'Replenishing energy is not necessary, as it will do it on its own, and maintenance is not necessary, as it has a self-repair function. However, the core is a precision part and needs to be repaired if it is damaged, which is unlikely in this city's security. It's not very powerful, but unlike humans, it doesn't get fatigued, making it a good workhorse in times of need.

'But a billion is ....... How about the fighting ability?

'Of course--less than a hunter. But it's useful. You don't need to pay for dying, and they have long range attacks.

Trust is the most important thing when selling a product. Don't lie to me.

The clerk in charge of the administration of the city of Surus frowned at Citry's words, which were delivered with a smile. He is discussing with the other members of the team in a low voice, but originally, golems are not that strong.

No, they're more than capable of fighting an average adult male who hasn't absorbed any mana or material, but they're no match for someone who would attack a city. If you want something that can defeat them, you will have to pay ten times as much for one of them.

The defenses of the city of Surus were beyond the reach of Citri.
The outer walls were much lower than the rest of the city, only about a meter high. The tops of the walls were covered with thorns to make them insurmountable, but a hunter or someone who had absorbed a little mana material could easily jump over them.

There are watchtowers at the four corners of the city, but the guards are generally unmotivated.
Originally, this town was a tourist spot, and not a few hunters came here for a hot spring cure. Not a few of them stay for a long time, and naturally most of the guards must have been taken care of by them.
This meant that the city had been peaceful for many years. The fact that the number of guards had not increased even now that the guests had disappeared after hearing rumors of banditry was proof that the city had become too accustomed to peace. In the first place, the fact that a hot spring dragon had invaded the open-air baths was not a common occurrence.

Citri, who had fought many bandits, hunters, illusions, and demons in the past, was far from peaceful.

Well, but that's not the point.
The more peaceful we are, the more work the hunters will have to do. More guards means more money for alchemists to buy and sell potions. Either way, it's a business opportunity.

'Does our city really need such expensive provisions? ......'

When I heard that my vacation destination was the hot springs, I rolled the black and gold-patterned circular sphere I had brought with me, the core, in the palm of my hand and said to the fat clerk, who still had a reluctant look on his face.

'Don't worry, it's just a trial. I'm sure you'll like it--let's give it a try.

I thought the test was necessary. If I didn't check its performance beforehand, I wouldn't know if it would be useful for Citri's main job--hunting.
Alchemy is an accumulation. Of course, it's great when the results come out, but it's also exciting before the verification.

Feeling a sense of excitement, you approach a narrow river of hot spring water flowing through the town. A couple of men and women, perhaps tourists, were walking along the river, looking down at the river with their hands on the fence.
Before I knew it, there were a number of people in the town, perhaps new tourists had arrived.

'It's easy to activate ......, just drop this core into the liquid.'

With a gentle smile on his face, he dropped the core into the hot spring river. With a small sound, the core is submerged.
A thin clerk in a suit rolls his eyes.

'Nothing's going to happen, is it?

'Well, well, wait a moment.

In fresh water, the change occurred in a second. The test also included how long it would take for the impurities in the hot spring to change.
I made eye contact with a couple who were chatting in a whisper next to me, looking down at the river. The couple consists of a simple-looking man and a beautiful girl.

They were probably about the same age as Citly. Perhaps embarrassed, the girl averts her gaze, but Citly does not.

Sitri Smart is the rear guard. He hasn't grown up enough to find the enemy and turn away.

And the time had come. With a small splash, the Core rises. The faces of the clerks contorted in astonishment.
As the one who unveiled the new work, the look on their faces was most comforting.

The core that Citri brought is a prototype of the water golem core.


Centered on the core, the hot springs formed a human shape. With the exception of the core, which glowed dully, there were no impurities in the body, and the face had no eyes, nose, or mouth. The faint steam rising from its body is a joke.

Water golems already exist, but they require a massive ritual to create. Citry's new model, however, can be activated at will as long as it has a core. Moreover, it doesn't matter if it contains impurities instead of fresh water.

I was proud that I had created something so perfect, but it was a relief to see it actually start up in front of me.

'Yes! What do you think? This is my special hot spring golem! Unlike the original golem, it's portable and easy to activate, making it a revolutionary product!

'What, what, what is that?

I can't stop my voice from bouncing. The hot spring golem swung its arms wide in front of the smiling Citrine. He then swung his thick arm down towards the stunned couple.
A scream erupts. The woman quickly pulls out a knife and slashes at the arm, but the attack will not penetrate the watery flesh and she is pushed down by the onsen golem.

The clerk, who was watching the scene blankly, rushes over to her. Citry dropped the rest of the cores he was carrying into the hot springs.

'What, what are you doing?

'............ huh. You really are a peaceful person, aren't you ......?'

I'm not trying to be funny. You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them.

Before he knew it, the people he had just seen were surrounding him and the others. But even without being surrounded, they knew that these people dressed like tourists were not just tourists. It's not that Citry can't do it.

The most important thing you need for the Thousand Trials is the ability to sense discomfort. The second is the ability to respond flexibly, and the third is tolerance. His every move was natural, but there was a slight hint that he was a trained man. And since they noticed, it was only natural that they attacked first.

As soon as the new hot spring golem stood up, there was a very slight sound of wind from behind. The golem that was holding the couple down grabs them by the neck with both arms and intervenes. The knife that flew at them pierced their bodies, lost momentum, and was taken inside the golem.

This assailant is an assassin. The way he carries himself, his stealth, his ability to work together. He's no amateur in any way.
I'm sure of it without changing my expression. Citri indicated the new hot spring golem and said in an exaggeratedly cheerful voice.

Presentations need to be made with confidence. And it is the same in business.

'How about this, my strength is only a hair above that of an average adult male, but I am good at fighting. I am especially confident in my defensive abilities. Damage is not a problem, and it can dampen the momentum of most projectiles, and it will cover you with its own body! Well, if you're going to use it as a lookout, it might as well be useless.



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I don't know what's going on. ...... Citrie looks at his pale customer and thinks.

I don't know who he is. There are a few possibilities, but he can't be sure.
Maybe I should have pretended to be beaten and let him swim a bit, he reflects. The assassins' knives seemed to have been coated with poison, but the members of the Ghosts of Sorrows were perfectly resistant. Their resistance is so high that even Citri's poison doesn't work on them. It's only natural, since Citri himself has made them resistant to poison.

No choice but to interrogate them: ....... I'm not bad at interrogation. Of course, I can torture. Though it's easier to get them to confess with a potion.

'What the hell are they?

'They're common assassins. I don't know what organization they belong to, but they are quite skilled. But my golem is better than that. How about it, it comes with a long range weapon now.

Don't forget to do your business.

You tell your water golem to carry the twitching assassin in front of you. I didn't use any poison that would kill him instantly for this occasion. But it would be better to finish the interrogation as soon as possible.

Just as he was about to walk away, something unexpected suddenly came into view, and Citri's eyes widened involuntarily.
He raised his eyebrows in annoyance and looked back at the customer to confirm.

'............ Um, did you apply for reinforcements?

'What? There's no way I'm doing that.

Outside the city, from beyond the horizon, there was a small shadow.
A horse. A group on horseback was coming towards us. Not many, but not few. Not more than a hundred or so at least.

A merchant company would have used wagons and they were moving too fast. The army of Zebuldia is essentially knights, though that doesn't explain it.
If you look up in the sky, you can see black shadows. They are airmen. I don't know if they're mounted on flying dragons or giant birds, but they're extraordinary.

You can kill ten of them, but you can't kill a hundred with just Sitri. Citri is an alchemist.

The clerks widened their eyes in dismay as they finally noticed the shadow coming towards them.

Citry smiled again, clasped his hands together in front of his precious customers, and proposed.

'What do you think, this is exactly the time we need it. The cores of the hot spring golems, right now, 24 of them will cost exactly 240 million guild. If you need more, it will take longer, but we can take pre-orders.