NOVEL NEXT Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Agricultural Research Club (2)
Chapter 9: Agricultural Research Club (2)
After that, everything went smoothly for me. Some might even call it monotonous. I steadily earned money within a reasonable range, just like leveling up in an RPG from my past life. However, doing it this way, patiently earning experience points, is what I know will ultimately help me defeat bosses quickly. It’s the result of the experiences from my previous life. After all, recklessly diving into situations like Death Ruler or saying things like “What is death?” don’t work in real life.
Initially, the guild attendant, who dealt with me bringing in a large quantity of Pillbug carapaces with half a smile, gradually changed his attitude. Young people aspiring to be adventurers tend to want quick results, taking on high-difficulty quests or challenging powerful monsters. Many end up with serious injuries and retire early. Only a handful are fortunate enough to rise through the ranks. However, I, bringing in the usual materials from ordinary monsters every week, solo without any noticeable injuries, slowly increased the difficulty of my subjugation. It might be a dull way to live as an adventurer, but without injuries, if I want a long-lasting activity, this style could be considered the optimal solution. Before I knew it,
“Hey, Alexi-kun. You’re diligent and impressive, you know.”
I started receiving half-mocking, half-praising comments. However, I’m still called “Pillbug Guy” behind my back by other adventurers, and the receptionist throws me cold glances.
Soon, I was promoted to D-rank. Speaking of D-rank, it’s the minimum line for making a living as a dedicated adventurer. I safely graduated from being a beginner. However, I am still a student, and my primary duty is academics. Well, that’s just an excuse; the truth is, I’ve experienced being a second and third-year student multiple times, and there’s nothing left to learn at the academy. But leaving the academy, facing disownment from my family, and standing on my own, I lack the courage for that. Hooray for the moratorium.
Back home, I was scolded by my parents for engaging in dangerous adventurer-like activities. But I explained that I would eventually assist my brother in revitalizing the company, working hard in escorting and dealing with external matters. Surprisingly, my brother strongly supported that idea. He is constantly worried that I, his younger brother, with questionable character and qualities, might steal the family business from him. My parents were concerned about the future of the company, my brother’s behavior, and my safety. However, by not neglecting my studies and continuing my activities cautiously, I reluctantly gained their approval.
The weapon and armor shop owners also supported me in convincing my parents. They emphasized how I steadily earned money rather than focusing on my impressive appearance and flashy actions. But they didn’t need to gossip about me being the Pillbug Guy at the guild. Even my brother started calling me that.
Well, partly, it’s envy. Achieving D-rank in just a few months is quite an accomplishment. If I can move up to C-rank next, I’ll be considered a respectable middle-tier adventurer. For a student, it’s not bad at all.
At the academy, I still occasionally visit the Agricultural Research Club. Professor Kabaneru remains as usual, or so I’d like to say, but his research room has now become more of a Chanting Research Club than an Agricultural Research Club. Moreover, it’s one-on-one.
The week after defeating the dragonfly with a quick Stone Bullet, I casually asked him about non-chanting magic and chanting cancellation. However, he reacted with a changed expression, asking, “Why are you asking about that?!” Apparently, those areas are one of the cutting-edge research topics of the Magic Ministry, also known as the “Tower.”
“Well, I was so engrossed that it just happened like daily life magic.”
“Just happened, and you activated it without chanting? Something like that.”
I took him to a flower bed and tried shooting a Stone Bullet in front of him. This time, it was non-chanting. And successfully, stone shrapnel flew out.
He mumbled things like “the construction of the activation circuit with sacred phrases” and “but what about the control system?” in confusion. However, what’s done is done. Eventually, he shifted his focus and asked me how I managed to do it.
Actually, there are various eloquent phrases like “O bountiful goddess of the earth,” “Grant my wish,” and “In exchange for the offered mana” that are added before and after, making the official chanting for skills like Stone Bullet quite lengthy. However, in an era when books were not widespread, these were passed down orally, leading to various patterns of chanting phrases for the same skill, along with numerous schools of thought. Even now, there is constant debate about which chanting phrase is more powerful or holds higher status.
On the other hand, disregarding emotions and historical backgrounds, researchers scrutinize and systematically organize them. This is the cutting-edge research at the “Tower.” What was discovered is that the minimum “sacred phrases” composing the Stone Bullet skill at level 1 are simply “small,” “stone,” “fly,” and “strike.”
“To omit those sacred phrases…”
“But, sensei, it’s strange, isn’t it? Sacred phrases vary depending on the language.”
In essence, they are symbols to refine the image.
Stone Bullet, like other skills, comprises ten levels from 1 to 10. At level 1, Stone Bullet is a magic where small stones fly towards the enemy. Hence, the sacred phrases become “small,” “stone,” “fly,” and “strike.” Level 2, Shotgun, increases the number of flying small stones, attacking like a shotgun. Therefore, the sacred phrases become “small multiples,” “stone,” “fly,” and “strike.”
However, these are more like promises or symbols that indicate, “By consuming this much MP, this phenomenon will occur.” If the user has the appropriate image and intentionally converts MP into the phenomenon, chanting may not necessarily be required.
With the gaming mindset from my past life, I think this way. After all, the depiction of magic chanting varies in games and manga.
Professor Kabaneru and I collaborated to conduct experiments and verifications, compiling them into a report. We then sent it to the magician at the “Tower,” whom the professor once studied under.
A response came two months later.
“Unfortunately, the report lacks sufficient verification and support.”
He smiled wryly, and we returned to our usual daily routine. Chanting reduction wasn’t his specialty, and his main research theme was how to apply earth attribute skills to agriculture.
However, six months later, a groundbreaking announcement that would shake the magical world was made by the Magic Ministry.
“On the use of skills and chanting cancellation.”
It was essentially the content of Professor Kabaneru’s report, with the presenter’s name replaced by a magician from the “Tower.” Well, it was a remarkable case of academic harassment. Even the usually kind Professor Kabaneru remained silent during this time.
In the next loop, let’s handle it more skillfully. Hang in there, sensei.