9-23. Pests Extermination (3)

Satou's here. Curry's garnishes change all the time, but the soy-sauce pickled Japanese leeks, and red pickled gingers are the standard. Depending on the local specialties or the restaurants, it seems that there are curries that use roasted cucumbers, sauerkraut, and even pickles.

To have so many variations like this, it really is a menu loved by Japanese after all.

◇

"Aze-sama, please be very careful."

"I'm fine, it's not even my first time."

While Lua-san is looking so worried, Aialize-san is full of confidence.

Actually, we're going to start the experiment of locking up the jellyfish with cages.

As expected, I didn't think it was fine for the top of the clan to tag along even if it was just for the formality, but I yielded when they said, "Optimum."

Apparently, the world tree regards high elves as one of its parts. Aialize-san told me that, unlike the case with the jellyfish, the high elves have always been like that from the beginning. I was curios with what she's said, but I was uncertain whether it was fine for an outsider to ask that, so I decided not to.

From Aialize-san's story, she can make the world tree think that several people she's brought together are its parts, but since this is an experiment that involve the use of magic, it's better to have few baggages, so I'm the only one who's going with her to observe the experiment. I'm not complaining since I want to go, but is it fine for Lua-san not to come?

She blushed when I asked her the reason for making me accompany her, so I thought that there was a chance for me, but she told me that a hero who could battle the black dragon would be fine even if the jellyfish went amok. Please stop with the misleading gestures.

"Sa, err, you have finished your preparation right?　Let's go then."

She was going to call my name, but she couldn't do it in the end. Since it's cute, I'll stop such boorish behavior like holding my hand out.

I grasp the hand of the slightly sulky Aialize-san that she has presented. She jumps out to the space while getting panicked for some reason. I also followed her using sky drive at the speed that won't break our joined hands.

Oh, I thought that it was dome made from some kind of glass, but it's some mucus-like membrane instead. I wonder if it's the sap of the world tree?　It's about 2 meters thick.

Outside of the membrane is the vacuum--

Umm, Aialize-san?　It's painful though?

I cannot breath normally. My face and hair have started to frost. I don't think that I'm going to die so I check my status, my stamina and health have just been decreased by little, and the self-healing seems to be working as they're immediately healed.

I was certain that Aialize-san would use some kind of wind magic. I invoke [Canopy] to create a comfortable space. There's not enough air, so I take out the balloon from my storage, and replenish a little bit of air into the [Canopy]. I'll add oxygen from the balloon if the air become polluted.

Fuh, I breathe a sigh of relief.

It was good that I fill the remaining balloons with air. Even though I made them with the intention of playing with Pochi and Tama, I had forgotten.

>[Spacewalk Skill Acquired]

>[Survival Skill Acquired]

I've got myself some strange skills. I'd have loved ether operation skill instead.

Sky drive is usable in the space, so I've decided that the spacewalk skill is a dead skill. Survival skill seems to be quite convenient, so I allocate it maximum points, and activated it.

"'What's the matter?'"

"'I wasn't able to breathe.'"

"'U~mm, I didn't tell you?　You can't breathe in the void sky so, be careful okay.'"

You're late, Aialize-san.

"'And also, you shouldn't use too many magic. There aren't many spirits in the void sky, and the mana is thin so it's hard to recover magic power here.'"

She told me to go to the nearest world tree branch if I need to recover my magic power no matter what. The mana that have been collected by the world tree from the ether seem to be overflowing on its branch. And also, I'm warned to not touch the world tree's branches in the void sky since it might burn me as they're hot. Shouldn't the outer space be cold?

Come to think of it, we're talking normally. It's probably [Telephone] magic, but Aialize-san doesn't have space magic skill, so how is she able to use it?

"'Aialize-sama can use space magic huh.'"

"'I, I've learned this a long time ago, the skill has been lost with time, but I can still use the simpler one even now. If I'm in a place with a lot of spirits, I can also use the difficult ones.'"

I'm intrigued with the "The skill has been lost with time" line that she's said, but since we've gotten closer to the jellyfish, the chatter is over. I'll ask about it while I treat her with omelet rice tonight.

◇

It's huge.

The jellyfish in front of me is the average one at level 30, but it's bigger than even Heiron, the black dragon. It's about three times as big if the feelers are included.

"'First, I'll try with cages from space magic okay.'"

Although Aialize-san said space magic, she's actually chanting spirit magic. It's said that there is no spirit in the void sky, but it seems she has properly brought them along from the observation area earlier. It's the kind of shrewdness that doesn't seem like her at all, but it's most likely the result of many failures in the past. Those situations float on my eyes.

When the magic is finished, six boards appear around a jellyfish, the next moment, a cage with six boards appears.

The feelers that are too long to get inside the cage are cleanly cut and wriggle in the void sky. They're gradually moving away in the air, it's probably going to fall after the gravity pulls it.

I collect the feelers that have been caught on the world tree branches with [Magic Hand] to one place. And then I put them into the storage. The parts that have been cut don't seem to be living beings.

The jellyfish that has been caught is struggling in the cage, but the others jellyfish aren't reacting. The world tree is also silent of course.

Next, we move to near different jellyfish and put two of them into nature magic and light magic cages each.

Either magic can catch the jellyfish without any problem just like with the space magic. Fire, shadow, darkness, and gravity magic also have some capturing magic, but they seem to also deal damage, so we don't use them this time.

We tried to use Earth, Water, and Wind magic just in case, but since there are no [Water], [Air], and [Ground] in the void sky, these magic need more magic power than usual. In addition, its compositions seem to have weakened, as the jellyfish quickly absorbed the cages made from these three elements.

This jellyfish is very weak individually.

In fact, three of the jellyfish that had escaped the cages couldn't come close when I caught them with my [Magic Hand]. They're absorbing the [Magic Hand] but it takes quite some time to break it.

It's troublesome to manage them all the time so Aialize-san makes them sleep with wind magic. We confirmed that they wouldn't pursuit us if we took some distances away before they awoke.

While we were doing all that, the [Nature], and [Light] magic cages were destroyed.

The former took about two hours, while the latter continued on until about three hours. The first [Space] magic cages that has been made is still in good health even after five hours have elapsed now.

◇

However, you're good high elf-sama.

I'm sorry for thinking that you were just a piece of junk elf in my mind. I didn't think that she could use such varied magic like these.

We had some free time while we wait for the [Nature], and [Light] magic cages broke, so I did various experiments after I asked for the permission from Aialize-san.

First, the [Bug Wiper]. Unfortunately, it has no effect. They're not bugs after all. I tried getting close to the jellyfish and used magic, but I could use it without any problem. Aialize-san looked lightly surprised, so it was probably not normal. I feel that the MP consumption has increased for a tiny bit when I use magic.

I was panicking when the [Dry] magic almost damaged the jellyfish for more than 30% of its health, but I avoided the problem as I canceled the magic halfway.

Next, I'll try elementary level attack magic. First, I try to fire [Remote Arrow], and [Short Stun]. I thought that they would disappear when they got close to the jellyfish, but they didn't, unlike the time with the wild boar king. The remote arrow normally damaged it, and the short stun made a gaping hole on it rather than fainting it. They're fragile just like how they look, I need to be more careful.

I'm intrigued with the [Magic-made artificial living beings] talk from the other day, so I ask Aialize-san to give a performance of it.

"U~n, I can't afford the magic power, so just do with a simple one okay."

Contrary to her half-hearted words, she's chanting the magic with quite proud-looking face.

Wait, Aialize-san?　Your MP is decreasing greatly you know?

"....■■ Magic Beast King Creation (Create Behemoth)"

A magic circle is formed in the void sky, and a creature that seem to be a mix of an elephant and a hippo appears from it. It's only half as big as the jellyfish, but it looks extremely strong on the outside. Its level is 50, its body is about as big an average destroyer.

However, this Behemoth-kun does not have wings.

It fell, pulled by the gravity, and it seemed to have been annihilated after leaving a red light far beyond.

"....■■ Magic Light Ball Creation (Create Wisp)"

Aialize-san made another artificial life in order to avoid my glance. It can fly this time. The wisp that has appeared is only about 10 centimeters long in diameter, and it's floating about while emitting faint white light.

The wisp is moving toward the jellyfish.

After the wisp gets to a certain range, it loses its outline and disappears. I see the base end of the jellyfish feelers absorbing the remaining light.

I continue on with physical attacks experiment.

The fairy sword cuts the feelers without any resistance, its body is fragile after all. The Ant Javelin that I've filled with magic power and thrown at the jellyfish is unexpectedly caught by its feelers skillfully and got eaten. It looks to be practically easy to poison them.

The last one is [Bell of Fear] magic tools.

This magic tool isn't one that's made in present days, so I don't know the (menu) explanation. I can guess from the flow of the words I can read, but I'm not confident I can use it well. I was able to somehow identify the Command Word, so I thought that I should just try it.

"'Be afraid of me.'"

Oouu.

The jellyfish around 3 kilometers range of effect are attacking with electricity and feelers like they've gone mad. I carry Aialize-san with princess hug, and escape outside the electricity attacks.

As we have arranged beforehand, Aialize-san is going to put the jellyfish to sleep with wind magic--or at least that was plan. She's only saying, 'Au au' while blushing and not using magic. That reminds me, I've forgotten that she's someone who can't deal with close physical contact.

After leaving Aialize-san floating in a safety zone, I hurry back to where the jellyfish are.

I thought that the world tree was going to attack, but it seems to be okay as the jellyfish healths are still alright. I cut the feelers of the jellyfish that are tangling the world tree with the fairy sword, and leave only the body parts.

Next I put the three bodies-only jellyfish in physical cages that I've taken out off the storage. A bulky clay cage made with earth magic, a bronze cage, and the last is a transparent ice cage. Even though I've made them with various big sizes, the largest one is still barely enough.

I've used magic during their creations, but there's no trace of magic on them left now.

The bronze cage is smaller than the other two, so it's impossible to shove the jellyfish into it. They're too big to not even fit the 4LDK size. It can't be helped, I put another in the second ice cage I've made.

I thought that the jellyfish will immediately break through the ice cage, but there doesn't seem to be any problem.

Aialize-san and me go back to the observatory while sweeping the jellyfish feelers that have caught the world tree.

I leave Jia-san and the others to observe the time needed for the space magic cage, the ice magic cage, and the earth cage to break. If either of the physical cage can hold the jellyfish for a day, even the elves alone can probably deal with the pests.

As an apology and to soothe high elf-sama, I made the most delicious omelet rice. The fluffy egg wraps the chicken race that's filled with the fat from the fried chicken skin, put together with crispy chicken skin, paprikas, and green peas-like beans.

When Arisa made a request for me to draw a heart with the ketchup on her omelet rice, everyone asked me the same. Pochi's and Tama's shares are drawn with simple pictures of them. Mia and Aialize-san look very envious when they see those illustrations, but please bear with it. Eat them before it cool down.

There is a reason why I've not made curry.

I've acquired 80% of the spices from the duchy capital, and gathered the remaining 20% from Boruenan forest.

But, there is no soy-sauce pickle.

To not have soy-sauce pickle even though there are leeks!

Like this, it lacks the finishing touch. To obtain the last piece, I came back to the duchy capital under the cover of the night.

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