Now that he thought about it, Keiras was right.
Summoning it was all well and good, but the entire effort was meaningless if they did not know how to pilot it.
Realizing the problem only after Keiras pointed it out, Aiman scratched his cheek with his index finger.
“You’re right. It’s a meaningless spell if we don’t know how to use it. The Elder who taught me never showed me how to use that thing, either.”
To be precise, it was not that he had never been taught.
Aiman simply did not know how to operate it.
However, he had already told Keiras his story, so that was how he explained it.
Keiras responded with something entirely unexpected.
“Well, perhaps not immediately, but I think it could still be put to use.”
“What?”
“If it truly can fly and fight as you say…… the dwarves might take quite an interest in it.”
“Dwarves?”
Aiman tilted his head at the unfamiliar name.
Keiras had never told him about them before, and there was no reason Aiman, who had spent his life as a Serf, would know of them. Keiras gave him a brief explanation.
“They are one of the nonhuman races renowned for their craftsmanship.”
A nonhuman race renowned for its craftsmanship.
That simple explanation was enough for Aiman to understand what Keiras meant.
“They would see the fighter jet, realize it was something they had never encountered before, and want to build one?”
“Precisely.”
“But would they be able to make it?”
“I’ve heard that their craftsmanship is extraordinary. Even without this example, if you asked them to create something capable of flying and fighting, the challenge would probably pique their interest enough for them to produce something similar.”
Aiman wondered whether they could truly reproduce such a complicated fighter jet merely by looking at it.
According to Keiras, however, they were capable of making something similar from a simple explanation alone, even if they could not create an exact copy.
If that was true…….
“Then does that mean they might be able to reproduce something immediately if they had an existing model to examine?”
“Yes, assuming what I’ve heard is true.”
“Assuming what you’ve heard is true…… Have you never met them yourself, Master?”
There had been a peculiar nuance in Keiras’s words.
It sounded as though he had never seen them himself and had only heard about them from someone else.
‘Whenever this happens, Master always mentions that person…….’
Aiman had learned countless things from Keiras.
Whenever Keiras explained something in a strangely indirect manner rather than speaking from personal experience, the same person inevitably appeared.
“That’s right. That Old Hag is the only person who knows where they are.”
The Old Hag.
She had appeared once again.
Keiras called her that, but she was, strictly speaking, his master.
When Keiras said that only his master knew where the dwarves were, Aiman asked another question.
“Only your master knows where the dwarves live?”
“Yes.”
“Just who is she?”
Aiman was extremely curious about her identity.
However, Keiras had always avoided explaining precisely who she was.
He merely told Aiman that if he wanted to know, he should ask her himself when they eventually met.
Aiman had heard the same response several times before, so he did not question him further.
This time was no different.
“You can ask her yourself later. It’s somewhat difficult for me to explain.”
“I understand.”
“Well, you might meet her soon.”
“Hmm?”
“I’m going to the Capital this time, so I intend to visit her. Once I tell her about you, she’ll probably drop everything and come back with me.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. More importantly, this truly is fascinating. It appears to be made of metal, yet it can fly through the sky and even engage in battle…… Does it have a Magic Circle engraved somewhere?”
A Magic Circle.
It was an array that allowed someone to use magic simply by channeling mana through it.
Most objects that could be considered devices in this world operated through Magic Circles, so it was understandable that Keiras would make such an assumption.
However, the fighter jet did not operate through anything like a Magic Circle.
‘It runs on fuel, though…….’
There was no reason for Aiman to say that aloud and explain it.
He had supposedly learned about the fighter jet from the Elder. Pretending to possess detailed knowledge would only cause him trouble.
He could not explain it properly in the first place. If Keiras continued questioning him about every detail, Aiman might eventually be forced to discuss things he had no way to explain.
It was better to feign ignorance from the beginning.
“I’m not sure.”
Keiras nodded as if that was only natural.
“I suppose only the Elder who taught you about something like this would know. Then is this another product of the Lost Age of Magic…….”
Keiras regarded the fighter jet as a product of the Lost Age of Magic.
His expression then tightened.
“It’s about time I Dispelled it. Maintaining it is draining mana faster than I can recover it. At this rate, I’ll run completely dry.”
Summoning-Type Magic consumed mana when something was first summoned, and maintaining the summoned object afterward also continuously drained mana.
The amount was smaller than what was needed for the initial summoning, but the longer the object remained, the greater the mana consumption became.
It had now reached a level that even Keiras were beginning to find burdensome.
“We probably won’t be able to use it anyway, so you should Dispel it.”
“I suppose I should.”
Keiras Dispelled the F-15 fighter jet he had summoned with his mana and unsummoned it.
The F-15 fighter jet that had filled the entire Magic Training Ground disappeared.
“Hmm. Fascinating. It seemed as though there were other advanced airplane folds as well. Would you teach me those too?”
“Of course.”
Aiman subsequently demonstrated various types of airplane Origami, including passenger jets and stealth aircraft.
Keiras converted each one into a Mana Calculation Formula, used it as Summoning-Type Magic, and then unsummoned it after seeing what it looked like.
Each of them required magic equivalent to a 4th- or 5th-Class Spell, so Keiras grew tired sooner than usual.
“Ugh, let’s stop here for today. If I continue, I’ll collapse from exhaustion and won’t be able to leave for the Capital tomorrow.”
“Shall we?”
“Yes.”
When Keiras declared that they would stop for the day, Aiman bid him farewell.
“Then I’ll be heading back.”
“Very well. Do not neglect your magic training while I’m away in the Capital.”
Keiras would be leaving for the Capital the following day, so he warned Aiman not to neglect his magic merely because he would be alone.
Aiman shrugged.
“There isn’t really anything left for me to neglect, is there?”
Keiras understood exactly what he meant.
He remained silent for a moment before admitting it.
“……That is true. For me to teach you anything further, you would need to be able to use 4th-Class Magic on your own. Perhaps I should find a slave capable of handling mana while I’m in the Capital?”
Keiras had already taught Aiman everything from 1st- to 5th-Class Magic.
Of those spells, there was not a single one through the 3rd Class—the highest rank Aiman could currently invoke—that he was incapable of using.
If Keiras wanted to continue Aiman’s education, they would first have to find some way to increase his mana.
Only then would Aiman be able to manifest magic of the 4th Class and higher instead of merely studying its theory.
There was also the option of Keiras lending Aiman mana, but once Keiras departed for the Capital, the highest level of magic Aiman could continue practicing alone would be the 3rd Class.
Aiman had already mastered everything up to that point.
As his master, Keiras had naturally told his disciple not to neglect his training, but the instruction held no real meaning for Aiman.
That was why Keiras wondered whether he should purchase a slave who could supply Aiman with mana while he was in the Capital.
Aiman, however, rejected Keiras’s suggestion.
“Hmm, no.”
Most people would readily accept an offer to obtain something they needed.
When Aiman refused, Keiras asked him a question.
“Are you still reluctant?”
When they had first discussed slaves, Aiman had said that anyone he brought in would become part of the Household Staff under his care.
Before that, Keiras had noticed Aiman’s discomfort toward the idea of slavery.
He wondered whether those feelings were the reason Aiman had rejected his offer.
It would have been a lie to say they played no part in it, but Aiman had another reason as well.
“It’s not that. I want to earn the money properly and do it myself. If they’re going to become part of my Household Staff, I should be the one to bring them here.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Very well.”
There seemed to be no reason to force the matter when Aiman felt that strongly about it.
Keiras spoke to him again.
“Then I’ll bring you back a souvenir.”
Aiman chuckled at his master’s attempt to look after him.
‘A souvenir from the Capital, huh.’
@
The Airok Imperial Capital.
It was not so much a single castle as a vast complex covering an area comparable to a reasonably sized village.
Such a scale was only natural.
Countless members of the Imperial Family, Imperial Knights, and Imperial Mages were all gathered within its grounds.
There was also a district belonging to the Imperial Mage Corps.
Keiras had arrived there.
“Whew. I can’t believe I had to come here again. I wanted to receive my next mission in writing too.”
Keiras found traveling all the way to the Imperial Capital troublesome.
His master occasionally stayed in the Capital, so he visited whenever she was present, but otherwise, he had no desire to come all the way here.
A single misstep could lead to all manner of troublesome affairs.
He had looked thoroughly exhausted from the moment he entered the Imperial Capital’s grounds.
At that moment, a man spotted Keiras and called out to him.
“Oh! Sir Keiras!”
He was one of the cleaners assigned to the Imperial Mage Corps’ district.
Upon seeing him, Keiras responded with a bright smile, as though his exhausted expression had never existed.
“Oh, Biszar! Have you been well?”
“I am always doing well, thanks to the Imperial Mages. More importantly, what brings you here? Don’t you usually avoid coming whenever possible?”
Everyone in the Imperial Mage Corps’ district knew about it.
Keiras rarely visited because he found the place uncomfortable.
That was why Biszar regarded his arrival with equal parts delight and curiosity.
Keiras answered his question.
“Hmm, I had some business in the Capital, so I thought I might as well receive my next mission in person.”
“Have you already completed your previous mission?”
“Well, it wasn’t particularly difficult.”
“Of course. What mission could possibly be difficult for you, Sir Keiras? You’re the man destined to become the next Vice Commander of the Imperial Mage Corps.”
Keiras would become the next Vice Commander of the Imperial Mage Corps.
Everyone in the Empire who knew anything about the Imperial Mage Corps expected it to happen.
There was no better candidate.
However, Keiras himself rejected the idea.
“Hey now. I already told you that position is too troublesome. I don’t want it.”
“Heh heh. That isn’t a position you can refuse merely because you don’t want it, is it?”
He was right.
Keiras had no right of refusal.
The Emperor personally appointed the person who held the position.
Keiras knew that as well, so all he could do was groan.
“Ugh. I’ll just have to hope they choose someone else. Besides, both the Commander and the Vice Commander are still hale and healthy.”
“Then I’ll return to my cleaning. I can’t very well obstruct the path of our busy future Vice Commander.”
“Good grief, you. Keep up the good work.”
“Yes, sir!”
Keiras proceeded into the building where the Imperial Mage Corps conducted its administrative duties.
Everyone who saw him enter exchanged greetings with him, and Keiras eventually approached the officer responsible for assigning missions.
“Hey, Weira.”
Weira, whose long emerald hair had been braided, stared at him in surprise.
“What the—Keiras? What brings you here? I assumed you’d receive your next mission in writing again, so I was already preparing to send it.”
“I came here personally because I didn’t want our dear Weira to go through all that trouble.”
“Spare me the flattery. What are you really here for? Did you come to see your master?”
“Yes. I thought I’d visit her after receiving my mission.”
“I see. Hmm, wait here. I’ll bring you the mission brief I was going to enclose.”
“All right.”
It was then.
While Keiras waited for Weira to retrieve his mission brief, the voice of an elderly man reached his ears.
“Keiras, is your master the only person you ever bother to visit?”