Chapter 754 – Landscape of Sloth

000

When Lila opened the door to her mansion, the magic lights in the mansion turned on at the same time, as if responding to her return.

＂What… It’s cleaner and dust-free than I thought?＂

There was no entrance hall with a large staircase to greet people like a typical nobleman’s mansion, and as soon as you open the door, what catches your eye is the long hallway and shoe rack, a simple structure similar to a commoner’s home.

As the old man from Promme had said before she came in, Lila, who had thought the house would be full of dust, looked surprised to find that it had been cleaned unexpectedly.

“Haven’t you been back for a few years?”

“After her grandfather passed away, and she entered the academy, she never came back… To be honest, I was a little prepared to be covered in dust and bugs.”

When Lila answers Cleon’s question like that, Sasha tilts her head and speaks while running her fingers over her shiny shoe rack.

“Has someone been managing the mansion?”

“Well… Either way, I’m glad I don’t have to worry about cleaning. First, I will show you the room where Da Capo and the children will stay. You guys are taking a good rest in the living room. Kids, you are this way.”

The top of the stairs at the end of the hallway seemed to be the floor where the bedrooms etc. Were located.

＂There are that many rooms?＂

Although it’s a late question, Kuon is a little worried about whether there will be room for 6 children and up to Da Capo.

Then, Lila answers her question by shrugging her shoulders.

“In the past, it was a mansion where her grandfather’s students stayed together, so there are rooms for them as well. When I was born, everyone had left.”

When she said that and tried to climb the stairs with her children, Amelia stopped her.

“Layla, is there anything we can help you with?”

“It’s okay, because all the basic furniture is still in the room. It’s just a guide, but what? Ah, Arnia has to move Da Capo to her room, so she comes up with me.”

“I understand.”

Waving her hands as if she didn’t need help with such a simple task, Lila led her children in a single file after her, like a piper leading her mice, and Lila let out her whimper.
It disappeared up the stairs.

After following the scene with their eyes for a moment, the remaining five members of the group – Cleon, Cuon, Sasha, Amelia, and Lillim – entered the living room through the door in the middle of the hallway.

Here, as in other places, there was light that filled the room through magic lights hanging from the ceiling.

Pictures decorate the sofa, table, and walls, and a fireplace where you can light a fire to increase the temperature of the house.

And – a red rose placed in the center of the table.

All he had to do was sit on the sofa and wait quietly for Lila, but as if she was still worried, Cleon approached the flower and lightly touched her hand.

The moist petals and vitality felt from the stem seemed to indicate that it was not an artificial flower, but a fresh flower, and that it was being cared for in the near future.

“As expected, it seems like someone was managing the mansion even while I was gone.”

＂Could it is the person from before?＂

“Well. It may be very likely, but it is unlikely that even a wizard would be able to manage such a large mansion by himself.”

While saying that, when I sat down on the sofa, I sighed involuntarily at the soft feel.

As each of the other people lower their butts on chairs nearby and remain still, the sound of a grandfather clock can be heard, tick, tick.

No matter how much rest I got, what happened today was a drain on my stamina in many ways, so as I stayed silent for a while without saying anything while waiting for Lila, I could naturally feel my eyes slowly closing.

─At that time.

＂Guests… Tea… Scones… ＂

When Cleon opened his eyes, thinking he heard something slurred while making a clicking sound, a cup filled with black tea and a plate with a well-baked scone were placed on the table in front of him.

The hand that held it was like a mitten made of marble with a smooth surface, befitting such cleanliness.

＂… !?＂

When Cleon opened his eyes wide at the sudden question and adjusted his posture, the other party members also seemed to have their eyes fixed on ‘that guy’ who appeared next to Cleon.

＂This is…＂

＂─Golem?＂

A golem made of marble.

It appeared to be about 1 m tall and was a massive golem with a cube-shaped head and body and limbs made by attaching several spheres.

It was made of white marble from head to toe, and in the area corresponding to the eyes, a yellow magic stone with a power source and magic spell engraved on it glowed.

Although it didn’t have a mouth, this guy appears to be able to talk.

＂Ears, cute…!＂

When Kuon’s eyes twinkled as he said that, the deformed figure certainly looked cute even compared to the generally clunky battle golem.

However, marble is clearly a superior material in terms of aesthetics, but it is probably an unsuitable material to make a golem because of the risk of corrosion.

＂Customers… Also…＂

Then, the golem used the tray it was holding to place the brought tea cups and plates on the table in front of each person.

After distributing food to everyone, he nodded and was about to walk down the hallway when Cleon called him and stopped him.

＂Wait a minute.＂

Then, it obediently stops, looks back at Cleon, who had called out to him, and approaches him.

＂Something… Help, needed?＂

Although his ability to use words and form sentences was clearly poor compared to that of a homunculus like Innis, he seemed to have no problems with communication.

“Were you managing this mansion while Lila was away?”

When Cleon asked that question, the golem made no sound for a moment, and then she seemed to think about something, and then she spoke again.

“Lila. I don’t know. But us. This mansion is being managed…”

The golem who said that didn’t seem to know that Lila was the owner of this mansion.

＂Wow, what are these guys!?＂

At that time, upon hearing Lila’s panicked voice coming from outside, Cleon hurriedly ran toward her hallway, where he saw a group of golems surrounding Lila.

Seeing that it had a body made entirely of marble, it could be seen that it was identical to the golem that brought tea and scones to Cleon.

“Customer. Welcome. Customer. Are you going to sleep?”

“Customer. Guide to the room.”

“You’re a guest, I’m the owner of this place!?”

When Lila, unable to stop being embarrassed by the appearance of her golems, raises her voice like that, Cleon approaches her first.

“Anyway, Lila, it looks like these guys have been taking care of this house while you were away.”

“Ah, I guess so. There are a lot of them…! Even if you catch less, there are more than 10…”

Lyla spoke as if she was dizzy, then lifted her finger and channeled her magical energy into the forehead of the golem in front of her.

＂Gagat. Go go go go go go go go go go go go go go go go go go…

Then, while making a broken sound, the golem’s body trembled, and then the magic stone that served as her eyes began to glow, revealing the information about the spell engraved within her in front of Lila.

＂As expected… Golem art that uses the magic power of the earth… Moreover, speaking of using materials such as marble… ＂

A spell is like a wizard’s fingerprint, so by reading the information left in the spell, it was not difficult to find out who created the golem.

After checking this and that, she stood up and gave an order to her golems.

“You guys, go to the warehouse in the mansion and wait! “Don’t come outside until I tell you!”

“We, guests. Disturbance?”

Looking at the golems who were making glum voices like children, Lila seemed a little embarrassed, but she sighed and raised her voice.

“No, it’s not a hindrance… Ah, really. I don’t know whether to be thankful or angry, Uncle Fromme…!”

Lyla scratched her head and noticed that her golems were walking down the stairs to her basement with her shoulders slumped, and she dropped her shoulders as if she were tired.

“As expected, were those golems made by Mr. Fromme?”

“Uncle Fromme is a wizard who uses earth elemental magic. And the golem also had proof of magic from Uncle Fromme’s family, the Earth Seekers.”

When she says that, Cleon smiles wryly, recalling how she told Lila at the door that her house would be covered in dust.

＂Never would have thought that golems could be mass-produced in someone else’s house without permission…＂

＂Still, I think it’s something to be thankful for that I don’t have to clean the house separately, right?”

“I know. So, I don’t know what to do.”

She sighed at Cleon’s words, and then glanced up at her stairs.

“I put Arnia on the kids. Do not allow yourself to go outside until you fall asleep. Let’s take a break now and go visit Uncle Fromme tomorrow morning.”

“Ah. Lila also had a hard time today.”

When Cleon said that, Lila blinked her eyes for a moment and then smiled mischievously as she answered.

“Of course! Sasha is not the only solution to our party. You can rely on me a little more, Cleon!”

Cleon, who did not dare to mention the fact that she was already relying on her enough, went back to her living room with her and guided her to the room prepared for each of them.

Meanwhile, her attempt to assign Cleon to her own bedroom was abandoned after receiving a vote of 3 against and 1 abstention.

001

The next morning.

The children woke up early, probably because it was early in the morning, and ran out into the yard, looking at the blue sky and making voices of admiration.

The golems were all gathered in the underground warehouse waiting for the next order, but when Lila saw it, she sighed and gave the order, perhaps thinking that it would be okay to leave the house cleaning for two or three periods.

After finishing the breakfast prepared by Kuon, Da Capo has not yet recovered his senses.

After Lila finished getting ready to go out, she put on a red cloak-like coat and left her mansion with Cleon.

As soon as he left the main gate, Cleon couldn’t help but be amazed as he looked at the village, which had started to come alive in the morning, in complete contrast to last night.

A mysterious scene unfolding around the fountain they passed.

That’s because familiars in various forms were moving around the village, managing the streets, purchasing things at shopping streets, and exchanging information using magical power.

“… This is a little overwhelming.”

“What. Yes. It may be an unfamiliar sight to people from other regions.”

As Lila said that, she led Cleon down the street.

Meanwhile, she gave him additional explanation about Helix.

“Eighty percent of the residents of Helix are wizards. Well, even if you are a wizard, unlike all professional scholar wizards like me or my grandfather, I think it would be better to think in the magical end like Uncle Fromme.”

“Wizards are magic users who apply magic in an intimate part of their lives.”

“Yes, that’s right. Creating a familiar or using a golem are types of magic.”

As Lila says that, she glances at the spirit familiar approaching from the front.

The spirit had a shopping cart in its hand, so I could see that it was being used like a maid who carries groceries for the owner.

“Everyone is older. He doesn’t go out much at home anymore, and it seems like he uses his familiars like that. I guess the hot springs haven’t changed that way either.”

“Should I say it’s mysterious, or should I say that wherever people live, they’re similar…”

If we repeat extreme human research with technology called magic, will this kind of life become natural?

Homunculus, automata, golem, familiar.

A society of wizards who control beings created for humans may be a shortcut to sloth.

And, starting from Laila’s mansion, the two people who stopped about 10 minutes away arrived at a typical family home in the direction where the acting chief Fromme, whom they had met yesterday, flew to.

It was so small that it could not be compared to the Flamewatch family’s mansion, but it was more than large enough for a typical commoner’s home.

Likewise, although it looks old, the entire mansion shows traces of the use of the earth’s magic, and it appears to be impervious to natural disasters such as earthquakes.

“Is this Mr. Fromme’s home?”

“That’s right. Nothing has changed compared to when she came with her grandfather before… Well, let’s go in. They also heard that we were coming, so they won’t be sleeping until now.”

Lyla said and approached the door of her mansion, holding on to the knocker with the circular ring on the ornament that had the face of her lion –

Thud. Thud. If you knock on the door twice, you can feel someone on the other side.

＂From the morning… Who is it? ＂

What was heard from inside was the voice of a fairly young man.

Lila and Cleon looked into each other’s eyes once, then answered the question.

“Lila Flamewatch. She came to see Uncle Promme.”

＂Lila…!?＂

A panicked voice was heard from across the room, and then a rattle! When the door opened with a loud noise, what appeared beyond it was not Yesterday’s Fromme, but a much younger man with ocher hair who looked a year or two older than Laila.

He was wearing a brown robe similar to the one Lila was wearing, with messy hair that gave a somewhat gloomy look, and he was looking at Lila with his wide eyes.

＂… It was really you, Laila Flamewatch… You never returned to your hometown after going to the Academy, what happened… Huh?”

He was only paying attention to Lila, but soon made eye contact with Cleon, who was standing behind Fromme and looking in this direction.

＂…＂

Cleon bowed slightly to the young man, and the young man looked back at Lila with a frown.

＂What is it? Is it because you found a man that you came to ask for permission and invite me to a wedding?＂

＂Haa?＂

Lila frowned at her young man’s question as if to ask what he meant, and then she moved closer to Cleon and wrapped her arms around him.

“We are going to hold the wedding slowly later, and we have no intention of getting permission from anyone. Rather…”

Laila asks a question, pointing with her index finger at the young man who speaks to her so condescendingly.

＂Who are you?＂

＂…＂

He was talking as if he knew her very well, but when Lila pointed it out as if she didn’t know him at all, he almost fell down from the door he was holding on to, but then shook his head and was barely able to stand.

“That’s right… You were that kind of guy.”

He answered as if he was holding back the anger that was boiling over, and then scratched his bangs and gave a reply.

＂I─＂

“What are you doing, Petrus?”

An old man’s voice interrupts a young man who is just about to introduce himself.

Cleon and Lila had also heard that voice yesterday, so they also greeted the old man who was looking at him from behind the young man – Fromme.

＂Joe, grandfather.＂

“It looks like Lila is here. Ask them to come in.”

＂… Yes. ＂

Bowing his head to his grandfather, who gave a brief command, Petrus stepped aside from the door and gave Lila and Cleon a look as if telling them to come in.

＂Petrus… Petrus, I think I’ve heard this name before…”

＂This bastard…!＂

When Lila walked in as if she couldn’t remember the young man’s name despite mumbling it, Cleon gave him a look of sympathy and formally greeted him.

“… I understand why Lila can’t remember people’s names, because I’ve experienced that too. I am Cleon. Furthermore, I am an adventurer who goes on adventures with Lila.”

“… Adventurer…? Lila, wasn’t she doing research at the academy?”

At Cleon’s self-introduction, Petrus looks at Lila strangely, and she quickly shakes her head.

“… If you go on an adventure while being dragged around by that guy, you will have a lot of trouble. … Petrus is Earthseeker.”

Although it appears that Lila has many negative feelings toward Cleon, Petrus neatly accepts her self-introduction and holds out his hand to shake her hand.

And Cleon also held Petrus’ hand and-

‘… Huh? The calluses on these hands are…’

＂… Why do you do that?＂

When the hands held together for a handshake do not move apart, Petrus looks at Cleon strangely, and Cleon immediately removes his hand as if it is nothing.

“… Well, for now. Laila, I met that guy when I was young. Because she was a blood sister between her grandfathers. “It seems like they don’t remember me at all.”

＂I see…＂

As they say, is it like a childhood friend?

However, since she doesn’t remember anything from Lila’s side, it’s not like she had that many interactions.

Above all, Lila herself is proud that she has no friends except Beatrix.

＂Cleon? What are you doing?”

＂Ah, say hello to him a little…＂

“I’ll say hello later. First, I need to talk to Uncle Fromme. Come this way.”

When Lila calls out to him, Cleon shakes his head and sighs.

As if there was nothing they could do, Cleon walked towards where Lila was waiting, and the two of them walked into his room with Fromme.

Until the door closed, I was a little concerned about Petrus’ gaze looking in this direction.

First, I decided to focus on the conversation with Fromme with Lila.

─And.

Petrus, who was left outside, looked in that direction for a moment even after the door closed, then clicked his tongue and put his hand to his ear.

“… Ah. Grow. It’s Earth Seeker. … Lila Flamewatch is back. Yes, that Lyla Flamewatch. … At this timing… Ah. He is an irritable guy.”

Then, he muttered something and spoke as if he was talking to someone.

“Don’t worry. The plan is proceeding as scheduled.”

With those words, she walked up to the second floor, where her studio was located.