My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 111

“Can I take a look at the other weapons too?”

“…Go ahead.”

I picked up the shield planted in front of the stele. Unlike the All-Cutting Sword, it didn’t display a hologram.

I tried holding the staff as well. It was the same.

If these didn’t appear as artifact weapons in the game, did that mean they were also not considered artifacts here?

I set the shield and staff down and turned away. It seemed I’d have to be satisfied with just obtaining the All-Cutting Sword and Mare.

“Aren’t you taking anything else?”

“That’s useless.”

To me, equipment that wasn’t an artifact was just a hunk of metal that brought no help at all.

“If the sword was still usable after hundreds of years, then the others should be fine too, right?”

“The equipment itself might be useful, but it holds no use for me.”

“Is it because you’re a player?”

“…That can’t be.”

Taken aback by Naiad’s sudden question, I tried to act as nonchalant as possible.

“Is that so? Then there’s nothing we can do.”

Naiad didn’t seem to consider the weapons to be useful either, nodding in agreement without further comment.

“Speaking of which, I’ve only heard the first request so far. What’s the second request?”

The second request was originally to form a contract with Iris, but having already done that, it unexpectedly became something I had acquired unintentionally.

However, I had no intention of revealing that fact.

Now I had something to ask for from their side, and it would be wasteful to forgo it.

“That place.”

“That place?”

“Where is that place you were talking about? And what was written about players?”

I had a rough idea while asking.

But to be sure, I had to ask.

He leisurely shook his head at my question.

“Ask Ariel about that. You were going to ask her anyway, right?”

“…”

“Seeing you not deny it, it must be true.”

Naiad chuckled lightly. Tch, I’ve been caught.

“But I’m curious about one thing too. You said the sword master doesn’t suit the water attribute; what attribute are you planning to contract with?”

How dare he ask for a reply while refusing to give one himself? What a scoundrel.

“…It’s Phoenix. But I’m not planning to form a contract right now—”

“Let’s do it!”

Tina’s voice suddenly cut in, interrupting me. I turned my head toward where the voice came from. There stood Tina, reaching out her hand in front of Phoenix.

Phoenix chuckled, glancing back and forth between Tina’s face and her hand.

“…What are you doing all of a sudden?”

“A contract! I can’t lose to Iris!”

“No… a contract isn’t some competition…”

“The spirit king needs the strength of the hero, right? Let’s do it! I’m strong!”

“…Being strong doesn’t mean you automatically qualify.”

“Well… um… I’ll ask my teacher to make delicious food! It’s incredibly tasty, you know? You haven’t tried it, right?!”

After a brief hesitation, Tina clenched her fist, showing confidence. Baseless confidence aside, was that supposed to be a suggestion?

Iris and Maria stepped back, wearing wry smiles at Tina’s outburst.

“You can’t take something as lightly as a contract.”

“But… it’ll definitely taste good!”

“…I’m already a being who has lived for hundreds of years. I don’t care much for mere food.”

“I’m confident!”

No, it’s not you who’s making it, right?

“Hey, who said you could just go ahead…?”

“You’ll do it, right?!”

“…Do what?”

“Cook!”

Tina’s expectant eyes were closing in on me, and I sighed.

She’s only thirteen, so I understand her immaturity, but taking matters into her own hands is a separate issue.

She might cause problems later if she doesn’t follow orders when we have to fight in the Demon War.

Because of that, I felt the need to give her a stern word here.

“Tina, who gave you the authority to act on your own like that?”

“But the teacher is thinking of having me contract with Phoenix, right? Since we’ve met, wouldn’t it be better to do it now?”

Did she eavesdrop on us and jump at the chance? Simple-minded, this kid.

I gave her a light flick on the forehead.

“Ow!”

What a drama queen. Clearly not hurt.

Tina, sulking and cradling her head, passionately appealed, “I… I want to be petted, not flicked…! I want to have a big hug like Iris!”

“A contract, as Phoenix said, isn’t something to be taken lightly.”

“Hmm. The guardian definitely understands. A contract should not be taken lightly.”

Phoenix nodded in agreement with me.

“But can you really cook that well?”

“…I do okay.”

“Hearing that, I’m a bit intrigued. I’ll give you a chance to cook for me tonight. If it’s delicious, I might consider the contract. How about it?”

She had an attitude that suggested she had nothing to lose.

Where did the person who just said a contract isn’t something to be taken lightly go…?

“Hehe, it’ll be delicious! I swear!”

Why on earth do I have to cook after coming all this way…?

*

“Hmm! What is this?! I’ve never eaten food so well seasoned! It’s sweet yet spicy! And why is this stretchy cheese so delicious?!”

Phoenix, who mixed the tteok (rice cake) and cheese and put it in her mouth, looked utterly blissful.

What I had made for her was one of my best dishes: tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes).

Slurp! Yum!

“I’m crazy… Naiad, you should try this too!”

Each time she popped a piece into her mouth, she chattered loudly.

“Just eat it yourself.”

As the chef, it was nice to see her enjoying it so much, but I was genuinely unsure if she was being sincere or just overreacting.

While I was watching Phoenix furiously attack her dish, I heard a thump. Thump.

Turning my head at the noise, I found low-level spirits gathering around Phoenix.

The low-level spirits were shaking with excitement as they watched Phoenix savor her food.

“Waaah… I want to eat too!”

“Me too…”

Seeing the low-level spirits drooling with who-knows-what flowing from their mouths made me sigh.

“…Just wait a bit longer. I’ll make it for you soon.”

With them watching like that, how could I not help?

It would be tough to season everything just right if I tried to cook in large quantities, but I had no choice.

I had never felt the hardships of a cook until I came to this world.

“Your first impression was quite different from what I expected, Praus. I thought you wouldn’t have any kindness at all.”

At Naiad’s words, I flicked my hand as if swatting away a fly.

‘If you’re not going to help, then please step aside.’

“Shut up. If you’re not going to help, then get lost.”

“You’re the only one among humans who could tell a spirit king to get lost.”

I felt like I’d heard that somewhere before.

Ignoring Naiad’s comments, I picked up a cooking utensil whose origins were a mystery.

*

I could only rest after dealing with dozens of servings.

In that process, I wanted to punch Phoenix for shamelessly asking for another bowl, but I had to hold back.

“We’ll do the dishes!”

“We’ll do them!”

The low-level spirits were playfully cleaning the dishes they’d used with water.

While cooking, I wondered why the spirits had human utensils. Do they secretly have a gourmet background or something?

“How about it, Phoenix? If you contract with me, you can eat these delicious dishes every day!”

“Great! Let’s do it right now!”

“Hey! Phoenix!”

Naiad tried to stop her.

“It’s fine! It’s not just because of the food. The contract conditions between a spirit king and a hero depend on whether stability can be achieved for the spirit realm and the World Tree. From what I can see, Tina is strong enough to make a contract with me.”

“Even so, you can’t just decide so easily…”

“It’s not easy. If I could eat such delicious food, then she deserves it.”

By the way, the dish you ate wasn’t made by Tina but me, just so you know?

As I was about to say something like that, I noticed Ariel wandering off somewhere alone.

I glanced over at the heroes and spirit kings.

They were still arguing over the contract issue. At this rate, I figured it’d be alright to leave them be for a while.

Using the noisy atmosphere as bait, I quietly slipped away.

As I walked back toward the entrance where the nymph had led me, the Glacier Region reappeared.

Ariel stood in the center of it, gazing up at the sky. The sky had turned orange, and most of the blue-tinged Glacier Region was now bathed in a purplish hue.

“…What are you doing?”

“Ah… Praus.”

Her reaction was as if she had been waiting for me to come out.

“The tteokbokki was delicious.”

Once I stood next to her, she said that. I nodded appropriately.

“But why did you come out? Were you worried about me?”

“Why would I worry about you?”

“Ah~ you really say the most disheartening things without a care.”

“I’m being honest.”

“No. It’s just rude.”

“…”

I couldn’t refute that. Feeling awkward, I scratched my head and Ariel burst into laughter.

“Pfft! Hahaha! Seriously~ You should have said that wasn’t the time. You’re always so brazen otherwise.”

She patted my back playfully.

It hurt. I felt like I was getting an injury.

“So what made you come out?”

“…I have something to ask.”

“Oh, is it about what Naiad mentioned? That place where it’s written about players… right?”

If she remembered, the conversation would be quick; I nodded.

“That place is where I, Naiad, Phoenix, and the one who made us into spirit kings exists.”

She looked at me, then turned her gaze back to the sky, speaking as if to herself.

The one who made us into spirit kings.

There can only be one such place.

“The World Tree, isn’t it?”

“Correct. I thought you would know, Praus.”

The World Tree has the word ‘Player’ inscribed upon it.

This suggests that the World Tree might be a medium linking this world and the world I came from.

It seems I need to visit the spirit realm once…

“Honestly, I never expected Praus to be a player. You won’t tell me how it happened, will you?”

I fell silent. She seemed to expect that and shrugged nonchalantly.

“…What does it say about players there?”

Ariel turned her body to look straight at me. Her face was devoid of the earlier mirth, serious.

“Players are the only beings who transcend ‘causality.’ If a player appears in this world, we must hope that they are a benevolent individual. Otherwise, the world will surely be ruined… or so it is written.”

The only being transcending causality.

Somehow, the description seems to regard them as divine.

In reality, they can’t do anything without borrowing the power of others or artifacts.

Furthermore, although I claimed to be a player, considering I’m currently inhabiting Praus, can I even call myself a player?

I had become a person of this world.

Though I know how this world unfolds, unlike a player, I can’t know if everything will go according to my wishes.

Yet, can I truly say I’m a player?

As that thought unfolded, I realized something.

“…Is that so.”

It’s not about resolving the events that will happen, but rather the importance of knowing them, right?

If I know the future events, I’m no different from a ‘player who has cleared the game.’

Solving problems is something heroes can also do, but only the player knows what will happen next.

Even though I’ve inhabited a character, isn’t the essence still different?

“So I want to ask from my side.”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you really a player, Praus? If you are a player, can you transcend causality? If… and I mean if it’s possible to transcend causality…”

She steadied her tremulous voice, facing me.

“Can Pasma… be saved?”

The emotion that lurked in Ariel’s eyes was a poignant sadness.