“Nghuuaaooooh!”
“Ngyaaaaaaah!” The two began to slip over even faster than before, ridding them of any opportunity for ranged attacks. They were falling so much that it seemed like they were inside an invisible washing machine.
“Wh-What did you do to them?!”
“Hm? I simply hit them with an acceleration spell.”
“You’re evil.” Once again, everyone in the vicinity felt the need to tell me that. It was [Accel], one of my Null spells. It was meant to increase the movement speed of the caster, but as I just demonstrated, it wasn’t impossible to grant it to someone else. Normally, it created a magic barrier around the affected person, but I made sure to keep it from activating. What, why is everyone looking at me like that? Even Kohaku had stopped laughing. Instead, the little tiger just stood there half-smiling awkwardly.
I think I overdid it.
“Ohh... Ghohhhh... It’ss sspinning... Th-The world is sspinning...”
“P-Please... No more... I don’t wanna fall any more... I don’t wanna slip anymore...” Yep, I overdid it. The black serpent’s eyes were rolled backward and its head was lolling around, while the tortoise just wouldn’t stop crying. It looked like they were laying eggs or something.
“Well... Sorry about that. Guess I went too far. Seriously, I regret it, I promise.” I could feel everyone’s cold stares from behind me, like daggers in my back. They accepted defeat and agreed to make a contract with me, so I dispelled the [Slip] loop. However, getting them to calm down took quite a while.
“Oh, that wass truly horrid... I can ssee why the White Monarch accepted you as masster.” Even now, the snake’s head was bobbing a little bit. The tortoise had already stopped crying and was now looking at me in a stoic manner. I patted its head and apologized once again. It closed its eyes and lowered itself before me.
“Mochizuki Touya. You are worthy of being our master. So please, form a contract with us.” With those words, the tortoise and the serpent bowed their heads to me.
“Uhh... I have to name you, right?”
“Yess. Pleasse give uss ssome ssplendid namess, ssweetheart.”
Kohaku suddenly chimed in on the matter at hand.
“Just ‘Snake’ and ‘Tortoise’ would be more than enough for these two.”
“Shut that trap, punk! Ya pickin’ a fight or ssomething?!” The tiger’s words made the snake bare its fangs and spit verbal venom. Its true self was showing again.
I decided to keep quiet about the fact that I was actually just going to name them Snake and Tortoise. The snake’s reaction made me realize it would’ve been a bad idea. I also assumed “Snakey” and “Tortoisey” wouldn’t work, either.
Just like how the White Monarch is Byakko, the Black Monarch is clearly Genbu, the Black Tortoise or Turtle that represents water...
“Alrighty, it’s decided. Kokuyou and Sango.”
“Kokuyou?”
“Sango?”
When I saw those two, what came to mind was “black” and “water.” So I named the snake Kokuyou, after obsidian, and the tortoise Sango, after precious coral. It also fit with the precious stone theme I’d given Kohaku. That tiger’s name meant amber, after all.
“Do you like it?”
“I will gladly take the name Kokuyou.”
“It is the same for myself. I will now respond to the name Sango. Use it as you see fit.” I was glad they agreed. With their names set, the summoned beasts could now leave the magic circle. Sango slowly crawled through the barrier.
“Hey, wait just a moment, Black Monar— No, Sango and Kokuyou. We can stay in this world because of our master’s magic. However, your current forms would cause problems for him. You should change into something simpler.”
“...Really?”
“Sso we should become ssmall, like the White Monar— like Kohaku, yess? Whatever you wish, Masster! Here!” Sango and Kokuyou instantly reduced their size. There was even a “pop” sound effect.
They had collectively become a thirty-odd centimeter long, black shelled land turtle with a normal-sized black snake wrapped around it. It was a... relatively normal appearance, until you noticed that they were floating in the air.
“You can float?”
“Only when we are this small. We cannot move especially fast, either.” Sango began swimming through the air. True, he wasn’t fast in any sense of the word. It seemed about the same as standard human walking speed. But man, seeing a turtle swim through the air was quite a surreal sight...
Still, at that size there’d be no issue bringing them along with me.
“Alright, Sango and Kokuyou. Let’s get along.” They came close to my shoulder and I patted them on their heads with my fingertips.
“I, Sango, will do my best to support you.”
“Ssame here. I’ll help you lotss, masster.” That was good, because I had just the job for them.
“Sso we have to allow you to breathe underwater?”
“Yup. Can you?”
“Of coursse. None can come closse to uss when it comess to warding.” The breathing part was settled, but there might’ve been other dangers. I decided that first, I would go there alone and activate all the spellstones. Since I had an affinity for all the elements, that wasn’t a problem for me. Upon using the magic circle and seeing where it leads, I would open a [Gate] and let everyone join me.
“If something happens, use a [Gate] to return right away, okay?” As Elze and the others expressed their worry, I turned my back to them and walked into the water with Sango and Kokuyou still on my shoulder. Whoa, my feet aren’t getting wet. There seemed to be a magic barrier about a centimeter away from my body. Sango and Kokuyou were already impressing me.
I entered the water with a splash. Soon enough, the water reached my neck, and a moment later, I was completely submerged.
I found myself facing no difficulties. I could breathe without a problem. Even water pressure had no effect on me.
“Just how strong is this barrier?”
“Well... When it comess to physsical attackss, it could even ward off a dragon, but when magic iss involved, it dependss entirely on the opponent.” Kokuyou answered with a slight sway of his head.
“We might be powerful, but there is nothing we can do against attacks that break through the barrier’s limits, or spells that completely dispel the barrier.” Sango continued the explanation. Basically, no matter how impressive, it wasn’t the panacea to all defensive problems.
I continued walking along the seafloor. It occurred to me that the barrier seemed to be warding away the effects of buoyancy as well. I tried swimming upward to test that, and ended up floating a little bit, so I guess it wasn’t completely gone.
I spent time pondering about the barrier until I finally arrived at the stone circle. I walked past that, making a beeline straight for the stairs in the middle of the ruins. With a magic light at my side, I illuminated the long way down.
Finally, I reached the large hall with the magic circle in the center. It looked the same in person as it had with [Long Sense]. It was surrounded with six spellstone pedestals.
I approached the red spellstone pedestal and filled its jewel with fire magic.
Moments later, the pedestal itself began to emit a reddish light. It was safe to assume that I’d activated it.
I continued to do the same with all the other spellstone pedestals. After making five lights come alive, I made my way to the final spellstone and filled it with water magic. Then, the entire magic circle began to shine.
“Guess this means I activated the teleportation circle.” I hesitantly stepped on it... And nothing happened. Huh? Why, though? The six pedestals are all shining and... oh...
Does it need Null magic after all?
My [Gate] was a Null spell, after all. It was possible that the teleportation circle was based on a similar principle...
I stood in the center of the magic circle and focused my Null energy. The circle released a burst of light that
was downright explosive! I teleported off in a flash.
I closed my eyes due to the sudden bright light, and after I slowly opened them, I realized I was in a garden. Blooming flowers, chirping songbirds flying around, there was even a small canal with water flowing through.
Just like in the underwater ruins, there was a magic circle beneath my feet. However, the six pedestals were nowhere to be seen. Guess it was a one-way trip.
“Masster... where are we?”
“No idea...” I stepped off the magic circle, looked around the garden, and noticed something approaching from the distance. Is that... a girl? Soon enough, I could see her clearly. So clearly, in fact, that I had no choice but look away from her. Silky, smooth, short, and jade-green hair. Porcelain-like skin and golden eyes. The girl had a thick air of mystery around her. When it came to age, she looked about as old as Elze and the others. That was fine by me.
She was wearing a sleeveless black jacket with a large, pinkish ribbon. She also wore white knee-high socks and black enamel shoes. That too, was fine by me.
Indeed, it was all fine. Except there was one thing that wasn’t!
“A pleasure to meet you. I am Francesca, the terminal gynoid tasked with managing this Garden of Babylon.” Garden? Terminal? Her words left me with some questions, but the biggest question of all was related to what I was looking at!
“Uhh, well...”
“Yes? What is it?”
“Why... Aren’t you wearing anything... down there?” I knew it was bad to look, but I couldn’t help throwing the occasional glance at her lower body, where I could see neither skirt nor trousers.
All she wore there was a small white piece of cloth. Her panties were completely exposed.
Wh-Why?! Just where am I?! What is happening here...?! I kinda liked it, though.
◇ ◇ ◇
“I do not know how to answer your question. I believe you could call it a... duty?” The girl who introduced herself as Francesca tilted her head in a cute manner.
Wait a sec, does she mean that wearing skirts or pants isn’t allowed? Who’s the manager around here? I have some compliments to give!
Wait, calm down... This situation is dangerous for your mental health.
I need to do something about this.
“Uhh... Francesca, right?”
“That is correct. However, you should refer to me as Cesca.” Wouldn’t Fran be the more logical nickname here? Ah, whatever.
“Can you please put something on? I, uh... I’m having trouble deciding where to look.”
“But I am wearing underwear, am I not?” That’s true, but so not the point here! Guh... Stay calm and keep it together, Touya. Just think of it as a swimsuit. It’s a swimsuit, nothing more, and...
I couldn’t prevent myself from peeking at it again. Nope! Those are panties, damn it! No doubt about it!
“You just peeked, didn’t you?”
“I’m sorry!” Ah shit, she’s on to me!
“Well, if you insist, I will go ahead and put something on.” Cesca pulled a black skirt adorned with white frills out of nowhere and began getting into it. Why didn’t you just wear that from the beginning?!
“...Are you sure you do not wish to do something to me?”
“I’m sure. Just put it on already.”
“I will not protest if you fondle me even a little.”
“Enough of that! Hurry up and put it on!” I wanted to cry. I just needed to get her into the skirt so we could finally have a proper conversation, but the whole situation was mentally exhausting.
“So, I have several questions. Can you answer them?”
“Yes. I certainly could.”
“What is this place?”
“This is a Hanging Garden of Babylon, high in the sky. Some call this place Nirai Kanai.” Hanging Garden? The sky? I looked around and it definitely was a garden, but it didn’t seem any different from your standard botanical ones. I could see the sky through a glass dome above us. Cesca led me to the edge, where there was a wall of glass separating us from the outside.
Beyond it, I could see a sea of clouds. There was no doubt about it. The place actually was floating in the sky. It was well deserving of its name, a Hanging Garden.
“What’s the purpose of this place? Why was it made?”
“The construction of this Hanging Garden was Doctor Babylon’s hobby.”
“Doctor Babylon...?”
“Doctor Regina Babylon. Our creator.”
Creator? What a weird thing to say. She’s making it seem as though she was a product and... wait a sec.
“My lord. This is not a human. I cannot feel the flow of its vitals.”
“Wha—?!” Sango told me exactly what was on my mind. Both my understanding and my lack of comprehension of the situation crashed into each other at once.
“Dr. Babylon created me to be the management terminal of this garden. That was five thousand and ninety two years ago.”
“Five th— Huh?!” Leen told me she was six hundred and twelve, and I’m supposed to believe that this girl is almost four thousand five hundred years older than her?! Wait, I guess calling her a girl isn’t right, is it? If she was created, then she’s a robot...? Wait, is she an android? Or I guess a gynoid? I think she said something like that...
“So, Cesca. You’re a machine?”
“Not entirely, no. I have some magically-made organic parts and a magic reactor, so I am more of a combined magical-mechanical lifeform.”
Guess that makes her closer to a golem or a homunculus, then... But man, she’s so realistic. A normal girl from top to bottom...
“...I am incapable of being impregnated, but I am well-equipped to partake in the relevant act, if you so desire.”
“I didn’t need to know that! H-Hey! Quit raising your skirt!” Is she not programmed for standard shame?! Was Dr. Babylon a goddamn idiot?!
“Worry not, my parts are fresh, clean, and like new.”
“I didn’t need to know that, either!” Cesca let go of her skirt, a look of disappointment clouding her face. Her mannerisms gave me a good window into the creator’s mind. It was clear to me that Dr. Babylon was not right in the head.
“Thiss girl iss sso hard to undersstand.” Kokuyou looked at Cesca, his head bobbing side to side. I couldn’t agree more.
“That aside... I’m impressed that this place has been active for five thousand years. Is there a reason why either you or the garden didn’t decay or break down?”
“The Hanging Garden in its entirety is strengthened by magic. Though five thousand years might seem like a lot to you, I was in sleep mode for most of it, standing by in case of an emergency. The Hanging Garden was largely automated as I slept.”
...Wait a sec. If she’s active right now, doesn’t that mean this place is in a state of emergency? I asked the synthetic girl, and she gave a small nod.
“Emergency, indeed. We do not have a better word to describe it. You are our first guest, after all. What is your name, if I may ask?”
“Ah, I’m Touya. Mochizuki Touya.”
“Very well, Administrator Touya. You have been recognized as compatible. I — Apparatus Number Twenty-Three, codename Francesca — have been assigned to serve you. Till death do us part.”
“Excuse me?” Compatible? No, wait... assigned? Cesca pointed at the magic circle I used to teleport here and began explaining.
“No normal person can activate that magic circle. It is made to be unable to accept magic from multiple people. That means that it can only be activated by those with an affinity for all types of magic... Just like Doctor Babylon.”
So, the woman who made Cesca was just like me in that regard, huh? Wow, so someone else like that actually exists in this world... Well, it was a whole five thousand years ago, but still. So this place can only be accessed by people with the same potential as the old doc.
“Dr. Babylon resolved to assign us to a compatible person who could make it past the teleportation circle.
That was four thousand nine hundred and seven years ago.”
“So when you say compatible, you mean people who have an affinity for all pools of magic?”
“No. That is not the case.”
“Wait, I was wrong?!” She instantly shot my assumption down. If that wasn’t the condition, then what was...?
“Administrator Touya, you were recognized as compatible because you told me to hide my exposed underwear when we first met.”
“You can’t be serious! How does that gauge compatibility?! That doesn’t even make any sense!”
“Oh, but it is very important. If you had let your instincts dominate you and tried to have your way with me, I would have dropped you to the surface in but a moment. If you had chosen to ignore my attire and let me stay like that, you would have been deemed incompatible and I would have politely asked you to return to the surface.” For real...? Her exposed panties were that important? I couldn’t help but doubt her words.
“Dr. Babylon decided on this method to gauge whether a person is considerate and kind enough to be worthy of myself and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.”
“I see... Dr. Babylon was some kind of freak, then.”
“I will not disagree, Administrator.”
Seriously? The doc was definitely some kind of complete freak. I couldn’t stress it enough.
“Well, with that joke settled, I must reveal that it was actually left down to our own individual discretion. Personally, instead of a fake gentleman who is excessively kind and clearly used to women, I would rather settle for a ‘secret degenerate’ who throws glances at my underwear, but controls himself and pretends he doesn’t care about it at all.”
Wait, so that’s how it was decided?! I’m getting confused! And what did she mean by ‘secret degenerate’?! That’s super rude! The word ‘settle’ doesn’t sit right with me, either.
“At any rate, I am your property from here on out. I do hope we get along well, Master.”
“Hhaahhh...” A sinking feeling came over me. I’d gotten into something troublesome. I could easily picture the twisted grin on Dr. Babylon’s face.
In Another World With My Smartphone: Volume 3 Page 7
