#106
A Pumpkin That Rolled In (1)
“...So, what do we do now?”
“Hmm...”
The Northern Mountains party, including Harley, was currently hiding in an underground burrow, their senses sharpened toward the vibrations they could feel from above.
“Indeed, the presence it gives off is terrifying. If we’d been even a little late, we would have been in serious trouble.”
Knight Robin gauged the monster’s aura and let out a low groan.
If not for the barrier blocking all signs from within, they would not have been able to sit there so calmly and offer their impressions.
“Phew— I can only use this a few times because of the limit, too. This expedition is turning into a massive loss! Well, I suppose it’s better than dying.”
Even as Zaonic grumbled incessantly, he busily refined and expanded the inside of the burrow.
There was no way a magic tool capable of instantly deploying a barrier that could deceive that sensitive monster’s senses was anything common.
Still, thanks to it, he had survived until now, and this time their party had safely escaped danger as well, so it could be said that it had already more than paid for itself.
“...It’s incredibly heavy. And it walks on two legs. It seems similar to an ogre, but it feels much larger, so I’m not certain.”
“Right now... is it eating the corpses up there? Well, to maintain a body that size, ordinary prey wouldn’t be nearly enough.”
“In other words, we’ve laid out quite the feast for it. It’s fortunate Sir Zaonic buried Bordeaux so quickly.”
The guide and the rangers were lined up with their ears pressed against the dirt wall, analyzing the creature.
They had avoided a fight for now, but accurately grasping their opponent was absolutely necessary.
And Harley—
‘That pickaxe...’
He no longer had any interest in the monster prowling around above.
He was only staring with shining eyes at the extraordinary pickaxe still held in Zaonic’s hand, silently expanding the underground space.
On the day the party had first encountered the dwarf Zaonic, Harley had heard the detailed story of how he had managed to survive in such a dangerous place.
Just as they had done now, he had instantly dug into the ground, hidden himself, and activated the barrier. And the item that had played a major role in that story, along with the barrier magic tool, was precisely that.
‘Back then, I just thought, Oh, so that’s how it was, and moved on.’
But the moment he saw the pickaxe Zaonic took out of his subspace, he immediately realized it.
That thing... That tool imbued with the soul and sweat of the dwarf Zaonic Steelstone was none other than a medium that could become a sacrifice for 「Customization」!
‘I thought only symbolic objects like a branch of the World Tree would work, but personal belongings like that work too. ...In that case, it’s time to change plans.’
At first, he had intended to leave the group safely hidden here and deal with the monster above on his own...
But he had changed his mind.
‘I have to get my hands on that.’
When would an opportunity like this come again?
Things like this had to be obtained in advance whenever there was a chance.
Perhaps his greedy gaze had been too blatant, because Zaonic, who had been swinging the pickaxe and expanding the space, turned his head and met his eyes.
“...Do you have something to say?”
“Ah— I just thought it was a splendid pickaxe, so I couldn’t help looking. I’m fairly good at digging myself, but to be able to dig out a tunnel this deep in only a few minutes... It’s impressive!”
At Harley’s sincere praise, the slight wariness on Zaonic’s face eased.
Naturally, he would be pleased that a work he had poured effort into was being praised.
“Oho, you have quite the eye, don’t you! You look more like a warrior than anyone, yet you recognize not a weapon, but a tool!”
That was what Harley thought, but... in truth, it went far beyond that.
“Most people only admire fine weapons, but I believe that for a craftsman to display his greatest skill, he likewise needs the greatest equipment. That’s why in my forge, even my hammers and anvils are all works I poured my heart and soul into. I only brought this ‘Elinne’ with me here, but...”
As if Harley’s praise had flipped some switch in him, Zaonic went on for quite some time, passionately expounding on the pickaxe “Elinne.”
A pickaxe created by combining all manner of precious rare metals, hammering and hammering for days on end, and finally even imbuing it with the dwarven secret art, “Artisan’s Soul,” to be reborn as a magic tool.
This tool, filled with the earth attribute, could pierce through any hard ground as though it were tofu.
It was also fully equipped with support functions for its user, such as increased work speed, reduced vibrations and noise, and stamina assistance—
It could truly be called a divine weapon among pickaxes.
“When I make a work I’ve done my utmost on, I even mine every last bit of iron ore myself! The quality of ore changes depending on how it is mined, and it can better accept the breath of the craftsman...”
In that way, as though bragging about a lover, Zaonic continued emphasizing Elinne’s greatness, and then moved on to the story behind its birth.
How he had settled in the County of Aonia in order to properly make use of the Northern Mountains’ abundant rare minerals, and how he had needed a pickaxe for stable extraction in dangerous places.
“I made it during the previous lord’s time and have been using it ever since, so it’s already been over twenty years since we’ve been together! All this time, I’ve explored the mountains with this child and overcome countless hardships. This is the first time something on this scale has happened, but...”
Even this time, he and Elinne would be able to overcome it together, Zaonic said, gripping the pickaxe with firm resolve.
‘I see... So that was it.’
That pickaxe was not simply an item he had made with passion.
After being born from his hands, it had spent long years together with him and accumulated its own history. It was no different from the twenty-year history of Zaonic himself.
Harley, who had quietly listened to his impassioned speech, followed his proud gaze and shifted his eyes to Elinne.
However, unlike Zaonic’s affectionate gaze, Harley’s eyes were endlessly sinister...
Slurp—
‘Ah, my lips keep getting dry.’
The sight of a muscular giant covered in tattoos over his naked body licking his lips with a lecherous look was, in and of itself, enough to get him arrested for attempted crime, but fortunately, everyone was busy with their own tasks, so no one noticed.
And so, after they each held their breath in their own tension and rested for a short while—
“Huh?”
“The monster...”
A change occurred in the monster that had finished its meal above.
Apparently having filled its stomach to satisfaction, it simply lay down right there.
“What do we do? Should we ambush it while it’s off guard?”
“How about we dig a tunnel and leave this place?”
Neither option was very good.
Not only was the barrier not mobile, but the moment they left this place, the creature would immediately notice and attack them.
“It won’t stay camped here forever. How about waiting until it leaves for somewhere else?”
“How many monster corpses do you think are lying around up there? Why do you think it settled down here?”
Of course, considering its size, it was obvious that even that amount would not sustain it for long.
But time was not on their side...
“As more time passes, creatures stronger than that thing will begin appearing as well.”
In other words, they could not simply assume that waiting would improve the situation.
Rather, there was a greater chance that things would worsen.
But while everyone was sunk in anguish, Harley was thinking something else.
‘This is my chance!’
The only one with the ability to break through this situation was him.
Perhaps if they all put their heads together, they might come up with a good method, but at least for now, that was not the case.
Which meant...
“Ahem! I have a good idea.”
Did it not mean he could lead the situation in the direction he wanted?
“In the end, the problem is that the thing up there has settled down here, so if we can lure it far away, won’t that solve everything?”
“That’s true, but the problem is how we do that.”
“I’ll do it myself.”
Harley stepped forward, spreading his shoulders wide with a confident smile.
“The thing’s movement speed isn’t very fast. I’ll provoke it, lead it in the opposite direction from where we need to go, and then hide. Simple!”
“...You’ll do it yourself, Harley? That monster’s detection range seems anything but ordinary. Can you shake it off?”
“Pahahah! Don’t worry. If I’m alone, I can deceive its attention as much as I like!”
The party, who had watched his extraordinary nature during their time together, nodded without much objection.
“Certainly, if it’s Harley...”
“But will that really be all right? Wouldn’t it be better for us all to fight together...?”
As the party’s opinions became divided over whether it was right to push the danger onto a single person and whether it was even possible—
Harley seized that opening and continued speaking.
“Ahem, but it is also true that even for me, completely escaping from that thing makes me uneasy. So I’d like to receive a little help...”
And his subtle gaze turned toward Zaonic.
To be exact, toward the pickaxe “Elinne” in his hand.
Gulp—
Carefully swallowing the saliva gathering in his mouth, he spoke politely to Zaonic without letting it show.
“Zaonic, with the digging ability of that extraordinary pickaxe you made, I think it would be of tremendous help in finishing the job safely!”
“U-uhh?! Elinne...?”
As everyone’s eyes focused on him, Zaonic, sensing something ominous, flinched in surprise and hugged the pickaxe to his chest.
At the sight of him obviously not wanting to hand it over, Harley appealed even more strongly.
If only he had its help, he would be able to complete the mission safely, and then everyone could safely leave these mountains.
‘So give it to me!’
At the strong will contained in his gaze, Zaonic broke into a cold sweat and stealthily averted his eyes.
“I-it won’t be the right size, will it?”
Indeed, since the dwarf’s height did not even reach Harley’s waist, a pickaxe made for his stature would be no more than a hand hoe to Harley.
But Harley shook his head firmly.
“No! If it is Elinne, the strongest pickaxe on the continent, then a problem like that will be nothing at all. Don’t you think so?”
“Ah, well, of course it is! B-but...”
However, Zaonic knew all too well that there was nothing he could do.
Harley was volunteering to take the risk for everyone’s sake, and he said he needed it for his safety, so how could he refuse?
It was a tool he had cherished dearly all this time, but equipment was still equipment.
Even if he had poured all manner of precious materials into it and carefully maintained it, equipment was consumable by nature.
Besides, it was not his forge hammer, his most precious treasure...
‘No, that’s not right! I’m sorry, Elinne... I didn’t mean to discriminate. All of you are precious to me.’
Zaonic, who had briefly fallen into confusion, ultimately had no choice but to squeeze his eyes shut and hold the pickaxe out to Harley with trembling hands.
“I-it’s fine if it gets a little damaged, so as long as you return it, I’ll repay you with a better weapon once we get back.”
“Mm! I’ll do my best. But I don’t know what will happen from here on, so I can’t give you a definite answer!”
From a normal perspective, he was heading into a place no different from certain death...
Naturally, it could be damaged or lost in the course of battle.
“...No. Forget I said that. No matter how precious the equipment is, your life is more important. If things go wrong, don’t push yourself and just give up on it. It’s fi... fine... Khup!”
Harley received the pickaxe, but Zaonic stared at it with an affectionate expression and did not let go of the hand holding it.
Some inexplicable unease made him instinctively know as well.
That this would be their last meeting, and that what awaited them was nothing but eternal parting.
At first, Harley waited with a generous heart, but as the time gradually dragged on, he put strength into the arm holding the pickaxe and quietly lifted it.
Zaonic rose into the air, dangling from it.
When Harley shook it left and right, he swayed this way and that like a pendulum.
Thud—
But they could not go on like that forever, so Zaonic, having finally given up, loosened his grip and dropped to the ground.
Seeing his blank face as he stared at the pickaxe that had passed into Harley’s hand, with an expression as if his lover had been stolen away, left a bad taste in Harley’s mouth.
It felt as though he had become the bad guy.
‘No, I suppose I really am the bad guy. I have no intention of returning this.’
Seeing Zaonic looking so heartbroken made his conscience prick him again, but he deliberately pretended not to notice and hung the pickaxe on the belt at his side.
‘Sorry, but I’m saving your life instead, aren’t I? You’d all have died anyway if I weren’t here, so let’s call it even.’
At the sight of the pitiful Zaonic, the madness that had been asleep suddenly surged up like wildfire, but this time, he desperately suppressed it with all his might.
‘No matter what, licking the pickaxe, laughing, and looking down on him right in front of him would be a bit much!’
Perhaps because of the influence of “Madness,” it was an insane impulse of a different nature than before, but if he crossed the line to that extent, the heroic image he had shown until now would be swept away in an instant.
Yes, something like that should be done somewhere no one was watching.
In any case, that was not what mattered right now.
What mattered was that, with all sorts of incidents bursting out one after another, his karma points had already filled up enough to create a new avatar.
‘Excellent. Then what should I name it?’
And in the end, it had fallen into his hands.
Elinne had... no.
The dwarf had.