The next day I started with a routine check of the first floor.
The entire first floor of the inn was filled with automatas, all eating a porridge (the kind that has a pink color and skulls rising from it). I immediately understood that a human being will die just from trying a dish from this majestic place.
“Hey, Boss!” I approached the ‘owner’.
“Inquire. What. Is. It.”
“Do you have a way for us, stupid organic beings, to familiarize with the local landmarks?”
“Answer. Yes. Shout. Come. Here. Brat.” The automata ‘shouted’ to the kitchen. Moments later, a smaller ‘child’ machine peeked out.
“Anger. Come. Faster.”
The ‘child’ stopped by my side, and gazed at me.
“Demand. Show. The. Town. To. The. Guest.” The ‘child’ sadly glanced at the ‘owner’ and at me, before beckoning me to follow him.
Outside the inn, the automata stared at me, before starting to talk.
“Proud. This. Is. The. Center. Square. Explanation. When. The. Town. Was. Established. …” With the excursion starting, I started listening to every word I could hear.
A short sightseeing later we arrived to a crudely made statue of a human.
“Proud. Now. You. Are. Looking. At. The. Bestower’s. Statue.”
“Sorry, but this statue is a bit…” …crooked.
“Disappointment. No. Craftsman. Could. Show. His. Majesty.”
“But how do you guys even know what he looked like?”
“Explanation. A. Few. Saw. The. Bestower.” I continued asking all sorts of questions, until I knew of some automatas who saw that Bestower firsthand.
The next important place was a workshop. The ‘child’ led me inside.
“Proud. This. Is. The. Heart. Of. The. Town.”
It was a relatively large workshop with all sorts of crafting stations, including what appeared to be a magic-related table.
“Do you guys do your own magic?”
“Answer. No. All. Magic. Was. Done. By. The. Bestower.”
“All…?” I approached the table, and looked at it.
No matter how I tried, I couldn’t feel anything, but when I was about to call for one of the more skilled ladies, I remembered the analysis system I was given.
| Enchanting table |
|
A very complex magic equipment that uses the caster’s mana to infuse objects, or to craft magic equipment. Special conditions: Remote mana receiver. |
I made a note for myself to ask whether it can be used to track the Bestower. However, when I started thinking about it, this table was too small to craft automatas. There must be something else.
“Where are the other automatas crafted?”
“Answer. Behind. That. Door.” The ‘child’ led me there.
In another room I saw a large number of even more complex magic mechanisms, surrounding what looked like an operating table.
| Magic foundry |
|
This set of devices can be used to power magic dolls, golems, and mechanisms with mana during assembly. Special conditions: Remote mana receiver. |
[One more thing that may be useful.]
The tour was approaching its end, when I saw the ‘child’ approaching a small building, that was looking like a mixture of a museum, a memorial, and a shrine.
“Inspired. This. Is. The. Bestower’s. Museum. Addition. It. Contains. All. Sorts. Of. Things. He. Left. To. Us.”
The museum insides were not too exciting, and I barely saw anything of note: old socks, a completely deteriorated apple that was chewed by the Bestower, a piece of clay he stepped on, etc.
I was about to walk out, no longer interested in this place, when my eyes caught a glance of a clay tablet.
It was a simple tablet, made of dried clay. There was no need to analyze it, the entirety of information I could care for was already on its surface: it was a writing ‘Murphy Cruz was here’.
I grew interested of it only because there was a chance it is the name of the Bestower.
Thus, with the excursion ending at the inn, I hurried to the room.
‘Fwoosh’
I barged in, but instead of the combined power of the entire gang I only saw Akagi-sama and Kasumi sitting in seiza and drinking tea like old grandmas.
“You are back?” (A)
“I may have some clues, but all of them would need at least some sort of a verification.”
“Albeit bothersome…” The fox looked away.
“Even if bothersome, I’m sure you can trace what is called ‘Remote mana receiver’.” The goddess’ attention was immediately shifted back at me.
“That is indeed something interesting…” (A)
“Let’s go then!” I was about to head out, when I noticed that Kasumi didn’t even flinch.
“My apologies, but thee shalt go first. I shalt finish the tea and join thee later.” Kasumi showed no signs of going, so I started weighting all pros and cons.
“Let’s go!” I tried to lift the miko up, but the girl desperately clenched to the teacup.
“No! No! The tea time is yet to be over!” Kasumi puffed her cheeks, and stubbornly sat back.
“Fiiine… I’ll wait for you to finish…”
“I may delay thee for long, so…” (K)
‘Gulp’
I drank the entire teapot in one go, earning myself stupefied gazes from both the goddess and the miko.
“Now it’ll be much faster, right~?”
I leaned on the wall, ignoring the pouting girl’s glare.
Thanks for the chapter!