Chapter 168 Stopping In Our Tracks
It happened one day, while I was in the middle of synthesizing, when Sieg-san called me out. I followed him, wondering about his flustered expression, and we ended up in a room with that device, where Lukas's face was projected onto the water's surface.
It's been a while since I last saw his face, since we've mostly been exchanging letters lately. ――But, it was clear from my childhood friend's stern expression that this wasn't a joyful reunion.
'Laura, lend me your power.'
As soon as I sat down in the chair, my childhood friend opened his mouth.
And then he continued, "We can't move forward because of the poisonous fog."
"Poisonous fog? ."
'There's a forest we need to pass through to get to the Demon King's place, but it's been overrun by the poisonous fog....'
Lukas gritted his teeth, biting his lower lip, and averted his gaze.
The poisonous fog that had spread through the forest, stopping the Heroes in their tracks.
"Is it the Demon King's doing?"
'According to the villagers nearby, it's like that. The forest used to be abundant, with plenty of fruit and herbs....'
It seemed like another one of the Demon King's obstruction tactics.
From the Demon King's side, he wanted to gather his strength for the final battle, so he'd want to buy as much time as possible. On the other hand, as the Heroes, we'd want to prepare as much as possible, so getting stuck here would be tough.
But the fact that it suddenly appeared means there must be a "cause" behind the poisonous fog.
"So, there must be a reason... Did you ask Likerland-sama to purify the soil?"
'Yeah. I even tried using the prototype you send me regularly, but it didn't work.'
In other words, it wasn't a poisonous attack by a plant-type monster. However, the target of the attack at that time was a large tree of Fontapuune, and there was no poisonous fog, so Lukas's answer was expected.
Hmm, I thought, and then it hit me. It wasn't a very appealing proposal, but I decided to ask to confirm.
"...Hey, can't you pass through the narrow gap space-time and come out ahead of the forest?"
The dwelling place of the spirits is connected to all the narrow gap spaces in time. While it's dangerous to move, if there's an entrance ahead in the forest, they should be able to advance without going through the forest.
However, that would mean temporarily abandoning the forest that's been polluted by the poisonous fog. If they defeat the demon king, the poisonous fog will probably clear up, but it's still a mentally unappealing path.
It was Diona, standing to the right of Lukas, who answered my question.
'From now on, the entrance near the dark clouds is closed, it seems.'
"Closed?"
'The demon king's evil magical power has a huge influence, and the spirits can no longer reside there, it seems.'
Diona's answer was unexpected, and I couldn't help but hold my breath.
The demon king's power seems to have a much greater influence than I imagined. And what's more,
(They've already come this far, after all...)
The endpoint of the hero's journey is near, and it feels like it's being forced upon me again.
I somehow managed to regain my composure from the momentary disturbance and asked again.
"Do you know the cause of the poisonous fog?"
'Wentle and the others saw it, but it's like a monster.'
"A monster?"
'A large flying-type monster was wrapped in the poisonous fog.'
A large "flying-type" monster wrapped in poisonous fog.
It's disgusting, I thought. The demon king's side has thoroughly utilized the experience from Fontapuune's time and has prepared countermeasures against our attack methods. If it were a plant-type monster rooted in the ground or a walking-type monster with feet on the ground, we could have interfered with Likerland's power.
Julius showed me a piece of paper with a drawing on it, approaching me quietly. The drawing depicted a monster with wings on its back.
'This is the monster I drew after hearing Wentle's story.'
"...You're really good at this."
'My younger brother often asks me to draw for him.'
I had expressed my honest opinion, but when I saw Julius's smile cloud over, I realized I had misspoken and shut my mouth. However, the shadow on Julius's face only lasted for an instant, and he quickly returned to his usual smile.
The monster drawing Julius had created was spreading across the water's surface, and Lukas's figure behind it was now barely visible. The next sound to reach my eardrums was Vake's voice.
'We're thinking that if we defeat that monster, the fog will clear up, but we need a way to neutralize the poison until then.'
That's why they came to ask for my help, I suppose.
It's genuinely delightful to have someone to rely on in times of trouble. So, I must make an effort to live up to their expectations.
What they're asking for is a long-term poison neutralizer. When synthesizing antidotes, I can create a mask with medicinal herbs that have detoxification effects. But can we really apply that to combat?
In games like "Last Brave" and others, there are preventive medicines that can neutralize heat, cold, and poison for a certain period if you take them. Let's aim to create that kind of medicine. The composition shouldn't be too different from an antidote.
I'm not confident in just relying on preventive medicine, so maybe I should use it in combination with the mask. That's what I thought.
(Maybe I can create an antidote barrier with Akari's or Wentle-sama's power.)
It's more like an antidote membrane than a barrier. If we can envelop Lukas's body with an antidote, we might be able to prevent poison more effectively.
While I'm letting my imagination run wild, I realize I still lack knowledge about poison and monsters. This is a matter of life and death for Lukas and the others. I need to come up with a strategy backed by solid knowledge.
Two faces floated in my mind. —— Maybe I should ask for help from my seniors who are knowledgeable about poison and monsters, just like before. It would be better to consult with them.
The drawing of the monster separated from the water's surface, and Lukas's face became visible again. I looked at their faces and gave a big nod.
"I understand. I'll consult with Basilio-san, who's knowledgeable about poison, and get back to you."
'Alright, Laura.'
I nodded again at Lukas, who was staring at me intensely.
* * *
After that, I had Akari bring me Julius's drawing, but since it would definitely get wet in the water, I had to ask Spirit-sama to deliver it to me. I requested Sieg-san to call out Basilio and Iris using the light vessel, but they said it would take a little time since they were in the middle of work.
I remembered that I was in the middle of synthesizing something, so I decided to go back to the synthesis room once. When I ran into my mentor there, I asked her to join the discussion as well. She had researched toxins in the past, and she had even given me a notebook on synthesizing antidotes.
I went back to the room with the vessel with my mentor and explained the situation while waiting for Basilio-san and the others.
"Poison fog, huh."
My mentor thought deeply, hand on chin.
"Yes, I think it's a good idea to make a preventive medicine, scatter antidotes around, and have them wear anti-toxin masks."
"That's true, but... it's quite a hindrance. Not just the monsters, but the trees in the forest will get in the way and distract them."
I was at a loss for words, struck by my mentor's words.
Yes, she was right; that mask was quite cumbersome. Its beak-like shape was designed to hold medicinal herbs, but it could get in the way if they were to swing their weapons around. And from the enemy's perspective, it would be an easy target.
They could try to make it lighter, but it would be better to avoid using it in the deep forest where the terrain was bad. So, it might be better to think of a way to lure the monster out to the forest entrance, where the terrain was more open.
"If we can minimize the hindrance of the mask and lure the monster out to the forest entrance..."
"Let's lure it out with its favorite food..."
Just then, we heard a voice from the people of Rustu, and the water's surface glowed. And then, Basilio-san and Iris appeared.
'Sorry to keep you waiting.'
"Basilio-san, Iris too, sorry to trouble you."
They both bowed their heads in apology, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude and camaraderie.
I carefully brought Julius's drawing closer to the water's surface.
"Iris, do you know a monster that looks like this in the picture?"
'Let me take a look.'
As soon as I said that, she spread out a thick book on her knees and began flipping through the pages. While she was searching, I decided to discuss the poison with Basilio-san.
"It seems like a poisonous fog is spreading in the forest. I think the cause is probably the monster in this picture, and if we defeat it, the problem will be solved..."
'That means we need to neutralize the poison fog before it's too late.'
The conversation was moving quickly. I nodded in agreement with Basilio-san's words.
'Not just an antidote, but they should also take a preventive medicine beforehand...'
'Found it! It's probably this monster!'
Not just Basilio-san, but Iris was also quick. She let out a cry of excitement and brought the book closer to the water's surface. I noticed that Basilio-san was supporting her at that moment.
The illustration in the book reflected on the water's surface, and I compared it to Julius's drawing in my hand. Although there were some minor differences, the large wings, long hair, and majestic hooves were all the same. And what's more, the wings and body seemed to be emitting a toxic, dark purple aura.
It was probably the same monster.
"It's just like the picture."
'The eyes are hard to see, but it's extremely sensitive to sound and smell. Its favorite food is Naraka fruit.'
Iris read out loud from the book. According to Wentle-sama, this monster was seen to be surrounded by a poisonous fog, but...
"Is this a monster that originally had poison?"
'No, it has a strong resistance to poison, but it's not a monster that can produce poison from its own body.'
"Which means..."
'It's probably a demon king that had its body altered, right?'
I averted my gaze from the water's surface and looked at my mentor. My mentor had an indescribable expression.
It's a cruel story, but it might be true. From the demon king's perspective, monsters are just pawns. It's not impossible for them to forcefully alter their physical makeup.
As I gazed at Julius's drawing, I thought about our next move. We didn't have any time to waste. We had to act fast, every second counted.
"For now, let's think about the synthesis method for the antidote and preventive medicine. If the monster's favorite food is the Naraka fruit, we might be able to lure it out with its scent."
The Naraka fruit has a strong aroma. That's why this monster, which has poor eyesight, can easily find it and loves to eat it. If we utilize that, we might be able to lure it out to the forest entrance.
Basilio-san and Iris nodded firmly, looking at me.
'That's right, the synthesis method is—.'
First, I decided to ask for my mentor's, Basilio-san's, and Marcedes-san's help with synthesizing the antidote. They're all skilled alchemists, and with the 3 of them working together, I'm sure we'll find a way.
Next, I asked Iris and the people of Rustu for their cooperation in using the Naraka fruit to lure out the monster. Iris took the lead on this, and I relied on the experience and knowledge of the people of Rustu, who have been fighting monsters for a long time.
As for lightening the masks, Julius offered to help. Having been a lone mercenary in a remote village, he's familiar with handling weapons and armor. It's tough for one person to do it alone, so Vake and the other heroes all pitched in to help, and Leon-san even lent a hand to prepare masks for everyone.
(This is the turning point.)
We had to get the heroes to the demon king's place as quickly as possible. To do that, we worked tirelessly day and night.
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