“A spell using an Ore Tree, you found out about that, didn’t you?”
Evia stares in admiration at a partial copy of a book Jiro found in Amelia’s library. It was the result of following an almost instinctive urge, which turned out to be a massive success. The idea was to make the Ore Tree a secondary Magic Crest, and create an environment where more than double the magic essence could be absorbed through the owner’s Magic Crest and the newly formed one. Plus, the backlash was minimal. The drawback was that there was no established method for growing the Ore Tree to a point where it could connect with its user, making it an ideal weapon but difficult to create. However, that drawback was practically nonexistent for Jiro, and the method of use was fine because it shared a commonality with recovering magic power.
After finishing the recording, I jolted to my feet, much to Memoria’s surprise. Apologizing to her, I didn’t hesitate and ran. I ran to Evia, and she quietly stared at the papers I brought. Silence fell.
“…”
“How is it?”
Apollo had adjusted the time so I could meet Evia immediately. I handed her the资料 I found, and she began to meticulously examine the spell. As the silence stretched and my throat grew dry, I couldn’t help but ask if it was no good.
“No, there are no problems from any perspective – logic, theory, anything. This will work.”
“It will!”
“Calm down.”
I had been in a panic, thinking I’d have to return to Amelia’s if it didn’t work. When Evia said the method was fine, I couldn’t help but let my joy show. She chided me. Before I could ask why, Evia began to explain.
“There are no holes in the spell, the method, or the nature of the theory. This method will indeed help Suella. And there is, or rather, there should be an Ore Tree capable of it. However, think calmly. Jiro, is the Ore Tree you possess an ordinary Ore Tree?”
It was a theoretical discussion, but Evia’s assessment confirmed it would function without issue. That in itself was good, but I remembered the state of the key element: the Ore Tree.
“The dragon’s bone.”
“That’s right. That Ore Tree absorbed dragon bone, specifically the bone of an ancient dragon, which is theoretically impossible. The influence of that, Jiro, you understand better than anyone.”
My Ore Tree can indeed connect with its user. And if I carved the spell I found into the Ore Tree, I could put the theory into practice. But that was the method of ‘Adsael’s Staff’. It wasn’t my Ore Tree’s method. My Ore Tree had undergone a unique evolution, possessing only similar properties. There was no record of Adsael’s Staff incorporating ancient dragon bones, and the connection with the Ore Tree was established before it absorbed the dragon bone.
“…The problem is the physical change caused by the dragon bone, huh?”
“Exactly. The blood flowing in your body is no longer human. Well, it was originally your blood, but it has become a mixture of human and dragon due to the dragon bone absorbed by the Ore Tree. When your body was remade like that, the strain on your body must have been unimaginable, right?”
The words, pointedly inserted, caused my brow to furrow. The difference in the dragon bone became the bottleneck, regarding what kind of strain it would place on Suella’s body. I should have realized this when bringing up the topic. Evia’s words, pointing out the problem, made me realize my own lack of foresight.
“It’s a burden a pregnant woman cannot bear…”
If Suella can’t bear it, neither can the fetus. That means…
“Precisely.”
This method would be meaningless. Evia nodded calmly.
“Damn it!”
Just because they had the same function didn’t mean they could do the same thing. Being proven wrong, and feeling like I was back to square one, my frustration finally surfaced. I felt my heart sink. I tightened my fist.
“I told you to calm down.”
“?”
But as I tried to regain my composure to make up for lost time, Evia said, with a hint of exasperation, “Don’t panic.”
“Your efforts haven’t been in vain. From my perspective, we’ve found a clue to the solution.”
“What do you mean?”
She said it was okay, then said it wasn’t. My head was spinning. Would I normally have been calmer? Such stray thoughts began to mingle.
“If you can’t use your Ore Tree ‘directly,’ then we just need to create something to put in between.”
“But then you can’t send magic directly, can you?”
I desperately tried to decipher Evia’s words about a change in perspective with my tired brain. The Ore Tree, by rooting itself to the user, establishes a direct line, allowing magic to flow in and out. If you insert something like a filter, the direct flow of magic would stop, and its effect would be lost. Evia, of all people, should know that.
As I tilted my head so much that question marks seemed to hover above it, Evia sighed, as if resigned to my cluelessness.
“Fool, have you forgotten my race? When it comes to contracts, there’s no one better than a demon.”
“!”
It was a blind spot. And then I understood what Evia meant.
“If you physically insert something, the Ore Tree’s properties won’t be utilized. But if you can’t insert it physically, then we’ll insert magic. With contract magic, we can temporarily restrict some of the functions of your Ore Tree, and the effect I mentioned earlier can be fully achieved.”
Truly, the women around me were too competent. She grinned, waving the spell I handed her playfully, a mischievous smile I hadn’t seen in a long time. Everyone was living in a gloomy atmosphere, and any smiles were bittersweet or fleeting. Evia, for now, had regained her usual demeanor, like a ray of hope piercing the gloom.
“Fortunately, the troublesome spell composition is already done. If we had to build it from scratch, we probably wouldn’t make it in time. That’s not to say we have plenty of time, though.”
With her arms crossed, tapping her right index finger rhythmically, Evia was clearly organizing her thoughts mentally.
“…It’s cutting it close, but… she can make it. I think.”
Then, with a clap of her hands, her schedule was set. Evia, her face set with resolve, acted swiftly.
“Jiro! Go get your Ore Tree. Take it, and then run to the research area. And you there, contact the Giant King! He’s the best craftsman. Tell him it’s on my behalf, and he won’t refuse! There’s no time, hurry!”
And so, the rule of the Demon Lord’s Army: once decided, act immediately. I dashed away from Evia and ran to retrieve the Ore Tree. We had already used a hundred hours out of the hundred and twenty-hour time limit. We had less than a day left. In that remaining time, I had to imbue the Ore Tree with the spell and establish a contract so Suella could use it. I didn’t know how long the process would take. But this was the last chance.
If I couldn’t do it, a weak thought stirred from the depths of my heart, but I propelled myself forward, channeling more magic into my legs to accelerate, shaking it off. I sped past the shouts urging me not to run inside the building. The fatigue accumulated from working overtime for an incredibly long time, with only minimal rest, and the forced magic recovery methods using potions had caused abnormalities throughout my body. My body felt sluggish, and my magic flow was poor. With every ounce of willpower, I channeled magic into my Magic Crest, willing my less-than-perfect body to move, just a little more. For Suella, who was suffering and trying to live. To turn her suffering into joy, my legs gave one last burst of effort.
With a sound like a car skidding and drifting, I burst into the office and ran into the Party Room. Everyone looked at me, wondering what was happening, but I had neither the mental nor physical capacity to explain.
“Memoria.”
“!”
Grabbing the Ore Tree, I just gave a thumbs-up to Memoria, who was still looking into documents, and became a gust of wind once more. I had never thought the path to the research area could be so long. Though it had only taken a few minutes, perhaps due to the accelerated time or my own panic, each second felt like an eternity.
“We’ve been waiting.”
Evia was standing next to a man whose stature could only be described as immense, in front of the research area. Seeing me, she looked from my approaching figure to the giant beside her.
“Show me.”
I knew this giant. I had seen him clearly at the entrance ceremony, and later, from a distance, his presence was undeniable. The king of the Giants, Uuor. The Giant King, Warlock. He extended his massive arm, and I immediately understood what “show me” implied. Without looking at Evia, I presented the companion in my hand. The handle, made to fit me, was small in the Giant King’s hand, and he ran his eyes over the blade as if holding a dagger.
“…”
He stared intently, his overwhelming presence like a massive rocky mountain, unmoving. He gazed at my Ore Tree. Evia said nothing, and I naturally fell silent.
“…A fine specimen. Very well, Evia, I accept your request.”
Then, the mountain that had been motionless began to move. After blinking once, he spoke, not to me, but to Evia. His voice was a deep, resonant rumble, like pure craftsmanship embodied. Praising the Ore Tree, he quickly got to the point.
“Human, your name is?”
Without waiting for Evia’s reply, his voice, heavy with the intimidation befitting his massive frame, was directed at me, accompanied by eyes that seemed to see through everything.
“Jiro Tanaka.”
“Jiro Tanaka. I’ve remembered. My respects to you, who have refined your Ore Tree to this extent.”
“Y-yes.”
Perhaps it was his craftsman’s personality, but he was somewhat on his own pace. To be praised in such a tense situation, I could only reply, “Yes.” The Giant King nodded with apparent satisfaction and entered the research area. I looked to Evia, as if to confirm what had just happened, and she was chuckling.
“To make the stubborn Giant King say that… you’re truly never boring to watch.”
“Was I praised?”
Somehow, the exchange had left me deflated, and I asked Evia in a questioning tone. She nodded and confirmed.
“He judges existence through weapons and armor. He pays no mind to most beings. They are like mere pebbles to him. But seeing the Ore Tree you cultivated must have changed his mind.”
After a satisfied smile, Evia’s expression turned serious, and she continued.
“To be honest, it was a gamble. I could summon him, but only the Demon Lord can truly compel him to exert his full effort. And even the Demon Lord would struggle to make him work with enthusiasm.”
Evia admitted it was a long shot.
“He is, Warlock, a craftsman through and through. While he holds the position of General, at his core, he is a blacksmith. He is an unusual swordsman who has mastered martial arts through forging weapons. His skill in forging weapons is unmatched in the Demon Lord’s Army. If we are to quickly and reliably embed that spell into Jiro’s Ore Tree, there is no one but him.”
Her gaze, which had been on me, shifted towards the research area, following the retreating back of the Giant King. I followed her gaze.
“Because of his skill, he is indifferent to status, honor, money, or women. All he possesses is loyalty to the Demon Lord, who recognized his skill, and the pursuit of creating the ultimate weapon. His reign as Giant King is solely due to his loyalty. Without it, he would still be swinging his hammer in some workshop.”
More than eccentric, he was a standout among the already uniquely talented individuals. But I didn’t quite understand the “gamble” part.
“…Can I ask something?”
“What is it? I have some free time until his work is done. I’ll answer if I can.”
“Why was it a gamble? From what you say, he’s undoubtedly a craftsman, but you, his equal, went so far as to incur a debt. It doesn’t seem like the reward was so small that he would refuse.”
“As I said, what occupies him is loyalty and his pursuit. He has no sentiment. If he had judged your Ore Tree as inadequate, he would have undoubtedly refused this request. And he is the only one with the skill to meet the deadline.”
“!”
“To be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t incur a debt with anyone but him. While a debt with others could be mortally wounding, with him, it is, in a sense, safe. He has that much trust, but conversely, it is difficult to incur even a small debt with him.”
Apparently, the debt only involved lending materials for the weapons the Giant King wanted to forge. The prices of those materials were reportedly terrifyingly expensive, but considerably cheaper than debts incurred with other generals. While they often cooperated for various reasons, it was only because they were equals. In the meritocracy of the Demon Lord’s Army, you couldn’t survive if you were looked down upon even slightly. Even if it was to save Suella, one had to abandon sentiment at times. That was the Demon Lord’s Army. They certainly had a ruthless side to them, Evia warned me.
“Jiro, I’m not going to say anything about the relationships around you. I’m part of them too. But if you want to maintain these relationships, keep increasing your own value. That way, it will lead to protecting those around you, as it has this time.”
She continued, “Otherwise…” I replied with a smile.
“I’m well aware of that.”
This wasn’t a hero’s party that could be tidied up with pretty stories. The Demon Lord’s Army, described as utterly wicked. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. So, such aspects likely existed. However, I was still here, in this company, knowing full well.
“If it means Suella can be saved, I’ll increase my value as much as needed.”
I grinned, telling her to bring on any challenges. Evia shrugged with a sigh.
“Hey, Jiro.”
“What?”
I grinned at Evia and looked at her face.
“If, if something happened to me like it did to Suella—”
“I’ll save you.”
I interrupted her words, which held a hint of anxiety, and replied, “I’ll make sure I have enough value to be able to save Evia too.”
I conveyed my seriousness jokingly.
“Is that so? In that case.”
Upon hearing this, Evia’s face showed relief, and a smile bloomed at the corner of her mouth.
“I can also dedicate myself wholeheartedly to the work ahead.”
She confirmed the subsequent process.
A word from today:
When effort is rewarded, the joy is overwhelming.
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*The first volume of the novel is published by Hayakawa Bunko JA. It was released on October 18, 2018. The e-book version was released on October 31 of the same year. The second volume was released on December 19. The third volume was released on February 20, 2019. The content has been revised and expanded from the original serialization on “Shosetsuka ni Naro,” with the addition of unpublished interchapters. Please also check out the new releases!
The manga adaptation is being serialized in Kodansha’s “Young Magazine The Third.” We hope you enjoy that as well.
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