Chapter 469 Defense System
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I-activated the shop’s emergency defense system.
Suddenly, the children began to cry. Several “black shadows” manifested within the room. Among them was the man I had spoken to in the royal palace dungeon-the Assassin of the Wielope Empire¹ who had spearheaded the attack during the triumphal parade. I didn’t hesitate for a second.
A sharp, piercing whine echoed through the shop.
First, a defensive barrier shimmered into existence in front of my workbench. This was my “Ultimate Defense,” a masterpiece I had spent months meticulously inscribing by applying Ultra-Miniature Magic Circuit² technology.
Actually, calling it “ultimate” is probably just inviting a failure flag. Let’s just call it a barrier into which I’ve poured the sum total of my technical expertise. It is a composite construction designed to withstand not just magical strikes, but physical ones as well, layering every conceivable defensive enchantment in my repertoire.
My love-elf, Tania, and my Love-Mage, Satsuki, have given this tech some colorful reviews. “The height of paranoia,” “I want to see the inside of your brain,” and “Even if the Royal Capital is burned to a cinder, this shop will be the only thing left standing.” It is, truly, the pinnacle of my craft.
”Oh…!” the Ancient Elf customer exclaimed.
Her eyes sparkled with genuine admiration, despite the situation. She looked at the shadows not with surprise or caution, but with a look of exasperation-like a mother who had just caught her children in a clumsy prank.
Thinking logically, she must be the one the assassin mentioned-the elf who was like a mother to him. “Haha-sama³,” or whatever title they used for her. Why had she come to the shop personally? Had she come here without informing her subordinates?
Questions swirled in my mind, and it was possible she had no hostile intent. But magic had been cast inside my shop with children right behind me. I couldn’t afford to play “wait and see.”
The whine intensified.
Next, identical barriers deployed over the entrances and walls. These were the same as the first, with one crucial difference: they discharged their neutralizing pulse toward the inside.
”What…?” one shadow gasped.
”This is…!” another cried.
The “Stealth Magic” shrouding them was stripped away, exposing everyone. This was a spell to seal the activation of magic-commonly known as “Anti-Magic.”
It’s a relatively well-known spell, but it isn’t very popular since it’s only useful against other people. The military and the nobility already have countermeasures for the standard versions. However, I’d seen the absolute cutting edge of that tech back in that dungeon. Since then, I’d been researching it with the help of Muse, the maid of His Majesty. What was installed here was the fruit of that research. Apparently, it was more than enough to handle these guys.
A wet, rapid slithering sound filled the air.
The next layer was a defensive mechanism utilizing “Spooky Ivy⁴,” developed by my alchemy mentor, Master Kogima Pigole. Tentacles made from the Ivy began to lash out, entwining the magic-stripped shadows and the woman they called Mother.
”Mother!” the assassin shouted.
”My, my, how very peculiar,” Mother said. She remained composed, in stark contrast to her panicked subordinates. “Settle down, children. This man does not yet have the intent to harm us.”
It made me a little uneasy how accurately she’d read my mood, but for now, I had them restrained.
”Dammit, these things…!”
”I-I can’t cut through! What on earth is this made of!?”
The tentacles crawled out from the shelves, the floor, the walls, and the ceiling, snaking around their arms and legs. Unlike the version Master Kogima used, my Spooky Ivy tentacles were specifically engineered for restraint. They tried to leap away, but without Stealth Magic or any other spells, there was only so far they could run in such a cramped shop.
And besides, garden-variety knives weren’t going to do a thing against tentacles inscribed with the same defensive enchantments as my main barriers. (As a side note, when I used my younger foster sister, Flearis, as a test subject for this, her attempt to struggle resulted in her being restrained in a very pathetic, legs-spread-wide position. Just for the record.)
”Guh…!”
”You…!”
Essentially, these shadows were headed down the same path… but they hadn’t given up. They thrashed about, trying to protect Mother even as they were bound. That’s when I fired the second volley.
A low, rhythmic bubbling sound rose from the floorboards.
”Now what!?” one of them yelled.
A translucent, viscous liquid began to ooze from the crevices in the floor, walls, and ceiling. This was another of my custom magic circuits: “Slime-Pal⁵ (Anti-Equipment Version).”
Honestly, I panicked a bit during the monster-breeding conference when the topic of “clothes-melting slimes” came up. Mainly because I’d already finished creating this Slime-Pal by then. Needless to say, the inspiration came from the fanservice variety. I created this circuit with the lighthearted justification of, “Well, as long as it’s not for lewd purposes, it should be fine, right?”
For the record, I did clear it with the Holy Eminence. Post-facto, of course. She called it “a gray as dark as black,” but followed it up with “It’s only a crime if you get caught.” I have my doubts about that logic, but since I’m the one benefiting from it, I’m certainly not going to complain.
”Eek…!”
”N-no! Stop it!”
As the slime caught their feet and began dissolving their weapons and armor, screams erupted-mostly from the women among the shadows, but some of the men as well. I felt like a total villain, though I could guess why they were so terrified. They saw their gear melting and probably assumed their skin was next. Watching the equipment you’ve staked your life on turn into a puddle is a grotesque sight, enough to trigger primal fear.
”C-calm down! Keep your heads and deal with it!” the lead shadow barked.
But fear paralyzes judgment. Those caught in the slime, those trying to help them, and those just watching in shock-all of them were so distracted that the tentacles made short work of them.
The result was a shop interior full of assassins covered in slime, wrapped in tentacles, and dangled from the ceiling. Yet, despite being hung up like the rest, the Ancient Elf-Mother-just kept staring at me with that delighted expression.
”Hmm. A quite entertaining spectacle,” Mother said. “If you performed this in a circus, you’d never lack for a meal again.”
”I’m honored by the praise,” I replied.
She sounded exactly like a villain from a movie. She tried to soothe her shadows, but it wasn’t going to be that easy. I felt like I could at least talk to her now, but…
”Kukuku. Come now, don’t look so sour,” Mother said. “I simply thought you were being remarkably kind to intruders.”
”I won’t deny that. I just hate the idea of making a mess in my own shop.”
”A fair point. I take it you have even more ‘terrible’ magic circuits tucked away?”
”If you’re asking, I could have these tentacles strangle the life out of you, or let the slimes dissolve your flesh and bone. If you want something more radical… I could just have these guys open fire.”
Clack-clack-ching! I pressed another switch, and panels slid aside in the floor, walls, and ceiling, revealing dozens of automated turrets. These were improved versions of the self-defense pistols I’d previously developed.
They probably didn’t know exactly what they were looking at, but the shadows clearly felt the threat. I suppose that was the upside of them trusting me to produce incomprehensible things by this point.
”So,” I asked. “Do you want to do this for real?”
”Hmm. Let me see…”
In response to my question, Mother-wrapped tightly in tentacles and dripping with slime from head to toe-pondered for a moment… and then flashed me a wicked smirk.
—
Summary:
When assassins from the Wielope Empire infiltrate the shop, the protagonist activates an elaborate, multi-layered defense system. The system uses Anti-Magic, ‘Spooky Ivy’ tentacles, and equipment-dissolving slimes to incapacitate the intruders. The chapter concludes with a tense standoff between the protagonist and ‘Mother,’ an Ancient Elf who seems more amused than threatened.
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Trivia:
- The protagonist’s ‘Anti-Magic’ tech is far more advanced than the standard military version.
- The ‘Slime-Pal’ was originally inspired by erotic ‘clothes-melting’ tropes but adapted for tactical gear destruction.
- The ‘Holy Eminence’ previously gave the protagonist a ‘バレなきゃセーフ’ (It’s safe if you don’t get caught) pass on his borderline-illegal defense tech.
- Flearis was once a victim of a ‘test’ of these same restraint tentacles
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Character Insight:
The protagonist shows a transition from a simple shopkeeper to a high-level magic engineer who can single-handedly neutralize an elite assassin squad. Mother (the Ancient Elf) displays a level of sangfroid that suggests she is significantly more powerful or knowledgeable than the average infiltrator.
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Behind the Scenes:
The author uses the protagonist’s technical monologues to parody ‘overpowered’ light novel tropes while simultaneously grounding the magic system in ‘research’ and ‘circuitry’.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Satsuki – Miranda’s granddaughter—a talented court mage with long black hair, staff, and palace robes. Prickly tsundere companion of Kento who fought in the dragon subjugation. Now humiliated yet fulfilled as Harvest’s new worker, her research thrives under his guidance while she whispers romantic tips to Amelia.
• Tania – An Elf adventurer who, despite her race’s reputation for low sex drive, is secretly quite passionate. She initially seemed ‘wasted’ (emotionally dry) to her friend Raika, but was easily introduced to the pleasure-items sold at ‘Harvest.’ She is easily embarrassed and attempts to maintain a dignified facade, despite her recent, frequent purchases. She wears practical but light armor over a simple cloth tunic and short pants, highlighting her grace and agility. Her primary relationship is one of friendly senior-junior with Raika.
• Muse – Cecile’s trusted attendant and chief maid, Muse handles sensitive, discreet tasks like espionage and product acquisition. Have sharp, black eyes, wearing maid uniform, and have expressionless face.
• Kogima – Kento’s alchemy master. A middle-aged man who is a henpecked husband to his wife, Josephine.
• Flearis – A member of the diplomatic envoy and guard. Has pink hair. Lily’s sister or Martin’s younger foster sister. Has pink hair. Member of the covert unit. Displays a cold, almost vengeful pragmatism when reporting her sister’s words to Martin.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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