The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

Chapter 9

"Ji-chan, who is this person?"

"Mm? This? It looks like a human, but it may be a Mazoku."

"Eeh! Is it safe to bring it?"

"I think it will be all right. Anyway, this is the person who brought back the Divine Beast."

I opened my eyes while hearing such unfamiliar words.

It's a language I don't know, but I can understand it.

"Oh, they opened their eyes. La Kerlada! You woke up."

In order to figure out the owner of the voice, putting my hand on the edge of the bed, I slowly sit the upper part of my body up.

"Ah, you got up〜"

I turn my face to the owner of the unfamiliar words.

Mm? An old person? …….It's an old man with horns growing from his head.

Next to the old man is a girl with horns on her head.

The girl seems interested in me.

The chestnut eyes are focused on one point.

An old man and a child. Still, the horns on the old man are excellent. Unlike the horns of the child, the shape of tightly wound horns grew from the side of the head like a goat.

The Horned Race.

Winding horns with a sharp tip.

The strong horns seems to have high bone density and natural detail.

The white hair suitable for his age was mixed in with chestnut-colored hair.

Deeply chiseled features, and chestnut-color eyes too. It's a wrinkled but tough face.

The hair of the child is chestnut like the old man.

The horns are small and childlike.

The features arranged enough although she was young, she's a pretty girl.

I tried to sit in a comfortable position.

While shifting into a cross-legged posture, I purposely looked away from the two's staring eyes.

Eh? I, I'm naked.

Which reminds me, I'm wearing nothing.

Understanding, I should yawn. There's no equipment or clothes I can pick up and wear.

Only the necklace with the decoration of the lady bug, it's worn around my neck.

I, was seen in the nude…….

Well, it's fine. So, here, I wonder where it is.

If I'm not mistaken, I fought with the white monster and made a contract with the black beast……

Why am I here?

I look around.

Sun light comes through a wooden window, and wonderfully, it's bright.

The dust in the room reflected it glittering silver.

Wooden shelves form a line in the left corner. There's junk on one shelf over there, old dirty clothing, leather clothing, the oil of the lamp had been put in beeswax.

The cloth curtain where light leaks from the outside in seen on the right.

There's a door way.

Here, it give the impression of a hut.

Rays of light shine in through the wooden blinds.

When I'm looking at the light, I remember the fight with the monster like seeing a daydream.

The memory of sucking blood is recalled.

The eyes of the two people watch me curiously.

…Passing by the cat from the staring old man, looing at the girl-

Mm? Cat? I instantly look back to the cat's eyes.

It's a black cat. Watch me while sitting on the incense box.

A cat, with ears pinned up, it's the size of a kitten.

It's a kitten, but there was a presence.

There's…….feelers growing aren't there?

These red, characteristic eyes, by any chance……is it the black beast I contracted with then? There aren't six feelers, however there are two.

I named her, Rollodinu?

"Rollodinu?"

I raised one eyebrow with a worried expression, and called the black cat so. Then, the black cat cutely calls "nya" and jumps into my chest.

On my waist while I sat cross-legged, it turns round and round.

Pointing her small face up, she stared at me with round red eyes.

It's cute. Unbearably.

I wasn't able to endure the adorable gaze of the black cat.

Patting the head of the small black cat, I pass my palm to her small back. The black cat purrs *gorogoro* back.

Then I reached the feeler.

The feeler-makes a small *shuru* sound, and touches my cheeks kindly.

『I'm happy』『Sleepy』

The feeling of the black cat is transmitted.

It's strange.

Though it was said feeling could be conveyed at the time of the contract, feeling is like this.

I'm impressed, and I place the black cat on my thigh while sitting cross legged and she places her small chin on my knee. That way, her eyes close.

The purring sounds too.

It's a cat. A but, but……the black beast I contracted with.

Well, the dream-like inner space wasn't an illusion-it's such a thing.

Also the monster who wore that white armor in it.

Running away, running away……cornered, a fight aware of death.

I was desperate.

I'm becoming slow remembering it again.

There,the old man who watched my state the whole time showed a worried look and asked.

"……Young man. Are you all right? After that you, when you passed out, a little, because your body smelled, I washed it with Refaa."

I follow. I'm embarrassed, but it can't be helped. In order to pull my self together, I decide to ask where I am.

"……Well, where is here?"

"This is the village of Goldiba. It's a plateau surrounded by mountains in the middle of Mahahaimu mountain range. My name is Achilles. This child is Refaa.

Achilles, and the child next to him is Refaa.

The child Refaa leaned forward.

"……I'm Refaa〜, what's onii-chan's name?"

This child is full of curiosity. It's a very interesting feeling.

"I'm Shuya Kagari."

"Strange〜, there are two names〜?"

"Ho, a noble or something?"

I'm not such an exaggerated person.

"No, there's no such reason. Please call me Shuya or Kagari as you want."

"Then, Shuya. It's sudden, but "why" were you there?"

Achilles' eyes become sharp with that question.

There, well does that mean those shrine like ruins?

Well, it's suspicious, me.

"Does Achilles-san mean the fight with the white monster?"

"Ah, "to be clear" I saw it with these eyes."

Achilles-san nods strongly.

Attaching two finger to his, he talks while making dramatic gestures.

"You, Shuya is the one who overwhelmed to apostle? After that, at the moment Shuya faints and collapses the Divine Beast manages to revive, I say it clearly with y naked eyes. So, Shuya who collapsed, was carried here by me. Is what happened."

You helped me.

Ah, and this, that I'm of vampire lineage is revealed too?

"Thank you for helping. So, if I'm not wrong, that place was underground."

Day light can be seen.

This should be on the surface.

"Ah, as for that, saying I'll explain it late, could you give a response to my first question?"

The attitude became solemn.

"Ah, yes. Eeeh〜so……"

I'm a little tense.

Mm〜. Even if I talked about before transmigration it wouldn't be understood, and…….

I'm not able to satisfactorily express it in words.

Well, it can be the memory loss like with the old bird dwarf I met in the cave of darkness, there's nothing appropriate to talk about……

Like that, without talking at all about transmigrating the setting is memory loss, I explained is irregularly.

I talked about being a special vampire lineage.

Hoping he convinced by my rough explanation I look at Achilles-san's face and he nodded his consent with a quiet face. I touch the short mustache that's barely grown recently with my finger.

I fell silent to think about something

After a short period of time.

"……Almost all your memories were forgotten. A special Dhampir, and light is okay too?"

Achilles-san stares with a pair of severe eyes.

"Yeah……"

"Well, not even reacting to being exposed to light when I carried you here, I though it was strange."

Even if I'm exposed to light, if I was an ordinary vampire I would burn and die……

"It's amazing, it was Shuya Onii-chan that beat the apostle."

Refaa holds both of her small hands against her chest, and displayed an appearance of constantly admiring me.

Is that white monster I fought called an apostle?

Underground the dwarf Loirr called in a "Guranba."

"An apostle, is that what you're calling it? Well, that white guy."

"Yes. That's right, Ji-chan, when you went underground, didn't I hear that you sometimes defeated them? So, it must be strong."

"That's correct. Achilles-san, it is strong."

"Living for a long time, now I'm an armed priest."

"An Armed Priest?"

When I ask, Achilles-san takes the round medal hanging from his neck and presents it to me.

"The person whom manages Lohse-sama's shrine here is called a 'Armament Priest' or 'Priest.' Once a month, using this. Using the god tower which is in the temple of the plaza, it goes deep underground to the Lohse-sama shrine. When I say Shuya defeated an apostle, it's easy to understand."

Ah, there's a god tower here.

Moreover, according to the story it's a nuance I can use even now. Loirr said they must be broken and unusable, but the one here works.

The place I ran away to happened to be a shrine, and there was a god tower there.

Ah, beyond the statue a hill was visible.

I'm lucky.

I nod having understood.

"……Is that so. Over there was a shrine. So for when I was saved, thank you."

The round God Tower medal.

The place shrine I fought at.

Here is connected to the underground.

Loirr told me there are innumerable God Towers.

This one remained without being broken.

Well, as far as what Loirr said, the God Towers leading to the surface weren't specially checked. In the underground world of the dwarfs, those prejudiced Maguru seem to be humans.

"……That is so. But, the shrine may already be unnecessary. -Lohse-sama's condition is here."

Achilles-san's points to the black cat sleeping on my knee.

"Before she said she was called Lohse-sama in the past."

When Achilles heard what I said he went pale.

Narrowing his brow together, his brown eyes grow big.

"You've talked with this Divine Beast-sama?"

"Yeah. We spoke about various things when we contracted. I should mention, her name isn't Lohse anymore. It's Rollodinu."

"Oh, La Kerlada……contracting with Divine Beast-sama…… being able to revive in a such a form. Her name also isn't Lohse-sama, it's Rollodinu-sama……"

Achilles-san's expression changed from a look of surprise to one of joy. Both hands are clasped in front of his chest in prayer.

That is as expected, the black cat, Rollodinu is something like a god……

Even then, Achilles-san is muttering something, what is La Kerlada?

It's not translated through the skill?

Is it some kind of ceremonial word?

When I turn my attention to the medal hanging from Achilles-san's chest, I close my eyes a little, gently……I nodded.

La Kerlada, I'll try asking about the word.

"……I'm sorry. What is La Kerlada?"

"Ah, it's a kind of charm passed down through the Goldiba. It's a prayer for the protection of the Divine Beast-sama, a thought to yearn for home, a meaning of thanks in certain words too."

Mm, good words.

"Such a meaning……they are good words. Thank you. The words of protection and thanks. La Kerlada."

"That's right. It seems to be a word our ancestors began to use, but I don't know much more than that. Now then, Shuya. I want you to receive this. Isn't it a tradition passed down through generations? According to tradition I am supposed to "Pass this medal along with La Kerlada" to the person who help the Divine Beast-sama be reborn.

Saying so I am given the medal hanging from Achilles-san's chest, and grasp it in my hand.

"Ah, thanks, thank you. But this, isn't it something important? Can I really have this……"

This medal, it was said it was used with the God Towed a while ago.

It seems to be something important……

"……The medal is for you to have. A time when it is useful may come."

Achilles-san has stern eyes.

Ma, since it is being offered I'll receive it. I put it around my neck.

The number of necklaces become two with this.

Next I'll ask about the "Guranba" or "Apostle."

"Then I'm still curious, what is that Apostle I fought?"

"The Apostle. It's a monster that Priests of the Goldiba clan have fought generation to generation. Fortunately, they don't appear on the surface. They seem to inhabit the nearby caves around the underground shrine. The kind with wings are called hunters, many also others exist with given names. A sweeper or soldier……"

"So many……"

The White Monster, there seem to be various kinds of Apostles aside from what I fought. I killed it and sucked all of its blood, though I was surprised it was a virgin.

"Ah, the amount don't appear to be as many recently. They seem to have been a time where they wandered around in large numbers."

However, the fact that Apostles only exist around the shrine, they may have come out of the black ring……I remember the story of Rollodinu's past, monster and creatures appearing from the black ring exist without end.

"…….Therefore, the monster back there was an Apostle."

"Humu."

The girl Refaa doesn't seem interested in mine and Achilles-san's conversation, she only looked at the black cat.

"The Divine Beast-sama like cat, did the name change?"

About the black cat sleeping on my knee, Refaa seems to have properly heard what I said and understood, ears standing pinned up, Rollodinu's ears twitch and moved to stand up.

Turning her small face towards Refaa-a feeler extends.

I'm surprised for a moment, but the black cat's feels tenderly fall on Refaa's cheek.

When I see the feeler again, the end has become a little thick and the other side has become flat with something like the pad of a paw attached.

"Ooh……I feel kitty's feelings."

"H, how!"

Achilles-san is surprised and stares wide eyed.

Then, the black cat extends her feelers over to a surprised Achilles-san, and kindly touched the smile lines on his cheek.

"Ah……"

From Achilles-san's eyes, tears fall like rain.

To go that far, are you that happy?

The black cat Rollodinu pull apart from Achilles-san briefly and shakes a feeler.

That feeler, seems to considerable potential elasticity.

"Miraculous. For the Divine Beast-sama to be reborn……to see and go so far as to feel in my heart."

"I don't know the words of such an old man" as if to say, the black cat begins to walk with an air of composure. Some dignity could be felt in her movement.

But, the retreating figure of the black cat is cute.

The bushy tufts of fur growing from the butt, seem to be soft. Totteringly……and, while shaking the long tail and fur fluttering, she leaves going through the bottom of the cloth door.

We who were in the place fall silent, and watched the actions of such a black cat.

Well of that bushy rump, I want to touch it sometime.

I mean. I would like to see the how things are outside as well.

The surface of the different world. I wonder what it looks like, I'm excited.

I stand up from the soft bed made of feathers,

"……As for me, for a little, I'll look outside."

I pick up the old hide clothes placed to the side and put a hand through the sleeve, then put on the hide pants.

And then, I passed through the cloth curtain while suppressing the excited feeling.

Outside, sun light is dazzling and is bright, the wind is also strong.

I move my head slowly, surveying the area.

I immediately understand we're at a high altitude.

Surrounded by mountains, there's a cliff and dark green trees create a beautiful view in the distance.

I seem to be at the edge of a plateau surrounded by mountains.

More specifically, the self-supporting belt of land of the plateau was on the top of a cliff.

Even if I say cliff, the top is considerably large and there seems to be a house.

Should I say the feeling made Ayers Rock seem small…… (TN: Here's a picture of Ayers Rock and here's a scale image so you can appreciate its size. Ayers Rock is in Australia)

A hut can be seen in the back.

That's where I was sleeping.

Simple. The wooden window is attached to a plastered mud wall.

In addition to this hut, there are about five other mud huts. They were connected and rebuilt into one big house.

There are black stains everywhere on the walls of the building and a big pillar.

The black stains stand out, but as under the roof a thick new ridge pole is visible so I'm able to judge that the rebuilt house was sturdily built. Then a big field and an open plaza paved with stone spread out around the rebuilt house, and some wooden water tanks and drums were left outside to gather rain water.

Since laundry is drying around here, there's a lived-in feeling.

Next, I turn my eyes to the roof.

There's a chimney.

There is a part of the roof made with a type of hardened clay and the roof was made with thatched straw on planks. There's also a thick object like a rod of iron or copper extending from the ground right below the chimney.

What is it? This.

It's placed across the ground to many places like a railroad track. The rod is indented a little in the middle as it crawls along the ground.

Is it a drain?

While I was looking at the strange metal bar on the ground,

"……That is a thing that is useful in winter. This leads to not only the furnace but also a bath. The warmed steel melts the snow making water, this way it flows through the snow."

I was taught.

There's something civilized outside.

While I admire it-I move my eyes to the right.

The stone pavement spreads out……it's probably a plaza like place.

Though, there's a mysterious building.

The building the was made of stone unlike the others.

My eyes were taken by the mysterious building.

"That is the temple, inside there is the "God Tower." If I fit the round medal I gave you earlier to the pedestal inside, I can immediately go to the underground shrine."

Wow, after all it's an elevator.

I was surprised by Achilles-san's honest explanation.

"To the underground……immediately? It's amazing technology."

I stare at the medal in my hand and think.

The medal has both the mark of the sun and the mark of wings, two swords are drawn so the left and right may intersect.

The face of the beast was carved as a symbol on the back……

I can go quickly with this medal.

Is this possibly a terribly important thing? Can I really have such a valuable thing?

And, I move my eyes to the temple.

That is a temple. Inside it is the God Tower.

I can go below with it, it's totally an elevator.

According to Achilles-san's story, this medal is a "key" that apparently makes it move. I'm surprised to learn such technology exists.

The appearance of the temple is a small circular roof with round pillars, it resembles Islamic mosques a little.

The building design is a strangely extended fine line similar to the veins of a leaf on the walls and columns.

-Mm? Ah-I remember.

This, I have seen it underground.

In the ancient ruins where the green goblins were, it's the same design.

I approach the temple and touch the surface of the building.

Achilles-san adds, and begins to talk about the building.

"It's said that the ancient dwarfs made it as well as the furnace, but since it has been there since before I was born…… it's unknown how to make it in this day and age."

"Is that so."

"Ah, even if I knew it probably couldn't be made. Whether the materials are even obtainable……"

The lost technology of the ancient dwarfs.

In that case, a mechanical elevator was the result of a certain level of civilization……but still usable even now without decaying.

What kind of metal is it?

And it's certain the ancient dwarfs made that shrine that was underground.

Loirr talked about it too.

Ah, which reminds……

Rollodinu talked about that in her inner space.

The "short race" built it, but……and so on.

Like the "horned race" says.

Besides, it matches the story of the "exiled dwarf," Loirr I met underground.

While I touch the temple, I think about the strange design of the building that has existed since ancient times.

The monsters kept appearing from the black ring Zararapu, in a far off era, and with this God Tower, Achilles-san's ancestors escaped to the surface.

It's surely so.

I can figure out that much on my own.

This time I look outside the shrine.

As my gaze move around, the black cat Rollodinu is running.

While using the feelers smoothly, she jumped onto the straw-thatched roof of the hut along the wall and ran happily on the roof.

When the black cat stops at the edge of the roof, raising her head,

"Nyaaaaa"

And, a high voice was raised.

That cat thinks of herself as a wolf or a lion……

As the figure is that of a cat, it's slightly heartwarming.

I wanted to give the black cat a tsukkomi about the Lion King-like feeling but left it. I walk and carefully peek over the edge of the cliff.

The steep slope continues on and on.

A forest spreads out at the bottom.

The mountains and river in the distance feel like an incarnated snake.

The plain which peeks out over the valley is a small speck.

I'm overwhelmed by the nature of this different world.

The beauty of the far off mountains make me want to hold a drawing from nature convention.

The Alps pale in comparison to the steeply rising mountains merging to tower over the surroundings, it expands endlessly.

There's also a part of the mountain range that the clouds hang over thinly. A thin cloud like fog covered the upper half of the waterfall in the nearby valley. The cascading waterfall, the figure of a huge dragon which is extending to the skies is seen.

Magnificent scenery.

"Nature is the living clothes of god."

I have heard this expression, if it's such a beautiful world then 800 gods aren't enough, even if various god exist it isn't strange.

The fantasy world that contains ancient civilization.

The world that is filled with every possibility.

Besides me, the existence similar to me, or where in the world others have transmigrated from earth, there may be.

"How is it? Here is Goldiba."

"The scene is breathtaking."

"Umu. It's best at dusk. It's scenic."

I can imagine, it will probably be beautiful.

"I want to watch it."

Achilles-san has begun to talk while smiling kindly.

"Well, you can see it anytime if you're here. By the way Shuya, you just awoke, such a question of what……what do you intend to do in the future?"

"That's right……

I'll keep my promise with Rollo, if it's here I want to become an adventurer.

Does this world have the tower with the underground labyrinth?

If I go there I'll be able to get good treasure. It's good to spend time with a beautiful woman. Besides the people who transmigrated should be here too, and I want to meet and talk to them if possible. The goal, far from the head of a household, become the ruler of a castle and conquer to world.

The dreams are endless……

Haha, if I think about it I'm greedy.

"……Some town, while aiming at a city, and I'll travel……"

Ah, still, I haven't properly given my thanks.

"A journey."

After I lower my head to Achilles-san and muttered briefly,

"Achilles-san, I still haven't thanked you. Thank you very much for helping me. Because have I very little money on hand, I could help or something-"

"No, as for the money, I don't need it. That, what is it, do you remember anything else?"

Achilles-san interrupted my talk in a hurry. That way, I stare as Rollodinu having something to say.

The matter of Rollodinu, you're worried too, this seems to be a Divine Beast.

Well, the "promise" for the time being, I will explain.

"……There is. A promise with Rollodinu……I intend to look for clues to fulfill it. Genju's Sake Ball of Light. Another name, the Tree of Wisdom. These two words, have you heard either of them?

When I asked, Achilles-san answered immediately.

"A promise with the Divine Beast. Genju's Sake Ball of Light……U〜mu. Those are words I've heard somewhere. If I'm not mistaken, the story is a fairy tale……but, I have forgotten what kind of story it was. Various gods should appear, but……because you call the tree and the light sake will wood and light probably be related?"

Rollodinu said in her inner space, I must know whether it is true……

"……It may be so. From here on I'll make it my number one goal and search for it from now on. The promise with the black cat. Difficult, that's a Divine Beast for you."

"Humuhumu. So, aside from the first what is your goal?"

At this time. I will talk about my desire.

"To tour the world, find treasure in labyrinths and mysterious ruins, drink liquor with a beautiful woman, do that with a woman, after that, I'll become a stronger adventurer and have a house, have a country, make a base. Well, there are various desires."

Achilles-san was shocked and having laughed, muttered quietly, "Such a thing……"

Continuing, Achilles-san, began to talk while smiling awkwardly.

"Including the Divine Beast-sama thing, Shuya. Forgotten memories, only the vampire lineage I think "various things" will be serious. Also, presently, you don't know where anything is, won't you be going to those places?"

I talked about remarkable goals, and certainly, it's just like that.

"Yeah."

"Therefore. For a while, why don't you live here with Rollodinu?"

Oh, I'm grateful, and thankful, I wonder if it's okay.

"……Is that all right? I'd appreciate that."

"Ah, of course. But, you'll have to do the minimum work?"

Yatta!

I don't understand anything about this strange world, and here I can take a rest.

"Okay." I'll do my best.

"Good. You can use the bed you were sleeping in before. It's small but the living necessities are present to some extent. I'll introduce you to my family tonight.

"Is it all right for me to use the hut?"

"It's fine. It's usually for visitors that rarely come and a warehouse. Well then, without delay, but now, because the light wood is running short collect enough before night. There's also work to carry clean river water later. In short it's carrying luggage. I'll have you help me."

"Alright."

Like that, Rollodinu having heard our conversation, jumps to my shoulder, riding on my right shoulder using the dexterous feelers.

Are you going to help me?

Firewood and water seem to be carried up from the steep slope.

Four barrels as big as Achilles-san, carried, are they floating?

"Eh!?"

Four big barrels floated in front of my eyes.

"This……they're floating?"

"Mm? Iya. Is it unusual? It's only guiding magic."

"Guiding Magic……That's all?"

I heard while opening my eyes wide.

"It's a magic skill, I specialize in Guidance Magic. With Magic Skill I say 『Fighting Moji』『Guidance Moji』『Fairy Moji』. As for me who is good at Guidance Magic, I'm able to 'make things move' easily." (TN: This isn't even the start for magic, you'll read more soon."

Even magic skills? It's like magic, psychokinesis!

Amazing, It's like a knight of the Jedi.

Achilles-san, by any chance, are you master Yoda?

Joking aside, speaking of magic skills, I remember fighting moji was one of the first names when I was choosing extra skills……

"……Besides, it seems like magic, what is a person who has mastered magic skills?"

"Mm〜, aren't magic skills different from magic? If magic skills are mastered, no. And, I'm not just seeing it to say, but (TN: Okay, this was confusing, translating about magic is hard.)……because the world vast I don't know. When it's the extent I've seen, there are countless numbers of Fighting Magic Skills. But, when it comes to master of guiding magic and fairy magic, it's not like that. Incidentally, my late father was also good at guiding magic."

There's no one who's mastered it.

The that extent, is it a profound skill……

I wonder if I can learn it. I'll ask.

"……Sono, I want to learn magic skills."

"That's good. But, it'll be little by little from tomorrow. Right now chores are piling up. First is wood splitting."

"Okaay."

I OKed quickly……I'll do my best to help. (TN: OK was in English.)