Volume 10 Chapter 8 (2/2)
”I can't. Even if I can, several features would have to be sacrificed to the point that the gun would be worthless in the end.”
”Ohh. Too bad…”
”Master Kuina, Master Rorono, I am so terribly sorry!”
For a while now, Raffaello have been repeatedly apologizing and bowing her head. She was feeling sorry for not improving despite being taught patiently and kindly.
The two readily forgave her each time. She wasn't a bad kid, just a clumsy one.
Oh, by the way, up until this moment, she had fallen down seven times. In two of those incidents, her underpants became exposed.
”Raff, you don't have to apologize… I promise you, on my pride as the world's best blacksmith, I will make a gun that even you can use.”
Rorono was strangely fired up.
”Uhm, Master Kuina, Master Rorono, my level has increased and so has my total magic power. Because of that, I want to do something that'll replenish my magic power reserves. Can we do that next?”
”You can do something like that!?”
”If I use my Dark Light Sanctuary, yes.”
Ohh, her sanctuary has a power like that? How useful. Maybe that's enough to compensate for the poor fuel efficiency of her Dark Light Magic…
”So, could you please distance yourselves from me when the next monster shows up? I want to avoid accidentally killing you.”
”Kill me? That's preposterous! Let's see you try!”
It seemed like that suggestion wounded Kuina's pride.
She was quite proud of her strength, so if a low-level monster says they might kill her accidentally, she couldn't stay silent about that.
”B-but it's really dangerous, you know.”
”It's fine! Kuina can defend herself!”
”Kuina, you know you shouldn't do needlessly dangerous things”
”Geez, Oto-san, don't you believe in Kuina?”
It seemed like her mind was made up and thus wouldn't listen to warnings anymore.
What should I do though?
Kuina was indeed capable of withstanding most things.
Moreover, I was worried of leaving Raffaello inside her sanctuary with no one else but a hostile monster. On top of Raffaello's defense being paper-thin, she was clumsy and had poor reflexes.
I could give Kuina a direct command to stay away and she would have no choice but to obey it, but perhaps entrusting things to her is the better choice.
”…Very well. Kuina, continue guarding Raffaello.”
”Understood!”
◇
We were now in an area where magma was spouting out.
Within the pool of magma in the ground were snakes that had scales of lava. These monsters were aptly called Lava Snakes.
When Raffaello came close to the pool of magma, five of the C rank Lava Snakes approached her as well.
She then prepared to launch her sanctuary by making her magic power surge and forming an enormous magic array under feet.
…is it just me or is something strange with this scene?
Raffaello, for the short time that I had known her, was quite timid.
And yet, there was no trace of fear or worry now that she was facing several powerful C rank monsters. If anything, she was smiling faintly. She's looking down on her enemies!
The air around her completely changed. That left me wondering if her Dark Light Sanctuary had any features that changed one's personality.
At any rate, the Lava Snakes began to pounce at her.
In order to support Raffaello in an unobtrusive way, Kuina readied her shotgun with the mindset to only fire it when truly needed.
In the next moment though, dark light filled the surroundings and muted all sounds.
When I was no longer blinded by the light, I saw a dark half-sphere ahead of me. I couldn't see at all what was happening inside of the dome though.
”This is her sanctuary? And is that what the description meant by everything around her would be enveloped?”
”What a sinister power. My instinct's screaming danger. Just looking at it is enough to make me feel ill. I might even get killed if I try to go inside.”
Rorono was trembling, which was something rare for her.
Just what's going on inside?
Two minutes passed and the dome began to become undone.
The scene that unfolded before me surprised me.
It wasn't that the five Lava Snakes were down on the ground—that much was expected—it was how they died that gave me a surprise. The light in their magnificent lava scales were now gone, making them look as though they were just covered in dirt. Their bodies were also all dried up, making them all skin and bones.
In less than a minute, they died one after the other and began turning into blue particles.
In the center of it all was Raffaello. She was floating in the sky, her wings spread as much as it could.
The expression on her face suggested that she was teeming with vitality and that she was perhaps even ecstatic.
”Ahh, that was sooo delicious”
Raffaello said so and then licked her lips. For some reason, that action of hers was utterly captivating.
But when I looked at beneath her, I was surprised more than before.
”Kuina!”
”O-Oto-san, I-I'm, al, right…”
Kuina had collapsed to the ground.
She had sweated a large amount; her breathing was ragged; and was too weak to do anything else.
”I told you it was dangerous, Master Kuina. My sanctuary will eat you up, whether you're friend or foe. But your lifeforce sure was delicious… it's so juicy, so sweet, and so soft, haaa, totally different from those small fries. Oh, how I want to taste it again.”
Raffaello descended and whispered so to Kuina's ear.
It seems like she's still in her other personality, the one brought on by her skill. Regardless, from what I've seen so far, I think I have enough grasp of her Dark Light Sanctuary.
”That surprised Kuina. Your Dark Light Sanctuary sucked up the lifeforce and magic power of everyone inside and made it yours. We were growing weaker, but you were just growing stronger… it was almost like you're invincible.”
Hers was an ability that absorbed the enemies' strength and turned it into her own nourishment. Even if the enemy had enough strength to break the sanctuary somehow, she could just snatch that strength away before any harm was done and use it instead to intensify her sanctuary further.
But perhaps most frightening of all about it was that it was able to leave even Kuina in a tattered state within just two minutes. Kuina was immune to magic, and yet this worked against her. In other words, resistances didn't matter to this skill.
Without a doubt, it was a terrifying ability. As for how to combat it, it was either to stay out of range or to kill Raffaello as quickly as possible.
”I think I understand your ability now. …still, refrain from using it when there are allies in the vicinity, alright?”
I wanted to scold her, but I knew it wasn't her fault. Kuina insisted on testing it, and I allowed her. To blame Raffaello would be pathetic of me.
Cautioning her to not let such a thing happen again was just fine though.
”Understood! Also, I've fully recovered now, your majesty. Let's go hunt for the next monster. Oh, but Master Kuina's still tired, isn't she?”
”Who, me? I'm fine. This is nothing.”
Kuina could pretend as much as she wanted, but I could see that she was still in pain.
”Rorono, be the guard for a little while. Kuina, go drink some potions and rest. I'll carry you in the meantime.”
”Mhm, understood.”
Kuina was about to protest, but when I carried her like a princess, she became silent. She stopped bluffing, held on to me, and entered a jolly mood.
I knew Kuina liked being carried like this, so I used it to trick her. Thankfully, it worked well enough.
”Then, I'll be in your care, Master Rorono. …you know”
”Mhm. I'll be observing your battle style from nearby. If things get dicey, I'll come in and help. Tell me when you want to use your Dark Light Sanctuary. Unlike Kuina, I'll get out of range.”
”Yes, Master Rorono!”
And so, Raffaello's first hunt ended relatively peacefully.
For a first hunt, she leveled up quite a bit.
Moreover, I had gained better understanding of her abilities.
She owned a dangerous ability, but there was no question that it was powerful.
I should consult with Duke later on how best to deploy her. if we do this right, Avalon would gain yet another trump card.
TL notes: Lucifer and Raffaello's Fall from Heaven share the same kanji, but Raffaello's has a furigana saying ”Falling down”. I decided to just make it the same.