Invisible as they were, the golems made of air were definitely present. More importantly, they were tangible. Unlike the dark golems, they didn't just phase through objects. If they were solid enough to touch, I figured I could probably drape a cloth over them.
With that in mind, I decided to see what happened when I wrapped a Helium Golem in fabric. First, I injected helium gas into a bottle, just as I’d done before, and then turned that gas into a golem. I needed it to be able to squeeze out of the narrow neck, so I visualized a slime-type body that could flexibly change its shape. Between all the specific modifications, controlling the magic felt a bit trickier than usual, but I managed to trigger the spell... I think. It was hard to tell for sure since it was invisible.
"Petit No. 1, stay right there," I whispered.
Assuming the spell had worked, I moved on to the next phase. I laid the empty bottle on its side and draped a scrap of cloth over the opening.
"Alright! Now, Petit No. 1, come out of the bottle and grab the cloth."
The moment I gave the order, the scrap of fabric billowed and drifted upward.
『Oh, it’s actually floating! So this is the "floating air" you mentioned?』
"Impressive, right? ...Whoops! Petit No. 1, don't go too high!"
Even as I spoke, the golem and the cloth continued their slow ascent. I hurriedly barked out fresh instructions, but the fabric only began to flap around wildly. Petit No. 1 was clearly struggling, but... wait, was it unable to come back down?
Ah!
It didn't have a mechanism to control its buoyancy. It was only natural!
"Waaaah! Petit No. 1!"
『What’s going on...? Is it stuck up there!?』
This was bad. At this rate, Petit No. 1 would drift off into the Great Blue Yonder. We were in a dungeon, so it would hit the ceiling eventually, but that didn't change the fact that it was stranded.
"I’ve got it! Petit No. 1, shrink your body! Squeeze yourself as small as you can!"
Helium balloons and hot-air balloons float because their density is lower than the surrounding air. Fortunately, I’d visualized a slime-type golem this time, meaning it could alter its form with relative freedom. If it compressed itself tight enough, it should be able to reduce its volume!
『Oh? It’s working. It’s coming down, slowly but surely.』
The plan was a success. By increasing its density, Petit No. 1 could no longer support the weight of the cloth against the lift of the helium and began a slow descent. Caught in a stray breeze, it drifted a bit away from its starting point. I walked over just as the scrap of fabric made a soft landing. A small lump wiggled underneath the center of the cloth, letting me know Petit No. 1 was safe.
"Sorry about that, Petit No. 1. Are you okay?"
The fabric twitched in response, though I couldn't make heads or tails of the gesture. I glanced at Shiroru, who sighed and acted as my interpreter.
『"I floated even when I tried to move. It was scary," is what it said,』she reported.
"Ahaha... I bet it was."
I felt a twinge of guilt for dragging the Petit Golems into these experiments. Petit No. 1, being the first to be summoned, always seemed to bear the brunt of the mishaps. I really needed to find a way to make it up to them.
But first, I had to secure Petit No. 1 before it drifted off again. I wondered if I could use Create Golem to swap its material while the spell was still active. I focused on the idea of turning it back into an earth golem, visualizing its familiar shape. I felt a strange sensation—like wind, earth, and non-elemental magic were all firing at once. It was a nightmare to control, but I managed to pull it off.
Back in its familiar haniwa-style body, Petit No. 1 looked visibly relieved. It even went through the motions of wiping its brow, despite the fact that it couldn't sweat. These little human-like gestures made me even more determined not to overwork them.
I decided to call it a day on the experiments; they’d been incredibly productive. For one, I realized that Air Jet had the potential to be a truly terrifying spell. I’d tested methane and helium today, but what if I generated poison gas? Visualizing complex chemical structures might be hard, but I was pretty sure I could manage carbon monoxide. In a fire, that stuff is often deadlier than the flames themselves. If I remembered correctly, carbon monoxide poisoning prevents the body from absorbing oxygen, leading to rapid respiratory failure.
Most monsters, especially the beast-types, have to breathe. If I hit them with a high enough concentration of carbon monoxide, I could probably take them down without a fight. Of course, I’d need to ensure my own party’s safety first, so I couldn't just spray it around recklessly.
Then there was the Helium Golem. If I could refine it, the possibilities were endless. If I created a golem that could expand and contract its body more efficiently than the slime-type, I could control its buoyancy at will. If I could produce a Helium Golem with enough volume... could I actually build an airship?
Man, talk about a dream coming true!