Chapter 35

Well, currently I am outside the town with Chelina and my attendant, Melvin.

We arrived by carriage at a distance where the castle gates are just visible.

The time is dusk, and the sky is crimson.

"This place will do... Now, Akira-sama, first, this."

Melvin, who had been driving the carriage, stood beside me, placing his hand on the sword at his waist. He's kind of scary.

What was handed to me was an aetheric tool.

"What's this?"

"It's an aetheric tool for a light sword."

Just by looking at it, I can't tell what kind of aetheric tool it is.

It would be better to manage it properly, but if I accidentally drop it and it gets mixed with other aetheric tools, that would be a problem.

"Hmm, this is—"

It looks the same and weighs the same as a cleaning aetheric tool.

"Do you remember the effect of the light sword?"

"Um, what was it again? I think it creates a sword of light and throws it to attack."

"..."

Chelina is silent.

If I'm wrong, tell me. I'm not very confident in my memory.

"Then... how about attacking that big rock over there?"

Chelina pointed to a large rock about my height. There are many rocks around here, but that one was particularly large and easy to see.

"You mean use the aetheric tool, right?"

She nods.

"Alright then—"

Hmm, I remember multiple light swords flying. At the very least, one is guaranteed to come out, so usually, many come out.

I solidify the image in my mind.

One means a single shot, right? So multiple means rapid-fire, one after another. Honestly, I can't really imagine a light sword, but it's easier to picture a machine gun from a movie.

Right. Like the famous movie where the protagonist, trying to pass through a town, is stopped by a police officer and starts a war on his own.

Wait, didn't he carry a machine gun in a later series?

I have a strong impression of him being bare-chested with bullets hanging from his shoulders in a cross. The details don't matter; I'll go with that image.

I point the aetheric tool at the rock.

Then, imagining the aetheric tool as a gun's trigger, I pulled it.

What I imagined was a bullet, not a sword.

A lead bullet, spinning at high speed, slicing through the air and advancing.

When the trigger is pulled, it spits out a large number of bullets—500 per minute, I think—turning a small building into rubble in an instant. The image from the movie is strong, and it instantly shattered the large rock with an unreasonable amount of power.

Dust and sand rose in a cloud.

The shattered rock scattered small pieces all around.

"Yep, just as I imagined."

I guess I'm still a boy at heart; I've always wanted to shoot a gun.

Don't say I'm too old for that.

But is it really okay to buy and sell such a dangerous weapon, even at a reasonable price, without a license? Normally, the police—here, the military or the state—should manage such tools.

I want to try various things, but since I've completed the task, I'll ask for their opinion.

I don't want to be called weak.

Turning around, I see Chelina standing straight without moving, and Melvin... for some reason, has dropped to his knees with a terrified expression, as if he had seen something horrifying. It's like his legs gave out.

"Chelina?"

Calling out to the unresponsive Chelina, I shake her shoulder, and she falls backward without resistance.

I quickly catch her before she hits the ground. What happened?

"Hey, Chelina!"

I squat down and shake her. It seems Chelina has fainted with her eyes open.

"...Huh..."

Did she come to? Phew, I was worried for a moment.

"Are you okay, Chelina? What happened?"

Did you two see a ghost while I was playing around?

I've heard that ghosts are often seen at twilight.

"Ge... It wasn't... an illusion..."

Did she really see a ghost?

She shakes her head and looks up at me.

"A... Akira-sama. ...Do you understand the meaning of what you did?"

"Huh?"

Wait, it's not about a ghost?

"Ah! Maybe in this world, unmarried women shouldn't be touched by men! I'm sorry!"

I quickly sit Chelina down, but she frowns.

"No! It's about the light sword! ...It would have been fine as it was."

I didn't quite hear the last part, but it's about the light sword.

"Ah. Did I use it wrong? Maybe it's not supposed to be used for attacks. But if that's the case, you should have explained it properly..."

I somehow felt like I was being mocked and put up a defensive stance. My insecurity is showing.

"...Normally, when using a light sword... Melvin! How long are you going to stay on the ground? Stand up and show an example!"

Melvin, who had been sitting on the ground with a pale face, shakes his head silently but, when glared at by Chelina's red eyes, gets up trembling like a newborn fawn and approaches me.

When I try to hand him the aetheric tool, he visibly flinches, but I ignore it.

I wish he had shown me an example first. Then I wouldn't have used it incorrectly.

Melvin glares at me resentfully before holding the aetheric tool for the light sword.

"O sword of light, born from the void, shatter my enemy... Light Sword!"

Whoa.

What's with that overly dramatic incantation!?

Ignoring my trivial surprise, three light swords, about the size of the one-handed sword Melvin has at his waist, appear around the aetheric tool he extends and fly toward a nearby rock. They shave off three spots on the rock's surface and shatter into fine particles of light.

I see.

So, I wasn't supposed to shatter the rock; I was supposed to create a beautiful particle effect.

"If that's what you meant, you should have said so first."

I take the aetheric tool back from Melvin (he had a terrified look on his face when I approached. Rude) and create three light swords, aiming them at the rock. But that would be boring, so I decided to change the method a bit.

When it comes to particles, I think of game effects, especially the beautiful particles that fly when attacking enemies in action games.

And since I'm Japanese, I'll add a summer tradition.

I adjust the trajectory of the light swords already flying toward the rock, sending them upward.

Since they are moving fast, I quickly make them explode, creating a particle effect that combines fireworks and action game effects.

Not bad for a first try.

The only thing missing is the sound of the explosion. Fireworks are enjoyed for their sound as well.

And dusk is not the best time for fireworks. They are best enjoyed after the sun has set.

Colorful fireworks against the night sky are truly an art.

"How's this?"

I was quite satisfied, but when I turned around, Chelina was speechless, and Melvin looked like he was about to cry.

Rude.