Black Iron Magician

「Thank you very much for your help. I’ll be sure to tell Zex-sama that you treated me well.」

「No, no, as a person and as an elf, I just did what is natural. 『We should help each other in times of need! We will never abandon you!』 This is the company motto of Quitet. Well, greetings are also basic, right? Please give my regards to Zex-han. Mufufu.」

I wonder how a person, no, an elf could speak in such a suspicious manner. However, Zeta, on the other hand, seems to be genuinely grateful and serious. I’m begging you, please get suspicious of that lowly face even a little. I’m getting worried here.

「Deris, are you thinking something rude again? I’m the embodiment of goodwill, y’know?」

「A real good person would never say such a thing…. By the way, what are you going to do now, Zeta-san? I’m sorry, but Haru and Chinatsu are going to ride this airship to go to another continent, so they can’t go back together with you. The town is on the way to our destination, so if you want to go back to the town, I’m sure this kind-hearted Alezel-san will give you a ride.」

「Oh! Despite what you said, you sure understand me well, Deris! That’s right, I will give you a ride~」

「Um, since you are going to send the materials, I was thinking if I could also ride to 『Al Nova』 where Zex-sama is. I mean, if it doesn’t bother you….」

「Oh, our destination is also in the same continent of Zen! Sure, I’ll send you there! I will send the materials there anyway.」

「Are you sure?」

「Waah! Then, I guess we’ll be together for a while, Zeta-san!」

Thus, it’s decided that Zeta will board the airship too. Come to think of it, in this airship are my disciple Haru, Nell’s disciple Chinatsu, Lily’s disciple Touko, and Zex’s disciple (?) Zeta. Are disciples a thing now?

「It might be late saying it now, but this ship is big~」

「Hmm…. After seeing that boss monkey, I feel like it lacks impact….」

Alezel’s airship that we are going to ride now can carry 100 people, including the employees. It’s a very rare item that only exists with a limited number in this world. It’s manufactured only by Zex and it’s not to be sold, so even a king of a big country can’t have it for personal use. Alezel can use it as a means of transportation for the Quitet Trading Company is because she’s in alliance with Zex, just like the country of Snowtail. If it weren’t for that, even I want to have this convenient thing.

「How should I put it…. It’s a very SF-like design. It surpasses our modern technology, right?」

「That’s partly true. After all, the existence of magic is great, and Zex uses science and technology on top of that…. In short, it’s a dream collaboration of magic and science.」

「In that case, we can expect weapons too!」

Haru seems to be very interested in the military division of Made in Zex. I’m afraid she will say something like, 『My dream is to repel laser beams with aiki!』. Also, I’m afraid she will make that come true.

「Well, we can chat on the ship later! Let’s get on the ship first! Full speed ahead to the continent of Zen~」

「Then, please excuse us!」

「Sure, come on!」

While being urged by Alezel, we boarded the airship.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shortly after the airship departed, we left the continent of Jiba and finally headed for the vast ocean. Then, it happened.

「It’s punishment time~♪」

「「Y-Yay….」」

Nell shows a radiant smile, and I and Chinatsu feel like it’s the end of the world. The extreme positive and negative emotions are clashing with each other, and the two of us can only hope for this to be over soon.

「Oh, something interesting has started.」

「It’s interesting for you since you’re not in the position of getting punished….」

I mean, if you hadn’t said something like that, none of this would have happened to me…! I want to punch yesterday’s me for thinking that Alezel was an angel even for a moment! She’s a devilish black belly elf wearing an angel’s face!

「Well, let’s start with Chinatsu.」

「Y-Yes!」

「I told you that you will receive punishment if your subjugation number is the smallest among the three…. How was it?」

「…… I think I killed the most.」

Chinatsu said so while properly looking at Nell’s smiling face. Ooh, Goddess Chinatsu, nice guts…!

「Hmm. Haruna, Zeta, what do you think?」

「I think I’m in the last position. I killed the boss, but since I was a rearguard, I couldn’t kill that many.」

「I agree with Haruna-san and Chinatsu-san. I did my best as a vanguard, but I couldn’t beat Chinatsu-san.」

「I see, I see.」

「「……… *Gulp*」」

Lured by Chinatsu who’s sitting seiza next to me, I also swallowed my saliva. In the end, the judgment was left to the girls. If they want to, they can adjust the numbers and match their stories. All that’s left is to see how Nell, the referee, thinks about it.

「Good! Well done, Chinatsu! I’m proud as your master!」

「T-Thank you very much!」

It’s fine. I was quite nervous even though I knew that it would be fine the moment Chinatsu reported it. I mean, there’s no way the girls would lie.

「L-Like this, I guess?」

「…… W-What?」

Nell started stroking Chinatsu’s head clumsily. Previously, she did it so fast that as if she was going to break the neck, but now she’s doing it so slowly that as if she’s touching a newborn puppy. I understand that she’s reflecting on the previous mistake, but she’s so clumsy that I have the urge to retort. There’s a limit to not getting used to praising others.

「You are clumsy! You can just stroke her head and praise her normally, y‘know!?」

「Ehh, even if you say so….」

「N-No, I’m happy enough! It’s okay!」

Yeah, Alezel retorted instead. I’m not sure, but maybe her merchant spirit was making noise? Anyway, Chinatsu’s punishment is over now.

―― Then, the real problem starts now.

「Well, Nell is struggling with the praising, so I’mma take it from here. Punishment time~♪」

「This damn elf looks really happy, huh….」

「Hm? Did you say something, the last position Deris?」

「No, nothing.」

Yeah, I couldn’t do the dismantling work efficiently, so I got the last position. It was thanks to Alezel, the one who was only dismantling the monsters that were near me. Fuhaha, this damn elf was planning to trap me from the start.

「Haa…. Let’s stop the farce already and get into the main topic. Even if you don’t do this roundabout way, I will do it if you ask me. What kind of request is it?」

「As expected of Deris, you’re so quick on the uptake~. You sure live up to your expectations as Haru-chan’s master~. You see, I want you to do something for me in exchange for me training Haru and the others.」

Alezel is beautiful in appearance only, so her smile is just like how she looks. Looking beautiful is natural for an elf, but for me, that smile is very ominous.