Chapter 9
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Translator: Xrecker
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Patrasche, the Human Thresher
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The next day.
After spending the night at the village elder’s house, we set off for the 100-acre farmland near the village, guided by Violet, the elder’s daughter-in-law.
“The irrigation water is drawn from the river in front of the village using a weir. Whenever the water level rises due to rain, the water automatically flows into the long ditches dug alongside the fields.”
After briefly explaining the layout of the fields to Vanessa and Camilla, who were unfamiliar with agriculture, she told us about the crops they cultivated.
“Since our village is home to various races, our food culture is quite diverse. So, in addition to barley and wheat, which are our staple foods, we also grow rice, beans, and potatoes.”
“That must require a lot of work.”
“Well, what can you do if you want to eat what you like?”
I could relate to her sentiment and nodded, gazing at the golden wheat field stretching before us.
“I heard you’ve been short-handed, but it seems like you have a bountiful harvest this year.”
The wheat grains, plump within their husks, were so heavy they bowed towards the ground.
“Yes, everyone who sees it says the same thing. It’s all thanks to the Goddess’s blessings.”
Violet smiled proudly, then hopped over a small stream along the path and pointed to the area that needed harvesting.
“For today, the area we’d like you to harvest starts here and extends to those trees over there. It’s a little under 25 acres. Would that be alright?”
I nodded.
“It’s my first time using my magic for this purpose, but it shouldn’t be too difficult.”
Honestly, using the magic I had honed through sleepless nights for something like harvesting crops would have been unthinkable in the past.
Mages were highly sought-after specialists; we weren’t typically called upon for such tasks.
However, there was a difference between not doing something and not being able to do it.
“Suuh…”
I took a deep breath, spreading my arms.
In this world, mages typically cast spells by absorbing mana from the atmosphere, converting it into elemental energy within a virtual mana furnace commonly referred to as a “core,” and then combining or layering these elements to maximize their effects.
Naturally, the power of a spell varied greatly depending on the caster’s skill.
And the spell I was about to use was a detection spell.
One of the most commonly used spells in everyday life, it allowed the caster to view a wide area from a third-person perspective, as if looking down from the sky, making it quite useful.
It was also a mandatory spell for military mages, as it was invaluable for commanders in planning large-scale military operations.
I stroked my rough chin, lost in thought.
I shouldn’t use a spell that’s too powerful.
Even without intending to, if I miscalculated, I could damage the grains, rendering them inedible.
To avoid such a mishap, careful planning was essential.
24.79 acres is about 99,173.55 square meters, so I should divide the area based on that.
Using the detection spell, I calculated the area of the land and made a rough estimate. Then, I calculated how much mana I would need to expend to complete the day's work.
“Hmm. About this much?”
The calculations didn’t take long.
I pulled out a piece of paper and quickly sketched a diagram to share my plan with the others.
Violet, watching from the side, tilted her head curiously.
“What are you doing?”
I shook my fountain pen, the ink flowing sluggishly from lack of use.
“Ah, I’m just calculating the most efficient way to harvest the crops.”
I showed her the diagram and equations I had drawn on the paper.
Since I had simplified the 100-acre area using straight and curved lines, it should have been easy to understand, even for someone seeing it for the first time.
However, Violet, holding the paper, continued to tilt her head in confusion, seemingly unable to grasp its meaning.
“Um… just a moment.”
Frustrated, I showed the paper to Vanessa and Camilla, but they had the same reaction.
…They couldn’t understand such simple equations?
Sigh, I guess there’s no helping it.
I gave up on explaining and decided to show them instead.
“Alright, then let’s go and prove whether my calculations are correct.”
***
The magic towers across the continent used a ten-tier system to classify the academic achievement of mages.
The higher the number, the greater the mage's skill. Only seventeen mages in the entire continent had reached the sixth tier, capable of wielding Hexa Spells.
The highest level ever achieved by a mage was the eighth tier, making the ninth and tenth tiers purely theoretical.
As I mentioned before, all magic originated from the mana that existed in nature.
Only a select few humans could see or sense the mana flowing through the atmosphere. And only those who could successfully absorb this mana into their virtual mana furnaces and convert it into the elements required for spellcasting were considered true mages.
While different schools of magic had varying views on the fundamental elements of nature, they were generally defined as the four or five elements.
Those who adhered to the four elements were typically old-fashioned conservatives who only recognized earth, water, fire, and wind – the commonly known elementals – as true elements. Younger mages, more open to new ideas, generally included aether, a relatively recent addition, as the fifth element.
My magic system followed the latter.
Not because I was young, but because incorporating aether, which possessed properties that countered the traditional four elements, allowed for greater destructive power.
Tradition be damned. When your life depended on a single spell, maximizing its destructive potential was paramount.
Naturally, the old mages criticized my methods, accusing me of disrespecting tradition. My response was always, “And your tier level is…?”
Ultimately, since the number preceding the tier indicated the absolute value of magical achievement, this childish argument was easily settled. And since most mages in the tower were of a lower tier than me, they had no choice but to shut up after my retort.
Anyway—
The reason I had been rambling about my greatness was simple.
It was because I,
a leading academic figure, once considered a candidate for the next Head Mage of the Emerald Tower, one of the four great magic towers of the continent,
had become a spectacle for the entire village.
I had simply asked the village elder to gather people to collect the harvested crops, and yet, everyone, from the elderly to the women, young maidens, and children, had gathered, their faces filled with anticipation, waiting for me to perform my magic.
Honestly, it was incredibly nerve-wracking.
I was used to being met with fear, jealousy, and awe. This was the first time I had been the subject of such hopeful expectation.
This is usually the Hero’s specialty.
I was suddenly grateful for the mask I was wearing.
If I hadn’t been wearing it, Vanessa and Camilla would have noticed my unease at the unexpected crowd.
Get a grip.
My task remained unchanged.
To prove that the calculations I had made before arriving were correct.
I focused solely on that.
“Please step back. I’m about to cast a spell.”
After warning Violet, who had volunteered as our guide in Vanessa’s stead, I spread my palms.
The spell I was about to use was a fifth-tier spell, one level higher than the Whirlwind Bone Cutter I had used yesterday.
“Suuh…”
Whooooosh
My virtual mana furnace spun rapidly, greedily absorbing the surrounding mana.
With a shallow breath, the mana flowed through my veins and into the furnace, transforming into elements with completely different properties. I continued to hold these elements within my body, layering them.
Wind x Wind x Wind x Wind x Wind
A Penta Spell, layering the pure wind element five times.
Once the preparations were complete, I extended my arms forward, forming a triangle with my palms.
“Gale Force.”
At that moment,
sharply honed blades of wind silently sliced through the air.