Chapter 176: Visiting the Elf Village (3)

I held my hand over the “mysterious item” and activated the Appraisal Grasp skill.

Information began to flow into my mind.

But… that doesn’t mean I understand everything.

Since it’s an item from another world, maybe it’s difficult to fully analyze its functions.

────────────────────

“Mysterious Magical Tool”

An item that came from another world [■■■].

Created for the purpose of transmitting information.

Contains an informational entity.

Attribute: ■■, Lightning.

────────────────────

“This isn’t enough. I have to dig deeper.”

I focused my consciousness.

It’s a rare item from another world. I have to investigate it to its limits.

What’s inside? Is it safe, or dangerous?

I also want to understand why it was sent here—

“Activating again—Appraisal Grasp.”

I closed my eyes.

I steadied my breathing and held my hand over the “mysterious item.”

I’ll keep going until I understand.

I’m the Demon Lord’s personal alchemist.

If there’s a suspicious item, it’s my duty to investigate it thoroughly.

I continued using the Appraisal Grasp skill for a while.

As a result, I was able to learn some more detailed information.

────────────────────

“Mysterious Magical Tool: Otherworldly Information Entity”

An item sent from another world [■■■]…

Created for the purpose of information transmission.

Contains a compressed information entity inside.

The information will be revealed when the countdown reaches zero.

Internal contents: text, diagrams, speech.

Attribute: ■■, Lightning.

Impact resistant.

Dustproof and waterproof: tested up to a depth of 20 meters.

(This is based on our organization’s unique standards. Dustproof and waterproof effects are not guaranteed.)

(This is a precision instrument. Handle with care.)

────────────────────

“…That’s about it, I think?”

“How was it, Thor-sama?”

Mabel looked at me worriedly.

“I learned quite a bit, Mabel.”

I shut the door of the Ultra-Compact Storage Vault and replied.

“As I thought, the Hero’s world has technology far beyond what I imagined.”

“…Huh?”

“This item runs on the power of lightning. More precisely, there’s a component that generates a weak lightning-like current, which causes the surface to glow and displays numbers. It also contains a bit of magical power, though it’s quite weak. Still, I’m certain it has something to do with the Hero.”

“I-Is that so?”

“Also, this ‘mysterious magical tool’ is emitting a faint signal. It might be some kind of locator. Maybe using magic while holding this lets someone pinpoint its coordinates? Or it could be a unique standard from the other world.”

“U-Um, Thor-sama?”

“…Why is there only one of these? If I had two, I could keep one intact and take the other apart for modifications. Since it’s an item from the Hero’s world, I might be able to create something amazing through modifications. Besides, this looks just like a ‘smartphone’ from the Hero’s world, doesn’t it? Which means it could have similar capabilities. Maybe it can instantly activate ultra-powerful spells—”

“Thor-sama! Please calm down!”

“—Ah.”

Before I knew it, Mabel was shaking my shoulders.

At the corner of the square, the elder and the elven guards were staring wide-eyed.

…Oops. I got a little too carried away.

But you can’t blame me for getting excited.

It’s a magical tool from the Hero’s world!

The original version of something you might see in a “mail-order catalog” is right in front of me.

Of course I’m going to be excited. I’m an alchemist.

“Well then, let me explain. I’d like the elven elder to hear this too.”

“Yes, Thor-sama.”

Mabel and I walked over to the elder and the guards.

“Thank you for waiting. I’ve learned a good amount about the item that fell into the square. I don’t think it’s dangerous. Even if magic were to activate, it’s safely locked inside the Ultra-Compact Storage Vault… or in hero-world terms, the ‘storage space.’”

“H-Hmm.”

The elder nodded.

“To think that in such a short time, you analyzed and neutralized the mysterious item…”

“R-Really?”

“For a human alchemist to do such a thing…”

The elder and the elven guards were astonished.

Well, I suppose it’s understandable.

This “mysterious magical tool” is completely unknown, after all.

Even if I say I analyzed and neutralized it immediately, they may find that hard to believe.

“First of all, the magic circle the elves saw was likely either a return spell or a dispatch spell. Someone from the other world probably used magic to send this ‘mysterious magical tool’ here. As for the purpose… I can speculate, but for now, it’s unclear.”

“Alchemist Thor, may I ask a question?”

“Of course, Elder.”

“I understand now that the item was sent via return or dispatch magic. The magic circle one of our elves saw resembled the ‘summoning magic’ circle you showed us. It must be a related type of magic.”

“I agree.”

“What I cannot understand is why they sent a mysterious item rather than a person.”

“Because return or dispatch magic can send people as well.”

“Exactly.”

“Then allow me to ask—how large was the magic circle the elf saw?”

I asked the elf guard.

The elder nodded, and the leather-armored elf walked toward the center of the training ground.

He picked up a stick and drew a small circle on the ground.

“In terms of size, it was about this big.”

“That’s quite small.”

I received the stick from the elven guard.

Then, I drew a large circle next to me.

“The magic circle that summoned the giant centipede was about this size.”

“I see. So the scale of the spell is different.”

“That’s right.”

“In other words, the other world cannot use spells powerful enough to send humans or demi-humans here?”

“…That’s impossible.”

Because the one who sent this over was the hero’s world, right?

In that world, not just a single person, but even an entire army being sent over wouldn’t be surprising.

In fact, that would be more typical.

The hero himself mentioned that in his world, there’s even a phrase like “class transfer,” where an entire school class is transported.

“But isn’t that strange?”

Still, the elder tilted his head in confusion.

“If they possess the power to send people, why did the hero’s world only send this small ‘mysterious item’?”

“There are two possible reasons I can think of.”

“Let me hear them.”

“One is reconnaissance and observation.”

I explained.

“Two hundred years have passed in this world since the hero was summoned. A fair amount of time must have passed in the hero’s world as well. They probably can’t tell what’s going on over here.”

“So they decided to try sending an item first?”

“Exactly. They likely wanted to see how this world would react to the ‘mysterious item.’ If there was no response, they might conclude that civilization here had already perished.”

“Which means this item is hiding a function to observe the reactions of this world?”

“That’s what I believe.”

“But would the heroes really go about things in such a roundabout way?”

The elder, seemingly unconvinced, shook his head.

“Heroes are, quite literally, a warrior race with courage. Regardless of what’s happening in this world, wouldn’t they boldly transfer over?”

“Courage and recklessness are two different things. And maybe, precisely because they are a warrior race, they realized the danger of transferring over without warning.”

“What do you mean?”

“Even a hero is defenseless right after being summoned or transferred.”

“──Ah.”

The elder and the guards widened their eyes.

Beside me, Mabel nodded in understanding.

There’s a legend in the Empire as well.

When the heroes were summoned to this world long ago, for a short while they stood there dazed, as if they couldn’t comprehend what had happened.

But when the king at the time said, “Fight the Demon Lord’s army,” they quickly responded with something like, “Got it. Leave it to us!” and seemed to understand the situation immediately.

This shows that heroes are eager to fight and highly adaptable to battle situations.

But it’s also true that they are defenseless at the very moment they’re summoned.

There’s no way such powerful warriors wouldn’t recognize that risk.

That’s probably why they didn’t transfer themselves this time.

“Then, you think this ‘mysterious item’ is meant to eliminate that vulnerability when summoning or transferring?”

“It’s entirely possible. This item closely resembles a ‘smartphone.’ And a ‘smartphone’ is believed to be a ritual item used by heroes (according to Alchemist Thor Canaan’s personal hypothesis). So this item could very well support them after transferring.”

“…That’s a convincing argument.”

“Thank you.”

“Long ago, we elves were defeated by the heroes through their magical power. I know their strength well. That’s why we elves must remain humble. I strive to live by that principle.”

Saying this, the elder looked at the elven guards.

“My failure was not being able to communicate that to the people of the village.”

At the elder’s words, the young elves let out a gasp.

As if struck, they collapsed to the ground in submission.

It seemed they remembered what they had done to Mabel.

After glaring at them, the elder turned his eyes to me.

“I would like to entrust this magical tool to you, Alchemist. Would that be acceptable?”

“Yes. I’d be honored.”

First, I’ll send a letter to Rukie.

Then we’ll decide how to handle this ‘mysterious magical tool.’

There’s still time left on the counter. I should be able to return to the Demon Lord’s castle before it hits zero.

Either we return to the castle and decide how to handle it there, or for safety, we set up a temporary research base near the castle and wait for the countdown to reach zero—those are the main options.

Personally, I think it’s better to set up a research base near the castle.

I’ll need to consult with Rukie and Kelve about that.

“In any case, I want to see for myself what happens when the count on this magical tool hits zero. If you’re willing to entrust it to me, Elder, then I have no complaints.”

“You do not fear the unknown or danger… How admirable.”

The elder sighed.

“To know one’s own lack of knowledge, and still have the courage to face the unknown… we elves should aspire to be like that.”

“I’m really not that admirable.”

“Is that so?”

“I just want to surpass the hero’s world. To do that, I want to learn from it. I want to hone my skills as an alchemist and one day create an item so amazing, even the heroes would be astonished. Ultimately, I hope to turn the Demon Lord’s territory into a nation that surpasses the hero’s world.”

“A splendid dream indeed.”

“Right?”

“That makes you a fitting person to entrust an elf maiden to. Don’t you agree, Mabel?”

“Y-yes!?”

Suddenly addressed, Mabel looked surprised.

The elder then spoke to her kindly.

“I must formally apologize to you. It was wrong of the village elves to treat you so harshly. You were someone who brought new perspectives and new guests to our village. In the name of the elder, I apologize once again. I am sorry.”

““…………We sincerely apologize.””

The elder bowed his head, and the elven guards did the same.

“We are elves skilled in magic and magical power. But in our pride of that name, we treated you harshly because you couldn’t use magic. However, in reality, this is the result. We were helpless against a mysterious item from another world, and in fiddling with it, we put it into a strange state. Truly, it’s nothing but shameful.”

“…Elder.”

“Mabel. If you hadn’t brought the alchemist to us, we… most likely would have kept our distance from that item, trembling in fear. It’s frightening to touch, but leaving it alone is even more terrifying. We would have just waited, letting time pass.”

Saying this, the elder kept his head bowed.

“We were saved by you and the alchemist. We will not forget this debt. And we will also apologize once more to you. Please, do whatever will ease your heart…”

“P-Please stop. I’m… I’m okay now.”

Mabel said this with a smile.

“…I still can’t forget what happened when I was little, though.”

Mabel’s hand wavered, as if searching for something.

When I approached, Mabel let out a relieved sigh and took my hand.

“But I was able to meet you, Thor-sama. I’m happy now, and I feel fulfilled. Even if I can’t forget the past, it’s okay. I’m even grateful that I wasn’t an ordinary elf.”

“…I see.”

“More importantly, Elder. Please give Thor-sama the materials.”

Mabel took on a serious expression.

“We came here for a grave visit and to gather materials. We must fulfill our purpose. And if mysterious magical tools are being sent from another world, then we’ll need items to counter them, right? So please give the materials to Thor-sama!”

“Y-Yes. I understand.”

“There’s an old tale. About a higher-grade version of mythril that reacts to the hearts of living beings. That really exists, right? Is it in this village? If so, please tell us where!”

“…Mabel.”

“Yes, Elder?”

“You have… become strong.”

“I’ve come to understand what I want to do. So I’m okay now.”

“Y-Yes. Then, I shall tell you about that metal.”

Saying that, the elder began to walk.

“That material is best held by the alchemist. We’ll find it and give it to you.”

“Thank you very much.”

I bowed my head to the elder.

“That metal… it’s not called ‘orichalcum’ by any chance, is it?”

“No, it doesn’t have a particular name.”

“…I see.”

“…Why do you look so disappointed, alchemist?”

The elder tilted his head curiously.

Well, I mean, it’s a material passed down in the elven village, right?

It must be rare, so I was hoping… maybe it was the same as orichalcum from the Hero World…

But it turns out it’s a nameless metal. I see…

“In that case, why don’t you name it, alchemist?”

The elder murmured suddenly.

“It never had a name to begin with. So you can name it however you like. The sound of ‘orichalcum’ is nice, so perhaps that would be good?”

“No, if we do that, when the real orichalcum arrives, we might mistake one for the other.”

“I doubt materials from the Hero World will come here.”

“There’s always a chance. Also, if we give a different material the name ‘orichalcum,’ it’ll feel like we’ve given up on ever obtaining the real thing—and I don’t like that.”

If the Hero World is trying to make contact with this one, there’s a chance we might get materials from over there someday.

And if a material called ‘orichalcum’ already exists in this world, it would cause confusion.

We might mistake them during alchemy work.

“For the sake of proper classification, I think a different name would be better.”

“Then what name would be good?”

“Since it’s used similarly to orichalcum, how about ‘Karichalcum,’ as in ‘temporary orichalcum’?”

“…Is that okay?”

“It’s just a placeholder. We can change it later.”

“Understood. Then from now on, we shall pass it down in the village as ‘Karichalcum.’”

With that, the elder led us to the mansion.

Later, Mabel and I would learn about the elven secret material known as “Karichalcum.”

—A few days earlier, in the Empire—

“You say you’ve discovered something suspicious?”

This was in the grasslands near the imperial capital.

Prince Ricardo, who had been training in magic, raised his voice in surprise at his subordinate’s report.

Ricardo had come to this land to retrain himself.

—Ever since returning from the border region, the sense of defeat hadn’t left him.
—But the reason he felt so haunted by it… was because he hadn’t yet mastered strength.

With that in mind, Ricardo had been camping out with his trusted subordinates, training in magic.

In the middle of that, one of his men discovered something strange.

“A magic circle floating in midair. And the item that fell from it.”

“What should we do, Your Highness?”

“Is the site still intact?”

“The item was retrieved. Since it might be a magic item, the discoverer tried wearing it like a pendant and tying it to a staff and waving it around.”

“I can understand the temptation, but they should’ve shown restraint. And then what happened?”

“Then, numbers from the Hero Era appeared on the surface.”

“A Hero World item? That means… it’s an unknown.”

Ricardo recalled what he had experienced in the borderlands.

His subordinates had snuck into Sophia’s lodgings, slipped, and been captured.

They had infiltrated the trading post and ended up prisoners in a panic.

Ricardo himself had witnessed Sophia wielding monstrous strength.

All of it was “unknown” and “incomprehensible.”

“…I left that ‘unknown’ behind and returned to the capital. How disgraceful. Truly shameful.”

It felt like he had found the cause of his sense of defeat.

The key was “the unknown.”

Things Ricardo couldn’t understand with his current values.

Things he still couldn’t grasp.

He had encountered them, lost to them, and then just walked away.

If that’s the cause of his defeat, then the solution is—

“I have to confront the unknown. There is no other way. Probably.”

“What is it, Your Highness?”

“Nothing. I’ve simply decided on my course of action. That’s all.”

“Shall we report this item to Prince Diaz?”

“No. It would just be used to strengthen Brother Diaz’s position. I’ll go to someone who seems willing to help me think through this ‘unknown.’ To erase this sense of defeat.”

Ricardo stopped his magic training and packed his belongings.

Then he received the mysterious item his subordinate had brought.

It was a strange object.

A metallic plate, with glowing numbers appearing on it.

It looked just like something a Hero might have left behind.

“I’ll stick with this ‘unknown’ to the end. No matter what happens, I won’t run. That’s what I’ve decided, so I can become the strongest.”

And so, Prince Ricardo began to act, with his loyal subordinates by his side.

Previous chapter | TOC | Next chapter