Chapter 169: Change
I open up my eyes.
[———————–]
I can tell by the brightness of the room that it’s already morning.
We’re in a mysterious underground space controlled by the Witch of Taboos.
If this space possesses an environmental function that emulates the night, then it should be obvious that it also has one that emulates the day huh.
[Good morning.]
Turning my head to the side, I saw Seras sitting there.
She had already changed into her normal, plain clothes.
She was currently sitting on the edge of the bed with her body a bit twisted to the side.
One of her hands was propped on the bed while her upper body was facing towards me.
It looks like she have been in that posture for quite some time now but—–
[Are you waiting for me to wake up?]
[It’s because I never get tired of looking at you as you sleep.]
[……That’s an inexpensive way to pass time.]
Lightly bantering with her, I gently touched my left shoulder.
Throb
[…………….]
There was still some pain left behind.
I was slightly hoping that my status correction would improve my recovery……
As expected it isn’t that omnipotent huh.
With the speed of my recovery, I don’t think it would be possible for me to recover in just a day or two.
If this pain lingers, it’s going to be a pain in the neck fighting against the Human-Faced.
Besides, I still haven’t fulfilled my purpose of getting information about the Forbidden Curses……
There’s no need for me to rush.
Making sure to protect my left shoulder, I raise up my body.
[Did you sleep well, Seras?]
“Yes.” Seras gently nodded.
[It looks like you’re sound asleep, Touka-dono.]
[I haven’t had such a deep sleep ever since we entered the Demon Zone…… How should I say this… I feel like it’s been a long time since I’ve felt so refreshed.]
Seras brushed her hand around the area where I was sleeping.
I don’t know if I should ask what she could be doing or not.
……Ah, I see.
[With this, I think it would be alright for us to sleep together even in the future.]
Seras’ hand stopped.
I apparently hit the bingo huh.
Brushing her hair dropping down on her cheek, Seras turned away.
[Y—– Yes. I also think that wouldn’t be a problem. I may have woken up about an hour earlier than Touka-dono, but I’ve also had a good night’s sleep too. I’m now in my tip-top shape.]
[……………..]
You didn’t just spend nearly an hour just looking at me as I sleep, did you?
Checking the time on my pocket watch I placed beside my pillow, I asked.
[How am I when I slept? Did I sleeptalk or snore?]
[I don’t think there’s any problem? On the other hand though…… after you invoked on me…… how was it?]
I place down my pocket watch.
[You know, I’ve always been amazed at the way you sleep. I feel like you didn’t even turn over when you slept.]
I don’t recall hearing Seras snoring or anything like that.
She always sleeps peacefully and her breathing was regulated while she slept.
She did sleeptalk a bit, but it’s not that much that it bothers me.
[I’m relieved if that’s the case.]
Seras patted her chest.
Well…
[Now then…… Can you call Eve and Liz in their room, and then go to that room where we ate yesterday? I’ll be there as soon as I finish getting ready.]
[Certainly.]
After Seras left, I beckoned Pigimaru towards me.
He began bouncing towards me.
[Puyuu~]
[Has anything changed before we woke up?]
[Pyuu.]
A negative red.
“I see.” I gently brushed Pigimaru.
[I’m glad you’re here with us.]
[Puniii~♪]
Pigimaru will stop functioning once he is burdened by our ability.
But without it, he doesn’t need to sleep.
That means he could watch over this room all night long.
It’s like having a live surveillance camera that even comes with an alarm.
The fact that I was able to soundly sleep without any hesitation was because Pigimaru is here.
Quickly preparing myself, I then left the room with Pigimaru and Slei.
▽
The length of our stay isn’t definite.
The information about the Forbidden Curses is largely up to Erika’s judgement.
It would be counterproductive for us to hurry her up if we’re against Erika.
So, we’ll have to wait for her to decide herself.
The rest is just a matter of how well my wounds would heal and when would I be ready to leave.
Well, in short—— I have a lot of time at my disposal.
However, I don’t want to spend all those times doing useless things.
After breakfast, I quickly requested towards Seras.
[You want me to teach you how to ride behind a horse, is it?]
[Didn’t you say that you wanted to teach me when we got the chance just after we got out of Monroy? Well, we now have some time.]
Seras looks like she accepted as she smiled.
It was as if her smile was saying that “This time has finally come.”
[——-Certainly. If that’s what Touka-dono wants.]
[That really helps. Slei, do you mind if you help me?]
[Pakkyyuuu♪]
Slei, who had been frolicking with Liz, willingly agreed.
[Though I say that, are your wounds alright now?]
As if she’s showing her healthiness, Slei greatly raised her forefeet.
[Pakyuukyyuunnn♪]
It healed a lot faster than mine……
Could the speed of her healing be a special ability of her species?
Though, it could also have something to do with the preciseness of Seras’ first aid.
[I think if it’s just walking around on her second form, it doesn’t look like it would be a problem.]
[Pakyuurrii ♪]
Slei doesn’t look like she’s pushing herself.
If even Seras judged it that way, I guess it really would be fine.
I guess I’ll also request it towards Eve while I’m at it.
[Eve.]
[Hmm?]
[I wanted to ask you to teach me later how to fight against others in melee…]
Wiping away the food crumbs left on the edge of her mouth with her thumb, Eve nodded.
[You can leave it to me.]
I’ve been taught some things about fighting in melee, but I haven’t had the chance to thoroughly learn about it.
Now would be a good time for that.
Erika, who had been enjoying her after meal tea, stands up.
[As long as you don’t go into that door on the lowest floor, you’re free to spend your time as you wish. Well, I’m sure that you’re aware…… that when I said “as you wish”, that doesn’t include being uncivilized, right?]
Behind Erika, the golems are busily cleaning up our breakfast.
[Ah…… also, do you mind if I borrow Eve and Liz for some time? Your lesson with Eve’s going to be after your riding practice, right?]
[Hmm? Yeah, that’s fine with me.]
With that, Eve and Liz left the room with Erika.
What’s left is for us to leave the house.
After going out, I once again felt that this space doesn’t feel like we’re in a basement.
The winds are blowing here, and for some reason, there were even some birds flying in the distance.
The only thing that feels out of place is this gigantic tree that looks like it’s piercing the heavens and the earth.
[Now then, let me first—–]
Sending my magic energy, Slei turned into her second form.
This is her form that was closest to the image of a common horse.
Or rather, she could almost be mistaken as one.
[……Hmm?]
Then, a golem came out of the house holding something.
That golem passes whatever that is to Seras.
[Thank you very much……]
After Seras bewilderedly accepted it, the golem wordlessly returned.
……I don’t know if it could even understand any words or not though.
[Erika’s being considerate huh.]
What the golem passed towards us was a harness.
[It looks quite old, but it’s quite solid for one…… I also prepared a simple handmade one, but let’s use this one for now.]
While we’re at it, she also taught me how to easily fit in the harness.
I didn’t need a harness back when I rode Slei in her third form.
At that time, Slei’s body shape had changed and she was superbly holding me in place.
So, I had been particularly supported by Slei at those times.
However, I don’t think Slei would always be by my side in the future.
Therefore, I should also be prepared for the instance that I would need to ride other horses.
[You’re pretty skillful, Touka-dono.]
I finally finished safely fitting in the harness towards Slei.
Then, Seras taught me how to place my feet on the stirrups.
……Yeah.
Riding on a horse isn’t that bad.
[Well then, please excuse me for I’ll also—-]
Nimbly, Seras easily sits behind me.
That’s a really magnificent jump she did there.
Taking one deep breath, Seras held out her arms from behind me and placed her white hands on my own.
[Now then, let’s get started.]
[Yeah, I’ll be relying on you.]
Thus, I was given a lecture from Seras about the practical skills needed in riding horses.
“This is how you handle the reins.”
“This is a good way to calm the horses down.”
“There’s also this way of kicking the horse on her flank to make her run.”
I was given a one-on-one lesson on how to ride horses.
Could it be because she was the Leader of the Holy Knights, a position where she stands above others?
I think she’s really good at teaching.
……Whether it’s school lessons or practical skills, she may actually be really suitable to being a teacher.
Then…
[Touka-dono, there’s one thing I think you should be aware of.]
Just when I felt like I’m starting to get the hang of it, Seras leaned closer.
Lowering her voice, she whispered into my ear.
[Slei-dono has a tendency to anticipate your intentions and she makes her move in response to that. So, please keep in mind that other horses may be more difficult to handle than Slei-dono.]
[As I thought, that’s really how it is.]
I thought my horse riding was going too well.
[She’s still a newborn foal after all, so…… I think she would be trying to work very hard to gain the favor of her parent, you.]
I gently brushed Slei’s mane.
[You may be right……]
[Pakkyyuunn♪]
[It’s just because she’s capable of turning into her really amazing third form that I almost forget about it…… You’re still a young baby, aren’t you……?]
▽
As I finished my practice and removed Slei’s harness from her body…
[Huh?]
Seras looked towards the house.
Looking towards where she’s looking, I saw Eve and Liz walking towards us.
Following behind the two of them is Erika.
It appears that Eve and Liz changed their clothes.
[……Did you receive those from her?]
“Umu.” Eve nodded.
[I thought you wouldn’t be able to relax in your travel clothes, so Erika’s just being thoughtful of them.]
In a pushy way, Erika said.
[Wouldn’t the two of you feel more relaxed this way?]
“Do you have any problems with this outfit?”
…or so it feels like she’s asking so.
[……Aren’t those too revealing?]
[Rather than saying it’s revealing, I wished you’d say they’re more liberating though.]
It’s a different series of clothes that Erika is wearing.
It’s like they’re Chinese dresses with some western decorations on it, or something like that…
However, I really can’t say that they don’t suit Eve and Liz.
[It can’t be helped, you know? The clothes they were wearing were washed and are now being hung to dry, and besides, Erika only makes clothes that she likes. Or more like, Elves have a tendency to dress lightly. There are certainly some humans who told me that before…… but that’s not any of my business as far as I could see it. Well, technically speaking, it all ends up to how we are in a spirit-related culture……]
……Well, I guess you could say that even Seras is lightly dressed.
Eve and Liz look down on the clothes they’re wearing.
[I don’t really care that much though.]
[I also like it since, umm… They’re easy to move around with……]
Staaaaaaaaaarrreeee—-
Erika is staring at me.
It feels like her gaze would pierce a hole through my body.
It doesn’t have much hostility but…
“See? What now huh!?”
…It feels like she’s trying to force me to agree with her.
It takes a lot of effort to read her emotions because she doesn’t smile at all.
Sighing, I just finished removing the last of Slei’s saddle.
[It would have been different if you were forced, but I guess it’s alright if they themselves agreed with wearing it.]
Snap!
Erika snapped her fingers.
[I like that you’re a sensible man.]
[……………….]
[What now?]
[Didn’t you just want to make all those skimpy clothes for someone else to wear them?]
[……………….]
[……………….]
[Is that no good?]
[No, not really.]
Erika looks like she’s taken aback.
[—–Putting that aside, I’m not here to ask you what you think about these clothes. I have a gift for Eve and I want you to see it.]
Suddenly, Erika had an unpleasant expression on her face.
[I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing that I don’t have to make more of this anymore but…… No, I can’t call this a good thing.]
Erika lazily shakes her head.
In other words…
[Is that something you prepared for the Leopardkin?]
[That~ is~ right~. Or rather, you. You really could take every word apart and precisely guess it huh……]
Saying so, Erika holds out a silver bangle to Eve.
There were three round holes around the bangle, and each of them had black orbs inlaid on it.
There’s a number engraved near each of the orbs, reading 1 to 3.
Eve inspects the bangle.
[Fumu? An ornament?]
[Touka.]
Fwip fwip
Calling my name, Erika beckoned me to come closer.
[Do you mind pouring your magic energy into the “number 3” orb? You probably have more magic energy in you than Erika anyway…]
[……Understood.]
Could it be some kind of magic tool that has some sort of Enhancing effect?
[I’m starting, Eve.]
[U- Umu.]
I started pouring my magic energy.
[……Mhmm, Erika. It seems to me that something thin just pierced my arm from the inside of the bangle.]
[It’s alright, that’s not something that would harm you.]
[……I’ll trust you on this.]
The faint white light flowing out of my arm……
They are being sucked into the black orbs one after another.
[It looks like it needs quite a lot of magic energy.]
[Considering its effect, that amount should be fairly appropriate.]
Erika looks confident.
To have this confidence……
She had already seen the proof of its effect before huh.
In other words, this is not the first time that this bangle has been used.
In that case, I guess that makes me feel more relieved.
Then…
[Uunnggh… Ngghh!?]
Eve’s body suddenly got enveloped in a cream-colored light.
I could barely see something flabby-looking moving about within the light……
After a short time—- the light subsided.
[Eh?]
The first person who reacted was Liz.
[Big Sister?]
Seras gasped as well.
[Eve?]
[This is……]
Eve stares at her hands in disbelief.
I sent a questioning look towards the Witch.
[Erika.]
[That’s right. This is a special bangle Erika made for Eidim and Paqui…… for the whole Speed family.]
Looking towards the transformed Eve, Erika stated the effect of the bangle.
[It’s a bangle that lets the Leopardkin transform into a human form.]
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