Chapter 85 - Chapter 84: Locked On to You, The Second Miracle of God
The second month of Water, the fourth week, the day of the sun.
The Second Branch of the Adventurer's Guild in the Royal Capital, the Vice Branch Manager's office.
In short, it was Chirensta's room.
I had completed the quest ordered yesterday and came to the Guild to report success, when I was called by Chirensta.
The quest itself was easy.
It was a request to hunt down small beasts about the size of a puppy that had made a nest near the village and to eliminate the nest.
I mowed down the countless beasts around the nest with Air Cutter, kept firing Fire Breath toward the burrow.
The beasts hiding inside the burrow jumped out in surprise, only to be roasted whole by Fire Breath.
Finally, I flooded the burrow with Water Splash and froze it just in case.
Even if there were survivors deep inside, doing all this should probably be enough.
These beasts weren't particularly strong; one or two could be taken down by villagers with hoes or shovels.
But somehow, a nest had been built near the village, the number had grown too large, and the villagers apparently couldn't handle it anymore.
I flew over quickly, wiped out the beasts in an hour, crushed the nest, and got one gold coin.
Being an adventurer is truly a profitable business.
Well, I understand that the reason it's so profitable for me is because I'm somewhat special.
Normally, fighting beasts requires weapon maintenance, and sharpening is needed after one to several quests.
Since bed and meals are guaranteed, the reward becomes pure profit.
Adventurers like me, who hardly incur any necessary expenses, don't normally exist.
The amount listed on the request sheet is the reward after taxes are deducted, so the reward really does become profit directly.
Also, the requests Mika accepts are relatively high-paying.
This is because I'm looking through the remaining requests that no one else wanted to take, and such requests tend to have strong quirks.
Even among D-rank or C-rank requests, there are naturally differences in reward amounts, and high-reward, easy requests get taken immediately.
Then, the next ones chosen are those with decent content and decent rewards.
No matter how high the reward, if you can't complete it, all the expenses are a total loss.
So, low-risk, easy jobs get taken first, and what remains at the end are only troublesome requests with decent rewards but strong quirks.
A very ordinary C-rank adventurer earns about five gold coins a month. That's 500,000 Rats.
It seems city soldiers earn about two gold coins in salary, so you can see just how much adventurers earn.
However, in the case of adventurers, there are items where most of the earnings disappear.
Entertainment expenses.
This is ridiculously huge.
Once a quest is completed and they return to town, they celebrate, drink like idiots, and eat their fill.
Perhaps because it's work risking their lives, after drinking and eating to their heart's content, it's standard procedure to head to brothels to find women.
Some even boast that their fixed lodging while in town is a brothel.
If you do things like that, no matter how much you earn, you'll be broke forever.
Mika often hears these stories when visiting the Guild.
Those talking cheerfully are likely adventurers of C-rank or higher.
The miserable ones are D-rank and below.
Even at D-rank, there are quests that yield one gold coin in a single go, but such requests are difficult to complete.
I easily crushed the nest, but normally, eliminating a nest isn't that simple.
How does an adventurer holding just one sword pull out beasts hiding deep underground from their burrow?
Maybe if there was gasoline, they could pour it in and set it on fire, but there isn't anything like that.
So, ordinary adventurers don't take such troublesome requests.
That's why they remained.
And if it's an easy request, naturally the reward drops sharply.
Still, the costs required to maintain a life press down normally.
In such a situation, if you drop your weapon or break your armor, it's terrible.
You'll be stuck with no way out.
So, to prevent such things, many adventurers form parties.
Only a few form parties for positive reasons like "Let's cooperate to clear difficult requests!"
Most party formation reasons are that even if I make a big mistake, my companions will cover for me.
For such reasons, it seems many adventurers give up on solo play and wish to join a party.
"I heard from Yunressa. It seems yesterday was a disaster, didn't it?"
Chirensta said to Mika with a bitter smile.
Yesterday, when Yunressa went to lecture him, it was usually a room used for receptions.
There, he was asked about the circumstances, and when he told them exactly what happened, Mika was sent away.
But it seems the lecture continued for some time after that.
Chirensta was away at the Guild headquarters for a meeting at that time and returned at night to receive a report from Yunressa.
"Those two really have a bad relationship. We're having trouble with them too. Both are incredibly skilled..."
It seems a female warrior named Kaerya and a female knight named Trys are famous in the Second Branch.
Kaerya seems to be active in a party of three, along with a slender man in robes who was there yesterday and another different man.
"Kaerya-kun is among the top in this branch in terms of combat ability. In terms of skill alone, she's powerful enough that it wouldn't be strange if she were promoted to B-rank."
"Is she that strong?"
Indeed, she looked strong just from her appearance.
Far larger than the surrounding adventurers, with a body as tough as steel, incredibly muscular.
With her rough face and the battle axe she carried on her back, honestly, she was someone you'd hesitate to approach.
Moreover, that bright red bikini armor.
I've never even seen a place that sells such a thing.
Since she wears that so casually, she must have nerves of steel.
"She's not just strong... However, she doesn't know when to hold back, so there are many troubles."
Chirensta lowered his shoulders and sighed tiredly.
She has a personality that casually grabs the collar of a stranger like Mika and lifts them up.
You can picture her acting without thinking, just doing whatever she wants.
"But recently, she's formed a party, and it seems to be better than before. She apparently used to act solo."
Probably, that man in robes who came rushing over is the supervisor.
If you take your eyes off her, she immediately causes trouble like this, but it seems he keeps a tight rein on the runaway Kaerya.
Mika would definitely get a hole punched in his stomach from stress.
"What about the other female knight? Trys-san, wasn't it?"
Mika asked. She was the person who kindly taught him the characteristics of the beasts while he was looking at the request sheet.
She seemed a bit strict, but she was a very dignified woman wearing armor that seemed to be Mithril.
"Trys-kun is a serious adventurer with reliable skills. She is also C-rank, but she seems to be acting solo."
Since she has memorized the Guild regulations thoroughly, she must be quite serious.
It's possible she intended to help Mika this time as well.
"However, when Kaerya-kun gets involved, the situation turns terrible instantly. Given Trys-kun's personality, it's not hard to understand that she can't overlook Kaerya-kun's behavior, but..."
Kaerya had called her a gorilla and made unsettling remarks like cutting off hands.
Thinking of Trys's personality as simply "serious" might be dangerous.
"Even though we use the same branch, we don't meet each other often. But whenever we do meet, something like yesterday happens."
Chirensta shrugged his shoulders.
It's been about a month and a half since Chirensta was assigned to the Royal Capital, but these two seem to have caused trouble several times already.
Moreover, Kaerya is not just that.
She gets drunk, causes trouble in taverns, and sometimes ends up needing the care of the soldiers guarding the town.
"So, about this, Mika-kun. Isn't there any good method?"
"Eh...?"
"Any good ideas to prevent trouble between these two beforehand...?"
"No, no, no, there isn't! What are you talking about!"
This is beyond unreasonable.
By any logic, why should Mika get involved in trouble between higher-ranked individuals?
As Mika frantically shook his head, Chirensta lowered his shoulders.
"As I thought, it's impossible. I thought maybe Mika-kun might have some good ideas."
"...Please don't ask unreasonable things."
After talking with Chirensta for a while, I was asked for opinions on efficiency plans, so I briefly shared my thoughts and returned to the dormitory.
The beginner training session had already started, and the congestion at the Guild had calmed down even more.
In addition to simplifying and improving the efficiency of counter work, division of labor for labor-intensive tasks was also advancing.
Hiring additional staff was also underway, and congestion inside the Guild was definitely easing.
(We're already getting close to the level of the Sarbengeal Guild. I hope they continue to make the Guild more comfortable.)
I really want Chirensta to not be satisfied with this and to push forward with further efficiency improvements.
For Mika's comfortable adventurer life.
■■■■■■
The third month of Water, the first week, the day of the moon.
Finally, the long-awaited release of the second Miracle of God.
Through two months of training, the children in the class have become able to use Physical Enhancement to some extent.
The output is still not large, but they have the ability to maintain about a 40-50% increase for two hours.
Everyone in the Leventein Group had maintained a 70% increase for two hours even at the time of the field trip, so just by this, you can see how crazy the Leventein domain's academy is.
Wouldn't it be better to match the surroundings a bit more?
...Seriously, cut it out, that Marquis (old man).
"The Miracle of God everyone will learn this time is Heal and Explosive Flame. However, it takes time to learn even one, so you will choose one to learn."
Homeroom Teacher Colina walked around the class, explaining the details of the Miracle of God to be learned.
She says that if possible, you should learn both, but learning even one is quite difficult.
First-year elementary students are required to learn at least one of these, and it seems to be a condition for advancing to the second year.
Incidentally, there is no grade repetition even if you can't learn it.
However, there is no seat for that student in the second year... that's the rumor.
Where will they go?
Will they be sent home, or sent to some training facility?
(I hate it, this country. It's too scary...)
The responsibility placed on mages is too heavy.
This is also information from Messerite, but Mika had strictly warned Murt, who was listening to this story with him, not to tell anyone.
I don't know if the destination for those students is a "forced labor camp," but everyone doesn't need to know about such things.
I can't look after the whole class, but at least I want to actively support everyone in the Leventein Group and let them learn one quickly.
But now, finally, it's the second Miracle of God.
Moreover, being able to learn Heal here is a gift from heaven.
Since the kidnapping incident where I ended up with full-body fractures, I have desperately desired this Heal Miracle of God.
Indeed, I can treat injuries with healing magic I developed myself.
But back then, it took about two hours to become able to move properly.
This takes too much time.
I don't know how much recovery a single Heal can provide, but when Yaskeri from Rish Village suffered near-death injuries from a beast attack, he recovered enough to converse normally after several Heals.
I don't know about the time I collapsed on the road, but it's certain I was dying then too.
Heal, which can cure near-death injuries without taking time, can be said to be the magic Mika needs most right now.
Moreover, with Heal, I can use it on others besides myself.
This is also a very large merit.
If I have to choose just one, of course, Heal is the only choice.
Explosive Flame can go to hell.
Just as Mika was smirking,
"Mika-kun and Rimliche-san have been instructed to learn Explosive Flame. Everyone else, please think carefully about which Miracle of God you will learn."
"......Huh?"
At Colina's words, I couldn't help but stare blankly.
(An instruction...? From where? And anyway, I don't need Explosive Flame!?)
They are forcing me to take something different when there is something I want right in front of me. What kind of harassment is this!
I don't know what Explosive Flame is, but it's probably a magic that does something with fire and blast waves, right?
I'll figure something out on my own when the time comes!
As I looked at Rimliche, who was sitting to my right and looking confused, a voice came from Cleiria, who was sitting to my left.
"It's amazing, as expected of Mika! And Rimliche too! The instruction to learn the Miracle of God is issued only to students who are specially expected!"
It seems that instructions like this are sometimes issued to only a few students from the Kingdom Army or the Court Magic Institute, which are involved in the operation of the Magic Academy.
"We want this person in the future, so let's have them learn this."
They acquire the necessary knowledge and skills according to their own needs.
In other words, someone in the Kingdom Army or that Court Magic Institute has locked on to Mika and Rimliche right now.
(......No way...)
Mika couldn't help but look up at the sky and covered his face with both hands.
Rimliche, did she understand or not, furrowed her brows and tilted her head.
"This instruction is issued only to students who are expected for after graduation from the Magic Academy. It's a great honor. Also, isn't it unusual for such an instruction to be issued during the first year of elementary school? You are truly amazing!"
With a sparkling smile, Cleiria explained, and I found myself hating her just a little.
It's not that Cleiria is at fault, but the shock is so great that I want to take it out on someone.
(Can I pull her cheeks?)
I wanted to ask, but I stopped because the knight guarding behind me was scary.
"Hey, Mika. Which one do you think is better to learn?"
Messerite, sitting in the seat in front, whispered.
Everyone in the Leventein Group seemed to be paying attention to Mika.
Well, I'd be in trouble if I was suddenly told to choose one.
"If it were me, I'd choose Heal. If possible, I think I should learn Explosive Flame later."
First, I should learn Heal to increase survival rates.
I don't know the plan for how students will be taught in the future, but with the current options, Heal should be the top priority.
Or rather, this should be a Miracle of God that everyone learns as standard equipment alongside Physical Enhancement.
Are the upper echelons of the Kingdom Army idiots?
"Hah? I don't need Heal. Explosive Flame is better."
Murt seems to prefer Explosive Flame over Heal.
It's natural for individuals to have different thoughts, but this is surely taking Heal too lightly.
"If you want to learn Explosive Flame first, that's fine. But it's absolutely better to remember Heal."
When Mika said this with a serious face, Murt made a difficult face and pondered.
"I will also learn Explosive Flame. Let's work hard together, Mika."
Cleiria also seems to learn Explosive Flame first.
Is this due to Cleiria's preferences, or did she choose without thinking deeply to be with Mika?
It's hard to judge.
Mika looked at Rimliche, who still seemed to not understand well.
"We will learn Explosive Flame as soon as possible, and we'll get Heal too."
"Huh!?"
At Mika's declaration that he would learn both, Rimliche froze with a surprised expression.
Since it's Rimliche, she might be thinking "That's impossible."
As I watched her with that thought, Rimliche's expression changed to a serious one.
She pressed her lips together and looked back at Mika with a gaze full of strength.
(...You've really changed, Rimliche (this child).)
A strong heart is growing up to face difficulties.
It's a bit inappropriate, but along with feeling happy about Rimliche's growth, there's a part of me that feels a little lonely.
And thus, it was decided that I would be forced to learn the second Miracle of God, Explosive Flame, which I did not want.
(I will definitely learn Heal too! It's just a slight change in order!)
Even though I felt a slightly bad premonition due to someone's interference, that was Mika's resolve.
■■■■■■
Learning the Miracle of God.
It seems there is a concept called "Learning Difficulty" for learning the Miracle of God.
There are Miracles of God that are easy to learn and those that are difficult to learn, and furthermore, the more you learn, the harder it becomes gradually.
Suppose there are ten types of Miracles of God in total; even for the same Miracle of God, the ease of learning changes depending on whether it is the first one learned or the last one learned.
If there were no Learning Difficulty, there would be no need to issue instructions like "Have them learn this."
It would be enough to just teach them in order.
But because of this Learning Difficulty, the idea of a Miracle of God that needs to be prioritized and learned arises.
Physical Enhancement seems to be the most basic Miracle of God, and mages are supposed to learn it first without fail.
Since you can adjust the output with fine manipulation of mana, it helps improve the technique of mana manipulation as well.
And regarding the Miracles of God Explosive Flame and Heal,
- Explosive Flame Learning Difficulty: High
- Heal Learning Difficulty: Medium
It seems so.
"Then, just learn Heal quickly first, and then Explosive Flame is fine, right?"
I thought, but it seems it doesn't work that way.
For children in the elementary section of the Magic Academy who are still inexperienced in mana manipulation, it is almost impossible to learn Explosive Flame after Heal within a year.
The influence of the learning order seems to be that great.
If mana capacity increases and mana manipulation becomes proficient, it would be possible even then.
But if you spend too much time learning just one Miracle of God, you won't have time to learn others.
And above all, the time when mana capacity increases dramatically is only right now.
If you focus only on manipulating mana to learn new Miracles of God, your mana capacity won't grow.
They want to teach useful Miracles of God, and they want to teach as many Miracles of God as possible, but they also want to increase mana capacity.
It seems the current Magic Academy curriculum exists due to the balance of such various demands.
"Then, just let them focus only on increasing mana capacity, and have them learn later?"
I also thought that, but the upper echelons seem dissatisfied with that.
Probably, they want to incorporate them into the Kingdom Army or Court Magic Institute as fully-fledged members quickly.
The Magic Academy is operated due to such adults' selfish convenience.
"Really, what a bunch of self-centered people."
Mika couldn't help but grumble.