kscans

Chapter 138 - Chapter 9. Part 1, In Short, a Circuit

Fulsy's Lab was located behind the director's office. It was about the size of an ordinary house, a two-story building with two chimneys and a windmill on its triangular roof. Behind it stood an incinerator.

After school, I was guiding an off-campus visitor there.

"It's been a while since I've come here. Not since the last Shoken Festival, I believe."

"It was canceled this year, after all. Still, you could have given us some advance notice... no, that would be impossible, wouldn't it."

There was no way the military's top brass would reveal their location during wartime. The number of guards discreetly positioned around the lab was double the usual.

"I have a souvenir for the Great Sage. I'd very much like to hear your opinion on it as well, Ricardo."

A souvenir? You mean trouble, don't you...

It wasn't just a souvenir. Even something he brought under the pretense of a reward could very well be a troublesome affair.

"Um, excuse me. I can't. Please, raise your head. There's no way I have that kind of power." "I cannot believe such a thing." Just then, I heard a girl's voice from the direction of the lab's entrance. I recognized the voice of the one on the defensive, but who was the other one?

"But Noel-dono, are you not the Great Sage's prized pupil? They say you'll become the youngest court magician in history after graduation."

One was Noel, wearing a magician's robe even at the academy. The other was a female student who appeared to be an upperclassman. From the embroidery peeking out of her sleeve, I could tell she was a noble.

"I'm just an assistant. Besides, it's not so much the Great Sage as it is... him, who's just using me for his own convenience. Oh, Mia, you're here at the perfect time."

Noel noticed Mia and was about to plead for help.

"Noel. I'm counting on you for today's report."

Craig's timing was impeccable. Noel's head turned toward him with a motion that seemed to make a creaking sound.

"Your Highness, Prince Craig. I am Arina, the third daughter of the Tolde family. Your great success in Bertold..."

The female student reacted in an instant. It was impressive how she could properly greet a prince who appeared so suddenly and praise him with an appropriate topic. Noel, on the other hand, wore a look of utter despair. Her attempt at self-preservation just moments ago had undoubtedly failed.

"Poor girl. If only the Empire hadn't attacked, none of this would have happened."

"Senior. You're the one person who shouldn't be saying that to Noel," Mia said to me as I expressed my sympathy.

"Nobles really are something else. So that's what they call social etiquette."

"...I think you should learn some," Noel, who had been grumbling to Mia, glared at me when I praised the other student.

Entering the lab, we headed for the room on the right side of the first floor. The lab was divided into three sections. One was the provisional biology lab we were currently heading to, where we were culturing the bacteria from the Red Forest. The room on the left we had just passed was for alchemy and had apparently become Noel's refuge. It was better than the Magic Dormitory, she said, but it seemed people still cornered her there, like just now.

And on the second floor was where Fulsy conducted his life's work, measuring magic with his antennas and other devices.

Today's agenda was a status report on the Empire's sorcery. We were about to head upstairs when we heard an old man's voice from the biology lab.

When we opened the door, we found Rilka and Vinaldira there with Fulsy. So they were today's helpers.

Rods extended down from the ceiling, and gears connected to them gently rocked glass instruments resembling Erlenmeyer flasks, along with the amber liquid inside. It was a shaking culture for the bacteria.

"I believe you are Rilka and... Vinaldira. Thank you for your hard work."

The two of them curtsied to greet Craig. Amazing, he actually remembered their names. Craig then proceeded to ask Vinaldira about her family's business. Vinaldira answered nervously as he asked what she would wish for upon the project's success.

Well, he did say he was having them help with dangerous work. Washing up in the lab was the epitome of the three D's, dirty, dangerous, and demanding. It had gotten a little better since this place was completed and the sterilizing kiln was built, but we didn't even have vinyl gloves.

I was the one who handled any work that involved direct contact with the bacteria.

"Speaking of which, she's apparently going to provide the cloth for my wedding," I said.

"Hoh, quite shrewd."

For some reason, Vinaldira's face turned pale at Craig's words.

"Oh, um, that's not it! I was just joking, but he took it seriously, I never meant to—"

"Perhaps you could handle my clothes as well, not just my sister-in-law's."

Unlike the upstart Vinder silver company, the potential profits for her likely outweighed the burden. If I recall, her family was struggling after Dorefano and Calest went under.

Still, I wonder when she managed to get an order from Alfina.

"Being purveyors to the royal family. Isn't that great?"

At my congratulations, Vinaldira and Rilka both sighed for some reason.

Up in Fulsy's room on the second floor, Noel was desperately trying to clear a space. The only empty spot was in front of a stone slate. How did it get this cluttered just days after moving in?

"Alright, you may begin."

At Craig's command, Noel timidly stepped forward. I knew almost nothing about today's topic. After all, I had been completely preoccupied with the bacteria.

"Th-Then I will report the results of our analysis of the Empire's sorcery. Um, er, I'll divide the explanation into two parts, one on the materials used to make the sorcery seals, and one on the seals themselves. F-First, I'll explain the materiah... About the materials... I-I'll be in charge of the materials!"

Noel completely fumbled her words under Craig's gaze, finally forcing the last part out. Craig told her to calm down, and she took a deep breath.

"First, regarding the materials in the pattern drawn on the Imperial horse-dragon's reins. It is drawn with a special dye that conducts magic. The leather base is also believed to be from a magical beast. Next, for the sorcery seal inscribed on the battering ram, it has a structure where a non-magic-conducting metal is poured into grooves that appear to have been carved using alchemy... Both are technologies that do not exist in the Kingdom."

"I see. So that's how the battering ram secures its strength."

Once the specific explanation of sorcery began, Noel started speaking with a remarkable clarity, as if she were a different person. Craig listened with an impressed look. I see, so their technology truly is far beyond the Kingdom's. Still, parts that conduct magic and parts that don't...

"As for the form of the sorcery seals... to be frank, I haven't the slightest clue what is written or what it means. The formulaic structure is just too different."

Meanwhile, my master Fulsy was his usual self. You don't understand it at all? That's not because you were preoccupied with the bacteria, is it? Though I was the one who overworked you.

"However, one characteristic of the circuit itself is its fineness. The pattern on the reins, of course, but also the battering ram's is remarkably fine considering the amount of magic flowing through it. Normally, if it were this fine, an irregular flow of magic would occur between the lines of Sorcery Gold. Noel."

"Y-Yes. As I mentioned earlier about processing the Sorcery Gold to carve the seal, we believe that by using alchemy, they increase the precision of the grooves, and there is also some sort of ingenuity in the metal poured into those grooves."

So it shorts out. In terms of a waterway, it would be the height of the banks, and in an electric circuit, an issue of insulation. Because they use alchemy, there's less deviation, allowing them to make it as fine as possible.

"I see. The Empire's carriages used a special kind of iron, as I recall. They are indeed quite advanced."

"However, regarding the battering ram, we cannot get magic to flow through even a single line using ordinary methods. To be precise, there must be some element right after the entrance of the sorcery seal that obstructs the flow of magic. That is all we know at present. That said, Mia has found several characteristics of the sorcery seal."

"The sorcery seal's pattern has distinct features compared to magic. One is the smallness of its repeating elements. They have likely reduced redundancy by devising a method of circulation."

Mia explained purely in terms of the sorcery seal's graph pattern.

I see. Listening to the explanations so far, there's no doubt that a sorcery seal is a type of circuit.

"Hoh. I believe you were also the one who deciphered the Empire's code."

Craig spoke with admiration.

"So you're saying these technologies combine to achieve their long-range attacks."

Craig summarized the experts' somewhat pointed explanations from a practical, military standpoint.

"...Most likely. The fineness of the pattern, the lack of repetition. By combining these, they have likely succeeded in incorporating a precise formula into a small area. This would also lead to a reduction in magic consumption. The magic tool that the Imperial sorcery unit used to launch fireballs is probably the same."

"Doesn't that contradict itself? If less magic flows, wouldn't the effect also be smaller?"

"Indeed. It may be related to why we cannot get magic to flow into the battering ram."

"I see. I have an idea about the magic power, so I'll speak on it later."

Craig nodded as if organizing the information. Then, he looked at Fulsy, Noel, and Mia.

"I understand. The three of you have done splendid work. But..."

At that, Craig's expression grew serious.

"How do we counter it?"

Noel cast her eyes downward. Fulsy gave a wry smile.

"There is no way to counter it with the Kingdom's magic. I heard the magic tool the Empire used was a short cylinder, but if we tried to make the same thing, it would not be a size a person could carry. Well, we couldn't make it in the first place."

"I expected as much, but this is grim."

"Well, for now, that is," Fulsy said, looking at me meaningfully.

"Please stop having excessive expectations of a layman. I only just now properly learned about magic circuits. You saw how impressed I was by all three of your explanations, didn't you?"

I said in a hurry. Of course, it was a huge realization that sorcery seals were magic circuits. However, since it was a circuit through which magic, something that didn't exist in my previous life, flowed, I couldn't imagine it would be straightforward. We were still in the information-gathering phase. I couldn't even form a hypothesis, let alone a plan of action.

Although, if I could clear that hurdle, it wasn't as if I didn't have some applicable knowledge in mind.

"Is that so?"

"...No, probably not. He knows something. He just said 'magic circuit,' didn't he? I understand the meaning, but it's not a term we use."

Noel said. Of all people, Noel saw through my self-preservation. This was a huge shock. Wait, that's not it.

"N-No, 'magic circuit' and 'sorcery circuit' get confusing, don't they? I just thought it would be better to call them that since magic flows through both... I'm serious."

"It's a characteristic of his thinking. He always tries to see something more abstract, one or two levels above reality."

"Come to think of it, I heard you told the Chancellor that all ciphers share a common property."

"..."

Craig and Fulsy both nodded. Their attitude was completely different from when I had claimed ignorance moments before. Mia maintained a polite silence, as if it were the only support she could offer.

"Before that, Your Highness, what was this 'idea about magic power' you mentioned?"

Having no other choice, I forcefully turned the conversation back to Craig. It was true that I needed to know a little more about magic.