16. Interdimensional Assassins (2)

I looked at the message again.

[please protect my lady from the six terrors of the sea.]

A message that was written in what seemed to be blood.

The warm sensation I had felt while watching Usavich and Jarari eat had vanished. Instead, it was replaced with the cold sensation of dread.

Since when has this been in my pocket.

Who could have written it?

It couldn't have been Jarari or Usavich, so it must be...

The butler.

I was reminded of the mysterious monster with reptilian features. He had been very talkative about strange topics, but now, I couldn't help but wonder if it was actually a warning.

After thinking for a moment, I folded the note and put it back into my pocket.

If the butler was the one who had given me the message, then he must be asking me to protect Usavich from 'the six terrors of the sea'. And what that even is, I have no clue.

Damn it.

I have a rather irritating trait. If I don't know or understand something, it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

It was the same now.

"Tch."

I clicked my tongue. For now, it was better to focus on things I could control instead of things completely out of my grasp.

"Kyahaha!! Delicious!"

With her special fork and knife in hand, Usavich burst into laughter.

In front of her were ten empty tubs of vanilla ice cream.

Even without considering the note, the situation was so abnormal that I was getting goose bumps.

How can someone eat ten tubs of ice cream in one sitting…

Usavich stuffed her cheeks, and large exaggerated tears of joy welled up in her eyes.

“This is delicious, I say—truly sublime! True delicacies! You have my praise, human!”

“How can someone like ice cream this much…?”

I shook my head at the sight.

“If you’re done, come help me sort out the stuff we ‘borrowed’ from Reisse.”

“Very well!”

Usavich dabbed her mouth with a fancy-looking handkerchief and followed me into the living room.

“...”

Jarari silently trailed behind, having finished a different ten tubs of ice cream herself.

At this rate, I was a bit afraid I would get eaten out of the house and home.

I’ll have to teach these girls a thing or two about dieting, but that could be done later.

For now, it was time to decide what to even do with these magical items.

“Usavich?”

“What is it, human.”

“Do you know how any of these even work?”

“Hmm…”

The mermaid picked up one of the items, a red pendant. She observed it while stroking her chin with a wistful expression.

“Hmmm… this is certainly a magical item.”

“Wow, you’re very smart.”

“Do you really mean it?”

“Take it as you will.”

“Hmph.”

Usavich rotated the pendant in her hand, her tongue pressing against her cheek.

Then, she held it up in the air and observed it, seeing if light passed through.

Next, she tossed it up and down.

And then, she started knocking on the gem part with her knuckles…

Wait.

“Hey, do you know what you're even doing!!”

“Err… ehem! Nope!!”

“What the hell is wrong with you!?”

“Kyaaaaak!!”

I flicked Usavich’s head sharply and took the pendant back.

[Phoenix Pendant]

[The first birth celebrates life. The second birth mocks it.]

How frustrating.

There was a description on what it was (if you can even call it a description), yet there were no instructions on how to use it.

So close… yet so damn far.

“Sigh.”

It felt like such a waste.

“Such a damn waste.”

The words that I had been thinking were even spoken out loud.

That was the extent of my sorrow. Pitiful, right?

“...”

Suddenly, a shadow casted over me from above.

When I looked up to see what it was, I saw a pale hand.

It was Jarari. Her eyes were curved slightly, and her tail was swishing rhythmically behind her back.

“Do you want me to give you this?”

The wolf girl nodded.

“Very well.”

I handed her the pendant.

I was actually pretty curious to see what she would do. Despite living and sleeping with her for two days, I didn’t know much about her and the extent of her capabilities.

“...”

[A bitter cold enters the room.]

“Huh…?”

“What the… it’s cold, human!!”

As I read the message from the system, the temperature abruptly began to drop.

If before it was a pleasant cool, now it felt as though I was stripped naked in the middle of Alaska.

Despite this, my attention remained focused on Jarari.

Her blue eyes were now faintly glowing, her platinum hair flowing gently in the invisible wind. Even more, from underneath her feet, tendrils of ice were creeping outwards.

They reached towards the magical items, embedding themselves inside.

[Praise the moon!]

[Key details of the artifacts have been divined by the Wolf Princess!]

Divination?

The magical items on the floor were shining brightly, now.

Jarari raised her right hand, curling her fingers in the direction of the window.

The sun was setting.

[Jarari feels unwell.]

But as soon as it started, it ended.

The temperature recovered back to its previous state, the ice retracted, and the magical items lost their glow.

“Oii, what the heck was that!!”

“Be quiet for a second, Usavich.”

Jarari closed her eyes. And then, she staggered.

…!

I leapt forward, catching her right before she hit the ground.

With my arms outstretched, I cradled her head and back.

“Eeek!! Is she okay…?!”

“I’m not sure either.”

The system said that Jarari was feeling unwell. After doing whatever she did with the magical items, perhaps she had used up all her energy.

Either way, she had fallen unconscious.

Seeing her peaceful face, at least she wasn’t hurt.

I smiled softly.

The roles were reversed now, huh.

I carried the sleeping wolf girl back into my bedroom, tucking her into bed.

Noticing a stray hair on her otherwise flawless face, I swept it back behind her ear.

“...Our princess worked hard today.”

Placing a blanket on top of her, I turned away and re-entered the living room.

“What the heck was that, human!!”

“Oh shut up for a second, will you?”

Blocking out Usavich’s rambling, I focused my eyes while looking at the magical items.

Fortunately, useful descriptions appeared this time.

[Blood-Stained Effigy]

[Die. But die knowing that your pathetic life will yield a great bounty for me.]

[Those with evil intentions will be hesitant to enter where this item is placed.]

[Infamous Knight’s Needle]

[Entertain me.]

[When stabbed into a target, initiate an absolute duel where outsiders cannot interfere.]

[Tattered Scroll]

[Your laws, like your bones, were made to be broken.]

[Modify one existing rule of a domain.]

[Phoenix Pendant.]

[The first birth celebrates life. The second birth mocks it.]

[You can return by death (1 use).]

[Tyrant’s Crown.]

[Do the innocent pay for the crimes of the guilty? Of course they do. That’s the fate of the weak.]

[Torture your body to gain temporary strength.]

Whatever magic Jarari did worked.

I’ll have to give her some extra ice cream when she wakes up.

There were also three other magical items, but they were useless. For example, one had the effect of being able to summon bubbles in the air.

Hm.

“Here, catch.”

I threw the bubble ring at Usavich.

“Mmm?”

“Think of it as a gift.”

I turned around and looked at the rest of the items.

It was time to do some decorating.

It was currently midnight.

Actually, it was two hours past midnight.

Five hours had passed since I finished setting up the magical items throughout the apartment.

And currently... there was something on the other side of my door.

Clang! Clang!

Each time it knocked, my metal door shuddered precariously.

However, thanks to the artifact hanging from the handle, I was decently sure the monster wasn't able to cross through.

[Blood-Stained Effigy]

[Those with evil intentions will be hesitant to enter where this item is placed.]

“Ahhh… I’m really hungry, you know~”

“Is that so.”

“Mmm, yeah! I’m really, really hungry, you know~”

“That’s a shame. I can’t help you with that.”

“Ah, but I’m really.”

“...”