Episode 33.16 (1/2)
”Well look at that, so you can do it after all. Next up is mana. Your mana only brushed over the object of appraisal. That ain't gonna cut it if you want to appraise Grace Gear. All the more so with Dungeon Depths' Grace Gear.”
”Hold on. Having a Grace makes it harder to appraise?”
”'Course it does. The more Graces there are the harder your mana get through. Some inexperienced appraisers even miss Graces with their <Appraisal>.”
”Hou.”
”There's no need to push in loads of mana like you do. Using only the absolute minimum is the key to obtaining the accurate result in your mind. However, you must put your mana through the furthest depths of the appraised objects. Cast your <Appraisal> like your mana is piercing through the object.”
”I don't get it. Sorry, but could you show me a demonstration.”
”Just this once.”
The elderly appraiser put up another demonstration of <Appraisal>.
Lecan activated <Mana Detection> at highest alertness, carving down the elderly appraiser's magic into his mind.
It was an exquisite magic. The mana Elder Termin emitted was like a honed famous sword, brazenly piercing through <Comet Cutter> straight in the middle. One long straight mana with nary hesitation nor doubt.
(This old man may seem warped outwardly.)
(Yet his spirit must be that of a steadfastly straightforward one.)
”Keep your wand up even after you have emitted your mana. Once you have been made known of the complete result of the appraisal, gently put it down.”
”Got it. I'll give it a try.”
Lecan lightly closed his eye, pointed his wand at the sword, and carefully kneaded his mana. As he probed for the minimum amount of mana required for this appraisal in his mind, his wand gave the answer on its own. Once he was done preparing to emit the asked amount of mana, he opened his eye and started the casting.
”O Gafra Dafra, mirror that reflects all truth, o wisdom of terminus.”
The convergence of mana is unlike anything Lecan has experienced before. Though it's not like mana has hardness or the like, it almost feels like something that's always been spongy is taking a concrete shape.
”Clear away the arcane light of bewildering mist pointed by my wand, passed through by my mana,”
Mana was pushing out the tip of his wand. Pointy transparent mana. Mana whose course of action Lecan is fully aware of. It'd likely fly straight off toward the appraisal object had he let go of the bridle.
”cast light upon its true actuality.”
The minuscule mana is rapidly swelling up into a powerful existence. Now is time to set it free!
”<Appraisal>!”
<Appraisal> magic bearing a concrete shape pierced into the sword, pushing its way through deep inside its existence. It's a mirror of mana control showed by Elder Termin.
The mana does not pierce through from front to back of the sword. Lecan did not order it to go on a such a shallow journey. Once inside the sword, the <Appraisal> magic will penetrate deeper and deeper inside, going headlong toward where its nature lurks at. A journey to the edges of deep space.
And then once the mana had arrived at their destination and made clear of things that needed to be made clear, it vanished. Lecan is still holding up his wand even now.
The appraisal result came up in Lecan's mind like unraveling a jumbled thread.
<Name: Comet Cutter>
<Type: Magic Sword>
<Offense: Medium>
<Hardness: Medium>
<Firmness: Medium>
<Sharpness: Large>
<Wear Rate: None>
ndurance: Perfect>