Chapter 447: Inscription, unexpected work
2 days later.
Rona obediently spent a night in the tatami prison room.
It is great to see that she didn't plan on making a big prison break on the very first day.
The Charm has certainly faded away more than yesterday.
I am in a different room today.
Shiki and Sari will be the ones listening to what Rona says.
...This feels kinda like the questioning room scene of a police drama. It is nice.
"I am glad that you were able to sleep well. Make sure to be grateful for Waka-sama who prepared a comfortable environment to rest instead of a prison cell. You of all people who -regardless of the circumstances- tried to kill him." (Shiki)
"Yeah yeah. I am really really grateful. And so, why is it Larva now? It was Waka-sama yesterday. It is so cruel that I got a rank down in just the second day." (Rona)
"Wa—?!" (Shiki)
"At the very least, make it the first confidant-looking person, Tomoe. It makes me sad, La-r-va." (Rona)
"That's not where I reacted. It was at the part about rank down, you fox. Also, don't go calling me with my old name the whole time. Learn that stupid provocations are a waste of time. You would want to be returned to your master as soon as possible, right?" (Shiki)
"...Want to return...you say?" (Rona)
"You were waving your tail the whole time before, right? Towards the upstart called Zef or something like that." (Shiki)
"I am not objecting to that. Are you saying that I will eventually be able to return? Could it be that your brain has finally rotten?" (Rona)
"As if this is a place that people of your mettle would be able to get out from." (Shiki)
...Shiki and Rona were throwing jabs at each other while beginning the conversation.
Sari still can't get in between the two.
The grudge between these two is so deep, they have the tendency of forming a world between themselves.
Is this a tendency of schemers or intel agents?
"Well, it looks like she is on the know of the hierarchy of us followers-ja no. That Rona has done her research." (Tomoe)
"It is probably just that her information hasn't been updated. Ronarona seems to be acting haughty here after all." (Mio)
Ro-Ronarona?
Mio...even though she is showing confidence here, she is making fatal mistakes.
She probably didn't get too familiar with the demon territory.
"Now that I think about it, where is Tamaki today?" (Makoto)
"It is about time she comes back." (Tomoe)
"Sorry, I am late. Good morning, Waka-sama." (Tamaki)
"Ah, no, we just began, so it is okay...Tamaki." (Makoto)
Speaking of the devil.
Tamaki showed up at the time when she was brought up in conversation.
With this, everyone has gathered at the bottom of the ocean.
And then, I looked at her for an explanation on the thing that she had brought which is wrapped around a cloth and is releasing a presence.
Even the problematic creations of the eldwas rarely release a sense of presence like this.
It should be weakened slightly from the cloth wrapped around it, and yet, it is still this much.
80% it is a god...
"Yes, it is the holy object that we were talking about yesterday." (Tamaki)
It is not something as exaggerated as a seal, but Tamaki undid the wrapping cloth without any hesitation and brought out the thing.
A katana or a wakizashi.
No, it is a bit long?
But I don't know if to call it a long wakizashi...
Yeah, it is probably a wakizashi.
"A wakizashi...huh." (Makoto)
"It materialized as a special ore, but it settled in this shape." (Tamaki)
?
The holy object itself was an ore?
...Aah.
If I remember correctly, in Japan, there are a number of shrines that would consider grottos or big rocks as holy objects.
I was imaging more specific things like ritual tools or armor, but even strangely shaped rocks and trees were plenty possible.
"It was a special ore that was even a holy object. Was it big?" (Makoto)
"...Yes, decently big. It was a powerful cursed ore in the shape of crystals." (Tamaki)
"Cursed ore?" (Makoto)
No recollection of hearing that before.
Also, Tomoe has completely lost interest in Rona and is staring super hard on the wakizashi.
Of course she would. She loves her katanas after all.
"Hohoooh. Hooh! Hoooh..." (Tomoe)
That's some extreme interest.
Even though I am in the middle of getting an explanation from Tamaki, the side-glances are on a whole other level.
"It refers to an ore that has accumulated a strong amount of thoughts." (Tamaki)
"Thoughts? I don't feel a good presence from this though?" (Makoto)
Cursed?
I don't have that much of a good impression about it.
When hearing about ores and gems that gather thoughts, the first thing that comes to mind is that series where the owner is brought misfortune.
I don't have much knowledge about gems of Japan, so I can't really think of anything, but if it is ores, the *sessho-seki* is a famous one.
"It depends on how you use it. In a stable state like this as a sword...well, if it is Makoto-sama, I feel like -be it a curse or whatever- it wouldn't really matter though." (Tamaki)
"I don't mind, but since it is a sword, the one who will be holding it is Tomoe, right? It also doesn't bode well that a cursed item was made from a shrine." (Makoto)
"Waka..." (Tomoe)
T-That's...of course I would be worried if you are the one who will be holding it, Tomoe.
It is natural for me to worry.
"Makoto-sama, when you think of cursed ores, what kind of thing do you think of?" (Tamaki)
"Sorry that I can't bring much spin to it, but it would be the executioner stone." (Makoto)
"! Splendidly done. It is not exactly the same, but the holy object materialized with the name Cursed Ore, Executioner Stone. As expected of Makoto-sama." (Tamaki)
Saying this and having the need to show the blade, Tamaki half unsheathes the wakizashi.
It is similar to the dagger of Toa.
It is transparent, and its color isn't like that of a sword.
It has an unconventional purple gradation, and yet, there's proper transparency to it.
It is indeed...hard to think it is from this world.
It is pretty, but it gives off a dangerous feeling.
It would feel safe if it were used as decoration, but in the hands of a person...that's the kind of feeling it gives.
"It is okay now, Tomoe." (Makoto)
For now, I give the permission to Tomoe who was already in a state as if she were a dog drooling like crazy.
After receiving the wakizashi from Tamaki, Tomoe began to enjoy the wakizashi with glaring eyes and white gloves that I don't know when she put them on.
"Because of its name, after confirming its change to a sword, I tried investigating the details, but it didn't seem to have any problematic effects. I am sure Tomoe-sama will be able to master it." (Tamaki)
"I also looked at it a bit, but it seems like there's nothing bad on it, or has some strange effects." (Makoto)
I tried using Sakai to appraise it, but aside from the fact that it is nameless, it is a pretty excellent wakizashi.
The material was just as Tamaki said, the cursed ore executioner stone.
It is just...
"So you also had a powerful appraisal skill, Makoto-sama." (Tamaki)
"Something like that." (Makoto)
"I have already arranged for Shiki-san and the elder dwarfs to check it out later, but is it okay to proceed with that?" (Tamaki)
She works fast.
Must mean that she will have Shiki check it out here, and then the eldwas later.
"Please do." (Makoto)
"Understood. That said...I am not that worried about it though." (Tamaki)
"And why is that?" (Makoto)
"A wakizashi is a sword for self-protection. If that had been an otachi or a tachi, I would have been a bit more careful in the inspection before presenting it." (Tamaki)
"...Even if it is a wakizashi, it is not like they are all for self-protection." (Makoto)
"And so, I think that what's left is for Makoto-sama to give it a real nice name and it will settle as a reliable weapon." (Tamaki)
Name.
I see, the nameless is in order to give it a name, huh.
"Name... In this occasion, isn't it okay for Tomoe to be the one—" (Makoto)
"It is a holy object conferred to you by the 3 Gods. I would personally recommend you to be the one giving it a name, Makoto-sama." (Tamaki)
...She has a point.
A name for a sword, huh.
I feel like I might unintentionally give it the name of an existing one.
If it is a wakizashi...maybe Nikkari?
"I think Nikkari Aoe might be good." (Makoto)
How's that...?
"Den do den—" (Tamaki)
"Tamaki, stop." (Makoto)
I feel like she would pick it up too if I were to say Awataguchi...
The reality is that my imagination amounts to that much...
"...More homework." (Makoto)
"I would say it is a job that only Makoto-sama can do exactly because you are the ruler of Asora." (Tamaki)
...Point taken again.
Name for a sword, huh.
"Waka! Then, is it okay for me to be the one to carry it?!" (Tomoe)
"Once the investigation of it is complete, I am fine with that being yours, Tomoe." (Makoto)
"Ooh, and what's the name?!" (Tomoe)
"...Wait for a bit on that one." (Makoto)
Hmm, this is hard.
"Bottom of the ocean?!" (Rona)
"That's right. Thus, it is absolutely impossible to escape. Even long distance teleportation requires a precise grasp of the distance... You get me, right?" (Shiki)
"Are you crazy?! It is not like you don't know about the Neptunes that are at the depths of the ocean!" (Rona)
Hm?
"Neptunes? Of course I know of them. By the way, we are acquainted with the Lorelai too. The Kuzunoha Company is a company that connects with even the ocean. Learned your lesson now?" (Shiki)
"Could it be that you wiped out the Neptunes that act like Superior Dragons?" (Rona)
"Lumping us together with the barbaric demons is troubling." (Shiki)
Shiki and Rona are burning over there.
So the demons were aware of the Neptunes, huh.
Acting as Supreme Dragons, huh...
Must be talking about the person that leads Serwhale-san and his siblings.
"The water pressure of the ocean trench far surpasses your imagination, you know? It is absolutely impossible for you to go back to the Demon Lord without our permission!" (Shiki)
"Ocean trench? Water pressure?" (Rona)
"Rona, what Shiki-sama is saying here is the truth. We are currently really deep in the ocean. The world down there is really profound. As someone who doesn't know about this, I don't recommend doing anything reckless." (Sari)
...Sari is joining in, huh.
On top of that, we are in Asora.
I have no intentions to tell her though.
Right, Rona too, huh.
I also have to think about the timing to push her back to the demons...