Chapter 438 – Contact with the Fake
<– Previous Chapter | Glossary | TOC | Next Chapter –>
T/N: Cut out a bigger chunk in the middle (see comment down there) and kept it at one part in return.
I gazed at the back of the fake person’s head, making once more sure that he wasn’t possessed by a bug like Fuu.
….It had black hair with streaks of brown. You’re not going to tell me that this is a Japanese person or something like that, right?
Suddenly countless cloths filled with mana rushed into the air like snakes from in-between the small gap between neck and overcloak. The magic cloths were swaying around near its head.
Are the torso and back of that person with the bug in its left arm covered by those magic cloths? No, it’s possibly an ability of the bug. Or maybe it’s simply a defense ability.
『…I guess I’ll go around and take a look at its face for starters』
『Your Excellency, where is that shady person you’re talking about…』
『It’s the person with the great sword on its back and the black overcloak. They’re currently looking at some fruits』, I taught Helme where to find the fake.
Tiny Helme extended a hand and pointed at a greengrocer.
Just like that, I headed towards that store…trying to get a look on the fake’s face. Of course, carefully.
Higlia and Jody followed me.
『It’s a greatsword tinged with dense mana. The shoulder belt holding that sword is also filled with mana』
Just as Helme pointed out, the sword carried by the fake was special. Its steel blue blade looked very smooth. Transparent golden and silver metals bordered the blade as if sandwiching the sword blade while creating a blade wave pattern.
Something similar to characters was floating around the blade onto the blade. Those characters emitted mana. On top of that, the whole thing, including hilt and everything, was engulfed by crimson mana.
Bax, the kin of Evil God Hyuriox possessed Magic Spear Gudohl. If that guy is a kin as well…it’s very likely that he possesses a magic weapon of similar might.
『…It’s just a visual observation, but his mana and physical strength that allows him to wield that sword are definitely anything but normal』
While having such a telepathic conversation, I avoided the flow of people as I drew closer to the fake. I focused on each and every move while being slightly nervous.
At that moment, I got a look at the fake’s profile.
…A mask, huh?
It was an outlaw mask connected with black, magic, adjustable cloth lines that seemed to cover his neck and head. Maybe the earlier magic cloths were split off this mask gear?
To be honest…it’s nice…class and extremely cool. It’s a cyberpunk-like camouflage mask making its wearer look mad.
I want one. My <Spirit Blood Clothing – Lucival> is a sort of mad beast equipment…
Anyway, I can slightly see the tip of the jaw of this mask person. Its physique looks lanky, and going by the small head, I guess it’s a woman. Maybe a human woman who has disguised herself as a beastman.
『…That might be a human. Should I come out as well?』
『Considering the situation, it should develop into a battle. You can prepare <Spirit Ball Conception> in preparation for the unlikely case it does happen, though』
『Okay』
After talking with Helme I exchanged eye signals with Jody and Higlia. Seeing how they were a person with a bug in their arm, I didn’t know what abilities they might be hiding, so I avoided speaking out loud. They could have an ability boosting their hearing in an abnormal manner.
However, the meaning of my eye signal didn’t get through to Higlia. Her cute face looking as if she was asking why I was glaring at her didn’t change, but she glared back at me, appearing angry. And after seeing me pulling a weird face, she became puzzled and bewildered.
“What’s with that face!? Rather than that, Shuuya, you wanted to eat delicious food, so you’re going to look at the stores, right? Logadail Hunting and the famous Tomlans Grilled Meat are great. Even Divine Beast-sama, whose smell is much better than our <Olfaction Network>…hmm? Divine Beast-sama, what are you…”
Higlia looked like she couldn’t help feeling bothered by Rollodeen’s actions.
“I want grilled meat as well, but there’s something else interesting me right now,” I told Higlia as she watched Rollodeen.
“I-I see,” she answered incoherently.
A part of her silver claws retracted back into her fingers. She placed those fingers on the tip of her chin.
“Something else?” She muttered while taking a thinker’s pose.
Thereupon, she shook her head, stopping to ponder about it as if declaring that she got it. Without answering me, she focused on Rollodeen.
I guess for the time being I’ll postpone informing Higlia about that fake person. Seeing how the fake is currently shopping in a normal way, they’re no more than suspicious at the moment.
“Nya, nya~”
“Hehe, Divine Beast-sama! You seem to have fun! Did you find something!?”
Higlia got all pumped. Rollodeen reacted to Higlia addressing her by twitching her ears for an instant. But then Rollodeen ignore Higlia and started to play around. Higlia watched that with her eyes sparkling and her tail wagging. 1
After watching Higlia mess around and observing the pedestrians for a while, I activated my Kaleidoscope and focused my attention on the suspicious fake. Its left arm was extending out of horse hoof-shaped sleeves.
It paid the merchant by handing several gold coins to him with a jingling and then picked up fruits with the shape of a pineapple. He put those fruits into a white leather bag. It has bought lots of those to stock up on them, but…are those fruits tasty?
However, despite putting lots of fruit into the bag, it didn’t expand at all. I suppose it’s an item box that’s superior to magic bags.
I couldn’t see the left arm’s skin as it was covered by a gauntlet. On its surface were special designs of magic symbols which contained mana. The color of those patterns was red with their shapes resembling spiderwebs and dragons.
『The left arm has the same design as your Arzen’s Boots』, Helme voiced out what I had just thought myself.
The item appraiser Suloza had mentioned that a Spirit World Enchanter called Arzen had created them.
『So it seems. Either they were made by the same creator or they’re replicas』
『I have a feeling that those are real』
If they’re made by Arzen, they’ll be at least Legendary. Those gauntlets, the greatsword, and the armor extending from the neck, and the bug in the left arm…this might actually be quite a dangerous opponent.
『…Either way, it doesn’t change the fact of it being a superb piece of defensive gear. Anyway, I think it’s about time to have a chat with it』
『…Okay』
At that point, I said to Jody who was diagonally behind me, “Jody, I’m going to try contacting it.”
“Okay.”
I approached the bug-bearer with Jody in tow. Helme had stopped swimming around in my visual field and was now looking vigilant. Saraten and her kin spoke up as well, but I ignored them.
Even though all the interruptions lowered my tension, I got close to the fake and addressed them from behind, “…Umm, do you have a minute by chance?”
While placing a hand on its sword’s hilt, the fake swiftly dodged to the side and then turned around. Its body movement was that of a top-notch warrior.
“――!?” Seeing my human face, the fake with its outlaw mask appeared to be surprised, “…A…human?”
The voice sounded female. The pupils staring at me through the mask were black. I think her hair has the same color.
After performing a suitable bow, I focused on my usual, friendly attitude and answered, “Yes. Can we talk for a bit?”
She didn’t adopt a combat stance, but I could faintly sense her manipulating her mana as would be typical of Magic Combat Style-based techniques. Mana also dwelt in her murky, black eyes. Things similar to tiny, white ethereal bodies were bustling around on the surface of her irises. At the same time, the overcloak itself was tinged with a faint, silver light as if sucking in mana. That’s probably why she’s not emitting any mana to the outside…
I can tell that this woman must be capable of a reasonably high level of mana manipulation. Because we’re this close to each other, I can perceive her quality as a martial artist. She’s slender, but still a formidable fighter.
“…What business do you have with me?”
Her eyes became more stabbing. I don’t think she wants to fight, but…because we’re in the district right before the ancient wolfman city, I’ll ask her straight about the bug.
“Ah, sorry for being late to introduce myself. My name is Shuuya. I’m what humans call an adventurer.”
“An adventurer…quite daring…”
Her two eyes moved restlessly around behind the mask, checking the surroundings. I could clearly tell what she was thinking.
I mean, I do look like a human, so she’s probably wondering why a human like me isn’t being attacked in this city.
I’m pretty sure because the Divine Princess Higlia and her followers are with me…but this woman doesn’t seem to know about Higlia.
Okay, I won’t beat around the bush and directly ask her about Hyuriox and the bug.
“…There’s simply a reason why I won’t get attacked. By the way, are you an evil god’s bug user?”
“Wh-!?”
In surprise the woman moved her left arm. But at that moment a beastman child, clad in an overcloak, showed up.
“Elza, thanks for waiting~ I got three bags of Depin beans and four jars of Adlas juice. I also heard stories about the curses of God Wolf Hurley and the old gods, legends about the cursed chalice, fairy-tales, information about Recitrus Ruins, and the location of the famous Hundred Labyrinth!” The child rattled on in a carefree tone, oblivious of the dangerous atmosphere.
So the woman is called Elza, huh? According to Pax, this Elza woman is a fake being.
“O-Okay, welcome back. With this, it should be possible to maintain…the Greater Blade of Yahanga,” she answered to the child, but was obviously shaken.
She stared at me. I was wearing Hal’Konk in its three-quarter sleeves version. Everything besides my shoulder was basically covered by Hal’Konk’s fabric. The area around my chest was half open and both my wrists were exposed. Holker’s fragment, which was stored in my pocket alongside the cat dolls of Alray and Hurley, was vibrating.
Since everyone would get startled if I took out Baldok here, I didn’t do so.
“…You’re weird, Elza. Did you buy the Patoto fruits?”
“I did, but…”
The child was tugging her arm, “Then let’s go.”
“Ah…”
“What’s wrong? Since earlier you’ve been strange…we don’t have any business here anymore, do we?”
“That’s true, but…this human….is someone knowing about the “extinct Tazacalf blood vessels”…or an apostle.”
“Eh!?”
Hearing her words, the child stared at me.”
“Hyuriox’s? But…”
It mentioned the evil god’s name. Moreover, it muttered, “Eh, but…a human?”, while staring at Elza-san’s left arm.
The story its childish words and look were telling was more than proof for me that the evil god’s bug was infesting Elza-san’s left arm.
She held out her left hand.
“Yeah, my left arm didn’t react. Yet, that Shuuya guy knows about the evil god.”
Is she reading my allegation through her left arm? But, well, I’m slightly relieved. Going by their attitude and words, neither she nor the kid possess detection-based ability, including foresight like Kazane has.
“That’s why Tazacalf’s…,” the kid murmured and the int looked up to me once more.
『…Your Excellency, the child’s necklace hides abnormal, sinister mana…and it’s possible that it sees or maybe suspects my existence』
It noticed Helme? But, I don’t feel much mana from the surface of its necklace…
Well, it certainly looks shady. It’s a necklace made out of black steel with a crooked crest as a peculiar decoration. Is Helme able to sense it because of her darkness attribute? Is it a cursed item?
Seeing me, they talked about people knowing Tazacalf blood vessels, but what are those? Has it something to do with the Valmask family or another vampire family? Or is it something related to old gods and the ancient wolfmen?
Once the beastman kid spotted Jody, it cried out after seeing her beautiful, aristocratic outfit and the size of her boobs, revealing an innocent, childish reaction
I’d have probably reacted the same way, if I had seen Jody’s chest for the first time. Yep, a boob saint must be pure, so…
While pondering such bullshit, I dropped a corny pickup line, “Elza-san with the pretty mask, and the cute pipsqueak over there, how about we relocate to a store for a tea?”
I guess I’ll try to take them to the candy store that piqued my interest earlier.
<– Previous Chapter | Glossary | TOC | Next Chapter –>
Help out filling the Glossary of this series with life! Anyone is free to join by clicking >here< !
Translation Notes:
- Author goes totally off track here and starts to talk about how cute Higlia is and what she wears, and what the passerby wear, and all kinds of other stuff that’s unrelated to the fake person. Imagine…you watch a thriller where the protagonist tails someone and then halfway there, they suddenly start talking about the weather and yesterday’s TV shows for no reason…that’s the kind of shit this author is pulling here. I’m cutting the whole thing out cause it pisses me off.