Category: Hazure Skill “Alarm”, jitsuwa fūin kaijo no nōryoku deshita. Ochikobore no shōnen wa, nemuri kara sameta megami-tachi to yasashī saikyō o mezasu

Deep underground in the mining town of Alvis.

In the dimly lit cavern, the sound of ice axes continued without pause. What is being mined is a reddish-black vein of ore. Its color, similar to hot charcoal, stood out in the dim light. Everything except the vein was covered in ice, resembling a frozen tunnel.

Ganis, the magician, observes the work with dry eyes.

The workers were breathing out white breath as they swing their ice axes down without a pause. The magic stone lantern is dim and has no warmth.

It’s a total hard work in the extreme cold.

“……Uu-.”

One person fell.

Then a large shadow approached him.

It is a three-meter-tall humanoid with one blue eye shining on its head. The magical creature—a golem—picked up the fallen person, put him on its shoulder, and disappeared somewhere.

“It looks like things are going well today.”

Ganis spoke.

The sound of the ice axes hitting the vein stopped.

“G-Ganis……sama.”

“Hey, keep going. We’re going to attract the golem.”

They hurriedly resumed the movement of their ice axes.

Ganis was a middle-aged man with a pale complexion. He is a little over 40 years old. His blond hair was a little sparse, but his facial features were well-proportioned, befitting an aristocrat.

However, his wide, bulging eyes gave him the impression of a frog. When he glared at people, his eyes were especially gloomy. He wears a magician robe, but he doesn’t carry a staff. Two golems are behind him, holding his equipment.

“I-, I need to take a short break….…”

Ganis glanced at the pile of reddish-black ore. The buyer calls it “ashes”.

“……It’s not enough, not enough yet.”

“N-no way…”

“I’m at my limit.”

Ganis laughed.

The golem has returned. The person before was no longer on its shoulder.

“This is not good…… Hmm, I need to get some more workers. Whose family should I use…..?”

The workers turned pale.

“You are slaves, your lives have been bought with money. Commoners can be easily replaced you see.”

The slaves plead with Ganis, who mercilessly dismissed them.

“At least give us a rest, even if it’s just for an hour!”

“Why don’t you let that golem work too?”

Ganis raised his eyebrows.

“Don’t be stupid, this golem is my creation. Besides, you guys are better suited crawling into those tiny holes.”

“Y-you damn bastard! Odis-sama is watching!”

One of the workers finally cursed.

The use of slaves. Too harsh environment. Unauthorized golems. All of them were in violation of the laws of the Kingdom of Asgard.

But Ganis just shrugged his shoulders.

“Huh? Hahaha, with you underground like this, who would notice?”

The lord has little interest in politics. As a brilliant magician, Ganis had long been respected. Even more so now that he has gained new powers. Geographically, and in terms of power, no one can do anything about him.

“Punishment time.”

Ganis casts a somber glance at the rebellious slave.

“Come on, my golems.”

When he called, golems came running towards Ganis from all directions. All the magical creatures knelt at the same time.

The workers retreated seeing the power of their Lord.

The golems carried up the rebellious slave. Then he was eventually slammed into the wall.

“Kuku…… Commoners have a worse memory than golems.”

Tossing his robe, Ganis made his way to the elevator.

The sense of versatility stimulated his memory.

It was the “slave traders” whispered among the aristocracy who gave Ganis these slaves and taught him this secret vein.

—But the real blessing lies elsewhere.

“What a great skill……”

Ganis mutters in fascination.

Slave traders were able to impart skills to humans. What Ganis received was a 『Skill: Puppet Master』. He had never heard of it before, so he thought it was an “outlier skill”. However, the moment Ganis accepted it, the ability of “Golem Master” came to fruition.

His ability is to control golems. Using his experience as a magician, Ganis had built an efficient mine with magical creatures and slaves. The magically powered elevator that Ganis boarded is also an application of golem technology.

“But……”

As he was rocked by the diagonal elevator, Ganis took out a letter from his pocket. The slave trader that he had once been grateful to was now a source of headache for him.

“Another increase in production……”

Because of his position, he can no longer go against the slave traders. But recently, their demands have become stricter.

He clicked his tongue.

“I won’t be able to smuggle golems for a while.”

Thanks to his skills, the Golem of Ganis is tremendously powerful. If he could devote the time to smuggling, it would eventually become a side business that could rival the secret mine.

Just the other day, he had a carriage set off for the border territory of Varis. He also conducts various experiments in the dungeon. He needs as much time as he could. However, he was still hiding the golem smuggling and some of his experiments from the slave trader.

“I’ll have to get some more slaves. I need an excuse…..”

With a frown, he descended the elevator. In the upper layers, the ice is gone. A passage hollowed out through the rock led to the exit.

The usual sound, similar to a growl, comes.

——Oooh.

“……Again?”

It’s an unpleasant place for Ganis. Every time he comes here, a wind passes by that sounds like the roar of a giant.

A certain concern crosses Ganis’ mind.

――Is it really a mineral deposit?

The wall is illuminated by magic stone lanterns. A huge face appeared in front of it, with its eyes closed and teeth clenched. If the position of the ore deposit was the foot, then this would be the head.

“N-no. That’s impossible……right?”

Right —it just happens to look like a human face. Giant being is too ridiculous to be real.

He thought to himself.

There seemed to be a general message informing adventurers of “the end” and “powerful monsters” or something like that. But in the end, seven days later, nothing of note had come of it.

Ganis dismissed that concern with, “There were plenty of other things to think about, and plenty of fun things to do.”

Then he chuckled.

“Well, I wonder what happened to the golems I sent to the Varis. It should fetch a lot of money……!”

Ganis doesn’t know yet. But all the golems that he secretly sent to the Varis territory were found by a certain boy. And that boy is approaching Alvis, accompanied by the gods.

There is no way he would know.

“Kuku……”

Suppressing his laughter, Ganis leaves the mine.

――Oooooh!

The sound of the roaring wind came again. But now it had an intonation like that of a laughter of a giant.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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I think Safi froze for a long time.

It’s no wonder though. After all, when she woke up, it’s already 1000 years in the future, and she is far away from her hometown, Alfheim. In fact, even the name of her beloved hometown had changed to “Alvis.”

Solana may be watching over her because the goddess herself remembers the time when she woke up alone.

“Safi-san……”

It was as if the fire had been extinguished, and her liveliness had disappeared.

“I’m okay.”

Safi sits back down, making her green pigtails sway in the process. She looked like a child, but her eyes were intense.

“I’ll tell you what I remember too. I think I’ve been asleep for a very long time. But—”

She paused then she continued,

“When I woke up, there was no one around. I mean, for it to be 1000 years later……”

She held her head and then she shakes head. She’s like a real child.

“……I’m sorry.”

“No, you don’t need to.”

“So I went out of the room I was in, but my head went fuzzy and more than anything, it was very cold…… I don’t remember much about what happened right after I woke up.”

Solana asked softly, “Did you hear the horn?”

“……Horn? Oh, I think I heard something……”

On Safi’s finger, a red ring glittered.

“From far down where I was sleeping, I felt a very…. hmm, how should I put it, ―it’s a very scary presence! I thought of running away so I went all the way up the stairs, and then I came out into a place that looked like a river…… I think I hid in a crate, and the next time I woke up, it was here.”

We looked at each other.

Maybe her memory is hazy in some places too. Because of that, there are a lot of parts that doesn’t make sense.

“……Can I ask you something?”

Solana narrowed her eyes at Safi’s ring. She stretched out her white hand and take Safi’s hand.

“It’s a ring imbued with magical powers.”

As if in response to the goddess, Loki approached the table.

“Let me have a look. Hahah~, it’s a dwarf’s work.”

Loki looks down at us and raised the corner of his mouth.

“It’s a ‘Guardian Ring,’ and the amount of magic you put into it protects its owner from hardship. Now you can imagine what it is.”

Loki points out his index finger.

“Perhaps she woke up from the seal because of the horn or maybe for some other reason. Then for a while, the protection of the ring allowed her to push aside the seal and move. But eventually, the time ran out, and she was finally resealed and turned to stone —I think that’s probably the case. If she managed to hide in the crate, then she must have been shipped as it was.”

Loki chuckled.

“I’m glad it’s not an antique-shop carriage. Imagine, what Ghent stone statue will you be?”

“Damn, you……!”

“Loki, that’s mean.”

—Even I decided to chime in with Safi, who was getting angry. Bent over laughing, Loki even points his finger at Safi.

Loki then adjusted his figure and pointed at Safi’s hand.

“What’s more, your ring also seems to have the effect of absorbing the magic of the surrounding area.”

“The surroundings?”

“This time, it must have absorbed the power in the magic stones that was carried with you. Which means that after a while, the magic power on it will be revived, in short, it can be recharged.”

Safi jumped up.

“Oh, I remembered! And I just woke up! But outside the crate is a completely different place, and I’m hungry—I went to scavenge for my stuff.”

Finally, I was convinced of one thing. Just before Safi was released from her seal, she had turned to stone with her hand reaching in her bag.

She was probably looking for food.

“S-so sturdy huh……”

Mia-san was stunned and impressed.

Solana puts her hand to her chin.

“I see…. But on your way to resupply, you turned to stone again, then we found you—”

Felix-san rubbed his eyebrows.

“……Let’s sort out our concerns. The situation is unclear. However, it seems that the golem core may have come from Alvis, just like Safi.”

After all, they were all on board that carriage.

Felix-san’s words made me think about it too.

It seems certain that the mining town of Alvis is located in the same place as Alfheim. If so, it certainly means that the golem core came from the place where Safi was, that is, the destination of our journey.

“Golem huh……”

In the Western dungeon, and again this time, the golem gives off the shadow of a giant. It’s just as big, but there’s something even bigger.

Safi stared at the table for a while. Then she raised her head.

“That…… I still don’t understand what the seal is. But I still have friends in Alfheim. There are voices that responded to your call, right?”

Safi looked around at us.

“Please, help Alfheim and wake them up. I’m sure everyone will be thankful, in exchange, you can take from the dwarf’s forge……!”

Her sincere wish is different from the dangerous image of the “black dwarf” that I knew beforehand. If the dwarf’s skills are on our side, it will also help protect Lu.

I would like to respond, “Of course”.

But right at that moment, Loki’s voice echoed in my head.

『Rion』

……He is outside the coin but he’s using telepathy. It’s the same way he does when he is in the gold coin.

『Be careful. We don’t really know much about this child, but even in mythological times, distrust and betrayal were commonplace. In any case, just be careful……』

Loki……

After all, something happened huh.

Safi laughed sadly.

“……You can’t? Hehe, I guess you guys can’t trust the black ones after all.”

No. I shake my head.

“Everything is going according to plan, right everyone?”

Both Mia-san and Felix-san nodded. Solana is watching over us like the sun.

“Rion, I agree with you.”

Safi’s face lit up. Her pigtails shook as she got excited and then she pulls out a small hammer from her heavy-looking bag.

“Then I’ll help too! Just wait, until we get to Alvis, I’ll forge you weapons to the point where you can’t even look at your current ones!”

The dwarf blacksmith puffed her chest proudly.

“I’ll carve a special magic runes just for you!”

“Runes?”

“It’s like a coat of arms, a weapon strengthening! Dwarf carving, also known as magic runes, is something special that even the gods can’t imitate—wait with anticipation!”

We decided to hurry on the road to Alvis.

We also added a new companion to our group —the dwarf blacksmith, Safi.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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The night bell was ringing. We left the carriage and guards in the square and sneaked inside the city walls.

We had managed to hide the existence of the golem, but in its place there was a scoundrel who had conducted a magical experiment. So witnesses and people who were really worried were allowed to enter the city.

Right now, we are renting a room in the temple of Odis to get some rest.

At the temple of Odis, which is dotted along the road, there are people who cooperate with the Raven Warriors, and they are all eager to help in times like this.

Crouching in a cold chair, I drink a cup of tea that is said to dispel drowsiness. I can’t afford to lose consciousness just yet.

The bell rang. The date changed.

As I was counting, Felix-san came into the room.

“All the adventurers carrying the golem core have been captured.”

I exchanged glances with Mia-san.

We are in a small room with only a round desk and four chairs. The only people here were Felix-san, Mia-san and me.

It’s a different story if we include the “other race” though.

“The wagon departed from Alvis, as expected. The golem core in the western dungeon might have come from there as well.”

Felix-san stopped talking at this point.

My gaze moved down to the table. To be precise, on the small figure sitting on it.

“……Fuaa~.”

The other party yawned loudly, as if to emphasize her presence.

Her round clear eyes were black, and they blink repeatedly. Her green hair was tied high and arched on both sides. It was the black dwarf girl who was “unsealed” in the carriage.

“Hey, is it not over yet? I’m getting sleepy now.”

She is really small.

A child—I can’t help but think of those words.

“W-what is it?”

As I stared at her, the child pursed her lips. She is being defensive like an echidna.

“I already pointed it out. The fact that I was in that carriage was unavoidable. Or rather, where are we? It’s so cold, and when I wake up, there’s a big battle! Ah, and let me emphasize one thing, that golem has nothing to do with me!”

The words came pouring out like a bucket overturned.

We all looked at each other blankly. Felix-san pulled a chair and sat down, but he didn’t seem to know what to ask first.

“Uhm……”

The more I looked at her, the more mysterious she was.

When standing, her head is lower than Felix’s belt. But compared to my height, she’s only tall up to my stomach. However, over her tunic, she is wearing an apron like a blacksmith’s. The bag she is carrying on her shoulder looks quite heavy too.

A small body with equipment suitable for heavy work.

This—Black Dwarf?

“I just wanted to confirm something. We were heading to Alvis, no – Alfheim.”

Ahem. I cleared my throat exaggeratedly. It’s really rude to stare at girls.

“My name is Rion, and they are Felix-san and Mia-san. I’m sorry for looking at you so many times. I think you’re a black dwarf, but this is the first time I’ve seen one…. I just wanted to confirm if I’m correct.”

This is what I learned as an adventurer. The first step in the discussion is to confirm the premise.

The black dwarf girl curled her mouth. She looks around, and finally, her gaze moved to my hand.

“That’s a nice gauntlet.”

It was made by Lu.

“Oh, thank you very much……”

“But the white armor on your chest is very ordinary. I think it’s just coated in magic defense dye, but that’s not a good combination you know. If it were me, I would make a chest plate for the same weight and price. It’s nice to see the cockatrice leather carefully tanned, but it’s not worth the effort.”

The girl began to talk about my equipment one after another.

“The axeman over there, you’ve been hitting hard stuff lately, haven’t you?”

Mia-san raised her eyebrows.

The little girl chuckled.

“Soon your strength will surpass the strength of your axe. I’ll make one out of harder, tougher steel. Don’t worry, there won’t be any scary price to pay like the rumors say. And you’re a magician, right? Don’t you have any iron weapons?”

Having spoken in one go, the black dwarf took a long breath.

“Ah~, I’m so happy. I’ve finally calmed down and I can see weapons and equipment……!”

After swaying her pigtails from side to side, the child crossed her arms.

“Rejoice! If you came here looking for a blacksmith, then I am the black dwarf! My name is Safi!”

With a puff of her chest, she stands on the chair. Finally, her head was a little higher than ours.

“I’m one of the Ten Blacksmiths of Alfheim!”

She nods her head proudly.

“Hmm, I see. You have come to Alfheim huh. I guess a lot of people come here looking for a blacksmith. If that’s the case, you should have told me sooner!”

The black dwarf—Safi seemed relieved.

Maybe she thinks that we are in Alfheim. In fact, it still takes four days by horse-drawn carriage to Alvis.

Safi tilts her head.

“Oh, but you guys…… wasn’t there a God earlier? No, no, there’s no way……”

The gold coin in my pocket vibrated.

『Rion, let me tell her what’s going on. 』

“Yes….…”

She probably have a lot to talk to this person.

“….W-what’s with you people? Why are you so quiet all of a sudden?”

I put the leather coin case on the desk. Safi narrowed her eyes seeing that.

“It’s a nice little thing.”

As if she had found a treasure, Safi sat back down.

“Mmm, it might be the best. The design is strange, but…it’s made with the user in mind and designed to last a long time. It’s a fine tool, and it’s full of emotion.”

My chest felt a little warmer.

If I am to say what is the proof to a dwarf’s existence, it might be the emotional attachment they had to crafted items.

I used my Alarm skill.

“Wake up.”

The gold coin scattered a dazzling light.

Four gods, Solana, Sigris, Uru and Loki, appeared in the room. Everyone showed up at their original size, which made the room a little cramped.

With no place to stand, Solana floated softly.

“……Eh?”

The biggest one is missing.

“What about Thor?”

“……He is too rambunctious. He used up too much magical power so even his small form can’t come out.”

Solana looked off into the distance.

The gods suddenly appeared, and Safi was stunned.

“G-Gods!? Why are you gathered in a place like this? Was it the Sun Goddess? Huh? That’s right, how did the war with the monsters go?”

“It’s still going on.”

Saying that, Solana shook her blonde hair.

“To be precise, we lost once, and now we have started again.”

The goddess talked about the current situation. That the gods were about to lose, and the seal covered the world.

Safi was stunned.

“There was a distress call from Alfheim? I mean, this is 1000 years ……from that time?”

Her eyebrows furrowed again and again.

Somehow… Safi seems really lively.

“E, e, eeeeeh!?”

Her voice echoed in the room, and Felix-san quickly doubled the soundproofing magic.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Thanks to the god’s efforts, the battle was over. I detected magical energy with【Wild Heart】, but the golem was no longer moving. It’s back to a quiet night with just the wind howling.

You leveled up. You’re now level 20.

I heard God’s voice.

It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that, so I was left with my mouth open.

I leveled up —I reached Level 20, which is also known as the entrance to the intermediate level.

“I-, I did it!”

Mia-san raised her eyebrows.

“Have you leveled up?”

“Yes!”

Compared to the days when I was going up two or three levels at once, I’ve leveled modestly lately. 

Well, there is a period of time when some people are at the so called “standstill”.

Of course, in my case, there was also the fact that there were more parties of Raven Warriors, in other words, parties that share magical power has increased.

Or it’s that the zombie werewolves and Skoll were out of the norm. But it was certain that I was at a standstill. 

This is a big step forward. It means that my body has become stronger by another level.

“Congratulations Rion!”

Solana congratulated me. Goddess’s words always make my heart flutter and warm.

“Thank you. But……”

But I can’t rejoice just yet.

I looked around me. All that remains of the mist-shrouded battlefield are broken trees and gouged ground. Just like in the Royal Capital, the scars of the battle are fresh. The place that was part of the square looked like it had been plowed by a giant.

The golems were strong, but the power of the gods is also outrageous. If the horn could be blown, it would be even more terrible.

“Well then….…”

Loki softly descends to the ground. The moonlight shone on his black hair and robe with a pale blue glow.

“Oh dear. Even though we went to great lengths to hide the battle, it doesn’t make much difference since there are so many traces left.”

That’s… true. It’s better than total chaos, though…

“Fufu, I know what you’re thinking. If I were to release the mist and leave this view like as is, everyone would end up being in a panic. That would mean there was a monster that caused this much destruction after all.”

Loki chuckled, his red eyes shining.

“I really wish I could just release the magical mist and enjoy the astonishment of the crowd.”

“Loki!”

“I know, I know.”

Loki shrugged after being scolded by Solana. 

He waved his hand, and red lights lit up all around. They were the golem cores that had not been destroyed. There are about eight of them. Then the light gradually turned blue.

“I’ll do it right until the end.”

It was eye-opening. The soil and rocks that made up the golem returned to the ground. The hole created by the smashing disappeared as if nothing had happened here.

Loki explained proudly.

“It’s just a matter of moving a finger. Creating Golem involves taking in rocks and soil from the surroundings. If you reverse that technique, the soil and rocks will return to their original state.”

I remembered what I had learned in the study of the Temple of Odis. The golem changes its properties depending on the materials at the vicinity of the core.

The Mithril Golem in the West Dungeon is made of Mithril. The one that was rampaging earlier was probably the type that had absorbed wood, rocks, or even iron from weapons.

“Uhm……”

Therefore, if you reverse the occurrence of the golem, the soil and rocks will return to the original place…… is that it?

Felix-san stroke the coronet on his forehead.

“What an incredible feat.….. It’s like taking wheat out of bread. It’s out of standard, I would say.”

Sigris floated in the air softly.

“Then I will take care of the living trees.”

Her large spoon scattered particles of light. Broken branches and damaged trunks are healed back to normal.

Loki winked at me.

“With this, there are no traces left.”

He snapped his fingers.

“Well then, next is….…”

Loki spoke happily then he placed his index finger to his lips. 

As we stood there, stunned, he pulled his robe up to his neck and pulls her hood over his eyes.

“Next, let’s play a little prank.”

The mist that covered the battle area thinned. 

I could see the adventurers and Raven Warriors outside. Even from a distance, I can feel the tension of the people watching. Most of the people were holding weapons.

In this situation, how is it possible to settle the place without causing the slightest panic?

Solana and Thor returned to the gold coins.

Loki is the only one who remained outside.

“All we need is a made-up story. The kind that will convince everyone and help them sleep at night.”

Loki stretches out of the mist with a loud “Mmm~.”

It was so natural that I froze. Everyone’s eyes followed Loki.

Loki, they can see you clearly…..

“Uhm…”

“Shhh”

Solana’s voice interrupted me as I tried to call out to Loki.

Loki continued his performance. He stretched out his hands.

“Oho~, I’m glad I was able to do the experiment! It was fun!”

Adventurers gathered near us. There are more than 30 of them. Loki spins around, fluttering his robe in a showoff manner.

“Haha! Being outdoors is the best! Well, it was a bit loud, but—”

Then, as if suddenly noticing everybody else, he turned his head towards the adventurers who had gathered around.

“……Oh. Did I cause a commotion?”

The silence was momentary.

The temperature suddenly rose.

“My goodness!”

“It was just a magician’s experiment!”

“Give me back my sleep!”

“I thought I heard a loud noise……”

“I must be seeing things wrong! Where are the golems?”

There were swearing and complaining. 

Loki quickly ran away. It looked like he vanished into the darkness, but he probably really did vanish with magic….

“Someone should call the guards!”

“That guy is ridiculous!”

Loki had left a mist behind so that we could escape. By simply following the blind spot, we returned to where the black dwarf had been.

Felix-san narrow eyes squinted even more. Then he looked dumbfounded at the late realization.

“Oh, I see…… Does this mean that the commotion was caused by an unknown magician?”

The gold coin trembled. Loki is back on the coin.

『Well, it will cause some anxiety, but it’s much better than having the golems go on a rampage, right? The temple can announce later that the magician has been caught and punished, fufufu.』

There was no such thing as an army of golems in the first place. That’s what he portrayed by acting like a foolish magician who caused chaos at night while doing experiments.

『Our journey will be covert as possible till we reach Alvis. This will suit our goal better. 』

I see, so you’ve thought that far……

Loki is indeed a trickster.

『Haha, well, it’s fun to surprise everyone, right? 』

『……That’s what you say.』

Sigris continued, 『Even then』, but she stopped talking.

What was it?

I think the gods’ mood had changed a bit.

“……What’s wrong?”

As I waited for a response, I noticed that one person was missing from the gold coin.

“Eh? Where’s Uru…… ?”

　　　　　◆◆◆

A man was on the run.

Scratching the scar on his nose was a habit when he is impatient.

“Damn it! Damn it!”

It should have been an easy job. It was a job he had done many times before after all. He had been contracted by a magician in Alvis to transport the golem cores and magic stones.

Golem cores, especially powerful ones, were controlled by the kingdom and were considered prohibited goods, so secret transports could bring in loads of money.

He was used to it. But this time, he let his guard down. He neglected to keep an eye out.

What he regrets most of all is that he took the middleman’s offer seriously.

――A child adventurer with brown hair and a gold coin in his hand.

――Even the slightest bit of information could turn into money.

If he remembered correctly, he was called something like the “Wake-up caller.” There were many middlemen between him and his employer, so the information that came down was limited. But he remembered the smell of money.

So, when he saw a child who met the description, he wanted to make sure if he had a gold coin.

He put his hand in the boys’ pocket. If there were any, that was good. Even if there weren’t any, he’d been a pickpocket before. It would just be another thing to add to his record.

Fortunately or unfortunately, he hit the jackpot.

“If only I had known that they were such dangerous people……!”

He speaks scathingly of his employer, whom he has never even seen.

When he robbed the gold coin, he made fun of the coin case. The strange feeling of intimidation at that time frightened him very much. Even though he is a child, he seems to have tremendous power.

But, what’s the point of such a dirty coin case? He thought to himself.

“Damn it!” He can’t help but curse loudly.

All of his comrades have been caught. He was lucky enough to escape when the golem went on a rampage.

Whoooosh! An arrow moved past his head as he sprints.

“Hii-”

With his head down, the man lost his balance and fell to the ground. 

He is now carrying a trunk on his back.

“W-what’s this, ……?”

Squirrels, bats, owls, rabbits, foxes —all the creatures in the forest where he had fled were watching him. It’s as if they’re watching him to make sure he doesn’t escape.

“Weren’t you told when you were a child? God is watching you, so you should not do something bad.”

Right in front of him.

A hunter-looking man came down from the tree. Immediately afterwards, a thick branch falls on the man’s head, knocking him unconscious.

“Alright, I’ve caught my prey. I guess I should head back now. It’s getting cold cause of the seal……”

Uru, the God of Hunting, picked up the man and walked back to his precious boy.

“By the way…… I wonder if anyone will come to pick me up……?”

There was a lonely breeze and the cry of an owl.

“Yeah, that’s what scouts are like…… I mean, I wonder if everyone is aware that I’m still working……”

Shrugging his shoulders, Uru moves on.

Reconnaissance, disturbance, lure and clean-up —the front line has always been a bit dark, even in the past.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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With the boy’s words, the skill took effect.

――Wake up!

An invisible force resists the seal that covers the world. The gods, who were unsealed by Rion, accurately perceived the situation with their respective abilities.

With the strategic eye of the God of Thunder, with the insight of the God of Mischief, with the sense of the God of Hunting, with the sympathy of the Valkyrie.

The thing they needed to avoid most was panic. Behind the square was the outer city, and if the residents rushed to the walls, there could be accidents resulting in unnecessary deaths. And it was even worse that it was at night, as darkness incites fear.

Because of the Eastern dungeon of the Royal Capital, the idea of a monster invasion could easily panic the residents.

“I’ll do it.”

Without any prior agreement, Loki made the first move.

“Luna, Eolph, and Lag, the mist that protects dreams――”

A dark mist hung over the square, separating the golem army from the square.

　　　　　◆◆◆

A pitch-black mist was created between the golems and us. It’s like pulling back a black curtain.

“Rion”

God’s voice echoed in our mind.

“Loki……?”

“For the time being, I hid the golems in the mist.”

The Raven Warriors are also looking around. I guess they are not used to hearing God’s voice.

The square is already noisy. There is no way an adventurer can sit still when they hear the commotion.

“We appreciate the help, but if there are people around, it will make it harder for us to move.”

It was Thor’s voice.

Uru, the god of hunting, added,

“……So, Warrior group. We want you to hold off the reinforcements outside the mist for a while.”

The warriors exclaimed.

“T-that’s……!”

“Don’t worry, it will only take about five minutes.”

Thor rounded up reassuringly, and then he stopped talking.

Nothing could be heard from the mist. Even with “Wild Heart” and “Golden Flame”, the presence and smell of battle was blocked out. The Gods intend to settle the matter with the golems without anyone knowing.

Felix-san furrowed his brows, pressing his coronet.

“The production and sale of golems that can be used in combat should be strictly controlled. Why have there been so many in such a short time…”

While he was pondering, adventurers came one after another from the square.

“Oi, what’s going on!?”

“It’s suddenly foggy and I can’t see what’s in there….…”

“Did a monster come out?”

Many adventurers did not even realize that a battle is already taking place. Never cause panic in the city of Kalmar –that’s what Thor and the others are doing.

“……The Gods.”

Naturally, my back straightens.

“I-, I’m going too.”

Mia-san grinned and Felix-san called out to the others.

“I’ll leave the rest to you.”

“In this situation……!?”

“H-how could we hold them back….?”

“Calm down. There should be enough materials to use for magic failures, cargo troubles, and disguise. Come on!”

We waited for Felix-san and then we jumped into the mist.

“Huh?”

The mist is thick. Just one step forward can disorient you.

“Rion!”

Solana was no longer the size of a small doll, but the size of a girl, about the size of me. Her white hand grasps my arm.

“This way!”

“……yes!”

Solana led the way for us.

When we all got out of the mist together, it was a mythical world.

Thor swings his hammer in the air. His red hair flutters, and lightning flashes through his short-handled hammer. On the other hand, a golem crosses its arms and braces itself.

Thor was huge, but the golem was twice as big.

“Haa!”

The hammer slammed into the golem’s arm. Its arms shattered and the upper body was blown off. Stomping on the collapsing golem, the giant god aims for its next prey.

“O, ou……!”

With a growl, the next golem threw a punch. Thor swatted away with his left hand. The golem’s fist was deflected along with his arm. The golem fell to his knees from such impact, and Thor quickly grabbed its head and pulled it up.

Thunder burst from his hand. The golem emits smoke from its entire body and returns to a pile of rubble.

“…… Amazing.”

It’s like a thundercloud in the shape of a person. The aftermath of the attack left me weak-footed. Solana created a magical barrier to block the flying debris.

I can hear the laughter of the giant god.

“Hahaha”

Thor threw his hammer again. Several golems that were at a distance were blown away at once. Like a chain, the hammer returns to Thor’s hand.

“……It’s like a whirlpool.”

Mia-san clicked her tongue.

“Loki, the god of mishief, surrounded them with mist, and I think God Uru cornered the golems in the middle.”

At the center of it all is Thor, who smashes the golem as he approaches.

Right, it’s definitely a vortex.

Maybe we aren’t needed here after all?

“Leave everything to the Gods”—I shook my head and scolded myself for being so weak.

Didn’t they say, ‘fight together’?

“Waa……!”

A golem, which had been knocked off by the impact, landed near us. It slowly got up. I jump on its head and aimed for the core.

“Leave this to me!”

Thor paused for a moment. With a huge body of nearly 2 meters, he held the hammer in his right hand and said,

“……Oh, thank you. You’re a big guy, after all.”

God’s body glowed red. The same light dwelled in my chest, but it is instantaneous and quickly disappears.

“Fighting together huh”

Solana spoke with a smile. She kept going, protecting us from the flying debris.

And if someone suffers even the slightest hand injury, Sigris will heal them immediately.

“Thor may have changed a bit.”

The goddess’s voice sounded a little happy.

I think it’s a little strange though.

The Gods changed?

“He was also called the strongest god and was often relied on, and because of his individual strength, the gods rarely joined forces.”

A new golem appeared in front of us. But it was already damaged, and the core was exposed.

We just drew its attention and let Mia-san’s chainaxe deal with it.

“In Ragnarok, I think we were struck by that. The gods were never united. Perhaps their strength made them unable to show weakness.”

Solana’s slightly strange logic resonated with me.

“Since meeting you, Rion… perhaps we have changed too.”

Thor jumps up.

In the last one, a terrible lightning strike struck the ground. The golem army was decimated. It took less than 5 minutes as declared.

The god of war let out a roar.

This is Thor, the god of thunder. He is a reliable god who confronts enemies bigger than himself with a hammer.

That strength made me realize once again that I awakened something incredible.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Both Felix-san and I froze when we saw what was underneath the cloth in the back of the carriage.

We both looked at each other.

“……Stone statue?”

“Looks like it.”

It’s a very strange stone statue.

It is in the shape of a little girl, and it is extremely detailed. Her large eyes, the tips of her hair, and even the wrinkles of the clothes and bags are intricately carved. The ring on her looks like it’s about to sparkle at any moment too.

Even I can tell that it was carved by someone with great skill, but the pose is, how should I put it.…. it’s very strange.

She is on all fours with her right hand reaching for the bag next to her. It’s as if the moment she tried to pick something up, she was frozen in her place.

Black Dwarf can be unsealed.

My shoulders jerked.

“B-black dwarf?”

It was a type of dwarf who can be found at our target destination, Alvis. They are also known as the “Dwarf of Darkness”. A cunning being who makes deals with gods and humans. I was at a loss for words at this encounter, which I thought was still a long way off.

『L-let me see too.』

Solana jumped out of the gold coin. The doll-sized goddess flies around the strange stone statue.

“Yes, it definitely looks like a black dwarf —Dwerg… no it doesn’t look like it. Can you unseal it?”

I nodded, but I was also confused.

“Well, you said they might be in Alvis, right?”

“That’s true…… I also wonder why there’s one here.”

There are a lot of things I don’t understand.

Felix-san spoke, looking wary of the surroundings.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what you’re saying at all. .….Is this the dwarf we are looking for? No matter how you look at it, it’s just a stone statue.”

I nodded my head in agreement. Though my Alarm skill is reacting, it looks like a normal stone statue.

Solana nodded her head in confirmation and crossed her arms.

“Dwarves are half-human, half-god. They are not manifested by magic like I am now. They have a physical body you see.”

“Oh, I see….…”

“Maybe the way they are sealed is different to how gods are sealed.”

Well….… Let me think about it for a moment.

“Solana is sealed in the gold coin, right……?”

“Yes, but the dwarves can’t afford to lose their body, so they may be sealed with their body, or they may have turned to stone statues to protect their body……. What do you think of Loki?”

『Well, I’m not sure either. I agree with the latter though. I’ve heard rumors about black dwarves turning to stone after being exposed to the sun, but that’s just a small story.』

I looked at the black dwarf who had turned to stone. When I looked closely, I can see that her eyebrows are furrowed, and she looks a little distressed.

“……I wonder if she’s okay.”

When I touched it gently, the skill rose on its own.

Skill: 『 Alarm』was used. Executing【Unseal】.

The light suddenly scattered. Felix-san and I hurriedly covered the area with the white cloth.

“Rion, what are you……?”

“I’m sorry.”

Both Felix-san and I were dripping with cold sweat as we looked around.

If anyone saw our current situation, they might think we are thieves. At worst, if we revealed our identity as Raven Warriors, we could say we were “investigating,” but trouble was still trouble.

“Uh~hmm……”

In front of us, the white cloth begins to squirm. The apples also rolled off the cart.

“Uah.”

The unsealed entity falls to the ground, taking the white cloth covering the loading platform with it.

I closed my eyes hearing the painful thud sound. For a while, the white cloth continued to wriggle and move.

“O-ouch……!”

Eventually, a girl poked her head out of the cloth. She was wearing a tunic and was about 4 or 5 years old. But if she’s really a black dwarf —I’m not sure if she’s really that age.

She is wearing an apron like that of a blacksmith’s, and her green hair is eye-catching. It was a hair color that I haven’t seen in the Royal Capital. Her dark eyes seemed to be unlike anything I had ever seen. Somehow, I think it glowed a little like an animal.

“……Y-you are….…”

“Rion.”

Felix-san pointed to the exposed cargo bed where the cloth had come off.

“That’s…”

I gasped.

In the cargo bed of the carriage, there was a gap on the left edge, exposing a dark red color. The gap had been covered by other luggage, but now it had shifted along with the white cloth.

“Leviation”

Felix-san used magic to float the luggage. Apparently, the loading platform had a “double bottom”. And that hidden bottom is lined with densely packed dark red orbs.

“Golem core.”

Felix-san’s analysis made me remember the Mithril Golem we fought before.

The same “Golem Core” are now lined up all over the cargo bed!

“The core’s color is similar to the one in the Western Dungeon….…”

“They may be related.”

A black dwarf who came along with the golem’s technology.

What does that mean? Where are they from?

Solana softly descends on the cores.

“This is…… perhaps we now know where the golem from the western dungeon came from?”

At that moment, we heard footsteps in the distance.

They were walking slowly towards the carriage. Since they are not monsters, it was impossible to detect their magical powers. There are four footsteps. They seem to walk with varying strides, and they are chatting while walking.

If we want to run away, we could do so now.

“Felix-san”

“……Has the guards returned?”

“Yes.”

I gestured four people with my hand. Solana quickly returned to the gold coin. I didn’t suggest hiding because I simply thought it would be quicker this way.

There are risks. However, now that I had dived into the dungeon and trained with the Raven Warriors, I could estimate the strength of our opponents with just my ‘Wild Heart’.

Strong people are different from the way they walk.

“……I trust you.”

Felix-san whispered.

Eventually, the men who returned ran up to us.

“You!”

I stared back at them and got ahead of them.

It was that man –the man with a scar on his nose who tried to pickpocket me in the evening. Felix-san whistles briefly. He must have given a signal to our comrades.

“……We’d like to have a question about your cargo.”

The men whispered at each other hearing those words.

“Is this the one our employer talked about?”

“Yeah…… I didn’t think so at first, but he did have a gold coin.”

……Employer?

That’s a little worrisome. The pickpocket incident in the evening was aimed at me after all.

Solana whispered.

『Rion』

“Un, I know.”

I prepared myself so I can activate “Golden Flame” at any time. I can’t let my guard down. There’s no way I’ll miss an enemy now.

“What are you doing here?”

When I didn’t answer, he clicked his tongue.

“Catch him.”

A scary-looking man jumped at me, but I dodged him by stepping forward. They still think of me as a child. I’m stuck at level 19, but with a lot of God’s protection, I can close the level gap by two or three in terms of physical ability.

“Gaa……”

Uh-, I don’t think I need to fill it.

『Haha, nice throw. 』

Thor laughed from the gold coin. While I waited in the temple, the Gods gave me a lesson. At that time, I was taught how to fight a big enemy.

『Perfect for a brave person like you. 』

I had already been taught how to use the difference in height to my advantage and aim for my opponent’s legs. The other two are quickly knocked out by Felix-san.

“You……!”

The pickpocket yelled, his eyes blazing with anger. He held a dagger in reverse grip and started slashing at me. But I know how to use a dagger too. Of course, I know how to block it.

“Ha!”

I took a short breath and guarded my arm with my gauntlet. After killing his momentum, I turned my wrist and grabbed his arm.

“O-o-ooouch!”

Maybe using Golden Flame was unnecessary…

The other party dropped the dagger and groaned in pain. Then our comrades also arrived. Among the warriors was Mia-san.

The man with a scar on his nose spoke with a pale face.

“W-who are you guys……?”

We exchanged glances with each other.

For the time being, there may be people watching the uproar, so we can’t say “Raven Warriors”…….

I laughed mockingly.

“Are you awake?”

“………Huh?”

I glanced back. Wrapped in a white cloth, the black dwarf was staring at us.

“Amazing~……”

She looks somehow harmless. Even after hearing about the black dwarves nature, I can’t help but think that.

Now then, it is time to ask her a lot of questions….

Suddenly, I shuddered. Looking back at the wagon. All the golem cores are now glowing bright red.

When the Raven Warriors stepped forward, the men panicked.

“No, no, w-we don’t know anything!”

“We were just told to transport it!”

“It’s just that.…. an information about a brown-haired kid with a gold coin would be worth money so..…”

I activated the Protection of the Hunting God, “Wild Heart”. The red lights indicating dangerous monsters were not only on the loading platform in front of us, but all over my field of vision.

7, 8……

“…..Seventeen?”

There are other wagons who appear to have been loaded with golem cores. And right now, the magic in it is strengthening all at once.

『Oh my~ oh my~, I see…..』

Loki’s voice sounded.

『So they are using the giant’s ashes in the golem core. We’ve got some good enemies huh. 』

“What do you mean?”

『Giants hate the gods you see. They use their nature to activate the golem when they feel the power of the gods. 』

Loki’s voice, which is lower than usual, burns in my chest with anxiety.

『This could be…… dangerous, you know? 』

Golem cores are activated one after another. They grew larger, absorbing the surrounding rocks and trees, and even the weapons on the loading platform.

I gulped.

If we do it poorly, we would end up repeating what had happened on the east side of the royal capital. Outside the square, there are dense buildings and food stalls —the outer market is right in front.

『Rion!』

It was Thor who spoke.

This is not a dungeon. I realized that the seal was weak.

There is a flash of hope.

Inside the gold coin are the four pillar gods and Solana, who has regained her power.

『I can’t last as long as I did with the horn, but…….』

『I think it’ll be enough against the golems. 』

『It’s not a bad time to work. 』

Thor, Loki, and Uru each conveyed their eagerness to fight.

Bathed in moonlight, an army of golems appeared on the night of Kalmar.

『Rion, this time we’re going to fight together.』

Thor’s words made my golden flame burn even hotter.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Night on the first day of the journey.

In the square, several horse-drawn carriages surround a number of bonfires. Our group is spending the night blending in with others.

I lied down and closed my eyes.

I can hear the voices of adventurers chatting. Other than that, I can hear the breathing of my companions and the sound of the flowing river. 

It’s quiet. It’s different from the night in the Royal Capital, there’s the tranquility of being in the middle of nature. Every sound stands out, and I realize once again that this is not in the Royal Capital.

Somehow, I was so nervous that I searched my pocket. 

I touched the cold gold coin with my finger. Earlier, the gods had been talking about the pickpocketing incident. All the gods had different reactions, some worried and some angry. Solana in particular seemed to regret not being able to do anything.

――The next time he shows up, I’ll be his opponent!

――Even if he had succeeded, that pickpocket would have regretted it……!

Such were the exchange between Solana and Thor. I could picture the two gods with flames on their backs and the other gods smiling wryly.

Exaggerated yet they are reliable, and I felt touched.

The lively sound that still rang in my ears made me smile.

Drowsiness doesn’t come easily though.

……Was it excitement? Tension? Or maybe it’s because I’m lying on a hard seat.

I’m wrapped in a cloak, and the cockatrice armor is made to be warm on the inside.

“……Hmm.”

I stood up and opened the window slightly. I could see the fire through the gaps in the carriages. A white streak climbs into the night sky. Merchants and adventurers gathered together and were still talking.

I wonder if they exchange information in such way.

“I wonder if Father did that too……”

For a moment, it’s like I saw my Father sitting by the fire.

Then an owl hoots.

Feeling somewhat restless, I decided to go outside for a while. Taking a deep breath of the night air seemed to calm me down a bit.

“Can’t sleep?”

I was startled.

It was Felix-san. He stood there, leaning against the carriage.

“……Uh-mm.”

“Don’t worry about what’s outside. I’ll be keeping an eye on it.”

Felix-san’s narrow eyes narrowed even more as he smiled.

“……I can’t sleep.”

When I confessed, his eyes drooped.

“Then, how about we talk for a bit?”

Felix-san walked a short distance from the carriage and went under a lone tree. I followed behind him.

“It’s an unfamiliar journey, and it’s a new city for you. I should have paid attention to you, like Mia did.”

“N-no that’s……”

I remembered the pickpocketing incident in the evening.

“Uhm, earlier……!”

“Don’t worry about it. After dark, I had my men casually search around the carriage, but they didn’t find anyone suspicious. At least at this stage, it seems more likely that it was just a random pickpocket, rather than the slave trader chasing you.”

That would mean I caused the trouble….

There was a pause in the conversation for a while.

“Uhm, you said you want to talk……?”

“Yes.”

Felix hesitated for a moment. Eventually, as if he had made up his mind, he put his staff down.

“……I promised you before. I will tell you about your father.”

So that’s it huh. Felix-san looked up at the walls of Kalmar as he always said.

“This is where I first met Rutger-shi.”

Until recently, I hadn’t thought I’d ever hear stories of my father’s adventures again.

The leaves on the forest in the distance rustled.

“I want to hear them. Can you please tell me?”

Felix-san looked up at the night sky as if following the stars and began to speak.

“Here, Rutger-shi……”

He smiled wryly and then he shook his head.

“Let me change the way I address him. I met Rutger-san three years ago.”

I think his expression has softened a little.

“This is the junction of the main roads, and we met here before turning west to go to the Dungeon City. We meet up in the outer city, like we do now.”

“……How was it?”

“How was it? Hehe, it was normal. He didn’t get worked up, he just raised his hand lightly, and that was it. A very ordinary adventurer —if I may say so, that’s the impression I got.”

Felix-san spoke with a bit of amusement.

“However, once I formed a party with him, I realized just how amazing he was. Not only does he have the Awakening skill that unleashes potential, but above all, he has a deep knowledge of monsters and dungeons.”

Seeing Felix so proud of my father made me happy too.  

I’ve formed a party with such an amazing person—I couldn’t be happier to have someone talk about my father in that way.

“An adventurer who has surpassed level 50 —the most elite of the less than 100 people in the world.”

I thought of the commonly-used guidelines.

Up to level 10, you’re a beginner.

Level 20 is the most common, and the so-called “normal” tier.

Level 30 is skilled. Mia-san falls in this category.

Level 40 is elite. Felix-san falls in this category.

And level 50 is—

“It is said that if you are a level 50 adventurer, you can fight off 100 monsters or survive for over 12 hours. Not only was he strong, but he also had excellent judgment, making him an expert.”

Felix-san was silent for a moment. He closed his eyes, and I feel like he is trying to remember something. 

A cold wind comes across. Even with a hood on my cloak, my ears hurt a little.

“Can I tell you about the Blood-Red Sunset?”

“……Please.”

I heard the story in the temple. But I’d like to hear how Father fought.

Maybe Felix-san wanted to tell me this story. To tell the last of my father.

“The cooperation between the Raven Warriors and Rutger-san deepened, and although he may have guessed who we were, it was also a valuable cooperation. At that time, we were tasked with investigating an undiscovered dungeon on the west side of the Royal Capital.”

Felix-san spoke calmly.

“As you know, the dungeon was sprinkled with the ashes of the Giant, and Ymir was resurrected.”

He cleared his throat.

“An impact blasted from the depths of the dungeon. Rocks were sent flying, enough to cause casualties among the warriors. Then a tall man emerged from the torrent of magical power.”

“Was it…… Ymir?”

“Probably. That is if we believe his own words that he is the ‘First Giant’.”

Felix-san scratched the ground with the staff in his hand.

“I felt terrified. I immediately thought about retreating. It was the remains of a dungeon after all, and what’s more, it was discovered in secret. There was no town nearby for us to took shelter so I decided we should retreat and meet up with reinforcements first. But.….”

I trembled.

I understood what Father was thinking.

“Rutger-san and his companions didn’t retreat. Even though it was a remote area, there were still houses there. That’s why they did not want to retreat.”

Father was trying to protect the people from monsters.

“Inspired by Rutger-san, the Raven Warriors also came back to life, and the resurrected monsters were defeated. And although many casualties were inflicted, Ymir also retreated. If we had withdrawn even a little…… Ymir and the others would have used the time they had to use the ashes to increase the number of monsters.”

The events in the Royal Capital crossed my mind.

“If that had been the case, the balance of power would have been broken, and the warriors would have been defeated. The enemy might have attacked another town, and even more monsters might have been resurrected from the dungeon.”

But it failed. Because Father and the others stood in front of Ymir and continued to weaken his power.

“A split-second decision that goes beyond tactics, strategy and politics ―that’s what adventurers do.”

I adjusted my breath.

“Your father’s group continued to support the front line for several hours. They defeated monsters and even wounded Ymir. You can’t imagine how much they inspired those around them in such a hopeless situation…”

After pausing, Felix-san points to my pouch.

“During that last dungeon search, Rutger-san found that horn.”

I took out the horn and looked at it. As expected, it looks more faded than when I fought Skoll. I no longer felt any sign of the seal being released.

Felix-san sighed.

“……I wish that horn had come to you sooner.”

“Well, that can’t be helped.”

I couldn’t believe I would be able to play it either.

Felix-san laughed.

“No, the Raven Warriors were looking for someone who can use the horn that Rutger-san found. But it was mostly aristocrats who tried……”

I kind of understood without him telling me.

If someone can use such a difficult item, it’s only natural that they must be a noble ―that was the mindset that the Raven Warriors seemed to share.

“If I’d kept a more level-headed attitude, I think I would have found you sooner, Rion. You’re the son of the discoverer, after all.”

The story ended there.

Contrary to the silence, I felt my heart start to pound. The circumstances of how my father passed away. And how incredible it had been.

I’m glad to know both.

I still have a long way to go, and I didn’t feel like I would ever be able to give back what I had received. Perhaps I would be able to give back naturally as I took each step forward.

“……Do you want to go back?”

“Y-yes. Uhm, but before that, I want to go to the well over there.”

Perhaps because of what I heard, I was a little thirsty.

Felix-san and I start walking together.

『――Rion』

(Solana)

She’s awake huh.

『Well, I just felt a presence just now, but—』

I stopped in my tracks. Felix-san looked puzzled.

(……Presence?)

『It’s a presence very similar to that of the titans’ ashes. It’s very faint, but how can I put it… it feels like there are a lot of them. That’s why I can tell. 』

I frowned.

(Here? It’s not a dungeon, is it?)

『Well, it should be.』

I used the power of God.

First, I used the 『Divine Protection of the God of Hunting』 ability, 【Wild Heart】. There was no reaction to magical detection. 

Next, I used the 『Alarm』 ability, 【Unseal】. I used the appraisal power that resides within this to search the surroundings. I couldn’t believe it, but I saw a faint light coming from a carriage a short distance away.

“……Felix-san”

“What is it?”

“I’m going to go over there. The Gods has sensed the presence of the ashes.”

Felix-san immediately tightened his expression and nodded.

The carriage is parked at the outermost end of the ring surrounding the fire. It’s like they’re avoiding people’s eyes.

The light of【Unseal】shines faintly on the carriage trunk. Unfortunately, it was covered with a gray cloth, and I couldn’t see the inside.

『……The presence is close.』

“Is it this carriage?”

There doesn’t seem to be anyone around. Luckily, the carriage’s hood covers the view, hiding us as we peer into the carriage. The situation was too suspicious.

I exchanged glances with Felix-san.

“…… At worst, if we reveal the identity of the warrior group to the owner of the carriage, we can get him to cooperate as an “investigation”. It’s going to involve the temple of Kalmar, so this will be a big deal.”

“It’s not just the Gods, even my alarm skill is responding.”

Felix-san’s eyes widened hearing my words.

“Kalmar is a highway junction. It goes to various cities other than Alvis. It wouldn’t be surprising if ‘something’ was being carried there, but…”

It is someone else’s carriage.

However, there is a clear sign of ashes, and it is loaded with items that can be unsealed. It was too suspicious to ignore.

“……Let’s open it.”

I took the plunge and lifted the cloth.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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The walls are bathed in the sunset.

I was overwhelmed by the bustle outside.

Kalmar, a city on the way to Alvis.

There’s cluster of shops outside the walls – the “outer market”. It was indeed another city. Stalls lined up in rows. Delicious smells come from all over the place. The sound of meat and fish being grilled seemed to remind me of my appetite all at once after a long day of traveling.

I couldn’t help but look around.

Mia-san, who is walking in front of me, turned around.

“This way.”

It’s hard if I got lost. I slip through the crowd and chase after Mia-san’s hood.

After arriving at Kalmar, we parked the carriage in the square. Then me and Mia-san decided to walk outside for a bit, leaving Felix and the others on guard.

“Uhm……”

It makes me squirm around. We are heading to Alvis secretly, anyway. Felix-san had told me to avoid conspicuous behavior.

But my curiosity is beating.

With my hood on, here I am, exploring the outer city of Kalmar. It is not much different from the morning market in the Royal Capital.

It’s evening now.

“Oh, no one is going inside the walls. Even though it’s almost night…”

Mia-san slips through the crowd with her accustomed steps.

“Mm, that’s what a market outside the city is like.”

By buying ready-made soup and bread to take home, you won’t have to prepare dinner. Even consumable items that are expensive to buy before you leave will appeal to those about to depart.

The people who open shops here are all people who are looking for such an opportunity.

Mia-san bought one recommended item after another, such as skewers, bacon and bread with fillings. She decided on a store, negotiated the price, everything is fast.

“……I mean, you are just buying stuffs to eat, aren’t you?”

“Oops, how about you have one, too? The stuff here is good.”

Mia-san gave me a skewer.

She is grinning at me like a cat. This is probably her way to keep me quiet.

“You wouldn’t want to spend your first trip being canned in a carriage the whole time, would you?”

The smell of salty meat.

I wonder if Mia-san is trying to cheer me up.

I took advantage of a senior adventurer’s kindness. Alvis is still a long way off, so it might be too early to get nervous.

“Oh, it’s delicious……”

The meatballs melt in my mouth. After the saltiness, a slightly refreshing flavor kicks in. Maybe because of the chopped fruit in it. I quickly ate the whole skewer, then wiped my mouth.

“Wa….…”

The wind comes and the hood comes off.

I guess the wind is strong since the river is close?

I hurriedly put it back on and followed Mia-san.

“Uhm, aren’t you worried about monsters and stuff?”

“That….…”

Mia paused in her tracks and looked convinced.

“I see. You’ve never been outside the Royal Capital.”

“Yeah……”

“I’ve never heard of any monsters appearing between the Royal Capital and Kalmar. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to farm outside, right?”

“That’s….…”

Or so it seems.

I’m worried about bandits too, but I don’t think they’re going to attack a city full of adventurers like this.

That’s why it’s surprisingly safe outside the wall, I guess.

“Besides, one should always be ready.”

“……You mean about such risks?”

“Yeah. Since there are a lot of carriages passing by here, one can make more money outside than inside the walls.  Those kinds of people who understand such risks are the ones who open shops here and live here for generations.”

Mia-san shrugged.

“And the rest…… For some reason, everyone trusts the seal of the god, Odis-sama. That’s how this country was protected for 1,000 years.”

We’re an exception—I guess.

“That’s right…… Isn’t it?”

In fact, I don’t think I thought about the mechanics of the dungeon or the dangers of the monsters while my father was around. I was convinced that with Odis-sama, everything would be fine.

As I was thinking so, I felt a presence on the right side of my body.

It may be due to the ability “Wild Heart”. I could hear the unnatural footsteps approaching me plus the heavy breathing.

“Tsu?”

I reflexively grabbed the hand that was extended to me.

The other party seemed to be startled.

“What are you—”

He threathend me, but I didn’t let go of his hand. Even I could tell.

He’s a thief. He’s a little taller than me, and he’s small for an adult. But his eyes are sharp, and he has a scar on the tip of his nose.

“Let go……”

His right hand was clearly trying to reach into my pocket. Especially in the right pocket of my jacket, containing the gold coin where the Gods stays.

I glared back at him.

“What do you want?”

“Tch.”

He swatted my hand away, but he caught the string connecting my coin purse to my jacket. The coin case pops out of my pocket, and I catch it in a hurry. The exposed gold coin shone in the setting sun.

The man’s eyes widen upon seeing the gold coin.

……Darn it!

Even in the poor parts of the Royal Capital, there were people who had these eyes.

“Hey, you!”

Mia-san approached us. The thief then flinched and clicked his tongue.

“Goodness…… what a lame string to wear!”

My cheeks went red.

“Wait.”

I shouted but the man quickly blended with the evening crowd.

Using God’s ability “Wild Heart”, I could hear the rough footsteps receding into the distance. But the sound suddenly became quieter.

“That guy……”

I think he probably has 『Bandit』and 『Scout』 skills.

He got a skill to hide himself.

“……You let your guard down. Are you okay?”

“Yes……”

“I’m sorry. I only thought I’d just go out to buy some groceries, but I’ve ended up causing unnecessary trouble.”

I shook my head at Mia-san, who apologized to me.

There are pickpockets everywhere, even in the Royal Capital, and I think it’s difficult for Mia-san to predict so much.

Suddenly, I remembered what my father had said.

――Adventurers savor their journey to the fullest.

It means “cherishing encounters,” but it’s also a warning.

On a journey, you never know what will happen. That’s why you have to savor the little things ―you need to chew well, chew and scrutinize.

“……N-no way, right?”

There was a slight stir and a sense of discomfort in my chest.

I feel like that guy is coming straight at me. It’s as if he had already decided on a target.

I adjusted my hoodie, which had shifted slightly. Maybe because of our argument, a bit of my hair was showing.

“……Let’s go back.”

“Mm, I’ll let Felix-san know exactly what happened.”

Looking up, the city walls cast longer and deeper shadows than before.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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The horse-drawn carriages drove through the cold air just after dawn.

It was a long journey to the mining town of Alvis. The road is rough. Potholes and stones caused the carriage to shake so much that our butts bounced up from the seat.

“Ouch!”

I don’t know how many times I’ve hit my head against the window. But I can’t stop looking out.

“The sky is so vast……!”

My breath turned white and quickly flowed backwards.

So this is what it looks like when there are no walls or buildings huh.

First off, the air is different. There is no obstruction, and the wind travels everywhere. The land as far as my eye could see is covered with greenery until it disappeared from view across the river. The morning sun also illuminates the landscape rippled by the wind.

My heart feels warm.

“I’m glad you like it.”

Felix-san chuckles.

“Rion-san, your forehead is red.”

“……yeah”

I sat back in my seat.

“You seem to be very curious about the outside.”

“Y-yes…… I only heard about it from Father’s stories you see.”

Felix-san narrowed his eyes.

“Every journey can only be made once, so adventurers should enjoy the journey to the fullest……”

For me, it was my first time.

This is my first journey.

But of course, I can’t just have fun and get carried away.

I calmed down and look inside the carriage. The Raven Warriors provided five wagons and two boxed carriages. Our group disguised as a combination of traveling merchants and escorts. In reality, we are all adventurers. There are five people in this carriage by the way.

It was more like a small room than a cargo bed, and the seats were set up so that the seats were facing each other along the left and right walls.

Across from me is Felix-san, who checks the itinerary just in case.

“Are we heading north?”

“That’s right. Alvis is upstream of the river, so a horse-drawn carriage would be a good way to get there.”

I could see a boat on the river bathed in the morning sun. Heavy weapons and ores must be transported by water.

“There are a lot of merchants who go through the same route, so it’s a good way to blend in.”

None of us wore the cloak with two ravens on it. The position of the Raven Warriors is a secret after all.

Felix-san is still wearing his usual coronet and he got his staff, but he was clad in thick, earth-colored robes. He was dressed like an adventurer magician.

Mia-san also wears a dark green cloak. Underneath is a black leather armor. She had a chain wrapped on her right arm, and the end was tied to an axe. Her red hair is tied up like a cat’s ears.

As for me—I’m wearing the gauntlet that Lu made for me, and the rest of my clothes is light. However, part of my chest was covered in white armor. The leather of the monster bird cockatrice is reinforced and finished with magic-resistant paint. The clasp of the cloak is also decorated with white feathers. I liked its combination with the grey cloak.

 A cloak is a necessity for long trips, but it was also a longing for me.

The other warriors also wear armor and light clothing, and are equipped as they please.

Felix-san held up his finger.

“There is also the matter of the golem found in the Western Dungeon. There are not many people available from the Royal Capital, but this is also a good way to sneak in and head there.”

I nodded my head in understanding.

“So that’s the plan then?”

“Yes. I think the golem is a kind of diversion set up by the slave traders. The magical city of Toledo, which is east of Alvis, is famous for its golems. There is also a dungeon there. So we’ll investigate that area extensively while we sneak in to Alvis—which would be dead on target.”

I guess it’s a strategy to pretend to be caught by the other person’s invitation. While I was at the temple of Odis, Pauline-san and the others were discussing about it.

The feeling of elation I had earlier is now replaced by a sense of tension.

『Rion』

I was surprised by the voice.

It was Solana who spoke from the coin in my pocket.

『Show us the outside.』

I smiled a little.

The coin case that Lu made for me is tied to my jacket with a string. And even with the gold coin in it, the top half of the coin was visible outside.

I guess she deliberately made it so that the Gods in the gold coin could see outside too and at the same way, so I could easily touch it to “unseal” them.

“Got it.”

With a smile, I held the coin up to the window.

『『『『『Oooooh!』』』』』

God’s voice echoed in my head.

『Nature is reviving! The fact that there is such a big river means that there are magnificent forests and mountains!』

『Is that ship carrying weapons? Hammers perhaps?』

『There must be medicinal herbs that can only be found in this era, if the world is so rich that is.』

『……Guys, can you let me see it too? Don’t take it for granted, and just use me as a stepping stone, you know.』

I imagine the Gods rushing to the window and Loki being stepped on underneath. It was disrespectful, but it made me laugh.

There are also birds flying in the sky.

Before I knew it, the sun was rising higher and the gods went quieter. As I gaze at the clear blue sky, I remember the voices I heard from there.

“…… I wonder if Odis-sama can see it.”

If he is still the main god, and if he has sent the whole message, he may be able to see it.

『……If you’re expecting help, you’d better not do so.』

Solana’s voice came.

It hit the nail on my head, so I stammered.

『Maintaining the seal and the skill to bestow upon people. That alone must use a lot of power.』

“……That’s right. If he comes down here and got defeated, then….”

『There is a risk that those two powers will disappear, so he will not come down lightly.』

A god is a god, and it seems Odis-sama has his own thoughts about it.

『If there’s no help, there must be a good reason for it ―that’s what we’ve decided to think.』

Solana looked a little lonely.

……That’s right. She was sealed without being told anything.

“Yes, please help me when I’m in trouble, Goddess-sama.”

“Mm!”

For now, we have no choice but to trust the power at hand and move forward.

Without encountering any monsters walking outside, the carriage ran smoothly and we reached today’s destination.

Mia-san was amazed that I never got bored, and with a red spot on my forehead spreading, I made it through the first day of my journey.

We arrived at a large city along the river. There is also a city wall in front. Dozens of merchants’ carriages were lined up outside.

“Kalmar huh.”

Mia-san stretched. While scratching her eyes, she said,

“Hmm… I guess we’ll be sleeping in this carriage tonight huh.”

“That’s the plan.”

Felix-san nods, and I tilted my head.

“Eh? We won’t go inside?”

“There is not enough room inside the city to accommodate a large number of carriages, and the walls of most cities are full of houses inside.”

Oh, that’s right……

Come to think of it, there aren’t many walls as wide as the Royal Capital.

“If you’re in a caravan with an escort, it’s more common to spend the night outside the walls. Besides, there’s a village outside the walls and something like a simple town has been established there as well.”

Except in the bitter cold season.

Felix-san shrugged.

“Being an adventurer is tough. Warriors are pretty tight on the pockets too.”

“Heh….…”

Oh, I see….…

There’s a place near the city walls where carriages gather, and it looks like we’ll be joining them there. Trails of smoke from the bonfire are rising into the sky.

“Outside the wall huh……”

I hope there isn’t any. But I could hear the roar of beasts from the forest in the distance, and I flinched a little.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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When we returned from the Western Dungeon, we reported the situation to Pauline-san.

She seemed surprised that our next destination was Alvis, but she quickly agreed. The dungeon was also sealed off to investigate the golem that had appeared in the Western Dungeon.

I realized once again that the warrior group are “experts in dungeon investigations”. They know a lot about the dungeons. They seem to have various methods, such as using magic to reseal open passages to unexplored areas and completely sealing off one of the boss rooms.

Within a few days, it was discovered that a similar golem core had been lying in another boss room, and after the investigation was completed, the dungeon was finally opened to the adventurers.

Yes, a few days.

To be exact, today is the fourth morning since we entered the Western Dungeon. During this time, I spent time with Lu and mother.

The Raven Warriors’ base has a secret study. The royals got records of the true myth and the words of Odis. Both Lu and I borrowed a few books and did some research. The Raven Warriors also needed to prepare before leaving, so luckily we had time to spare.

On the second day, I turned over the books in the room and “unsealed” the Gods. All of us read the records together. I thought it might be kept a secret, but Pauline-san said, “Please do as you like~”.

I feel that the attitude of the princess in the Eastern Dungeon seems to be her true self….

Anyways, apart from reading the records, I trained with the warriors and received training from the gods, especially with Thor.

Of course, I couldn’t forget to say goodbye to the acquaintances I’d left behind in the royal capital. Because I am now “God’s Wake-up caller”, I could no longer wake up the citizens as the “Royal Capital’s Wake-up Caller”.

“…..The myth of the kingdom is quite detailed.”

“Yeah….…”

This morning, I organize what I studied with Lu. It was still chilly, so the two of us shared a blanket and looked at the parchment on the same table.

The magic stone lamp occasionally flickers like a candle. This place is only half underground, and there is a frosted glass window near the ceiling. Beyond that, it’s still dark.

Lu reaches out her right hand from under the blanket and traces the letters.

There, I noticed that there was a bandage on the tip of her index finger. Lu hurriedly retracts her hand and with her sky-blue eyes darting, she said, “It’s nothing.”

“A-ahem. Here, read it, Oniichan. When the seal of the gods covered the world, another god protected us from the icy cold….…”

I transcribed the sentence we found in an old scroll on the parchment.

However, this god ―who appears to be a goddess ―only appears here.

“Hmm, I wonder who it is……”

It was Solana who spoke. She is with us, in her doll-sized form. Such a goddess is also tilting her head while floating. From the records and the words of the gods, we also learned about the dwarves.

I also wrote it down on the parchment.

Dwarves……

Beings smaller than gods and humans. They are good at blacksmithing and crafting, and many are allies of the gods.

Aalv, who is called the Dwarf of Light (or White Dwarf). There is also Dwerg who is known as the Dwarf of Darkness (or Black Dwarf).

“They’re….”

Solana crosses her arms.

Perhaps because she was worried about us, the goddess often appeared in a small form during this stay. Solana, who I had vowed to “aim to be the kindest and strongest,” seems to have a special bond to me after all.

The goddess perched herself on the parchment and raised her fingers.

“I might have said it already, but first of all, they have good skills. There’s no doubt about that. It’s just…”

I said what she was going to say.

“They’re cunning, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

Solana nodded her head.

“Especially the black dwarf —Dwerg—brought various weapons to the gods but also made deals with them. The dwarfs who betrayed the gods and turned into goblins and other demons—were usually dark dwarves.”

“Hmmm….…”

I organized the information from the Gods and the information that was left in the temple. The white dwarves might be best described as “fairies” from fairy tales. They have thin wings, and their bodies only grow to the size of a human child. Their special skill is “crafting” that makes use of magic.

The dark dwarves are of the same height. But they don’t have wings, instead they are super strong. Their special skill is “blacksmithing” that makes use of their strength.

Two type of dwarves and two special skill.

I crossed my arms and fixed my gaze on the ceiling.

“Crafting and blacksmithing……”

It’s exactly the same as the specialty of the mining town of Alvis, which we are about to go to.

“Yes. They are called dwarves, but some of them have powers that rival those of the gods. Half god and half human, or half god and half monster… they are beings with two sides.”

If Solana’s words are true, then they are someone we can’t let our guard down.

The goddess held up her finger.

“The Gjallarhorn might know something about that. They are craftsmen, after all.”

I rubbed the pouch and checked the horn inside.

The ability to “unlock all sleep” also requires God’s tools to be fully effective.

“A country of artisans huh.”

Lu summed up with a twinkle in her sky-blue eyes. Maybe it’s because she’s getting better, but she helps me by saying a lot of things like this.

It felt warm and I relaxed.

Solana smiles and nods broadly.

“That’s right. If the dwarves become our allies, there will be great possibilities. For example, we may even be able to recreate weapons from the mythical era and equip our warriors with them. Of course, we could also strengthen Rion’s weapons and armors.”

My chest felt a little hot again. Special weapons are something that I look up to as an adventurer.

“The magic characters – runes – were also found in the Western Dungeon where Loki was sealed, but the art of engraving them into weapons and tools is the expertise of dwarves.”

“……more than Loki?”

“Not really. But they should be good at it.”

That’s incredible…… 

Depending on the field, it means that they are more than capable and can even rival a God. They’ll surely be a pretty reassuring ally in the fight against slave traders.

While I had goosebumps, Lu had a twinkle in her big eyes.

“Was there a king?”

“Yes. The Dwarven King ruled over them.”

Solana puffed out her chest for some reason, and Lu and I exchanged glances.

““D-Dwarven King?””

Lu and I spoke in unison.

That’s impressive, right? Or maybe not……

……No, hearing about their power, it sure sounds impressive.

The peaceful time passes by quickly. I heard the bell ringing. The frosted glass was getting brighter, and it told me that it was time to go outside.

“…… I’m going.”

“Oniichan”

As I got out of the blanket, Lu’s small hand tugged at my sleeve.

“You’re leaving, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

Lu also stood up.

Today is the morning we will go on a journey. I looked at Lu and we looked at each other as if we were remembering each other’s faces.

It’s not my usual adventure. This time, it’s not just a dungeon exploration where I say “I’m going” in the morning and “I’m back” at night, but a journey along the main road in a horse-drawn carriage.

“……Your body is fine now, right.”

“Yes. Maybe it’s thanks to Oniichan for slaying the boss monsters in the dungeon.”

I’m going to say goodbye to Lu and my mom for a while. As a “God’s Wake-up Caller” and an adventurer, I’ll embark on a journey from the Royal Capital.

Lu took something out of the Temple of Odis’ robe she was wearing.

“This is….…”

It’s a small item made of leather. It is palm-sized and has a shape that combines round leather and half-moon-shaped leather. It’s shaped just right to fit a coin ―a case, I guess.

“I made it for you to put the gold coin of the gods.”

Lu has always been good at making small items. Then I remember Lu’s injured finger I saw earlier.

“Your index finger.…..”

As I emphasized, Lu began darting her eyes.

“A-ah~, it’s been a long time after all.”

“Thank you.”

The coin case had a sturdy string attached. With this, I can tie it to my clothes and take out the coin whenever I wanted.

In order to prevent the gold coin from popping out of the half-moon-shaped case, it was held down with leather straps and buttons. The top half of the gold coin is exposed, just so my fingers can touch it when I unseal it.

Solana, in her doll-sized figure, jumped up softly and made eye contact with Lu.

“Thank you, Luisia!”

Then from the gold coin, Thor, Loki, Uru and Sigris also thanked her.

“N-no. Well, my brother…… please take care of him!”

Lu stood and bowed deeply to them. The white temple attire was a little dazzling. I might be being presumptuous, but maybe this is what makes her look more grown-up.

“People grow up fast.”

Solana muttered a little and spun around in the air. Then golden light dances around as if to bless us.

“As the goddess of the sun, I promise you that it will be fine. Your brother is strong, and so are we.”

I then placed the gold coin in the case.

Right after doing so, a person came in and called out to us.

We went up the stairs and went outside. The cold wind hit my face, but more than that, the brightness and warmth of the morning sun was pleasant.

It’s a bitter chill outside, but the sky is clear and the weather will be fine all day.

“Take care, Rion.”

My mother also came to see me off. She hugged me tightly.

“Have fun in your adventure.”

I nodded and headed for the carriage.

Several wagons with exposed loading platforms and boxed carriages were waiting for me.

Pauline-san knocks her staff on the ground.

“Are you ready? I know I shouldn’t say this to you, but may the Lord God bless you.”

Felix-san is already inside one of the boxed carriages and is looking at me. Mia-san is there too.

It wasn’t until I went to the Western Dungeon that I was officially hired by the Raven Warriors.

I put my foot on the steps of the carriage.

“I’m going!”

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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