Volume 7

Chapter 166: “Researching Weapons from the Heroes’ World”

—Thor’s point of view—

The meeting with Prince Ricardo had ended.

As soon as the meeting ended, he apparently dispatched a mounted courier to the Imperial Capital.

Most likely, it was to report that he had obtained the Mysterious Box.

The letter also included Princess Sophia’s wishes. She had confirmed that herself.

However, it would take more than ten days for a reply to arrive from the Imperial Capital.

For now, all we could do was wait for the outcome.

In the meantime, Princess Sophia planned to continue patrolling the border region.

Daryl Zanno and his companions might still be hiding somewhere, after all.

I returned to the Demon Lord’s Domain and reported to Rukie.

Rukie was glad that the meeting had ended peacefully.

As long as Princess Sophia remained in Noza Town, the Demon Lord’s Domain would remain secure. If the Empire made a move, we could respond immediately, and trade with the Archduke’s territory would continue to develop.

The Demon Lord’s Domain would continue to develop from that point onward.

“Well done, Thor.”

Upon hearing my report, Rukie nodded in satisfaction.

“Then, Mabel. Go ahead and hand it over to him.”

“Y-yes, Your Majesty.”

Mabel bowed and handed me the “Otherworldly Documents.”

These were the documents stored inside the Mysterious Box—which was actually a Fireproof Safe from the Heroes’ world.

They had been withheld until the meeting was concluded.

Thank goodness… Now I could begin researching weapons from the Heroes’ world.

“Thank you very much, Rukie-sama.”

“Research is fine, but don’t overdo it.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Make sure you eat properly. If you pull all-nighters researching, I’ll confiscate the materials. You should get outside your room from time to time. Also…”

“I’ll be okay.”

I spoke up.

“I’ve grown a little, you know. I won’t do anything that would make you worry, Rukie-sama.”

“I see.”

“Yes.”

“Good. Then all is well.”

The Demon Lord Rukie, seated on her throne, nodded again.

“In any case, this brings the matter of the Mysterious Box to a close. We still need to identify who stole it, but the Empire will likely handle that. We’ll observe the situation from here.”

“Yes. It seems Princess Sophia is continuing her investigation as well.”

“Understood. For now, this chapter is settled. Well done, Thor and Mabel!”

With that, the report ended.

Then I returned to my room, documents from the Heroes’ world in hand.

To begin my research into weapons from the Heroes’ world—

The next day.

“I’m going on a journey. Please don’t look for me.”

“Wait, wait, wait, wait!”

“Why are you saying things like that, Thor!?”

Once again, I was meeting with Rukie.

There, I informed her that I would be going on a journey—but—

“This is way too sudden! You just got back from Noza Town! Why are you going off again!?”

“That’s right, Thor-sama. Weren’t you going to thoroughly focus on your research!?”

“…That research is the problem.”

I placed the “Otherworldly Documents” in front of Rukie.

Though I had longed for these documents, now just holding them weighed heavily on me.

Because I had been confronted with the vast difference between the technology of the Heroes’ world and my own.

“Certainly, these documents describe weapons from another world.”

I began explaining.

Rukie, without her usual disguise, and Mabel in her maid outfit, listened intently.

“Specifically, there are three weapons. The first is the ‘Ultra-High-Vibration Blade.’ The second is the ‘Thought-Controlled Powered Suit.’ The last is the ‘Mind-Responsive Turret.’”

“W-what are those weapons!?”

“I can’t even imagine what they look like…”

“Yes. Apparently, even in the Heroes’ world, they’re rare ‘romantic weapons.’”

The documents included diagrams.

There were also sections explaining the required materials and technologies.

There were also lines such as, “Make it look cool,” “Fill in the plans as appropriate,” and “The rest is up to you—uncover the truth!” I supposed the engineers of the Heroes’ world could decipher them.

“The first, the ‘Ultra-High-Vibration Blade,’ is a sword whose blade vibrates through sound waves, enabling it to cut through hard materials.”

“H-hmm. I kind of get it.”

“Like a high-speed saw, perhaps?”

“Next, the ‘Thought-Controlled Powered Suit’ reads the wearer’s thoughts and moves accordingly. With it, the user can move quickly and unleash immense power.”

“A suit of armor that reads your thoughts!?”

“What if, during battle, you suddenly remember you left the laundry out!?”

“Finally, the ‘Mind-Responsive Turret’ attacks wherever the owner wills it… It’s like a tiny mage. The designer apparently wanted it to shoot out ‘sticky adhesive substances,’ probably to immobilize ‘Hard Creatures.’”

“…That, I think I can picture, somewhat.”

“…It’s the easiest one to understand, at least.”

Rukie and Mabel crossed their arms and groaned after hearing my explanation.

I get how they feel.

Even I nearly held my head in frustration when I started reading those documents.

“The last one, the ‘Mind-Responsive Turret,’ seems like something we could build with our current technology.”

“You can build it!? A weapon from the Heroes’ world!?”

“Yes. I thought it might work if the winged pixies carried devices that fired a sticky adhesive.”

“…I see.”

The Mind-Responsive Turret apparently flies through the air, reads the user’s thoughts, and attacks enemies.

If that was possible, the winged pixies should be capable of the same thing.

As long as we convey the strategy to them, they’ll move just as we direct.

“However, we would need an item to protect the winged pixies. Which means… I’ll have to make a ‘Thought-Controlled Powered Suit’ after all…”

“Can you not make one now, Thor?”

“No. It seems I need special materials to create it.”

“Special materials, you say?”

“Yes. The ‘Thought-Controlled Powered Suit’ and the ‘Mind-Responsive Turret’ require materials that react to the owner’s thoughts. As for the ‘Ultra-High-Vibration Blade,’ it needs an exceptionally durable metal.”

The engineer who wrote the “Otherworldly Documents” apparently had an idea about such materials.

They said they saw it in an old record, so it might have been a material from the ancient times of the Heroes’ world.

“The document on the ‘Ultra-High-Vibration Blade’ contains the name of the material. It’s a metal called ‘Orichalcum.’ More precisely, it says ‘a metal comparable to it.’”

“Orichalcum? I’ve heard of that before.”

Rukie wore an expression as if searching her memory.

“I believe… it was a material the otherworldly hero desired, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. It’s in the Hero Records. They apparently said something like, ‘If it’s called the Hero’s Sword, then of course it’s made of orichalcum, right!? Or maybe Hihiirokane? Adamantite? Man, this fires me up!’”

“That would be Chapter 1, Section 2 of the Hero Records: ‘The Otherworldly Hero Selects His Weapon.’”

“Yes. But it seems the weapon made of the material the hero wanted didn’t exist.”

“Because materials like ‘Orichalcum,’ ‘Adamantite,’ and ‘Hihiirokane’ haven’t been found in this world.”

“They probably exist in the Heroes’ world.”

“Likely so. Otherwise, there would be no reason for the hero to be so particular about them.”

There’s no doubt about that.

Even the “Otherworldly Documents” said: “When I proposed creating an Ultra-High-Vibration Blade to my boss, they replied, ‘There’s a problem with durability. If you want to make it, bring me orichalcum or something.’ Philistines who know nothing of dreams!”

So even in the Heroes’ world, it must have been a terrifyingly rare material.

“In other words, to make an ‘Ultra-High-Vibration Blade,’ I need to find a material comparable to orichalcum.”

“You intend to go on a journey to find it?”

“Yes. I thought I’d begin by searching within the Demon Lord’s Domain.”

“…So that’s what this is about.”

Rukie nodded, seemingly convinced.

I had assumed something like the ‘Ultra-High-Vibration Blade’ would be easy to make—but I had been naive.

Apparently, it uses the power of sound to make the blade vibrate several thousand or even tens of thousands of times per second.

That means it needs a material capable of withstanding such stress.

If I shortened the blade, it might endure the vibration.

For example, something like a small knife.

But that wouldn’t be enough to fight a Hard Creature.

I still need a tough material.

Iron, steel, or even magic silver (mythril) all have durability issues.

There’s also the option of adding the “Earth Attribute” to increase strength, but that would consume way too much magical energy. Even if I embedded a magic stone, it would likely run out of energy in no time.

Relying on the user’s magic would be too much of a burden. If the blade drained all their mana and left them unable to use magic when it mattered most… that would be a disaster.

Making the blade replaceable so it could be swapped out before each battle might work… but it’s still uncertain whether it would be practical.

With my skill, “Material Transmutation,” I can’t create very large materials. Plus, I need to understand the base material to recreate it.

That’s why, first, I’ll search for a material as strong as orichalcum—if I can’t find one, I’ll try synthesizing it from other materials.

—I explained all of this to Rukie.

“So, that’s the reason you’re going on a journey.”

Rukie stared at me.

“But Thor, do you have any leads on where to find such materials?”

“I thought I’d begin with the mines in Raisenga territory. Development has only just started there, and I’d like to enter the tunnels and look for promising metals.”

“That much I don’t mind, but… hm? What’s wrong, Mabel? You look troubled.”

I glanced over to see Mabel staring down silently.

She seemed deep in thought.

“…If it’s a material that reacts to the mind, I might know something.”

After a moment, Mabel seemed to make up her mind.

“I heard about it when I was small. That there’s a metal—an advanced version of magic silver (mythril)—that reacts to living hearts.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s an old tale passed down in the elf village.”

Mabel’s amazing.

I didn’t expect to find a clue this quickly.

Come to think of it, it wouldn’t be surprising for elves to know about mysterious materials.

So when Mabel was little, she heard that story in the elf village… wait, huh?

“The elf village… you mean the one you used to live in, right?”

“…Yes.”

Mabel gave a small nod.

Seeing her expression, I remembered.

Mabel couldn’t use magic, so she was ostracized in the elf village.

Because of that, she had been taken in at the Demon Lord’s castle.

Since then, Mabel hadn’t seen the elves from her village again.

She spoke normally with the elves at the Demon Lord’s castle, but the elves from her village were apparently highly insular. She had probably not returned home since then.

“I understand. Let’s put the ‘Thought-Controlled Powered Suit’ on hold for now.”

“Huh? Thor-sama!?”

“First, I’ll search for orichalcum. The ‘Ultra-High-Vibration Blade’ is listed on the first page of the documents, so we should assume it’s the most important item. That’s why I’m heading to the mines.”

I think that’s the right decision.

If I go to the elf village to investigate, Mabel will probably come along.

If I visit the elf village alone, I’d need to rely on the title of ‘Royal Alchemist under direct command of the Demon Lord Rukie.’ Some of the elves might connect that to Mabel.

I don’t believe everyone in the elf village is bad… but to me, Mabel is more important than any material.

I can’t let her go through anything unpleasant.

“That’s the situation, Rukie-sama. I’ll be heading to the mines in Raisenga territory.”

“Are you sure? I could summon someone from the elf village for you, you know?”

“I can’t trouble you over something for my personal research, Rukie-sama.”

If the elves from the village came to the Demon Lord’s castle, Mabel would probably feel uneasy.

We’ll leave the psychic-reactive material for later.

First, I would create the ‘Ultra-High-Vibration Blade’ to deal with the ‘Hard Creatures.’

“So, may I go now?”

“Y-Yes. Very well.”

“Thank you. If you need anything, please send word through the winged pixies. I’ll return immediately.”

“Please wait!”

Suddenly, Mabel raised her voice.

With a serious expression, she looked at Rukie and me and said:

“Your Majesty, Thor-sama—I have a request. Please allow me to go to the elf village.”

“Mabel?”

“…Are you sure about this, Mabel?”

“I can’t stay trapped in the past forever.”

As she said this, Mabel took my hand.

“Thanks to you, Thor-sama, I… have been able to use magic. I’ve also become close to Her Majesty and Agnis-sama. Compared with when I lived in the elf village, I think I’ve… grown.”

Mabel said that with a gentle smile.

“I think I’ve grown stronger than I was as a little child. That’s why I want to take this opportunity to face my hometown.”

“Mabel.”

“Yes, Thor-sama.”

“You’re not forcing yourself, are you?”

“I’m fine. Besides, I’m your fiancée, Thor-sama.”

Saying this, Mabel touched her ‘Water Spirit Stone Pendant.’

It had a cover I made using a ‘Rainbow-Colored Magic Stone.’

She held it tightly and, with a smile filled with determination, said:

“I was thinking it’s time to visit my parents’ graves and tell them about our engagement. I think this is a good opportunity.”

“All right… Let’s go together, Mabel.”

“Yes, Thor-sama!”

Mabel intertwined her fingers with mine and nodded.

I turned to Rukie and said:

“So, the two of us will be taking a short trip to the elf village.”

“…Your plans change quite often, don’t they?”

“Mabel is more important to me than any material.”

“Well, that’s very much like you.”

Rukie covered her mouth and chuckled.

“But perhaps this is for the best. If you went to the mines, who knows how deep you’d go for materials. But if you’re going to the elf village, you’ll stay by Mabel’s side.”

“I wouldn’t go digging deep into the tunnels just for materials, you know?”

“Can you swear to that?”

“Let’s set that aside for now—I have a request for you, Rukie-sama.”

“Don’t set it aside. What is it?”

“To gather materials in the elf village, I’d like to request a permit.”

“Very well. I’ll write one myself. I should have Kelve write one too. If you have permits from both the Demon Lord and the Chancellor, the village elves won’t complain.”

“Would the Chancellor actually write one for me?”

“If he doesn’t, I’ll tell him that you’ll go collect unknown materials and make some shady items.”

“…I really owe the Chancellor a lot, don’t I?”

“You should repay him by making him something he wants someday.”

“Understood. When I receive the permit, I’ll hand him a survey form as well.”

“Yes, that sounds good.”

The matter was settled.

Mabel and I would travel to the elf village in the Demon Lord’s Domain.

There, I would investigate whether any materials usable for the ‘Thought-Controlled Powered Suit’ could be found.

—But that was only a side goal.

What truly mattered was reporting our engagement to Mabel’s parents’ graves.

To tell them that I’m grateful to Mabel and all she’s done for me.

To let them know that I genuinely intend to make her happy from now on.

To deliver that message clearly, as the Royal Alchemist under the direct command of the Demon Lord—so firmly that the villagers would be left speechless.

That’s what I was thinking.

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