Akatsuki Translations

“It’s quite rare for Glen to introduce someone, isn’t it?”  -Magika 

Magika, the golem master whose voice carried a vague tone, had invited Ur and the others to her “abode.” They descended another level from the first floor of the dungeon they had been in just moments ago, reaching its second floor. Unlike the desolate complexity of the first floor, this particular chamber within the dungeon held no such perplexity—it was Magika’s home. 

Despite comprehending that it was inside a dungeon, for a moment, one could easily forget where they were, as the place functioned seamlessly as a home. The light illuminated by magical lamps was not the eerie bluish-green light reminiscent of the Dungeon of Greed, but rather a warm and gentle orange glow. Carpets covered the plain white stone floor, characteristic of this dungeon, and there were bookshelves, tables, and even what seemed to be a kitchen area. 

“…It’s a home. A proper home. And it’s pretty fancy too.” -Ur 

“I’m a shut-in, so having a comfortable place to live is important to me.” -Magika 

True to Magika’s relaxed words, one could observe her attention to detail in the minutiae of the interior design and color scheme. Going through the trouble of providing all these amenities within a dungeon, she was indeed the eccentric person Glen described. However… 

“…I’m jealous.” -Ur 

“Does Ur-sama like this kind of home?” -Shizuku 

Ur muttered softly, prompting Shizuku to react. Ur nodded in agreement. 

“I’ve always wanted a home. Thanks to my shitty pops, we were never been able to settle down properly.” -Ur 

Since long ago, Ur had been tossed around at the whims of their wretched father, riding in rickety carriages pulled by old horses, traveling from east to west. Even if they made friends in a certain town, they would soon part ways. There was no warm bed to sleep in, countless nights spent inside a worn-out, lopsided carriage. That’s why a home symbolized a longing for Ur. 

“Hahaha. Wanting a place to settle down seems completely opposite to being an adventurer. Why are you even doing this adventurer thing, anyway?” -Magika 

“It’s depressing.” -Ur 

Everything was the damn old man’s fault. Ur thought, “I’ll bring him back to life and definitely kill him.” As he harbored such thoughts, Magika cleared the tools scattered on the table, tools that Ur and Shizuku couldn’t identify. 

“Well, please have a seat. If it’s Glen’s introduction, I should at least offer you some tea. You helped with the experiment, after all.” -Magika 

“Normally I woulda been killed though.” -Ur 

“Sacrifices are inevitable in experiments.” -Magika 

Although he had something to say, it was pointless to risk spoiling her mood, so he kept silent. As Ur turned their face to express gratitude when a thoroughly brewed cup of warm tea was presented, he realized that the one who handed it to them was a golem. 

“I hope it won’t attack.” -Ur 

“It’s fi~~ne, probably.” -Magika 

“This golem, Magika-sama created it, didn’t she?” -Shizuku 

“That’s right. It’s great that there are no restrictions on golems outside the city.” -Magika 

In essence, golems were nothing more than devices for creating monsters. While they could be controlled to a certain extent, one misstep would lead to the previous rampage. It was natural for the city to impose regulations. Magika had taken up residence on the outskirts of the city, where such restrictions didn’t exist. 

“Now then, what brings you here? I’ll listen to your story.” -Magika 

With that, Ur looked at Magika again. She appeared younger than Glen, a woman around her thirties, seemingly sleepy as she squinted her eyes, devoid of any makeup or even concern for personal appearance. Her attire was clearly pajamas. 

Despite her lack of femininity, there was a certain charm beneath her sleepwear that could rival Shizuku. 

 “Ur-sama?” -Shizuku 

“I apologize.” -Ur 

Ur apologized to Shizuku, who looked puzzled, and immediately got to the point. 

“I’ve heard that you’re a famous golem technician. I want you to lend your wisdom to us.” -Ur 

Ur bowed politely. 

According to Glen, she was one of the top golem artisans in the Grand Federation. Her intellect in the field of current golem studies, particularly in the research of automata, was exceptional. However, she was eccentric, avoiding social interactions and disliking people. 

It was perhaps due to these reasons that her name wasn’t widely known. 

Setting aside how Glen came to know about her, Ur wanted to borrow her expertise precisely because she was a capable golem technician. It was to defeat the Crystal Golem. 

“Actually, we’re new adventurers, and currently we’re—” -Ur 

“The crystal golem, right? I know about it. Oh well, I guess that’s how it is. Glen is such a mischievous person.” -Magika 

Interrupting Ur’s attempt to explain the situation, Magika provided an unexpected response. After seeming satisfied, she showed a slightly pitying expression and delivered a single remark. 

“I’m sorry, but there’s no easy method to conquer crystal golems.” -Magika 

And with that, she provided an answer that was the complete opposite of what Ur wanted to hear. 

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Magika Magister 

She boasted a considerable reputation as a silver-rank adventurer, signifying her status as a top-tier professional. However, in her case, she had made a name for herself in a different way than expected. When it came to the core of the golems, known as the magical cores, she was considered one of the foremost sages in the world. 

[Magic Cores] 

Imitation products that could utilize magical stones, which could be considered as the essence of life extracted from magical creatures. As soon as monsters died, their bodies transformed into mere clusters of magical energy. However, a young genius managed to artificially replicate this phenomenon, granting the magic cores a lifespan of several decades, even centuries, which had previously suffered from severe durability issues. 

In the realm of magical studies, particularly in the field of magical mechanics, there was no one who did not know her name. Her achievements were nothing short of remarkable, elevating her to the status of a legendary figure known as the 【Sage of Clay. 】 

Yet, beneath the veil of her great accomplishments lay a single “pitfall” in her creations. 

“When I improved the magical cores, the dungeon golems imitated the improved magical cores.” -Magika 

Cores of monsters, magic core mimicking magic stones, and the golems that emulated them 

It was undeniably a strange story, yet it was the truth. Until then, dungeon golems were living beings that self-destructed within three days at most. When she successfully developed highly durable magical cores and widely popularized them in various cities, the flaw of durability was eliminated from the golems. 

As she continued her research on magical cores and improved the golems, the dungeon golems also overcame their shortcomings. The cause-and-effect relationship quickly became known, but she couldn’t stop her research. The results of her magical core research enriched people’s lives. 

Due to the enormous benefits, the risks involved were overlooked. 

“Developing golems as weapons was banned in all cities. It’s completely taboo. I think it was triggered by the spread of knowledge within a certain range among humans.” -Magika 

“In other words, there is no simple strategy.” -Ur 

“I crushed every single simple strategy, that’s what I did.” -Magika 

Ur sighed, troubled. In a way, she was the root of all evil tormenting Ur and Shizuku. 

Because she eliminated their weaknesses, the gem golems became wanted criminals, so to speak. One could argue that it was all thanks to her, but not necessarily in a positive sense. 

“The magical cores themselves and the command formulas in the head. These are the only two aspects that remain untouched. They were left as the only safety measures. Even though I cannot make any improvements, the head’s fragility compared to other parts is widely known. It’s a safety measure taken in case the command formulas are destroyed, and the golems go berserk. It’s better than tampering with them and having stray golems powered up. Besides, it’s for personal use, you know.” -Magika 

With that said, she casually placed an empty cage on the table, covering it with a cloth in the presence of a golem performing household chores behind her. 

“You can just put a helmet on it like this.” -Magika 

As long as it was an external modification, the dungeon wouldn’t be able to imitate it, Magika laughed. Indeed, Ur had never heard of dungeon golems equipped with armor helmets. 

“We went off-topic for a moment, but in short, I don’t know any weaknesses or strategies other than the magical cores and command formulas. I don’t think they exist.” -Magika 

“If there were any, it’s because you improved them.” -Ur 

“Ye~s.” -Magika 

It didn’t seem like she was lying. After all, if there were easy strategies to defeat the golems, they would have been more widespread. There was no reason to keep it a secret. Currently, the golems born from the dungeon were enemies of humanity, even though they had become bounty targets and were treated as competition prizes. 

Ur couldn’t find the right words to continue and fell into silence. Magika seemed unfazed. Just as the conversation was about to fade, it was Shizuku who spoke up. 

“Magika-sama, are you informed about the crystal golem that appeared in Greed?” -Shizuku 

“I am. I make it a point to investigate everything about the golems.” -Magika 

“Then, may I ask if you can speculate about its objective, the ‘contents of the command formula’?” -Shizuku 

“Well~~, I can.” -Magika 

“What…?” -Ur 

For a moment, Ur doubted her own ears upon hearing such a nonchalant response. She said that she understood the contents of the command formula and the objective of the golem. That meant it was possible to render them powerless by achieving or destroying their purpose. 

For the pair who were in dire straits, it was like a spider’s thread descending from the heavens. 

“I would love to be enlightened.” -Ur 

“What will you offer in return?” -Magika 

Magica’s face was calm, her voice carefree, but her words were unexpectedly sharp. 

Despite their relaxed tone, piercing eyes scrutinized me as if appraising my worth. The demand for compensation was expected. The problem lay here. 

“Money, huh?” -Ur 

“I don’t expect a chalk-adventurer’s purse to be overflowing, you know?” -Magika 

“Well then, what do you want?” -Ur 

“In the first place, what can you guys do? I don’t know anything about you.” -Magika 

“What…?” -Ur 

When asked in return, Ur faltered. If asked what he could do, he honestly felt he couldn’t do anything. They had no money, no strength, nothing. That was what Ur and Shizuku understood best. They had very little to offer. 

However, answering with “I can’t do anything” would be foolish. 

“I intend to fulfill what you desire to the best of my abilities.” -Ur 

“Hehe, you’re serious~, but that’s not an answe~r.” -Magika 

She giggled with a smirk. Ur realized that Glen’s assessment of her as a good-for-nothing was entirely accurate. 

“No matter how much money I have, I won’t be troubled~~. It might be more profitable to talk to people who seem to have more money than you guys~~.” -Magika 

It was an easy provocation, but the words mercilessly hit Ur, who had no backing whatsoever. He desperately tried to think of a way to draw her attention, but no words formed. 

“However, don’t you also lack connections with adventurers?” -Shizuku 

Interrupting the conversation was Shizuku. 

With her usual smile intact, she looked at Magika. Magika also shifted her gaze from Ur to Shizuku with curiosity. 

“Eh~~, why do you think that~?” -Magika 

“The subjugation festival has yet to take place, but it has been a considerable amount of time since the crystal golem was placed on the bounty list. And you have information that can be considered a secret measure to defeat it Yet, you haven’t sold it to anyone and let time pass until the festival.” -Shizuku 

“Maybe my goal is simply to let the festival be held and wait for the bounty to raise. If the bounty increases, the value of the information naturally goes up, right~~?” -Magika  

“If it’s defeated in the meantime, that information becomes worthless. Were you willing to keep that information unused for the uncertain subjugation festival?” -Shizuku 

Shizuku’s words were gentle as always, but her words were sharp. Ur was surprised by her resolute determination, different from the one she showed in the tavern. 

“Rather than keeping the information, were you intending to let it go to waste?” -Shizuku 

In response to Shizuku’s observation, Magika fell silent for a moment before bursting into laughter. 

“Hehe, you’re a strange one~~. You also don’t seem like an adventurer~.” -Magika 

“Is that so?” -Shizuku 

“It is~. With such a pretty face and a sharp mind, you don’t need to be an adventurer~.” -Magika 

She laughed carelessly while leaning back in her chair. Then she began fiddling with the magical core that was placed on the table, likely used for golems. 

The mocking and disdainful gaze from earlier had disappeared. Perhaps that was her default. Her gaze transformed into a cold entity that gave off an impression akin to a flat, serpentine creature. 

“As you said~, I’ve been at a loss with this information. Just by cha~nce, the crystal golem ended up in the upper levels, so I investigated and found out. But there’s no one to sell it to.” -Magika 

I don’t have many acquaintances who are feeble chalk-rank adventurers, she laughed. 

“Bu~~t I didn’t actively try to get rid of it. It’s troublesome, you know~. I didn’t want this place being known either.” -Magika 

“Why live in a place like this? Is it to avoid actively interacting with people?” -Shizuku 

“It’s not that I hate people, you know~? It’s more like I prefer being hated.” 

Ur thought to themselves, ”That makes sense.” 

“And so, well, it’s not like I don’t have any particular intention to sell to you guys, or anything~. There’s no other potential buyers anyway~.” -Magika 

“Then” -Ur 

“But, I don’t really want to sell at a cheap price. It doesn’t feel right~.” -Magika 

As she fiddled with the magic core, making a clacking sound, she seemed like a sulking child with a toy. She was considerably mature, yet wicked in her own way, thought Ur. 

“What we can offer is nothing special.” -Ur 

“If it’s not interesting, I won’t sell~~.” -Magika  

“It won’t benefit you in the slightest, but.” -Ur 

“But that’s alright~~.” -Magika 

Ur understood her words. This was just a wealthy person’s amusement. 

She wasn’t in dire need of money. She wasn’t particularly lacking anything. She had little interest in what Ur and Shizuku could offer. She simply watched with amusement, wondering if something interesting would happen or not. Even if the outcome turned out to be disappointing, it didn’t matter to her. She didn’t consider minor losses as setbacks. 

That was the situation. And because of that, it was troublesome. The other party acted without considering profit. Their only criteria were their own pleasure or displeasure. Those criteria existed solely in her mind. 

Ur understood this from previous experiences. It was pointless to engage with such individuals straightforwardly. You couldn’t understand what was going on in their heads. Everything depended on their mood. 

The most effective approach in dealing with such people was to ignore them. 

Engaging seriously often resulted in being mocked and humiliated. They would flaunt their superiority over you. 

However, if you couldn’t ignore them, if it was absolutely necessary to get their attention, the crucial point was to bring the interaction back to a trade. It was meaningless unless there was a proper exchange of benefits. 

If you wanted to turn this into a proper negotiation rather than a mere pastime, you had to let go of what was in the palm of your hand. 

But how? 

“By the way, on your way here, you were using something like a tube-shaped object with the golems. Was that some kind of magical device created by Magika-sama?” -Shizuku 

“Oh? You don’t know~? That’s the ‘Dragon Fang Spear’ ya’ know~~. It’s a bit niche, but it’s a weapon for adventurers. The sponsor took care of the design for that new magical core experiment.” -Magika 

“So, the experiment… Does that mean Magika-sama is involved in that work now?” -Shizuku 

“Hmm? Hehe, you want to help with my work~~?” -Magika 

She laughed as if saying it was impossible. Rather than mocking, it was more like she was trying to make an ignorant child understand. She had the firm belief that Ur and the others had no place in her work. 

“The development of the Dragon Fang Spear is just trial and error. It would be nice if you could help, bu~~t it’ll take at least a month ya’ know~?” -Magika 

A month. Well, it would indeed be meaningless with that time frame. If a month passed, the crystal golem that needed to be defeated would no longer be there. It would be pointless to assist during that time. 

However, the topic that Shizuku brought up was important. It was about her current work, the means to support her life. There was no room for her playfulness here. If she were the type of person who casually handled even her own life, it would be one thing, but the experiment itself seemed genuine. 

“…What kind of trial and error are you talking about?” -Ur 

“Hmm? I think, try out different shapes, test them, measure the results, then think again, try it out. To put it rea~~~lly simply, it’s that cycle.” -Magika 

She said it was troublesome because of the location and the time it took. Ur pondered her words for a moment, then continued speaking. 

“You mean the time it takes to devise a shape that stabilizes that ‘cannon’?” -Ur 

“Coming up with the design is not the problem~~,” she replied. “The issue is that I have to rely on the blacksmithing guild to create that shape for me and then test it. And that just takes up sooooo much time..” -Magika 

“…I can help with that.” -Ur 

Magica tilted her head in confusion. “Huh?” 

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《…This woman is, weiirrd. 》-Akane 

“Akane, there’s no need to be afraid.” -Ur 

“Akane-sama? Everything is alright.” -Shizuku 

“…Whee, hehehehahaha!” -Magika 

“Akane, correction, run away.” -Ur 

“Magika-sama, please regain your sanity.” -Shizuku 

Returning to Greed, Magika explained the situation to Diz and, bowing her head three times, brought Akane with her. Akane, a shape-shifting being of ever-changing metal, capable of transforming into any desired form, had triggered an unusual tension within Magika.