Chapter 143: The Mansion's Residents
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 143: The Mansion's Residents
After I snatched Gon’s massive arrow out of the air, Rika rushed over and grabbed both my hands, shaking them as if she’d completely fallen in love with the Subspace Pocket.
“That was incredible! No, seriously—you caught that with a Subspace Pocket? You’re insane!”
“Haha, it was nothing.”
It’s a feat that becomes possible if you roll around until you’re at death’s door for three months, never getting a proper night’s sleep or a moment’s rest. Honestly, I wondered how many people could actually endure that, but it was a technique anyone could master—provided they survived the process.
“Theoretically, doesn't this mean you have an infinite supply of arrows?”
“Exactly. There’s no limit to the capacity of a Subspace Pocket.”
Gon nodded, looking impressed. To think the day would come when I’d receive recognition from this man.
“It would be good to hire some proper archers,” he suggested.
“If I hire about three archers, I could probably store hundreds of shots in a single day.”
Firing a bow is harder than it looks. Pulling the string consumes considerable strength, and aiming accurately while holding the tension requires immense mental focus. Furthermore, a bow isn't a weapon that can fire indefinitely; it’s a consumable. You have to replace the strings, and if the riser snaps, you have to replace the whole bow.
‘But I have enough money to cover all of that.’
This was why money was so important. If a bow broke, I’d just replace it. I could buy as many arrows as I needed. Above all, since there were so many different types of arrows, I could buy them all and store them, firing the right one for the right situation. All I needed to do was hire the archers.
‘If Roy fires a bow with his Black Iron Golem body, his power and accuracy will be off the charts...’
Hiring two more would be ideal. I decided to think about that later. A more pressing matter was Gon’s condition.
“Gon, can’t you fire a few more of those massive arrows?”
“I’m sorry, but that’s impossible. Look. My hands are still shaking.”
“Ah... so there’s a limit to the technique.”
“Even if I pour all my Ability into it, the recoil remains. Firing more than two a day is difficult. No, even one is a struggle. I can only shoot like I did today when I’m in peak condition. If I don’t pull with proper strength, the destructive power plummets.”
In his prime, Gon said he once fired up to five shots. Considering he supposedly took down a Chimera—one of the field bosses of the Underground City—with a single shot, it wasn't hard to imagine the sheer power involved. With that kind of destructive force, it made sense that it would take a toll on his body.
“This is a bow used by the ancestors of my tribe. It’s a dragon-slaying bow and arrow. Since it’s a weapon used by the monsters of the distant past who were called dragon-slayers, an ordinary man like me struggles to fire even a few shots.”
“If you’re an ordinary man, Gon, then what does that make me?”
“I am an ordinary man. The fact that I’ve already retired at this age gives you your answer.”
“....”
Had he closed the door on his own potential? There was something melancholy about an adventurer who had retired due to injury.
“Hey. I’m perfectly satisfied with my life right now, okay? I made a decent amount of money before I retired, I have children, and my wife is beautiful. So, could you stop making that pitiful face? It’s making me feel terrible.”
“Aha. I thought you were drowning in sorrow.”
“Sorrow? Please. Even ordinary men have their own kind of happiness. Right now, I’m just worried about what to eat for lunch.”
I immediately relaxed my expression. I really thought he was lost in tragic reminiscence. If he was satisfied, there was no need for me to feel bad for him. Gon was a Barbarian whose emotions were always hard to read behind his blunt, expressionless face.
“Well, I’ll be going then. I have work to do this afternoon.”
“Is that so? That ability you’ve mastered is truly an absurd technique, so keep honing it. Oh, and since we’ve confirmed that objects can enter the Subspace Pocket while retaining their momentum... don’t just stick to projectiles. It’ll be useful to carry around things like falling objects or boulders. Since time immemorial, stones have been humanity’s most enduring throwing weapon.”
“Yes, thanks for the advice.”
I knew the power of a slingshot all too well. Stone-throwing was the most fundamental long-range attack of mankind. As Gon suggested, it would be a good idea to store rocks or boulders falling from rooftops into my Inventory. Since I could determine the direction they’d fly out, the higher the kinetic energy, the better they’d fly.
And if I could get my hands on another of Gon’s dragon-slaying bows, I could have Roy fire those arrows. Golems were much easier to repair even if their bodies were damaged.
“Then I’ll be off to lunch as well. Come by when you have time, and we’ll train together.”
“Yes! Take care.”
Gon had been at work for less than an hour, but he left for lunch anyway. He was a man who worked with incredible laxity. He came in whenever he wanted, left exactly on time, and was strictly punctual about his meal breaks. Yet, the reason the Martial Arts Hall kept him as an instructor was surely because of his skill.
“We should get going too.”
“Yes. Let’s grab lunch together before we go clean the mansion.”
“Shall we? Let’s pick up the Young Lady on the way.”
“Sounds good.”
I headed off with Rika to pick up the Young Lady.
“Oh? Rien!”
“Huh...? Rika and Sion...? What are you two doing together...?”
“We came to get the Young Lady. I ran into Rika at the Martial Arts Hall.”
“Aha...”
We met Rien in front of the lodging. She said she was on her way to the Magic Tower.
“Are you going to see the Golem?”
“Uh-huh... well... yeah.”
“In that case, why don't you come with us?”
“Why...?”
“Because we’re taking the Golem with us.”
“Where to...? The Labyrinth?”
“No, no. You see...”
I informed Rien that I had purchased a mansion and that there were plenty of rooms left.
“You could even set up your own small atelier.”
“My own atelier...”
“Yes. There’s a separate annex. How does that sound?”
“Really...? What about the rent...?”
“No, what rent? Just, you know... give me whatever leftover scrolls you make.”
“That... sounds quite reasonable. Okay...”
I recruited Rien as well. That was one more worker. Since I was at it, should I bring Erika along too?
“Sorry! Did I keep you waiting?”
“Not at all, Young Lady.”
“Phew. Let’s go. Yuria will be waiting.”
“Ah, before that, do you know where Erika is?”
“Erika? She probably went to volunteer again today.”
“Where would she be?”
“Hmm... the relief station? She goes there most often.”
“Then, would you three like to join up with Yuria and head to the mansion first? I’ll go get Erika.”
“Erika? Wait, Rika and Rien too?”
“Yes. You see...”
I told the Young Lady that it would be good for Rika and Rien to live with us as well.
“I’m fine with it. But does Yuria know?”
“I briefly mentioned it to her yesterday. She’ll probably understand once you explain it to her there.”
“Really? Is it really okay?”
“It doesn't matter. The house is too big for just the three of us anyway. Since it’s come to this, it’s better if we all live together.”
My grandfather used to say that if a house is large but empty, something sinister will move in and take up residence. I didn't believe everything he said, but a house that’s unnecessarily large and empty does feel a bit hollow and strangely cold.
“Go on ahead, then.”
“Alright. We’ll go check it out.”
And so, the Young Lady, Rika, and Rien headed toward Yuria’s house. Since Olivia wasn't exactly helpful with cleaning, she’d probably be sent to the Druid Club. Marin and Yuria would join them, so five of them would be at the mansion first. We could just eat lunch at the mansion, since I had plenty of food in my Subspace Pocket.
“Is Erika here by any chance?”
“If you mean Sister Erika, she is upstairs tending to the patients. Her shift change is in about thirty minutes, so could you wait a moment?”
“Sure. I’ll be back in a bit, so could you tell her that Sion came looking for her?”
“Understood.”
I couldn't just sit around and wait for thirty minutes. I immediately ran to the Magic Tower. It was time to put Roy to use.
“I’d like to take Roy with me.”
“As you know, Roy’s body is the property of the Magic Tower. You’re not going to the Labyrinth. If you’re asking to take him just to clean your house, that’s a bit too personal a use. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“You mean we should draw up a new contract for the permanent lease of the Golem.”
“Exactly. The Black Iron Golem is a model we poured our hearts and souls into. If you just use it for personal errands, the Magic Tower gains nothing. Roy’s soul itself doesn't belong to us, so we can’t say anything if you take that, but...”
“I understand.”
The Tower Lord and I entered into a new contract. The production cost of a Black Iron Golem was absurdly high. It also consumed a massive amount of Magic Stones to operate. Since it was originally built for Labyrinth exploration, it was impractical for use in a normal household. It was a machine suited for military purposes.
“Here. This is a standard Steel Golem. Its performance is naturally lower than the Black Iron Golem, but this much I can let you take out.”
“That’s fine. Then, please prepare the things I asked for.”
“I will. I’ll contact the executive branch separately.”
Despite her appearance, the Tower Lord was a titan of the Labyrinth City. As such, she could effortlessly do things I couldn't. For instance, she could take in death row inmates for experimental purposes or bring in long-term prisoners for "rehabilitation."
‘Since adventurers are rarely executed.’
Most death row inmates were transient criminals who had drifted in from outside or back-alley thugs who couldn't adapt to the ecosystem of the Labyrinth City. The Tower Lord had the power to be supplied with such people, and we decided to have them participate in the Golem Army experiments. In this arrangement, I would act as the mediator who placed the souls into the Golems and held their leashes, while the souls themselves would technically belong to the Magic Tower.
‘Forcefully freeze the bodies of death row inmates, extract their souls, and put them to work as Golems.’
Then, if we told the model prisoners that they’d get their bodies back after a few years of labor in the Labyrinth, they’d probably work their hearts out. Essentially, it was the Labyrinth version of a Space Marine. If they truly worked themselves to the bone, they’d be granted freedom—while I still held the leash to their souls.
“I’m glad the conversation with the Tower Lord went well.”
I nodded as I looked at Roy, who had been demoted to a Steel Golem. The design was still quite cool.
“Now we can have a stable supply of people.”
“Indeed. Roy’s going to have some juniors soon.”
Honestly, if it weren't for the Saintess, I would have rounded up the souls of the heretics and used them. But with her watching me with those sharp eyes, I couldn't. I’d only managed to get Fainel’s soul.
“Erika! Over here!”
“Ah, Sion. It’s been a while.”
“It has. Have you been well?”
“I’ve just been doing my usual faithful volunteer work. But that thing next to you...”
“It’s an Autonomous Golem.”
“Aha. An Autonomous Golem... autonomous?”
“Yes. His name is Roy. He’s capable of conversation. He’s a new product from the Magic Tower, equipped with something called Artificial Intelligence.”
“Artificial... Intelligence? You mean a created intellect?”
“Yes, exactly.”
In reality, it was being operated by a human soul, but I couldn't tell that to Erika, a devout follower of the Goddess Church. The idea of putting a human soul into a Golem was something that sounded bizarre to anyone else anyway. It had to remain top secret, known only to the Tower Lord, the Golem researchers, and a few others like Rien. Especially to a normal person like Erika.
‘Even Leo, who’s a normal guy, knows about it, but he’s been silenced, so it’s fine.’
Anyone who had entered the Magic Tower even once was under the surveillance of Malice, the dark mage who maintained the tower’s order. They’d know to keep their mouths shut. Anyone who had caught even a glimpse of that bespectacled boy’s shadow would be too terrified to ever breathe a word of the tower’s secrets.
“But is there a reason you came to see me today? Not the Young Lady, but specifically me...”
“Well, you see, I’ve purchased a house.”
I explained the situation to Erika and suggested she come live with us.
“Really? If there’s a room to spare, I’d be grateful. But the rent...”
“Oh, don't worry about that. Instead of rent, just heal my wounds every now and then.”
“I’d love to. Of course I should do that.”
Erika smiled happily. Honestly, these people had become completely jaded by the economy of the Labyrinth City in just a few months. Rika, Rien, and now Erika—every single one of them asked about the rent first. It seemed these medieval people had fully savored the taste of the Labyrinth City’s capitalism.
“Then let’s go. Everyone will be waiting.”
I headed toward the mansion with Erika and Roy. We could just make do with the food in my Subspace Pocket for lunch. Rosier would probably be there by now, wouldn't she? This would be the first time Erika and Rosier met.
I was curious to see how Erika would react when she saw the Interrogator.