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"Skill elements" Chapter 21: The Four Races
🕑 Added 2023-06-07 07:00:56 +0000 UTCSuddenly, Kukuto asked a question out of the blue.
"Takumi, do you and your friends plan to go defeat the Demon Lord?"
Demon? Is there a demon king in this world?
It's the first time I've heard of it...
Seeing my face like that, Kukuto-san notices something.
"You guys don't seem to know anything about this world... It could be dangerous if you remain ignorant, so let me educate you."
Kukuto-san takes a sip of ale and then looks at me and Mia.
"First of all, there are four races in this world: Elves, Humans, Dwarves, and Demons."
Demons!? I've never seen one before.
“‘Elves’ are long-lived and adept at magic, and can process things to create magic tools. Their techniques are considered secret arts, concealed alongside their racial blessings. They have a strong sense of racial identity and a high sense of pride."
Having a strong racial identity and pride is a common trope of elves even in light novels.
“Magic tools require magic stones, but they are convenient and highly efficient, so they are widely used all over the world.
Kukuto's gaze became stern.
"The Adventurers' Guild, although appearing different on the surface, is actually under the control of the Elves. They also handle magic stones used for magic tools, so they enjoy double benefits!"
Bang!
Kukuto pounded the table with his fist, wearing a frustrated expression.
"And... they're spreading the class society that puts them above the humans and dwarves. You can tell by looking at this city, right?"
I finally understand why elves act like nobles and dwarves are poor.
After taking a sip of ale and taking a breath, Kukuto calmed down a bit.
"I apologize. I got a little carried away. Next is the 'Humans.' They don't have any racial blessings, but they make up about half of the total population, outnumbering all the other races combined. All the people from different worlds are always Humans. They are also the ones who purchase the majority of magic tools. There are good and bad individuals among them, so honestly, I don't really understand them."
Seeing me and Mia, Kukuto-san grinned.
"Well, you two are exceptions even among the Humans. Wahahaha!"
"Yes, yes. Takumi and Mia-chan are wonderful Humans, desu."
Kukuto and Marle's kind words made me very happy.
We laughed and raised our glasses, toasting with ale.
"And we, the 'Dwarves,' are long-lived and skilled in crafting. However, what we create cannot match the convenience of magic tools. In terms of performance as well, the things we make will always lose to magic tools in the end."
After that, Marle-san gave us an explanation.
Elves buy low-quality things from humans cheaply, then turn them into magic tools and sell them at a high price.
The products made by Dwarves require more effort and inevitably become more expensive than magic tools, making them difficult to sell.
Nowadays, it seems dwarves have no choice but to endure the products being bought at low prices by the Elves and fulfill unreasonable orders.
Kukuto-san drinks up the ale in one go as if he wants to forget about the bad things.
"Alright, now the last one, 'Demons'. They possess strong magical and physical abilities. However, their numbers are overwhelmingly small. They account for about 3% of the total population across all races... and they can create magical tools."
"Huh? Can only elves make magic tools?"
"Demons can also create magical tools. Technically, the magical tools made by Elves and Demons are different, but the usability is the same. However, Demons are closed and have little interaction with other races. That's why it's no different than the elves monopolizing it."
It seems that the Elves fear the interaction between Demons and other races because it could lead to the collapse of the current class-based society.
"The 'Demon King' is the king of the Demons, right? Why did you think I was going to defeat the Demon King? It's not like I have a good relationship with the Elves or anything."
"Interestingly, most people from other worlds set defeating the Demon King as their goal for their journey. So, I thought you two might be the same."
...Certainly, there are many people from other worlds who go to defeat the Demon King without thinking. Mia's initial party was undoubtedly aiming for the defeat of the Demon King as well.
"Do Demons not attack other races?"
"That's not the case. They have no interest in other races. While they may retaliate if attacked, they rarely initiate attacks themselves."
"Don't worry. We're not interested in defeating the Demon King at all. If we were to defeat anyone, it would be the Elves, right? They are the enemies of the Dwarves. Hehehe."
Mia said and laughed while looking at me. Drunk Mia is scary...
“Why are you living in this town, Kukuto-san? Wouldn’t it be better to live in a country of dwarves instead of a country of humans?”
"Simply put, it's a matter of sustenance. Our country is in a dungeon. In other words, we can't increase the grounds of the capital or the town, and the number of people who can live there is limited. Not to boast, but Marle and I have excellent skills as craftsmen. That's why we can make a living outside, and that's why we came out."
Listening to this, I feel like the Elves are the root of the problem in this world. I know it's not so simple, but...
The face of the elf in "Spirit Hunter" flashes through my mind. Their attitude of looking down on others... Maybe the Elves are indeed the root cause. Should I take them down?
Hmm, I think I'm also getting drunk.
"...Well then, why don't we use my and Mia's skills to create something that can rival magical tools and allow us to live comfortably outside the dungeon?"
Eh? What am I saying? Something completely out of the blue slipped out of my mouth.
Trying to retract my statement, I look at everyone's faces.
The atmosphere became quiet, and everyone looks serious.
"The showdown between magical tools and artifacts would be amazing."
"Takumi... If you and Mia were here, that wouldn't be just a pipe dream; it seems possible... But don't you have your own goals for this journey?"
"Huh? No, I don't. How about you, Mia?"
"I don't have any either. It would be nice to live together and have a relaxing time! Should we take down the Elves!?"
I'm not sure about what she means by "take down," but oh well.
"Then it's decided! We'll show those who looked down on us!"
