The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

Balmint held socks with a split toe in his mouth.

"Wasn't there a small dragon that had played around with Bon? Hmm, it's eating socks, and has metal powder around its mouth."

Once Zaga made such a remark, Balmint rushed over to me while spreading his four wings as if to fly. He dropped the socks he had been gnawing on at my feet.

Is he bragging about having caught them?

"What did you eat before the socks?"

"It's this. It's a precious powder made by first fusing firebird's horn powder, minced black scorpion soldier legs, the brows of a crystal monkey, fragments of an Amloss Pearl, and Argaluma's nectar together, and then whittling down the resulting lump using a ridged blade. It's mostly used as material for metalworking, but Bal-chan always ends up eating it. Even the other day…huh?" Mysty looked to the spot next to where Balmint had been just now. "Is this possibly, your pee, Bal-chan?"

"Gaooo."

As if saying 『That's right gaoo』, Bal shook his butt at Mysty. And then a part of a metal plate, where Bal had peed…transformed, changing into something like dragon scales.

"This is, appalling. A dragon processes metal?"

"I knew that he always peed somewhere in the workshop, but…such an additional effect is…"

After putting on gloves, Mysty lifted up the metal plate with the transformed part. I'm sorry to say, but…it really stinks.

"Gaooooo."

He might be saying something like 『A dragon's pee is amazing gaoo』.

"Gahahaha, what a funny dragon! Shuuya, give me this dragon!"

"Eeeeh?"

"Gaoooo――"

Balmint ran away with brisk, small steps, seemingly startled after being hit by Zaga's intensity. He left the workshop. I think he's going to join up with the magic beast group.

"Guh, he got away."

"Zaga, I have no intention to give Bal away. Besides, he's a dragon that will continue to grow. I can't believe that you will be able to keep him at your place."

"Gahaha, you're probably right. Once he turns into an ancient dragon, he will be a bother for the residents of this city. However, that also applies to your place, doesn't it Shuuya? I can't believe that he will fit even into your big courtyard, once he grows into an ancient dragon." Zaga stated something that was a matter of course while fiddling with his beard.

"Correct. I think it'll be just for now anyway."

"The training as a dragon, huh? In the first place, buying one not as a country but as an individual is unusual…"

I have to think about Bal's education soon, don't I?

"Hey hey, the metal that had been transformed by his pee was a steel sheet combining Hard Gold Steel and Refined Demonic Steel, but it looks like the urine has induced something to happen on the part it affected. The scales' material resembles that of ancient dragon scales, but the surface is somewhat soft…so you can say it's slightly different? Light brown scales, and a green hue in the middle. Strong mana dwells in this green part…"

"Does it seem like you can use it for your experiments?"

"Of course. I will treasure this!"

Mysty put the transformed steel plate inside a toolbox placed close to something similar to a mana furnace. Zaga's interest shifted towards that mana-furnace-like device.

"Hmm, I see…this old mana furnace has been modified quite a bit. This combination of leather bag and steel are mana bellows I've never seen before. This joint part…does it possibly use firebird horn powder as pressure countermeasure? Magnificent…this one is also something I haven't seen yet…a device to automatically wind up parchments, right?"

Zaga was thrilled. Lured by his look, I also examined the devices. Is this a machine to wind up the parchments depicting the blueprints for the sorcery doll manufacturing?

There are small winding axises at both ends of a pipe. It looks like it's a construction to continue rolling up parchments by having the tube rotate on the axis. Since the whole device has mana drifting around it, it must be a magic tool.

"Yes, indeed."

"…Is this Demonic Steel Pipe, which has been inserted on both sides of the stand, a special synthesis combining Hard Gold Steel and wood on top of a mesh? Magic machines are items that are usually filled with a soul by Magic Steel Engineers."

Even the candle lights illuminating the vicinity of the tool might be the flames of magic tools since they're yellow. Mysterious white flesh in the middle of analysis under a crooked bone microscope with an embedded magic stone, various smaller and bigger magic stones, pebbles with runes carved into them, a shining stone rod, a sorcery book strongly reminding me of the Necronomicon, branches of a catalyst, straw yarn, a container filled with plenty of eyeballs, rolling pins, a pastel color palette, feathers, metal springs, a jar with mysteriously colored nails, the husk of a Oumu shell, and many glass rods in a pot - the top of her desk looked like chaos.

After Zaga examined those objects with his hands, he moved deeper into the workshop while talking with Mysty.

There was a small stairway at the inner part of the workshop. It was a lengthy construction that descended by one or two levels to a ground floor.

As we descended those stairs, and advanced along the wall for a bit with the air perceivably cooling down, the short Zaga muttered, "This big…", while looking up.

Certainly, it's big. It's hidden beneath a cloth, but a remarkably huge object has been placed down here.

"Wait a sec. I will remove the cloth right away――"

When Mysty pulled on a cord, the cloth fell down.

"Ooohh."

It was a sorcery doll.

"Ooh…this is the frame of a sorcery doll, isn't it?"

It was a sorcery doll frame giving off a dignified aura. I think it's been hanging down with magnets and iron chains connected to the ceiling and walls. It's surprising that there's also a mechanism similar to a crane.

It's a framework, but it vividly reminds me of the torso of a power armor as it had appeared in end-of-era works.

Wonderful… Going by its size, it's impossible, but I'd like to wear a smaller version of it.

A long stepladder had been installed in front of the sorcery doll. I'm pretty sure Mysty is usually climbing it to work on the doll… I feel like I want to also participate in the building of this mobile armor, err, this woganov device while meaninglessly wearing work clothes.

At the side, next to the wall, there was a long rack. Heads of sorcery dolls were exhibited on top of it. A helmet that looked similar to Roman helmets with a tassel added to it on top; a head with a horn on the forehead, a cross gap at the eyes, and one eye in the middle; and a gas-mask-shaped head with a nozzle next to the mouth.

Cool, there's various kinds of head parts.

Some kind of resin or carbon fiber surface could also be seen at the torso frame and a part of those head parts.

"…With the frame so big, I suppose it'll be slightly bigger than a standard sorcery doll?" Zaga asked Mysty while touching a part of the frame.

"Yep. There's still more to come. It's a prototype, but…since it's the first time that I show this to master, I feel somewhat shy and embarrassed."

The glasses beauty Mysty was bending her body, apparently bashful. Her cute behavior has quite the destructive power.

"…The central part is a belbaque core that exceeds high-density crystal cores?"

"Oh, right. No surprise that you realized it, I guess."

"Uh huh. It's a high-grade item. It's something that would be owed by nobles and military arsenals… However, I have never seen that connection technique and the rainbow-colored metal's union craft. Is it a slash plate making use of cornaldo and something that was fused with spirit copper threads? I know this. The balance between foil rim and secure is good, and the simple round holes open up spaces so that it won't suffer any negative influence from the vibration strain accumulating from its up and down motions, I think…the metal of the whole is Silver Crystal Steel, no, silver, but…its quality is different. This also looks like an unknown metal just like the rainbow-colored one."

Wow, it seems that he can grasp the metals to some extent by just looking.

"…What splendid expertise, Zaga-san. Oh, I still haven't properly introduced myself. My name is Mysty."

"Aye, the name of the young lady, who was well-informed about refined gold according to Amelie's father was Mysty as well, wasn't it? Nice to meet you. As you know, my name is Zaga. However, to possess this many metals and such processing technologies, are you a former noble, Mysty?"

"Yes…"

"I see."

Mysty knitted her eyebrows and averted her eyes a bit due to Zaga's straightforward question.

"Sorry, the past doesn't really matter. However, if it's these metals and your demonic steel technology…are you possibly at the point of wanting a mana composite furnace with slightly better specifications?"

"Yes, indeed. But, those are expensive…" Mysty turned her eyes in my direction.

Is she telling me to buy it?

"…Around how much would it cost?" I asked Zaga and Mysty.

"In this city, I think around four large platinum coins. The one Bon and I bought cost us more than 300 platinum coins. Even so, we got it rather cheaply."

…Whoa, that's a lot of dough.

"E-Expensive…"

"Obviously. Even without talking about the materials needed to build the furnace, it requires a great number of skilled craftsmen such as the refined gold guild, magic gold artisans, and the refined gold department. Unlike at the capital, you can expect the interference by nobles to be lower in this city, but you can't do much about the price. It seems that such furnaces also appear on the market in Senapua, but magic devices vary in their use depending on the application of skills."

I need to have Mysty hold back on it for now since I want to set aside money for the auction.

"Mysty, I'm sorry, readily preparing that much money…"

"It's no problem. We've got an infinite amount of time. Don't try the impossible, or rather, you intend to buy me one someday?"

"Someday, yes…"

"――I'm glad to hear that!"

Contrary to her tone, Mysty pulled my sleeve with her delicate, slender hand, and quietly snuggled up close to me. It's a behavior befitting her as a capable woman. The touch of her breast against my right arm feels great. And, a clean smell that gave her the impression of a pretty, young lady drifted over from her hair.

"…Thanks, master."

Glasses beauties are really nice, aren't they? Mysty's smile is attractive, too.

"But you see, it's just convenient to have it, and there's also research that requires this furnace, or I should rather say, the latter part is what matters."

Zaga looked at her in admiration.

"…A smithing crafter with a wide range who's familiar with putting the basics into practical use, and a magic armored doll maker, huh…? What a wonderful engineer. You added a very capable person as your subordinate, Shuuya."

"Y-Yeah."

"Even so, Zaga-san, you're well-informed, aren't you? Do you have experience in the creation of sorcery dolls?"

"No, none. But, I can deduce it to some extent from the types of magic devices and metallic materials."

"I see."

"Anyway, Mysty, I'm also a crafter, so call me Zaga without reserve."

"Sure. But, Zaga, I will still add the 『san』."

"Gahaha, well, do as you like then. Okay, I'm going back to Bon now. Thanks you two."

"Anytime. Please visit this workshop again. If I can add your smithing skills to my work, it might be possible to create something interesting, Zaga-san."

Mysty, Zaga, and Bon, eh? I can't even begin to imagine what kind of chemistry will spring forth from that. They might make progress on the remodeling of Eva's legs.

"Sure, with Bon's Enchanto, and Mysty's metalworking…" Zaga let out a groan with a sharp glint in his eyes as he touched his beard after listening to Mysty.

"If Zaga-san and Bon-kun join, it looks like it will be possible to apply it to sorcery doll manufacturing, too."

"Hmm, some kind of cooperation might be possible. However, since we have a mountain of work waiting for us, I can't leave my smithy easily… That's why I plan to come over to this workshop when I've got some free time. Is that still okay with you?"

"Of course! Given that I'm busy as well, the days it could work are…"

She scribbled down the information on a parchment, and handed it over to Zaga.

"…You got a tighter schedule than I do. Anyway, let's both foster our skills from now on."

Mysty seems to be busy with various things of her own. It looks like a full schedule was written on the parchment Zaga was looking at.

"Okay."

"I'm off. See ya." Zaga said while flashing his teeth with a broad smile, put the parchment into his pocket, and briskly walked away, passing through the open door, and heading out towards the courtyard.

Thus I was all alone with her. I guess I'll try asking her about the matter she mentioned some time ago.

"…Mysty, you previously said that you wanted to talk with me…"

"Oh, yes. It's a secret I haven't told anyone, but can I have you listen to it now?"

A secret? I wonder what it's about. A confession of a weird fetish or something like that?

"…Sure, what is it?"

"Actually…it's about my dreams."

"Dreams?"

She had a serious expression. Her feelings, which possessed a vivid power revived through her past, were obviously visible.

I'll answer her seriously as well. I put on a serious expression.

"Yep, it's the dreams I have seen since childhood…"

Mysty explained to me her dreams while mixing stories of her past into it. Unknown sorcery dolls. A strange city where people with the same mark on their forehead as Mysty live, and a dream of that city being destroyed, huh?

"Are you still seeing that dream?"

"…Yeah, it might be the sorcery doll with a consciousness you mentioned when we first met, long ago, unlike the sorcery dolls I'm creating now. I feel like I've been denying my own skills. I've been speaking like creating something similar would be impossible, but assuming that dream to be reality…"

I see. Considering it like that, it's possible that Mysty and the part of the nobles possessing a crest are descendants of the people who had lived in such a city in ancient times? In that case, it's also possible that Eva has descended from that bloodline?

Well, it might also be the result of the blood having mixed in various ways, including demons, though.

"An ancient city, huh? Does it have something characteristic?"

"The sky is pitch dark, and the city is always illuminated by mysterious, magic tools."

Is it electric or neon light? Though it could also be something combining with magic.

"When it comes to a dark sky, it might be underground. That, or…"

I guess it's also possible to think that this planet had been drifting without being caught in the gravitational pull of a star system or a gas giant several hundred billion years ago…

No, maybe it wasn't on a planet, but actually inside a spaceship? A spaceship housing a colony had been drifting through space in the search of a suitable planet, but suddenly they were attacked by aliens, and barely managed to reach this planet?

I suppose there are no limits to what's imaginable.

"…Or?" Mysty asked while lifting one eyebrow.

Even if I were to explain the space stuff, she might not understand. Thus, since there's no point in explaining it…

"No, I mean it might be an underground city."

"…Yeah. If it's stories about illusionary underground kingdoms, I've heard about them as well. Besides, I've also listened to your personal adventurer tale in the underground city. Devil's Mountain, was it? Since the scene of that underground world somewhat resembled the city appearing in my dreams, I waited for a moment to try talking about it with you in private. Besides…it's just the two of us, so, umm…"

Mysty blushed. Exactly because she's a beautiful professor with matching small eyelashes and glasses, her smile made my heart race.

"We still haven't properly――"

I didn't allow her to finish speaking. I swiftly grabbed her arm, and pulled her into my embrace.

"I know that. We had sex together with everyone, but not with just the two of us."

"…Master."

Mysty pointed her face upwards. She closed her moist eyes that were hidden behind her glasses.

Answering her wish, I kissed her, making sure to gently caress her upper lip. I separated my face from hers while savoring the soft sensation.

"…The glasses really suit you. You're adorable."

"Master, you idiot, don't say that with such a serious look."

I placed a finger on the chin of Mysty who had averted her eyes…and after pushing it back in my direction, I kissed her once more. This time it was a kiss as if a deep bell rang or as if I dove into her inner heart.

I lifted up her light body with both arms, and placed her butt on top of the workshop's table. I put my hands around her slender back, tracing her shoulder blades with my fingers and palms.

As if returning the favor, Mysty placed her elastic, slender arms around my neck.

Her small lips moved, "Fufu, are you excited?"

Those words stimulated my fleshly desires.

"Yeah."

Mysty, who listened to my short, aroused reply, separated her two arms. While bending her upper body backwards, she entwined her thin legs around my waist.

As she revealed a lewd smile, "Master, today you can do me hard."

"…Gladly."

We kissed again as if clashing our lips against each other. A bittersweet sound as if a flower was blooming reverberated. The various items on top of the tables such as metals and smithing tools fell to the ground.

Neither of us cared about something like that. Even as the kissing ended, our eyes were locked. Mysty gazed at me indecently with a look full of alluring desires. Once again stealing her lips, I kissed her fervently.

And then we repeatedly had such an intense sex that Rollodeen would roll her eyes, as the day of the feast passed.