Chapter 93

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Good morning.

These days, the mornings are not as cold, and the weather has been pleasant and comfortable.

The calm weather, the boring classes, and the peaceful daily life.

The only thing that could be considered dangerous is the monthly cooking practice.

The physical training for strengthening the body is also showing steady results, even if it's slow, and I've mastered the basics of tinkering with magical artifacts, which I started as a way to pass the time.

The symbols written on magical artifacts are called magic arrays, which are not stamps or brands but are burned onto the artifact using a special ink and magic.

This was something that Director Tailsmya taught me.

The Magic Bureau has staff dedicated to researching magic arrays, and through Director Tailsmya's introduction, I met one of them and heard their talk, receiving a thick, handwritten book that explained the basics.

According to the book, there are several patterns for writing magic arrays. For example, a defensive magic array involves writing words that signify the purpose within multiple concentric circles.

An offensive magic array involves writing several triangles within a circle.

A versatile magic array involves writing several squares within a circle.

There are also magic arrays that use a combination of circles, triangles, and squares.

The characters used are an ancient alphabet.

The alphabet used today is a Romanized version of the ancient alphabet.

I can feel the shadow of the former Goddess of Fools.

The order in which the characters are written is also fixed, and they must be written one by one in the order of top, bottom, right, and left.

The number of characters to be written varies depending on the shape of the magic array; for example, three characters for a triangle and four for a square, with only one character per corner.

It is also possible to overlap shapes, making the magic array more complex as the number of characters increases.

Creating a magical artifact is very difficult, but modifying one is relatively easy.

It's just a matter of adding lines and words to the original magic array.

However, if the additional lines and words are not added in accordance with the magic power contained in the magic array, the attempt will fail.

And a failed magical artifact becomes a curse.

The book on the basic writing of magic arrays is sold at a price that even commoners can afford, so it seems that many people who can read and write try to modify simple magical artifacts, although whether they succeed is another matter.

To create a magic array, you need special ink, a magic stone, and a magician with precise control.

The special ink is made by mixing oil, magic, and clean water with the powder of a high-magic creature that has been dried.

I received the oil, water, and insect powder.

It's better to infuse the magic yourself when making the ink, as it makes things easier later on.

Mix the oil, water, and insect powder in equal amounts in a container while infusing magic.

When it becomes a sticky, creamy consistency and glows, it's complete.

The result was something gel-like and semi-transparent, like the gel my sister from my previous life used to put on her face.

When I confirmed with Director Tailsmya if this was the correct ink, he was surprised and said it was perfect.

When other people make it, their magic attributes mix in, giving it a color.

While it can still be used even if it has a color, the effect is halved, so the nearly transparent ink I made is rare.

Half of it was taken away!

But since I made it in a cooking bowl, there's still plenty left!

With the special ink prepared, all that was left was the magic stone.

I have quite a few magic stones from the monsters I hunted in large numbers during last year's training exercise, which the guild dissected for me.

Before using the magic stone, I purified it by submerging it in a basin filled with holy magic.

Magic stones are said to be found in the hearts or brains of monsters, so I was glad they weren't bloody!

After purifying and cleaning the magic stone and preparing the special ink... I realized I had made a fatal mistake.

I hadn't thought about what kind of magic array I was going to inscribe on what!

What should I do?

While I was pondering what kind of magical artifact to make, the break must have ended, and Digree from the seat in front of me said,

"What's the matter, Keta-sama? It's rare to see you so troubled~?"

"Moo, nyaa no ma dou gyochi ryu kana (Moo, I'm thinking about what kind of magical artifact to make)."

"That's a very advanced problem!"

"Ko-do? (Advanced?)"

"Creating magical artifacts can't be learned until you go to the university after the high school."

"Sho-nya no? Hon moriyatta kara, yondoriya dechi sou yo? (Is that so? I got a book and read it, so I think I can do it.)"

"Uun, I don't think it's that simple~?"

"Creating magical artifacts, while the basic books are available at a price that even commoners can afford, you can only modify existing artifacts with just the book. To create a proper magical artifact, you need to pass the university's exam to get the official textbook, right?"

"Qualified?"

"Haa? Passed the university's exam?"

"Moreover, the exam for the specialized field of magical artifact creation?"

Digree and Eugram stared at me,

"Cheer up?"

And when I looked at Arlshein,

"Didn't you receive a metal plate from Director Tailsmya?"

"Me-ryo no yatsu? (The one from the maze?)"

"Yes, that was a test to measure your magic control."

"Fe, itadakitakara yo? (Fe, I just cut the plate?)"

"Tracing a maze and cutting a metal plate with a constant magic output is an extremely difficult skill."

"Fe"

"Fe! That's not something you can just say 'Fe' about!"

Digree scolded me.

"Well, Keta has always been abnormally good at magic control from the start."

Arlshein said, ruffling my hair with a wry smile.

"It might also be related to your race?"

"Eh, just because I'm a fairy, that doesn't mean I can do it, right~?"

"They say that your race uses magic as naturally as breathing, so you might be able to do it."

"Sou no ka na~?"

"Well, since you've passed, it's better to think about what you're going to create next, isn't it?"

"Hmm, I guess so! So, Keta-sama, what are you thinking about making?"

"Nya nito chokuri yu kana (I'm thinking about what to make)."

"Is there something you want to make?"

"Hmm?"

"Defensive items, Keta-sama already has a barrier, and offensive items are dangerous to make as a first attempt. How about something useful for daily life?"

"Taiyouba? (For example?)"

"Hmm... I can't think of anything."

"Shi-ka chu ni komatteinai kara, omo-chu ka na (I'm not troubled by daily life, so I can't think of anything)."

"Sou da ne~ It's been peaceful lately. To avoid unnecessary attention, how about a cloak that can make you invisible?"

"That would be covered by Keta-sama's barrier, wouldn't it?"

"But when Keta-sama isn't around, aren't the young ladies who call out to you annoying?"

"That's true... but..."

"Nja-chu tte miru! (Then I'll try making it!)"

"If you can make it, I'll buy it, please!"

Digree made a reservation even before it was made.

The invisible magical artifact reminded me of the invisibility cloak given to the young boy in a fantasy movie I watched with my nephew in my previous life.

But writing on fabric is difficult, so I rejected that idea.

Then what? Something wearable, easy to remove, and something a man can wear without feeling out of place, like a brooch? But a brooch has a small writing area...

Most magical artifacts, once infused with magic, will continue to function as long as the magic stone's power doesn't run out.

However, once the magic power is depleted, the artifact breaks and becomes unusable, which is inconvenient.

It would be easier if it could automatically draw magic from the user to a degree that wouldn't interfere with daily life!

So, something that can be worn directly...

I wrote a circle and placed three squares inside it, writing one character in each corner.

I was going to write it in Roman letters, but the number of characters didn't match and it was too troublesome, so I decided to write it in kanji!

Impairment of recognition, automatic magic replenishment, and as a precaution, prevention of misuse.

I attached a flat, disc-like magic stone to the center of the magic array.

I burned it onto the artifact with magic.

"Dadaan, ma-dougyu kanshae! (Ta-da, magical artifact complete!)"

I was clapping by myself when I realized it was during class!

"What did you complete?"

It was Mr. Kyle's class, the intellectual yakuza teacher.

He asked me with a smile, but his face looked violent, so I shouldn't do that in front of normal children!

"Ninshiki shogai no ma-dougyu! (Recognition impairment magical artifact!)"

"What's this? How do you use it?"

Mr. Kyle, who was looking at the magical artifact I handed him with a curious expression.

The purpose should be obvious just by looking at it,

"Kutsu ni shiku! (Put it in your shoes!)"

"Kutsu ni?"

"Kutsu no naka ni shiku! (Put it in the insole of your shoe!)"

"Hmm?"

Since it didn't seem to get through, I had Arlshein take off his shoes and put the newly made magical artifact inside. After explaining how to use it and having him infuse it with magic, his presence immediately became faint.

If you didn't consciously look for him, you would forget he was there.

"Oo, shi-ko-ka!"

When I clapped by myself again,

"Ha-aa?"

Many people said, "Huh?"

"What's that?"

"Ninshiki shogai no ma-dougyu! (Recognition impairment magical artifact!)"

"Recognition impairment magical artifact, you said?"

"Yutteru yo!"

"Ha-aa, you've made another ridiculous thing! This could be misused in so many ways!"

"Akyu yo-bo-chi chu-keta yo? (I added a misuse prevention feature!)"

"Why did you make such a thing in the first place?"

"Dei-guree ho-chi itte! (Digree wanted it!)"

"Digree, huh?"

While being called with a raised intonation and a glare,

"No, no, no! I didn't think it would be done so quickly! I just said it during the break!"

"Don't give random ideas to such an unconventional creature! Think about the possibility that it might actually be realized! What if you were tricked by a strange person and made something terrible?"

That's a harsh criticism.

"But, since I'm with Prince Arlshein, it's unlikely that someone would make unreasonable demands, right?"

"Think about the worst-case scenario! Even if they don't have malicious intent, there are plenty of people who would make ridiculous requests just for fun."

"Eh, is that my fault~?"

"Well, it's not entirely your fault!"

"Akyu yo-bo-chi chu-keta yo! (I added a misuse prevention feature!)"

"Akyu yo? Misuse prevention?"

"Sho-yo, akyu na hito wa tsukaenai yo (That's right, people with malicious intent can't use it)."

"......Well, you did think about it a little."

He ruffled my hair.

"But! Don't casually tell people that you can make magical artifacts! Normally, you'd be isolated and protected in the castle because you never know what kind of villains might come after you!"

"No, no, no, if they all come after me, they'll just be defeated together! What kind of creature could harm Keta-sama?"

"......True. Well, do as you like, but make sure it's not misused!"

"Ai!"

I received permission from Mr. Kyle, the intellectual yakuza teacher.

"Don't go around telling people carelessly."

"Hai!"

The S-class students are good kids today.

Since the spirit of the adult is calling for a reward for good behavior, I took out a large number of silver medals from the magic bag, inscribed magic arrays on them to turn them into magical artifacts, and gave one to each student.

The effect is to defend against physical and magical attacks about ten times. The effect is active just by carrying it, so you can put it in your pocket.

Everyone was extremely happy!