Magic Maker - How to make magic in another world - - Chapter 26

Magic Maker – How to make magic in another world –

Chapter 26   Glast’s request 1

My room, a familiar sight, yet it exuded a soothing familiarity.

I sat on the bed, gazing at the floor in silence.

Currently, my magic research was at a standstill. It wasn’t a complete dead end, but more of a feeling that something was almost within reach but not quite.

Magic seemed to hold endless possibilities, but my knowledge was limited, and my creativity is lacking.

There should be more I can try, but the current situation had persisted for a few days. I imagined that inventors of the world had experienced such frustration countless times.

They were diligent and talented individuals, unlike me, an ordinary person. Since I lacked talent, it was only natural that I would struggle more than those gifted individuals.

In fact, everything had gone remarkably smoothly up until now. Almost as if the world was conspiring to have me develop magic.

But recently, things hadn’t been progressing at all.

“The problem… is with lightning magic.”

Even when I generated it by touching the thunder stone with magical power, it lacked practicality.

While a flare could be used with a portable firestarter, using lightning magic had various requirements.

And the results weren’t as expected either.

The current method might be too tough.

Let’s change our perspective.

Instead of manipulating magical power, it might be better to do something with the tools.

If the thunder stone could be used as conveniently as flint, things would be much easier.

The thunder stone generated electricity intermittently, not when I intended it to.

If we could create a tool that intentionally generated electricity, all my problems would be solved.

But I didn’t have the skill to make such a tool.

I had been thinking about this for the past few days.

Then, there was a knock on the door.

Knocking meant it was probably Father.

I opened the door, but the person on the other side was unexpected.

“Hey, Shion.”

It was Mr. Glast, the blacksmith who ran a weapon and armor shop in Istria.

He was an old friend of my father’s and the one who had crafted my sister’s sword.

I was briefly surprised, but I quickly composed myself.

“Hello, Mr. Glast.”

“Oh, uh, hello. Your ability to handle things is amazing.”

Mr. Glast coughed slightly and then, after a moment, continued.

“Would you like to come in?”

“No, would you mind coming to the living room? I have something to discuss.”

“A discussion? Understood.”

I wonder what this is about. Since I obtained the thunder stone, I haven’t seen Mr. Glast. I’ve been engrossed in my lightning magic research, even when my father goes into town, I don’t accompany him. My sister and mother have gone together, but I’ve been left behind. So, I didn’t think Mr. Glast had any business with me. Well, there’s nothing to feel guilty about, and no need to worry.

I followed Mr. Glast to the living room.

Inside, my father, mother, and sister were gathered. They were sitting in chairs, chatting. The atmosphere was normal, so it didn’t seem like a serious matter. However, for some reason, my father’s gaze at Mr. Glast was mixed with an air of exasperation. Mr. Glast averted his eyes and pretended not to notice, then took a seat. I sat next to my sister, and my mother and father sat across from us. Mr. Glast sat next to them.

I glanced at my sister with a question in my eyes, silently asking her if she knew what was going on. She shook her head slightly, indicating that she didn’t.

“Right, so, here’s the thing,” Mr. Glast began.

He glanced sideways at my father, then sighed as if making a show of it, and my father started to speak.

“Shion, do you remember collecting the thunder stone?”

“Yeah, I remember.”

“Yes. The thing is, after that, this idiot here used your knowledge to collect more thunder stones. Until now, it was almost impossible to transport thunder stones. So, he collected them and intended to make a business out of it.”

Mr. Glast glanced at the ceiling and attempted to deflect, but he didn’t succeed at all.

“And so, uh… Hey, Glast. Is there something you need to say.”

Father directed a mixture of exasperation and irritation towards Glast. It seemed that Glast had no choice but to respond to such a statement. He looked awkwardly at me, scratched his nose, and began to speak.

“Oh, well, sorry about that. I used your knowledge without permission. I transported the thunder stone on my own and tried to make a profit. My bad.”

Father nodded repeatedly while listening to Glast’s words, and Mother tilted her head in puzzlement. Glast’s gaze wandered, and he appeared uncomfortable. My sister sitting next to me had a perplexed expression.

I thought about it. I considered it thoroughly, but I couldn’t quite grasp it. In the end, I could only respond as I had initially thought.

“I don’t think it’s a problem.”

With that said, Glast opened his mouth in surprise, Father showed a brief moment of astonishment, and sighed softly.

“N-No, I mean, I used your ideas, didn’t I?”

“Well, is that so? But I don’t mind.”

“But you see, you came up with a method that no one else thought of. I used it without saying anything to you. It’s only natural for you to have one or two complaints and even demand a share of the money, right?”

Now that I thought about it, was it really so?

Certainly, it could be regarded as giving him an idea for his business. But I wasn’t particularly interested in making money with thunder stone. What concerned me more was something different.

“Did you make a profit?”

Glast seemed to have a bitter taste in his mouth, his expression akin to a crushed bitter herb. It didn’t seem to have gone too well.

“It was just some pocket change… although, considering the effort and the current situation, it wasn’t worth it. Thunder stone is inconvenient and dangerous to use for lighting. Initially, there were some curious buyers, but they disappeared quickly.”

A sorrowful expression lingered on his face, unlike the usual Glast, as he chuckled dryly and gazed at the table. There was no light in his eyes. I wondered if, from that day until now, he had spent time and effort trying to profit from thunder stone, possibly neglecting his primary occupation. Well, perhaps it wasn’t necessary to delve into those details.

“Well, I don’t really need anything. Unless you made a huge profit, that is. It doesn’t seem like things went exceptionally well.”

With this, Glast’s matter should be resolved. I had already told him that I didn’t mind accepting his apology.

However, the complex atmosphere remained, and Glast’s attitude didn’t change. Father sighed again, taking the initiative to speak.

“The problem isn’t just that. As I mentioned earlier, he transported the thunder stone. From that day to now, he spent time on the transportation and business of thunder stone. It seems he has a surplus of a considerable amount.”

I had a bad premonition. Actually, it was more like I had anticipated it, and it had unfortunately come true.

“So, by ‘surplus,’ you mean that you have a stockpile of thunder stone in a warehouse or somewhere, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. At first, there were just a few, but they were selling well enough. So for efficiency’s sake, I transported them in bulk early on. I rented a warehouse and stored them there.”

“How many do you have?”

“About a hundred.”

“Are they small-sized?”

“They’re relatively large.”

I wasn’t sure about the specific size of thunder stone, but from what I had seen, there were thunder stone roughly the same size as my body. That meant he might have stored more than a hundred pieces of thunder stone. If this were Earth, it could be used as an energy source and had various applications. It seemed like it could bring in a significant profit. However, that was only possible with advanced scientific knowledge and technology capable of harnessing electricity as power. In the medieval or Edo period, even if there was electricity, there weren’t any tools to utilize it. In that case, it would just be a shiny ornament. I had neither the knowledge nor the skills to create anything that used electricity. In other words, Glast had a hundred pieces of these ornaments, looking somewhat dispirited. He had probably spent a considerable amount of money.

Warehouse rent wasn’t negligible, and the expenses for transporting thunder stone from the mines would add up over time. If all of this turned out to be futile, it could become more of a hindrance than anything. I understood the situation. However, I couldn’t help but wonder why he was telling me all this. Glast began with precise words, as if he had understood my feelings somehow.

“So, I have a favor to ask of you. Could you figure out a way to sell the thunder stone? You had the ideas and knowledge for transporting it. That’s why I thought… maybe, you could come up with a solution….I was wondering if you might be able to… I’m sorry.”

He’s really getting down on himself now. It’s quite self-deprecating. People who are usually strong-willed can turn out to be rather fragile. Additionally, could this have hurt his pride to ask for help from a child? I can understand that. It’s challenging for an adult to ask a child for help, especially when they’re truly struggling and in need. Adults have their pride, after all. Knowing that makes me feel strangely with mixed emotions.

He must be really cornered to have come this far. Which means he must be in quite a predicament. Father and Mother are both scratching their heads, unsure of what to do. It’s true that Glast helped with the transportation of the thunder stone. He’s also Father’s friend, so we can’t just leave him be. Emotionally, I want to help, but it might not be wise to readily accept. It would be unfair to Glast if I accepted and then couldn’t deliver any results. I’d feel bad for him. If I had a plan in mind, it would be a different story. At least for now, I haven’t thought of any solutions. But…

“I understand. I’ll do what I can.”

“Are you sure about this? It’s quite presumptuous of me to ask.”

“Yes, it’s fine. But please don’t get your hopes up too much. I don’t have a specific plan, and it won’t be easy given the circumstances.”

“Ah, I see. That’s good enough. I really appreciate your help!”

Glast showed a bright smile as if he had found hope. I don’t want to be relied on so heavily, but I’m just a child. Perhaps he asked for help out of desperation, facing a dead end. A glimmer of hope can have a positive effect on one’s attitude. Regardless of the outcome, I can’t just leave someone in such a dire situation. There’s also a bit of personal motivation in my decision, not about business but my magical research. Kindness, self-interest, and compromise all contribute to my promise to assist Glast.

“Listen, Glast. Remember that Shion is only offering a helping hand. Moreover, Shion is only helping because of what you’ve done without asking. I’m sure you understand, but even if the results don’t turn out as expected, don’t blame Shion.”

“Yeah, I get it. It’s only natural. Shion offered help, and that’s more than I could ask for. Sorry, Shion. I’m dragging you into this mess. I mean, you…”

“Glast!”

Just as Glast was about to say something, Father suddenly raised his voice. The tension in the living room became palpable. Not understanding what had just transpired, my sister and I were left speechless.

“N-No, sorry, forget it.”

What was Glast going to say? What am I? I was on the verge of asking those questions but decided against it. My father’s profile looked stern, unlike anything I’d ever seen before, which silenced me. Then, a sharp, dry sound reached my eardrums.

“All right, it looks like we’ve settled our talk. Let’s have lunch, shall we? Today, we’re having seafood stew.”

My mother brushed her hands together and spoke in her usual, somewhat drawn-out tone. Just hearing her voice helped relax the atmosphere. She headed towards the kitchen. I realized rather belatedly that there was a delicious aroma wafting through the air. It seemed she was in the middle of preparing the meal. The unsettling tension had kept me from noticing it earlier.

Although Father and Glast seemed a bit awkward, they adjusted their postures.

“Now, let’s have lunch first. Shion, what do you plan to do next? If you have any thoughts, feel free to share them.”

I heard a solemn yet gentle voice, the familiar tone of my father. Beside him, Glast still seemed uncomfortable, but time would likely resolve that. I was curious about the earlier conversation, but it seemed best not to ask. I suppressed my strong suspicion and curiosity and put on my usual expression.

“First, I think I want to go to Istria to assess the current situation. As for what comes after that, I’ll decide when I get there.”

To be honest, I didn’t have a concrete plan. But gradually, a vague purpose was starting to take shape. My father nodded understandingly and gave a small smile.

“Understood.”

With that brief response, we resumed normal conversation. We had our meal, engaged in casual conversation, and gradually, Glast also began to regain his spirits. After satisfying our hunger, taking a break, it was an hour later that we left the house.