Chapter 95-96

Chapter 95 – The octopus talked!!

"Wa-wait! I will open it now!"

Aries said frantically as Mappa knocked on the device loudly.

As Aries had 'won,' it now agreed to open it up.

"Alright…"

The voice echoed. And a panel on the side of the control device swung open.

And out slithered what looked like the arm of an octopus.

No, it really was. The thing was an octopus with eight arms.

The only thing that made it a little different than a normal octopus was that it seemed very round overall and it had a very big head with large eyes.

One of its arms was carrying a yellow stone.

The stone glowed every time that Aries's voice echoed.

"Uh, hello! I am Aries!"

Aries said with an arm raised in salute.

'Uh, hello.' I returned. Fule and the others looked shocked.

Not only that, but Mappa was drooling as he looked towards Aries. It seemed like he would pounce on the octopus at any moment now.

Yes, Mappa really liked octopus…

Fule held Mappa back as she said,

"A-Aries…are you an octopus?"

"An octopus!? I am of the high, noble race of…Octo!"

There wasn't much confidence towards the end.

"I-I'm sorry. My name is Fule. And this is…"

"I'm Heal. Uh, Aries… Do you live down here?"

"No. In fact, I…"

Its face suddenly darkened.

"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to. Uhh, Shiel."

I looked at Shiel as if to ask if she had ever heard of these Octo people.

I knew it. Shiel's expression seemed to say.

And then she entered the machine and her voice rang.

"…Lord Heal. This is a creature from another star. They came down with the meteors long ago."

"Another star?"

"Beyond the sky…I do not know how to explain. Apparently, an exiled princess. She was just a baby when I was last here. She was supposed to be in the tank next to this chamber, so she must have gotten out."

I see…no, I didn't understand at all.

However, this race lived in a different place from Shiel.

Then Aries turned to Shiel.

"Huh? Does that mean you are also one of those people who walk on two legs?"

"Yes. Though I look like this now…Aries. Did you learn to speak through books?"

"Ahh! The One Hundred Countries! I got my name from the protagonist!"

"I see. Lord Heal… It seems she was raised on books from our culture, as she has little memory of her home. Can you not find it in your heart to forgive her?"

I suppose she felt that Aries had been rude.

However, there was no need for Shiel to apologize for her. And we hadn't been hurt in any way.

Besides, I felt a sort of kinship towards her, since she was an exiled princess.

"Forgive? You're exaggerating. I understand the situation now… Aries. Would you like to come to the surface with us?"

"In other words… You have acknowledged my talents as a brilliant strategist?"

"…Huh?"

She looked so happy as her arms wriggled around.

"However, Aries, who served Beleira, was asked one hundred times to join…so I…"

"Oh, uh, if you want to stay, that's up to you."

"…That was the last thing Baleira said! Very well… I, Aries, swear to serve you loyally!"

"…"

Aries bowed her head as she went on to declare her allegiance. I was rather stunned by it all.

Fule whispered to me.

"…Wouldn't it be better to just have it stay here?"

"But it must have been quite lonely being here for so long. That being said, how is it talking?"

I muttered, and then Shiel took out several yellow stones from inside of the control device.

They were just like the one that Aries was holding. A little like candy.

"What is that?"

I asked. Shiel returned to the device and her voice echoed.

"It is a Translation Stone. A stone that interprets speech. This is what Aries is using to talk to you."

"Indeed…so, if we have this…"

I looked at Taran and Mappa.

However, Shiel continued.

"It is only able to translate words. Unfortunately, it will not allow you to talk with those who do not speak, such as myself and Taran."

"So, are you using magic to talk now?"

"Yes. The magic in this device."

"I see…"

But…does that mean Mappa can talk?

"I will continue to use the control device!"

"Uh, yes. Thank you."

I took one of the Translation Stones and stood in front of Mappa.

And then I handed it to him.

"Mappa…with this, we can finally…"

Mappa gulped and then accepted it.

We would finally be able to hear his voice. I felt my emotions rise like never before.

And then…Mappa's mouth opened wide.

…So, what would he say!?

"…What?"

As if to deliberately crush all of my expectations…Mappa tossed the Translation Stone into his mouth.

Well, even I thought that it looked pretty delicious. So I sort of understood the impulse.

However, Mappa quickly spit it out again.

He had realized that it tasted bad.

"…Mappa. Were you listening to me?"

'But!' Mappa's face seemed to say.

Maybe he really just didn't want to talk…?

Up until now, he had never even tried to say something to us.

Perhaps there was nothing that could come out of his mouth to translate.

I felt a little disappointed but also relieved…

I sighed and then Shiel's voice echoed.

"I have finished controlling the Golems…however…"

Shiel paused.

It was likely about the frozen bodies.

However, she did not want to give up, and she returned to pressing buttons on the machine.

That's when it happened.

Suddenly, a dark and huge shadow appeared from one of the holes that the Golems had come from.

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Chapter 96 – We were attacked by a beast!

"I-is that…a lion?"

The thing that had appeared in front of us was a lion…no, what was that behind it?

"A goat? …And a snake?"

Fule's eyes widened as the beasts appeared.

"No, that's a…"

The head and body of a lion, a goat's head on the back, and the tail that was a snake.

Yes, this was a monster known as a Chimera.

However, it was much larger than the Chimeras I knew of.

Chimeras were supposed to be about the size of an elephant, but this was at least twice as large.

Fule was clearly stunned as it slowly stepped out into the light.

"It-it's huge… Were Chimeras supposed to be this big?"

"I don't know…but it's not unusual for creatures in this cave to be large."

After all, Taran was far larger than any horse.

And Baris had said that Cave Spiders were not supposed to grow to such a size.

Either some kind of rock or food was likely responsible for making it grow to this degree.

In that case, it might be friendly, just like Taran…

However, the Chimera was currently staring at us as if waiting for the right moment to pounce.

And perhaps it was instinct, but it was raising its front legs, much like Taran did when hostile.

Shiel also looked frantic, and began to press buttons on the machine.

It was then that the octopus-like Aries said,

"Ah, that thing! Why is it here!?"

"You know it?"

"Uh, um, yes, my lord. There is an abandoned city below this place. It is there that this and other creatures prowl! This thing is dangerous!"

As if to add to her words, Shiel's voice echoed.

"In our country, we had those who we could not communicate with live in a separate space. It was to save them… However, the meteor must have allowed them to come out."

"…In that case, there is no way to negotiate. That's bad."

I muttered and Aries shook her head vigorously.

"That is an understatement! They even eat their own kind! I was nearly killed by them on multiple occasions!"

Then Aries looked around the chamber.

"My servants! Defeat that thing! With all of your might!"

And just like that, all of the Golems that had been surrounding us earlier, moved in towards the Chimera.

Thanks to Shiel taking control, they were now able to move properly.

They raised their Mithril swords and shields as they charged.

The battle had begun.

First, and with a speed that seemed at odds with its huge body, the Chimera whipped its snake tail around and around.

The Golems were swept into the air, like dust off a broom.

Those Golems then crashed into the others, destroying them.

Though, as the armor was made of Mithril, they did not break.

However, the bodies inside were not able to withstand the impact.

After that, the Chimera's arms, legs, and head continued to launch the Golems into the air.

At this point, the Golems were like boulders being carried to a trebuchet, and their remains came flying towards us.

"Ah! Ahhh!!"

As the Golems came flying, Aries curled up and covered her head with her arms.

However, I had cast Shield in order to protect all of us.

"Do-does it hurt? Ahh, my Golems…"

There had been fifty in the beginning, but before we knew it, there were only a few left.

It was only a matter of time before we would be attacked.

I asked Aries,

"Aries. Leave the defenses to us. Does that thing have a weakness?"

"Ah, it also uses defense magic! And even if you could hit it directly, it has the power to regenerate… I think that…"

Aries hesitated for a moment and then sighed with resolution.

"My lord, please leave it to me! I want you to throw me at its head while having Shield cast around me!! I will seal its movements! In the meantime, attack it!"

"Th-that sounds dangerous?"

Fule was sure that Aries would be eaten.

However, Aries was confident.

"No! I will not die! With my carefully laid out plan, I will surely defeat it! Please accept my strategy!"

I wasn't sure.

With Shield protecting her, she at least wouldn't die.

It would be one thing if she was thrown into the air, but what if she was swallowed whole… I doubt she would like that.

But more than anything, it seemed like it would be quicker to just hit it with my own magic.

However, Aries's face was filled with confidence as she looked at me.

I will succeed no matter what. That's what it said.

"Fi-fine. …You're really sure?"

"Yes! I have no doubt that my plan will bring it to its knees!"

"I-I see… But…"

It's not like I had the best throwing arm.

I wasn't sure if it would reach..

Then, as if realizing something, Mappa grabbed one of Aries's arms.

And then he began to swing her around his head like she was a hammer.

"Wa-wait! Throw me normally! If you do this, I'll…ahh…aghhuugh!"

Just as the black liquid burst from Aries's mouth, Mappa let go of her arm.

She flew through the air with a streak of ink tailing her. And then splattered perfectly on the Chimera's forehead.

"Go-good!!"

While still shaky, Aries had an expression that read like an assurance of victory.

Mappa was puffing out his chest as if proud of his throw.

However, what would happen now? Was she going to blind it with her ink…?

As I wondered about this…

"…Ah."

I heard Fule exclaim from next to me.

The snake's head had stretched out from behind her, and then swallowed her in one bite.

"A-Aries!?"

"I told her this would happen…"

Fule muttered.

Well, she was still being protected by Shield, so she wouldn't die.

But if we didn't hurry…

This complicated things.

If I wasn't careful, I might accidentally hit her as well.

However, it was difficult to aim.

For some reason, the Chimera was jumping around and thrashing wildly.

Perhaps Aries was unleashing her ink inside of its body.

In any case, I would have to get closer in order to target it.

"Aries. I'm coming to help you! Taran, let's go!"

Taran lowered its body.

But as we were about to go, the Chimera became shockingly quiet.

"…It suddenly stopped? What does this mean?"

Then the Chimera slowly began to walk towards us.

There was no hostility now. Its mouth was shut and it had the blank expression of a doll.

When it reached me, it sat down like a dog.

"Wh-what…? Huh?"

In reply, the Advisor's voice rang.

<<There is a tamable monster. Will you tame it?>>

Apparently, I was now able to tame the Chimera.