“So — what do we do.”
We’d over-played yesterday; today, the ruins really had to be investigated. Yeah, but I have no idea where to start.
“A spell to breathe underwater… or one to repel water — wish those existed.”
“Wall off the ruins with a tall barrier, then suck out all the water inside…”
Elze offered. How much water are you imagining we’d suck out?
“Um… I had a small thought…”
Linze raised her hand cautiously. Oh — rare. Linze doesn’t speak up much. Must’ve come up with something good.
“Yes? If you’ve got an idea, please go ahead.”
“It’s, not really an idea, but… Touya-san, your [Long Sense], couldn’t you send your sight down…?”
”…”
…That option existed. Damn, why didn’t I think of it. Genuinely embarrassing. Wordlessly I gave Linze a thumbs-up and triggered [Long Sense].
I sent my sight into the water and pushed it through the ruins entrance.
“How? Anything?”
”…Too dark to see…”
“What are you doing, come on!”
Elze hit back. I hurriedly sent a [Light] orb along. Worried the orb would die underwater, but no — fine. Light, not fire, after all.
The area around my sight began to brighten. I moved my sight along with the light orb and descended the stairs.
After a while, I emerged into a large hall. At the center, a raised platform with a magic circle inscribed; six pedestals arranged around it. Each pedestal held a magic stone — red, blue, brown, green, yellow, purple — six elements, glowing, all but Null.
Nothing else of note. No treasure chests, no inscriptions, nothing like that. That’s it?
I pulled my sight back and described what I’d seen to Leen. The fae chief folded her arms and thought for a moment before speaking.
“That’s a transfer circle, almost certainly.”
“Transfer circle?”
“Activate the six elements and the central circle transfers you somewhere. Like your [Gate].”
Hm — a transit device, then. Maybe a long time ago the water level was lower and this got frequent use. As time passed, it submerged, and no one used it anymore.
“I’d love to activate it, but… no way to get down there without a method, so. We’re back to finding the null-spell to breathe underwater…”
[Master.]
While Leen folded back into thought, Kōhaku — being carried by Yumina — spoke up.
“What, Kōhaku?”
[Someone who could command water in all its forms — and resolve Master’s predicament. I know of one.]
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Off the beach, near the rocks, Leen drew a large magic circle on the ground.
“Normally, summon magic can’t call a specific entity, you know?”
[We mix my spiritual force with Master’s magic. With that, when we call, they will respond — they will answer the summons.]
Kōhaku waved off Leen’s objection. That works? Some kind of backdoor, apparently.
“Calling the Black Sovereign… I was surprised enough when she turned out to be the White Sovereign, but adding another is too much.”
“Now, now — anyone who minds Lord Touya’s quirks has already lost, indeed.”
Yae soothed the still-grumbling Leen and moved her off the magic circle.
[The summons should succeed, but what they’ll demand as the contract terms — I cannot predict. They aren’t fierce in temperament. They’re a little… unusual.]
“Hey — you’ve been saying they — there’s more than one?”
[How to put it… it takes two of them to be the Black Sovereign. You’ll understand once they appear.]
Mm — fair. Let’s just do it.
I stood before the magic circle, gathering dark-element magic. A black mist began to form at the center, and gradually thickened. Kōhaku stood beside me and added her own — well, technically spiritual force — into the mist. Splitting hairs, let’s not.
“Ruler of winter and water, of the north and the high mountains — answer my call. Respond to my request — appear before me.”
From the thickened mist, a massive surge of magic — or spiritual force — burst forth. The crackling, prickling sensation reminded me of Kōhaku’s summoning.
When the mist cleared, there was a giant tortoise. Nearly four meters across. Land tortoise — proper four legs. But more in the kaiju-monster style of tortoise than a regular one. Kind of like that movie tortoise that fires jets from its shell and flies. Mercifully, this one lacked tusks.
Wound around the tortoise was a large black serpent. Also huge. Anaconda-grade, maybe? Scales like polished black pearl, eyes of gold. Those eyes turned on me and Kōhaku.
[Oh dear? As I thought — White Sovereign, isn’t it~. Long time no see~ — keeping well~?]
[Long time, Black Sovereign.]
[Mn, come on — I’ve told you, Kuro-chan will do, you mea~nie.]
This snake’s all over the place. And the way it talks — very casual. And the voice — kind of baritone. Like a newhalf…
[And this dear young man~?]
[My master. Mochizuki Touya-sama.]
[Master?]
The tortoise’s eyes rolled my way. A distinctly appraising stare. From the look of it I’d been expecting a gruff old-man voice — but no. What came out was even more feminine than the serpent’s. Slightly sharper-edged.
[That a human could be a master… how the mighty have fallen, White Sovereign.]
[Say what you will. He shall soon be your master too.]
[Foolery!]
Kōhaku absorbed the taunts coolly. The tortoise glared at me; the serpent looked at me with curiosity. What a pain.
[Very well, Touya. Whether you are worthy of contracting with us — let us test you.]
“Fine — what do you want?”
[Fight us. Stand on all four limbs until sundown and we will recognize your strength and contract. But leave the magic circle, fall unconscious, or fail to attack us — no contract.]
Not “if you beat us I win” — interesting. Confident they can’t lose. From what Kōhaku said, they’re the defensive type — that’s where the confidence is, then.
“So — stand until sundown?”
[Yes. You may flee. If you can keep fleeing until sundown.]
The tortoise sneered as he said it. Ah, that one annoyed me.
The circle was about 20 meters across. Not impossible to keep running. It was nearly midday now — sundown in maybe six or seven hours? Continuous flight would have its limits.
Their plan, exactly. Sorry — not going to happen.
“All right. Let’s do it.”
“T-Touya-san — are you all right?”
Yumina looked up at me anxiously, worried. Sweet. I patted her gold head reassuringly. Nothing to worry about.
“Fine. I’ll manage.”
I left it there and stepped into the circle. The tortoise was still sneering — whatever, knock yourself out.
[Surprisingly composed.]
[That courage alone I shall commend. Now — come!]
The tortoise — GOAAAARRR! — let out a kaiju-grade roar. Yeah, you’re a monster.
First move wins.
“[Slip].”
[[F-fugya!?]]
Thud! The serpent and tortoise hit the ground in a shaking crash. That’s a lot of mass — should’ve taken decent damage.
While [Slip] was still active, I pulled a bullet from my waist pouch and started enchanting it.
“[Enchant: Slip].”
Then triggered another spell, installing the trick.
“[Program] begin. / Trigger: [Slip] effect expires. / Activation: [Slip]. / Termination: caster’s release command. / [Program] end.”
Right. Now then — preparations are flawless; observe the result.
[Tch——!]
I shot the prepared bullet into the ground at the feet of the tortoise as he tried to rise.
[[UGYO!?]]
Thud! Another quake, another fall. Each time the tortoise tried to stand, the impact thudded through the ground.
“You… a demon?”
Leen turned a flat look on me. At her feet, Kōhaku was rolling on the ground laughing. Found her funny bone. Even Paula was rolling around clutching her belly. How much is in your [Program]… Two-hundred-years’ worth, apparently.
“When [Slip] expires, the next [Slip] triggers. When that expires, another. Infinite loop. Normally your mana would run out almost instantly.”
Got the idea yesterday watching Paula loop in the surf. Working great. My mana regeneration outstrips consumption, so it isn’t an issue.
“Now — we wait until sundown. Linze, you brought the lunches, right?”
“A-ah, yes. I did, but…”
Linze glanced at the still-falling Black Sovereign with a is this really all right? face. We haven’t broken a rule.
“How shall I put it… rather pitiable, indeed…”
“This sort of thing’s been Touya’s M.O. all along — too late to be surprised. But — consider the other party’s feelings a touch. …Read the room.”
My evaluations are taking a hit. But a contest is a contest, rules aren’t broken, and if I can win safely, that’s the best outcome.
[[Ugh!]]
Thud!
We spread out the lunch and I bit into Claire-san’s special sandwich. Mm — delicious. Ham-and-cheese is the best.
[[Fugyu!]]
Thud!
This vegetable salad is also great. The dressing’s exquisite.
[[Bugyuru!]]
Crash!
“Ugh — the ground shaking every time is annoying.”
"""""Cold!"""""
Really?