Extinguishing the Flames
After that, whenever midnight came, I changed forms and manually dropped a lot of ice in. My speed is increased, so it bursts out like a waterfall.
The hole is apparently fairly cold, and Mikenne, who dangled inside again to make sure, said it’s not melting at all.
Hulemy mounted a wooden slide-like object to my compartment, so now I can drop it into the hole without hindrance.
I work in the middle of the night because of my two hours per day restriction, so if I do it during the final two hours of the day, as soon as the date changes, my form-change time limit is restored.
Therefore, my midnight work is generally a one-person job. Lammis and the others said they would wake up for me, but I politely declined. In that case, they should just stand watch normally.
If the Flame Skeletitan has the same characteristics as the flame scolls, as long as we put out its fire, attacks will get through. But I can’t help but feel that with only water or ice, it would vaporize them in an instant.
“Boxxo, what are you thinking about?”
As I straddle the date and return to my original vending machine form, Lammis pops up from behind.
Still, why does she know when I’m worried about something? I should be the same vending machine as usual.
“Maybe you don’t notice, but whenever you’re thinking, your lights blink and get weaker sometimes.”
Really? I hadn’t noticed at all. Lammis is very observant.
“Boxxo, can I ask you something?”
Unusually, her smile disappears, and a serious gaze falls on me. This doesn’t seem like a situation where I should poke fun or play dumb.
“Welcome.”
“Boxxo, do you want to go back to being human?”
That’s a hard question. Normally, you’d want to go back to being human instead of staying a vending machine. Even if you are a vending machine maniac…
At first, I hoped to go back to being a person, too. I still have the desire to go back to being a person so I can exchange words with Lammis. But then I realized something. If I went back to being a person and was no longer a vending machine…would I have any value?
Right now, I feel that I’m helping Lammis and the rest of them. But if I went back to being a person, it would mean going back to an average person with no particular redeeming qualities.
When I think about it, I get scared. If I go back to being human, I’d probably be happy at first. But in the back of my mind flashes a future where everyone eventually knows I’m useless and says they liked it better when I was a vending machine.
And I’m even anxious about whether or not learning Telepathy will break the illusion when I talk to her. I was never very good with words when I was human. Would I be able to have satisfying conversations with them? Would they be disillusioned after talking to me, saying I’m not a very interesting person?
Maybe, back then, I unconsciously avoided taking Telepathy for that very reason. I have the bare minimum communication ability that I need already, so I forced myself to believe that was enough, and let go of my chance to talk to them.
It’s pathetic. How can I have more confidence in my existence as a vending machine rather than a human?
“Get one free with a winner.”
“You mean you’re not sure? One day, I want to talk to you and do all sorts of things with you, Boxxo. Oh, and like I said, I want to eat your homemade cooking, too!”
If I had arms, I could embrace her and her unyielding smile. If I had feet, I could walk shoulder to shoulder with her, rather than be carried around on her back.
Maybe that alone would be enough. If that is her desire, then I will live my life with that as my goal. No matter what the result is in the end.
Several more days passed. There’s a good amount piled up in the hole, too, so we’re apparently going to carry out the operation. The gist of it is that we locate a flame scoll first, then maneuver it to this pitfall.
Then, with the pitfall closed, it calls the Flame Skeletitan. Once it’s above the hole, we activate the trap, drop it into the hole, and when its fires go out, we launch an attack from above.
To do that, we start loading the cart full of rocks. The main battle force for this is Lammis.
The rocks aren’t that big, though, which bothers me. Lammis could carry much larger boulders, but apparently the buar cart wouldn’t be able to hold the weight, and there weren’t any bigger ones anyway.
It’s tough, not being able to say anything about things you haven’t tried yet. As long as we trap it in the hole, the danger will be less for the time it can’t climb back up to us. I would think just that fact would put the attackers at an advantage.
“Captain, it seems Red has made contact with a flame scoll,” explains White to Captain Kerioyl with a hand over his ear.
“Great. Have him lead it this way.”
If I recall, the red-and-white twins know a special Blessing that makes it possible to talk to each other no matter the distance, though they can’t talk to anyone else. Despite the restriction, it must be a convenient skill. Obviously, the captain would value it.
“You heard him. We’ll wait a short distance from the hole. Mikenne, put on your hooded mantle and get to your assigned position.”
“Got it.”
Mikenne, completely covered in a mantle the same color as the wall, takes up his position in front of the pitfall’s activator. When he turns his back, it looks like he melts into the wall. Unless you pay close attention, you might not realize he’s there.
We lie in wait in position on the other side of the hole. Now we just have to buy time until the scoll calls the stratum lord, then execute the plan.
“Boxxo, be honest—how does this look to you?” asks Hulemy in a hushed tone, bringing her mouth close to me. “Think we can pull it off?”
I think times like these come down to luck, but it’s less about whether I think this will go well and more that I want it to.
“Welcome.”
“I see. I really want it to work, too. But the rumors say that the Flame Skeletitan’s flames are strong enough to instantly vaporize water. I wonder if filling the hole with ice will be enough…”
Ah, I see. That’s what Hulemy is apprehensive about. I’d like to clear away her worries, but I don’t possess a way to tell her.
“Red is almost here!”
“The Menagerie of Fools will be on duty waiting above the hole. Don’t let go of our ropes!”
“Leave it to us, Captain!”
“You may rest easy.”
Lammis and Director Bear grip the ropes tied around their waists. Also, the captain’s is tied around my body. I wonder what would happen if I changed forms… I’m curious, but I’ll restrain myself.
Red bursts out from a side passage with three floating flame scolls in pursuit. He fished up that many?
“We can beat up to two of them—but make it seem like we’re having a difficult time. Be sure to leave one.”
“Roger that!”
The Menagerie of Fools pounce on them in high spirits. With their skill, the flame scolls will never get the better of them, so I can watch without worrying.
They do actually handle them with room to spare, so now we just have to wait for the guest of honor—the stratum lord—to appear. As the flame scolls numbers dwindle to one and the Fools whittle it down slowly, I feel a faint rumble from the ground.
It looks like our real prey has arrived. I can see the air trembling in spots connected to a side passage. It must be the high heat creating a mirage.
“Great! You know what to do!”
“Yes!”
The Menagerie of Fools easily take down the last flame scoll, then position themselves in the center of the pitfall. Everyone watches as a giant skeletal hand burning with crimson flames appears. And then its fire-veiled skull suddenly materializes, close to the top of the wall.
“It’s already hot from this distance?” Hulemy wipes sweat from her brow, staring intently at the Flame Skeletitan. Everyone’s faces are strained. I don’t blame them—a giant skeleton on its own is strange enough, but it’s covered in flames hot enough to melt the walls.
“You should back up a bit,” says Director Bear, urging Hulemy to move a little.
The Menagerie of Fools are starting to retreat as though frightened, but I catch sight of them glancing underfoot.
With every step it takes, it prints a melted, foot-shaped depression into the floor, just like last time. It starts out slow, with heavy movements, but gradually increases its walking speed until it reaches a trot.
It closes in on us with rumbling and ground-melting force; looking at it objectively, it’s incredibly disheartening.
“Don’t get caught! Run straight through!”
The Menagerie of Fools run like their lives depend on it—well, they do—and the flaming skeleton continues to close in from behind. It swings its arms, and while they seem to just barely be out of reach, the hot winds the swings create blow their hair all over.
“Hot! It’s way too hot!”
“Captain, please leave your whining for later.”
“No fair, Vice Captain!” pipes in Shui. “You have water covering you!”
“Don’t you have any consideration for your subordinates?!”
“I’ll take some water, too, please!”
After hearing their shouts, I glance at the vice captain. She is indeed coated head to toe with water. That must be why she’s the only coolheaded one there.
But they all have enough presence of mind to engage in witty banter.
Each one gets past the pitfall, and just as the Flame Skeletitan enters it—
“Now, Mikenne!” roars Director Bear.
“Right!”
Mikenne, disguised as the wall, activates the trap.
The ground underfoot disappears, and the Flame Skeletitan, its hand outstretched, disappears from sight.
“The steam is going to come out, everyone!” shouts Hulemy. “Don’t get close to the hole!”
The members trying to sneak a peek immediately stop what they’re doing.
But no matter how much time passes, no vapor erupts from the hole, and everyone’s gazes gather on Hulemy.
“H-huh? The water should be evaporating… What’s going on?” Hulemy groans, unconvinced, folding her arms.
Mikenne’s curiosity gets the better of him, though, and he nervously peers into the hole.
“Hey, everyone, the skeleton’s flames are out!”
“I don’t get it, but if they’re gone, great! Start throwing ’em in!”
By Captain Kerioyl’s barked order, everyone begins throwing huge rocks inside.
I’m probably the only one who knows why the flames went out. I was dropping something into that pitfall, but it wasn’t ice—it was actually dry ice.
Dry ice is a mass of hardened carbon dioxide. When the Flame Skeletitan fell inside, the dry ice melted and filled the hole with CO2.
That much is taught in elementary school physics, but if fire doesn’t have oxygen, it can’t burn; and carbon dioxide is heavier than oxygen, so it collects underneath—where its flames are, in other words.
It’s a good thing it worked, but if it had failed, it would be too horrible to look at. This was an independent decision I made, so I’m seriously relieved.
Now, then. It would be great if we can just exterminate it like this, I hope against hope as I watch them drop stones in one after another.
