Chapter 183 - Chapter 182: A Magic Tool with Nothing Inside
The 2nd Month of Earth, the 2nd Week, the Day of Earth.
The Fifth Knights Order's quarters.
"Haa!"
Shuu!
Mika dodged the sword Bazal swung straight down and quickly slipped into his opening.
Circling from the front to the back in that instant, he tapped Bazal's ankles, knees, and waist with his short swords—pon, pon, pon.
"Kuh!"
Bazal slashed upward in a reverse diagonal cut at Mika, who had circled behind him in a low stance.
But Mika was already gone, having retreated from the spot with a back step.
He stood at a sufficient distance, looking at Bazal.
"That's enough."
At Ozendorwa's voice, Bazal looked up at the sky, then slumped his shoulders heavily.
"...I never thought there would be such a gap... like this..."
"I told you so."
Mika said with a slightly troubled expression to Bazal, who hung his head.
Just now, during practice, Bazal had suddenly suggested this.
"I want to try it with [Physical Enhancement] active."
It has been over a year and a half since Bazal could manifest [Physical Enhancement].
He uses [Physical Enhancement] during regular PE classes, but fighting is different.
Recently, Bazal seems to have been able to last over two hours with double enhancement, and he apparently wanted to test what it feels like in an actual fight.
By the way, he also told Mika to go all out, so Mika is enhancing him mercilessly by five times.
Five times enhancement really hurts the legs, man. The legs.
"Bazal-kun can only use [Physical Enhancement] right now; he isn't used to the movement yet. You can run and jump simply enough, but fighting is another matter."
"...It has sunk into my bones."
Ozendorwa calmly gave his evaluation.
Bazal was genuinely dejected.
Mika looked at such Bazal with disbelief.
The enhancement multiplier is different, and fundamentally, the level of mastery is completely different.
"Hey, Bazal. How many years do you think I've had actual combat experience as an adventurer? Half a year without [Physical Enhancement]. Four years with it?"
Bazal trains seriously and spars often, but in reality, he has no combat experience.
On the other hand, Mika ignores academy rules, even using [Physical Enhancement] for commuting, and has abundant combat experience.
He had completely mastered [Physical Enhancement].
At Mika's claim, Ozendorwa smiled bitterly.
"Rather, you are using it too much. Why are you still a student? You don't need to attend the academy."
"Don't say that to me."
Rimliche, who was standing next to them, smiled bitterly at the exchange between Mika and Ozendorwa.
In truth, Mika didn't think there was much point in attending the academy either.
Once a year, they are taught a new [God's Miracle], and the rest of the classes are done however they please.
They think about various things on their own, but frankly, self-study at home would be fine.
Although, horse riding is still a bit of a weakness.
"Well, both Mika-kun and Bazal-kun are already beyond the realm of mages. In the first place, I've never heard of a mage who can fight knights with their base physical abilities alone. Bazal-kun is understandable given his background, but..."
Saying that, Ozendorwa looked at Mika.
Mika shrugged his shoulders.
"It's just that adventurers are pretending to be mages."
"Fu... yes, that's right."
Ozendorwa turned toward Bazal.
"Bazal-kun is still in the first year of the middle division. Right now, rather than mastering it, you should focus on increasing your magic power as much as possible and acquiring as many [God's Miracles] as you can."
Bazal looked somewhat frustrated, but he tightened his expression and listened to Ozendorwa's words.
"You can hammer that mastery into you once you join the army after finishing the academy. Since your magic power can only grow now, there is no need to think about which to prioritize."
Ozendorwa was right, but perhaps that was why it was frustrating.
Bazal's essence was not that of a mage.
He was a swordsman.
There was a commonality between Mika and Bazal in viewing mages merely as a temporary form.
Perhaps the reason the somewhat reckless Mika and the serious Bazal somehow got along well was because they had such parts in each other.
"Rimliche-san, don't look up too high. Under no circumstances should you aim for those two."
Ozendorwa said this with a serious face.
Rimliche made a somewhat complicated expression.
"Considering your age and that you are a girl, you are already capable enough to fight with a short sword. Do not aim for the wrong thing."
It seems Mika and Bazal are exceptions.
Yes, I am aware of that.
Mika looked up at Ozendorwa.
(...Maybe he's surprisingly suited to be a mentor, Ozendorwa.)
The part where he bluntly cuts off anyone aiming for them is particularly wonderful.
In fact, Rimliche had become surprisingly strong.
Almost no boys in the class could beat her.
Most children know that if they extend their base physical abilities, the effect of [Physical Enhancement] will increase, but when it comes down to it, they inevitably think they need [Physical Enhancement].
Like Mika used to be.
Considering that, if Rimliche continues straight ahead like this, that alone will be enough.
Rather, it would be harmful to receive strange influence from weird people and force herself.
(Yes, thinking of her as a representative of those weird people, yes.)
Mika looked at Rimliche with warm eyes.
Rimliche seemed somewhat unsatisfied with Ozendorwa's advice.
(...But she's changed quite a bit, hasn't she? Rimliche too.)
When they first met at the academy, Rimliche was as skinny as Mika.
She was shy and always kept her head down.
Especially when she couldn't sense magic power.
Slowly, she began to gain confidence, and as her gaze, which was often lowered, lifted, her goals grew higher.
Now, she can face knights without hesitation.
Who could have imagined such a sight from Rimliche a few years ago?
"I think Rimliche is working very hard. Isn't it better to let her grow like this rather than forcing herself?"
When Mika said that, Ozendorwa nodded.
"It is better to grow straight like this than to force yourself and develop bad habits. You must have seen how much trouble it took to correct Mika-kun, who was full of bad habits?"
"Ugh..."
Being used as an example was annoying, but since it was a fact, he couldn't argue.
He reviewed the parts where he fought relying solely on strength after learning knife techniques, cut away useless movements, and pursued sharpness relentlessly.
The parts that were purely self-taught inevitably remained, but even so, his movements were on a completely different level from before.
Special training on the Day of Earth, practice and guidance at the Fifth Knights Order, escort practice in the exercise [Saber Game], and actual combat with monsters like "Wraiths."
By relentlessly repeating training, combat, training, and combat, Mika's close-combat technique had been polished to a remarkable degree.
In return, for the past year, he hadn't done much except fight "Unclean Ones."
So, recently, he had been building up some frustration.
He was thinking that when he returned to his hometown, he would hunt down all the forest monsters in Rish Village.
...Just kidding, right?
After giving some advice to Bazal and Rimliche, Ozendorwa returned to work.
To Mika, he said just one word.
Don't rely on [Physical Enhancement].
He had been told so much his mouth became sour and calluses formed on his ears.
Of course, he couldn't choose not to use [Physical Enhancement] against monsters or wild beasts.
But in training, he aimed to be able to fight wild beasts without [Physical Enhancement].
He was approaching it with that intention.
On the way back from practice.
Bazal and Rimliche were walking with him for part of the way home.
"Mika-kun, Mika-kun."
Rimliche called out in a low voice.
"Um... this."
Saying that, she showed her right hand.
Then, after closing her hand once and opening it again, a small stone appeared.
(...Did she make a [Stone Bullet]?)
Two and a half months ago, she had come to consult with a pale face because she had made a mass of water with magic power.
It seems she has now been able to reproduce the [Stone Bullet] she showed at that time.
"Is there anything else you can do now?"
When Mika asked, Rimliche shook her head.
She said she hadn't practiced anything else anyway.
(Maybe she's not good at thinking about various things on her own. By nature.)
If he actually showed her, she would think "Ah, I can do it," but perhaps she doesn't even think she can do anything else.
(What should I do? Should I show her how to make gold?)
Rimliche has a somewhat complicated family environment.
Showing her "there are ways to earn money like this" so she can live without relying on her family might not be bad, but...
(Even so, if she obtains the position of a mage, she won't starve, right?)
If she makes gold recklessly, it might bring in risks instead.
Then maybe it's better to show her something simpler.
Mika muttered "Ice Javelin" and made a small piece of ice.
Rimliche's eyes went wide, and then she blinked repeatedly, crackling.
And then, she muttered "Waterball" this time.
However, this time it was water slightly warmed by thermal energy manipulation.
"Try touching it."
When Rimliche touched the "Waterball" with her fingertip, she made a surprised face again.
"Warm..."
"Both of these, I was able to do them by changing from the water I made. Well, this shows you can make slight arrangements like this."
Mika smiled like that, but Rimliche was somewhat confused.
It seemed like many question marks were floating above her head... or so it felt.
Rimliche knew that if water cooled, it would become ice, and if heated, it would become hot water.
But she probably didn't know how to do it.
(If she simply imagined hot water, Rimliche could probably make it just like that.)
Mika couldn't do it, but that was just because Mika couldn't do it; it didn't mean Rimliche couldn't either.
"Then, see you next week, Mika-dono."
At the fork in the road, Bazal turned around.
"Yeah, see you. Rimliche, see you next week too."
"Y-yes..."
Rimliche was somewhat distracted.
The ice and hot water from earlier were probably occupying her mind.
Mika smiled bitterly at Bazal.
"See her off properly."
"Of course."
Bazal nodded strongly.
Watching Bazal and Rimliche leave, Mika ran toward home.
■■■■■■
The 2nd Month of Earth, the 3rd Week, the Day of Wind.
After the academy ended, Mika stopped by Paraleira's room.
But she was sound asleep.
Apparently, she had been up all night experimenting and verifying things, and only slept around noon.
...She really does research freely, this person.
"Well, I understand why she accidentally reverses her day and night."
Mika spoke to Paraleira, whose hair was a mess.
Mika had experience with this too.
In fact, if Mika lived freely, he would repeat staying awake for twenty-three hours and sleeping for ten, and his day and night would flip and flop before stabilizing into a night owl.
In fact, that's what happened...
Mika looked at Paraleira's dazed face and sighed.
Paraleira had been woken up by the Cafeteria Lady with "Wake up properly," but given she slept around noon, this state was unavoidable.
(...Should I try again?)
While drinking the juice the Cafeteria Lady had prepared, he watched Paraleira for a while.
Paraleira was also holding juice from the Cafeteria Lady, but did she even realize it?
(Oh?)
Paraleira, who had been dazed, slowly started drinking the juice.
After finishing it all at once, she let out a long breath, haa...
Suddenly, their eyes met.
"...Why are you here?"
"O・so・yo・u・go・za・i・m・asu."
He tried a light sarcastic remark, but Paraleira wasn't the type to care about such things.
She slowly turned her head and looked around.
(Her brain resources are being used just to grasp the current situation.)
He hoped she wouldn't freeze due to lack of resources.
As Mika stared at her, Paraleira held out the empty cup toward him.
"...Get out of the room for a moment."
Mika took the empty cup and stood up.
"Don't go back to sleep like that."
He drank the rest of the juice himself and quietly left the room.
He went straight to the cafeteria and returned the two empty cups to the Cafeteria Lady.
"How is it? Did Paraleira wake up properly?"
The Cafeteria Lady, who had woken Paraleira up earlier, spoke to him.
Mika involuntarily shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, who knows. She told me to leave the room, so I came back to return the cup. Ah, thank you for the juice."
Hearing Mika's words, the Cafeteria Lady smiled bitterly.
"Recently, her life rhythm has collapsed completely. It's good to be enthusiastic about research, but you have to sleep at night and wake up during the day..."
She muttered it like a complaint.
Other Cafeteria Ladies preparing the dormitory dinner were nodding along, um, um.
It seems she has been worrying the Cafeteria Ladies a lot lately.
"She's not the type to listen when you tell her. Until things settle down, it can't be helped, right?"
When Mika said that, the Cafeteria Ladies also looked somewhat resigned.
At that moment, one of the Cafeteria Ladies spoke to Mika as if remembering something.
"By the way, when are you coming back to the dorms, Mika-kun?"
"Eh?"
When?
Speaking of which, he had kept his dorm room, but the situation had changed since then.
Now, the choice to return to the dorms was probably non-existent.
(The shelter when I fought with Kistil and Nerisfeene and was kicked out?)
Even that, it would be fine to just stay at an inn.
Before, he thought about helping Kistil recover until she could stand on her own, but now they were no longer in that kind of relationship.
He could say he didn't need a dorm room, but...
(Should I ask Bazal? If he wants a single room, I can secure it as is, and if he wants a roommate, I can leave the dorms.)
If he had decided earlier, he probably would have gotten a roommate when new students entered in the spring.
At this timing, the room assignments for new students entering now would probably already be decided to some extent.
"Oi."
While thinking like that, Paraleira, who had changed clothes, called Mika from the entrance of the cafeteria.
Mika vaguely smiled to dismiss the Cafeteria Lady's question and turned toward Paraleira.
Paraleira walked quickly toward her room.
"The Cafeteria Lady was worried about you."
He spoke to Paraleira, who was walking ahead.
"None of your business."
But Paraleira had nowhere to go.
Arriving at Paraleira's room, he sat in the chair he had been sitting in earlier.
Paraleira also sat at the seat opposite.
"So, what did you do today?"
"I thought I'd ask you to tell me about a magic tool shop that handles high-quality materials."
"High quality?"
Mika found it troublesome to explain with words, so he took out a half-drawn circuit diagram from his Magic Bag.
Prototype No. 6.
It was a magic tool equivalent to one-tenth of the output Mika was currently targeting.
Paraleira silently took the circuit diagram, glanced over the whole thing, and her eyes went wide.
"Expected output, 110,000!? What is this!?"
She quickly confirmed the main points of the whole thing and made a thinking expression.
"...Is it a mechanism to stabilize something? But with this..."
Paraleira muttered something to herself while checking in detail.
(As expected, or what? She can roughly guess what it does just by a quick glance.)
Mika also understood how to read circuit diagrams, but seeing someone else's circuit diagram and immediately knowing what it was for was impossible.
"If you were told it was a magic tool for doing this,"
you could follow along saying "this part is this" and "that part is that" upon seeing the diagram, but just looking at the diagram and grasping the content would be quite difficult, he thought.
After looking at the circuit diagram for a while, Paraleira turned a stern face toward Mika.
"What is this! There is absolutely nothing inside!"
That's right.
The circuit diagram Mika drew had nothing in it.
.........................
Setting that aside, this magic tool does nothing.
It simply inputs a massive amount of magic power and outputs it in a stabilized state.
The output destination isn't other magic tools; it's just poured out directly.
"As you can see, because the output is so large, the materials sold in shops around here can't withstand it. Is there any good shop?"
But Mika didn't answer Paraleira's question and asked for a shop as per his original purpose.
Paraleira twitched her temples for a moment.
"How much do you intend to put into such a ridiculous thing? The material costs won't even cover two million!"
"Oh my, won't even two million cover it? Well, it can't be helped."
In contrast to Paraleira, who was surprised and raised her voice, Mika remained cool.
Seeing Mika's demeanor, Paraleira made a suspicious face.
"What are you planning to do...? How much do you intend to put into such a magic tool where magic power just passes through?"
Normally, magic tools have the expected effects built into the circuit.
For a Magic Bag, it's space expansion, heat resistance, fire resistance, waterproofing, etc.
But Mika's magic tool had those parts completely removed.
Of course it would be.
The expected effect was the stabilization of magic power.
And the result obtained from that magic power was in Mika's head.
To those who only know magic through [God's Miracles], the meaning of this magic tool, which is premised on manifesting thoughts, cannot be understood.
Mika also had no intention of teaching that now.
Mika himself didn't know if he could actually create rare metals with this.
It was merely one step of his own research.
It was the same as a component analyzer for Paraleira.
It might be a great discovery to others, but it was merely a tool.
(Well, if it comes down to it, I'll go to the magic tool shop in Sarbengeal.)
If he couldn't get an introduction from Paraleira, he would manage with his own connections, even if it was a bit inconvenient.
Recently, he could remove curses on weekdays for commissioned requests, so his schedule was flexible.
With "Curse Removal" requests, there was no need to put them off until "let's clear them all up on a sunny day."
Going to Sarbengeal once or twice a month wasn't a problem.
It was just that a few hours one way was a bit troublesome.
Paraleira stared at Mika.
It was no longer looking; it was glaring.
But Mika didn't seem to care at all and looked straight at Paraleira.
Soon, Paraleira let out a big, big sigh and told him of a magic tool shop in District 3.
She casually picked up a piece of paper on the desk, scribbled something... and put it in an envelope.
Then, instead of sealing wax, she stamped it with some kind of seal.
"Tell them my name. Say 'Show it to them above' and they will guide you."
Saying that, she handed the envelope to Mika.
"Above...?"
"You'll understand if you tell them."
It seemed to be a membership-only shop, or rather, a shop that wouldn't take you seriously without an introduction.
"Thank you."
Saying that, Mika stood up.
"How is your research over there?"
Paraleira asked while stifling a yawn.
"It's still far from done. I'll set up hypotheses and forge ahead. No different from the others."
"I see."
Paraleira scratched her head vigorously.
"Well, come by if you need anything."
"Yes. I will do that."
Mika bowed lightly to Paraleira and left the room.
Paraleira raised her hand lightly and watched him leave.
(She's fairly considerate, isn't she? Is it thanks to the funding I provide somewhat?)
No, three gold coins a month is not "somewhat."
It might be small for research funds, but normally it's a large sum of money.
Mika left the dorms and headed straight for the shop Paraleira had taught him about.