Chapter 321: Attending the Lecture Seriously
“I don’t understand what you’re so fixated on, boy~,” Haulon said, looking a bit dazed.
“Because Linlin is definitely cuter than… ugh!”
“Stop it; we’re not getting anywhere with this.”
I was physically interrupted by Dinoss.
“Lord Jean, we should delve a bit deeper into why personalities can switch…”
The Butler gently suggested.
Well, in a fantasy world where you can teleport using bones as markers, I suppose personality swaps aren’t too far-fetched. I was a bit surprised by the stark contrast between Linlin’s serious demeanor and the flamboyance of the other personality.
“Why?”
I turned to Haulon, curious.
“This half-heartedness! — I leave the troublesome social maneuvering to the Lin I created, while I indulge in magical research in the Palace of Consciousness. I got dragged out this time by these two, though.”
“So, it’s a created personality? That’s quite skillful. Is that also magic?”
Is Linlin’s serious personality a way to prevent slacking off at work?
“Exactly. It’s an application of combining blessing songs and curses.”
“Seems like you can do a lot.”
I wouldn’t want to attempt personality modification myself. But, hmm, wanting to be a bit braver during battles might count as a temporary personality change, right?
“What about you, boy? I was asked by these two to teach you the steps for magic. If you can’t do it while a strong spirit is attached, it might be about adjusting the magic power given to the spirit? Or controlling it?”
Haulon waved his hand with a smile.
“Please cover the basics. Normally, what do you prepare, and what steps do you take? For now, for teleportation, you prepare a cursed object and synchronize it with the magic circle, then activate it with a spell?”
I wanted to know the steps as they requested.
“That’s right~. This time, the cursed object is a bone inscribed with spells from my bloodline. There are a few others, but each is designed to resonate with the magic circle. To activate the magic circle, you attract the spirit’s attention with a spell while simultaneously calling the spirit with the inscribed spell on the bone to connect the paths.”
“Does the spell have to be more than one word?”
“You need to use sounds that attract the spirit’s attention, aligned with the meaning of the magic circle you want to activate. Some combinations require activating them in order, so longer phrases can be necessary. For things that change like the number of participants, it’s more convenient to specify with a spell.”
Haulon shrugged.
“If you use rhymes or beautiful sounds, the spirits are more likely to lend their power, you know?”
“Is that so?”
I received a wink, but it felt a bit too cliché for our human tastes.
When I glanced over, Dinoss and the Butler were silently looking back at me with serious expressions. Dinoss, the tsundere dragon, was turning away with a displeased look.
I sought the Zabuton for opinions. After a brief pause, it nodded while swaying its edge. Uh, does that mean “no” or “yes”? Neither?
As I adjusted my view, I noticed four spirits were attached to Haulon.
One spirit had hair like vibrant flower petals, another was a dwarf spirit with a red hat and earthy skin, a third was the pale blue-robed spirit, and lastly, for some reason, there was a spirit resembling an Ittan Momen being stepped on by the vibrant spirit. Each was about the size of a Zabuton. Three nodded, while the Ittan Momen shook its head.
It seems to depend on the spirits’ preferences.
“There are times when a staff is used to control magic—it’s common to make it from wood to mimic how spirits are born and gather around the Spirit Tree. You can also carve spells or patterns that the spirits might like, or embed magic stones.”
As Haulon waved her hand, a long staff appeared. Is it a storage item? Or some other kind of magic?
Dinoss and the others are Gold Rank Adventurers, leaving their mark even in the deeper layers of the Labyrinth. Thinking calmly, it wouldn’t be strange for someone in the party to have a storage ability or something similar. I thought it was the Butler, but it turned out to be a hidden weapon that could be concealed in his clothing…
The staff Haulon held had a red magic stone, or rather, a droplet stone. Droplet stones are stronger than magic stones given by spirits, as they contain a part of the spirit’s power. Not only do they have attributes, but they also have a strong connection to the spirit that provided them.
“Hold a branch that seems compatible and concentrate. You should find it easier to handle magic power than usual, okay?”
“Alright.”
“Stop!”
As I eagerly pulled out the Ex-Staff from my waist holster, Dinoss stopped me before I could fully draw it.
“Lord Jean, please put away the Ex-Staff. Even if it doesn’t cause a disaster of destruction, my mind would surely be in chaos.”
Dinoss nodded at the Butler.
A disaster, huh? Well, I could see the Ex-Staff getting overly enthusiastic and amplifying its effects. I decided to heed their advice and returned the Ex-Staff to my waist.
“You’ve become quite amusing in the time we haven’t met. I’ve never seen you so flustered!”
“…There have been various things.”
The Butler’s gaze seemed distant. Perhaps he was reminiscing about his journey to find the old King’s Branch… Should I keep the part about poking a crab a secret?
“—For now, I’ll show you how to cast a fireball, so you try to produce the same one in your own way. After watching, I’ll help you determine what’s missing.”
“Yes.”
“Here I go. ‘Hair of fire blossoms, beautiful maiden Fandor, aiming for the tip of the staff, the magic power I offer is one-hundredth, Fireball!'”
The vibrant spirit, stepping on the Ittan Momen, placed a hand on the staff to lend its power.
A fireball shot straight from the tip of the staff, striking the designated stone pillar and gouging out the rock.
“Now, give it a try.”
“Yes.”
“‘Please produce the same thing.’ …Ah.”
A fireball shot from Haulon’s staff!
“Wha—what! Why is my staff using Fandor’s… my magic is being used…!”
Haulon panicked while Fandor waved at me.
“Well, since the task was to produce the same thing, I guess it’s not a problem.”
I concluded while waving back at Fandor.
So, it turns out I can use other people’s magic if I want—oh, right, I did use the magic of the robed man and the bespectacled mage a lot in the Labyrinth.
“This is strange, isn’t it!? Hey! Balmoa!”
Haulon pressed Dinoss.
“I told you it was veering off in the wrong direction. Don’t get flustered over this.”
“This is just… insane!!! Shadow Wolf!! What does this mean?!”
Haulon approached Dinoss with an intensity that suggested she might grab him by the collar, then suddenly turned to the Butler.
“—Magic is outside the range.”
The Butler returned a bright smile and a bow.