Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Precious
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"Did you hear the news?"
"What news? You can't just drop it like that and expect me to know."
"About Rox's hunting party."
"Oh... those guys? Didn't they head out a few days ago for a big score? Why, did they come back?"
"They did come back... but they got utterly crushed."
"What?"
In the southern region of the Holy Empire of Eukrasia, in the small city of Delron, a group of drunken patrons at a tavern were chatting about Rox's hunting party, who had recently returned to the city.
"It's a bit surprising, sure, but not something to make a huge fuss over."
One of the drinkers said this indifferently as he nursed his beer. Hunters who made their living slaying demons were a dime a dozen, and it was an everyday occurrence for some of them to get taken out by demons instead.
"They said they got some good intel and were going for a big haul... Probably walked into a demon trap, or messed with something way out of their league. One or the other."
"Word is, they found a Red Demon Tribe village."
"A village? Whew. That's a hell of a catch."
The man sharing the news prompted a whistle from one of the drinkers. Finding a whole village was worth the hype. It wasn't just picking off lone demons here and there—if they'd raided an entire village, they'd have a bunch captured as slaves, and even if not, the temples would cough up a hefty reward.
"But they came back crushed. So they failed?"
"What? So you're saying we should go?"
Remembering the man's earlier words about them being "utterly crushed," the drinkers' eyes lit up with greed. If they'd found a village but failed to clean it out properly... didn't that mean the village was still there?
"Forget it. Sounds like they looted the place clean."
"...Damn it! Then don't bring it up!"
"Got my hopes up for nothing."
"That's not the point, you idiots. What could wipe out a team that cleaned out a whole village?"
"Huh? They didn't get hit while raiding the village?"
"If that was it, I wouldn't even mention it!"
The man took a swig of beer to wet his throat, glanced around, then lowered his voice as he spoke to his friends.
"They say a dungeon appeared."
"A dungeon...?"
As if revealing some grand secret, the man's hushed words made the drinkers exchange glances before bursting into laughter.
"This guy's had too much."
"Dungeon? What dungeon?"
"I'm serious! I heard it straight from one of Rox's hunters who just got back!"
Frustrated by his friends' reactions, the man thumped his chest and dove into more details. Rox's team had found a strange structure in the forest and gotten beaten by a man who popped out of it.
"Come on, if you're gonna lie, make it believable. A dungeon? And a half-breed on top of that?"
"Argh... you guys... Look, I don't buy all of it either, but Rox really got wrecked. I saw him when they came back—his state was indescribable."
"How bad?"
"All his muscles melted away... face got uglier somehow, shrank in height... even got dumped by his girlfriend."
"Last part doesn't matter. But Rox... isn't he a Hero?"
"Yeah. One-star Hero, but still a Hero."
Only then did the drinkers' expressions turn somewhat serious. They still couldn't swallow the dungeon bit, but a Hero getting taken down was grave news.
"Anyway, whether a real dungeon popped up or not, they reported it to the temple as one."
"And?"
"They got kicked out?"
"Nah. They checked Rox's condition and said they're sending an investigation team."
"From the temple...?"
They were stunned. In the Holy Empire of Eukrasia, the temples in each region held as much power as the local nobility. For those stick-in-the-mud types to dispatch an investigation team...?
"Yeah. A full team including three Heroes, no less."
-[Ladder (Lv. Max)]: A foldable ladder for climbing high places to clean. Length adjustable!
"Phew... Thank you, Master."
"You're welcome, Precious."
"Precious? What does that mean?"
"It means you're precious like gold."
"Ooh... What a nice meaning."
I used the [Ladder] to pull Erzsebet out of the pitfall trap. It was max-level gear too... but all a ladder really does is extend to reach higher. Still useful right now.
"And Master. A memory surfaced the moment I fell into that trap."
"Why then of all times... What was it?"
"Before I lost my memories, it feels like I often fell into traps like this. It felt strangely familiar the instant I dropped in..."
"Yeah. Quiet down, Precious."
Your new nickname is Precious from now on. Way too much hassle, and you don't listen worth a damn.
"Couldn't you get out on your own?"
"I could have by expending blood... but in my current blood-starved state, I didn't want to waste any, Master."
Despite her overwhelming display earlier, she couldn't escape a simple pitfall? When I asked, she said she didn't want to waste blood. Every time she used a skill, she'd absorb the blood right back... but there must be some net loss even with recycling.
'Hmm. Hold on. Blood, huh...'
Come to think of it, one of Erzsebet's [Talents] had caught my eye.
[Shop]
-Category: ...[Equipment]...
Her words sparked an idea, so I opened the [Shop] window and navigated to the [Equipment] category to find what I wanted. Price... 500 points? Ouch. Pricey... Erzsebet really is a point hog.
'Purchase.'
[High-Pressure Cleaner (Lv. 1)] purchased.
Tears in my eyes, I blew 500 precious points on a measly Lv. 1 [High-Pressure Cleaner].
As a Lv. 1 tool, it had weak pressure and narrow range, but regardless of level, any [High-Pressure Cleaner] spews an infinite supply of water once activated.
And...
[Blood Dominator]
Liquid-using cleaning tools convert all liquids to 'blood'.
One of Erzsebet's [Talent] abilities: [Blood Dominator]. The description says it can convert liquids in cleaning tools that use "liquids" into blood. So...
"Precious, listen to this."
"Nice meaning and all, but it feels embarrassing now, Master. You can just call me Erzsebet."
"Fine, Erzsebet. Now listen."
"Isn't this the weird staff you were using? Though it looks a bit different."
Yeah, 'cause this one's Lv. 1 and mine's max-level. Not important anyway...
"See that handle? Try pressing it."
"Like this? Hmm... Hya!"
Erzsebet followed my lead... she's got a long name, alright. Just Erzsebet it is. Anyway, she yanked the handle on the [High-Pressure Cleaner], and instead of clear water, dark red liquid shot out the nozzle... Hey, hey! Aim!
-Pssshhhh!
"B-blood...? It's blood, Master! ...Master?"
"......"
Erzsebet had aimed the nozzle right at me and fired, drenching me in dark red liquid. Thanks to the [Janitor's Clothes] effect, the blood slid right off without sticking... but...
"Argh, this Precious really..."
"...Master? Is that really a compliment?"
"Whatever, just drink it. It's real blood, right?"
"It is. Who'd have thought a staff that spits blood existed...!"
Tell me about it. The [Talent] description hinted at it, but actual blood gushing from a [High-Pressure Cleaner]? Wild. How does it even work? Water's weird enough.
"Anyway, we've got blood now. Try drinking it."
"C-can I? It seems awfully clean..."
Even better. Might jog her memories. And considering the [High-Pressure Cleaner]'s power, doesn't that mean infinite blood too?
"Hurry up and drink."
"A-alright...!"
Erzsebet, drooling at the sight of blood, cautiously pressed her lips to the nozzle and sucked. Hmm... kinda off-putting to watch.
-Gulp.
Then, mid-guzzle, Erzsebet froze.
"Erzsebet?"
"........."
What? Problem? What if it's not real blood, just blood-like stuff?
"Ur..."
"Ur?"
"Urghhh... Bleeech!"
Erzsebet, bloated with blood, suddenly retched and spewed a fountain of it from her mouth. Whoa... that's gross in a whole other way. A beauty vomiting blood...
"T-tastes awful, Master. In my hundreds of years, I've never had blood this bad..."
She grimaced and groaned, having puked up a ton of blood. Casually dropping her absurd age aside...
"Tastes awful? Then it's not blood?"
"It is blood. But... no vitality at all. Even rotten undead blood wouldn't taste this bad..."
Vitality gives it flavor? Anyway, no vitality... Makes sense, not from a living thing.
"Can't you just power through it? You need your memories back."
"Blood without vitality offers zero recovery, no matter how much I drink, Master... For recovery, I need blood brimming with vitality..."
Damn. Not that easy, huh? All blood's the same, what's this vitality crap... Shit. Wasted points.
"Hah... You're not lying? You could recover but just don't like the taste?"
"It's true. Believe me, Master..."
"Sigh... Fine. Give it back then."
Deeply disappointed, I reached for the [High-Pressure Cleaner] she held, but she hesitated instead of handing it over.
"...What? I said give it back."
"W-well, Master. I know it's presumptuous for a servant to ask anything of you, but... this mystical staff. Could you grant it to me?"
"What?"
Clutching the [High-Pressure Cleaner] to her chest, Erzsebet's eyes sparkled.
"You said you couldn't drink it 'cause it tastes bad."
"I can't drink it directly, but I can wield it with 'blood magic.' Weaker than using my own blood, of course, but for simple things like climbing out of that trap earlier, it beats wasting my blood every time..."
"Fine, take it."
"...Huh?"
I stopped listening halfway and handed the [High-Pressure Cleaner] over willingly.
"R-really?"
"You asked for it."
"But such a treasure..."
Treasure or not, it's just Lv. 1 gear. 500 points hurts right now, but with my max-level stuff, I got no use for Lv. 1 junk. Maybe give it to Rio at best?
"Th-thank you, Master! I'll serve you with utmost loyalty from now on!"
Erzsebet hugged the [High-Pressure Cleaner] tight, baring her fangs in a radiant smile. Seeing that expression made me awkwardly turn away.
.....Damn, she really is pretty.