…At the same time, Monday evening.
In the Eslo commercial district, close to several magic high schools including Endex, there is a place called [K-Slot]. It's a high-end study café that occupies the 5th to 7th floors of a commercial building.
At this place frequently used by magic high school students, the upper class of Endex gathered today.
"Everyone, come out. Let's take a break and discuss."
Elise sent a group message from the 7th floor corridor. Immediately, the door of Room 4 opened, and Kain came out.
"Oh, Elise. How's your team doing?"
Elise shrugged her shoulders.
"We've just started the segmentation."
Since quite a lot of magic formulas are intertwined in this magic ceremony, they first need to breakdown the formula into individual components for proper analysis.
This process is called 'segmentation', and since it's a simple and tedious task—basically grunt work—that doesn't require creative thinking or a shift in perspective, Elise left it all to her team members.
"Is that so? I picked a kid with a good head, and he's doing it all right now."
"You mean Elling."
"Oh, how did you know?"
"We went to the Magic competition together. He's not very sociable, but he's quite talented. Which room is Layla in?"
"She was hanging out in Room 3."
On the 7th floor of K-Slot, there are a total of ten group study rooms, each 30 square meters. Elise is in Room 1, Kain in Room 4, and Asher, who is just coming out, is in Room 7.
"Hey, did you guys see this? My minions sent it to me."
Asher approached with an excited face and showed his smartphone.
"That asshole's making a fuss again...."
Kain, who started with a curse, had his eyes wide open in an instant. His jaw trembled and closed tightly.
It was a rather loud reaction.
"What is it?"
Elise also took a quick look. It was a single photo.
"…A high jump, huh."
"Yeah, it's crazy. Some madman hit almost 7 meters in the No-mana Zone."
The high jump rail in the Nomana Zone. The number [687cm] that appeared on the billboard. A clearly engraved palm.
Elise muttered nonchalantly.
"It must be Gerkhen Kal Doon."
"…Shit."
Kain bit his lip. In fact, Elise was also impressed inside.
At this level, it's as much as an average knight, no.
Since physical strength is purely a matter of talent, it's superior to 'most' knights.
Asher blurted out.
"If it's 687, it's almost a new record for the Draft Combine. You know, right? In '94, Soliette's dad hit 701cm-"
Squeak—
At that moment, the door of Room 6 opened.
The person who walked out with a wobble, as if speaking of the devil.
It was Soliette. Some guy was following her like a shadow.
"…Soliette?"
Elise called her. Soliette raised a question mark in essence.
"Did you see this?"
She snatched Asher's phone and showed her the screen.
After a quick glance, she answered nonchalantly.
"Yes."
"You saw it?"
"Yes."
"…Do you know who it is?"
"I think I might know. Excuse me, I need to use the restroom."
Soliette raised an eyebrow.
"This… is still at the stage of speculation, but it's evidence to find the owner of the 687cm."
"This button?"
"Yes. I found it on the air mat. It's probably the only evidence. Unfortunately, there's no CCTV in the stadium."
"…It sounds like a crime when you say it like that. To the point of checking CCTV?"
Elise glanced at the button as if uninterested. It was a normal school uniform button.
"Well, then. I'll go ahead."
"Okay. Go ahead."
Soliette put the button back in her pocket and left the bathroom.
Elise turned on the faucet. Swoosh— After washing her hands with soap, she went outside.
"…?"
Just then, the door of the men's bathroom opened, and a presence emerged.
It was Kielli.
With a smile at the corner of his mouth, he nodded at Elise and walked towards Soliette.
"He's an unpleasant person."
Elise felt an inexplicable contempt.
…
Study Room No. 6.
Soliette returned with Kielli. The members of Room 6 were dissecting the magic formula.
"Oh, you're back? We've mostly dissected it. It looks like a map-related magic formula to us, what do you think?"
At the team member's words, Soliette nodded.
"You did well."
It probably wasn't a map-related magic formula, but they had almost completely dissected it, which was commendable.
Kielli raised an eyebrow.
"Oh~ You guys are fast, huh? But why is it so hot?"
"Hot? Should we turn off the heating?"
"No, it's okay. I'll just take off my clothes."
Hmm- He coughed and took off his school uniform coat. Soliette glanced at him nonchalantly, then froze for a moment.
"…."
She silently stared at Kielli's cuff.
The button.
There was no button.
When did it disappear?
She didn't know if this was the first time he had taken off his school uniform coat. She hadn't been interested in the first place.
"Hmm, whats wrong team leader?"
Kielli asked, feeling her gaze. Soliette pointed blatantly at the spot.
"The button. It's missing."
"Huh? What button… Oh, what's this."
Kielli fiddled with his cuff and chuckled.
"When did it fall off? It did feel a bit empty."
"…."
Watching him casually adjust his cuff, Soliette was lost in thought for a moment.
Kielli licked his nostrils and lips and pointed at a landscape photo of some exploration area.
"Team leader? So, are we definitely going here?"
Soliette looked at it.
Exploration Area [A].
A mountain covered in fog.
"Yes."
Soliette said expressionlessly.
"Our Team 2 will go here."
______________________________________________________________________
Endex, Sairen, Devon, Sudme, and other prestigious magic high schools' shopping districts overlap like a Venn diagram— 'Eslo Street'.
[5~7 Floors: Study Cafe K-Slot]
I came out and was looking at the directory of a commercial building.
"Why does a study cafe take up three whole floors?"
The study cafes I know aren't like this. Moreover, it's 30 Ren per hour. But they claim to maintain an optimal concentration of oxygen and mana for studying and learning.
Well, I'm not here to study anyway.
[3rd Floor: Maho Bookstore]
My destination today is Maho Bookstore. It's the largest bookstore in the area, occupying the entire third floor.
It's not that I don't need it, I need the textbook for tomorrow's Latinel class. Neither the library nor the local bookstore carries such a high-level artifact like Latinel.
I went up to the third floor. From the entrance, there were many people in school uniforms, martial arts uniforms, and robes, and books were everywhere.
"Hmm…."
I roughly looked around the 'Language' section, but I didn't really need to search.
The most luxurious and antique-designed counter. Above it, a gold-framed picture labeled [Latinel Ⅰ].
"Here it is…."
「Latinel Ⅰ」
The Latinel textbook was displayed like a luxury item in the middle of the shiniest counter. The price was 1,500 Ren.
Last time it was 1,200 Ren, it's gone up by 300 Ren.
Of course, I have no intention of buying it. How could I burn my hard-earned 1,200 Ren on a book?
Instead, I put my hand on the cover of the textbook. I gently closed my eyes. I focused.
"Hu…."
Now, I'm trying to 'Memorize' it.
Of course, the content of this Latinel textbook is already saved in the 「Notepad」, but what I want is more than that.
I want to memorize not only the 'content' of the textbook, but also its 'form'.
The leather cover of the hardcover book, extraordinary in material and quality. The grip that feels like it sticks to your hand. The material of the paper, sturdy yet soft without being thick.
"——Memorize"
I memoried it all. My nerves and heart twitched, and a definite sensation settled in my palm.
But it's not over yet.
It's just the beginning.
I took out an old book from the bag I brought in advance. I put my palm on the dust-covered cover.
Now, I'm going to infuse this old book with the 'form' of 「Latinel Ⅰ」.
If you compare it to the function of the 「Notepad」, it's copy and paste.
However, since it's implemented in reality, it's the real Embodiment of Memory.
"...Paste."
There's no CG-like special effect. As I mutter my intention, my nerves tremble, and the mana holding the Memory rises from my palm and seeps into the old book. The worn and frayed surface transforms into a purple hardcover, and gold letters are engraved on the cover.
「Latinel Ⅰ」
It's perfect.
"I've… saved money."
I've lost quite a bit of mana, and a chill runs through my body, but this is more than satisfactory.
I put down the 「Latinel Ⅰ」, which used to be an old book, next to the original.
Comparing them, they look even more identical. I could even sell it as a new one.
If I do this well, it's like copying money-
"Huh?!"
Suddenly, the book melted.
Melting away, literally. Like paint peeling off, the book covers were sagging and sinking…
I hastily picked it up. The moment I did, the decay stopped.
"Ah, damn."
After all, this 「real embodiment」 seems to only persist when it's in contact with me.
It's not a special restriction. After all, the concept of a 'medium' is fundamental.
No magic formula operates independently or permanently. It must either be connected to the mage or be supplied by a medium such as a mana stone or gem.
"Then it's useless."
I called 「Latinel Ⅰ」 back into the half-melted old book. The second real embodiment was quite easy, but this was a curse. I can't keep it with me all the time. It seems like it would work if I inserted a mana stone or mana core, but where can I get that now…
Wait a minute.
Mana core?
"A Mana core."
I do have a mana core.
Not in my hand right now, but the mana core of the ghost that the 「Notepad」 swallowed.
No, wait.
Thinking about it, isn't what the 「Notepad」 swallowed, when you look at it broadly, 'memorized'?
"...Maybe."
I spread my palm. I stared at it and activated the 「Notepad」.
Bring back the mana core you swallowed, the mana core you saved, so that the 「real embodiment」 of the memory can be held in reality.
As I muttered to myself, a faint stream of mana rose in my palm. It bloomed like a small lotus and condensed into a bud.
It was a mana core.
"I did it."
I opened the Notepad.
[ 93 / 103(-3)]
Capacity history within the last 24 hours: -1
As expected, the capacity had decreased. If I reabsorb the mana core, it will be restored.
"I don't need it this big."
I reabsorbed about half of the mana core. 2 of the capacity returned, and the mana core, which was the size of a pebble, shrunk to the size of a bean. I hung it like a keyring on the bookmark of the 「Latinel Ⅰ」.
This should be enough.
Moreover, the mana core is superior to the mana stone. If a mana stone is ordinary fuel, a mana core is like a generator. It can absorb mana from the air like a human and convert it into magic power.
"..."
I gently put down the 「real embodiment」 of the Latinel textbook.
1 second, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes... 10 minutes passed, but it didn't melt.
I nodded in satisfaction.
"Complete."
Money saved.