Chapter 002, Magical Liquid MetalI, Hotta Youta, in this parallel world, had become a 3 year old『Lute』.
Also, I finally learned how to walk and talk.
I wanted to go outside the town to look around but the orphanage rules prohibited me.
That would only be allowed once I turned 7.
On the other hand, walking around the orphanage was possible.
Every morning, it was decided that I would receive lessons from El-sensei in one of the large rooms at the orphanage.
El-sensei gathered the orphanage and town’s children and taught them reading and writing, arithmetic, this world’s history, and common etiquette.
So that’s why the oba-chans adoringly refer to her as teacher.
Math aside, living in this world required you to learn reading and writing, and, of course, general knowledge.
The children taking the cla.s.s were of an age around first year primary school students.
Since I was quiet, I was the only 3 year old child sitting in the back where I was not punished to stand in hallway.
Math — I had no problems with the basic four operations.
My outward age is 3. But inside, I’ll be 30 this year.
By the time I became a hikikimori, I had already mastered those four basic mathematical operations.
I was able to memorize without any difficulty the alphabet they used in reading and writing. Maybe it was because I was in growing up phase, or was reincarnated, or the combination of those two.
From the history lesson, I received details on how this parallel world came to be.
Because the entire lesson took a day to end, the rest became summarized.
Approximately 100,000 years ago — a G.o.d, named Tenjin-sama, created both the celestial world and the surface world, and governed in peace.
But one day, 6 Dai Maou stole the secret art from Tenjin-sama which was referred to as manipulating belief or Shinpou.
The Dai Maous were able to manipulate Shinpou and degrade it into magic. Soon after, they escaped to the surface world.
And then, the 6 Dai Maou conquered the surface world using the power of magic.
However in the 5 large continents where the 5 races live, heroes had risen; the secret art for magic was taken back from the Dai Maous. And the magic had been restructured in order to deal with them.
And because of the emergence of those magical heroes, five of the Dai Maous were defeated and sealed.
But the last of the Dai Maous had allegedly gone into hiding while holding his breath at the Demon Continent.
However, thanks to the heroes from the five races, peace had finally arrived in the surface world.
That was the summary of this world’s history.
100,000 years… The history of the previous world’s humanity began about 7 million years ago. Even so, if you were to compare them, isn’t there a large time difference…?
The 5 races that the heroes came from are from the different races in this world. They’re from Human, Fay, Beast, Dragon and Demon.
The Human race looked similar to me. In this world, they were the most populous.
The Fay race were referred to elves, dwarfs, fairies and other such creatures.
The Beast race had non-human ears similar to El-sensei. They also had noticeable beastly characteristics. On the other hand, the Dragon race resembled the appearance of a human but had a dragon horn on their head. Among the 5 races, they had the most pride in their clan.
And lastly, the Demon race. Those who can’t be cla.s.sified from other four races were usually cla.s.sified from this race.
Those heroes are now popularly called『Heroes of the Five Races』. They are often used in epic stories and fairy tales.
Next is general knowledge.
We learned in history that Magic was taken back from the Dai Maous. But in order for me to deal with the inhabitants in this world, I’ll become someone who manipulates magic.
People that could handle magic in this world are called 『Magicians』.
Because of the history on how the Dai Maous were defeated and sealed, the social status of Magicians are quite high.
Naturally, Magicians also exist in all sorts of ranks.
If the rank is high, then their influence also increases.
These are the rankings:
SSS rank
SS+ rank
SS rank
SS- rank
S+ rank
S rank
S- rank
A+ rank
A rank
A- rank
B+ rank
B rank
B- rank
C+ rank
C rank
C- rank
B+ rank is the limit most common people can reach.
A rank is only reached by a handful of people called『Prodigies』.
The existences that reach S rank are referred to as『Inhuman』『Fiend』『Freak』.
The existences that reach SS cla.s.s are referred to as being in Maou cla.s.s.
Reaching the G.o.d’s domain, the SSS rank, is referred to as『Shinpou』or G.o.d’s Technique.
Fundamentally, children referred to as『Talented Magicians』were those that held B- rank magic and above.
Their latent magical capacity could be sensed from the outside.
An individual’s effort and affinity depends on their dedication to spiritual improvement. However, there is no alternative for those holding B rank magical capacity; even those that moved to A-rank and S rank were seemingly like that.
However, for those holding C+ rank magical power, they won’t reach B- rank even if they’re not capable. That’s why it was still necessary to practice magic in order to go beyond the standard.
If one became a rank higher than B-, they’re basically winners; they can choose whichever job they want especially those high-paying ones.
「From the time they are born, winners are already separated from losers….」
Furthermore, people that are judged as losers do not become more than B- rank as written in history.
In this harsh world, juniors surpa.s.sing seniors is basically impossible.
For that reason, royals, aristocrats, and old lineages, disliked the tendency of having to marry with the exception of magicians.
High-cla.s.s magicians marry for the sake of increasing the probability of giving birth to more talented children. These is the reason why the magical capacity of the old lineages, n.o.bles and the like are fundamentally high.
You can roughly divide magics into four separate categories.
1: Attribute Magic
2: Void Magic
3: Healing Magic
4: Support Magic
Attribute magic is, quite literally, manipulating a source of an attribute like changing it into fire.
Void magic is offensive magic without attribute magic. It is identified as manipulating magic itself.
Healing magic is magic that cures injuries mainly by operating within the body. In certain games it’s called white magic.
Support magic is defense, movement buffs and so on. With the exception of offensive magic, it is everything else lumped together.
By the way, El-sensei’s magician’s rank is B+ rank.
However, her specialty is healing magic.
I approached El-sensei to ask about something after the cla.s.ses were over.
「El-sensei, can I… ask you something?」
「When there was something you did not understand during cla.s.s, you immediately would come to ask. Although you are still small, you sure are a hard worker, aren’t you, Lute?」
While giving me a smile that made me warm and fuzzy inside, she gently stroked my head.
「It’s not something I don’t understand in the lessons. But… I want to confirm whether I have talent to be a magician.」
「Ah….」
Her hand suddenly stopped stroking me.
The question was like『Where do babies come from?』when asking your parents; such awkward atmosphere.
Ehh? Did she hear it right?
「That… errr… right… Lute… you don’t have talent to be a magician….」
El-sensei, after hesitating, answered resolutely.
「I already confirmed it when Lute was a baby. There’s no doubt about it.」
When I was… a baby? Hmm… Ah, I see! That time when you carried me and placed your hand on my head, you had a seemingly sad expression… So that was the reason!
The face I showed her after understanding what she said, she misunderstood it as shock.
El-sensei gave me a lap pillow, as she matched my gaze and tried to make me understand by talking in a serious tone of voice.
「Even if you don’t have any talent as a magician, don’t be sad… Becoming a magician isn’t the only important thing in this world….」
「Sensei has already seen many people and watched over many children in the orphanage. Like you, Lute, even though they were not talented as magicians, they have become successful traders, craftsmen, and things like that. Those kids still discovered happiness despite not becoming magicians. Although you were not blessed with talent, don’t be disheartened and lose your way. Those that failed to come to terms with reality ended up with miserable lives…. 」
「Lute… I know you are a good child, that is why… You have to plan your life in a way that properly matches your ability, understood?」
『Because you were not blessed with talent, come to terms with reality, set up a plan for your life that matches your ability』to a 3 year old baby, is that the normal thing to say?
No, guys who act reckless will ruin their body even though they know they don’t have the talent.
「Umm… Sensei, For the sake of my curiosity… What rank is my magical capacity?」
「Ah, that’s right… About C rank」
C rank, isn’t that the second position from the bottom?
El-Sensei, without restraint, told me resolutely.
『It would be good if you gave up on trying to be a magician』I think that was what she meant.
I acted innocently as I responded to her.
「I guess, I don’t have any talent… Sensei says so… I think I will walk a path that isn’t one.」
「That’s a good boy! Well then, because Sensei still has lots of things to do, I’ll be going now.」
「Sensei, thank you for answering my question.」
El-sensei stood up, stroked my head and left the room.
I have no talent as a magician… Normally, in such reincarnations stories, the main character has talent, training their magical power from the time they were a child and receiving a enormous magical capacity and other benefits. Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be?
In my previous life, I had been killed by the main perpetrator of my bullying. I had been reborn and then abandoned by my parents. Furthermore I was also told that I had no talent. Surely, it’s “an arrow to the knee”.
For the sake of helping others and also for my own protection, I need to get stronger, after all, not becoming a magician in this world is… severe. Also, I’ll become something a bit more grand and do fencing and Kenpou and things like that. But, where will I find someone to teach me?
It can’t be helped. Those without talent will always be jealous and envious.
I resolve myself for an alternative plan.
However, in cla.s.s the next day, a ray of hope appeared.
In General Knowledge cla.s.s, lessons concerning magical devices were taught.
An ordinary person can’t possess magical power… But there is a way to utilize magic.
And that is by using『Magical Devices』.
Magical Devices are identified as, all devices endowed with magical energy.
A sword with magic energy inside becomes sharper, armor acquires resistance to things like fire, footwear will make you swift like the wind, et cetera — magical devices are very diverse.
Naturally, magical devices are more expensive than ordinary weapons.
Like that, in the explanation of the magical devices, there was a truly interesting subject.
『Magical Liquid Metal』
An item obtained by killing a monster called metal slime.
Magical Liquid Metal is a special metal having a unique characteristics; distributing magical power while coming into contact with it and having a mental image of the weapon will transform it to that very shape.
The advantage of this is that if it’s in small quant.i.ties, it’s easy to carry.
For that reason, it’s used as a magical tool of choice for a.s.sa.s.sins.
The disadvantage is that once it’s fixed into a shape it will never again return back to magical liquid metal
It’s said that unless you picture the image clearly; if you make a sword, it will be blunt; if you make an armor, it will not only be uneven, but also the size would not match.
Restricted to use, c.u.mbersome, and expensive.
An item that is also referred to as a cla.s.sic example of an unpopular commodity.
Suddenly, a Newtype sound – ran through my mind.
A gun using magical liquid metal — it is possible to make a handgun, right?
This world’s metallurgy technology is not that great, but if it’s something close to an arquebuses, they might be able to craft it.
However, those guns could only shoot one shot per round while using『Muzzle-loading Style』.
When the day I fight this world’s magician comes, I’ll be using modern arms — even if they are small like revolvers, it will still be necessary.
『If I manufacture parts using this magical liquid metal, shouldn’t I create handguns with a modern design?』 I thought in such a way.
It’s worth a try.
I immediately wanted to buy and make some to test it but I don’t have money.
I don’t even have the advantage of studying magic. Whether『Flowing Magic Power』is literally or not, I don’t even know.
It’s not particularly necessary to become a magician, right? But it was necessary to study general knowledge about magic.
I, from this day onward, was branded as a『Magician without talent』.
However, I was determined to study magic.
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