Chapter 92

The next morning, after seeing that the work on the Malachi Golem was temporarily completed, Al decided to return to Lester.

"Al, I really appreciate all your help this time. I hope you can obtain the flight spell as soon as possible and try to transport us to the research tower. However, if that doesn't happen in time and we are discovered by someone and treated as spoils of war, never to meet again, you must not feel any guilt. It's just fate. I am happy to have been able to spend such a long time with Lady Tempest."

The Malachi Golem whispered this while shaking Al's hand. Al could only nod in response to the Malachi Golem's words. Of course, he would try his best, but he couldn't stay here to guard Tempest's remains indefinitely.

"There's one more thing. Regarding the assistant device that the goblin mage had, first, the nature of this assistant device—it turns out to be the work of a magician like me..."

According to the Malachi Golem's explanation, this assistant device originally belonged to a magician named Mode, who was from the same generation as Tempest. At that time, magicians lived in their own bases with their families and apprentices, and while Tempest and Mode knew each other, they were not particularly close.

"How did it end up in the hands of the goblin mage?"

"I don't know. I might not have mentioned it, but when the assistant device and I completely run out of magic power, we lose the ability to retain memory. There is a hibernation-like state where we use almost no magic power to retain memory, but this assistant device completely ran out of magic power about ten years ago and returned to its original personality."

Al scratched his head. The original personality... like a baby? When Al asked, the Malachi Golem, after a brief pause, said that it was fine to think of it that way. According to him, while the assistant device has the ability to help the person who first gave it magic power, it lacks the information needed to properly assist that person, making it like a baby in terms of its function as an assistant.

"Just a little while ago, I completed some preliminary investigations and adjustments for communication, and tried to have a light conversation. However, the result was far from normal."

It seems that the first person to give this assistant device magic power was the goblin mage, and the assistant device rewrote its ability to communicate with humans to help the goblin mage. Now, it seems to hate Al, who killed its master, the goblin mage, and only speaks words of hatred.

"Why did it come to this..."

Al scratched his head vigorously. The assistant device was created to help humans, as Malachi had explained. Goblins are the hated barbarians who took his twin sister Ingrid and eat humans.

"How did the goblin mage get this assistant device and start giving it magic power? I don't know the trigger. The assistant device can now communicate, but it only speaks words of hatred towards Al. I plan to try some persuasion, but it will take time. I would like to keep it for a while."

Al nodded. The pendant hanging from his chest, which he had given magic power to the assistant device, was a spur of the moment idea. There were ancient ruins near where the goblin mage was, and perhaps the goblin mage found it there and did the same thing.

"Indeed, that's a possibility. In Lady Tempest's time, this area was quite hot, and there were villas and research facilities scattered around. It's not impossible that the goblin mage obtained the assistant device by chance."

Al tilted his head. The capital of the Sylvester Kingdom, where Al belongs, is much further north, and the capital of the neighboring Tempest Kingdom was the same. He didn't know much about other countries, but in the Sylvester Kingdom, the border city of Lester is the southernmost inhabited area, and to the south is an undeveloped region inhabited by barbarians and monsters. However, according to Malachi, people lived in that undeveloped region. Was it so different from the time when Tempest was alive?

"Why did it come to this? Didn't you learn about the history of the world?"

"No, I didn't learn about that."

The history he learned in middle school started with the heroic tales of the first king of the Sylvester Kingdom, and he had no memory of learning about the time before that. Al, who was interested in almost nothing but magic, had never had any doubts about it.

"Can you investigate the assistant device of Lady Tempest's spouse, as passed down in the Tempest Kingdom? Through this incident, I have gained considerable knowledge about assistant devices. Riana... the name of Lady Tempest's spouse's assistant device is Riana. If she can still maintain a hibernation-like state, we can hear stories from that time. She was probably involved in the establishment of the Tempest Kingdom."

Malachi's tone suggested a certain level of confidence. Indeed, if Riana could wake up from her hibernation, it would reveal how many years had passed between Tempest's death and the establishment of the Tempest Kingdom, and what had happened. If Riana could give advice again, it would be a great help to Patricia, the surviving royal family.

"I'll explain it to Patricia."

"Thank you. Here, take this."

The Malachi Golem said this and took out a staff.

"This staff can cast two spells: stone softening and metal softening. I wanted to give you something as a thank you, and this is the only thing that might sell. Even if you need to further reinforce this base, I still have backups, so please accept it with peace of mind."

Al took the staff happily. He had many things he wanted to try with these two spells, and there were many uses for them.

"This magic item has fixed parameters to match the creation of the tomb, so it might not be very user-friendly. If that's the case, you can sell it to help with the cost of the flight spell book."

"Parameters?"

Seeing Al's puzzled face, the Malachi Golem tilted his head.

"Parameters are parameters. They are necessary when casting spells, right?"

Hearing the Malachi Golem's explanation, Al stared at the flat, mask-like face of the Malachi Golem, frozen in place.

"Could it be... options...?"

"Are they called options now? For example, with a magic arrow, do you aim for the center of the target, or do you adjust the aim, and how do you set the power and range?"

Hearing the explanation, Al couldn't help but laugh. The Malachi Golem asked what was wrong, but Al laughed for a long time.

"So that's it. What I noticed, my magic wasn't wrong. In the past, my way was the norm."

Eventually, Al calmed down and explained with a wry smile that current magicians all use the parameters written in the spell books without knowing about parameters.

"Indeed, spell books are written with the most common usage of each spell. But you mean they just memorize and use them as they are? That must be very inflexible and inconvenient. Didn't anyone find it strange?"

At first, the Malachi Golem repeatedly asked Al if he was sure, as if he couldn't believe it.

"I don't have a master, and I learned on my own, so it seems that everyone else takes it for granted."

"Indeed, it's a strange situation."

The Malachi Golem couldn't help but say this. It was quite surprising to him.

"Yes, but there's a problem. If you learn spells without being aware of the parameters, you can't change the parameters later. That's why it's hard for others to understand."

"I see. So, Al, your magic was often considered strange?"

"Hehe, yeah. But it's okay. Now I can confidently say that even if my magic is strange, it's better."

Al nodded happily several times. He was sure that what Eric and Rida were trying would also work. Malachi had said so, and he was confident about it.

"Thank you for the staff. I'll go back for now. I'll try to visit as often as I can. This place isn't too far from the city where I'm based."

"Ah, I see. Be careful."

Al waved goodbye to the Malachi Golem and headed towards the border city of Lester.

August 18, 2024: I made a significant correction. I wonder why I confused north and south.

Before correction: In Lady Tempest's time, this area was cold and not many people lived here. Lady Tempest's base was further south, and I think the same was true for others. So, it's possible that the goblin mage obtained the assistant device by chance.

After correction: In Lady Tempest's time, this area was quite hot, and there were villas and research facilities scattered around. It's not impossible that the goblin mage obtained the assistant device by chance.

This is the end of this story. The next one will be a new story.

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I will add the characters who appeared in Chapter 8 at 11:00, one hour later.

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