─Hey, youngster! Melt the mana stone properly, you brat!
─First, tell the Hunter's Guild! We're offering a 30% discount on the prototype of 「Death Eater」, no, no, just send it! Tell them to send it back if they don't like it after they've tried it!
The [Valmant Mana Workshop] was bustling with the preparation of a new Magic Spell after a long time.
"Who does he look like? How would I know that."
In the relatively quiet workshop, Kanya hung a framed contract on the workshop wall and spoke. Gerkhen picked up the already commercialized Magic Spell.
「Death Eater」
: Attribute Reverse Magic Spell :
: Valmant's Manaology :
: Dale Kal :
It looked like a thin book. As soon as you open it, there's a talisman-like paper with a Magic Spell implanted on the first page, and the next few pages are the instructions.
The instructions are 'merely' four pages long.
"He doesn't seem like someone from the official system. If he had received a systematic education, he wouldn't have come to such a deal in the first place. They wouldn't make the usage this simple either. Look at the tower mages. They only produce complicated formulas."
This 「Death Eater」 can be used by ordinary people as well. That's how simple it is to use. Attach the Magic Spell to the flesh, place the mana stone on top, and ignite it. That's it. It's almost like instant rice or frozen chicken breast.
It would be very useful for hunters who have struggled with the disposal of monster or beast corpses so far.
Of course, it will soon be used for other illegal purposes as well.
"Whether he received proper education or not. What does it matter if he's a mage? If he can invent such a formula, that's what matters, no, that's what makes him a mage."
Gerkhen muttered under his breath at Kanya's words.
"Could he be from the mage tower?"
"I don't know. Maybe a mage who was expelled from the tower? It's a stroke of luck for us."
Kanya's eyes sparkled.
"Moreover, the production method is simple. It means he understands all the processes of producing a Magic Spell."
Dip the paper in the solution of melted mana stone as if you're doing a first draft, and implant the Magic Spell on it, and it's done.
Kanya looked back at Gerkhen as she poured the mana stone solution into the machine.
"Hey. Aren't you excited?"
He was still calm. He's like a vampire whose heart doesn't beat at times like this. His face is also pale.
"Not really."
Kanya smiled brightly.
"It's not 'not really', it's 'good', you know? We might have made a connection with a pretty impressive genius."
"..."
Gerkhen closed his eyes for a moment. He sighed softly and shook his head.
"It's not 'we', it's 'you'."
"What are you talking about. Oh right. You beat Shion Ascal, didn't you? Congratulations~?"
"..."
At that moment, Gerkhen's composure was slightly broken. Kanya snickered.
"So you've been pretending not to care?"
"It's not like that."
Gerkhen also slightly avoided her gaze this time.
"Why then."
Gerkhen had a consciousness on that rooftop. It was faint, but there was definitely a Memory.
"...Because there's an unofficial first place."
Even though his time had run out, he.
'Shion Ascal' had clearly overtaken him.
"How do you know that?"
"..."
How did he know?
If you ask how he knew…
On the rooftop of the apartment, when Shion, who had passed him, was exhausted and dozing off.
The moment he fell.
His… that is, his… that unpleasant part… touched the back of his…
Gerkhen stopped his thoughts.
He simply responded.
"Don't ask."
______________________________________________________________________
A shabby building located in a corner of Trick City, 30 minutes away from Valmant Mana Workshop.
[Selfless Coffin]
Selfless Coffin. The coffin where the selfless things lie.
In other words, the coffin of the prosthetic body.
The exterior looks like an ordinary shop, but it's where the most perfect doll maker on the continent resides.
Knock-knock-
The door opened as soon as I knocked. There was no sign of anyone.
"...May I come in?"
I stepped forward.
The interior was heavily marked by time. The wooden tiles creaked with every step, and the empty counter didn't even have a card reader.
I glanced over the shelves. There were many items: prosthetic arms, prosthetic legs, microscopes, compasses, daggers, glasses, handguns, and more.
Ziiing— Ziiing—
In the midst of this, the sound of welding came from somewhere.
It's the workshop beyond the counter.
I peeked through the slightly open door. Akane, wearing goggles, was engrossed in Artifact creation.
She must be in the middle of work.
I shifted my gaze to the bookshelf on the opposite side of the counter. Most of them were Magic Spells or magic-related books.
"Are you here?"
"!"
I was startled by the sudden voice.
"When..."
I looked back at the gap in the workshop door.
Still, there was Akane. The sound of welding— Ziiing— echoed just the same.
"..."
I turned to look at the one who called me. There was Akane there too.
Chills ran down my spine-
"It's a doll."
"Ah."
I see.
"Does the doll also create Artifacts? Isn't there a problem with the completion?"
"That doll's consciousness is the same as mine."
─It's not about who controls whom.
Akane in the workshop said.
"I've split the consciousness in two."
"...Ah, yes."
Akane glanced at the bookshelf I was looking at.
"Are you interested in magic?"
"No, not really."
"Why not? You should be."
"Because I have no talent."
For a moment, her brows furrowed.
"No talent… Are you serious?"
"Yes."
Akane puckered her lips as if displeased.
"That's funny. Can I test you then?"
"A test? All of a sudden?"
"Yes. There's no way a talentless kid like you could decipher my business card in just a minute. That in itself is an insult."
"Business card... Ah, that?"
On the island, instead of an address or phone number, there was a Magic Spell on the business card she handed me.
"That was a three-part Magic Formula."
My 「Notepad」 Database is growing day by day. I don't need to consciously memorize, just observing the process of formula manifestation naturally accumulates data.
Thanks to that, I can quickly solve a formula that links three Magic Formulas.
"..."
Akane closed her eyes tightly and then opened them. It meant she was slightly pissed off just now.
"The important elements in a Magic Spell are not the numbers of Magic Formulas. It's the density and complexity of the formula, and whether the questioner is trying to screw you over."
Akane bent and straightened the index and middle fingers of both hands. Like rabbit ears, they flickered in a V shape.
"It's 'intention'."
With that, she handed me her business card again.
"Yes, the Magic Spell on that business card is just three Magic Formulas linked together. But it was twisted so that segmentation was necessary. Even at the senior level, there were plenty who couldn't solve it even if given a month, not a day. You solved it in just one minute."
Akane turned around roughly.
"As naturally as reading ordinary letters. Can a talentless child do that?"
She grumbled angrily and strode over to the counter, pulling out ten sheets of paper. She whipped up a formula with her own magic on them.
"I'll give you 20 minutes."
She threw the bundle of papers at me. I caught it in surprise.
"Try to solve it. You don't have to explain the solution. Just solve it and I'll give you any Artifact you want."
Any one.
It was a slightly heart-throbbing statement.
Akane is a legendary doll maker and a master craftsman. Not only dolls and prosthetic bodies, but her Artifacts also boast the highest level on the continent.
"What if I can't solve it?"
I asked while looking at Akane's paper. Akane rolled a cigarette.
"Just pay for the treatment."
In other words, it's a no-loss proposal. There's no reason not to accept it.
I nodded my head.
"Deal."
…
…
The ten formula problems written on the ten sheets of paper that Akane gave me.
Seven of them were made up of 3-4 Magic Spells, and I understood them the moment I saw them.
When I stare at the Magic Spell on the paper, the circuit diagram containing the flow of magic naturally 'rises' in my eyes.
Therefore, I solved seven out of ten in a total of 3 minutes, but I was completely stuck on the remaining three. One sheet was a 4-part Magic Spell. The other two sheets were 3-part Magic Spells.
"...I surrender."
I raised both hands.
10 minutes. If I can't solve it after looking at it for exactly 10 minutes, I can't solve it. It means that not I, but the 「Notepad」, can't solve it.
"I can't solve it."
I returned the answer sheet to Akane. Akane quickly skimmed through it.
"..."
And then she silently looked down at me.
Huuuuuuu... She exhaled a puff of cigarette smoke.
"You have quite a unique intuition. It seems you don't even know why you can solve a formula or why you can't."
She hit the nail on the head.
"How did you know?"
I hid my surprise as best as I could. Akane responded indifferently.
"Of the three sheets you couldn't solve, two were initially incorrect formulas, and one was a concept that couldn't be solved by anyone but a magician. From that point of view... your limit is probably around level 4."
"Level" is a term that represents the grade of a Magic Spell.
Typically, a Magic Spell woven from five Magic Formulas is Level 5, and if it's woven from four, it's Level 4, and so on. However, there are many exceptions.
A formula woven from four Magic Formulas could be so complex that it's considered Level 5, or a formula woven from five could be so simple that it's considered Level 4.
"...What? Then the test was wrong from the start. What about the Artifact?"
Whoosh-! Akane burned the paper.
"I intended to give it to you from the start. Instead, explain it to me."
"Oh. What?"
"How your intuition works."
Akane's red eyes were tinged with curiosity.
"You possess a talent that can't be bought for any amount of money, and I have an appraisal ability that can't be obtained for any amount of money."
"Uh... what..."
I scratched the back of my neck and chuckled awkwardly.
I can explain it.
"It's simple. I look at the magic circulation process of one Magic Spell, and apply its principle to other Magic Spells."
However, it seems better not to mention the 「Notepad」 yet.
Akane nodded her head.
"Applying one principle to many... An empirical talent heavily skewed towards implementation and verification. You don't need books or anything like that."
"...I lack magical ability, so I can't use it properly."
"That's a problem that will be solved someday."
Akane mumbled as she looked me up and down.
"For now, build the 'foundation' of your formulas. Your talent seems to be one where quantity leads to quality. As you observe and experience, your intuition naturally develops, and efficiency and output will increase. Quantity proceeds Quality."
Akane stroked her chin and nodded.
"The underworld or Trick City would be good. Just walking the streets of the city is a learning experience for you. There are many who scatter Magic Spells at will."
"..."
I nodded and looked around at the product shelves. I sniffed.
Everything smelled of money, but there was one item that particularly attracted my senses.
"...You said to choose anything. Then I choose this. This wand."
A stick as long as my forearm, similar to a magic wand, but slightly longer.
Its performance must be on another level.
"You've chosen well."
Akane's face fell slightly.
"Is it a cherished item?"
"No. It's loot. I stole it from an old man who was once my master."
"...That doesn't seem right."
"Take it. The old man is already dead."
As she handed it over, Akane glanced at her watch.
"Soliette is coming tomorrow."
"I know."
I had already received a text from Soliette.
That's why I purposely came today. To avoid overlapping schedules.
The two of them need to have their own conversation.
"Didn't you tell her?"
Suddenly, Akane asked something strange. I tucked the wand into my waistband as I answered.
"Tell her what."
"'The Final Knightmare'. You were there too."
She had already lit a new cigarette.
"..."
I chewed on my lip.
The Final Nightmare. In other words, the last murder of Knightmare.
The targets were Jared and Felix, and I happened to be near the scene.
It was the reason Soliette and I got closer before the regression.
"Do I really need to tell her?"
Ding-
Just then, my smartphone rang.
[A: Can I request an open consultation session?]
A. was a silver spoon from Endex. I looked back at Akane.
"Do you have any books related to psychiatry?"
"I'm a doll maker."
Akane pointed to a bookshelf. It was entirely filled with specialized books on human consciousness, unconsciousness, emotions, mental health, and other aspects of psychiatry.
"I'll borrow a few."
She only raised an eyebrow.
Ding-
While I was gathering books, another urgent text came in.
[A: What should I do when I'm most embarrassed in the world? I mean, when I've never been so ashamed in my life. Really...]