Chapter 111: Fruit of the Giant
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 111: Fruit of the Giant
Perhaps I had overexerted myself, because all the strength had drained from my body. As I sat there blankly chewing on a sandwich, my body began to grow increasingly hot.
What was this? Why was my temperature rising like this?
"Um, isn't it way too hot in here for everyone?"
"Huh? It’s not hot at all. If anything, isn't it a bit chilly?"
"I don't feel particularly hot either."
"It's cold..."
"Oh."
Why was I the only one feeling this way?
No, why did I feel hot right now? Just as the others said, the air in the Labyrinth was cold, yet I felt like I was burning up.
It didn't feel like it was because of the campfire; it felt like a strange heat was rising from deep within my gut.
Could it be? Was I poisoned? Or is it a curse?
It was neither.
I downed an antidote and checked to see if I’d been cursed, but the test came back negative.
The fire was raging for a fundamentally different reason. My insides were scorching.
"Clothes. I have to take my clothes off."
"Pardon? Porter, what on earth are you talking about?"
"I have a feeling... a feeling that this heat won't stop until I take my clothes off..."
Like someone possessed, I began fumbling with my clothes. I had a powerful premonition that the only way to escape this heat was to strip.
"He's actually taking them off!"
"Wait, Sion..."
Despite the group's attempts to stop me, I shed the armor Moira had bought for me and the helmet I was wearing.
As I removed even the clothes I wore underneath, I felt the heat begin to dissipate. As I thought, stripping was the answer.
"Hey, what is wrong with this man!"
"You have to at least keep your underwear on!"
"Uh... Mr. Porter...!"
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. But I have to... I have to take them off."
"He's gone mad!"
"Saintess! Please put the Bible down! I don't think killing him is the answer!"
"Ro—Rosier...! Stop the Saintess...! Mr. Porter! Please, stop!"
In the end, I stripped off even my last remaining piece of underwear.
Only then did a sense of liberation wash over me, and the heat vanished. The cold came rushing back.
"Haa... haa... The heat is finally gone... Oh, good heavens."
"Are you... feeling better now?"
"Yes. I'm sorry, everyone. I felt like I was going to die if I didn't take my clothes off..."
"Why on earth did you develop such a bizarre quirk? What is it?"
I struggled to provide an answer to the Saintess's question.
"It's likely... a side effect of the ring."
"A side effect of the ring?"
"It was the Ring of Intangibility, wasn't it?"
"Yes. That ring has side effects. I think... it's a side effect that makes your body heat up unless you're undressed."
Most things made by Lafnel had side effects.
For instance, a tonic that caused an erection, or a stimulant that induced arousal—most of his items had side effects that were somewhat... perverted.
It seemed the side effect of the Ring of Intangibility was 'nudity.'
It would make the body so hot it felt like dying until every stitch of clothing was removed; only then would the side effect end.
If there was a silver lining, it was that the side effect triggered quite a while after the battle had ended. It would have been truly disastrous if this had happened in the middle of a fight.
And if I use this well...
It might be able to serve as a personal heater in cold regions.
Since the heat kept rising until the clothes were off, wouldn't it work quite well in extremely cold places?
It was worth experimenting with.
Side effects are all in how you use them.
Just as a tonic can become a treatment for erectile dysfunction if used correctly, any side effect can be beneficial if applied to the right situation.
As Lafnel said, whether it's an Ability or anything else, the result changes significantly depending on the competence of the person using it.
"I'll put my clothes back on for now."
"Yes, yes. Please, hurry up. Goodness. What a bizarre side effect."
"Haha..."
I gathered my clothes and dressed again. I had unintentionally shown the group something they shouldn't have seen.
Unlike Rosier, who had already seen my bare body, I had committed a great discourtesy toward Paramel and the Saintess.
"By the way, Porter."
"Yes, Saintess."
"It's much... bigger than I expected."
"Pardon? What is?"
"Hmm. Never mind. I'm sure Rosier is pleased."
"Wait, what do you mean!"
"I see now why you're so popular."
"Wait, Saintess!"
The Saintess looked me up and down with an intrigued expression.
Surely not. It would be a disaster if even the Saintess started showing interest in me. I was already involved with more women than I could handle. I didn't want my romantic relationships to get any more complicated.
"Anyway, Porter. That giant over there. Can you take it with you?"
"Uh... it's impossible to take something that size all at once, but if we butcher it, I can carry it."
"Then we just have to cut it up."
"Yes. If you butcher it into parts, I'll be able to take it all up."
"Then we should discuss the sale proceeds for that giant."
The Saintess brushed the breadcrumbs off her hands and approached the giant's corpse.
"The best part of a Cyclops is the eye, but since the eye is almost completely destroyed..."
"I believe the gallbladder and heart are also expensive."
"Correct. The internal organs are useful too. If you wash and dry the large and small intestines, they can be used for everything from leather armor materials to all sorts of things. The skin is the same."
The Saintess stroked the giant's body and then looked at me.
"How much do you want for the transportation fee?"
"How about half of the sale price?"
"Half? Isn't thirty percent enough?"
"I can bring up everything cleanly, from the testicles to the material known as Giant's Blood. It will fetch a massive sum. Even after giving me half, it will be a significant profit for the Church."
"Hmm."
"I don't think I can agree to thirty percent. Besides, the one who dealt the most damage in the giant hunt was my companion."
"That person's attack was indeed the deciding blow. But you must realize that without me, Raphael, and Paramel, she wouldn't have been able to cast that magic."
"So let's split it fifty-fifty."
To be honest, my personal contribution to the giant hunt was almost non-existent.
However, the one who ultimately blew the giant's head off was Helena.
No matter how much the Saintess and Raphael threw themselves into the fray to pin the giant down, it was Helena who delivered the fatal blow and got the kill.
Therefore, demanding half of the giant's sale price was a justifiable request.
I need a massive amount of capital to develop the Underground City. And asking for half is a natural demand.
The Saintess stared at me intently for a moment before finally nodding.
"Fine. Halcy did play a major role. Let's do that."
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me. It's Halcy's achievement, so the credit is hers."
The Saintess cleanly promised to give me half.
Of course, I couldn't just let it slide with a verbal agreement, so I planned to draw up a separate contract once we were back up, with Guild Master Moira acting as an intermediary.
"We'll butcher the giant's corpse tomorrow. Everyone, get some rest."
"Sai—Saintess... are you planning on not sleeping again...?"
"Meditation is enough."
In response to Paramel's worried words, Freya told him not to mind, as if it were no big deal.
How many days has it been since she last slept?
It seemed she had hardly slept since the Heretics began appearing in earnest.
Perhaps because she had half-transcended humanity, she was able to handle such a grueling schedule for days without sleep.
"Mr. Paramel. I'm going to set up a shower tent. Could you help me?"
"Yes. Ju—just a moment."
Everyone was covered in too much thick blood.
It was better to wash it off as soon as possible when the opportunity arose. If left alone, it would attract bugs and easily lead to skin diseases.
"It's... a bit difficult without Raphael..."
"Indeed."
Raphael was strong, so he used to set up the tent in no time.
I felt his absence anew.
"It's finished."
"You go ahead and wash first."
"Is that okay...?"
"Yes. I can wash last."
I yielded the turn to Paramel. He looked like he was about to drop dead, so it seemed better to get him washed and into bed quickly. Besides, I preferred taking a leisurely wash at the end.
While the others were washing, I was staring at the campfire when Halcy woke up.
"You there. Do you have some water?"
"Here. How is your body?"
"It's dying... This body is a lost cause. I don't think I can use it anymore."
"As I thought..."
Helena said the Apostle's body was ruined.
It was completely fried, and it had become a vessel that could no longer use magic.
The mana circuits were completely destroyed as a result of overexerting herself to use 10th-circle magic. It seemed I would have to find her a new body.
Still, thanks to her brilliant performance, we were able to take half of the giant's sale price, so it was a win. She probably fired that 10th-circle magic recklessly on purpose, intending to secure a higher share of the proceeds.
It could be seen as an action Helena took for her own gain.
"Once we're back up, let's pick someone from among the criminal slaves."
"Make it a woman this time."
"Do you prefer being a woman?"
"Yes. A woman is better. I've lived as a woman my whole life; using a man's body is quite uncomfortable. It's really something else to have that dangling thing between my legs when I'm trying to urinate."
"Haha..."
It seemed being forced into a different gender had been troublesome in many ways.
I'll have to buy a female slave.
I should look for a criminal slave.
Among the female criminals, I'd have to find one with an aptitude for magic.
I have to find a body for Roy too. There are so many things to spend money on.
Still, once I disposed of the giant and the dead trolls' corpses, I'd have a massive fortune in my hands. As long as I found a good buyer, I wouldn't have to worry about money.
"Sion. You can wash now."
"Ah, yes. Just a moment."
A damp Rosier called out to me.
It seemed it was my turn.
"Are you going to wash?"
"Yes. Do you want to wash too, Halcy?"
"No. I'm fine. This body is clearly done for. It would be better to just die."
"Ah..."
"Is there anything you need me to do before I die?"
"Nothing in particular."
"I see. Then could you lend me a dagger? Being inside a body with burnt-out mana circuits is quite painful."
"....Here."
Helena took the dagger and immediately slit her own throat.
Apparently, the pain was so great that she preferred being in her spirit state.
"Agh!!! Sion! Why did Halcy...! What on earth happened!"
"Well..."
Rosier was utterly shocked by Helena's sudden suicide.
I explained the situation to her.
"I see. She committed suicide because she couldn't bear the pain..."
"Yes. It seems she was in a lot of pain."
"I suppose it couldn't be helped. Even among Interrogators, there are those who choose suicide over pain. This must be the same. Goodness, our group has shrunk again."
Rosier looked at the dead Apostle with a bitter expression.
I tucked the Blue Apostle's body into my inventory.
—This is actually better.
You're here.
—I wandered a bit. By the way, where did Roy go?
He's asleep. It seems he overexerted himself.
—I see.
Roy seemed to have taken some damage, perhaps because I had forcibly dragged him along during our escape earlier.
He was currently silent and asleep.
I was going to leave Roy in the Labyrinth, but I guess I can't.
The original plan was to trap Fainel's soul in a Vine Bean and leave Roy behind to guard the Central Section.
But since Roy was now retired, Fainel would have to guard the Central Section alone.
It would be great if that Heretic fellow did his job well.
Since his soul was bound by the chains, he wouldn't be able to pull any tricks, but without a supervisor, I doubted he would work diligently.
It was unfortunate, but there was nothing to be done.
For now, before I wash, I should feed the giant's blood to the bracelet.
Since I couldn't get blood on myself again after washing, it was better to smear the blood on the bracelet before I cleaned up.
I plunged a knife into the giant's torn skin and squeezed out the blood.
The Bracelet of Growth increases the wearer's stats when it consumes the blood of a monster.
Troll blood increased health, Orc blood increased strength, and Goblin blood increased senses.
I wondered which stat would increase if I fed the bracelet the blood of a giant.
As I brought the bracelet close to the pool of giant's blood, it began to vibrate.
It was a different reaction than before.
"Wha—what!"
In my panic, I tried to pull my hand away from the pool, but Helena stopped me.
—Wait. Hold on! It's... it's absorbing it in a different way than usual...!
What!?
Helena had sensed something.
In the end, following her words, I waited quietly for the bracelet to absorb its fill of the giant's blood.
After about three minutes, the bracelet's vibration stopped.
At the same time, a single flower bloomed and withered on the bracelet, and a bright red fruit suddenly dropped off.
"This is..."
What was this?