Trap
There was a locked gate at the entrance of the underground aqueduct. Linear-san used her key to open the gate, locking it firmly from the inside after we entered.
“I’ll lend this key to you.”
“Thank you very much.”
“When everything is done, return it to me.”
When I received the key, text appeared on it to indicate it could be created.
…I haven’t tried to lose it, but it seems better to destroy it once and store it in the item box.
The fact that she could hand me the key without worry was probably due to the guild card. The personal information on that card seems to be shared by all fairies. I don’t know how it works, but people who have been registered on guild cards can never escape the fairy’s eyes unless there’s something else at play.
After I took the key, we went down the stairs leading to the underground aqueduct. The passage was dim, and we needed to use a light magic tool to see properly here. Linear-san gave me one of the light magic tools that she’d prepared earlier.
This magic tool is expensive. I often hear that noble houses and traveling merchants use them, but they aren’t yet common enough for ordinary families to have them. There aren’t enough engineers yet to mass produce them. However… it seems possible for me to make it. Should I destroy it secretly later?
“Do you have any magic stones?”
“Uh… yes, I have some.” I moved my hand into my back pocket and took a magic stone out of the item box.
“You can open the part behind the handle, and put the magic stone in there.”
“Okay.”
As I was told, I opened the part behind the handle. When I put a magic stone there, it flashed several times. Huh, did this magic stone not work?
The moment I looked into it, it began emitting a strong light right into my eyes. I recoiled from it instantly, and I could hear giggling from Linear-san. When my vision was restored, she had already returned to her casual, unmotivated expression.
“W-were you laughing just now!?”
“A little bit.”
“…Ugh, that’s awful, isn’t it?”
“It would be bad if you blew yourself up.”
Should I remember that? Linear-san loosened her mouth a little again. Well, have we gotten a little friendlier now?
Linear-san and I walked along the side path of the underground aqueduct using the light magic tool. We walked single file since the path was very narrow. Considering the fact that we also need to fight, acting together is likely to limit our movement.
“How’s your fighting style, Linear-san?”
“I attack with this cane.”
“…O-oh.”
I was surprised at Linear-san’s enthusiasm. She flipped the cane gently and reattached it to her back. “This is my Divine Treasure, but I like to fight up close.”
“Really?”
“Yes. So leave the melee combat to me.”
Some people got a Divine Treasure that was different from what they dreamed of.
I’m no exception. I really wanted a combination like Lynn’s that could fight in a flashy way. But the reality was that I was a blacksmith… No, I don’t feel bad about this occupation anymore. Plenty of people in the world may have obtained Divine Treasures and occupations that were different from what they intended.
…Weapons, huh? Is it really necessary for a Blacksmith to make weapons? Weren’t Blacksmiths the only ones who could prepare weapons for those who wanted to fight but didn’t have an actual weapon? However, I am well aware that Divine Treasures are too amazing, and normal weapons aren’t enough. If I could make weapons equivalent to a Divine Treasure, the story may change. [ED: m8, you already have]
“This is the trap… it worked.”
Linear-san narrowed her lips. There was a barrier shaped like a cube around the trap, with a Blood Mouse desperately rampaging inside it. There was food scattered all over the floor, clearly left over from the bait. This Blood Mouse probably ate most of it.
“In this trap, a small barrier activates when the Blood Mouse steps on the magic stone placed under the food.” She pointed at the flat magic stone placed in the path.
I see. It seems that barrier device can be mass-produced as well. As expected, because the size is small, there aren’t many uses for it, but I guess I’ll try it and reproduce it later, in secret?
“The only thing now is to just release the barrier and defeat the Blood Mouse.”
“…I see. It seems like quite a troublesome process, huh.”
Linear-san aimed her hand at the barrier device. I also pulled out my sword and watched the Blood Mouse. The moment the barrier was released, it ran away. I went ahead and took a swing at it, cutting it with my sword. As expected, Linear-san sighed with relief when she saw the Blood Mouse turn into a corpse.
“It really is a lot different when I have someone helping me.”
“Linear-san, when you were doing this alone, did you still go to defeat it after lifting the barrier?”
“Yes. That’s why they were able to escape once in a while.”
“It was a pretty hard job, huh…”
“Yeah…” Linear-san sighed gently and then looked at me.
“Let’s go check all the barrier devices in this direction.”
“Understood.”
After that, I went to check the remaining barrier devices with Linear-san, and safely killed five more Blood Mice. Still, there seemed to be more Blood Mice here and there. I checked with Visual Enhancement and counted them, but it turned out to be an unpleasant sight, so I stopped.
“I will set up a new barrier again.”
“… I understand, but that, Linear-san. I think I have a good idea.”
“What is it?”
“My Divine Treasure is this hammer, but… I can add a powerful poison to things by hitting them with it.”
I took out my Divine Treasure, Creation Hammer. Linear-san tilted her head when she saw it, looking at such a small hammer that could be handled with just one hand.
“Poison? But poison doesn’t work on monsters, does it?”
“No, this does, I used it on monsters like goblins before. So if I can mix the poison with the food, maybe… it could work. I think.”
“I see… Anyway, this method will take some time, so maybe we could try it once.”
Linear-san gave me the bait, and I held it, pretending to hit it with my hammer. Of course, my Divine Treasure doesn’t actually have that ability, but it’s easier to deceive her if I say it’s the power of the Divine Treasure. I granted Poison Attack while holding the bait.
“Now let’s prepare this in several places.”
“Of course, but I will still install the barrier system as usual.”
If this fails, I’ll just hunt the mice like before, but I’ve already experimented with this method, so it should be fine.
Bound Pleasures 
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