Chapter 7
The castle's water source was underground.
Apparently, there was a clean underground water vein, and they pumped water up from it.
The tea I'd drunk earlier had been made by boiling water from here, too.
"I'll explain how to use it."
"Yes."
"But why is there an audience?"
In addition to Mabel and me, the blue-haired chancellor-san was at the water-drawing area.
"I wanted to see your item for myself."
The chancellor-san—apparently named Kelv—said so, narrowing his eyes.
Well, whatever.
I drew water from the underground stream and poured it into the 'Footbath.'
Next, I infused the Fire Magic Stone with magic power and waited several minutes.
"...Steam is coming out of the tub."
"Then, Mabel-san, please put your feet in here."
I carried the 'Footbath' beneath the stairs.
Mabel-san sat on a step and removed her shoes and thick socks.
Her slender feet and toes were revealed.
Mabel-san had been rubbing her feet together to warm them, but then she put them into the 'Footbath'──
"...Ah. It's warm."
"There's a Wind Magic Stone at the front of the tub. Please infuse it with magic power. That should fully activate it."
"Y-yes."
Mabel placed her fingertips against the 'Footbath.'
The next moment──
Fizzzzzzz────!
"Hau, hawawawawawawawaw!?"
Water currents and bubbles formed inside the tub.
The airflow produced by the Wind Magic Stone created fine bubbles and a powerful current inside the 'Footbath.'
The water had been warmed to a pleasant temperature by the Fire Magic Stone.
It should have been massaging Mabel's chilled feet.
"Th-this... Mmh. It's... amazing..."
"M-Mabel? Are you all right?"
"Y-yes. I'm fine."
Mabel looked at me with dreamy eyes.
"It's warm and feels so good... My whole body is getting nice and toasty. It feels like my magic power is... circulating through my body."
"Your magic power!?"
The chancellor-san opened his eyes wide.
"Wait a moment. What Thor-dono made is one of those 'health products' from the heroes' world, correct?"
"That's right."
"Actually, the chancellor of the Demon Lord's Territory has passed down information about the heroes orally for generations. I also know a little about them."
"That's impressive."
"Y-yes. Thank you."
Chancellor Kelv gave a slight bow and continued.
"In any case, according to the oral tradition, there are no records of the heroes using a magic item called a 'health product.' I assumed that a 'health product,' just as the name suggests, was merely something that relieved fatigue... but why is it affecting Mabel's magic power as well?"
"What else would it be? It's an item from the heroes' world."
"What do you mean, what else would it be!?"
"Think about it, Chancellor Kelv-sama."
I looked Chancellor Kelv in the eyes and told him,
"Heroes were people who possessed powerful Skills and magic power, weren't they?"
They used those Skills to rebuild the human forces that had been pushed back by the demonfolk.
In the end, they drove the demonfolk back into the Demon Lord's Territory.
The heroes possessed that much power. Power beyond anything I—or even the people of the present-day Empire—could imagine. They were the very embodiment of 'the strongest.'
"There's no way an item from the heroes' world could be merely something that 'relieves fatigue.'"
"Is that really so!?"
"It probably is."
"...I don't understand. Even doctors couldn't improve the circulation of Mabel's magic power... and now an otherworldly 'health product' has fixed it..."
The chancellor-san was trembling.
I couldn't blame him for being surprised.
After all, we were witnessing the effects of an item from the heroes' world.
Even so, just how advanced had the technology of the heroes' world been?
They must have created even more incredible items.
I'm still nowhere near that level...
"...H-hauuu."
When Mabel touched the 'Footbath,' the current stopped.
"I think I'll stop here. Any longer and... my whole body will get too warm, and it will feel too good..."
"Mabel, how are you feeling?"
"Y-yes, Kelv-sama."
Mabel sat on the stairs and swung her feet back and forth.
"I feel refreshed, and it seems like my magic power is flowing more smoothly."
"Try using magic."
"Y-yes. In the name of wind and darkness──'Dark Wind'!!"
Fwoosh!!
A cold wind swept through the water-drawing area.
Ah, Chancellor-san, who had been standing in front of us, was blown away.
"...I used magic. Magic came from my hands."
Tears spilled from Mabel's eyes.
"My fellow elves called me useless because I couldn't use magic... but magic wind came from my hands... For the first time. This is the first time..."
"I see. The 'Footbath' from the heroes' world improves magic power circulation, too."
The 'Mail-Order Catalog' hadn't said anything about that.
It must have been something commonplace in the heroes' world.
Common knowledge isn't always recorded, after all.
"Thank you very much, Thor-sama!"
Squeeze.
It happened all of a sudden.
Mabel was hugging me.
Mabel-san was sitting on the stairs with her feet in the 'Footbath,' which put her slightly higher than me. When she hugged me from that position, my face ended up pressed against her breasts... Um, Mabel-san!? I can't breathe... Er.
"I've been troubled by my inability to use magic for so long. Now I can go hunt magical beasts with everyone else... I can be useful to my companions..."
Mabel's voice was thick with tears.
"Thor-sama, you are my benefactor. I will repay this debt without fail. Please... ask anything of me."
"Mmph-mmph (anything)!?"
"Yes. Thor-sama, you gave me a new possibility. So──"
"──Mabel. Thor-dono is having trouble, you know?"
Chancellor Kelv's voice came with a throat-clearing cough.
Mabel hurriedly pulled away from me.
"I-I'm sorry, Thor-sama."
"N-no, thank you."
"...What are you thanking me for?"
"Um..."
Mabel and I exchanged glances without thinking.
Then we both burst out laughing.
"In any case, Mabel-san should use this 'Footbath.'"
"No. This will be placed under His Majesty's supervision!"
Chancellor Kelv cut me off.
"But... I made it to relieve Mabel-san's sensitivity to cold."
"Of course, if Mabel wishes to use it, she will be permitted to do so."
Chancellor Kelv paused for a breath, then continued,
"However, we cannot leave an item that activates its user's magic power to an individual's discretion. If it were used by someone with ill intentions, it could upset the balance of power in the Demon Lord's Territory."
"Someone with ill intentions?"
"...Why are you surprised by that, Thor-dono?"
"I just haven't met anyone unpleasant since coming to the Demon Lord's Territory."
"There are such people. All kinds of beings live in the Demon Lord's Territory."
"I see."
There was nothing I could do. If I argued with the chancellor here, Mabel would be the one put in a difficult position.
Besides, that 'Footbath' was only a prototype.
I'd secretly make an easier-to-use one for Mabel later.
"Of course, we will purchase this item from you at an appropriate price. Would gold coins be acceptable? They're the currency of the Demon Lord's Territory, so you'll only be able to use them while you remain here... but if you prefer something else, that can be arranged as well."
"...Payment. I can get paid for something I made with alchemy...!?"
"Thor-dono?"
"I-I'm sorry. Please disregard that."
I couldn't help feeling moved.
So I would work as an alchemist and get paid for it.
That made me incredibly happy.
"Then, could I be paid in magic stones?"
"Magic stones?"
"Magic stones containing earth, water, fire, and wind magic power."
Magic stones each contain the magic power of one of the four major elements.
They were often found in nature or inside monsters.
By infusing a depleted magic stone with magic power, it could be used again.
"...What do you intend to do with the magic stones, Thor-dono?"
"I was thinking of making all sorts of useful things."
"You do know that magic stones can also serve as weapons, depending on the application?"
"Then how about I request them as needed and receive only the necessary amount?"
I knew that magic stones could be used as weapons, too.
There had even been a shield powered by magic stones in the warehouse. It had been broken, though.
"In short, I'd like an all-you-can-use magic-stone plan."
"An all-you-can-use plan?"
"The Demon Lord's Territory can use the things I make. In exchange, the Territory will provide my food, clothing, and shelter, along with magic stones and materials from the warehouse. How does that sound?"
"...Thor Rigas-dono."
"What is it, Chancellor Kelv-sama?"
"Do you truly have no objection to nonhuman beings using the things you create?"
"Why would I?"
I didn't understand what he meant.
No matter how amazing an item I made was, it would be pointless if no one used it.
"I simply want to make the things I like."
I said,
"I want different people to use what I make and tell me what they think. That way, I can find its flaws and improve it. I also want to study the items from the heroes' world and eventually create things that surpass them. That's all."
"...I understand. I will discuss this with the Demon Lord-sama."
Chancellor Kelv pressed a hand to his forehead as he answered.
"I-I understand now that your abilities are on an entirely different level. I will consult the Demon Lord-sama about how we should deal with you. For now, please get some rest. You have only just arrived in the Demon Lord's Territory, after all..."
With that, Chancellor Kelv left.