GILF Hunter

Chapter 520: 520 Found you

Mika and Airi gathered in the laboratory.

By now, it had become a place so familiar that on days without special schedules, both naturally came here even without making plans.

In fact, the research they were doing here was already finished, but it felt like a waste to let the lab they had built sit idle.

Furthermore, if they suddenly stopped going to the lab, those around them would notice they had completed what they were making. If asked to show what they had created, it would be troublesome in many ways.

For that reason, the two continued to gather in the laboratory even now, when there was no particular reason to be there.

’Ugh... there’s nothing to do. It’s supposed to be a lab, but it’s turned into something like a hobby room.’

Mika, sitting in a chair reading a newly acquired magic book, muttered to herself.

Since they gathered to kill time without any particular purpose, the lab was gradually becoming more like a private room rather than a research facility.

At first, they had tried to continue the existing research to create an improved version...

But since this research used many expensive and rare materials, making another one was impossible.

The original materials had all been consumed in making the first finished product. To produce a new improved version, they would have to obtain new materials again.

’Still... isn’t it a relief that we made at least one?’

’True. If we hadn’t, we wouldn’t even be able to be this relaxed.’

They couldn’t even understand how they had succeeded in creating that one finished product. They could only say they were lucky.

Wishing for more than that would... well, be greed.

’Don’t you do any personal research, Mika?’

’...What about you, Airi?’

’Ngh... me too, a bit.’

Unfortunately, both were mages far removed from the concept of ’research.’ They had only been clinging to it because they had no choice until now.

Mika liked collecting magic books, but she read them for fun rather than for research purposes.

In Airi’s case, she wasn’t even a mage to begin with.

Black magic was something she had ended up learning by chance.

Now it seemed it had become her main profession, and it suited her aptitude better than expected, but it was still hard to feel a deep affection for the name ’Black Magic.’

Mika closed the magic book and let out a small sigh.

’But what can we do? They said they won’t give any more prophecies.’

’Ah... you said we shouldn’t look at any more prophecies, right?’

Attempting to find out exactly when the event seen in the prophecy would occur was also a failure.

It would have been better if there were a few more clues... but after hearing that explanation from Calliope, they were hesitant to dig for more.

’Then do we just have to wait?’

’There’s no other way. They said the more accurately you know it, the harder it is to change.’

They knew almost nothing about prophecies as objects, but the explanation Calliope had given seemed to make some sense in its own way.

Since it was an explanation from the seller herself, they had no choice but to believe it.

’Haa. Still, I wish I could at least know roughly when. I don’t even know if it’s this year or not.’

’St-still, it probably won’t happen during ordinary times. Wouldn’t it be when something big is happening?’

’I guess so? There wouldn’t be a reason to go out of the city if nothing was happening....’

They had previously looked for a few places that seemed similar to the plain seen in the prophecy, but there was no particular harvest.

Honestly, aren’t all plains more or less the same?

At least the road leading to the Labyrinth looked somewhat similar... but they couldn’t be sure. That area was near Labyrinth, so there were no monsters at all, and it didn’t seem like such an event would take place there.

While they were sharing such stories, Airi suddenly made a strange sound and curled her body.

’Ugh....’

’What’s wrong?’

’Well, my body feels a bit... strange lately.’

’Strange?’

Mika placed a hand on Airi’s forehead to check for a fever and muttered.

’Did you catch a cold? Should I get some medicine from Ms. Louise?’

’No, I don’t think it’s that.’

’Then Ms. Emilia?’

’Even if it really is a cold, that person’s medicine is a bit....’

Airi shook her head, answering that it wasn’t to that extent.

It was a completely different feeling from the body hurting due to illness or poor condition.

Airi stared blankly at her own hand.

It felt as if something was wriggling and flowing inside her body.

It wasn’t an unpleasant sensation... but something ticklish, and hot....

—Flash.

’Hic!’

A small light that looked like a spark bloomed from Airi’s hand and then vanished.

The flustered Airi showed her hand to Mika, who had witnessed the scene with her, and said.

’Look at this! Something strange came out!’

’...Wait, wasn’t that Holy Magic just now?’

’Me, Holy Magic?’

’Right. You’re a Black Mage.... Hmm.’

No matter how she looked at it, it felt similar to what Frenda used.

She had heard that Holy Magic could be used if one was born with the talent, even without learning magic separately. It was also said that sometimes one awakens Holy Magic one day through a certain catalyst.

Thinking with Mika’s magical knowledge, what just happened was Holy Magic no matter how she looked at it.

And Airi was a Black Mage.

...Is that even possible?

That was something even Mika couldn’t be sure of.

While Mika and Airi were deep in thought, someone knocked on the lab door.

’Who is it?’

’It’s me.’

’C-captain?’

The one who had come to the lab was Ian.

Fortunately, there were no items that needed to be hidden in the lab right now, but the two hurriedly greeted Ian with startled expressions.

’Wh-what brings you here?’

’I talked with Ms. Ellen a bit. She said she’d like some help with a trial run. She’s coming over in a bit, so do you want to talk together for a moment?’

’Ah, yes. We’ll go right away.’

Fortunately, the reason Ian had visited wasn’t anything special. He had only stopped by the lab because he happened to be nearby.

Just as Mika was about to let out a sigh of relief upon seeing Ian turn to leave after being startled for no reason, Ian’s steps briefly stopped.

Recalling something he had forgotten while looking at the state of the lab, Ian asked Mika.

’Come to think of it, I heard you took the flowerpot Rin was growing. What was that?’

’...Pardon?’

’I heard from Rin that a flower bloomed.’

’Uh....’

Ian had heard the story about the flowerpot from Rin a few days ago. Even the part about Mika taking it.

Well, she probably used it for research. Since he had told her to take and use any necessary materials, it wasn’t particularly strange.

But what Ian was curious about was what kind of flower it was.

He had heard an explanation of what it looked like from Rin’s description... but even with that, Ian couldn’t identify the flower’s identity.

Since it was an unknown object, Ian had thought it wasn’t a very important item and had forgotten about it until now. But seeing the state of the lab, the memory had just come back to him.

Mika was flustered by the sudden question.

If she said what it was, it would inevitably be revealed what she had made....

If she was going to reveal it at this point, it would have been much better to just tell Ian the truth from the beginning and prepare comfortably with his help and direction.

As she tried to hide it, it weighed on her mind that the lies were continuing... but since she had come this far in this manner, she couldn’t back down even out of sheer stubbornness.

...Still, it was quite strange to insist that she couldn’t tell Ian. She would have no excuse even if she was suspected of having made something suspicious.

’That... um, wait a second!’

The panicked Mika hurriedly stuck close to Airi’s side. Then, Mika secretly poked Airi’s side and said in a small voice.

’Kyaaa..!’

’Airi. Do something.’

’M-m-me... what am I supposed to do...?’

’Anything to divert the Captain’s attention....’

There was no way Airi would know a way to attract someone’s attention just because she was suddenly asked. It would be a different story if it were about hiding from people.

’That’s it. That! Did you tell the Captain that strange light is coming from your hand?’

’A-ah, no. Because I don’t really know what it is yet. It doesn’t always happen.’

’Tell him now! In the meantime, I’ll find something plausible.’

Because of their research until now, several quite rare plants were stored in this lab. Mika intended to find something plausible among them and claim it was that.

In that way, Airi was pushed in front of Ian.

Light... anyway, she just needed to produce some light.

Airi, urged to try anything, fumbled before spreading her hands and shouting to Ian.

’P-please look at this!’

And then, a tremendous light poured out from Airi’s hand.

It wasn’t a small spark-level light like just before; it was an incredible amount of light that filled the room with pure white.

’Gasp...!’

’Hic!’

’Aargh!’

Everyone gathered in the room covered their eyes and sat down.

Mika, stumbling, said to Airi in a small voice.

’Airi! I told you to divert his eyes... what are you doing making him unable to see!’

’I-I don’t know either... ueegh....’

Fortunately, that light seemed to be a type of healing magic. The inability to see was quickly cured, and no stinging sensation remained at all.

The flustered Ian spoke while looking at Airi with a face of wonder.

’You’ve already become able to use it that much?’

’Huh? Captain, do you know what this is? Even though you didn’t tell me....’

’Uh... it might be better not to know.’

Airi felt immense agony between the thought of wanting to know what on earth this was for and the thought of not wanting to know.

And, a fact that neither Ian nor Mika, nor Airi herself knew.

In the light Airi had just emitted, a massive wave that only a priest could feel was emitted along with it.

That wave spread much further than the light reached. To the point where it could be noticed even from a long distance away.

’This is...?’

The priests in the Temple all lifted their heads and looked up at the sky.

Furthermore, that wave reached not only Labyrinth but also places much further away.

’Found you...!’

A small commotion also broke out in the Grand Temple.