Petit No. 1 had survived the impact of the fall without a scratch, but that presented a new problem: I couldn’t remake the glass container. I had already used up every glass bottle I owned. Since golems remain active until they run out of mana or their bodies are destroyed, I wasn't about to intentionally smash him just to start over. I might have considered it if he were a mindless doll that only followed orders, but given that these golems had names and distinct personalities, treating them as disposable left a bad taste in my mouth—even if the golem itself didn't mind.
"Hmm, what should I do?"
『Are you still on about the container? Can't the thing just transform?』
"...Transform? What do you mean?"
『Exactly what I said. Since it can move its limbs and body, shouldn't it be able to change shape however it likes?』
"I see!"
Even though it didn't have actual joints, Petit No. 1 was moving its arms and legs. That meant it was constantly reshaping its glass body on the fly. If that was the case, it should be able to shift its entire mass into a vessel. Of course, since I didn't understand the mechanics of how it moved, I had to ask the golem if it was actually possible.
"How about it, Petit No. 1? Do you think you can do it?"
When I explained my request, Petit No. 1’s reaction was ambiguous. It was impossible to tell if it was a 'yes' or a 'no.' It just kept pointing at me repeatedly. It clearly wanted to tell me something... but I had no idea what!
『Hmph. It can't be helped. Just wait.』
As I stood there perplexed, Shiroru let out an annoyed huff. She began barking "wafu wafu" at Petit No. 1. Or rather, it looked like they were having a conversation. Petit No. 1 jumped in surprise, then began trying to convey something to Shiroru through frantic gestures. Judging by the way she was nodding in response, she actually understood him.
...Could it be Thought Transmission? I suppose she can communicate with golems too. She hadn't bothered until now and seemed quite grumpy about the prospect, so perhaps it was different from talking to a person.
The exchange between Shiroru and Petit No. 1 took a fair amount of time. Apparently, a golem's thought process was unique—or perhaps its intelligence just wasn't very high—making communication difficult. Nevertheless, Shiroru patiently listened to its side of the story.
『For now, it seems it can't transform.』
"For now?"
『That's right. For now. It says it's because Tort made it to move like a human.』
"...Ah, that makes sense."
Whenever I thought of a golem, the image of a humanoid was fixed in my mind. Therefore, unless I focused on a different shape, the body I created would be fundamentally defined as a person. That meant its range of motion was restricted to what a human could do. Well, there were times its limbs moved with a strange, wriggling motion that wasn't strictly human... but I suppose even that was a limitation of my own visualization.
『It says that if you want to make it transform now, you have no choice but to recast the magic.』
"Eh? Is it safe to cast it while he's already active?"
『I wouldn't know. But that's what the thing claims.』
Seriously?
If I used Create Golem while Petit No. 1 was standing right there, normally Petit No. 2 would simply appear. I worried that Petit No. 1 and a potential Petit No. 2 might fuse or something.
When I looked at Petit No. 1 to confirm, he gave a vigorous nod, as if to say it was no problem at all. Well, if the golem itself said it was fine, I might as well try.
This time, I visualized a shape like a beer bottle. Just to keep it within the general category of a "humanoid," I made sure to add arms and legs. I decided that having its face stuck to the center of the bottle would be fine.
Once the visualization was locked in, I cast Create Golem. Before my eyes, Petit No. 1's form began to shift rapidly. A few seconds later, it had successfully transformed into a perfect beer bottle. The tiny arms and legs that sprouted out as an afterthought were indescribably surreal.
Petit No. 1 flailed its limbs, trying its best to stand up... but it was a lost cause. The balance was just too poor.
"Umm, are you okay...?"
『...I see. It says it can't move, but otherwise, there's no problem.』
"Is that so..."
If a human were stuck in a state where they couldn't move, it would be incredibly stressful, but the golem didn't seem to mind. In that case, I would use him as a container without reservation.
"Still, that went surprisingly well. Setting the shape aside, I thought it was reckless to try and manipulate glass using Earth Magic..."
『Could that be the effect of that Creativity trait?』
"...That’s very possible!"
In other words, Creativity was likely a trait that allowed me to modify magic and manifest entirely new effects. Even before I acquired it, I could tweak my spells to some extent, but there were hard limits. For instance, I couldn't make a golem out of anything other than earth. I suspected Creativity was the trait that removed those boundaries. Of course, there were probably still limits, but I felt I could use magic more freely than ever before.
"For example... let's see."
I turned my attention to the sugar I had prepared for the ginger ale. Unlike the pure white sugar I was used to from my previous life, this stuff was quite brown, filled with impurities. I wondered what would happen if I used Clean while visualizing those impurities as nothing but "dirt."
It was worth a shot. I focused on the goal of removing the impurities and cast Clean. Instantly, the sugar shifted into a beautiful, pristine white. The total volume decreased a bit, though.
『Oh! The color of the sugar changed! I've heard of this! White sugar is a high-class luxury, isn't it?』
"Ahaha, you certainly know some strange things..."
I had heard that nobles used white sugar, though I doubted it was refined to this level of purity. This would likely fetch a high price if I put it on the market... but since it required Creativity as a prerequisite, I couldn't exactly outsource the work to the Merchant Guild. If I couldn't delegate it, it was probably best to keep it a secret.
『Hey, can I have a lick? It's delicious, right?』
"No. This is for the ginger ale!"
『Hmph, fine. Then make it quickly!』
"Yes, yes."
I had only intended to make some ginger ale on a whim, but it had turned into much more work than I expected. Still, the process had led to some incredible discoveries, so I couldn't complain.
Alright, since Shiroru was waiting, I’d better get started.
It’s a carbonated drink, though—I wonder if Shiroru will actually like the fizz?