Chapter 981: Celestial Spellcraft: Miniature Garden (4)

“The Order Alliance’s Conjunction Spell Master. An Apostle-Slayer, you say…”

Lennok remembered the 8th Apostle Camlodal, whom he had met on the way to Yorta, speaking of the Alliance’s Grand Spell Master while manipulating an Apostle’s corpse.

He had said that the Conjunction Spell Master fought head-on with an Apostle, shredding its body to an irreparable state, hadn’t he?

“I’ve heard of the name ‘Grand Spell Master’. I believe it refers to the owner of a specific spellcraft within the Alliance.”

“The Conjunction Spell Master is one of the four Grand Spell Masters who form the Great Connection of the Alliance.”

Olivera Ron Maize said.

“Among the Grand Spell Masters under the Alliance Leader, he possesses the most unique and anomalous spellcraft, and his past feats are said to be unrivaled even among his peers.”

“……”

“Like many specialized spellcasters, he has an eccentric personality and often acts independently of the Alliance. Many find it unexpected that he was assigned to the first gate.”

The Great Connection, huh?

That must refer to the Order Alliance’s ultimate goal of weaving and connecting all the spells in this world into one.

So, the Conjunction Spell Master was one of the core Archwizards forming the Alliance’s Great Connection.

“In any case, due to the Conjunction Spell Master’s presence, extracting fragments of the Veil by approaching the gate won’t be easy.”

Olivera Ron Maize shook her head and said.

“I’ve already dispatched an operative to the first gate to observe the situation. We can wait until the report comes in.”

“……”

So Olivera Ron Maize had already mobilized her subordinates to gather information about the Veil fragments at the first gate, even before visiting the Archive of Darkness.

That was only possible because she had determined how to proceed with the matter long before.

Considering the Conjunction Spell Master’s tricky nature and abilities, as well as the harsh environment of the gate, it wasn’t unreasonable to acknowledge that immediate action wasn’t feasible.

The process of acquiring the Celestial Spellcraft from the Archive of Darkness had been too smooth, leading to a brief misunderstanding. Lennok shouldn’t forget that even that was only possible because he had met Naoise Penn.

As Lennok nodded in understanding and stepped back slightly, Olivera Ron Maize gestured to Claris Richellen.

“If things fail, you will naturally have to step up, whether you like it or not. For now, focus on learning the Celestial Spellcraft from Claris Richellen.”

Vulcan’s District 49. Adamant Thunder’s Magic Tower.

It was late at night, nearing midnight.

In the deserted underground cavern of the Magic Tower, Claris Richellen, facing Lennok, spoke.

“Celestial Spellcraft is a mediating spellcraft created to arbitrarily manipulate the movement of stars and celestial phenomena. In other words, it’s a power that creates a kind of testbed.”

Flash!

At the same time, a model celestial sphere unfolded in the dark underground cavern, beginning to rotate with faint starlight.

Claris Richellen, with the model celestial sphere floating above her head, spoke with a seemingly complex expression.

“It would be a great help to spellcasters who can’t create their own stages, but you are different.”

“……”

“I know. You already—”

“Ow!”

At that moment, something that appeared behind Claris Richellen swallowed her head whole.

Claris Richellen jumped back, her shoulders trembling violently.

“~~~!!!!!”

Perhaps because her head was eaten, no scream escaped her, but her gestures alone conveyed how startled she was.

Lennok, who had been watching silently, opened his mouth to the baby dragon that had bitten Claris Richellen’s head.

“I know you’re happy to see me, but we have something to discuss, so let go.”

“Bow-woo.”

The pure white baby dragon opened its mouth with a sullen expression, and Claris Richellen quickly pulled her head out.

“Cough, cough!! W-what was that?!”

“My Guardian Spirit Beast was rude.”

Lennok pulled a towel from his sub-dimension and tossed it to Claris Richellen as he spoke.

“It seems excited to meet a similar kind.”

“Your, your Guardian Spirit Beast?!”

Claris Richellen finally snapped her gaze up and looked at the Guardian Spirit Beast.

The fat baby dragon gazed at Claris Richellen with bright, clear eyes, puffing out smoke from its nostrils.

“Puuuuh.”

“No way. For a dragon-kin to be chosen as the Tower’s Guardian Spirit Beast…”

Claris Richellen muttered in disbelief, staring at the pure white baby dragon.

“I don’t know what kind of spellcraft one must use as the Tower’s foundation to make such a thing possible.”

“It’s usually shy, but this is the first time I’ve seen it bite someone’s head the first time it meets them.”

Lennok added with interest.

“It seems to feel quite a kinship with you.”

“……Is that supposed to be an explanation for the current situation?”

Claris Richellen sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead with a weary expression.

“I didn’t sense it approaching at all before it did. I almost summoned my true form.”

“You’ll have to summon your true form anyway to teach me Celestial Spellcraft.”

Lennok said, nodding.

“I purposely emptied the Magic Tower’s underground cavern for that. We can start right away.”

“……”

Claris Richellen shook her head as if the conversation was fruitless, then looked down at the baby dragon, which was lying on its back with its belly exposed.

“Whoooong.”

“Truly…”

Claris Richellen looked at the baby dragon with a troubled expression, then, as if resigned, knelt down and stroked its belly.

“It’s developed a bad habit of acting cute after being rude. Did you not teach this child any manners?”

“Isn’t your argument less convincing when you’re so diligently rubbing its belly?”

“……”

“Arururung.”

The baby dragon made a happy sound as its belly was stroked.

Seeing Claris Richellen smile, Lennok nodded.

“While you’re teaching me Celestial Spellcraft and moving around the Tower, if you don’t mind, I’d like to ask you to take care of this one.”

“Did you call me to the Magic Tower for this from the start?”

He could have taught Celestial Spellcraft in the research lab located at the Cartel headquarters, but Lennok had intentionally called Claris Richellen to his Magic Tower.

Only after encountering the Guardian Spirit Beast in the Magic Tower’s underground cavern did Claris Richellen realize Lennok’s true intention.

“Though it’s my Guardian Spirit Beast, I don’t really know what dragon-kin usually think about,” Lennok said, watching the baby dragon roll around on the floor with sparkling eyes.

“The magic system I created is a very special conceptual spellcraft… honestly, it’s hard to know what a Guardian Spirit Beast based on its Mind Imprint prioritizes.”

“……”

The Ouroboros magic system was a Perpetual Motion Engine Lennok devised that drew power from incompleteness.

It was the extreme of convergence, dismantling, absorbing, and devouring all laws and spellcraft existing in this world.

Lennok’s Guardian Spirit Beast was a spirit beast born from the Ouroboros magic system and the Phoenix Hall, the will-thought material of the Blaiver Magic Tower’s former Magic Tower Lord.

However, because it drew power from an incomplete concept that even Lennok didn’t fully understand, Lennok couldn’t fully comprehend the Guardian Spirit Beast’s existence either.

Wasn’t it also by chance that he learned that the subconscious of the Ascendant Pyeonram was connected to the Guardian Spirit Beast’s consciousness?

“While it’s friendly towards humans, I don’t know if that feeling stems from the Guardian Spirit Beast’s core essence.”

“That is…”

“As a Long-lived Being, you should have no problem with basic communication. I’d like to ask for your advice on that.”

Though called the Guardian Spirit Beast of the Tower, its power and size were still that of a tiny baby dragon.

True to a Guardian Spirit Beast based on the Ouroboros magic system, it had a strong appetite and excellent absorption rate, but Lennok had no idea what it would look like as it grew or what kind of power it desired.

Lennok had intended to ask Claris Richellen for guidance on precisely that matter.

“……I suppose there’s no choice. As long as I’m teaching Celestial Spellcraft and moving around the Tower.”

Claris Richellen, who had been stroking the baby dragon’s head, stood up, her eyes quietly gleaming.

“Then let’s start the lecture on Celestial Spellcraft right away. Would you mind stepping back?”

“Alright. You too, if you don’t want to be crushed, come over here.”

Lennok said, lifting the Guardian Spirit Beast with a Magic Scribe.

Claris Richellen watched him, sighed, and muttered, raising her Will-thought.

“She’s already learning only bad habits from Olivera Ron Maize.”

Flash!

Once again, Claris Richellen’s true form descended into the dark underground cavern.

The colossal form of a divine beast, shrouded in clouds and emitting a mystical light.

“……?!!!!”

The Guardian Spirit Beast, clinging to the Magic Scribe, gaped its mouth at the suddenly appearing divine beast.

Was the colossal divine beast, large enough to fill the underground cavern, shocking to the Guardian Spirit Beast’s eyes?

“Miniature Garden is a type of legendary ancient magic that has occasionally been passed down among Long-lived Beings.”

Claris Richellen, with the grimoire of Celestial Spellcraft floating before her, said.

“As you might infer from the Order Alliance’s interest in it, this spellcraft holds many intriguing hidden histories. To tell you one of them—”

“That Miniature Garden is a power close to the original source of the Domain?”

“……”

Claris Richellen momentarily lowered her gaze in surprise.

The colossal divine beast had to tilt its head halfway back to meet Lennok’s eyes.

“I heard about it from Nox Biblio. I understand the concept and foundation of Celestial Spellcraft, so you can skip the details.”

“……I see. But that’s not the only thing I was going to say.”

The divine beast cleared its throat and slowly tilted its neck back, speaking.

“Regardless of Miniature Garden being presumed as the original source of the Domain, the two techniques have too many differences.”

“……”

“From the perspective of modern spellcraft, Miniature Garden is incomparably less efficient than a Domain. That’s because Miniature Garden was not originally designed to be a Mind Imprint-specialized ability.”

“So it can only be used to a limited extent, specifically to distort and interfere with the Veil?”

“No. The true value of Miniature Garden lies in the fact that the spellcaster can arbitrarily adjust the rules within the Miniature Garden.”

Claris Richellen said, her eyes gleaming.

“Domain, based on the Root Mindscape, and a sphere of influence that projects the spellcaster’s ideal world. Both are powerful techniques, but ultimately, they have the limitation of operating independently of the spellcaster’s will.”

“……”

“But Miniature Garden is different. Depending on what materials and catalysts are placed within it, Miniature Garden can literally become a miracle that indirectly manipulates reality.”

Lennok understood why Claris Richellen was emphasizing the importance of Celestial Spellcraft at this point.

It was likely to fully convey to Lennok the concept of distorting the Veil by containing its fragments within the Miniature Garden.

However, separate from that, the concept of Miniature Garden being a power adjustable by the spellcaster’s will was quite intriguing.

Did this mean that because it was more primal and closer to the origin than a Domain, it sacrificed power and efficiency but left more room for diverse transformations?

That was only possible because the very essence of Celestial Spellcraft, as Claris Richellen first explained, was akin to creating a testbed.

“You don’t need to try to make me understand how useful Celestial Spellcraft is. I won’t neglect my studies even without that.”

Lennok asked.

“What are you trying to say? Do you want to convey something about how to use Miniature Garden?”

“……Yes. In fact, I do.”

Claris Richellen hesitated, then replied.

“Miniature Garden is not a power that relies on Mind Imprint or Will-thought. To be precise, it’s the testbed itself that constructs that space based on the spellcaster’s consciousness… their ego or spirit.”

“……”

“Therefore, if you expand Miniature Garden infinitely, you can force the opponent to undergo a similar level of consciousness expansion. And for us Long-lived Beings, that means…”

The giant divine beast’s eyes gleamed with a peculiar light.

“It’s tantamount to being able to forcibly extract a Long-lived Being’s true form.”

“……”

“I’m telling you this as a warning. You must not use Miniature Garden carelessly once you arrive in Kundara. Forcibly pulling out a Long-lived Being’s true form is a serious crime, almost punishable by death, in that city.”

“Meaning I should only use it at the necessary moment, on the necessary opponent.”

If the Long-lived Beings of Outer Tribulation City were hiding or transforming their true forms like Claris Richellen, it would be difficult to discern their abilities or identities.

Claris Richellen believed Lennok would eventually discover another way to use Miniature Garden, and so she was preemptively informing him of its use and warning him.

“Come closer. First, we’ll begin by measuring the size of your consciousness, Adamant Thunder.”

Thump!!

Claris Richellen shifted her body with a heavy thud, looking down at Lennok as she spoke.

“After measuring and categorizing the size of your consciousness, I’ll teach you the sensation by having you draw a celestial sphere and then create the Miniature Garden in reverse.”

Lennok docilely approached Claris Richellen and placed his hand on her massive fin.

Soon after the training began.

“I roughly understand the sensation. Is it a method of constructing a virtual space by expanding consciousness?”

“How on earth…”

As the colossal divine beast muttered in disbelief, a small, soap-bubble-like orb floated in Lennok’s hand.

Its size and shape were different, but it clearly resembled the celestial sphere Claris Richellen had unfolded through the grimoire.

While Claris Richellen stared in dumbfounded amazement at Lennok, who had grasped the concept of Miniature Garden as soon as the training began.

“It’s as the explanation described. It’s unstable and has low output for replacing a Domain, but… that’s why it possesses an autonomy that Domains lack.”

Lennok gazed at the soap bubble floating in his hand and tilted his head.

“But if it’s like this, I think there might be an even better way to use it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You said it’s a technique that creates Miniature Gardens to shape reality, didn’t you?”

Lennok asked with a smirk.

“Then, if we substitute that concept into a virtual space instead of reality, wouldn’t the result be the same?”

“A virtual space, you mean…?”

“Yes. For example…”

Rather than reality, a Cybernetic Space located on a network, perhaps.

As Claris Richellen tilted her head at Lennok’s words, something stirred within Lennok’s coat.

“Hee hee hee…”

As if instinctively grasping something from Lennok’s words, Davi couldn’t hide her excitement, wagging her tail furiously.

Then, in a voice barely audible to Lennok, Davi let out a low, maniacal laugh.

“Heheheh… Hahahaha!!”

“……”

Was it just a delusion that hearing only the laughter made him not want to work?

Lennok gave a wry smile and pressed down firmly on the front of his coat where Davi’s head would be.

Vulcan’s District 35, Vylun Research Institute. The press conference room at the main building’s rear entrance.

Inside the conference room, dozens of reporters sat, fiddling with their laptops and cameras.

In the waiting room, researchers, looking tense, conversed.

“What was the main research theme for this quarter again?”

“Alternative particles and the fifth Common Magic. And, also…”

Since Evan Vylun’s inauguration as director, the research institute’s conference room had become a frequent destination for reporters.

The Vylun Research Institute, a research institution directly under the City Government, was obligated to announce its research progress every quarter.

“It’s time. Let’s go.”

“How much longer do we have to do this…”

“They said they posted a recruitment notice for the lab. When is our youngest member joining?”

Since no researcher volunteered to be the mouthpiece, it was customary for those lower in seniority to take turns wasting time.

But the researchers’ tension before the conference stemmed from something else.

“A solution for improving the low efficiency of the Learning Device. That question will surely come up again this time.”

“Can’t be helped. It was developed with reduced performance for mass production, so there are too many complaints about its durability.”

Evan Vylun’s third masterpiece, the Common Magic Learning Device, was a prototype created for a paper demonstration at the time of its invention.

The Learning Device, which was later mass-produced and distributed to the market without performance improvements, faced many criticisms, unlike its initial enthusiastic reception.

Cheap materials. Inferior finishing, terrible durability.

There were many problems pointed out during the mass production of the Learning Device, but the most important one was that the ‘learning’ of Common Magic itself didn’t function smoothly.

People weren’t buying the Learning Device to use Common Magic. For those who dreamed of learning Common Magic and eventually using it without the device’s help,

The Learning Device’s performance and efficiency fell short of expectations in too many ways.

“The City Government and the Technology Management Bureau are also receiving constant complaints about it. They said we need to present a concrete solution for this by the end of the year.”

“Ultimately, it’s a problem that won’t be solved unless the Director steps in…”

In the end, all the researchers could do was endure the barrage of questions from reporters in the conference room.

Perhaps it was fortunate that this quarter, led by Professor Raphael, they had achieved some results.

Muttering, the researchers stepped forward, squinting at the flashing camera lights from all directions in the conference room.

Flashes!

“What is this…”

“What? We haven’t even started yet?”

Reporters, their eyes wide, stood up abruptly and started clicking their shutters as if possessed.

The researchers blinked at the overly enthusiastic, almost fanatical reaction, then turned their gaze to where the cameras were pointing.

They froze, stunned, as they saw the young man sitting casually beside the podium.

“Ah, you’ve arrived.”

“……Director Vylun?”

The young man maintained a smiling expression without a single blink, despite the incessant flashes illuminating his face.

The director of the research institute, Evan Vylun, who had rarely shown his face since the institute was founded, was sitting there.

Struggling to open their eyes through the blinding flashes, the researchers managed to ask haltingly.

“Sir, what brings you here…?”

“Speaking like that makes it sound as if I’ve come to a place I shouldn’t be.”

“Ah, no. That’s not what I meant…”

“It’s a joke. I’ve made some time because there’s a small achievement to announce.”

“……An achievement, you say?”

Instead of answering, Lennok gripped the microphone on the podium.

“I am Evan Vylun. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

As his voice resonated, questions from reporters poured in from all directions.

“Director. First, the reason for your personal appearance at today’s conference—”

“I understand the Technology Management Bureau sought your advice on patent issues. Do you have any opinions on that…?”

“We’re receiving a great many complaints about the durability of the Learning Device—”

Ziiiiing!!

Lennok tapped the microphone with a bored expression, and a sharp noise burst from the speakers, piercing their ears.

At the sound, like fingernails scraping glass, the reporters instinctively covered their ears and fell silent.

At that moment, someone quickly shouted, seizing the opportunity.

“What are your thoughts on the public’s skyrocketing dissatisfaction regarding the insufficient performance improvement and convenience enhancement of the Learning Device?!”

“……”

Was that the question they were most curious about for Lennok, who had appeared at the conference?

The moment those words echoed, a sudden silence fell over the room.

Reporters held their cameras up, mouths shut, awaiting Lennok’s reply.

Lennok silently looked around the conference room, then raised the microphone.

“We have successfully established a Spell Assistant Server in Cybernetic Space.”

“Pardon?”

Seeing the reporters tilt their heads, not understanding his words, Lennok said.

“It refers to a virtual space that assists in the calculation and incantation of Common Magic. I just made up the term, so feel free to call it whatever you like.”

“……What does that have to do with improving the performance of the Learning Device?”

“Because it means we’ve made it possible to do what was previously only possible with the Learning Device, now without any hardware.”

“Without, hardware, you mean…?”

“I think an example would be quicker.”

As the reporters paused at the strangely familiar explanation, Lennok smiled and put down the microphone.

“It means we can now distribute the Common Magic Learning Device as a mobile phone application.”

With those words, Lennok disappeared into the back of the conference room.

Stunned, the reporters began to rise and move.

“Q-quickly, get a follow-up interview. What are you doing?!”

“No, put out the article first! It absolutely has to be an exclusive report!!”

“Are you crazy? If we don’t put an embargo on this, the City Government will definitely—”

“We have to do it anyway!”

Some rushed out of the conference room after Lennok, while others slumped in their seats, typing articles on their laptops.

Some overturned tables and chairs, running around the conference room looking for a place with network connection.

Others ran out of the research institute, carrying the recently recorded video.

CRASH!

Even the security guards waiting outside the institute were flustered, scurrying around the conference room in disarray.

The remaining researchers watched the chaos in the conference room.

“……What on earth am I seeing right now?”

“What are you seeing?”

The older researcher among them said with a vacant expression.

“Our director, to avoid criticism about the Learning Device… just eliminated the hardware.”