Konjiki no Moji Tsukai Chapter 18

Chapter 18: A Method to pa.s.s the Check Point

“Judom Lankars?”
“Yeah, Judom Lankars. A former adventurer that was well known as the ≪Impact King≫.”
Apparently it was a nickname, but Hiiro frowned upon hearing it.
“That name sounds like a delusional middle schooler came up with it…”
“Middle schooler?”
“Forget it.”
“Okay? Anyway, remember his name. It’s such a waste that he’s a ‘Humas’.”
“Oho, wouldn’t expect that from someone who’s lost in status and prestige.”
“I keep telling you, he isn’t like that! He took care of me once too, albeit a long time ago.”
Arnold narrowed his eyes reminiscing.
“Well, I couldn’t care less about that guy, but at this rate, I won’t be able to pa.s.s the check point, right?”
“Yeah, it takes quite some time to pa.s.s through there.”
Hiiro pondered about what to do with a pensive face. It seemed it would work out with time, but it already took one week in the capital, so it would take even longer here. He definitely wasn’t patient enough for that.
“Hey.”
“Mh?”
“The check point is in front of a large bridge, right?”
“Yeah, that bridge is the only connection between the human and beastman continent. Well, it isn’t impossible to cross over the sea, but…”
“But it’s no good? I thought about taking that route if anything else fails.”
“And how? The sea between the continent got a really rough stream and sometimes even whirlpools. Not to mention the ferocious demons. I heard it’s all due the particular terrain, so I guess crossing by boat is impossible.”
(I can’t pa.s.s it normally, since I don’t have a ≪Visa≫. That said, pa.s.sing over the sea is out of the question, too. Wait, if I use my ≪Word Magic≫… No, it’s quite likely someone will see me. Ah, right, I can just copy the ≪Visa≫ with the word “copy” …But that’s so ordinary and no fun. Reminds me, I haven’t tried that experiment yet. Good timing. If the left is no good, try from the right, or so they say. Kukuku….)
Hiiro smirked as he thought of something. But the other two were astonished seeing him like that, thinking that he was up to no good again.


On the next day, they went up to a hill near the check point.
“Hey, are you really going to do it?”
Arnold looked doubtful, which p.i.s.sed Hiiro off.
“Just do what I told you.”
Muir looked at them restlessly.
“Okay, let’s get started.”
Hiiro said so, then wrote “lightweight” onto his chest with magic power. He had trouble writing like this, but he didn’t use ≪Air Writing≫ as the costs were too high. After that he activated it and counted until forty in his head.
“All set.”
“Okay. Ohh, you’re really light!”
Going by Hiiro’s stature, he would be around sixty kilo without a doubt, but right now he weighted no more than a few kilo. Arnold lifted him up like a spear.
“Y- You really sure about this?”
“Hurry up already. I told you it only lasts for one minute, so I only got twenty seconds left now!”
“Fine!”
Arnold mustered all his strength and then…
“WRAAAAAR!”
he threw Hiiro into the sky with all his might.
WHOOOOOOOs.h.!.+
“Uh!”
Hiiro squinted from the incredible air pressure and took off the ground with a lot of speed, feeling like a cannon ball.
(Oh~ Nice view from here)
He admired the wonderful scenery in his heart. Then the effect from “lightweight” vanished and he slowly lost momentum. As he was about to stop in midair, he wrote a word into the air.
This time it was “fly”. He aimed at his back and activated it, because he imagined flying freely like an animal with wings like that.
Of course he had previously checked that he was able to fly by writing it on his palm. Directing it at his back was mostly whimsical.
(Mhm, wings… Maybe I should try if I can grow some next time)
He got a bit excited from having found a new challenge. This part of him showed how much of a kid he still was. Then the effect from “fly” manifested.
(Ohh~ I’m flying~ But kinda slow. I’m as fast as walking, I think?)
He imagined himself flying faster, but his speed didn’t change. Well, it didn’t interfere with his plan, so it was alright.
Slowly raising up even higher into the sky, he flew slantwise over the check point. At this height, he only looked like a small bird to those on the ground.
But then the one minute pa.s.sed and the effect ended. He wanted to write “fly” again, but couldn’t.
(Seems I can’t write it twice in a row after all)
Writing the same word in succession was impossible. He had checked upon that previously too, so he didn’t panic.
(Then I’ll go with this next!)
He wrote the word “float”. Upon that, he stopped descending and came to a halt in midair. Floating in the middle of the air was a rather strange feeling.
“Mhm, how many have seen the world from so high up?”
From above, ≪Edea≫ looked beautiful. He could see green lands, blue seas and high mountains. A sight that truly made you aware of Mother Nature.
(Now I’ll just repeat writing “fly” and “float”)
With that in mind, he enjoyed the view while he waited for the effect from “float” to vanish.


Meanwhile, Arnold and Muir were at the check point.
“H- Hey, Uncle, will Hiiro-san be alright?”
“No idea. But I’ve never seen someone as reckless as him.”
Hiiro had explained them the plan yesterday in the following way: First he reduces his own weight by writing the word “lightweight”. Then he lets about thirty seconds pa.s.s.
As for the reason for this pause, apparently he could only activate the next word when one minute pa.s.sed after a word with a temporarily effect. At worst, he could end up crashring into the ground during the one minute he was being thrown.
Therefore he had Arnold throw him after forty seconds. The remaining twenty seconds would pa.s.s while he was still in an upwards movement. Still, it was only feasible since Arnold possessed quite the strength as a ’Gabranth’.
As the next step, he would fly through the air by using the word “fly”. Of course they asked why he didn’t use that from the beginning, but he couldn’t use the same word in succession and there was a high chance he would be spotted by someone as his momentum would be slow then.
Of course there was also a chance of him getting spotted as Arnold threw him, but one would surely think his eyes are playing him a prank as Hiiro took off with quite the speed.
The last step of the plan involved using “fly” and “float” alternatively and looking for an isolated place to land.
They had asked him if there wasn’t a simpler method by using words and Hiiro had checked upon that as well. He found a way to copy the ≪Visa≫ by using the word “copy”.
However, Hiiro had always wanted to try out flying like this and since this was a good opportunity, he went through with it.
“Seriously, I don’t know if he’s a genius or just stupid.”
“Ahaha…”
“Either way, he’s a brat.”
Arnold could only give a feigned laughter at this point. Still, it puzzled him how he was convinced that Hiiro would pull it off without problems.
The check point was a huge dome out of metal. Before going in there, an officer confirmed the ≪Visa≫ one by one.
“Okay, you may go on.”
Being told so, Muir entered first, followed by Arnold right afterwards.
The dome was filled with shops. Some were makes.h.i.+ft from peddlers, others were permanently located there. When they proceeded further in, there was a door, big enough to let one adult through, guarded by two male officers on the left and right.
(Strict as always. All that effort to check those who want to pa.s.s)
While thinking so, he headed towards the officers together with Muir.
A magic circle was drawn right in front of the officers. The circle lighted up blue when a ‘Humas’ stood on it, green for a ‘Gabranth’, red for ‘Evila’ and yellow for everyone else.
Discrimination against the ‘Pheom’? That thought crossed his mind, but no one of that race ever pa.s.sed through a check point up till now. To begin with, they rarely showed themselves. It’s said that no ‘Humas’ ever even saw one.
Therefore the ‘Pheom’ were grouped together with everyone else.
“Going home, I see. You’re clear to pa.s.s!”
Upon the officer’s words, Arnold and Muir took the door outside, setting foot onto their own continent.
“Uwa~ Such a long bridge~”
Just like Muir had said, a bridge long enough to be called magnificent spanned in front of their eyes. It was approximately ten kilometre long, so her surprise was understandable.
“Let’s go, Muir.”
“Yeah.”
“But I wonder where he ended up in.”
“Yeah, me too~”
Of course they meant Hiiro. He wasn’t in sight, so they speculated that he was at the end of the bridge and started walking ahead.