Tokyo II-1

The steady, rhythmic jolt of the carriage shakes through my body. The occasional strong jolt is just part of the charm.

I was currently swaying in a carriage bound for the capital city.

Usually, I'd be lost in thought, clutching my luggage, but unexpectedly, this time I was being questioned by the boy I'd just helped.

The boy was named Sakamoto Daniel.

"What was that back there? It looked like a new species not listed in the records!"

"Your voice is loud. Magic is supposed to be kept secret."

The boy seems eager to hear more, but he doesn't actually ask, which is probably for the best. He's a good kid, I suppose.

Still, he's practically buzzing with curiosity—kind of makes me feel a little guilty.

"Why did you come to the capital city?"

"That's because I'm the only one in the village who can wield magic stones. I have the most magic stones among everyone in the village, and I can use multiple at once. That's why I came here—to become a researcher and pursue studies that could one day make our village more prosperous."

Hearing it, I felt a sense of nostalgia and warmth. He seemed incredibly young. When I asked his age, he said he was fifteen and the son of the village chief. The fact that he could use multiple magic stones simultaneously was astonishing.

I can do it too, but the output still drops. It's like handling two different tasks with each hand simultaneously.

Incidentally, in this world, the average lifespan is around 60 years, and most people start families by the age of 20.

"Wanting to conduct research—do you have a place in mind?"

"My father introduced me to a researcher he knew while working in the capital. There's a boarding house available, so I'll live there and study."

"What exactly do you plan to research there?"

...

Does "unplanned" mean the village doesn't know which magical stone research is worthwhile?

Ugh! I just realized how harsh that sounded, even coming from me. I didn't mean to say it quite that way...

"...That's right. There's nothing we can do about it, is there? I've never been outside the village. I could only read books about magic and magic stones that happened to come to the village. I fully understand I know nothing. I'll learn from here."

"Is that so? Well, do your best."

It felt like he was taking revenge for being bombarded with questions.

This is how young people gradually lose their motivation. I shouldn't pass on the hardships I've endured to juniors. That's my mistake.

"Yes, so I'd like to ask you about the magic stones and spells we used earlier."

I took back my earlier words—I seem to have actually turned on his motivation switch instead.

After that, I was bombarded with questions until we arrived in the capital.

By the time we reached the capital after a full day's journey, I was utterly exhausted.

I barely managed to escape and collapsed into a bed at an adventurer's lodging facility. When I woke up, it was already the next day.

A few days later, eager to learn about the research progress, I visited Emma's laboratory.

"Hey, Emma. How's the research coming along?"

"Hello, Taro. It's been a while! Take a look! The output has increased dramatically. All we need now is to somehow make it smaller, and we'll be able to install it in a carriage."

In the end, I subtly suggested some knowledge from my university days, trying to convey it through discussion.

Emma seemed to absorb it effortlessly, constantly producing results. It appears this new approach is gradually spreading through the industry.

"That's great. I'm here today as promised, to handle the magic stone transaction. As requested, one high-purity fire stone and multiple low-purity fire stones."

"Thank you, regarding the Empire's research trends."

Emma gave a slight smile, then said,

"Please come over to the table at the back. I was just about to take a break. Let's chat while enjoying some tea."

"Currently, research being conducted in the capital primarily falls into three major categories.

The first is studying what magic stones actually are.

The second is developing military applications.

The third is exploring practical uses in daily life."

"The most actively researched among these is...?"

"Military research, right?"

"Yes..."

Emma replied, lowering her gaze slightly.

"The Empire has a ceasefire agreement with the northern kingdom and neighboring countries, and hasn't engaged in war for several decades. But that doesn't mean war has ended. So, understanding the need to develop military applications to keep up with other nations is understandable."

"I can understand it, but I don't fully agree. Could military research sometimes drive progress in other fields as well?"

"Yes... it's true that many research advancements have been made possible thanks to military research."

Emma took a sip of her tea to pause the conversation.

"Next, the most actively researched area is daily life applications, followed by fundamental research on magic stones."

But there's a significant gap in funding between military applications and the other two areas, which haven't changed much at all."

"What's the most commonly used type of magic stone?"

"Fire magic stones are the most common. They're used in various ways—combined with bows and arrows, or employed in cannons, for example."

As expected...

"Understood, thank you. That's enough for today. As promised, fire magic stones."

Thank you. Thanks to Mr. Taro, our research has progressed, so we needed a lot of magic stones. It's very difficult because prices have skyrocketed through normal channels.

Is it the increase in sub-beasts? That's been a problem lately, right?

Yes. The reason is unclear, but strange creatures and sub-beasts have started appearing in places they've never been before, causing transportation disruptions.

There are plenty of things that come to mind, and we've actually suffered damage from it.

"Frankly, there's nothing we can do about this issue."

"Yes, we really hope it settles down soon."

I chatted for a while, then left Emma's laboratory.

Since I needed to earn a living, I decided to sell the remaining magic stones at the guild. When I arrived, for some reason, Marie, the president of Fujiwara Corporation, was there.

"Hey there, young one. I heard you were selling oil here."

"Who said I was selling oil?"

A voice I didn't recognize came from nearby.

"Gravam, it's rare to see you here."

"You're the one who's unexpected. Is there a storm coming tomorrow?"

What kind of relationship do these two have? Incidentally, Mr. Graham is the guild master of this guild and hails from the south. He's muscular and lightly tanned.

"Fine, I'll rent Graham's private room to discuss things."

"Sure, but I'll be joining you. I'm curious about the one you're concerned about."

My gaze meets Graham's.

"Hmph, whatever. Let's go, Taro."

Marie whispered to me as we passed each other.

"Taro, just as I know you, the guild also has its own unique organizational structure."

You can safely assume that your name has already spread far and wide."

I clenched the magic stone lamp upon hearing those words.