Someone already did it, but it needed a lot of editing and he skipped way too many things and added a lot of things from his head as well, since I have no idea how to contact the guy, I’m just doing my own translation.
Also, I’m sorry but I’ve been really busy, and since I was pretty late with this chapter, I tried to rush it so the quality probably dropped, it should be understandable and I won’t have this problem with the next chapter so don’t worry. Also, I kinda tried to reread it and fix it, and I did it, but I had a problem with chrome, and the page got close and I hadn’t saved… basically, I just fixed whatever I remembered ’cause I’m kinda angry right now, I lost an hour of my life, I’ll fix it again tomorrow, I’m way too tired now, I don’t feel like converting kg to pounds all that stuff again.
Anyway, here goes chapter 7, last chapter of volume 1, I hope you’ll enjoy it, when you notice a mistake, please report it in the comments, I’d really appreciate it.
Common sense break
The next day, Elena-san has safely recovered.
I’ve been doing some thinking in the garden since this morning.
Elena-san is still resting as an extra precaution and Dee and Noel are both busy with housework in the mansion, because of that, n.o.body is around right now and I’m all alone in the garden. Since that’s quite a rare occurrence, it’s the perfect moment to cogitate.
The other day, I realized that I should question this world’s common sense a little more. Well, I figured that out long ago but, before I knew it, I was already mixing this world’s common sense and the previous one’s.
In the first world, magic didn’t exist so science was developed and evolved.
In this world, magic did exist so science wasn’t developed and stayed primitive.
It’s only natural for a difference to occur. It’s that obvious yet it took me three years to notice it. Before I knew it, it was already common sense for me that magic was constantly used in this world because it was more convenient. a.s.suming that was careless of me.
There are three methods used to light fire in this world.
The first one is by using magic of the fire attribute.
The second one is by using magic tools.
The third one is by using a fire stone.
Though you can also use the fire made by some kind of demons, all in all, the three methods I mentioned are the mainstream ones in this world’s common sense. But the method using frictional heat is unknown in here, it was Dee’s first time seeing that as well even though he used to be an adventurer.
In others words, that knowledge was never spread among the people. Though anyone can make frictional heat at anytime by rubbing their hands, it seems that no one tried to understand this phenomenon or to exploit it. Maybe it’s because this world’s common sense is so fixed that it erases the need to look for other ways to make fire and make it seem like there is none. Well, my point of view is obviously obstructed because of what I know of the modern science of the previous world but it’s not the fire that picks my interest in all that.
It’s the fact that all this probably applies to magic as well, meaning that the knowledge about magic in this world is being held back by this fixed common sense.
I open the 【(Book of intermediate magic)】that I put in front of me.
The book was bought yesterday during the shopping, I read it and I come across some interesting points.
I’ll have to study and try out all of those points one by one.
First, the chant.
In the novice magic book, it was said that the best way to chant is by using chant shortening, but in this intermediate magic book, it’s written that the best chanting is the No-chanting. It’s a technique that allows you to throw the spell by only saying its name, it seems like it demands a lot of efforts and talent to use it.
I did something similar against the goblin I fought yesterday. While singing the chant of the【(Impact)】spell, I got annoyed and I stopped chanting midway but the spell still worked.
Chanting then adding the keyword【(Impact)】after activating and condensing the mana inside me, throws the spell wherever I aim, that’s how it’s done.
That time I didn’t follow what the novice magic book said but I still managed to use the spell. Though I could explain that with the chant shortening, at that time I didn’t shorten that chant, I just “skipped” an important part of it.
I think that something is amiss about this.
Let’s think, when I threw the mana ball, I imagined myself shooting with a grenade-launcher loaded with some highly-explosive ammo. While I was using the magic, I unconsciously made the weapon intervene, probably because I was used to it and familiar with it in my previous life.
That resulted in a shot much stronger than usual which neutralized the goblin. Before that, the【(Impact)】I used never did anything more than a mark on a target or pushing a small object, it was strange for that weak power to be strong enough to blow away a whole goblin.
So, the important thing isn’t the chant but the…… Image?
When I used the【(Light)】spell for the first time, I pictured it as something like a moving light bulb.
As for the【(Impact)】spell, since everyone gives it a weak image because it’s a no attribute magic, it actually comes out as weak.
Maybe since I began using it after seeing a demonstration from Noel that image got stuck to my head? I doubt I can use the spell without thinking of the sample, but I’ll try it anyway.
For this experiment, I won’t be using any chant.
I imagine myself holding a large old-fashioned cannon between by hands, loading it with gunpowder then stuffing the powder inside with a long stick (a rammer) and loading it with a mana sphere which I imagine as a cannonball. The image I’m using is that of the old kind of canon that was used to sink ships by bombarding them during a certain period in my previous world.
I close my eyes and concentrate, I collect the magic flowing inside me and turn it into a mana ball in my hand and I keep doing that for a little while. To aim, I turn my hand to the direction of the target I installed earlier and I picture myself putting the mana ball into the imaginary barrel after that. And then, I close my eyes and I pull a trigger in my head. (TLN:I’m calling it a trigger but I don’t know if it’s right, I’m talking about the fuse of the cannon, maybe he just pictured it as a trigger)
At that moment, I hear a huge PAN sound similar to the sound of a breaking tree and I feel like I lost some of my mana. When I open eyes, I see that the target I hung earlier fell down after breaking into pieces. Though I’m surprised by this unexpectedly strong power, it just goes to confirm my theory.
Changing the image changes the magic
Moreover, I didn’t even sing the spell’s name, let alone the chant, and the mana consumption is pretty similar to the consumption of the normal【(Impact)】spell. Now that’s what I call a revolution. But I still want to experiment with that a little more.
Next, I’m going to imagine an automatic pistol, a handgun.
I decide to think of a handgun because it can be used at short and medium range, it’s pretty stable with its weak recoil, and it got a good precision, it’s a beginner’s gun that really fits the hand which makes it easy to use when compared to other firearms. It’s pretty easy for me to picture one since I’ve used handguns for a very long time and I even disa.s.sembled some of them a bunch of times which makes me familiar with them.
Although my favorite is the Magnum, I take its strong power into account and I picture a more common handgun for the time being. Now, what’s tricky but very important is sharpening the bullet the right way to make it go straight ahead and making the cylindrical shape of the gun barrel to make the bullet rotate. I don’t close my eyes this time, I stare at the tree that I’m using as the target and I make my hand look like a gun by putting my thumb up and pointing out my index finger.
My mana is focused, the bullet is ready, the gun is loaded, the barrel is good. All right , trigger! (TLN: It sounds much cooler in j.a.panese… I think, or maybe it’s just and old-man’s humor)
As a dull sound rings out, the tree I aimed at starts shaking and a hole the size of a thumb appears in it. I keep experimenting with this image while gradually growing the distance between me and the target, it turns out that there is almost no difference between the spell and the genuine gun. Additionally, there is no shooting sound and there is hardly any recoil. The precision is better than the real thing and the mana consumption is small as well. I’m starting to pessimistically think that there has to be a downside to something this convenient.
Though I got carried away and tried various guns after that, about half of them ended up misfiring. Those misfiring guns are the ones I didn’t use a lot in my previous life. Since I’m not familiar with them, I can’t quite picture them and they end up not working. I may have to know every part of the genuine article to picture it right and make the spell work.
I keep shooting as I make hypotheses and I stop when I reach 20 shots because I’m out of mana.
Since my body is starting to feel heavy, my next experiment will be meditation. This action allows the user to restore his mana faster without using any spell.
Normally, mana recovers naturally with the pa.s.sing of time. And that’s because people unconsciously absorb mana from the air and convert it to suit them and their attribute. The meditation allows one to do it intentionally to make it happen faster and sooner.
And the only way to do it intentionally is by relaxing in order to sense the mana in the air with my body first and then absorb it. Absorbing mana is too hard for a beginner in magic, that’s why this technique is only mentioned in the intermediate magic book. This meditation thing reminds me of zazen, but, since the only thing I have to do is relaxing, I just lie down on the ground in the shape of an 大 kanji. (TLN: He stretches his arms and legs if you prefer)
I close my eyes and look for the mana… wait… how do I do that?
Isn’t it something that didn’t exist at all in my previous life? Well, that just means that I have to grope around for it. To begin with, mana is the mysterious energy that I’m able to feel when I use a spell, even though it’s invisible. In other words, I have to feel the same energy from the air? I try to look for mana by concentrating on my surroundings.
…… Mana.
……… Mana.
………… Mana.
…………… Mana.
………………….
……………………!
【 “!?”】
I spring to my feet unintentionally.
Though I fall down ’cause I’m still half asleep, that feeling was certainly mana.
I close my eyes and start meditating again in fear of forgetting that feeling, but this time I’m able to sense the mana easily for some mysterious reason. It feels like some switch was turned on, like I was untied and a seal inside me broke.
I got the hang of it. It’s overflowing in the air, it feels like a fog of mana is brushing my body.
Is that really what sensing mana feels like? Well, since there is no one to answer that question right now, I’ll just go to the next step of the experiment.
It’s written in the book that I have to absorb the mana next but, I don’t get it. I take a deep breath as I realize that I’m in an impa.s.se again. I try out various methods while groaning but I get no result, I just can’t absorb it.
Ummm absorbing…… do the people of this world have a sense organ that allows them to do that? Then I should have it too…. even if I manage to absorb the mana, I’ll also have to suit it to my attribute by converting it…wait, converting it?
I never noticed since I wasn’t able to sense the mana before but, isn’t the atmospheric mana different from the mana inside me? It kinda feels like the forest is red and full of red trees. I’m almost out of mana right now and I feel that I’m going to blank out if I use any more of it. Maybe instead of absorbing it directly, I should make it suit my attribute first?
I go back to lying down on the ground, and try to reach a stable and clear state of mind.
【 “Sirius-sama? What’s wrong?!”】
As I’m about to reach it, I hear Noel shooting at me. She’s probably surprised to see me lying down on my back in the middle of the garden. I try to show the running Noel that I’m alright by waving my hand at her, but she keeps rushing toward me with a worried face.
【 “Are you alright?! Were there some after effects from yesterday’s events after all?!”】
【 “Calm down. I’m only meditating, look, here.”】
I take the intermediate magic book where I left it off and I show the part about meditation to Noel in order to make her settle down. Thought she starts reading the book with a wondering face, her expression switches to an awkward laugh once she’s done reading.
【 “Hum… Sirius-sama? This is a intermediate cla.s.s magic. Can you actually… use it?”】
【 “No, I managed to sense the mana but I still can’t absorb it. I’m in a stalemate right now.” 】
【 “No, no! That’s still amazing. In the first place, this technique requires years of studying with a qualified teacher before finally being able to use it. Yet you learnt it that fast through self-study.”】
【 “But I didn’t self-study, you’re the one who taught me, remember?”】
【 “Don’t be absurd! I’m only an inexperienced beginner cla.s.s in magic. And I didn’t even teach you anything, I merely showed you some spells.”】
【 “It’s because you showed me those spells that I was able to reach my current level and teach myself. How about you, Noel? Who taught you magic?”】
【 “I was taught by my former magic teacher when he came to my hometown. I might not look like it right now, but I was the one with the most talent in my village, because of that, everyone there pushed me to go to school.”】
【 “School? There are schools for teaching magic?”】
【 “Yes. But it’s really expensive to study there. Since my village was poor, the school ended up giving up on us. So I only got to learn the basics in magic and left my hometown to become a migrant worker.”】
Probably because she’s longing for her home, Noel starts smiling while looking far off into the distance.
【 “I’m sorry. I was a bit insensitive.”】
【 “Don’t worry please, I was just feeling a little bit nostalgic. Besides, I’m happy now. Aria-sama, Elena, Dee, And you, Sirius-sama. I think It’s great that I was able to meet you all.”】
I’m met with a small and sincere smile from this young woman. (TLN: it actually says “girl of a marriageable age”)
All in all, I’m satisfied because I’m really indebted to this girl, and I sincerely want her to be happy.
【 “However, you’re a hundred years too early to worry about this onee-san. It doesn’t matter how many things you know and how smart you are, in the end you’re still a child.”】
That’s certainly true but it’s doesn’t sound persuasive when coming from her because of her usual goofy behavior. The way I see it, she’s more like a younger sister who needs a lot of care and I want to reward her smile by letting her stay with me during my next experiment.
【 “I’ll keep that in mind. By the way, Noel, are you free after that?”】
【 “Yes I am. I came here to look for you because I’m done with my work.”】
【 “Then I want you to partic.i.p.ate in an experiment, I’ll show you something interesting. We’ll just have to wait a little while for my mana to reco… ver?”】
Though I just noticed it because I thought about the amount of mana necessary for the next experiment.
Did my mana recover?
It’s only been a few minutes since I went out of mana and even if I did some meditation a little while ago, in the end, it’s like I did nothing. I usually need several hours to recover, did I actually sleep plenty when I lied down earlier even though if felt like an instant?
【 “Is something wrong?”】
【 “Ah no… It’s just that my mana already recovered and I’m gathering my thoughts on that.”】
【 “Wow, you recover really fast. It takes me half a day at best to recover.”】
I’ll put that aside for the moment because I’m not out of magic anymore which means that I can do my next experiment now.
This time I’ll improve my【(String)】spell. Though it would get pretty useful if I turn it into a regular rope, it just wouldn’t be good enough since it’d be of a pretty low practical use. It might get better if I stack a bunch of them together to make a bundle but, that won’t be necessary since I know a stronger and more secure material anyway.
I picture a material called Kevlar, it’s considered as the strongest thread among the Aramids fibers. It’s used to make ballistic vests, it’s an excellent synthesized material that can reach a tensile strength of 60kg for a thickness of 1 millimeter. If I bundle many folds of it, I can make one really tough rope. (TLN: Wtf author? 60Kg/1mm? That’s bulls.h.i.t!)
It would be alright to make it as a chain or a wire as well, but I decide to make it as a rope because it’s easier to picture for me and the mana is hard to control with a weak image.
【 “Listen, I’m going to make the【(String)】spell, can you pull it for me?”】
【 “Isn’t it going to snap if I do that?”】
【 “It’ll be alright. It’s a little special so it won’t break easily.”】
I trigger the 【(String)】spell as Noel looks at me with a skeptical face. Though it’s invisible, I can feel a thick-rope shaped flow of mana growing from the palm of my hand.
【 “This will do.”】
【 “Ah… huh? You didn’t chant?”】
I didn’t sing the name of the spell’s name nor the chant indeed. But I just ignore the shocked Noel an I make her hold the tip of what’s coming out of the palm of my hand.
【 “Forget it, forget it, more importantly, hurry and pull. I got my whole energy back so you don’t need to worry about anything.”】
【 “But if it snaps… well, it really is different as you said. Then, here I go!”】
I begin in to feel some rope-like material touching my hand and I start pulling it with a serious face that is completely different from my previous expression. I pull it with force, too, but the rope of mana doesn’t move an inch.
Yes, this is a success. I don’t know if it’s because it’s made of mana but, for some reason, there is no creaking or bending on this rope, and it’s far from lacking in strength too, it’s perfect. However, there is on thing it fails with.
【 “Oh!”】
【 “Ah! Sirius-sama!”】
I lose in terms of strength and get dragged by Noel.
Though I trained all that time, it can’t be helped since I’m still three years old.
After that, I try hanging the rope on a tree then climbing on it and using it as a subst.i.tute for the chains of a swing, as a result, I reach the conclusion that it has a lot of practical uses. By changing its thickness, it could get various usages, it would become an all-purpose magic rather than an all-purpose tool.
I feel like I used a lot of mana, probably because I kept bundling the mana ropes over and over again. Well, I’m not out of mana but let’s not rush things this time, I’ll get back to it later.
【 “Is it time for lunch yet?”】
【 “Yes, it is. I’m hungry too.”】
I hold hands with Noel while going back to the house.
On the way, a certain question is brought up in the middle of our conversation.
【 “Sirius-sama, what do you want to do in the future?”】
【 “In the future?”】
【 “I’m so proud of you being able to use that kind of amazing magic. And since you’re able to do this kind of things, I’m really interested in what you’ll do when you grow up.”】
【 “That’s right, I wonder what I should do…”】
【 “Ahaha, I’m being a little impatient here. Please forget it.”】
Since the time I got this new life three years ago, I thought several times about what I want do to here.
I had a b.l.o.o.d.y life in the previous world but I was quite satisfied by the way I met my end since I was able to die while carrying out my strategy. I don’t have much regrets from before that either, but when I heard the story about the school from Noel, I remembered.
I had five students.
Though I can’t recall their names, I took under my wing five boys and girls, I took care of them and educated them. For me, who had neither parents nor a wife, those kids were the closest thing I had to a family. As their teacher and as their foster father, I wasn’t able to see their growth completely, that’s probably my only regret. This time I want to become strong and to follow my students’ growth properly.
Yes, I know what I have to do.
After lunch, I talk to all the members in the living room.
【 “I will go to school.”】
The three people start looking at each other and seem confused by my words.
Especially Noel whose face turns pale like she did something awful.
【 “Is that because of what I said earlier? My words altered the future of Sirius-sama…”】
【 “It’s not because of you. I decided this on my own after thinking it through.”】
【 “Calm down, Noel. So, Sirius-sama, why do you want to go to school?”】
【 “Though it’s not set in stone yet, I want to become a school teacher.”】
Death is taken pretty lightly in this world.
There are many countries in war, not unified, and many stories about confused and opposed religions and races. Disputes happen frequently as well, it’s a dangerous world dominated by demons.
However, that’s only the knowledge I got from books.
Therefore, I want to travel through the world, to see and feel various things and teach them afterwards by living as a teacher.
That’s roughly my plan.
To go to school to learn about the world, to go on a trip to get to know and see the world myself, and to become a teacher and share my acquired knowledge… that’s how it should go.
【 “The man in my dreams taught a lot of things to children. Though I had a hard time being him in that situation, It felt very rewarding and I want to do it as myself. Therefore I should go to school first to gain some knowledge.”】
【 “Well, in that case you’d surely need to go to school yes. But, Sirius-sama, your attribute is…”】
The fact that I don’t have any attribute might be a problem.
It’s easy to guess where the problem resides, I’d surely get called incompetent if people were to find out about my lack of attribute and I’d be looked down upon. I start frowning as I think about that, but Noel starts nodding with a serious face.
【 “I think it’ll be all right.” 】
【 “What are you saying Noel? You should be the one who understands the most the pain of being isolated.”】
Isolation… she must have gone through a lot of discrimination because of her race. Though she laughs cheerfully now, I wonder if she had some painful experiences in her past.
【 “Actually, Sirius-sama showed me his magic earlier. Though it was only one spell, he showed me a power that made me feel like I don’t reach his feet. And you can use other spells right?”】
Because Noel asks me that in a kinda aggressive way, I just nod for the time being. Though I should be able to use it whenever I feel like it if I repeat the experiment, I keep quiet about the gun magic because they’d likely get scared of it.
【 “He already understands half of the intermediate magic content as well, I honestly can’t begin to imagine just how much he’ll grow in the next five years. Even if he gets oppressed, he’ll be strong enough to hit back and subjugate whoever attacks him.”】
That’s right. Even if I do lose, I’ll just try again and again until I win.
【 “I said it many times already but, I think that Sirius-sama will surely become successful. Therefore, I want to do what I can do to help him reach that success.”】
【 “… Well, you’re right. We servants are here only to serve the master after all. Also, this is the first time Sirius-sama ever asked for something selfish and I want to give it to him.”】
【 “Indeed! I’ll work hard for that.”】
【 “Me too.”】
I feel really thankful toward the three of them for rooting for me. Well then, I’ll just behave like the baby I am by depending on them.
Even though I was reluctant to tell them about me wanting to become a teacher at first, it turned out to be usless worries and my uneasiness was lifted, though I now feel a little embarra.s.sed. I’ll grow up to meet their expectations.
【 “Thank you everyone. But don’t push yourselves, we still have five years after all.” 】
【 “Thank you for your concern. First, the entrance fee. I’ll help by making some compounded medicines for sale.”】(TLN:That’s Elina talking)
【 “I’ll take care of the sales.”】(TLN:And this is Dee)
【 “And I’ll look for a school. It’d be a shame for Sirius-sama’s amazing talents to be wasted!”】
Though Noel snorts out that reply, she starts looking lonely for a short instant and I hear her whisper【(Although I gave up…)】. Oh I see, Noel is probably overlapping my situation with her past and trying to make it positive. I guess she regrets not being able to go to school.
【 “It seems that we’ll get pretty busy from now on. Well, first of all, Dee, it’s time to give THAT to Sirius-sama.”】
【 “Got it.”】
Dee goes out of the living room, and returns after a few minutes while gripping a sword in his hand. He then hands me the sword, and gives me a look that encourages me to unsheathe it so I draw the blade out of its scabbard.
【 “What’s this?”】
【 “It’s a sword I got when I was still an adventurer. It won’t break even if your opponent is a goblin so, please accept it.”】
It’s a short sword that has a 50 centimeters long blade with a small pattern on it and a pretty rustic handle, it doesn’t have any decoration. Though it’s slightly too big to be used by a three years old child, I like its appearance which is focused only on practicality.
However, the blade of the weapon is not made of iron. It’s strong and solid but it’s lighter than that. The sword seems unprofessional but it’s not something you can buy at a local store.
【 “This weapon seems very good, is it really alright for me to get it?”】
【 “I don’t mind. I’m not an adventurer anymore and since it’s too short for me, I only used this sword as a spare anyway. I found it in the depths of some ruins, I couldn’t use it as a sword but it was very light so I just took it without paying attention to it since it wasn’t a hard lift. Though I showed it the owner of a weapon shop, he couldn’t identify the material of the blade. I kept it as a lucky charm until now but, I think it’s just the right weapon for you, Sirius-sama.”】
Wow, this is the first time I saw Dee being this talkative.
And it’s just as he says, this looks more suited as a protection rather than a weapon.
I don’t quite understand the nature of this sword but it doesn’t seem cursed, I’ll gratefully receive it.
【 “Take this please. it’s a belt to hand your sword on.” 】
【 “Thank you. I’ll use it with great care.”】
【 “You look so cool Sirius-sama. You’re a fine adventurer now.”】
Dee seems pleased from my words as he curves his lips slightly upward. I equip myself with the belt after adjusting its size to mine since I became an adventurer…… like h.e.l.l I did. It’s impossible for a three years old no matter how you look at it.
【 “Sirius-sama, I know you have a weapon now but, please don’t do anything unreasonable.”】
【 “Yes, I understand. Yesterday I only fought out of need. However, I intend to fight goblins again when I get stronger.”】
【 “Well, I want you to avoid fighting if possible but, I guess experience is necessary. However, next time, I want you to go with Dee.”】
Though Elena is trying to hold back and to conceal her emotions, she’s obviously worried sick. Well, I guess I can do what she asked me to if that’s how it is. But I wonder if sympathy is the only thing motivating me to go with Dee. (TLN: I forgot what’s the translation for that, screw you google chrome, I’ll check tomorrow)
Surely, I could kill any goblin by myself in an instant with my gun magic, but I want to fight them myself to regain the abilities I had in my previous life. Last time, I got drenched in my victims’ blood, It’s hard to accept that I went through something that disgraceful just to beat two of the goblins in one go.
If I was still my former self, I would have killed the three of them without spilling any blood and I’d have done it while humming.
Magic is good. However, I don’t want to grow up while relying on my magic, especially not on my gun magic, it’s way too powerful. I should be able to snipe the enemies from a long distance to stay safe which would cancel my need of a strong physical strength, but I’d still be taking the risk of getting chased if I’m found out by the enemy. I want to be prepared for any eventuality.
Therefore, I’ll just fight using other magic spells and some Taijutsu. (TLN: By other magic spells, he means everything but the gun magic)
As of now, everyone in my surroundings knows about my secret so I won’t have to be careful about my growth anymore.
I also managed to obtain the strange power called magic, and reached new heights in the magic field.
Well, then, it’s about time for the real training to start.