349-343  responsibility




 When I returned to the Spirit Queen and the others, they didn't seem to be discussing, and they had already started to move with their own decisions.

 The Spirit Queen and the Wind Spirit analyzed the magic circle.
 The fire spirit and earth spirit repaired the destroyed walls and magic elevator.
 The water spirit and the dark spirit gathered information from the six people whose demonization had been lifted.
 And Forenoire is tinkering with a magic tool shaped like the bazooka gun that unleashed that miasma bombardment.

 At first I was curious about those who had been turned into demons, but since Lydia was headed that way, I decided to head to Forenoir's place.
 Just before I spoke to her, I noticed that Forenoir had a sad and frustrated look on her face.

''Forenoir, it's probably a magic tool that compresses and launches the miasma, is there something that's bothering you?''
''It's not just the spirit stones that are contained in this, but the spirits as well.
 I simply thought it was a magic tool made by the demon race, but it was a magic tool that contained spirit stones and spirits?
 I'm sure that's why I'm sure it's related to Branju, but none of the people who were in Branju's lab a while ago were there.
 Well, it's possible that the demon tribe that purified them knew more about it, but they are no longer in this world.
 Even so, you're still carrying your magic tool with you like it's important.

You can't deactivate the spirit stone or release the spirit?
The spirits will be exposed to the miasma, and even if you can free them, they will go berserk.
'Then you want me to purify it? If we can get it right, we might be able to get the miasma out of your mind and bring you back to sanity.
'Well yes. It's a lot better than suffering in here. Please, Luciel, put him back where he belongs.
Forenoir gave me a magic tool, but I can't believe there's a genie inside.

'All right. But before you do, can you stick with me for a minute?
Yeah.
I transitioned to Blange's lab with Forenoire.

'Hee hee,'
A male researcher who was working nearby yelled out in surprise as we suddenly appeared in transition, then fell backwards and sat on his buttocks.

He fell backwards and fell on his butt. I wanted to ask you a few questions. In this laboratory, you were conducting experiments with spirits and spirit stones, right?
No, no, no. I'm not doing this research anymore, so don't kill me.
Wow~ They're terribly scared.
Looking around, that noblewoman was also trembling.

''I understand. Then I want to ask you one question, so please answer what you know. Do you have any idea about this magic tool?
When I showed them the bazooka gun, it was obvious that everyone's faces changed.

''Why does Luciel-sama have that magic tool! If it was stolen from our country?
 I was stunned by the words of a noblewoman, unable to get angry.
 The unfounded statement just now is something that a nobleman would normally not be able to do.

''Stealing........you have some basis for it, right? And it's safe to assume you know what this is?
''Yes. It's a magic tool that uses spirit stones. It's just difficult to adjust, and it was unfinished here because it was all I could do to build the mechanism, but...
 So that means this magic tool was created in Brange based on the results of your research here.
 ...Don't tell me it was me who helped fund the development of this?

Okay. So what makes you think I stole it and why?
Sir Kamiya has told me that the shape of the tool was an idea from a reincarnation. Therefore, unless that reincarnation was Luciel-sama, there is no way he would have a magic tool of the same shape.
 I see.
 If a reincarnated person was involved, then it's quite conceivable that they would take the form of a bazooka cannon in order to take advantage of the characteristics of the magic tool.

 But it's Lord Kamiya here as well.
 As I recall, he was a nobleman with power in Brange, right?
 Are you sure you're not a reincarnation? I'll have the water spirit check it out.
 When I think that far, I realize that I've been receiving prying eyes from the noblewoman.
 If this is the case, she's going to start suspecting me of being a reincarnation as well, so I can tell her where to get it, right?
 I decided to deny it, thinking so.

This magic tool is something I picked up at a place in Nerdal just now. I just heard from the Great Spirit of Light that a spirit and a spirit stone were being used, so I came here to find out how to release the spirit and spirit stone inside somehow.
 It would be best if we could free it, but if that's not possible, we'll have to purify it.

As long as you haven't used it once, you can remove it without any problems, but on the other hand, if you use it once and try to remove the spirit stone inside, it will explode, which is very dangerous.
 So the spirit stone is supposed to explode because I can't see the genie, right?
 Well, I can't see the spirits either, so if I hadn't heard the truth from Forenoir and the others, I would have made the same mistake.
 When I focus my attention on the magic tool's, I can feel a little bit of hatred.

''Lastly, just to confirm, did you know that this magic tool is a magic tool that gives off a miasma?''
'What? It is a magic tool that amplifies the magic power in the spirit stone, making it an alternative to the bow for long range attacks. It's not supposed to give off miasma.
Then why didn't you use the magic stone?
Initially, we used magical stones for our research. But suddenly, I received a spirit stone from my home country, and I was informed that I must use it to carry out my research.
 Whether it's a lie or not is not for me to judge, and the great spirits will investigate.
 But there is no doubt that I'm one of the people who have to take responsibility for this magic tool.

''I see.......Forenoire, I'm sorry. I can't save you.
 Forenoire nodded, and I apologized in my mind to the spirit inside the magic tool, activating a dispel to the magic tool with a purifying and undoing spell.
 Then a crack appears in the magic tool, and a shimmering light disappears from it, enveloping me and Forenoire's bodies.
 There was no feeling of hatred there, just something warm.

'It will take many stars and frosts to become a spirit again. Still, I hope we will meet again.
 I heard such a small murmur from the forenoir next to me.

 With what I had to do, I was going to head back to the center, but before I did, I decided to ask a question about something that was on my mind.
''Was the demon race that burned earlier, or was the demonization the leader of the researchers?''
 As I recall, the noblewoman once made it a requirement for the leader to have skills that were recognized by the head of Brange.......I think she said something like that.
 I just wanted to know why the demon race was chosen to be the leader of that excellent group of people.

''As a leading expert in the development of spirit stones........Huh? But if that's the case, why do we have a leader?
Then the other researchers began to tilt their heads.

'Your brainwashing, or fascination, is starting to unravel when it catches on to a small tear.
Okay. Let's get back.
As she was about to transition again, the noblewoman spoke up.
''Luciel-sama, what are you a transmigrant? Or is he a brave man?
Come to think of it, the only spatio-temporal attribute is the reincarnation or the hero.
Hah~ I'm totally the one who gets caught up in all kinds of things, right? While thinking like that, I decided that I was answering the question properly.
'I'm just a wise man who was recently given the title of protector of the world.
That's all I told him, and he transitioned to the heart of Nerdal.

And when I returned to Nerdal's heart, the work of the Spirit Queen and the Wind Spirit, and the Fire Spirit and the Earth Spirit had been completed.
'Did you find out what that magic circle was after all?'
It's a summoning magic circle. It looks like it's designed to suck in miasma and magic.
''What would have happened if the miasma had filled this entire space, and two demons, six demonized people, and a large number of Evil Plants had been summoned in sacrifice?
''Then a Demon King class demon would have been summoned for sure.
 Well, I suppose that's true.
 They can't directly interfere now, so they're probably working in the dark like this.
 Otherwise, they would have destroyed the seal of the Dark Continent........

''By the way, Wind Spirit. It's true that there were demonized people, demons, and a large number of Evil Plants, but can demons and demonkind also use the transition magic circle?
Of course they're supposed to be able to play it. If they're able to transfer, I'm guessing they've messed with the magic circle or rigged it.
Okay.
 But the biggest problem is that the Wind Spirit didn't notice the intrusion at all.
 If we don't do something about it, if it happens again, it will be difficult to deal with it.
 That's unless it's a magic tool that can activate the sanctuary wards semi-permanently... if not, we should just develop it.
 If it succeeds, and we truly repel the evil gods, we might be able to live in peace.

''I suggest you check out Nerdal's wards, its inhabitants and researchers once. In the meantime, I will take measures.
You've thought of something, haven't you?
Yeah.
Then I grabbed my bracelet and began to communicate.