The First Mana Core
“Today the mother and daughter are both coming in together again?”
“That’s how it is. Ian came to the lab today to play around.”
“Just to play? But you’re even doing classes and coming home together? I’m starting to feel a little jealous. Daughter, you’re not going to play with Mom?”
Mom’s slightly drooping eye corners and the subtly rising pitch of her voice.
This could lead to a forced conscription event if I’m not careful.
Signing up would be much more advantageous for me.
“Shall we go on a date this weekend?”
“Oh my! Really? Let’s go to the department store together.”
“Ah… not that. What about a café or a movie?”
“Oh! That sounds good too. Should we do everything?”
“Heh…”
This weekend was already turning into a trial march.
“Our daughter? Did you get startled? You don’t want to go with Mom?”
“I was just so surprised!”
“That’s right? What’s pretty these days~”
Mom hummed a tune as she headed to the kitchen,
“Daughter… you’ve been through a lot.”
To the dad who looked genuinely concerned, she replied firmly, “Don’t worry.”
“For the peace of the family.”
“Thank you.”
“We’re off to do our chores.”
“Study room!”
By joining Mom’s doll-play routine periodically like this, our house stays peaceful for a while.
Mom’s happiness is what matters to me.
It’s a bit unfair to my brother, but the genes are all mine.
Dad’s professor brain, Mom’s superb physique as a former ballet prodigy.
Still, the weekend worries can wait until the weekend. Today has its own important task.
«Click—»
“Is this the Mana Core?”
“Originally it acts as a golem’s heart, but its main function is energy production.”
“How much output does it have? Could it be used in places like power plants?”
“A large one might work, but right now it’s difficult.”
Once activated, it circulates ambient mana to generate energy.
That’s the risk. Right now ambient mana is scarce, so I can’t honestly promise the output of this prototype.
“Then let’s begin.”
“Huu… it has to work.”
“It will.”
“Since I bought it with research funds…”
“We have to keep a record of the usage… That’s why.”
Even professors are ultimately office workers.
They have to report even a brief activity summary to the university.
“That’s right. Plus, as a strategic resource, I personally can’t buy it.”
“There’s no choice. Well then, take care.”
“Got it.”
1st Circle Mana Core.
Something I’ve done hundreds or thousands of times in my past life.
«Whoooong—»
A 15 cm diameter luminous sphere rose slowly into the air, taking on the basic material color of the 3D printer.
Then, due to mana interference, it began to glow with a slight blue tint.
“Heh…”
Dad, you’re too much. Startled by this?
“Our daughter is so beautiful!”
That’s just the lighting, Dad! You’re exaggerating…
«Click click»
You’re busy taking photos. I’m getting dizzy. From next time I’ll have to do it alone in the room…
«Sararuk—»
Next, processing the Mana Stone.
Releasing the mana binding the stone instantly turned the blue pebble into powder.
After a moment, it began to be absorbed into the original Mana Core.
At the moment, it was in a transitional state between mana and matter.
This was the perfect opportunity to pass through anything.
‘Now I have to hurry. Once the mana is all absorbed into the powder, it hardens again. Before that, I need to fill the magic circle I left inside the core.’
«Sssik—»
While the Mana Stone became material, I carefully controlled it so it wouldn’t repel against the shell of the Mana Core…
«Whoooouu—»
“It’s done!”
“Ho… it’s incredibly strange!”
“Huh?”
Why? The Mana Core that should move vigorously is limp and sluggish.
«Whooo— uuu…»
“It seems like something’s turned off?”
“Normally it activates the moment the ignition is turned on, right?”
“Maybe it failed?”
“I’ll look into it a bit more and think about it. Sorry.”
“Hahah! Don’t worry too much. Experiments always have failures now and then.”
Dad was trying to comfort me, but his shoulders slumped as he looked sad.
“Still, you have to write the report…”
“You don’t have to worry about our princess. Don’t make that face.”
“Yes…”
A failure from the training mage days when I only had 1st Circle…
“Ian! Dad! Dinner is ready!”
“Great! Let’s go right away~”
…
After eating dinner and having fruit as dessert, the family’s daily routine ended.
«Crunch crunch»
Mom peeled the fruit skins with her skillful hands and placed them one by one into plates.
And the stories of our family’s day began.
It was time created by Dad’s suggestion for Mom, who spends most of her time at home.
“Hm? Honey? Did Ian scold you?”
“No? Haha… our young lady was just worried, that’s all.”
“Why? What happened?”
Mom’s concerned face made Dad reluctantly speak up.
“I did an experiment, and it failed.”
“What kind of experiment does Ian do at the lab?”
“Huh? Honey, Ian is truly a genius.”
“Really?”
Dad’s proud boasting continued long after dinner, as if the gloomy mood was bothering him.
Still, I wasn’t feeling any better.
“Hey? Don’t act like that. Smile a little.”
“But…”
It was only one failure. Why does it feel like tears are about to come?
I’m depressed…
“If you cry, it’ll make you ugly and I’ll be embarrassed to show you. Don’t cry, okay?”
“If I’m ugly, what about you? You never should have been born.”
My brother, who was depressed, why is he picking a fight?
“No! This is supposed to be comfort, but it’s turning into a mess!”
“Why is that comfort? That’s why I never got to date until I was twenty-six!”
“Hey! Why are you bringing that up!”
I was trying to stay quiet!
“Who started the fight then?”
“So? Ah~ Do I have to tell you that I confessed to Unnie Yeongju a week ago and got rejected?”
“Hah! How do you know that!”
“Almost everyone knows, right?”
Talking about it at the apartment playground at night means the sound carries, so if the window is open, the neighbors hear it, right?
“I heard they were doing ads at the playground.”
“Hic…”
“If it were me, I’d be too embarrassed to show my face around the neighborhood.”
“Somehow… the convenience store beauty auntie was smiling while watching you….”
Sigh… Even this is family…
The future worries me.
What is he trying to do? Study, exercise, looks—everything is average.
It’s hard to find even an average person like that.
‘Oh? Wait a minute? Convenience store? Then he must have bought that. It should be in the fridge?’
“Mom and Dad, I’ll go in first.”
“Okay. Go to bed early tonight.”
There were other things to do.
And I had to take something.
“Gates seem to produce increasingly dangerous monsters…”
“I’m worried too…”
“Still, hunters are getting stronger, so it should be fine, right?”
“I wonder what the principle is…”
Everyone’s minds are on the gate stories on TV.
The opportunity is now.
I quietly opened the fridge.
‘Ufufu. As expected, there it is. Thank you! Brother. Don’t think I prepared this for you. When I earn a lot of money later, I won’t forget this tribute.’
I grabbed two packs of two. Both of them.
…
After eating the delicious dessert, my mood improved, and I carefully examined the problematic Mana Core.
“Hmm. The making is perfect, but why doesn’t this work?”
No matter how I tested, the Mana Core was normal.
“Well… let’s think. The shell and magic circle are flawless, the Mana Stone is well filled inside, and the ignition…”
Wait? The ignition isn’t off?
«Whooo— uuu»
The Mana Core was moving very weakly.
“What is this? It seems like it’s creating a kind of artificial circle… But my magic circle should rotate continuously, right? No way? Because ambient mana is scarce, the ignition hasn’t turned on yet?”
The possibility was enough.
Once activated, it would continuously absorb ambient mana and rotate, but it wasn’t even moving at the minimum.
The surrounding mana was too scarce to ignite from the start.
“Can I artificially concentrate mana? That’s impossible without a circle…”
Mana naturally seeks equilibrium, so it’s too difficult inside a circle…
No matter how much I like golems, I can’t cram this into my heart to make it spin.
Would I die that day?
With the other method of concentrating ambient mana and the amount of mana, it would be better to just pour it directly and force the ignition.
For a 1st Circle Mana Core, I’d have to be a 4th Circle mage, which is impossible right now…
“Is there only one way? I have to go to the gate… But I’m too scared because I haven’t made a golem yet.”
Goblins or orcs that appear at gates are things I’ve seen in my past life.
But I’m scared because there’s no golem and I might get caught by Mom.
If we turn our house into a game, the final boss would definitely be Mom, right?
Don’t talk about smashing that would make the flesh fall off your palm.
Especially if you’re washing dishes and hit with a wet hand, it’s really deadly.
“Huu… I can’t leave my perfect first work as a failure. Mom… just once. Just once, I’ll go.”
I don’t have to fight monsters inside. Just activating the Mana Core at the entrance is enough.
…
…
…
The very next day. I found a nearby F-rank gate. But the problem was that it attracted too much attention?
“What is this? A celebrity?”
“What kind of sunglasses, mask, and hat combo is that?”
Covering up makes it stand out more.
“Even with the mask, look at the fist-sized face… just seeing the side of the face would be amazing.”
“Should I go and talk to them?”
“Look in the mirror first, dude…”
“Are you challenging us to a fight?”
Don’t they know how much I’m muttering! These humans!
I need to go in quickly for just a moment.
Activating it only takes a moment.
But… a different problem arose.
“What?”
“Entry is not permitted.”
“Why not! I just need to enter for a moment to activate this!”
“Without proper certification, it’s impossible.”
“Ah…”
I was cut off at the entrance.
What kind of certification do you need to enter?
Could I hand the core over to someone else to activate it? People who use primitive magic that spews fire and controls objects would manage it easily.
If I just pour mana without thinking, it’s lucky if I don’t break it.
“It really won’t work? I can just enter for a moment…”
“I don’t know the details, but it’s really not possible.”
“Ha… This is an important experiment… Just a moment would be enough…”
Did I kick the floor with my shoes by mistake, and sigh a hundred times?
—Wow… There must be some reason. It’s too strict.
—Is it a person?
—Even a robot could take it in for a moment. It doesn’t even touch anything. And there are so many people inside.
—Right. And inside the fortress, you have to check thoroughly anyway, right?
Somehow the official who was blocking me was being scolded.
Take your choice!
“Just for a moment. I’ll just stand in front of the entrance. I’ll go with the security together!”
“Umm… Is it really okay to just enter for a moment at the entrance?”
“Yes! I came for a simple experiment at the lab!”
“Then… please record your name and the research lab in detail on the entry log.”
“Wow! Thank you!”
But what to write? I guess I should use Dad’s name and the lab. He probably won’t chase me for this.
I wrote something like Dad’s name and a brief robot parts experiment.
No errors, right?
“Well then, let’s go.”
“Please take care!”
And the gate that hadn’t been there long had changed from red to slightly orange, and I entered with the official-looking person.
Due to the temperature difference on both sides of the gate?
Besides a slight chill, there was nothing special. The feeling of a cool veil passing through my body.
“Oh!”
“You’re visiting for the first time, right?”
“It’s a completely different world.”
“Everyone who comes for the first time gets surprised. I knew you were new from your reaction.”
The gate was in the middle of the city, but the place I came from was a wide plain.
I don’t know the grass or trees well, but seeing two suns in the sky instantly told me it wasn’t Earth.
And mana dense enough that it couldn’t be compared to Earth.
“Well, since you’ve seen it, let’s go back.”
“Ah! Just a moment. I’ll finish the experiment quickly!”
“Ah? Really an experiment?”
“Of course!”
Before the official uncle’s mind changed, I quickly took out the Mana Core.
And activated!
«Giiiiing—»
Because the magic circle was precise? I put the strangely moving Mana Core back in the box.
Now all that’s left is to take it out and put it in the robot.
“Huh? What’s this?”
“Robot parts!”
“It said research lab for robot engineering, so it really came from there?”
“Of course! Would I lie about that?”
“Still, it was originally not possible, so don’t ask for that from next time.”
“I didn’t know at first. I’ll look up the separate procedure. Thank you for letting me enter today!”
“Then let’s go back.”
I was really lucky.
I want to go back quickly and examine the Mana Core!
Even if it’s small, a golem is a golem!
What kind of guy can I make?