Episode 165 – Second Test (1)

Second Test (1)

[ Room 107 ]

I returned to Planarium.

I had just unpacked my things in the dormitory and was about to take a nap when—

Knock-knock—

The sound of knocking.

I glanced towards the door.

Knock-knock—

The knocking sound again.

I got up and opened the door.

“…What do you want?”

It was Elise. She peeked over my shoulder and asked,

“Can I come in?”

“…”

I stepped aside. She entered and looked around.

“There’s nothing here. It’s cramped.”

“What… Oh, right. Hey, listen.”

It was good timing. I still had questions about Magic Spell.

“When I use a formula, the mana consumption is too high, you know?”

I had put the lesson about ‘scale’ into the 「Notepad」, but I hadn’t properly asked about ‘efficiency’.

Elise raised an eyebrow.

“That’s simple. Your mana pool is small, that’s why.”

“Yeah, that’s true. But there’s also the matter of efficiency.”

Magic Spells of levels 1-3 are manageable, but from level 5, the mana consumption is no joke. It means I’m using the formula in an ‘inefficient way’.

Elise asked with a blank face.

“Efficiency?”

“Yeah.”

“…You’re a swordsman anyway.”

“Swordsmen also use Magic Spells. Look at Gerkhen.”

“Gerkhen is… Sigh. Sit down.”

Elise pointed to a chair. I sat on the only chair available. Elise also created a chair-like form using telekinesis and sat on it.

“‘Efficiency’ is hard to teach theoretically.”

“What? Why?”

“Because it’s too simple. The quality of mana dedicated to the ‘path’ in the formula’s circuit… That’s all there is to it.”

“Path?”

I tilted my head. Elise raised a finger.

“Let me explain it simply. The circuits of Magic Spells are largely just ‘paths’.”

She drew a level 4 Magic Spell in the air.

“Look. The core circuits here are the ‘nucleus’.”

The center of the Magic Spell turned red. It was the ‘nucleus’.

“The circuits supplying mana to the nucleus are the ‘paths’.”

The outer parts leading to the center turned green. They were the ‘paths’.

“Usually, if the nucleus of a formula is 30%, the remaining 70% is the ‘path’ to reach that nucleus.”

“Ah, so don’t waste magic on that ‘path’?”

“Roughly. Just pouring mana doesn’t make the mana transmission speed of the ‘path’ faster.”

It was a simple story.

The formula I deploy with the 「Notepad」 was inefficient because I poured the same amount of mana into all parts. Like Elise, I didn’t distinguish between the ‘path’ and the ‘nucleus’, and dumped a set amount into the entire formula like a machine.

“But it will be difficult for you.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s purely a matter of talent. Per unit of mana…”

Elise stopped talking.

“Sigh.”

She sighed lightly and simplified her explanation.

“In other words, whether your mana is a railway, a highway, or a dirt road is determined from birth. Academia calls this the ‘quality of mana’.”

“Hmm… What about you?”

“I’m a railway. A high-speed railway.”

“Then show me. Draw it in the air as you go.”

“…You ask for a lot.”

“Start from level 2.”

Elise grumbled as she drew a Magic Spell in the air.

Level 2. Two Magic Formulas were intertwined.

Just as Elise had said, the lines on the outer part of the formula were thin but sturdy. A ‘path’ had been formed.

However, as it moved towards the center, it became thicker and darker, and by the time it reached the ‘nucleus’, it was completely dense.

“Look. The outer part is thin and the center is thick, right? But, this is because the quality of my mana is good. If a person with poor mana quality makes the path thin, the Magic Spell won’t work.”

“…I see why.”

Think about it. If the path is a ‘railway’, a single line can transport a train.

But if it’s a ‘dirt road’ that’s just one line? At most, it can handle a cart.

It’s that kind of logic.

“Let’s see.”

But, the quality of my mana shouldn’t be that bad. At least due to ‘Perion’, it should be at the level of a highway.

I saved Elise’s Magic Spell in the 「Notepad」.

■ Elise’s Efficient Level 2 Magic Spell.

I created a separate folder and focused on saving the efficiency of the ‘path’ that Elise showed.

“Show me just two more Level 2 spells. And about four Level 3 spells.”

“…Haah.”

Elise sighed as if annoyed, but did as I asked without any complaints.

….

■ Elise’s Efficient Level 2 Magic Spell [ 3 ]

■ Elise’s Efficient Level 3 Magic Spell [ 4 ]

Three Level 2 Magic Spells.

Four Level 3 Magic Spells.

I saved a total of 7 Magic Spells. To be precise, I added the technique of ‘efficiency’ to the database.

“That’s it. Thanks.”

“What do you mean ‘that’s it’. This technique is something you can-”

“Just watch and tell me. I’ll give it a try.”

“…Try to be a little more self-aware.”

Elise furrowed her brows, and I deployed a Magic Spell. A smoke ball the size of a ping pong ball floated up from my palm. It was the Level 3 「Smoke Bomb」 that Elise had just demonstrated.

“The magic consumption is definitely less. It seems to have dropped by almost half?”

Thanks to Elise, who understands the theory better than most scholars, I was able to grasp it quickly.

“Thanks.”

I felt a bit guilty, as if I had stolen some knowledge.

I looked at Elise with an awkward expression.

“…….”

Her eyes were glued to my 「Smoke Bomb」, and the dense fog that had settled down obscured her expression.

A moment of silence.

Then she spoke.

“…You’re not without talent.”

Her tone was a bit bitter.

She made a small gesture. The 「Smoke Bomb」 was instantly dispelled.

“Huh? What’s that?”

“You implemented it in the same way as me. So, it can be dispelled immediately by reverse calculation. That’s why ‘security’ is needed for the formula. I’ll tell you about that later.”

“…Oh~ Okay. Thanks.”

“Then.”

Elise reached out to me. I stared blankly and asked.

“What?”

“…When are you going to give it?”

Give what? What does she want?

“Here.”

I placed my hand on hers.

“─No!”

Elise flinched and pulled away. She slapped my shoulder with her palm and said,

“……Farm coupons. Why aren’t you giving them?”

“Ah, right.”

She came for the coupons from the beginning. I casually cut a piece of paper lying on the desk and made it into a coupon.

Elise frowned.

“What’s that? It’s just a scribble on paper.”

“It’s for my business anyway.”

“Hmph.”

[Ten Pre-Order Coupons], [Ten Discount Coupons]. Elise stuffed a total of twenty into her wallet.

“Go.”

She left without a word.

* * *

The high floor of the dormitory.

Elise, who had climbed up to the rooftop, was facing the cold wind. Looking at the daytime moon of Planarium, she seemed to be lost in some complex thoughts.

Suddenly-

The door opened. Elise glanced that way.

“……”

It was Gerkhen. He seemed surprised by Elise.

“Why. Was it your spot?”

“Even though I like that spot, I can’t claim ownership. The rooftop is agreed to be used only by residents above the 30th floor.”

Elise chuckled.

“Tell the dissatisfied ones to come up and speak.”

Again, she leaned on the railing and looked at the view.

Gerkhen stood at a distance.

The wind blew gently, stirring her hair.

Elise opened her mouth as if sighing.

“You were right.”

Gerkhen looked at her. He seemed to have forgotten what he had said.

“Last time, about the first quarter human chess. You said if it wasn’t for the stamina issue, you would have chosen Shion as the queen.”

She thought it was an overestimation at the time.

But Elise vaguely realized today.

Shion Ascal operated the 「Smoke Bomb」 as efficiently as herself. He almost mimicked it exactly.

No, the thickness of that smoke was even denser than hers.

She didn’t show it, but from her perspective, and even from the perspective of the many magic teachers who had taught her, it would have been a shocking ‘incident’.

Elise herself had struggled for nearly a year to achieve such efficiency.

“Is that so.”

“Yes. Right. Just as you said.”

As Gerkhen said, Shion has talent.

A talent that came too late, and therefore it is wasted.

It’s not that it isn’t, magical talent is most important in early education. The best age for circuits to open is before 15. No matter how good the talent you are born with, if you don’t get proper training at that time, the circuit itself closes.

Like Shion Ascal.

He has good quality mana. Beyond good, it’s excellent.

However, due to the fatal drawback of not receiving early education─ his mana conduit is small.

Therefore, the limit is clear.

He can never grow high.

90% of his talent… maybe 95% is already blocked.

“Shion has excellent talent. It’s too late though.”

There were many reasons why it had become too late for him.

Because a proper environment was not provided.

Because he lost his mother at birth, and his father died at a very young age.

Because he became an orphan and was raised in an Orphanage.

He had been afflicted with a brain tumor and leukemia.

……Because of Petra.

If it hadn’t been for Petra, He would have had a mother.

If he had a mother, his father wouldn’t have died so early.

He would have been able to cope more easily with the brain tumor and leukemia with the help of his parents.

“You seem to be emotionally troubled right now.”

Gerkhen said. Elise tilted her head.

“……Are you a robot?”

“Think rationally when you’re like this. Calculate.”

Calculate.

What comes to mind at that word is plus, minus, zero.

SameSame.

So far, Shion is a minus.

Almost, an infinite minus.

No matter how much she pours in the plus……

Unless she gives up the calculation itself, there’s no improvement.

“If you think about it in terms of calculation, it’s a bigger loss.”

She muttered, brushing her hair back.

“……Much more of a loss.”

She pulled away from the railing.

Her mind was complicated.

She felt like she needed to take a break, stroking Bianca’s fur at [Bethune].

“I’m leaving.”

Elise turned around.

“Go.”

Gerkhen, as if he had been waiting, took his place as it was.

It really was his own seat.

He also has a strange routine.

* * *

……I ran the [Ascal Farm] for a week. Every day new silver spooners came, and thanks to them, I was able to maintain the upper ranks just by cooking without any problems.

But it wasn’t all good.

“Ah. I wish they would stop coming now.”

Preparing about 10 servings every day was not easy.

Anyway, today, like yesterday, I was about to finish my day’s work and go back.

──Hey!

“What a surprise.”

A stone statue outside the farm called me.

The one that announced the first test last time.

“What is it?”

─A stone statue! You’re an excellent student, so I came to give you a hint!

“A hint?”

─Yes! Be prepared! Something big is about to happen in the dormitory!

“……What big thing?”

─It’s a test!

“Oh, is that so?”

Is he telling me in advance? I’m kind of thankful.

I pointed to the farm.

“Do you want to eat?”

─I don’t eat human food! See you in a bit!

In a bit, it’s about to start.

“Preparation……”

I don’t know what to prepare for, but let’s start with the food since it’s in the dormitory. Food preparation is also preparation, right?

I took out the wand from my waist.

“Telekinesis.”

I muttered in a low voice with my arm stretched out. Chururururuk──! All the food and ingredients in the farm rose and were put into the cart.

Thanks to Elise’s ‘efficiency’ lecture, this much is now as easy as chewing gum.

Now all I have to do is move this cart to the dormitory.

……

Dormitory 1st floor lobby. Elise, who was pouring water into a tumbler from the essence machine, and the other seniors chatting on the sofa blinked their eyes at me.

“……What are you doing? What’s with that cart?”

I looked back at the cart. On top of the cart, about the size of a refrigerator, it seemed like loads almost the size of two refrigerators were stacked.

“I was told to prepare. So, I brought everything from the farm.”

“Prepare?”

Elise made a face as if she didn’t understand.

I opened the door to Room 107, pulling the cart.

“……Oh, right.”

I flinched to a stop as I tried to push the cart in.

My Room 107 is quite narrow. Well, most of the first floor is like this. They say the higher you go, the wider the rooms get.

“Will that big cart fit in?”

Elise, who happened to follow me, asked. I shook my head.

“As you can see. Even if I put it in, there’s no space.”

“……Hmm. What are you preparing for?”

Elise muttered as she opened her room door. Then she cleared her throat as if to get my attention.

I looked into Elise’s Room 106.

“What the. Why is your room so big?”

At first glance, it’s three times, no, four times, no, more than five times the size of my room.

“It’s an expansion formula.”

“Oh. In that case.”

I pointed at the cart to Elise.

“Can you keep this? For preparation.”

“I asked you. What are you preparing for?”

“I don’t know. The stone statue just told me to prepare in the dormitory. So, I’m just preparing.”

“The stone statue?”

Elise tilted her head, but soon pushed the cart into Room 106 with telekinesis.

“Come in. Tell me in detail.”

“Okay.”

I also entered Room 106.

“……It’s really spacious.”

Not only is the area large, but there are also many pieces of furniture. Bed, desk, bookshelf, sofa, hammock, rocking chair, radio, snack table, and so on……

“Is making furniture your hobby?”

“……Hmm?”

Elise tilted her head with a puzzled face for a moment.

“Well…… I’m not sure. It suddenly became a hobby. Anyway. Before that, recite exactly what the stone statue said-”

Wiiiiiiiiing────!

At that moment, the sound of a siren.

Bang-!

The door closes roughly.

──Starting now!

The voice of the stone statue pierced down from above.

We looked up at the ceiling in surprise.

──The second test will begin! Everyone outside the dormitory should go into their dormitory rooms! We take no responsibility for anything that happens if you’re outside!

Elise lowered her gaze. With a rather serious expression, she nudged my shoulder.

“Look out the window.”

I looked that way too. Beyond the dormitory window, it was pitch black.

“This seems like a big deal.”

──You can give up at any time now.

The voice of the stone statue fell chillingly.

──Enemies will swarm in endlessly. Your goal is to survive.

Grrrrrrr……

Somewhere, the stretched-out cry of a beast flowed in.

I gripped the Ascal short sword at my waist.

──If you want to give up, request a transfer with your student ID at any time. We will facilitate an emergency escape at the cost of 3,000 AP. However, that will be the end of the second quarter for those who give up.

“Hey.”

I gave Elise a small smile.

“It’s been a while, ‘teaming’. What do you think?”

She shrugged her shoulders with her arms crossed.

“……Weren’t you the one who deviated to become a mage?”

-Just as she was teasingly saying that.

Chaaaaang-!

All the glass windows around us shattered, and black beasts rushed inside.

At that moment, I unsheathed my sword.

Swoooosh───!

The clear circular slash split all the beasts in two.