Translator(s): Dodz Editor(s): Proofreader(s): Penguin TLC(s): Yomigaeru
Chapter 17: Cecyl"s Desire and the Reward Whereabouts
Beyond the open wall, there"s a long stairway that leads to the bas.e.m.e.nt.
As I thought, the wall can be opened by ancient language. But, like a key, it requires Cecyl to touch it. It probably reacts to the magical power or perhaps the demon race"s blood.
To be honest, it"s better if we just go back. There is a phrase that says "Curiosity killed the cat" ー but I"m too curious to leave it alone. If it"s true there"s a demon race"s legacy over here, then I hope Cecyl will inherit it as the lineage.
「If it"s true that there"s a demon race"s legacy over here, then how about I give Nagi-sama the legacy?」
Cecyl says that as she follows my steps.
Is that why you"re in high spirits? No, that"s a no. Cecyl"s possession is Cecyl"s. After all, I"m the master who came from a democratic nation.
We go down the stairs in the following sequence, Rita, Cecyl, and I. The position is so that Rita can sense the monsters by using【Presence Sense】and evade the traps by using body techniques. Cecyl senses the magical power while I protect the rear. Like that, we descend from the height of about a second-floor building slowly.
We arrive at the bas.e.m.e.nt that was sealed by the demon magician.
「Is this the demon"s legacy…?」(Cecyl)
Inside the damp room, Cecyl says in a daze. It"s a bas.e.m.e.nt that"s the size of a school cla.s.sroom. The room that is illuminated by Cecyl"s common version of 【Light】…is surprisingly dreary. Though I was imagined that there would be treasure chests lining up because it"s a hidden chamber.
There are a wooden desk and a chair. Parchments are stacking on the top of it. Dried ink and a pen. I can"t read the characters on the parchment. It"s probably in the ancient language because I can"t read it even by【Foreign World Language】.
「Found itー」(Rita)
Rita who is exploring the room crawls out from under the desk. She hands me over a small crystal ball to me while her golden tail is wagging.
「I found it, master. Excellent?」(Rita)
「Yeah. Thank you, Rita.」(Nagi)
「Excellent?」(Rita)
*pikopiko*
Her golden ears are twitching as if she"s expecting something.
Uhmm, this is.
「Rita is really excellent.」(Nagi)
「Haun…」(Rita)
Rita"s face becomes entranced as I stroke her head. What is this cute animal……
「Is this……a skill orb?」(Nagi)
「That"s right. Its effect is 【Ancient Language Interpretation LV3】.」(Rita)
I take the orb from Rita. Let"s take a look its concept.
【Ancient Language Interpretation LV3】
【Translate】the【Ancient Language】into 【Modern Language】skill.
「Yes. This one is for Cecyl.」(Nagi)
「Nagi-sama…」(Cecyl)
Cecyl trembles. She stretches her small hand to take the skill orb, but then she stops on the top of my hand as she becomes perplexed.
「I, this… don"t want it.」(Cecyl)
「There"s no choice since both of us don"t have【Ancient Language】skill. Plus, if it"s something that is left by the demon race, then it"d be better if I give it to Cecyl.」(Nagi)
「Nagi-sama…」(Cecyl)
Cecyl trembles.
「I"m……scared.」(Cecyl)
「Scared?」(Nagi)
「Yes……I don"t know the demon race other than my parents and Ashtarte. Both my parents and Ashtarte told me not to hate humans. But I don"t know what others are thinking.」(Cecyl)
Cecyl says that. The demon race is a part of nature as their life and soul are vicissitudes. It was a natural phenomenon that they were destroyed by the human race. Like a tree which doesn"t resent the wind that sweeps off its branches, like a flower which doesn"t resent the rainwater that washes its petals ー the demon race doesn"t resent the humans who had destroyed them.
That"s all.
It can"t be helped to hate the ones who killed Cecyl"s family but it"s different to hate all the human raceー
「However, there is probably demon race who not like that. But I"m afraid if something changes…before I know it.」(Cecyl)
It"s the first time for Cecyl to be anxious.
「But, I want to know it. It probably does something really good to Nagi-sama, that"s why I don"t want to regret not summoning my courage at that time…」(Cecyl)
Cecyl takes the skill orb and bites her lips.
「Yeah. Don"t overwork yourself. Let"s leave this place and return home.After all, our motto is don"t do it if it"s unreasonable.」(Nagi)
「…Jeez.」(Cecyl)
But Cecyl tilts her head as if she"s annoyed and laughs.
「If Nagi-sama is like that, then I can do whatever I like, right?」(Cecyl)
Cecyl turns her back to me and unties the cloth"s collar.
Smoothly, her back exposes ー she"s probably want to install the skill orb that she received from me. Spontaneously, I avert my eyes since it"s something that I shouldn"t look at.
Cecyl wears her clothes back and picks up a parchment on the top of the desk. Taking a deep breath, Cecyl reads the written ancient language.
『I"m telling thou, my brethren. When thou find this letter and read it out loud, the room will reveal its true form.』(Cecyl)
「……Eh?」(Nagi)
My underfoot is shining. A pure white symbol emerges from the floor.
Is thisーa magic square?
「Is it a b.o.o.by trap!?」(Nagi)
Moreover, to someone who is the same race. How malicious!
「Nagi-sama!!」「Nagi!!」
Both of them come and hug me. My vision starts to waver. The world is dyed in white. Before I know it, my consciousness blacks out.
The room really has changed into a different form.
The sound of water. It"s a room with high ceiling. Its size is about a gymnasium. The wall is gleaming with faint bluish-white light. We fell at the center of the room. A magic square is under us. Even though the floor is covered with white stones, it"s bare ground everywhere as trees grow from the ground. Water is flowing out from the wall and it flows to the center of the room.
Is that the sound of water just now?
「Where is this place…」(Nagi)
「…It"s the original bas.e.m.e.nt. Looks like this one is its true form…」(Cecyl)
Cecyl says it. She shakes her head as she gets up and points at the magic square across the wall. Over there, there are characters that similar to what is written on the parchment. Cecyl"s eyes are tracing the characters. She seems to have stopped letting out her voice after considering what just happened.
Cecyl let out a small sigh after reading them for a while.
「Nagi-sama, Ritsan……I"m sorry. 」(Cecyl)
「That"s alright, but what is written on the wall?」(Nagi)
「It"s written that the demon race magician who lived here was the one who summoned the cursed sword in the dungeon.」(Cecyl)
「……Haa!?」(Nagi)
According to Cecyl, the story is something like this.
More than 100 years ago, the magician who lived in this mansion was afraid of human a.s.sault towards the demon race, so in order to oppose them, he summoned a【Cursed Sword】from another world. This place is for the sake of performing the summoning ritual. The location is established so that underground water where the magical power dwells can be drawn in.
But the summoning failed.
The cursed sword collects magical power nearby ー and it becomes the 【Wandering Sword】that appears in the dungeon at a constant cycle which is pa.s.sed to human hands over a period of time. The magician who didn"t want to give up calling out the demon race. If you have the power then show it and get my legacy. And then I want you to regain the demon race worldーsomething like that
「…Annoying.」(Nagi)
Good grief. I understand your feelings but if you had summoned the cursed sword then I wanted you to retrieve it back.
「Then how we are going to return to our previous location……」(Nagi)
「By using stairs. You can climb it up and get to the surface.」(Cecyl)
「That"s good.」(Nagi)
「…Not good. I feel sick…」(Rita)
Rita is still crouching. Looks like the change of atmosphere is so intense that the semicircular ca.n.a.ls are stimulated. Her tail and ears are flat and lying on the ground.
「Is it because of the cursed sword summoning…? 」(Nagi)
There"s no monster"s presence nearby. The air is clear and the water is clean too. Red berries grow on the trees. Why don"t I live here when the time comes……
「Nagi-sama…」(Cecyl)
Cecyl looks at me.
……Eh?
Why do you look like you"re going to cry? She bites her lips while her eyes become watery.
「I don"t hate humans.」(Cecyl)
「Yeah.」(Nagi)
「I also never thought about revenge. I don"t want something like a cursed sword. I"m sad that my parents died and I want to punch the ones who killed them if they are in front of me, but I don"t hate all the human race. Please believe me.」(Cecyl)
「I believe you.」(Nagi)
Because Cecyl wouldn"t stay with me if she hates human. Her relationship with Rita is also good. When the 【Leviathan】attacked the people of the cult, it was Cecyl who worried more than me.
「I never doubt you, Cecyl.」(Nagi)
「But, I"m……scared.」(Cecyl)
And Cecyl grabs the hem of my shirt again.
「Perhaps, there"s a grudge towards humans in this blood and someday, I might come to hate humans…」(Cecyl)
「Is it something like a subconscious?」(Nagi)
「I don"t really know but it"s something like that.」(Cecyl)
「But, it won"t do anything to Cecyl, right?」(Nagi)
「Ashtarte said to meー"Go to Metekal once you get out from the slave shop".」(Cecyl)
Cecyl says that.
「The reasons are the population is big and my appearance as a dark elf is accepted here or perhaps……Ashtarte knows about this place and to me…」(Cecyl)
「There"s a possibility but it"s impossible.」(Nagi)
We came here because of the quest. A hot spring has sprung out nearby and the merchant decided to buy this mansion. There"s no way Ashtarte can manipulate such things.
For example…it"s just an a.s.sumption but since the demon race is a part of nature, and when Cecyl becomes alone, spontaneously, an effect is triggered which caused a reaction in the earth crust and a hot spring springs up ー like that, we came to this place or something like that.
Well, that"s impossible. In the first place, Cecyl can"t read 【Ancient Language】if I hadn"t used 【Reconstruction Ability】.
「…Nagi-sama.」(Cecyl)
Suddenly, Cecyl touches my left hand. The ring which appeared when we made the 【Contract】.
「Can you『Command』me?」(Cecyl)
「……Command?」(Nagi)
「That"s right. Like that, you will know what I want in my mind.」(Cecyl)
Use the ring to give a command. Surely, it"s used to force a slave to listen to whatever the master says. It"s easy to use, just by touching the ring and say the word 『Doー』.In instant, the slave"s consciousness is cut off and forced to abide the master"s command.
「Please. Please command me. Nagi-sama.」(Cecyl)
「I don"t want…」(Nagi)
「W-why? I already said that I"m fine, right? Isn"t it a legal privilege for a slave master!? Please use it!」(Cecyl)
「Because you see, I don"t make the contract because I want you to listen to my command or this type of service. It is because I want Cecyl to work harder.」(Nagi)
「…Please. Nagi-sama
I"m scared.I don"t what is in deep inside me. And then someday, it takes over me and hurts Nagi-sama without I aware it.
……That"s why…that"s why…」(Cecyl)
Tears are flowing out from Cecyl"s eyes.
「Ahー.Cecyl-chan is crying. You shouldn"t do that, Nagi.」(Rita)
「When did you come back, Rita.」(Nagi)
「From a little while ago. I was listening to the story. Nagi is bad.」(Rita)
「I can"t just give a command.」(Nagi)
「A person who doesn"t understand a girl"s feeling is the worst.」(Rita)
Rita hugs Cecyl while glaring at me. Before I know it, it"s 2 against 1.
「I also understand if it"s something like this.I"ll be anxious because I"m different from others as there"s no one like me in the world. I want to have a peace of mind. I want to know if there"s someone who still accepts me even though he knows the truth about myself.」(Cecyl)
「I believe in Cecyl.」(Nagi)
To be precise, that"s what I"m thinking even if Cecyl awakens the demon race"s mission. If Cecyl becomes a queen, then I can be the staff officer which I can live freely. Though I will stop if you tell me something like destroying the human race.
「Besides, I hate to give orders.」
「I won"t hate Nagi just because you give orders.」
No, that"s not the case.
「Cecyl-chan also won"t hate Nagi.」
「I won"t. Absolutely.」
「See? It"s just whether Nagi can accept Cecyl-chan"s feeling or not.」
Aaーjeez.
What"s with the "master" getting ordered to "order me!" by his slave?
「Alright. I understand. Good grief, it"ll be just this once.」
「Yes!!」
Cecyl wipes her tears and smiles.
「I don"t actually care about the thing that exists inside Cecyl"s consciousness.」
「…Nagi-sama.」
「Let"s finish this quickly. Cecyl stands over there and Rita…」
「I"m alright. Because I"ll kick Nagi if he tries to do something strange when Cecyl-chan"s consciousness is out.」
Don"t threaten your master. Especially with a smile.
Cecyl is also smiling too.
…【Command】 huh? I really don"t want to do it. I touch the red crystal on my left-hand ring.
「Under the supervision of the 【Contract】, my slave Cecyl Pharott, I command thee.」
The red crystal shines.
It seems that the light of purpose has disappeared from Cecyl"s eyes. I declare.
「Cecyl Pharott. Tell thy true desire that sleeps in thy heart.」
「──a──ah.」
Cecyl"s body becomes stiff. Her cherry blossom lips start to move faintly. While trembling. It seems that she hesitates to speak her desire that exists deep inside her heart. But the 【Command】slowly immerses inside Cecylー
Cecyl speaks her desire that exists deep inside her heart by herself clearly.
「I want to have Nagi-sama"s child.」
While stroking the stomach area with her slender fingersー
……………………Eh？
「For the first one, I want a boy like Nagi-sama.」
Err..wait a minute, Cecyl-san?
「If I can, then I want a boy for the second one. Because if it"s a girl, then the boy will obsess with her. Still, it"s better if we don"t rush for the second one too much. O-of course, Nagi-sama probably doesn"t want a partner like me. That"s why I"ll do my best. I"ll work harder and become splendid like Ritsan. After that…surely. And then, slowly…I want Nagi-sama to teach me various thing…」
I think it"s better not to leave the record of what Cecyl talks about afterward.
For example, when you"re in middle school or upper elementary school and you have someone you like, won"t you have a delusion going out with that person? And you inadvertently write that delusion in the notebook on a sleepless night? Cecyl talks about it in detail way more than necessary.
Furthermore, R-18 elements are being added up properly. With full utilization of the knowledge that Cecyl knows, it"s being decorated even more. I writhe in agony when I try to read it again.
They were the kinds of things that, if seen by anyone else, you could only change schools or give up on life.
I seeー, so Cecyl is thinking about such thingsー
I seeー, so Cecyl was doing such things when I was sleepingー
I"m surprisedー.Or rather, it"s enough already.This 【Command】, won"t it stops until she speaks out all her desire? Is it?
「Hey, Rita.」
「What, Nagi.」
「The things I just heard, I think I"ll take it to the grave.」
「Count me in. I"m thinking the same thing too.」
「As expected of my slave.」
「As expected of my master.」
「We didn"t hear anything.」
「We didn"t hear anything. But, Nagi.」
「What is it?」
「Nagi…are you the one who won"t wake her up once you fall asleep?」
「I was just tired coming to another world!」
「But, I don"t know. That there"s a technique to make the chest bigger for the demon race.」
「It will be more effective not to wear anything, such a strange tradition, isn"t it? And Cecyl-chan is doing her best every nightー」
「That"s why take it to the grave!!」
「Again, I"m sorry Nagi. For thinking you were doing ecchi things to Cecyl-chan.」
「I don"t want an apology right now…」
「Rather, I think you have a ma.s.sive amount of self-control.」
「It"s being whittled down, in the present progressive tense.」
「Do your bestー」
「Rita, aren"t you enjoying yourself?」
「Do you understand?」
「I extremely understand it.」
「Rather than enjoying, I think I"m going to have fun.」
「What is that.」
「A hint. Cecyl-chan is a girl.」
「I know that.」
「And then, I"m a girl too.」
「…I know that too.」
「I won"t tell you anymore. So, Nagi, do your bestー」
After saying that, Rita puts her hand on her lips and smiles. As if matching with the timing, Cecyl who is talking earnestly pauses. Like that, she falls down to her kneeー watch out!!
I stretch my hands in a hurry and catch her small body in my arms.
「Oi, Cecyl. Are you alright?」
「Nagi…-sama.」
Cecyl opens her eyes.
Good. It"s the normal Cecyl.
「My 【Subconscious】ー what did it say?」
「………At least it didn"t say that it hates human beings.」
「Why are you averting your eyes?」
「It was actually a peaceful desire, yeah.」
「What did it say? Myself.」
「Uhmm…」
Translating the words that Cecyl said…that is
「You said that『I want a family』.」
「…Ah.」
Cecyl"s eyes sparkle. She seems to have recalled something.
「T-that"s right. I want a family. I"m sure about that!」
Good. Looks like she"s convinced.
「I"m glad……I don"t hate humans.」
「Rather, you said that you love them.」
To the point, I feel cautious.
「Thank you…Nagi-sama.With this, I can relax…and stay with Nagi-sama. I see. I want a family, isn"t it…」
Cecy nods many times.
Create a family by yourself as a subst.i.tute for the family members that you lost. To connect the demon race"s blood in the future as it can be any form. After all, that"s her 【Subconscious】"s desire.
「I don"t know how I can thank Nagi-sama enough. Since I have understood what my【Desire】is , I think I"ll do my best to make my dream of creating a family come true while serving Nagi-sama.」
「Yeah. That would be great.」
「Someday, Nagi-sama too…just a little bit is enough, I"d be really happy for your a.s.sistance.」
「Yeah. If that"s all, then it"s good.」
「Ah.」
ーEh?
Rita"s jaw drops. Then she puts her hand on her forehead like "oh jeez".
『Cecyl-chan"s dream』
Rita communicates with me using lip sync.
『To "create"』
『a replacement family』
『with a.s.sistance』
『from Nagi』
…………………………………Ah.
She took that as a commitment.
According to the demon race magician"s message, the legacy is concealed in the neighbor room. The door is sealed with 【Ancient Language】so I have Cecyl to open it. The room next to the bas.e.m.e.nt is completely a dead-end room. Inside the three-sided wall room, there"s a small treasure chest. And a metal sculpture is guarding that treasure chest.
It makes a soundーthe moment we set foot in the room. The angel-like sculpture looks at us and starts moving. It kicks the ground. Spreading its wing and flying.
ーFast!!?
「Cecyl!」
「『Spirit, strike my enemies! Flame Arrow』!」
A flame arrow springs out from Cecyl"s hand ーit hits the sculpture and vanishes.
It didn"t work!?
「Nagi! Cecyl-chan! Get away!!」
An impact.
Rita pushes us away. The golden sculpture moves in front of her. It raises its sword towards Rita.
「Rita!!」
「Ah!!」
*gain"
The sculpture"s sword hits Rita"s arm. A solid sound. She barely defends the sword with her【Divine Power Control】. At the same time, Rita launches a kick. The sculpture"s shield stops the blow. It only shakes faintlyーthis is bad!
「I can"t win against this guy! Everyone retreats!」
I start running while carrying Cecyl. I leap into the opened door. Ritaー
「Thiーs thing!!」
Rita kicks the sculpture with both legs. She jumps by using the force. Rita flies backward and rolls into the room.I close the door in a hurry.
*gain*gain* It hits the door.
After a while, it stops. The sculptureーwhat happened? I open the door slightly. It turns back to the chest butー
"gigigi"
"batan"
I close the door before the sculpture that is looking at this way starts moving.
「…It is a【Guardian】.」
「Guardian…a moving sculpture?」
「Yes.It was created by magicians in olden days as it has a trait protecting certain places such as room or mansion. It operates by magical power and eliminates intrudersー or to be precise, it kills them.」
Cecyl clings to my leg.
「Sorry. I was too slow to recall it. I have exposed Nagi-sama to danger…」
「It"s alright. Rita and I didn"t get hurt.」
This place is the magician"s refuge, of course, that guy would prepare a 【Guardian】.
「That guy said that "Obtain the cursed sword if you have the power." In other words, he prepared that 【Guardian】 to test one"s strength.」
「Yes.There are people who would want the demon"s legacy here.」
Rita says. I can"t give up.Cecyl clings to me like that.
「I agree. Then, what we should do?」
「Just leave it alone.」
For now. Because I"ll think the method to capture it, to fight it.
「And then, this place will be a secret between us only.」
「AgreedーCecyl-chan?」
「Ah, yes, of course.」
「That"s why don"t make such a sad face.」
Rita crouches and wipes the tears on Cecyl"s eyes.
「Since the job is done, how about we return and go to bath, and then we"ll discuss what we should do next?」
「…Yes!!」
Cecyl laughs.
After that, Cecyl tells the specification of the【Guardian】as follows.
『Guardian is a sculpture that moves by magical power. It has an eyesight, a sense of smell and hearing of an average animal. Its trait is to protect gates and treasures. Sword and blow damage reduction Resistant to fire magic. Recommendation level, the lowest is 15 and above.』
For the time being, I have Cecyl lock the door with ancient language.
Because the sun has set when we were doing a lot of things, it has been decided that it"ll be dangerous to return at the moment. While in the bas.e.m.e.nt, I want to see whether the【Guardian】will come out or not for a while but it"s not moving at all. It seems that the guy only protects the treasure chest. Perhaps, it can"t come out because the door only reacts to the ancient language. In accordance with the notes left by the magician, that guy is probably just for the sake of『Testing the successor"s strength』
For the time being, we decide to spend the night in the bas.e.m.e.nt while standing guard in turns.
The next morning.
We complete the quest and decide to return to the town. This time, the large bats that were exterminated are 16. I cut the bat"s ear as a proof for exterminating it and bring them with me exactly as I was told. And the hidden room is sealed by Cecyl"s 【Ancient Language】, the end.
Rita wants to wash her body, by all means, so she goes to the public bath with Cecyl as I go to report to the guild. Since the quest finished earlier than I thought, it"s probably fine to be the logistic supports for the cursed sword lookup. Because I received a skill orb from Aine-san and she even introduced me the quest secretly.I have to pay the debts.
For some reason, I head towards the second floor of the building. There"s Aine-san. Sleeping on the table of the resting room on the second floor.
A girl wearing expensive-looking clothes decorated with gold thread is sitting beside her. She carries a rapier on her waist. Short blue hair. She has her elbow on the table, propping up his chin while looking at me.
「Did you finish the quest?」
The blue hair girl says.
I bring out the cloth bag where I put 【Large Bat"s Ears】in it.
「Yes.This the proof. Please give me the reward.」
「I can"t pay you.」
The girl says it.
「Common Guild is closed for today.」