The demon that had been parasitizing the iron ant King was crushed with sand. This should bring him back to his senses.
Right now, the king is being treated with Isis' magic. I've been very careful, so I'm sure there's no damage to his brain, but I'm sure he's lost a lot of strength while he was being parasitized, and he was also damaged by my iron sand dolls.
The iron ant King was pretty strong, so I couldn't have afforded to go easy on him. That's why I'm glad that Isis was here.
„Uh-huh? Where am I?"
„Thank God. You have finally woken up." (TN: thank god is 良かった which means good, but it's more appropriate to translate it like this.)
„Um, aaaaa H-H-Human!"
„Kya!"
The iron ant King jumped up and readied himself once he took some distance away from me. I took the spear from him just in case, but he was very wary.
„Stop it, King of the iron ants!"
„Mmm, you're the Queen of the honey ants? Why are you here?"
„Well, that's—„
Anyway, I couldn't just leave him in a state of misunderstanding, so the Queen and I explained to him what had happened.
„Is that so… I can't believe that I was controlled by parasitic demon."
After our explanation, the iron ant King replied with a pouting expression. It seems that he believed our story. He had no memory of the recent past, so he accepted our story.
„Unbelievable! To think that I would fall victim to such a demon!"
He slammed the nearby wall and was quite frustrated. He may be feeling unworthy of being a king.
„It can't be helped. The parasitic demon was very good at disguising its presence, and I wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't been checking with my Sand magic – 'Sand Detection'."
„—I see, but I'm sorry for troubling you. I didn't think I'd be able to get help from someone, but I really appreciate it."
The King of the iron ants bowed deeply to me. The Queen of the honey ants said that he was certainly not an ant that don't know how to talk, but I'm surprised.
„I heard that you also healed me with your magic. Thank you so much."
The iront ant King thanked Isis as well.
„NgoNgo!"
For some reason, Raku is giving off an air of not caring, and I don't really hate him for what he did.
„Even so, I must apologize to the Queen for all the trouble I've caused her, and thank you for saving me."
„No, don't worry about it!"
„I can't do that! As King of the iron ants, I must repay you!"
„I feel the same way. Please allow me to return the favor."
It seems that ants are quite disciplined, whether they are iron ants or honey ants.
„Then, oh, yes! If you can, can you share some iron sand with me? As I told the Queen before, I'd be happy to share my honey with you."
„What? Iron sand? Is that really all you want?"
That's what the King says, but it's important to me. After all, it is different if there is iron.
„Horus has a castle and he needs iron sand to strengthen it."
Isis then answered the King. Yes, that's exactly what I'm talking about, and iron is likely to be useful in many other ways as well.
„Oh, so you have a castle! Are you the king of the people?"
„No, I'm not really a king, but…"
„I heard from the ants that take care of me that you have a very nice castle and even an oasis."
„What? An oasis! Is that true?"
The iron ant King was very interested.
„Yes, yes, I do, but what about it?"
„If that is so, can I please ask you to share some water with us? I'm very sorry to ask that even though you already helped us so much…"
„Eh? Water?"
It seems that they are in dire situation.
„Come to think of it, iront ant is an ant for whom water is even more important that it is for us, but wasn't there a river running through this area, albeit a small one?"
„Oh, so rivers do run through the desert."
„Depending on the conditions,… just that the amount of water is not a lot."
However, the iron ant King seems somewhat distressed.
„The river had recently dried up, and we had been searching for water. Come to think of it, it was during our search for water that my memory began to fail."
I see. It was during that time that he was possessed by a parasitic demon.
„Is it normal for the King himself to go out and search for water?
„Of course. Without water, the soldiers would die. It's because it's such an important thing that I have to find it myself."
I see. He's a good King who loves his people.
„How about it? Of course I'll give you all the iron sand here if you'll share the water with us!"
„Eh? No, no, it's fine, you don't have to give us that much, and you can take as much water as you like."
„What? You sure!?"
„Of course."
There's plenty of water in oasis. I can't just leave them in trouble.
„I owe you! Thank you so much!"
„Ah, then, would you like to come to the castle now? You can have a look at the oasis and decide for yourself how much water you want to take."
„What did you just say!?"
„Well, of course, we can do it later if you're not feeling well."
„No, let's go now! Let's go right now!"
The King of the iron ants wants to go, and the Queen of the honey ants seems to want to follow us, so I once again casted 'Sazanami' and we started moving with waves of sand.
„Oh! This is amazing."
„It's comfortable once you get used to it."
The King of the iron ants was surprised, but I knew it would be faster if we rode the sand waves.
„We reached the castle safely."
„It's a castle made of sand! Also there are so many strong-looking soldiers!"
„Well, the soldiers are just sand dolls that I created, and this castle is also something I made with my magic."
„No, I think it's amazing that you created this many soldiers and a castle with magic…."
What? Is that so? I've been told that Sand magic is useless in my country, so I don't really feel that it's amazing.
I took the King of ants to the oasis.
„Oh, water! There is so much of it! Are you sure you want to share it with us?"
„Yes. Take as much as you want."
„W-w-what a thing to say—„
The iron ant King looks back at me, then bows his head again and thanks me. I feel bad when he bows so many times.
„You don't have to bow so much over something like a water…."
„Not at all. I thought humans were more greedy and arrogant creatures. I have to change my thinking about them."
The King of the iron ants said that while looking at the oasis with deep emotion.
„Hmm, but I don't feel bad if you're this happy about it."
„Yes, and I think Horus is admirable. No matter how much trouble they're in, usually people wouldn't give away so easily their precious water to others."
Isis smiled at me when she said that. I wonder if that's true? I'm not sure whether it's a good idea or not, but I think I can do it just because I can afford it
„What? Horus-sama! Isn't that a date palm?"
This time, the Queen of honey ants pointed excitedly.
„Do you like date palms?"
„Yes! We're very fond of fruits. Taste of the honey can change depending on the fruits we eat."
I see. So you can make more delicious honey by eating dates and other fruits.
„You can take that with you, if you want."
„Are you sure?"
„Yes. I'll take the honey in return, and if it tastes better, I'll be happy."
„Oh, thank you very much."
The Queen of the honey ants thanked me a lot.
„—I've decided!"
„What? You've decided?"
Suddenly, that King of the iron ants raised his voice and clenched his fists. What do you mean you've decided?
„King Horus, please let me become your subordinate."
„Eh? Eeeeeeeh!" (TN: it is that scene where he just shouts one word repetadly in surprise, not sure if it is correct written or some other way is more correct)
"Well then, please let me become too!
"Even the Queen!"
I'm so confused. I don't know what to do with such sudden offers—