The area purification magic tool we’d all brainstormed took a bit of effort to get right. It wasn’t that I couldn’t make it, exactly; I just couldn't get the effect I wanted at first. I suspected it was because I didn't recognize the Beast-Repelling Barrier as a "room." As a result, Clean refused to trigger.
So, before I got back to crafting, I decided to train my brain to shift its perception. Since I didn't need a tool to cast the spell myself, I could practice as much as I wanted without worrying about wasting mana.
After countless failures, I hit on the idea of giving the barrier a faint tint. That did the trick; the spell finally activated. As I repeated the process, my perception must have finally clicked, because I eventually managed to make it work even on colorless barriers. Training really does pay off.
At that point, all that was left was to enchant the items and call it a day... or so I thought. But since I’d discovered I could broaden my horizons through practice, I decided to see if I could push the performance even further.
Next, I set my sights on range. I trained until I could purify much larger rooms.
It wasn't until this experiment that I realized my Clean spell actually had a limit on the size of the space it could target. A private room at an inn was no problem, but when I tried to target the entire hall of the Adventurer's Guild Headquarters, it didn't work. After some trial and error, I found that my limit was roughly the size of the conference room where I’d held the briefing for the branch managers.
So, I tried adjusting the range of the Beast-Repelling Barrier bit by bit to see if I could expand my definition of a "room." That worked out too. I wasn't entirely sure how large of an area I could eventually purify, mainly because it quickly exceeded any range I could easily verify. At the very least, I became capable of purifying a space large enough to swallow the entire Guild Headquarters whole.
...Which, unfortunately, caused a bit of a scene.
I really should have reported my experiment in advance. Since I’d tried it on a whim, several staff members panicked when their offices suddenly became spotless. Even Lord Rozeph gave me a gentle, roundabout scolding for it.
Well, a lot happened, but thanks to the effort, the area purification magic tool turned out better than I’d hoped. I’m sure Rozeph was pleased with it. He’d muttered something about being glad he’d splurged on the materials... or something like that.
That said, the mission wasn't over just because I’d finished one. After that, I fell into a rhythm of diligently crafting and delivering them one after another.
Then one day, a visitor arrived at the Magic House. It was Lang.
"The extermination of the Sticky Silver Species is going swimmingly! As expected of the Purification Divine Tool—ah, no, I mean Magic Tool... for now."
He’d come to give us an update on the Sticky Silver Species—what we called the Silver Abominations. He was in high spirits from the moment he walked in, clearly pleased that the operation was progressing so well.
That was all well and good, but he kept trying to treat my creations as Divine Tools. Every time I gave him a flat stare, he’d correct himself, but since we had the same exchange over and over, I doubted he was actually reflecting on it. It was a bit of a headache.
"I'm glad they were useful. Does that mean my work is done?"
I’d been focusing on nothing but magic tools lately. It wasn't that I hated the work, but I was definitely starting to get bored of the repetition. I wanted to move on to something else. Of course, that was assuming the problem was truly solved.
"Regarding that... ah, no, it's nothing."
Lang's expression suddenly turned awkward. He started to speak, then bit his tongue. He probably didn't mean anything by it, but being vague like that only made me more curious.
"Is there still a problem?"
When I pressed him, Lang's eyebrows knit together in a troubled look.
"Well, it’s a problem, in a sense... but I can’t bear to impose on you any further, Lord Tort..."
His conscience seemed to be weighing on him, making him tight-lipped. Still, it was obvious he was bothered by something.
Halfa stepped in to offer him a way out.
"Oh, just spit it out. If there's something we can help with, we'll do it! It's not like we have much else to do anyway."
I had a feeling that last part was her true motivation. Spira and Shiroru were nodding in vigorous agreement.
It was true that things were getting a little dull for Halfa and the others. Although Lafres was technically its own nation, it was essentially just the Guild Headquarters and a few related facilities. I really wished there was at least a dungeon nearby.
There had been talk of building a Training Dungeon for Rookie Adventurers here, but so far, there had been zero progress. Creating a dungeon required the power of a god, and they all seemed far too busy lately. The gods were apparently run ragged by the Abominations' increased activity.
"It's about the tools... there have been requests for you to create more of them, Lord Tort..." Lang admitted, looking apologetic.
Hmm. If that was the case, it didn't look like Halfa would have much of a role to play.
"But I thought the extermination of the Sticky Silver Species was almost finished?"
"...Yes. Therefore, this is more of a selfish whim on the part of the adventurers..."
"A whim?"
As it turned out, every single branch office was demanding their own magic tool. Currently, the supply was nowhere near enough to cover all the branches. They had managed to drive back the Sticky Silver Species by sharing the tools they had, but during that process, they’d realized something.
They’d realized just how convenient wide-area cleaning magic was.
While the threat of the Sticky Silver Species loomed, everyone was willing to cooperate. But now that the end was in sight, certain branches were trying to monopolize the tools. Some were even intentionally avoiding the final extermination of the Abominations, claiming that "remnants" still existed just so they could justify keeping the tools for themselves. Honestly, people never change.
"So there's no real emergency, then."
"Precisely. I am truly sorry..."
Lang looked completely dejected.
I was happy my tools were proving useful, but there didn't seem to be any rush for this. I was actually considering turning him down this time.
But then, the door burst open with a clatter. Pino came tumbling in, making a massive racket.
"Master! Master! It’s an emergency! The big boss is calling for you! And the old guy over there, too!"
By "big boss," he must have meant Lord Rozeph. I wondered what in the world was going on.