Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Experiment Arc (12)
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“Does that mean it started off slowly, just like with the Short Stature folk? Without ever picking up speed?”
“That's right. No guarantee it'll be the same for you.”
Even so, it was somewhat comforting.
Compared to having no reference cases at all, this was something positive to hold onto.
I had no intention of just becoming Mere's breeding tool like this. I had to find some way to escape.
“I want to get out of here before secondary sexual characteristics show up.”
He nodded at my words.
“I'm planning to demand my freedom once the five-year contract ends.”
“Whether it's five years from now or sooner, if an opportunity to leave this place arises, please give me a chance to help—or at least let me know.”
“I can't promise anything. But before then, you'll need to grow as a warrior. Magic's one thing, but you won't get far without using your body.”
With that, he raised his hand and clenched his fist.
“Look at the mana in my hand. What do you think is different from your magic?”
“I'm not sure... But do you know how to handle mana? I've never sensed any mana coming from your body.”
“That's a technique for concealing mana. It's a survival skill the Short Stature folk have honed with their bodies to stay alive. The key is training it before your mana core finishes developing, so I'll teach it to you soon. You'll need it especially.”
'If I learn this, can I pretend to be weak?'
As a Long Ears half-blood who needed to avoid drawing attention, it was a skill I absolutely required.
“Thank you. If you ever need my magic, just let me know anytime.”
He nodded, then extended his fist again.
“This fist has mana concentrated in it, with intensity boosted.”
Then he extended just his index finger.
“This time, mana is concentrated solely in the index finger, with a slight intensity boost.”
He lightly touched my thigh with his finger and pulled away. It felt like being pressed hard with a rod.
“First, concentrate mana in one part of the body or a weapon. Second, use that concentrated mana to assist or enhance functions. Third, execute this at the right moment and place.”
“Is this how warriors use mana?”
“Exactly. A proper lesson would involve more detailed explanations and steps, but this is all I can offer.”
Wooong—fwoosh
The lights in the entire laundry room went out. It was 10 p.m.
“For now, think of concentrating mana in one part of your body and letting it seep into your muscles or skin. To increase intensity, raise the density; for flexibility, add elasticity. Easy to say, but you'll have to feel it out yourself.”
'Seeping into muscles or skin first, huh.'
Our conversation continued by the faint moonlight seeping through the ventilation window.
“Even if it doesn't work, that's just how it is. Mages awakening warrior strength is almost unheard of. But since you're a Long Ears half-blood like those from the past, I'm teaching you because I think you have a shot.”
“It was that rare? For someone to awaken both powers?”
“The goddess of providence and balance, Arsetra—gods never grant both to anyone. Plus, anyone with both mage and warrior power has a screw loose somewhere. And we happen to know someone like that.”
'Magic Trading Post Leader Mere, and Demon King Nel.'
“Even if I awaken warrior strength, it won't necessarily be a good thing...”
“Not unless you escape providence's influence.”
He added,
“Who knows. Maybe it'll leave your personality intact but strip away your ability to produce offspring? That'd ruin Mere's plans. Heh heh.”
“I'd have no complaints if that happened.”
He might have been joking, but I was dead serious. I couldn't bear the thought of my children suffering like me.
“You awakening warrior strength is more important than you think.”
“...?”
“Mere never keeps anyone around who could slip her control. Think about why all the servants here—excluding me, a mid-tier warrior—are such nobodies.”
“To keep them under control?”
“That's my take. Mere's a special-grade holy mage, but in pure hand-to-hand combat, she's only an upper-tier warrior. She probably only recruits servants she can control based on upper-tier standards.”
“If I awaken strength and become a mid-tier warrior later, could we two take her down together?”
“Impossible. We'd need at least one upper-tier warrior. Mere fights while healing herself, so we'd need someone to support them too.”
“Then Rat Pup becomes the upper-tier warrior, and I become mid-tier.”
“The opposite. I'm betting on you to reach upper-tier rather than me. You're a special half-blood, and there's the precedent of Demon King Nel, a king-tier warrior.”
“...”
The idea was so absurd I was speechless.
Not to mention whether I'd even awaken warrior strength in the first place.
“We've talked long enough. That's it for today. Come to the laundry room at 9 p.m. for a while. I'll teach you to conceal mana and check your warrior progress.”
“...Thank you so much. You're the only one here I can talk to like this—it's more encouraging than you know.”
“It started because you were an experiment subject like me. I never even talk to the others. See you tomorrow then.”
The conversation began with how he was found and ended with the power needed to face Mere.
With that long talk concluded, he left the laundry room.
Today's gains were plentiful.
The hope of no changes at secondary sexual characteristic onset, the bond with Rat Pup, concealing mana, and warrior strength.
Sorting through all those thoughts, I finally drifted off to sleep in a good mood for once.
A week had passed since my talk with Rat Pup.
Imperial Year 1482, May 27th—today was my twenty-second birthday.
Forest life had no birthday traditions; it was just a date I recalled when counting years.
I figured no one here would care, but Rat Pup gave me a simple.
“Happy birthday. Twenty-two now, huh. Inspection's in about five days.”
His words sounded oddly like a curse.
“If you're bringing up the inspection to heighten my fear, you failed. I'm already terrified.”
We were in the laundry room at 9 p.m., training to conceal mana.
“It might not be a big deal. Probably just checking for beard or armpit hair growth.”
“Based on my two years of experience, that's absolutely not happening.”
“Well, rest in peace anyway.”
“...”
Even amid the chit-chat, he demonstrated concealing and revealing mana.
“Short Stature folk train to separate the heartbeat from the mana core's pulse before the core finishes developing. That happens around secondary sexual characteristics, so you have to master it beforehand.”
He stressed doing it before mana core growth ended.
Once growth completes, the heart and mana core synchronize naturally, making it impossible to sense the core's pulse separately.
Hence the need to train separation before secondary characteristics hit.
“Stop the mana core's pulse like this, and mana recovery halts, but mana becomes undetectable.”
Sure enough, as he spoke, his mana vanished.
“What's the principle?”
“No idea. Heartbeats can't be controlled directly—stopping one kills you—but mana cores can be stopped manually, with different results.”
“Like how stopping your heartbeat stops the sound, does stopping the mana core make mana invisible...?”
“Makes sense.”
Whether I'd master it depended on effort, but the key was unfinished mana core growth.
If secondary characteristics started and growth ended, learning it would be impossible forever.
So I resolved to focus solely on this training for now.
The next day.
We gathered in the central hall at 6 a.m. as usual, waiting for Dregs and another servant.
The clock read 6:13. In the past two years, someone had always shown up on time without fail.
—Thud, thud, thud
Faint footsteps approached from afar. It was Dregs.
Over a minute after the footsteps started, he reached the hall, looking utterly exhausted.
“Sorry for being late. Ahem.”
After apologizing and clearing his throat, he continued.
“Rag died last night.”
Rag was the only female servant among us. I'd never spoken to her.
“...The second-floor trading post leader punished her. Said she spilled coffee on a cherished pouch.”
'Second floor's a trading post? Was that its leader who came to the third floor?'
“We need to dispose of the body, so Rat Pup and Broom, follow me. The rest, continue yesterday's tasks.”
Rat Pup and the servant called Broom stepped forward, and Dregs looked at me.
“Maggot will handle the women's restroom and shower room cleaning for now. Finish by 7.”
“Yes, understood.”
I replied, but it was tricky.
Only forty minutes left—how could I manage?
'...Ugh, someone's dead and here I am worrying about this.'
Dregs gave his orders and hurried back the way he'd come, Rat Pup and Broom following.
'Killing someone over coffee on a pouch...'
The thought hit late, but I shook my head to clear it. There was nothing I could do now.
For the moment, I rushed to the women's restroom. It was midway down the hall toward the lab.
Upon arrival, I knocked and announced,
“Coming in to clean.”
After five seconds of silence, I entered.
Thankfully, it was empty. Smaller than the men's room too.
I grabbed a rag and cleaning powder from the tool cabinet, soaked them in water, and wiped the sinks.
"Prompt to Magic Cast—Dirt Clear."
I saved time by magically laundering the rag.
Tried it on the sinks too, but no effect as expected.
'Rat Pup's hands and feet were incredibly fast during cleaning—was he enhancing his body with mana?'
He always concealed mana, so I hadn't noticed then.
Curious, I concentrated mana in my arm muscles to try.
'...It's slower instead.'
Localizing or circulating mana was familiar from training.
But seeping it in was a different concept and wasn't working well, slowing my hands as I focused.
Next, the toilets.
Rectangular and angular, these magical tools decomposed waste instantly with water.
—Swipe, swipe, swipe, swipe
Time pressed, so I scrubbed quickly.
Even brief fast wiping made my muscles ache like after a workout; I wanted to stop.
'—!'
Suddenly, mana seeped into my muscles.
'Oh, is this the feeling?'
I'd done it unconsciously, leaving me stunned.
The ache vanished, my arm lightening.
Even simple wiping felt powerfully stronger.
This was body enhancement—warrior strength.
Wondering if other parts worked, I tried directing mana to my legs instead.
'Hmm. No dice. What's the difference?'
As I pondered briefly—
—Step, step
'Gasp.'
Someone entered the restroom.