Chapter 70: [Arc 2] Chapter 17: Investigating this Mysterious Beauty

*Nom, nom, nom*

After finding a rock-formation which gave us some cover for the sun, we, and by that I mean Jack, cut down some of the dried-up bushes and remains of the trees here and there, and started to cook some monsters over the campfire.

The smell of barbecued frog filled the area, but it didn't smell any good. It smells more like burned kelp than anything else. despite Jack picking up the [Cooking] skill to up the quality of the meal.

"I was thinking of retiring from being an Adventurer since I've turned into this. So why not try to get a job as a chef?" - Jack

Was what he said, but are undeads even allowed to cook?

The mysterious girl, Mira was it? She woke up while Jack was busy barbecuing some frog legs. Now she's gobbling them up like there's no tomorrow.

"Ahh, I've returned to life." - Mira

So she said, and I have to agree with her. Before she woke up, she looked like a potential mummy-candidate, but now she's gotten healthy enough to think she never stranded in the wasteland. She did empty a whole Deca-Bottle without coming up for air.

This girl, Mira, is a Sprite. They are humanoid creatures, which is born from attribute-aether of one of the main elements, except Death, Life, Chaos, and Order.

They look like normal humans, but their hair- and eye color is determined by their attribute. In this case, she's some sort of Water Spirit, as shown by her sky-blue hair and marine blue eyes, along with the teardrop-like symbol in each eye, which has the same sky-blue color as her hair.

Said hair was straight and reached her hips, and added together with the rest, and her pretty face,  and you get a strong-willed beauty, my type of girl. She also turns half-transparent from time to time, but not straight out invisible. This effect doesn't extend to her clothes. 

She may seem like a magician type, or a regular girl, from her clothes, but when I carried her, I couldn't fail to notice that her body was well-trained, especially her arms. It wasn't to the point of being buff, but that's because Sprites are creatures not known for their brawn. So, she's some sort of fighter? Swordswoman? She didn't have any weapons on her when we found her, so what gives?

"Was it that bad?" - Garami

"It was! Just one day after I left Velantas and the undeads came after me like adventurers on a new Dungeon!! Oh, I have not introduced myself yet. My name is Mira Aureola, an F-rank adventurer of the Velantas-branch Adventurers Guild. Pleased to meet you." - Mira

She said while showing us her Adventurer Card. It was made of some type of polished wood and showed her name, adventurer rank, and titles. The rank is F, yes. And her titles..., yes, titles...

I was hoping a little that they had changed the procedures since Jack's time, but alas...

"Do you need one of those cards to get work in the city?" - Garami

"Yes, of course. There are some shadier occupations, but you usually need a Guild Card from some official Guilds in case you want work." - Mira

"Same as on my time then." - Jack

Yes, unfortunately. How am I supposed to earn some money without letting the cat out of the bag then? *sob, sob, sob*

"Err, can you two tell me your names?" - Mira

"Mmh. I'm Garami, former adventurer-in-the-making, currently despairing-demon, currently on way towards Velantas city. *siiiiigh*" - Garami

"Eh, what happened? Why did she become so depressed all of a sudden?" - Mira

"Nothing. Oh, that thing is Jack. The big one is Levi. Nice to meet you." - Garami

"HEY! I get you're depressed for some strange reason, but is that a reason for dealing out sloppy self-introduction of others?! And what's with the 'that thing' treatment?! 'That thing'?!" - Jack

"You looked busy with cooking, so I did it for you. Now get back to it." - Garami

I gave him a mean look, but it looks like he didn't catch my drift. Or, did I mention to him what I noticed was wrong about this girl? 

"Whoa, uncle was right: appearance can be deceiving. Excuse me, but Garami is a Necromancer, right?" - Mira

"Necromancer? No way, I'm a Tamer, as a sub class though. Jack over here is a guide I picked up, and I met Levi on the way here. Decided to take up Tamer since Levi said yes to being tamed." - Garami

"Eeehh!? Wasn't dragons supposed to be the hardest monster to tame? Just taming one of them allows the Tamer to obtain the Dragon Tamer class." - Mira

"Levi has just an exception to the rule then. And I think that rumor is faulty since I didn't get any message that said I could get the class." - Garami

The real reason is that I had her fate in the palm of my hand though. She doesn't seem to mind it now, as she keeps on getting grilled frog-remains straight from the fire. 

"I-I see. You looked like a magician with that mantle on you, so I thought..." - Mira

Oh, she has a point. The Mirage Mantle does look like something a magician would wear. Ignore Orimaru who's currently hiding under the mantle, and the thief-like clothes under the mantle, then I could pass as a magician. Raoul makes me look more like a Priest though.

"No, no. I was just lucky when I got this. It's not like the stuff that magicians use." - Garami

If anything, it's designed for Scout classes.

"Huh, too bad. But Garami has many interesting items, like the mantle, and these potion bottles. Where did you get them?" - Mira

I kinda expected it, but the Deca-Bottles caught her attention. She emptied one of them all on her own, after all. I've only got a few liters with water left, so I want to go to the city as fast as possible before the water runs out.

"Ah, those are also something I just picked up from somewhere." - Garami

"Whoa, Garami must be loved by the gods of fortune then." - Mira

Hah! The only gods that love me are the trouble-making ones. And Skvalv.

"Nah, that kinda crazy luck can't be explained as only being one of the fortune gods' favorite. I wouldn't be surprised even if she had [Golden Rule]." - Jack

"T-that much!?", said Mira, while giving me a surprised look. Did I notice some jealousy in there?

"It's nothing to be envious about. All I have is some questionable good luck." - Garami

"'Questionable'?" - Mira

"If I did have great luck, would I be in this wasteland at the moment?" - Garami

"Ahh, good point." - Jack

"Right? Speaking of which, why is Mira out here anyway?" - Garami

"Oh, that? I was going to investigate a certain part of the Deadlands, but I got ambushed by Skeletons the first day, and lost my stuff to them." - Mira

That would explain why she didn't have anything on her, but is it true? [Appraisal] may be no good, but my other observation skill, [Judging Eye], tells me that this girl has the potential of easily swatting some Skeletons with ease. She's just one notch below Levi after all.

"I tried to go back to the city, but, well..." - Mira

"If you lost to the Skeletons on your first day, then you must have gotten lost, as we are even further away from ." - Garami

"Ugh. B-but, the treasure-." - Mira

"'Treasure'?" - Jack

"!!" - Mira

Ah, she said that without thinking, no doubt about it. 

"Forget that! Forget what I said there, right this moment!" - Mira

"O-okay, relax. If it's so important for you, then-" - Jack

"Nope." - Garami

"Wha-!" - Mira and Jack

Huh? They thought I would back down when I heard about treasures? After getting to know that I can't get a job the normal way? You wish! I'll take any means of getting cash from now on!

"Hell no. Why I do that service for someone I know nothing about? Normally it should be her who tells us about the treasure for saving her life you know?" - Garami

Not sure if that's true, but who cares? 

"How the heck's that normal?! Anyone has stuff they want to hide. Why should we-" - Jack

"I don't care what you think about it, but I'm not gonna blindly trust someone that hides their status-page with [Appraisal Block], nor anyone that lies about being ambushed by Skeletons when they are strong enough to wipe the floor with them." - Garami

"Huh?" - Jack

That shut him up. And Mira started to cold sweat the moment I mentioned [Appraisal Block], which turned to a waterfall when I said that she was strong enough to push back the Skeletons.

For those who don't know about [Appraisal Block], it's the predecessor of the [Appraisal Disguise] skill that the Kigal-Note has. It can't make a fake status page as its improved version, but it can block access to the status page, but only that. It doesn't stop skills other than [Appraisal] from gauging the strength of the skill holder.

"Um, well, if that's what you want..." - Mira

"Of course I want some cash for this! Do you know how low we are on food, and especially water, now?! Or what? is the treasure cursed or something?" - Garami

"It's not on the level of being cursed, I think, but it is something troublesome at least. Not to mention there is a possibility that people that know about it will turn troublesome..." - Mira

Okay, now I smell the trouble too. Let's just ignore the talk about treasure, and get us safely to town.

"If that's the case, then you could tell us. If it's something dangerous, then we sho-mmph!" - Jack

Don't this idiot know when to shut up? Or is he hellbent on being more than useless? Who deliberately sticks their nose into trouble like that?

"Cloth? No, threads? How did you-?" - Mira

"Ehm, talent?" - Garami

"Mmph-bleargh. Don't throw webs into the mouth of people, you damn spider-demo-mmph!" - Jack

Take a hint already! And don't give out my personal information like that!

"Spider demon? Garami, are you the Reha Zera demon that defeated the Disaster of Water?!" - Mira

"Disaster of Water? What's that? And how do you know about tha-, ah." - Garami

I-I did it. I did it, big time. What am I doing, telling people that I know about something I'm pretending not to know?! Am I an idiot? No better than Mira from before?

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Catching on to my flop, Mira approached me with the eyes of a predator. Now, remember, all interactions I've had in my current life, has either been with dinosaurs, fish-people, undeads, or goddesses of darkness and whatever. A humanoid female is new to me!

"So, it's true? You were the one to defe-! What is this fine child? It's from Wakoku, right? Does it have a name?" - Mira

What happened? Wakoku, that means Orimaru? Why so suddenly? Didn't she notice him before now, due to the mantle covering him all the time? And wasn't she gonna ask me about Glavras?

"Uhm, you talk about Orimaru?" - Garami

"Orimaru, a real named Wakoku sword! Can I hold it, please." - Mira

The predator switched places with some child staring at the Christmas presents right before Eve. I gave her Orimaru, giving me some time to think things through. 

"I'm gonna take a walk with Levi, seeing as you two have things under control." - Jack

"Aah-! Don't run away!" - Garami

"Can't hear anything." said the idiot remnant, while holding for where his ears should be if he was alive. Levi took the opportunity to leave as well, sensing the incoming trouble Mira would bring any moment. Those heartless undeads! Quite literally, now that I think about it.

"Ehehehehe. What a pretty child, ah! That wasn't what I wanted to talk about!" - Mira

Orimaru! Can't you buy more time than that?! He looks pretty smug while being held by Mira. Did the praise go to his, head?

"Garami, are you-["LAA, LAA, CAN'T HEAR YOU, LAA" - Garami]- listen to what I have to say!" - Mira

No way in hell! You don't need to be a genius to get that the next line she's gonna say, is related-

"I need the help of someone that can go up against an Ultimate Disaster!" - Mira

I knew it!!

---

"No way in hell that I'm gonna be involved with another Disaster!" - Garami

I gave my answer straight to her, but this damn sword freak/Water Sprite didn't budge and continued to pester me to help.

"Come on, I need your help! There's nobody else that I can ask!" - Mira

"And why me? There's some guy that defeated the Disaster of Metal before, with the help of some Champions, was it? Ask them for help!" - Garami

"That 'guy' you're talking about, is the current king of Avalar, the Hero King himself! The Champion of Earth is a member of the Avalar army, the Continent Knight, Galleth! And the Mastersmith and Champion of Metal, Saron, has concealed himself after that war! The Champion of Life is a complete mystery. Nobody knows their name, race, or even gender." - Mira

"Then what about the Wind guy then? Ask him instead of someone like me." - Garami

"Yeah..., the Champion of Wind is named Zerus, and he's a famous vagabond, that would never stay in the same city for more than a month, making him difficult to find. I also heard he is a famous playboy, but a bad one at that." - Mira

Are those two reasons related in some way?

"Also, I think it's better for someone not related to a country, nor someone too untrustworthy should hear this story." - Mira

"It hurts saying it myself, but exactly how do you see me as trustworthy?" - Garami

"Because you have the same air as me. I'm sure our interests align!." - Mira

"What freaking air are you talking about? Get some to that brain of yours, it needs it." - Garami

"Come on, don't be shy. I know you love it too: money! Swords! Cute boys! I love them more than anything else, and my unclouded eyes tell me you're the same." - Mira

"WRONG! I'm not interested in boys, and if anything, I'm all for treasures!" - Garami

"So you are interested in it!" - Mira

Guh, don't tell me, I'm really of the same kind as this girl...

"Wait, you love swords, while not being dressed as a swordswoman?" - Garami

"Uhm, well, you know, the Incubus brothels tend to be on the expensive side..., and the information about the clue towards the Disaster being in this area was a little more expensive as well..." - Mira

"...Don't think of trying to borrow money from me." - Garami

"Y-yes..." - Mira

This girl is bad news, in lots of ways. And an Incubus brothel, doesn't that mean? I'll ignore it for now. Mira is getting back to her explanation.

"A-anyway, you wanted treasures, right? The guys who stole the Disaster is bound to have tons of them, all for our picking! It's a waste to not work together here." - Mira

"Listen, I'm no Robin Hood, so I'm...did you say 'stole the Disaster'?" - Garami

"Yes. The Disaster of Life, the mechanical masterpiece of Wayvol." - Mira

"The Disaster is an item?! Wasn't they supposed to be monsters?" - Garami

"This one isn't. But, despite calling it a masterpiece, it was made by Wayvol by accident." - Mira

"Oi, oi. And it's mechanical, despite being the Disaster of Life? And how are you involved with all this anyway?" - Garami

"Wayvol is my uncle. Or, the person that could go as my uncle." - Mira

"? Not helping." - Garami

"I lived in an orphanage when I was a child, and Wayvol was someone that sponsored the place. He was a friend of my late parents, so he let me visit his atelier sometimes. Oh, and he was a Blacksmith that focused on animated monsters, like Automatons." - Mira

"Wait, you were in an orphanage?" - Garami

"Mhm. Don't remember my parents at all. I wasn't even a year old back then." - Mira

Ugh, I feel a little for her, but I still don't wanna have anything to do with this. Remember Garami, you're only getting this info so that you can run away from potential danger.

"Uncle Wayvol used to bring me to his smithy, or the 'atelier' as he called it. Once, 20 years ago, he wanted to create an Automata Dragon, but he overdid it with one of the parts to it, so he scrapped the whole project." - Mira

"Let me guess, the Disaster?" - Garami

"The Disaster, yes." - Mira

That's not on the level of 'overdoing' something. Mira feels the same, as she must have the same expression on her face as me.

"Then, that 'Wayvol', didn't do anything to get rid of that overworked part?" - Garami

"He tried, we tried, but nothing we did could even put a scratch on the thing, so uncle decided to seal the part and made us, his assistants and me, who was visiting him that day, promise to never tell about its existence." - Mira

"And it's unsealed now since you're telling me about it." - Garami

"Yes. It was stolen by a group of criminals, 4 years ago, alongside many other inventions. Uncle tried to stop them, but he lost his arm while trying." - Mira

"So, you're out for revenge?" - Garami

"No way, that's just stupid. Uncle wouldn't go down with just that, he's even replaced his arms with some Automata-arms. The inventions stolen were failed goods, and the successful ones were already sold by the time of the robbery." - Mira

"Then, why are you after them?" - Garami

"Who, the criminal gang? They're wanted by all of humanity, so they will have one big bounty on their heads!" - Mira

Why am I not surprised. It's only been little less than a half-hour since I met Mira, but  I think I've learned mostly all about her.

"But the main goal is to destroy the Disaster of Life before the group can take it in use." - Mira

"Then, they cannot do it already?" - Garami

"That's it, as they stole the part with the seal still on it." - Mira

Then, the seal is of the type that confines the part in some type of box, instead of making it inaccessible.

"My goal is to hunt down the thieves as I search for the stolen part, and give them some payback while I'm at it. They're criminals anyway, so no one's gonna be mad about me serving them some sweet revenge, right?" - Mira

"Unless they are the criminals themselves. But that's what you were talking about before; the treasures are the stolen goods belonging to those criminals, and even if we decided to return them to their original owners, we would get a reward for it?" - Garami

"Yup, yup, yup! But, the main goal is the sealed part though." - Mira

"What's so crazy about that part that makes it impossible to ask some higher-ups to put up an arrest warrant? I'll decide whenever to help you or not after that." - Garami

If it's something that's way too dangerous in the hands of some criminals, then I need to do something with it. If it's something that will affect the whole world, like Glavras, then it will become my problem as well, sooner or later. Better to nip the bud while it's possible. Not that I'm planning on doing it on my own: I'm thinking of telling the authorities about the criminal group when I locate them, then make them do the hard work, and flee with the part when the opportunity arrives.

"You will help?! I knew my eyes weren't mistaken!" - Mira

Hey, compliment me too, not only yourself. 

"Okay, you're great. Hurrah, Banzai. Back to the point, what's the Disaster all about?" - Garami

"Well, it's kind of a pump, and it was designed to be the heart of the Automata Dragon. Uncle made it with some rare parts, but he made a mistake under its construction, and the heart turned from something that regulated the aether of the dragon's body, into something that steals life force from its surroundings, and grants it to whatever it is connected to." - Mira

Eh, so it's a massive HP-stealing pump then? That does sound bad, but not Disaster-level bad.

"The massive increase of life force allows it to mutate whatever the owner use it on, and the places that have its life force stolen will die out. Uncle Wayvol theorized that the heart can kill off an entire kingdom easily while creating monsters that are, in the worst case, nothing under C-ranks. Also, it works on the scale of whole kingdoms, so uncle means that nobody should know about it unless we want to start wars between the kingdoms again." - Mira

...Okay, draining, kaiju-creation, and potential war trigger. That sounds bad enough to me.

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