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nChapter 33

nThirty-Third Episode~ Vallaida Insect Shrine

nBefore going to Babon’s shop I should look for an inn .

nWhile I am at it I can look around the city .

nI leave the popobumu behind at the stable and walk to a nearby place along main street on foot .

nA large number of carriages come and go along the main street .

nIt is like a scene from a big city .

nOn the other side of the street I am walking on there are various stores lined up .

nOh, I discover a wooden building appropriate for a cheap inn .

nThe name carved on the wooden signboard is Saika .

nThe appearance of the inn is like a collective housing apartment .

nIts position may as well be next door to the guild .

nSince the adventurer’s guild is nearby it is the candidate for the inn to stay at .

nBut, I have not decided yet . I still intend to look around the area more .

nI am not looking for enemies or monsters, but I am walking while using and presence detection .

nThrough search with smell I am able to detect the smell of blood and the pheromones a person emits .

nIt is convenient since I could somewhat distinguish the type of a person .

nWith Rollo on my shoulder, I walk along main street will flaring my nostrils and sniffing *kun-kun*

nAnd, before I cross main street, I see a church-like building made with white stones .

nIt might not be but since there is a cross shape and a small room with a bell hanging inside it is certainly a church .

nWhile walking along main street in front of the church, I use and presence detection, unconcerned .

nAs I am comparing people’s actual size with their magic essence I make eye contact with a woman .

nShe looks like a female adventurer human wearing black leather armor .

nHer brown hair that looks like wind with its perm is swaying in the wind .

nHer eyes are brown and she is glaring at me .

nOn her ears she is wearing earrings with pretty white jewels .

nThe bridge of her nose is high, and her lips are small and faintly red .

nShe is a beautiful young woman . She is tall for a woman .

nThe two handed sword on her back is almost the same height .

nHer blood smells healthy too .

nThe blood streaming through the blood vessels in the nape of her neck is rhythmic .

n-Looks delicious .

n…A dangerous thought .

nRecently…it is strange looking at a beautiful woman after embracing Yui .

nHowever, for some reason- hatred is felt in those brown eyes .

nShe is glaring at me .

nWhy in such a place on the other side of main street?

nPeople that look like believers of the church are there and block the gaze of the woman .

nA group wearing dark blue canonical robes are led by a person wearing a green tunic type canonical robe into the church .

nThere is a circle and a yellow cross on their back .

nAah, they must be believers of the Sacred God .

nI heard about them from Achilles-shisho .

nThe Sacred God religion believes in the god of light, Ilodis .

nSince the glaring woman is praying at the church, should I go?

nHowever, with all the busy pedestrian traffic why was she only glaring at me?

nNormally that would be unlikely .

nI have no memory of such a beautiful woman with a grudge…

nMa, it must be an accident .

nIdiot, I might just be absentminded .

nI do not know . I will leave it be .

nI do not mind it and keep looking around .

nAs I advance down the street I find a side street with a pub and restaurant .

nThis alley has a good feeling and the place is crowded .

nIt is like the bar street downtown; the atmosphere is good too .

nIt is also near the apartment inn, this area is good for spending time drinking some liquor .

nWhen I think of it, I immediately move to do so .

nI stop my tour midway and retrace my steps back to where I came from .

nTo the small inn near the guild called Saika .

nDeciding to stay in Saika I open the small door .

nI talk with the inn owner and pay to borrow a room .

n“Your room is the furthest back . ”

nThe innkeeper says so with a wrinkled face like a shriveled persimmon and I leave for the back room .

nThere is no door, it is a small poor-looking room .

n…This is a cheap inn; I cannot store much luggage here .

nThere is only a solid bed and a large tub .

nWhen I eliminate the bed the pail takes up most of the space .

nThe innkeeper told me I can bath and wash with this tub .

nI was told in a blunt manner that if one cannot use life magic, then water can be freely drawn from the well next to the big willow in the first floor courtyard .

nMA, I can understand from the blunt manner of the inn oyaji that this inn is a worn-out cheap housing complex .

nNaturally there is no meal . It is not so bad since I have a pail .

nAppearing the like the worn-out room, Rollo is jumping up and down on the hard bed .

nI hope there are no lice on the bed…

nSince I have money, I can probably stay at a high-class inn if I look for one, but this is enough for now . Ma, I just started living in the city .

nIt is near the guild and an eating and drinking street, so I will enjoy myself .

nWell then, I should take a bath .

nI pour hot water into the tub using life magic .

nI wash my body lightly with gyoza grass since I smell a little .

n…Water is a good attribute . It would take time to draw the water .

nThis life magic…I wonder if I could use it to attack, I have tried it in various ways so far, but the only difference is if the force the water spouts out with .

nWhen I had just learned it I remembered the image of a water cutter using the image of pressure, I had such a dream, but it is impossible with this life magic .

nI hope that with the magic like the ancient crest one I learned the other day, the magic of the water attribute may be made according to an image as the source .

nMa, I have the spear .

nEven if such an illusion exists as I hope for, I do not know whether such a “thing” really exists .

nI still need to learn the sword, it cannot be helped even if I am impatient and learn it shallowly…

nFirst of all, the spear, I should aim even higher .

nIncluding the other ones with magic, I will learn it if I come across the opportunity .

nThinking about such a thing, I hear a *pachan-pachan* sound coming from the surface of the water, and am distracted .

nI pay more attention to the sound .

nThe actual source of the sound is Rollo .

nShe is swiping her paw at the surface of the water from the edge of the tub .

nShe looks cute . Amusing, she is slapping down with her paws going *pachan-pachan* and playing .

n“Rollo, you may be playing but I can tell you smell bad too . ”

n“Nya . ”

nI grab the scruff of the playing Rollo and put her in the hot water .

nI am removing the dirt from her legs and also making her paw pads clean . Rollodinu seems to understand that I am washing her body and is extending her body out comfortably .

nI soak Rollo in the hot water of the tub .

nRollo shakes her body with a *buru* in the hot water and begins the smoothly swim around the tub when she separates from my hand .

nShe is surprisingly good at swimming; she is swimming happily by rowing with her feelers across the surface of the water .

nShe is good at using the feelers underwater .

nAfter a while Rollo gets tired of swimming and gets out of the tub .

nOver by the bed she shakes her body *furufuru* and splashes the water around .

n“Oi, oi, don’t splash the water around here .

n“Nya, Nyaa . ”

nRollo sings lively and jumps outside on her own accord .

nWhere is she going…

nI quickly get out of the bath too, get dressed and leave the inn .

nI head to Babon’s shop that receptionist-san told me about .

nAs I walk along the street .

n“Nn, Nya . ”

nRollo calls and jumps onto my shoulder from behind .

n“Where did you go?”

n“…”

nRollo only moves her tail .

nDid you need to pee?

nI walk with my eyes fixed on the street with Rollo placed on my shoulder .

nI quickly arrive at Babon’s shop on the other side of main street .

nThis shop…is a general store, just like receptionist-san said .

nThe impression of a lot of goods put out .

nThere are different types of potions to the front along with medicinal herbs . Dry meat, raisins, seasonings and a bunch of bottles with something like blueberry jam are also being sold .

nSnack like foods are also set up in a line, when I look they are the kind you find in cheap candy shops .

nWhen I enter the shop, there are bronze swords in places lengthwise and a pot like an umbrella . There is leather armor on display and bulky armor, hanging from the ceiling, knee-length leggings are on display .

nFor some reason, a barrel and an iron pan used for cooking are placed in the protective gear section . There is also a bag to place at the waist hanging from the ceiling .

nThere are kinds of small accessories like wooden brushes, oil lanterns, and clean clothes all being sold together .

nRollo seems interested in the smells of the new articles in the general store, she is going *kun-kun* with her nose while stretching out one leg .

n“Rollo, no playing around…”

nRollo remains silent but seems to understand the tone of my voice and pulls her foot back .

nAt such a time, my eyes come to a stop on the backpack hanging from the ceiling on display .

nI recall the durable magic bag I got from Shisho .

nI might as well get the latest magic bag .

nI see someone that looks like a shopkeeper in the back and try to talk to them .

n“Excuse me, are there items here necessary for the labyrinth and magic bags?

n“Aah, there are . It’s this and this…”

nThe kind shopkeeper helps me choose things I need; I gather them together to purchase .

nI have a light backpack for traveling and I bought a backpack for combat work .

nAfterward, the simple lantern is attached to the belt at my waist . I buy field rations, a pan and a magic bag . I also buy a wooden brush for brushing my teeth and I bought a bag with a leather belt that covers my chest .

nI buy several pieces of leather .

nSince I have , the lantern was not necessary but I want to go for an adventurer like appearance first so I bought the lantern .

nBuying it, I immediately put the bag with the leather belt over my shoulder .

nI load up the backpack and leave the shop with it on my back .

nThere are metal fittings on the new back pack so I fix the black spear to my back with them .

nWith this the preparations are complete .

nShould I take care of a request quickly? I return to the guild .

nI come back to the guild and walk over the side with the metastasis magic formation .

nA small pedestal is placed in front of the magic formation .

nThere are large words engraved on the top of a wooden pedestal .

nThis, is it something like an advertisement?

nA brief explanation about each labyrinth seems to be written on the piece of wood .

nI got it . The wooden tag is thin so it seems to tear immediately .

nI guess this is normal since it is free .

nAside from that, this metastasis formation is shining white .

nIs it really all right? I feel a little uneasy .

nEeh, waa!

nI set foot in the magic formation with Rollo on my shoulder .

nAt that moment- a *gua* sound in my ear, the scene in front of me is replaced in an instant .

nThis sensation, aah, it is that .

nThe sense of entering a tunnel by car .

nIs it the pressure change? Or, probably because of metastasis?

nAfter I am attacked with the lump of air in my ear, the transfer succeeds .

nThe magic formation at my feet is shining faintly .

nAnd, properly, Rollo succeeded in warping with me on my shoulder .

nGood . The horror film metastasis with combining does not happen…

nI do not want to become a fly-person .

nWhile thinking of such an old movie I exit the magic formation and its color changes from blue to white .

nAs an experiment I turn back and place my foot in the magic formation again .

nThe moment my senses are clogged up with air again, I return to the guild .

nThe metastasis formation of the guild is blue .

nWhen I exit the magic formation it returns to its white color .

nWhen I use the metastasis formation it is like a bunch of small LEDs shining with a blue light .

nWhile I am observing the magic formation with fascination, I am pushed to the side by another adventurer . I am in the way and they enter the magic formation forcibly and disappear .

nI belatedly enter the magic formation as well .

nWhen I appear in the Insect Shrine again, the adventurer who pushed me aside joins other adventurers and walks into the labyrinth .

nI intended to complain, but I do not .

nLet us look at this labyrinth .

nThe area around the metastasis formation opens into a round space .

nHowever, rather than where the adventurers are gathering, my eyes go to the ceiling .

nThe impression I get here is completely different from the name Insect Shrine that suggests insects gather .

nIt is fantastic and magical .

nSuch romantic words are imagined .

nThe gray ceiling has numerous holes that the ants can go in and out of, a light similar so sunlight is filtering through the holes .

nThe light illuminates the dust, and I see a fantasy illusion of silver flowers floating in the light .

nThe natural source of light illuminates the upper levels of the insect shrine . A truly beautiful labyrinth .

nWhen even dust creates a fantastic natural painting, I will think about it some other time .

nBlack walls with silver beams of light above constitutes this labyrinth, black fibers are shown in detail .

nI approach a wall of the black fiber and see how it feels .

nHard . Instead of black fiber, it is more like it is made of entangled branches .

nInnumerable long branches and twigs are gathered together and entwined making it look like fibers .

nWhen I pull on the them forcibly, chi, a splinter is stuck in my finger .

nIte, is this a thorn?

nA stinging black thorn .

nThis black thorn seems to form Vallaida Insect Shrine .

nAround the circumference of the transfer formation I came out of it becomes a circular open space surrounded by the black thorn walls .

nThere are several tents in the middle of the open space .

nThis seems to be the gathering spot of adventurers and merchants .

nWithout going there, I walk around along the thorn wall .

nThen, thorns entwined in the form of big statues stand in a row between the thorny wall .

nThe labyrinth wall is not only made of thorn .

nThe image looks like it is hewn from bedrock, and the big statue looks like it is made of a mineral like copper .

nThere are a lot of people praying to the statue .

nIf I pray to this god will I receive benefits?

nI walk away from the believers with such a trivial doubt in my heart and go to the center of the open space

n“-I am selling a map from the mid to lower levels, does someone want to buy it?”

nTo the adventurers standing in the area, such words are being thrown .

nIn addition, there are also merchants selling items, those offering to invite people into their party, and other noisy sounds .

nIn this place outside of the guild, such an invitation is directed to me .

nPassing through the open space I go ahead through the passage where adventurers are going inside .

nI see stairs from the right side of the passage .

nThese big stairs seem to be doorways of the labyrinth .

nI guess I will try looking along these stairs .

nSince there was no feeling of movement in the metastasis formation I go outside to actually check .

nI run up the stairs and easily arrive outside the labyrinth .

nOutside, the forest spreads outward and the base of Mt . Burdock is nearer .

nThe earth around the labyrinth seems to swell up and the place I am standing is on a slope .

nWhen I look up I can see the shape of a domed roof like a huge ant hill, there are a lot of holes .

nThe holes are a source of light and where the monsters go in and out of .

nNow then, what should I see .

nWhile I feel the dazzling sunlight…

nI begin to read the wooden tag about the labyrinth .

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nThe Vallaida Insect Shrine labyrinth is separated into an upper level, middle level and lower level .

nMany ant and insect type monster live there, and threaten the forested area nearby .

nOccasionally, with the dragons coming from Mt . Burdock, the place is famous for territorial disputes when they visit . Furthermore, an S rank monster called the Vallaida Great Queen Ant dominates the lower level . A Queen ant protection squad called the Imperial Guard ants exists to protect the queen .

nThe Imperial Guard ant is an A rank of considerable strength .

nWithout exception the unit defending the queen is strong .

nIt is famous for existing as the unit that protects the Queen by all means in a labyrinth of other similar ants . There are few adventurers who have broken through this defense and looked directly upon the queen .

nIncidentally, the imperial guard ants of this labyrinth will always join together as a three-man platoon, and even now have not been subdued .

n□■□■

nThere is more information but after reading properly, with that timing, I turn away from the wooden tag and shift my focus to the labyrinth .

nShisho talked a lot before about rank A

nIt is slightly different from an adventurer’s rank when it is dividing the strength of the monster .

nWell then, I will go-

nI toss away the wooden tag I was looking at and take the stairs back into the labyrinth .

nThere are a great many adventurers in a variety of armor under the stairs going to the upper level .

nAdventurers are still appearing one after another from the metastasis formation .

nThat metastasis formation is convenient .

nI was told Kuna-san established the metastasis formations…

nThey must be an amazing magic user .

nThey are probably in great demand from the guild .

n…Even if I can create one I may stay quiet .

nWhile thinking such a thing, I line up with the adventurers to challenge a level of the insect labyrinth .

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