NOVEL NEXT
Chapter 831: Stench Incident
Morning.
I look around the village, forgetting what happened yesterday afternoon and night.
Ririus, Riguru, and Ratte were running.
They’re running quite fast.
Is this part of their physical fitness program?
Come to think of it, Hakuren said she had given them an assignment but I hadn’t heard what it was.
I hope it’s not something reckless.
…….
I’ll ask her later.
-0-
Well, my plan for today is to work at the hot spring area.
I’m going to use the teleportation gate in Big Tree Dungeon to get to the hot spring area……
The universal ship dock is near the dungeon so the kuros, who are not good with heights, are having an emotional roller coaster while accompanying me.
Even though I repeatedly told them I was going to the hot spring area, they slowed their steps and their atmosphere dropped as we got near the dock of the universal ship.
When we passed that universal ship dock and entered Big Tree Dungeon, they were still very tense.
It would be rude to call it funny but seeing their light footsteps, that look as if they’re skipping, was interesting.
-0-
When we arrived at the hot spring area, Asura greeted us.
Asura seems to have settled well in the hot spring area.
It is good to see that it seems to be getting along well with the pride of lions, the ghost knights, and Yoru, who’s managing the teleportation gate to the hot spring area.
The ghost sorceress is currently not here because she goes to Big Tree Village as a teacher. However, she has her own laboratory here in the hot spring area.
I heard that Loo, Flora, and Tier sometimes come here to conduct experiments with her.
The purpose of my visit to the hot spring is to inspect that said laboratory, or rather…..
Well, I received a petition first thing this morning from Yoru and the lion’s pride to do something about the stench coming from the lab.
Even though it is located at the edge of the hot spring area, the stench couldn’t be considered as good news.
A bad smell is a danger signal.
If you don’t know what’s causing the stench, it’s even worse.
I’m currently working as a scout…..to find out what’s causing that stench.
I was going to ask what was going on but the ghost sorceress was in class and Loo and Tier were at work.
I couldn’t find Flora.
Well, some experiment must have failed.
As I approached the lab with that in mind, the kuros who had come to the hot spring with me let out sad hissing noises.
Ah, I can already smell it too.
The type of smell that irritates one’s nose.
The kuros must be having a difficult time.
However, since they came with me as escorts, they couldn’t leave my side.
They look at me again and again as if wanting to ask me to stop moving forward.
S-sorry.
I have to check out the cause of the problem.
Or, do you want to go back and ask for replacement escorts?
The spiderlings probably…..
Bad idea?
Okay.
Let’s move on then.
…….
………………………..
I have to admit, I almost lost my courage twice.
That’s how bad the stench is.
My nose almost bent itself.
When I knocked on the door of the lab I worked so hard to reach, no one’s answering so I opened it and…………
I was smashed by a nose breaking stench.
The stench up to now was only a leak.
Its full power attacked my nose as soon as I opened the door.
I guess true stench hits you like a punch in the nose.
I felt lightheaded.
Beside me, one of the young kuros who was escorting me screamed and fell down.
Lack of experience because of youth.
He must have sniffed it with all his might.
He was convulsing.
This isn’t good!
I pulled back with the fainted kuro!
After reaching a place where the smell is a little better, I use a leaf of the world tree on the fallen kuro.
……..great.
He recovered safely.
Then, I check the current situation.
This place is quite far from the lab but I can still smell it.
Has it attacked itself on me?
No, that’s not it.
It’s because I didn’t close the door of the lab when I left.
I was in a hurry.
Since I didn’t close the door of the lab, will this stench spread to the entire hot spring area?
That would be a problem.
I must close the door of the lab.
………..
That means I must go there again, right?
Fufufu.
I can’t.
I already lost all courage.
The kuros don’t like it either.
We have no choice.
Let’s call for help.
At the hot spring area, there are Yoru, the lion’s pride, the ghost knights, and Asura.
Yoru and the lion’s pride were the ones who petitioned me to do something about the stench so it would be impossible to ask them.
No, they might go if I ask them but if you ask me, I don’t want them to go.
Asura has only just arrived here.
O don’t want to force it either.
My only hope is the ghost knights.
Ghost knights, can you smell?
……they say it’s okay as long as they don’t try.
Sorry.
Can you go close the door of the lab?
I’m really sorry.
-0-
The ghost knight is back.
He was carrying an unconscious Flora.
Eh?
Flora was in that lab?
Are you alright? Does she need the leaves of the world tree?
Areh?
Is it safe to use leaves of the world tree on vampires?
I should have asked Loo.
Ehto, what am I supposed to do now?
Should we take her back to the village?
Flora smells really bad but it’s an emergency.
It can’t be helped.
「Ugh……I’m…..alright. Sorry.」
Just as I was about to pick up Flora, she woke up.
-0-
When Flora woke up and stood on her own, she used magic to remove the smell that’s on me, the ghost knight, and the kuros.
Finally, she erased the smell on herself and the smell around the lab.
Ah, I can finally take a deep breath.
Magic is amazing.
And what about inside the lab?
She said it was impossible since the source of the stench was there.
I see.
We’ll have to think of some countermeasures, like double doors.
By the way, what’s causing this stench?
「Ahaha……I’m researching fermented food so」
Flora said she had been doing research on fermented foods here.
Aren’t you doing your research on miso, nato, and cheese in Big Tree Village?
「Yeah. However, Ann and Ramuria got pregnant. We were told that during pregnancy, they were really sensitive to smells.」
Do you know why it smelled so bad?
「It’s fermented food.」
Ah, yeah.
However, this is just so awful……
「Sorry. Magic was supposed to counteract it but……I didn’t think the smell would break that magic.」
It broke your magic?
「Yeah, that’s why I fainted……」
That’s amazing in some way.
「Yeah, it’s amazing, right! This is a new weapon!」
You’re researching food, right?
「……I am」
-0-
To summarize Flora’s story…….
The cause of the stench was the research on fermenting fish.
The smell was suppressed by magic but the smell broke through the magic so the odor leaked to the surrounding area.
What would be the countermeasure now?
「Strengthen the spell.」
Hmmm.
Also, the lab needs to be renovated.
I don’t want any smell to leak from it.
I’ll ask the high elves to do that.
「Please」
As for the rest……I’ll apologize to Yoru and the lion’s pride.
「Eh? I’ll apologize. It was my fault.」
Didn’t this happen because you were looking out for Ann and Ramurias?
「No no no」
Then, let’s both apologize.
「Understood」
Thus, the stench from the lab was resolved.
-0-
Later that day.
「That stinking fermented food. I thought it was a failure but when I cooked it, it was delicious!」
You ate it?
You’re amazing.
Also, I’m glad that you find it delicious but……what happened to the smell when you cooked?
「Eh? Ah, that, you know.」
It doubled, didn’t it?
「It didn’t double. The strengthened spell was destroyed.」
I see.
You’re not allowed to bring it to Big Tree Village.
「Ehhhhhh!」
-0-
Loo: I heard an amazing weapon was created!
Village Chief: It’s an anti-nose weapon so I won’t let anyone use it.
Loo: Ehhhhh!
-0-
Yoru: I heard an amazing weapon was created!
Village Chief: It’s a weapon that attacks with smell
Loo: Don’t you have a human heart! That’s terrible!
-0-
Miyo: Usage? It should be good for riot control, right?
Youko: I’d like some. Anything you’ll seal with it will be safe.
Gulf: I’m afraid its usage is very limited.
Daga: We have to be careful about the direction of the wind. We don’t want our own camp to be damaged when we use it.
Village Chief: Don’t even think about any practical usage.