Chapter 9 - Technology
When we arrived at the inn's diner, we spotted Yato was in the middle of cleaning the place while humming a tune in a good mood.
"Fell-sama, Via-sama, good work today, ~nya!" (Yato)
Via-sama...?
"Geez, Yato-chan! I've told you to stop adding '-sama' to my name." (Via)
"I can't do that, ~nya. I respect Via-sama as much as I respect Fell-sama, ~nya. Your magic tool is just that amazing, ~nya." (Yato)
What magic tool did Yato need? She has spatial magic and search magic at her disposal already.
"What kind of magic tool did you get from Via?" (Fell)
"This broom, ~nya." (Yato)
Yato showed me the broom she had been using to clean.
I wonder what kind of magic was bestowed. Let's take a closer look……. Gravity magic for suction and spatial magic for storage --- what is this?
"When you sweep with this broom, it sucks up the dirt and puts it into subspace, ~nya. I don't need to use a dustpan anymore, ~nya." (Yato)
You use such advance magic to remove dirt? I mean, isn't a regular broom good enough? In addition, I think chasing down the dirt with a broom and dustpan is what makes cleaning fun.
"How is the broom? Did you find any problem?" (Via)
"I would appreciate it if you could limit what the broom can suck up, ~nya. This quite is troubling when the broom sucks up other things besides the dirt, ~nya." (Yato)
"I see.... I guess I will need to modify the magic formula so that only dirt will be sucked. However, I'm sorry, Yato-chan. I don't think I can't do it right away. Please give me about two weeks." (Via)
"No problem, ~nya. This is actually good enough already, ~nya. Oh, it's a lunch, right? I will prepare it soon, ~nya. Please wait a moment, ~nya!" (Yato)
Yato was about to go to the kitchen when Via stopped her.
"Please wait, Yato-chan. Could you please call Nia-san before that? There's something I want her to see." (Via)
"Understood, ~nya. I will call Nia, please give me a minute, ~nya." (Yato)
I've heard something that I just couldn't ignore. For now, let's take a seat and then talk.
"You said about modifying the magic formula a while ago, but can you really do it?" (Fell)
"Eh!? I can do it. Why do you ask?" (Via)
Because you make it sound like an easy task. Magic formula is something that has already been completed, after all. If you picture the magic formula inside your head and channel your magical power into it, or associate the magic formula with a certain keyword and channel your magical power into it, the magic essence will react to it and a phenomenon called magic will occur. This is the mechanism of magic.
Modifying a magic formula means changing its whole structure while maintaining its functionality. If you make even the slightest mistake, the magic essence won't react to the magic formula and the magic won't be activated. This is why modifying magic formula is an extremely difficult task.
"Isn't it difficult to modify magic formula?" (Fell)
"Is that so? In my case, I studied a lot of things related to magic in the hope that I would be able to cast magic one day. Because of that, I can understand all the magic formulas inside and out. If it's just a little, I can modify any magic formula." (Via)
Seriously? That's an impossible feat even for me. Imitating the customized magic formulas written in the spellbook is the best I can do. For example, I can narrow down the target of my search magic.
Via keeps astonishing me today. Her knowledgeable about magic is so vast for someone who can't use it. Fortunately, her inability to cast magic was offset by her ability to bestow magic. Speaking of which, the statue of the Goddess in the church can also be used as a telepathy magic tool with some limitations to reduce the consumption of magical power. Ur also reduced the power of her Fireballs so she could fire them in rapid succession. Everything must be the result of’ modification.
“Maybe all humans are good at modifying magic formula?” (Fell)
"Not everyone. If you attend magic academy, you will learn the architecture of magic formula, so I’m sure they are not that rare." (Via)
This is exactly the kind of technology that I want to bring back to the demon world. If you can adjust your magic with formulas, it might make life in the demon world better.
"Can you teach me this architecture of magic formula later?" (Fell)
"It's faster to learn it from the books than listening to my explanation. Do you want to borrow mine? You can also buy them at bookstores at Leanne City later." (Via)
For the time being, I guess I will borrow her book. But bookstores, huh. Let's check them out. If there are other interesting books, I will buy them, too. How much will they cost? I hope my money is enough.
Nia and Yato came out of the kitchen after a while.
Nia, I understand you were in the middle of cooking, but don’t walk around holding a knife. It's dangerous. Even if you don't do that, no one would go against the cook inside the kitchen or dining hall. I don't know about you, but most of the cooks in the demon world are former members of the special forces unit.
"I heard you are looking for me. Do you need something?" (Nia)
“I made these magic tools. Do you think you can use them here?” (Nia)
Via began to explain about the automatic mud-remover mat, insulated bento box, and insulted water bottle, one by one.
"There is no problem with the mat. This will definitely be useful. Let's put it at the entrance right away. However, the bento box and water bottle are not disposable, are they? This might be troublesome to collect them later." (Nia)
"I see. Your bento box and water bottle will return to the soil after a certain time if you bury them. However, if you want to collect them back, you will have to go through a lot of trouble." (Via)
I have my subspace, so I brought back the bento boxes I took to the elf forest with me, but.... should have I buried them? It's amazing how they can return to the soil even though there's no magic involved.
"Then, how about I add teleportation magic? The customers will be able to return them back to the inn from anywhere." (Via)
What is she saying? I mean, what's the point of putting such a high function on a bento box? In addition, teleportation magic is not that simple. Especially the calculation of spatial coordinates part.
"Done, and.... go!" (Via)
What!?
When Via channeled her magical power into the bento box, the bento box disappeared from her hand followed by a sound of something falling into the water from the kitchen. After that, we all went to the kitchen and found the bento box that Via was holding a while ago, was submerged in a puddle of dishwater.
"It worked, but.... this is not good. Even if you limit the location, it consumes a lot of magical power. It might be impossible for someone with little magical power. In addition, the material of the bento box is not suitable for such a complicated magic formula, so it cracked." (Via)
I can't keep up with what is going on. Did she just modify the magic formula on the spot to limit the destination of teleportation to the washtub in the kitchen? I mean, what about the spatial coordinate? Did she even calculate it?
When I looked at Yato, her face was normal, but his tail was pointing upwards --- clearly surprised.
Good. I'm not the only one.
"Yato, can you teleport yourself to somewhere outside your field of vision?" (Fell)
“In the first place, with my magical power, the teleportation itself is impossible, ~nya. However, if the magical power consumption can be lowered using Via-sama's magic formula, maybe I will be able to use teleportation magic as well, ~nya?" (Yato)
I don't know how much the magical power consumption can be lowered, but it might not be so impossible. Does this also mean I will be able to teleport myself to somewhere outside my field of vision? That would be awesome.
Via and Nia were still talking after that, but I was hungry so I had her prepare my lunch first.
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When I and Via were discussing about magic formula while waiting for our lunch, Dia came and then rushed to our table immediately.
"If you are going to have lunch together, invite me too!" (Dia)
"I'm sorry, Dia-chan. I didn't invite you because I only came here to deliver something for Nia-san. However, since it's already lunchtime, I decided to join Fell-chan." (Via)
Dia, who sat at our table without asking permission, looked at the paper on the table and tilted her head.
"What is this? A drawing of earthworm?" (Via)
"This is a structure of magic formula. I was taught by Via just now." (Fell)
I mean, why do I have to draw an earthworm in the first place? I prefer a dog.
"Ah, Via-chan also taught this to me before. I fell asleep after three minutes, though." (Dia)
"Yeah, sleeping with eyes open is kind of talent. The surprise of finding that out was greater than the sadness of being left talking alone." (Via)
"Aww, don't praise me like that. You will make me blush." (Dia)
I don't think Via is complimenting you.... she is not, is she?
"Also, Fell-chan, I'm telling you this, Via-chan is just weird. Please don't think that all humans are like this." (Dia)
"Dia-chan, that's terrible!" (Via)
"Yeah, I just realized that, too. Putting aside her knowledge about magic, she was abnormally fast at reconstructing magic formula. I wonder what's going on inside her head. How could she calculate the spatial coordinates in mere seconds? That's an impossible feast even for me. What a monster." (Fell)
Her thought speed most likely faster than mine even after I released my ability limiter. No, maybe it's not her thought speed, but her calculation speed which is faster? Either way, it doesn't change the fact that I can't teleport to somewhere outside my field of vision.
"You are also terrible, Fell-chan!!" (Via)
"I was praising you, though." (Fell)
"R-Really!? I have misunderstood you, sorry." (Via)
"I was also praising you, you know?" (Dia)
"Eh!? O-Okay, then as an apology, the lunch will be on me today." (Via)
Via should be really careful of scams. Even though she is smart, she can be fooled easily.