Chapter 32
Chapter 32
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Well Done, Little Witch
-----------------------------------------------------------------
If you've seen how I performed in the basic magic course Understanding Mana, you'd know—
I am not on good terms with magic.
I've learned mana operation and simple foundational knowledge to some extent—
but delving any deeper just isn't efficient.
Why spend time learning magic when you could simply hire a mage instead?
You might ask why I bothered learning swordsmanship then, but that's different.
Knights are like jocks—they've got a bit of a beastly side to them.
No matter how high your rank, they won't fully submit to a master without a single callus on their hands.
Not quite to the point of "I won't obey someone weaker than me,"
but if a scrawny noble tries to throw their weight around, they get ignored.
After all, nobles originally rose by wielding swords to conquer land. A noble who can't even use a sword has abandoned their roots!
And we don't serve those without roots!
That's the gist of it.
So nobles inevitably end up more familiar with swords than magic.
So why am I telling you all this?
"It seems to operate on mana?"
"Yes. But—"
"Then why isn't it a magic tool?"
"...Leonardo, let me finish."
Because I couldn't understand Nicholas's explanation at all.
As I'd felt before, magic and I are just worlds apart.
Farewell, dreams of becoming a great archmage in another world.
I'd at least wanted to try casting a spell since coming to this world...
Having grasped my woeful lack of understanding of magic, Nicholas pondered like a scientist tasked with explaining quantum mechanics to a monkey, then resorted to an example.
"So, this tool is a kind of lock."
"A lock?"
"Yes. A lock made of mana. It operates on mana, but to open it, you need a different key. Just because a lock is made of iron doesn't mean any piece of iron will unlock it, right?"
So the key isn't magic, but something else.
The analogy clicked perfectly, and I nodded as I asked,
"Then what is the key?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"Exactly. That's why I determined it's not a magic tool. If it were a sealing spell... a magical lock, then the key would surely be magic."
Hey, I do know what a sealing spell is, at least.
Do you really think I'm a total monkey who can't follow you?
As I stared at him in disbelief, Nicholas examined the necklace from every angle and asked,
"But structurally, it seems to authenticate using mana itself rather than magic... Any other information?"
"The original owner seemed to be a mage, but witnesses said they never saw them use magic in life."
"A mage who didn't use magic... unlicensed magic? No, from a noble family, that can't be..."
I watched Nicholas still searching for answers and pondered.
'Should I tell him what happened when the necklace reacted?'
Nicholas said it was a lock that needed a key.
Then surely, the reaction when I held it in my left hand.
That had to be related to the key.
After some thought, I said to Nicholas,
"Hand me the necklace for a moment?"
"Hm? Sure. Here."
I took the necklace from Nicholas.
With my right hand, just like before.
But unlike last time, it showed no reaction.
Even when I lightly infused it with mana, nothing.
"......"
This confirmed it.
The necklace hadn't reacted to me.
Then the reason it reacted to me before must have been—
Laura's mana.
Nothing else fit.
I asked Nicholas,
"Can you tell what's inside this necklace?"
"Nothing. But it's not harmful to humans."
"Basis?"
"The original owner wore it constantly."
No matter how securely sealed, things wear down over time.
If it contained something harmful, they wouldn't have made it into jewelry—
That was his reasoning.
His words set my mind at ease.
'Then no need to dig further.'
If it's not dangerous, I can investigate it myself.
I thanked Nicholas and headed to Laura with the necklace.
Laura emerged from her lodging, looking a bit surprised by my sudden summons.
I held out the necklace to her, her gaze a mix of surprise and delight.
"Laura, would you try wearing this around your neck?"
"Pardon? This necklace...?"
"It's Rodwell's. He asked me to find out what it is."
"And he wants me to do it? But I've only just started learning magic; I don't know how to identify magic tools."
"It's fine if it doesn't work. Just give it a try?"
Laura looked at me, her expression a touch confused.
Fair enough. It was a pretty out-of-left-field request for her.
But I held her gaze without backing down.
'If this truly reacts to Laura, it might bring me closer to her secret.'
If it failed, no big deal.
But I was convinced it would react to her.
It was all too perfectly set up that way.
And so, I felt a faint heat bubbling up inside me at that moment.
After a silence, Laura extended her hand.
Her hand trembled faintly, somehow.
Taking the necklace, she slowly draped it around her neck and gripped it tightly.
Then mana stirred in her body.
......The necklace showed no reaction.
I couldn't help but furrow my brow slightly.
'No reaction?'
What? Was my hypothesis wrong?
No way.
This had to be an event prepared for Laura.
But no matter what I thought, the necklace remained inert.
Silently functioning as mere jewelry around her neck.
She removed it and handed it back to me.
And apologized.
"...Sorry, Leonardo. I don't get it."
"No, it's fine."
......Was it just my imagination?
Strikeout.
I pocketed the necklace, a strange mix of disappointment and relief churning inside, and parted ways with Laura.
Then I returned it to Rodwell.
"They said it's some kind of lock. But we couldn't figure out how to open it or what's inside."
"I see... Thank you for handling such a tough request."
"I only did what I could. Didn't even solve it."
"Still, you learned something. Without you, I'd never have known even that much."
Rodwell looked relieved as he spoke.
He bowed, saying to call on him anytime he could be of use.
And with that, Rodwell's request was settled for now.
Laura Clarins hurriedly freshened up at the sudden summons and peeked out from her lodging.
Leonardo waited, fiddling with something in his hand.
Nearby ladies from other lodgings whispered as they glanced at him.
Seeing that, Laura's heart skipped lightly.
'What's he want at this hour?'
And in such a public spot?
Except for their encounter at the riding grounds recently, they'd always met alone.
She checked her outfit once more before approaching, and he gave a slight nod.
Leonardo, looking the same as always.
But for some reason, he seemed wrapped in a slightly different aura to her eyes.
Excitement and nervousness.
A stark contrast to his usual composure.
And her intuition was spot on.
"Laura, would you try wearing this around your neck?"
He blurted out the request without preamble.
They'd talked plenty today, so it wasn't out of nowhere—but
Laura felt unease and confusion at his demeanor.
'What's this sudden thing?'
What could this necklace be?
Laura looked at Leonardo.
Instead of listening to his words, she read his heart.
And for the first time, words differing from the sound of his voice reached her.
Laura's eyes trembled widely at Leonardo's inner voice.
My secret?
Is Leonardo digging into my secret?
Laura had thought Leonardo was pretending not to notice her secret all this time.
But that was a misconception.
Leonardo was curious about her.
Just as she was curious about him, he was curious about her.
It should have been a joyful realization—but
Fear gripped Laura suddenly.
She wasn't ready to reveal her secret yet.
What do I do?
Refuse? Say I can't?
But the man before her was different from usual.
Leonardo, enveloped in a strange fervor, demanding she wear the necklace.
Bluntly refusing might make him suspicious.
Suspicious that her hidden secret was something truly vile.
And that suspicion would widen the gap between them.
Farther than before, undoing the fragile closeness they'd built.
No...!
I don't want that.
Anything but that.
Laura slowly extended her hand.
And for the first time, she truly looked at the necklace he offered.
A necklace adorned with a blue gem.
It felt like mana, so probably some kind of magic tool.
But the moment her hand touched it, Laura realized.
Ah.
This isn't a magic tool.
An item crafted by someone with the same power as her.
A relic infused with witch's power.
And if she infused it with mana, it would activate.
She was certain.
Laura's hand trembled finely as she wore it and gripped it tight.
Please, I beg you.
Even if it activates, let nothing happen.
With that desperate wish, she poured in her mana.
But her prayer went unanswered.
A faint click echoed in Laura's ears.
And at the same moment, the necklace emitted a brilliant light.
Ah.
It activated after all.
What will Leonardo think when he sees this?
As she stared at him in dazed shock,
Suddenly, a voice spoke.
Who?
A voice she'd never heard.
Yet it felt strangely familiar, scattering a power she knew well in all directions.
Leonardo, watching it all—
......failed to notice the relic's activation.
Even as it shone so brilliantly.
Blinking in astonishment at the scene, Laura hurriedly spoke as the voice returned.
"...Sorry, Leonardo. I don't get it."
With trembling hands, she removed the necklace and handed it back.
The necklace, now dimmed and silent.
But Laura knew.
Whatever had been inside was now within her.
And the voice inside chuckled.
Laura nodded, watching Leonardo walk away.