Chapter 58
I remember being concerned about my defence, arent there any spells for putting up a barrier?
If its used against magic, you should be able to devise a skill in the [Mana Manipulation] system.
It might be good to learn Melby-sans [Dimension Magic] too.
Eh? I cant construct any magic barriers though?
If you wrack your brains, you should understand.
Regarding skills, in order to not obstruct ones creativity, I can only give you a hint.
Id like you, as someone who possesses knowledge from another world, to undergo trial and error as you please, without many preconceptions.
Thus, Im looking forward to it.
Hmm so shes not going to tell me anything more than this.
Lets move on.
Are there anything like magic gems in this world?
In short, I want something imbued with mana, that I can harness through external stimuli
Ahh, you want to usethat?
In that case, I believe there were some good examples of what youre looking for in the items you got from the historic remains, right?
? Was there really anything like that?
It might be confusing if you think of it in terms of mana.
You should think of it as something that stores energy that has been produced by magic.
Energy that has been produced by magic I see! So I can use that!
Thats right.
What is that
It seems that only Melby doesnt know. Unfortunately, I dont have the time to explain to her right now.
Speaking of mana it might be a little late to say this, but what is magic in the first place?
Magic symbols toosometimes they shine, sometimes they dont shine. And they can also depict things that cant be done through skills I dont really understand the principle.
Originally, human thought had the power to actualise desires.
Thats what miracles are.
That power is the same for Marquekt, just as it was for your former world.
Its just that that power is very weak, practically incapable of accomplishing anything significant by itself.
The spells in Marquekt, by means of those thoughts, access and retrieve the standardised magic effects stored in the Magic Registry, thats managed by the God of Magic, Attiera.
Magic symbols are something akin to an access key for this purpose.
Since its a sort of key, their shape is also important.
However, their shape is, in the end, an image that ones thoughts define, so for one to depict with magic symbols is essentially no more than for one to use an auxiliary input device to mold that image.
The only thing visible at that point, is that auxiliary device, so when one observes magicians from the exterior, it looks as if the symbols themselves possess a special power.
Furthermore, they shine when youre aware that youre drawing symbols, and dont when youre unaware.
Depending on the situation, if you dont want them to shine, then they wont shineas long as youre not a complete amateur.
Despite whether or not it shines, there wont be a problemso long as you have the proper image in your head.
When your mother used Fire Storm, the symbols shone, correct?
Using that case as an example, because the chant for that was long, giving the image a visible form allowed for a more reliable invocation.
Conversely, when you first cast magic, back when you first gained awareness, Julia-san used to negate it just by tracing it on her thigh, right?
In this case, there wasnt a problem because her desired effect was simple.
Although, it mightve also been that she didnt want the symbols to shine, which wouldve caught your attention.
I sort the information that I had just been told inside my head.
Lets see By drawing magic symbols, I can access Attieras Magic Registry to call forth a magical effect.
Because imagery is important, the symbols are no more than an auxiliary tool, huh.
A computer can still function without a mouse, or a touch panel, but its inconvenient without them, right?
The goddess, who was completely familiar with the IT of Earth, explained with such a metaphor.
It was certainly easy to understand, but I felt like she had spoiled things somehow.
Then what role do magic skills have?
The magical effects that are extracted from the Magic Registrytheyre called magic modelspossess a very generic nature, and can only describe things very roughly.
Magic skills fine-tune these roughly described magic models, and serve to better embody magic in a closer form to the practitioners desires.
Lets see, as an example, think of it like purchasing wood roughly cut to size from the hardware store, then building a shelf by using a saw and hammer to cut and nail the wood together. The wood at the beginning is the magic model, the saw and the hammer are skills, and the shelf is the magical embodiment.
Yup, its easy enough to understand.
Its easy enough to understand, but is this okay?
Whats the difference between the ancient magic symbols and the modern magic symbols?
The ancient magic symbols access the old class of the Magic Registry.
The magic models present in the old class have a tendency to produce a higher output, and a more flexible form.
Originally, those magic models were intended for the Pioneer Elves, who excelled at controlling mana.
The magic models called forth by the ancient magic symbols are certainly more powerful, but the larger effects brought about by the undefined portion of the models have to be adjusted by the practitioners themselves.
Thus, for the ancient magic symbols, a few image-stimulation effects have been embedded in the symbols themselves, but there are people whose images become disturbed because of this, so there are both advantages and disadvantages because of it.
It should be hard to handle by all rights, unless the person using it is a possessor of a mental structure that specialises in magic, but it looks like you can use them somehow.
I wasnt very aware of that though.
It might be due to you having the [No Fatigue] skill, and the fact that you have an adult soul dwelling inside the mind of an infant.
I was the one who gave you [No Fatigue], but your flexible way of thinking always surprises me.
Whats MP?
Its something that Attiera collects as the cost for the magical models.
Using the example I talked about before, I suppose that MP is the money thats needed to purchase the materials used.
Ive heard that the MP is processed to create the magic models, but I havent been told much about that part.
So I guess its similar to the way you collect Curses, and in return grant Gifts.
In general, yes.
Its a system where mana, Gifts, and souls can all be circulated.
Without it, mana, Gifts, and souls wouldve all been exhausted a long time ago, and Marquekt wouldve become a barren world where only gods and the Evil God exist.
So gods were that great.
Fufu thank you for the complement.
As I looked away from the laughing goddess, I remembered my next question.
It seems like Ive received a divine blessing from the god who governs religion Kannumarne(?) without realising. What sort of god are they?
Kannumarne is the god who governs both religion and faith.
People believe in gods with tranquil hearts, and he carries the role of properly guiding these pious believers who live without fighting amongst themselves.
Just like I said earlier, religion in Marquekt does not exceed a fixed pattern and it is not something that people tend to obsess over. Kannumarne reflects this, calmly taking on the form of a compassionate young boy who loves peace.
Furthermore, he is the god who manages everyones titles.
Putting aside the fact that its easier to gain a title when ones charisma rises, whats up with it increasing ones influence(?) for granting someone else a title?
Titles are acquired when the number of people thatre calling you by a certain name in awe exceeds a certain number. But if you were to be called something with stronger emotions, it could result in a title, even with a lower number of people.
All of this is the same as I explained earlier, except for the fact that titles have one more determining factor.
And that is the amount of influence those who designate titles have.
For example, isnt the level of influence different between a king being the one to designate a title and an ordinary person designating a title?
This is also decided at the moment of a titles assignment, as a title will stick much more easily, even if theres only a small number of people, if the one designating the title is a person with a strong level of influence.
Similarly, if you, who has received Kannumarnes divine blessing, calls someone else by a title, then the possibility of that title being assigned to them in the system becomes higher.
I briefly wondered what kind of merit does that have?, but if someone has a magic-related title, then the expansion of their mana pool via the exhaustion of their MP becomes possible.
It might come in handy if Im able to affix a magic-related title to someone else.
Julia-kaasan possesses the Flame Prison Witch title, but Id like it if I could confer some sort of magic-related title to Alfred-tousan.
If ones MP is high, that alone makes it easier to hunt monsters and raise ones level.
As for the effect of titles, I suppose that the possessors of magic-related titles being able to extend their maximum MP, as I mentioned last time, would be the most direct correlation between titles and their effects.
In addition, theres also a small compensation for the acquisition of skills, depending on the contents of the title.
However, thats more of a bonus effect. The most important thing is that its easier to gain the attention of a god if you have a title.
No matter which god it is, its impossible for us to keep an eye on every single human.
Thats why, using titles as a sign, we search for humans to grant both our attention and divine blessings to.
In other words, using an example from your former world
Its something akin to the tags of video sites.
Thats right.
The goddess was a little sulky at having her line stolen.