Manowa 362

 Chapter 362 - Let's Sense an Abnormality


◎ Lindo Kingdom, Trade City Uumin, Anglais' Mansion, Anglais' Room


『For that reason, it seems that girl is going to stay the night at the Summoning Institute today.』


When the white cat Elizabeth returned to the mansion, she reported the situation at the Summoning Institute to her master.

It was currently dusk. The period of time when the city was dyed red.


「I see. She was carrying around a sealed Magic Life Stone? She's a deeply interesting girl.」

After Elizabeth spoke, Anglais leaned back in his chair, which creaked and rocked as he laughed.

「Such is life. After all, I wouldn't be able to obtain one. How much do you think one would sell for?」

Anglais asked Ougi, who was also present, but Ougi shrugged his shoulders. After all, it didn't appear on the market, and there was no way it would.

「Well, if a merchant like Anglais-dono doesn't know, there's no way I would know. However, if the Magic Life Stone became a crystal, it may be due to the power of her『Crystallization』Skill.」

「I see. A girl possessing a strange number of『Skills』? Which means, she has ones similar to your『Mind's Eye: Acme』mixed in?」

After Anglais' words, Ougi nodded.

「I don't know if her other Skills are equivalent to my Unique Skill. However, I『saw』that the other player Yumika-san's number of Skills was about average for a normal player.」

『Kazane-chan seems to be a child with many and various secrets. She also took out a strange carriage.』

「As I thought, I want to entice her into Messi Firm at all costs, but...」

『You should stop. All your efforts to achieve your current position might essentially come to naught.』

Elisabeth so replied to Anglais' words. Then she yawned Kuaa.

「What do you mean?」

『Whether that girl desires it or not, it doesn't feel like her value fits into the framework of a company. I think it will be swallowed up or changed into something else. Surely the likes of the original owner will be left behind.』

After Elizabeth spoke like she was making a prophecy, Anglais made a vexed expression. She wasn't cute. In short, she told him that he wouldn't be able to hold Kazane's reins. There was no way that would be pleasant.


「Ougi, surely you don't... mm?」


Anglais couldn't come up with a counterargument, so he asked his partner for help while turning his gaze towards Ougi and away from Elizabeth like he was running away, but Ougi's closed eyes were gazing out the window as he concentrated while completely ignoring Anglais and Elizabeth. Seeing his state, Anglais and Elizabeth's expressions turned serious.


「What's wrong?」

「There's a strange sign outside. Something is happening.」


After he was questioned by Anglais, Ougi said that without changing the direction he was facing.


「What?」


Anglais replied quizzically, but he didn't doubt Ougi's perception. Even if nothing was happening at the present point, Ougi's『Mind's Eye: Acme』Skill could predict phenomena to a certain extent by seeing the flow of entropy.

It was a Unique Skill that manifested in Ougi, who had lost his eyesight. It had a wide range of abilities, such as future prediction, ability appraisal, and the same visual acuity as if his eyes could actually see. Though since the pseudo-vision he had acquired had a field of view that was the same as if he was looking with actual eyes, he couldn't see anything his face wasn't turned towards, but that would be the case for ordinary eyesight as well.

In other words, while Ougi was blind, his Skill made his eyes able to see to the same degree as ordinary humans. And he could also see information beyond what ordinary vision could, which was also displayed in his Status Window.


「Elizabeth, don’t leave Anglais-dono's side. Something is strange.」

『Okey-dokey.』


Among their tense expressions, Elizabeth alone was still visibly calm, which was likely due to her personality.

Then Ougi's『Mind's Eye: Acme』Skill grasped the true character of the uncomfortable feeling that was currently occurring. That true character was……


「The mansion's second warehouse... the Black Potions!?」


At the same time as those words, a corner of the mansion exploded.



◎ Lindo Kingdom, Trade City Uumin, Tranza Hotel


「Huh? Louise-san, where is master?」

Yumika, who had returned from the communal bath with Tiara, confirmed that Jinrai wasn't in the room, then questioned Louise, who was drinking tea alone.


「He was crying a lot until a short while ago, so he got tired and fell asleep.」

『What a child-like guy.』

Mefirus, who was relaxing on the sofa, so responded to Louise's words.

「Oh? Such places are cute.」

『Hah, even now, I can't understand the sensibility of women.』

「Are you jealous?」

『Stop talking nonsense.』

After Louise's words, Mefirus turned to the side in a huff. It seemed his feelings were hurt. However, while the contents were a former king and grandpa, the outward appearance was a juvenile Griffon. He was peerlessly adorable. Louise stroked Mefirus head while saying「Oh my, gramps. Are you angry?」

Louise stroked Mefirus' head for a while, and after Mefirus sighed「Fuoo」and relaxed, Louise suddenly remembered something and spoke.


「By the way, a moment ago, was there a strange sound?」


Yumika tilted her head after those words.

「Strange sound? No, it seems the bathhouse is quite soundproof.」

「Is that so? I wonder if it was in my imagination.」

It seemed Louise wasn't certain either. Mefirus was deeply breathing「FuuーFuuー」


「Grandfather, are you okay?」

『Fu, Tiara. I'm okay. No problem.』


Although Mefirus said that, he was limp with an ecstatic expression on his face.

Then Louise said「Well, enough about that」and changed the topic.


「Kazane isn't coming back today?」

「Indeed. It seems Yuuko-nee's evolution itself won't take that long, but she said in her reply that she was going to let her rest this evening and assess her state there.」

「Is that so. The Summoning Institute, huh? Perhaps Tiara and I should go take a look tomorrow. I think there will be something she can learn.」

「Yes. I agree.」

Tiara smiled and nodded at Louise's suggestion. The harder she worked, the faster she would master her power. While Tiara was also surprised at her own growth, she came this far by never being negligent in her daily efforts. Naturally, in muscle training as well.

At Kazane Magic Hot Spring, Kazane seemed surprised at Tiara's growth. Tiara didn't forget Kazane's surprised expression. Consequently, Tiara became even more motivated to work hard. Naturally, in muscle training as well.


At that time. The door to the interior room opened.


「Huh? Master?」


Yumika was surprised as she looked at the person who came out of the interior room. It was, of course, Jinrai himself, but that wasn't what surprised Yumika.


「Why are you equipped for combat?」

Jinrai had his white and black dragonfang spears equipped and was wearing the Wardance Battlesuit he obtained on the floating island as well as the usual Indestructible Cloak.


「Look outside. Something's strange.」


As prompted by Jinrai's eyes, which were bright red after he had cried his eyes out, Yumika and the others looked outside, and under the twilight sky, they saw smoke rising here and there throughout the city. Although, since it was suppertime, the fact that smoke was rising wasn't unnatural in itself, but the smoke from divisions near the city's slums was strange. Judging from appearances, it looked like billowing black smoke from a conflagration. And the same type of smoke could be seen in the direction of the entertainment district.


「I wonder what's going on.」


Louise, who was looking out the window from behind Yumika, said that with a tense expression. Louise and the others were currently on the 4th floor, the top floor of the hotel. In addition, this hotel was a purveyor to the upper class, so it was surrounded by mansions where aristocrats and the like resided.


Then,


「Is there also smoke from the direction of Anglais-san's mansion?」


Yumika said that. If it was only in one place, it could be considered a conflagration. However, when it was from very different places like the entertainment district and the area around Anglais' mansion... something was strange.

「The bells aren't ringing.」


Jinrai murmured.

After he said that, Louise and Mefirus' eyes opened wide.


Normally, if an abnormality occurred somewhere in the city, bells would ring to inform the people. The ringing interval would also notify them about what kind of situation was occurring, but at the present point, that wasn't happening.

And the bells themselves were arranged in several places in the city, so the locations of the problems should also be clear. But that wasn't happening.

In addition, there were also ones installed at the city's guard stations and the like. What did it mean that even those weren't ringing... when Jinrai and the others pondered that, a bell rang in one place.


「Oh, it rang.」


Louise made a relieved expression, but when it continued to ring without pause, her face stiffened.

「What is it?」

Yumika wondered after she saw Louise's reaction. When she looked, Tiara also had a pale face.

「Is that so? You didn't know. Well, that's understandable.」

Normally, one would learn the meaning of the different bell sounds as a child. So Jinrai told her.


「A bell ringing without any intervals means『attack』. Everyone, prepare for battle. Yumika, contact Kazane. If Yuuko-nee can't move, then we'll have to go to them.」



Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Summoning Fighter

Title: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer, High Beast Summoner, Rea King, Liberator

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Draghorn Tonfa x2, Dragon Eating Ogre Army Armor (True), Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Aim Bracelet, White Magic Accumulator (Revised) ×2, Rainbow Necklace, Rainbow Dragon Ring, Angel Bracelet

Level : 38

Health: 152+20

Magic Power: 340+520

Strength: 72+45

Agility: 78+39

Endurance: 43+20

Wisdom : 75

Dexterity : 51

Spell : 『Fly』『Torch』『Fire』『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』『Golden Dusk「Dragon Exclusive」』『Mirror Shield』『Rabbit Speed』『Flare Mirage』

Skill : 『Kick Devil』『Warrior's Memory: Lv2』『Night Vision』『Crushing Blow』『Dog's Sense of Smell: Lv2』『Golem Maker: Lv4』『Aegis Shield』『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』『Air Jump: Lv2』『Killing Leg: Lv3』『Fear Voice』『Invisible』『Tiger Eye』『Wall Walking』『Intuition: Lv2』『Cheat Death』『Nimble』『Charge』『Material Shield: Lv2』『Information Link: Lv2』『Optical Camouflage』『High Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Regenerate』『Soul Breaking Blade』『Stealthy Hand Placement』『Thunder Chariot: Lv2』『Sturdier Teeth: Lv2「Dragon」』『Crystallization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Devil King's Intimidation』『Stone Minotaur: Lv2』『Mega Beam: Lv2』『Space Expansion』『Pseudo-Silver Creation』『Poison Claw』『Fireball「Dragon」』『Cuticle「Dragon」』『Arms Creation: Black Flame』『Ingredient Connoisseur: Lv2』『Dragon Pheromone「Dragon」』『Boost』『Monkey's Strong Arm』『Two-sword Style』『Boobies Plus』『Living Armor』『Alarm』『Six-sword Style』『Mental Attack Complete Protection』『Spider Web』『Wire Cutter』『Flexible』



Kazane:「UーUー」

Yumika:「Warning! Warning!」