Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 177: “Confirming the New Material”
“This is the ‘metal that responds to the mind’ passed down in our village.”
The elf elder said.
This is the elder’s mansion.
It’s built at the base of a large tree, and it looks almost like it’s fused with the tree itself.
That’s probably why the sound of rustling leaves echoes throughout the room.
After retrieving the ‘mysterious item’ that looked exactly like a smartphone, Mabel and I were guided here.
Upon our arrival, the elder brought out a small box from deep within the mansion.
Inside the box was a small metal fragment.
Apparently, this is the ‘metal that responds to the mind’ Mabel mentioned.
Its color is white. The surface is smooth and shiny.
The tip is pointed, like a fang.
It’s quite small—about the size of a pinky fingernail.
There’s not enough to use as a material for a magic item, but… let’s examine it anyway.
“May I use ‘Appraisal’ on it?”
“Of course. It already belongs to you.”
“Then, excuse me.”
I held my hand over the metal in the box and activated the Appraisal Insight skill.
What I learned was—
────────────────
‘Bone of ███’
Bone of ███ that has crystallized over many years.
It has properties that react to magic and the mind.
Because the original creature had high defensive strength, the bone possesses hardness beyond that of metal.
Attributes: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Light, Darkness.
────────────────
“…I withdraw the name ‘Karichalcum.’”
I told the elder and Mabel.
This isn’t a metal. It’s a creature’s bone.
It seems to have crystallized over time into a metal-like form.
And it has all elemental attributes. That’s incredible.
That means it’s completely different from the ‘Orichalcum’ of the Hero’s World…
No—wait a second.
There’s no proof that the Orichalcum of the Hero’s World isn’t bone from some creature.
So maybe it is similar after all.
But what should I call it?
‘Karichalcum’ might not be wrong, but…
…For now, let’s call it “Mind-Responsive Material.” Yeah.
Still, I wonder what kind of creature this bone came from?
A creature with all attributes and powerful defenses must be rare.
And considering it can resist the Appraisal Insight skill, it must be very strong—
“What’s wrong, Alchemist-dono?”
Before I knew it, the elder was looking at me with a puzzled expression.
I turned to face him and said,
“I apologize if this goes against elven lore, but this material doesn’t appear to be metal.”
“What!?”
“This is bone. A creature’s bone that has crystallized over many years. It does respond to magic and the mind, just as the story says.”
“We elves have long believed it to be metal…”
“Of course, there’s no doubt that it’s incredibly valuable. Even my skill couldn’t fully appraise it.”
Let’s find out what kind of creature it came from.
If we can figure that out, maybe we can search for larger fragments.
“Elder. This material was found by ‘a young elf who got lost in the Forest of Confusion,’ right?”
Mabel suddenly spoke up.
The elder nodded.
“Yes, that’s what the legend says.”
“The Forest of Confusion is a forbidden area deep in the Great Forest, isn’t it…?”
“Forbidden area? You mean a place you’re not allowed to enter?”
“Yes, Thor-sama. That legend is also meant to teach children to stay away from that place.”
According to the legend, a young elf found a metal that responded to thought deep within the Forest of Confusion.
But afterward, he suffered greatly.
After all his struggles, all he obtained was a small metal fragment.
It had no use. And since it was unidentifiable, no one would buy it.
In other words, it was a wasted effort with no reward.
—“Nothing good comes from entering the Forest of Confusion.”
—“So never go near it, okay?”
Apparently, that’s the kind of lesson embedded in the elf legend.
“If we go to the Forest of Confusion, can we learn what this material really is?”
“That would be difficult. That place is protected by a barrier.”
In response to my words, the elder shook his head.
“There’s a barrier that confuses the senses. Anyone who enters loses their sense of direction and gets lost. There are invisible walls in the forest, and even if you try to push forward, a mysterious force will push you back.”
“Even for elves?”
“Yes. It’s been there since before we arrived in this land. That’s why no one goes near it.”
Makes sense.
If it were just a regular forest, the people of the elf village would have conquered it long ago.
So aside from the young man in the legend, no one has reached the place where the ‘Mind-Responsive Material’ was found.
“How big is the Forest of Confusion?”
“It makes up one-third of the Great Forest.”
“That’s insanely huge.”
“Indeed.”
“If, hypothetically, we had a way to pinpoint the location of the material, would a round trip be possible?”
“That would still be difficult. Getting lost is one thing, but there are places where you can’t advance without taking the correct steps. The youth in the legend only managed to get through by pure chance.”
“I see…”
“That’s why we elves have been unable to conquer the Forest of Confusion for 200 years.”
“…I understand.”
A mysterious barrier, huh.
Getting lost is one thing, but being pushed back or blocked unless you follow specific procedures makes it even harder to overcome.
If all I needed to do was find the material, I could use the “Cleaning Robot.”
I just have to put the Mind-Responsive Material inside it and let it track similar magical energy.
That way, it should be able to lead me to the location of the material… that is, the bones.
But “Forest of Confusion” is protected by a barrier.
If that barrier only rejects humans and demi-humans, there’s a chance that we wouldn’t be able to go any further—only the “cleaning robot” might charge ahead toward the materials.
If that happened, we wouldn’t be able to retrieve either the cleaning robot or the materials it carried.
If I got greedy and lost what I already had, it would turn into a cautionary tale.
I’d hate for my failure story to become a lesson for the elves.
“You’re right. It seems that a full-scale expedition isn’t feasible right now.”
I nodded toward the elder.
“Besides, this ‘mystery item’ has a time limit too.”
I opened the “Ultra-Compact Portable Storage” and looked at the smartphone-like “mystery item.”
About an hour had passed since then, and the countdown had decreased accordingly.
“When that number hits zero, something is going to happen, right, Thor-sama?”
Mabel murmured while peering into the “Ultra-Compact Portable Storage.”
I nodded.
“That’s right. I plan to return to the Demon Lord’s castle before then.”
The remaining time is about eight and a half days.
When that reaches zero, the information inside the item will likely be revealed.
Before that, I need to return to the Demon Lord’s castle.
Because the information that the “mystery item” is trying to convey must be confirmed by both Rukie and Chancellor Kelve.
Also, I want to take my time to disassemble and modify the “mystery item” once it’s served its purpose. That’s another reason why I don’t have time to tackle Forest of Confusion.
If there were a groundbreaking solution and I could go and return smoothly, it’d be a different story.
But there’s no point in being greedy.
We’ve already obtained the “spiritual-response material” that we came for.
On top of that, we retrieved the smartphone-like “mystery item.” Wanting more than this would be excessive.
“Elder, thank you very much for your time.”
“…Thank you, Elder.”
Mabel and I bowed to the elven elder.
“No, no, I’m the one who owes a debt of gratitude to the alchemist. If you hadn’t been here, we would have been trembling in fear before the mysterious item from another world.”
The elder said that with a smile.
“Besides, thanks to you solving the mystery item’s problem, the young elves have realized just how much they lack in strength and knowledge. For your sake, something like this is no trouble at all.”
“Thank you very much.”
“If you have any other requests, don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll do everything I can to help.”
“Please grant us permission to explore the Forest of Confusion.”
“…What?”
The elder’s eyes went wide with surprise.
“Alchemist, were you not listening to my story?”
“No, I listened carefully. I could recite it from memory.”
“Was my explanation unclear?”
“No, it was very easy to understand.”
“Then why are you asking for exploration rights? Surely you understand how dangerous that place is?”
“Yes. I understand that venturing in carelessly would be dangerous. That’s why I want to prepare properly and explore it the next time we come.”
If it’s the cleaning robot, it can locate the materials.
If the barrier only confuses humans and demi-humans, then I can just make an automatic item that collects materials.
If that’s all it takes, I think I can build one given enough time.
“I don’t have time right now, but I’ll definitely come up with a countermeasure. For that future visit, I’d like to have your permission to explore. I wouldn’t want to investigate Forest of Confusion without authorization.”
“I-Is that so?”
“So please, I’d like to have permission.”
“You’ll take safety precautions before entering, right?”
“Yes. I don’t want to make a mistake and end up becoming a cautionary tale for the village children.”
“…Very well. I’ll prepare the permit before you leave.”
“Thank you!”
Alright! Got a verbal commitment.
Once the mystery item is sorted, I’ll get everything ready and come back here.
I’m really looking forward to it…
“So with that said, I think I’ll be coming back here again. Will you come with me, Mabel?”
“Yes, Thor-sama.”
Huh?
Mabel looks like she’s trying to hold back a laugh.
“I’m sorry, Thor-sama. It just feels… strange somehow.”
Mabel leaned closer to my ear and whispered in a small voice.
“For me… this village used to be a scary place. But ever since I came here with you, it’s become a place to visit graves… and to collect materials.”
“Yeah. That’s true.”
“And then, by investigating the mystery item, it became a place to help the villagers… and now it’s turning into a base for exploring the Forest of Confusion.”
With a warm breath, Mabel looked shy as she said:
“The role of the ‘Elven Village’ keeps changing… and I realized something. The past… doesn’t really matter to me anymore.”
“Is that so?”
“It’s thanks to you, Thor-sama. You’re the one who changed me.”
Even now, in the elder’s residence, Mabel is holding my hand.
But she’s very relaxed.
Back when we were visiting the graves, her grip was tight. Now, our fingers are just gently entwined.
“…Hehehe.”
Mabel leans her shoulder softly against mine.
Wait—this is the elder’s residence… Huh? The elder is smiling gently. “I wronged the young Mabel in the past. While you’re in this village, feel free to do as you please,” his expression seems to say. Is that really okay?
“If Mabel feels more at ease now, that’s all that matters to me.”
“Yes, Thor-sama.”
After that, I discussed future arrangements with the elder.
We would be staying in the village for one night before returning to the Demon Lord’s castle.
Originally, we were supposed to stay at the home of the Magic Corps commander, but the elder said he would arrange a different house. One that’s quiet and away from the others.
It’s a kind offer. We’ll gladly accept it.
After that, the elder began asking about the world outside the village.
I told him about the “magical beast Gargarossa” and our joint operation with the Empire.
The elder listened with great interest.
Probably because of the mystery item, he seems particularly interested in “hard creatures” from other worlds.
“As I thought… keeping the village shut off from the world is no longer an option.”
Having heard the story, the elder began to talk about the future direction of the village.
—We want to send some of the village elves to the borderland trading post.
—If possible, we’d like to have them study in the town of Nosa, so they can learn about the outside world.
—If we don’t do this, the village elves won’t be able to adapt to change.
It seemed the elder was thinking along those lines.
“Going to unfamiliar places, investigating, learning, and gaining experience is a good thing, isn’t it?”
“Your words carry weight, Alchemist-dono.”
“I came from the Empire to the Demon Lord’s territory, after all.”
“Indeed.”
“Of course, I also intend to study and learn about the ‘Forest of Confusion.’”
“There’s no need to emphasize it—I haven’t forgotten about the permit, you know?”
And with that, the conversation came to an end, and we left the elder’s residence.
“Have you finished your business, Alchemist-sama?”
“The letter is ready!”
At the village entrance, Erte-san and the winged pixie fairy, Lune, were waiting.
The two of them had been writing a report to send to the Demon Lord’s castle.
To inform Rukie that we had arrived at the elf village and about the “mystery item.”
“Lune-sama, could you deliver this to the castle?”
“Understood. Then, I shall be off!”
Lune took the letter and flew eastward.
Winged fairies that had been hiding among the trees followed her.
As I thought, a few had secretly come along…
‘…Wuff.’
Suddenly, I noticed a golden wolf coming from the forest.
It was the “Ancestor.”
Maybe it sensed that we were done with our tasks.
“Thank you for waiting, ‘Ancestor.’ We’ve finished what we came here for, so we’ll be leaving tomorrow.”
‘Wuff.’
The “Ancestor” nodded at my words.
It really seems to understand what I’m saying.
“…It would be nice if we could actually talk with the ‘Ancestor.’”
I said that aloud, almost absentmindedly.
“The ‘Ancestor’ has lived here since before the Demon Lord’s domain was established, right? So I was wondering… maybe it knows the way through the ‘Forest of Confusion’…”
‘Wuff wuff wuff.’
“That’s just wishful thinking though. If the ‘Ancestor’ could guide us, we’d be able to collect the materials before the ‘mystery item’ activates. But it’s probably impossible. So, once I return to the Demon Lord’s castle, I’ll come up with a plan. If you could come with me then…”
‘Wuff wuff! Wuff!’
…Huh? The “Ancestor” is nodding.
It’s wagging its tail and nodding repeatedly…
““…Huh?””
Mabel and I looked at each other.
“The ‘Ancestor’ understands what we’re saying, right?”
“Yes, that’s what they say.”
“It guided us during our travels too.”
“Exactly.”
“And just now, I asked the ‘Ancestor’ if it knows the way through the ‘Forest of Confusion.’”
“The ‘Ancestor’ nodded…”
“Which means—it does know?”
Mabel and I stared intently at the “Ancestor.”
The golden wolf “Ancestor” looked back at us with its round eyes.
I crouched down to meet its gaze and said,
“…Um. Would it be possible for you to guide us to the depths of the ‘Forest of Confusion’?”
There was a brief silence.
The “Ancestor” gave a clear nod to my question.
But it didn’t start walking.
It scratched at the ground impatiently and shook its head.
“Just teaching us how to get through would be fine too?”
‘Wuff…’
That sounded like a sad voice.
The “Ancestor” has lived in the Demon Lord’s territory for a long time.
But the elves don’t know how to get through the ‘Forest of Confusion.’
That’s partly because of old cautionary tales—so the elves tend to avoid the forest.
But if we asked the “Ancestor,” it could probably teach us how to get past the barrier.
Yet, it hasn’t done so until now, which means…
“Maybe there’s a really complicated procedure for getting through the barrier, and it’s hard to explain?”
‘Wuff!’
The “Ancestor” nodded vigorously.
That seems to be the case.
The “Ancestor” understands our language, but we can’t understand its language.
If getting through the ‘Forest of Confusion’ requires a password or an incantation, the “Ancestor” has no way of communicating that to us.
That might be why no one’s ever made it through the forest before.
Besides, it would be rude to command the “Ancestor” to “go collect materials.”
It’s a native resident of the Demon Lord’s lands, after all.
“What’s the matter, Thor-sama?”
Erte-san, having finished cleaning up the documents, came over.
“You looked like you were having a staring contest with the ‘Ancestor’?”
“Actually, it seems like the ‘Ancestor’ knows where the materials I want can be found. The place is deep in the great forest, in a spot few people have ever gone to.”
“That’s amazing!”
Erte-san’s eyes went wide.
“But we don’t have much time. We must return to the castle before the ‘mystery item’ activates.”
“Yes. I understand.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“I’m the Demon Lord’s personal alchemist, after all. Reporting back to Her Majesty takes priority.”
Well, it can’t be helped.
If there were a fast way to go there and back, that’d be another story.
But still—I’ve finally met someone who knows how to get through the ‘Forest of Confusion.’ When I have the time—
“It would be nice if we could talk with the ‘Ancestor’, but that’s probably impossible.”
“…………”
“For example, if there were a magical item that could translate the ‘Ancestor’s’ voice into human language, that would be great, but even for someone like you, an alchemist… Oh? Why have you suddenly sat down on the ground? And flipping through the mail-order catalog so frantically…?”
“Thank you, Erte-san.”
“Eh? Eh, eh!?”
“Just like the Chancellor, you also give me hints for making items, Erte-san. As expected from someone from the Chancellor’s family. Thanks to you, I’ve come up with a good idea. I think I can make it work!”
“I… I gave the alchemist a hint for making an item…?”
The Chancellor’s family really is amazing.
Both Kelve-san and Erte-san give me ideas for creating items.
I’m truly grateful.
In the style of the Heroic World, I feel like praying for the continued prosperity and happiness of the Chancellor and his family.
Actually, I had been thinking about translation as well, before I came here.
I thought it would be nice if there was something that could translate the words of the ‘Ancestor’.
I got so distracted by the ‘Mysterious Item’ that I completely forgot.
Erte-san helped me remember.
“…This is it.”
I stopped flipping through the mail-order catalog.
On the open page was—
────────────────────
“Wan-Nyan Friendly Talk Pendant”
Would you like to get even closer with your doggy or kitty?
Pets are precious family members.
That’s why it’s important to understand their feelings.
With this Wan-Nyan Friendly Talk Pendant, you can understand how your pet is feeling!
It’s easy to use—just point the mic at your pet and switch it on.
It picks up their barking or meowing and translates it into something you can understand.
(It may display words or illustrations.)
Also featuring a collaboration with the popular series Magical☆Brave Breeder Season 3!
Press the button and the transformation scene music will play.
Available in red, blue, and pink.
Of course, the accuracy of the translation is verified.
Our most animal-loving employee (currently raising 3 dogs and 2 cats) and many breeders are very satisfied with its performance!
(This is a personal opinion.)
(Effect is not guaranteed by experts.)
Enjoy a fun pet life with the Wan-Nyan Friendly Talk Pendant!
────────────────────
“…Wauuu? Waon!”
“I know. You’re not a pet, ‘Ancestor’.”
“Wau wau.”
“But I want to talk with you.”
I stared intently at the ‘Ancestor’.
It seems the Heroic World had something called Magical☆Brave Breeder.
Probably similar to a beastmaster.
But unlike the summoning magic of this world, it seems they had proper mutual understanding and worked together based on agreement. The existence of a translator implies that.
Because the hero had tremendous power, they likely weren’t afraid of magical beasts and could talk with them.
They might even have tried talking with ‘Hard Creatures’.
But I’m not like that.
I don’t even intend to use the ‘Ancestor’ as a servant.
I just want to talk, like with a friend.
So—
“May I try the Wan-Nyan Friendly Talk Pendant?”
“…………Wau.”
The ‘Ancestor’ stared at me.
After a moment of silence, they slowly gave a small nod.
Alright.
“Excuse me, Erte-san. I’m going to make a magic item real quick.”
“You’re not planning to head straight into the ‘Forest of Confusion’, are you?”
“I’m not.”
“W-Well, if that’s the case, then it’s fine…”
“Thank you. Mabel, can you help me out?”
“Yes, Thor-sama. I’ll go prepare the room.”
With that, Mabel ran off.
We had just gotten a house assigned to us by the elder.
Let’s make the magic item there.
“Alright then, time to make a magic item. Watch closely, ‘Ancestor’.”
“Wau wau.”
And thus, I began creating the translation item.