Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: ☺
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"Hmm, is my body feeling weak lately...?"
I’m seeing things. I’m seeing things I shouldn’t be seeing.
Let's close my eyes and take a deep breath.
If I calm down, count to 10, and open my eyes again, the true appearance of this world will surely be visible.
[Exciting! The Stone Golem has become a companion!]
"......You damn rat!!"
"Keck! Keck keck! Squeak!"
[Ramju Thunder is saying, "Save the squirrel!"]
As I tightly gripped and shook the small squirrel's body, Thunder’s eyes spun round and round.
Of course, doing this won’t relieve my anger, nor will it change anything.
In this time, I must immediately... make it so this never happened.
I urgently appealed to the system.
"Hey, that message just now isn't real, right? It's a joke, right? I didn't say I'd accept it as a companion, did I? Thunder decided that on his own, right? Something like this is invalid!"
[It is neither a joke nor invalid. The Stone Golem has now become the user's precious companion.]
"So I'm telling you, I, the user, didn't agree to it?"
[In a team, all companions are in an equal relationship! You are the leader, but all companions have equal rights. Including the recruitment of companions.]
What the... There was never any talk like that before, so why suddenly now?
Don't give me that crap. You just made that up right now.
You just made up this rule right now because you wanted to see me end up accepting this Stone Golem as a companion.
And even if, hypothetically, everything you said is correct....
"Hey, if it's equal rights, doesn't it end if I oppose it?"
[No. Team decision-making follows the principle of majority rule! Since more than half agreed, this decision cannot be invalidated.]
"Don't be ridiculous! In what country in the world does majority rule work like that?! It makes no sense to use majority rule when the team is only two people! And it makes no sense that the opinion passes just because one person agreed!"
[Since 50% agreed, if you round up the 5, it becomes 10. So that becomes 100% agreement. ^^]
"What kind of crazy..."
This trashy 'rounding off' logic hasn't been seen since the constitutional amendment in 1954, has it?
I realized that further refutation was meaningless.
This guy just wants me to accept this Stone Golem as a companion no matter what.
Putting forth that nonsensical logic is nothing more than an excuse.
I calmed down a little and organized my thoughts.
'Still... Ramju Thunder was also the weakest monster at first.'
It was also the System that told me to accept Thunder as a companion back then.
And that Thunder, who used to be the weakest, has now become strong enough to defeat all floors with the shortest records.
It even sent him to the Secret Floor and went out of its way to let us obtain the Star Fragment.
Even if the System does strange things, it has never caused me a loss.
Isn't guiding me to accept this peculiar Stone Golem as a companion also something like that?
If so, even if I don't fully trust and follow it yet, it seems right to ride the flow and watch how the situation develops.
[We are concerned that the Stone Golem, who has become a new companion, might feel hurt if you keep arguing like this. Since it has already become a companion, how about welcoming it warmly?]
"...This thing is trying to act more human than me now."
Dumbfounded, I let out a hollow laugh and turned my gaze toward the Stone Golem.
'Well, it’s true that this guy hasn't done anything wrong.'
This Stone Golem simply said it wanted to be our companion.
And we... no, Thunder just accepted it.
If you can't avoid it, you should enjoy it.
If I can't revoke accepting it as a companion, let's welcome it as much as possible.
I extended my fist forward.
"Welcome to the team. Since it's turned out like this, I look forward to working with you."
Rattle.
The Stone Golem extended a hand that didn't even have fingers and bumped fists with me.
"Squeak!"
Thunder also placed his small squirrel fist on top.
The Oath of the Peach Garden was formed between a human, a rat, and a lump of rock.
[Please give your new companion a name!]
"...Come to think of it, I had to do this too."
A message window blocking me just as I was about to return.
Since I was tired today and nothing immediately came to mind, I tried to do it later, but it didn't work.
[Please give your new companion a name!][Please give your new companion a name!][Please give your new companion a name!][Please give your new companion a name!] ...... ......
"...Still persistent as ever."
Countless message windows shooting up everywhere.
Return or whatever else, all other functions of the system were paralyzed.
It seems it won't let me return unless I name it first.
It can't be helped. I have to think of something and name it now.
Since a name apparently determines a companion's destiny and contributes to changes in potential, I should give it the best name possible....
I crossed my arms, closed my eyes, and very seriously and carefully thought of a name for the Stone Golem.
"Then... how about 'Sturdy Rockman'?"
Rattle.
[The Stone Golem seems unable to even conceive that such a thing could be a name.]
...Is it that bad?
Isn't it a strong-sounding and decent name?
Sturdy Rockman seems fine.
Beside me, Thunder shook his head.
"Squeak squeak."
[Ramju Thunder is lamenting that your naming sense is still hopeless.]
"What? Then you try naming him."
"Squeak? Squeak squeak."
[Ramju Thunder is saying, "Really? Then this body will give the junior a name most befitting them."]
And then, Thunder closed his eyes, crossed his arms, and after pondering for a long time, opened his mouth.
"Squeak squeak. Squeak."
[Ramju Thunder is suggesting 'His Excellency Ramju Thunder's Right Arm' as the junior's name.]
Shocked by that naming sense, the Stone Golem collapsed onto the ground right there.
[The Stone Golem is in despair.]
"I knew it. Calling that a name..."
"Squeak... Squeak squeak squeak...?"
[Ramju Thunder is astonished, saying, "You're lying... you dislike such a good name...?"]
Even after that, our 'Give the new friend a name!' session continued... but we couldn't satisfy the Stone Golem.
"Terror Rock Demon King!" "Blood-stained Rock!"
[Ramju Thunder is suggesting 'Thunder-nim's Tail Rest' as the junior's name.][Ramju Thunder is suggesting 'Ramju Thunder's Giant Warrior' as the junior's name.]
Thud-
[The Stone Golem does not want to believe that those things are its name.]
In the end, unable to listen anymore, the Stone Golem buried its head between its gathered legs while sitting down.
A posture that physically expressed the emotion of despair.
For a golem to reveal its emotions to that extent... was it that lame?
Hmm... Maybe the names I came up with weren't too bad, but it was because the names Thunder came up with were too shocking.
That must be it.
I was about to ponder the next name.
Rattle.
"Huh?"
The guy lifted its head and stared at me intently.
[The Stone Golem seems to want a clean proper noun rather than a name plastered with bizarre modifiers.]
"A clean proper noun?"
This guy, for a golem, it had preferences like that?
A proper noun, a proper noun....
Should I take it from a person's name or something?
But among the names suitable to attach to a golem, something that sounds strong is... Ah!
"A golem is definitely... an artificial life form made by a sorcerer, right?"
An existence like a robot made in the image of a human. But an existence that possesses life, however primitive, to be called a robot.
"Okay, then from today on, you are 'Frankenstein'."
Rattle.
The Stone Golem... no, Frankenstein nodded vigorously.
[You have given a new name to your companion.][A name is destiny. By obtaining a new name, Frankenstein's destiny changes.]
[Frankenstein's stats and potential have been adjusted!][Intimacy with Frankenstein has increased!]
"Summon Frankenstein."
Rattle.
After returning home, I immediately summoned Frankenstein... simply called Frank, whom I had sent to the Sub-space Waiting Room.
Since I obviously can't walk around the streets with a guy who looks blatantly like a monster.
In my already small room, with a rock lump the size of me taking up space, it felt even more cramped.
The Monster Guidebook displayed Frank's information.
Name: Frankenstein Level: 15 Species: Stone Golem Potential: A Personality: Curious
[Stats]Strength: 105 Magic: - Durability: 150 Stamina: - Agility: 16
[Skills] Defense lv1, Rush lv1, Rock Punch lv1
[Special Ability] ■■ (On the verge of flowering)
[Intimacy] Recognizes you as the new master. Seems quite interested in the companions.
Uh... It's quite an unexpected change.
First off, the potential is a whopping A!
It's higher than Thunder, who is B+.
Seeing how Thunder chews up the Tower now that his level has risen a bit, this means Frank is an even more amazing guy.
Honestly, I thought I'd be grateful even if he only got a C.
However, looking at the stats next... I feel like it's somewhat ambiguous.
Of course, since he became my companion and his potential rose, he must have become much stronger than Stone Golems of the same level... but even so, he has no Magic and his Agility is low.
Like this, he's just a slightly sturdier Stone Golem.
I honestly had doubts about how this could be the stats of A-rank potential......
Below the skill slot, I discovered something strange called [Special Ability].
Something Thunder didn't have.
Right now, it's obscured by ■■, but seeing 'on the verge of flowering' written next to it, it seems to be an ability that will bloom soon...
So, how do I make it flower?
Just in time, the system answered that question.
[The Special Ability is easier to flower the more you satisfy the companion's individuality.]
"Satisfy the individuality, you say... How?"
I tilted my head and looked at Frank.
Thunder was excitedly jumping around on top of that rock body, and the guy was watching Thunder with fascination.
That wasn't all.
Frank looked around my room here and there as if all of this was interesting, and his rotating stone head stopped at my bookshelf.
[Frankenstein seems curious about the contents of the books the user possesses.]
"Those...?"
Speaking of books... well, they aren't exactly interesting.
Since I'm busy and I don't have a hobby of reading.
The books on my shelf were just textbooks I used in middle and high school and a few magazines.
A bookshelf where I just stuck them instead of throwing them away.
I wondered if it was right to make a golem read school textbooks, but....
'Well. Is there any reason why not?'
Since I want to make that 'flowering' happen for now.
Let's try granting whatever demands he has right now.
Judging by his personality being 'Curious', it seems this guy has a strong passion for learning.
The complete opposite of Thunder, who goes crazy only for food and hates putting anything in his head.
Frank had many requests besides books.
[Frankenstein wants the remains of golems the user possesses.][Frankenstein wants the tool set in the user's house.][Frankenstein......]
"No, hey. How are you going to carry all that? What on earth are you going to use them for?"
In the Sub-space Waiting Room, which can be called a companion's personal space, only objects the companion is directly touching can be taken in, aside from the companion's own body.
But while I can put books or a tool set in his hands, I have so many golem remains caught so far; how can I give them all to him?
At that moment, the system, with good timing again, informed me of a new function.
[Check the item 'Hand Over' function to companions in the Monster Guidebook!]
"What? Since when was there such a function... It's really there?"
Checking the Guidebook, a 'Hand Over' function had appeared at some point.
It definitely wasn't there when I searched this Guidebook thoroughly on the first day... Was it added as skill levels rose?
Anyway, if I use 'Hand Over' to a companion, it seems I can send items from my inventory to the companion's Sub-space Waiting Room.
I immediately used the Hand Over function to send the golem remains to Frank's Sub-space Waiting Room.
Golem remains such as Sand Golem's 'Soft Sand', Mud Golem's 'Damp Mud', Wood Golem's 'Rotten Wood', and Ice Golem's 'Frozen Ice'.
I don't know why he needs these, but anyway, if I keep giving them to him, I should expect him to do that 'flowering' thing.
"Hmm, it's about time for Ji-yeon to come back."
Since I had a lot to do today, time passed in an instant.
I don't plan to reveal my abilities to my younger sister yet, so I need to unsummon Frank for now.
I placed the textbooks and tool set, which couldn't go into the inventory, into Frank's arms.
"Ah, right. Wait a moment."
And before sending him, there was one thing. I brought a permanent marker from the room and drew on Frank's face.
☺
It's a simple face with just eyes and a mouth... but it still looks nice to have it like this.
Rattle rattle.
[Frankenstein likes the user's gift very much.]
Frank likes it too.
Frank, now with a perpetually smiling face, returned to the Sub-space Waiting Room along with various items.
It was a few days later that a change occurred in Frank.