第１６８４堀：改めて魔力と魔術はなんなのか (Part2)
"I thought there might be some kind of hint in what Luhu-san said, so it’s no trouble at all."
And so, it was decided that she would write a report on the transition of magical power into the mechanics of spellcasting. In the meantime, Samantha and I retreated to the archives, focusing our search on the catalogs of research findings published by the university to date.
That said, none of the results were particularly compelling. To put it plainly, they were all the same tired tropes about understanding elemental properties to increase the efficacy and efficiency of magic. It was essentially a field of science—the idea that by gaining a deep, granular understanding of fire, water, earth, wind, light, and so on, one could manipulate spells with greater finesse. The same applied to medicine; it was an open secret in Weed that understanding the body increased the efficiency of healing magic.
"...But in the end, since we are generating magical power as a flame of sorcery, isn't the root of it chemistry?"
I found myself questioning it all over again. Why does deep knowledge make the activation of magic easier? To begin with, when you learn a spell, that elemental magic is recorded in your status. Yet, you can use magic perfectly well even if it isn't listed there. I know from experience that even those without an aptitude for it can use it. Just as one can swing a sword without having a sword skill, magic is no different. What is the cause of this?
If we trace it back to the source, what is the logic behind a child with almost no knowledge being able to use magic? There are adults who can't use magic at all, but I wouldn't go so far as to call everyone who can't a fool. In fact, even the people studying here in Weed can use elemental magic without any issues, yet it never appears on their status. As an exception, we can instill talent through Luna or the dungeon system, but generally speaking, skills are rarely added later unless it’s the result of grueling, long-term training.
In other words, one could say that talent is determined from the moment of birth. And yet, there are countless people who can use it and are reasonably strong.
"Did something happen?"
"...I was just rethinking the meaning of the status screen. We can use magic even if it isn't listed as a skill, and it feels like there’s a hint hidden somewhere in that discrepancy."
"Ah, regarding skills... Luna-sama once mentioned something about it, saying that the nature of Yuki-sama's skills is far more complex than that."
"Hmm. I suppose we should view it as something that doesn't display unless it crosses a certain threshold. Well, that’s fine for now. The point is, the fact that we can use it without a skill means there is a secret—something that allows us to convert magical power into magic that simply isn't being displayed."
"Well, what you’re saying is certainly true."
As Samantha said this, she focused her magical power into her index finger and activated a light spell. Incidentally, this archive was already well-lit by magical lamps placed on the desks, so this action was purely to confirm the process of converting magical power into a spell.
"Now that I try it again, it relies heavily on intuition, doesn't it?"
"...Indeed. You naturally convert magical power into magic and cast it. How did we do it the very first time?"
"The first time, you say..."
"Did you read a book and practice feeling your magical power?"
"Ah, yes, that is exactly how it was."
It was all coming back to me. I couldn't say if Samantha’s experience was identical, but I had meditated while reading books to confirm my own magical power. The moment I confirmed it most deeply was when the old man forced his own magical power into me.
"The time I can say I confirmed it clearly was when I was a teacher."
"...I was the same. It was through the old man. On my own, I just had a vague feeling that it might be there."
"By 'old man,' you mean Feigel-sama..."
"Calling him 'the old man' is enough. Regardless, that was when I confirmed my magical power and then exercised it."
"That is true. That is the flow of it."
"But the incantations were simple."
I took out my notebook and wrote down the formulas I had learned back then. Two things: the written spell text and the magic circle.
"This is the fire light spell, isn't it?"
"Yes. I learned this because I wanted to read books at night. And then I set my bed on fire."
"...Was there no option to choose a light-based spell?"
"Back then, I used candles for light, so I didn't even have the image for it."
"I finally understand why Cleena-san is so skilled with fire magic."
For some reason, Samantha looked at me with exasperation. There are many stories that discuss what magical power actually is, but it remains a difficult subject here as well. Is it the root of all matter, or perhaps some other kind of universal substance?
I wonder how we are supposed to handle this thing called magical power.