Episode 86: Final Day of the Contract
“Look, Yuma-kun, Kotaro! This Demon Ore!”
Aisha showed Yuma and the others the Demon Ore she held in her hand, as if frolicking.
“Yeah, it’s certainly huge.”
“It’s several times larger than what you ate before.”
The president and Yuma gazed at the ‘Silver’ Ore, marveling at its size.
“I won’t know for sure until I measure it accurately, but it’s more than five times larger than the previous one. I can expect a lot from its effects.”
Seeing Aisha smiling happily, the president shook his head in exasperation.
“Well, that’s enough for today. Let’s go back.”
“Yeah, I guess so. The results are sufficient.”
Aisha also agreed, and everyone decided to leave the Dungeon.
◇◇◇
At night, Yuma and the president were in a room at the hotel where they were staying.
“Ah~ I’m tired… Yuma, is your body really okay?”
The president, lying face-up on the bed in a sprawling position, called out to Yuma, who was lying face down on the next bed, his face pressed into the pillow.
“Yes, but I’m exhausted.”
“I figured.”
Normally, it would be time for training and a bath, but neither of them had the energy for it.
“What’s going to happen tomorrow, President… are we going into the Dungeon again?”
“Hmm, the contract ends the day after tomorrow, so I don’t think we’ll be going in again. I guess we’ll examine that Silver Magic Ore in detail? And that’ll be the end of it.”
“I see… I guess so.”
“We’ve worked more than we’ve been paid. I hope they’ll cut us some slack.”
Yuma and the president drifted off into a doze. The exhausted pair slept like logs in the room with the lights on.
At this time, the two of them did not yet understand.
The abnormality of the mad scientist, Aisha Kisaragi.
◇◇◇
“Okay, Yuma-kun, let’s try eating the “Silver Magic Ore” we got yesterday.”
“Eh? Ah, yes. But is it okay to do such a simple test?”
When they came to Aisha’s room first thing in the morning, they were told to eat the Magic Ore after only a simple muscle strength measurement. Therefore, Yuma and the president exchanged glances, looking dubious.
“I thought we were going to the Laboratory to examine it in detail…”
When Yuma asked, Aisha shook her head slightly and smiled.
“No, no, there’s no time for that. Tomorrow is the final day of the request I made to D-Minor, so we’ll be busy.”
“Eh!? Busy?”
Yuma and the president widened their eyes at the unexpected words.
“Well, well, never mind that, try drinking the “Silver Magic Ore”. Here.”
Aisha handed Yuma the Magic Ore and a glass of water.
“O-okay…” Yuma said as he received them, glancing at Aisha. Her eyes were shining brightly, and she was looking at him with a beaming smile.
“Um… but, is my Mana Index okay? It was only around 200, and I’ve been eating nothing but Demon Ore, so I thought it might be gone…”
“It’s okay, Yuma-kun. You should have increased your Mana Index by about 300 more in this Dungeon. It’s definitely growing.”
“Eh!? Really? But I haven’t measured my Mana Index.”
Since entering the Black Dungeon, he had never used a Mana Measurement Device to measure it even once. Therefore, Yuma had no idea what his Mana Index was.
“Don’t worry. I don’t need to use a Mana Measurement Device. I know the Mana Index of all the Monsters and Demon Ores by heart. In other words, I completely understand how much your Mana has increased and how much it has been tainted.”
Aisha poked her head with her index finger.
“Even this large Silver Magic Ore has a Mana Index of about 200, and even if you add up all the Demon Ores you’ve used so far, it’s only about 200. Since your total Mana Index is 500, even if you ingest the ‘Silver’ Ore, you’ll still have about 100 to spare.”
“I see, but I still want to use magic, so I don’t want to taint my Mana any more than this…”
Aisha shook her head, looking disappointed at Yuma’s reluctance.
“Yuma-kun. If you want to raise your Mana Index, you have to get stronger first. None of the Seekers at the top now have become strong by skimping on Mana. In your case, Physical Enhancement through Demon Ore is the best shortcut to becoming strong. Get stronger with this first, and then you can learn magic.”
Aisha smiled as she urged him to drink the Demon Ore. Certainly, what she was saying made sense.
He really wanted to ingest a Magic Gem, but he had no choice but to endure it for now.
Yuma thought so, and reluctantly swallowed the Demon Ore.
◇◇◇
“Hey, Aisha… is what you just said true? That the Silver Magic Ore has a Mana Index of 200, and that the total of the Demon Ores he’s eaten so far is only about 200…”
While Yuma was drinking the Demon Ore, Kanzaki spoke to Aisha in a whisper.
“Huh? What are you talking about? Of course, it’s all a lie.”
“All of it!?”
“Even just one Bloodstained Ore (Bloody Ore) has a Mana Index of about 700. And he ate twenty-three of them. That’s a total of 16,100 Mana.”
“That much!?”
Kanzaki suppressed his voice so that Yuma wouldn’t hear him. He was shocked by the Mana Index, which was far greater than he had imagined.
“If we estimate that ‘Silver Magic Ore’ by the gram of silver, it probably has a Mana Index of no less than 1200.”
“1200… What’s the total of all the Demon Ores he’s eaten so far?”
“Well, it’s just a rough estimate, but it’s probably around 20,000 in total.”
“T-twenty thousand… and you said it was about 400? That’s outrageous!”
“Hmph, a lie is fine as long as it’s not exposed.”
“Y-you have the mindset of an absolute villain!”
Kanzaki was appalled by Aisha’s unapologetic attitude.