Volume 4 Chapter 10 (2/2)

”…they're the strongest kind, huh. Or rather, in terms of performing surprise attacks, theirs go way beyond fair, right?”

On places they could construct their peeping window, they could observe from any which one and appear from there as well if needed.

I knew of only one such monster: Marcho's [Monster of the Covenant].

To make me realize my naivety before heading out to the Demon Lord Palace, she made her Covenant Monsters attack me.

During that, one monster suddenly appeared from my shadow. He looked and felt like a ninja but it might be better to say his ability fell under the classification of dimension manipulation.

”Have I been staring at the answer all along?”

I cursed inwardly. Marcho had definitely showed that monster's ability to test me and yet, despite that, I only connected the dots this late. So stupid, I thought as I pitied myself.

There was a high chance, I thought, that the monster she used to spy on me was either that one or the ones two ranks under it that she became able to buy when she made the former.

”Thank you. You have been greatly helpful. I guess what I should do now is to erect a barrier not only at my residence but also at Rorono's workshop. I'll also ask Aura to periodically suck out all the air in the important places so that all living creatures trapped in there will be killed. Additionally, I'll prohibit everyone from speaking about sensitive information except when they're in a completely soundproof room. That'll be enough for now, I guess.”

”Hmm, that's a really pragmatic response. However, that will only deal with the monsters I've mentioned. Moreover, if the barriers are too weak or if the enemy is too strong, they can just brute force the barrier and bring it down.”

”For the first point, we can only do so much but we must do it nonetheless. For your latter point, it doesn't really matter since if brute force was indeed used, we would know that there is something strange going on and be alerted to the presence of a monster that has a dimension manipulation ability.”

Kohaku nodded as though he was satisfied with my answer, much like a teacher would at his student.

”Ah, you really are smart. Really worthy of my service.”

”I'm happy that you say that. And, I'll be relying on you more from now on, Kohaku.”

”Yeah, I'm almost fully recovered too.”

”Good, that's encouraging. Can I ask a question though? Have you ever thought of wanting to return by your former master's side? Your master before [Steel], I mean.”

”I most certainly have. I have thought of my beloved former master, my important comrades, and my subordinates who look up to me.”

Kohaku nonchalantly said so.

”My former master has deemed it necessary that I be the one to be sent to test you. In the moment he gave me that order, I guess he had already predicted my defeat and death. No, he might have even foresaw that I would come to serve you. …that is perfectly plausible for him. But if that is so, being here and serving you, I can't consider it other than my destiny.”

He really had faith for his former master. For that reason, I had come to a decision.

”As we agreed upon, I will not ask you to tell me anything about your former master but if by chance I run into him and we come into a negotiation, I intend to trade you back, for favorable terms, of course.”

”That, wouldn't that be unnecessary?”

”I think that it is necessary for I can see that your heart yearns for your former master. And if that really is so, I think it would be for your best interest that you be with him. I would lose you but as I said, it won't be for charity; I intend to get as much as is taken.”

”Kakaka, you really are interesting. I might someday truly, from the bottom of my heart, admire you as my master. If that happens, I'll ask that those negotiations be stopped.”

”Oh please do. If your heart truly belongs to me, I will absolutely never let you go. I value you not only for your abilities and knowledge but also for your character.”

Kohaku and I both laughed.

With that, my task there was complete.

”Kohaku, Aura, I have decided that for the next monster to be made with [Creation], it will one with the ability to manipulate dimensions.”

”That's great! After all, even I can't deal with enemies that are in another dimension.”

Aura commented so.

Under the assumption that monster that can manipulate dimensions can only be dealt with one that can do the same, we were truly in deadly situation. It was though an unseen dagger was being pressed against our throats.

With that decided, all that was left was to figure out how to make that monster.

What medals should I use, I wondered. …don't I have one closely related to other dimensions, I then suddenly thought. The identity of that medal was…

”I'll be going now. Thank you, Kohaku, Aura.”

In order to not forget the thoughts in my head as well as to examine them further, I headed back home.

And so, I looked forward to monster that I was going to make next.

That then reminded me of the only [Creation] medal I traded away. I wonder how it was used, I thought.

The one I traded it to was the [Time] Demon Lord Dantalian, one of the strongest Demon Lords still alive.

I then wondered just how strong a monster could be when my [Creation] medal was used to its fullest potential by him.

That being said, it was still only one medal. Whereas I had four S rank monsters beginning with Kuina. I have nothing to fear, I thought.