New Beginnings
" Mom. Thank you."
" Well? Let's just wait and see."
" I'll work hard. I'll do it well!"
Just wait a little longer!
Mom's going to nod her head soon!
" Then let's talk about something else now."
The conversation with Mom was warming up nicely, and Grandpa seemed to have something he wanted to know.
" You know Mana Stones are a strategic resource managed by the country? You think you can find them?"
" Yes. Probably clustered somewhere inside a gate. I got a strong feeling I could find it when I went in."
It might require some traveling around, but I think it's best not to go too far until I can make enough escort golems.
And there are possibilities of generation in several places.
Gates feel like a closed world inside.
Otherwise, mana would leak out infinitely.
" So in the end? We'll have to wander around?"
" That's why the plan is to check only the nearby areas near the entrance and come back out. Because there are so many gates."
And the reason I don't plan to blindly search everywhere is because gates are more numerous than I thought.
We'd have to figure out how big the inside is and how far from the entrance to go, but among the hundreds in Korea, some would be close by.
And after circling a bit, it would be enough to just check the newly opened ones.
" If you can, other people might find them too, but aren't there competitors?"
" Hmm... People using that kind of ability probably don't exist, but I can't say for sure."
Grandpa's right; there are plenty of people who might feel something's off.
But for now, is it almost all mine?
Even in a narrow range, detecting the tiniest mana flow over a wide area is tough.
" You seem pretty confident?"
" A little? Still, I shouldn't get cocky."
" Good attitude. You have to always prepare for the worst."
" Yes!"
Good words.
Risk management words.
As Grandpa said, when it comes to life, you have to prepare for double and triple safety.
" But if you want to dig it up, you'll need people, right? Wouldn't people who know about Mana Stones just stand around? I'm worried the rumor might spread somehow?"
" Umm..."
If using people, that could be possible?
" Then really monstrous people will threaten us."
" ???"
What kind of talk is this?
Is it saying people are more dangerous?
" Ian. Your grandpa has learned something through business up until now. Nothing is scarier than money."
" I don't really understand."
You're looking really worried. Can it be that dangerous?
It sounds like you mean to be more careful of people than monsters.
" Let's see. That Mana Stone is an energy source, so the country's been keeping an eye on it, right?"
From what I see, there are tons of uses beyond just as an energy source, so using it only as one feels a bit suffocating.
" As for how Mana Stones are obtained now, I heard it's by defeating bosses for small amounts. But with your method of finding them, how much yield would there be?"
Hmmm... Mana density varies by gate grade, and since it's constantly leaking to Earth, considering the loss before processing after reducing back to Earth...
" Hmm... Probably not much. Rough calculation, from an F-rank gate, maybe 50 to 100 grams?"
" Then it's even more serious. You know that even by defeating bosses, it's only 5 to 10 grams?"
" It comes out less than I thought?"
Now I'm curious how Mana Stones are used to advance development?
With such a small amount, it produces enormous energy.
Perhaps? Like nuclear fission, by breaking it down to create it? In that case, it might make some sense.
" With the amount obtainable now, it seems to have replaced about 5% of fossil fuels. The increase rate is speeding up day by day."
The share is still small, right? Still, considering the grade of gates keeps rising, it won't take long to replace 100%.
" That 5% is already an enormous amount of money. What if you mine it and bring it out? There'll be controversy?"
" Couldn't I just smuggle it in?"
" Could you even sell something like that secretly? A ton of organizations will start investigating."
Ah? You don't know?
" I'm not selling Mana Stones?"
" Yeah. What... What?"
" I won't sell Mana Stones."
" Then why go to the gates? You weren't planning to make money?"
It's too bad to sell Mana Stones themselves.
It's an essential material for making magic tools. If there are people who sell them, you should gather them up, right?
" I make money in other ways."
" Huh?"
Perfect timing. Grandpa's strength is more useful in this direction.
" Grandpa. Will you work with me?"
" What? You? Me?"
" I'll make various tools with Mana Stones and sell them. I have a feeling they'll make people's lives more comfortable with things no one can imagine."
The magic civilization of my previous life was definitely magnificent.
But its usefulness and convenience were a privilege of the few.
If combined with the science civilization of this life, I'm sure we can create useful things for everyone.
" I don't know. Give an example."
" For example, crime among awakened people has increased, right?"
" That's right. We're having a headache even in the prison."
" What if there's a tool that turns awakened people into ordinary people?"
It would force the mana flowing in their bodies to be released outside.
The principle is simple.
No matter how much mana is in the air, the density inside the body is overwhelmingly high.
Mana flows like water from high to low places.
So the solution is to simply break the boundary between the inside and outside of our bodies.
This doesn't even require Mana Stones because it uses the user's own mana.
It might not be possible for people with a high enough realm or those like me who are sensitive to mana, but for Earthlings at the level of primitive magicians, it would definitely work.
" I... Really?"
" Moreover, we can make a lot of them. We can even export them."
" $$"
Grandpa's eyes are sparkling at the money.
- What the hell are those two talking about?
- I don't know anything either?
- Looks like money talk from what Dad likes...
Mom and Dad are hugging each other, not understanding a single word.
" It's definitely a product, right?"
" The shapes might vary, but making things like handcuffs or necklaces would be good, right?"
" Is the manufacturing process difficult? Can we replicate it?"
" Hehe."
The history of the magic tool civilization in my previous life is a whopping 6,000 years.
Of that, the theory of mana circuits was created only about 500 years ago.
After 5,500 years of long time, with countless geniuses constantly researching and working hard to achieve it, someone trying to replicate it?
" In this world, only I will be able to do magic engineering? Even if someone brings an object and opens it, they won't be able to grasp the principle."
" Huh?"
Having sensitive mana perception doesn't solve the problem.
You have to unravel my unique mana pattern to get basic interpretation.
No one in the 6,000-year history of the magic tool civilization succeeded, and they stopped researching because it was impossible.
What about computers?
The computational power of science civilization computers is hard to directly compare, but the AI in the magic tool civilization was also at a great level.
Since even that was impossible, I can say I'm confident.
Magic engineering can only be unraveled by me; no one else will ever know.
" Believe me. I'm really smart."
" What? Hehe. Uahaha!"
Is it that fun to make money for me?
" So, shall we do business?"
" If I go out front, I won't be able to meet friends, and I won't be able to go anywhere to play."
" Then is it okay for me not to go?"
" There are security uncleies, right?"
" You can join too."
...
Oh dear. Why are you being so contrary, Grandpa?
" I'm old."
" Of course?"
" Son!"
" Yes! Father."
He's telling me to put Dad in front.
" Stop it and come into the company."
" That's the brothers..."
" It was stopped. The kids aren't like before either."
" Sigh..."
Thinking about it, I've never seen the family from my maternal grandfather's house except for Grandpa.
I was suspicious that relations weren't good, but now I'm learning the family's secrets.
" So why before marriage did you already have a child."
" Hup."
Amazing? The Dad who seems like he could lose to me in a fight is acting like a speed violation?
" Aigoo. Ian has a grandpa... "
" If it were you, would you just watch the little brother you were caring for like gold and jade get snatched by some punk? What if someone took Ian?"
" Aaaaa! You! You say such scary things! Ian said she would live with me for life!"
" You think that will happen."
Ah. I see.
It wasn't about inheritance or power struggles in the company.
It was just the sin of stealing a sister or daughter who doesn't hurt to have in the eyes.
" Dad! Don't worry! I'm going to marry a robot! Let's live together forever!"
" What?"
" Mom?"
" That doesn't sound like a joke."
Huh? What's wrong?
The three of them look like they're seeing a crazy woman?
What did I do wrong?
...
...
...
I started preparing for my dreams.
First, my graduation and Dad's retirement.
" No! Professor, why are you quitting school!"
" This won't do! Come back! Now!"
" Uwaaa! The world is ending!"
The TA and grad students were crying and wailing.
It felt like someone might jump into the Han River.
" You ungrateful brats!"
" Leave Ian behind!"
" Yes! The professor doesn't need it!"
The reason these people are crying now is not because Dad is cool or their future is worrying.
The daughter of the robotics professor has been clinging to the lab every day because she always does research in the same major as Dad.
I naturally thought I would go to grad school and become a TA.
Graduating now feels like I've lost my life.
" I trusted these guys for research..."
" Professor! I'm quitting too! Please hire me right away! Take responsibility!"
" Right! I heard you started a company! Please help with employment!"
" You entrusted it to me! You brats! Go to the interview!"
" Oh! Is Ian appearing as the interviewer?"
" Get out!"
It feels like seeing the fanatics of the Heavenly God Religion in my previous life.
They said the saint of the Heavenly God Religion used healing that was comparable to a miracle of God, divine power, and proved that magicians were the same category as simple healing magic.
' Believe in the Heavenly God and go to Heaven! Disbelievers to Hell!'
They were walking around saying things like that.
Anyway, I graduated and Dad retired.
" Hoo..."
Dad is stroking the thank-you letter from school with a regretful face.
A small sigh comes out, bigger than thunder, poking my chest.
" Regretful?"
" There were no great research results, but it's a bit bittersweet."
The school side was a bit too harsh too, even though the professor had only been there a short time, ending with just a thank-you plaque.
" Sorry. It feels like I dragged Dad in to fulfill my dream. Dad probably had his own dreams."
" Huh? No, because I can keep doing it with you, I'm even happier! Dad's dream is Mom and Ian."
Something? It feels like one is missing. Wasn't our family four people?
" Pack your bags and let's go. Mom must be busy moving alone."
" Don't people help?"
" Important things, we should pack ourselves?"
" Ah..."
The damned photo album.
Thinking about it, I wanted to throw away the photos before five years old, but since it seems to be Mom and Dad's happiness, I held back.
Whatever, when I think of it, I'll kick the blanket once or twice.
" It's been a while since you've been to Grandpa's place?"
" Yeah. You didn't go much when you were little."
That's why I thought there was a fight over property or succession~
But the cause was just some thief who stole my sister and didn't like seeing her face.
The world is ending.
Looking closely, Mom being hot-tempered might be a family trait too.
We've finally left Seoul and entered Gwangju in Gyeonggi-do.
Seoul is full of traffic and congestion, so Grandpa built a house near the factory and erected a mansion there.
The family from my maternal grandfather's house all lives there.
" Almost there."
" It's the same as before, right?"
" Do you remember?"
" Vaguely, but roughly I remember."
Cousins' bullying? Maternal uncles' harassment?
I'm not afraid of anything.
' Let's do our best!'
[Leave everything to me.]
The friend Dolmaeng-i sitting in the backseat will do it with me.