"Mr. Ogura, may I ask you a favor?
As usual, when I headed to the Adventurers Association in Quelles, the receptionist asked me to be the first to open it.
It's been a long time since my last bamboo forest exploration, so it's been a long time since I've been asked to make a request.
All I had to do since then was show my face and concentrate on collecting demonic stones and I hadn't taken the request myself.
Hmm, I've already saved over 600 demon stones, so I can afford some.
But I still want to collect demon stones, so let me say no, depending on the content.
"What kind of request is it?
"Yes, this is a request about the Demonic Light Stone brought in by Mr. Okura and the others before this. It's a request from an analyzing lab."
From the lab... So you're asking us...
"There seems to be a material I would like to use to analyze the demonic stone, and I would like to ask Otakura and the others to obtain it."
"Material, is it"
"Is it a rarity that the laboratory has no material?
Is it related to that demon stone after all?
The analysis hasn't quite progressed since I deposited it, and I'm probably trying to use a variety of means.
It may not be something that goes out too far, as Knoll said, to bother asking for even though Quelles seems to have all the magical-related stuff.
"That's right. He needs a demon stone from Rupesrex, a monster in the Rugen Valley, north of Quelles."
"Demon Stone... I've never heard of it before"
"I knew it was something you wouldn't hear, right? It's only used in laboratories and so on, and many adventurers don't even know it."
Stone again. I feel there are many stone systems associated with the Magician.
Well, it's for the Demon Light Stone, isn't it surprising...
And with the valley. Isn't it a place that seems a lot more embarrassing?
Demons like Lupezlex seem pretty strong in their names too.
"Because I seem to want to use one whole for analyzing that fragmented demonic light stone... I would like to ask for the reward for 3 million G, would you mind?
"Sa, is it 3 million g...... Okay, so we'll take it."
I didn't know the association had asked me to analyze the Demon Light Stone, but I could get the materials I needed for it and even get paid...... and 3 million Gs.
For once, it's something that concerns us, and if you can get that far, you should take it.
Besides, it wouldn't take us two or three days to get there. All you have to do is go and defeat Lupezlex.
Deciding to take the request, the receptionist asked about the Rugen Valley and Rupesrex, and received a map to the valley to leave the association behind.
Based on what the receptionist told me, Knoll called me to think about the Rugen Valley.
"What's wrong with such an anxious face?
"Hey, I was wondering if it would be that hard to get a Demon Stone just to get one material and get a reward of 3 million G"
"Um, you are. From what I've heard, Lupezlex seems like a lot of trouble."
Rugen Valley is apparently the fastest way to get from Quelles to the village on the way by horse and then to get there on foot.
Still, it seems to take more than 10 days one way, so it looks farther than going from Wang Du to Mount Lemuri.
It's a flowing valley of rivers sandwiched by rocky mountains, and it looks like Rupeslex springs up on that rocky mountain.
Lupeslex is pseudomorphic to some of the rocky mountains, and it's hard to discover. He says it also breaks bones to defeat them on top.
They're slow moving, but they're highly defensive, and they don't have a lot of adventurers to defeat.
The only attack that seems to be rolling is fast, and he asked me to be very careful.
There are other demons in the valley that simulate on rocks, and they also drop gemstones, such as raw stones.
They look hard because they're like rock demons too, but if you can take them down, it might be a good place to make some money.
"Well, it won't be a problem to take them down. You're just weaker than Grandis or something."
"That's right. I've been collecting Demon Stones all over again lately, and they seem just right for a change of mood."
It's going to be huge in the valley, and it seems harder to find than to fight because it's fictional.
He could tell me that it would be relatively easy to find if I tapped a slightly larger rock to find Rupeslex.
It's easy for us to take them down if we even run into them, so we just need to figure out how to find them quickly.
●
I went home once to tell Estelle and the others about this request and just left for the Rugen Valley.
I have Sisha and Luna waiting at home, just like before, because it will be a long journey, and me, Knoll and Estelle are on the move.
It'll be about a couple of days on the magic carpet, so I'm going to leave the beacon and go home at night and come back and move around again in the morning.
When I told you I wouldn't be collecting demon stones for a few days on a long trip, Luna had a very good smile......
"It's been a long time since I've asked, but this time it looks like a long way off again."
"Yeah, looks like it's gonna take more than 10 days on foot with a horse. If you travel by carpet, maybe a couple of days."
"It's about a valley, so it's going to be hard to get around even after you arrive. Is Estelle okay?
If you ask me, would Estelle be okay with exploring the valley of Rock Mountain?
There 'll be slopes and hard-to-walk places, and you're worried about holding them physically.
But the hard demon is the opponent, so she's indispensable to be able to attack with magic.
Worried about what was going on, Estelle, sitting on my lap, turned around and showed a crisp side.
"Something I'm pretty good at, too. If you're gonna move slowly, you're gonna be okay."
"... well. But if you can't, don't hesitate to tell me, okay?
"Yeah, I know. I'll give your brother a hug then."
"Oops, I'll take care of it... I'm going to be heba on the way too"
"I think we should cool down there to the end..."
"Hehe, it's your brother's thing. I like that, too."
Normal roads would be fine, but places like mountain roads seem hectic to me, even though they are light esters.
I'm going to do the best I can when that happens... but if it doesn't seem possible, have me do supportive magic or leave it to Knoll.
It's my policy to be honest with you about what you can't do!
"Still, you're a little excited to go to the Rugen Valley. I hear there's a demon dropping gemstones."
"Oh, your brother likes gems?
"It's not like that... you know, there's a romance"
"As far as I'm concerned, I'm happier with demons dropping food... don't you drop edible rocks or something?
"If there is, isn't it about rock salt?
I was excited to hear there was a demon dropping gemstones...... the Knolls don't seem to be.
I thought a girl might like the glow.
Is Knoll still only interested in food? He said he didn't have any rocks to eat.
Estelle hasn't reacted particularly interested in hearing about the gems either.
Sounds more delightful with Demon Light Stone or something.
Then for a few hours, while we were chatting, I said we were going...
Speaking of which, brother, there was something I wanted to ask you.
"Hmm? What?
"Has something happened recently with Sisha?
Estelle has inadvertently asked dodgy questions.
What... why? Why are you asking me that?
No way. Know what happened with Sisha last time...... no, that's not it.
I'm not supposed to say that, even in Sisha.
I asked him a few times to ask him what he meant by leaving after that, but he didn't tell me until the end.
Even though I didn't mean to touch it, I didn't want Estelle and the others to know I was impending to rub my chest, so I've been spending a lot of time without touching it since then either...
Leaving aside why I found out, let's just get back to you without difficulty.
Because if you react weirdly, you're going to get suspicious.
"I don't."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I really don't."
"Oh... yes"
When I answered briefly with a straight face, Estelle also replied briefly.
I'm starting to feel kind of suspicious the other way around... no, I'm fine, I'm absolutely fine.
"Is it also something that bothers you?
"No, kind of. When your brother sees Sissha recently, he has a little habit."
"Kee, isn't it your fault? What kind of habit is that?
Ku, he said it was a habit!? Were you conscious of Sisha and reacting any strange...?
Speaking of which, Estelle said before that she was watching your brother or something...... didn't you find out about that?
Asking Estelle what kind of habit I was, she replied smiling.
"Hehe, secret. But if it's nothing, maybe it's my fault."
"It must be so. I also watch Lord Okura and the others every day, but it was always the same."
"Ugh, yeah, right. It's my fault. It's my fault."
Knoll told me it was his fault, so I decided to hitch a ride on it and push that it was my fault too.
Hey, that helps.
"... right. It's your fault, isn't it? I'm sorry, I asked you something weird."
"No, never mind, haha"
Estelle put aside a few moments and was convinced by that that she apparently got flushed.
I delude it with laughter, too, and continue another chat without other love to advance the magical carpet towards its destination.
Ever since I was deluded, I kind of think Estelle's been putting some good effort into snuggling her body together, but this is probably my fault too... should be.