Chapter 41

In the backyard, I fiddle with the 'Triple Barrier' and mutter casually.

"That soft serve ice cream I had yesterday was really delicious..."

"Muu!"

Lin pouted at my mutter.

"Kaa..."

"Soft serve ice cream..."

Shiro and Kuro also look dissatisfied.

"Alright, alright, I'll make it up to you next time. Let's all go somewhere."

Hearing my response, Lin, Shiro, and Kuro all seem pleased. A young girl with white hair, a white crow, and a black cat—though a bit conspicuous, it should be fine. It's Golden Week now, so a cherry blossom viewing with everyone might be nice.

"By the way, is this preparation enough?"

"No problem. With this powerful 'Barrier' set up, even if something unexpected happens, it won't affect the neighborhood."

Since Nia's analysis also shows no issues, I'll start the work.

Right now, I am using the 'Triple Barrier' to tightly enclose a water bottle-like object and setting it up in the backyard. Inside the 'Triple Barrier' is not only the water bottle but also a small wooden doll made without putting in much effort. When made with full effort, it becomes something like Nia, but by not putting in much effort, it becomes a mindless doll that follows orders.

"Alright. Wooden doll, open that water bottle-like thing."

"..."

The wooden doll, following my command, starts to open the cap of the water bottle. There doesn't seem to be any lock, and it appears to be designed to open easily by removing the metal parts.

"Alright, it's open. Next, carefully take out the contents."

The wooden doll carefully takes out the contents with its small arms. What it holds is something like a seed, about the size of a child's fist.

"Kuro! Nia!"

"Leave it to me."

"Please leave it to me."

Kuro and Nia observe the seed-like object through the barrier.

"By my senses, I don't feel any danger."

"My analysis also shows no danger."

I see. If Kuro and Nia feel this way, it should be safe.

"Alright, I'll解除 the barrier."

I解除 the triple barrier and pick up the seed-like object.

"It looks like a large walnut. Huh?"

At the moment I feel a strange sensation as if something is being sucked, the seed starts to glow.

"What, why!?"

It emits a seven-color light—red, blue, yellow, green, brown, black, and white—and the light intensity keeps increasing.

"Release that seed!"

"There's a possibility that Master's energy is being drained!"

"What!?"

Wasn't it supposed to be safe!?

Seeing Kuro and Nia panic, Shiro and Lin also start to worry.

In the midst of this, I hurriedly throw the seed away.

"Oh, the light is weakening...!?"

Just as I relax, thinking the light has dimmed after it left my hand—

"Late again!"

—The seed splits open, and a palm-sized girl appears with a mysterious cry.

◇

"You got the wrong recipient!?"

In a room of a luxury hotel right next to Sapporo Station's south exit, a woman wearing a blouse with a loose neckline that reveals her cleavage is yelling at a man in a knitted cap, her long reddish-brown hair swaying.

Her name is 'Io.' She is a magician affiliated with the magic organization 'Twilight and Dawn Group' based in England.

"The recipient had the same outfit and said the starting phrase 'Thank you, God' for the transaction. Furthermore, they answered affirmatively to the fourth question, 'Do you believe in the existence of God?' That's why I made the mistake."

The man answering Io's angry voice is dressed in a black hoodie and gray jeans. His face is hidden by a deep-brimmed knitted cap.

His name is 'Krom.' Like Io, he is a magician affiliated with the 'Twilight and Dawn Group.'

"The same outfit and the starting phrase...!?"

Io is shocked by Krom's response. If this is true, it means the transaction information was leaked to outsiders.

"Recall 'Ferm' who is wandering around the city immediately! I don't know which organization, but we must retrieve the 'Fairy Seed' at all costs!"

"R, roger!"

Overwhelmed by Io's intensity, Krom rushes off to find 'Ferm.'

"Fairy Seed... 'Fairy Seed'"

Io, left in the hotel room, whispers quietly. As she says, the 'Fairy Seed' is a seed that produces a fairy compatible with the magician who touches it.

While spirit magic has many advantages, it also has several disadvantages. One of them is the condition that 'a magician can only form a contract with a fairy or spirit that matches their attribute.' This condition, which seems simple, is extremely difficult to achieve in practice. Even finding a fairy, which is lower in rank than a spirit, is extremely difficult. Moreover, even if a fairy is found and the attributes match, it may not form a contract due to its whimsical nature. Therefore, many magicians who aim to become spirit magicians end their lives without finding a compatible fairy or spirit. The 'Fairy Seed' can easily solve this condition. It is truly a magical item.

"To kill a god, we need to produce a powerful spirit magician with the 'Fairy Seed.' We must find the people who took it at all costs."

Io made this resolution and cast her magic on a pigeon flying outside.

◇

"Out of season, but it's quite delicious! Yummy!"

Right now, in front of me, there is a girl with rainbow wings sitting on the table as if it's her own. She shakes her semi-long golden hair, which glows in seven colors, and munches on a pack of cut apples.

"Phew, I ate it all."

After finishing an apple of the same volume as herself, the girl lies down on the table with a slightly swollen belly. The size of the belly doesn't match the amount she ate. It's fantasy.

"Alright, goodnight~"

"Wait, wait, wait."

I poke the girl who is about to sleep on the table and force her to get up. She is really small, about the size of my palm.

"What~?"

"Not 'What~?' Tell me who you are before you go to sleep."

As soon as she appeared from the seed, she was noisy, saying, "I'm hungry, I'm so hungry~" and wouldn't let me hear anything. So, I gave her the cut apples I planned to have as a snack tonight. I need to get her to tell me who she is before she goes to sleep.

"I don't know who I am. I only know that you are my master."

"Master?"

More mysteries...

"Probably, she is a fairy. I once heard about a seed that can produce a fairy."

Kuro told me. She is about the size of my palm, has rainbow wings, and is dressed in a dress made of sewn leaves. She does look like a fairy. Just like Tinker Bell.

"That's it! I'm probably a fairy!"

Lying on her back, she points at Kuro with a smug face. I retract my previous statement. Not Tinker Bell, but a middle-aged man on a holiday.

"And I'm your fairy! Nice to meet you, Master!"

She lies down, scratches her butt, and strikes a smug pose. I think to myself:

Is it okay to release a fairy into the forest?

To explain the transaction of the 'Fairy Seed' that the protagonist mistakenly received:

The conditions for this transaction were:

1. The recipient must wear clothes with colors opposite to Krom's.

2. The recipient must say the phrase "Thank you, God" at a bench for rest in Sapporo Factory.

3. The recipient must answer affirmatively to the fourth question, "Do you believe in the existence of God?"

The phrase "affirmative on the fourth question" implies "affirming the death of God," which connects to Io's final statement, "kill a god."

In summary, any response would have been fine as long as the fourth question was answered affirmatively.

To those who commented on the transaction phrase, I apologize for the complicated conditions. I hope my explanation, though rudimentary, is satisfactory.

And I'm really sorry for the late update.