Chapter 22
A human life is heavier than anything else. Though it doesn't have actual weight, you only realize it when you're forced to shoulder that burden.
The crushing pressure of every insignificant action suddenly becoming meaningful, and the guilt of knowing your mistake cost thousands of lives.
When I first joined the Hero's party, that pressure was so overwhelming I could barely eat.
Now, as a similar sensation coursed through my body and weighed on my stomach, I felt like I might retch involuntarily.
"Your Excellency, are you nervous?" Ivanna asked.
"Honestly, a little," I nodded in response.
It had worked when I'd done it on myself. If I didn't make any mistakes, it should work this time too, but the word 'failure' wouldn't leave my mind.
"But it must be done."
This wasn't just about the immediate situation. If this experiment succeeded, it could be the key to saving many more lives in the future.
It would be great if I could report this to the academy. Unfortunately, I'm in hiding right now, so that's not possible. What a shame.
As I mulled over my regrets and mentally reviewed the theory I'd developed, Baron David and his knights returned, having finished guiding the refugees.
"Your Excellency... We're ready."
"Thank you for your hard work. Well then..."
As I was about to leave the tent to begin the spell, David called out from behind.
"I apologize for my harsh words earlier. I was too excited. And even if this fails, our loyalty to you won't change."
He said they'd sworn allegiance after seeing how I'd extended a helping hand to the refugees. That oath wouldn't disappear just because of one failure.
His words eased my worries, and I bowed deeply before exiting the tent.
Outside, thousands of refugees waited for me in the vast field.
Those thousands of pairs of eyes held as many different emotions.
Doubt. Fear. Hope. Pleading. Joy. Sorrow.
And even more complex feelings that couldn't be expressed in a single word.
Taking in all of those emotions, I took to the sky.
I've wondered since I was young...
Why was it possible to create fire or ice with magic, but not food?
Everyone said it was impossible, so I'd dismissed it too, but a case in the Demon Realm had disproven that common sense.
Even without seeing it firsthand, if it was possible, figuring out the reason for failure wasn't difficult.
The most important thing in magic is imagery. The more accurate and detailed the image, the closer the result is to reality.
This is why water created by water magic can quench thirst.
So why didn't it work for food? The only explanation was a lack of proper imagery.
So I started by thinking about why eating food satisfies hunger and keeps us alive.
Food contains nutrients like protein and vitamins, which our bodies break down and absorb.
But it's impossible to imagine those nutrients since we can't see them with our eyes.
So how did the demons do it? If there was a way to confirm it without seeing it, couldn't we do it too?
I analyzed my own body. I examined what happened when I ate food and constructed a spell to replicate those effects.
Instead of focusing on imagery, I recreated the physiological effects and converted them into magic.
Honestly, it wasn't easy. The reason demons could use this magic so easily was probably because they were born in a barren land.
It's the same principle as how succubi can use charm magic without being taught.
After long periods of evolution and natural selection, only those species that could naturally learn this magic survived to become the demons of today.
Or maybe it was designed that way.
Someone who created us. Another piece of evidence that there might be supernatural beings on par with Bel Zuma...
I pushed those thoughts aside to focus on the present situation.
My newly created magic: Calorie Replenishment Magic (Provisional).
But before using it, there was something I had to do first.
"Strategic Magic: 'With One Heart.'"
As soon as I uttered the incantation, invisible strands of mana rained down from the sky, connecting me to all the refugees.
Strategic Magic: With One Heart.
This magic links minds, allowing orders to be given to all affected soldiers without the need for communication magic.
It had another feature: the ability to know the soldiers' vital signs and nutritional status.
Before using the Calorie Replenishment Magic, I needed to know everyone's exact nutritional state to avoid potential problems.
Their conditions weren't good. There were many injured, and many children still growing who would normally need a lot of food.
How long have they been starving?
Countless pieces of information flooded my mind. I recorded, categorized, calculated, and processed it all.
It might have taken a few minutes in real time.
When all preparations were complete, I reached out towards them, stepping onto a gambling table where I had to succeed no matter what.
"Wow..."
David's jaw dropped at the mythical sight that seemed to defy all common sense.
Normally, strategic magic was high-level magic that required dozens of mages to assist.
Even David, a warrior, knew this basic fact. But Elang had just disproven it right before their eyes.
Moreover, he was casting it simultaneously with another spell. Who wouldn't be amazed?
Maybe...
At first, everyone had been skeptical, but seeing this spectacle, they couldn't help but think, "Maybe..."
To avoid disturbing him, they all closed their eyes in silent, fervent support, as if in prayer.
After a few minutes passed, David and the knights' eyes snapped open at the murmuring voices from the refugees. They rushed over.
Among the gathered refugees, some were crying, while others, thinking this was a divine miracle, knelt and prayed to the heavens.
"What's going on? What happened?"
"My... my hunger is gone!!"
"What in the world...!"
As these cries erupted sporadically, everyone realized: Elang had succeeded.
"Hurrah!!! Long live Count Elang!!!"
While the knights and refugees cheered excitedly, praising the Count's name, only Ivanna maintained a calm, joyful smile.
"Hey, miss!! Your master just did something incredible. Shouldn't you be more excited?!"
"His Excellency is capable of such feats as a matter of course. As the maid of such a person, I must maintain my composure in any situation."
"Wow... Are you really a maid?"
Though she said that, she had been anxiously worrying about what would happen if he failed.
Ivanna secretly wiped the sweat from her palms onto her apron as she went to greet her descending master.
"Your Excellency. I believed you would succeed."
"...Thank you. Honestly, I was nervous. It was my first time using it on others, so I wasn't certain. More importantly, were there any problems?"
Afterward, they went around checking if anyone had any issues, but fortunately, the first experiment concluded successfully without any problems.
Despite the lack of alcohol or music, the atmosphere was festive. Amidst the commotion, David and his knights approached Elang to apologize.
"We're sorry for doubting you, even if it was just for a moment."
Seeing David and his group bowing so deeply their foreheads nearly touched the ground, an embarrassed Elang approached them directly and helped them up.
They had doubted someone who had extended a helping hand. The knights were prepared to be struck, thinking they had committed the worst possible act.
"Doubt is a precious human instinct. How could you not be skeptical when you're responsible for so many lives?"
Hearing these warm words, their noses tingled, and they lowered their heads in shame.
"Let's think about other issues instead."
To change the atmosphere, Elang listed the immediate problems they faced.
Housing for the refugees, transportation for the injured. All were important issues, and the knights' attention quickly shifted to these matters.
"...Please leave that to me."
As everyone was about to discuss what to do, Ivanna, who had been silently standing by Elang's side, stepped forward.
"I'll negotiate with Bart's company to prepare carriages, large tents, medical personnel, and even sand."
"I'm sorry to burden you with such a difficult task, but I'll leave it to you. I'll use my own money later, so please use it generously."
"That won't be necessary. I have my retirement fund and savings. More importantly, Your Excellency. Are you alright?"
"Pardon?"
"Even to someone like me who knows nothing about magic, it's clear you used an incredible spell. Yet you don't seem tired at all..."
Come to think of it, the knights also thought Elang's condition was too normal.
Strategic magic typically used by dozens of people.
An unknown magic that replenished the calories and nutrients of thousands.
Despite using both at once, Elang's condition was surprisingly fine.
"There's a reason for that. I should probably explain now to avoid misunderstandings later."
"What do you mean...?"
"Due to certain circumstances, I rarely run out of mana."
Perhaps judging that showing was better than giving a boring explanation to non-experts, Elang led everyone to a less crowded part of the field.
The knights followed him with expectant expressions, wondering what he would show them this time.
When they reached a moonlit field, Elang silently pointed to his shadow.
In what seemed at first glance to be an ordinary shadow with no mana presence, hundreds, thousands of pairs of eyes appeared, staring at the opposite side.
Whether it was their imagination or not, grotesque monsters writhed and silently screamed within the unusually large shadow.
Amidst this eerie sight, some stumbled back in shock, while others stifled screams behind their hands. Elang calmly explained:
"I've worked hard to become stronger. But at some point, I reached my limit."
A mage's strength comes from mana. This was the method Elang chose to try to match even a fraction of the Hero's infinite mana.
This was the spiritualization of magical beasts. It was Elang's original magic that extracted the souls of magical beasts, remodeled them into spirit-like forms, and subjugated them.
Even in a soul-only state, magical beasts could generate mana, so Elang absorbed the mana of the subjugated spirit beasts and made it his own.
The current number of magical beasts and spirits contracted to Elang totaled 5,621.
Two of them boasted corps commander-level mana, and even those below them had enough power to single-handedly wipe out an average army.
After finishing his explanation, Elang turned to the shocked David and knights and carefully said:
"I'm telling you this because I trust you. And because I sometimes summon magical beasts during battle, so I wanted to inform you in advance."
He assured them that the magical beasts marked with a blue seal were all under his control, but the knights were too flustered to respond.
They had known he was extraordinary from the first time they saw him, but they never imagined the difference would be this great.
"Um, excuse me..."
As everyone was trying to comprehend this miraculous sight and its background, one knight timidly raised his hand and asked Elang:
"...I heard that power related to souls is the domain of the goddess, and black magic involving it is taboo."
The implication was clear: Are you using such magic despite this?
The accusatory tone drew resentful glares from those around him.
Is he crazy? How could he ask that now?
Is he brainless? Their eyes seemed to criticize, causing the knight to gradually shrink back.
Elang, with a somewhat bitter smile, said to him:
"It's alright. I've met her in person once, and she's not the type to care about such things."
"What?"
I'll explain that someday too. With that promise to himself, Elang recalled Bel Zuma's chilling smile.