CHAPTER 54: LEMBOLT

　I hear that tomorrow is the first day of school after the fall break at the academy in Ibouro.

　The horse-drawn carriages entering the school grounds one after another are probably carrying students who spent their vacation with their parents.

　I walk along the edge of the road to avoid being kicked by the horses or run over by the wheels.

　It would have been safer to walk on the road with steps, but I weighed myself against it because it might cause a commotion.

“Hello, I’d like to see Professor. Lembolt.” (Nyango)

“How may I help you?” (Receptionist)

“I have received a request from the guild to meet with him.” (Nyango)

　When I approached the reception desk by the school gate, the staff looked at me suspiciously as I was a one-eyed catkin, but when I told them about the request, they began to check the ledger in their hands.

“Are you the adventurer Mr. Nyango?” (Receptionist)

“Yes, I am.” (Nyango)

“Can I see your guild card?” (Receptionist)

“Here…” (Nyango)

“ A staff member will be with you shortly.” (Receptionist)

　It was a goatkin janitor who would guide me around the school.

　He was a small, thin, elderly man with a goat-like beard that gave him the impression of a hermit.

“Are you the adventurer, boy?” (Janitor)

“Yes, I am.” (Nyango)

“It’s unusual to see a catkin adventurer, but don’t be too reckless… That goes without saying.” (Janitor)

“Yes, I’ve already had my share of pain.” (Nyango)

　The goatkin janitor didn’t seem to want to hear the details about my crushed left eye.

　So, the janitor guided me to a building separate from the school building.

“This is the research building for the teachers.” (Janitor)

　From the small three-story building, I could hear the sound of hammering like in a blacksmith shop and smell the chemicals in the air.

　We climbed the stairs where a metal spear, perhaps a prototype, more than three meters long, was propped up and proceeded down a dusty corridor with crates piled up here and there.

“Professor! Professor Lembolt! Mr. Nyango, the adventurer, is here!” (Janitor)

　The janitor knocked a little roughly on the door and called out in a loud voice.

　As soon as he shouted my name, a loud rattling sound resounded from the room, and immediately after that the door was violently opened.

　Fortunately, both the janitor and I had moved away from in front of the door, but if we had been standing there, we could have been smacked by the door.

　The door was opened by a sheepkin man in his twenties, with unkempt, shaggy hair.

　Professor Lembolt, who opened the door roughly, looked at me once after scurrying around higher than his own eye level, then looked at me twice right after he returned his gaze to a higher position again.

　This time, he stared at me silently.

　My intuition started to warn me that this guy was dangerous.

“Are you… Nyango?” (Lembolt)

“Yes, I am.” (Nyango)

“Are you really… Nyango?” (Lembolt)

“Yes…” (Nyango)

“The one who killed the Bronze Wolf… Nyango?” (Lembolt)

“That was because of the hard work of Chariot and the rest of the Bored Men, not just me.” (Nyango)

　Professor Lembolt looked at me with folded arms, staring at me over and over from the top of my head to the tips of my toes, and then suddenly seeming to recall the janitor’s presence.

“Ah, thank you very much, Mateo.” (Lembolt)

“Now if you’ll excuse me.” (Janitor => Mateo)

　As I watched Mr. Mateo walking away with his hands folded on his waist, Professor Lembolt called out to me.

“Come on, Nyango, come in.” (Lembolt)

“Sorry to bother… you?” (Nyango)

　I looked in the door again and saw that there were so many books and pieces of paper scattered about that there was no room to step on them.

　Professor Lembolt walked through the floor, using what little was left of it as a steppingstone.

　I’m likely to step on it with my stride, so I’ll make footholds with [Step] and move on.

　Professor Lembolt was excavating a sofa buried in the clothes he had taken off in the living space.

　No doubt, he is the type of person who is so absorbed in his research that his daily life has disintegrated.

　There was a great deal of dust, but if I opened the window, a bundle of papers or something would fly out, and I couldn’t help but let out a sigh.

“Wait a minute. I’ll get you some tea…” (Lembolt)

“No, I don’t mind tea or anything, just tell me your request first.” (Nyango)

“I see, that’s right… You’re floating! I-Is that void attribute magic?” (Lembolt)

“Yes, void magic is magic that solidifies the air, so right now I’m building a foothold so that I don’t step on anything.” (Nyango)

“The solidified air is invisible… So, you look like you’re floating. Is that correct?” (Lembolt)

“Yes, that’s right.” (Nyango)

“Hmm… Ah, please sit down.” (Lembolt)

　I sat down on a couch unearthed from the mountain of laundry and faced Professor Lembolt across the table with used dishes shifted to the side.

“I came her because I heard you had sent a nominated request from the guild.” (Nyango)

“ I hear you can use that void magic of yours to do Engraving Magic, is that right?” (Lembolt)

“Where did you hear that?” (Nyango)

“I heard it from a man named Jill, an adventurer. …I bought him a drink and buttered him up a little, and he told me about it.” (Lembolt)

“That old man… He said that the rumors were from his younger members…” (Nyango)

“So, is it true that you can use Engraving Magic?” (Lembolt)

　The pressure from Professor Lembolt, who was leaning forward with a grin, again began to set off alarms in my head.

“What are you going to do when you hear that?” (Nyango)

“I’m not trying to use you as a guinea pig for my experiments. I’m just studying Engraving Magic. I am a teacher in Ibouro now, but eventually I would like to have a laboratory in the Royal Academy.” (Lembolt)

　The research building at the academy in Ibouro is like the laboratory of a small regional university in Japan in the past, but on a different scale than the laboratory at the institute in the Royal Capital, he said.

　It is said that there is a difference in terms of materials such as books in the library and donations from merchants.

“Jill told me that you used to use Engraving Magic as a weapon for attacks.” (Lembolt)

“Air solidified with void magic is hard, but its weight is too light to be used for powerful attacks.” (Nyango)

“I see. That’s why you used Engraving Magic to create fire.” (Lembolt)

“Well, that’s how it is.” (Nyango)

“Excellent. You know, as you probably know, most of the Engraving Magic is used to make a living. Do you know why?” (Lembolt)

“Because only a certain amount of magic can flow through a magic circle, and to increase its power, you have to make the circle bigger?” (Nyango)

“That’s right! No, that’s great. This may be more than I had imagined. Nyango, right now, the research and use of Engraving Magic is at a standstill. We are just using the same magic circle that we have had so far. The only ingenuity is in downsizing and finding more efficient materials. Because the number of craftsmen has increased, the price of magical tools has dropped and they are becoming more commonly used, but that is popularization, not progress.” (Lembolt)

　When Professor Lembolt cuts his words short, he stares at me again.

　He says he doesn’t intend to use me as a test subject, but I don’t think he has a “yes” man hobby, does he?

“So, what do you want me to do?” (Nyango)

“Well, maybe you’ve found a way of using the magic circles in a way we haven’t thought of yet. I’d like to hear about it.” (Lembolt)

“Hmm… Does that mean you want me to reveal my trump cards?” (Nyango)

“Of course, I’m not going to blab to other adventurers or anyone else, and I’ll keep your name out of it when I present the results of my research.” (Lembolt)

“Hmm… what’s the reward?” (Nyango)

“As for the reward, how many magic circles from Engraving Magic can you use?” (Lembolt)

“Right now… five.” (Nyango)

“May I ask what types they are?” (Lembolt)

“Fire, Wind, Water, Light, Cooling… Five.” (Nyango)

“What about other types of magic circles?” (Lembolt)

“There are only these kinds of magic tools in my neighborhood, so I can’t learn the patterns.”

“I see, I see…” (Lembolt)

　Professor Lembolt nodded a few times, a smile on his lips.

“Don’t you want to know about other types of magic circles? For example, lightning…” (Lembolt)

“That’s… I want to know.” (Nyango)

　I don’t know how much electricity a lightning magic circle can create, but it could be used as a ranged attack if used underwater or on a wet enemy.

　I couldn’t help but lean forward, even though I was in a situation where I needed to negotiate calmly.

“There are other magic circles. Weight Reduction, Temperature Control, Crushing, Mixing, Hardening, and Softening… The magic guns also use Engraving Magic.” (Lembolt)

“A magic gun!” (Nyango)

　A single magic gun can fire intermediate-level fire attribute attack magic is said to cost enough to buy a house in the Royal Capital, and a bullet made of magic stone costs several gold coins per shot.

　In the poor village of Atsuka, there is no chance to see the real thing, and of course, there is no chance to copy the magic circle.

“If I show you the magic circle used in the magic gun, can you make it with void magic and put it to practical use?” (Lembolt)

“I can’t promise anything until I try it, but it’s possible.” (Nyango)

“That’s wonderful! A magic gun is expensive because it requires a lot of craftsmen to make it, and it can only be made with a high level of craftsmanship. But you can freely make prototypes using void magic. This is the best technology for the development of all magical tools, not just magic guns.” (Lembolt)

　Indeed, when I made the off-road motorcycle, I completed it after many prototypes.

　The fact that the actual prototypes are usually made, the production of the prototypes alone will cost a lot of time and money, but with the void attribute magic, it is possible to cut it down or omit it completely.

“How about it, Nyango, it’s fine even during any of your free time. I would be happy enough as long as you cooperate with my research.” (Lembolt)

“The reward is magic circles that I don’t know about, right?” (Nyango)

“It would be even more helpful if you could come up with new ways to use that magic circle…” (Lembolt)

　If I cooperate with the research, I will expose my hands, but it seems that they will keep it a secret, and above all, it is attractive to be able to obtain knowledge of new magic circles.

“Understood. I will cooperate.” (Nyango)

“Thank you very much.” (Lembolt)

　As soon as I shook hands with Professor Lembolt, my stomach growled loudly.

“Ah, it’s already noon. Would you like to go to the school cafeteria? Let me treat you.” (Lembolt)

“Thank you, I will go with you.” (Nyango)

　I used the steps and Professor Lembolt hopped across the slight gap and headed out into the hallway, through a corridor full of crates, to the cafeteria.