To That Forest ①・The Witch’s Training.
The usual Forest. The usual Witch’s House.
The usual cluttered living room. The usual table. The usual black sofa.
And the usual Herbal Tea.
Today’s Herbal Tea had four black, shining dots moving within a blue, undulating sea.
“…”
I think this every single time, but what is this Herbal Tea?
I have absolutely no desire to drink it, and how do you even Compound it to turn out like this?
The Witch’s cooking is always strange but exquisite, so I can only think she’s doing this on purpose.
As I was thinking that, the Witch arrived.
She sat leisurely on the red sofa opposite me.
Dressed all in black with a bit more skin showing than usual, she looked more disheveled than normal.
Perhaps because her shoulders were boldly exposed, about half her chest was visible.
Is she still tired? Then, the Witch grinned slyly.
“Oh my, oh my, that Gauntlet. It seems you’re already using it.”
“Yes. Thank you very much. It’s incredibly easy to use.”
“Yes, yes. Hearing you say that makes Kon happy too.”
She genuinely looked happy. My chest felt warm too.
That’s why I have to tell the Witch.
“Actually, Witch, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”
“Hmm, hmm. What is it?”
“First, this Gauntlet. It’s called the [Gauntlet of Still Saint].”
“Ho ho. You gave it a name?”
“No, it came with the name.”
“Hm? Hm? What do you mean?”
The Witch looked puzzled. Her large Fox Ears swayed back and forth.
“Yes. The moment I put on the [Gauntlet of Still Saint], my Relic [The Silent One] adapted to it.”
“Hmm? Hmm? A Relic adapted… so that means it’s an OOPArt, doesn’t it?”
“Yes. And because of that, only when I’m wearing this [Gauntlet of Still Saint], I became able to use an automatic-type Relic called [Silent Move].”
The Witch tilted her head slightly. Closing her eyes, she swayed her Fox Ears side to side, then opened her eyes.
“Uhm, uhm, so basically, Kon and the others created an OOPArt called the [Gauntlet of Still Saint], is that it?”
“That’s what it means.”
The Witch brought a hand to her mouth and slowly parted her lips.
“Hmmm. Hmmm. For that Gauntlet, you know. Kon used plenty of Magic Silver and Magic Metal. Fragments of a Great Magic Sword, Mithril, Adamantite, some strange ancient gears that move on their own, cursed ceramic dolls, strangling metal, blood-killing branches, mist stones, ogre wolf fur, magic horse-cow leather, and various other things.”
“Huh?”
I feel like I just heard several things I shouldn’t ignore.
“Anyway, anyway, that’s how the [Gauntlet of Still Saint] was completed. It’s quite moving that it turned out to be an OOPArt. It was worth putting Kon’s all into making it for the first time in a while.”
The Witch let out a breath, deeply moved.
I somehow sensed that the Witch was extremely satisfied.
“You can’t intentionally create OOPArts, right?”
“Well, well, generally speaking, no. Kon has felt this for a while, but you don’t know if something is an OOPArt unless a Relic adapts to it. So even if Kon has made them before, Kon wouldn’t know.”
That’s the same conclusion I came to.
In that case, it seems like OOPArts might be quite common.
“But, but, to think it would grant [Silent Move]…”
“You know about it?”
“Yep, yep. It’s an automatic-type Relic that makes you act unconsciously. There’s a First Class woman in Edda called ‘Autodoll’. It’s one of the automatic-type Relics she possesses. So, Wof-boy, have you tried it out a few times already?”
“Yes. I tried it, and I think it’s difficult to use in combat. It’s convenient, but losing consciousness is… scary.”
Plus, there’s a cost to the movement.
I can’t deny the possibility that when I succeed and regain consciousness, my body might be torn to shreds.
“Hmmm, hmmm. True. It’s different from ‘Autodoll’.”
“Did that ‘Autodoll’-san use hers often?”
“Well, well, she used it quite a bit. But she used it in combination with other automatic-types. ‘Autodoll’ only possesses automatic-type Relics.”
“I see.”
So that’s why she’s called ‘Autodoll’. Only having automatic-type Relics is quite unusual.
Hmmm. If I combined it with other Relics… No, I don’t have any suitable ones.
Well, for now, I’ll continue testing it within safe limits.
“Hey, hey, how was the Knife?”
“That one was normal. But its sharpness is incredible. As expected of a double-edged blade.”
I tried the Knife too.
It sliced through a tough chunk of meat with ease. I could even use this for everyday tasks.
“Hmm, hmm. Kikka is very skilled, you know.”
“She’s Verent-san’s daughter, right?”
“Yep, yep. She has a promising future.”
If the Witch praises her, she must be quite something.
I couldn’t meet her because she was napping. Right.
“Witch. I have one more important thing to discuss.”
“Hmm, hmm. What is it?”
“I want to become a Seeker.”
When I told her that, the Witch smiled knowingly. A Witch’s smile.
The Witch stared intently at me and asked.
“Ho ho. Does that mean before you turn 14?”
“Yes. I have my reasons for wanting to, but more strongly than that, I felt like I have to become a Seeker. It feels unnatural not to be one.”
“Hmm, hmm. Kon is happy as your master that you realized it yourself.”
Had she been silent all this time, waiting for me to say it?
“Witch. Can I receive the same special exception as Mineha-san?”
“Well, well, let’s see. About that. If you ask whether it’s possible or impossible, it’s possible. Yep, yep. Kon has clearly received Wof-boy’s intention. So, will you leave it to Kon?”
“Yes. Please take care of it.”
I lowered my head. The Witch smiled, looking pleased.
“Right, right. Related to that, the investigation of That Forest. Kon decided to conduct it within this week.”
“Understood. That’s sudden.”
“Finally, finally. The investigation members have been decided.”
“Is that so? By the way, may I ask who?”
“Well, well, that’s a secret until the day itself.”
The Witch grinned mischievously. A secret means there must be someone I know, right?
There’d be no need to make it a secret if it was just strangers.
In that case, it’s better than strangers, but I feel like I’ve just seen the trick behind a magic show.
An investigation of That Forest, huh. It’s an eerie place, but it doesn’t seem like there’s anything to find by searching.
So, it’ll probably be over quickly.
Ah, right.
“Witch. About the Magic Silver and Magic Metal…”
“Come to think of it, Kon only heard about it briefly. You found the Magic Metal with your Relic, Wof-boy, right?”
“Yes. I found it with [Wheel of Fortune]. And Witch, there’s something that’s been bothering me about the Magic Silver and Magic Metal. Do Dungeon Monsters have parents and children?”
“Hm? Hm? Parents and children, what’s that?”
The Witch looked puzzled.
“The Monokeros from which I first obtained Magic Silver and Magic Metal were parent and child. The Magic Metal one was the father, and the Magic Silver one was the daughter.”
“Ho ho. Ho ho. In that case, those two Monokeros weren’t Dungeon Monsters.”
“Um, do normal Monsters include Monokeros?”
“Oh my, didn’t you know? They exist among natural Monsters too. Probably, for some reason or another, that parent and child got mixed in with a herd of Dungeon Monster Monokeros.”
“Is that okay?”
Won’t they be attacked by the Dungeon Monsters?
“No need to worry. Dungeon Monsters only attack humans like Kon and you.”
“Is that so? That parent and child used a Relic.”
“Ho. Ho. A Copper-rank Monokeros using a Relic… That’s probably the Dungeon’s influence.”
“Is it the Dungeon’s fault they became able to use a Relic?”
“Yep, yep. That’s right. There’s a theory like that. Ah, that’s right. Shall Kon teach Kon’s disciple, who’s becoming a Seeker, something interesting?”
“W-What is it?”
The Witch said this with an expression suggesting she was thinking of something mischievous.
“Well, well. Sometimes, the Dungeon lends a hand to help those in trouble. You should remember that well.”
“Does that mean because that parent and child were in trouble, the Dungeon granted them a Relic as help?”
“Maybe, maybe not.”
“…Understood. I’ll remember that.”
The Dungeon helps people. That’s the first I’ve heard of it.
“Hey, hey, Wof-boy. By the way, what happened with that base or whatever for the cat girl, Ms. Pachira?”
“Apparently, she was able to purchase it safely.”
“Well then, well then, that’s good.”
“Were you curious about it?”
“Just a little, little bit curious.”
“It’s rare for you to be curious about something, Witch.”
“Well, well, cat beastfolk are rare, you know.”
“…Come to think of it.”
Now that you mention it, I don’t think I’ve seen any cat beastfolk other than Ms. Pachira…
Hmm. Now that I think about it, have I ever seen any? I only just realized it when you said they were rare.
No, wait, it’s just that from my past life memories, cat ears and a tail were standard for beastfolk.
Suddenly, the Witch stood up from the sofa and stretched with a “Uuuuunnnn.”
Whoa, they bounced significantly. I won’t say what. Amazing.
“Well, well, then. Wof-boy. Shall we engage in some strenuous exercise with Kon today?”
“You mean self-defense training, right?”
“Her way of speaking is awful…” I sighed and stood up.
And then, in the courtyard, I was thrown and taken down dozens of times until I was completely battered.
During the joint locks, her chest and butt… well, they were basically soft, deadly weapons.
Also, the Witch’s clothes got so messed up, there were tons of wardrobe malfunctions. Like, tons.
Even I, at 13, thought it was questionable. The Witch is really… well, she’s the Witch.
And so, the Witch’s training continued today until I collapsed, exhausted in both body and mind.
“Ah.”
On the way back, while buying a lot of meat at the usual butcher shop, I suddenly remembered.
I had forgotten to tell the Witch about the Dagaa Knife Enchant.