"So, what is it you want to try?"
Dolga-san asked, his face a mask of intense curiosity. He claimed to be my overseer, but it seemed he was personally invested in whatever I was up to. I would have felt bad if I were forcing him to tag along, so his genuine interest was actually a relief.
We were currently standing before the Cygnil dungeon. We were positioned right by the entrance, safely inside the defensive perimeter established by the Haniwa Knight and the alarm golems I’d set up to guard against the abominations. It wasn’t just Dolga-san; Halfa and Lowell were also watching me with intrigued expressions.
"First, I’m planning to make some adjustments to Clean."
"…Clean? What more could you possibly do to it?"
Dolga-san looked perplexed. To be fair, even the current version of the spell was incredibly high-performance compared to the standard version. It covered a massive area and had a powerful sterilizing effect. On top of that, it could wipe out lower-level Silver Abominations in a single shot. Even if I said so myself, I thought it was a masterpiece. However, I wasn’t satisfied yet. Since I was at it, I wanted to turn it into the ultimate cleaning magic!
"I got an idea from the battle earlier. If this works, it should make things even more convenient."
"I’d say it’s already more than capable enough as it is…"
Dolga-san gave me an exasperated look. He really lacked a sense of intellectual curiosity. He had been so passionate about spreading his dagger techniques, too. I suppose if a subject didn't interest him, this was the reaction I’d get.
On that front, the current members of Glory’s Steps were different. Hearing my words, they began to ponder what kind of additional effect I might add.
Halfa was the first to catch on.
"Um, what was it again? You said you were going to make it so microbes couldn’t get near things…"
"Ah, you mean an antibacterial specification."
"Yes, that! An-ti-bac-te-ri-al specification!"
Halfa couldn't quite recall the technical term, but Garna stepped in to help her out.
"…Hm? Did I just hear a voice I don’t recognize?"
"Meow."
"Hmmmm?"
It seemed Garna’s telepathy was reaching Dolga-san as well. However, since she hadn't properly introduced herself, she was still pretending to be a regular cat.
I understood why. Until recently, Garna had been the Trial God, an existence that brought calamity to the world as an Evil God. Cygnil had suffered significant damage during the Black Wolf Incident because of her power. Even though she wasn't directly responsible for that specific event, she probably felt it wasn't wise to openly reveal her identity.
Even if the other gods had forgiven her, that didn’t necessarily mean the victims or their families would feel the same way. In fact, I doubted they would accept her so easily. If she revealed herself carelessly, it might drive a wedge between us and the people of Cygnil.
So, I figured keeping quiet was the right call for now. Stirring up trouble during this emergency was the last thing we needed. It felt a bit like we were deceiving them, which made me feel a little guilty, though.
With that in mind, I moved the conversation forward without mentioning Garna.
"Halfa, you got it! I’m going to add an antibacterial effect to Clean."
The current Clean could disinfect an area, but it couldn't prevent microbes from latching back on afterward. That’s where the antibacterial effect came in. If I could imbue the spell properly, I should be able to maintain a state that repelled microbes for a significant amount of time.
"I see. If you can add this antibacterial effect, does that mean it will repel those abominations too?"
"Probably."
I gave Lowell’s question a confident "yes."
I didn't think the Silver Abominations were literally a type of bacteria, but in my mind, they were close enough. When modifying magic, the mental image is extremely important. As long as I viewed them as something akin to germs, I believed I could apply an antibacterial effect to them just as I did with sterilization.
I set to work on the modification immediately. I activated Clean while visualizing a barrier that would never let microbes settle. With that, the Clean with Antibacterial Effect was complete… or so I thought.
"Did anything change? Spira, can you tell?"
"Hmm. I’m not sure I can tell just by looking…"
It was a subtle effect, not something you could feel the results of instantly. Even Halfa and the others, who had volunteered to be the targets of the spell, were tilting their heads in confusion, unable to tell if it had worked.
"Well, I suppose that’s expected. In that case, onto the next experiment!"
I wanted to confirm whether the antibacterial effect was actually effective against the Silver Abominations. There should be plenty of test subjects inside the dungeon. Since I expected them to be lying in wait near the entrance, this would also allow me to clear the area before we went in—killing two birds with one stone.
If I could use the Haniwa Knight inside the dungeon, that would be ideal, but it was impossible. Since Cygnil was a Labyrinth Type dungeon, the corridors weren't very wide and the ceilings were low. A giant like the Haniwa Knight wouldn't be able to move an inch. Its size was a weapon, but also a glaring weakness.
That was where the Clean with Antibacterial Effect came in. If it worked, I wouldn't have to worry about the abominations taking over my ordinary golems. Once that threat was neutralized, I figured I could just overwhelm them with sheer numbers.
"I think an Air Golem is the way to go for this."
I transformed the air drifting around us into a golem. However, I added a specialized expansion feature to it. It was a mechanism where even if part of its body was dissipated by damage, it could heal itself by drawing in more air. When it wasn't injured, it could use that extra air to increase its size. Unlike the Haniwa Knight, an Air Golem could flexibly shift its form, allowing it to expand even within the narrow confines of a dungeon.
"Alright, that should do it. First, I’ll apply the New-Style Clean…"
I cast the Clean with Antibacterial Effect on the newly created Air Golem. I couldn't confirm the efficacy yet, but I was sure it would work.
"Now then, leave your lower body here and go explore with just your upper half. Only the first floor is fine."
"—!"
There wasn't a clear verbal reply, but I could sense its intent to obey. It seemed to begin its exploration immediately. By leaving its lower body at the entrance, I could replenish it with air from outside the dungeon. To be honest, I was just stealing a page out of the Silver Buns' playbook.
As long as the antibacterial imbuement was successful, this strategy should be incredibly effective. I’d be able to judge the result based on whether the golem returned safely or not.
While I was waiting, I noticed Dolga-san making a very strange face.
"Is something wrong?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing. Weren't you going to make a golem?"
"Eh? No, I already made it."
"…Huh?"
We were clearly talking past each other. Then it hit me—Dolga-san didn't realize that a golem could be made out of air.
"You suddenly started doing pantomime, and I was wondering if you’d finally lost it…"
"R-Right, of course."
I forgot that making golems out of air wasn't exactly common knowledge. I’d come dangerously close to being labeled as a complete lunatic.