Magic Spiral Research

The optimal structure for connecting to ley lines came to be called the "Magic Spiral," and the research slipped out of my hands almost instantly. The Magic Spiral's materials and structure were important, but neither acquiring nor processing them was particularly difficult. Craftspeople other than me could reproduce it without trouble.

Research into the Magic Spiral could be done by anyone, not just me.

That being the case, it was inevitable that people would swarm around this major revolution in magic.

After the Magic Spiral underwent basic safety checks at Tokyo University of Magic, it was made public around the world.

Research began simultaneously at institutions all over the globe.

Leyline connection and physical enhancement through the Magic Spiral had the potential to change the balance of the world.

Besides being spectacularly useful for simple physical labor, the ability to fundamentally bolster the strength of armies was alluring too.

If regulations on the Magic Spiral weren't established quickly, there was a risk that magical musclebound criminal groups would run rampant, and the vested interests surrounding the manufacture and research of Magic Spiral Wands were complicated too.

It was impossible for now, but perhaps one day we could explore what was happening inside Earth through leyline connections, or develop technology for drawing magic power up from the earth and casting magic endlessly.

For better or worse, the Magic Spiral would change the world.

After discussing it with Hiyori, we arranged for Mamono-kun to be credited as the discoverer of the Magic Spiral—that is, leyline connection and the resulting physical enhancement.

If too much credit gathered around me, more people would start targeting me. And it wasn't a lie to call it Mamono-kun's achievement.

In truth, the achievement of publicly releasing innovative technology free of charge, despite its potential to become the source of enormous vested interests, was enough to offset the charge of unauthorized keeping of Class 1 monsters.

It was like paying bail, and Mamono-kun became able to come play in Okutama freely without having Hiyori monitor and accompany them every time.

At first, Mamono-kun repeatedly bowed to me in embarrassment, but after being regarded as the foremost authority on the Magic Spiral, they soon had no time to feel embarrassed, let alone come to Okutama.

They had to receive visits from government bigwigs, were swamped with patent-related procedures, and ended up serving both as the owner of a ghost Gremlin ranch and the leader of the Magic Spiral research team.

Between work and entertaining guests, they also had to handle media interviews with a cheerful smile, play with Gazer-kun, and continue their work as vice president of the Japanese Society of Monsterology.

Hearing about their murderous schedule, I couldn't help thinking, I'm so glad I dumped the credit for discovering the Magic Spiral on Mamono-kun!

Yeah, exactly.

Because Hiyori and the Spider Witch serve as diplomatic contacts and shut out all the troublesome stuff, I can sit around carefree in my house in Okutama.

Anyone who makes a revolutionary discovery is bound to end up in a frenzy like Mamono-kun. It really drove home how unusual my situation was.

If the Okutama Guardians' defenses ever slackened, things would become unbelievable. Knock on wood. In particular, I hope the death squad posing as the press never comes near me for the rest of my life. Their standard attack, "interview," definitely packs enough power to stress me to death three times over.

While watching Mamono-kun's busyness as someone else's problem, I resumed the disassembly of the Demon King Gremlin, which I had left untouched amid the continuing commotion.

What I've been doing is nothing but disassembly, but there's a small discovery every day, which makes it interesting. It brings back memories of taking apart my father's expensive watch when I was little and getting yelled at like crazy, but this Demon King Gremlin praises me instead of getting angry no matter how thoroughly I take it apart. My motivation never runs out.

When you immerse yourself in your work, the months and years pass quickly. I realized midsummer had arrived when the breeze blowing through the window lost its chill and began carrying heat.

This year's Okutama water-play outing was being planned too.

My Interpersonal Relations Skill had been leveling up dramatically lately, and I finally understood why Hiyori kept wanting to exclude everyone but me from our water outings.

Hiyori wanted to go on a swimsuit date with just the two of us ...!

When two people play together, each person's feelings toward the other are 100 percent.

But when three or more people play together, those feelings inevitably get spread around, becoming something like Hiyori 90 percent and Spider Witch 10 percent. It's impossible to look only at Hiyori and think only about Hiyori.

Therefore, only by creating a one-on-one situation could we allocate all of our resources to each other and form what was essentially a "space just for the two of us."

Having solved the mystery that had been puzzling me for so long, I caught Hiyori reading a swimsuit catalog in the living room and asked her to check my answer.

I had been utterly confident that I would get a perfect score, but Hiyori gave me a remarkably complicated look and graded me harshly.

"Seventy points."

"W-Why? Where did I lose thirty points?"

"You could say the substance is more or less correct. But asking me to check your answer was the mistake."

"Huh? But you want to enjoy flirting with just me, right? Because you love me. What's wrong with that?"

"............ Being able to say that with a straight face is your strength. To explain it so even Oori can understand, I suppose it's like explaining a joke. Isn't that awkward? The fact that you need to check the answer directly means it's already a communication error."

She spoke as though gently explaining something to a child, reminding me of something Professor Ohinata had said before. It had been something like, 'Directly asking someone what they intended by their words is like handing them the ball during a game of catch, so it's not good.'

D-Damn it. I hadn't put what I'd learned before into practice! This was what people called "not reading the room."

I had a sneaking suspicion that I'd learned too many new concepts of communication all at once lately, and the things I'd learned long ago were being pushed out and falling away one by one.

"Sorry. Conversation is difficult."

"No. Compared with when you used to tell me, 'Don't talk to me. Don't come near me,' this is tremendous progress. Our lifespans are long, after all. Even if it takes a hundred years, I'll stick with you as long as it takes for you to get better at conversation."

"Oh, really? Thanks, Hiyori. I love you!"

"............ If Oori gets any better at talking, I might be in trouble."

Hiyori blushed slightly and smiled weakly.

Hmm! Time to run the latest learning program!

Hiyori had just said that she might be in trouble if Oori got better at talking, but judging from similar precedents, my data said she actually wouldn't be bothered! It was just her way of hiding her embarrassment!

And if I tried to confirm whether that guess was right, my data said Hiyori would turn expressionless and sigh with 99 percent probability!

Therefore, the correct answer here was to keep quiet ...!

Having to use this much brainpower every time we talked was because I was still immature, right? It really seemed like it might take another hundred years before I could carry on a conversation naturally and smoothly. I would do it for the sake of perfect communication with Hiyori, but the thought was exhausting.

But if I had a hundred years, there was no need to rush. I could take it slowly.

For now, I set aside the kind of intensive mental labor that made my head hurt and borrowed an outdoor-goods catalog for river outings from Hiyori. We sat beside each other, chatting in bits and pieces while debating whether this or that item was better, when the doorbell rang.

When I went to answer it, Professor Ohinata was standing there with a thick document envelope.

She was in humanoid mode today, dressed in a mature, composed, cool-looking outfit.

"Hello, Oori-san. These are this week's Magic Spiral research reports."

"Oh. The reports get thicker every time. Any noteworthy discoveries?"

"We have data on the pace of enhancement by race, gender, age, and region. Apart from whether someone can control magic power, region has the greatest effect on the pace of enhancement. The difference is tiny, though.

And the Alraune have withdrawn their refusal at a single word from one of the Flower Witch's vines and agreed to continue supplying large quantities of materials for Magic Spiral Wands."

"Oh?"

There didn't seem to have been any major breakthroughs, but the research was apparently progressing steadily.

Research into the details of permanent physical enhancement through leyline connection was proceeding fastest.

For example, it had been established that the maximum magic power lost through enhancement did not recover.

Suppose someone has a default magic power of 5K.

They grow to 10K through magic training and reach their limit.

Then leyline training reduces it to 9K.

Their magic-training limit becomes 9K, making it impossible to return to 10K. The training limit itself permanently decreases.

Thus, the infinite combo of boosting physical abilities through leyline training and then restoring the lost magic power through magic training does not work.

This also ties into the amount of magic power possessed by Transcendents and the cause of their nausea.

Transcendents acquire, upon mutation, a body that has completed leyline training to its limit. They start out in a fully enhanced state.

Leyline training is performed by mixing leyline magic power with one's own magic power and acclimating it to the body.

When a Transcendent in a fully enhanced state tries to do this, they are attempting to draw more leyline magic power into their body even though they've already reached their limit, even though they're already full. That's why they gag, and their body rejects the leyline magic power.

Also, if we assume that the average physical strength of a Transcendent is equal to the enhancement limit, then comparing the physical enhancement and magic-power reduction rates from leyline training for ordinary humans and demonfolk allows us to calculate that investing approximately 3000K in leyline training would bring someone up to a Transcendent's level of physical ability.

Since the average magic power of demonfolk is around 2000K, it means they cannot acquire Transcendent-level physical abilities no matter how hard they try.

The average magic power of Transcendents is 6000K. If a Transcendent were to have the magic power spent on leyline training returned to them, they would have 9000K. The difference between demonfolk and Transcendents is about as large as the difference between ordinary humans and demonfolk.

Magic power, magic power, magic power. Everything comes down to magic power.

People with little magic power can still perform leyline training, but it amounts to little more than a token boost, so leyline training is not recommended for ordinary humans.

Even ordinary humans who cannot control magic power can perform leyline training. But compared with deliberate training performed using magic control, it leaves the process to nature and is tremendously inefficient.

The enhancement pace for ordinary humans is 1K per month.

The enhancement pace for demonfolk is 1K per day.

There are individual differences, but an ordinary human's enhancement pace never exceeds 1K per ten days, while a demonfolk's never falls below 1K per three days.

It was a cruel wall of talent. Ordinary humans were made so they could never beat demonfolk in the field of magic.

The research data Professor Ohinata brought last week concerned experiments the Mutation Department had begun to break through that wall of talent, and it was quite interesting.

The Mutation Department of Tokyo University of Magic was a group of mad scientists, and they dealt with the field of "partial mutation."

Transformation magic and Transcendents involve mutating the entire body into another organism. This was research into mutating only a single part, such as the hands, feet, or throat, rather than the whole body.

The research had been going on for a long time. The Mutation Department had people with four arms, people with animal ears in addition to their human ears and thus four ears in total, and even people who were somehow alive despite having no head.

Partial leyline training based on this research was a shining ray of hope for people with little magic power.

Leyline training was training that improved the abilities of the entire body.

It increased the power of the entire body, the speed of the entire body, and the toughness of the entire body.

All the magic power lost was distributed among improvements to the body's basic stats.

If partial mutation made it possible to distribute this freely, the situation would change completely.

If I sacrificed speed and toughness to raise only the power of my right hand, I could obtain superhuman arm strength far more efficiently than through full-body enhancement. It would be a dream build with a right hand strong enough to deliver a finishing move.

If I sacrificed speed and power to raise only the toughness of my entire body, I could efficiently increase only my defense, directly improving my safety. If this were possible, it would become essential training for VIPs.

Humans couldn't become Transcendents because they lacked enough magic power.

But if it were only one right hand. If it were only defense.

If it were only a tiny part of the body, it might be possible to reach a Transcendent's level.

Well, it was only an armchair theory for now, but apparently the Mutation Department was working enthusiastically on this partial leyline-training research. I looked forward to seeing how it progressed.

I flipped through the research materials and skimmed their contents, but I couldn't find any topics more interesting than what the professor had explained verbally.

I suppose that's about what I'd expect. But what had caused the Alraune to change their minds?

"What happened with the Alraune? They were refusing to provide materials so adamantly."

When I asked, tilting my head, the professor smiled wryly.

Fuyou was extremely attached to me, so whenever I asked for materials for Magic Spiral Wands, they handed them over readily. For that matter, they gave me materials even when I didn't ask.

But that was because I was an exception.

The Alraune, led by the Flower Witch, generally used humans to expand their influence.

They maintained the appearance of coexistence and mutual prosperity, but the Alraune were the ones using humans. It wasn't the humans using the Alraune.

When asked to manufacture wand materials for humans, the Alraune either refused or made demands for exorbitant compensation that amounted to a refusal.

"The Flower Witch likes long-term investments. After seeing how enthusiastically humanity has embraced this, she seems to have considered the bigger picture."

"Ah, yes. She does give the impression of being willing to wait a long time."

I nodded while remembering the various things the Flower Witch had done, such as extending my lifespan and sending Fuyou to me.

The Flower Witch had never once asked me to have the magic stone I obtained during the Arataki Group incident processed.

Eighty years later, I understood very well why she had kept such a valuable magic stone in its raw form.

During the dawn of the era after the Gremlin disaster, magic stones were precious and important. Mamono Scissors and magic stone wands made from magic stones were tremendously useful for strengthening humanity's military power and, ultimately, ensuring its survival. Without magic stones, humanity today would not exist.

Put another way, this meant that almost every magic stone had been processed one after another to overcome the crisis right in front of humanity.

At present, only two unprocessed magic stones remained in the world.

The Flower Witch possessed one of those two. Apparently, by lending the extremely rare rough magic stone to various research institutions, she was acquiring powerful connections and wealth. It was like wine that rose in value all by itself simply by being kept on hand. Smart.

"These days, wands based on Fuyou-san's Golden Spiral are the mainstream. So only the Alraune can produce the materials for them. The Alraune are highly valuable.

But the Alraune aren't the only ones with Golden Spirals. Many Class 1 monsters have the same structure. Before long, we'll be able to make wands from materials other than those of the Alraune too.

So the worst-case scenario would be to refuse to sell now, incur resentment, and then lose the value of being the sole supplier of a unique material in the future, leaving only resentment behind. The better scenario would be to sell it cheaply, along with goodwill, while the Alraune are still highly valuable.

The Flower Witch didn't say so directly, but that was the impression I got from speaking with her."

"I see ...?"

She really thought through all sorts of complicated things. Basically, it was like saying, "Let's sell as much tapioca as we can while tapioca tea is still wildly popular!" That old witch was shrewd.

"No point in standing around talking. Want to come in? Hiyori's here, though."

"Ah, I'm sorry. I appreciate the invitation, but I have an appointment at Mamono-kun-san's place afterward ..."

"Really? Well, say hello to Mamono-kun for me."

"Yes. Well, if you'll excuse me."

The professor gave a little bow and left.

After seeing her off, I fanned myself with the stack of documents and thought.

Hmm ...?

Professor Ohinata was a born extrovert, a true person of the light who became friends with anyone and everyone.

So it wasn't strange that she had quickly become friends with Mamono-kun.

However, visiting Mamono-kun by fitting it into the gaps in her busy schedule as university president wasn't something she did for just anyone.

Last week, too, she had gone to see Mamono-kun after delivering the materials to me.

The week before last, and the week before that, too. At this rate, probably next week as well.

I had assumed she was going there to help because Mamono-kun seemed incredibly busy at the moment.

But something felt suspicious. She was even going out of her way to take humanoid form to see Mamono-kun. Well, until now she'd only gone out of her way to turn into a stoat to meet me ... But even so ... Hmm ...

It felt like the professor was treating Mamono-kun as someone special.

Perhaps that meant she thought highly of Mamono-kun.

No, maybe she had even promoted them from 'friend' to the higher rank of 'best friend'!?

"That's possible." With the professor's social skills, it was entirely plausible ...!

I was deeply impressed.

The professor was incredible. She'd raced through in three weeks what had taken me three years. Her speed at building relationships was extraordinary.

It was terrifying that even the professor had failed at marriage. If even she had suffered defeat before the wall of marriage, it seemed like it would take me ten thousand years to marry Hiyori.

...Though I don't even know if we'll get married!

We hadn't even been dating for six months yet ...!

Embarrassed by my own fantasies, I carried Mokutan, who looked puzzled after finding me standing at the entrance making all sorts of faces, on my shoulders and went out for a walk.

I needed to cool the heat in my cheeks for a while before returning to Hiyori. She was a bewitching woman, since she could make my heart pound even in my imagination.