Ch.206Teacher’s chance

“Congratulations on successfully rescuing Phyllis’s sister—”

“Cheers~!!”

We set up camp in the forest several hundred meters away from the dark elf stronghold and raised our cups filled with orange juice in a toast.

Tonight’s dinner was smoked meat with a combination pizza topped with potatoes, bell peppers, and basil.

It would have been perfect if we had cola or beer, but unfortunately, we didn’t have any in stock.

We were lucky to have juice at all, thanks to the orange trees that grew next to the dark elf stronghold.

“Ah… Will’s cooking is always the best.”

“Honestly, I never liked tomatoes because of their texture, but I never knew they could make such delicious food. *munch munch*”

“I quite like this mozzarella cheese. The way it stretches is fascinating.”

“Nom nom nom.”

Three people expressing their admiration and Setty cutely munching away.

The adventurer’s diet, which started with hard bread and jerky like dog treats, has evolved to this point.

“How’s Iris doing?”

“She’s eating well. Though the maid has to feed her bite by bite.”

Iris, confined in the Stone House, is having her meal with the help of a maid doll deployed by Mina.

The set of three dolls—maid, butler, and technician—discovered along with the Prisoner’s Stone House, can work in the Stone House without consuming magical power. They can also be given specific behavioral instructions, making them perfect for attending to Iris.

This tiny mansion will be her shelter until we find a way to restore her condition.

“It’s a good sign that she’s responding to food. I was worried something was seriously wrong when she was just lying there motionless.”

“Indeed… Iris’s response is an unprecedented anomaly. Elves who transform into dark elves immediately consider their own kind as enemies and display unrestrained violence and aggression.”

“Didn’t you say they become fanatics of whatever the dark elves worship? Maybe she’s just not fully brainwashed?”

“That could be it. There are magic scholars at Mothertown’s Academy who specialize in mental magic research. If we could take her there, we might learn something…”

“Eh~ Isn’t that impossible? I heard that creatures associated with black magic are absolutely prohibited near Mothertown.”

“If that’s the case, taking Iris there would be difficult. Are there no such experts in other cities?”

“Probably not. The academic resources at Mothertown’s Academy are vastly different from the branch offices in other cities…”

So unless you’re someone who actively uses magic while adventuring, it’s rare for scholars who specialize in magical theory to travel to the frontier.

Judging from Phyllis’s reaction, it seems even the elves don’t have detailed knowledge about dark elf brainwashing… wait a minute.

“Oh? Hold on.”

“What is it?”

“I just thought… wouldn’t Anastasia, being a succubus, be knowledgeable about brainwashing or mind control?”

“…Now that you mention it, that makes sense. She did put mental manipulations on Peter and the mansion staff.”

“Indeed, someone of her caliber might provide unexpected advice. Will, could you ask her?”

“Sure. I’ll also ask if she knows anything about automatons while I’m at it. It might help with repairing Ancestor.”

With that decided, I quickly finished my meal, brushed my teeth, and headed straight to bed.

Please help us, Teacher Anastasia!

“Dark elf brainwashing, you say? Of course I know about it.”

“Oh! As expected of Teacher Anastasia.”

“Hehe… ‘Teacher,’ what an unfamiliar title, but not unpleasant to hear.”

The adult version of Anastasia I met in my dream took a sip of tea from the table, smiling with satisfaction at being called “teacher.”

By the way, we were meeting in Archmage Deidric Asmad’s brick house, which, unlike last time, was now decorated with luxurious curtains and furnishings.

“The brainwashing technique used by dark elves is a modified and refined form of necromancy. They have a transcendent being they worship possess the target’s body, and by devouring the host’s mind, they turn them into servants.”

“What exactly is this transcendent being?”

“I cannot yet reveal that with my own lips. However, that elf girl Iris, as I see it, has a chance of recovery.”

“Really? Is that true?”

“Of course. Though she appears lethargic, the fact that she responds properly to meals and doesn’t show the aggression typical of dark elves means the conversion wasn’t completed properly. That elf girl is either still fighting the transcendent being’s mental entity, or somehow firmly protecting her mind while waiting for external help.”

She was stabbed by the dark blade and her body transformed into a dark elf five years ago, yet she’s still fighting against this transcendent being inside her mind… that’s an incredible mental fortitude, to say the least.

“So the remaining problem is how to expel this transcendent mental entity from Iris’s body…”

“Don’t rush. Expelling a mental entity that has possessed a physical body is a dangerous procedure, not something to attempt hundreds of kilometers away from a city without proper preparation. For now, focus only on safely returning to Moon Lake city.”

“Is there no risk of the brainwashing being completed in the meantime?”

“Well, weren’t you prepared to be hostile toward this Iris girl in the first place? Just because the situation has improved somewhat doesn’t mean getting impatient will yield good results.”

I could only nod obediently at Anastasia’s admonishing words.

Indeed, finding Iris in an incomplete state of brainwashing was unexpected good fortune.

The original plan was to capture Iris, who had transformed into a dark elf, confine her in the Stone House, and find a way to restore her body and mind.

Even in the worst case, things would proceed as originally planned, so Anastasia was absolutely right that we should focus on safely returning to Moon Lake first.

“…I understand. I’ll contact you again after we’ve moved Iris to a safe place. By the way, apart from Iris’s issue, I’m curious about something else… do you remember the large horse we had with us?”

“Indeed I do. A magnificent horse with black fur and blue-white mane. I’ve never seen such a beautiful horse in all my life.”

“That horse is actually an automaton made in ancient times, and it broke down during our fight with the dark elves.”

“Oh? It was a mechanical doll? I never noticed. And?”

“Mina is trying to fix it, but she’s struggling because she doesn’t understand the structure of the magic circuit in the head. I was wondering if you might know of any places where similar automatons might be hidden, or where documents related to automaton manufacturing might be stored.”

“Hmm, mechanical dolls…”

Anastasia lightly placed her hand on her temple, lost in thought for a moment, then shook her head.

“I’m afraid I have no idea about mechanical dolls. However, I could let you examine the horse thoroughly as it was before it broke down. Would that be insufficient?”

“Um… what exactly do you mean?”

“I mean this.”

Anastasia lightly waved her hand in the air, and Jessica appeared on the sofa across from me.

She smiled at me gently, then sat quietly on the sofa, looking straight at Anastasia.

“Jessica? How did you get in here?”

“This isn’t the girl herself. I’ve merely summoned her image from your memories in this dream. However, similarly, if I summon the black horse as it was before it broke down, wouldn’t it be possible to examine the magic circuits that have been lost?”

“You’re saying that an illusion summoned in a dream would perfectly recreate the internal structure? Even parts I’ve never seen?”

“If you doubt me, why not examine this girl’s intimate details? I guarantee she won’t be different from the real one by even a single hair. Finding secrets in places you’ve never explored before and comparing them with the real girl could be quite entertaining.”

As soon as Anastasia said this, Jessica’s illusion slowly stood up and began to undress.

“Stop! I get it! I get it, so stop right there! Cease the sexual harassment!”

“Hehe, your flustered look is cute. This is your chance to experience things the real girl would never allow.”

“Please don’t play around with someone else’s girlfriend… Anyway, you’re saying I can summon Ancestor—my horse—in the dream and examine the structure of the parts that were lost?”

“Exactly. However, as only you, a man, can connect with me through dreams, if you want to repair that mechanical doll immediately, you’ll have to understand the internal structure yourself and relay it to that girl Mina.”

“Uh… that’s problematic. I don’t even have basic knowledge about magical tools or automatons.”

“Then it would be best to resolve this issue in person. Come visit this house sometime. Bring that elf girl too.”

“To the Archmage’s villa rather than Riverside?”

“Wouldn’t it be too cumbersome to return all the way to Riverside? Fortunately, I have a connection to this house, so I can exert my power sufficiently even with my physical body left in Riverside.”

“That would be very helpful for us.”

There’s a direct route from Moon Lake to the Archmage’s villa, and if it’s just about understanding the structure of the lost magic circuit, we don’t need to bring Ancestor or the carriage.

Once we return to Moon Lake, we can gradually solve both Ancestor’s and Iris’s problems.

“Well, have all your questions been answered?”

“Yes, thank you as always. I’ll try to stop by Moon Lake as soon as possible and then head to the Archmage’s villa.”

“I’ll be waiting. But… are you sure you don’t want to play with this girl before you go?”

“Come on, put her away already.”

I waved my hand dismissively at Anastasia, who was playfully smiling while pointing at Jessica’s illusion, who had half-undressed, and then I stood up.

If I want something, I can ask the real Jessica, why would I rely on a succubus’s illusion?

…I can ask the real one, right?