Magic Maker - How to make magic in another world - - Chapter 51

Magic Maker – How to make magic in another world –

Chapter 51    Duke Balkh

That was an extravagant reception room.

It was evident that everything in sight was expensive, and even sitting on the sofa required caution.

Dad was sitting next to me.

With a stern expression, he seemed tense.

In front of the sofa we were sitting on, there was a table, and beyond that, another sofa of the same design.

Along the walls, there were several pieces of furniture and interior decorations.

The paintings that didn’t resonate with me stole my gaze for just a moment.

I hadn’t asked where this was.

It was undeniable that the owner of this house was someone of noble stature.

After waiting in silence for a while, the door opened.

A middle-aged man appeared.

He had a sturdy build and a bearded face.

With short hair, he had a stern expression, and his gaze was intimidating.

When our eyes met briefly, I couldn’t help but shrink back.

The first impression was that he seemed intimidating.

He was even taller than my tall father.

Probably around 190 centimeters.

He sat down on the sofa in front of us as if flowing.

And silence.

His sharp gaze towards us could almost be accompanied by a glinting sound effect.

Who on earth could he be?

With such questions and discomfort, I threw a glance at my father.

“Duke Balkh, I apologize for the sudden visit.

This is my son, Shion.”

I bow to Duke Balkh.

I don’t know the circumstances, and I can’t speak, so there’s no need for me to introduce myself again.

My demeanor seems to be without issue, and the duke remains calm.

“Now, let me get straight to the point.

In light of the recent report, I have come to confirm the current situation.

Regarding the suggestion to possess lightning lanterns as a precaution against unpredictable monsters…”

The man addressed as Duke Balkh stares at my father, maintaining silence.

Lightning lanterns?

Oh, right. I remember.

That night, the glare of the lightning lantern made the Wraith flinch.

Could he be referring to that?

Me, or rather, enemies that probably only those with magical abilities can see.

But my father seemed to have seen the creature when he illuminated it with the lightning lantern.

That’s right.

At the clinic, Dr. Alfonse also mentioned it.

“There’s a patient with strange injuries.”

It’s unclear, but maybe that person was attacked by an invisible magical creature.

During the three days I’ve been withdrawn, it seems my father reported about that magical creature, the Wraith.

Being addressed as a duke should mean he’s quite a high-ranking noble.

I don’t know much about the circumstances of the nobles in this world, and I’ve never tried to find out.

Huh? Come to think of it, what noble rank does my father hold?

He said he was a lower-ranking noble, maybe a viscount or something.

I’ve never been to social events, and my parents have never shown any signs of participating.

I’ve never been interested enough to ask until now.

While I’m lost in thought, Duke Balkh remains completely still.

Another round of silence.

Glancing at my father’s profile, he doesn’t seem particularly disturbed.

After a few seconds, a sudden change occurs.

Duke Balkh, with a stern expression, begins to tremble.

Is it some kind of seizure?

If so, it’s bad.

I try to voice the answer that my strangely calm mind has led me to.

However, it doesn’t happen.

“I can’t take it anymore! What’s going on!? What is this!?

Why is everything like this ever since I became the ruler of the Istria Territory!?

The number of wanderers is increasing, lazy patients keep appearing, unknown monsters are appearing!

What is this!? What’s happening!? I can’t take it anymore! I’ve had enough!

I’m quitting as the lord of Istria! I’ll hand it over to Gawain-sama!”

Duke Balkh flaps his arms and legs like a tantrum-throwing child.

A stern, large adult is crying out like a child.

I am speechless at this bizarre sight.

What on earth is this?

I move my head with a creak, like a rusty mechanical doll.

Dad has a dry laugh.

Ah, I see.

It’s the usual thing.

I perceive Duke Balkh’s personality as that of a ‘useless adult.’

If I can understand that, I can calm down.

I straighten my posture and look straight ahead, avoiding eye contact with the duke as much as possible.

“Balkh-sama, please calm down.”

“How can I calm down! I’ve had enough!

I thought being a duke would be easier!

I thought I could laze around and delegate work to my subordinates once I became important!”

“That’s difficult. Especially in emergencies, unlike regular duties.”

“Ugh… I guess I have no choice…”

“Yes. Please accept it.”

While crying, Duke Balkh, who had collapsed on the sofa, seems to have finally pulled himself together, straightening his back.

However, his expression is completely childlike.

Is this person really fit to be a duke?

I can’t help but worry about whether this city is okay.

Despite my concerns, my father continues the conversation.

“And what about the earlier matter?”

“…As for the lightning lantern, we gathered them from throughout the town and placed them with patrol guards, soldiers, and on the defensive walls.

The Merchant Guild tried to monopolize them, but we managed to collect them… It was tough, though!”

“As expected, Balkh-sama. Your strong leadership is still intact.”

“No need to praise me!”

While saying that, he seems somewhat pleased.

Easy. What’s with him being so easygoing?

I don’t quite understand why this person is content with the position of a duke.

Being this straightforward, he seems susceptible to manipulation.

“Now, I’d like to confirm the other situations once again.”

“As for monsters, there have been over a dozen reports. Some have resulted in deaths.

Following Gawain-sama’s instructions, the soldiers were equipped with lightning lanterns, but there haven’t been any reports of seeing the monsters yet.

Simultaneously, there have been no reports of being attacked by something invisible since four days ago.

So, probably, it means that the monsters haven’t appeared.”

“We still don’t know if the lightning lanterns are effective.”

“Hmm. Maintaining the current situation would be appropriate. Regarding the Laziness syndrome, we hardly know anything.

There’s no progress in treatment, and I dispatched a fast horse to the capital, but it hasn’t returned yet.

We don’t know if the abnormal situation is only in Istria, or if it has reached the capital, Sanostria, or even the whole world.

Ugh, I can’t stand it. Honestly, peace is the best, but why has it come to this?”

“It’s no use lamenting. We don’t have any cards to play. So, we must understand the situation and devise a plan, even if it’s forced.”

“But there’s no plan for that. Oh, it’s the end… I just wanted a peaceful life… Ugh…”

“Balkh-sama, it’s too early to give up. There is still information about the monsters and the Lazy syndrome.”

“What!? I-Is that true!? Please tell me!”

Duke Balkh’s eyes sparkled noticeably.

Just a moment ago, he exuded a gloomy atmosphere, but now he’s completely different.

This person really is like a child.

I don’t dislike him, though.

“Shion, my son, holds the key to this.”

“Oh… come to think of it, you’re Gawain-sama’s…”

Suddenly, the duke became serious, catching me off guard.

The contrast is striking.

Why does he call my father ‘sama’? Is this term common in this world for lower-ranking nobles?

Well, it doesn’t seem too strange, maybe it’s a common courtesy.

“So, what exactly happened?”

“Four days ago, my daughter, Marie, fell victim to the lazy syndrome. Shion and I rode horses towards Istria in the dead of night.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

“…Don’t worry about it. This is no longer just our problem.

Let me continue. On our way to Istria, we encountered nocturnal monsters. They were a Bloody Wolf and a humanoid creature.”

“Humanoid…? Not goblins, kobolds, or orcs?”

“Yes. It was an entirely different species. It floated in the air, its body was semi-transparent.

It emitted a faint glow, with a pallid face. Despite resembling a person, it was an otherworldly creature.”

My father briefly glanced at me and nodded slightly.

Seemingly signaling me to continue with the story, I recalled the situation from that time and continued the conversation.

“The creature—tentatively named Wraith. Physical attacks didn’t affect the Wraith.

My father threw a dagger, but it passed through the creature without any hindrance, so there’s no mistake about it.

However, when it touched the lightning lantern, it recoiled as if it disliked the light. And—”

I glanced at my father again.

Two nods.

Certainly, if I don’t speak, the story won’t progress.

I took a brief pause.

“I defeated it with my magic.”

I thought there would be astonishment or skepticism in response.

However, it was neither.

Duke Balkh rested his chin on his hand, appearing deep in thought.

There was no sign of disturbance or questioning from him.

It seemed like he was just processing my words.

I see. It was my father.

But why?

My father always tried to keep quiet about magic, not spreading it around, even instructing us to do the same.

Why did he tell Duke Balkh?

Even if they were close, it doesn’t seem likely that my father would speak without a reason.

He hadn’t even told Glast about magic.

So, did he tell because there was a need for it?

Top of Form

“Magic, huh? Effective against monsters, a mysterious power using magical energy.

Shion, you may not be aware, but I’ve already heard about you from Gawain-sama.”

“I see, is that so?”

As expected.

I threw a questioning look at my father with my eyes.

However, my father didn’t catch my gaze.

Fine.

That’s not what I want to know.

What I need to figure out is how to save my sister and how to deal with the monsters.

Those are the priorities.

“I see. So, in addition to the lightning lanterns, Shion’s magic is effective against unknown monsters.

Then, if we gather those with the ability for that magic, we can defeat those monsters!”

“No, it might be difficult…”

As I immediately responded, Duke Balkh stood up, his face almost on the verge of tears.

“Why is that!?”

“Learning magic takes time, and besides, most people with magical abilities are already afflicted with the lazy syndrome.

Among them, there are people like me and Rose… she’s my friend, and she’s unaffected, but…”

“Mmm!? Does that mean magical power is related to the onset of the lazy syndrome?”

“That possibility is something I’m considering. Simultaneously, when someone is afflicted with the lazy syndrome, their magical power decreases or disappears.

I’m thinking there might be a connection with the onset of the lazy syndrome. There were even some wanderers who were affected by the lazy syndrome.”

“Hmm, I see. So, some of the wanderers already in the city were affected by the lazy syndrome.

I didn’t notice because most wanderers are just drunks, lunatics, or derelicts.

I’ll send investigators later to look for patients with symptoms of the lazy syndrome… they might already be dead, though.”

Many of those who succumbed to the lazy syndrome and became wanderers were probably single individuals.

And it was likely a fairly mild case, allowing them to survive somehow.

However, the events four days ago may have significantly accelerated the progression of the lazy syndrome.

It’s all just speculation.

Or perhaps, the treatment of wanderers is somewhat rough.

Is this really how things are?

“The unknown nocturnal monsters and the lazy syndrome are both heavily connected to magical power and magic.

…Shion, currently, teaching magic to someone is difficult, right?”

“Yes. At least, to acquire magic potent enough to defeat monsters, it would take a considerable amount of time.

Moreover, the magic that seems effective requires direct contact with the monsters, posing a significant danger.”

“So, it’s difficult for women and children, huh?”

“Yes. Additionally, those with magical power are generally young—likely individuals in their twenties or younger.

And people with magical power are rare. I’ve hardly seen any. Probably at a rate of one in thousands, I suppose.”

“Ugh, there’s nothing we can do!

Hmm… but for the invisible monsters… Wraith, was it? We at least have the lightning lanterns.

While we may not be able to repel them, we can endure. It’s unsettling, though.

Regarding the lazy syndrome, medical research is progressing very slowly.

So, perhaps we should explore it from a different angle, investigating from the perspective of magical power, as Shion suggested.

Hmm, Shion. Do you have any suggestions for treating the lazy syndrome?”

“I do.”

Duke Balkh smiled.

Seeing that expression, I let out a small wry smile.

Honestly, I don’t really want to say this.

But we can’t afford to be choosy, and it’s necessary.

“Oh! And what is that proposal?”

“It’s a live experiment.”

“Hmm. I see. I see!? What does that mean!?”

“Magic, when used excessively, depletes magical power, making the body feel sluggish, unwilling to do anything, and eventually immobilized.

This symptom closely resembles the characteristics of the lazy syndrome.

Considering this, I thought about the lazy sydrome.

As of now, what we know is that lazy syndrome patients have instances where they ‘lose or decrease magical power,’ and ‘before contracting the lazy syndrome, they had magical power.’ Whether this is universal or localized, we cannot determine, but a change has occurred.

In other words, the lazy syndrome develops when magical power is lost or decreased, and the reverse could be true—restoring or maintaining magical power might potentially revert the health condition.

The depletion state of magical power and the symptoms are similar, and, if in a healthy state, magical power returns with rest. However, if that becomes impossible…”

“It might result in the manifestation of the lazy syndrome?”

“It’s just a hypothesis on top of a hypothesis… but that’s all I can think of for now.”

“Hmm… So what about the live experiment?”

“I’ve relatively researched my own magical power, but I haven’t specifically studied others’ magical power.

I know how to manipulate my magical power, but I don’t know how to interfere with or control others’ magical power.

Consequently, I don’t know how to infuse magical power into lazy syndrome patients.

People without magical power can’t sense its presence, and those with magical power can’t sense it when infused into someone without magical power.

However, if both individuals have magical power, they can sense it—they feel heat and pain. Understanding this sensation might help grasp how to share magical power.

If we forcefully infuse magical power into lazy syndrome patients, they might not express pain, leading to potentially overdosing.

This could inadvertently result in causing harm or even death.

Therefore, a healthy individual with a strong will and a cooperative person with magical power are necessary.”

In reality, applying magical power to someone without magical power, like my parents, doesn’t lead to any changes. There is no response on the giving side either. However, if both individuals have magical power, there is a mutual sense of ‘magical power reacting.’ Yet, this magical power reaction is also dangerous. I purified the Wraith by directly exposing it to magical power. What would happen if we did the same to a human is uncertain. However, without the sensation of magical power reacting, it might be impossible to infuse magical power into someone else.

“So, the experiment involves individuals with magical power giving magical power to each other. That sounds risky, doesn’t it?”

“Most likely.”

“But if our indispensable Shion can’t infuse magical power, we can’t help lazy syndrome patients.”

“That’s possible.”

What medical advancement often demanded the most was a high number of sacrifices. To treat illnesses that remained unexplained, a significant number of sacrifices were required. There might have been inhumane research and experiments, but on the foundation of those deeds, modern medicine exists today. Sometimes, idealistic notions cannot save lives. Some things can only be obtained by imposing anxiety, sacrifice, or inhumanity on someone else. If bearing any stain, duty, or wrongdoing could save my sister, I would willingly accept it. As long as it could rescue her. Beside me, Dad seemed about to say something but ultimately remained silent. He shares the same sentiment. It’s okay. I won’t recklessly sacrifice anyone.

“For now, there are opponents who definitely have magical power, and if they end up being killed, it’s acceptable. So, shall we use them?”

“Who are they?”

“They are monsters. If we purify magical power against monsters, we might get a sense of how to infuse magical power into a target. I know a bit about monsters near Istria. However, for the Wraith, there might not be much we can do at the moment.”

“Alright. Even if we can find just a slight lead… it’s worrying, but there’s no other choice. Anyway, we can’t leave everything to Shion. Naturally, we’ll continue our investigation from this end. If we find something, we’ll let you know. Also, we’ll select someone knowledgeable in medicine and send them. And, ah yes, do we need someone knowledgeable about monsters?”

“Yes, that would be helpful. I have various questions to ask.”

“Alright, then. Let’s send one of the excellent monster scholars. If you need funds or facilities necessary for the research, don’t hesitate to ask. Researching against monsters might be dangerous, so if you need our private soldiers, feel free to ask. After all, I’m a duke, and I have some personal wealth!”

“Thank you. I appreciate your support when the time comes.”

With my head bowed, I hesitated to voice the questions that kept appearing and disappearing. However, out of respect for my father, I refrained from doing so.

“The discussion is over. Well then, I’ll return to my duties. Ugh… I can’t stand it. I hope we receive a response from the capital soon.”

Duke Baruf sighed with complaints as he left the room. Shortly after, a woman who seemed to be a maid entered and guided us to the entrance. We left the Baruf Ducal House and headed home.

The Balkh Ducal House was located in the central part of Istria’s residential area, surrounded by high walls. While there weren’t many spacious gardens in the city, the ducal house was filled with greenery.

Duke Balkh. Several questions arose from our conversation with him. Why did my father talk to the duke about magic? How did my father have the opportunity to speak directly with such a high-ranking noble? What was the relationship between Duke Balkh and my father? Why did Duke Balkh readily accept my father’s advice? Many questions lingered.

However, among them, the most significant question was why Duke Balkh believed the words of a child like me. It was peculiar that there were no maids or butlers present during our discussion. Only the three of us were in that space, creating an atmosphere similar to a confidential conversation.

Did Duke Balkh originally intend to talk about magic? It seemed like he didn’t know I was coming. If that were the case, my father planned to discuss something he couldn’t share with others. However, the duke listened to my words without questioning my father and accepted them easily. Why?

Even if Duke Balkh were an open-minded person who didn’t easily doubt others, it seemed implausible for him to believe such a story without direct confirmation of the existence of magic, especially when he hadn’t met me in person. So, why did he believe?

“Sorry.”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, my father muttered a word, and I instinctively asked for clarification. It felt as if he had read my mind, both in terms of the words spoken and the timing. However, my doubts remained unresolved because my father didn’t say anything more. I chose not to ask any further questions. It was because I trusted my father. He wasn’t the type to keep unnecessary secrets. There had to be a reason. So, even if the time for that reason to be revealed hadn’t come yet, I would wait. In the midst of that seemingly wavering determination, I faintly heard something.

“Someday…”

Pretending not to hear, I gazed straight ahead. My father’s gaze also remained fixed forward. In that slightly hoarse voice, I felt a glimpse of my father’s emotions. That’s why I couldn’t say anything. Hearing such a feeble, frightened voice left me at a loss. Let’s go. To my sister and my mother. Believing that we could overturn this situation.