Sevens

Lyle’s Golem

In the yard of the mansion the Circry House had purchased in Arumsaas, there was a storehouse.

It was littered with tools to be used around the house, but as it was to be used only through when Miranda would be attending the academy, it was quite empty.

In that space, I started making my golem with Poyopoyo.

The magic Damien taught me was generally one to manipulate dolls created with magic.

However, through using metals with your Mana poured into them, or specially manufactured parts, you wouldn’t have to create a golem every time you wanted to use it.

Depending on the situation, a golem of dirt wasn’t bad.

But creating one every time had quite a bad mana expenditure.

To reduce that, Damien made his dolls beforehand, and controlled them.

I thought I would make one for that purpose as well, but...

“It’s hard to operate a humanoid one. No, there’s extra things to take into account when they’re not human form, though.”

The doll I made with Poyopoyo made use of the armor donned by the boss of the fortieth floor.

There had been another one left at the academy as well. We managed to buy off the remains of the fortieth floor boss defeated a few years ago as well, and the golem we made with the metal wasn’t in human form.

“I cannot fathom it. When you first told me, ‘let’s make a doll together,’ I thought that was a new type of confession, but... we’re really making one, are we?”

Well, with its form, it wasn’t really a doll, but something else.

Poyopoyo took the armor out of her skirt, and after we finished processing the metal, we fitted legs onto it to complete it.

Six small wheels.

And four legs...

To move its folded legs, I tried sending magic into it.

The golem that looked as if legs had been stuck onto a small carriage was much sturdier than I had thought it would be.

“Oh, it gives off quite a durable feeling.”

Because I wasn’t used to the sensation of moving it around yet, the way its legs turned was still awkward.

I folded its legs back, and tried moving it forward on the wheels. When I tried having it round the corner with the wheels, it drew a wide curve.

When I first asked Poyopoyo if she could do it, the individual said something like, ‘don’t underestimate me, chicken dickhead,’ and started drawing out the blueprints.

“It’s to be expected. I mean, it’s a fuselage this Poyopoyo before you worked on from planning to production. Should we name it bag holder no. 1?”

The golem hadn’t been finished yet, but we were just moving around the piece that would form its base.

How much can it carry, and will we have a problem with maneuvering it in the labyrinth... I looked towards the two large shields propped against the wall.

The shields too large for a human to carry weren’t fitted to be put to human use.

But that’s how it should be.

We’re not the ones who’ll carry them.

“Once we make it able to deploy the shield system, we’ll be done. But we should give it a trial run in the labyrinth first.”

What sort of mana expenditure is to be expected?

And can it make the bends. We even attached legs onto it to make it possible to go up and down stairs.

Poyopoyo spoke.

“You need to load on some shocks to raise the stability. What’s more, there’s nothing on it that looks like a head, so I can’t form any endearment to it. That being the case, can I draw something facelike on the front side?”

“Is it really necessary? But this one... I guess it would be better if 【Porter】 were more endearing.”

As I called it the name I had thought up in advance, Poyopoyo shook as she loked between me and porter.

“What’s wrong?”

“... What’s with that name? What’s more, the fact that you just kinda thought of something fitting makes it all the more irritating. Even like this, I’m a specially made-to-order masterpiece, you know. For the machine I made in a few days to have a more proper name... dammit. What am I already losing to porter, dammit!?”

I picked up a book that had been lying nearby.

It’s a copied one I requested from Clara.

A book pertaining to names.

“It’s something I thought of while reading this book.”

When Poyopoyo looked at it, her face was mortified.

“And I thought you were wholeheartedly thinking of my name when you were reading it...!”

I directed a smile at her.

“Poyopoyo has already been established, so it’s fine as it is. It’s cute, you know, Poyopoyo.”

She swung around her twin tails in anguish.

Is she happy, or sad... as I thought, it’s complicated.

“I hate myself for feeling a little happy at that one! But I must object. Poyopoyo is temporary! I have a true name waiting for me out there! ... Ha!? Could that line be one frequently used by pubescent youth in the eighth... Noooo!!”

I looked at Poyopoyo, and thought.

(Those ancients were definitely applying their efforts in the wrong places. What the hell were they trying to accomplish by making an automaton like this?)

The amused voice that came from the Jewel belonged to the Sixth.

『You guys sure get along.』

It seems that it appears the two of us get along.

While her mouth is bad, it’s true that she applies herself when I’m concerned.

I occasionally get the feeling I’m speaking with a real person, but the one before me is an automaton.

I turned to porter.

(If I’m forced to say, Poyopoy and porter are the same sort of item.)

Poyopoyo, who violently swung her twin tails as she covered her face in embarrassment.

Porter, who silently rested with its boxlike body on four legs.

(No, they’re completely different. Poyopoyo is Poyopoyo.)

I started considering when to run Porter’s trial run.

–

–

–

... Outside of Arumsaas, Lyra and Aria were moving together.

While Aria was lightly equipped, her left arm was covered with a metal protector.

Her right hand held a short spear, and she moved ahead of Lyra, aimingfor their destination.

Several sorts of knives hung at her waist, alongside the bag she kept her tools in.

Watching her from behind, Lyra had attached her prosthetic to her left arm.

While she tested its movements, she shouted out to Aria.

“Hey, don’t just look ahead. Make sure to keep tabs on the distance to your comrades.”

Aria twitched as if a jolt had run through her body, before she turned to Lyra with a wry smile on her face.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize in the middle of moving. Repent after it’s all over. For the sake of you alone, you would halt the advance of your other comrades?”

Aria checked her surroundings in a panic, as she started walking forward.

Lyra’s style was one where she’d walk ahead as the frontmost line, and occasionally get into battle alone.

“Always think by yourself. How will the party move next? What is necessary? If you all can’t move without orders, then no matter how strong you get, you’ll be worse than second-rate.”

Havine reached the point designated as her destination, Aria ended up sitting on the ground from the unfamiliar movement stressing out her mind.

Seeing that, Lyra spoke.

“You, you said your leader didn’t recognize your strength, right?”

From the ground, Aria looked up at her.

“Yes. Well... he gives the orders, and I move by them. But I’m sure I can perform better than he thinks!”

Lyra gave an immediate reply.

“You’ve got the talent, so you’ll be fine to an extent. But still, if I was the leader, I’d do the same.”

Aria hung her head.

In Dalien, she had learned the basics of adventuring, but she had become negligent in that.

It was only proof that she had been relying on Lyle’s Skills too much.

“If you want me to say it, that leader’s a good one. Because he’s restricting his own Skills, and letting his party raise their own ability level. Could it be he noticed it? That at this rate, you’ll all become no good.”

Aria had been focusing on doing her best with all her might, but when she heard that, she thought that was exactly the case.

(The one who relied on Lyle’s excellence was me.)

Lyra pointed out numerous points for her to reflect on.

She had continued to repeat actions as if she had forgotten all she had learned in Dalien.

“In the first place. While the passageways may be wide to some extent, what guy out there would continue swinging around the same spear all the time? You should have noticed you need to either learn to use one that has adjustable height, or a short one.”

Aria was lectured once more.

Short spear... the weapon much shorter than Aria’s height had a lower reach, but it was easier to maneuver in the labyrinth.

The first words her instructor told her...

... She was worse than an amateur.

While she had strength to an extent, she got negligent, and abandoned her duty.

What Lyra mainly shouted at her for were the same things she had had learned from Zelphy.

Neglecting the basics of the basics, she was in a situation where she didn’t even establish communication with her party.

“Anyways, how’s the feel of using a shield?”

Aria looked at the small shield on her left arm.

At the buckler.

It had to be small in order for her to use her spear, but it was a help in that it could parry monster attacks.

“Yes. It’s not a bad feeling.”

As she said that, Lyra looked just a little happy.

“I see. Make sure to take care of your protectors too. They protect your body and your life. Don’t be frugal with them.”

With her left arm gone, and burns over her body, Lyra’s words held weight.

“Now then, that’s the end of break. Next I’ll go up front, and show you how it’s done. Make sure you watch for all the points I cautioned you on.”

“Yes!”

Lyra walked ahead, and Aria followed from behind...

–

–

–

... In one of the many private schools of Arumsaas.

It was there, that techniques pertaining to traps were taught.

The characteristics of Arumsaas’ labyrinth, and the variants of traps set. As well as the method to open treasure chests, and other various things were taught.

It was information exclusive to Arumsaas, centered around whatever would be useful in that specific labyrinth.

And using that knowledge, Miranda skillfully opened the lock on top of the table. She dexterously moved her tools to display its contents.

Seeing that, her teacher hit his hands together.

“Amazing. It this really your first time? You aren’t up to some mischief somewhere, right?”

Her hand movements were vivid enough to birth doubt.

Miranda replied with a smile.

“Of course not. How cruel, instructor.”

Her teacher apologized.

Seeing her radient smile, he...

“... Then it’s fine, I guess. In that case, do you want to try your hand at disarming traps next? Arumsaas’ labyrinth doesn’t have too wide a variety, so there isn’t much to teach, though.”

Generally, down to the lowest fiftieth floor, the variety of traps was low.

In that sense, it was a good place or young adventurer to start building up their power, and attaining competency.

“Starting now?”

“I’ll need some preparation, so we’ll leave it to next time. Let’s end it here for today.”

Hearing that, Miranda stood from her chair, gathered her belongings together, and left the classroom.

Watching her back were other young adventurers learning lock picking.

They looked quite smitten with her.

“She sure has it nice, that Miranda-san.”

“She graduated the academy, and became an adventurer, right? Want to try inviting her?”

“But I believe... she was working at that 『Lyle, the Burden』’s place, right?”

As the students were getting lively, trying to see how to call out to Miranda, the teacher cleared his throat.

Silence returned.

And he told them to leave it at that.

He wasn’t joking. He was giving his students a serious warning.

“People of that type... especially female adventurers with talent in traps... it’s best to avoid them. If you’re in the same party, whatever you do, don’t try getting into a serious relationship with them.”

A single student asked.

“Why is that, teacher? Could it be you were put through hell by one in the past?”

To the student’s jest, the teacher replied with a serious face.

“... In the past, there was a large party. At that time, I was working as a trap expert. And then a woman skilled in traps entered our reserves.”

All the students left in the room were male, and as if their interests had been piqued, they were quietly listening.

It seems they were expecting it to become saucy.

Because young male adventurers were dreamers.

“She led a number of adventurers by the nose, and she wrung them all out and exploited them before throwing them away. She worked in a number of parties, and I’ve heard tales from other specialists in my field, but... never try laying hands on that type of woman.”

Hearing their teacher speaking with life experience, the students interests seemed a little dampened.

They hadn’t gone through such a things, but it didn’t look like the man was telling a lie.

It was all their own responsibilities.

The teacher was just offering them a warning.

“Just how many idiots so you think are out there that would pawn off their equipment for the sake of a woman? Your ulterior motives’ll just be used up. And, girls of that sort... they’ll get possession of their prey no matter the cost.”

In this case, the prey was the opposite sex... a man. Hearing that, the stuents started quarrelling a little.

“If it was Miranda-san aiming for me, then I... would get married immediately.”

“Retard, take a look in the mirror before saying something like that.”

“Once is enough, so I want to be her prey~.”

The teacher gave a hearty laugh as he looked over the young adventurers. He thought...

(It’s as if they’re being squeezed slowly by fine silk. By the time they notice it, they won’t be able to move... I’ve seen plenty of men like that.)

While thinking of how nice it was to be young, the teacher restarted up his lesson...

–

–

–

I took Porter and Poyopoyo along, and challenged the labyrinth to test my control.

After going up and down the stairs a few times, I gave Poyopoyo my mace, and tried sending her into battle.

The goblin blown into the distance.

The goblin that had become a crimson stain on the wall.

The goblin painting the floor red.

... This girl isn’t thinking of collecting the materials at all.

She was putting way too much strength into it, and the recovered items were in terrible states.

“To think that the techniques installed to combat the black demon of the kitchen would come in handy here...”

(TL: black demon likely refers to the walking nuclear bombshelters)

She flipped back one of her side tails, and made a pose.

“What? That’s how you were thinking of the poor goblins? And wait, you’re putting too much force into crushing them. Our profits from selling off the parts is dropping.”

The metal poles, and plates of armor had a set demand as pieces of metal.

They were to be melted down, so there wouldn’t be a change in their value, but... the items collected from the goblins themselves were in a terrible state.

I put on gloves to collect the magic stones, and put the metal parts onto porter. When it was on its wheels, the extra weight didn’t really change his mana cost.

There wasn’t really a problem in having it go up or down steps either.

We weren’t going to be diving too deep, so I tested in on the first and second floors.

Seeing that, the Third spoke.

『So this is the answer Lyle found.』

The Seventh agreed.

『It’s similar to what I and the fifth predicted.』

I was curious about those words, but wary of the adventurers approaching us, I drew my sabre.

Poyopoyo held up the mace in both hands.

“W-wait!”

“I’m sorry, but can you guys lend a hand?”

The worn out adventurers were dragging their feet as they requested assistance from us.

There were six in total. There were some among them supporting others on their shoulders, and some using all their might just to move. There was even an unconscious one.

Seeing their state, I approached them with my guard up.

They didn’t seem to be acting.

Poyopoyo spoke.

“His bone appears to be broken. There’s also some internal bleeding. It’s a serious injury, but... medicine and that magic thing should be able to take care of it. How strange.”

I wonder what she finds strange.

But I didn’t have the leisure to care about something like that.

From the bag atop Porter, I took out some medicine, and applied it to the injured one. The wounds closed, and his state improved a little from before.

But the people carrying him were also beaten up.

“I’m sorry. We had a surprise attack launched on us, and we tried fighting back, but...”

It wasn’t by monsters, but by adventurers, it seems.

“Thanks for the medicine. Even so... why is it a pushcart(?) and a maid?”

A pale faced adventurer stared at Porter and Poyopoyo in wonder.

“Well, stuff happens.

There, the injured one broke out into agony.

Poyopoyo spoke.

“This is bad. He hasn’t fully recovered. You should take him to a specialist.”

And I looked at Porter.

It was narrow, but there’s no doubt it could squeeze six onto it.

“The ride may not be the best, but please hop on.”

The saved adventurers...

“R-ride it? But who’s going to push? If it’s you alone, then it’s a bit... there are stairs too...”

I thought there wasn’t the time to explain.

“Just get on with it already!”

Saying that, I rushed the six onto it, and stood on one of the parts protruding from its side.

Similarly, Poyopoyo stood on the opposite side, and...

“We’re off.”

The wheels started moving, and Porter began moving with eight in tow. I had remembered the way here, so I guided it down the labyrinth without hesitation.

The floor was also made of metal boards recklessly stuck over one another, and there was a little bit of shaking, but it was well within my tolerance level.

(Ah, this may be surprisingly useful for cargo.)

As I manipulated Porter, I thought that.

The riding adventurers looked upon the scene in mute amazement.

–

–

–

Exiting the labyrinth, I drove to a nearby hospital, and waited outside.

Still with a pale face, but with bandages wraped around him, the saved adventurer came out.

Seeing me, he smiled.

“You’re a livesaver. All my comrades are safe as well.”

Hearing that, I felt relieved at having saved them.

“That’s good.”

Having adventurers help one another was essential.

There are some who are fine with bothersome behavior, but in most cases, those sorts fall to a miserable end.

And if I save them, then perhaps my reputation will recover a little.

“And so, well... I’m sorry!”

The adventurer shocked my by lowering his head.

He explained his current circumstances to me.

“Originally, this is where I’d be giving you gold coins. But my comrades are being hospitalized, so... when we were attacked, we kept the magic stones, but we were forced to leave behind everything else. This is all we have for now, but we’ll definitely make it up to you when we’re discharged.”

Saying that, the adventurer empties a bag of silver coins onto his hand, and handed them over to me.

Poyopoyo looked at that.

“For us two working on only the second floor, it’s a large sum.”

And said that.

I accepted the money.

“I’ve definitely accepted your thanks. Also, don’t push yourselves once you’re discharged. I’m satisfied with this as a reward already.”

“T-thanks. Truly, thank you!”

He may have been pretending this was all he had. In truth, I could have probably gotten more.

But in this case, rumors would spread of me being stingy, and my credibility would fall. And if I saved their lives, and didn’t accept a reward... if that information about me spread, then it would be a hindrance to my further work in Arumsaas.

Saying I was satisfied with that, I told him I wouldn’t accept any more.

The adventurer returned to his comrades, and I looked at the silver in my hand.

“... Ah, could it be this is...”

I noticed. At the same time, I heard the Fourth’s voice.

『The smell of money...』

I turned around to look at Porter. It lacked spirit, but its form was a reliable one.

At the same time, I heard a delighted voice from the Jewel.

『Lyle! Well done! That one can rake in the money! As I thought, it was important to have you think up a way on your own!』

The money grubbing Fourth noticed the value in my Porter.

Learning it could bring in money, he was delighted.

Poyopoyo spoke.

“Chicken bastard... with this, we’ll be able to pay for our meals, at least.”

I agreed.

“I think so too.”