The next day.
I decided to head to the mountain at the Experiment Ground to put Tekun’s lessons on staff-making into practice. I also needed to harvest the necessary wood and place an order at the workshop run by Kiara’s husband. Since I had a few other simple experiments I wanted to run, I figured I could treat the trip as something of a hike.
After making my preparations, I used Space Magic to teleport there in a flash. I dropped my gear at the management hut and then set off toward the slope where the miasma welled up, using Strengthening Magic during my run to double as training and to make the climb easier. If all went well, I would be back in no time.
...I felt as though I’d just tripped a flag of some sort, but...
"Yeah, no problems here."
I had taken thorough countermeasures under the supervision of a specialist, so trouble wasn't going to spring up that easily. I checked the area with the tools I’d received during my training; while the miasma concentration in the Miasma Land had risen slightly, it was still well within the acceptable range.
The miasma from deep underground had likely surfaced over time, which was a normal occurrence for a Miasma Land. The concentration hadn't reached a level that exceeded the reference values, nor was any of it leaking past the Tiger Ropes.
For the time being, I simply recorded the numerical values and my observations of the surroundings. I would leave things as they were until Rosenberg’s next visit. When dealing with hazardous materials, it was always best to stick strictly to the manual. If I tinkered with things poorly and caused an accident, the consequences would be dire.
"All right, work is done. Which means..."
I moved over to the plot of land I’d previously cleared for a future field and released my Tamed Monsters from the Dimension Home. I left the task of collecting timber and branches to the Goblins, then summoned my Sticky Slimes and Smoke Slimes for the experiments.
"These should do for the tests."
I had prepared a small box made with Earth Magic, a pile of coniferous branches gathered from the mountain, and a roll of rope from the factory, along with a container large enough to hold the rope comfortably.
With my tools ready, I began the experiment immediately. First, I took a small handful of branches and lit them. Yudum had warned me that the wood from the tree with the unusual name "Pugipogi" produced an immense amount of smoke when burned, so I needed to be careful.
"Whoa..."
The smoke pouring from the burning branches was about three times more than I had anticipated—and it was pitch black. I was only mildly surprised since I was only burning thin twigs, but if I’d thrown a thick log onto the fire, the sheer volume of smoke might have made me worry about environmental pollution. It reminded me of a video I’d seen back in my old world of tires being burned in some distant country.
I used Appraisal on the branches to check their properties.
Pugipogi Branch Possesses the property of separating carbon from the carbon dioxide absorbed from the air and storing it internally. Consequently, its carbon content is significantly higher than other tree species. Combined with its moisture and wood quality, it is prone to incomplete combustion. The stored carbon is converted into nutrients during photosynthesis, and any excess remains inside the wood, creating a pattern of countless concentric circles.
"...This tree would probably have high industrial demand back on Earth," I muttered. "It would likely make excellent fuel if processed into charcoal. But without that extra effort, it’s quite difficult to use. I mean, look at all this smoke... I suppose because wood is the primary fuel here, the demand for charcoal is fairly limited—whoops."
Since there was plenty of smoke to work with, I placed my magic box over the burning branches. I had attached protrusions to the four corners of the box so that when it sat upside down, air could still flow through the gaps, and I could feed in more branches. I then sent the Smoke Slimes into those gaps, tasking them with collecting the soot contained within the smoke.
This was based on the traditional method used by craftsmen to gather soot for making calligraphy ink. Since this was just an experiment, I was using simple tools and only gathering a small amount, but if it proved successful, I would prepare proper equipment and hire extra hands for a full-scale operation.
"Phew... the wind feels great."
I sat back and enjoyed the mountain air and the popping of the fire until the soot had been gathered. Once my supply of branches was exhausted, I began collecting the soot that had adhered to the box. Before starting, I cast a Windproof Barrier to create a pocket of still air, preventing any accidental scattering. I then divided the soot into several new boxes in varying amounts, mixed in some Adhesive Fluid from the Sticky Slimes, and stirred.
I dipped a section of rope into the resulting black Adhesive Fluid, pulled it out, and hung it up. Then, I dipped a fresh piece of rope into a different mixture and hung that up as well. I repeated the process for every batch of fluid I’d made, then set about burning more branches for soot while the ropes dried.
"Well, that should be enough for the first round."
The goal of this experiment was to find the perfect ratio of soot to Adhesive Fluid for coloring and coating the rope. While the ropes produced by the factory worked perfectly as mediums for curse magic, they were indistinguishable from ordinary rope at a glance.
A curse specialist or a mage capable of sensing mana would notice the difference, but if I planned to sell these widely in the future, it was better to have a clear visual indicator for people who weren't attuned to magic.
Furthermore, the fact that they looked like ordinary rope made them easy to counterfeit. Someone wouldn't even need to manufacture a fake; they could just buy regular rope and claim it was mine. Even if the difference in efficacy became obvious upon use, it was better to have some preventative measures in place.
I’d been thinking about this vaguely for some time, but I only decided on a concrete method recently. When I’d learned that the family I’d rescued from the carriage were dyers, I remembered a technique from my previous world called "Soot Dyeing."
Of course, while I knew the term, I had no actual experience with the craft, so it was more accurate to say this was a "processing method inspired by soot dyeing." Not only did the extra step give the rope a sense of being a specialized product, but as someone who first learned Curse Magic through a spell that handled smoke, the theme felt like a perfect fit for me.
"Plus, soot has insect-repellent and preservative properties just like smoke, and wild animals are naturally wary of the scent of things that have been burned. The repellent effect reinforces the brand's image. Nothing goes to waste."
Since the soot was being mixed with Sticky Slime fluid, the particles would be coated, which might weaken the soot's inherent repellent properties. However, since the primary effect was provided by Curse Magic anyway, the psychological image took precedence. My next priority was durability.
Given the purpose of these ropes, they would inevitably be exposed to the elements for long periods. A well-made rope wouldn't snap easily, but wind and rain would undoubtedly accelerate its deterioration. A water-repellent coating should extend its lifespan significantly.
If the ropes needed frequent replacement, it would be a financial and physical burden on the buyers, and some might give up on using them altogether. I needed to ensure I could pay the people involved in production, but I wasn't looking for excessive profits. I wanted a high-quality product that lasted so long that customers would feel they’d gotten a bargain. I wanted to build a stable business based on satisfied repeat customers.
"Hmm... I haven't mixed in any Hardening Fluid, but the Adhesive Fluid alone makes it a bit stiff once it dries. It might be too rigid to use as a rope. Next time I should try thinning it out more..."
Once I’d refined the mixture and finalized the formula, I could delegate the dyeing process.
As for the soot collection, I planned to reach out to the Chimney Sweeps who were already going to help with the incense project. Soot was effectively just chimney grime, so I wouldn't even need to provide much instruction. They were the ideal candidates for the job.
I wouldn't know the specifics until I actually spoke with them, but according to the Rat-man Information Broker, they were currently in their peak season just before the cold set in. He told me that "many are interested, but they simply can't find the time to gather right now," so it would likely be a while before the incense and dyeing projects could move forward.
I didn't mind making small batches myself, so there was no need to rush. I had plenty of other things I wanted to do while I waited.
"Next, I'll try the same amount of soot, but with a fifty-fifty mix of Adhesive Fluid and water."
Three hours after I’d started my experiments...
"This should do it."
The drying process had taken a while, but I’d finally perfected a Dyeing Fluid mixture I was happy with. For a final check, I prepared a large container of the fluid and soaked an entire roll of rope in it before hanging it to dry. The results would likely vary depending on the length of the rope and the soaking time, so this was just a benchmark, but I felt I’d reached a good stopping point.
However, since this rope was much longer than the samples, it was going to take even longer to dry. I’d already spent a fair amount of time just idling, so I wanted to find something productive to do while I waited.
With that in mind...
"I guess I'll build a little Rest Hut around here. If I have one near the Lumber Storage Area, I can summon Kormi, and it’ll help with security too."
There was plenty of timber nearby. Magic would make short work of the processing. It was no longer a difficult task for me; in less than an hour, I’d completed a decent-looking shack. It was essentially a gazebo enclosed by walls with a roof on top, furnished with a simple desk and chairs, but it met the minimum requirements for a "house."
When I activated the spell...
"Did you call me—?"
The fairy Kormi appeared inside the simple room.
"Sorry to call you so suddenly. Were you busy?"
"I was having a tea party with Eleanora-onee-chan, so it’s totally okay!"
"Ah, so she was looking after you again."
The Communication Room link through Kormi was located in Eleanora’s house. Since she worked from home almost exclusively, the two of them had apparently been chatting a lot lately. I wondered if I’d interrupted them.
"Oh! Onee-chan asked if Ryoma wanted to join us!"
"Well, in that case, I think I will."
"Got it! Connecting you now!"
Kormi disappeared for a moment, accompanied by a Dial-up Connection Sound.
"...You've been learning some very strange things from my memories."
The sound effect was incredibly nostalgic. It was the noise you heard every single time you connected to the internet back in the 1990s, when computers were first becoming common in households.
I didn't know how many years had passed since my death, but that sound had vanished from the world around the year 2000. It had been obsolete for at least a decade... or had the service survived somewhere?
As I slipped into "old man mode," reminiscing about the past, Kormi returned. Apparently, everything was ready. Kormi reappeared beside me, and Eleanora’s image was projected onto one of the walls.
"Thank you for waiting, Takebayashi-sama."
"No, thank you. I’m sorry for barging in so suddenly. And thank you for taking care of Kormi."
After exchanging brief greetings, I used Space Magic to bring over the tea they had brewed on her end.
"Thanks to you, he seems to be enjoying himself every day. It’s a huge help."
"The pleasure is all mine. Kormi-kun is wonderful company. Sometimes he even helps me with my work, and it’s been excellent practice for me."
"Practice? For what?"
"Well... I’m not exactly the type children tend to like. It’s not that I dislike them, but I suppose I have a way of... intimidating them."
I see. Eleanora was basically a cool, professional business woman. She was particularly disciplined during work hours, so I could understand why she might seem stern or scary to a young child.
Lately, she’d been handling the collection of the curse Misangas in my absence. Since money was involved, the direct transactions were handled by one of the two sisters, but that didn't mean she had no interaction with the children at all.
She must have been using Kormi as a partner to practice how to be more approachable. When I voiced my realization, she nodded solemnly.
"I intend to be careful not to be overbearing, but everyone seems to tense up the moment we meet face-to-face."
"Eleanora-san, I know you’d never be unfair to them, so I think they’ll get used to you in time. If it were truly an issue, I’m sure the two guardians would have come to me for advice."
"I hope you’re right. By the way, Takebayashi-sama, where are you exactly? I understood you were meant to be resting for a while."
"Today I’m at the Experiment Ground I was entrusted with by the Ducal House. You know, the mountain where I cleared out the miasma. This hut is right by the Lumber Storage Area. I took a walk to check on the Miasma Land, and then I decided to run a few experiments."
The conversation continued from there, flowing easily as I told her about the things I’d been doing to relax and enjoy myself in the mountains.