Chapter 11: The Champion of Justice
I found a stove!
“That’s a stove used by Adventurers, right?”
“Yes, it’s called a Magic Stove. It uses Magic Stones for cooking. With this, you’ll be freed from the hassle of gathering and transporting firewood.”
I took a look at it; it was about the same size as a portable gas stove and quite light, with a place for a grate and a Magic Stone on a plate. There are several types, but this is the basic model. I heard that depending on the item, there are larger and smaller cooking devices available. I bought the Magic Stove for five gold coins and left the shop with a satisfied grin.
After returning to the hotel and changing into my Adventurer attire, I informed the woman at the reception desk of my room number and name, letting her know I wouldn’t be back for a while before stepping out of the hotel.
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Upon arriving at the place I called my first base, I transformed the exterior of the Dome to resemble natural rock. There were no signs of human footprints around, so after slightly opening the entrance to ensure safety, I entered and sealed the entrance since there was no need for a door.
I took out the Magic Stove, prepared the teapot, tea leaves, and sugar, and placed the pot down. As I channeled my Mana into the designated pattern, a red circle appeared, and soon steam began to rise from the pot. I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself, thinking it was just like an IH heater.
After taking a break, I set up a target 40 meters away and returned to the Dome to begin practicing with the Stone Bullets designed for combat. I was considering creating two types: one the size of a tennis ball and the other the size of a softball, along with a shotgun that could fire multiple slightly larger golf ball-sized projectiles at once. If I could fire 15 to 20 shots at once, it would be extremely effective in close combat. I started practicing with the larger golf ball-sized and tennis ball-sized projectiles, working on both single-shot and multi-shot shotguns.
Once my Mana ran out, I collapsed onto the grassy ground, feeling a wave of nostalgia as I awoke to the scent of grass. Checking the time, I realized it was deep into the night, so I expanded the Dome to improve its livability. Having experienced spacious rooms at the Viscount’s residence and the hotel, the Dome felt cramped now. I dubbed this construction project the Dome Comfort Enhancement Plan, a way to pass the time until morning after waking up in the middle of the night. I also thought it would be a good way to prepare for when my Mana reached 70, so I decided to create about 20 beds for the Knights as well.
After eight days had passed, I measured my Spatial Storage for the first time in a while and found it had expanded to a diameter of 2.8 meters. The number of shots I could fire with the 40-meter Stone Lance had also increased to around 27 or 28, and I could now jump 180 meters with Transfer Magic, gradually improving.
I named the shotgun that fired the larger golf balls “Shotgun One” and the one that fired the tennis ball-sized projectiles “Shotgun Two,” and I had become fairly proficient at firing them. Both could hold 18 shots, and I envisioned them landing within a 3-meter diameter circle when they reached the target.
For the regular Stone Bullets, I decided on three sizes: softball-sized, tennis ball-sized, and a size between tennis and golf balls. I named them Stone Bullet One, Two, and Three, a rather simplistic naming scheme, but as long as I understood them, that was enough! I reduced their firing speed to that of a Shinkansen, as the power at bullet speed would be too overwhelming.
In relation to this, I also created a regular Stone Arrow and a new variant called Stone Arrow Two. The latter was the arrow version of the shotgun, with a slightly shortened arrow length. I designed Stone Arrow Two to be effective against smaller foes like Horn Rabbits and Goblins, or against wolves that attacked in packs. In emergencies, I decided to use Stone Arrow Two and practiced diligently to ensure I could fire it instinctively.
I left the Dome to head to Nakasara’s Shop to pick up the mat I had ordered. The November sky was clear, and the wind had grown chilly. I needed winter clothes, but I didn’t want to be turned away from the shop again, so I decided to wear the clothes I had received from the Viscount. As I pondered this, I joined the line entering the city, casually listening to the surrounding chatter when suddenly someone called out to me.
“Are you Kaito?”
“I’m not someone who should be addressed with ‘sama,’ but yes, I’m Kaito.”
“I have a message from Hyalda. She requests that you contact her as soon as you return. Please, go ahead.”
Guided by the soldier, I passed through the line and entered the city, feeling the weight of everyone’s gazes upon me, which was quite uncomfortable. I had foolishly thought that contacting the Viscount’s residence from the hotel would suffice, but there was a carriage from the Viscount’s family parked right in front of the hotel.
Upon entering the hotel, I found Hyalda and Fiene elegantly sipping tea.
“You’re early,” I remarked.
“Don’t say it with such sarcasm. I couldn’t wait to ask you about the magic,” Hyalda replied.
“Are you referring to the firing speed?”
“I figured as much.”
“I anticipated that dissatisfaction would arise soon.”
“Why didn’t you tell us together?”
“When I first demonstrated the magic at the training ground, someone came flying in, asking what that was, remember?”
“Yes, he is one of the mages serving the Hamawar family, but we were told to keep our distance from you.”
“Do you remember when I talked about the magic I received? It’s not suitable to demonstrate the distance and speed issues at that training ground. It’s too cramped, and there are no places to test it in the city. I thought you would come to visit once you realized.”
“You understood that much?”
I shrugged and sipped my tea; the tea prepared by someone skilled was delicious.
“Perhaps outside the city would be possible.”
“If it’s a place without prying eyes, could you bring a discreet guard? I want to confirm the meaning of 70 as well.”
“I see.”
“I’ll consult with my father. It won’t be possible in a day, but perhaps in two or three days.”
“That would be fine for confirming the meaning of 70, but I don’t know how long it will take to solidify the speed concept. It depends on the two of you.”
“Will you come to the mansion?”
“I just came back to pick up the items I ordered. I’m at the hotel, so if you can leave, please respond quickly.”
As I saw the two of them off, I headed to Nakasara’s Shop, received the mat, rolled it up, and stuffed it into my bag for medicinal herbs before exiting the shop. On my way back to the hotel, I encountered a group of Adventurers from the Adventurers’ Guild heading toward the market, who moved aside only to block my path.
I silently observed them, noting that they were unfamiliar faces. Just as I was considering whether they were drifters, one of them spoke up.
“Hey, kid, standing in front of people without even a greeting?”
“Hello.”
As I tried to pass by, another one stepped in front of me again. Many of the Adventurers in this city were familiar with each other, and while there were some unsavory characters, they typically didn’t cause trouble in the city.
“If you greet someone, you should leave something behind as a show of respect.”
“Um, I’m not an Adventurer yet, so are you still going to do this? If caught, you’d definitely end up as a criminal slave.”
“Oh, a clever little brat, huh?”
“You should try blasting magic in the city; you’d be the one to become a criminal slave faster.”
“I heard you took down 20 Black Wolves. You’ve really exaggerated that one. You’re wearing decent gear; lend us some of it.”
“Well, I suppose I have no choice.”
“Oh, you’re a surprisingly agreeable kid. Hurry up and hand it over.”
I conjured a rope-like binding from the ground and ensnared their feet.
“Ugh!” “What the hell is this?” “Hey, what are you doing?” “Damn it, I can’t move!”
Ah, great, their commotion attracted the attention of the guards.
“Hey, what’s going on here?”
“Help! This kid suddenly stood in front of me and used magic to do this, demanding money!”
“Did you do this?”
“Yes, but what he’s saying is the complete opposite. Ask the people around us.”
“Oh dear…”
Everyone quickly distanced themselves, eager to avoid involvement.
“It seems no one is willing to testify to what you said. Let’s take you to the guard headquarters. And remove these restraints.”
“I’ll let you take them off, but will you promise not to let them escape?”
“Stop whining! Just take them off!”
“You are one of the lord’s guards in this city, right?”
“How many times do I have to tell you to take them off!!!”
Is this city really okay with guards like this? I wonder if the lord’s identification will work.
“Could you take a look at this?”
“Go ahead, crush him and take him in!”
“Captain, this is bad!”
“What? You too? Shut up and do it!”
“I-I have the lord’s identification!”
“There’s no way! A kid can’t have something like that! It’s a fake!”
“Is this guy going to be okay?”
I couldn’t help but ask the soldier who was trying to intervene. Upon hearing my question, the other soldiers also flinched at the sight of the identification in my hand.
“What’s going on? What happened?”
Oh, look! The hero of justice has arrived. Yay! ♪