Chapter 172

In spite of my doubts, Shia smiled gently.

“It would be very reassuring to have your help, Shia!”

“Miss Serulis. Thank you.”

Nia also smiled.

Serulis was great with the sword.

She even wielded a sword that had been taken from a Vampire High Lord.

So no one could question her strength.

However, that wasn’t the only thing to consider.

Vampires had Charm.

Charm did not work on beastkin wolves. That was why they could hunt vampires as their main occupation.

However, Serulis was susceptible. All of her skills would mean nothing if she fell victim to Charm.

“Serulis. Wait.”

“Mister Locke. Are you against it?”

“Vampires have Charm, after all.”

“…”

“So I want you to wait until I get the magic tool. Then you can go.”

“Magic tool?”

Serulis looked puzzled. She didn’t know.

“It is a kind of accessory that raises your mental resistance.”

“I see…they sell such things?”

“It is rare, but I should be able to find one.”

It was probably very expensive, but that could be taken care of.

The real issue was whether or not I could actually acquire one.

It would be good if I could. But if I couldn’t, then at least I would have delayed Serulis going.

Yes, it wasn’t the best way to go about doing things, but at least she wouldn’t die.

Serulis looked worried.

“But, isn’t it expensive?”

“Serulis. Let me tell something that is important for Adventurers.”

“What is it?”

“If something can be solved with money, then it should be.”

“…I see.”

Serulis seemed satisfied now.

You could not be so stingy when it came to raising your chances of survival.

That was the golden rule.

“Philly. Couldn’t you just make such an item with alchemy?”

“Hmm! You ask a very difficult question, Shia!”

Philly then thought very hard.

Indeed, it did not seem like it was out of the realm of possibility for alchemy.

“I can make the materials and probably get really close… But I think it’ll be very hard without being able to do the magic…”

“So that’s how it is.”

“Then Master, you could do the alchemy and Mister Locke could add the magic, can’t he?”

“Oh?”

Philly heard Milka’s suggestion and then looked up.

“Groof?”

“Woof?”

“Cluck?”

Grulf, Tama, and Lord Gerberga were all looking at me.

Their eyes were full of expectation.

“I don’t have much experience with magic tools…”

“I never would have thought there was magic you weren’t good at, Mister Locke.”

I didn’t say that. I just wasn’t sure.

I was actually confident I could make something as good as the average craftsman if I knew how.

That being said, I did not.

“Maybe I should go to the palace library and do some research.”

There should be books from Sorcerers long ago.

As long as they were not forbidden or secret arts, anyway.

And magic tools that raised your mental defenses were not secret or forbidden.

I just needed to understand the principles. I was good at enhancing things for certain uses.

“Alright, I’m off to the palace then. I hope you won’t go out and hunt vampires without telling anyone?”

“I know. …Oh…”

“What?”

“Mister Locke. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

I contacted Morris through the communication bracelet and told him that I would be late in going to the water dragon settlement today.

After that, I went down the secret passage alone.

As I was going to a library, Grulf would have to stay home.

“Maybe I should contact Eric.”

I used the bracelet.

“Hmm? The library?”

“Yes. I want to do some research on making magic tools for mental resistance.”

“I’m not sure there are any books about… Well, I will ask the librarian.”

“Thank you. That will save me some time.”

“It’s nothing. More importantly, could you bring Grulf and Lord Gerberga with you?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Uh, my wife and daughters…”

“I see. Oh, should I bring Tama as well?”

“Are you sure?”

“Well, I’ll have to ask Philly first. But I bet Philly will want to accompany me to the library anyway. That would be fine, wouldn’t it?”

“Of course.”

It would be even better if Philly could help me.

After all, it would be her who had to make the materials.

And so Philly and I and the animals headed for the palace.

Philly had her mask on, just in case.

Her whereabouts were supposed to be a secret.

Eric was waiting for us on the other side.

And here, we left the animals with Refi, Charlotte, and Marie.

They were very happy as they petted them.

“Groof!”

“Cluck-cluck!”

“Woof!”

Grulf and the others also looked happy, so that was good.

And then Philly and I headed for the library.

As we had special permission from the king, we would be able to read books that were usually forbidden.

“Oh, this…is very interesting.”

Philly was drawn to completely unrelated books.

“I understand how you feel, but we came here today for a reason.’

“I know.”

“I’ll ask Eric if we can come back some other time.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I don’t think Eric would mind.”

And with that, Philly and I focused on finding related material.