Chapter 531 – Technique and Ability Measurement

The material used in the Black Golem possessed rubber-like toughness. However, according to the documents Old Sigmund had shown me, it was particularly resistant to temperature changes.

Since it was manufactured in Silvatoria, a northern country, it was probably designed not to lose elasticity in low temperatures. Moreover, being adopted as a material for Combat Golems, it was also strong against high heat and electrical attacks.

In essence, its properties were fixed through the accumulation and supply of Magical Power. However, by changing the material ratios, characteristics like elasticity and rigidity could be manipulated to some extent.

This meant we could create parts that functioned like cartilage connecting skeletal structures. It was probably among the finest materials available.

The remaining task was optimization work to make the most of it.

In the workshop courtyard, Caduceus, mimicking Cerberus’s form, ran around. Kicking off the ground, running, jumping, flipping.

First, for the foundational parts—I needed to reform the Mithril Silver and create Cerberus’s skeletal framework… but this was a preliminary stage for that.

For the branched parts from the neck onward, I created prototype skeletons using Earth Magic, referencing creatures like the Hydra, then had Caduceus wear them to test movements. This allowed me to verify where stress concentrated during various motions, which parts needed reinforcement for greater durability, and make improvements accordingly.

“The neck joint—here it is.”

While maintaining a Five Senses Link with Caduceus over the skeleton, I verified each concerning part one by one and remade them.

The battle with Cerberus burned into my memory. I had to make it capable of reproducing all the movements it demonstrated back then.

How to increase the range of motion? How to enable more agile and flexible movements? While making the Cerberus-mimicking Caduceus move rapidly, I endlessly repeated verification and improvement. Just as I reached a somewhat satisfactory Form, a voice called from behind.

“The baked sweets are ready.”

“Please have some tea too.”

Grace brought a plate piled high with baked goods. Ashley also came carrying a tray with a full tea set.

“Thank you. Then I’ll take a short break.”

Since this work would likely be a long haul, it seemed best to replenish sugar and fluids along the way.

“Theodore. Do you have a moment?”

While enjoying the baked goods and tea… Rosemary, Alfred, Old Sigmund, and Forset also emerged into the courtyard.

“We’ve reached a stopping point and are on break, so it’s fine.”

“Is that so? Then, could you take a look at this Spell Formula?”

Rosemary brought a paper inscribed with a Spell Formula.

While I was improving the skeletal and muscular structures, I had asked Rosemary, Old Sigmund, and Forset to research the sensory systems for incorporation into the Magical Creature.

Sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch. I wouldn’t say all these perceptual abilities were absolutely necessary… but their acuity was important in many aspects. Even with high physical specs, inferior perceptual abilities would be problematic.

Moreover, since he himself wished to serve as Claudia’s Escort, I wanted to make him as high-spec as possible.

Thus, by combining the Magical Creature technologies of Verdgar, Silvatoria, and Halvaronis, I had them list as many Spell Formulas used in Magical Creature creation from each region as possible, to enhance perceptual acuity.

“So… we’ll incorporate these into autonomous simple Golems for experiments?” I nodded at Alfred’s words.

“That’s right. From the perspective of Magic Stone capacity, what’s your take, Alfred?”

“If we’re incorporating them into Cerberus’s Magic Stone, even if we select the largest-scale ones from these Spell Formulas and engrave them all, there would still be room to spare. Cerberus’s Magic Stone is on a completely different level anyway.”

…I see. So, combinations from these are free, as long as the Spell Formulas don’t interfere with each other.

By comparing and examining the Spell Formulas passed down in each region, improvement points should become visible. Since the skeleton and muscles had reached a stopping point, I decided to start experiments right after the break.

Now. The experiment content would be—giving senses to autonomous Golems using each Spell Formula, and verifying how superior their perceptual and recognition abilities were, such as dynamic visual acuity, hearing, and olfactory sharpness.

Well, how to put it. It’s like gathering the Magical Creature creation techniques accumulated by predecessors in each region and taking the best parts from each.

For example, for vision tests, I’d have Caduceus move rapidly to form letters, checking whether the Golem could read them.

For hearing, I’d use Wind Magic to create various sounds, testing the audible range, how well it could detect faint sounds, from which direction sounds came—that sort of testing.

“Somehow, this is interesting.”

“Indeed… it doesn’t look like Magic experiments.”

So said Sheila and Irmhild.

That’s right… What we’re doing is Golem ability measurement.

Things like raising a hand when a sound I make is heard, or creating a C-shaped letter with Earth Magic in a distant location to check which direction is open—visually, it looks like physical measurements or health checkups for autonomous Golems. Well, we’re still obtaining the necessary Data, so it’s fine.

“Hmm. Upper right diagonal—”

Seraphina also seemed to find it amusing and joined in doing vision tests and such. Seraphina’s eyesight appeared quite good.

“Hmm. Could you later bring me one personal item from each person?”

“What are you going to do?”

Claudia tilted her head.

“To use for olfactory determination, conducting experiments to identify the owners.”

When I said that, Marlene immediately smiled cheerfully and placed her handkerchief on the table.

Continuing experiments like this for a while… several things became apparent.

“Hmm. It seems each Spell Formula has its strengths and weaknesses.”

“Indeed? How so?”

Old Sigmund tilted his head.

“For example, with vision—some showed excellent performance in distinguishing moving objects, while others specialized in seeing in dark places.”

“Oh.”

This difference likely arose because the Spell Formulas were specialized according to each Magical Creature’s purpose.

“However… since they originate from the same technical system, there are common parts too. By comparing and examining them and extracting the differing parts, we might be able to eliminate waste and integrate the superior aspects.”

“That would… likely become something extraordinary.”

Old Sigmund’s smile twitched slightly.

“It’s an application of what you did before, sir—that Spell Formula simplification.”

Charlotte nodded admiringly. It involved breaking down Spell Formulas into basic components and reassembling them.

However, taking the best parts and integrating them would likely increase the Spell Formula’s capacity. That would require a Magic Stone with enough capacity to utilize it, so whether it could be applied beyond Cerberus was another matter.

Even Cerberus’s Magic Stone, while large, had its limits. Of course, I intended to consider efficiency as much as possible, but depending on the situation, we might need to make choices.

Since it’s a canine Monster, its hearing and smell should be superior. If we’re allocating large-scale Spell Formulas, prioritizing those to make them excellent would probably result in a body more familiar and comfortable from Cerberus’s perspective.

Creature abilities… being greedy and wanting everything tends to lead to being a jack-of-all-trades but master of none, or inefficiency. What’s necessary and what’s unnecessary… that’s right. Since Cerberus’s Magic Stone can communicate through flickering, it would be best to decide through consultation with him.