Chapter 253: Marlight

“Lei-sama, I want to check how far you’ve gotten with your studies.”

“Ai, awrighth.”

Hubert was going to teach me what I wanted to learn, but he was probably wondering what he should teach me. Next morning, he came into my room carrying more books and tools than he could hold in his arms. The biggest idea that he was carrying were wooden blocks.

Hubert smiled at me as he placed three blocks in front of me as I quietly sat at the table.

“Can you stack two of these three blocks on top of each other?”

“Buffo.”

I heard Hans laugh behind me and a hint of anger rising from Natalie. Hans didn’t have to guard me when I was in the mansion, but he came today since Hubert was here.

“I don’t think Hubert can stop you Lei-sama,” was his reasoning. I stared at the building blocks. Who do you think understood how barrier boxes worked, fiddled with it and reattached the magic stones at that time?

I quietly got up from my chair and pulled out a box that was put in the corner of the room. Inside the box were building boxes that Otou-sama had made for me based on the ones I played with in Lentforce. He also gifted a set to Nico.

I haven’t counted how many blocks are inside, but I’m guessing there were over a hundred pieces in the box. I turned it over on the floor and quickly started to build the castle I always build. I stood up in front of the castle, which took no more than a few minutes to build, and reported to Hubert, “I’m not.”

“A-ah, yes. Hmm…”

I strolled over to Hubert, who was looking around, unsure of what to do with me, and checked the books that he had brought with him.

“The rug dragon and thhe Prince. The wandering, wrethched shouw.” (Wretched soul)

Both had interesting titles, but should you be reading a book about wandering souls to a child?

“The bashicsh of magic thoowsh. Dis!” (The basics of magic tools. This!)

I pulled out the book in excitement.

“Ah, that’s my book. I thought I would re-read it while you were studying.”

It’s questionable that he believed he thought he could do something else while I was studying. Odds-sensei, for example, never took his eyes off us while he was teaching us. It was a little annoying, but that’s what teaching babies is like.

I looked coldly at the flustered Hubert, then I opened the book and started reading.

“Aww who ashpire tho be magic thoow thechniciansh, thawe hearth. Magic shthonesh are thhe shparw of wife. Don’th threath thhem wighthwy.” (All who aspire to be magic tool technicians, take heart. Magic stones are the spark of life. Don’t treat them lightly)

I became able to read very difficult books while I was studying in the castle. This book contains knowledge about how to become a magic tool technician.

“Y-you can read that. This is distressing.”

“How can the teacher be distressed?”

Hans retorted for me.

“Shaww we do addithion nexth?” (Shall we do addition next)

“You can add numbers too? What am I supposed to teach you then?”

“Oddsh-shenshei awsho thaughth me geography.” (Odds-sensei also taught me geography)

“Geography? I don’t know anything about geography.”

Why do you look puzzled? But I’ve already taken all this into consideration, and I don’t want him to teach me anything.

“I’m going tho Huberth’sh worwroom.” (I’m going to Hubert’s workroom)

I stood up and looked at Natalie, who was carrying the bag that I had prepared.

“Fowwow me.”

“Y-yes.”

I began walking slowly ahead of him. I knew my way around my own house. I wondered how far away it was since it took me almost 10 minutes to get there, but an adult could probably get there in less than five minutes.

Hubert’s workroom, which was completed yesterday, smelled like new wood.

“Now thhen.”

I climbed up to the chair that was in the middle of the room next to the table, then I took out my own magic tools from the luggage that Natalie was carrying.

“Thish ish Lei’sh wighth magic thoow. Ith’sh browen.” (This is Lei’s light magic tool. It’s broken)

“Let me see.”

Hubert quickly peeked at the light magic tool from behind me. It’s funny how his frightened persona disappears as soon as the topic of magic tools is brought up.

“This magic tool is from Frontier, isn’t it? See, the magic power is being transmitted directly from the magic stone to this moss. It’s not suitable for carrying around because it’s too big, but it’s useful to keep in your room and it’s easy to fix if it breaks. Oh.”

Hubert knew what was broken just by looking at the slab part of the box. He touched the blue stone plate with his index finger.

“It’s here. All we have to do is replace this marlight.”

“Ith wash given tho Lei becaushe ith wash browen.” (It was given to Lei because it was broken)

Certainly, it can be sold again as soon as the blue slab is replaced, but Brendel gave this broken magic tool to me since I showed an interest in magic tools. I never imagined that I would be able to feel the warmth of the people in Lentforce once again.

I was able to analyze the barrier box and create my own barrier because I was tinkering with this magic tool. So, it was thanks to the people of Lentforce that I had survived and had protected Kingdom’s citizens from the Hollows.

I held the box carefully and channeled my magic directly into the moss.

“Woah, that’s bright!”

I giggled at Hubert’s surprise.

“I can’t believe you channeled magic directly into the moss! That’s dangerous!”

“Ith’sh awrighth. Lei’sh ushed tho ith.” (It’s alright. Lei’s used to it)

“Ah, that’s right. You have the special power to make barriers.”

“Ith’sh noth a shpeciaw power.”

It isn’t a special power. I may have more magic than most people, but I just did something that anyone can do if they practice, but it was pointless to tell him this. I immediately asked him what I wanted to know, “Huberth, why are Kingdom’sh magic thoowsh shmaww?” (Hubert, why are Kingdom’s magic tools small)

“I’m surprised you would ask that. Those who live in Kingdom only know about Kingdom magic tools, so there’s few who would question it like you, Lei-sama.”

Indeed, we don’t need to import magic tools from Frontier, we can just buy Kingdom’s magic tools. Hubert put a hand on his chin and pondered a little, then he took a light magic tool from a shelf on the wall and showed me the structure of it.

“Magic tools from Kingdom and the Frontier both draw magic from the magic stones through the rhodolite stones, but the difference is in this part.”

Hubert put his finger on the blue slab just like he had done earlier with my magic tool.

“Gently place your finger on the marlight. Can you tell the difference?”

I put my middle finger and index finger on the blue slab.

“Hold it there. I’ll turn on the switch.”

Hubert clicked the switch, and I felt the magic flowing into the moss. I had never thought of comparing the magic flow like this and was impressed.

“Ith’sh differenth from my wighth magic thoow. The magic doeshn’th shthay thhe shame.” (It’s different from my light magic tool. The magic doesn’t stay the same)

I closed my eyes and concentrated on the sensation of my fingertips.

“The magic gathhersh and condenshesh. Then ith fwowsh thowardsh thhe moshsh aww ath once.” (The magic gathers and condenses. Then it flows towards the moss all at once)

Unlike Wester’s blue stone slabs, Kingdom’s blue stone slabs don’t channel magic as it is, instead, it condenses the magic and then releases it. That’s why the magic tools work well even though they’re so small.

“… I’m surprised.”

When I opened my eyes, I saw Hubert looking at me with a stunned expression on his face.

“I’m surprised.”

I don’t think you need to say that twice.