Chapter 44

The sun had set on the capital city.

From somewhere far away, the song of a drunkard echoed.

Lilicia and I returned to the store with Tetti.

Inside the store, with its bright wallpaper,

a glass case counter divided the front and back, and in the rear was a kitchen hidden by a curtain and a wardrobe.

I spread my arms and spun on the spot. The wooden floor creaked.

"Tetti will work as a clerk in this store. There aren't many items to sell, but just sitting here will do."

"…Why?"

Tetti, who had finally spoken with her hood up and head down, her facial expression hidden.

I tilted my head.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"There's no need to help me."

"I was asked by the elf Cheryl to help you."

Thinking that mentioning Cheryl's name would make Tetti happy, she clenched her small fists and started to tremble.

"I hate elves… I hate them so much!"

"…You, an elf, saying that?"

"My father died protecting the village. The elves abandoned me! That's why I hate them."

"I see. You have your reasons."

Cheryl, the beautiful elf, had said that even though Tetti was doing bad things, she hadn't been abandoned by the spirits.

Lilicia asked Tetti,

"Is your mother not around?"

"She died a long time ago. She was human."

She answered in a cold tone.

Lilicia's eyebrows drooped in sadness.

"A half-elf… So you didn't receive good treatment, did you?"

"That's not all! I was made to work, but I didn't know how. So they'd hit me, saying, 'You can't even do this, you!' — How could I, when I wasn't taught?"

Tetti, with her frail body, trembled and shouted.

I frowned and said,

"So you started stealing from people… but still."

"That's right. I stole from everyone. It was the only way I could survive. But I only took what I needed to live, no more. I took books but returned them later."

—I see.

Taking only what is needed to survive is something many creatures do in the forest and with animals.

It's just that the targets were humans and elves.

So while she was seen as a criminal by humans and elves, she wasn't disliked by the spirits who have a broader perspective.

I shrugged.

"Got it. I'll teach you how to work. I won't hit you. So don't do anything bad—though, to be honest, any unconditional slave would do for the job."

But Tetti shook her head weakly, still looking down.

"I can't even be a clerk."

"Why not?"

"I saw myself in the mirror. I'm not cute anymore… customers will run away."

"That can be fixed… Lilicia, let's heal Tetti."

"Wh-What!? I can't do any more with my magic…"

"As a human, right? She's an unconditional slave now, so it's fine."

"Oh, right."

Lilicia placed her hands on her chest and leaned forward, as if preparing to spread her wings.

I hurriedly called out,

"Before that, go to the forest and get some herbs and antidote plants. I'll prepare the rest while you're gone."

"Right! I've been neglecting the requests! I'll be back."

"Take Tetti with you. Teach her how to identify herbs."

"Understood, Master—Tetti, come on."

"Um… What!?"

Lilicia opened the wardrobe in the back of the store and went inside.

Tetti was surprised and confused.

Lilicia grabbed her hand and pulled her in.

"Don't worry. Come this way."

"No way, this is a dungeon!? How…! Could you be a dungeon master!? Even as a human, that's impossible!"

Surprised and bewildered, she was led away.

—Lilicia will explain the details to her.

I took a few types of herbs from the store and entered the dungeon to heal Tetti.

I went to the hall where the round Koh was.

Then I made my request.

"Koh, I want to make enough elixir and healing potions to fill a bathtub. Can you provide me with the water of the void? These are the herbs."

"Sure thing."

Blue light ran across Koh's surface. The herbs disappeared when given to him.

Then a large treasure chest filled with water appeared, so I closed my eyes and infused it with holy energy.

Strong light emitted, and the elixir was created.

"Use this to fill the bathtub. Use the healing potions too. I intend to completely heal Tetti's injuries."

"Got it."

"Also, can you make a private room for her next to this hall? A bed, a desk, and a bookshelf… and a vanity mirror?"

"A lady's single dormitory set, coming right up."

"I don't understand, but I'll leave it to you… one more thing, just to ask."

"What is it?"

Koh's white spherical surface flickered curiously.

I asked, not expecting much.

"I'm looking for the Philosopher's Stone, the Gem of Light, and the Idol of the Evil God. Do you know anything about them, Koh?"

"I know."

He answered so casually that I couldn't help but shout.

"Really! Where are they?"

"Not where, but I can make all three."

"Wait—Can the dungeon make them! That doesn't sound good… the materials must be difficult, right?"

The dungeon is powerful, but Koh seemed a bit off, perhaps because he was almost broken.

Sure enough, an unreasonable answer came back.

"To make one Philosopher's Stone, you need one Philosopher's Stone."

"That makes no sense! You can't say you made it if you need one to make one."

"Like a remake of an old game? Using new technology to bring back that emotional epic?"

"That doesn't sound good at all. —What about the Gem of Light?"

"By creating fluctuations in nothingness and causing a Big Bang, you can gather light. If you close your eyes to the end of the world, it's all good."

"No way! Then, the Idol of the Evil God must have some issues too, right?"

"I can make it, but looking at the idol will drive you mad. You need to check the origin?"

"What kind of powerful evil god is that?"

"Hehe, it's Hastur! The gibbering mouth of the cosmos, the crawling chaos! Using cosmic CQC, the chaos will crawl towards you."

"…I don't understand, but that doesn't seem to be the idol of the evil god I'm looking for."

"Ugh! Nyah! No, it's not. They are the formless gods that existed before this world was created."

"I want the idol of the evil god from this world."

I sighed.

Koh flickered.

"Good work?"

"I suddenly feel very tired—anyway, I'll leave the preparations for the bath to you."

"Sure thing, I'll take care of it."

I left the playful Koh, who was running blue light across his spherical surface, and returned to the mansion.

I wonder what kind of signals Koh is receiving.

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→ 45. The Beautiful Tetti and Lilicia