Cube Bang, Not PC Bang
After finishing the usual welcome procedure once my teacher returned, I enjoyed a light tea time with her.
The highest-grade tea leaves she'd brought from the Great Forest, the elves' forest. She often came back from these tours with items even imperial royalty would struggle to obtain.
With my teacher back, I was savoring the rare moment of leisure over tea when a name I'd briefly forgotten suddenly came to mind.
"By the way, what about Selaha?"
Selaha Rosalyn. My teacher's prized disciple, a once-in-a-generation genius born with talent in every type of magic—fire, water, lightning, earth, wind—the so-called five-colored magics.
She'd graduated top of her class at Philemon Academy, walking a path completely parallel to mine in every way.
She must have gone on the tour with my teacher.
"I sent Selaha on an errand. She's off to attend the Continental Mage Alliance Council."
Come to think of it, the council meeting was coming up soon.
No wonder the regular mages haven't been showing up lately.
They must be busy preparing for the event.
The Empire was the strongest nation on the continent, but that didn't mean neighboring countries didn't exist. With its vast territory, it often clashed with them, and there had even been civil wars in the past.
Thus, aside from court mages and a few already deeply involved in 'politics,' most mages belonged to the council and operated under it.
In a world where mages were treated like strategic weapons, the council was like an international body led by archmages to prevent mutual destruction.
Me? I'm just a 2nd Circle scrub—they wouldn't even let me in. You needed at least 4th Circle to join.
And for all its grand name, it was really just a mages' social club. Non-mages discriminated against them subtly, so they rebelled by ignoring outsiders' orders.
If they'd been born in another world, they'd have been prime candidates for a glorious death by lead poisoning.
"But teacher, you're skipping it again this time."
"Yeah, it's no fun. They just sit around chattering about trivial nonsense every time. And I hate watching the Yellow Tower Lord panting away."
"Wait, that lecherous old pervert 'Young Hundred Seventy' is still at it?"
"Unfortunately. If he had your charm, it might be different."
For reference, Arkythia was thirty-one. No wonder she was hailed as the first with potential to reach 9th Circle.
My teacher was still in her prime.
"Anyway, there's something proposed in our library's name at this council. You'd definitely like it, Yujin."
"What is it?"
"Miniaturizing the Cube."
My eyes went wide.
"There was a pretty good item in the East. An artifact that miniaturizes other magic tools and artifacts. It has some limitations, but maybe we can apply it to our Cubes."
"That's huge news...!!"
Oh Arkythia, my god! Portable Cubes—Dimension production feasible?
"You've worried about it as much as I have, right? The Cube has infinite potential, but it's held back by spatial constraints. It's ironic that the pinnacle of all established space magic is limited by space itself."
The Cube was a rectangular magic tool: 1.2m wide, 1.2m deep, 2.5m tall.
Less a tool and more an installation, really.
Originally made for achievements in magic, combat, and various fields, its size doomed it to commercial failure.
Only mages, knights, nobles... the wealthy who could afford to install and maintain something that big used it.
My teacher regretted that most and had been seeking ways to drastically shrink it since the first demo.
—Do you know how many people like you are sidelined in this world? I want to give them another chance, at least.
—This place will be a paradise free even from the flow of time.
I'd been deeply inspired by her philosophy and worked to help realize that vision.
That's why I obsessed over games for Dimension—and ultimately Cube—application.
In my previous world, games were called the four addictions or diseases, but they healed weary minds and bodies.
Touching stories moved you, stunning graphics thrilled you, epic actions melted stress away.
Yes, it was paradise. A space transcending status, skill, worries—where you could be anything.
"If we can apply it to the Cube, it should work on your invention too."
"Probably."
Dimension was basically an upgraded Cube.
Calling it an upgrade made it sound like I outdid my teacher, but I couldn't alter the Cube's fundamental nature.
I just slapped resources on it.
Like knowing some Python doesn't make you a better programmer than a pro.
"But as you know, it won't be that simple. We need to stabilize the formula first. You know why I entrusted you with Cube management and upgrades, right?"
Her eyes curved into a gentle smile.
"Because I haven't gathered enough mental strength yet."
I nodded.
"Exactly. It's hard to harvest emotions from boring mages alone."
You might think soul power sounds like black mage stuff... but no better word fit.
Of the seven magic attributes, space was nothingness.
As I'd explained before, it lumped everything not fitting standard attributes into 'space.'
Emotions fell under space energy too—as interactions in the mental space.
That's why she invented the Cube: to efficiently collect and store elusive human emotions.
Get why a mere simulator has a 'log' system now?
Other attributes were real freebies. Even 'dark magic'—worst power-to-utility ratio—doubled efficiency at night.
We scraped for fractions of a percent with inventions like Cube, hustling for it.
Conclusion: Get more people using Cubes.
The same old users kept hogging them anyway.
"Any ideas?"
I pondered her question, then offered a brilliant solution.
"Tomorrow's big cleaning day anyway, right? How about remodeling while we're at it?"
"Remodeling?"
"The west wing's kinda underused, isn't it? Cover it all in Cubes and overlay my Dimension system—people would flock here."
She beamed.
"...You're a genius, Yujin."
To prepare for the upheavals ahead, it was time for the library's makeover too.
The Central Imperial Magic Library in the imperial capital was divided into three main areas.
The 2nd floor was entirely my teacher's domain. No one but her—and a few like me—could enter.
The basement was the forbidden vault. Off-limits too.
So all open facilities were on the 1st floor.
Connected to the grand entrance: the main hall and lobby. Left from the lobby was the 'east wing' reading room.
Most books were stored there, making it the busiest spot.
Cleaning the east wing was simple: Magic away dust from floors and furniture, check books are properly shelved.
The real work this big clean/remodel was the west wing.
It had only three demo Cubes originally; the rest was sub-reading room with awkwardly spaced desks.
And I planned to turn it into a game room.
Perfect timing—I had an RPG concept ready.
Unlike the mafia or horror games, it had volume, a solid storyline, and playtime.
My first AAA title, basically.
Dopamine-starved mages, come to me!
"All good! Alright, alright!"
"Yup."
With a wave of her hand, pitch-black Cubes rose from the floor.
Like a graveyard packed with huge tombstones—but sunlight streaming through the glass ceiling made it grand, not eerie. Fit for ancient heroes' tombs.
Remodeling done.
With teacher here, big cleans were a breeze.
Last year without her, I nearly died.
Admiring the rebranded—brand-new—west wing, now a massive Cube room, my teacher asked Wiki,
"Wiki, how many magic stones to maintain a facility this size?"
"...Running it from open to close, it'd take five top-grade stones per week."
"Five top-grade stones—what's that in gold, Yujin?"
"Um... at least 100 gold a week."
"I see."
She nodded plainly and vanished upstairs to the 2nd floor.
"Take care of it like always, Yujin?"
What that meant: I, the librarian-slash-library manager-slash-acting director-slash-treasurer-slash-Cube security chief and content director, handle everything.
Truly a teacher like the heavens.
Raising me by tossing me off cliffs like a lion with its cubs.
Of course, if funds run low, she could infinite-budget it from the council...
I wouldn't have dreamed of spending like this before.
But who am I? Creator of Path of Gold.
And lately, they developed a mafia board game at the guild, transplanting Lancaster Family's Ripper mechanics wholesale.
I just gave the idea, so royalties were way less than Path of Gold—but enough to weather this bleed.
Plus, charge for Cube room use.
If word spreads fast, no deficit—straight to profit.
I dusted my hands and told Wiki,
"Time to make some games."
