Magic Gems Gourmet

Chapter 223

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ED: LonelyMatter

Chapter 223 – Once Again, Heim

The royal capital was in a state of extreme tension, for the knights who had supposedly returned from the war were all keeping their mouths shut.

In addition, there was no word from the castle, and the people’s patience was nearing its limit―but that evening, the knights began making preparations at the harbor and looked busy… And the three who had decided to go and stop Ain stood on the roof of the Leviathan and stared in the direction of Heim.

“That’s amazing.”

Arche muttered suddenly.

“Arche? What do you mean ‘amazing’?”

“…That thing over there is an incredible monster. If someone said it was a god, I might be convinced.”

Even though she looked blank, Arche’s attitude was serious. Her eyes regained their sparkle, and the power she exuded was that of an awakened demon king.

However, even Arche could feel the strength of the being on the other side of the sea.

“Besides, my existence has already been discovered.”

“It has been discovered. Does that mean… that it’s Ain-kun?”

“Yes. It’s like a hungry beast licking its lips and stretching its roots towards me.”

“…I can understand that very well.”

“Ehehe.”

Although she didn’t go so far as to say she was complimented, Arche was still pleased in her own way.

The content of what she said was nothing but disturbing, but Sylvia and Cain, who were nearby, couldn’t keep up with her understanding.

“So, Arche. That means you’re considered a treat, right?”

“…What? It doesn’t feel bad… maybe?”

“No, you should.”

“Hah… Arche. You’re still the same, aren’t you?”

Sylvia said with a confused smile. However, it seemed that Arche also had something to say.

“…Well, if you put it like that, then you’re being logical, and you’re still being mean.”

“Oh, what do you mean?”

Sylvia summoned her staff and then, in a natural flow, pointed it at Arche.

“Because you were mean to that girl, right?”

“…No. That’s also a kind of love.”

“…It’s too hard for me to understand.”

The two of them continued their conversation with a meaningful look, but on the other hand, Cain, who had been called logical, just stood there quietly. …No one knows what he was thinking.

“Speaking of which, Arche? How would you describe Ain’s strength?”

“Hmm? Like if it was a one-on-one situation?”

“Yes, something like that.”

“…I told you earlier, didn’t I? That I can feel the difference between our races.”

“I heard you say that, but that explanation isn’t enough, is it?”

Arche didn’t have a particularly dull mind. She was just not good at giving detailed explanations. In other words, she was more of a feeling person, and she simply couldn’t take a logical approach.

“If we fought now, I think I would have the advantage even in a one-on-one fight.”

“…What about in a few hours?”

Arche’s expression hardened for the first time. She closed her lips tightly and opened her half-open eyes fully.

As if to test it, she put all her strength into her body and immediately let out a muffled ‘fuh’ and dissipated. Then, a starry purple glow spread around the Arche.

…And finally, she spoke to answer Sylvia’s question.

“Yes. After a few hours, I may not be able to compete with it…”

Arche was said to have the strength of a succubus of jealousy. That was why the words “I may not be able to compete with it anymore…” surprised Sylvia and Cain.

…And, a dozen minutes later. The Leviathan left the harbor of the royal capital.

◇ ◇ ◇

There were several reasons why the Leviathan was chosen to be the ship going to Heim. It was the fastest of the battleships, and there was no other battleship that could match it in terms of defense.

In addition, the minimum number of crew and knights were chosen, and they set off with Sylvia and the others for the port city of Roundheart. …As dusk fell, the reddening sea gradually darkened in places and night fell.

The scene then shifted to the wheelhouse of the Leviathan.

Perhaps because of Sylvia’s earnest request, the three of them watch the waters leading to Heim from the wheelhouse.

“…Hey, Marshal-san.”

“Hmm? What is it, Arche-dono?”

Arche suddenly spoke to Lloyd.

“Better not get too close.”

“…What do you mean?”

“We should anchor some distance away from the port city. Otherwise, this ship will be destroyed as well.”

Then, with Lloyd looking confused, Sylvia spoke up.

“I agree. It seems that Ain’s power has grown more than I had imagined.”

“Yes. I think there’s the root of the World Tree a little further down…”

“I think so. Lately, I feel like I’m being stared at.”

Cain agreed. Then he walked over to the window and crossed his arms, looking out.

“Speaking of which, do we have a plan?”

“Do you?”

“No. If I had to say it, it’s to attack with everything we’ve got. If it gets tough, we’ll retreat and recover by gnawing on the magic stone.”

“…Onii-chan. That’s too random.”

“Hah. If you’re going to complain, why don’t you come up with a strategy, Arche? Look, we’re going to attack that ridiculously huge tree, but do you think a strategy like that will work?”

At Cain’s words, Lloyd, Sylvia, and Arche all got up from their chairs with sulky expressions and headed for the window.

Then, looking toward Heim, he said, “I don’t think it’s going to work.”

When Arche agreed with Cain’s words, Sylvia smiled wryly, and Lloyd was left speechless.

It was past dinnertime, and the Kingdom of Heim, as seen from the sea, was a place where silence and darkness coexisted. Up to this point, there had been nothing particularly strange about it. The eerie silence was noticeable, but the scene unfolding before them made them stop worrying about such things.

“As expected, it’s just like they say about the World Tree of Gluttony.”

An unnatural starry sky spread out over the capital of Heim. It looked like a Milky Way made up of many layers, and the stars were too bright.

Even though it was night, the reason everyone could see what was happening in Heim was the overly bright starry sky.

“…What on earth are those lights?”

Lloyd opened his mouth naturally.

“It’s a crystal of magic power that’s been condensed to the point of being ridiculous. If you get close to it, you’ll be able to go to the other world without even having time to think about it.”

“It’s magnificent. As you might expect, it’s exactly the kind of thing the elves would worship as a god―or, to put it another way, it’s the kind of thing that would be sublimated into a demon king.”

That’s right. The starry sky that seemed to stretch out above Heim was not a real starry sky. It was a mass of power that had grown to gigantic proportions―a fruit-like mass that had grown on the branches of Ain.

Blue, green, purple, white―they glow as if to captivate the observer, blinking. It could be summed up in one word: fantastic, but its contents are more terrifying than any weapon.

“Arche. Can’t two rampaging demon kings get along?”

“…If I approached it unarmed, it would probably suck me up in an instant. Do you think we can get along?”

“I don’t know. I think it’s a bad idea to give up before you’ve even tried.”

“I’m sorry, but… is there really no other way but a clash of forces?”

Lloyd asked, interrupting Cain and Arche’s joking exchange.

Lloyd had also grown a little impatient with the lack of any real strategy being discussed.

“See? We can’t let the people around us get worried, can we? We need to explain our plans properly soon.”

Then Sylvia offered a helping hand. Lloyd felt that if she had an idea, she should have told them from the beginning, and he lost strength in his body.

Then, as Sylvia began to speak, Cain and Arche also listened.

“We will rely on the nature of plants to go dormant. A defensive instinct that is carried out to preserve life when it falls into a poor… unsuitable environment. For now, let’s use it to stop Ain-kun’s movements.

It would be hard work to create a bad environment for the voracious World Tree, but there was no other choice. Cain nodded deeply and replied to Sylvia.

“Sylvia will work on the roots, and Arche and I will work on the main body. That’s it.”

“Yes, that’s what I mean.”

“…But what if it doesn’t have the instinct to go dormant?”

Lloyd’s question was also natural. He wondered if it was right to put a creature like the World Tree or a creature like the Demon King in the category of common sense.

“I just hope it hasn’t strayed that far. And if it has, then we’ll have to do what this person says.”

In other words, the only way was to use brute force. Doing what Cain said meant that.

…And the moment Sylvia uttered a hopeless comment, the Leviathan shook violently.

“Stop here. We’ll borrow a small boat.”

“And when we get off, can you move a bit further away? Otherwise, I can’t guarantee your safety.”

“…Hmm. I’ll do my best.”

One day in early summer.

It was not long after the fateful meeting between Ishtalika and Heim and between Ishtalika and the Red Fox.

The party that came to stop the Demon King was the party that had rampaged in the past. It was only natural that they would feel a strange connection to it, and they came to Heim to settle things in their own way.

Such a powerful opponent was something they had never experienced before. If it were their own descendants, they would be tormented by a strange sense of emptiness, but at the same time, they would be able to rise to the exciting sense of mission that surged in their hearts.

…And so the battle that could be called the true end drew nearer to its opening.

◇ ◇ ◇

――Something that didn’t quite fit into the main story―a sort of extra――

Around the time Lloyd and the others arrived in the port city of Roundheart.

In the night capital of Ishtalika―inside the castle―a certain princess began to act so that Sylvird wouldn’t find her.

“…Katima-sama, why are you taking Guard Officer Dill with you?”

“Nya? It’s because I have a genius-level brain, of course-nya.”

“…I-I see.”

All the royal guards were tight-lipped, but Katima called one of the guards she had spoken to several times before and used the royal decree.

Perhaps because of this, when she went to see Varra, they were able to take Dill, who was lying on the bed, out on Katima’s orders and took him to Katima’s underground lab while he was still lying on the bed.

From what she heard, Martha accompanied Dill, crying her eyes out, but she too had collapsed from exhaustion and was taken to a room in the castle.

“But he’s sleeping so well.”

Katima smiled as she looked at Dill, who had just been taken to the underground lab.

“That’s right. Varra-dono’s treatment was successful.”

“You don’t need to worry about me-nya. At this rate, Dill won’t last until tomorrow night-nya.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Hmm. Well, here’s your reward-nya. You should take it and go home-nya.”

Then Katima handed the royal knight a high-quality leather bag. When he shook it, it made a metallic scraping sound, letting him know that it contained many gold coins.

“I cannot accept this, Katima-sama.”

“No-nya, you must accept it-nya.”

“…No, I cannot.”

The royal knight sensed something disturbing in Katima’s attitude and stubbornly refused to accept it. Of course, Katima is even more stubborn, and…

“If you want to show your loyalty to the royal family, it’s only natural that you accept it-nya. …Or do I have to use the royal decree again-nya?”

“…Katima-sama, what on earth are you doing?”

“Here you go-nya! Did you take it-nya? Well then, please leave the room-nya~”

In the end, however, Katima used brute force, which was unusual for her.

She forcefully stuffed the leather bag into the knight’s chest and then pushed him out of the room.

He wondered how little Katima could be so strong, but that was Katima. She must be using some kind of magical tool.

“Katima-sama! Please open the door! Katima-sama!”

The door to the laboratory was knocked hard, making a loud noise.

However, Katima had no intention of answering, and she placed a series of locks on the door. It was a special lock that was difficult to open unless you were on the inside, like the one that had been used when Ain was locked up.

“Well, I’m lucky-nya. Thanks to Oz, I was able to think of such a way-nya.”

Then Katima opened a large wooden crate and scattered the magic stones inside on the floor.

She picked up Chris’s sword, which had somehow disappeared, and waved it around like she was doing a strange dance.

“Nya! Nya! Nya! …Wait, did I have talent with swords, too-nya…?”

Those watching would surely have a wry smile on their faces, but Katima herself was smiling happily. Then, she began to operate the large magical tool she had placed nearby, and a sense of excitement spread throughout the laboratory.

“It’s simple, really. As long as the vessel is made, it’s enough-nya. And the vessel is created naturally when the magic stone is activated-nya.”

Katima continued talking to herself, then picked up the small, empty magic stone that was on the desk.

She spun it around to check it and then nodded deeply, looking satisfied. Then she ripped open Dill’s clothes with her claws and looked at the painful scars.

“Here. Painkiller-nya.”

Then she smears the ointment-like painkiller over the affected area…

“Fuh!”

With a pleasant movement, she embedded the empty magic stone into Dill’s body. Dill let out a loud gasp in shock, but he never awoke from his coma.

“Now, I’m going to connect these tubes-nya.”

She pulled out several tubes from the magic tool she had just activated and wrapped them around several parts of Dill’s body. Then, the contents of the magic stones scattered on the floor began to be absorbed…

“All is well, nya!”

She said in a cheerful voice, drawing Chris’ rapier.

“Well, you may not be human anymore, but that’s no big deal-nya.”

At this point, Katima had a divine expression full of compassion.

Then Katima took a deep breath…

“Besides, I haven’t… fired my attendant yet, you know?”

…Saying these words in a voice that was elegant and worthy of a princess, Katima smiled and plunged the tip of the rapier into her own chest.

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