22-The beginning of the exchange






 I opened my eyelids, feeling as if someone was calling me.
 For the second day in a row, I awoke on the floor of a tavern.

 The people of the village were lying around me, folded up like corpses.
 For a moment, I was nervous, but then I was relieved when a few of them started to creep around.

"Good morning ......, good morning ......, good morning .............

 I got up and greeted them, but my throat hurt.
 I'm totally laughing too hard.

"Good morning, my dear.

 I turned my eyes to see Paula with a worried look on her face, holding out a vial of Restore Magic.
 It's the one I gave you to take at your own discretion in case of emergency.
 I had used up all the labyrinth moss in last night's alchemy, so I gratefully accepted it.

 I gulped it down in one gulp, and the pain in my throat eased up.
 I see, so this is how cells are activated.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

 When I thanked her in a sane voice, Paula bowed deeply to me.

I'm sorry about last night. How can I apologize to you for the trouble I caused you because I was too naive?
"Ah, the matter of mixing fairy scales without permission: ......

 The memory of last night floats in my mind, dimly.
 I hadn't laughed that much in a long time since my memory of my previous life came back.
 The people in the village couldn't contain their excitement and were laughing just by looking at each other's faces. .......

 It was really fun.

 Probably, the reason why I was in such a good mood (high) was because the labyrinth water and fairy scales were so compatible.
 If it had been ordinary water or purified water, the effect would have been a little milder.
 Another reason is that the people in the village, including me, did not have a high tolerance to the drug.
 The lack of familiarity with the drug caused it to work too well and led to last night's unbelievable orgy.

"Well, you couldn't have predicted that. I had no choice.

 I don't know if it's a good idea to talk about the results, but I've gotten to know most of the villagers now.
 I don't have any lingering sluggishness or depression in my body, but rather I feel refreshed and comfortable.
 The only thing is that it could be used as a stimulant, but I'm afraid of what might happen, so I'll try to avoid using it in the future.

 As if sensing that my voice did not contain anger, Paula's expression quickly changed to one of relief.
 I reached out and pinched her cheek and tugged.

I'll be very angry if you do it again. And I'll be very angry if you do it again.

 At the end of a very exciting moment, the chorus of "Glory to the Labyrinth Empire" was led by Paula, right?
 As I was puzzled by the beautiful woman who looked so happy to have her cheek pulled, I heard something again.

"Aruji-dono!
"Koo-koo!
"Arujido!


"Ah-rujido!

 I hurriedly got up and looked out the window to see what was going on.

 Hovering around the central square of the village were a group of demon children astride a blue slime.
 Behind them, a group of children accompanied them, shouting at the top of their lungs.
 Behind them, there seemed to be a large worm and a large caterpillar.

"Yol, Kuu!

 I hurriedly pushed open the door and shouted, and the two animals immediately responded to my voice and turned around.
 Their eyes were wide open and filled with tears, as if they were about to spill out.

 When Yoru and Kuu noticed me, they kicked the blue slime in the side and tried their best to get to me.
 No, it's faster to just get off and run.

 I guess they noticed before I could point it out, but they jumped down from the slime and jumped into my chest at full speed.
 I did my best to hold them, and they buried their faces in my neck and sniffed me.
 As I patted them gently on the back, children started to gather around.

"Is that you, old man?
"Is he?
"Good for you, cat.

 The children told me that the two animals had wandered into the village early in the morning.
 They were crying and looking for someone, so we helped them up.
 Well, they slept a lot last night, so I left them in front of the labyrinth.
 When you woke up, you didn't see me or Paula, so you got worried.

I'm sorry.
Nangi!
Koo-koo!

 You're all pissed off.

Thank you for looking for them with me. Aren't these guys scary?
No, I mean, I saw them in a carriage once.
Yeah, I saw them.

 They seemed to have remembered that I had introduced them on the first day.
 They were all still very young, no more than three years old and less than six years old.

"Thank you for taking care of me. What would you like to thank me for?
"Thank you?
Well, well, well, well!

 The girl with pigtails pointed to a pudgy blue slime.
 I'm relieved that she doesn't seem to have any aversion to demons.

"Paula, can I ask you a favor?
"Yes, my lord.

 The children who were given rides by the blue slime, the giant caterpillar and the worm shouted with joy.
 For those who couldn't get on, fairies flew around to take care of them.
 Of course, scales are strictly forbidden.



 その微笑ましい光景を、起き出した村人たちは驚いた顔で眺めている.
 思わぬ形であったが、使役魔たちは割と早くこの村に馴染めそうだ.
 あとは昨夜の騒ぎの原因を、上手くごまかしておくだけだな…….


   §§§


 朝の内にやっておきたいことは多い.

 俺はまず昨夜の件は、迷宮水に元気になる効能が含まれていたこと.
 それが慣れていない村の皆さんには、ちょっと効きすぎたのだと説明しておいた.
 笑いすぎて楽しかったことしか記憶に残っていなかったのか、そんな説明で納得してもらえたようだ.

 で、そのお詫び代わりに、コウモリの肉を各家庭に少量ずつ手渡した.
 時期的に新鮮な肉が珍しかったらしく、とても喜んでもらえた.
 こうやって、ちょっとずつ魔物食に慣れていってくれるとありがたいな.

 次にウーテさんに頼んで、裁縫が上手な女性を四、五人酒場に集めてもらう.
 農閑期ということもあって今は比較的手が空いているらしく、すぐに揃ったようだ.
 それと忘れずに、職人も一人呼んでもらった.  

 さて皆がくる前に、材料の下準備だ.
 光の基本錬成<解析>と、闇の基本錬成<除去>を複合した<分解>.
 これで虫こぶから、虫渋を取り出す.
 一応、<解析>をしてからの<除去>でも同じようなことはできるが、<分解>のほうが圧倒的に取れる量が多いのだ.
 昨日、<磨減>を使用して感じたことだが、複合錬成は二つの錬成の効果をただ合わせるだけではなく、互いの効果をより高めて一つか二つ上の段階へ押し上げているように思える.

 次に虫渋をコウモリの羽に<浸透>させ、複合錬成の<枯渇>で水分を吸い上げると一瞬でなめし革の完成だ.
 <浸透>は水の最上級である魔導錬成のため、王立錬成工房でも皮革関係の品はほとんど扱っていなかった.
 時間はかかるが、人件費的に手作業で作る方が圧倒的に安いのだ.

 しかし俺の場合、魔力はあり余っているし、全て一人で錬成できるので手間がほとんどない.
 それに一度錬成すると、コマンドの繰り返しでサクサク作れるしな.

 コウモリの羽を全部なめしたら、次は糸袋を<分解>して絹糸を取り出す.
 銅鉱石は<燃焼>と<冷却>の複合錬成<昇華>で銅だけ取り出し、さらに青魔石塊を<付与>して魔青銅に変えておく.
 魔青銅とは水の"流れる力"を秘めた銅で、滑らかになった表面は撥水性があり酸や腐食にも強い金属だ.
 最後に針金の尻尾を並べて完了である.

 そして集まった人たちに、仕事を説明して取りかかってもらう.

「これを使って、飾り台を作って欲しいんだができそうか?」
「お、錬成のあんちゃん、魔青銅作れるのか. すげぇじゃねえか. こっちはネズミのしっぽの針金? 弾力があって面白れぇな」

 鍛冶屋のヘイモに依頼したのは、白照石を置く台である.
 錬成術士とは、基本的に素材屋でしかない.
 細かい細工や装飾を施したり、実用的な道具に仕上げるのは、他の専門職のお仕事なのだ.

 なので磨き上げた白照石に売り物として付加価値をつけるため、村の方々に仕事を頼んだというわけである.
 むろん、そのまま素材として売り払うという手もある.
 ただそれだと、迷宮で俺たちが採取して、そのままハンスさんが売りに行くだけで完結してしまう.

 この村にお金が巡ってこその村おこしだ.
 Of course, things will never work out the way you envisioned at first.
 But the best way to develop a craftsman is to believe in him and keep giving him opportunities.
 This is something I learned firsthand from Barnabas, the workshop manager.

 The man, who resembled a small bear and was looking at the materials carefully, suddenly started kicking the floor and stomping on the ground.

"d*mn! What the hell?
What's wrong? 
The underground labyrinth looks like a lot of fun, but this job looks like a lot of fun too!

 I'm sure he thinks he's really mad, but his gesture is cute.
 It's not fair that he's not much older than me.

If you finish this job, I'll take you to the labyrinth.
Are you sure? That's a promise!
You've got five days. Are you sure?
Yeah, I'll take care of it!

 Heimo pulled up in a good mood, and I patted him on the chest.

How's it going over there?
"What do you think, Sensei? Isn't this really cool?

 Heimo pulled up his face and said, "How about that one?

Look, it's only a temporary fix, so don't move, Mia.
"Oh, sorry, sorry, Auntie.
Next time I call you Auntie, your hand might slip. You don't know where the needle's gonna stick.
Oh, I'm sorry.

 What the lively ladies are making for me is an armor made of tanned bat wings.
 The parts of demons that contain a lot of magical elements in their bodies are much tougher than ordinary ones, or have unusual characteristics.
 A bat's wing, which at first glance looks like it will tear easily, is actually quite strong.

 Also, in the game, it is normal to wear different types of equipment, but this is not the case in the real world.
 You have to have them made to fit your individual size, which can be a bit troublesome.

 Well, the good news is that you don't have to worry so much about weapons.

 The dog bone is and sharpened.
 Then, attach the bone to the end of a wooden stick of an appropriate length prepared by Ute.
 Yes, the dog bone spear is complete.
 It's only one star in rarity.

 In the meantime, the work I had asked Paula and the others to do seemed to be finished.
 I returned to the tavern with the village chief and asked Ute for some food, and then we left together.

 This is my second attempt at the Dragon Jade Palace.