The Spearmaster and the Black Cat - Chapter 379-1

“Muu-chan, that magic book, or rather, mystic arts book connected to your arm and leg is…”

Kisara calls Muu’s book a mystic arts book.

“I’m also curious about the string book, but her new arm is made out of wood, so it’s an item made by His Excellency!” Helme approaches Muu after putting Puyuyu down.

Landing on the ground, Puyuyu lifts its miniature wand. Is it going to tamper with the many decorations attached to the wand? Since its doll-like hands and fingers are covered by shaggy fur, I can’t really grasp its finger movements.

After getting messed with by Rollo, Puyuyu performs a splendid turn, and runs off towards the other side of the training ground while swinging its small limbs up and down.

“Nyano～” Rollo chases after it with sparkling eyes.

While watching that heartwarming scenery, I speak up to Helme and Kisara, “…That’s how it is. After all, Muu wants to learn spearmanship from me. Having said that, these are just prostheses. If you consider keeping balance with just one leg and arm, it’s easy to imagine that she’d have a tough time ahead.”

“I think you’re right when we’re talking just about spearmanship, but if she masters the usage of this mystic arts book, it might be possible for her to reach a new combat occupation that exceeds any normal spear wielder.” Kisara argues.

It looks like she holds Muu’s potential in high esteem

“A combination of mystic string arts and spearmanship, huh?”

“Yes.”

“――nh” Muu thrusts her artificial arm into the air with a rough nasal breathing, seemingly delighted by the idea.

But, because she became too enthusiastic, she fell over.

“…Oh my, Muu-chan――”

Helme immediately uses her {Lapis Lazuli Flower} skill, gently coiling the blue and black, spiraling strings around Muu, and helping her up. The strings extending from flower bulbs at the tips of her fingers have mysterious colors. She ties Muu’s hair with those strings, creating a bun hairstyle. Muu’s silver hair, which looks as if it’s been bleached, has been arranged beautifully.

“….gh”

However, Muu gets away from Helme, shaking her head. It results in the bun hairstyle coming undone. Muu stares at Helme’s mysterious strings which are entwined around her own body.

She seems to be baffled by the strings, which automatically withdraw from her body. Well, it makes sense, seeing how Helme’s {Lapis Lazuli Flower} can be called quite mysterious. The shining strings are currently retracting into the blooming flowers on Helme’s fingers. It’s extremely beautiful.

The deployment of the Kisara’s filaments, which remind you of a rainbow, is very pretty as well, but…the coloring of Helme’s skill doesn’t lose out to it either.

Helme answers Muu’s gaze with an affectionate expression. Confronted with that, Muu’s cheeks flush crimson.

Come to think of it, she did receive her butt baptism, didn’t she?

“Helme, how do Muu’s strings and magic book look to you?”

“…I don’t really feel any spirits from them. However, I can sense something similar to wind spirits and a strong darkness from the magic threads extending like strings.”

When Helme points it out, Kisara immediately jumps in, “It most likely originates from the Spirit World…”

The Spirit World, eh?

Having mentioned that, Kisara looks at the grimoire hanging at her own waist, and then shifts her eyes back to Muu’s book. Judging by her look and expression…Kisara’s grimoire must be related to the Spirit World, I guess.

Based on that observation, I say, “…That estimation is correct. When I took out Beet earlier, it resonated with the mystic arts book. And the name of Zedel’Guo Sail, one of the Eight Geniuses of the Spirit World, surfaced on both items.”

“As I thought…still for it to be related to one of the Eight Geniuses of the Spirit World means that it’s yet another amazing item.”

“That’s why I sense a strong darkness, albeit just in one part of it. But, where did Muu-chan obtain such a mystic arts book?”

“It’s a book Moga and Nemus had with them. They swiped it from the vault when they were escaping the Sea of Trees stronghold of the vampires led by Hoffmann. It looks like it’s been used as decoration for Moga and Nemus’s home, but…”

Isn’t it possible that…a guy like Schmihazar might visit once more alongside the huge coffin? Well, it’s also possible that only Schmihazar had a skill allowing him to follow us.

“Oh, back then! I’ve been focused on listening to Moga’s explanation about the bronze, frog-shaped statue, so I didn’t notice. Ah, so that’s why you’ve been looking at the treasures, right Muu-chan?”

“…” Muu nods lightly.

“It was the Death Butterfly women Jody and Ciel who destroyed Hoffmann’s stronghold, right? The one you fought was Ciel with the reddish purple butterflies.”

“Yep. You could say that Moga and the others were saved by those two.”

“The revival of Golgonshura desired by those whimsical Death Butterfly women…I wonder whether those two are currently watching you, Your Excellency…”

“Possibly. Well, it might be smart to get suspicious if we suddenly start seeing butterflies. Roillo is probably going to react as well.”

“Okay.”

Helme and Kisara nod.

“However, for him to be able to fight evenly with the Death Butterfly women, who are distinguished as kin of the Master of the 12 Sea of Trees…as expected of Hoffmann…no wonder that he managed to steal my skills and lock me up in the witch spear. That and the treasure vault might be natural for the Valmask family which appears in the Harvest legend. I think it is predictable that the empress, who had her {Head Servant} run the research while entrusting those treasured tools to him, must be a fairly capable person as well.”

Which reminds me, Kisara mentioned that she fought against the other vampire family members besides Hoffmann.

“…Kisara, I heard that you fought against the vampires of the Lauregunt family, another of the 12 founding families.”

“Yes, I fought several times against {Servant Leaders} of the Lauregunt family, and the {Head Servant} Hoffmann.”

“I see.”

Muu has been listening to our story expressionlessly.

“…rh.”

But, apparently recalling something painful in the middle of it, she covers her ears with both hands, artificial and natural, and her body begins to tremble. She immediately curls herself up as if to hold her knees.

I place a hand on her small, quivering shoulder, “Muu, are you alright?”

“――gh.” Muu gets up while shaking her head, and leaps into my embrace.

“Everything is going to be alright. You want to learn martial arts, don’t you? Then you gotta be more level headed, okay?”

“…nn.”

Muu nods her head, separates from me, and bows towards Kisara and Helme. After lifting her head, she lowers it politely once more. Hesitation can be seen in her eyes.

She repeatedly directs her eyes at Kisara’s grimoire and Helme’s flower bulbs. It looks like she wants to learn all kinds of stuff, not just my spearmanship.

“My cute flowers? It might be possible for His Excellency, but this is a skill, you see. I think it’s going to be impossible for you since it’d occupy bigger parts of your senses.” Helme explains matter-of-factly.

Well, it’s only natural I’d say. Even though there are strings involved, Helme has bulbs on her nails. Even if Muu could make those bulbs bloom, for argument’s sake, it might be a more reliable means to keep spearmanship as the main objective.

“The power of this grimoire is related to my {Magic Breath} as a witch, the witch spear of Damo’Anun, and my Magic Ogre Princess Armament, which is Mephalla-sama’s divine blessing. The threads or magic threads of your mystic arts book don’t possess any such power. Besides, even if I knew how to pass it on to someone else, I don’t plan to hand it down to anyone but Shuuya-sama. Muu-chan, you aren’t my pupil.”

Kisara’s look as it’s visible through her black mask is as unrelenting as that of a black queen.

“…” Muu drops her shoulders in disappointment.

This is only reasonable as well, I think. Kisara is one of the Black Witch Church’s representatives. It’s a church with a longstanding history. She lost the battle against me, and exactly because I defeated her, she’s judged me to be the messiah sought by her church. That’s why she’s also calling me Bringer of Light and DarknessDamo’Anun Bringer.

“A part of our masters and the Four Heavenly Witch Aphra Beazuma were also masters of the iron ball art 【Grim Principles of Magic Iron Style】, the Light Beheading Thread art 【Bright Light Thread Expert Style】, and the Darkness Beheading Thread art 【Darkness Thread Style of the Black Mosquito】. If you were to become their pupil…you might be able to learn it. But, I wonder whether it’d really work out that easily.” Kisara adds, apparently wanting to follow up after having seen Muu’s expression.

“Muu, it sounds like it’ll be difficult for you to take personal lessons from Kisara and Helme.”

“…”

“But, it’s not like you’re forbidden to learn from watching.”

“…nh.” Muu shakes her small head.

Helme and Kisara smile gently.

“It’s too early. Training is important, but first comes eating properly and getting plenty of rest. Also, you should play with the other children. Especially if it comes to Arry and Taack, I believe you’ll get many chances to learn various things if you play with them. And once you’ve grown accustomed to your prostheses――”

At that point, I focus on {Tree of the Evil King}, and create a wood spear. Of course it’s unlikely that I’ll be able to build a place like the Training Path existing near the Goldiba village. But, if it’s something simple, I can create it as well…

While thinking that, I {Throw} the wooden spear. The spear stabs into the ground close to Muu.

“――I’ll teach you the basic stances of the Wind Spear Style with that spear.”

“…rh.” Muu shakes her head while looking at the wooden spear embedded in the soil in front of her.

And then she looks at me again. After shifting her eyes back and forth between me and the spear several times, she intensely stares at me once more. If I were to guess her feelings from that look, I’d say that she’s urging me to teach her as soon as possible.

“Muu, is there any reason for you to hurry so much? We won’t know unless you tell us.”

“…mf.”

Her lips tremble all over. It looks like she’s trying to talk a bit, but then she shakes her head. Next she extends a string from her artificial hand towards the wooden spear, entwines it around the shaft and picks it up. As soon as she grasps the spear with her hand, she smiles happily.

And then, after staring at me, she plants both legs and hands on the ground, bowing.

“…I understand your feelings, so lift your head.”

“――gh.” Muu jerks her head up.

On that occasion, her posture lurchs over towards the side of her artificial legs as she’s not used to it yet.

“Ah, Muu-chan.”

“…”

As if to declare that she’s okay, Muu bends her normal leg, and nimbly stands up. And then she smiles broadly. It looks like she’s enjoying it.

As expected, just having a new, artificial leg already makes a big difference. While using the wooden spear as a walking stick replacement, she walks away, heading outside the training ground. Her usage of the artificial leg is…still quite clunky, so it looks like she has a hard time ahead of her.

Ah, just after inserting the wooden spear into her artificial arm and trying to swing it, she tumbles down.

“…Ack, she fell over again. Your Excellency, is this alright?”

“Let her be. Failure is a stepping stone to success. First she has to get accustomed to her prostheses. There’s no way around it.”

“It’s just that she still has some very childish parts, too.”

I nod at Helme and Kisara’s words. This village…if it’s here, Muu will be able to grow up nicely.

“…Right. With that out of the way, I’m going head over to build the gate.”

“Then I shall come back into your eye.”

“Sure, go for it.”

“Yes!”

Helme instantly changes into liquid and flies into my left eye while spiraling.

“…” Kisara remains silent.

After directing a look full of respect at me, she bows her head.

“What are you going to do, Kisara? Wanna come with me?”

“No, Rotalz should be back anytime soon now.”

“Kisara!! Damn you for kicking my important magic symbol!!”

Sure enough we can hear Rotalz’s angry voice from the sky. As if to answer him, Kisara makes her grimoire gleam, and the instant its pages flip over, her outfit changes into that of a sleeveless witch costume. Immediately following, she grabs the witch spear, and flies up to Rotalz.

“Don’t fight too flashily, okaaay?”

“――Okay.”

Rotalz makes the printed circuit board-like patterns on his skin glow, and fires a beam. It’s the same magic beam he fired at Divine Beast Rollodeen the other day.

Kisara uses the filaments of her witch spear to repel the beam while closing in on Rotalz. She mentioned that Rotalz is a bit special…

A hole is created in the clouds…by the powerful destruction beam. …What a flashy mock battle, or rather, brawl.

Anyway, I guess I should take care of my own work. Rollo hasn’t come back yet.

“Alray, Hueremy, what are you going to do? Wanna come with me?”

“Nyaa.” “Nyao.”

The two cats meow while lying sprawled at the base of the wall. It seems like the two wish to bask in the sun.

“Gotcha. You two keep sunbathing over there. Please take care of being Muu’s playmates. Ah, don’t push her down though, okay?”

“Nyaaa.” “Nyaoo.”

The two reply with weird meows while exposing their bellies towards me. Still, it looks like Rollo is chasing Puyuyu…I wonder where they went.

Oh well, whatever.

I jumped on the spot, activated {Magic Hand guided by Thought} in mid-air, and while kicking one hand after the other, advanced through the air.

Casting a sidelong glance at the battle between Kisara and Rotalz, I head for the gate.

Running across the sky～♪　Across the sky～♪

I dashed through the sky while singing such a song in my mind.