Became mayor
Added another Eluka to the hunt, and gathered the white worm’s fur.
Given how I made just a simple garment before, it’s ironically likely this is a high-end material now.
Either way, more materials are better—better to have them on hand in case I need to make something quickly. Found another one, took it down, gathered the fur.
Incidentally, Eluka was easily dispatched with the new sword, Eternal Slave.
Where I was previously whacking it with an iron blade, now it split in half with a single swing.
Still an incredible weapon.
Also discovered a little trick.
Just drawing a magic circle for a simple garment lets it act like a radar, pointing out Eluka’s location. Well, it’s more of a bonus, really.
Anyway, I’m back at the planned site for the town, arms full of fur.
“Wha—”
I was stunned by the sight before me.
Most of the houses were destroyed.
Collapsed. Smoldering black smoke rising from them.
“What’s going on!?”
I rushed over to Yoshif and asked.
“Ah, Akito-san. Actually, we were attacked by a monster…”
“A monster?”
“Yes, a very strong one… We tried to fight back, but look at the mess now…”
Yoshif wore a face like he’d swallowed a lemon.
Closer inspection revealed it wasn’t just houses destroyed—others were injured too.
Exactly like a raid had just happened.
“Sorry… I ruined your hard work…”
“That’s fine. Now, help me make medicine.”
I pulled out DORECA and opened the menu—right then.
--------------------------
Akito
Classification: Normal Card
Mana Value: 20,873
Item Creation Count: 18
Slave Count: 1
--------------------------
I was stunned.
My mana value was some weird, oddly specific number.
It should’ve been 22,000. The remaining mana, plus the 20,000 charged from creating the Eternal Slave—it should’ve added up to that.
Yet it was slightly less.
What the hell is this?
"Akito-san?"
Yoshif looked at me, puzzled.
"Nah, nothing."
I shoved that aside for now and made ten healing magic circles.
One for immediate use, one for storage.
Handing them over to Yoshif, I stepped in front of the ruined house.
Opened the menu again. There it was—“Repair” on the list of things I could make.
Hadn’t been there yesterday. Now it was.
Probably what shows up when something you built gets destroyed.
I applied “Repair” to every house.
Each one cost 1,250 mana—half what it takes to build from scratch.
Materials were half as well. Took them from the warehouse, placed them in the circle, and the house snapped back into shape.
At least the cleanup was done. Now, the next part.
"Should probably make some weapons, if monsters are gonna show up."
"If only we had Ilya's Spring."
"Ilya's Spring?"
Staring back at Yoshif, who’d spoken up. Ilya… I think I’ve heard that name before.
Ah. The Goddess.
“Something absolutely essential when building a town. A place with it… won’t let ordinary monsters come near.”
“Huh. So like a barrier, then.”
“Would be nice if we had that.”
“Wait—hold on. Menu open.”
Checking the available list. Ilya’s Spring… Ilya’s Spring.
“Got it.”
“Can we make it!?”
“Yeah.”
Spending 15,000 points, I draw the magic circle for Ilya’s Spring onto the ground.
The arrows point five ways—one to the distant location, four to the warehouse.
☆
I head out alone to gather the materials.
The material’s name: “Sacred Droplet.” Required: one.
“Looks like a pretty high-class ingredient, huh.”
Muttering to myself, I walk across the wasteland.
Just hope nothing happens. Nothing at all.
“Speaking of which…”
I recall the odd sensation of magic being partially drained.
After the sudden turn of events, the only thing I could pin down was that I’d ended up with an Eternal Slave.
I held Doreca in my left hand, opened the menu, then swung the Eternal Slave in my right, slicing through a nearby rock.
It cut through like butter.
The mana that had been at 2873 dropped by seven—down to 2866.
Exactly as I thought. This weapon drains mana every time you use it.
In exchange for charged mana, it delivers a ridiculous edge.
I nodded. Satisfied.
And kept walking.
“Huh? That’s…?”
Eluka appeared before me. The same one I’d knocked down before—white-haired, bug-locked, the one I’d gotten the hair from.
Her body was glowing.
Why’s she glowing? I haven’t drawn any magic circles lately—only Ilya’s Spring.
Is she… a material?
“Whoa!”
While I was thinking that, Eluka charged in. As usual, the charge was murderous.
"Ah well, figure it out after I knock her down!"
Holding Eternal Slave, I leapt sideways and cleaved Eluka in half in one strike.
Same as before—Eluka’s body melted away, leaving only white hair behind.
The glow vanished. The white hair didn’t glow either.
"...So that’s what ‘miss’ means?"
A faint scraping sound came from somewhere. Eluka appeared again.
Even this Eluka’s body was glowing.
...No way. Could she be a rare item?
Thinking that, I lunged at the second Eluka.
☆
"Master!"
When I returned to the others, Risha ran over and greeted me.
"Master, are you alright?"
"I’m fine. Still got double digits in mana, though."
"Wha—?"
"No, wait—let me tell you about *my* situation."
I said that, then pulled out a glowing material from my pocket.
A stone shaped like a droplet, pulsing with light.
The arrow from the magic circle was pointing right at it.
"This is the material, huh?"
"Yeah... drop rate was about five percent."
"Wha—?" "No, wait—nothing. Anyway, I’ve got a job for you later. Come with me."
Gotta collect the stray white worm hairs too—those were the duds.
While we were talking, Madway and Yoshif, and a few others, had gathered around.
Under their watchful eyes, I placed the Sacred Droplet into the magic circle.
A familiar glow flared up—then a fountain sprang forth.
A fountain like something from a park.
The moment it formed, a different light spread out from its center.
Warm. Comforting.
"Ooooh."
"This is it..."
"The light that repels monsters... that protects the town."
"With this, we can build the town."
Everyone looked moved.
This was my first time experiencing light like this. But it feels… right.
"Akito."
Yoshif spoke to me. His face was dead serious.
"Is there still something missing?"
"I’d like to ask you something."
"What is it? Spit it out."
"Will you become the mayor of this town… the one we’re going to build here?"
When Yoshif said that, everyone else turned to look at me at once.
Their eyes said it all—like they were begging.
So this is what a request feels like. Well, I was planning to do it anyway.
"Fine. I’ll be the mayor."
The moment I agreed, the men cheered loudly. Risha’s eyes lit up—she looked at me with pure respect.
And just like that, I became the mayor.