Chapter 11

"Huh? Was that just...?"

It was some time after a shed, which looked like it was built by a complete amateur with bricks, appeared at the back of the house.

One day, suddenly and without any warning, I saw progress in my magic.

I had been learning and using magic on my own since I was a child (I'm still a child now).

It seems that I can only use earth magic, but the variety has been increasing.

Unlike when I was just playing with a garden at the back of the house, I have recently been helping with the care of fields that produce crops like wheat, which are subject to taxation.

I imagine that my ancestors must have dug the earth with great effort and expanded the fields over many generations.

However, the shape of the fields had become significantly distorted due to their efforts.

In my previous life, the fields would have been so twisted and contorted that it would be impossible for tractors or other machinery to enter, forming a mosaic-like pattern.

To be honest, they lacked beauty.

I don't think I'm the type to worry about such details, but I couldn't accept the shape of these fields.

So, I started using magic to level the fields, making the bumpy ground as flat as possible, and smoothing out the odd paths and ditches.

I developed a magic that could turn the uneven fields, along with obstructive stones and tree stumps, into a flat, open space.

I was secretly proud that our field looked better than any other in the village.

In addition to this magic, I had also been using magic to till the fields and enhance my body, or specific parts of it.

Recently, I even learned how to create bricks with magic.

However, a bit of a quirk emerged.

I thought that calling it "field creation magic" or "brick creation magic" sounded too awkward.

Even though I was the only one using it, it bothered me.

It's not like I could just say the name of the magic and have it activate like the life magic my parents use.

There was no point in naming it.

Since I could use magic without incantations, I thought it was fine.

But, the idea of casting a spell to activate magic remained a lingering dream in my heart.

So, despite feeling a bit embarrassed, I ended up chanting spells, like "Soil Improvement," even when it wasn't necessary, every time I tilled the fields.

It had become almost a meaningless habit, something I did out of habit.

But on this day, the moment I casually uttered this magic name, the magic activated.

Until then, even though I had become accustomed to it, I had been controlling the magic power within my body, sending it outside, and forming a clear image in my mind before activating the magic.

This time, however, the magic activated the instant I murmured the words.

"Soil Improvement," "Soil Improvement," "Soil Improvement."

I repeated the magic name multiple times, and the soil in the field changed on its own, transforming into nutrient-rich soil just as I had done before.

"Finally, I've developed an original spell..."

Overwhelmed with joy, I stood there for a while, making a fist and raising it in a victory pose, staring at the field before me.

※ ※ ※

The creation of spells.

I realized that this had a much greater effect than I had expected.

It eliminated the need to concentrate my mind, control my magic power, and form a clear image in my head before activating the magic.

While the idea of non-incantation magic sounds good, using my brain every time was simply tiring.

On the other hand, having the magic activate the moment I chanted a spell was very convenient.

The downside was that the effect became more quantitative.

With non-incantation magic, I could activate the magic based on the image in my mind, so the range of "Soil Improvement" could be freely adjusted.

The amount of magic power used would vary depending on the area being tilled.

However, when I activated the magic by chanting a spell, the effect range was always the same.

I think this is because I used it to grow Hatsuca at the back of the house, which is about 10x10 meters.

The amount of magic power consumed when I chanted the spell also felt roughly the same each time.

Why did I become able to do this?

I think it was because I had been muttering the spell every time I activated the magic.

With this in mind, I started experimenting again.

Although I had already built the shed, I decided to try mass-producing bricks.

The experiment was successful.

I managed to create bricks of the same size and mass every time I chanted the spell.

Through this experiment, I realized something.

I think this is similar to what is known as Pavlov's dog.

If you ring a bell every time you feed a dog, the dog will eventually start salivating at the sound of the bell alone.

When a dog eats, it salivates.

This response is conditioned to occur at the sound of the bell after the dog repeatedly hears the bell before eating.

The same thing happens when you see a pickled plum and your mouth starts to water.

In other words, a spell is a key for conditioning the activation of magic.

No wonder, when I first tried to use magic, chanting random words like a spell didn't activate anything.

The order was wrong.

This way, I acquired the new skill of spellcasting.

I need to turn the body enhancement and land leveling magic into spells as well.

After that, I ended up being seen as a strange child who mutters the same words to myself by the villagers.

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