Night fell. Despite the earlier disturbance, the rest of the day had passed without incident, allowing us to finish our work with plenty of time to spare. However, there was something I wanted to ask Lord Rosenberg in preparation for tomorrow’s training.
"I’m considering crafting a tool similar to the staff I used for miasma extraction to assist with tomorrow’s spell. Would these Mana Stones work for storing miasma?"
I lined up several stones on the dining hall table. They were the dark-attribute Mana Stones I had found at the Execution Ground Site in the Town of Ghosts. According to Sebas, they were supposed to be of remarkably high quality.
"Let me see."
Lord Rosenberg reached out and carefully picked one up, holding it against the light of the room to examine it closely. He cupped the stone in both hands for a moment, then smiled with genuine admiration.
"These are magnificent. They are more than sufficient to serve as materials for a staff. In fact, they are of much higher quality than the ones I used in the staff I prepared for you. Their capacity for holding miasma and their physical durability are far superior."
It was a relief to know they would serve my purposes. That led me to wonder—if a common Mana Stone received such praise, how would he react to the Mana Gemstone I had unearthed at the same location?
"Lord Rosenberg, could you evaluate this as well?"
"!?"
The moment I retrieved a fragment of the Mana Gemstone—the one that had previously hosted the Fragment of the Demon King—from my Item Box, Lord Rosenberg’s eyes widened, and he leaned forward in his seat. His reaction was so intense it actually startled me.
"This is a fragment of the Mana Gemstone I found when I was cursed."
"Ah, you mentioned it during the explanation of your circumstances. So this is it... May I?"
Lord Fernobelia had assured me that the Fragment of the Demon King had been purged, so there shouldn't have been any lingering ill effects. Nevertheless, a heavy silence fell over Lord Rosenberg as he took the stone. The air in the room seemed to turn somber.
"Is there something wrong with it?"
"Wrong? Not exactly... It’s simply that I cannot provide an accurate valuation. All I can say is that I have never seen a better medium for Curse Magic in my entire life. Those Mana Stones from before were excellent, but they aren't even in the same league as this. In terms of price, even by the most conservative estimate, this could buy you a castle."
"A whole castle!? For a fragment this small?"
The piece I showed him was just a shard that had chipped off the main crystal cluster when I moved it. It was no larger than my index fingernail, yet it was worth a castle?
"A dark-attribute Mana Gemstone is precious enough on its own, but perhaps it’s because your curse was originally housed within it? It feels far more attuned to Curse Magic than a standard stone. Whether one has the qualifications or the wealth to actually obtain such a thing is another story, but to a Curse Specialist, this is a dream come true. A great house like House Cashel would likely trade one of their smaller fortresses for it without a second thought. That is the kind of treasure you are holding. I appreciate that you trust me enough to show me this, but please be extremely careful about revealing it in public."
"I will. Thank you."
Still, leaving it tucked away felt like a waste. I decided to use just this one fragment for my experiments here, since we were away from prying eyes.
"Since you are using such a rare stone, do you mind if I ask what kind of spell you intend to cast? I would like to be mentally prepared for any eventuality."
"Of course. My plan is to combine three distinct stages of Miasma Removal Magic."
The first stage was personal protection. Given the massive amount of miasma I expected to gather, I needed to ensure I wasn't harmed by it. The second stage was the collection itself. Based on the mental image that felt most natural to me, I would likely end up surrounded by the concentrated miasma. Needless to say, it would be extremely dangerous.
"In addition to the first stage of protection, I plan to use the Curse Slime that evolved recently to safeguard myself. However, as that still might not be enough, the third stage involves using this Mana Gemstone to create a mechanism that both anchors the miasma and wards it away from my body. Finally, I’m hoping to perform a purification as a concluding step."
"I see. Since you’ve planned your safety measures in layers, I have no objections. With experimental Curse Magic, it’s rare to know exactly what will happen until you actually try it... Please, proceed as you see fit. If I judge the situation to be turning dangerous, I will intervene. I’ll clear an escape route and have one of the adventurers pull you out by force if necessary."
"I’d appreciate that. Is there anything else I should be mindful of?"
"Let me see... Challenging your limits in Curse Magic means identifying exactly where those limits lie and operating as close to them as possible. Please remember that it is not about breaking through your limits. You must never think, 'I’ll force myself to output power beyond what I can handle.'"
The goal of this training was to improve my maximum output, but that improvement came from a precise understanding of one’s capacity, not from reckless overexertion. Stability was paramount.
"Of course, that is easier said than done. It is quite common for students to lose their composure during training and let their spells go out of control. While it’s better if it doesn't happen, we have to assume a mana rampage is a possibility. Being too tense will only lead to a loss of focus, so try to approach it with a relaxed mind."
Lord Rosenberg added that sensing the early signs of a spell running wild was actually his specialty.
"Come to think of it, you did mention that your primary expertise was investigating miasma sources and deciphering the causes of curses. Does sensing a rampage fall under that?"
"The Curse Magic passed down in my family involves extracting information from the mana within curses and miasma. For example, the mental image you used for your Human-warding Rope was based on your time living in isolation in the forest, wasn't it?"
"Yes. I could have returned to civilization at any time, but I didn't feel inclined to. I tapped into the emotions I felt back then."
"That means that when you cast the spell, you infused those specific feelings into your mana. Since mana is guided by mental willpower, the caster’s intentions and emotions remain as a residue. Of course, it doesn't manifest as clear words or images. I have to interfere with the mana using my own and analyze the reaction. It takes a combination of intuition and experience to arrive at an answer."
According to Lord Rosenberg, the legends of his family’s ancestors were quite remarkable. Some could supposedly use their magic as if they were literally hearing the dead. One story claimed an ancestor had suddenly veered off a mountain path for no apparent reason, only to discover a buried corpse. He then allegedly nodded to the empty air and proceeded to describe the exact circumstances of the murder and the location of the bandits' hideout.
"Hearing the voices of the dead... that sounds almost like Spiritualism."
"Oh? Is that more knowledge from your family library? Indeed, our family’s art is often called a form of Necromancy. Because of that, I’ve heard my ancestors were treated with suspicion by others in the profession until we were taken under the wing of House Cashel. Mastery is difficult, so there are few practitioners and even fewer who know the details. I’m impressed you grasped the nature of it so quickly."
"I don't know much about the specifics, but there were countless books at my house. Also, when I used my funeral magic on the undead in the Town of Ghosts, they gave very human reactions. It didn't seem far-fetched that a spell for dialogue might exist."
Having seen the undead in the Sea of Trees whose souls were bound by Kormi, the idea of Necromancy-adjacent magic felt even more plausible.
"If you have that much of a grasp on the concept... would you like to try learning my family’s magic as well?"
"Are you sure? Isn't it a private family secret?"
"The restriction on secrecy was lifted several generations ago when we joined House Cashel. In fact, we welcome motivated talent to ensure the art isn't lost to time. Mastering it won't bind you to any duties or restrict your movements."
As it turned out, the lessons I had been receiving were based on the standard Curriculum Guidelines for Curse Magic set by House Cashel. He simply hadn't mentioned the Rosenberg family art because it was considered too advanced for a beginner who hadn't yet mastered the basics.
"Our magic relies heavily on experience, so it usually takes a long time to learn. But in your case, Ryoma, I suspect you might pick it up surprisingly quickly."
"I’m not sure I can live up to that, but if you’re willing to teach me, I’ll do my best."
"Just having the interest to try is enough. To be honest, my father has retired and is supposedly dedicated to passing on the art, but it hasn't been going well... He frequently nags me to find a successor and train them myself."
It seemed that even Lord Rosenberg had to deal with the problem of finding someone to carry on the family legacy.
I wondered if a successor had to be human. If it was just a matter of mastering the technique, I had a feeling Kormi might be more suited for it than I was. When I mentioned this, Lord Rosenberg seemed genuinely intrigued by the idea of the fairy. We promised to arrange an introduction once I had developed a way for Kormi to communicate with others, and then I headed back to my room to finish my tools.
Late at night.
"Finished..."
I had gotten a little too engrossed in the crafting and stayed up later than intended. If I showed up tomorrow sleep-deprived, everyone would worry, so I decided to do a quick check of the tool’s feel and then head to bed.
When I stepped outside, I saw Eleanora standing in front of the neighboring women’s dormitory.
"Eleanora? Are you still awake?"
"Master Takebayashi... I was resting until noon today, so I find myself quite wide awake. What about you?"
"I was finishing up this tool for tomorrow."
I showed her the rake I was holding. It was a tool typically used for farming or cleaning, but in Japan, it was also considered a lucky charm used to "rake in" wealth and good fortune. There were even elaborately decorated versions called "Lucky Rakes."
My version was a rake for "raking in miasma"—a specialized staff for Curse Magic.
The body was made from ordinary bamboo I had acquired in the Fatma Territory. Aside from the fragment of the Mana Gemstone embedded near the top, it looked like something you could find at any home center. Calling it a staff felt like a bit of a stretch. I’d have to ask Tekun for advice on making a proper one later; he had promised to teach me, after all.
"It certainly provides an intuitive image for 'gathering' things," she noted.
"Yes, I think it turned out quite well."
Looking at Eleanora, I noticed something in her expression. It wasn't exactly a look of sadness, but there was a faint shadow over her. Willieris had mentioned she was bored, so I figured I might as well strike up a conversation.
"Eleanora, if you aren't tired, would you mind helping me with a few preparations for tomorrow?"
"I am at your service. Command me as you wish."
Her instantaneous, professional acceptance of a late-night work request reminded me a little too much of my former life as a salaryman... but regardless, since she was willing to help, we decided to move to a better location to get started.