Until a moment ago, she was itching to break free from that cage. Now, though, she's not keen on stepping out at all. This reluctance stemmed from foreseeing a future where, the moment they stepped out, they would turn into mere debris.
"Again..."
Tiriel tightened her staff.
"... I need to apply enchantment once more!!"
Everything else didn't matter. Unlike the last time, where she piled on five skills and even added telepathy through channeling, this time, two skills were plenty. Tiriel's clear mind, boosted by the pressure, calculated the most efficient way.
Because of what Titania said, Tiriel got a rough idea about enchantments that work well. <Elven Highness Grace>, which, through the grace of her ancestor god Falcidal, resists all bad statuses, including curses, and brings luck, and <Supernatural Resonance>, which uses the resonance of spirits to continue to gain magical power from Mother Nature, even if it's just a little bit.
These two skills alone could be quickly cocktailed together and given to him simultaneously.
"But, my magic power..."
Since then, Tiriel's magic power stayed consistently low. She felt oddly light for a few days, so she didn't realize Gevaudan's enchantment had worn off. She should have noticed when telepathy wasn't working. Maybe the relief of getting help and the surprise of Gevaudan talking like Mifosis made her complacent. Either way, she hadn't recovered enough magic power to use two major techniques.
"I have this!"
Immediately, Kyo took out a pitch-black drink from the mushroom hat.
"T-This is!"
"Behold, the highest-grade magic restoration potion, <100% Freshly-squeezed Monster Shroom Black Energy Ψ>!"
"Is it real?! Not just some cheap knockoff?!"
"Maybe... but if what Gevaudan said about getting it from a treasure chest is true, then it's probably the real deal!"
"A treasure chest...?"
Though the word seemed unrelated to Gevaudan, Tiriel ignored it. Right now, there was a more pressing challenge to tackle.
"Now, how do we safely lure Gevaudan in that state into the cage?"
She really emphasized the "safely" part.
The skill cocktail required a ritual that involved utilizing a magic circle. To stack enchantments, the target had to be positioned within the magic circle. However, placing the current Gevaudan into the cage would unquestionably result in their instant death.
"Subduing him peacefully...With his weakness... ――Aaah!"
*Ping!* In Tiriel's mind, Arshella's words flashed by.
――You're so easy to catch, You're so damn pervert...
"''Seduction... ''"
Tiriel and Kyo's voices harmonized. At that moment, the two of them understood each other thoughts perfectly.
"My friends have succeeded once."
"Seduction, on that Gevaudan-san?! What in the..."
"It was a spectacular scene. Dragonkin, Lilith, and a nine-tailed fox all ganged up... They were all destroyed. I got my fair share too... and then..."
"Lilith and the nine-tailed fox are like the two biggest sexual powerhouses, right?! Even against that, he couldn't be stopped... If he goes that far, I might even start to respect him. I-I just want him to go as far as he can..."
Watching Gevaudan rampage, Kyo sent him a look of admiration.
"Well then, I'll draw the magic circle. Kyo, can you use your charm on Gevaudan to lure him in?"
"No, no, that's impossible for me."
As if saying 'You don't get it,' Kyo shook her head.
"Gevaudan-san said it himself. He finds Tiriel-san cute. If I'm a weed, Tiriel-san is an elegant flower in a vase."
"Oh, really? Gevaudan has good eyes then. I feel bad for Ferris, but did my signature homemade cooking win over his stomach? Ehehe..."
"Well, he was showing some strange motivation, saying he'd definitely breakthrough that virgin barrier and impale you like skewers and all that."
"..."
"If he likes you that much, then Tiriel-san would indeed be more effective."
"No, no, no, no, no, no! It's impossible! With this frail body, I'll never catch the eye of that playboy. Absolutely not. In this case, it's best for an experienced adventurer like you to set an example! Please! Senpai!"
"It's no good! I'm an Oni! Misfortune will come knocking!"
"Oni...? You're an Oni? Well, for now, that's not matter! In the first place, there's no way I can deal with Gevaudan while simultaneously casting two of my greater skills!! Do you know what will happen if his switch is flipped?!"
"Of course, I know! I'm his victim too!"
"I see..." Tiriel lowered her voice, a hint of sympathy in her voice.
"Besides, Gevaudan's switch is always on, right? The off function is utterly broken!"
"I can't... it's just too much."
"You can do it, Tiriel. Believe in yourself!"
Kyo irresponsibly encouraged Tiriel, who had covered her face with both hands.
"Why is this happening to me? I'm just a student... ――Ah!?"
The pointless blame game stopped abruptly with a loud noise.
A hot wind blew through the cage.
Both covered their ears and looked toward the source.
Nearly half the settlement had melted. Buildings, trees, and even the soil had turned a deep red.
"..."
Once again, they interlocked fingers, shivering.
―― If the skill had been directed towards them...
"Let's do it together."
"Yes, let's do that. It's a race against time."
They synchronized their breathing.
Dividing the tasks, they began drawing the magic circle in the cage. Then, Tiriel placed her hand on her waist and chugged the 100% Freshly-squeezed Monster Shroom Black Energy Ψ in one go.
"Eew"
The good medicine tasted bitter.
"Hold on!"
Kyo patted Tiriel's back as tears welled up in her eyes.
"What's this smell... and why does it taste so bitter, like my mouth is drying up..."
"It's the ultimate drink, combining the rare body fluid of a rarely encountered monster called 'Monster Shroom' with precious herbal medicine!"
"This drink is unparalleled, combining the rare body fluid of a rarely encountered <Monster Shroom> 's body build and precious herbal medicine!"
"Monster body fluid... Freshly squeezed, bleh-"
Preparations were made at a rapid pace. Meanwhile, Yakumo had been holding something to his mouth in the corner of the cell for a while. It seemed like he was blowing into it, but there was no sound. What was that? However, Tiriel didn't have the luxury to question Yakumo's mysterious actions at the moment. She temporarily pushed his strange behavior out of her consciousness.
Tiriel stood in the center of the magic circle, taking deep breaths. It was clear that this was a desperate measure. Even so, there was no other choice but to do it.
"We only have one shot."
"Yes. We'll lure him in together, and when he enters, Tiriel-san will initiate the Skill. After that, until it takes effect, both of us..."
"You don't have to say it all. Trust me. Despite appearances, I'm confident in Arcana-type skills."
"I believe in you. Regardless of the outcome, I won't hold it against you."
They shared a firm handshake, like comrades who had known each other for decades.
And so, to embark on the dramatic turnabout that could change everything, the two started taking off their clothes.
Until a moment ago, she was itching to break free from that cage. Now, though, she's not keen on stepping out at all. This reluctance stemmed from foreseeing a future where, the moment they stepped out, they would turn into mere debris.
"Again..."
Tiriel tightened her staff.
"... I need to apply enchantment once more!!"
Everything else didn't matter. Unlike the last time, where she piled on five skills and even added telepathy through channeling, this time, two skills were plenty. Tiriel's clear mind, boosted by the pressure, calculated the most efficient way.
Because of what Titania said, Tiriel got a rough idea about enchantments that work well. <Elven Highness Grace>, which, through the grace of her ancestor god Falcidal, resists all bad statuses, including curses, and brings luck, and <Supernatural Resonance>, which uses the resonance of spirits to continue to gain magical power from Mother Nature, even if it's just a little bit.
These two skills alone could be quickly cocktailed together and given to him simultaneously.
"But, my magic power..."
Since then, Tiriel's magic power stayed consistently low. She felt oddly light for a few days, so she didn't realize Gevaudan's enchantment had worn off. She should have noticed when telepathy wasn't working. Maybe the relief of getting help and the surprise of Gevaudan talking like Mifosis made her complacent. Either way, she hadn't recovered enough magic power to use two major techniques.
"I have this!"
Immediately, Kyo took out a pitch-black drink from the mushroom hat.
"T-This is!"
"Behold, the highest-grade magic restoration potion, <100% Freshly-squeezed Monster Shroom Black Energy Ψ>!"
"Is it real?! Not just some cheap knockoff?!"
"Maybe... but if what Gevaudan said about getting it from a treasure chest is true, then it's probably the real deal!"
"A treasure chest...?"
Though the word seemed unrelated to Gevaudan, Tiriel ignored it. Right now, there was a more pressing challenge to tackle.
"Now, how do we safely lure Gevaudan in that state into the cage?"
She really emphasized the "safely" part.
The skill cocktail required a ritual that involved utilizing a magic circle. To stack enchantments, the target had to be positioned within the magic circle. However, placing the current Gevaudan into the cage would unquestionably result in their instant death.
"Subduing him peacefully...With his weakness... ――Aaah!"
*Ping!* In Tiriel's mind, Arshella's words flashed by.
――You're so easy to catch, You're so damn pervert...
"''Seduction... ''"
Tiriel and Kyo's voices harmonized. At that moment, the two of them understood each other thoughts perfectly.
"My friends have succeeded once."
"Seduction, on that Gevaudan-san?! What in the..."
"It was a spectacular scene. Dragonkin, Lilith, and a nine-tailed fox all ganged up... They were all destroyed. I got my fair share too... and then..."
"Lilith and the nine-tailed fox are like the two biggest sexual powerhouses, right?! Even against that, he couldn't be stopped... If he goes that far, I might even start to respect him. I-I just want him to go as far as he can..."
Watching Gevaudan rampage, Kyo sent him a look of admiration.
"Well then, I'll draw the magic circle. Kyo, can you use your charm on Gevaudan to lure him in?"
"No, no, that's impossible for me."
As if saying 'You don't get it,' Kyo shook her head.
"Gevaudan-san said it himself. He finds Tiriel-san cute. If I'm a weed, Tiriel-san is an elegant flower in a vase."
"Oh, really? Gevaudan has good eyes then. I feel bad for Ferris, but did my signature homemade cooking win over his stomach? Ehehe..."
"Well, he was showing some strange motivation, saying he'd definitely breakthrough that virgin barrier and impale you like skewers and all that."
"..."
"If he likes you that much, then Tiriel-san would indeed be more effective."
"No, no, no, no, no, no! It's impossible! With this frail body, I'll never catch the eye of that playboy. Absolutely not. In this case, it's best for an experienced adventurer like you to set an example! Please! Senpai!"
"It's no good! I'm an Oni! Misfortune will come knocking!"
"Oni...? You're an Oni? Well, for now, that's not matter! In the first place, there's no way I can deal with Gevaudan while simultaneously casting two of my greater skills!! Do you know what will happen if his switch is flipped?!"
"Of course, I know! I'm his victim too!"
"I see..." Tiriel lowered her voice, a hint of sympathy in her voice.
"Besides, Gevaudan's switch is always on, right? The off function is utterly broken!"
"I can't... it's just too much."
"You can do it, Tiriel. Believe in yourself!"
Kyo irresponsibly encouraged Tiriel, who had covered her face with both hands.
"Why is this happening to me? I'm just a student... ――Ah!?"
The pointless blame game stopped abruptly with a loud noise.
A hot wind blew through the cage.
Both covered their ears and looked toward the source.
Nearly half the settlement had melted. Buildings, trees, and even the soil had turned a deep red.
"..."
Once again, they interlocked fingers, shivering.
―― If the skill had been directed towards them...
"Let's do it together."
"Yes, let's do that. It's a race against time."
They synchronized their breathing.
Dividing the tasks, they began drawing the magic circle in the cage. Then, Tiriel placed her hand on her waist and chugged the 100% Freshly-squeezed Monster Shroom Black Energy Ψ in one go.
"Eew"
The good medicine tasted bitter.
"Hold on!"
Kyo patted Tiriel's back as tears welled up in her eyes.
"What's this smell... and why does it taste so bitter, like my mouth is drying up..."
"It's the ultimate drink, combining the rare body fluid of a rarely encountered monster called 'Monster Shroom' with precious herbal medicine!"
"This drink is unparalleled, combining the rare body fluid of a rarely encountered <Monster Shroom> 's body build and precious herbal medicine!"
"Monster body fluid... Freshly squeezed, bleh-"
Preparations were made at a rapid pace. Meanwhile, Yakumo had been holding something to his mouth in the corner of the cell for a while. It seemed like he was blowing into it, but there was no sound. What was that? However, Tiriel didn't have the luxury to question Yakumo's mysterious actions at the moment. She temporarily pushed his strange behavior out of her consciousness.
Tiriel stood in the center of the magic circle, taking deep breaths. It was clear that this was a desperate measure. Even so, there was no other choice but to do it.
"We only have one shot."
"Yes. We'll lure him in together, and when he enters, Tiriel-san will initiate the Skill. After that, until it takes effect, both of us..."
"You don't have to say it all. Trust me. Despite appearances, I'm confident in Arcana-type skills."
"I believe in you. Regardless of the outcome, I won't hold it against you."
They shared a firm handshake, like comrades who had known each other for decades.
And so, to embark on the dramatic turnabout that could change everything, the two started taking off their clothes.
