“...Very well, would you like to shove them back into my blouse?”
“I said I’m quite fine, thanks!” I yelled at her, quite irritated. Seemed that this girl contained a twinge of the doctor’s personality, as well. It really ticked me off.
“I recognize you formally as a man suitable for the job. Therefore, I, Number Twenty-One, Bell Flora, hereby relinquish myself to you. Please treat me well, Master.” Flora adjusted her outfit and gave me a beaming smile.
Just as I’d expected, this girl was a whole heap of trouble. Before I could even process my thoughts, she violently grabbed me by the face and pulled my lips to hers. No, not again!
“Augh!” Just like with Cesca and Rosetta, she swirled her tongue around the inside of my mouth. Mmph, hey! Get off me... I— Help! After spending a short while violating my mouth with her tongue, Flora pulled back. Not before nibbling my lower lip, though.
“Mm, genetic registration confirmed. Your genetic information has entered my system, Master. From now on, the Alchemy Lab of Babylon is yours to command, you see.” I heard Flora talk to me, but I was too zoned out and exhausted to fully take in what she was saying. Come on, lady... If you were the guy and I was the girl, that definitely wouldn’t have been considered okay, would it?!
“This is a facility that specializes in the combination of materials through magic, you see. Though we primarily specialize in medication and food, we are able to do things with other materials, if need be.” I was listening to Flora explain the functions of the Alchemy Lab of Babylon to me. Functionally, it sounded kind of similar to my enchanting spell. From what I understood, it could do something similar to what I did when I enchanted the Silver Moon’s hot springs with [Recovery], just on a much grander scale.
“So, what kind of things can you make here?”
“We can create useful items, you see. Potions that cure you of injury, for example. But we can also imbue items with certain qualities, like making plants that bear disease-resistant fruits. Plants that would pass that quality on to whoever ate it, you see.” That was definitely interesting to hear. I had a feeling something like that would come in handy in Brunhild’s agricultural movements.
“We are also equipped with a state-of-the-art medical facility, you see. If you were to have an arm ripped from its socket, or a leg shredded into grisly, writhing strips of red paste, we would simply grow you a new one!” I wondered if that was something more along the lines of biotechnology or life-restoring magic. I guess it dealt with science in the same way that fermenting natto, soy sauce, miso, and yogurt did. Still, her mention of selective breeding made me think it was more related to genetic modification.
I wondered if we’d be able to use this place to clone people, or create homunculi... Given that Flora, the girl before me, was a gynoid with mostly biological parts... Well, it was entirely possible that she and the others were grown here.
I decide not to think about that too much.
“Could you crossbreed an apple with an orange to make a new fruit?”
“That is indeed possible, you see. I can create an orange with the taste of an apple, as well as the inverse! I can even create a crop that fuses the flavor of both into one fruit.” That was incredible, but I had no idea how it worked. I wondered if we could cross garlic seeds with rice grains, and produce the ability to grow garlic rice... One fact was clear, this piece of Babylon had some of the most bizarre potential out of the lot. Still, it was more apt to call this a kind of magical synthesis, rather than alchemy. There was nothing scientific about it at all.
“They’ve been modified by magic, but they’re still plants, you see. How they grow will depend on the hand of the one nurturing them. The taste will likely vary based on how well they’re taken care of.” Well, that made sense enough to me. We’d be introducing crops that had never before been seen in the world, though... So frankly, it was unknown whether or not they’d even turn out okay. The only way to know would be to try growing them. I made a mental note to set up an experimental farm for this very purpose.
As I listened to Flora’s explanation, I finally set foot in the lab itself. On one side, there was a row of glass cases of all different shapes and sizes, all lined up in a row. On the other, there were various tool cabinets and storage units. There was something that looked like a control panel in the middle of the room, and beyond that there were a ton of cylindrical cases made out of glass. They sort of looked like cryogenic pods from old sci-fi movies. I wondered if they were capsules people would enter to be treated.
“This is a gathering of the many amazing chemicals and potions the professor synthesized, you see. Most of these are medicinal, in fact.”
“Amazing... So she actually researched things for the betterment of humanity...”
“She certainly did, you see. Love potions, high-potency aphrodisiacs, erotic stimulants, energy tablets, libido enhancers, sensitivity agents, fertility-guaranteeing drugs... She was amazing, you see. All of these things are of the greatest potency, and with zero side effects.”
“Never mind, I take it all back!” That damn old doctor was too horny for her own good. The only kind of medication she whipped up here was for a very specific subset of people!
“The effect of this one is supposed to be beyond reason, you see. I’ve heard it’s so strong that you’ll feel as though you’ve died and gone to heaven...! I’ve never tried it myself, you see, but... i-if you’d like to indulge with me, master...!”
“For the sake of the sanctity of life, I outright refuse!” Was this some kind of sick joke? I wondered if this stuff was actually safe and without side-effects, though... Things were mighty suspicious in the lab. Well, it didn’t matter much. I wasn’t planning on using any of it either way... At least I probably wouldn’t use any of it, yet.
“Didn’t the doctor create anything, like... normal?”
“Not at all.” Damn, that was blunt. This facility really was useless to me, after all... It was like a complete manifestation of whimsical nonsense. I began to wonder whether or not bringing my precious brides-to-be near this place would be a good idea...
I left the lab and bared myself to the wind, deep in thought. Well, I have no choice but to bring the others...
“The Alchemy Lab of Babylon...? Is that even going to be of any use to us?” Leen let out a frustrated mutter. Seems she was disappointed it wasn’t the facility she was after.
I’d called everyone over to the new facility, then set a course for Brunhild. I was planning on linking up the new piece to our Babylon puzzle.
“Uhm... did I do something wrong, you see?”
“No, don’t mind it.” Flora looked over with a troubled expression. It wasn’t a problem that Leen was irritated, but if she was going to get like this every time until we found the library, I decided I’d stop bringing her along. That aside, everyone except Leen was staring over at Flora.
“Ah, are you the one in charge of the lab...?”
“Ah, I’m Flora, you see.”
“Th-They’re big...” Both Yumina and Lu had their eyes transfixed on Flora’s hefty melons.
“Wh-What’s with those things?”
“I-I can’t possibly win... Not against those... Th-They knock me out of the park...” The twins shuddered in misery for some reason... Yae and Leen, on the other hand, didn’t seem especially troubled. Yae’s bust was about the same size as Flora’s anyway, while Leen seemed to be deep in thought.
I wondered why they cared so much... Well, it wasn’t too hard to figure out. After all, a man tends to glance at larger things more often. In the end, I didn’t care. Big or small, the chest still held the heart. Big ones were eye-catching, but it didn’t matter much to me in the end.
“D-Do you prefer them big, Touya?!” Lu looked at me with wide eyes, seeming about ready to cry. That wasn’t the case at all! Flora’s big knockers had nothing to do with my tastes. Sure, my eyes might have occasionally darted down there, but my heart wasn’t dominated by her chest
.
“You should not fret, you should not. Lu-dono and Yumina-dono will surely blossom at a later date, they will. When I was your age, my bust was around the same size, it was.” Yae’s words brought hope to the saddened eyes of Yumina and Lu, but Elze and Linze simply sank into a deeper despair.
“...Perhaps we could make them grow with a little massage?”
“What the hell?! Don’t say stupid crap like that!” I ended up overreacting to Leen’s casual comment. That irritating fairy really never knew when to shut up. Upon hearing the exchange, everyone except Flora averted their eyes and blushed beet red. Flora herself only smiled widely, then opened her mouth. What are you doing?
“Ehehe, my dear master already massaged mine a short time ago, you see...” Why in the world did you think that was a good thing to say right now?! Everyone, other than Leen, turned their gazes upon me in seconds flat. Flora opened her mouth with an innocent little smile, then... dealt the final blow to her enemies with her words.
“He planted a wonderful kiss upon my lips as well, you see.”
What?! You damned fiend, what the hell are you saying?! Are you taking a sick pleasure in all of this?! You’re the one who kissed me! I thought I could see Doctor Babylon’s wicked grin hiding behind Flora’s innocent beaming for a moment there.
“Touya, I believe we need to have a small chat...” Yumina turned to me, smiling, but there was no kindness in her eyes. All of the other girls wore the same terrifying expression.
Wait, no! This is a misunderstanding! I’m innocent here! I was made to bow down and listen to all of them yell at and lecture me for some time after that. It wasn’t fair... Once again, I was reminded of why hunting for the pieces of Babylon was a terrible idea.
Paula patted me gently on the shoulder, reassuring my dejected self. Only she was there to comfort my wounded heart.
◇ ◇ ◇
The Alchemy Lab docked with the Workshop and the Garden, way up in the skies of Brunhild. At this point, the structure was around the size of a castle. It didn’t really have that many buildings, though.
Cesca wore a maid uniform, Rosetta a workman’s overalls. Flora, on the other hand, changed into a nurse outfit. I guess they all had their preferences for casual attire. I wasn’t really sure why she made that choice of all things. But I did consider the fact that the Alchemy Lab doubled as a medical facility, so it wasn’t too far-fetched to call it a reasonable choice of clothing.
That being said, I thought her choice of a pink nurse outfit complete with matching white stockings-and-garter belt combo was pushing it a little far. It felt more like a sexy nurse outfit than an actual uniform. Not to mention the fact that the outfit really seemed to emphasize the bust. I had no idea where to look.
Flora’s medical knowledge was fairly extensive, so I decided to put a doctor’s office inside the castle for her to work out of. I could pretty much heal whatever with my magic, but having an actual medical facility in-house would be a very useful emergency backup.
In the meantime, I planned to have the Alchemy Lab produce rice hybrids. I had acquired many rice seeds from Eashen, and the plan was to imbue them with resistance to disease and general plant-destroying trouble. I had set aside a plot of land in the eastern part of my nation, it was my experimental agricultural zone. I hoped it would work out.
The street along the highway to Brunhild was also being well developed. Old man Naito was really giving it his best, so I was quite happy about that.
The Brunhild Branch of the Silver Moon had been opened successfully too, it would prove a good place for weary travelers to rest their heads. I had set up a bath house there, too. It was proving pretty popular, on account of its fatigue-restoring properties. Micah ended up hiring a whole fleet of employees, most of which were ex-Takeda ninjas. It felt like she was really stepping into the shoes of a managerial position.
“Seems Brunhild is coming along quite nicely... quite nicely indeed...”
Clink.
“Well, it’s Touya’s nation, after all. I wasn’t too concerned.”
Clink.
“Ah, sorry Beastking. That’s Pon. Hoho...”
Clink.
“Heheheh. This is what you get for calling off me. Ron, Emperor. Tanyao, Pinfu, and Iipeikou. That’s 3900 points.” Ah, Refreese’s emperor just played into the emperor of Regulus’s hand. Wait, what were these guys doing here? This was Brunhild castle’s gaming center. And the rulers of the western nations were all gathered around its mahjong table. But not me. I wasn’t here to play mahjong.
“So, what exactly did you call us all here for?”
“Hm? No real reason. I simply wished to play mahjong with you all.”
The king of Belfast responded casually. That’s why they were here? I even went out of my way to use the Gate to check up on them. These guys really need to take their safety more seriously.
They pushed all their tiles into the depression in the center, and the automatic table provided them with a new fully shuffled set. They distributed the tiles with practiced movements and began their next game. They’ve really taken a liking to this game...
“Well, I also thought this would make for a good opportunity to exchange information.” The emperor smiled as he discarded a tile. I was glad they’re all getting along, but this was a little worrying. It would be a pretty big problem if all the heads of state neglected running their countries and spent all day playing mahjong instead.
“So you said you were swapping international gossip?”
“Indeed. Lately there’s been a bit of a stir within the Ramissh Theocracy.” The King of Belfast spoke up whilst sorting through his tiles. I had vaguely heard about the Ramissh Theocracy, it was a sovereign nation located to the southeast of Regulus. If I remembered right, it was close to Mismede, accessible by crossing the Great Gau River. You could also reach Belfast by going downstream further from there.
“What’s happening over there?”
“Well they say that there’s been a vampire running about Isla, their holy city.”
“A vampire?” That certainly sounded strange. But, on the other hand... I might’ve just been out of the loop. Vampires could just be another common species in this world. I tentatively looked over to the Beastking. He was a demi-human, after all.
“According to what I’ve heard, there’s new victims every night. Each of the corpses found is a dry husk, drained of all its blood.” How terrifying. This murderer certainly had questionable hobbies.
“That’s why people think it’s the work of a vampire...a member of the vampiric clan.” The emperor explained to me as he dropped a tile. The vampiric clan, huh? So there was an actual race of people known as vampires then. Well, seeing as there was an aquatic clan in Mismede, it stood to reason that there would be a lot of different races in this world.
“The truly troublesome thing about this incident is that it had to be in Ramissh. Its citizens are all devout followers of Lars, the God of Light. They despise denizens of the dark, no matter who they are. Anyone who so much as has an affinity with dark magic is shunned.” The Beastking grimaced as he discarded his tile. Seriously? That sounded more like a cult than a religion.
“Who’s this Lars guy?”
“Hm? Oh, you haven’t heard of him Touya? It’s an old legend about the founding of Ramissh. A thousand years ago, the land was overrun by demons and spirits. But then Lars descended from the heavens and cleansed the land of all that was evil. The people that lived there came to worship this God of Light, and spread his gospel wherever they could. That was how the Theocracy of Ramissh came to be...or so the tale goes.” I tilted my head in confusion at the king of Belfast’s explanation. God of Light, huh? I already knew two gods, so perhaps it wasn’t so farfetched a story after all. I doubt the God of Love had anything to do with it, but there was always the other one. Though I couldn’t imagine it, really.
Besides, it seemed like he liked to avoid getting involved in worldly affairs. He had a bunch of oth
er worlds to manage as well too, so he was probably too busy to deal with every little problem that popped up.
I could always call him up and ask, but it didn’t really seem important enough to warrant it. He’d probably get annoyed if I called him up for every little thing. He was God, after all.
“Dealing with Ramissh is always so irksome. They insist on making every decision based on their holy doctrine. Everything is done ‘in the name of justice and light.’ They’re all so stiff and uptight. Their pope especially.”
“Oh yes, I cannot deal with that pope either. Any time we meet I always get a lecture. All that old crone ever does is nag. Well, I suppose she does mean well.”
The emperor and the Beastking exchanged wry smiles. Pope?
“Excuse me, but when you say pope, what do you mean?”
“Ramissh is a theocracy, not a monarchy. The ruler is elected from among the highest ranking bishops at the time, they don’t inherit their position. Once elected, the pope rules until they die, or chooses to retire. The current pope is Elias Altra. Or rather popess. This is the twentieth year of her reign so she must be past sixty by now... Ah ha.” The Refreese emperor dropped his tile onto the table.
“That’s a ron, Emperor. Pinfu with two dora. 3900 points.”
“Again?!” Once more, the Refreese Emperor had played into the emperor of Regulus’ hand. The Beastking looked up at the sky in defeat.
“Ahh, I almost had a chinitsu too...Why must you keep going for quick wins with cheap hands, Your Highness?”
“Strategy, my good man. Even if I never win big, as long as I’m the only one who wins, I’ll come out ahead.”
The king replied triumphantly. Luck was what made mahjong such a thrilling game after all. In a way, their playstyles reflected their personalities as well. You could learn a lot about someone by how they played. The Belfast king continued talking as they pushed all the tiles into the center.
In Another World With My Smartphone_Volume 5 Page 7