Mob… Sore mo waki mob no hazu nan desu kedo!?

Chapter 18: In the next report, reporting, a new cheat ability…hii

 

Translator: Syk

TLC: Januva

Editor: Momielxai

First Published on Ainushi

 

I somehow recovered myself from my state of absentmindedness. Rather than saying I recovered myself, for now I just decided to leave it as it is.

My life expectancy only just doubled. Un, that’s right. There probably aren’t any harm. I think I am probably on the 200 year course. But since the magic probing stones didn’t give any reaction, I probably don’t have the makings of a mage.

Well anyways, it’s really half-assed. Let’s just take the 180 year course. There is still a long way ahead of me.

 

After I recovered, we chatted about the town, village, agency, magic beasts. Though it felt like it was mostly me talking and the two only listening. It seemed like it was interesting getting to know about various things. But for me, it was my everyday life so I didn’t know what was so interesting about it. It was mostly likely a new world to aristocrats.

 

After helping them in the evening, then healing them and chatting about various things the sky had changed, the two thought it was bad and returned (back home) in a hurry. They properly thanked me again then left. Now that I think about it, I didn’t even get to eat dinner. Was it better if I had prepared dinner? But their family would probably had been worried, so letting them return home quickly was better.

As expected, I was worried about the two on their way back so I gave them both a pendant as a present. I was wondering whether a pendant in the upper aristocracy is alright, but this is for protection rather than an accessory…or rather an amazing magical artifact? So I hope they’ll overlook it! After all, it’s my specially self-made mana essence stone pendant. Though the appearance looks just like an ordinary stone stuck to the pendant, it is a proper magical artifact. I wish it was prettier but I wasn’t up to that point yet so it can’t be helped. Anyways, I’ll be going to Tournous soon so there shouldn’t be any problems giving them the present.

 

Actually, during my spare time in my job, I wasn’t only just taking one-off requests but also challenging making magical artifacts! If you can’t use magical artifacts, then make one that you can use! And so, I was inspired. Everything with magic power and magic stones had bad affinity with me but I didn’t give up. Having bad affinity means that magic power disperses when touched and the magic stones break when engraved. It’s not because of the physical act of engraving. I tried many times with soft touch but I never succeeded. Even though magic stones aren’t free! Such a waste! I wanted to test with mana crystals but I can’t make one since I break the magic stone to begin with, and it’s not something that’s sold easily so I can’t test it out. I wonder if anyone would sell them, though it would be extremely expensive.

Since the magic stones are useless, I tested with a lot of different mana essence stones. There’s no word such as “give up” in my dictionary! Though I tried to act cool, I am just a persistent man that is bad at giving up. Fuu. First is the mana crystal which is the foundation for all. As a result of thinking to make a mana essence stone into a mana crystal; Is mana essence stone already a mana crystal? Is what I concluded. Because mana crystals are made by using magical circuits to store magic into the magic stone. The mana essence stone I made already has mana essence stored in it. How convenient!

Moreover I thought! Mana crystals are already inserted with a magical circuit to store magic but mana essence stones aren’t. So you can insert it straight onto the mana essence stones itself and use it as a magical artifact. From there, it was a series of trial and error, and since I didn’t know any magical circuits or spells I just made my own kind of mark of a magical circuit and engraved it on. On the mark, using game knowledge from my previous world as reference, I decided to make many effects such as recovery and defense. Naturally, I confirmed the effects and it worked properly. I wonder if this is what you call chuunibyou!?*

I was able to make a properly functioning magical artifact but it’s not what I was seeking to make, I had to repeatedly go through trials and errors. Although I failed many times, at last, I finally succeeded when I engraved the mark while imagining programming inside my head! It was the auto function effect that I wanted. In addition, the magic essence created uses the atmosphere itself for self-recovery effect. It can be used permanently!

It is indeed a cheat! There isn’t any mana essence stone or even any magical artifact of this type. Though commoners don’t even have the opportunity to see a magical artifact. Still, I haven’t seen any in town or in shops. I wonder if there is any in an aristocrat’s mansion or maybe in the royal castle?

Also, I don’t know whether you call this a fortunate error or a fluke, but I was able to get another cheat ability. Rather than making magical artifacts, it might be more amazing. …it’s reconstructing things. Now, haa? Is what one would think! I also thought that. It’s what I thought!!

I tried to clean up the fragments and particles of the broken magic stones and mana essence stones while thinking what a waste it was. I thought about how great it would be if I could reconstruct things like in the alchemist manga I was hooked on with my younger brother in my previous world, and it happened when I put my hand out. It worked!! I was surprised it worked even though I didn’t understand anything about the compositions. Mou, it’s so exciting!!!

I went through some verifications experiments I could think of.

First of all, it might not be reconstruction magic but healing magic? Is what I thought. I tried healing magic to test whether I could heal things. But nothing happened when I tried it. Well, it was expected. I guess I must have been really excited.  If I thought about it a bit, I would have already known. Healing is basically ‘curing illnesses, injuries and so on’…. I wanted to tell myself before I tried!

 

Next, I tried to imagine making magic stones and mana essence stone with nothing but it didn’t work. I thought if I imagined a mud dango on the same ground it might work and it did. It was the same no matter how many times I tested it, apparently it seems that I can reconstruct things if I can understand the compositions somehow; the present materials and a proper image. This time it worked as I imagined a “mud dango” on the “soil of the ground.”  I don’t know the particular components of the “soil on the ground,” but I could “somehow” do it.  How kind it is to me!!!

So it would mean that I can’t alchemize things that I can’t understand the composition of, but then I wouldn’t have been able to construct the magic stone and mana essence stone in the first place. That’s strange. Because I reconstructed the magic stone and mana essence stone even though I didn’t understand the composition one bit.

While I was groaning to myself, the magic stone I was holding broke, and so, as a test, I tried to imagine the original state of the magic stone and I was somehow able to alchemize it. After thinking, it seems that if there is a broken object and I have the knowledge of the original state of the broken object then I can reconstruct it?

So, I searched around the house looking for broken objects which I have no knowledge of the original state of. Conveniently, I discovered something that looked like a broken wooden bucket and tested it out. If it’s this, I can experiment on whether objects other than minerals is also possible. It’s killing two birds with one stone! And the result…I was able to alchemize brilliantly! There was a splendid wooden bucket just as I imagined it to be. I understood from this experiment that even if I didn’t know the original state of the objects, I can reconstruct it to any shape I imagine to. Though I don’t understand very well, but I tested various things and there are conditions to it, but if I imagine the alchemist manga and use magic I am able to do something like alchemy. So I decided to just believe that I am able to use it.

It’s too much of a cheat that I’m kind of scared of myself. This is probably something I shouldn’t show to other people. Though I should be really thankful, it’s a bit scary. In Koihana, there was no description of this kind of ability. More than anything, I was just a supporting mob. I feel like it’s an ability a supporting mob doesn’t need!?

Initially, it’s alchemy! Hyahaaa!! I was excited like this but then as I proceeded the verification experiment, I became scared.

Although while I say it’s scary, I experimented one more thing. I tried to alchemize the crushed magic stone into a magical artifact but it didn’t work. Because I imagined a magical artifact, it didn’t become a magic stone either. Then, I tried to imagine a magic stone, and then imagine a magical artifact from there but it was useless. As expected, cunning doesn’t work… I’ve never been disappointed so slightly! Un. It’s enough having an amazing ability. I won’t ask for more. I won’t. I’ll work hard steadily. 

Somehow I made it while shuddering at my own talent, the special mana essence stone pendants I gave as a present. Without telling them it’s a magical artifact, but despite telling them it was just a protection charm, they were so pleased that they immediately wore them. I was genuinely happy when they were so pleased with it.

But, if it’s a gift from a child, no matter what it is they can’t flatly refuse it. I hope they at least keep it on until their safety is confirmed. Let’s hope that auto function won’t be activated. I hope nothing happens to them. 

Also, I can’t forget about Mooks-san! Mooks-san hasn’t returned yet. I waited without sleeping but in the end he didn’t come back. Until now, this had never happened before so I thought about going to the agency, but I promised Mooks-san that I wouldn’t go out at night so I’m waiting at home. Still, I’m worried so I used a little bit of detection magic to check his whereabouts. But Mooks-san was moving all over the city. I wonder if he is searching for something?

Since there was nothing to do while waiting, though it’s a little early, I decided to make the usual bento.  I made bentos for Mooks-san and assistant chief every day.

After making the bento, I finished cleaning up the tools used. While I was at it, I finished preparations for tonight’s dinner and so I sighed in relief.

I gazed at the sunrise outside the window and went outside after checking Mooks-san’s whereabouts with detection magic. I took the bentos which I made too much of since I was restless and delivered it to the agency.

 

******

Currently, I was running in the streets of the Kingdom, enveloped by the morning mist, towards the agency. Since it was still early morning, people were sparse and very quiet. As it became brighter, the sunlight shining through the morning mist, and as a fantasy loving person in a magical world my tension went up.

 

I arrived at the agency and caught my breath as I stepped in… but I stiffened. There was a splendid mountain of corpses. I entered the entrance and heard from the exhausted subscriber at the front counter, an emergency request came in yesterday afternoon by a high rank subscriber agency staff. I didn’t get to know what kind of request it was since it was confidential but it seemed to be very tiring as they were only done at dawn. I guess wandering throughout the whole city was part of the request.

I greeted the people while listening to the groaning voices around and headed to the chief’s office. When I knocked on the door and heard an answer from the inside, I entered the room, in there, Mooks-san was leaning completely exhausted on his desk just like the subscriber I just saw earlier.

「Good morning? Excuse me for disturbing you. Are you alright? You’re not asleep, are you?」

 

Mooks-san raised his face to my voice. His face was void of any vitality.

「Good morning. You’re not disturbing me. I’m, well I’m okay. More importantly, I’m sorry. I didn’t contact you or go home. I didn’t even have the time to contact you. Since it’s you, you probably waited for me without sleeping? You’ve got dark circles under your eyes」
「It’s a job right? Then it can’t be helped. Don’t worry about me. Here, it’s the usual bento. I made a bit too much so please eat it with everyone else if you don’t mind」

Despite being tired, Mooks-san being concerned about me gave me a tingling feeling as I went towards the table and sofa set. There was a lot of documents on the office desk so I placed the bento on the table at the sofa. Gazing at the mountain of documents, I turned my eyes towards Mooks-san.

「I hope you can return home early today. You’re probably tired so I’ll prepare the bath. 
   Later, I’ll also prepare your favourite sake* so please do your best today!」

Mooks-san laughed happily as he stood and walked towards me. He stroked my head before I could look up. A warm and gentle big hand. After I became ‘me’, I wonder how many times has he caressed my head like this.

「I’ll work hard and finish this work as soon as possible. Thanks. 
   I’ll eat the bento with everyone else. They’ll be very happy, it’ll be a good reward for them」
「If that’s the case, I’m glad」
「You’re heading to the company now right? You didn’t get any sleep, will you be okay? Should I contact them for you?」

 

When I looked up, Mooks-san was looking at me with a very worried face that I laughed.

「I’m totally fine. I’m relieved I could see Mooks-san safe and sound. 
   If I skip work because of something like this, I won’t be able to face Suzuella-san. Don’t worry!」

As I smiled sweetly, Mooks-san bitterly smiled and stroked my head as he said ‘it can’t be helped.’

「Really, Az is the number one honour student here. But, don’t push yourself too hard. Okay, go ahead」

As he gently pushed my back towards the door, I headed for the door. I looked back at Mooks-san and lowered my head.

「Well then! I’ll be going cheerfully today as well. If you can sleep in the nap room, please sleep if you can even for a little bit! I’m off」

 

I waved my hand to Mooks-san who saw me off and left the room. As I left the agency, I casted recovery magic to the whole building just enough so it’s not noticeable, so the people around won’t be tired anymore and then headed towards the company. I’m a bit sleepy, but when work gets busy my sleepiness will fly away. Let’s work hard today too!!

I have to prepare to welcome back the tired Mooks-san home today without working overtime!

 

TLC Notes:

Chuunibyou or 8th grade syndrome is used to describe a delusional condition where people believe they have super powersSake: Japanese rice wine