V7C155 (2/2)

“Grape.”

That was a joke but apparently, she likes grapes.

I took out grapes from my item bag.

It was grapes meant for winemaking so Japanese people like me don’t really like it due to its milder sweetness but it was grapes that can’t be eaten normally in this world.

“Could you answer the question if I give this to you?”

“Sorry but no.”

“ … I see … haa, you can have it.”

I placed the grapes in front of 417.

417 looked at the grapes slightly before she plucked a single one and placed it in her mouth.

It should have seeds inside it but she chewed it whole and swallowed.

“Hey, it’s tough calling you 417 so can I call you by another name? It’s a strange feeling to call a person using numbers.”

“That command is only executable by my master.”

“Master … so I can do so if I answer the numbers you gave out just now?”

“Yes.”

Haa, so I have to solve the code.

There are usually hints to answering such ciphers and the answers can only be derived from there but I had not gotten my hands on any hints on the way here.

Perhaps Haru who was close to the Demon Lord might have known something.

“I wonder what exactly is the answer.”

I murmured to nobody in particular.

“It is 1417-3.”

417 answered.

“ … Eh? 1417-3?”

“Password verified. From now, ownership shall be set as Ichinojo. Setting complete.”

“ … I’ve become your master?”

“Yes, master. Please order me to do anything.”

417 answered monotonously.

… This girl is way too broken.

“As expected of Ichino-sama. To be able to discover such a trick.”

“No, rather than a trick, I think it’s more like a bug … erm, your current … or rather, who was your previous master?

“Daijiro-sama.”

“Daijiro-san!? Seriously? Daijiro-san was your previous master?”

I was astonished to hear the name of my benefactor here.

That person is seriously amazing. He was the companion of the hero who defeated the Demon Lord, he created doujinshi and he was the former master of 417, in other words, he conquered this artificial labyrinth.

“What did Daijiro-san instruct you to do?”

“To raise the temperature of the hot spring and set it as 55 degrees 96500 hours ago.”

“ … Did Daijiro-san not want anybody to enter?”

“Also, he entrusted this to me.”

She pressed a button and a part of the floor opened.

Then, the item that appeared was ─ a beautiful crystal ball.

“Daijiro-sama left a message so I shall convey it now. 『This jewel is meant to seal a certain someone so it must be sealed here. If you chance upon seeing this jewel, I beg of you. Please re-seal it. 』 … That is all.”

I couldn’t not comply after hearing such a request.

After I requested 417 to re-seal it, the jewel was once again sucked into the floor.

※※※

Winding a few minutes back in time.

Miri and the others were having a small victory celebration at a diner located in Korat.

“No way, I didn’t expect that Prince-sama to be the mastermind.”

“It seemed to me that there was quite an obvious hint though.”

“ … We’re in the middle of our meal so could you please quiet down?”

Norn who was slightly excited, Kanon who was calm and Miri who was slightly in a bad mood.

They had just resolved a large incident in the country of Korat that might have shaken the world but it was a long story so we will talk about it some other day.

It happened when Miri was feeling bored of the cooking that consisted solely of vegetables.

She sensed it. A slight fluctuation in the flow of magical power to the south ─ her sealed power was being released.

However, after about three minutes, Miri’s power was sealed once again.

Those three minutes were sufficient. She was able to confirm the location of the seal.

“ … Norn, Kanon, I’ll give you 1 week of free time. A place that I must go to suddenly came up … also.”

Miri created keys of darkness and pierced their chests.

“Eh?”

Norn raised a voice of surprise but Kanon obediently accepted it as if she understood what it was for.

“I’ve sealed your hearts such that you can’t talk to others about me. Just in case, to make sure.If that fellow comes by, Kanon, deal with him properly.”

“Yes. Have a safe trip, master.”

“Don’t be too wasteful with the money.”

Miri reminded them as she placed down money for their current meal and meal expenses for a while before leaving the diner.

Then, she summoned Fenrir and ran towards the south.

“It’s been a long time, Norn-san, Kanon-san.”

Haurvatat entered the diner just 30 minutes later.