Chapter 17 Tower of Trial  Little Girl's Advent! (Fifth Floor)

 

The fifth floor of the Tower of Trial is filled with an ominous presence.
The presence of a God who has turned into a vengeful spirit.

We're continuing on while defeating skeletons and stone statues along the way.
I destroyed doors and walls in the way since we had no time.


We arrived at the deepest hall after about 30 minutes.
Width is around 20 meters, depth is around 30 meters.
It's about as wide as a large banquet hall in a hotel.
The ceiling is high, there's several stone pillars standing.

And there's a small door at the back of the room with a stone coffin in front of it.
No mistake about it, that's the 【Lapisia's Coffin】.
"Now, Big Man, go forward."
The golem walks slowly.

The old man speaks anxiously.
"Hope it goes well."
"Golem won't get petrified. It has no life force either. It'll block the lid from opening and cover the coffin with the soil in the bag while doing that, calming down the God's wrath. It should go well."


With echoing footsteps, the golem arrived before the stone coffin.
It blocks the lid with one hand, and uses the other hand to throw the inside of its bag to it.
Brown soil falls on the coffin.
"Good, keep it up! Keep holding the lid!"

I chant a spell while running.
"My name is Keika Hiko-no-Mikoto! God of streamlet from a foreign earth! O Mother Earth God Rupersia! Appease the heart of your raging child!"
Kah!
The soil around the coffin shined.
This is, my victory!


--And.
The lid of the stone coffin is gradually opening.
"Eh!? Big Man! Hold down the lid!"
The golem curbs the lid.

I recite the appeasing prayer once again.
However, in face of that, the lid opens anyway.


Black aura blows out of the gap.
"Celica, Old man, don't look at it!"
I run back and hide behind a stone pillar on the left side. The old man hides behind a stone pillar to the right.

Celica comes to my side and takes out a mirror. It's a hand mirror made from polished magic silver.
"Please."
An image of a black arm coming out of the stone coffin is reflected in the mirror.


It'll broke if this keeps up!
"Big Man, hide behind a pillar!"
The golem slowly heads behind the nearest pillar.
Its chest was pierced by a black arm.
After a moment of silence, the golem crumbles.

A black shadow in the shape of a human stands.
The form of a woman with disheveled hair. It's emitting abominable aura.
After defeating the golem, she walks step by step.

"She's coming here."
"W-what should we do, Keika-sama."
"Why.... Why didn't the Mother Earth God didn't grant my wish...!"


Right then, a sleepy voice resounds in my head.
『someone's here?』
--Lapisia huh. It's me, I talked to you before. Keika.
『run away!』
--I can't do that. I've come here to do something about you.
『everyone will turn to stone! that's why, run!』
--Why is she turning people to stone? Is she angry because she was dug up?
『mommy is angry! to protect lapisia!』

I noticed my mistake.
--The one who's wrathful isn't Lapisia, but the mother because her hidden child was dug out.


"Keika-sama! She's right there!"
"Tsk! More to the left."
She's coming to the left stone pillar where we are.
Right then, flame sprout on the right side.
"Come here you monster!"
The old man's shout echoed in the hall.

Looking at the mirror, the black shadow turned away while swaying her long hair.
--Nice, Old man!

I quickly call Lapisia.
--Lapisia, are you inside the coffin?
『inside the box nano.』
--Can't you get out?
『lapisia can't move.』
--You're binded by your mother's magic huh. That means it's an earth magic.
Lapisia speaks.
『lapisia wants to move....』
--What will you do after that?
『lapisia doesn't like this current mom! lapisia likes the kind mom!』
--Okay. I'll do something.


I hold the gourd in my hand. Ready to throw it out anytime.
"Celica, make some noise to the left of the entrance. I'm going to the coffin."
"I understand.... Please be careful."
"Celica too, don't overdo it."
"Yes."
Celica went to the entrance with her blond hair flowing.

I slowly went to the back of the hall from the left while checking on the mirror.
And then, sounds of someone loudly hitting a wall echoed. Celica is beating the wall with her sword's sheath.
"I'm here, monster-san!"
The black shadow stops chasing the old man and heads toward Celica.

--Now!


I jumped out of the pillar's shadow. Running straight to the coffin.
However, Celica screamed.
"Keika-sama, over there--!"
I confirm with the mirror. A black aura ran after me very vigorously.
"Damn--<<Gale Legs>>!"
Bwoosh, I became faster. In order to release Lapisia's spellbinding!

I reached the coffin's side.
I throw water out of the gourd.
"Pure brooklet who abides me!　Permeate the soil  Cut the rock  Release the bind of earth! <<Purification-->>"

Bam!
A shock hit my head.
From the force of the hit, I was blown to one of the pillars. I broke the pillar, and crashed to the wall. The wall was roundly dented by the impact.
I fell down on the floor.
I've been sent flying by the pursuing black shadow.


"Shiiiit.... S'long as I'm not petrified...."
I glance at my body while standing up.
【Parameters】
Vitality: 399,200/614,600
Willpower: 513,456/566,600

I got damaged for more than 200,000 just from one attack. As expected of the Mother Earth God.
A normal human would have vanished without a trace.

I'm going to escape by relying on the presence alone.
However, an abominable wall stood in front of me before I could completely stand up.
I can only look at the floor. I won't raise my face.
The shadow moves. I can sense her moving arm.
So this is the end.....

--No, this situation is preferable!

I shut my eyes and put my hand on my Tachi's grip while still crouching.
I'll make a single finishing blow in this situation while I know exactly where she is!
The black shadow attacks by using arms.
I'll finish it with a quick-draw counter when she attacks!

I recite in my mind--<<Water Blade Grant>>.
Water is more effective against earth than wind.


A critical moment.
Our distance shortens.
She moves--.

"HAA!"
One slash!
ZAAN!
An image of blue light making an arc.
The sensation of deeply cutting flesh.
However, it seemed she evaded, I couldn't finish her!

"GYAAAA!!"
A grating cry echoed in the hall.
The black shadow swiftly comes close in anger.
--Kuh, she's too fast, I can't make her out!
I want to open my eyes to check it, but I can't do that.


However, a childish voice echoes in the hall.
"Mom, no nano!"
Dwoon!
A sound of something crashing, the nearby pillar shook.

I take out the mirror and see the image reflected in the mirror.

A little girl of around 10 year old wearing white dress has pushed down the black shadow from the back.
"mom, stop it! don't turn people to stone anymore!"
"u...uga...la pi sia."
"lapisia loves the kind mom nano! stop it nano!"
With her disheveled blue her Lapisia is repressing her mother. Her big eyes are golden colored.
"protect lapisia..... won't let kill."
"lapisia won't die! so stop it already!"
"protect.... kill hindrances...."
"mom!"

I was wondering why Lapisia was talking with baby talk, so it was because her mother was also doing that.
Or rather.
<TLN: Lapisia talks entirely in Katakana.>

I stands up with the gourd in my hand.
"Lapisia, holds down your mother."
"keika!? what are you gonna do!"
"Restoring your mother back to normal."
"really!? okay!"

When I saw that she didn't listen to her daughter, I understood that her anger was caused by a curse.
"stop....stop....!"
The black shadow struggled in the mirror.
However, the wound on her stomach is deep, she's unable to do it at full power.
Thus, even Lapisia who's a child could hold her down.


I came to their side while looking at the mirror.
I sprinkle water on the black shadow, and chant a spell.
"Pure brook flowing among the mountains  Wash away the evil purify--<<Purification Spring Water>>."
The black shadow is wrapped in pure light.
"Uuuuu.....Guwaaaa......!"
The black shadow writhe intensely.
"i-is mom alright nano....?"
Lapisia's golden eyes are looking at me anxiously.
"She's fine. Believe in me."

And then the black shadow changed into a white shadow.
She's wrapped in faint light, I can't exactly grasp her form.
Lapisia hugs the white shadow with all smile.
"mom, mom!"
"Lapisia.... I'm sorry to have left you alone."
"uun! mom was there for me! always! loves you!"
She's rubbing her childish face on her mother's chest. That face is shining like a sun.


The white shadow raises her face. A flat featureless face.
"There's no need to look at the mirror anymore. God of another world--Keika Hiko-no-Mikoto."
"Is that so. Rupersia, I cut you with all my might, are you alright?"
"Yes, somehow. As long as I don't move."
"Why did you turn into a vengeful spirit?"
"The demon king held my child hostage.... I had lost myself in anger."
"So he made use of a mother's love."
"I'm ashamed.... By the way."
"Nn?"
"Please take care of this child."

Lapisia raised her face. Her long blue hair spreads out.
"mom!? why nano!? are you going somewhere!?"
The mother reaches out and gently pats her child's head.
"I have to sleep for a while since I had been awake all this time, Lapisia."
"then lapisia will sleep together!"
The mother shakes her head. The white aura shook.
"You've already slept a lot haven't you? I can't sleep if Lapisia also sleeps, so stay awake okay?"
"it's bad if mom doesn't sleep?"
I speak.
"Lapisia, your mom will turn into vengeful spirit again if you won't let her sleep you know."
--Either of the earth Gods probably has to sleep as their duty as the Mother Earth God.

'Uu', tears accumulated on her golden eyes, she shook her head buzzingly. The blue hair furiously fluttered about.
"lapisia doesn't want that! --okay! lapisia will work hard!"
"You're a good child, Lapisia. Now then, Keika Hiko-no-Mikoto. Please take care of my child."
"I accept thy wish.... Well, as far as I can."
"That's quite enough, thank you. Then, Lapisia. Listen to this person, and be a good child okay.... And help him."
"un! will help keika!"
And then the white shadow dimly shook and disappeared by sinking into the ground.

Lapisia keeps patting the floor where her mother went.
"mom's gone...."
"Now, let's go Lapisia."
When I held out my hand, she tightly caught it.
"keika thank you for saving mom!"
"Ow ow, you grip it too strongly."
"lapisia, work hard!"
Determination glitters in her childish face.


And then, I heard a voice from behind a stone pillar.
"Is it fine now?"
"Yea, it's fine. Everything's over."
With fluttering blond hair, Celica approached while carrying the bag.
She looks downward at Lapisia who's joining hands with me.
"Is this person Lapisia-sama?"
"aunty, who?"
"Aunt...! I'm Celica! Call me onee-san okay."
"granny!!"
"What'd you say!"

Celica and Lapisia began to quarrel.
I sigh and warn her.
"Hey Lapisia! You mustn't make fun of people. And you're older than her anyway."
'Muu', Lapisia's soft cheeks swelled.
"lapisia loves keika! celica also loves keika! battle!"
"You can't. Get along with her."
'Bufuu', Lapisia seems dissatisfied but it looks like she understands as she goes silent.


Celica grasps my open hand.
"Even so. As expected of Keika-sama. ...I thought we were done for at that time."
Celica looks at the broken pillar and the dented wall.
"That was dangerous. As expected of a blow of God."
"And Keika-sama who won over that is wonderful."
"I wonder...."
--To be honest, I underestimated the hero's exam. To think the demon king was involved in the very exam itself.
Who was it that failed in Japan because he was conceited in being a God.
I have to be more careful until I'm qualified as a hero.

The old man came.
"Sorry to break it to you now. We're running out of time."
"How much we have left?"
"Seven minutes."
"This is bad! Let's hurry."

We went to the floor door.
The old man speaks while crouching.
"It only needs a key. I'm opening it."
With a rusty sound, the door opened.


A passage spreads out beyond the door.
There's a familiar looking iron door at the end. That's the outer wall's door of the tower.

"Hm, before that it'd be bad if they saw Lapisia. Put on the golem's robe to hide your figure."
"okay!"
She wears the robe from the above, covering her white dress.
The old man speaks.
"But wasn't it broadcasted?"
"With the possibility of anyone watching turning into stone, I don't think they would broadcast it."
"I see."
"Then, let's go."

We passed through the passage.
Right at that time, I felt like I heard Rupersia's voice.
『Please take care of the world.』
The people in this world asked too much.
I'm only doing this for myself.
Then I felt like I heard Rupersia's chuckle.

We opened the door, the evening red sky jumped into our view.




























Previous Chapter