Chapter 76 Homecoming
When we got back to the capital, I headed straight to the cafeteria.
"Yuru-Yuru! Glad you're okay!"
"Yeah, somehow..."
"I don't know what happened, but if you're in trouble, just say it. I'll help."
"Thank you so much."
They really cared about others. Such warm-hearted people.
Then, I went to thank Mr. Junce again.
"I'm sorry for the trouble. The only reason I'm back is because of Mr. Junce."
"It wasn't a big deal."
He doesn't talk much, and he doesn't pry into personal matters. But he probably has a good idea of what happened.
"...Was Elmer the same as always?"
"Yeah, he said he'll come to the capital soon."
"As long as I'm still alive by then..."
He snorted. Mr. Elmer really doesn't trust the concept of time.
Just because life's back to normal doesn't mean the fear of being kidnapped disappears so easily. Yuruyana has been trying to go out with me whenever possible.
She doesn't realize it, but ever since the incident, she's been shadowed by secret guards arranged by the Queen Mother. Nothing major should happen, but I've been sticking with her for her peace of mind.
After a while, he started going out alone again. That's when the prototype of the new air conditioning device was ready.
"Put it in the nap room. The nap room."
When I showed it to the Arcanist Guild's headquarters, a tired-looking Ricardo pointed toward the back room before even greeting me.
"You should just go home and sleep..."
"I can't waste any commuting time right now."
They say there's a paper presentation event every fall with Norvalen. All the Arcanists are swamped with work right now.
"You're here, Kreis. And Yuru-Yuru too, it's been a while."
While the tired Arcanists looked on, I set the box-shaped machine in the nap room. Then, the energetic Lord Osric appeared.
"So this is the new model, huh? How does it work?"
I studied the device closely, which looked just like the one in my office.
"The setup isn't much different. But this is what's inside instead of a magic gem."
From the bag, I pull out a cube-shaped plate mimicking an Ice Crawler's magic gem. It glows green and releases cold air when magic flows through it.
"Whoa! Incredible, this is like an artificial magic gem. It's a revolution!"
He looks like a kid who just got a new toy.
"But we can only recreate magic we understand. And the size gets huge for complex magic."
Compared to a magic gem that fits in the palm of your hand, even a downgraded version is something.
"No, no, it's still amazing. Ricardo, how about using this for your next paper?"
"Don't joke about that."
He was genuinely startled. Is he always being yanked around like this on a whim?
Soon, the other Arcanists, also chased by papers, reluctantly dispersed, saving their cool comments for later.
Left in the nap room were me, Yuruyana, Lord Osric, and Ricardo. The two seemed to plan on taking a quick break while checking the air conditioner's effect.
"...Um, what happened to Mr. Magnus?"
Yuruyana was the first to speak up.
"He's getting the punishment he deserves. He escaped the death penalty, though."
"I see..."
When an Arcanist uses magic to cause an incident, and it's deemed particularly serious, a magic seal is directly carved into their body. It's activated by their own magic, rendering them unable to use magic forever. Essentially, a death sentence for an Arcanist.
Mr. Magnus probably got the same treatment. It's like dying as an Arcanist.
"What about the magic Mr. Magnus was researching?"
"It's been frozen for now, heading to the forbidden library. It's useful, but too dangerous, they say."
Lord Osric shrugged, looking unwilling.
"...What a waste."
"Huh?"
It seemed like the voice of all 3 had slipped out. But it was Yuruyana who spoke.
To be honest, folks who study magic tend to prioritize curiosity over ethics. I'm not too sure I can keep walking the straight and narrow path forever.
But I've got a bit of a conscience, at least. I haven't touched anyone, even though I could have.
Yuruyana's eyes darted around, a bit nervous as all eyes turned to him.
"I mean, magic that messes with people's minds could be useful, right? If used safely, it might even help treat mental issues."
He glanced up at me. Sure, with the right spells, you could rewrite memories or hypnotize someone. That could ease their pain, even if it just blurs bad memories and feelings.
Lord Osric alternated between looking at Yuruyana and me, then suddenly smiled.
"That's right. You shouldn't freeze things, but there's no end to the 'what ifs' when it comes to misuse. Even a tiny flame can burn down a castle."
"If we're talking danger, then blades kill more people than magic. Should we regulate knives first?"
Ricardo nodded. Extreme example, but he gets the point. An Arcane Bicycle is a handy ride if you use it right, but it can also run someone over.
"Yeah. Medicines can be poison if you get the dose wrong."
"...But people are immature. One day, they might 'summon the devil' on a whim. Unlike blades or fire, this magic is unknown to most. Now that we've seen its dark side, there's no choice but to ban it for now."
The reason we call it 'devil's magic' is because it was originally a beast's power.
And why are they called 'beasts'? Because they harm humans with that power.
Every kid learns this in school, even if they're not studying to be an Arcanist.
Our ancestors just turned something dangerous into an ally through research. Magic, Arcane Machines, even arcane medicine – they can all turn bad if you misuse them."
"We may have different positions, but we all handle things related to magic,"
Lord Osric said, his voice heavy.
"...Mr. Magnus was like that too?"
When Lilicheska was annexed, much blood was spilled. Mr. Magnus and his allies must've carried deep scars, suffering from it.
"Well, who knows. Magic to read minds hasn't been developed yet,"
"Kreis, why don't you come to my place and research it?"
"I'll pass. You'd probably just ask for a heating system next, right?"
"Ha! You get it. No need for mind-reading magic!"
He laughed loudly, and Ricardo let out a big sigh, clearly exhausted.
* * *
Riding the Arcane Bicycle back and forth to the castle, I passed a noble's carriage. The people inside stared at me, wide-eyed.
Watching Yuruyana's silver hair fluttering in the breeze, I knew they must've thought this was way better than the cramped, hot carriage. Definitely a good advertisement.
"Oh, right, Tsukumo. I almost forgot."
"What?"
"Thanks for coming to help."
A soft chuckle came from behind me.
"No big deal. As the shop owner, I can't have an empty store."
"You're no fun!"
Yuruyana whacked me on the back and laughed. After a beat, she burst out laughing too.
"But it's true. We'll need help at the store. The harvest festival is coming in the fall."
"What? Another festival?"
Festivals mean more customers rushing in for last-minute repairs.
"Let's do our best, both of us."
"Got it..."
I looked up at the sky. The clouds were growing thick, building into a storm. The heat was sticking around for a while.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!