Chapter 70
When Da-eun asked me how strong I was, I showed signs of discomfort.
Strength is always relative, so even if she asked, there wasn’t much I could answer.
Let me give you a brief example.
Let’s assume I’m fighting a snake that’s coiled up in the Empire, one-on-one.
It might sound arrogant, but I have no confidence in that fight.
I would probably lose.
However, if it were a battlefield where armies clash, the outcome would surely end in my defeat.
That creature excels at using tricks and magic to wreak havoc on an army, so even if my body remains intact, the army I lead wouldn’t be.
In fact, I’ve been caught off guard by its magic more than a few times…
Even if I wanted to kill that snake right now, there are reasons why I couldn’t.
…If I had been willing to face mutual destruction, it might have been possible, but back then, I had something to protect, so I couldn’t do it.
That hasn’t changed even now.
Anyway, I used the most familiar example of the snake, but how could I answer about the strong ones in the Ardina continent when I don’t even know about them?
Usually, when I say “I, the master,” people accept that and leave, but Da-eun, who already knows my level, probably isn’t looking for that kind of answer.
Da-eun was not satisfied with showing the differences between us and threw another question.
“Then, has Kana ever fought with all her strength?”
“All-out strength….”
Of course, I have.
When I resisted the drunkard who was pulling my hand, for instance.
Or when I recklessly confronted a thug, thinking I might die if I took more hits.
Or when I faced a wolf monster while escaping the city and was on the verge of death.
I always had to give it my all.
If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here right now.
“…Cough!”
As I quietly recited this, Da-eun suddenly sniffled.
“Not like that. No, I mean, how was it during your time as a knight?”
She quickly changed the subject.
But it was such an unnatural transition that I naturally noticed it.
However, I didn’t bother to nitpick.
Talking about that time wasn’t particularly pleasant for me either.
“Hmm….”
I pretended to think deeply.
“I think there were a few times.”
Once in the war with the Empire, and a couple more against other threats.
Da-eun’s eyes sparkled at my words.
“An all-out fighting Kana. That sounds so cool…!”
“…?”
She hasn’t even seen it?
“It’s not exactly a good thing.”
Having to give it my all means that a strong enemy appeared, right?
Even if I could win, fighting against such an opponent is exhausting, and it’s something I’d prefer to avoid.
Then Da-eun had an “aha” moment.
“Oh, no, I don’t want Kana to suffer; I just think it would be cool…”
“Yeah. I get it.”
Knowing Da-eun’s personality, that statement isn’t an excuse; it’s genuine.
Understanding that, I didn’t find her words particularly annoying.
There were also several reasons I didn’t want to exert myself.
“If I give it my all, my body hurts, and strange things get tangled up….”
More than anything,
“It’s noisy.”
“…Noisy?”
“Yeah.”
What I felt most strongly was that I didn’t want to hear unnecessary chatter.
Fighting while listening to meaningless drivel that doesn’t help at all makes me feel like I’m losing my mind.
I glanced at Da-eun, who seemed bewildered.
‘In a way, I guess Da-eun is similar to that.’
While there are detailed differences, maybe there are similarities when you look at it broadly.
After all, Da-eun is always listening to the words of her viewers.
Suddenly, she seemed remarkable.
“…Huh? Huh? Noisy? What do you mean by that…? You’re not talking about me, are you?”
Da-eun still had a confused expression, not understanding the situation.
***
Methods to build resistance against magic are not limited to increasing one’s level.
There’s always a reason why people with some money wrap themselves in expensive magical tools.
Powerful magical tools increase your resistance to magic just by being carried on your person.
To be more precise, it might be better to think of it as a kind of spare life that transfers damage meant for the owner onto the magical tool.
Of course, there are other reasons to wrap oneself in magical tools, but.
Then here’s the question.
What are the conditions for a magical tool to be expensive?
“Me! Me! I know the answer!”
The only student, Da-eun, eagerly raised her hand.
“It’s inscribing high-level magic!”
“Hmm….”
“That’s not entirely wrong.”
“50 points!”
What? Only 50 points?!
Da-eun, who received the terrible score, was shaking with frustration.
“Why is that, Professor?”
“Inscribing high-level magic is just an intermediate process; it’s not the fundamental cause.”
“…Not the fundamental cause?”
“Yeah. Why do you think wizards know they can get high prices for inscribing high-level magic, yet they still create cheaper magical tools?”
“Uh… Because they lack the skill?”
“That’s true too.”
To create good magical tools, the ability of the maker is indeed important.
Just as a skilled artisan can create a fine sword, a capable magical engineer can produce excellent magical tools.
I extended my arm.
The bracelet on my wrist jingled, producing a clear sound.
“How much magic do you think can be inscribed in this bracelet?”
“Well, um…?”
Da-eun, who was clueless about magic, avoided answering.
I didn’t know much about magic either, but this didn’t require specialized knowledge about it.
“At best, it might be low-level magic.”
“L-low-level magic? But I still paid quite a bit for it…”
“The high value as an accessory doesn’t necessarily mean it’s made of good magical materials.”
Among truly expensive magical tools, there are some that are both visually appealing and perform well.
Rings, necklaces, bracelets, hairpins—things that you can adorn yourself with and wear conveniently.
What their prices are like…
“You know without me saying, right?”
“Um, uh…”
Do you know, or do you not?
I believed she understood to some extent and moved on to the next explanation.
“The higher the grade of magic, the more mana is required for casting. When inscribing on a magical tool, the magic is condensed, so the demand is less.”
Even so, can ordinary people who can’t even feel mana handle the mana required for casting spells?
Of course not.
The magic cast from magical tools is all performed through the mana stored in those tools.
You need durability to withstand the high-grade magic and capacity to store a significant amount of mana.
Only when both of these conditions are met can high-grade magic be inscribed, making it an expensive magical tool.
“So, people with a lot of mana sometimes use magical tools made from materials that have high durability but low capacity.”
“…Um! I completely understand!”
“…You really understand, right?”
“Of course!”
When someone says that confidently, it usually means they haven’t understood at all.
But seeing her confident expression made me uneasy, yet I let it slide since it wasn’t a particularly crucial topic.
“So, Professor!”
“Yeah?”
“I’m pretty sure I asked why we’re heading north, but why are you suddenly lecturing about magical tools?”
What I had discussed up to this point was merely a buildup to answer her question.
“If you’re beside Celine, you’ll generally be safe, but there are always exceptions.”
If there ever comes a situation where Celine can’t be by her side…
If something happens that neither Celine nor I can resolve…
To prepare for such events, I chose magical tools as insurance.
If it’s a magical tool specifically designed to withstand magic, it should hold up reasonably well even in Laxia, which is filled with magic.
Honestly, I would have preferred to bring something like a relic from the Edel Church instead of a magical tool, but unfortunately, Edel said that wouldn’t be possible.
“For me?”
“…It’s just because it would be annoying if you get hurt.”
Since I have a long way to go and I’m busy, if she was to be affected by magic, I would have to stop to heal.
So that’s why.
Really.
Bam—
“…”
“…”
Bam—
I averted my gaze from the warm eyes directed at me.
As I sneaked a glance at Da-eun, suddenly—
“Whoosh!”
“…Ugh?!”
“Ahhh, so cute~~!”
Da-eun launched a surprise hug attack.
…Is this how it’s going to play out again?
This had happened more than once, so I relaxed my body and just let it happen.
“Yes, yes! I see, Kana was worried about her big sister~~?”
“…Ughhh.”
“Really? You’re saying that’s true? I knew it!”
Totally wrong.
Even if I said that, it wouldn’t get through anyway.
“You two seem to be getting along well again today.”
“Hehe, really?”
“Yes, indeed. Even I, watching you, feel a little jealous. Hehe.”
If Da-eun was going to talk with Celine, couldn’t she at least let me go first?
In the end, Da-eun only released me after giving my arm a few playful taps.
Freed from the clutches of the demon, I fanned myself to cool my flushed face.
…So hot.
“The easiest place to get magical tools is the capital of the Empire.”
The Empire holds the hegemony over the continent, and in its heart—the capital—people and goods of all kinds gather.
Since I had never been to the capital, it was naturally something I had heard from others.
“Wait, but Kana—”
“Yeah. So we’re going somewhere other than the capital.”
If I were going to the Empire, I wouldn’t have aimed for the north in the first place.
Magical tool materials are often ores.
And if you were to ask who handles ores the best in Ardina, everyone would give the same answer.
“The land of the Dwarves. That’s where we’re headed.”
If Elves have the Great Forest, Dwarves have the Great Mountains.
While the formal name isn’t the Great Mountains, and the country has a different name as well.
According to circulating rumors—
— “Humans call the forest where those pointy-eared guys live the Great Forest? We can’t lose to that! So we’ll call ours the Great Mountains!”
…That’s how the name “Great Mountains” came to be.
Everyone who heard this laughed, thinking, “Could it really be named that for such a reason?”
However, having seen Dwarves myself, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the rumor was true.
Well, it’s not like they call a small hill the Great Mountains; it’s a grand and majestic mountain range, so it’s not entirely inappropriate…
If I think it was named for that reason, isn’t it normal to feel a bit chilly about it?
“…The land of the Dwarves!”
As expected, Da-eun reacted strongly.
Just like a sparrow wouldn’t miss a grain mill, Da-eun seemed unable to contain her curiosity.
That must be why she could bounce around without getting tired.
—
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