Chapter 396: Departure

The next morning, I take Aro and the nightmare with me and crawl out of the Great Alban Mine. I've already set free the steel horses that I took yesterday, so we'll catch some new ones.

Aro herds a steel horse with a [Gale] tornado, and then the nightmare traps it with thread. Treant-san stands next to me and watches them work.

Treant-san… Couldn’t you stop the steel horses with [Gravity]? I ask, and it shakes its trunk forlornly. The memory of disapproval over the indiscriminate usage of [Gravity] might be too strong.

I see… It’s hard. With your legs, getting the steel horses into the range of [Gravity] is difficult, right…

While I’m being melancholic with treant-san, Aro and the nightmare finish preparing two steel horses.

After checking over the steel horses that are nervously observing their surroundings, I look beyond them to the city of Alban. Today, this time for good, I’ll settle things with that slime. I can’t allow it to do as it pleases any more. No, it’s not just the slime. I also want to settle things with God’s Voice one day.

God’s Voice is meddling with the slime in some way. It is responsible for the creation of that monstrous Demon Lord which leads monsters to eat humans. In Lilixira's view, she interprets the playing of monsters against humans by God’s Voice as leaving the fate of the world in our hands, and said that she had a basis for that interpretation in her Holy Country, but… After all, I find that view hard to believe.

I don’t know if there’s anything I can do about the system of this world itself. But now that I’m aware of the evil deeds done by the slime in the capital, there’s one thing I know for certain. For God’s Voice, which toys with human lives through the slime, is not an existence that can be allowed to continue, no matter what justification there might be.

God’s Voice. I haven’t called out to you lately, but you’re probably still watching me all the same. I’m not going to forgive you. First is the slime. But after that… I don’t know when, but I will absolutely destroy you too.

【Characteristic Skill [God’s Voice: Lv5] is unable to provide an explanation.】

I receive a message from God’s Voice as though to mock me.

Now then, we should be setting off. I meet Aro’s, the nightmare’s, and my partner’s eyes in turn, then finally bow to treant-san.

After looking at me and Aro, the treant shakes its trunk. It seems it really is worried about our safe return. Though it’s thoroughly avoiding looking at the nightmare…is what I thought, but then I spot it sneaking glances when no one is looking. After all’s said and done, it is worried for the nightmare, too. I hadn't realised that treant-san was a tsundere.

Don’t worry, treant-san. I’ll definitely return alive, and won’t let Aro or the nightmare be killed either. It’s an opponent I’ve beaten once before, after all.

As I’m wondering if it’s time to start moving, I spot a strange pool of liquid metal dashing towards us from the mine. A shimmering core is visible buried in the centre. It seems magiatite-jiisan is coming to see us off too.

『So, you’re going again.』

After approaching to directly in front of me, magiatite-jii calls out with [Telepathy]. I lower my head down and do my best to match our lines of sight.

That’s right, jiisan. I’m off to do a little world saving. We hunted most of the dangerous monsters while levelling, so I don’t think it’ll be necessary, but… Please look after treant-san again, just in case.

『……No, I cannot do that.』

Magiatite-jii shakes his body in denial.

Wh-why not? Could it be that he won't allow any who aim to harm the Demon Lord? I thought for sure that he wasn’t a Demon Lord supporter, but was I being naive?

『Dragon, take me with you. I might look like this, but I am strong in my own right. I should be of some help.』

Both me and my partner are silent in response to magiatite-jii’s offer. It’s an unexpected proposal. He's a high level B- rank, and has all sorts of useful skills. His combat strength equal to, or even above Aro’s. At the very least, he would be able to take on multiple of the patrolling knight slime soldiers. If he was with us, the fighting would get quite a lot easier.

However… I’m grateful, but why the sudden offer to help? You knew we were going to fight the Demon Lord after we got back yesterday, right?

『…It is terrifying. That is why, up until now, I have said nothing. However, I hold a grave responsibility.』

Responsibility…?

『The Demon Lord that has taken the Royal Capital as a stronghold… Is a slime that I found on a beach and rescued…』

Eh? M-magiatite-jiisan saved that slime…? It was on a beach, so… Like me, I guess it washed into the ocean from the river at the bottom of that ravine.

『I still remember it well. It would seek out skills it needed… Despite my being its benefactor, it killed my old friend. By that time, it was already stronger than me… There was nothing I could do. But, after all, I want to avenge my friend. Please allow me to fight alongside you.』

…I’m grateful, but magiate-jiisan, you have [Humanisation Technique], but it’s only level 2. It’s also not as though you have an incredible amount of MP. Sorry, but I can’t take you with me to the capital.

『…In that case, how about this?』

Magiatite-jii’s body compresses and hardens. Then in the blink of an eye, he transforms into a sword. His magiatite core is attached to the handle like a decoration. I see… Indeed, like this I can take you to the capital.