第１１０９堀：彼女の才能 (Part2)
To have created this on her own—that is truly extraordinary.
She isn't like Narjia, who belongs to a naturally gifted race and has spent a lifetime honing her craft in the creation of magical tools. Narjia, for her part, primarily focuses on stat boosts and mechanical gimmicks. Furthermore, Narjia has me as a sponsor, with unlimited access to rare materials.
There is a caveat to this, however. While the ability to imbue skills is undeniably impressive, simply stacking "Level 1" effects does not equate to reaching Level 99. No matter how many pieces of equipment one wears, the level of a skill or talent does not increase. You can equip multiple items, but one plus one does not equal two. If you want to use higher-level magic, you must either raise your own magical aptitude or equip an item specifically imbued with Level 2 talent.
Therefore, as a piece of equipment, this is of little practical use. Especially here on the If Continent, even if one manages to gain Level 1 Fire Magic, in most cases, they lack the mana to actually cast it. In that sense, it is a useless trinket.
Nevertheless, the fact that she built this by herself is staggering.
"I didn't just whip up a skill-imbued magical tool on a whim, you know. This is the result of a great deal of research."
"I suppose so. So, why show this pendant to me now...?"
"Hmm? Well, you're going to be focusing on 'Monster Research,' aren't you, Wazuphi? Principal Popuri also put her foot down, telling me I can't just be a freeloader, so I wanted to do something. That's why I brought this out."
"Are you sure? In a way, this is Narjia's ace in the hole, isn't it?"
"Well, I suppose, but the material costs are high, and I haven't yet succeeded in imbuing high-level skills or talents. Besides, no one is going to be thrilled about learning low-level skills, and since they're mostly magic-based, most people don't have enough mana to use them anyway. Ultimately, it’s meaningless."
Narjia laughs with a self-deprecating air. Yet, something feels off to me.
"Hey, you must have known that before you even made it. Why go through the trouble of creating it?"
"Hmm? Well, I suppose it’s my form of revenge. If commoners start being able to use magic in large numbers, it’s no different than giving the downtrodden a means to fight back. It’s for those nobles who treat commoners like dirt—they’ll be standing before the magical tools I’ve created."
Oh. At those words, I truly felt that taking Narjia in was the right decision. If I had left her to her own devices, she really might have become a terrorist. But, viewed as a way to equalize military strength, it is an incredibly efficient method. The gap between those who can wield weapons and those who cannot is vast. This simply increases the number of available attack vectors.
"I see. In terms of strengthening military power, it’s not a bad idea."
Yes, there is no doubt about it. Increasing the means of attack is vital. It’s like being able to instantly turn an entire populace into soldiers, much like certain nations do. Granted, even if they can use magic, they won't have the coordination or the mental fortitude required for an army, so you can't rely on them entirely. Still, the fact that they can reliably use a weapon is a significant feat.
"Hmm? Um, Yuki? I feel like you should have a bit more of a reaction to my dangerous ideology."
"It's a bit late to be told that Narjia is dangerous. Oh, or are you planning to mass-produce these and start a rebellion?"
"No, the materials make that impossible. Besides, at Level 1, you can only use play-magic. I'm still trying to figure out how to imbue Level 3."
"I see. So, how am I supposed to be wary of a weapon you can't even make?"
"Ugh. You're right. ...I suppose I really am useless after all. *Heh.*"
Ah, she’s gone into self-loathing mode.
"Yuki. You should choose your words more carefully. Narjia is surprisingly delicate, you know."
"That 'surprisingly' is unnecessary, Kagura."
"Eh? What? With your messy hair, your rumpled clothes, your room that’s a disaster area, and the fact that you have smaller breasts than me and not a shred of sex appeal—who on earth would think you’re anything but a slob, let alone 'delicate'?"
"…I’m sorry."
It seems she has been completely swept up in Kagura's pace. It’s hard to feel suspicious of her now. Well, I plan to place her under designated protection when I take her to Weed later, and it won't be too late to judge her after seeing the results.
Still, Narjia’s skill and talent imbuement might actually be useful. If we mass-produce these, could it lead to a stable supply of military strength...?
Hmm, this is quite a dangerous topic. I wonder how I should explain this to Seraria.