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The Kingdom of Rubel lay south of Viridis. It was primarily inhabited by dwarves, and people often said that in the main cities, blacksmiths worked tirelessly every day. In truth, it wasn’t limited to blacksmithing—the country was known for manufacturing in general.

I chose this place as our third destination simply because of its proximity. Setting aside the Nigel Kingdom, the other two kingdoms lay to the west, beyond the war-torn territories of Fraus and Nigel. I could have passed straight through them, but doing so would have required returning to Fraus, which would have been a hassle.

In fact, the time difference would have been minimal. Although my journey to collect the spirits was half a sightseeing trip, the idea of making a round trip felt unnecessarily tedious.

Yesterday, I looked into the war a bit.

Apparently, it had only just begun. So far, the Nigel Kingdom was being pushed back in the early stages, just as Fraus had planned. Still, it would take some time before the conflict reached its conclusion. The heroes’ eyes were nearly lifeless, but they still functioned well enough as soldiers.

(Go ahead and continue your self-inflicted journey. The next time we meet will be in the Nigel Kingdom’s castle. Now then—onward to Rubel!)

The kingdom was apparently famous for its volcanic landscape, home to some of the largest volcanoes on the continent. It was said that craftsmen recognized by royalty forged weapons and tools using the powerful flames of these volcanoes, which allowed them to create remarkably strong items.

(I see. This is perfect. Finding the spirit this time shouldn’t be too hard.)

As I thought that, I noticed Lullus had an unusually serious expression.

“What’s wrong?”
“This kingdom… The remnants of the spirit’s power here are stronger than in any of the other kingdoms.”
“So, you’re saying the spirit is doing well?”
“No… Probably the opposite. If I assume it’s in a state similar to mine back then, then it feels more like someone is forcibly drawing power out of it¹. I never imagined someone could steal our power so freely…”
“We’re talking about a technological superpower. Either way, we’d better hurry.”

I wasn’t sure just how weak the spirit was, but it was clear that it had been greatly diminished.

(Maybe this time, I should treat this one with a lot more care.)

Fortunately, we had a rough idea of where this spirit was located.

“For now, let’s head to the capital. I’ll move quickly, so just follow me.”
“Understood.”

With that said, I watched as Lullus transformed into her spirit form², and then I took off running.

◇◇◇

We arrived at Rubel’s capital. The city looked as though it had been built into the continent’s largest volcano, and as expected, it was full of steep slopes. Chimneys dotted the skyline, and gears were visible throughout the town, giving it a distinct steampunk atmosphere. There was something oddly captivating about the entire layout.

I wasn’t particularly interested in robots or machinery, but if someone who loved that kind of thing came here, they might be so thrilled they’d drop dead from excitement³.

That being said, I had no intention of going inside. The fact that the capital was constructed atop a volcano for industrial purposes meant my earlier prediction had been accurate. And so, we ascended—up the massive volcano itself. Its sheer scale was comparable to the Tree of Spirits.

Whether it was a lingering trace of my human perspective or something shaped by my perception as a demigod, I found there was something profoundly awe-inspiring about such vast places. From a human standpoint, it reminded me of when I first saw the Great Buddha in Nara. From a demigod’s perspective, I felt like a proud parent, watching something grow into greatness—even if I had no hand in creating it.

We reached the crater. Smoke billowed up from its depths, and the sharp sting of sulfur filled the air. It was certainly a volcanic landscape, but on a scale far beyond anything found in Japan. The crater itself was enormous—easily large enough to swallow an entire city.

Sparks flickered like fireworks. When I peeked over the edge, I saw molten lava churning far below. I wasn’t sure if “boiling” was the right word to describe it, but then again, it was my first time seeing lava this close.

“We did come all the way out here, but do you think the spirit might be inside this place?” Lullus asked.
“I sure do. I don’t think there’s anywhere else it could be. So, Lullus, what do you say? Do you think it’s safe for you to jump in there?”
“Each of us spirits has different characteristics in certain areas, but essentially, we are nature itself. Therefore, we are unlikely to be harmed by nature—nor can we be stopped by it.”
“I see. Well then, I’m diving in. Follow me.”

Without hesitation, I leapt into the crater.

◇◇◇

A magma bath would have been unthinkable back when I was human. Honestly, I had never even considered trying it after becoming a Demigod, but now that I was actually doing it, it felt more like an extremely hot bath. The only problem was that it was way too large—so we had to swim.

I briefly considered whether I should have used magic to protect my clothes, as I had done with my other belongings. But, as expected of something made by God, they were completely unaffected by the magma.

“What were you planning to do if your clothes had burned away?”
“I probably would’ve grabbed some leaves or something and covered the important parts.”
“I suppose that makes sense. Still, making clothes out of leaves sounds like such a hassle.”
“True. But I could always create clothes with the Creation spell. Though unfortunately, I can’t recreate the ones I’m wearing right now.”

If I were still human, I might have responded with something like, “That’s not the point!” But as a Demigod, I had long stopped caring whether I was completely naked or not⁴. Anyone who wanted to look was free to do so. Not that I would let them—it would just be more trouble than it was worth.

Amusingly, Lullus’s view on clothing didn’t seem far off from my own.

Not that it mattered—she was literally floating above the lava, not touching it at all.

(Spirits and their cheat-like powers…)

Following Lullus, my ever-reliable spirit guide, I eventually spotted what looked like the entrance to a massive cave along the edge of the crater⁵.

1. Robinxen: Oh wow, they’re just expediting their end for the sake of productivity? Truly the Dwarves are capitalists in this world! I take my hat off to thee.
2. Robinxen: Speaking of spirits, will the other one be joining soon?
3. Robinxen: IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MEEEEEEE!
4. Robinxen: They really did just install the psyche update package with the demigod powers huh…
5. Robinxen: Things are going too swimmingly…

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