Chapter 893 – Playful Thoughts

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Through the voice transmitted from the adamantite, the emotions that the being was feeling were also flowing into Herti.

Joy, and welcome.

A little curiosity along with the utmost respect that can be shown to someone you are meeting for the first time.

And caution.

Listening to that voice mixed with consideration, Herti could feel her mind calming down a little.

＂Herti, what did she say…?＂

Of course, the voice could not be heard by Cleon and Bourbon, so Cleon had no choice but to ask her a question, and Herty then answered while looking back in the direction where Cleon spoke.

“We are welcome here. I guess it’s nice to meet us.”

“That’s a good thing. I was worried that they might suddenly start fighting.”

As Bourbon said that, he loosened her grip on the pickaxe hanging on her shoulder.

“But we still can’t hear our voices.”

[Sorry. Our voices can only be heard by those who have the power of the earth, so we cannot directly convey them to the two people who came with you. But your voices are all heard here.]

Herty nodded her head in response and then relayed what she heard to the two.

＂Eh. Then, you have to be careful what you say, right?”

Bourbon said she was a little surprised.

“No. Still, be careful.”

Cleon briefly tackled Bourbon and cautioned her, but those were her words.

＂You two… Right now is not the time to be making jokes.＂

Herti talks to Bourbon and Cleon as if asking them to be considerate, but-

[Indeed. This is a comic… I remembered it.]

＂Yes!?＂

[It’s only been a short time since we met, but I’ve been able to learn such useful lessons. After all, external stimulation is essential for our growth.]

Herty was a little dumbfounded by the answer returned from Adamantite.

Somehow, she (since the voice she heard was a woman’s, Herty decided to refer to her counterpart as ‘her’) seemed to be learning from her own conversation.

Since I was just born, I probably don’t have that much knowledge.

Perhaps, the words of the voice that is heard to oneself are not actually ‘speaking’, but the will to think that way is being converted and heard in a way that Herty knows.

If you think about it that way, you really need to be careful about what you say in front of her…

It’s fortunate that she learns the good part of humanity, but if she learns the evil part, she doesn’t know what the results will be.

Herti swallowed her saliva and opened her mouth, feeling once again that her responsibility had become a little heavier at that thought.

“First, thank you for guiding us here. Without your help, the way back would have been difficult.”

[Because of you, I was able to convey my voice. And thanks to your presence, I was able to bring the three of you here. Welcome, beings living on earth. My name is ‘—-‘. It is the will that represents all the other compatriots here who have not yet awakened themselves.]

While nodding her head and listening to her name, Herti started to ‘squeak’ the moment she said her own name, and a resounding sound was heard as if her metal were rubbing against each other. Her body could not help but shrink.

In any case, the words whose meanings are connected are proper nouns that have no meaning even if they are translated and transmitted through will – in other words, the name of the self must have been created through their language, so it could not help but sound like a metallic sound.

[Hmm. Was there anything uncomfortable about it?”

Herti’s expression confirmed her frown, and Adamantite’s will questioned her.

“Hey… I’m sorry, I don’t understand your name.”

[… Indeed. That’s what it is. Then… The word that has the most similar meaning to my name in the language you use means ‘to think’. Therefore, please call me ‘Thoughts’.]

＂Bird, Mr. Thinking… I see.＂

＂Thinking? Haha, what’s your name?”

When Bourbon mentioned her name, she didn’t know what kind of conversation they were talking about, but she felt that it was a strange name, so she burst into laughter without realizing it.

Cleon glared at Bourbon, and Bourbon said, “Oops,” And covered the corner of her mouth.

[… Is my name strange by human standards?]

“Isn’t that right?! There are many people who give meaning to name. Right, Cleon!? “

“… Sorry, I can’t hear what you two are saying, so I don’t know… Different languages ​​mean different standards. I don’t think you need to think of us as the standard.”

Cleon looks embarrassed when the baton of conversation is suddenly handed to him, but he only listens to Herti’s words and answers by predicting what the two are talking about.

[… I was comforted. This is what it means to be ‘thoughtful’.]

“Yes… Cleon is that kind of person.”

[His name is Cleon… You are Herti. And the short woman over there is ‘Bourbon’. Indeed. By our standards, these are only words whose meaning we cannot understand.]

There is such a big difference between humans and themselves.

‘Accident’ seemed to understand that and closed his mouth for a moment.

Then, Herti thought it necessary to convey the purpose of coming here, so she opened her mouth once again.

“Hey, Mr. Accident.” Sorry, but please listen to our story.”

[Of course. Our ears are open. I want to have more conversations with you, get more stimulation, and grow even bigger.]

She answered in a calm voice, but her purpose was still focused on ‘growth’.

As the will of the divine tree conveyed, the adamantites were, as expected, concentrating on multiplying themselves.

“The reason we came here is because, as you grow, you are eroding the spirit vein of Asteris… And the ‘divine tree’ that is connected to that spirit vein.”

[…

When Herti said that, Sago fell silent for a moment.

Feeling that there was no answer for a moment, Herti felt a little uneasy.

The surrounding air seemed to have changed a little.

[Indeed. You didn’t sense our birth and came to meet us to talk to us.]

And, when the answer came back in a slightly disappointed voice, Herti closed her mouth for a moment.

Apparently, the ‘thought’… The will of the adamantites seemed to think that people on earth recognized that they had appeared and came down to talk to them.

No way, to solve the problem – and the voice was a little depressed, as if they weren’t expecting that the problem was them.

“Sorry. But… This problem is more serious than people on earth think.”

However, even though Herti felt a little guilty at the sound of her voice, she had no choice but to gather her heart and answer her.

In fact, if Asteris does not solve this problem, she will not be able to purify the spirit vein, and the adamantite will spread to the ground and the entire ground will be eroded by metal.

At best, we managed to block the attack from the Exiled Church… But then, there is no point.

[Our existence. For humans on earth, a hindrance. That’s what it is.]

“Well, that’s not true. I understand that you need magical power to proliferate. However, the process is too fast, and the object being eroded is not good.”

As long as Asteris’ spirit vein is not depleted.

And, as long as it does not erode the renal veins.

If these two conditions are kept, there will be no need for the gods and humans on earth to feel that adamantite is dangerous.

＂So… Please, please. If you have an ego called ‘Thoughts’, you will be able to decide the direction of your own growth.”

[…

Herti’s request.

After her voice echoed inside the adamantite mine, there was no answer for a long time.

If I didn’t hear any answer, I couldn’t help but feel tension.

Hertido, feeling cold sweat break out, said nothing and waited for her answer.

Cleon and Bourbon also look to Hertie and her heart, who conveyed the purpose of their coming here, and Cleon in particular was entrusted with the last resort in case something goes wrong.

If you are thinking about moving, after a long time-

Has dozens of minutes passed in real time?

Just as the silver light surrounding the surroundings flashed several times, the voice of ‘thought’ was heard in Herti’s ears once again.

[… Sorry for keeping you waiting. Even within us, opinions were divided. There was a need to sort it out.]

‘Opinions are divided…?’

The strange words of her thoughts distracted Herti for a moment, but her voice was heard in Herti’s ear.

[What if our growth hurts the people on earth? It will soon lead to a huge conflict between the two races, us and humans. I – we don’t want that kind of ending.]

＂Then…!＂

[We will change the direction of growth. Giving up on the path of feasting on magical power and multiplying it infinitely to increase possibilities. Through other means. We will change our species.]

Adamantite’s words were like the best answer for Herti – no, for all humans living on earth.

If she had decided that she didn’t care about the conflict between her species and humans, she could have moved to deal with the three people right now.

Herti sighed heavily as if relieved.

＂Thank goodness…! Because we can resolve the issue through dialogue…”

[However.]

The voice of ‘thought’ enters Herti’s ears once again, stopping her relief.

As if it’s still too early to feel at ease.

[There are conditions. Instead of giving up on our existing growth methods, we hope to help you on the ground with new growth methods.]

＂New growth… How?＂

What on earth is this method of growth that requires the help of people on earth?

Even though Herti thought so, she quickly shook her head.

No, in a way, what she is asking for like this may be a natural right.

Species that stop evolving will be eliminated.

Because of the circumstances of themselves and the humans living on earth, telling adamantite to stop growing was no different from telling it to stay in its current state and live as if it were dead.

However, they told Herti that they would be ‘considerate’ for the people.

If so, it was no different from the ‘debt’ that humans owe to this species.

A ‘race with self’ arose in the natural world, awakened by the fight between humans.

That is, if you can avoid unnecessary conflicts with it.

“All right. Let me help you. Specifically, what method are you trying to take?”

So, here, just like when receiving a new business idea, Herti decides to accept the offer from her and her people with an open mind.

I had no doubt that it was for everyone’s benefit.

[Through conversations with you, we were able to absorb much more knowledge and feel new sensations than if we existed alone here underground. External stimulation is absolutely necessary for our growth.]

Is it really possible to improve the quality of one’s self by communicating even a little with beings other than oneself?

If that happens, you may discover other values ​​rather than just hoping for growth.

That may be much healthier than suppressing the desire for growth.

However, she is underground like this, and the three people, including Cleon, have to return to the surface once this is over.

How on earth are you trying to receive external stimulation?

[I need a body.]

＂… Body?＂

‘Thoughts’ said so.

Herti answered her words.

The next moment, the adamantite chunk in front of me seemed to be pulsating loudly.

[A body that can escape this underground world and move on the ground. We need a body like yours… Like an animal.]

As that voice echoed in Herti’s head, the surrounding silver light seemed to shine more intensely.

Due to the sudden change within the community, Cleon and Bourbon stood up, feeling that something was wrong.

＂Could it is… Our bodies?＂

When Herti asks that question, the voice of ‘thought’ returns.

[Hehe…]

The sound of laughter.

Herti bit her lower lip.

I never thought it would be like this.

＂Cleon…＂

“… The story didn’t work out well.”

“I can’t help it…!”

Cleon tried to grab the seal of domination, and Bourbon tried to grab the pickaxe to protect them in the meantime.

Then-

[Sorry. The laugh I just made was a joke made after analyzing a rakugo that I learned a little while ago. You can make the body separately. A ‘vessel’ made of ‘adamantite’ that can contain my will.]

＂Heh?＂

Hertie sounds weak.

Apparently, ‘Thoughts’ had a somewhat playful personality.