Volume 2 Chapter 42: The Power of Magis Gear

“Hey…”

“Huh? Yes?”

As I lent my shoulder to Garuf-san, whose wounds had healed but whose strength had yet to fully return, we walked through the corridors of the Crystal Labyrinth toward the exit. Suddenly, he spoke up.

The other members of Spirit Wind, except for Sophie, were on guard duty, scanning the surroundings. Fiona, for some reason, was glaring at Garuf-san as she followed behind us.

The request to rescue him had come on that chaotic day when we were invited to Spirit Wind’s party house.

After Mina had succumbed to the effects of that suspicious candle and fallen asleep, the otherwise silent mansion received unexpected visitors.

It was Garuf-san’s party, the Fierce Lions. In a desperate state, they begged us to find Garuf-san, who had disappeared a few days earlier.

They suspected he might have ventured alone into the Crystal Labyrinth.

Elle made a swift decision. Without hesitation, she agreed to their plea, quickly prepared, and set out from the capital immediately.

Mina, still asleep, was placed in my carriage. Fiona and Elle rode inside, Kreis-san took the roof, and Sophie and I took the driver’s bench. We rushed to the labyrinth with barely any breaks, which brings us to the present.

Though it had been an intense forced march, there was no alternative. I hadn’t slept in days, but thanks to enhancing my body with mana, I managed—barely. It wasn’t ideal, but I could endure this much.

In hindsight, the lack of interaction with Elle, Fiona, and Mina during the journey was a small mercy.

I didn’t know what conversations the three of them had in the carriage, but they seemed somewhat calmer compared to that terrible day. However, Mina should stay far away from that suspicious candle in the future. Its effects on beastfolk are too strong, causing them to act strangely. As a half-beastfolk herself, she wasn’t immune.

“I… I’m sorry about what happened at the tavern…”

“Oh, no, it’s fine…”

Garuf-san’s unusually humble apology left me more bewildered than anything. Though he’d been drunk back at Charcoal Flame, his behavior now felt like that of an entirely different person. This must be the real Garuf-san. Alcohol truly is scary. I’ll need to be cautious myself someday.

“I wasn’t myself… I was frustrated… I felt like such a small person.”

“…”

Uh, what? What’s going on? I already got the apology—more than enough, really. Besides, I wasn’t even angry to begin with. Everyone has moments where things don’t go right, and they lash out. It happens.

“I didn’t want to admit I lacked talent… I was just desperately clinging to pride, even at my age… It’s pathetic, isn’t it?”

His voice carried self-deprecation as he spoke in fragments, seemingly unloading the burdens he carried. While I felt for him, he might’ve chosen the wrong audience.

Take a look around, Garuf-san. Fiona, who clearly doesn’t care, Sophie, who’s impossible to read, and me, with my tainted mana attributes—these are your only listeners.

You’ve picked the worst possible group for this heart-to-heart.

Still, if venting helps him feel better, I’ll humor him for now. Elle, Mina, and Kreis-san are securing our safety, and, well, maybe there are things men can only confide to other men. Kreis-san, though… yeah, no.

“I knew it… When my Magis Gear could only make a durable sword, I knew it was over for me. But I lashed out at others… pathetic.”

“I don’t think so. I mean, you’ve come this far without relying on Magis Gear entirely. That speaks to your hard work and dedication.”

I wasn’t just saying that to comfort him—I genuinely thought so. If someone like me, who relied so much on the power of Magis Gear, said it, it must hold weight. The effort and struggles he endured to operate without such power must have been extraordinary. I wouldn’t dare venture into dangerous places like this without it.

And seriously, those monsters in the excavation sites? They weren’t just beasts; they were abominations.

If Rett-kun thinks he’ll find the best fishing spot in such a place, he’s in for a lifetime of disappointment. Sure, there might be normal fish there, but the odds…

“…Thanks. Still… if only my Magis Gear had been better, things might’ve been different.”

Well, he wasn’t wrong about that.

“Magis Gear isn’t such a convenient power,” Sophie suddenly interjected as I pondered how to respond.

Unlike us, Sophie’s main role wasn’t combat. But as we journeyed, I’d seen her fight with exceptional skill when necessary, using hidden knives strapped beneath her skirt.

Her expression remained impassive as she joined the conversation, something she rarely did unless prompted by a direct question.

It surprised me to see her speak about Magis Gear, which had nothing to do with her being a demonfolk. And yet, she addressed the very topic I’d hesitated to comment on, voicing her thoughts with clarity.

Even Garuf-san seemed a little taken aback.

“Uh… yeah, but still, if it were just a little better—”

“Garuf-sama’s Magis Gear is perfectly functional. Its abilities may be modest, but it comes with no significant drawbacks. Sophie has seen people whose Magis Gear had more disadvantages than benefits—people who lost everything because of it.”

Sophie spoke calmly, but there was a strong sense of conviction in her voice.

“The worst-case scenario is a Magis Gear that causes death upon manifestation.”

“W-Wait, is that even possible…? I mean, isn’t Magis Gear supposed to be your own power?”

“Yes, but it’s also a power that can manifest in undesirable ways. That’s why Garuf-sama’s Magis Gear is not so bad. It’s not great, but it’s not terrible either.”

Indeed, Magis Gear is a convenient power, but at the same time, it can also be troublesome. What kind of Magis Gear manifests is, ultimately, a matter of luck.

When I think about it that way, I realize how fortunate I’ve been. There are certainly cases where people have died because they manifested a power too great for them to handle, just as Sophie described.

For example, imagine a Magis Gear with immense power, but its use costs the user their life. If it were a weapon or a tool, the user could choose not to use it. However, if it were a type like my Hunter gear, which envelops the user, it would activate upon manifestation, making death unavoidable. Such a tragedy would be the most catastrophic outcome of Magis Gear.

It’s far from being a perfectly convenient power.

Still, I wondered—why was Sophie so knowledgeable about Magis Gear? I had studied at a magic academy, so I thought I knew a little more than the average person…

“I see…”

“My apologies if I overstepped.”

Sophie bowed, then took a mana bottle from her bag and began drinking it in small sips.

Perhaps she had used a lot of mana earlier for healing. Yet, even as she replenished herself, her expression remained as impassive as ever, as if she didn’t even taste it.

“But Senpai, you can create Magis Gear freely, can’t you?”

“No, I can’t.”

Fiona’s eyes sparkled as she made that bold claim, but I quickly denied it. What exactly does she think I am? A god or something?

It’s true that the Magis Gear I’ve manifested so far has been remarkably close to what I desired, but that was just good fortune. The idea of creating Magis Gear freely is—

“Oh.”

Suddenly, a thought occurred to me.

It was a ridiculous idea, but maybe… just maybe… it was worth trying. Or maybe not. I mean, I wasn’t planning to create any more Magis Gear in the first place…

“You’ve thought of something, haven’t you?”

Fiona’s eyes sparkled even more as she gazed at me expectantly.

“No… It’s probably impossible.”

“Tell me!”

Ugh… I didn’t want to. It was embarrassing to even say it out loud. It was such a childish and absurd idea.

I was sure someone in the past must have thought of it too. It wasn’t revolutionary; if anything, it was so dumb that most people wouldn’t even consider trying it.

But since Fiona had asked, I couldn’t exactly avoid answering. Hesitant, I spoke softly.

“…What if there was a Magis Gear that could create Magis Gear freely?”

“There’s no way that could ever work…”

“Silence, trash.”

Fiona’s completely unreasonable response to Garuf-san’s logical remark left him dumbfounded. We exchanged glances with awkward expressions.

No, Garuf-san was right. He was just pointing out the flaws in my shallow thinking.

“That’s a brilliant idea!”

While Garuf-san and I silently acknowledged our mutual understanding, Fiona clasped her hands in front of her and praised the idea enthusiastically.

Both Garuf-san and I let out a small sigh.

Honestly, if something like that were possible, it would truly be the power of a god. Unfortunately, no matter what Fiona thought, I am not a god.

If I had to be more realistic…

“…Maybe a Magis Gear that can recreate other Magis Gear?”

Something like my carriage, for example.

This would be a more feasible idea than the previous pipe dream. Few people would have likely attempted it since Magis Gear is usually limited to one or two creations per person. Sacrificing one of those precious slots for such a concept seems unlikely.

Even then, the idea of freely recreating Magis Gear is probably too much. At best, it might allow recreating gear of equal or lesser performance, but even that seems difficult… and not particularly useful.

“…Could something like that really be done…?”

“Huh?”

When I turned toward Sophie, she was staring at me with a rare, surprised expression.

For someone who was almost always emotionless, her reaction was quite unusual.

What’s wrong? Did my idea sound so stupid that even she was taken aback?

“I-I don’t know… It’s difficult… Maybe impossible…”

“I see…”

Embarrassed, my voice grew smaller with each word. Sophie lowered her eyes briefly, then stowed her empty mana bottle and bowed.

“My apologies for interrupting.”

“Oh, no… By the way, Sophie, are you feeling okay?”

Something about her seemed off, so I decided to ask. Like me, she hadn’t had any sleep, and she must have been exhausted. Maybe that’s why she reacted strangely to my silly idea.

“Thank you for your concern, Master. However, Sophie does not require sleep or rest.”

“Oh… okay.”

No, I think you do. I don’t believe there’s a single person who doesn’t need rest. Even the manager sleeps and takes breaks, though he might be able to keep going indefinitely if he wanted.

Sophie remains an enigma. It’s hard to tell whether she’s joking or serious, which makes it difficult to respond.

In a way, she reminds me of my sister, especially with that perpetually expressionless face.

After that, Sophie didn’t speak again, silently staying by our side.

She didn’t engage with Garuf-san or Fiona more than necessary, and eventually, we made it safely out of the Crystal Labyrinth. I let out a sigh of relief.

Traveling with Spirit Wind brought a sense of security, but if I could help it, I’d rather never set foot in another excavation site.

The giant crystals, with gaping holes that seemed like entrances to hell, glittered in the setting sunlight. As I looked at them, I reaffirmed that places this dangerous weren’t meant for someone like me.

“I’ve decided. I’m retiring as a miner. I’ve reached my limit.”

“What will you do now?”

“I don’t know… Maybe I’ll open a shop or something. I’ve got some savings. I’ll live a quiet life.”

“That sounds nice.”

As the gentle evening breeze blew, I nodded at Garuf-san, who gazed at the sunset. I couldn’t help but feel a little envious.

He sat down heavily, a serene smile on his face as if a weight had been lifted.

“Thanks. Once I’ve got a shop, come visit, alright?”

And thus, my first excavation site adventure came to an end.

It was also the day I became true friends with Garuf-san.