Chapter 143 – The Security of the Magic Room
When the visiting villager left, Cruz laughed with a huff.
Then she looked over at me, proudly.
「How was that, Al?」
「You did great.」
「Heh heh」
Cruz blushed.
Vi-Vi, while petting Moofy, said,
「You’re good at dealing with people like this.」
「You think? Heh heh」
Cruz was raised specially, but she is born from normal citizens.
It might make her better at helping them deal with their problems.
The way she dealt with those assessors also showed her ability.
Maybe Cruz had the talent for being a ruler after all.
「Mooo Moo」
Moofy sounded like she agreed with Vi-Vi.
Since she was happy about that, she petted Moofy too.
「Thanks, Moofy.」
「Mphh mphh」
Moofy munched down on Cruz’ hand.
With one hand in Moofy’s mouth, she petted the cow with the other.
「You really need to stop chomping on people’s hands, Moofy.」
「Mommph」
「ryaa ryaa」
Shiggy thought this was all in fun, and flew over to Cruz’ shoulder.
She pecked into Cruz’ hair as she perched there.
Shiggy then grabbed Cruz’ mouth and then stuck her claw inside.
「Fffhfh fhhf hfhfh!」
I had no idea what she was saying.
Shiggy had stuck her claw in Cruz’ mouth, so it was hard to interpret anything.
She was probably saying 「Cut it out」though.
「You’re popular today, Cruz.」
「fhffhfh!」
Cruz blushed a bit.
It was getting to be too much so I picked up Shiggy and put her on a desk.
「ryaa?」
「Don’t mess with people’s mouths, Shiggy!」
「ryaa」
It was an important rule. Who would let a kid go and grab some unknown person’s tongue?
On the other hand, Femm was poking at my hand with its nose. I then petted Femm.
「Wuff」
Femm pleasantly wagged its tail.
The assistant then came back. Cruz greeted him with a smile.
「Welcome back! That was fast!」
「Yes, it’s so convenient! If you go through those two magic circles, it takes only a second to get to the capital.」
「You can always use it, but keep it secret.」
「Yes, I know.」
The capital city’s circle is in Cruz’ palace.
It might be good to draw a defensive circle around that room too.
While I was thinking about that, Cruz asked the assistant in a worried voice,
「Did you find someone that can act as assessor?」
「Somehow I did.」
「Good.」
Cruz seemed relieved.
But I was still worried.
「Who is it?」
「Yes, Marquis. It was the just retired chief of the ministry of the interior, a respectable man.」
I guess there was no reason to worry.
I thought it would take a while to get Cruz’ administration in order.
But it seems that it’s being done quite quickly.
Cruz looked seriously at the assistant as she began to talk about other personnel and assistants she employed.
Vi-Vi and I just petted the beasts and watched.
The conversation was finally over when the sun set.
「Then, I leave it to you.」
「Yes, it will be done.」
We saw the assistant off and returned to Mulg.
We arrived back to the transfer magic room in Mulg.
So I told Cruz,
「Cruz, Vi-Vi, we might need to make a security circle.」
「Security?」
「Hm? What do you mean?」
「What if someone unwanted uses the transfer circle? It might be good to strengthen the magic or place a golem to guard it.」
「You’re right.」
「Yup.」
Vi-Vi and Cruz nodded.
We headed right to Cruz’ palace in the capital.
Vi-Vi looked at the walls in the room, and said,
「There’s already a defensive circle here?」
「Yeah, that’s right.」
「But it’s pretty weak.」
「Really? It was expensive.」
「Leave it to me.」
Vi-Vi quickly began carving a new circle.
Cruz’ servants didn’t panic seeing Vi-Vi do this. They were used to her.
As we returned to Mulg we saw Luka,
「Oh, it’s you Al. What’s wrong? Why are you here?」
「I wanted to make sure that Cruz’ circle was properly secured.」
「Yeah, that is important.」
Vi-Vi was used to doing this, so she was drawing a defensive circle.
But I had to one-up her.
「I’ll make a golem.」
「Yeah, but not too big, okay?」
「I know. It’s indoors.」
I took orichalcum out of the bag and molded it.
I made a small one, a bit shorter than Vi-Vi.
Then Luka said,
「Small and cute.」
「Yeah, I have to engrave it to the magic circle so it’ll move.」
I had to have one that was quick, strong, with attack power.
And it seems I crafted a pretty good one.
「Done.」
「What will trigger it to attack?」
「I didn’t think about that.」
「Well, that’s no good.」
「Yeah…」
Luka pointed that fact out.
The simplest method is for it to attack all moving objects, but then it would attack Luka.
There would be a problem if it couldn’t tell friend from foe.
「That’s pretty complicated.」
It would be pretty hard to make a circle that would distinguish that.
Then I heard Shiggy’s voice outside the magic circle room.
「ryaa ryaa」
「Hey, Shiggy keeps on pulling on my skirt!」
I looked out the room, and Shiggy was pulling up Yureena’s skirt.
「Shiggy! Stop playing with my skirt!」
「ryaa」
「If you pull it up, you’ll see my underwear!」
「ryaa?」
Shiggy still didn’t know why this was bad.
It’s hard to teach nakedness to an already naked ancient dragon.
Then Cruz walked in with Vallimie.
「Hey, Shiggy…there’s something you shouldn’t see under that skirt.」
「ryaaa?」
「Hidden weapons.」
「ryaa!」
Shiggy seemed to understand.
I think she learned not to mess with skirts anymore.
Then Vallimie said,
「Cruz called me here…you’re securing the place?」
「Yeah, Vi-Vi’s drawing a magic circle.」
「You have one drawn in Mulg right?」
「Yeah, what about Lindobal?」
「It’s taken care of.」
Vallimie said, but then thought a bit, and said,
「Yeah, I think it’s taken care of.」
「Well, if you say so…」
「Hm. I can secure it the day after tomorrow. You’ll be shocked at how well I do it.」
Vallimie said confidently.