10-14. Mansion of Ivy
Satou's here. Basements appeared a lot in mystery (works), but when I was in Japan, I had never even seen one. I wonder if it's really because of the problem with the law and tax that people build it above ground instead after all?
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I don't know the exact location of this Mansion of Ivy, but it's easy to look for it. When I used [Spirit Seer] skill as instructed by Mia, I could see one section of the labyrinth city where the spirits had gathered. After that it was as simple as marking it on the map, and going there via the shortest route.
The Mansion of Ivy is located in the northern side of the labyrinth city. It's to the west of the north gate, at the end of the wealthy area just before the pleasure quarter. There is a lush green park not far off the rampart, and the mansion of ivy exists there.
Just like the name implies, it's covered with ivy. The mansion is less than half as big compared to other mansions in this area of the wealthy, but the land size seems to be about as big. Transparent water is flowing in two meters wide moat outside the mansion hedges. Since there are low hedges outside the moat, it seems the moat is also part of the Mansion of Ivy. The clear water that flows in the moat seems to be flowing to the pond on the park via a small canal.
The area around here is slightly elevated several meters above compared to the neighborhood. The water that has flown to the pond seems to be flowing into the town through small waterways.
The carriage suddenly changes its course just before the Mansion of Ivy.
"What's wrong Lulu?"
"I'm sorry, I don't know why but I feel that I have to change the carriage's course no matter what."
The log displays [『Forest of Hesitation (Return Home)』 magic is successfully resisted]. It seems to be some kind of people clearing magic.
"It seems that there's a magic under effect, so I will take only Mia along from here. Everyone wait here for a bit."
I tell so to everyone and go with Mia to the Mansion of Ivy.
Mia is acting normally, I wonder if this magic does not work on elves. Just in case, I pass the medallion from Giril to Mia.
There's an archway arbor with waist-height white trees that acts as the front gate. However, there's a moat that's full of water just beyond that gate, yet there is no bridge to cross it.
When I check with magic Perception, it seems that the low moat is under effect of space-based magic. According to Giril, the owner of this mansion is Trazayuya-shi, I wonder if he wanted to make a fortress? Or maybe the security in the area was so bad that you couldn't be at ease without doing this much.
『Gate, open, I am Misanalia of Boruenan Forest. Gatekeeper, Come here quickly.』
Mia read the phrase for opening the gate that's written on the back of the medallion. Even though Mia usually rarely talks, she sure is good at reciting lines isn't she.
A little girl was peeking on the opposite side of the main gate, and when our eyes met, she hid behind the gate. She's a House Fairy (Brownie). Her green hair that's nearly black is put in short ponytail.
『Gatekeeper, Come here quickly』
Yielding to the repeated lines of Mia, a bridge appears between the gates. It's a transparent bridge that looks like a glass.
"Nn."
I grasp Mia's hand which she has presented, and we cross the bridge toghether.
"Misanalia-sama, I am the guard of this Mansion of Ivy, Leriril, Giril's granddaughter."
"Just call me Mia."
"I cannot do such thing. To call elf-sama with their nickname! Please call me Leriril without honorific."
"Nn, Leriril."
Giril was also like her, but compared to him Leriril looks far more child-like. From human's standpoint, she looks like a 6-7 years old child. By the way, she's a 60 years old girl. I feel like she'd be mad at me if I say Kanreki. Her level is quite high at 20. She has hiding skill and race-specific skills. She seems to be an expert of scouting and the like.
"By the way, Misanalia-sama, who is that human brat over there? A mere human being holding hands with the honorable elf-sama, how extremely rude of him. Let me teach him his position."
I got suddenly dissed during our first meeting.
The people in the elf hometown didn't discriminate against humans, but I wonder if she has come to hate humans after being surrounded by them? I wonder why, I somehow feel that I can't defend the humans.
"Rude. Satou is my fiance."
"Eh? Eeh? That's a joke right?"
"Mwu, officially approved by parents."
"Hahaha, that, that cannot be~"
Leriril waved both her hands round and round to deny Mia's fiance remark as it seemed to be shocking for her. She passed her limit when she heard about the approval of Mia's parents, she fainted.
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We can't exactly let her sleep here just like this, so we bring her to a tree shade and lay her on a sheet.
Sometimes refreshing cool breeze blows from the greeneries that exist due to the moat that surrounds the mansion ground. In the dusty labyrinth city, it's only here and the park surrounding it that feel like it's from another world.
"Ha, I saw a bad dream."
"Nn, dream?"
"Yes, an elf-sama was seduced by a human brat."
What a rude thing to say toward the youngster who had carried you to a tree shade and nursed you.
She gets up unsteadily, and looks toward Mia in a surprise. And then, she seemed to have sensed my presence, she turned toward me in an awkward robot-like movement. I'll leave out the uproar afterward, and just write down that it's quite difficult to deal with the little girl.
"Now then, Misanalia-sama and Satou, please come here."
Leriril who has finally concedes my existence leads us into the mansion. Arisa and the other who are waiting outside have been excluded from the effect of [Forest of Hesitation (Return Home)], and since I've called them with [Telephone], they will probably come here soon.
It seems the Medal of Proxy that Leriril carries can control the entrance bridge and the isolation magic. The Medal of Manager that Mia carries has higher authority than Leriril's medal.
"And, am I wrong to assume that Misanalia-sama is the new master of the Mansion of Ivy?"
"No. The master is Satou."
"Eh? That br-, Satou, is?"
Was she going to say brat?
Well, it's not wrong for an old woman on her 60 to call me brat though.
"Yeah, Giril told me to go ahead and use this mansion if I'm staying in labyrinth city. That medal is also something that he has entrusted to me."
"Ceh, that senile old man.... No, from esteemed grandfather is it? I can't believe it."
"Mwu, fact."
No no, Leriril. You're too late for the retake. You've gone and said him as senile old man after all.
"Err, maybe grandfather was being senile, no his physical condition was bad at the time?"
This child really has a bad mouth.
"Satou is the benefactor of Boruenan Forest. A friend of Aze."
"By Aze, do you perhaps mean Aialize-sama the high elf? For a high elf-sama to show herself before a human! Moreover, friend is it? Even though high elf-sama is the heaven holy priest that can even be called a demi-god."
I'd have been fine if she falsify her as my lover. However, something like demi-god or heaven holy priest really, those are the most unsuitable names for Aialize-san.
"Yes, I've gotten along well with her. I have been taught Spirit Magic and Spirit Seer by her, and even taken to the observatory of the world tree."
After getting greatly shaken, Leriril fell on the floor and prostrated to beg forgiveness for her impoliteness. Moreover, she said, "I can't call you without honorifics if you're the friend of high elf-sama", and added [Sama] to call me. Afterward, she also calls other members with [Sama] since they're also Aialize-san's friends.
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"Misanalia-sama and everyone else too, please enter."
Guided by Leriril, we enter the mansion. The inside is of an extremely normal mansion. There is a mirror at the end of a narrow passage that's located in one corner of the living room and hard to find.
She holds her medal out, and waves-like light appear on the surface of the mirror.
"Please follow me."
And then she jumps into the mirror. Oh, that looks like a mirror that could take you to another world, wait, this is already another world. According to the map, Leriril is 10 meters below the ground, so this is probably some kind of teleport gate. After confirming that, I also follow.
The space is awfully bright even though it's underground. The ceiling is also more than three meters high. This brightness is just like the outside. Most likely, there are plants with light fiber stalks like we have on the labyrinth villa's ceiling, or some kind of magic that transmit the light from outside here.
The place in five meters radius from here is like a courtyard, weeds that look like lawn are growing. When I confirm on the map, it seems the Mansion of Ivy occupies the same space as the park above underground. It's extended 30-50 meters underground. There are more than 100 rooms it seems. There are also workshops and facilities that Trazayuya-shi has used, I have to ask if I can use it later.
"Here is the main building of the Mansion of Ivy. The mansion on the ground above is a fake for visitors."
"He's quite the careful one."
"Trazayuya-sama was a gentleman that was called the elf sage. Esteemed grandfather has told me that sage-sama had a lot of magic tools and magic engineering inventions, and when sage-sama was inside the labyrinth, there were always thieves or nations that aimed for his assets."
I see, it's not because of paranoia, but self-defense huh.
"Even now, every time the viceroy is replaced, they always attack with armed groups trying to make this mansion into their possession."
Yet it doesn't fall, isn't that amazing?
"High level explorers should be able to break through it though?"
"Anyone who lives in this city absolutely won't attack the Mansion of Ivy."
Leriril declared so full of confidence toward Arisa's question.
"After all, the Fake Core of this mansion is the thing that maintains the water source of this city."
"Uwah, taking a hold of the lifeline huh, Trazayuya is good. As expected of sage-sama."
Leriril doesn't seem to know the detail, but the thing about Fake Core is written in the documents that he has left behind. According to it, it was a magic tool that preceded the Maze Core, and it was made using large amount of Philosopher's Stones. It seems to be a good system that can do various things like absorbing magic power from the Earth's Vein nearby, using preset functions, or supplying magic power into the magic tools that are connected to it.
In this case, it uses the function of the Fake Core to draw out the water from the underground water vein.
"However, in that case, isn't it bad if we live here?"
"That's right, it'll be fine if we're inside the mansion, but a mansion dweller who's wandering outside the mansion could become a hostage, we might get involved in various troubles~"
Arisa also agrees. However, I'd love to use the facilities here.
"What about buying a house outside and enter here from there? We can just use master's or my space magic to go in and out."
"You're right, let's go with that."
Let's ask about the dummy house from the marchioness or the general if there's one that's a good fit.
After having a tea party to get ourselves acquainted, we chose our rooms in the mansion, put the carved seal board, and then left toward the inn.
Additionally, the castella was quite popular with everyone.