"Something that lets you see what? I don't follow," Celia said as she wiped down the desk in Magnus's room, glancing over at him. Magnus was examining the spell catalyst that Luden had given him.
"It lets you see things that are too small for our eyes, like the tiny bits that make up our blood, remember?" Celia paused her cleaning to think back on what she had read, then nodded.
"Oh, you mean those... What did you call them? Cells, right? You know, I still don't get why you call them that; they have a different name in those books you had me read." Magnus was able to speak the human language in this world, or at least the language of the Batis Kingdom, which was Veridian, but he couldn't write in it.
He planned to learn how at some point, but for now, he felt like writing in his language from home was simply safer; after all, no one else in this world could understand it. But that didn't change the fact that not everything was one-for-one in translation. For instance, Gerald didn't know what the word 'metaphysical' was; it was a phrase that did not exist in the Veridian language, and even scientific terms such as 'cells' were called something entirely different, with slightly different meanings.
On the other hand, other things like the world 'tree' had a clear translation from his language to Veridian. It was a bit confusing and hard to get used to, and it was only thanks to the strange automatic translation he was gifted with that he could understand what was what.
"Eh, it's just easier for me to remember that way. Anyway, the point is that this thing can let you see things on a microscale, like cells or things even smaller than that," Magnus explained as he held up the card and showed it to Celia. Finishing up her cleaning, Celia walked over and took the card from him to get a closer look at it, observing the various runes covering it.
"So magic can do stuff like that? How does it work?" she asked, handing back the card.
"Eh, I don't know all the details myself, but even if I did, I couldn't tell you—academy rules and all," Magnus replied with a shrug. Celia seemed disappointed but didn't press further. Her curiosity about magic was strong, but she knew there were boundaries she had to limit herself to.
Before Celia had even arrived at the academy, Magnus had carefully checked the rules about magic to ensure that what he shared and talked to her about wouldn't get either of them in trouble. For example, although much of the knowledge gained from discoveries using magic wasn't free to the public, there was actually no explicit rule that forbade students to share those discoveries with outsiders.
This kind of leniency could be found elsewhere as well.
Another instance would be luminous crystals. Technically, they are magical in nature; however, as long as you have the right connections and enough money, even a non-noble could buy them. That's why Magnus was comfortable asking Celia to help him read through some of the books he grabbed from the library and wasn't iffy about using magic around her—as long as he adhered to the rules set in place, there would be no issues.
Of course, that was also the cutoff point.
Telling Celia about how spell catalysts worked or how they were made was something he couldn't do, nor could he tell her how to cast spells, despite her lack of ability to cast them in the first place. As for how the academy reinforces these rules, Magnus had a few guesses, one of which involved the Sigilbrand on his and everyone else's hands.
Well, if you can't explain how it works, could you at least tell me what you're planning to do with it? Is this about the biology experiment you wanted my notes for?" Celia asked, settling into the seat across from Magnus.
"Yeah, it actually is. It's something I've been wanting to do for quite some time. Until now, I've been missing two key things: detailed knowledge of human anatomy and the ability to see the intricate details within a body. Now that I've managed to get past those obstacles, I can finally give it a try." Magnus glanced down at his hand, his expression a mix of excitement and apprehension.
"I can finally start working towards making changes to my own body. It'll be the final step to fully round out my capabilities." Celia's face was a picture of shock as she listened to Magnus, her expression showing she could hardly believe what she was hearing. This was the first time she had ever heard what his goal was in doing all this.
"Wait, you're planning to alter your body? Is that even possible?" She asked, her voice laced with concern. Magnus, however, seemed more relaxed about it.
"It's definitely possible now that I've overcome those initial challenges," he responded.
"But... isn't that risky? I mean, from what I've read, the body is already really sensitive to external threats; if you suddenly start making internal changes..." She trailed off mid-sentence, but Magnus didn't need her to finish. He had already thought of the potential consequences and dangers if something went wrong.
Magnus reassured her, "Relax; I don't plan on doing anything to my body right away; that would just be reckless and probably wouldn't even work. First, I plan on running a few tests on a few bones. I'm aiming for the bones of some kind of primate, as similar to humans as possible." Celia breathed a sigh of relief at his cautious approach.
"Oh, good, you had me worried there for a moment. But where will you find primate bones? I haven't seen a bone store around Arlcliff City, if that's even a thing." As she posed the question, Celia noticed Magnus gesturing towards the mask resting on the desk. He had previously mentioned his deal with Luden, so she quickly grasped his intention.
"You plan on asking him for something again? Are you sure that's a good idea?" She hadn't trusted Luden from the moment she heard about him. And despite how he acted during their first encounter, her distrust of him had only deepened after learning about the deal between Magnus and him.
"So, instead of tiptoeing around and second-guessing, I'll just grab what I need right off the bat and power up as fast as I can before this whole faction mess escalates." As he spoke, the spell catalyst paused in mid-air, hovering as if caught in an invisible grip.
"Right now, my biggest edge over not just him but everyone else is that nobody knows what I can really do or the extent of my powers. And hopefully, by the time they figure it out, I'll be strong enough to get past any danger," Magnus continued. Celia looked on, her expression tinged with doubt, but without a better plan, she simply nodded, agreeing reluctantly.
"Well, I guess we can only hope for the best. But on another note, what do you even want to change about your body?" Celia asked, her tone laced with curiosity. Reaching up, Magnus grabbed the spell catalyst out of the air, unfreezing it in a single motion as he did so.
"Let's just say there are quite a few things about it that are holding me back, especially my durability," he replied, not delving too deeply as it involved his Command Console, but he wasn't lying.
As it currently stands, I'm probably one of the strongest people in the world, at least in terms of physical strength. Since the ability [Self Body Puppetry], operates at the fundamental level—source code—I basically have absolute force behind every single one of my movements when I use it. Even a single one of my fingers could technically lift a mountain.
But that kind of power is useless if my body can't survive a bit of abuse.
At the moment, he was nothing more than a glass cannon; in fact, he was the very definition of one, which was something he was determined to change. Meanwhile, Celia, frustrated with Magnus's evasiveness, stood up with a pout and narrowed eyes.
"Fine, keep your secrets. I have to go shopping today, so I'll be out for a bit." Seeing that she was sulking, Magnus smirked and waved her off.
"Sure, see you later." With the sound of the door closing, Magnus found himself alone, slumping over and lying down on the couch he was sitting on. He needed to rest for a bit; he was starting to feel exhausted with all the things he needed to keep up with.
However, not even five minutes had passed when his door burst open, and Celia came storming back in. Sitting up in surprise, Magnus could hardly believe she was back already.
"What the hell, Celia? That was the fastest shopping trip ever," he remarked.
"Huh? Wha- No, no, I didn't go shopping. When I was heading out, one of the receptionists stopped me to give me this; it's for you," she explained, handing him a letter as she approached the still puzzled Magnus.
"Uh, okay..." Magnus had no clue why she was being so frantic, especially about a letter of all things. But when he observed the letter a bit closer, he recognized it almost instantly and realized why Celia had been in such a rush.
"Uh, okay..." Magnus was confused about her frantic behavior, especially over a letter. But as he took a closer look, he recognized the special military seal—it was from the Major General. This wasn't the first time he'd seen it. Staring at the letter for a moment, he eventually opened it and began to read.
[Written on the Year 348 of the Great Sundering Era, 2nd Month, 9th Day of the Astral Reflux Cycle.
Greetings, Magnus. I trust this letter finds you in good health. I won't repeat my introduction, as this marks our second exchange through letters. I understand that our contact has been infrequent, to say the least.
Nonetheless, I find myself in a precarious situation in this city, surrounded by more adversaries than allies. My reluctance to meet you in person was to shield you from becoming a target for them, but it appears trouble has found you regardless.
While I can't divulge all the details, a large criminal organization has infiltrated the core of Alrcliff City, and they have set their sights on you. The mastermind behind this scheme seems to be a high-ranking executive known as Zeth, a name I'm sure you're familiar with.
Given these recent developments, keeping our distance to protect you seems futile, especially considering the company you may now find yourself in. With that in mind, I believe it's best to instead arrange a meeting.
We're both burdened by our own issues, so simply respond with a letter suggesting a date within the next week when you're available, and I'll ensure my schedule aligns accordingly.
I'm looking forward to meeting you, Magnus, especially considering what I've heard. Until then, I bid you farewell.]
After he finished reading the letter, Magnus tossed it onto the table and turned his attention to the envelope it came in, spotting a seal inside of it. If he had to guess, it would let him directly contact the Major General when he sent a letter back.
Hmm, so he's decided to meet with me, huh? I mean, that's a good thing, right? It will finally let me figure out exactly what he wants from me. But at the same time, why now? I ran into Zeth for the first time a while ago.
As he considered the possibilities, Magnus glanced over at his mask again. Thinking it over, he picked up the letter again and reread it, his eyes landing on a specific section.
He mentioned the company I find myself in. Besides Celia, I hardly hang out around anyone else. The only person who would fit would be Luden...
Following that line of logic, the pieces of the puzzle started to fit together in his mind.
I see, so he knows about me and Luden, or at the very least that we have some kind of connection. That's probably what prompted this sudden letter. That means he must have people watching me, or maybe even multiple people. Either way, my joining Luden's faction must conflict with whatever plans he had for me if it caused him to act.
Sinking deeper into the couch, Magnus let out a weary sigh.
"So much for getting a second to relax," he said, tossing another task onto his already lengthy to-do list. Though he hadn't been in this world for long, he already felt like he was working harder here than he ever did back on Earth.
Celia came around from behind the couch to sit next to him.
"So you're really going to meet the Major General?" She asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and concern.
She had been right there behind Magnus, reading over the letter along with him. In the past, she would have never done something like that, either out of fear of losing her job and being punished or simply not wanting to get involved. But now, at least around Magnus, thoughts like that don't really enter her mind.
She has spent a lot of time with Magnus and learned a lot because of it, especially what he considered private. Unless he deliberately hid something or refused to answer when she asked, it meant he was open to sharing it with her.
"Well, he is the Major General, and he's the one who got me into the academy, so it's not like ignoring him is an option. Plus, maybe I'll finally get some answers to a few things I've been wondering about. Still..." Magnus's voice faded as his eyes stuck to the section of the letter that marked him as a target.
Catching this, Celia's expression flickered with a surge of emotion at the mere thought of Zeth's name. It was a quick shift, her fist tightening before she forced it to relax.
"You're worried about being targeted," she said, noticing the change in his demeanor from relaxed to fraught with uncertainty.
"Yeah, I am," he admitted, his gaze meeting hers.
"I knew he might come after me; that much was obvious. But I wasn't expecting the Major General to tell me he had an entire organization behind him. It just makes everything feel more... intense, you know?"
As Magnus spoke, his mind was suddenly thrown back to the intense look Zeth shot him just before vanishing in a blink, sending chills down his spine as he forcibly shook off the memory and pressed on.
"Normally, I really try not to dwell on stuff like this. It's easier for me to just move on and keep my mind on what's happening now, not what's ahead. But now that I've got a moment to think about it..." Magnus's words trailed off.
Basker could help Magnus push away the intrusive thoughts that barged into his mind uninvited—the ones that made him suspect there could be a monster hiding in the shadows. But that was useless against the thoughts he actively entertained in his mind.
If he actively contemplated negative scenarios—things that could go wrong, like the idea that Zeth might have people across the city ready to attack him as he walked down the street—there was nothing Basker could do about it. Even when he dismissed these worries, they quickly crept back—they were, after all, what Magnus was consciously pondering.
As he sat there, Celia recognized the familiar tension in Magnus, something she herself had grappled with—persistent anxiety.
"Anyway, sorry for the rambling. I'll manage." Magnus tried to dismiss his concerns, but Celia's expression remained focused on him as she thought to herself.
Sometimes I almost forget that Magnus is still a kid. He's seen a lot of stuff that no one his age ever should, even if he likes to pretend that they were fun adventures. And of course, I just sat here eating it up, not questioning how it might have affected him for a moment. What a joke… I should be the last person to fall for that.
Irritated with herself, Celia's frown deepened as she reached out and grasped Magnus's hand, locking her dark eyes with his amber ones. Surprised, he started to respond, but Celia cut him off.
"Magnus, you know you can talk to me anytime, right?" Her sudden earnestness caught him off guard, prompting a slight chuckle from him.
"What? Oh, come on, Celia, I just said I'm fine-" His words were abruptly stopped as Celia tightened her grip.
"No jokes right now, Magnus. I'm serious. If you need someone to talk to, I'm here. It's okay if there are things you can't share with me, but remember, I really do see you as a friend, alright?" Her grave tone left no space for lightheartedness.
His smile slowly faded into a thoughtful nod. Seeing that he was really listening, Celia's face softened as she stood up.
"Alright, good. Now before you go do anything else, just relax for a bit, ok? Even if it's for a few hours. I'll make some tea."