apparently, that material was used in buildings in the Heroes’ world.
There might be something similar in this world too. I’ll look into it later.
I also figured out the box’s locking mechanism.
There were illustrated instructions. If I followed them, I should be able to reproduce the mechanism.
So—
“Let’s have breakfast for now.”
“Yes, that sounds good.”
“We should eat properly in the morning to maintain our health.”
Dorothy-san delivered the ingredients earlier.
They included meat, eggs, and vegetables harvested in the northern part of the Empire.
However—
“The vegetables aren’t very fresh.”
“The ones from the Demon Lord’s Domain are much better.”
Mabel and Agnis tilted their heads in thought.
This region is at the edge of the Empire. Because of the abundance of monsters, development hasn’t progressed much.
To be honest, when it comes to crops, the Demon Lord’s Domain is more prosperous.
“There are various races living in the Demon Lord’s Domain. They’ve made it so many different kinds of ingredients can be grown.”
“Yes. It seems that farming zones and gathering areas are designated by race.”
“Even the chefs in the Demon Lord’s castle change the menu based on the race they’re serving.”
“Food is important after all… Wait, huh?”
When I looked, Mabel and Agnis were staring intently at me.
Oh no. This flow means—
“Yes. Food is very important. That’s why, Thor-sama, you must rest well and eat properly while staying in this town.”
“We want you to live a regular, healthy life.”
“…Understood.”
When I nodded, Mabel and Agnis smiled.
I’ve been causing them a lot of worry.
Especially without Mabel—I might not have been able to live a normal life at all.
“I’ll help with the cooking too. It’ll help me appreciate the importance of meals more.”
“Are you sure?”
“Right now, we’re waiting for a reply from Rukie-sama, so I’ve got free time.”
“Understood. So, Thor-sama, what kind of cooking are you good at?”
“Let’s see… Back in the capital, I used to soak bread in soup and eat it.”
“What kind of soup was it?”
“I’d buy cheap vegetables at the market, boil them down—”
“…Let’s make a nutritious meal today.”
Mabel nodded with an expression like she had come to a realization.
“Then, would you help with making the salad?”
“Sure. What should I do?”
“We have boiled potatoes. Please mash them.”
“For potato salad, right?”
“Yes. May I ask you to do that?”
“Of course.”
When I responded, Mabel handed me a wooden bowl filled with potatoes.
They were already peeled. All I had to do was mash them.
“Okay, I’ll work at the table in the living room, so call me if you need anything.”
“Please do.”
“I’ll make the soup,” Agnis said.
“Thanks, Agnis.”
I moved to the living room.
In front of me was a wooden bowl filled with potatoes. In my hand was a stick for mashing them.
Let’s do this.
“By the way, Thor-sama.”
“What is it, Mabel?”
“Princess Sophia still has the ‘Otherworldly Documents,’ doesn’t she?”
“Yes. Once Rukie-sama approves, we’ll exchange them for the Mysterious Box.”
“I’m curious what kind of amazing weapon data it is.”
“It’s the ‘Ultra-High-Vibration Blade,’ after all.”
“Ultra-high vibration… So, a sword that shakes violently, right?”
“That’s what I think.”
I nodded.
“It’s probably extremely powerful. The Heroes’ world uses vibration in many of its items. You could call this the culmination of that technology.”
“The ‘Foot Bath’ also used vibrations in hot water to heal the body, didn’t it?”
“I think the Heroes’ world realized early on the effects that vibration can produce.”
“What an amazing world…”
“It’s the Heroes’ world, after all.”
“By the way, Thor-sama.”
“Yeah?”
“The living room table has been shaking slightly for a while now…”
“Ah, sorry. Was it noisy?”
“No, no… But from here, I can only see your back. What exactly are you doing with your hands?”
“I’m mashing the potatoes.”
“Yes, of course. You’re mashing the potatoes…”
“Yep. With high vibration, they mash really well.”
“I see. High vibration would mash them well, indeed—wait, eh… eeeeeh!?”
“The high-vibration item is already finished!? T-Thor Canaan-sama… That’s amazing! I was simply so surprised!”
“Wah! Agnis-sama, please calm down! You turned off your ‘Health-Boosting Pendant’ to use your flames for cooking—w-wait, your clothes, Agnis-sama!”
“I-I’m fine! My dress is made of ‘Earth-Element Magical Weave Fabric,’ so—”
It turned into a huge commotion.
“…I was really surprised.”
“…I simply never expected Thor Canaan-sama to be making a high-vibration item…”
“Sorry for surprising you.”
A small hammer sat on the table.
It’s made of wood, and the head is smeared with mashed potatoes.
By the way, the mound of potatoes in the bowl is all neatly mashed.
Not a single lump remained; the potatoes had been mashed into a smooth, cohesive mass.
Since it was mashed so thoroughly, the texture should be quite pleasant. Probably.
“This hammer was something I made for experimentation.”
I handed the wooden hammer to the two of them.
“If I used a sword, I wouldn’t know what kind of effect it might have. It could end up being insanely sharp. Like, say I accidentally made a sword that could cut through anything, and then dropped it…”
“It might sink right into the floor.”
“It could just keep sinking straight into the ground…”
Mabel, Agnis, and I all turned pale.
If it really were a sword that could cut anything, that sort of thing could definitely happen.
If it slipped from your hand and struck the ground, it might keep sinking until it reached the depths of the earth. That was a real possibility.
“That’s why, for safety reasons, I tried it out with a wooden hammer first.”
“You’re using it as a reference for creating the ‘Ultra-High-Vibration Blade,’ right?”
“Yeah. So that once I get the materials, I can start making it right away.”
I figured I’d start by making an item that vibrates.
The result of that trial was the ‘Vibrating Wood Hammer.’
I wanted to see what kind of effects weapon vibration might produce.
The Vibrating Wood Hammer is embedded with a Wind Magic Stone and a Water Magic Stone.
Wind causes swaying, and water creates waves.
By compressing and amplifying their power, I managed to make the hammer vibrate at high speed… but it wasn’t very effective as a weapon.
It’s noisy when it hits armor or shields, but that’s about it.
So far, its useful effects are—
“Well, for now, it seems to work great as a cooking tool.”
“It mashed the potatoes in no time. If you attached a rod to the end, it might work for whisking eggs too.”
“It could probably tenderize meat as well.”
“I should make a note of this.”
Effects of the Vibrating Wood Hammer:
- Can mash potatoes at incredible speed.
- Can efficiently whisk eggs.
- Can tenderize meat by pounding it.
“Thanks. That was helpful.”
“Um… Thor-sama?”
“Yeah?”
“Why did you decide to experiment with vibrating items now?”
“Because I’m curious about the Ultra-High-Vibration Blade.”
“But… we’re expecting a letter from the Demon Lord tomorrow, right? Once it arrives, you should be able to obtain the Otherworldly Documents. Wouldn’t it have been better to wait until then before experimenting…?”
“…That would’ve felt kind of like losing.”
I said:
“I’ve studied otherworldly items through the ‘Mail-Order Catalog,’ so I think I’ve become fairly familiar with their magic items. That’s why I wanted to challenge the researchers of that world.”
My goal was to surpass the Heroes’ world.
Someday, I would have to create an item that surpassed those in the Mail-Order Catalog.
That was why I wanted to see how close I could come to the otherworldly researchers’ level using only the hint provided by the Ultra-High-Vibration Blade.
I would create an item incorporating high-frequency vibration technology and try to trace the researcher’s thought process.
If the item I made surpassed the Ultra-High-Vibration Blade, I would feel as though I had taken one step closer to the Heroes’ world…
“…That’s amazing, Thor-sama.”
Mabel looked at me with sparkling eyes.
“You’re trying so many different ways to get closer to the Heroes’ world… I truly respect that.”
“Thanks. Well then, I’ll give this Vibrating Wood Hammer to you, Mabel.”
“A-Are you sure!?”
“It seems useful for cooking. I’d be happy if you put it to good use.”
“Y-Yes! I’ll make your meals with it, Thor-sama!”
As she said that, Mabel gave me a warm, sunshine-like smile.
“…Stare…”
When I glanced to the side, I saw Agnis staring intently this way.
“I respect Thor Canaan-sama too! I’ll help with your experiments as well!”
“Y-Yeah.”
“So please give me the Vibrating Wood Hammer… Ah, but if it’s me, I might accidentally burn it…”
“Don’t worry about that. I can just make another one.”
I handed Agnis a spare Vibrating Wood Hammer.
Also, just in case, I decided to give her something else as well.
“Agnis, I’ll give you this too. Try using it when the time comes, okay?”
“This is… a cloth belt?”
“It’s a Low-Frequency Belt.”
“A Low-Frequency Belt?”
“There was a Low-Frequency Therapy Device in the Mail-Order Catalog, so I made this as a reference for ‘vibration.’ After all, waves are a kind of vibration too.”
“What does it do?”
“When you infuse it with magic power, it emits a very weak lightning spell.”
I poured magic power into the Low-Frequency Belt.
A tiny spark of lightning should have appeared with a zzzt.
Since the output is so weak, it’s not visible to the naked eye.
“…What exactly is this?”
“It seems to send out something called ‘low-frequency waves’ to move the muscles. That way, it softens a body that has ‘hardened like stone.’”
“—Which means, this is…”
“Most likely, it’s an item that can undo petrification.”
There are many magical beasts with petrification abilities, starting with the cockatrice.
When struck by a petrifying breath or attack, the body turns to stone.
According to those who’ve recovered through magic, it seems that even consciousness is lost during petrification.
There are some who possess the power to undo petrification, but not many.
The magic that cancels it’s said to ‘awaken the inside of the body.’
It works on the interior of the petrified body to revive its life force.
Most likely, the ‘low-frequency therapy device’ has a similar ability.
By moving the muscles through low-frequency waves, it ‘awakens the inside of the body.’
That’s probably how it cancels petrification.
“Well, it hasn’t been tested on living creatures yet, so we don’t know if it works.”
I’ll try experimenting on a magical beast when I have the time.
Until then, it could only be treated as a weapon.
“But how do you fight a ‘Hard Creature’ with this?”
“This can activate an incredible lightning spell when the output is increased. If you wrap it around a magical beast’s body, it should be pretty powerful.”
“That’s amazing! With that, we can defeat a ‘Hard Creature’!”
“Yeah. But I don’t think that’s the same kind of fighting as with a ‘high-vibration blade’…”
If it were simply a lightning-based spell, they wouldn’t have gone out of their way to write ‘high-vibration.’
So maybe ‘low-frequency’ really has nothing to do with ‘high-vibration.’
Items from the Heroes’ world were truly profound.
“I think this is a defensive item.”
Suddenly, Agnis murmured.
“If you wrap this around your body, it makes your muscles twitch, right? Then if you wrap it around a magical beast and send in low-frequency waves…”
“The magical beast’s body will jolt, and it won’t be able to attack?”
“That’s what Agnis thinks.”
She has a point.
Even the ‘Magical Beast Gargarossa’ had muscles beneath its skin.
If you wrapped a ‘Low-Frequency Belt’ around its body and activated it, its body would start convulsing—jerking involuntarily.
Since its body would move regardless of its will, there’s no way it could launch an attack.
“If a magical beast is hit with low-frequency waves, its body would keep twitching. In other words, its body would continue to vibrate…”
“So it’s basically a weapon that ‘induces high-frequency vibrations in magical beasts’…”
“Y-Yes. But I might be wrong…”
“No, that’s very helpful.”
If you want to capture your opponent, use low-frequency mode to paralyze their movement.
If you want to defeat them, increase the output and pour in lightning magic for an extended period.
Maybe the ‘Low-Frequency Belt’ works by making the magical beast’s body ‘vibrate’ like that.
I would write a report on the ‘Vibrating Wood Hammer’ and the ‘Low-Frequency Belt.’
If I show it to Rukie and Kelve-san, I might get some good feedback.
“—Well then, that’s the end of today’s research into the Heroes’ world.”
I clapped my hands once.
“Sorry for the interruption. Let’s get back to cooking.”
“Y-Yes, Thor-sama.”
“R-Right. The soup was halfway done.”
After that, we continued cooking side by side.
The potatoes for the salad had been mashed extremely finely.
That’s the power of the ‘Vibrating Wood Hammer’ for you.
“…Come to think of it, we still have some potatoes left.”
Mabel murmured quietly.
“We also have milk. Since we have the chance, why not make potato soup? Normally, you would boil the potatoes until they fell apart, but if we mash them first and add them to the soup, they should simmer into something soft and creamy.”
“Mabel, you want to use the ‘Vibrating Wood Hammer,’ don’t you?”
“You can tell, Thor-sama?”
“Of course I can. It’s you, after all.”
“…I see.”
Mabel looked slightly embarrassed.
Agnis quickly started a fire and began boiling more potatoes.
Once they were nicely cooked, she took them out… Wait, huh? Am I not supposed to help? Is it because it’s dangerous and I might get burned? I see.
After transferring the potatoes to a bowl, it was time for the “Vibrating Wood Hammer” to shine.
Clatter Clatter Clatter Clatter Clatter Clatter…
The “Vibrating Wood Hammer” shook the kitchen table.
In sync with that, Mabel’s body trembled slightly as well.
“S-s-so amaaazing. The potatoes are getting mashed right before my eeeyes.”
Because of the vibration, Mabel’s voice came out strangely.
Agnis moved behind Mabel and placed her hands on Mabel’s shoulders.
She seemed curious about what the vibration felt like.
“Ahh ahh ahh, y-y-yes. Th-the vi-bra-tion is ma-making my voice sound weeeird.”
“It’s s-s-o fu-n-nyyy.”
“If you loosen your grip a little on the hammer’s handle, it’ll help. If you squeeze it tightly, the vibrations go straight through.”
“N-no, this iiis f-i-i-ne like thiiis, it’s f-u-u-n.”
“I s-s-ee-e-e.”
Each time their bodies shook—so did their chests, in tiny little bounces.
I was trying not to pay attention to it… but sometimes my eyes wandered before I knew it.
…For now, I’ll focus on finishing the salad. Yep.
And so, the meal preparations continued—
“Let’s eat!”
After a while, the food was ready.
We enjoyed a late breakfast.
The potato salad and soup made with the “Vibrating Wood Hammer” were incredibly delicious.
Once we returned to the Demon Lord’s castle, I should give this hammer to the chefs.
I’m sure they’ll be happy.
“Meow~”
“Huh? Good morning, Soleil.”
“Good morning to you too, nya.”
Before I knew it, white-cat-mode Soleil was at my feet.
When I greeted her, she pulled back her hood and returned to her winged-pixie form.
It looked as though she was using the “Transforming Pajamas” as actual pajamas.
“Would you like to eat with us, Soleil?”
“I’d love to, nya.”
Soleil floated into the air and flew toward the washbasin.
As she washed her hands and feet, she asked:
“By the way, what will you all be doing after this?”
“I’m waiting to hear back from Rukie-sama. Until then, I thought I’d explore Noza Town a little.”
“If you’d like, I can guide you around, nya?”
Saying that, Soleil plopped herself down on my lap.
“I’ve been to this town many times, nya. I’d be the perfect guide.”
“I see. Then, I’ll take you up on that.”
“Understood, nya.”
“Mabel and Agnis, want to come too?”
“I’m sorry. Agnis has to check in at the garrison.”
Agnis murmured with a hint of regret.
She was also the captain of a unit under the Flame General.
So she needs to go check on how the squad is doing.
“Oh, but! I’ll catch up with you after I finish my work.”
“Okay, sounds good. What about you, Mabel?”
“Y-yes! I-I’ll devote my life to guarding Thor-sama—!”
“No need to be that serious, okay?”
Personally, I’d like Mabel to enjoy walking through town.
She had hardly ever left the Demon Lord’s Domain. This was a good opportunity for her.
With the “Natural Volume Hairpiece,” she could even pass as human.
…And, honestly, I want to walk through the town with her too.
“Then let’s walk through the town together. I’ll show you what the human world is like.”
“P-please do, Thor-sama.”
“Yeah.”
I took Mabel’s hand.
And with that, Mabel, Soleil in white-cat form, and I set out to explore Noza Town.