How To Suck Honey With Extras [EN]: Chapter 188

Episode 188

210. The Best Strategy is Annihilation (3)

“Stop right there!”

Half resigned to my fate, I inadvertently summoned a gnome.

Immediately, the floor rose, creating a thin stone wall.

[Uwaaaah!]

The ghost was thrown back.

It didn’t collide with the stone wall; it seemed to have been repelled by the spirit energy emanating from it.

“……It works?”

I don’t know why, but there’s no reason to hesitate.

Before it could escape again, I quickly built another wall, overlaid it with intense spirit energy, and closed all sides.

An impromptu ghost collection container, complete.

[That’s too much! Don’t you have any respect for the dead! You heartless, tearless fiend!]

The ghost girl inside seemed to be shouting something, but that wasn’t the problem.

‘……I caught it without thinking, but what do I do now?’

If I release it, it seems like it will run away again.

But getting rid of it seems problematic.

I want to talk to it.

Maybe I’ve discovered something important.

“Please listen for a moment, Miss Ghost! No, Lady Asilla! I assure you, I didn’t mean to be rude by trapping you like this. As you know, I can’t physically grab you.”

What am I even saying to a dead person?

“I apologize for the rudeness, but please listen to my story. I want to hear about the grimoire here. The lives of the other races who have taken refuge here are at stake. Please, just listen.”

[……First, open this. I won’t run away.]

It’s a little unsettling, but it’s better than not opening it.

I obediently nodded and dispelled the stone wall.

“I am truly sorry for what happened just now.”

[Well…… I was a little surprised too. You’re the first person to find me after all this time. How long has it been? Since I died?]

“……Then it must have been about 20,000 years.”

Well, if she is who she says she is, that is.

There’s no sign of danger yet.

Let’s prepare to eliminate her immediately if necessary.

“In short, you are the real Asilla, right?”

[……Hehehehe. What is there to hide?]

At first, she seemed surprised when I mentioned her name directly, but soon her face brightened as if she was rather pleased.

[I am the Archmage! Asilla! The owner of this tower and the greatest mage of all!]

“Wooooow…….”

Should I at least clap?

Let’s just go along with it.

And let’s set off small firework-like sparks.

Clap, clap, clap!

What am I even doing…….

“Well, you’re just a ghost now, though.”

[…….]

Oops, slip of the tongue.

She’s making a face like she’s completely lost her composure.

More than that, how can a ghost be so talkative?

At least it’s not a vengeful spirit.

Whatever happens, it seems I won’t be cursed.

“Then you can listen to my story, right?”

[……I don’t mind. It’s not often I get to talk like this. Maybe this is fate too.]

Surprisingly, she readily agreed.

[And…… I was getting a little bored.]

* * *

However, I was also concerned about the gazes of others, so we decided to move the conversation to another location.

Since I wanted to ask questions while looking at the real thing, I asked her what she thought of the secret place where the grimoire was sealed, and she readily agreed as if she didn’t care.

“By the way, I’m surprised that ghosts actually exist.”

In the original story, ghosts were not supposed to exist, so is this also a change?

[No. It’s not the same as that concept of ghosts.]

However, Asilla immediately denied it.

[Strictly speaking, I can’t say that I am the person who possesses the soul of Asilla.]

“……What does that mean? It’s somewhat ambiguous.”

[The current me is a copy with a will contained in the mana that is stagnant here. It’s just that the will and memories of the individual human being ‘Asilla Crevelt’ from my past life…… or rather, flowed out from the grimoire and were dissolved into the mana.]

“Is that different from a ghost?”

[It’s different. It’s not a soul, but only information such as knowledge and personality that has been copied. I have no soul. Only the copied personality and knowledge are clumped together and wandering in the mana.]

In short, Asilla herself is already dead and no longer exists in the world.

And the ghost chattering above my head is just a copied personality?

[But I am still me. I remember my memories and my mission.]

To use an analogy, is it like a backed-up file?

It’s kind of complicated.

“But you’re saying that fact so calmly. I would normally think that would cause an identity crisis.”

[Tsk, tsk. Who do you think I am? If I know the reason and have enough knowledge, it’s surprisingly easy to come to a conclusion and accept it. In short, even if I’m not me, I’m still me. Do you understand?]

“I understand that I don’t understand what you’re saying at all.”

What’s even stranger is that she only appears to me.

When I came down here, I had her meet Elmeroth once to get permission, but he didn’t know of this ghost’s existence.

In other words, he can’t see her.

When I asked about that, she said I was the strange one.

[Normally, humans with physical bodies can’t see me. After all, I’m just wandering around mixed in with the mana. It’s normal not to be seen.]

Even if you have the ability to visualize mana, you’ll only see a clump of mana floating around.

When I tried to check, I really only saw mana clumping together instead of her appearance.

……What’s going on?

“Then why can I see you?”

[I don’t know. You must be strange.]

……That’s so sad.

While we were having that conversation, we finally arrived at the room where the grimoire was enshrined.

This is my second visit.

Nothing has changed.

There is Asilla’s corpse, and the grimoire she is holding.

“It’s strange. There’s your corpse over there…… and there’s the same face openly chattering, even if it’s a copied personality.”

[It’s okay~ You get used to it surprisingly quickly. I was quite surprised when I became like this too.]

“This may sound out of the blue, but how long did it take you to adapt to that?”

[About 2,000 years to give up?]

“That took you a really long time.”

It seems like you haven’t adapted at all…….

Well, that doesn’t matter.

“Then, after all, it was you, Lady Asilla, who sealed that grimoire and is the owner of this tower.”

[That’s right. That’s how it is. It’s all the work I did in my past life.]

“……Then what about releasing it? Is it possible?”

I asked that right away.

She must have expected me to ask that, as she wore a playful smile.

[Hehe. Do you think I’ll do it for you?]

Yeah. I guess not.

I had a feeling that would be the case.

[Just kidding. I can’t do it even if I wanted to. Even though I’m like this, all I can do is wander around. Unfortunately, I can’t even go outside the tower.]

“You’ve endured well in that state.”

[People still come to explore sometimes. It was quite fun to see them get caught in the traps I made or the guardians I created to protect it.]

Her personality isn’t great either.

[But recently, I thought they had become scarce, but suddenly elves and beastmen like that settled down and lived here.]

“Please understand. They have nowhere else to go.”

[I know the situation. I’ve been watching their actions for a while. Surprisingly, the world doesn’t change…….]

That’s a concerning way of speaking, but…… what I need to ask now is information about the grimoire.

“I want to release the seal on the grimoire in order to gain the power to help them. Is there really no way?”

[……Ah. That thing.]

She makes a troubled expression for some reason.

[I know the reason, but I still can’t tell you.]

“Why is that?”

[I can’t tell you that either.]

“Is it a secret?”

[It’s similar to that. At least I’m prepared for that…… I mean, Asilla must have accepted that outcome.]

“Outcome?”

[Ah~ There’s something like that.]

Following her gaze, I glanced at the corpse holding the grimoire.

“Then, if I can unlock it, will you tell me?”

[If you can unlock it. But that will never happen. That seal contains the best technology possible. By the one and only genius, Asilla!]

“Oh, really?”

[Even a mage of the same level as me in my past life couldn’t break through it.]

I’ll make you eat those words soon enough.

After all, I have a trick up my sleeve!

I guess all I can rely on is points!

[……I can’t help you with the seal. But what about something else…… well, I guess it’s okay.]

Perhaps she felt a little sorry for not telling me, so she pondered something.

[Instead, I can give you something nice as a souvenir? How about it?]

She made a suggestion as if she was playing a little joke on me.

“Something nice?”

[As a souvenir for being my conversation partner, I can give you a souvenir. How about it?]

There’s no way I’d refuse.

“That sounds good.”

I gave a quick thumbs up.

* * *

And several hours later.

“……Is this real?!”

Elmeroth exclaimed in disbelief.

Upon hearing the commotion, Dires and other races came and made equally astonished noises.

“E, Eilon? Where did you get all this?!”

“I just picked it up from the upper floors.”

“The upper floors?! You went to the upper floors?!”

It’s no wonder they’re shocked.

Up to about the second floor above the floor they currently reside on has been completely secured for safety.

However, they haven’t been able to touch the floors above that at all.

“That place is dangerous.”

The traps placed there are overwhelmingly difficult, and the powerful guardians placed by the owner of this place are holding out.

However, they don’t rampage unless you approach them, so they didn’t touch them.

“Casually going and swiping things is my specialty.”

I’m saying that I personally went to that dangerous place and brought back as much as I could!

[Whatever, this human…… you only went through the secret passage I told you about…….]

Of course, Asilla’s voice grumbling above my head won’t be heard by anyone but me, so let’s ignore it.

Still, I’m grateful inside.

After all, I was able to obtain this thanks to the information Asilla directly gave me.

She seems to want to remain silent about the grimoire, but instead, or rather, as a substitute, she told me about a secret passage to the secret warehouse on the upper floor.

[That alchemist brat seems to have some skill, so if you take those things, you’ll be able to live a little more comfortably.]

And she generously said that I could take all the materials and tools in the warehouse.

Does she have no regrets?

I had such a question.

[What’s the point of worrying about that when you’re already dead? I don’t care as long as it’s not the grimoire.]

When I think about it, even this lower floor had already been completely emptied as if it had been scraped clean.

[It might be better for pitiful kids to use it than to have it stolen. I can’t help them because they can’t see me. But if it goes through you, I can at least be considerate of their circumstances.]

Judging from the fact that she didn’t complain at all, she really didn’t seem to have any regrets.

Rather, she even said that it would be fun if someone came to take it, so how much more could I ask for?

[I can’t give up the grimoire, but anything else is fine.]

“You’re kind.”

[I just have no attachment to things.]

So let’s gratefully accept it.

According to her explanation, the things that were on the lower floors were only the least valuable of the materials and assets she had hidden.

[The real warehouses are from the top floor to the third floor.]

The warehouse she just told me about is the real deal, and it’s only a part of it.

To tell me to take that without hesitation.

She’s really generous.

Or should I say she’s basically a good person?

She’s truly a model ghost.

“Anyway, if we have these, our lives will be a little easier, and we can make tools to protect ourselves. Right, Elder Elmeroth?”

“……Well, I’ll do what I can. But are you giving all of this away? You found it, so why don’t you take some if you need it?”

“It’s okay. I’ve already taken what I need.”

Of course, I took care of it first!

I smiled and subtly showed off a few items, including the bracelet I was wearing on my arm.

In fact, I had already identified and taken the most useful ones in advance.

Three carefully selected treasures.

I asked Asilla about the effects of the piled-up tools one by one and picked out the useful ones first.

Items that assist with stats are naturally necessary, and mental resistance is also not bad.

Hallucinations or abilities that confuse the opponent’s mind are fatal if caught.

Of course, it is generally difficult to cast such powers.

Even a minimum of an Aura Practitioner or a 3-circle mage level with some skill will not be affected by most things.

But it’s different when it’s honed to the extreme.

High-level mental magic or abilities are so fatal that you have to be prepared for annihilation if you are caught even once.

There are cases where hallucinations cast by a single high-ranking person can lead to the self-destruction of tens of thousands of troops.

‘It’s not bad to prepare in advance.’