Chapter 84
──Thor's Perspective──
"Grand Duke Riistan... The person who was the Sword Saint after my grandfather..."
As I soaked in the bath at my workshop, I murmured to myself.
The 'Bubbly Bath' feels great.
It is especially pleasant when I spend a long time soaking in lukewarm water.
It feels as though the fatigue is melting away and my mind is becoming clearer.
By the way, the 'Safety System' is turned off.
That is because the pixies sometimes bathe in our bath.
When I made the 'Mysterious Light' conceal the bodies of the ten flying pixies, the light kept flickering in my field of vision while I was bathing, making it impossible to relax. (That was Mabel and Agnis's opinion.)
Besides, generating light and steam in response to the pixies' movements consumed an enormous amount of magic power.
So I made it possible to turn the system on and off as needed.
Of course, the bath at the trading post has the 'Safety System' on at all times.
Apparently, Princess Sofia has come several times since then to use the bath.
Thanks to that, the people of 'Noza Town' have begun competing to apply to participate in the trading post.
It was almost as if Princess Sofia had guaranteed that the trading post was safe.
"The trading post is proceeding smoothly, but... what will happen if the former Sword Saint comes here...?"
Princess Sofia had said that the Grand Duke might come to investigate the demon beasts.
The Grand Duke's name was Karon Riistan.
He had been the Sword Saint after my grandfather and was also Barga Rigas's teacher.
However, I had never met Grand Duke Karon.
By the time I was old enough to remember things, my father had already stopped being the Grand Duke's disciple, and my grandfather was an alcoholic. Since I had no combat Skills, I had never had an opportunity to meet the former Sword Saint, the Grand Duke.
So all I knew about Grand Duke Karon were rumors.
"In any case, we should stay on our guard."
If the Grand Duke was anything like my father, he might worsen the relationship between 'Noza Town' and the Demon Lord's territory.
All the Imperial nobles I knew were the sort of people who thought strength was everything.
I did feel like meeting him to find out what kind of person he was, though──
"More importantly, shouldn't we hurry up and capture the people who used Summoning Magic?"
If the Grand Duke came, his purpose would be to investigate the new species of demon beast.
In that case, we could capture the culprit behind the demon beast summoning first and send them to the Imperial capital.
Then the Grand Duke would have no reason to come here.
No, I did want to see the swordsmanship of the former Sword Saint. But I hadn't had a very good impression of Princess Liana, the Sacred Sword Princess, either.
...This was difficult.
...Thor-sama. May I speak with you for a moment?"
Mabel's voice came from the changing room.
"I apologize for disturbing you while you are bathing... A letter has arrived from His Majesty the Demon Lord. It is urgent."
"From Lukie-sama?"
"Y-yes. What should we do?"
"I understand. I'll get out right away."
"No, the letter says that will not be necessary."
"...It does?"
"Yes. It says, 'Knowing Thor, he may be conducting an experiment with a magic item. Or perhaps he has finished working and is relaxing. There is no need for him to prepare himself or act formally. Thor may simply listen to the contents of the letter as he is.'"
"...As expected of Lukie-sama."
"S-since that is His Majesty's will, I believe I should... comply with it as well. So, um... Thor-sama..."
"I understand, but I can't very well listen to the contents of the letter while I'm in here, can I?"
"...I-is that so?"
"I'm Lukie-sama's alchemist, after all. I have to observe proper etiquette."
"...I understand. If that is what you say, Thor-sama."
"I'll be out soon. Mabel, wait for me in the living room."
"Huh?"
"Why are you surprised?"
"...N-no, I understand. I will wait here..."
Her footsteps grew distant.
I should hurry to the living room, too.
"...I have been waiting for you, Thor-sama."
Mabel said, wearing a swimsuit.
She was wearing a one-piece swimsuit made from Water Magic-Woven Cloth. It was light blue, and it suited Mabel's fair skin very well.
She had tied her silver hair behind her neck with a ribbon.
She looked as though she were about to head for a body of water. It was a little different from her usual appearance, but she was cute.
"But why are you dressed like that?"
"Please do not say anything..."
Mabel's face turned bright red, and she looked away.
Seeing her expression, I somehow understood.
Mabel had probably intended to enter the bath just as she was.
Lukie's letter had said, 'Thor may simply listen to the contents of the letter as he is.'
She must have intended to read the letter aloud to me while I soaked in the tub.
That explained why she was wearing a swimsuit that could get wet.
...She could have just told me.
"In that case, I will read the letter aloud."
"...Yeah. Please do."
"'To my loyal subordinate, the alchemist Thor Canaan:'"
Mabel said this while pressing a hand to her trembling chest.
"'A letter has arrived from Princess Sofia Dolgaria. Princess Liana is coming here from the Imperial capital to investigate the demon beasts.'"
"Princess Liana?"
"'When Princess Sofia sent a letter to her younger sister, she apparently received that reply.'"
"That makes sense... Princess Liana has visited the Demon Lord's territory before, and she has experience subjugating the 'Gargalossa Demon Beast.' She would be a suitable person to put in charge of the demon beast investigation... I see."
"'Furthermore, a major figure from the Empire will be accompanying her. He is someone entrusted with part of the Empire's territory, and apparently he was the former Sword Saint. His name is'... Please wait. The handwriting is a little messy──"
"...Let me see that, Mabel."
I moved to Mabel's side.
Mabel held the letter aloft with her white arm and nodded repeatedly.
Her bare white nape was dazzling. But that aside──
"As I thought. Grand Duke Karon Riistan... He's coming here?"
"Th-Thor-sama..."
"Sorry. Mabel, don't move. Um..."
Lukie's handwriting was a little messy. She must have been shaken by the arrival of the former Sword Saint as well.
That was only natural.
The title of Sword Saint had once been bestowed upon heroes from another world, after all.
The kings and emperors of that era had granted various titles to the heroes summoned from another world.
Of all those titles, the one the heroes liked best was the title of Sword Saint.
Apparently, it had also been a popular title in their world.
The Sword Saint who attacked the Demon Lord's territory back then was one of the otherworldly heroes.
After the heroes left, the title of Sword Saint came to be given to the strongest person in the Empire.
It was only natural for Lukie to be wary when someone who had held that title was coming here.
"So that's why Lukie's handwriting is a little shaky. She must have gripped her pen too tightly. I suppose it's only natural. The heroes who held the title of Sword Saint relentlessly attacked demonfolk and demi-humans..."
"...Um, Thor-sama."
"Hm?"
"May I continue reading...?"
"...Huh?"
I realized that I had pressed myself against Mabel and was peering at the letter.
Her nape had turned bright red, and sweat was trickling down her neck.
"S-sorry. I just..."
"N-no, it is fine. I was only a little surprised..."
"I'll listen properly. Please continue."
I returned to my original position and sat back down in the chair.
Mabel, still wearing her swimsuit, pressed a hand to her chest and took a deep breath. Then──
"'Grand Duke Karon Riistan and the Sacred Sword Princess, Liana Dolgaria, are coming to investigate the new species of demon beast. The investigation will most likely take place on the Imperial side. I do not think they will come to the Demon Lord's territory, but we should remain on our guard, as the person who summoned the demon beast has not yet been found.'"
"...Right."
"...The culprit has still not been found, then?"
We had discovered the magic circle used for summoning.
However, the mages who had used that Summoning Magic had not yet been found.
The investigation team had put the robe they left behind into the 'Magic Detector' and traveled around the area near the border, but it had not reacted.
That meant the caster was probably somewhere in the Imperial border region.
That was assuming the caster still intended to summon another demon beast near the border.
"'Therefore, I proposed to Princess Sofia that we conduct another joint investigation of the area near the border.'"
Mabel read the rest of the letter aloud.
"'Princess Sofia accepted willingly. She said she would discuss the matter with her subordinate, Isaac Omawari-san Mueller. It will most likely proceed smoothly.'"
"So this is meant to happen before the Grand Duke comes here."
"Yes. That is what His Majesty wrote."
"Indeed. That may be for the best."
"Do you think the Imperial unit commander will accept the proposal?"
"I think he will. Isaac-san will probably want to achieve results before the people above him arrive, too. If he can present the culprit directly to the Grand Duke, it will count as an achievement for him as well."
"Amazing. His Majesty and Thor-sama have thought things through so thoroughly..."
"So, what am I supposed to do?"
"'As a precaution, I want you to make five 'UV-Cut Parasols,'' he says."
"I see. Princess Liana wields the Sacred Sword of Light, after all."
"Can the light from the Sacred Sword really block ultraviolet rays?"
"It can. Or rather, I'll make it able to."
"It seems His Majesty intends for the soldiers entering Imperial territory to carry them."
"A countermeasure in case Princess Liana becomes our enemy. But what about the Grand Duke?"
"Nothing in particular was written about him. We have no information about him in the Demon Lord's territory..."
"I'll tell Lukie-sama what I know about him. I don't know very much, though──"
When I had lived in the Empire, I had heard at least a few rumors.
Some nobles of my generation had received instruction from the Grand Duke.
They used to boast about having seen the Grand Duke's swordsmanship. If I remembered correctly──
"They say that Grand Duke Karon Riistan can cut down an enemy by sensing their presence."
"By sensing their presence?"
"Yes. Apparently, he can detect the presence of anyone who poses a threat by feel. The moment that person enters his striking range, he can cut them down. He used to wield a greatsword with both hands, but now he uses a single-edged sword in one hand. That probably makes him faster."
"He truly is an incredibly strong person."
"Probably. He is in a completely different league from my father, at least."
The Grand Duke was stronger than my father──and stronger than Princess Liana, for that matter.
In close combat, he was probably among the strongest in the Empire.
I wanted to believe there would be no fighting.
But I had to consider measures for the unlikely event that it happened.
What could I do to protect Lukie...? Come to think of it, I had kept putting off making a magic sword.
I should use this opportunity to make a Prototype.
Something that would work in close combat──or even at medium range.
Even if Lukie never had to use it, keeping it on hand might help her feel secure.
"There is a little more to the letter."
Mabel took a deep breath and continued.
"'In addition to making the UV-Cut Parasols, Thor should meet with Princess Sofia. She may be shaken by the arrival of her younger sister and the Grand Duke. Support her. And Thor, you need not trouble yourself over the Grand Duke.'"
"...Huh?"
"'I hear that the Sword Saint before last was your grandfather. The Grand Duke may also know about you. However, you are already free from the ties of your family. You are the alchemist of the Demon Lord's territory and my cherished subordinate. I will determine what sort of person the Grand Duke is. You need not worry about him.' That is what it says."
After finishing the letter, Mabel smiled gently.
"His Majesty truly cares about you, Thor-sama."
"...Yeah. I'm grateful."
She had even taken my family circumstances into consideration and gone out of her way for me.
There was absolutely no superior like that in the Empire.
Lukie was also thinking about Princess Sofia.
She cared about my relationship with Princess Sofia, too.
Lukie really was amazing.
"As for me... I don't care about my family anymore."
"...You do not?"
"Mabel is by my side, and there are people I respect, like Agnis, General Raizenga, and Chancellor Kelv-san. I don't know what kind of person the Grand Duke is, but the people of the Demon Lord's territory are my priority."
I was the Demon Lord's alchemist, after all.
If the Demon Lord's territory needed it, I was willing to meet Grand Duke Karon.
Still, the best outcome would be to settle everything before the Grand Duke and Princess Liana arrived.
For now, I should meet Princess Sofia and discuss things with her first.
"Then I'll write a reply to Lukie-sama."
"Yes, Thor-sama. I──"
"The bath is still warm, so why don't you go in?"
"I-I suppose I will."
"...I made you give your report while still wearing your swimsuit, after all."
Mabel had been wearing a swimsuit made from Water Magic-Woven Cloth the whole time.
I did not think she was cold, but since I had gone to the trouble of heating the bath, it would be better for her to use it.
"I understand. By the way, Thor-sama..."
"What is it?"
"Your hair is still wet. There is foam on it, too."
When she pointed it out, I touched my hair... and she was right.
That was because I had hurried out of the bath.
"Knowing you, Thor-sama, you were so concerned about His Majesty's letter that you did not dry yourself properly, were you?"
"It wasn't like that."
"Your cuffs are damp."
"You notice everything."
"Managing Thor-sama's health is my responsibility."
Mabel put her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest.
"S-so I have a proposal."
"A proposal?"
"S-since you are going to meet an Imperial princess, I think you should make sure you are properly groomed. So... I, Mabel Refrain, will wash your back for you!"
Mabel raised her voice.
She seemed to be at her limit.
"There is a swimsuit for you, too. I want to wash your back, wash your hair, and arrange it for you... Is that all right?"
"Um..."
"...Thor-sama?"
"...Please."
I surrendered.
It was true that I usually just washed myself quickly and got out.
If I was going to meet Princess Sofia, I should make sure I was properly clean.
I had a swimsuit, and if I turned on the 'Bubbly Bath Safety System' just in case, there would be no problem.
"Thank you. Th-then, I look forward to your cooperation, Thor-sama."
"L-likewise."
Mabel and I looked at each other and bowed.
What was this?
"......"
"Huh?" "Ah..."
When I noticed, two pixies were watching Mabel and me.
Come to think of it, I had asked them to manage the fire.
Since Agnis was absent today, I had asked the fire pixie and wind pixie to help heat the bath.
I had promised to let them use the 'Bubbly Bath' later.
The two of them had been in the area where the bathwater was heated.
...I had completely forgotten about them while I was absorbed in Lukie's letter.
"Mabel-sama is going to bathe with the alchemist-sama? Is it passionate?"
"The swimsuits are cute. We want some, too!"
"............Ugh."
"...Um."
Under their clear, innocent gazes, Mabel and I lowered our heads.
No, it was not as though I had been thinking of anything strange. We had only intended for her to wash my body.
...What was this? It was incredibly embarrassing.
"We want to wash the alchemist-sama, too! We'll do our best!"
"We'll make it bubbly to thank you for everything!"
The pixies tugged at my clothes.
Mabel and I looked at each other again, then smiled──
"...If that's what you want."
"...Then let us do it together."
"Yay!"
And so, we headed to the bathing room.
Mabel washed my back, while the pixies washed my hair.
...I felt fresher than when I washed myself. I had been extremely nervous, though.
Afterward, I returned to my room and wrote a reply to Lukie.
I wrote that I would make and send the 'UV-Cut Parasols' immediately; the information I knew about Grand Duke Karon; that my father had been the Grand Duke's disciple; that he had been dismissed soon afterward; and that I would arrange a meeting with Princess Sofia.
"...Maybe I shouldn't mention the magic sword."
Lukie had told me not to worry about the Grand Duke, after all.
Besides, there was no guarantee that I would be able to make a perfect item. As an alchemist, I wanted to make a proper Prototype, confirm that it worked, and only then report it.
Furthermore, the item I was about to make was not so much a countermeasure against the Grand Duke or Princess Liana as something to use against the Summoning Magic caster.
The people who had summoned the demon beast were probably hiding in the border region.
They might summon another dangerous demon beast. My magic items had worked against the 'Gargalossa Demon Beast' and the 'Giant Centipede,' but there was no guarantee they would work next time.
We should prepare countermeasures before the investigation team set out.
It would be nice to have a weapon that was easy to use.
If possible, I wanted it to be something that could only be made in the Demon Lord's territory.
If it used materials found only here, the Empire should be unable to reproduce it.
For now, Lukie's instructions took priority. Tomorrow, I would make the 'UV-Cut Parasols.'
After that, I would contact Princess Sofia and arrange a meeting.
I would think about the new magic item after that.