The non-standard magic stone, and mental preparedness

 
 
 ☆
 
 
 The spider embedded in Theo’s chest.
 The transmitter used in the royal castle assault.
 And the magic communications device used by Duke Oswell to keep in touch with the Principality.
 
 The 『line』 connecting all three of these things.
 That, would be the non-standard, mid-sized magic stone.
 
 Is it actually just a coincidence?
 
 Of these, two of them were used in the plan targeting the Heielland royal family.
 And the last remaining one was used to threaten Theo’s family — the Elarion royal family.
 
 Thinking back on these three magic tools, they were several leaps and bounds ahead of the magic technology around our country.
 
 And the ones who possessed such things, were the Principality and pirates.
 The timing in which they were used were also close.
 Considering that———
 
 “No matter what, I don’t think it was a mere coincidence.”
 
 “Huh?”
 
 Having heard me speaking to myself, Theo returned a question lie that.
 I pointed at the magic tool stuck to his chest.
 
 “It’s about that spider, but… there’s a point in common with the magic tool used by the criminal in the royal castle assault incident not too long ago.”
 
 “What?!”
 
 The third prince opened his eyes wide in astonishment.
 
 I explained the situation to him briefly.
 When talking about the spider’s magic stone, I said it was based on an assumption from my magic power perception.
 
 
 
 “In other words, those pirates that attacked me, they had the backing of the Principality?!”
 
 Theo shouted with a face that said 『I don’t believe it』.
 I shook my head side to side.
 
 “I’m not saying it’s absolutely true. Whether it’s that spider or the magic tool in question here, it is far more advanced than that of the Principality’s standard. ——— Besides, the Principality doesn’t face the Grand Western Sea, right?”
 
 “Oh yeah, that’s right, that country was on the Northern Sea’s side.”
 
 Theo murmured so, with his hand on his chin.
 
 The northern continent, where our country is, stretches from the east to the west, and is enclosed by a bay^[1] in the south-east, the Grand Western Sea in the south-west, and an ocean known as the Northern Sea in the north.
 
 The bay and the Grand Western Sea are connected, but you can only go north by ship to the Northern Sea by taking a detour from the east.
 
 “Heielland faces the bay, but because Alditana Kingdom is to the Principality’s southern side, they don’t have direct access to the southern seas. I doubt such a Principality did anything in the Grand Western Sea.”
 
 Alditana is a peninsular nation to the Principality’s south, rubbing against our country’s south-western part.
 Though they are more or less a monarchy, the power of the nobility^[2] is strong and the royal authority is weak.
 The country is an aggregation of ancient city-states, and history has it that the Principality was also originally one part of Alditana.
 
 “Hmm…”
 
 Hearing my words, Theo frowned as he pondered.
 Eventually, he raised his hands in resignation.
 
 “So then, who the 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚕 is backing the pirates?”
 
 “Honestly, I can’t tell either. There’s also the possibility that the magic tool suppliers happened to be the same———”
 
 While saying so, I took my pocket watch from my pocket.
 
 “Well then. It’s almost time. Let’s talk about it again tomorrow.”
 
 “Got it.”
 
 Theo nodded obediently.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 During the seizures that night, we succeeded in suppressing the 『waves of magic power』 produced by the spider to a considerable level.
 
 We tried doing the installation of extension lines mid-seizure, and felt that we 『could somehow do it』.
 
 Since Theo replied that there’s 『no problem』, we began discussing immediately doing the treatment the next day at noon.
 
 Since at least three legs need to be extended with Mistreel lines, the treatment will be divided into two or three parts.
 
 Each of them will be a make-or-break.
 
 If in the unlikely event that it fails, Theo will likely be burdened with a heavy disability similar to before the redo.
 
 “Ultimately, Theo will be the one to decide whether to do it and when. I want you to face this in your best state, both physically and mentally, and even if you postpone it, I wouldn’t think of you as cowardly for it.”
 
 “What a joke. I don’t need such an escape route.”
 
 Theo laughed nonchalantly as he said so.
 His fists were tightly clenched ——— and shaking.
 
 There’s no way he’s not scared.
 Even so, yet he’s still trying to move forward.
 
 If so, then I will ———
 
 “It’s alright. I’ll also put my all into it.”
 
 Saying so, I held out my hand.
 After Theo looked on blankly for a moment, he shook my hand.
 
 “Yeah. I’ll be counting on you, buddy^[3].”
 
 We laughed together as he said that.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 And then, the time to do it came.
 
 Just before noon that day.
 Theo and I were preparing for the seizure, waiting in his room.
 
 Theo was half-laying down on his bed, and I was waiting beside him, ready to attach the extension line to the spider.
 
 “I-, it’s kinda scary. That thing.”
 
 Seeing the magic soldering iron in my hand, Theo’s face cramped up.
 
 “Don’t worry~. It doesn’t hurt, don’t be scared~. Hehehehehehehe.”
 
 I smiled at him, Mistreel wires in my left hand and a magic soldering iron in my right hand.
 
 “No, that’s seriously scary!”
 
 “Hm, then, shall we postpone it?”
 
 “Don’t postpone it!”
 
 When I asked, Theo raised his voice.
 
 “Don’t postpone it, but stop it with that eerie smile.”
 
 “That’s rude, you know. I might just stop doing the treatment already.”
 
 “Eh?… Wa-, wait a minute!”
 
 Seeing me getting a little offended, Theo rushed to stop me.
 
 “I’m joking.”
 
 I shrugged my shoulders and smirked.
 
 “Actually, the only thing I’ll be touching today are the spider’s legs, so don’t worry, it won’t hurt.”
 
 “… I know that. I trust Letty.”
 
 Theo said so, his lips pursed.
 
 Is this that other thing?
 The good-ole tsundere?
 
 It happened when I was thinking things like that.
 
 Gong, gong, gong…
 
 From outside the window, the noon bell rung out.
 
 “Coco, Mel!!”
 
 『Gotchaa』
 『Ye—s』
 
 Seated on the table beside me, the two teddy bears flew up.
 
 “Alright then, shall we go!?”
 
 “Yeah!!”
 
 Theo began gathering his own magic power in his legs.
 
 I shouted:
 
 “『《Queskio Magia》 Magic Power Stabilisation』!”
 
 
 And thus, the battle with the spider began.