Chapter 116
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: One Sudden Day
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1.
Karron did his best to remain calm as he stared at the golems surrounding his party.
Every single one of them looked dangerous.
These were nothing like the crude golems haphazardly churned out by alchemists.
Their forms were exquisitely crafted, as if modeled after the human body.
At a glance, one could see their metallic bodies with a faint light-green sheen, and the high-quality mana stones embedded in their chests.
It was impossible to create such golems with human technology.
-...And so, Karron Leston's journey came to such an absurd end....
Shut up, Guillotine.
-I'm bored, you know?
A single one would have been threatening enough, but there were over twenty of them.
They look similar to the ones I saw in the lair
Karron quickly scanned the golems, weighing his chances of victory.
He wouldn't lose.
But he couldn't overwhelm them either.
I can get out of this unscathed.
The problem was his companions.
He wasn't confident he could subdue so many golems while also protecting them.
The only fortunate thing was
...But why aren't they attacking?
Youre right.
The golems were merely aiming at the party, showing no other signs of action.
If they had intended to attack, they would have already unleashed a barrage of magic.
Leo quietly said to Karron.
You think maybe those things are programmed not to attack first?
Why don't you go find out, brother?
How?
Provoke them.
...Me?
The one who's curious should test it himself. Or should I give you a little push? I'm suddenly curious myself.
At that, Leo let out a small sigh.
This mouth of yours is the problem. Alright, watch closely, little brother. From what I can tell, these things can't attack peo!
The very moment Leo took a confident step forward.
Fshooooo-!
A beam of red light shot out from one golem's mana stone, aimed straight at Leo.
Kaaaaang-!
Leo instinctively raised his sword and deflected the beam at an angle. Then, his body trembling, he said.
They They can attack?
Do you always have to get hit to figure things out? You're always asking for it.
Leave him be. It's not like this is the first time Leo's done something stupid, is it?
Leo! You look much more manly without your bangs. It's a good look!
Just as Utulla said, Leo's bangs had vanished without a trace.
The deflected beam had neatly burned them off.
After admiring Leo's glistening, sweaty forehead, Karron slowly turned his gaze back to the golems.
Just then, Guillotine's voice echoed in his mind.
-That's Etaron's mana. They're the same as the ones we saw in the lair last time.
So why are Etarons guardians here?
-How should I know? You're the master, you figure it out.
The Evil Dragon Etaron.
A being that seemed to belong only in tales of the progenitors, a story unfamiliar even to Karron, who had experienced reincarnation.
A dragon so savage and cruel it had earned the moniker 'Evil Dragon'.
It was famous for despising all other races, but it was particularly known for its cruelty towards humans.
If these were golems created by such a creature, wouldn't it be normal for them to attack without warning?
But then again
The golems' movements weren't very aggressive.
Despite possessing the power to subdue their opponents, it felt more like they were trying to scare them away.
-Maybe there really is one of Etarons hatchlings here.
And of all places, in Keruas hideout.
-Just as you thought, Master, this is no coincidence.
He had to make a decision.
Break through the golems and resume the search, or give up and retreat.
But this time, it wasn't a difficult choice.
After a moment of thought, Karron spoke to his companions.
Everyone, listen carefully. Ill draw their attention, so you all break through at once
It was then.
Wooooong-!
A peculiar-looking golem stepped out from between the others.
It was an individual made of blue metal, not the usual light green like the rest.
Notably, another mana stone was embedded in its head.
Withdraw. This place is not permitted to you.
The air vibrated strangely.
It was a voice produced by converting mana into fine vibrations.
As Karron narrowed his eyes, trying to assess the unique golem, Guillotines rather excited voice rang out.
-Wow, that thing is still around? Thats a command unit, Master.
What's a command unit?
-In human terms, its a golem that acts as the brain. What should I call it... Artificial Intelligence? No, in this case, it would be Draconic Intelligence. An entity to which a dragon personally granted a consciousness.
Was it because a topic he knew had come up?
Guillotine excitedly continued its explanation.
-It's a golem that can only be created with ancient magic. That one controls all the others.
It seemed to be a commander, just as the name implied.
And since its functions were focused on that role, its visible armaments appeared weak.
Karron lightly gripped Guillotine and continued his questioning.
So all I have to do is smash that one, right?
-No. The moment you destroy it, the other golems will go berserk.
Ah, then what the hell am I supposed to do?
Just as Karrons patience was reaching its limit, Guillotine boasted.
-See that jewel stuck in its head? Plunge me into it. It's me, Guillotine, the Dragon Slayer. I'll show you a miracle.
He'd never heard the nickname 'Dragon Slayer' before, but he decided to brush it off for now.
It wasn't the first or second time Guillotine had spouted nonsense.
If you're bluffing, you'd better be prepared. You're going back into the furnace. Got it?
-...Ah, the furnace is a bit
Hoo.
Karron let out a deep sigh and looked at the command unit.
Lets end this quickly.
Drawing upon all the mana in his body, Karron immediately surged toward the command unit.
A moment later.
Zzzzzzzing-!
The golems fired their beams at Karron in unison.
2.
Ten minutes later.
Karron, there's smoke rising from your head. We could probably smoke something with that. Let's make some of that jerky you like.
What? You want to become jerky yourself, brother?
...Sorry.
Karron's party was ascending the mountain, each perched on a golem's shoulder.
Guillotine's words had been true.
The moment he plunged Guillotine into the command unit's mana stone, something truly magical happened.
Guillotine had mercilessly devoured the command unit's consciousness.
As a result, control over all the golems there had been transferred to Guillotine.
Of course, it wasn't entirely without damage.
He had foolishly taken the golems' attacks head-on and had nearly been melted.
If it hadn't been for Kavana, the armor he'd brought from Azure Sea Castle, he might have literally 'melted'.
Hoo.
Karron took a sip of the diluted World Tree dew.
Only after drinking it was his thirst finally quenched. The steam rising from his body also vanished.
-This is who I am, Master. You may now worship me to your heart's content.
He'd nearly been cooked to a golden brown, but the outcome itself was extremely satisfying.
Guillotine, you really are
-I am?
A demonic sword.
If it devours a consciousness just because it has one, what could it be but a demonic sword?
Still, he had to admit the demonic sword was useful.
Another unplanned variable.
Karron grinned, looking at the line of golems following behind them.
Exactly twenty-two golems, touched by the hand of a dragon.
Moreover, he had experienced their power firsthand.
They would certainly be a helpful addition to his forces in the battles against the pirates and the naga.
Karron.
What is it, sister?
Anyone hearing you would think you actually had a plan to begin with.
Having no plan is a plan.
In any case, what was good was good.
He felt pleased to gain such an unexpected reward when he was short on hands.
At the very least, he could pry the mana stones from these golems and sell them for a fortune.
Or I could sell them whole to the Imperial Magic Tower.
The mages would surely pay a fortune to acquire them.
But that was something to think about after this mission was over.
I see something up there.
Riding on the golems' shoulders, they reached the summit in no time.
Karron leaped lightly from the golem's shoulder and slowly surveyed his surroundings.
Neatly cleared trees.
And behind them, a single wooden house.
It was an undeniable sign that someone was living here.
It's not a trap, is it? Rion said, looking at the wooden house.
In response, Karron silently summoned Pluto and immediately sent it to scout ahead.
Three minutes later.
Through Pluto, Karron confirmed that there was no immediate danger.
It's an ordinary house. No traces of mana, and it's clean.
Is Kerua Akte not here?
He could have just stepped out for a bit, right? Let's go inside and wait.
To Karron's unhesitating reply, Rion answered in a low voice.
...We usually call that being a thief.
It's the owner's fault for leaving the house empty.
Karron had the golems wait for a moment, then led the way into the house.
As he had seen beforehand, it was a perfectly ordinary house.
A living room with wooden furniture, and rooms of a moderate size.
Karron reached out and swept his hand across a chair.
Its clean.
Not a single speck of dust came off on his hand.
It meant someone was maintaining the house.
Hm?
As Karron looked around the living room, a strange object caught his eye.
A small wooden doll sitting on a table.
It was a doll he hadn't seen through Pluto.
There didn't seem to be any special mechanisms on the doll either.
...There's no way I would have missed it.
While Karron eyed the doll with suspicion, Leo followed him inside and asked.
What are you staring at?
I'm telling you, Pluto couldn't see that doll.
What doll are you talking about?
The doll on that table.
There's nothing there. Why are you being so creepy all of a sudden?
Leo truly seemed to see nothing.
Karron summoned Pluto once more and examined the doll.
The doll was still invisible through Pluto's eyes.
-I can feel Etaron's mana from the doll, Master. It might be cursed.
Guillotine said in a very serious tone.
At those words, Karron smirked and drew Guillotine from its scabbard.
Shing-!
We'll find out once I smash it.
If something seems strange, smash it.
There was no method more certain than that.
It was best to eliminate any potential dangers in advance. If it was an object imbued with an evil dragon's mana, there was no need to think twice.
Just as Karron was about to smash the doll in a single strike, a youthful voice echoed through the house.
...That's my treasure. My uncle made that doll for me.
Karron turned toward the source of the voice.
A small child with bright, lime-green hair stood there.
She wore a cute white dress that came down below her knees.
Pointed ears poking through her hair hinted that the child was an elf.
Don't break it. Please.
The girl's desperate plea didn't faze Karron in the slightest.
You just made a mistake.
...Huh?
If it's a treasure, you should have kept it safe.
Without hesitation, Karron aimed his sword at the doll's neck. The elf girl cried out in alarm.
Wh-What are you doing!
Make one wrong move, and this little friend here gets smashed. So, from now on, you're going to answer me honestly.
A wicked smile spread across Karron's lips.
Are you a dragon?