Chapter 976 – Recovery

000

“Why!”

Bentuna raised her voice in despair and fell to her knees.

Before her eyes, there was a girl wearing a special dress that she had personally brought and prepared for Cleon to wear.

Her skin also had a clean, ‘human skin color’ and ‘elasticity’ that made it hard to believe she was made of adamantite.

I was curious about the principle, so I took a quick look at the magic power used by the four people… Her skin was made of adamantite as a skeleton, and covered with processed skin using a special resin.

Yes, no matter where you look, she is a beautiful young lady with long light pink hair.

Just-

“You humans wear such tight clothes while working out… I learned another thing!”

The problem may have been that the costume was too tight on her body.

“No, that’s because the clothes I prepared didn’t fit my body.”

“Is that so?”

There was no problem with my waist or arms.

The problem was the thickness of the adamantite mass that was excessively concentrated in the upper body – the chest, and the thickness of the adamantite that was slightly thicker from the hips to the thighs.

Thanks to this, even if I tried to wear the clothes designed by Ventuna from the beginning and specially tailored for her on the spot, it was difficult to put on underwear in the first place, and even if I tried to put on only outerwear, it was so tight at the top and bottom that it would burst at any moment. It seemed like it was.

Even so, it doesn’t change that she is basically a pretty girl, so it’s not like she’s ugly or anything like that…

“This is not a golem, it’s a tow!”

“Uh huh…”

As Ventuna looked at the adamantite ‘thought’ that was far from the perfection she had designed, she protested in that way.

Looking at Ventuna like that, Flamme just smiled while stroking her beard.

“What is the cause?”

And, Melusin, who had worked together, tilted her head as she looked at the golem that had not been completed as they had hoped, and Ventuna lifted her head and looked at Layla.

In the end, because Lila channeled more of her elements than necessary, the others had to increase the amount of magical power they channeled accordingly.

Thanks to this, more magical energy was injected than Ventuna had originally assumed, and the adamantite reacted to it and remained longer than necessary.

… No, in this case, would it be correct to say that she was bloated?

It seemed like Lila had been stabbed as well, but she was avoiding eye contact and whistling silently.

Cleon, who thought that if things were left like this, it wouldn’t be surprising if Ventuna stabbed Lila out of spite, he probably felt the need to calm the situation down first.

“Well, well. It’s certainly unfortunate that Ventuna’s artist soul was hurt, but… The original mission, the ‘vessel’ of adamantite, has been completed. Isn’t the important thing your will?”

“Hmm. Cleon is right. In the end, did she like the dishes we provided? That’s what matters.”

After Flammé also said a word, Ventuna’s gaze was directed straight to her, who was moving her body here and there in a curious manner with the bowl she had made.

However, Kuon asks ‘Thoughts’, who was engrossed in examining her new body without realizing the gaze, on his behalf.

“Hey, Mr. ‘Thinking’? Do you like that body?”

“Yes! I really like it! I don’t know much about your aesthetic sense, but I could tell through the magic that flowed in that you put a lot of effort into it.”

The adamantite girl smiled a smile no different from that of a human.

It was a bit surprising how such a face was possible for someone who had just gained her own body, she said.

In this world, there are countless people who cannot smile properly even though they have been using human bodies since birth.

Cleon nodded while thinking something a little crooked.

For reference, she speaks by opening and closing her mouth as she speaks, but the principle is that she uses a kind of interpretation and vocal magic rather than replicating the human vocal system.

Nevertheless, she had the voice of a very beautiful and cute girl.

Sound is something that is created by the vibration of the air, so for Ventuna, the spirit of the wind, it must have been engraved on her as a type of magic she uses.

Of course, since she obtained a vessel that resembled a human, her communication could not always be done through Herty.

‘It’s a beautiful girl golem I created, so it’s natural that it has a heavenly voice.’

Should I call it Ventuna’s will or thought?

Recalling the flow of magic that flowed into her, Cleon got a little goosebump and trembled.

“Did you hear? Ventuna. I’m satisfied. Don’t be so sad, either.”

“Okay…”

Ventuna still looked like she couldn’t understand it, but for now, she kept her mouth shut, pouting her upper lip and rolling around on the ground, as if she couldn’t say anything she didn’t like in front of the person she liked.

“Well… But those clothes won’t work. If you does it wrong, they will tear.”

As Bourbon said that, she poked her side.

However, ‘thought’ speaks while looking down at Bourbon.

“Huh? I like this outfit?”

“No, what should I say? If I were to walk around the earth wearing those clothes now, would I say that I would be poison in the eyes of people in many ways…”

And Kuon will talk like he’s in trouble.

Of course, other people there thought, ‘I don’t think that’s what Kuon would say…’

It’s the outfit she usually wears in the hallway of her new building, exposing almost all of her thighs.

“Well, I think anyone can wear whatever clothes they want to wear. But since we will be living among humans from now on, wouldn’t it be okay to get other clothes?”

And then, as Herty suggested, she would spread her index finger and talk.

It wasn’t necessarily about taking away the clothes you already had, but rather presenting options.

“Other clothes… I’m also interested in other clothes of humanity!”

And as if Herti’s intention worked, ‘Thought”s eyes sparkle.

“That’s right. Then, let’s go to the surface and get some clothes first! Don’t worry, there is a tailor at our store who makes clothes that even beauty workers like to wear.”

If Herti says so, ‘thought’ is-

“That beauty baller!?”

And react.

“Hey, you know who Miyeom-gong is.”

When Bourbon mumbles in response to the ‘thought’, the ‘thought’ smiles brightly and looks back at Bourbon and speaks.

“No! But if you listen to what Mr. Herti says, he must be an amazing person!”

“Did you react like that without even knowing?”

“Ahaha~”

‘Thought’ scratched his head as if he was embarrassed.

“… Amazing~ Metal life forms seem to be much more social than me, a human.”

Looking at her like that, Lila takes a step back and speaks in a voice that only Cleon and Cuon who are standing next to her can hear.

Hearing that, Cuon and Cleon thought about it in many ways, but did not dare to say it out loud.

If you say something like, ‘That’s Lila’s personality…’, She will be hurt, no matter how self-inflicted she is.

“You guys… Do you still have passes left?”

Oops.

When they heard Laila’s voice, Cleon and Cuon, who had forgotten that their thoughts were flowing in that direction, covered her mouth with their hands.

“It’s fun. Think what you want. I’m not a good person like you.”

“Eh, hey, Lila. Don’t be so upset, I’ll go back and make something delicious for you.”

As Cuon rushed to Lyla, puffing out her cheeks and comforting her, Cleon also opened her mouth as she cleared her throat.

“Ah, yes. Now that I think about it, you said you need new experiment equipment, right? I’ll get you that too. It’s largely thanks to Laila that we brought people together this time.”

Melusine muttered as she watched the two people shaking various things in front of Lila to lighten her mood.

“It feels like it’s time for me to appease Your Majesty…”

“What kind of being is the Fairy King?”

Ben Tuna, who was listening next to her, ended up criticizing her without even realizing it.

“… Can’t you both go back and act like we just said?”

And, as if Lila had just lost her temper, she smiled devilishly after hearing the various rewards Cleon and Cuon had given her.

Seeing that smile, Cleon and Cuon froze with the feeling that they had been harmed.

“Oh my…”

Flame shook her head as if she knew this would happen.

Anyway, Lila continues to stretch her legs with a refreshed expression as if everything goes according to plan.

“Ah~ah~. The request was successful, and the injury followed. It was a completely profitable mission. Then, let’s go back quickly. I used more magical power than I expected, so I’m exhausted.”

“… I agree with that. We’ll have to talk a little bit about whose fault it is for using magic power ‘more than necessary’.”

Ventuna mutters as if the resentment hasn’t gone away yet.

Perhaps, this grudge will last for quite some time.

Lila’s reaction seemed to be that she was used to it, so she didn’t have to worry about it.

“Now that I think about it, what will I do with my ‘thinking’ from now on?”

And Cleon will tell her what has been bothering her from the beginning.

“First, like I said, I’m planning to wander around the ground.”

“Where should I stay?”

“Where to stay?”

She tilted her head.

Then I’ll think about it for a bit.

“I don’t need to sleep or eat, so I had no intention of living somewhere…”

Although she has a way of thinking that is close to that of a human, she is still ignorant in many ways about her ‘human life’.

After nodding her head as if there was a lot to learn, she looked at Herty and asked.

“How do humans live?”

“Usually, we stay together as a ‘family’ unit. We build a building called a ‘house.'”

“Family… Home…”

She nods her head, accepting the concept and looks around her.

“Then, we need to make our own home on earth too!”

“… Yes?”

As she said that, she smiled and clapped her hands.

“Everyone! It’s time to move! Let’s create a ‘home’ for our ‘family’ to stay together!”

It was the moment she said that.

As they made a coo coo coo sound, the adamantite mine they were in began to vibrate loudly.

“Ugh…!”

“W-what!?”

Cleon was barely able to stand while enduring the vibration, and Lila was so embarrassed that she almost fell on her butt.

Bourbon looked around with a serious expression on his face, and caught Herti who almost fell.

“Ugh… This vibration is hard for the old man…”

“Really… Stand straight!”

Ventunado, if you support Flammé, Melusine will narrow her eyes.

“… Is the entire terrain moving?”

“Wait a minute, Mr. ‘Thoughts’! What are you thinking!?”

“Huh? As Ms. Herti said, we are trying to create a ‘home’… A base necessary for activities on the ground. ‘Home’ is a place where you are with your family, so ‘us’ around you… So, you were trying to upload the ‘adamantites’ as is?”

“What—”

At her remarks, Cleon was speechless.

Adamantite is an ore that is treated as such an important secret that even in Eastern countries the location of the mine should not be revealed.

Of course, it was designated without knowing that there was a will.

If adamantite is exposed to the ground, the location of the mine will naturally be revealed and various big and small problems will arise due to the adamantite.

Above all, it was obvious that if the mines were raised like this, part of the terrain of the eastern country would become a mess.

“I’m looking forward to it! Every day I get to spend on earth with my family…! I’m sure I’ll learn a lot, right?”

When she said that with a pure ‘thought’ expression, it seemed like she had no idea what kind of impact their advance to the ground would have.

“Now, wait a minute! Mr. ‘Thinking’, that’s not possible…! Please stop!”

It was natural for Herti, who was holding Bourbon’s body to prevent him from falling, to raise his voice like that.

If he doesn’t stop even when I call him like this, what should I do?

While thinking about such things, desperately.

“Yes?”

But.

Geek-! With a sound, the vibrating mine stopped.

Because it was truly a sudden stop, this time inertia took effect and everyone’s body floated upward for a moment with a thump and then fell down.

This time, everyone fell.

Except for the one person who did this, ‘Thoughts’.

“Why? I’m trying to stay with my ‘family’…”

She spoke as if she really didn’t know, and Herti stumbled from where she had fallen and turned her head in the direction from which she spoke.

“Of course, that’s important, but if the entire adamantite mine goes above ground, people on the ground will definitely be shocked…”

When Herti says that, ‘Thought’ looks at Herti with its mouth closed.

Those eyes were those of a person who seemed to be thinking about something.

In her own way, she is probably trying to think about the ‘reason why people on earth are surprised’ that Herty talked about.

“… I don’t know. Why can’t we all go up to the ground? Of course, I have no intention of surprising you all, but…”

“Because not only ‘good will’ exists on earth, but also ‘malice’.”

At that time, Cleon muttered quietly.

“Humanity is, in the end, each individual has different thoughts. Like you… They do not act through ‘one will’ or ‘one thought.’ Are there people like us who treat you without any hand? If you do that… There will be people who don’t even think of you as intelligent beings, but just think of you as convenient metal.”

“… Indeed. There is a possibility of causing ‘antagonism’, big or small, with living beings whose will is not integrated. I understand…”

Fortunately, she was wise.

“So, please leave the house where you will live to us. We will prepare a house that will absolutely satisfy you.”

“Eh… Surely, you won’t tell me to build a house out of adamantite after my body…?”

“Shh, Lila, be quiet.”

Kuon spoke while hitting Lila’s side with his elbow, and ‘Thoughts’ still looked a little more worried.

“… I understand. I also think it’s better not to provoke humanity too much. So-“

Hearing her say that, the others sighed in relief.

Coo goong… Coo coo…!

Suddenly, the mine started moving again and rising.

“What…!?”

Cleon and the rest of the human group must have been surprised, but it was the ‘thought’ side that voiced even more surprise.

“Everyone! Stop! The humans are in trouble – ugh…!”

A voice that seemed to be enduring pain flowed from the mouth of the thought.

And, the next moment.

Keying, keying. And the friction produced by metals hitting each other creates heat and light.

The huge adamantite cavity that surrounded the group seemed to be making a voice as if pleading for something.

And-

“Ugh, ah…!”

It seemed like his head was hurting, and Herty was struggling as if she was going to tear her head out.

“So many voices…!”

Giggeek, Giggeek. It makes a sound, and the metal in the wall deforms.

And then, the hands and body pop out.

It had a somewhat distorted ‘human’ shape.

I could naturally tell that it was based on the shape of the ‘thought’ in front of my eyes.

One, two, no, countless imitations of ‘thoughts’ crawl out from all over the walls, ground, and ceiling.

“What, is happening?”

Cleon asked ‘Thoughts’ in a trembling voice.

Then, ‘thought’ is…

“… They won’t recognize me as the representative of the hive consciousness…”

“What…?”

The thought shook its head with a confused expression.

“Now that they are physically cut off from other ‘race’… Adamantites… Their will to reject coexistence with ‘humanity’ has grown even greater. So, they are trying to push this cavity to the ground like before. I’m doing it… My voice can’t reach me…”

She shook her head as she suddenly felt rejected by her family.

“Cleon…!”

When Herti’s urgent voice was heard, Cleon narrowed his eyes and pulled out the sword from her waist.

And, there will be other people capable of combat, including Laila, standing next to him.

This is because it has become clear that the ‘similar thoughts’ in front of them are not friendly to them.

“I wonder if the flag was broken…”

I keep repeating that this mouth is the problem.

Cleon was to confront the adamantites.