* * *
For the next three days, I devoted my time to practicing 【Intimidation】.
At first, using 【Intimidation】 would tire me out every time, but after learning to limit the amount of magic power released and to direct the release in just one direction, it became much easier to use.
The difficult part was using 【Body Strengthening】 and 【Intimidation】 at the same time. Since the flow of magic power involves moving it “inward” and “outward,” which are completely opposite actions, it was quite challenging.
I managed to do it somehow by intentionally loosening control over 【Body Strengthening】 and releasing the leaked magic power as 【Intimidation】, but it’s still far from practical use.
…And that’s when I realized.
Am I straying from the master’s assignment?
<Did you finally notice?>
Hey, hey!
Extra-sama! If you noticed, you should have pointed it out sooner!
<This is a useful technique in its own right, so I thought I’d let you do as you please. As usual, your concentration is impressive, Emi.>
Geez!
Don’t think you can get away with anything just by praising me! Hmph!
But I’ll forgive you! Ehehe.
Now that I’ve realized I’ve strayed, I need to return to the master’s assignment.
Fortunately, thanks to the practice with 【Intimidation】, I’ve somewhat grasped the knack for releasing magic power.
Let’s apply it to the assignment right away.
For starters, I’ll use 【Silverfish】 to climb a nearby tree and jump off from about the height of a house roof.
To avoid injury, I’ll use 【Body Strengthening】 to some extent and release magic power towards the ground at the moment of landing… Release!!
Boom!!
Then, the ground erupted with a loud noise.
A small crater formed.
…Eh?
Extra-sama, wasn’t the impact supposed to decrease?
It seems to have increased instead?
<Hmm, maybe it was a mistake to just focus on the image of “releasing magic power.” Since magic power is essentially energy, releasing it without thought leads to destruction, perhaps. It’s difficult…>
But this is, you know.
In addition to the energy of the fall, I ended up hitting the ground with my magic power, which is another form of energy, right?
When I think about it calmly, I’m doing the exact opposite of what I wanted…
But this is still a useful technique, I think.
I try lightly hitting a rock that was lying nearby.
At the same time my fist hits the rock, I fiercely release magic power into it.
Bang!
Then, with a loud noise, the rock shattered.
Eh… Ehhh…!?
<Wow, that’s amazing, Emi! That was a 【Magic Strike】! It’s like what I saw in the isekai broadcast of the martial god! It consumes magic power, but it’s a very powerful attack!>
Oh, oh!
Yeah, it’s amazing, Extra-sama!
I’ve inadvertently acquired a finishing move!
<But we haven’t made progress on the assignment, have we!>
Damn it!!
* * *
For about two weeks, I completely fell into a rut, mindlessly climbing trees and then jumping down, over and over again.
Because I just couldn’t figure out what else to do.
Climbing up and jumping down, climbing up and jumping down, climbing up and jumping down…
Ah, there’s Master.
Eh? It’s already dark? Time for dinner?
Wow, it really has gotten dark before I knew it.
I guess that’s enough for today.
<As usual, a master and apprentice who converse with their eyes…>
It’s convenient, right?
I follow Master into the house.
* * *
After dinner, I was absent-mindedly staring at the fire in the hearth.
Master was, as usual, busy with handiwork.
He was working on several tasks in parallel, but what he was doing today was polishing deer antlers, which I had seen before.
What is he making with that, I wonder.
And, Master, you’re really good at working in just candlelight.
If only we had electricity, working under electric lights would be so much more efficient…
As I was pondering these things, Master’s hands stopped moving.
He slowly lifted the antler he was polishing.
Then, the antler… lit up as brightly as if it were an electric light!
Eh!? What’s that!?
<Oh! This is a primitive magic lantern. I see, so he used an Electricia’s antler like that.>
Magic lantern?
What’s that!?
<A magical tool that lights up by infusing magic power. It’s quite common in urban areas.>
Wow! A magical tool!
I didn’t know such a thing existed!
I’ve only ever lived in the countryside or in the forest, so I had no idea.
Master, seeing my surprised (though expressionless) face, gives off an aura as if he succeeded in his prank (though he’s still expressionless with a stern face).
Then, he hands me the homemade magic lantern.
Immediately, I feel a slight sensation of my magic power being drawn…
The deer antler continues to glow.
<The antler of an Electricia is a material known for its ability to convert magic power into light or generate electricity. This has been processed to suppress its electricity-generating capabilities, focusing only on producing light.>
Wow… so magic power can be used like electricity.
It’s a truly versatile energy…
…Hmm?
Magic power… conversion…?
<What’s wrong, Emi?>
I look at the deer antler in my hand.
It continues to draw magic power from me and shine brightly.
…What if I intentionally reverse the flow of magic power?
In other words, perform magic manipulation to draw magic power from the antler.
I feel a slight resistance, like a snag, from the antler, but this is the opposite action to releasing magic power, something I’ve extensively practiced with 【Intimidation】, so it’s not too hard to do.
Absorb the magic power, absorb, absorb…
Then, the light from the antler began to dim, and I felt a slight return of my magic power.
At the same time, with a sharp crack, the deer antler developed a crack.
It might have broken.
Master is emitting a disappointed aura next to me, but I’m sorry, Master, I can’t worry about that right now!
Magic power can be converted into light, and light can be converted back into magic power.
<What about that, Emi?>
Meaning, Extra-sama, magic energy can be converted into light energy, and light energy can be converted back into magic energy!!
<Eh? So, what about it?>
That must be the answer to the assignment!
<Hey, wait a minute?>
I place the deer antler on the floor and clap my hands.
A soft sound, “Pan,” is heard.
A small impact is generated.
I keep clapping my hands.
Pan, Pan, Pan, Pan, Pan…
I focus on whether the impact generated can be converted into magic power.
How can it be done?
I don’t know!
But it surely can be.
I must somehow find a way to sense the method!
In other words, the “silent landing” that Master showed me.
It’s possible by converting the impact of landing into magic power and scattering that magic power into the air around the feet.
That’s my hypothesis.
At first, I thought Master was somehow dealing with the impact by releasing magic power because I saw it spreading out like ripples… But probably that’s a mistake.
Correctly, rather than Master releasing magic power, I think the impact energy converted into magic power spread out like ripples.
If this is correct, its usefulness is immeasurable!
It’s not just about “making no sound.”
It’s about being able to deflect impact.
In theory, any physical impact could be nullified if it could be converted into magic power!?
Isn’t that, like, invincible?
Realizing that, well, I got super excited.
I was frantically, single-mindedly continuing to clap my hands.
But, you know, it’s already late.
Master is sleepy.
Clapping hands is noisy.
I get a knuckle dropped on me.
And then grabbed by the collar and thrown into the futon.
I got scolded again.
I’m sorry, Master. Sob.