Chapter 25
Chapter 25 – Home ②MTL: uniquegasuki
Editor/ Proofreader: (not proofread)
In the other world approximately 580 days had pa.s.sed before Kurando encountered Akari.
After he had been summoned, Kurando had been exhausting all of his maryoku almost everyday.
In those 580 days for 180 of those days (two seasons worth) Kurando was unable to leave the cave because of winter. During those 180 days, Kurando had exhausted his maryoku 360 times (3 times per day). Every time Kurando had exhausted his maryoku he felt a random symptom of either joint pain, a sore throat, a throbbing pain, or shortness of breath.
Before, when he had a small pool of maryoku, after resting for 8 hours all his maryoku would be replenished. However, now when Kurando rest for that long only half of his maryoku is restored. It is not difficult to imagine that the maximum capacity of Kurando’s maryoku pool had been increasing along.
When Kurando told her this Akari’s mouth mimics the action of a goldfish’s mouth opening & closing.
「Now then, eat while the food is still warm.」 (Kurando)
After saying so, Kurando picks up his plate.
The meat is crunchy despite it oozing oil.
After one year and a half, Kurando can savor the taste of salt and pepper once again.
He reaches for the soup.
The soup had been made quickly. As the edible plants had erased the odor from the bird meat, it tasted simply like salt and pepper.
Because the bread was made to be preserved it is tough.
Kurando tears off a part of the brown bread and dips it into the soup before eating it.
The bread that had absorbed the salty flavor from the soup was delicious.
「Hmm, it is neither bad nor good.」 (Kurando)
The food was made by a guy; so, for Kurando to say that it tasted alright is somewhat bias of him.
Although Akari made an expression that said otherwise, she begins to eat.
「……delicious.」 (Akari)
She whole heartedly began to eat, but perhaps Akari’s compliment was a little exaggerated. Although, Akari’s comment wasn’t surprising because she probably found the meat that Yukishiro gave her to be an unsuitable meal.
For a while they ate in silence before Akari spoke up.
「Is it really truth that you had exhausted your maryoku everyday?」 (Akari)
His hand that is holding chopsticks stops moving. Kurando
nods.
Akari’s face slightly tenses up.
「Was it similar to muscle training?」 (Akari)
「Nope, totally different. It was more like putting my life on the line.」 (Kurando)
Kurando gave her his honest opinion.
「I wouldn’t endorse this practice. In the first place no one should be trying this method. When one’s maryoku is exhausted it decreases the function of one’s internal organs and body functions. One wrong step and you could die. Lifeforce is needed for a person’s organs to function properly. If you think about it lifeforce and maryoku are one and the same. Normally you should always leave a little maryoku in reserve; even without exhausting all of your maryoku your maximum pool should still increase. And, that way there should be any pain.」 (Kurando)
「Eh~」 (Akari)
「Aren’t you taking things to lightly!」 (Kurando)
「Not at all, I may faint but I’ll still be alive afterwards. I see no problem, but.」 (Akari)
「I-it was merely a coincidence…… nothing more. To exhaust one’s maryoku 1,000 times is risking one’s life l,000 times……」 (Kurando)
They both tilted their head.
Kurando is different from the residences of this world. His body was blessed with maryoku; it is unknown as to whether or not his body is something in between flesh and maryoku.
On Earth maryoku didn’t exist; Kurando had to preserve his flesh with the strength of his own body. However, when he had exhausted his maryoku his maximum capacity had increased and it merely ended with his vessel experiencing pain.
It could be said that Akari and those who were summon are different from the native inhabitants of this world. Those who were summoned received the same magic practice as the residences of this world. But, what if the same training method wasn’t suitable for those summoned people. The training mention that Kurando undergone was something the residences of this world would never have dreamt up.
Afterall, even Kurando cannot verify nor test this method.
「It is said that there are certain affinities that are not compatible for the hunter occupation. So, how practical is the apt.i.tude test?」(Kurando)
「Did you receive the apt.i.tude test?」 (Akari)
「Ah, if I recall――」 (Kurando)
「――wait」 (Akari)
Kurando recalls the result of his spirit affinity apt.i.tude test.
「Darkness, then ice, followed by earth, water, wind, lightning, and then fire & lastly light. My highest affinity by a large margin
margin is darkness, and my worst affinity by a large margin is light.」 (Kurando)
「……Ah, I see. If that is the case then, perhaps the rules of spirit magic is in opposition of the hunter a.s.sociation’s affinity test. Perhaps, it is just as Makushiimu-san (マクシーム) had said. Spirit magic shouldn’t be treated the same as autonomous magic because autonomous magic relies on tools and weapons. It could be said that spirit magic instead relays on the body.」 (Akari)
「My thoughts exactly. So, Akari what is your affinity apt.i.tude?」 (Kurando)
「Before that, I should first inform you about apt.i.tude. In this world one’s ability and affinity is suppose to be confidential as in this world it is a security issue.」 (Akari)
Akari said this in a overpowering and serious tone; the pressure caused Kurando to nod.
「Haha, excuse me. If that is the case then――」 (Kurando)
「――putting that aside, Janitor-san…… Kurando-san as you had told me, I will tell you mine. My highest affinity is light. And then, followed by lightning, fire, wind, water, ice, earth, and my worst affinity is darkness.」 (Akari)
「Although, it’s a little different we’re almost polar opposites.」 (Kurando)
Akari shows a slightly troubled expression.
「As a matter of fact excluding you, Kurando-san, there’s only one other person among those who were summoned that stands out. In a way it could be said that having a high affinity with darkness spirits and ice spirits it a bad thing.」 (Akari)
「Who is the exception?」 (Kurando)
「……Ichihara (一原, いちはら) Hayato-san (颯人, はやと).」 (Akari)
Kurando raises his eyebrows.
「It isn’t easy to say, but Ichiharsan has two divine blessings. His first blessing, Hayato would casually refer to it as 『holy (聖剣)』 sword; I don’t know the details only the name. The other is a very famous blessing.」 (Akari)
Akari places her chopsticks together; she appears to have finished eating.
「……『the spirit’s beloved (精霊の最愛)』. It lets a person bond (ボニー) with spirits, see spirits, hear the voices of the spirits, and it lets them touch the spirits. Not including dark spirit affinity; he had set a new record for the highest apt.i.tude with all spirit affinity in the history of Eripusu (エリプス).」 (Akari)
「……so, in other words he can invoke the highest grade of magic in all affinities except for darkness?」 (Kurando)
Kurando had thoroughly studied the magic textbook.
To invoke the highest grade of
grade of spirit magic one requires both inner・external factors.
The average person only has one affinity that they are the most compatible with. Perhaps, Hayato’s inability to use dark spirit magic resulted in him gaining the ability to use the highest grade magic.
「I wonder why he has a low affinity with darkness? Based on the name of the second blessing, he should have a high affinity with all spirits.」 (Kurando)
「My guess is, it has something to do with the effect of his other blessing.」 (Akari)
「So, 『holy』 sword, might in someway have an adverse effect on his affinity with darkness. Well, who could say for sure as that is his business. By the way――」 (Kurando)
「――do you really find the matter trivial?」 (Akari)
Akari seriously wants to know Kurando’s opinion.
「……so what, that’s just how it is――」 (Kurando)
「――you seriously don’t want to know!?」 (Akari)
Akari carefully observes Kurando.
Kurando lets out a big sigh.
「……to be honest, I don’t like it.」 (Kurando)
Her eye shows a hint of regret.
「However, the matter has no solution. It is pointless for me to hold any resentment. To resent, is to be resented in return. And, above all this world is at peace. I couldn’t have the life I wanted in j.a.pan so I thought about enjoying my fresh start here. Therefore, honestly I don’t want anything to do with that guy and I definitely don’t want to be involved in anything troublesome.」 (Kurando)
「……sorry.」 (Akari)
「Well, to be honest, I have a feeling that I’m already involved in something troublesome. People are the same no matter which world they exist in. Although, it is true that I’m curious about what happened to the other people who were summoned. It is understandable; therefore, you aren’t wrong Akari. Besides, before everything had happened, you were merely 16 years old and still a young woman in high school.」 (Kurando)
「……」 (Akari)
「However――」 (Kurando)
Kurando paused; he shows a cold hearted expression that gave Akari the impression she was being picked with a thin needle.
「――I won’t forgive him, I will never forgive him, that much I can say for sure.」 (Kurando)
Kurando will never forgot that moment when it was stolen, and he will never forgot the facial expression of everyone who was there when it happened.
Their conversation ended and the meal was over.
After they cleaned up,they cleaned up, Akari helped Kurando sorted out his baggage.
An iron hatchet, a knife, and a shovel are placed in the corner of the room. The rope, a sack, and a leather bag is hung on the wall.
Salt, cheap alcohol, lumps of brown sugar, and chili peppers are put into the moss-green rucksack. As long as they are in the rucksack items similar to the french bread like preserved ration and the water will not expire.
By the way, the magic textbook and the large knife that had come out of the rucksack can no longer be put back inside the rucksack. Only food can be placed inside the rucksack; also, large objects cannot be placed into the rucksack. Kurando had experimented with the rucksack and discovered that certain items cannot be stored inside the rucksack.
「Umm, what is this? I don’t see the items that have been placed inside.」 (Akari)
「This? In the beginning there was a year worth of food & water inside this rucksack. By the way, it had only contained one person’s portions worth. It can store food inside. It’s similar to a magic bag/ item box.」 (Kurando)
「Such a thing doesn’t exist. Although they do sell tools for autonomous magic, I have never heard of magic tools.」 (Akari)
「Hahaha, my divine blessing is this 『food rucksack』…… it’s nothing special, but it is reliable.」 (Kurando)
For a moment Akari felt sorry towards the boasting Kurando.
「……I was hesitant to say this, but one of the 2nd year student has the blessing 『item box』. As their ability doesn’t seem to have any restrictions, they work in transport・trade.」
「……」 (Kurando)
There are linen & cotton shirts・undergarments, trousers and pelts for both Kurando and Akari. The pieces of clothing are all unis.e.x; although, the size do differ.
「S-sorry, for all the trouble.」 (Akari)
Akari shows her feminine side; she blushes and then bows.
Naturally, Akari finds it embarra.s.sing to have a guy go out and buy underwear for her. (T/N: cough, cough “buy her underwear”)
「A bath would be nice as you’ve been wearing the same thing since the day before.」 (Kurando)
Akari blushes. She runs to the bathroom while hold a change of clothes.
Kurando is. .h.i.t with a tail from behind.
He turns around. Yukishiro looks at him with an expression that implies it has many things it wants to say to him.