The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

Chapter 33



Chapter 33


Thirty-Third Episode~ Vallaida Insect Shrine


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


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


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


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


It is like a scene from a big city .


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


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


The name carved on the wooden signboard is Saika .


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


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


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


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


I am not looking for enemies or monsters, but I am walking while using <Pheromone Touch> and presence detection .


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


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


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


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


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


While walking along main street in front of the church, I use <Pheromone Touch> and presence detection, unconcerned .


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


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


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


Her eyes are brown and she is glaring at me .


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


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


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


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


Her blood smells healthy too .


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


-Looks delicious .


…A dangerous thought .


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


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


She is glaring at me .


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


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


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


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


Aah, they must be believers of the Sacred God .


I heard about them from Achilles-shisho .


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


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


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


Normally that would be unlikely .


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


Ma, it must be an accident .


Idiot, I might just be absentminded .


I do not know . I will leave it be .


I do not mind it and keep looking around .


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


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


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


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


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


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


To the small inn near the guild called Saika .


Deciding to stay in Saika I open the small door .


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


“Your room is the furthest back . ”


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


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


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


There is only a solid bed and a large tub .


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


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


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


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


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


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


I hope there are no lice on the bed…


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


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


Well then, I should take a bath .


I pour hot water into the tub using life magic .


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


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


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


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


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


Ma, I have the spear .


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


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


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


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


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


I pay more attention to the sound .


The actual source of the sound is Rollo .


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


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


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


“Nya . ”


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


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


I soak Rollo in the hot water of the tub .


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


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


She is good at using the feelers underwater .


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


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


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


“Nya, Nyaa . ”


Rollo sings lively and jumps outside on her own accord .


Where is she going…


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


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


As I walk along the street .


“Nn, Nya . ”


Rollo calls and jumps onto my shoulder from behind .


“Where did you go?”


“…”


Rollo only moves her tail .


Did you need to pee?


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


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


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


The impression of a lot of goods put out .


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


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


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


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


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


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


“Rollo, no playing around…”


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


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


I recall the durable magic bag I got from Shisho .


I might as well get the latest magic bag .


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


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


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


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


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


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


I buy several pieces of leather .


Since I have <Night Visions>, the lantern was not necessary but I want to go for an adventurer like appearance first so I bought the lantern .


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


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


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


With this the preparations are complete .


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


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


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


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


This, is it something like an advertisement?


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


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


I guess this is normal since it is free .


Aside from that, this metastasis formation is shining white .


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


Eeh, waa!


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


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


This sensation, aah, it is that .


The sense of entering a tunnel by car .


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


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


The magic formation at my feet is shining faintly .


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


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


I do not want to become a fly-person .


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


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


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


The metastasis formation of the guild is blue .


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


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


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


I belatedly enter the magic formation as well .


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


I intended to complain, but I do not .


Let us look at this labyrinth .


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


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


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


It is fantastic and magical .


Such romantic words are imagined .


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


Ite, is this a thorn?


A stinging black thorn .


This black thorn seems to form Vallaida Insect Shrine .


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


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


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


Without going there, I walk around along the thorn wall .


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


The labyrinth wall is not only made of thorn .


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


There are a lot of people praying to the statue .


If I pray to this god will I receive benefits?


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


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


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


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


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


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


I see stairs from the right side of the passage .


These big stairs seem to be doorways of the labyrinth .


I guess I will try looking along these stairs .


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


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


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


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


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


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


Now then, what should I see .


While I feel the dazzling sunlight…


I begin to read the wooden tag about the labyrinth .


□■□■


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


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


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


The Imperial Guard ant is an A++ rank of considerable strength .


Without exception the unit defending the queen is strong .


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


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


□■□■


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


Shisho talked a lot before about rank A +


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


Well then, I will go-


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


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


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


That metastasis formation is convenient .


I was told Kuna-san established the metastasis formations…


They must be an amazing magic user .


They are probably in great demand from the guild .


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


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





Tip: You can use left, right, A and D keyboard keys to browse between chapters.