Chapter 49
We had come to the western forest once again.
We stopped the carriage at the end of the road and moved over to the tree stump.
We had already told the Pixies we met at that house that we were coming here.
So we intended to wait for someone to come and meet us, but──
"Please, come into the forest!"
A voice came from the forest entrance.
As usual, I couldn't see them. Were they still embarrassed?
But they were welcoming us.
"Please come in without hesitation. We will guide you to Rune."
"...We have been waiting."
"We welcome you with great enthusiasm!"
"We're so excited and nervous, la la la!"
Flap, flap. Knock, knock. Thump, thump.
I could even hear the sound of them tapping on the trees like musical instruments.
Having been called in like that, we──
"Shall we go in, Mabel? Agnis-san?"
"Yes, Thor-sama."
"If they are guiding us, I don't think we will get lost inside."
We decided to enter the forest.
In any case, I had to entrust the application to the Pixies, and I wanted to meet Soleil, the Light Pixie, and ask her a favor.
Besides, entering the Pixies' forest was exciting.
The Pixies were a mystical race.
I was extremely curious about what kind of place they lived in.
And so, we entered the forest.
We walked in single file, with Mabel in front of me and Agnis behind me.
Mabel watched where she stepped, while Agnis was positioned to support me if I tripped.
And so we stepped into the forest, which was──
Extremely difficult to walk through.
"...Watch your step."
"Thor-sama. There is a large root on the ground. Please be careful."
The Pixie and Mabel said.
Looking down, I saw tree roots as thick as a person's arm. More roots like them covered the ground and continued deep into the forest.
Looking up, I saw enormous branches large enough to block my view.
The Pixie who had warned us waved, then shyly hid herself.
I understood perfectly why the Pixies had made this forest their home.
It wasn't made for humans or demi-humans to walk through.
In fact, there wasn't even a path. Flying Pixies didn't need one.
There were no dangerous beasts, either. So no game trails had formed.
Without the Pixies' guidance, we wouldn't even have been able to go straight ahead.
This forest was practically a barrier belonging to the Pixies.
"Please turn right at the tree with triangular leaves."
"...Then go straight between the trees with yellow fruit growing on them..."
"I will guide you even if it costs me my life!"
"Hey, hey! This fruit is yummy. Try it!"
Mabel caught a fruit that came flying toward us with a whoosh.
She handed it straight to me.
It was a fruit that looked like a grape.
The individual fruits were large, though there were only about three of them.
"I've never seen this fruit before."
"It's a Demon Lord's Territory specialty, an Elvarse fruit. It is juicy and delicious."
"This is my first time seeing one."
"Indeed. Even Her Majesty only gets to eat one on her birthday."
"Wait."
Wasn't that an incredibly expensive delicacy?
"They are a variety that bears fruit capriciously, so it is extremely difficult to find ripe ones."
"Agnis-san has only eaten it once, too."
"I wonder if the Pixies can tell when they are ripe..."
"Perhaps they have a power that lets them discern it, much like they can perceive the flow of magic power."
"...The Pixies really are amazing."
I divided the Elvarse fruit into three pieces and gave one each to Mabel and Agnis.
When I tried my share... yes. It was sweet.
It was also extremely juicy, and the juice moistened my throat.
We took a short break while eating the fruit.
After resting for a little while, we started walking again, and then──
"We're almost there!"
──The view opened up.
The spaces between the trees widened, revealing a clearing surrounded by flowers and greenery.
Light poured down there, and a small spring welled up from the ground.
A rock jutted out of the ground, and water bubbled up from it.
The Pixies explained: This was the water source. The river they used for bathing was deeper in the forest. Did we want to see where they bathed?
I almost nodded before noticing the Pixies beside the water source.
One was a black-haired Pixie, Rune.
She floated in the air while gazing at another Pixie on the ground.
The one on the ground was a girl I had never seen before.
She was a pure-white Pixie with platinum-blonde hair.
That girl was inside a silver tub. She had kept her wings outside so they would not get wet, and was soaking leisurely in the 'Footbath' as though it were a bathtub.
The faint trembling of the 'Footbath' suggested that it was in use.
She hummed happily, swaying her shoulders above the water.
"How are you feeling, Soleil?"
Rune lowered herself and sat on the edge of the 'Footbath.'
"I can see how you are doing, but please tell him yourself, just to be sure."
"...You know, Sister Rune."
"Yes, Soleil."
"For the first time since she was born, Soleil is experiencing what it means to feel perfectly well."
Soleil, the white Pixie, said this as she drew her long legs out of the 'Footbath.'
"I can feel this bath the Alchemist-sama gave me... bringing the magic power in my body into balance... It makes the magic power that had stagnated flow through me and spread throughout my body. I can't believe it. I can't believe something like this is possible..."
"That is wonderful, Soleil."
"Y-yes. I would very much like to thank the Alchemist-sama."
"Indeed. Expressing your gratitude is a very good thing."
"Yes. If I can meet him, I will thank him many times over. And I will repay my debt even if it costs me my life──"
"You should tell him that directly."
"...Huh?"
"I heard that he was concerned about your condition, so I invited him here."
The Dark Pixie Rune extended an arm toward us.
Splash!
The Light Pixie Soleil stood up inside the 'Footbath' and looked toward us.
I could see her pure-white back.
Semitransparent wings grew from around her shoulder blades.
Her wet hair covered her back while avoiding her wings. Apparently, a field of magic power was being generated by the wings.
That field, which could also be used for flight, must have been repelling her wet hair.
Aside from the wings, her body was built no differently from a human or demi-human's.
She was simply smaller.
But Pixies were sensitive to magic power, weren't they?
As I wondered whether their wings were organs that reacted to magic power, or whether they had some other mechanism, I noticed Soleil's face turning bright red.
She froze with her eyes wide open. Her small body began to tremble.
I realized I had been staring too intently──and looked away, but at the same moment, Rune blocked my view.
"I am sorry, Alchemist-sama. It seems Soleil was more startled than expected."
The Dark Pixie Rune said this apologetically.
"Soleil has already entered the bath you made and put on the clothes you made. In other words, it is practically the same as having you embrace her unclothed body."
"...How does that logic work?"
"That is why I showed you to her while she was bathing... but it seems it was still too much of a shock for Soleil."
"...Yes. I can tell that just by looking at her."
"I am sorry to ask, but please wait a little while until Soleil gets dressed."
Rune said this and bowed her head.
She was very serious.
"I'm sorry, too. In that case, we'll turn around until Soleil-san gets dressed──"
I said this to Rune.
"While Soleil-san is getting ready, could you help me with something?"
"Y-yes, of course."
"Mabel, Agnis-san, could you help, too?"
"Yes, Thor-sama."
"Understood!"
Mabel, Agnis, and I turned our backs to the clearing and sat down on a tree root.
Then I took out some Dark Magic-Woven Fabric from the 'Super-Miniature Simple Storage.'
Mabel and Agnis nodded at the action we had discussed beforehand.
First, Mabel took the Magic-Woven Fabric and stretched it taut so that it lay flat.
Agnis then took out a needle and thread.
"Could you lie face down on this fabric, Rune-san?"
"Huh? Yes? Is this, perhaps... taking my measurements?"
"That's right. I would like you to serve as a template for the Pixies' clothes, Rune-san."
Afterward, I discussed giving clothes to the Pixies with Mabel.
As a result, we concluded that giving them about three outfits should be all right even without permission.
I intended to have the Pixies deliver the application to the Demon Lord's Castle.
As a reward, I wanted to give clothes to the Pixies who delivered it.
So, to measure the standard Pixie size, I decided to have Rune help with the measurements. The other Pixies were too embarrassed to come out.
"So, Rune-san, did the 'Footbath' work?"
"As you can see, it did. Soleil is much healthier now."
Rune answered while lying face down on the fabric.
"She seems to like it herself, because she has been taking a bath every few dozen minutes since then. Apparently, soaking in it regulates the flow of her magic power... Until yesterday, she looked too weak even to get up, but now she is flying around normally."
"I see... That's good."
I was truly glad.
It really was wonderful when an item I had made proved useful.
"The Light-Attribute clothes seem to be working well, too. Not only can she fly while wearing them, but apparently she can move them as freely as her own limbs."
──Just when I thought that, Rune told me something unexpected.
"She can move the clothes like limbs?"
"Yes. Apparently she can spread the skirt out and use it like an extra pair of wings. That makes it easier to change her posture in midair."
"...The Pixies really are amazing."
"No, I think the amazing thing is the fabric the Alchemist-sama made..."
Rune looked at me with sparkling eyes.
But... I see.
When a Pixie wore clothes with the same attribute as its own, it could move and transform them at will.
I wondered whether this applied to members of other races, too.
If I had Agnis wear Fire Magic-Woven Fabric clothes, would they change shape?
...This was worth experimenting with.
If so, perhaps I should have Rune try it first.
As a defensive mechanism for when the Pixies were attacked by magical beasts... Yes.
"The Pixies really are mystical beings. Talking with you gives me all kinds of ideas."
"Not at all. I am glad to be of help."
"For now, would you let me handle the design of your clothes, Rune-san?"
"Yes, of course."
Rune smiled happily.
"I am sure that the Alchemist-sama can make something that will bring out Rune's abilities."
"Of course. I intend to make something that will make use of your magic power, Rune-san."
"Then I feel reassured!"
"Yes. I will make sure it is safe."
"Thank you very much."
"No, thank you. I look forward to working with you."
Rune and I bowed to each other.
Good, I had her permission.
I would attach magic-powered wings and ribbons that could move like tentacles to Rune's clothes.
"Thor-sama really is such a kind person. To think you would consider Rune-san's needs so carefully..."
Agnis was wiping at her eyes as if moved.
As for Mabel... yes. It seemed she understood what I was thinking.
She was nodding as though satisfied, after all.
While we were talking, it seemed Soleil had finished getting dressed, and then──
"S-sorry to keep you waiting, Alchemist-sama..."
──When I turned around, Soleil, wearing Light Magic-Woven Fabric clothes, was floating in the air.
She was beautiful.
Her long platinum-blonde hair swayed like wings.
Perhaps she was nervous, because her shoulders were trembling slightly.
But her large eyes were looking straight at me.
"Nice to meet you, Alchemist-sama. I am Soleil, a Light Pixie."
Soleil said this and bowed her head.
Bathed in the light from above, her white skin seemed to glow faintly.
She was wearing the Light Magic-Woven Fabric clothes Mabel and Agnis had made.
They became transparent when magic power passed through them, but the two of them had transformed them into 'clothes that were not too see-through.' They seemed to function as clothing by concealing her body.
In particular, the chest and waist, which were covered with layer upon layer of ribbons and folds, were not transparent at all. As expected of Mabel and Agnis. They were very skillful.
"I'm sorry it took me so long to thank you. Thank you very much for the bath and clothes."
Soleil bowed again.
Every time she moved, the skirt and ribbons changed their shapes and positions.
They were just like extra wings.
Just as Rune had said, it seemed she could move the clothes with her own will.
"Nice to meet you. I am Thor Kanan, the Alchemist. These are my companions, Mabel and Agnis."
When I introduced them, Mabel and Agnis bowed their heads.
Then I looked at Soleil and said,
"First, could you tell me what you thought of the 'Footbath'? I am planning to make a 'Bubbly Bath' for large-bodied demons and demi-humans, so I would like to know what it feels like to soak your whole body in the 'Footbath.'"
"Um, er..."
Soleil looked down shyly, then said,
"You see, my head was always hot, and I had a fever. I knew it was because there was too much Light magic power, and it could not flow properly through my body. I used to bathe in the river to circulate it, but..."
"It would soon return to normal, right?"
"Yes. But when I entered the bath the Alchemist-sama made... the heat that had gathered in one place... spread through every corner of my body, little by little. My whole body grew warm... The magic power spread everywhere, and the pain... disappeared."
Soleil murmured this with a gesture like a prayer.
"And even after I waited for a while, it did not return."
"Huh? But Rune-san said you were getting into the 'Footbath' every few dozen minutes..."
"I was afraid that if I stopped bathing, it would come back. But..."
Soleil shook her semitransparent wings and floated gently upward.
Then she moved the Light Magic-Woven Fabric clothes like auxiliary wings and whizzed around me.
After that, she stopped in front of me again.
"I think I am probably all right now. I can fly properly like this. That is how I feel."
"Please don't overdo it. Use the 'Footbath' regularly. If anything changes, report it immediately. I'll provide user support, after all."
"Y-yes, I understand."
"How are the clothes?"
"These clothes... feel like a part of me."
Soleil said this while pinching the hem of her clothes.
"Magic power flows through them so easily. I don't feel their weight at all. I can move the skirt to catch the wind, or flatten it and use it to change direction. They are very convenient."
"So they have made your body feel better."
"Yes. All I can do is thank you, Alchemist-sama..."
I see.
As expected, Magic-Woven Fabric clothes had an incredible effect on Pixies.
I could more or less guess why.
The Pixies sensed the flow of the wind by channeling magic power through their leaf clothes.
Leaves varied in hardness and thickness, and at best they could wrap them around their bodies for protection; they could not move them freely.
But Magic-Woven Fabric was light and soft. Its thickness was uniform, too.
On top of that, it conducted magic power of their own attributes particularly well.
If they could make leaves part of their bodies, they should be able to do the same with Magic-Woven Fabric.
That was probably why they could move it freely and use it as extra wings while flying.
"...Thor-sama."
Before I knew it, Mabel was tugging on my sleeve.
"May I speak with you for a moment, Thor-sama?"
"What's wrong, Mabel?"
"Ultimately, you intend to give clothes to every Pixie, don't you, Thor-sama?"
"Yes. If possible."
I didn't know how many Pixies there were, so giving clothes to all of them might not be possible.
But if I got permission from Demon Lord Lukie, she might send craftspeople to make the clothes.
If that happened, all I would have to do was make the Magic-Woven Fabric.
It only involved imbuing the fabric with the Light, Dark, Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind attributes, so it was not especially difficult to make.
If I received a large piece of cloth and imbued it with attributes, I could turn it into a large piece of Magic-Woven Fabric all at once.
Then all I had to do was cut it up and turn it into clothes...
Even if I can't give clothes to everyone, I think I could manage a hundred or two hundred.
"Then the Pixies would be able to live ordinary lives in the Demon Lord's Territory, wouldn't they?"
"Yes. They are shy, so they might not be able to appear in front of people right away. But I think they could start working and living normally, don't you?"
"And Magic-Woven Fabric clothes would help them fly, too, right?"
"Yes. It seems they can use them as extra wings."
"I thought so. Soleil-san looked like flying was much easier for her..."
Mabel's expression turned serious.
"Then if you gave clothes to the Pixies, many of them would gain the same abilities as Soleil-san, wouldn't they?"
"They would."
"That would mean you were evolving the Pixies' abilities and way of life with your own hands, wouldn't it?"
"...Yes."
"In other words, wouldn't that mean you were evolving an entire race...?"
...She might be right.
"But that isn't my power. Magic-Woven Fabric was originally based on the Hero World's 'body pillow,' after all."
I said this.
"Magic-Woven Fabric is made from the Hero World's 'body pillow.' In other words, it would not be an exaggeration to call Magic-Woven Fabric an item from the Hero World, too."
"...Oh."
Mabel put a hand to her chin and thought.
"That is true. If the 'body pillow' exists, then its material, Magic-Woven Fabric, must exist in the Hero World, too."
"Yes. In that case, it is possible that the Hero wore Magic-Woven Fabric clothes."
"The Hero wore clothes made of this material?"
"There is no record of it, though. But if you think about it that way, it explains the Hero's quick movements and superhuman reactions. There was that swordsman who was said to be able to see behind himself, wasn't there?"
"Yes. There is a legend that he cut down a monster coming from behind without even turning around."
"Yes. That was the Hero in that legend."
I nodded.
"In other words, perhaps the Hero channeled magic power through his clothes, like a Pixie, making them part of himself... or, in other words, a sensory organ."
"For example, using Magic-Woven Fabric in a cloak to turn it into a sensory organ?"
"Yes. That might have let him sense his opponent's presence and react with superhuman speed."
"...That would certainly explain why there were heroes with superhuman reactions."
Mabel took my hand and nodded in agreement.
"If Magic-Woven Fabric works like that, then changing the way the Pixies live may be unavoidable."
"Because it is an item from the Hero World."
That was precisely why Chancellor Kelv-san had told me to obtain permission before spreading it.
If I carelessly spread Magic-Woven Fabric, it might make its way even to the Empire.
Chancellor Kelv-san had thought that far ahead when he handed me the application form.
He was an incredible man with remarkable foresight.
I was glad the chancellor was on our side.
"For now, I think I will start by having a few Pixies use Magic-Woven Fabric."
"Yes. Pixie clothes do not require very much fabric, after all."
"Small pieces of Magic-Woven Fabric don't have much use otherwise."
Mabel and I looked at each other and nodded.
Agnis and Rune were still taking measurements for the clothes. Soleil was helping them.
Soleil flew energetically back and forth between the two of them.
In that case... perhaps it would be all right to ask her.
"Actually, I have a favor to ask you, Soleil-san."
I looked at Soleil, the Light Pixie, and said this.
She flew over to me.
"First, could you take a look at this?"
I took a 'UV-Cut Parasol' out of the 'Super-Miniature Simple Storage.'
I opened the pure-white parasol and placed it at the base of a tree.
"I am researching the Holy Sword, and as part of that research, I made a 'Parasol That Blocks Light Attack Magic.'"
"A parasol that blocks Light attack magic... something like that exists?!"
Soleil stared at the pure-white parasol in astonishment.
Rune did the same.
From the branches above us came the voices of the other Pixies. They were all surprised. In fact, some of them seemed to be seeing a parasol itself for the first time. Some were asking, "A vehicle?" and "A house?" I suppose it could serve as a vehicle or a house from a Pixie's perspective.
We had originally come all the way here looking for someone who could use Light magic.
We had nearly given up because Soleil, the one who could use it, was sickly, but now that she was feeling better, there was no harm in discussing it with her.
I decided to continue explaining.
"This is a copy of an item from the Hero World. We have already confirmed that it can extinguish the light from a magic lamp. But we cannot test whether it can really block Light attack magic, because there is no one nearby who can use Light magic."
"So that is what you meant when you said you needed Light magic...?"
Soleil nodded as though she understood.
"Rune told me why you needed Soleil. You wanted the Light magic user to cooperate with you."
"Yes. Of course, it is fine to wait until you are feeling better."
I said this.
"I would like you to use one strong attack spell. Would you be willing to do that?"
"Of course I will."
Soleil floated gently in front of me.
Then, just as Rune had done, she kissed me lightly on the forehead.
"I am still not feeling well enough... But once I feel a little better... I will certainly come to your side. And I will stay with you until you are satisfied, not just for one shot, Alchemist-sama."
"Thank you. That would be a great help."
"And... I am still embarrassed, but I think I will get used to having my bare skin seen. Once that happens, I will stay with you until you are satisfied──"
"Please wait. That is a separate matter."
I hurriedly stopped Soleil, who seemed to have made up her mind about something.
I was curious about the Pixies' beauty, but... well, never mind for now.
In any case, this meant we could test the 'UV-Cut Parasol.'
Once Soleil came, I would have General Raizenga attend the experiment, too.
To be safe, I should probably inform Lukie as well.
I would have them send a letter along with the application.
I had written the application for Chancellor Kelv-san in the carriage.
I could write the letter here.
As for the clothes for the Pixies who would deliver it... Mabel and Agnis had already begun preparing to make them.
One outfit would be for Rune. Since she was also our negotiator, giving her clothes would make things easier in many ways.
The other two outfits would depend on who agreed to deliver the letter.
I would ask who wanted to do it.
"As I said earlier, I would like you to deliver a letter to the castle."
I said this while looking up beyond the branches.
"I would like to ask two Pixies to do it. Would anyone be willing to──"
"Thor-sama?!"
"Those are dangerous words, Thor Kanan-sama!"
I instinctively looked toward Mabel and Agnis.
They were pointing above us.
...Oh no. I had said something careless.
The moment I realized my slip and looked up at the branches──
"We'll be glad to help!"
A large number of Pixies came rushing down at me from directly overhead.
First, I peeled off the Pixies who clung to me, crawled all over me, or burrowed into my clothes──
Then I woke the ones who had somehow fallen asleep in my pockets──
And I pulled off the ones trying to climb into the 'Super-Miniature Simple Storage' (That was a hassle.)──
In the end, I handed the application and letter to two Pixies.
The two who had been given brand-new clothes danced happily around us, then flew off toward the castle. Several Pixies in leaf clothes followed them.
Their flight speeds were different.
The Pixies wearing leaf clothes were falling behind those wearing Magic-Woven Fabric clothes. As expected, turning Magic-Woven Fabric into extra wings really made a difference...
After that, we gave Rune her clothes and headed for the forest exit.
Rune promised to visit us from time to time.
Soleil said she would come for the experiment once her condition stabilized.
And so Mabel, Agnis, and I left the western forest while a large number of Pixies saw us off.
"I wonder if Lukie-sama and Chancellor Kelv will approve the clothes."
"I think Her Majesty will approve them, but the chancellor... It may be difficult."
"I will ask Father to send a letter to the castle as well."
While discussing this, we returned to General Raizenga's mansion.
All that remained was to await Lukie and Chancellor Kelv's decision.