Chapter 53 Gear and Magic
Chapter 53 Gear and Magic
Back at the castle...
“With this, we won’t have to worry about funding for a while,” Agnes said with a sigh of relief. The knight had brought good news—they had received a generous amount of provisions from the Maxwell territory.
But Yumi wasn’t smiling. She narrowed her eyes at Iryoku, suspicion written all over her face.
“Why did you tell him that? What exactly are you trying to accomplish? Are you still trying to mess with the princess?” Yumi asked, her tone sharp and her gaze piercing. Both she and Princess Agnes were staring at Iryoku, clearly expecting an explanation.
Iryoku just smirked, a small chuckle slipping out. “Just for the lols,” he said casually, clearly enjoying himself.
Yumi let out a soft pout, not amused.
“Don’t sweat it, little Yumi. You can trust your husband for once, can’t you?” he added with a teasing grin, locking eyes with her.
Yumi’s face flushed instantly at his bold remark—especially in front of everyone. “Ah... I didn’t say I was going to marry you...” she mumbled, fidgeting nervously with her fingers.
Across the room, maids Carla and Diana had their hands over their mouths, cheeks crimson as they whispered to each other.
“I told you—they’re definitely together,” Carla whispered.
“Yeah, they’re always flirting. Maybe it’s a custom from their realm,” Diana replied, giggling softly.
Diana leaned closer, still covering her mouth. “I saw him enter her room at night.”
Yumi, with her heightened hearing, caught every word. Her face turned an even deeper shade of red as her mouth dropped open in shock.
The maids, oblivious, kept going.
“The princess better step up her game,” Diana said under her breath.
“Yes!” Carla agreed with an eager nod.
Nearby, Agnes also overheard the exchange. Her cheeks turned bright red, and she cast a quick glance at Jonas. He looked utterly unsure how to react and coughed awkwardly into his hand.
“My guess is... Lord Iryoku is trying to reduce suspicion about the Count’s actions by creating a believable cover story involving the princess and the Count,” Jonas offered, trying to steer the room back to a more serious tone.
Everyone turned to him, considering his words.
Iryoku gave Jonas a thumbs up. “Bingo. Nailed it, old man,” he said with a grin.
Jonas cleared his throat and adopted a more formal tone. “Now, Lady Yumi and Lord Iryoku—Princess Agnes has asked me to teach you about magic.”
He turned to Agnes, who looked relieved by the change of pace.
“Please, Sir Jonas,” she said with a nod. “We’d greatly appreciate your help with that.”
Now, both Yumi and Iryoku sat in a quiet room, facing a large board as Jonas stood before them like a teacher.
“Magic and Leben are essentially the same,” Jonas began, his tone calm but firm. “They’re both forms of life energy—energy that exists within all living beings. While we call it Leben here, other nations and regions may use different names.”
Yumi and Iryoku listened intently—at least, one of them did.
This feels like school again. I’m gonna fall asleep, Iryoku thought, trying to stifle a yawn.
Yumi noticed and lightly tapped his forehead. “Pay attention,” she whispered.
Jonas continued unfazed. “Now, we usually call it ‘magic’ when the energy is used to cast spells—like a fireball or a healing incantation. That’s when the energy leaves your body.”
He raised a finger and added, “But when you keep the energy close—like coating your body or a weapon with it—it’s usually referred to as Leben. It’s more of an internal or reinforced application.”
“I see,” Iryoku murmured, something finally clicking in his mind.
“Shhh.” Yumi gave him another playful tap and motioned for him to stay quiet, eyes focused on Jonas.
“Alchemy, enchanting, summoning, elemental, healing…” Jonas gestured to the board as he spoke, “These are different branches of magic. Each can be used for different purposes. My own specialization is in healing.”
He paused for a moment before continuing, “When I heal, I often use a chant I learned long ago. But to be clear—it’s not the words themselves that matter. The chant helps recall the feeling, the sensation, of how the spell is crafted. It’s a mental cue, not always a strict requirement.”
“Sensei,” Yumi raised her hand politely.
Jonas nodded for her to speak.
“When I infuse my arrows with magic, I always imagine them like a drill… something sharp enough to pierce anything. It works well. But… could I do the same thing, like adding fire to it?”
Jonas smiled knowingly. “Yes, I remember your attack, Lady Yumi. You have talent. So far, you’ve been using your raw magical energy—powerful in its own right. But if you channel that same energy through an element like fire, it can be even more effective—especially against enemies weak to fire, or at least not resistant to it.”
He held up a hand and took a calming breath. “To create fire, try this incantation.” He spoke a string of odd-sounding words:
“Fgfg... dggghht… krgtzzp... fire.”
A small flame flickered into existence in his palm, then vanished.
“That’s the gist of it. Try it, Lady Yumi,” he encouraged.
Yumi tilted her head, confused. “Eh? Come again?”
Jonas repeated the chant, but to her, it still sounded like complete gibberish.
Iryoku raised his hand with a smirk. “She didn’t study. Give her a zero.”
Yumi pouted and pinched his hand sharply.
“Alright, alright,” Iryoku said, chuckling. “Old man, what my lovely classmate means is that for some reason, we can’t pronounce the words you just used. They sound like an alien language to us.”
“Then try using your own words and thoughts,” Jonas suggested.
Yumi stepped forward, cupping her hands in front of her as she focused. She pictured fire—burning, heat, the flicker of a flame.
“Ignition Create fire,” she whispered.
A soft sphere of light formed between her hands, glowing gently.
“It’s not fire… just the raw form of magic,” Jonas said kindly. “But with more practice, I believe you’ll get there soon.”
Yumi wiped the sweat from her forehead and nodded.
“Now, Lord Iryoku, if you would try as well,” Jonas prompted.
Iryoku scratched his head lazily. “I’ve tried before, but I can’t use magic. Not even Leben, really,” he said. “The only thing I can do is this.”
He raised his arm. The white cord attached to his wolf fang blade uncoiled and glowed faintly. With a quick motion, it shot out to the side like a dart and then snapped back into place.
“Oh!” Yumi exclaimed, surprised. “But that’s essentially Leben, isn’t it?”
Iryoku shrugged. “Not sure. I can only do it with this thing—not with anything else.”
Jonas stepped closer to examine the corded weapon carefully. “Where did you find this, Lord Iryoku? Its properties seem to allow magic to flow through it easily. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”
Before Iryoku could answer, there was a knock at the door.
Carla stepped in with a polite bow. “Excuse me, my lord, my lady. The armory master is ready to receive you.”
They soon arrived at a large chamber on the outer edge of the city. Built of heavy stone, the structure sat beside the soldier barracks, humming with the sound of hammering metal.
Iryoku, Yumi, and Jonas entered the armory.
“Come in,” a voice called out.
Inside, racks of armor and weapons lined the walls. The rhythmic clanging of metal echoed through the space. A young boy spotted them and ran toward the back. Moments later, a short, heavily muscled man with a thick beard emerged.
“Ah, Master Kloss,” Jonas said with a respectful bow. “Thank you for seeing us.”
Kloss nodded, running his fingers through his thick beard.
“So, these are the brats, huh?” he said with a gravelly chuckle. He looked at Yumi and grinned. “I remember this young lass—she’s the one who fired off those magic arrows during the mammoth demon attack. Hoho! You’re gonna love what I’ve got for you.”
“You’re a dwarf?” Iryoku asked, a bit surprised.
“Half,” Kloss replied with no offense taken. “But I can punch twice as hard, hoho!” He slapped his burly arm proudly. “Come on in, boys and girls. Let me show you my work.”
"Here, for the lass—check this out," Kloss said as he handed Yumi a large, dark blue bow.
“Fuu,” Iryoku whistled in surprise. “Alright, old man—what can it do?”
Kloss grinned proudly. “This here is The Moon Bow of Focus. The body is crafted from Moon Tree wood, found only in the Elf Lands—one of the most durable and lightweight woods in existence. The string? Taken from the tendons of an Acinonyx jubatus—a giant, lightning-fast cat from the central savannas of the Lizard Kingdom.”
He continued, “The string allows for quicker, stronger shots. The wood is light but tough—perfect for close-quarters smacks too. It's resistant to elemental magic, and the Moon Tree’s natural properties help calm the mind, enhancing focus during battle. It’s been enchanted for speed, letting the wielder move faster and reposition with ease. Hoho!”
Yumi took the bow carefully, inspecting its design. She pulled the string—it was incredibly strong—and let it snap back. The weapon responded with a swift, clean snap.
“It’s... a really good weapon. The material feels strong and durable,” she said with awe.
Kloss then turned to Iryoku. “Now for you, boy—I’ve got these: The Queen Twins.” He handed over a pair of sleek daggers. “Forged from a rare alloy mined deep in the Dwarf Kingdom’s mountains. Light, razor-sharp—I sharpened them myself. Could cut through a fat orc pig like butter. Plus, they’re enchanted with a chilling spell for frost damage. Both these and the bow are Rare-tier weapons.”
Suddenly, Iryoku remembered something. “Old man, can you examine this? I want to know how powerful it really is.” He pulled the white cord and blade from his left arm and handed them over.
Kloss raised an eyebrow, then took the items with interest. Pulling out a strange, articulated monocle, he inspected them closely. “Rod! Bring me the rest of that Queen-tinium block!”
Once he had the metal, Kloss tested the blade by slicing through a chunk of the rare alloy. The black metal block was cut cleanly in a single stroke.
“By the gods,” Kloss muttered. “Where’d you get this, boy? This is a monster fang, isn’t it?”
Swallowing hard, he continued, “This blade… it’s at national treasure level. We’re talking Legendary weapon tier. What kind of creature did you get this from?”
Iryoku’s expression turned serious. “Then it’s a good thing.” He pointed at the cord. “Try cutting that with the blade.”
Kloss gave it a shot, but the blade couldn’t even scratch the white cord.
Jonas stepped forward. “From what Lord Iryoku has shown us, this cord enhances the flow of Leben and has a level of elasticity I’ve never encountered before.”
Kloss wiped the sweat from his brow. “This white rope… it’s at a Mythical level. Maybe even higher. And with the monster fang attached, it becomes an undeniably powerful weapon. Not even King Alden owns something of this caliber!”
“Shit,” Iryoku muttered. “And I had an entire stash of throwing blades and daggers made from those same fangs and claws…”
Everyone in the room stood in stunned silence—especially Kloss.
“Wait—boy, did you kill the beast? Do you still have the body?” Kloss was practically vibrating with excitement. “I could craft a masterpiece—armor, weapons, anything! Even its intestines, vocal cords, tendons—everything can be used!”
Iryoku raised his hands in surrender. “Sadly, this is all I have left. I did manage to craft some crude armor using the werewolf’s pelt and bones... The skeleton was so tough, I had to ask Debor—”
He paused, his words catching in his throat. His expression darkened. For a moment, his eyes lost focus, and his body trembled slightly—haunted by the memory.
Yumi’s eyes widened. For a fleeting moment, she felt a wave of deep sadness radiating from Iryoku. She knew what this was—he was remembering the Holy Mountain. She’d asked him about it many times before, but he always dodged the topic or laughed it off.
After a long, steadying breath, Iryoku finally spoke again, his voice quieter, heavy. “I had to fight a creature so powerful... even the wolf’s fangs and claws shattered against it. My wolf armor was completely destroyed.”
Kloss's eyes widened in disbelief. “What did you fight—the Demon Emperor himself?” he blurted out.
Even more eager now, he stepped closer and grabbed Iryoku firmly by the arms.
“Hey, lad—let’s make a deal. You bring me materials from beasts like that, and I’ll forge you weapons and armor for free. What do you say?”