Is It Bad That the Main Character’s a Roleplayer? - Chapter 90: I Want to Talk (6)

I’d planned to stop by the Magic Tower first, but things changed.

I immediately accompanied the others to the Temple. I couldn’t just ignore what I’d heard and had to see what had happened to my dragon corpse!

“This…”

And what I was shown were numerous pieces of scales and horns.

“While it’s only a 1/4th, the Magic Tower and the Lord took the dragon’s eyes and flesh, so we mainly secured the horns and scales.

The Archmage explained why only horns and scales were present.

It didn’t really matter that much to me. I didn’t even know what use the eyes or flesh had, but if I intended to make a weapon, these materials would be the best option. It seemed the Archmage had taken that into consideration when securing my cut.

However, there was a problem…

“The color’s changed?”

“They became transparent…”

The dragon corpse I had dragged out of the water originally had quite a dull color overall. Anyone looking at it would think of words like ‘Pollution’, ‘Corruption’, and ‘Uncleanness’.

However, just as the two dumplings said, the parts had changed color and were becoming somewhat transparent. Of course, I wasn’t saying they’d become as transparent as glass, but their color was just that clear.

“I think… I’ve seen something of that color before…”

“It looks like the natural color of a sea dragon.”

“Ah! Certainly! Sir Archmage is right. Unlike the one we killed, the sea dragon we helped had this pretty color.”

“That seems to be the case… But why did it suddenly change like this?”

“About that… I have no idea. I would have to look into it.”

The color, as clear as a jewel, was extremely beautiful. However, I had no idea why it had changed while in storage or returned to this pretty color even after being corrupted.

Dark blue was still acceptable because of its dark shade, but this bright, clear blue didn’t suit me at all!

“It’s a relief, though. I thought someone might have stolen or damaged the items or something.”

“Did you think the Temple would guard them so half-heartedly?!”

No, this most certainly wasn’t a relief. This color palette didn’t match me at all. The color didn’t fit me in the least.

I placed my hand on the scales while feeling despair, indescribable despair. Sssish. Smoke rose as my hand started burning, as though I had touched hydrochloric acid.

“…!”

I quickly pulled my hand away. Fortunately, my palms were fine since I was wearing gloves, but my fingers sported light burn marks.

“What!”

“Are you okay?!”

I withdrew my injured hand and glared at the scales. Despite having just burned me, they were completely fine, with only steam-like smoke rising from them.

“Just what is this…”

It seemed even the Archmage, known as the Great Sage, hadn’t anticipated this situation. He approached me, his light blue eyes wide open.

“Could it be?”

He looked at the scars on my hands and the scales, then picked up one of the pieces. Even after seeing my burnt hand, he acted without any hesitation.

“Sir Archmage!”

“Eh, Mister Sage?!”

However, his hands were fine. He quietly held the blue scales in his white, furry hands.

“You touch them, as well. If my guess is right, you won’t get hurt.”

“Okay…”

At the Archmage’s request, Deb also touched them. He was a little scared, to the point of only daring to poke them with his index finger, but against his expectations, nothing happened.

With newfound confidence, he took one of the scales and fiddled with it for a bit.

“I’m fine…?”

“What’s going on here? Why does it only hurt the Demon Knight…?”

The Inquisitor, who was the last to touch the scales, was also fine. In the end, I was the only one who had gotten burned.

I felt my heart break a little. Why was it only me…?

“It seems to be because of his Demonic Energy.”

The Archmage seemed to be trying to comfort me. It looked like he’d brought his thoughts to a conclusion in that short amount of time and continued to talk smoothly.

“For primordial beasts like sea dragons, Negative Energy is like poison. So, much like Divine Power, they have the power to reject any kind of Negative Energy.”

“Wait a second, so that means…”

“However, the dragon we killed was completely corrupted by Negative Energy. That might be why there wasn’t any reaction when the Demon Knight touched it before.”

The Archmage, who stopped Deb from speaking by raising his hand, finally got to his point.

“So… What if the Negative Energy contained within the corpse was slowly Purified while stored in the Temple, and it regained its power to reject Negative Energy? That would roughly explain why the scales regained their original color and why only the Demon Knight gets hurt by touching it.”

There wasn’t any specific evidence, but his guess fit just perfectly with our current circumstances—even the matter of me suddenly getting rejected by these materials.

“…So, that’s what happened. I understand.”

Wait a second. So, what now? If these materials’ properties had changed to be the complete opposite of mine… Wouldn’t the same also be true for any items or weapons created out of them?

“…I also came into contact with an uncorrupted sea dragon. If they have the power to reject all Negative Energy, why was I fine back then?”

I clung to even the slightest sliver of hope. Even if the color didn’t match me at all, I could just paint it, but if the item itself rejected me, I couldn’t use it.

I didn’t want that to be the truth. I wanted equipment made from dragon scales that I could use!

“I suppose it’s because the Sea Dragon decided to tolerate you. It’s the same reason you wouldn’t get hurt if you were to touch the Inquisitor right now.”

However, the Archmage presented me with the harsh truth.

“However, in the case of by-products like these, they don’t have a mind of their own to consciously turn off their power. As such, they just always exert it… That’s probably why they burned you.”

The analogy was so perfect that I couldn’t even claim not to understand what he meant.

After listening to the Archmage’s words, I looked down at the scales with mixed feelings. Their color didn’t match me, and I couldn’t use them even if I wanted to because they would only damage me. Sadness washed over me like a flood.

After going through all that trouble, all I got were materials I couldn’t even use. All I gained through my hard work over the past month were materials I couldn’t ever use!!

“Erm, I’m sorry. Demon Knight. If I hadn’t suggested leaving them at the Temple, then…”

“It’s not your fault, Inquisitor. Who would have expected something like this might happen?”

The kimchi dumpling looked at me cautiously. Deb seemed to have similar thoughts but didn’t speak up. That only made me feel even sadder.

It really made me realize all my precious materials were gone now.

“…”

No, no. There’s always a silver lining. Rather, wasn’t this an opportunity? What rejected me also rejected Demons.

If we made good use of them, couldn’t we create an extremely effective weapon against Demons? If we made just the hilt from something else, I could also hold it! I rarely touched the blade part anyway!

As that thought struck me, I felt some hope. In short, I abandoned the plan to make armor and instead wanted to create a single weapon.

“If we made a weapon out of this material, do you think it would be effective against Demons?”

“…It would be.”

Then we should make one! We should just make a single sword! I would just cover the blue with some paint later!

“But… Well, if you plan on using it, that would be a little difficult.”

Why?!

“Everything else aside, there’s a chance it would explode due to extreme rejection as soon as you try applying your power to it.”

…God is dead!!

* * *

* * *

The Inquisitor was restless, feeling overwhelmingly guilty and regretful. They could have left it with the Adventurers’ Guild, but she’d suggested entrusting it to the Temple as it had better security.

However, she never thought the material would change properties like that, leading to this situation.

At this point, she thought it would have been better if they had been stolen instead. In that case, they could just get it back, but they couldn’t change the materials’ property again.

“If I study it a little more… I might find a way to artificially corrupt it.”

“…! Is that possible?”

“It’s not that difficult.”

Intentionally creating Negative Energy to corrupt them? She reflexively frowned before turning to see the Demon Knight looking down at the scales.

Negative Energy was definitely something that needed Purifying… Corruption was something that should never be forgiven…

However, the Dragon corpse belonged to the Demon Knight to begin with. She couldn’t stop him from making it accessible to himself.

That was especially true in this case because the Negative Energy and corruption weren’t intended to cause harm but to save others.

It was unavoidable to prevent physiological rejection.

“Oh– I guess that would bother you, o noble priest.”

“I-I didn’t say anything…! I just feel a little reluctant…!”

She didn’t even say anything, so why was that idiot picking a fight with her again?!

She gritted her teeth and glared at the thief. The sword he’d said was given to him by the Demon Knight was dangling from his waist. That annoyed her even more!

She wasn’t entirely sure why, though… Anyway, after he’d bragged to her about being recognized by the Demon Knight, she felt like dying of annoyance every time she looked into his face.

“You…!”

At that moment, the Archmage looked utterly astonished. The head of the Inquisitor, who was busy trying to decide whether these actions were right or wrong, reflexively turned as well.

Sssish.

The Demon Knight was holding the scales again, risking getting burned.

“Mister!”

“Demon Knight!”

“Are you crazy?”

They all urgently called out to him, but the Demon Knight didn’t lower the scales. Instead, he drew Arcane Power into his hands. The Demonic Energy that usually stayed in his right arm mixed with his Arcane Power and flowed through his left arm.

Ssssish.

The conflict between the scale’s power and the rising black energy intensified.

Crack!

Ultimately, the scale broke into pieces and scattered in every direction.

She saw that his fingers were red and his gloves were filled with many holes.

“I can’t use it.”

His wounds seemed very serious at a glance, but the Demon Knight’s expression was very calm. Rather, he appeared to be calculating something as he stared dryly at the scale that had burst apart.

“Th-There was no need to test this out in such a painful manner, was there? Give me your hand.”

“Not yet.”

He grasped another scale, different from the one that had shattered everywhere, with his injured hand.

“Mister!!”

“Y-Your hand is hurt!”

“Take it.”

Fortunately, the Demon Knight didn’t hold on to it for long. Instead, he threw it through the air, landing it in her hands.

“Use your Divine Power on it.”

“What?”

The Demon Knight’s words were rather unexpected, but the Inquisitor did what he said without realizing it. The Demon Knight had always given her instructions during urgent moments, so she tended to follow them unconsciously.

“…!”

The Divine Power she had imbued it with radiated with a brighter light than she expected.

This was comparable to the shield or mace made from star metal. It was compatible with Divine Power. No, it actually seemed to be amplifying it, even.

Although, its absorption rate was a little less by comparison.

“How is it?”

“Well, it seems to amplify my Divine Power.”

The Inquisitor conveyed her thoughts without leaving out a single word. The Demon Knight, who had yet to give his injured hand to the Archmage, listened to her quietly before reaching out his hand to the other side.

The direction that troublemaker was standing in.

“Ah!”

Seeing the outstretched hand, the thief thought for a moment before pulling out the sword fastened to his waist and passing it to him.

“Hey, Mister. Please let him heal your wounds.”

For the first time, she wanted to agree to the thief’s words, but the Demon Knight acted the same as he always did. He calmly held the sword with his left arm and breathed Arcane Power into it.

Although he poured his Arcane Power into the blade, it didn’t seem to be getting reinforced or becoming notably stronger.

“…Is it more efficient?”

After mumbling to himself, he returned the sword to the thief. The Demon Knight next took out a dagger he always carried in his clothes.

Kaaang!

The dagger filled with his Arcane Power struck a scale and broke. The scale, on the other hand, also cracked, but not to the point of splitting apart.

The broken dagger was thrown to the floor.

“It’ll be useful if it’s made into armor.”

“What?”

The Inquisitor was momentarily confused by the Demon Knight’s words. She knew he was testing something, and he somehow concluded that they should make armor out of the materials.

The unexpectedness of this aside, she wondered if that could even be done. It was rather doubtful whether it was even possible, and even if it were, the Demon Knight couldn’t use it.

That was… Because his body was filled with Negative Energy.

“…Are you… sure?”

However, unlike her, the Archmage seemed to understand what he was saying. The Inquisitor tried to ask what was going on with her eyes.

The Demon Knight’s thoughts were always beyond her wildest imagination, and she couldn’t confirm his intentions alone.

“Are you planning on giving it to the Inquisitor?”

Just because you had someone else spell out others’ intentions didn’t mean you could understand them immediately.

* * *

I looked down at my left hand, suppressing my urge to cry. In this state, if I just shouted that I would be the one to use the item made from this material, I would be an idiot.

“It’ll be useful if it’s made into armor.”

So, what could I do? I had no choice but to give it to someone who could use it better than I could.

“Are you planning on giving it to the Inquisitor?”

“What? Y-Y-You’re giving it to me?!”

I tried to free my heart from all worldly desires as I saw the kimchi dumpling, whose reaction was even better than the meat dumpling’s.

Still, my aching heart wasn’t soothed easily. I’d still had some alternatives when I gave Deb the sword since I still had materials left, but now I was out of options for good.

“Wh-Wh-Why?”

However, using that to insist on using this stuff for myself was even more foolish.

I was 100% sure I couldn’t make a weapon for myself out of these materials. I couldn’t use my Arcane Power on it, nor could I use my skills with it.

On the other hand, it was very compatible with the Inquisitor. No, it even amplified her powers.

These materials absolutely needed to be used on the Inquisitor.

“…Are you really planning on giving all of this to her?”

Then who else should I give them to?

I’d already realized that even if we recorrupted them for my sake, I couldn’t use them as effectively as the Inquisitor.

I recalled the moment I imbued the sword I’d gifted Deb with my power. While it gently accepted my Arcane Power, it didn’t amplify it.

So, going by efficiency, this was a landslide victory for the Inquisitor.

Of course, I could still use it, albeit less efficiently. However, would my character agree to artificially corrupting something?

“If you wear this on your flimsy body, you won’t be as much of a hindrance.”

Furthermore, I… Honestly, now that I’d decided just to use a regular iron sword, these materials didn’t hold any real meaning to me anymore.

I mean, whether you inflicted 10 or 100 points of damage to kill a monster with 10 health points, wouldn’t the result be the same? However, the urge to upgrade one’s specs was simply part of a gamer’s desire.

The Inquisitor was different, though. This girl sometimes had to take off her armor because of its weight.

That would be a fatal weakness to someone who fought while relying on defense, unlike me, who used explosive attacks.

However, these materials were much lighter than iron. If they were made into armor, she would have to take off her armor a lot less often. Of course, the penalties that came with her equipment would also be reduced.

Considering the power output she’d shown, were the Inquisitor to wear it, she would have an easier time subduing me if I went on a rampage again…

As such, I would also still benefit from it.

“You…”

“D-Demon Knight…”

“Mister Knight…”

That was it…

“I understand. If that is what you want, I shall respect your wishes.”

“Th-Thank you! I don’t know if I even deserve this, but I will work even harder!”

“Mister, you’re pretty generous.”

…I wouldn’t go back on my words, but this sure was unfair!

My dragon-scale sword!!