Chapter 38

I was facing the cup on the table with both hands.

This is a mithril cup that Yurii made for me. I am now sending magic power to this cup.

"By sending magic power to the magic ore while continuously chanting a spell, the ore will eventually learn the spell. This is what is called enchantment magic... Elicia, take a look."

I handed the mithril cup, which I had enchanted, to Elicia.

"The spell I cast is 'Water Ball.' It's a magic tool known as a water cup."

A magic tool is an item that can use magic just by chanting. In the case of weapons, they are called magic weapons.

"Yes! ...Ah, it's filled with water, isn't it?"

The empty water cup was now filled with water.

Yurii murmured.

"This is how it becomes a magic tool! I've made many items without enchantment magic before."

Magic tools are made by enchanting refined magic ore.

Even those who cannot use magic or cannot handle it well can use it by chanting. Additionally, many people use magic weapons that have been enchanted with attributes that do not benefit them.

That's why, like magic ore, they are traded at high prices.

"Yes, but it takes time to stabilize the magic with enchantment. It took about ten minutes for this cup alone."

However, I've heard that it takes over an hour even for those who benefit from water magic... It might be because my magic power increased thanks to my followers, allowing me to send more magic power.

"It also depends on how much magic power the magic ore can gather... With this size, 'Water Ball' can be enchanted, but higher-level spells like 'Waterfall' cannot be used even if enchanted."

Generally, the larger the ore, the more powerful the magic it can contain.

Then, Selena spoke as if she had an idea.

"Then, what if we enchant Your Highness's 'Teleport'?"

"Yes. If I'm not around, everyone can use 'Teleport' to go between Roburion and Ars. I tried it on the other cup, but it seems I don't have enough magic power. We might need a mithril as big as a pillar."

"I see... It's not that easy, is it?"

Yurii, as if remembering something, asked Selena.

"By the way, aren't Selena's armor and sword magic weapons?"

"My armor has 'Holy Healing,' which has a healing effect, and 'Light Wall,' which weakens the power of all magic attributes. The armor clan only has 'Light Wall.' My sword... of course, I enchanted it with 'Flame Blade'!"

"Flame on flame... That's hot. Ah, but I might have a good idea."

I asked Yurii, who looked inspired.

"Good idea?"

"Your Highness, you said you couldn't go fishing, right? So..."

Yurii immediately started melting the mithril ingot. Using tongs, she stretched it into a thin, long wire.

After cooling, she cut the wire into several pieces, bundled them together, and twisted them into a rope.

Selena, impressed, said:

"Hmm. A mithril rope?"

"Yes. If I enchant this with lightning magic..."

I got it.

"If we make it into a fishing net or fishing line, we can use lightning magic to catch fish."

It's known that lightning magic spreads in water.

Selena exclaimed:

"Golems are immune to lightning magic. If a golem uses it, fishing should be easier."

"Right? The golem's large body would scare the fish away, but this can immobilize them and catch them."

Elicia, speaking quietly, said to the boastful Yurii:

"Wouldn't it be better to give the golem a lightning-enchanted rod and throw it at the fish? The net can just be a regular net."

"Th-That's..."

Yurii was at a loss for words.

"Mm... I thought it was a good idea."

"Come on. Since we have the chance, why don't we make one?"

"Ah, Your Highness! ...You're so kind."

Yurii looked at me, dramatically shedding tears.

"...No, since we have a lot of mithril, I want to make various magic tools."

I want to make things that will enrich the lives of my followers and items that can be sold at high prices. It would be good to try different things.

Selena spoke:

"Then, I'll make a magic tool that allows ratmen to easily start fires!"

"That's a good idea. I'm thinking of making a magic tool that can freeze things."

"Indeed, we can think about various things and discuss them later... Hmm?"

Elicia turned her face toward the outside.

I also noticed that it was noisy outside.

"What's going on?"

"Is it a festival?"

Elicia was right; it was a bright and noisy atmosphere like a festival or parade.

We opened the first-floor window and looked outside.

People on the main street were all looking up, pointing and cheering.

"What's that...?"

A gentle breeze blew, and three magnificent white-winged horses descended onto the main street.

Those horses were pegasi... horses with angel-like white wings, known as holy beasts.

"Those beautiful people are back! They said they would go to the guild to defeat the dragon that appeared recently."

"So, they defeated the evil dragon!?"

"The horn hanging from the stirrup must be it... I heard they also defeated an evil dragon in the neighboring town."

An evil dragon is not a monster that can be easily defeated.

It seems that skilled adventurers were riding them.

"They must be tough... No, that's..."

Elicia's eyes widened.

"Those people... I saw them at the capital guild."

The people on the pegasi were the three I recognized.

The three I met at the capital's adventurer guild...

A girl with short silver hair, a woman in heavy armor, and a woman who looked like a mage.

"Yuris..."

The name that slipped out was my ex-fiancée's.

A few days after I left the capital, Yuris was reported missing.

Yuris's hair was long.

But that luster was Yuris's hair... So I thought the girl was Yuris.

Yurii asked:

"Do you know them?"

"I, no... I only saw them once in the capital."

"For someone you only saw once, you seem quite shaken."

Selena also tilted her head and said:

"Are you shaken?"

Am I shaken?

But if that girl is Yuris, I can be relieved that she is safe.

But why is she fighting monsters...!?

The girl dismounted the pegasus and, accompanied only by the woman in armor, walked straight to our base.

I immediately headed for the shadows.

Selena, puzzled, asked:

"Ah, Your Highness? Why are you in such a hurry?"

"There's a possibility they know me..."

"Are they looking for Your Highness? It's well-known that this is Your Highness's shop."

Selena was right; there's a possibility Yuris came looking for me. No, I can't imagine Yuris would care about me...

"Maybe... Anyway, Yurii, if anyone asks, tell them I'm not here."

"Y-Yes!"

Yurii answered and stood straight at the counter.

Elicia, Selena, and I used the 'Invisibility' spell to hide.

When the girl entered, Yurii greeted her with a smile.

"Welcome! What can I do for you today?"

"I want something made. I heard that skilled craftsmen gather here. Can you make something with this material?"

The girl said, and the woman in armor placed two large horns on the counter.

Yurii wiped sweat from her forehead.

"T-This is..."

"The horns of an evil dragon. I want one melted into a sword. The other, I want made into two staffs, one large and one small."

"U-Understood."

"Please. Is this payment acceptable?"

The woman in armor placed a large burlap bag on the counter.

When she opened the bag, Yurii was speechless.

"S-Such a large amount... Well..."

"Exactly one hundred gold coins. Please count them."

At the girl's words, the woman in armor started placing gold coins on the counter from the bag.

It seemed the bag contained a large amount of gold coins.

Yurii couldn't help but respond:

"W-Wait a moment! You're bringing the materials! I can't accept this amount! At most, one gold coin would be appropriate!"

"It's fine. I didn't expect to meet such skilled craftsmen in this town. Thanks to you, our plans can proceed faster... Making weapons here is worth more than a hundred gold coins."

Yurii, confused, said:

"U-Understood! I'll make the requested items! But one gold coin is enough! Please wait a moment!"

Yurii said and headed to the back workshop with the horns and black branches.

Selena murmured:

"Even if it's urgent, to pay a hundred gold coins for a job worth one... Who are they?"

"Perhaps they are fighting powerful monsters. If they don't hurry, the monster might escape."

As Elicia said, many monsters move across the continent.

Especially evil dragons, which fly across the continent and attack human settlements. Despite the large number of attacks and the extensive damage, it's said that there are only a few of them.

They must have defeated two that happened to be nearby.

Meanwhile, Yurii brought tea to the girl, who was sitting on a bench, and the woman in armor, who was standing guard.

"I'm making it now. It should be ready in about an hour. Please, have some tea."

"Thank you. Can I look at the merchandise while I wait?"

"Of course. We also offer maintenance and repairs for weapons. If you need anything, please let me know."

Yurii bowed and tried to return to the counter.

But the girl stopped her.

"Wait."

"Yes, what is it?"

"The owner... Is Prince Alec here?"

"Um... He returned to the capital a few days ago."

"See. When did the prince start this shop? And when did you start serving Prince Alec?"

"Th-That..."

"I heard from the townspeople that the prince saw through the Demon Army's plot and saved this town. If it weren't for the prince, this town wouldn't exist... Did Prince Alec really do that?"

Yurii was at a loss for words.

The girl might be an agent of the temple.

She was unsure how to respond.

Maybe Selena should go instead.

Before receiving the crest, I had many followers.

So, it's not strange that I have a shop and subordinates.

But the girl said:

"I'm sorry... I was rude to the royal family's shop. Please accept the gold coins as an apology."

"Ah? B-But..."

"It's fine. Please accept them. I apologize for my rudeness."

Yurii, moved by the girl's heartfelt "please," nodded silently.

After that, the girl bought some items, including knives, from the blue-haired clan.

Yurii firmly refused the payment and only accepted the hundred gold coins.

"Thank you... What's your name?"

"Are you planning to tell on me?"

"N-No, that's not it. I just can't accept such a large amount without saying anything."

"I see... Lily, then. I'm from the western border, the daughter of a merchant."

Yuris was born in Ilyuria in the northern part of the continent.

So, it's not Yuris... No, she's lying.

Her parents are not merchants, and her name is not Lily.

That girl is Yuris.

...But why is Yuris here? And fighting monsters.

Because I took a different action from before, Yuris also started taking different actions...

Was it because I laughed when I received the crest of the Abyss?

Or because I didn't meet Luibel?

In any case, I never thought Yuris would start hunting monsters.

The girl – no, Yuris – left the shop, mounted the pegasus, and put on a mask, looking in our direction.

But she quickly rose into the sky and headed north.