Chapter 17
Chapter 17
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Elf Object (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
There were no secrets in the palace.
The rumor that Prince Ragna was going to receive magical instruction from the elf mage Silvret had spread like wildfire.
The moment Ceres, now in charge of managing the mana herbs, heard the news, she came rushing over to Canelian covered in dirt.
"Ca, Canelian! Did you hear? The Prince is going to study magic under Raisha's master!"
"I heard."
"Then why aren't you bothered?"
"Should I be?"
"Everyone at court is whispering about it. They say he's using magic training as an excuse to take Silvret as a concubine!"
"...If he hasn't shaken off his old habits, it could happen."
Canelian crossed her arms with a displeased expression, thinking to herself.
'That wastrel has zero talent for magic. Why would he suddenly want to learn it again?'
Was he trying to show off some changed behavior?
'But why Silvret of all people?'
Silvret was an exceptional elf mage.
Having her teach a novice like Ragna was a waste of talent.
And above all, she was a stunning beauty.
The entire palace had every reason to buzz with "The Prince held back for so long, but he's at it again..."
"Canelian, it's not official yet, but you're basically the official crown princess now."
"Yeah, I guess. But why bring that up?"
"So don't you think you should keep a close eye on him?"
"Keep a close eye...?"
Ceres persuaded her earnestly.
"Sure, the Prince having multiple concubines isn't a flaw, but what if Silvret finds his advances distasteful and leaves?"
"Raisha's master disappearing would be a huge loss for the whole kingdom."
"Exactly! So as the crown princess-to-be, shouldn't you stay by his side to watch him and stop any mistakes?"
Canelian stroked her chin and muttered.
"That makes sense. Silvret isn't even a citizen of the kingdom; she's an elf mage staying here to teach Princess Raisha. If the Prince tries to make her a concubine, she'll get offended and leave."
"No matter how cherished her disciple is, putting up with becoming a concubine is a whole different sacrifice."
"Alright. I'll keep watch by his side to make sure he doesn't mess up with Silvret."
"Since you're the crown princess-to-be in secret, don't mention it. Just say you've always been interested in magic because your sister's mana ring broke."
"Thanks for the advice, sis."
"Now go! Silvret's about to head out soon."
Canelian got up immediately and headed for the Prince's palace.
'Something feels off...'
She waved goodbye to her cheerfully smiling sister and hurried off.
Canelian said she wanted to observe the Elf Object's magic lesson.
So I accepted readily.
"Do that, Duchess."
"Thank you for allowing it, Your Highness."
This was steadily building favor.
Canelian was fully armored, complete with her combat gear.
Her long red hair cascading over plate armor...
'Seeing that basic look takes me back. She looked so cool decked out in high-defense mythical gear.'
This basic look didn't look bad either, even if it seemed low-defense.
"Your Highness, shall we begin the magic lesson?"
The Elf Object was dressed in a robe that seemed even more bundled up than usual.
With the hood pulled low, her face was barely visible.
She even wore thick gloves, leaving not a speck of skin exposed.
'Not hot in that?'
"Magic is the art of manifesting the mysteries of one's inner imagery into reality using mana, the elemental power of nature..."
Starting with Magic Introduction 101.
I knew it all from skimming the storybooks, but hearing it in her clear, beautiful voice made it fresh.
Time flew by as I listened intently.
Canelian was nodding off, her head bobbing.
"Your Highness, are you bored?"
"How could I be bored when Professor Silvret is teaching so diligently? I've been listening with great interest."
"I... I see."
Why was she shrinking back like that?
Did elves feel the cold more than humans?
'Nah, elves love prancing around half-naked.'
Magic Introduction 101 finally wrapped up.
I could skip it since I knew it all, but no.
'Gotta raise the Object's favor.'
I held back on having her try something I wanted to see, for favor's sake.
Now that intro was done, it was time.
"Professor Silvret, could you show me the most powerful spell you can cast?"
Silvret paused thoughtfully.
I quickly added,
"Showing someone climbing a mountain the view from the summit would give them so much strength."
"They might get intimidated and give up prematurely."
"I'm learning for edification, so it doesn't matter. Witnessing powerful magic might even inspire me to advocate for more kingdom support for mages."
The Object hesitated, then nodded under her hood.
"In that case, I'll show you."
Canelian had snapped awake, her eyes gleaming as she watched.
Reading the shift in mood and focusing instantly—true Swordmaster style.
The Object's fingertips glowed.
Light traced intricate patterns in the air.
Round magic circles filled with precise runes appeared in the air, resonating with each other.
The amplified magic circle pattern at the Object's feet blazed with brilliant light.
'Whoa, seeing it live beats the monitor. So cool.'
Were those small aerial circles tools to control the massive one on the ground?
The ground circle pulsed with ever brighter light.
A surge of light.
Flashy visuals like the earth would rumble with thunderous roars.
A unique skill rank-up here?
Pierce through mana?
My heart pounded wildly.
This was a feature not in the original cheat.
The Discernment Eye cheat originally only showed items, objects, terrain, treasure chests, dungeon locations, etc.
Mana too?
Without restriction?
'Activate Discernment Eye.'
The moment I triggered the unique skill,
a landscape of red particles dancing everywhere filled my vision.
'...!'
Beautiful. Awe-inspiring.
There were no other words for it.
Red mana particles blanketed the world.
Canelian, the wind, the fountain, garden trees and petals, blades of grass, the magic circle...
Differing only in structure and density,
red mana particles flowed through everything that existed.
And the Elf Object...
'All purple.'
Yet the Elf Object glowed purple.
Even though the magic circle she cast was made of red mana.
'Red mana vs. purple mana—what's the difference?'
At that moment, the Object spoke.
"As you see, this unfinished weather magic is embarrassing."
"Unfinished?"
Canelian tilted her head in surprise, just like me.
Look at those clouds blanketing the sky.
Was this majestic scene something to be embarrassed about as unfinished?
"Professor Silvret, what do you mean by unfinished?"
"I succeeded in cloud condensation, but can't proceed to the next step."
"Stuck? For how long?"
"A little over 150 years... stuck at this stage."
"...150 years. Quite the plateau."
"Magic that directly commands nature is never easy. It's the path to ascension, after all."
Natural clouds like that would have unleashed a downpour by now.
But these magically gathered ones?
Just thunderous roars, no raindrops.
I examined the massive magic circle on the ground.
Looking closely, tiny mana flow errors dotted the view.
Those errors linked like streams to the various small aerial circles.
Ultimately tracing back to the first magic circle the Elf Object drew.
A single drop of error from the source.
That tiny flaw amplified steadily through valleys and rivers,
until it clogged the river mouth at the sea.
'Fix that, and it might work?'
I turned to Canelian.
"Duchess Canelian, draw your sword."
The wastrel Prince, who had been staring Silvret down intently, suddenly gave Canelian a weird order.
"Can you draw out your aura very thin and sharp?"
"I can, but why?"
"Questions later. Demonstrate."
"...Like this?"
Canelian aimed her sword at the air and fired a thin strand of aura.
The Prince clicked his tongue.
"Not compress—reduce power. Can't you make it thinner, lower output?"
"...Got it. How's this?"
"Insufficient—no, too much. Thinner, sharper, like firing aura the size of a dimensionless point."
"A point with no volume? Does that even make sense?"
"That's the feel I'm going for."
Canelian grumbled as she adjusted the output.
Compressing aura was familiar, but this was a technique she'd never tried.
'Why weaken and release aura on purpose?'
The Prince looked so serious she went along.
Finally, he nodded.
"This has potential. Aim at that small magic circle. The first one Professor Silvret drew in the air."
"Pardon?"
"Just aim."
It wasn't aimed to harm Silvret or with real power, so she complied.
Silvret watched curiously too.
"A bit lower... now left. Stop, slight right, bend a tad lower... no no, reverse a smidge. Good, that's it."
Only then did the Prince say, satisfied,
"Release the aura like that."
Canelian shot him a quick glare, then fired a faint aura from her fixed sword stance.
The moment the barely visible light touched the tiniest aerial circle—
Flash!
A colossal beam of light shot straight up from the ground circle.
As if glory pierced the thunderclouds from the heavens.
Rumble! Boom!
A massive pillar of light.
Silvret stared blankly at the sky from within it.
Canelian gazed up too, sword still aimed skyward.
Drip. Drip drip. Patter patter.
"Rain...?"
The cold touch of droplets on her face.
Raindrops thickened, soon turning to a downpour.
Whoosh! Pour!
Amid the thick sheets blurring vision,
Canelian and Silvret stood frozen.
"Congratulations, Professor Silvret. You've finally completed your weather magic!"
"Pardon? B-but I didn't..."
Soaked Canelian turned blankly to the Prince.
Drenched in rain, he beamed like a delighted child, genuinely thrilled.
'The Prince has talent like this...? No, is this even talent?'