Vol 2 Chapter 9 (2/2)

Seriously…? The value this one small jewel was more than what I earned in a whole month…?

Despite being so small it could fit into a palm? Preposterous!

According to what I was told after the location was marked on the map, White Magic Crystal was a scarce jewel that was only rarely mined. It was mainly processed into jewellery. Due to its magic storing utility, it was highly priced.

Because the ratio of humans who could use magic was quite low, the powerless n.o.bles used it for self-defense purposes.

As for the strength of the stored magic――shouldn’t it depend on Magic Skill Lv? ――It depended on the size of the jewel.

Considering Alba owned it, she could store fairly strong magic.

「Erm… Can you tell if magic is currently stored inside this White Magic Crystal?」

It would be terrible if a great Fireball were to explode inside the Guild, so I would have to prevent it.

「Yes, of course. If you hold the White Magic Crystal up over your head and peek inside―― …Although it s.h.i.+nes brilliantly, it should turn transparent…」

I held the White Magic Crystal up over my head, under the light penetrating through the window. When I peeked inside as I was told, it was indeed transparent.

「If the White Magic Crystal had magic stored, a peculiar gleam could be identified inside. In case of Fire Magic, red… or something like that… Besides, even if magic was stored inside, there would be no issue as long as you didn’t will it to invoke.」

Will it to invoke―― In other words, will for the magic stored inside the White Magic Crystal to release.

A word could be a.s.signed as a 『key』 by the person who stored magic. Upon chanting it, the power of magic could be unleashed by another person.

By the way, through the degree of s.h.i.+ne, the strength of stored magic could be ascertained to some extent.

「Those who store magic leave some sort of signature of their magic. Mostly, that signature is used as is as a key.」

… Like a name, huh? I get it…

In other words,

The n.o.bles who purchased the White Magic Crystal would request a mage to store magic.

For example, if I stored 《Ball of Fire (Fireball)》, I could set 《Ball of Fire (Fireball)》 as the 『Key』.

In a pinch, if a n.o.ble were to stroke it and chant 《Ball of Fire (Fireball)》, magic would invoke and burn their opponent.

However, the keyword needed to be learnt prior. If the White Magic Crystal were s.n.a.t.c.hed, wouldn’t it be impossible for the opponent to use it?

If this White Magic Crystal had magic stored inside, it would be troublesome. No one but Alba would have the key――… As to what use the stored magic would be for, I didn’t even want to imagine…

Anyways, I could use all elemental magic. Therefore, since the White Magic Crystal could be sold for high, there would be no problem in converting it to money.

After expressing grat.i.tude, I tried to leave the Guild.

「――Now that I think about it…」

Upon catching Sheena-san’s voice, I turned around.

「Because White Magic Crystal is an expensive jewel that can be used for self-defense, a small sized one is processed into an accessory and gifted to the love interest as a lucky charm… There’s such a tradition…」

I see. That’s lovely.

Oh well. Alba, who cast it away, would have not even 1 micron of such a blissful feeling. Also, the demons would have no such custom anyway.

「If I received such a lovely present from Seiji-san, I would faint out of happiness.」

Wha…t…?

Although it was a voice that was familiar to me, the words that infiltrated my ears couldn’t be more unfamiliar.

What… is she talking about…?

Whatisthispersontalkingabout?

No, calm down. I must not mistake it as Sheena-san’s rare ‘dere’.

It was obviously a trap. She just wanted to toy with me.

「Err, please stop teasing your junior. Wouldn’t it be terrible if the kid took it seriously?」

「Because it’s Seiji-san.」

Just how serious was the *kusukusu* reservedly laughing Sheena-san?

…n… This person is unpredictable…

In a sense, she was scarier than Alba.

Sheena-san turned back to her serious self, lowered her head and said with a flawless ‘business smile’.

「I apologize for inappropriate behaviour during work hours. But Seiji-san was asking about things outside the scope of my work――… So, it’s a draw…」

When I saw Sheena-san grinning―――― it felt like I had been defeated.

「――n, Is something wrong, Lim?」

「…Not at all…」

When I turned around to leave the Guild, Lim was silently peeking at me.

「Well then, should we go to the next place?」

From there, we walked along the main street to the north. Destination: The Jewellery Shop.

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