Chapter 365: The Secret of the Fukusa
“By the way, if it’s an insect, wouldn’t it be bad if it’s something like a pill bug?”
When it comes to demon beasts and insects, the pill bug comes to mind.
“It’s not that a multiplying type has possessed them and turned them into demon beasts. These are individual Black Spirits that have shrunk to the point of almost disappearing due to the Hero doll. So, they likely can’t communicate with each other,” the Butler said while moving the game pieces.
Today’s game is one that Haulon brought in, a mix of shogi and go. It’s a territorial game where the objective is to claim as many square spaces on the board as possible. Each player has a king piece, and if it gets captured, it’s an instant loss. Four players take turns, each occupying one side of the square.
Haulon, who brought the game, is too engrossed in the seams to participate. The Butler and Dinoss have played it before, so they’re not just playing; they’re teaching Retze and me how to play.
“Actually, there haven’t been any reports of them attacking in coordination. They’ve just turned into demon beasts, and while they’re stronger than ordinary insects, they can still be defeated by an average person. That’s probably why it hasn’t caused much of a stir, and I thought it might just be the Hero doll’s leftovers,” Dinoss continued after the Butler.
“However, demon beasts will continue to exist as long as the negative emotions of the Black Spirits don’t disappear. They won’t just die off like regular insects, so we need to exterminate them before they grow,” Retze said, moving a piece while holding the rulebook.
“The wild boars will probably be dealt with too. Given their size, it’ll take time for them to turn into demon beasts, but we can’t just leave them be. The managed ones are fine, but the ones running around in the sewers are troublesome,” Retze added.
Well, since we eat demon beast meat, “dealt with” probably just means it’ll end up on the dining table sooner than planned. However, wild boars that have gone feral can be scarier than demon insects. After all, wild boars and their relatives can attack and eat people.
If a human or something with a will gets possessed, their emotions can influence the Black Spirits and erase them. Conversely, negative emotions can lead to rapid demonization. But for mindless beings, even if they’re possessed by small Black Spirits, they won’t demonize quickly, and there’s almost no way to stop their slow transformation into demon beasts.
“…Maybe I should suggest something to the Guild. The guys who usually take on the wild boar extermination in the sewers probably won’t check every nook and cranny,” Retze sighed, looking up from the rulebook.
“I’ll mention it too,” Dinoss said as he moved his piece.
“The wine is delicious today,” Haulon said, enjoying some cheese-baked Brussels sprouts with bacon.
The Brussels sprouts here have a slightly stronger bitterness, but when roasted, they become sweeter and pair well with the saltiness of the cheese and bacon. It seems to go well with the wine too.
“I prefer this roast pork. I want to eat it heartily on a plate, not just on a skewer,” Dinoss remarked.
It’s made easy to snack on during the game, but some dishes are just better when you can dig in properly.
“We’re going sightseeing with Es, right? When’s a good time to set off?” Haulon asked, pressing a knife against the seam of the fukusa.
“I’m ready anytime,” I replied. The tower work has settled down.
“Lord Dean said they can leave anytime after the day after tomorrow. Lord Ash isn’t taking any ongoing requests right now, so we can set off whenever,” Haulon continued.
“I’ve already adjusted my schedule to match when Dean and the others return.”
“I’m fine with the day after tomorrow too. Once we arrive at Es, we’ll split up. I need to spend some quality time with my wife and kids,” Dinoss said cheerfully.
“Are you planning a family trip using my teleportation? Wait, kyaah!”
Just as Haulon cut the thread of the fukusa, a brief flash of fire erupted like magnesium burning.
“Whoa!” Dinoss shouted, pulling back.
“Hey, hey, that’s dangerous. No, it’s not a fire that spreads,” I said.
“It was just a momentary flare,” Retze and the Butler looked at the fukusa in Haulon’s hand.
“That was a failure… Was it a trap?”
“Yeah. Actually, once it’s tied with the thread, no matter what you do, if you open it, it’ll ignite,” Haulon explained, the fukusa in his hand now blackened and crumbling.
“Wait, that fire was fake too!?”
“Yep. The main effect is that it turns completely black and crumbles when opened, and the fire was just for fun.”
I really wanted it to go poof, but making it actually burn was too dangerous, and it was hard to make it burn evenly, so I gave up.
Also, I didn’t add a burning feature to Ruta’s horse gear, as it would be troublesome if he got startled and started thrashing about. Instead, I added a slight cooling effect. Just enough to lower the temperature a bit compared to the outside air, like the difference between shade and sunlight. I won’t mention it since it feels like something I’d get scolded for.
“You, how many of these small, unstable fabrics have you hidden things in? And your efforts and creativity are all in the wrong direction!”
Haulon was furious.