The Handcuff Taste Test
She opened her eyes and smiled brightly. “Want a taste?”
“What kind of stupid face is this? Why are you cracking up like that?”
“If it were up to me, I’d just send Dolmaeng-i out to knock him out and stuff the bracelet, but I’m the good one who has to hold back.”
“Hmm… Then can I give you a gift as well?”
“Oh? You want to play with this oppa? You can play as much as you like!”
“Oppa… heh…”
“Here, I’m giving you a bracelet as a gift.”
“Whoa? It’s even prettier than my pretty one? When I came in, they took all my accessories. Thanks!”
“I’ll fill it for you~”
“Yes!”
“You’re dead now.”
“You’ve never heard of this before, right?”
“Ma! This is the mana restraint!”
«Click»
It will probably take a few seconds to activate.
«Sssss—»
The circuit immediately started absorbing mana!
This is the kind of thing that takes a little water as a primer. The owner sucks in mana to power the mana circuit and then releases it.
It activates faster than I expected? I adjusted the output a little so it won’t kill you with a shock, right?
“Ah. It’s cold. I got a gift, so can I give you one too?”
“???”
Why is he making such a disgusting face?
His tongue is dripping oil.
“Come here~ Let me hug you like this~”
What kind of words are those? Did he fall asleep?
Is this how you die?
Even the robot got angry at me. Dolmaeng-i is buzzing right next to me like it’s about to throw a punch.
“You’re having fun.”
“What?”
“Heh!”
“Ian!”
At my single line, 2188, the police chief, and dad reacted in order. Is this not even an insult? Why are they all so shocked?
And the blond guy is a tin can now?
Do I look that untrustworthy?
“What? You want scars on your pretty face?”
“If you can, try it, you skinny mackerel head! You’re disgustingly ugly.”
“What the hell!”
Oh, the blond mackerel head must be angry. Now he’s a red mackerel head!
Seeing the mana resonate around him, he must be trying to use his power.
You? Then you’ll be in trouble.
“Danger!”
“Ian!”
“It’s fine~”
Even though dad and the police chief said it’s fine, they ran over with flames coming out of them and hid me behind them.
Are they trying to use their bodies as shields?
Yeah, since the ability disappeared but the body is still there, they can punch.
But with normal mental strength, that won’t work.
«Eeeing— eeeing—»
Dolmaeng-i also seems to think it’s dangerous and came closer.
[Ian-nim. It seems like he’s threatening. Shall I suppress him? I can exclude him within 2 seconds.]
“Wait a second. He’ll collapse soon, right?”
Thinking about it, it’s funny.
He doesn’t even feel the changes happening in his own body?
No matter how new the power is, are earthlings not researching it?
“Hiee…”
«Thud!»
Ah! He fell down!
Yeah. When the restraint activates, he has no choice but to collapse like that.
Wow. But the sound wasn’t normal? Smashing his face into the floor like that?
His front teeth are probably gone.
Really, long live modern civilization.
Long live 3D printers.
The circuit is precise, there are no errors, it activates quickly, and the effect is perfect.
“Eh? Why are you collapsing?”
“My ability disappeared, so there’s no energy left.”
“No way? Really?”
This is the chronic disease of mana users.
When a mana user uses mana, any ability they have gets assisted by mana.
In simple terms, if someone originally used 100 strength and takes mana, it becomes 200, then 300, gradually increasing.
In other words, just by accepting mana, they become a superhuman.
Over time, the body naturally adapts to that direction.
But then suddenly it goes back to 100? The fatigue is no joke.
“Ability users who first wear the bracelet will fall into this state within a few seconds. The stronger the ability, the more severe the fatigue.”
“Isn’t that dangerous? If a criminal has a health issue, it’s a problem…”
“It will be fine after some time. That will probably be normal human level.”
“Hah… Why is this thing only appearing now! Uuu…”
The big guy is crying…
He must have had a really hard time.
“Even though it’s only now, I’m really grateful I can use it! I will definitely repay this favor.”
“It’s just my job, so you don’t have to. I agreed to receive payment.”
“I heard there was no profit.”
Strictly speaking, there is profit.
Material costs and electricity bills are not cheap, so the set cost is not low either.
But there’s Dolmaeng-i’s and my labor cost left, and I just play while Dolmaeng-i does all the work.
Our Dolmaeng-i has infinite power! So the monthly salary comes out, right?
“It’s fine. Please train the ability users who are criminals so they don’t act arrogant with their powers anymore.”
“Yes… grr… I’ll leave it to you.”
Whoa. He must have a lot built up.
I thought he was going to bite a rock.
“Hiee… huaaa… Why am I like this…”
The blond guy’s voice is now watery.
He must have had a pretty strong ability? He’s completely insane.
Why did he try to use his ability while wearing the bracelet, accelerating mana leakage?
What can you do? He stepped on his own foot, but I didn’t do anything?
I just talked in front of him.
Yeah. I’m not guilty.
“2188-nim. I like your gift.”
“You… you… get out… ugh…”
Is he thinking of revenge if he gets out? Does he think I’ve already made several golems?
Someone who can’t even beat our Dolmaeng-i right now if the bracelet is removed.
Right? Dolmaeng-i has no ranged attacks, so just lifting it up makes it powerless.
Dolmaeng-i needs strengthening too.
“Police Chief. There’s a bracelet in the backpack you brought. Please fill it for the criminals.”
“Haa… Thank you very much.”
“Then the business is over, right? The atmosphere here is bad, I need to go home early. It’s too creepy.”
“Hahaha. Next time I’ll make it a bit brighter.”
Eh? Teacher? You did a good thing but came to the prison? What scary words are you saying while laughing?
I know it’s not the meaning, but it feels a bit suspicious.
-Benefactor! Goodbye! Thank you very much!!!
-Next time I’ll prepare delicious tea! Please visit!
When I left the prison, an enormous number of people saw us off from all over.
By the way, calling me a benefactor. He must have had a really hard time.
“It feels a bit proud?”
“It’s not because I did a good thing?”
“We should do this kind of thing more often.”
“You won’t get money?”
“No? My grandpa is rich, so making money is fine. As long as I can eat whatever I want and sleep comfortably in a nice house at night, it’s enough.”
“Oh?”
Of course, more money is better.
But if it overflows too much, the only things that will come are scammers and robbers, right?
And if I make things in the future, I’ll make a lot of money without wanting to.
…
After giving the silver bracelet to the prison,
I wondered why they called it silver even though it wasn’t, but the detectives said it’s called silver handcuffs.
Anyways, it was all over the news because of that incident.
“Finally, the ability-restraint tool ‘Silver Bracelet’ has appeared!”
“A miracle made by Anz’s two small companies!”
“The veiled structure and some manufacturing methods claim that a new Nobel Prize should be created!”
“What is Anz’s next move?”
Because the company name ‘Anz’ IAN TOOLS exposed my name too much outside, I made it a shortened name.
“What kind of thing are they going to make? I wonder.”
“It’s possible enough. The concept of mana circuits, too. Making tools with magic is something only you have done for the first time.”
Is it okay to shrug my shoulders a bit?
In my past life, it was nothing, but in this life, I’m a pioneer!
“But why do people keep saying I should patent mana circuits?”
It’s funny because we didn’t patent it at all.
Reporters are pushing for patent registration under the guise of protecting technology through the internet.
“It seems they don’t like monopolies.”
“Other companies deliberately don’t register so their technology doesn’t leak, but we’re told to publish. Seriously…”
The Patent Act seems to protect technology, but it’s not exactly like that.
It is the strongest means to protect technology, but it’s just a system to disclose the technology outside and obtain exclusive rights for a certain period.
You register while hiding core know-how, but there are no eternal secrets.
Just by looking at how similar things pour out after going on the patent, you can tell.
“I don’t know why there is something called the Patent Act. And the people on that side are really funny. They say I should register so that if someone steals our technology and copies it, what will they do? Isn’t that blackmail?”
I thought they were scammers at first.
They said they came from the Patent Office and handed over a business card to register a patent?
‘Silver Bracelet’ and the ‘Mana Circuit’ that is the source of it.
But anyway, it’s something I can’t do, and I don’t even know the fundamental principle of how it works, only how to use it.
Even if someone else uses it the same way, it may have different effects or not work, so separate research is needed.
Trying to unravel someone else’s pattern is like ‘hacking’ in the Earth way, and no one succeeded even in my past life.
“Really, you don’t have to worry about it?”
“Of course! It’s more powerful than any cipher in the world.”
“By the way, people’s interest is too much.”
There are public officials who come to check and harass, and a few who say they came from some association and want to work together.
“How about just living quietly for a while?”
“Is that okay?”
“I live quietly.”
“…”
“???”
“Haa…”
Something… there were a lot of words hidden in that sigh?
“And to make things, I need to prepare.”
“Do I really have to go to the gate?”
“It’s essential. The bracelet is a special case, and to make magic items, I need mana stones.”
“Sorry… Dad couldn’t get mana stones because he doesn’t have the ability.”
“The law says so, what can you do? I’ll gather a lot. Believe me.”
At first it will be weak, but as more time passes, what I mine and collect will be more than what the nation gets by catching bosses in Korea.
And I have to go to the gate to level up the circle, right?
I need to gather mana stones quickly, increase the golems, and add magic to the clothes. It’s busy. It’s busy.
“I’ll prepare firmly and go. Don’t worry too much.”
“If it were up to me, I’d want dad to go with me…”
“Right now there’s only one Dolmaeng-i. If the number of escorts increases, I’ll be in danger too.”
“Yeah… I know. I can’t be a burden.”
Why does he sound so serious… Is dad really a burden?
“Yes. Remember when I carried more Dolmaeng-i last time?”
“…”
Why is he sulking? He should exercise more. How can he be weaker than me?
With that, dad left for the office, expressing his resentment with his eyes.
“Um… What should I prepare? If there were just mana stones, it would be nice to make a ranged weapon too.”
[Firearm ownership is illegal in South Korea. You could also be arrested at the police station.]
“There are also ability users. But it doesn’t look like a gun. And you’re going to use it.”
[Then I’m relieved.]
What? It feels like if you carry it around, you’ll shoot somewhere and cause damage.
Maybe it’s just my imagination?
“Uuu… It would be nice if I could improve the circuit, but I don’t have mana stones…”
[Is there nothing possible right now?]
Haa… There’s nothing… There’s nothing…
Even if I make a weapon, without mana reinforcement, the blade will get dull and break quickly…
“It can’t be helped. Let’s pack the luggage first.”
[Are you going to the gate right away?]
“Yeah. I can’t do anything like this.”
[I’ll start the application right away.]
Our company was the first to get permission to enter the gate after supplying the bracelets.
Why did the National Assembly members move so quickly? It turned out they were pushing to register companies like the hunters they support.
“Anyway, we’re not competing with others. Please take it to a nearby one.”
[Understood.]
And Dolmaeng-i, sitting at the desk, was typing on the keyboard with his short fingers and connecting to the association website.
“I should find a keyboard for Dolmaeng-i too.”
[Correct. The keyboard is now tailored for humans, so it’s a bit uncomfortable for me.]
A robot who types on a keyboard with only two fingers is ridiculous.
«Tudududu— Tududu—»
Still, it was fast enough not to be annoying, like shooting an automatic rifle.
Since Dolmaeng-i knows the company info and my personal info, he handles it automatically.
When there are more golems later, I won’t even need to click my fingers, right?
I hope that day comes soon~