Holy Magic was broadly divided into two main categories: Purification and Manifestation.
The efficacy against demons provided by Purification appeared to work on more than just the undead or spirits, and Manifestation could produce things beyond mere armaments, making the range of applications surprisingly vast.
"Hmm, but Holy Magic is a pain to modify," I muttered.
Magic usually manifested through a combination of complex spell formulas. If I tinkered with a part I didn't fully understand, there was a risk that the spell wouldn't activate at all. This was especially true for something like Holy Magic, which carried such heavy constraints.
"Since the Magic Language used in Holy Magic belongs to the Celestial Realm, it must be difficult for you to parse, Master Lloyd," Jiriel noted.
"Ain't it actually harder to mess with 'cause the spell formulas are too simple, boss?" Grimo added.
"Yeah. If I were to do anything, it would just be adding basic spell formulas to the existing structure."
Most of my experiments so far had focused on Manifestation. I had tried creating swords, armor, shields, axes, and various other items, but honestly, they were all starting to look the same. It wasn't very interesting.
"I’d like to move on to testing Purification, but..."
"Heh, isn't the solution obvious, Majin?" Jiriel sneered. "Why don't you volunteer to be the target?"
"Are you stupid, you crappy angel?! If I take a direct hit from Master Lloyd's Purification, I’ll be erased instantly!"
Using Grimo as a test subject wasn't a terrible idea, but a Majin familiar was somewhat precious in his own right. It would be a waste to accidentally delete him.
Beyond the need for a target, there were limits to the ideas I could come up with on my own. My testing methods were becoming biased. To truly develop a new field of magic, I needed more people involved.
"...That's right. I have those guys for exactly this kind of situation."
Muttering to myself, I activated Spatial Transfer. My destination: the Lord of Lodesto's Manor.
This territory had been granted to me for my previous exploits, and it was currently staffed by former members of the Assassin's Guild.
"Oh, if it isn't Master Lloyd! It’s been a while, boss."
"How have you been, Galilea?"
The bald man, Galilea of the Thread Spider, spotted me immediately and bowed. He had once been the leader of the guild, and now I had him acting as the Lord of Lodesto in my stead.
"How is it? Have you gotten used to the work yet?"
"Well, I'm managing somehow. It's tough in a lot of ways, but it's rewarding. Working for the sake of others actually feels pretty good."
Galilea nodded to himself, looking satisfied. He had been a leader for a long time, so he took to the management role naturally. It seemed my choice of personnel had been correct.
"And don't worry, I haven't been slacking on my ability training either... Hup!"
With a flick of his wrist, Galilea shot a strand of sticky mana from his fingertip. It latched onto a pen on a distant table, which he then pulled effortlessly into his hand. His ability allowed him to produce masses of mana with the properties of spider silk. It used to be a lot cruder, but he had clearly gained much finer control over it.
"...Well, that's where I'm at. Right now, I'm practicing how to control the output and viscosity. I’d like to turn it into a proper spell formula eventually, but I’ve still got a long way to go."
"Good. Keep up the hard work. As for why I’m here today—could you call the others?"
"Sure thing. I'm sure they’ve all been dying to see you. Just a second."
After a short wait, Galilea returned with three others: Talia, Babylon, and Crow. All of them were former assassins with unique abilities. They immediately dropped to their knees and knelt before me.
"My, my, Master Lloyd. It is a pleasure to see you in such high spirits," Talia of the Hundred Scars said with an eerie smile.
"Hey, it's been a while. This is a bit sudden, but I want you all to learn Holy Magic."
"Holy Magic?" Babylon of the Giant Rat asked. "I’ve heard the name, but is that something people like us can even use?"
"I have a bit of a connection that can make it happen. Well, let's give it a shot—Jiriel."
"What?! Y-You're telling me to bestow my miracles upon these people?!" Jiriel’s voice rang out from my palm in a panicked shriek.
"Yeah. You can do it, right?"
"Well, technically, yes, but..."
"Then get to it."
"Ngh... damn it... To think I have to give it to these nobodies..." Jiriel grumbled internally. The men are completely out of the question, and the woman is a bit past her prime... I just can’t see them as 'favorites.' But for the sake of living on this surface world paradise, I can't afford to sour Master Lloyd's mood... I guess I have no choice.
"Please," I prompted.
"...Understood. I shall bestow Holy Magic upon them. Please hold your hand over them."
Jiriel was gnashing his teeth, but he had clearly resigned himself to the task. As I held my hand over them as instructed, a faint, warm light enveloped Galilea and the others.
"Whoa! What is this?! There are strange characters floating into my head!" Galilea shouted.
"So this is Holy Magic... Ho-ho, it seems to be quite magnificent," Babylon remarked politely.
"I understanD how to use it!" Crow said in his usual mechanical tone.
"Heh, look, light came out! This is incredible," Talia added, her eyes gleaming.
The four of them immediately began experimenting with the magic. It seemed to have taken hold perfectly. Since they were all ability users who had been in contact with mana since childhood, I expected them to have the right aptitude, and I wasn't disappointed.
"Ah, to think Holy Magic is now in the hands of such commoners... How lamentable..." Jiriel moaned.
"Jiriel, whenever they try to use Holy Magic, make sure to open the Path for them immediately. And as for you four, I want you to work together and find new ways to use this magic. Oh, and one more thing—keep this a complete secret."
If the people at the castle found out about this, my peaceful life would be over. For the same reason, I couldn't even tell Ren of the Poison Moth, as she might accidentally leak it to Sylpha. I needed them to keep believing I was just a boy who happened to be a bit of a magic geek.
"Understood, Master Lloyd!" they shouted in unison.
With this, I could finally make some progress in researching Holy Magic. With their help, they were bound to come up with all sorts of creative applications. All I had to do was reap the rewards of their hard work.
Yes, having comrades really was a great thing.