83 – Experimental Subject
The fireball Mariel threw came at me with fierce momentum.
My arms and legs were paralyzed by her mysterious magic, rendering me unable to move.
What on earth am I supposed to do?
They want me to take control of the magic and render it powerless. Is that even possible?
If it were just magic floating in the air, I might not know, but to feel the power of magic that comes flying at me and control it?
An arrow that doesn’t move can be easily caught with your hand, but it’s difficult to grab an arrow that’s flying at you, just like the principle that you can’t hold onto it.
Moreover, that fireball was already magic that had gained a “master” after passing through Mariel’s hands.
The magic floating in the air didn’t inherently have an owner.
But if someone were to accept it into their body and use it, then the nature of the magic would be bound to the user.
Taking away the control of the magic that was already bound to Mariel meant ignoring that nature and forcibly binding the magic to me.
If such a thing were possible in everyday life, the way adventurers use magic would have changed drastically.
If the opponent uses magic or techniques that contain magic, you can simply take away that magic and render it ineffective, or conversely, send it back to the user.
When users with magic fight each other, it becomes a battle to secure control over more magic.
Whooooosh!
Mariel’s fireball approached head-on, starting to look like a sun.
Since I couldn’t move my arms and legs, I had no choice but to try to control Mariel’s magic contained in the fireball as she had said.
But regardless of whether it was possible or not, time was running out.
“Yunoa couldn’t find a way to take control of the magic Mariel used.
Strictly speaking, her demand was an unreasonable one.
Yunoa had become capable of controlling magic more than others by gaining foreign magic, but still, this was too much.
However, Yunoa had forgotten that not all the flying fireballs were made with Mariel’s magic.”
Right before the fireball hit me and exploded, the narration quickly transmitted a message into my consciousness.
It was as if Shari was transmitting the scene directly to my consciousness, as there was no time to convey it in words.
It’s not just fireballs…
Does that mean there’s a greater possibility of undoing the magic that binds my arms and legs?
Without delay, I immediately felt the mana in my body.
I could sense the blue mana entwined around my arms and legs, which did not belong to me.
It must be the remnants of the binding magic Mariel cast on me.
I focused my mind to control the mana that was binding my arms and legs.
It wasn’t easy to concentrate in a situation where fireballs were flying at me, but I had to figure out a way to do it and sweat rolled down my face as I struggled to control the blue mana wrapped around my limbs.
“Ugh… aaah! Damn it!”
After a brief moment passed…
Boom!
The fireball finally reached the spot where I was standing and caused a massive explosion.
I managed to release the magic that was restraining my body just in time and threw myself to the side to avoid the explosion.
It was a close call, with the heat of the blast grazing my back.
“Wow… Interesting! Did you control your mana? Impressive!”
Mariel applauded and spoke.
I felt like I had just escaped death.
“What would you have done if I hadn’t dodged it? You crazy mage!”
“Don’t worry. This is Mariel! As long as you’re alive, I have various means to heal you.”
“….”
“Why… why are you looking at me like that? Is it really necessary?”
That’s not the problem.
Shouldn’t you consider the perspective of the person being experimented on?
What does it matter if we can somehow recover as long as we’re still breathing…
“…If you pull another stunt like this, I’ll show you how much I love using my power recklessly.”
“Uhh… well, humans are supposed to be pushed to the edge of a cliff to unleash their superhuman abilities.”
Who knows, maybe you’ll get better research results if you’re pushed to the edge of a cliff?
“I… I already have the results! So I don’t need to draw my sword! Just calm down!”
Mariel belatedly shook both hands at me and bowed deeply.
“Sigh… forget it.”
I just wanted to give her a little scare.
Of course, I had no intention of actually drawing my sword against Mariel.
As I sighed and gave an expression that seemed like I was giving up, Mariel flashed her characteristic sinister smile.
“hehehehe… but thanks to that, it seems like we’ll get the results after all!”
* * *
After finishing a dangerous experiment and returning to the mansion, I had some time to rest.
Mariel was organizing the experiment results she had obtained from me.
Although I wanted to give her some kind of punishment for promising to listen to anything after what I went through…
It would probably be more productive and important to use that for something else.
If you do something like that, Narayse will not only catch you, but also spread all sorts of criticism about you.
After a moment, Mariel approached me again and began to talk about the conclusion of the experiments she had been conducting.
“It seems that there is a part of this world’s laws that do not apply to you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Not only humans, but all creatures in the world have limits to the magical power they can possess. And generally, it is impossible to take away someone else’s magical power and control it again. It is a rule of the world that has been established since the gods created everything in this world.”
“The rules of the world….”
“However, you have a strange nature in your magical power, and you are directly violating the general rules of the world regarding magical power. I can assert that there is no one like you in this world, there has never been anyone like you before, and there will never be anyone like you in the future.”
When Mariel talked about magical power research, she was much more serious than before.
I couldn’t help but wonder if this person, who had shown such a strange appearance by using teleportation magic and slipping through the cracks, was the same person.
As she spoke seriously, I had no choice but to listen to her story seriously.
To think that I am a human who directly violates the rules of the world.
There was actually something that came to mind as the direct cause of this.
In the first place, I am not a person from this world.
So maybe the general rules of this world might not apply to me either.
Being called the “only experimental subject in the world” was not an exaggeration.
From Noble mtl dot com
I can also understand why she wanted to study me, no matter what the cost.
As a researcher, she couldn’t just pass by a rare subject like me.
“So, have you gained anything useful by studying me?”
“In fact, I am just an ordinary human bound by the laws of this world. That’s why even if I study your magical nature and characteristics, I cannot implement them separately. But…”
“The power you possess! It’s not demonic, nor is it human. Only you possess that unique power, and it has its uses! According to my measurements, even if the amount of your power is the same, its efficiency is several times better than ordinary magic power.”
Mariel, with a look of excitement on her face, opened a large box filled with various experimental equipment and pulled something out.
It was an object that looked like a portable lamp that could illuminate in the dark.
Mariel brought it in front of me and spoke.
“This is a magic power lamp that can be lit by injecting magic power. By injecting my own magic power like this…”
Zap!
Mariel flicked the lamp with her fingertips, and a blue flame immediately ignited inside the lamp.
“You can light it up inside. It doesn’t need oil or a wick. It’s a lamp that burns only with pure magic power. By injecting magic power like this, it can burn easily for about two days.”
“It’s an amazing object.”
“This kind of object that operates using magic power is called a magical tool. It may look simple, but it’s very difficult to make, so this lamp is worth dozens of gold!”
Mariel flicked the lamp with her hand again, and the light burning inside the lamp went out smoothly.
Then she handed me the lamp.
“You! Try injecting magic power into this lamp!”
“Um… like this?”
I accepted the lamp and injected magic power into it, just like when I infused magic power into my sword.
Then the light came back into the lamp.
Unlike when Mariel turned it on, the color of the light was closer to purple.
“hehehe! Your efficiency with magic power is indeed much better than mine. You can tell by the amount of magic power flowing into the lamp. If you can store and use your magic power, you might be able to create a new magical tool that is different from anything we’ve seen so far!”
Indeed, magical tools operate with the power of magic, so I understood that if I had efficient magic power, I could create more powerful types of magical tools.
But even if I were to create such magical tools, in the end, wouldn’t I be the only one who could use this magic power?
I had such a question in my mind when Mari approached me with a sinister expression and said,
“So, here’s the thing… Would you mind sharing some of your magical power with me? I have a high-capacity magic storage device. If you fill it up with your magic, I can create magical tools using your magic power without any worries for a while.”
“Share my magic? Doesn’t that mean my own magic will decrease?”
“Not at all! Absolutely not! Have you ever seen your magic amount decrease just because you used magic techniques? If that were the case, all the wizards in this world would have withered away! You might just feel a little tired, but it won’t have any effect on your magic power.”
“What Mari said was true.
Excessive use of magic doesn’t consume the accumulated magic inside the user’s body.
It only makes them extremely tired and exhausted, but there are no lingering effects after recovery.”
Narration revealed the truth behind Mari’s words.
But still, I didn’t want to go through something so exhausting…
“Here! This device is the magic storage device! It may not be small, but it’s not too big either! If you fill it up with your magic, I’ll never bother you again! I’ve obtained all the information I needed, so this is my final request!”
Mari showed me the magic storage device.
A cylindrical device much larger than a person stood upright like furniture.
“What do you mean it’s not small? It’s huge!”
“If you fill it up with your magic, we can create magical tools that utilize your magic! These tools will be much more powerful and efficient than the ones we already have! And using magic won’t wear them out! Just get enough sleep and eat well, and you’ll be fine!”
“Isn’t it too easy for you to say that it’s not your own doing?”
“Well… then! If you come up with any good magical tools you’ve researched using your magic, I’ll give them to you too! You can only use these tools if they’re connected to this storage device or if you’re the one using them. I’ll create new magical tools, and you’ll have magical tools that no one else can get!”
Mariel presented me with a new condition, looking anxious.
I was extremely uneasy, afraid that if I refused and ran away, but…
She would offer me a completed magical tool for free…
Upon careful consideration, it seemed like a fairly tempting condition.
It wouldn’t be a big deal to use magic excessively, as long as there are no significant side effects, as the narration mentioned.
The magical device was quite expensive, they said.
Even though I couldn’t sell it anyway, maybe I could get something unexpectedly useful.
If it was a magical device that operated with my own magic, it would have the rarity of being a device that only I could use in the world.
“Just need to fill this device with magic, right?”
“Oh! That’s right! That’s exactly it! Just place your hand on this part of the device… and keep sending magic into it!”
There was a square space big enough to place my palm where Marie pointed.
I placed my hand there and started sending magic into it.
“Hmm… I feel a little strange…”
I felt the energy draining from my whole body.
It felt like pouring water into a never-ending jar that never gets filled.
Well, it’s no big deal.
…
It took a whole day to fully fill Marie’s magic storage device.
The narration clearly said it would be ‘very difficult’.
Seems like the level of difficulty was different from what I had in mind.
“Oh! Finally, it’s done! The magic storage device is full!”
Marie’s voice sounded muffled, as if it was coming from underwater.
As I pulled my hand away from the storage device, it felt like my soul had been sucked out, and my body relaxed, leaving me in complete darkness.
Is it safe…? Is it…?
* * *