Chapter 619 – The Magician and Magical Creatures

After temporarily concluding my experiments outside, I returned to my room and began writing spell formulas on paper.

As I continued this work for a while, Marlene and Lasnote brought in a tea set, poured tea into cups, and placed them where they wouldn’t interfere with my work.

“Thank you, Marlene, Lasnote.”

When I spoke to them, the two smiled brightly and nodded.

When I’m making potions or writing spell formulas for magic tools… well, it seems Marlene particularly enjoys sitting in a corner of the room where she won’t be in the way and watching me work. Today, she probably invited Lasnote to join her.

Lasnote seems to get along well with Marlene, and I often see them together. At home, I sometimes witness Lasnote reading passages aloud while Marlene listens, asking about parts she doesn’t understand and nodding along.

Today, both of them were watching my work with apparent enjoyment when, after a short while, Grace, Ashley, and Claudia appeared with some baked sweets.

“We’ll leave these here.”

“We brought some for everyone else too.”

“Mhm. Thank you.”

After I responded, Grace and the others went to sit near where Marlene and Lasnote were seated and seemed to have decided to spend their time leisurely doing embroidery and such.

Sheila and the others were training outside. They appeared to be practicing coordination drills with Irmhild and Sion in the courtyard, darting about while flashing magic shields here and there.

Only the sound of crackling firewood from the fireplace echoed—it was a quiet time.

Since my work only involved writing spell formulas, I decided to proceed at a relaxed pace matching the atmosphere. It would be fine to occasionally nibble on the baked sweets or sip tea while working.

Continuing my work like this for some time, a knocking sound echoed at the door as the surroundings began to darken.

“It’s ready.”

The one who appeared was Rosemary. Ready—meaning the magical creature core had completed the minimum required learning, it seemed.

“Ah. Understood. I’ll be right there.”

I finished writing the spell formula up to a reasonable stopping point before standing up.

A magical creature, huh. Well, now that I think about it… looking around me, there certainly are many magical creatures.

Caduceus and Ouroboros, Nemea and Capella from the Chimera Coat, Balor too, and Marlene’s Eclair and Rosemary’s Ambrum are also among them.

“A companion for Caduceus and Ouroboros and the others, then. I hope you can become good friends.”

When I said this, Caduceus, in his cat form, nodded slightly, and Ouroboros purred in his throat. Nemea and Capella also poked their heads out lightly from the coat and nodded. Balor blinked his eyelids.

After receiving their respective responses, I went to the adjacent room guided by Rosemary—where a magic array was drawn filling the entire room, illuminating the space with a somewhat fantastical light.

At its center rested the dragonian magic stone—the magical creature core—formed into a spherical shape.

“You’ve come…”

Beatrice said languidly.

“Shall we begin the work now?”

“Yes, if there are no inconveniences.”

“Then… I’ll explain the procedure. In front of where the magical creature core is placed, a small circle is drawn. Basically, you sit in this spot and have it learn and absorb the knowledge necessary for a magical creature, the creator’s objectives, and so on. This is the spell formula for that.”

Forset showed me the incantation he had written down on paper.

I see. So I’ll be using this technique while doing so. This allows the magical creature to efficiently learn letters and such. You could say it’s like installing knowledge into the magical creature… that sort of feeling, I suppose.

“However, imparting advanced thinking abilities requires more than just knowledge. To strengthen the magical creature’s ego, you must shape its personality… but that part is somewhat high in difficulty. Especially for those intended for combat.”

Rosemary said while looking somewhat thoughtful.

“By having it learn by recalling experiences rather than just knowledge, that becomes possible. Well, with advanced magical creatures, while you can guide them toward a desired personality, they generally don’t turn out completely as intended.”

“The requirements and what is sought change depending on the type of magical creature and its purpose. In any case, if it’s to be a magical creature for a weapon, I believe Theodore-sama is well-suited for the task.”

I received explanations and various points of caution from Beatrice and Forset.

For better or worse, when trying to grant a highly developed ego, it seems the magician’s own personality and such also get reflected.

For example, cursed weapons like demon swords that thirst for blood are apparently the result of adjustment failures in this area.

Well, if the creator intended that from the beginning, it wouldn’t be considered a failure, I suppose.

In any case, if I’m giving consciousness to a weapon, it’s a point I must be careful about.

“—Understood. Then, I’d like to begin right away.”

After hearing everything, I responded thus.

I took off the Chimera Coat and placed it nearby, and leaned Ouroboros against the wall. Caduceus and Balor also waited in place.

I sat in the designated spot as if meditating, facing the magical creature core one-on-one. When Rosemary and the others deployed a magic circle, the light from the magic array on the floor intensified.

Within that light, I closed my eyes—held my hand over the core, and began the incantation I had just been taught.

A response—came immediately. I felt as if I had been called out to. Perhaps I had been greeted. I returned the greeting.

It was similar to when I linked senses with Caduceus. Like sensing the other’s presence through feeling. This must be why efficient learning is possible through such connection.

It felt somewhat different from when I conversed with the orichalcum. From the orichalcum, I sensed something like an already completed weightiness, or a feeling of being accurately analyzed… but this core felt quite small, as if newborn. It gave the impression of looking up at me intently, waiting for words.

Now then—what should I talk about first? I directed my consciousness toward the presence before me, forgetting the outside world and concentrating.

An axe. Yes, an axe magical creature. Although it is a magical creature, I want to welcome it as a companion.

While I did decide to create it with an initial purpose in mind, if I’m giving it an ego, I want it to become a magical creature that stays by humanity’s side for a long time, cherished as a neighbor.

When I thought that way, I felt a response from the presence before me.

—Was I not created as a weapon? What about as a friend?

I felt as if I had been questioned like that.

Answering that with knowledge alone would be easy, but it probably wouldn’t be something that could be accepted or understood through words alone. So—I would answer from the magician’s experiences. I felt I understood Rosemary and the others’ explanation.

“That’s right. Perhaps I should start by talking about myself.”

I spoke aloud while thinking, under the watchful gaze of the presence before me.

—What thoughts, what experiences led me to seek power? What is sought from a weapon and seeking greater power might be similar.

My life as a small child. The warm memories from that time. The frustration of witnessing Mother’s battle with the King of Deathly Slumber while being unable to do anything. The precious person I lost, and that warm time that went far away.

That’s why I sought power. More power, and more.

And then—after gaining power, how did I change? I recalled memories from long ago, bringing back the memories and emotions from those times.

I conversed with the magical creature core that was intently watching my memories.

When I said it was its turn next since I had talked about myself, the core responded.

(I—know the purpose of a weapon as knowledge. Since I was created for that, I held no doubts about it. Therefore, I was surprised that you, Master, hold various emotions regarding battle.)

It said that. No, I think a voice echoed more clearly in my mind than before. It must be learning and growing even during this time.

A magical creature, huh. Certainly, Ouroboros and Balor too seemed to take joy simply in having a wielder.

“That might be the big difference from humans.”

Since humans don’t have predetermined purposes, they wander in various ways and harbor various emotions, I suppose. For an existence without such uncertainties, perhaps it doesn’t think or feel anything about that. But I think it would be difficult to coexist with humans without understanding that.

(…Being taught various knowledge, experiences, and about people like this… might be enjoyable.)

“If so, that’s good. Mhm. Enjoyable things, huh.”

Scenes of daily life with everyone floated in my mind. The magical creature watched with apparent interest, and I understood it was learning my emotions from those times.

(Being able to—laugh together, is that what friends or companions are?)

“Knowledge-wise, yes, I suppose. Things like friends and companions can only be found by oneself… but there are those who want to become friends with you.”

Those who are waiting for a new companion to arrive.

When I answered that way, its consciousness seemed to turn toward others besides me for the first time. Ouroboros leaned against the wall, and the Chimera Coat. Caduceus sitting nearby, and Balor on top of Caduceus’s head.

I also recalled memories about them. Not just the days we fought together, but mixed with daily memories too. Ouroboros placed beside me while I read, sleeping in the sunlight.

(…You are strange, Master. Things like being friends or daily peace. I would think—from a knowledge perspective—that these are not what one seeks from a weapon.)

“Because you have a will. The reason I seek power is to prevent my daily life from being destroyed, and creating weapons and magic tools is for that purpose too. I want what I create to protect someone, and if I’m welcoming you as a companion, I want to protect you too.”

(I see. To you, Master, I am also a companion?)

“I think of you that way.”

When I said that, something resembling emotions from the magical creature side flowed toward me. Ah. Is this… feeling happy? Since it’s similar to the Five Senses Link, I can share the other’s emotions too. It must mean we shared my memories and the emotions contained within them.

(Is this… my own, emotion?)

The magical creature… seemed to be savoring that somehow.

(—I think I understand what you, Master, seek from me. Won’t you—teach me how to fight? I want to perform in a way that meets your expectations, without shaming myself as a companion.)

Eventually, the magical creature core said that.

“Ah, understood.”

I nodded, and this time began envisioning images of gripping and swinging a long-handled axe. I have plenty of material when it comes to battle. Various combat skills, techniques used by the demons I’ve fought until now, movements of monsters I’ve encountered, behaviors using Magnetic Waves… including those aspects, I decided to convey everything I could.