Shut-in Magician: 075

If you don’t want the magic formulas in magic tools to be copied, then there are, ultimately, ways to prevent this.

Shiu imitated those formulas and patented the simplified versions of them, by not disclosing the information that he really didn’t want people to know.

He’d heard that the people who could bestow the magic for the patents have been really busy lately. They were also complaining about it when he’d visited the Merchant Guild.

“You know that MP measuring instrument you thought up? It’s impossible to bestow the magic formula if the caster’s level isn’t high enough.”

“Ah, yes. It’s a little advanced. It’s hard for people who don’t have appraisal magic with at least a level 2 in metal and unattributed magic or level 4 bestowal magic.”

“…… The Loire Royal Academy ordered a large quantity of them. Citroe-san can’t handle the workload since a lot of people have been requesting it.”

“Citroe-san is the person who bought the patent from the Garn House, right? I see. Then should I help out as well?”

“…… Is that fine?”

Zafiro’s eyes sparkled as he asked this causing Shiu to consider that this might be a bit his fault too and nodded.

“But, I’m being called about a recipe from earlier so…”

“Oh! Of course, of course. Ah you’re really helping me here. Ok, so could you come back here a bit later? I’ll also prepare the request form. And you can help me with bestowing communication magic too.”

“That’s simple so it should be alright right?”

“Yeah…”

They talked about things like this before Zafiro headed to a small room in the back.

Shiu was very familiar with the area though and headed straight towards a different room.

The duty supervisor Erika was in the room and Shiu first greeted her before sitting down in a chair.

“I’ll get straight to it, about the dressing. Oryuza said that if he is allowed to use the dressing recipe then he will give up the rights to it. Is that alright?”

“As for me, Doran gave the recipe to Oryuza’s store so I would think that he holds the rights.”

“Such a conscientious store.”

Shiu laughed.

“I’d also like it if only Oryuza sold the dressing but he’s just short-handed. It’s popular so I understand his feelings about wanting to take a leap and start general sales of it.”

“This time I’d like to look for a place that will sell it as Oryuza’s dressing…. Do you think that’s possible?”

“Yes. Let’s try and start soliciting places using that condition.”

“Please and thank you.”

With that conversation over, Shiu left the room after finalizing the details on a few other matters.

Shiu accepted the request form from Zafiro and then went to Citroe’s store.

Shiu had only met face to face with Citroe once before, but he had left a good impression so Shiu remembered him well.

“Good afternoon.”

“Welcome!”

It was a large shop in the western district that did everything from manufacture of magical goods to the sales of them. It was good that even if a child like Shiu entered they wouldn’t get mad. At the merchant street in the eastern district some shops would get mad at people for just looking in from the outside.

“Are you, by chance, Aquila-sama?” A man who looked like a clerk noticed him and immediately rushed out.

“Ah, yes. I’ve come on a request from the Merchant’s Guild. I thought I could lend a hand.” Shiu showed the request form and laughed. The man panicked a bit and lowered his head.

“Ah to think you’d come in person, I’m very sorry to trouble you.”

“It’s alright, I’m free today and Zafiro also looked like he was having a hard time.” He said and had the man guide him.

In the back there were a lot of artisans creating molds for magical tools and towards the end he could see an assembly line of tools being enchanted. Just looking at such a large scale operation was interesting.

The place he was taken to was way in the back and looked like a parlour. There were men having a meeting there.

“Terribly sorry to interrupt. Master, I’ve met with Aquila-sama. He has come here to deal with the request we filed at the Guild.

The man passed the documents and lowered his head and withdrew his body. The man had wonderful poise and posture which made one want to imitate it.

“Shiu-kun, you’re the one who came!?”

“Yes. I sometimes listen to the troubles of those at the Merchants Guild and help out.”

“Ah, no, you’re really helping us here….. It’s embarrassing.”

As he was being apologized to, Shiu hastily waved his hands.

“It has to do with a sudden large order right? I understand it’s more than you can handle.”

“It’s as you say….. However, it’s inexcusable that it has even worried the inventor.”

“Well you’ve gone through the trouble of laying it out like this, it’s fine isn’t it?”

The man who butted in was one the other man in the meeting.

Shiu panicked a bit and lowered his head.

“Sorry. I guess I suddenly butted in and interrupted the conversation.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s a rather curious conversation. Are you the inventor?”

On the hand of the man who was smiling and laughing was a MP measurement tool.

“Yes. I’m Shiu Aquila.”

“I’m Kilik. Kilik Oscalious.”

“Nice to meet you.”

He greeted the man with a simple bow meant for aristocrats. The man didn’t give away his rank but in his appraisal of the man there was ‘Margrave, Magic Warrior’.

In addition, Shiu could infer from the lack of an attendant and that he was willing to talk in a reception room in a workshop, that the man was a frank and big hearted person.

“Shiu, this person is Margrave Oscalious.” He kindly told Shiu.

It couldn’t be helped so Shiu turned towards the man to offer an aristocratic greeting but was stopped.

“Citroe, he noticed.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Ahh you seem like a smart child. As expected of the inventor of this.”

He was a big man with a stern face and strongly built body but his smile was gentle.

He seemed like a strong veteran of war and past battle scars could be seen. It seemed he didn’t have time to be healed by magic. In addition he also had sharp eyes.

“Still, you’re younger than I had heard!” Saying this he hit Citroe on the shoulder. Citroe forced a smile while turning toward Shiu.

“Well then, concerning the request, can we count on you?”

“Yes. However I plan to do this alone so I want to use a private room or do it in an area that is out of sight.”

“Why do you want to do that?” Kilik interrupted. He seemed to have a close relationship with Citroe. He didn’t hold anything back.

“Magicians don’t reveal their tricks. That’s my reason.”

“…… I see.”

“Alright. I’ll guide you to a private room.”

“And so you’d do this?”

“Yes.”

It was irritating to be treated politely all the time, so Shiu made a request, “Can you please stop speaking so formally?”

“Wahaha. Yeah, Citroe. Being firm is one of your good points, but sometimes it’s gloomy!”

Kilik was a Margrave, but he acted like a mercenary rather than a knight and he was still laughing heartily now. He wasn’t like a noble.

Meanwhile, Citroe became flustered at Shiu’s request.

“…… If you’re alright with that then, no, I mean yes, okay.” Citroe hung his head.

Shiu wouldn’t forcefully ask him to do so, since he wasn’t used to it. He conveyed this to Citroe and he said he would try his best to fix how he spoke.

A lot of pendant type magic tools were ordered and he made sure no one was in the room before he put up a spatial wall so that they couldn’t peek inside.

He felt a snap and knew that someone was using magic.

It was rare so he used magic that he’d recently figured out.

(《MAGIC TRACK》)

It seemed as if a spell was being cast somewhere and was literally focusing on an area. It had some kind of name like this but Shiu used appraisal magic to find out more.

It was coming from somewhere in the shop so it was prudent not to use his appraisal magic but there were times like this, where it was rash but exciting. He suspected it was some kind of trap for industrial spies at first.

He continued to cast magic.

（《ANALYSE TECHNIQUE》）（《AUTO SCRIBE》）（《RELEASE TECHNIQUE》）

He used each spell; appraisal magic, modified a low level scribe spell, and lastly tearing off the trap.

In this kind of situation one could usually use non elemental and dark magic to remove the trap but this time it seemed to be strongly affixed so Shiu tried to use his recent creation.

At any rate, he thought that appraisal magic was really convenient.

There was no need to level it up but there was value in using it habitually. He had become able to appraise things as difficult as magic formulas.

However, making full use of appraisal magic was troublesome. If he used his appraisal magic to its full extent, even in just this one room, an enormous amount of information would come streaming in. The one that would discern something from all of that information was a human, Shiu’s own self, so it was important to first carefully select a place to appraise. Appraising items was extremely difficult.

This time he decided to focus in on the part thought to be the formula. If he relaxed he would inadvertently appraise unnecessary things so he did this seriously.

The result of this inspection showed that the trap was a trivial eavesdropping spell.