Chapter 310
Chapter 310
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Chef
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"So you're feeding the great demon to the spirit as food!?"
Meltas shouted in shock.
The passing students whispered as they looked at him.
"M-Master Meltas, good morning! Have a great day!"
"You look even more spry today!"
"You know we respect you, right?"
"Stay healthy and on the podium forever!!!"
We love you!
We respect you!
Hug us!
The overflowing energy of youthful prime crashed into Meltas just as it was.
As if the other party desperately needed it!
Compassion and attention toward the elderly.
It was one facet of a beautiful society.
"N-No...!!!"
Meltas, suddenly turned into a senile old man, felt wronged.
"Oh... As expected of Master Meltas. Receiving the students' respect all in one body. It feels like the direction of my old age is set."
"Where do you see respect for the master in those students!? They're just young folks caring for a doddering old geezer!"
"Come on. Isn't that only possible with respect and love backing it up?"
"Tch. That's why you can't do anything special."
"Do what special? What are you talking about?"
"The grumpy talk unique to the elderly. Using the weariness of senile mind and body as fuel—but that's not easy for me now."
"Proof that Master Meltas lives youthfully. Haha!"
"Not that, I've just absorbed a lot of the world tree's energy."
"Ah."
Before Rishir arrived, it was Gadena, in charge of the world tree investigation, and the masters of the Gray Tower.
They were complaining of severe aftereffects from the immense energy they had inevitably absorbed during the investigation.
The symptoms of the aftereffects were as follows.
I sleep well at night these days and wake up refreshed in the morning.
The stuffiness in my body is gone, and minor ailments have disappeared.
Might be my imagination, but I feel younger.
My energy has been purified, and my magical achievements have risen.
"Is that why the masters looked so radiant when I greeted them at the tower!?"
Rishir recalled the faces of the masters he had greeted upon arriving at the tower.
"I thought it was because they were happy to reunite with Honorary Mage Rishir...!!!"
"What are you saying! Of course we're happy! It's just that the happiness is doubled for a different reason!"
"Huh? But some seemed happy to see me yet somehow uncomfortable—maybe those—"
"They're embarrassed because they heard that Merchant Goose gifted you an entire annex in return for receiving the world tree's grace."
"Ah, Rishir! You're back?"
Speak of the master and he appears.
A group of masters passing by spotted Rishir and approached him immediately.
They expressed their intense joy with all their might for a moment.
"Ah...!"
As if remembering something, they started glancing at Rishir.
Rishir immediately recalled what Master Meltas had said and waved his hand dismissively.
Was the world tree's energy some commodity to price out and collect one by one?
Upon hearing some were even preparing assets as tribute(?), Rishir freaked out and calmed them down.
After that commotion passed—
"Rishir. You're back?"
Another group approached Rishir.
Unlike before, it was a group made up of many students.
And one master surrounded by the students.
"Huh?"
When the master greeted him, Rishir reacted as if possessed by a ghost.
"Master Didoa...?"
He couldn't have imagined the master surrounded by countless students would be that introverted half-demon woman.
"There's been a major breakthrough in research at the tower lately, right?"
The joint tower research based on the half-spirit Perrin's core.
Master Didoa had shone in that research, becoming a central figure and earning the tower's respect.
"Now it's common for people to come from afar just to talk with Master Didoa."
"Ooh...!"
Rishir felt great emotion upon learning the full story from Meltas's explanation.
Suddenly.
He recalled her initial appearance.
The image of a woman who had to be isolated due to various external factors.
"Master Didoa! How have you been!?"
"Yes. Thanks to Rishir."
No complex greetings were needed.
Their eyes held enough emotion to convey everything as they looked at each other.
"What? You show up out of nowhere."
"Huh?"
A familiar voice came amid it all.
"Perrin!?"
Rishir was startled once more.
The half-spirit Perrin was mixed in with the student group.
Master Didoa was one thing, but mingling with other humans!?
As Rishir reacted like he'd seen a ghost, Perrin cringed like a teenage girl facing her dad.
Perrin clicked her tongue and turned her head.
Rishir's gaze went to the top of her head.
Poof.
Her hidden wolf ears popped up sharply.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Then her fluffy tail whipped fiercely, capturing attention.
"You vanish without a word, then suddenly show up and cause a scene?"
Rishir's ears itched.
Not for anything else—Perrin had leaped at him like a wolf and was talking while hugging him.
The wolf girl rubbed her head wildly against Rishir's nape.
"I don't want to see your face, so get lost."
"Heh."
Rishir was briefly confused about which rhythm to follow.
For now, he decided to be surprised.
"Perrin. Don't tell me—you're enrolled as a student at the tower now?"
"No big deal. Didoa's stuff looked fun, so I tried imitating her from the side, and she just let me."
"Oh, really? That's great."
Professor's thing looked fun, so I imitated and it just worked.
From a peer's perspective, was there a more despairing story?
Before long, the students were tearfully watching them.
"Rishir. She's definitely your spirit."
"Yes?"
Spirits deceive as naturally as breathing—
And masters accept it as naturally as breathing.
Meltas and the others thought.
Indeed, like master, like spirit.
"So, Rishir. What did you want to ask the tower lord about the great demon fragment? If it's okay, tell me. I'm woefully lacking compared to him, but you never know? Maybe this old man can offer something useful."
After the lively informal welcome.
Rishir had a private meeting with Meltas once more.
"To continue—did you understand what I just said?"
"What?"
"About feeding the great demon to Ver as food."
"No, of course I didn't."
"..."
"Of course, rationally speaking. Rishir-wise, I understand somewhat, so continue."
What the hell is Rishir-wise?
Rishir organized his thoughts briefly and continued.
"I suddenly wondered if I'm handling this item correctly."
"Isn't that your own process to destroy the great demon fragment?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"Ver's struggling with it."
"What!?"
Meltas nearly jumped in place.
Verbandes.
The high demon—no, spirit—who had caused countless antics with Rishir—was struggling!?
"As expected of the great demon fragment!"
"It seems—though the fragment's power isn't that great due to being shattered, its inherent rank is so high that Ver's having trouble fully absorbing it. Like swallowing a creature that rampages in the stomach?"
So!
Rishir emphasized as he brought it up.
"I've devised a new strategy."
"New strategy...? My god. I can't even imagine what it is. Will you tell me?"
"Thoroughly destroy the fragment's energy nature, then hand it to Ver."
"...You're going to cook the rampaging stomach creature to make it easier to digest?"
"Exactly. With this method, we might completely annihilate the great demon fragment."
"...So you were going to ask the tower lord if that's the right way?"
"Yes."
A moment later.
Meltas nodded.
He spoke resolutely to Rishir.
"Rishir. I think I can give you a firm answer in the tower lord's stead."
"...!"
Rishir straightened up at Master Meltas's serious atmosphere.
Gulp.
After swallowing dryly once, he opened his mouth.
"I'll listen."
"Why ask me?"
"?"
"If the tower lord heard your story now, he'd answer exactly that."
Meltas raised both hands as he spoke.
"The proper way to cook a demon—who in this world would know that?"
"Ah..."
"From the start—"
Meltas raised his index finger to emphasize.
"Destroying a demon is unprecedented in continental history. Seeking someone to discuss the advanced process is paradoxical."
"Then—"
"Rishir. I dare say. Not even Great Remier, nor anyone in this world—can have your vision."
Meltas grabbed Rishir's arms.
Emotions beyond words flowed through his arms.
Pioneer.
Meltas pronounced the name with force.
"Trust your judgment."
"...!"
Finally.
Rishir nodded solemnly.
"I'll cook it!"
"...No, rephrase that—"
Meltas gained conviction in his thoughts once more.
Rishir.
No one could have his vision.
Outer Sword Rodan.
Having heard a shocking story from the Star of Ash, he had no choice but to join her group.
To guide them to Rishir.
And for him.
On the way to Bondales.
"The owner of the advance..."
Rishir.
The Star of Ash couldn't help but be quite surprised when that hero's name was mentioned from the outer sword's mouth.
His fame, spread through Iphrien, had naturally reached her ears as the red tower lord.
The outer sword looked at her surprised profile and made a pleasant smile.
The priest's fame that even surprised him was effective on the Star of Ash too.
"Hey."
"...Speak, outer sword."
"You've heard the rumors about that hero too."
"Rumors?"
"The rumor that he subjugated the demon sword."
"What are you getting at?"
"Our priest is at a level where he could control that thing without your help, right?"
"..."
"Who knows? Our priest might even destroy that—great demon fragment."
"...If you truly care for your priest—"
"Huh?"
The Star of Ash stared at the outer sword with her characteristic hollow eyes.
"Pray that never happens."
"...What do you mean?"
"If you rashly try to destroy it—you'll face the worst situation immediately."
"Worst situation—what do you mean!?"
"It's the medium for the barrier that sealed the great demon in parts. Exquisitely precise, yet incredibly unstable. Even a massive explosion contained in a small orb wouldn't be this unstable."
"..."
"Now, shall we think? What happens if you apply destructive intent to that unstable item."
Damn it.
The outer sword swallowed dryly without realizing.
—Zwinni!!! Look over there!!!
Dangaleon shouted urgently.
It was a sudden event.
A rift suddenly appeared in the air, slowly expanding the area.
As if crudely incising skin and prying it open.
Like that, the space beyond the rift was filled with ominous darkness like fresh blood.
—Haaaaah.
—Screeeeech!!!
—Kerrrrrrr.
Countless eyes floated up inside the rift.
To ravage the defenseless, powerless world of light.
And the first thing they saw.
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
The holy demon swordsman, crudely gripping holy and demon swords in both hands, was hacking at the great demon fragment.
The rift interior writhed like living entrails.
Emitting horrific shrieks to threaten the target.
Did the threat work?
The holy demon swordsman stopped hacking.
And then—
"..."
Still gripping the sword, he trudged toward the rift.
Whoosh.
The rift healed as if nothing had happened.
"?"
The holy demon swordsman stopped in place.
"What?"
Rishir shrugged and resumed work.
The roar from the fragment clashing with immense power echoed like screams, deafeningly loud.