TL NOTE: We changed Cursed User to Warlock. According to anteopta, that’s the official translation. Not sure if it’s supposed to be warlock or worlock, but warlock seems to be the word, so I’ll use that unless those who’ve read the original translation can confirm it’s worlock.
Chapter 334: The Basics of Purification
We rode the slimes up the mountain, and in about 30 minutes, we reached a mountain cabin near the summit.
It’s a cabin meant for the warlocks managing the land, but it’s far enough from the miasma that there’s no contamination here just eyt, so it should be safe to use it as our base of operations.
Before anything else, however–
“We need to clean up.” [Ryouma]
Just as Rosenberg-sama mentioned, warlocks only come a few times a year, so the cabin hasn’t been well maintained.
So, now that this area was officially under my management, I want to overhaul it completely.
Of course, we have to make the place livable first.
So, I summoned some Cleaner Slimes and tasked them to clean up, while I had the Sticky Slimes surround the cabin and the Spider Slimes go to the attic and into the floorboards.
Like this they’ll be able to eliminate any vermin that might have taken up residence while no one was around.
We could just wait while the slimes worked, but that sounds like a waste of time, so…
“Do you guys mind if I send you off on an errand while the cabin is being prepared?” [Ryouma]
“Of course! We came here to work, so don’t hold back.” [Wereanna]
Wereanna-san seemed eager, so I didn’t hold back.
“For now, I just need you to do a quick patrol around the cabin. We’d need to do a full survey eventually, but for now, just check for any danger. You know, like the undead or wild animals or anything that might be of concern nearby.” [Ryouma]
“Got it! Leave it to me, nyaa!” [Miya]
With Miya-san brimming with enthusiasm, the adventurer team quickly divided the patrol zones among themselves.
In the meantime, I checked their weapons and coated them with light-element mana to equip them in case they ran into some undead.
“In that case, we can take care of lunch.” [Sebasuu]
“It’s just the retort pouch and some simple sandwiches though.” [Yurdum]
“I can help too if it’s just cutting some ingredients or washing.” [Eleonora]
“Thanks. I’ll be counting on you then.” [Ryouma]
Sebasu-san, Yurdum-san, and Eleonora-san gathered the supplies we’d brought with dimension magic, and they began preparing for our meal outside the cabin.
That left just Rosenberg-sama and me.
“If there’s nothing else, shall we go over the documents to prepare? When there’s no warlock stationed full time, the reports tend to be out of date and sometimes the situation is far worse than what has been reported.” [Rosenberg]
Far worse than what has been reported, huh. Sounds like the Town of Departed Spirits.
The most recent documents we have are from six months ago, so it would probably be wise to review them.
As written, the mountain here was elliptical, stretching from northwest to southeast, and the area affected by miasma could be found along the southwest slope, halfway up the mountain.
Even from below the mountain, it was obvious that that region was dead and parts of it have even collapsed.
It had a steep slope to it too.
In comparison, the slope to the east was much gentler, and the ground more stable. That’s why we had to climb from the east even though it was somewhat out of the way.
Wereanna-san and her team were checking out the surrounding area, so we should wait on their report.
“The source of miasma and the state of the land around is concerning, though we’ve yet to encounter any undead until now.” [Ryouma]
According to the documents, there was a small settlement here a long time ago, but its inhabitants were exiles, and they survived by extorting passing merchants.
They were basically bandits. An honest group, though, one could argue, as the documents say they never harmed the travelers when they paid their toll, even offering protection or acting as guides, so they were tolerated when the roads still hadn’t been developed.
The merchants probably thought it to be fair trade since they did guarantee fair passage.
But eventually, newer and safer roads came to be built and the merchants no longer needed to risk the toll, so the outcasts lost their only leverage.
With no other options, they turned to outright banditry, and the soldiers were dispatched, the settlement razed, and the residents wiped out.
The graves where their bodies were buried were left unattended for many years, and eventually, that neglect gave rise to the miasma that now tainted the land.
“If the miasma is properly managed, usually the undead won’t appear, but the miasma can kill off the trees and cause landslides, making a warlock’s job that much harder.” [Rosenberg]
“I can get one of my familiars to scout from the sky, and my own purification spell isn’t affected much by the terrain, so what I’m more concerned about is the speed of the wind and its direction.” [Ryouma]
“Using a familiar to scout the place out is good. I’m very curious about that spell of yours. We have to find the time to test it. As for determining the extent of corruption from miasma, there’s a magic tool for that.” [Rosenberg]
Rosenberg-sama retrieved a long black case from among Sebasu-san’s supplies. Inside could be found a metal staff with a small balance scale at the top.
Rosenberg-sama planted the staff into the ground and kept it steady. He looked just like a surveyor performing optical measurements.
“This is the tool. There’s no miasma in this area right now, so it won’t react, but when mana is channeled into the staff in a contaminated zone, the scale will tip toward the direction where miasma is stronger.
By using it at regular intervals while pushing deeper into the contaminated lands, we can trace the boundaries demarcating the contaminated from the uncontaminated.” [Rosenberg]
“So the first point where the scale reacts marks the boundary?” [Ryouma]
“Yes. If you want to be more precise, just use it more frequently.
If you don’t know where the source is, follow the direction where it tilts strongest, then from within the contaminated zone, search for the point where the scale levels out again.
But remember, the most important thing is always to prepare sufficiently by protecting yourself with anti-miasma spells and tools. Never overextend. Remember. To head toward the source is to head straight into miasma.” [Rosenberg]
Apparently, it’s recommended not to approach from one direction, but to close in from multiple safe paths.
“However, if the miasma is thin, you might as well just go straight to the source. So, whether you go straight for it or take a longer but safer approach depends on the concentration.
Look. There are gradation markings on the tool.” [Rosenberg]
Tiny measurements could be seen etched near the fulcrum, making it possible to read the angle of the tilt.
“Up to 30 degrees is the safe zone. 31 to 60 is caution. Anything over 61 is dangerous.
We recommend retreating when it hits around 50. Just to be safe. Under no circumstances should you enter the 61+ zone.
Also, once you’ve exited a contaminated zone, don’t forget to purify your clothes and equipment.” [Rosenberg]
“So the procedure and thresholds are defined numerically. I’m guessing there must’ve been people who ignored that and got into trouble.” [Ryouma]
It was just a casual remark, but Rosenberg-sama cast down his eyes.
“…Yes, the vast majority of warlock accidents come from people failing to follow procedure.
Many young warlock cut corners because the work is slow and methodical. Unfortunately, even those higher up sometimes disregard the rules themselves.
The Carchel family regularly sends out reports of such incidents and a reminder to stay safe to all warlocks, but unfortunately, there’s no shortage of warlocks seeking their own doom.” [Rosenberg]
There was a hint of melancholy and bitterness behind his words. I guess something must’ve happened in the past.
I get it, though. In my student days, I worked part-time at construction sites and factories, and even there safety standards were often ignored, sometimes completely.
Honestly, procedures being laid out this clearly with numerical safety thresholds is rare.
As I remember it, most places I’ve worked at had manuals so vague you couldn’t figure out what the actual procedures were, some had manuals but no one followed them, and if you did, you’d get yelled at for being inefficient, then there were places with no manuals at all, though I guess that’s on a whole ‘nother level of bad.
I guess this kind of thing happens in this world too.
Seeing me mull over that, however, Rosenberg-sama nodded.
“I can see you don’t need the full lecture. That’s a relief.” [Rosenberg]
After that was practical instruction–How to operate the magic tool, how to read the measurements, the recommended frequency of use, and so on.
It wasn’t particularly difficult. Clearly, whoever designed the tool made it easy to use, even for beginners.
“To get accurate readings, channel your mana into it gently. Above all, you need to get used to it with constant practice.
This one was prepared specifically for you, so please make use of it.” [Rosenberg]
“You’re giving it to me? Not just lending it?” [Ryouma]
“This is standard equipment for any working warlock. If I contact the main house, I can get more easily. It’s not particularly expensive too.
Just think of it as a small gift to commemorate your apprenticeship, however unconventional it may be.” [Rosenberg]
“Thank you so much!” [Ryouma]
I was truly grateful as I accepted the gift.
But just as I did, a rustling sound came from the grass just behind, and I found myself snapping to it.
Maybe it was the time I’d spent in the Great Forest, but the first thing that came to mind was monsters.
“Oh, it was just you, Mizelia-san.” [Ryouma]
“Were we interrupting?” [Mizelia]
“Not at all.” [Ryouma]
The ones who had emerged from the bush were Mizelia-san and Syria-san.
“Oh, that was quick.” [Ryouma]
“It would take a lot of time if we were to check the whole mountain, but doing some rounds around the cabin doesn’t take much. Besides, we split up to cover more ground.” [Mizelia]
“The other three should be back soon.” [Syria]
True enough, less than three minutes later, the rest of the team returned, and they gave their report.
“For the meantime, the coast is clear. No undead, no large beasts. There were some small animals and birds to the east, so we can hunt those if we need to.” [Mizelia]
“You could probably set up farmland here. Normally, it’d be tough work clearing untouched land, but the soil looks rich, I didn’t see any unstable ground and there’s an open flat area to the southeast.” [Syria]
“I didn’t see much in the south, just some insects. There were plants, but the whole place felt eerie. Not dead, just lifeless. Same with the west.” [Jeff]
“We started to feel something weird as we approached the ridge, so we circled back around from the north.
It didn’t feel bad there. There were birds and animals too.
But the lack of life in the south and west is definitely the miasma’s doing, nyaa.” [Miya]
“It seems the air changes right around the ridgeline.” [Wereanna]
Based on their report, it seems safe to assume that the miasma from the southwest slope is the cause behind the oddities. And if the air shifted that noticeably across the ridge, then–
“Rosenberg-sama, would it be correct to assume the mountain itself is acting as a barrier?” [Ryouma]
“Yes. The source of the miasma is clearly the graveyard of the old settlement, and much of the miasma appears to be accumulating underground.
Regular purification efforts appear to have been made, but contaminated soil probably slid downhill. That should explain the environmental differences in their report.
We can reasonably infer that the mountain’s water source is still clean. If it had been contaminated by miasma, the damage would have been far more widespread, likely affecting the entire mountain, not just the southwest.” [Rosenberg]
That naturally led into a conversation about the properties of miasma and how it interacts with different elements.
Miasma erodes all things and tends to attract and accumulate around itself, but its behavior is also affected by the physical properties of the materials it infests.
For example, soil stores miasma easily and does not spread it well, but it’s also hard to purify, so the contamination lingers. That’s why purifying land takes so long.
Air by contrast holds miasma poorly but spreads it quickly, but on the other hand, it’s easier to purify.
Water sits between the two in terms of storage, spread, and ease of purification; however, water can seep into the ground and transfer miasma into the soil.
If a water source or waterway is contaminated, it becomes a serious threat, capable of spreading the miasma widely and quickly across an entire region.
“As the saying goes, soil and water affect each other.
Also, if dry soil becomes dust and gets kicked up, it can spread miasma through the air–the sort of thing that would happen during a landslide. That’s a prime example of soil and wind interacting.” [Rosenberg]
Because of these properties, it was crucial to consider the interplay between soil, water, and air when assessing how far miasma might spread.
Samples of each could also be collected and tested with specialized reagents to measure contamination levels in detail. Words like ‘geological survey’ and ‘water quality testing’ floated through my mind while Rosenberg-sama explained.
The adventurer team listened with curiosity the whole time, saying things like ‘Really?’ or ‘I didn’t know that,’ their interest clearly piqued.
The mood was so relaxed and enjoyable that it actually made it unclear whether this was a report from a subordinate to a superior or just a friendly conversation among friends.
Time passed, and before we knew it, lunch was ready. Yurdum-san came to collect us, but even along the way we continued to talk.
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