Chapter 14 Visibly Uncomfortable

As I gazed upon the magnificent Crystal of Monster Warding, I expressed my thoughts, saying, "After careful consideration, I've been thinking about using Ice magic. Lumi mentioned that it lies within the town's boundaries, eliminating the need for an escort. Ice magic seems versatile, offering both defensive and offensive capabilities."

Helen regarded me with mild curiosity before calmly asking, "Thinking? It sounds as if you had the option to make a choice."

Without delving too deeply into the matter, I nonchalantly responded, "Lumi gave me several crystals for testing, and it turns out I am compatible with all of them. But since the other boxes are located outside the town's boundaries, I decided to settle on ice magic."

Helen's surprise and excitement were evident, causing me to regret my openness. "Compatible with all the boxes? That's truly remarkable. Well, It must be a result of your origins from another world... Oh..."

"Oh..."

I was surprised by the fact that she knew about my origins, and it seemed she hadn't intended to disclose that information.

Now I understood why she referred to me as a 'wonder boy' when we first met, as she had known my name all along.

An awkward silence enveloped us for a few seconds. Helen appeared visibly uncomfortable after her slip of the tongue, inadvertently revealing that she knew I come from another world. Come to think of it, Bill the Minotaur had also referred to me in such a manner.

Summoning my courage, I risked asking, "Um... you're aware that I come from another world? How do you know that? Only Lumi and Alitia were supposed to be aware. Who else knows?"

Helen sighed, dropping the pretense and confessing, "Oh, to hell with it. The truth is, all the council members are aware, as are Olivia, Lumi's parents, and Alitia. In fact, we assembled that day specifically to discuss what to do with you and evaluate your situation. Given our lack of knowledge about you, coupled with your unconsciousness, we decided to entrust you to Lumi and her parents for the time being. Since she summoned you, you are her problem now."

I was shaken by this revelation. "Wait, every member of the council knows? Even Valerius?"

"Yes, of course, he does, Valerius is one of the council members and the headmaster of the MIS in Luminecia. But please, act as if I didn't reveal this information. I'll face an onslaught of criticism from the council if word gets out. I'm counting on you."

A sense of suspicion gnawed at me as I weighed Valerius's involvement.

 "This Valerius character seems highly suspicious. I don't want to make baseless accusations, but based on what Lumi has told me, I can't shake the feeling that he might be connected to the assault on her."

Helen seemed slightly surprised by my sudden accusation, and I realized that I was merely blowing hot air without any substantial evidence or motive to support my claim.

"What? Valerius? Hahah! Well, I suppose he does give off a certain professor-like aura, always brooding and acting intellectually superior. It might seem like he looks down on others, strictly adhering to rules and regulations. But I find it hard to believe he would do anything to harm Lumi."

Realizing that pressing the conversation further would only lead to a dead-end, I decided to drop the subject. After all, Helen appeared to place great trust in Valerius, and baseless accusations would only serve to alienate us.

"I guess you're right. You've known him far longer than I have. I'm sure you possess more knowledge about the assassination attempt than I do. I apologize for throwing out accusations without any evidence or leads... However, I would like to understand why anyone would want to harm Lumi."

Helen remained composed and reasonable, showing no signs of overreacting to any of my inquiries or comments.

"That's quite simple. Lumi is the only one capable of tuning the crystal, allowing all the different monster races to coexist in this town. The crystal serves as a Monster Warding device, repelling hostile creatures. Ordinarily, only dwarves, elves, and humans would be able to reside here. However, Lumi uses her mana manipulation, rune coding sequences, and the power of the light magic box to adjust the crystal's frequencies, enabling all monsters to enter while warding off the wild ones."

I could see where the conversation was leading, understanding what Helen intended to convey.

"In other words, there are those who dislike the harmonious coexistence of monster races and other races... With Lumi out of the picture, the crystal would function as intended, driving the monsters away from the town's boundaries, leaving only dwarves, elves, and humans."

Helen nodded in agreement.

 "Precisely. Unfortunately, we have no leads regarding who ordered the assassination or the assassin's motive. He didn't tell any information until the very end."

Her words sparked a flicker of concern within me.

 "Until the very end? What do you..."

Before I could finish my question, Helen's expression turned serious, making it abundantly clear that prying any further would not yield favorable results.

"Kazuki. Your better off not knowing what happened to him... So? Any other questions?"

The message in her tone was clear as day and I decided it would be best to change the subject. I was curious to learn more from Helen about what it felt like to wield the power of the magic box.

"Lumi mentioned that you are a gravity magic box power user. How does it compare to other magic powers?" I asked, eager to understand her abilities.

Helen explained with a touch of pride.

"Well, no one has managed to defeat me in a magic battle so far. Manipulating gravity gives me a significant advantage. Imagine being crushed under the weight of your own body; that's what my opponents face... Acquiring gravity magic is no easy feat; it might be the hardest of all. It has been quite some time since I attained the rank of a 5-star MBPU, and as far as I know, there are no other 5-star magic box power users like me." 

"Wow! It's like getting a super rare SSR character from a Gatcha game," I said, drawing a parallel between her powers and popular gaming references.

"I'm not familiar with SSR or Gatcha games, but yes, you can consider it super rare. However, I don't mean to belittle other magic powers; each one has its strengths and uses," Helen clarified, acknowledging the diversity of magical abilities.

Her words intrigued me, and I couldn't help but ask, "Can you show me some of your gravity magic in action?"

A playful glint sparkled in Helen's eyes, and she grinned mischievously. "Of course, why not? Watch closely."

With a graceful wave of her hand, the air around us seemed to ripple, and I felt a slight tug as if gravity had momentarily shifted. A nearby object, a small rock, levitated before our eyes, defying the laws of nature. Helen manipulated the gravitational forces with finesse, making the rock float, dance, and spin in the air.

"Impressive, isn't it?" she said, her tone tinged with amusement.

Even though it was just a rock floating in the air, I was in awe, witnessing the inspiring display of her powers.

 "Totally! It's fascinating. I can see why gravity magic would be so powerful for offense and control," I replied, trying to contain my excitement.

Helen's hand gently rested on my shoulder as she reassured me, "Oh, calm down. That floating rock was merely a party trick. If you truly want to witness the magnitude of my power, imagine this - I can flatten a mountain, reducing it to ground level."

The image of such immense power was difficult for me to fathom. The mere thought sent a shiver down my spine, intensifying the fear I already felt in Helen's presence. Her capabilities surpassed anything I had ever encountered, making me realize the depth of her strength and authority.

I shifted the conversation's direction and curiously asked, "If I may ask, how did you manage to create such a magnificent town? If it's not too intrusive of a question, of course."

A smile played on Helen's lips as she began recounting the arduous journey.

"Ah, Luminecia... It was not built on mere goodwill and empty wishes, but rather through the culmination of relentless effort, tears, sweat, and even lives sacrificed in the pursuit of a shared dream. Allow me to share a tale that embodies the spirit of Luminecia's humble beginnings."

She leaned forward, her voice filled with both pride and a touch of sadness.

 "The birth of my grand vision began with a scrawny, abused goblin named Hermit. He was a pitiful creature, constantly getting himself into perilous situations for the sake of insignificant matters. Trapped within his own kind as a slave, he yearned for a peaceful life, free from the chains of oppression. It was through Hermit's transformation that the path to Luminecia's creation began."

A spark of admiration flickered within me as Helen continued her tale.

 "Hermit, now one of the council members representing the goblins, played an important role. Together, we rallied the enslaved goblin population, freeing them from their torment and igniting a flicker of hope within their hearts. I got my hands on some land, at first it was a shelter to house the freed goblins but these goblin slaves, with little training, became the backbone of Luminecia's construction. Alongside skilled dwarves and members of other races, they formed a formidable force of builders."

Helen's eyes glistened with the memories of their victories.

 "We embarked on daring raids, liberating goblin farms and rescuing Hermit's fellow enslaved kin. With each successful endeavor, our ranks swelled, and Luminecia began to take shape as a humble small goblin town under my protection and my friends. From those modest beginnings, we expanded and grew, attracting settlers from other towns who shared our vision of a harmonious and prosperous society. The big role for the population was due to the fact that I secured three magic boxes within a town."