By Zephyria Spiritus’s hair, tied up high, swayed like a horse’s tail.
“If you humans are to maintain and repair it with your own strength, I’ll just give hints, and it’s right for the calculations for the spell formulas and drawing the magic circles to be done by human hands. The trickiest part of portal magic is the spatio-temporal calculation of the departure and arrival coordinates, but since the spatial coordinate calculation is omitted, it should be manageable.”
“Um, I looked over the magic circle here and there. I saw that the spell formulas don’t proceed at all here and here. I’m curious if you intentionally made it this convoluted.”
“Ah, that’s because the dimensions are different. To achieve spatial displacement within the same time, I’ve incorporated time as an axis. See here…”
With her attitude, as if she had never been angry, she looked over things together, and the two mages were busy showering her with flattery and adulation. Marianne, in particular, stood so close and affectionately by Spiritus’s side that it was almost as if she were being cradled in her arms.
“You mean the Mana Stones go in 64 places, here and here, right?”
“Yes.”
“May I ask why, if it’s not too much trouble? To my limited eyes, the distance between the Mana Stones seems too far.”
“Look, aren’t the two of you here among the top-tier mages among current humans? The mage who will handle the portal won’t be a Research Mage, will they?”
“Ah. Ahh! That’s right. A 7th Circle Mage, indeed. It’s difficult to station them at every portal.”
“Yes, at best, a 4th Circle Mage would use it. For a 4th Circle, even with Mana Gathering Woods set up, you’d need about eight to twelve people for stable magic circle operation. If you pack the Mana Stones too densely, would there even be room to stand?”
“I am deeply moved, again and again, by Spiritus-nim’s grace in always considering and thinking of even the lowest positions. If we consider a 4th Circle Mage as the standard, it would be better to create space within the circle for them to stand, without needing to touch the circuit at all.”
“Yes, well. Even this much is quite a high workload, so it’s best to minimize situations that could affect the Fine Mana Circuit. I don’t trust the stamina of human mages.”
“Me neither. I don’t trust it either. Starting today, I won’t trust it.”
“Why is this one acting so disgustingly?”
With the experts’ aerial views and Spiritus’s advice, things proceeded at lightning speed.
On the empty land, Benjamin’s Spirit moved around, laying the foundation. Other areas were left as they were, but the Sacred Tree and the land around where the magic circle would be inscribed were worked on. Nevertheless, the task of filling the ground from the depths to the surface with soil and stone, so it would not shake under any future circumstances, consumed a considerable amount of time and Mana.
[Heeek. Hee-heeeek. Hee-ee-ee-ee-eeek.]
It was particularly pitiful to see the Earth Spirit, which had no mouth, panting continuously.
“Um, if it would help, shall I have my Spirits come out too?”
“No, no, no! It’s fine. Staying still is helping right now. This is a task where Mana stability is crucial, and Sylphs or Undines have a strong tendency to flow and surge, so they might just cause confusion. Please don’t talk to me for a moment. Meldon, is it done yet?”
[Mmm. A little more. I can do it!]
“Right, our Meldon is doing so well. Oh, you’re doing so well, let’s finish up quickly and have some food?”
[Yes!]
“Ah… Yes.”
I didn’t understand what was confusing, but since I was told to behave, I stayed put.
After three mages and Benjamin, four of them bustled about and tinkered for a long time.
Finally, it was my turn.
“Your Majesty! Now is the time. You just need to plant the Sacred Trees here, here, and over there.”
Boulder, whose mouth stretched to his ears, bustled over and handed me three round Sources of the Waterproof Forest from my hand. I felt the objects, similar in size to walnuts but with a smoother finish, in my grip and stopped fiddling when I received a stern look.
It was five paces away from where Benjamin’s Spirit, Meldon, had neatly flattened the ground, measured by my stride. I could see the walls of Sierren Capital on the horizon. After standing before the hole I had dug with my staff, I inserted a de-pinned Source of the Waterproof Forest into the hole and gripped my sword.
My Dantian pulsed.
Upon reaching the Life-Death Realm, I gained the ability to manipulate all the external and internal energies of this small human body. Just as I could hear all the sounds of the world by circulating External Qi, by focusing on Internal Energy, I could not help but hear all the sounds of this world.
A cerulean silence was imbued into the tip of my sword.
The seed, swallowing the purest internal energy in the world, sent out straight roots and green sprouts together, stretching out to their fullest. It was a tree of a form I had already seen and was familiar with. The trunk was thick and smooth, with no knots to be found, and the branches spread out in all directions from the highest point, covered by umbrella-like light green new leaves.
The tree I sprouted this time was similar in height to the previous one. Is this the extent to which it can be grown at once? The trees, about the height of a two-story building or so, would not damage surrounding objects by extending their branches and roots too far. I was satisfied with the appropriate size.
I turned back to the children who were cheering boisterously and walked slowly to the spot where I would plant the next tree. Everyone was looking at the sprouted trees, but there was a gaze following me quietly from behind. When I turned, I met Ruben’s eyes. Ruben did not smile, nor was he moved. My breath grew hot from the burning desire in his eyes.
I forced myself to look away and once again threw a new seed into the dug hole. The refreshing fatigue that I sometimes felt only after swinging my sword until I was exhausted made my fingertips feel languid.
Before long, three sturdy trees took their places on the empty land.
I placed my hand on the rough tree trunk and looked up high. The center, where the magic circle was to be placed, was left empty in a circle, and all the trees, which had sent their roots into the east, north, and west, had lush branches and abundant leaves. The green leaves, fully capturing the sky’s hue, shed fragments of light blue light downwards. With every gust of wind, the leaves brushed against each other, making a sound like flowing water. It was like looking at a cave made of giant trees.
Standing between them, my breathing became comfortable, as if I had entered a deep forest.
Spiritus, who had tapped the trees to check their strength, said with satisfaction.
“Indeed, your Mana is delicious. Clean and refreshing.”
“Hmm.”
As I accepted his smile as a pleasant compliment, I suddenly became curious and asked.
“What would happen if these trees were planted all over the country?”
“Then it would be ruined.”
“…What?”
“Have you ever heard the saying that fish cannot live in water that is too clean? You would see a surge in the infant mortality rate across the continent.”
“…”
“It might help increase the number of wind spirits? But then again, Sylphs are such mischievous spirits, so if the balance is broken like that, it wouldn’t be good. It would be a terrible thing for humans, as well as plants and animals. Fifteen to twenty trees across the entire Empire. That’s about right.”
“…Ah.”
“And this, fundamentally, is yours. Ordinary people can’t even cut it or pull it out. While it purifies the surrounding Mana with your help, it’s a plant created to absorb Mana in the first place. As time passes, it will grow larger and larger, so after a few hundred years, it will just take up land without any profitability.”
“…I’ll give up.”
“Good idea.”
Since they were going to set up the magic circle from now on, I quietly stepped aside. Viscount Burnold came to the open entrance side of the Sacred Tree and prepared a place for Ruben to sit. The makeshift chair, comfortably made with wood and cloth, was as comfortable as any sofa once cushions and mats were added.
Sitting side-by-side with Ruben, I watched Marianne and Boulder draw and imbue and press the magic circle with strangely shaped chalk and Mana Stones, like watching a play. Beside the busy children, Jenny assisted by transcribing or writing down Marianne’s words, and Benjamin also busied himself by carrying bags of Mana Stones or moving prepared items.
To me, it looked wondrous and amazing, but to Spiritus, who stood nearby and offered advice, it seemed entirely different.
“Look here, here. It’s wrong.”
“Gasp. But isn’t this part included to activate the safety rules according to Mana combustion theory?”
“Look around you now. Can it handle a mere 15 square meters? The magic circle has grown five times larger, so you have to square it five times, right?”
“Ah, really! Spiritus-nim, are you a god?”
“Well, yes.”
“My guardian deity!”
“That’s not it.”
Time passed just by watching them chatter. The sun had set at some point. The leaves, adorned with the sunset’s glow, shone red. I glanced back, noticing the two knights standing behind me and Ruben.
“It seems like it will take a while, so it’s okay for everyone to go in and rest.”
“It’s fine. Where else would we get to see such a sight?”
“Me too. I’ll make sure to watch it well now and brag about it for generations to come.”
Viscount Burnold, who overheard them, brought out a small chair for himself and unfolded it. Ruben glanced that way but didn’t say anything. Seeing that, the knights also took out their own chairs and sat down side-by-side to watch the portal installation.
A gentle commotion is akin to silence. I pulled Ruben’s shoulder, which leaned against mine, into an embrace.
After a peaceful night and a gentle dawn, morning broke.
A verdant light suddenly flared from the magic circle, which had looked like mere lines drawn on the ground. Gentle particles of light fell from the standing Sacred Trees, settled on the magic circle, and then rose again. The sight of light, warmer than sunlight, emanating from beneath the shade cast by the trees, was moving even when seen with prior knowledge.
“Do-one!”
“Wow!”
“Waa! Wa! Wa!”
Marianne and Boulder collapsed onto the ground in tears of joy, and Jenny leaped up and ran towards where I was sitting. Thinking she wanted praise, I stood up awkwardly, but seeing her bury her face in Delphoi’s embrace, I sat back down.
Ruben let out a dry laugh as he looked at me, and I felt quite awkward for a long time.
When did Jenny and Haber become so friendly with each other? Delphoi Haber, half-embracing Jenny with one arm, fed Mana to Ranunculus on her behalf. Jenny’s clear voice, filled with immense joy, cut through the refreshing morning air.
“Ruberian Calendar Year 2, July 12th. Empire Transportation Network Improvement Project Commencement. First target destination: Portal installation at the Capital’s South Gate completed. For the protection and maintenance of the portal, I hereby order the dispatch of one unit comprising two 5th Circle Mages, four Imperial Knights, and thirty laborers, in the name of His Majesty Rubel Anti Sieron. This is Baron Jenny Tenessus, Grand Scribe.”