Chapter 60

"Since we've finished the initial performance checks of the artificial magic stones, let's get down to business a bit more."

"…Yes."

With a shiny face from confirming that the magic-powered airship he created was working, Clovis and I moved to the Clan Master's room. Naturally, since the airship was operated under the watchful eyes of many clan members, it drew a lot of attention, and I, who am not good with being in the spotlight, was a bit tired.

From here on, we were going to discuss finer details such as how much we could produce per month, and how much initial investment would be required for full-scale production. I had prepared to present the figures that would serve as the basis for these discussions.

"Riana, when you make 30th-grade or higher artificial magic stones next, please sell them to me, okay? It's a promise, alright?" Nialle, who dramatically lamented, went back to the alchemy workshop. In her place, Deputy Clan Master Jess came in. He knows that the Clan Master, Delic, is actually Crown Prince Clovis.

The moment he entered the room, he started lecturing, "Clovis, please don't do things without consulting me," using his real name. It seems that calling him Delic here is fine.

In any case, adventurer Delic deliberately introduces himself as "Delic Crovysl" to handle any slip-ups to some extent.

"But Jess, it's only natural to be excited about such an amazing invention, right?"

"I understand it's a wonderful research project, but…"

Jess, with a sigh, seemed to give up quickly and sat down at the desk next to the Clan Master's, spreading out some documents.

"First, we need to ensure safety. The production of those artificial magic stones involves using live monsters, so we need to make sure they don't escape… Mimic Slimes, in particular, are a breed that can easily acquire new abilities. What is the risk of them gaining unknown abilities and becoming uncontrollable?"

I was a bit surprised that his first concern was this. I thought geniuses, who can do things themselves, tend to underestimate safety because they feel confident.

For example, my older brother Wilfred, when it came to slaying a Griffin, said, "If we don't make mistakes, three people can slay one, but we have to consider the mistakes of ordinary people when deploying." I, who always thought about the possibility of losing my life, was often laughed at for being cowardly. "Well, you're not as strong as me, so it's better to be cautious," he would say, which made me a bit gloomy.

…Because it's better to be cautious than to regret not being prepared.

"Until now, I've managed to handle the few individuals that successfully grew magic stones, but in the future, I plan to hire multiple people to take turns monitoring them 24/7. Also, I can't predict what kind of exceptions might arise from breeding a large number of Mimic Slimes, so…"

"Riana, do you understand that if something goes wrong, the responsibility will fall on the Dragon's Roar? Unofficially, this is Crown Prince Clovis's clan. If there's a risk, the business…"

"Wait, Jeff. I believe Riana, who is cautious, won't have any problems."

"That's irresponsible."

"I'm not taking a gamble. Jeff, you ride a magic car, right?"

"What does that have to do with this?"

"People die in magic car accidents, but we still find them convenient. We understand that the risk can be significantly reduced by paying attention while driving and being cautious of traffic accidents, which is why we ride magic cars."

"……"

It was a rather extreme analogy, but Jeff, with a difficult expression, stopped objecting for the moment.

"It's the same here. There is a possibility that these Mimic Slimes could mutate into something like a black covering that swallows a country, but the probability is as low as finding a needle in a desert a year later. Or, if someone were to recklessly pursue achievements with this research, it would be much more dangerous, but I don't think Riana is such a fool."

"Right?" Clovis, who turned to me with a smile, made me lean back a bit, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

"Of course. While the risk can never be zero, it can be made extremely low."

"I'm counting on you."

I was glad I could respond without hesitation…

After that, we discussed the necessary equipment for a dedicated large workshop to produce artificial magic stones, the personnel needed for production, and my rights. I am not an official member of the clan and have no plans to become one. The deal is that the Dragon's Roar will cooperate with me, the alchemist who invented the artificial magic stones sponsored by Prince Frederick, in exchange for priority in selling the stones. I will also receive requests to catch and bring live monsters.

"So, this is a request from me, the funder. I want you to develop an artificial magic stone for a long-distance resonator within the next six months."

"That's…"

"Of course, not for power. I mean an artificial magic stone of the quality that can serve as the core of a resonator."

I hadn't realized this possibility myself, but indeed… with this technology, it's possible to intentionally create artificial magic stones that are "exactly the same." The artificial magic stones I made in Lindemene weren't of the quality to serve as the core of a magic device, but these might be. If it's possible… it would certainly take less time to synchronize than a long-distance resonator using ordinary twin monster magic stones, though not as fast as the one using the magic stone from Clovis's two-headed dragon.

"Understood. First, I'll look for the conditions to generate 30th-grade or higher artificial magic stones and aim to develop an artificial magic stone for a long-distance resonator."

"The long-distance resonator is optional. There's no penalty if you can't achieve it, but I want you to take it seriously."

"Understood."

Clovis, who speaks frankly, has a commanding presence when giving instructions, making me straighten my back. Though I was laughed at for being stiff, at this moment, Clovis didn't seem like just a friend's younger brother.

"Also, can these artificial magic stones be made from monsters other than Red Mantises?"

"Some adjustments to the Mimic Slime will be necessary, but I think it's probably possible with other egg-laying monsters."

I chose Red Mantises because it's easier to obtain a certain quality of eggs in bulk. To grow the magic stones larger, the slimes need to be fed with magic-rich food, which can be the meat of other monsters. We have a contract with the local adventurer guild to buy the materials and inedible parts from the dissection of monsters.

"I was thinking of using fish-type monsters in the future. How about Rock Cinnamon Fish?"

"Sure… I can try to see if it's possible, but why?"

"Since we'll be making a lot of artificial magic stones, I think we'll need to breed monsters."

"That's a bit ahead, but it's a possibility. After all, it's scary if the ecosystem of monsters suddenly collapses."

Even though they are targets for slaying, they have become very popular requests due to the high prices I've been paying recently. If this continues, the number of Red Mantises in this region will drastically decrease by next spring. I was already planning to test if other monsters could be used as the core of magic stones, but breeding is also a good option.

"Yeah, that's one concern, but… Red Mantises can fly, right? They're about the size of a regular insect when they're born."

Indeed, they can fly. Though their flight distance isn't long due to their large size, they can fly with their wings, not just jump. When they hatch, they are very small, and only about 4% survive to adulthood in the wild. If we breed them… it would indeed be difficult to raise such small insects.

"Raising flying creatures makes the cost of safe management extremely high. With fish, they can't escape from the ponds we build on land, and if something happens, we can just drain the water to kill them. Even amateurs can manage them safely, right?"

"Indeed…"

I hadn't considered this. Indeed, if we were to breed Red Mantises as raw materials in the future, we would need a large, sturdy room with a roof. Ponds would be more expensive, but they would be more secure and safer for managing fish-type monsters. It's still possible to change direction now. I started thinking about how to efficiently obtain the eggs of fish-type monsters.

"Today was more productive than I expected. The conditions are as discussed… please work out the details of the property selection and personnel hiring with Jeff."

"Understood."

"Stop being so stiff."

Clovis, looking pleased, left the Clan Master's private room with a cheerful smile. I watched his back, relieved to have met his expectations, and let out a sigh.