CHAPTER 106………………………………
[“I see… so you’re saying it’s an experimental piece.”]
“No! It’s a success! I still need to test a few things, though.”
[“Isn’t that basically the same thing?”]
Kaligo looked at her in disbelief, but Lin stubbornly clasped her prized creation with both hands.
“Quakquak, don’t listen to that. You’re the best magical tool.”
[“Quakquak? What’s that now?”]
“It’s a nickname I gave it. I’m still thinking about the official name, so I wanted a simple, easy-to-recognize nickname for now.”
[“Like a duck’s quack?”]
“That’s not it! Quakquak comes from ‘packed tightly,’ because it stores mana tightly!”
[“Stores… what?”]
Hehe.
As if she had been waiting for this question, Lin lifted her head proudly.
“Exactly… it stores the mana that everyone has!”
Ta-da! Making a sound effect with her mouth, Lin proudly held out her magical tool again.
“Think of it like a syringe. When you worry about running out of blood, you draw some while healthy to save, right?”
[“You mean drawing blood? But that doesn’t exactly look like a syringe.”]
“Well, Quakquak doesn’t draw blood—it draws mana!”
[“Hmm… a few hundred years ago, something like this would’ve gotten you branded a martial criminal.”]
“A martial criminal?”
Kaligo explained that it was like a wanted notice for the entire continent, exaggerating with a scary tone about the deeds of martial criminals.
Vampire-like mana-sucking demons that drank people’s blood.
Beings similar to Eastern Continent’s special abilities, absorbing ‘inner strength’—absorbing the powers of others.
[“All those who covet the powers of others end up tied up and chopped down by executioners!”]
“Eek…”
Lin shrank back in fear at the scary story, and Kaligo chuckled.
Pouting at Kaligo’s amused expression, Lin huffed and spoke up.
“So, that’s just something you made up, right?”
[“Nope, all of that really happened.”]
Kaligo teasingly tapped Lin’s puffed cheeks.
“Quakquak is nothing like those villains!”
[“Sure… but it’s not the magical tool—it’s you, the little fluff, who made a dangerous tool…”]
Sending a mischievous look, Kaligo flapped into the air as Lin’s eyes narrowed.
[“Oops. The great villain is being glared at by a divine beast.”]
“Eek!”
Bang!
Transforming into her beast form, Lin kicked off the floor and flew upward. The cloud-like wings supporting her hooves lifted her gently into the air.
The tiny baby unicorn aimed perfectly at Kaligo and rammed its forehead into him, while Kaligo dramatically pretended it hurt.
[“Oh no, the little fluff is attacking the divine beast. Ouch, ouch.”]
“Hmph! That doesn’t hurt at all!”
Lin had already realized that the doll-body Kaligo didn’t feel any real pain.
Kaligo, pretending to be pushed by Lin’s protesting headbutts, descended to the sofa, played with the baby unicorn, and then returned to his cushion unharmed.
“Kaligo… you’re way too mischievous!”
[“Me? I’m just playing along with your mischief.”]
“Ha. But I was the one playing.”
Both claiming they were just reciprocating, they shook their heads at the same time.
Lin returned to her desk where Quakquak, her magical tool, rested.
Quakquak was the first result of her ongoing research—a concentrator of Lores herbs, mixed with a type of ore originally used to detect mana.
After becoming friends with Faiby at the hunting festival and other clan children later, she pondered a new question:
Could there be a way for non-beastkin, non-ability users to harness power?
“Feeling like I’m the only weird one because I’m different… I know that feeling too.”
Lin empathized deeply with the feelings of minorities seen as lacking.
She rolled up her sleeves and tackled the problem like it was her own.
Faiby’s case was unusual as a Pegasus family member unable to transform or use abilities, but in fact, most ordinary beastkin weren’t ability users.
Ability users and awakened mages were extremely rare.
“But even those who can’t use abilities or mana cores still have mana!”
That’s why she focused on the mana everyone possessed.
Unlike those able to awaken a mana core and draw mana, ordinary people naturally produce mana like blood but cannot utilize it.
What if a magical tool could allow ordinary people to store mana?
Lin, familiar with syringes and armed with Earthly knowledge, conceived such a tool.
Like drawing and storing blood for later use, she thought, why not draw and store extra mana?
Blood’s utility doesn’t change with quantity, but with stored mana, the possibilities were endless.
“Mana stones are too scarce and expensive for everyone!”
As the heir to the fief, Lin was well-informed about the finances and cost of living of her people.
Mana stones found naturally contained rich mana, but large stones were extremely rare.
If a magical tool could let all beastkin store mana, it could revolutionize the magical tool system, previously based on mana stone capacity.
“Maybe together, everyone could achieve something incredible.”
She imagined what they could do with combined power, but realizing it was still far off, Lin bit her lip.
“Anyway, Quakquak is great. Unlike syringes, it doesn’t hurt!”
[“Hmm.”]
Hearing Lin casually use a syringe as an example, Kaligo’s voice softened slightly.
Lin fiddled with her blunt-ended rod-shaped magical tool and muttered:
“Quakquak might not be the best name… Mana Blood Collector?”
Kaligo, yawning out of boredom, asked:
[“So, you’re done worrying about travel preparations for the Eastern Continent?”]
“Hehe. Of course!”
[“Oh?”]
Lin confidently replied as Kaligo seemed to be packing supplies in preparation for his guardian role.
Lin dramatically set down a heavy bag and showed each item inside.
“Look, these are the magical orbs Uncle Theo said I must always carry for self-defense. This one is a surprise prank bomb Julien and I made. And this is…”
Kaligo, clearly overwhelmed by the endless items, waved his paws and scolded.
[“You don’t need that. Leave it out.”]
“Eh? Why?”
[“And snacks… why pack snacks?”]
“In case we get hungry on the way.”
[“The Eastern Continent has shops. Buy food there.”]
“Ehh…”
Lin, pouting and slumping her eyebrows, reluctantly removed items from the bag as Kaligo continued.
Knock, knock.
Late at night, unlike usual, Kaidan knocked on Lin’s door. He had fully recovered from injuries inflicted by the assassins.
With a stern expression, Kaidan asked seriously, confirming one last time:
“Tonight. Are you ready?”
“Of course!”
Seeing Lin’s excited expression, Kaidan reaffirmed his resolve.
‘I have to take care of this.’
Any changes occurring now are his responsibility.
Above all, he vowed to protect this little girl from everything that will happen ahead, ensuring she can reunite happily with her grandfather on the Eastern Continent.
“Don’t worry, Kaidan. I packed my mom’s magical tool and my magical orbs! Oh, and Uncle Theo gave me plenty of pocket money.”
Lin cheerfully reassured him, while Kaidan pulled out his own pouch.
“Keep your pocket money. I’ve prepared all the travel expenses. The local currency won’t work there, so I’ve pre-converted it into valuables.”
Lin’s mouth dropped open at the heavy pouch of funds Kaidan handed her.
