Chapter 249, Sir Asley’s Counsel

 

When we were back to Sodom, Garm welcomed us with his ear-busting laughter and the nose-wrecking smell of beer around him.

Even Pochi could not help but hold her nose.

Now I’m feeling the same way as Pochi about something for once – I really feel like collapsing on the spot right now.

“Hehehehehehe! Good to see you back in one piece, man! Wasn’t as far as you’d expected, yeah?”

 

“Gah… Now that you mention it, that MIGHT be right. We went west, straight through a mountain, and then turned back east, so…”

 

“Yeah, right. I just knew that not long ago, too.”

 

Wait, that doesn’t sound right. Garm didn’t know about that until recently?

Could that have anything to do with his decision to come over here?

 

“Not long ago? What do you mean?”

 

“I mean I was told that in my sleep. By this old guy who’s God’s messenger! Hehehehehehe!”

 

…I see, so Gramps’ appeared in Garm Kisaragi’s dreams.

No wonder how his information was so specific – where the ore was, and specifically what ore it was.

…Huh? “Dream” Ore… “Dr(ea/y)”nium… was THAT where he got the name from?

Well, whether or not that’s believable, it does make for some interesting flavor text.

 

“…So, where’s the Drynium ore, eh?”

 

“Oh, right, I kept it in here… Rise, Storeroom!”

 

I called out the Storeroom in order to take out the Drynium ore that I had dug out with Gate Eater.

While I looked inside, I saw a certain crystal in the back. I stared at it as I took the metal out.

…Okay, that’s definitely Lylia sleeping in there, but she’s a little older than her present self currently is.

…Wait a second! That room I just made… wasn’t that the place where I found this Lylia-in-a-Crystal?!

 

“Is something happening?”

 

“AAAHHHHHH?!”

 

Spooked by Lylia’s voice coming from behind me, I let out an embarrassingly pathetic scream as I hurried to close the Storeroom.

 

“…And what is wrong with your voice?”

 

Lylia narrowed her eyes at me, exasperated.

 

“N-nothing… hahaha…”

 

Not liking my vague answer, Lylia stared at me even harder.

And Garm’s already gone away with all the Drynium ore he could carry in his arms. There’s no one around to save me-

 

“Lylia~~!”

 

-Well, maybe there is.

Now, Pochi-doggo, see if you can save me from this sleep paralysis demon!

 

“Listen, my Master needs to discuss something with you!”

 

WHY?!

 

“Oh? Good timing, then. I actually have something that needs discussing as well – now, follow me.”

 

Lylia turned on her heel and headed for the roof-only building that is this town’s Adventurers’ Guild.

 

“There you go, sir! I’ve directed her to a more suitable place!”

 

“What the hell do you mean, suitable place?!”

 

“Well, you used to always say how important it is to choose the right place for the right activity, sir!”

 

“And what the hell do you mean, activity?! I’d rather wrestle a Kiryu than be stuck in a conversation with

HER!”

 

“That sounds fun! Count me in when you come across one, sir!”

 

“I didn’t actually mean that! I don’t even know why I even said that! Don’t go along with it, damn it!”

 

“All you need to do is talk to her, get to know each other better, and decide on a plan for the future! It’s

that simple, sir!”

 

“Like hell it is! And it’s not like I want anything to happen, anyway!”

 

“Well, at least you’re in a suitable place, sir!”

 

Damn it, no good – there’s no talking her down. Well, more like it’s impossible to change her stupidly stubborn mindset, I guess.

 

“And I’ll be out on patrol after I’ve had something to eat, sir! AFTER I’ve had something to eat!”

 

It’s so important to her, she said that twice. Brilliant.

Wouldn’t blame her, though – even Lylia would come back to town for some food occasionally, despite having the Pochi Pochibitan D to keep her constantly going without needing any rest.

And, well…. despite her joking around about it, Pochi might be right in that this is a good opportunity.

I can talk with Giorno whenever I want, but with Lylia, not quite as often. It’s probably better to get started while the chance is still there.

Steeling my resolve, I walked to the Adventurers’ Guild, more cautious than when I was creeping through the Hydras’ nest.

Lylia’s sitting in a chair at the back, staring at me as I walked through the entrance.

Good God, she’s scary as hell.

I walked fearfully inside, and sat down on the chair directly in front of her.

 

“Took you long enough.”

 

And she’s immediately angry. Of course she is.

Although it’s actually Pochi’s fault, what with her being the one who lied to Lylia that I wanted to talk, I was the one who kept Lylia waiting because of my ensuing argument with Pochi.

 

“We don’t have all the time in the world. You have to manage what you have properly.”

 

“Right, sorry about that.”

 

I bowed my head and waited for Lylia’s response.

 

“…So, what did you want to discuss?”

 

Nothing. I never even thought of a conversation opener. Shit.

That doggo got me into trouble again! POCHIIIIII!

 

“Uh, well…”

 

“Time is of the essence…”

 

“Yes, I know! Well, why don’t we start with your topic, Lylia? Hahaha…”

 

I asked back and scratched my cheek. Lylia crossed her arms leaned back in her chair.

 

“…It’s about Seki’teigyu, actually.”

 

Lylia said quietly, while turning her face slightly away.

So, the Ox, huh? What could be the problem with that violent creature, after all this time?

 

“Seki’teigyu…? Did something happen?”

 

“…We can’t seem to fight in sync with each other.”

 

Hope no one’s blaming me for keeping my mouth agape, because my God, I can’t get it to close.

I mean, I never expected Lylia to ever say that kind of thing.

 

“See, I can be quite tunnel-visioned when in conflict – I’m fully aware of that, and so does the Ox. By the time I was done fighting, Seki’teigyu would still be in combat, in a location far away from me. Happens every single time. So that’s why I wanted to ask…”

 

“Yes? What would you like to know?”

 

“…How do we work well with each other, like you and your dog?”

 

Like me and Pochi, eh… Never thought Lylia would be worried about this kind of thing.

Her fighting style seems largely based on her instincts, so I could see that being a myriad of problems when in combat alongside a Familiar.

…And so she’s concerned about her cooperation with the people closest to her, while I’m concerned about Pochi and my cooperation with everyone else, huh?

In Lylia’s case with Seki’teigyu, though, there’s a problem in that imprinting had never been involved.

Heavenly Beasts are, well, still beasts, so unlike monsters, the process of imprinting is not absolutely necessary, but it would have helped, what with the Ox having a rough temperament to begin with.

And how well Pochi and I work together is a result of… well, living together for more than eight hundred years. She hasn’t spent anywhere near as much time with the Ox.

I can’t tell her to just distill a Drop of Eternity and drink it, that’s for sure, and even if I could, she’d just repeat that ‘we don’t have all the time in the world,’ anyway.

Now, what should I even say to start this off…?

 

“It’s difficult to come up with a solution on the spot, I understand. Let’s just forget this and move on-“

 

“-Aha.”

 

I blurted out, prompting Lylia to stop as she was about to stand up from her seat.

 

“What now? …Oh, which reminds me, you haven’t brought up your topic yet, have you?”

 

“Y-yes, that’s it. Exactly.”

 

All I needed to do was tie this topic with THAT one! Why didn’t I think of this earlier?

 

“So? You needed to discuss something – at least that’s what Shiro told me, isn’t it?”

 

“I do, yes.”

 

Lylia froze in place – a rare gesture for her, seemingly because she genuinely had not expected to hear what I had just said.

 

“…Well, what is it?”

 

“You should… give Seki’teigyu a unique name.”

 

Didn’t see that one coming, did she? Just look at her – this time she’s practically turned into a stone statue.

Then, after a few moments, Lylia crossed her arms and turned away again.

 

“But that’s impossible. A Familiar Contract, once established, cannot be altered. You should know that much.”

 

Lylia glanced at me, suspicious.

Right, of course she’d be. Because it’s true – A Familiar Contract, once established, cannot be altered… with the means available in this era, that is.

 

“No, I don’t think that’s necessarily the case.”

 

The thing is, I’m from the distant future. And I’ve brought with me this nifty little magecraft called Contract Modification.

I’ve actually used it before, to alter Pochi’s Familiar Contract, and as a result erasing the title of “The Fool’s Familiar” from her list.

 

“…Interesting. Let’s see how you can do that, then.”

 

Lylia stood up from her seat and glared at me, showing a fair bit of anger. An expected reaction from an Elf well-versed in the arcane arts.

When it comes to magic and magecraft, though, I’m not about to back down even a single step, either.

So I stood up and looked right back at Lylia, taking in her intense stare head-on.

 

“Yes, of course, I’ll show you.”

 

Once I said that, the anger in Lylia’s eyes faded away.

Huh… Why? Did she get intimidated by the enthusiasm in my eyes?

Whatever the cause is, Lylia’s eyes are now opened wide with surprise instead.