Volume 2 Chapter 42 (1/2)
I tried translating it in the present tense. Enjoy.
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”Hey…what'cha doin?” (Almis)
”I'm making a wand” (Tetra)
A Wand? Tetra is putting together parts-like objects to make something. She's putting several disks the size of an adult's wrist on one thin rod. The disks were lined with geometrical patterns. Crystals were embedded on their tips. (TL Note: He actually said the size of an adult's arm, but it should probably mean the circ.u.mference of the wrist)
”Teach me about it. (Almis)
”Alright” (Tetra)
Tetra raises her arms and makes her small white palms face me. My hair then sways lightly. She had cast wind magic.
”High-level sorcerers around my level can use magic without magic squares. However,…” As she said this, Tetra takes out a piece of paper and begins drawing a magic square. She then faces me just like before. This time, the geometric patterns s.h.i.+ne brightly and a stronger wind blows towards me.
”If you use a magic square, the efficacy of the magic invocation becomes better. And since you can only use magical power that you yourself have, using a magic square can make you use magic indefinitely.” (Tetra)(TL Note: It's not making sense to me so I kinda just winged it. 魔力は自分が持っている物を使うから魔法陣は永遠に使える)
I see. Even though I'm not a magician, I was paying attention only to using magic, but there are also advantages like that, huh?
”But, there's one problem. Since a magic square is something fixed, you can only use the same amount of power and the same kind of magic. Thus, it's not really practical in battle. Plus, the amount of information you can embed in a paper-based magic square is limited.” (Tetra)
Certainly. It's not applicable for battle. What makes magic appealing after all is that you can vary your approach against the enemy. It's no different from just throwing spears against the enemy if you can only use one time of magic. It's not something you carry in large quant.i.ties.
According to Tetra, the strength of the magic depends upon the size of the magic square. Therefore, you'd need quite a large square just to be able to hurt a person. The size would make it totally useless.
”That's why I'm carving up a magic square on a round wooden board (disk). I need to carefully embed information on the magic squares one by one. And when you bind together several disks…” (Tetra)
Tetra points a finished wand at me. It s.h.i.+nes brightly and thereafter blows an even stronger wind. It has quite the power.
”Furthermore, if you rotate the connection like this, you can now use a completely different type of magic.” (Tetra)
Tetra then rotates several disks. She points upwards then a flame rages from the wand.
”But then what would you do about the power?” (Almis)
The disks are quite smaller than the paper magic squares. Saying you'll put together more and more is somewhat…
”That won't be a problem.”
Tetra confidently declares. (TL Note: I think the author typo'd here. Him: 自身有り気 vs Me: 自信有り気 if somebody knows. Tell me in the comments.)
”Listen here, using the previous magic square, the amount of information embedded is represented by the quadratic/square formed by the X (horizontal) axis and the Y (vertical) axis. Using this wand, however, you add a third Z (height) axis. Therefore the amount of information embedded would turn cubic! (Tetra)
(TL Note: Please don't hate on me math majors. I know that the Z axis is not the ”height” axis. *cry*)
You…when the h.e.l.l did you get so smart?
”So, what about the crystal?” (Almis)
”It's from an ornament we received from a person named 'Regal DeBell.' Since it's an ornament, it's somewhat useless so I disa.s.sembled it. A high quality transparent crystal can transmit 99% of magic without sullying magical style. It also helps with fire-based magic. Since the main body of the wand is wooden, it would burn should you use fire magic. But if you attach the crystal then the problem would be solved since it doesn't burn. Plus, it looks cooler this way.” (Tetra)
I see. I completely don't understand. Yes. Yes.
Regal, huh. I'm sorry but my wife just went and disa.s.sembled your gift.
”By the way, Almis. You seem to have something on your mind? Is there anything wrong?” (Tetra)
”It's just that Bartolo's wife had recently given birth, right? I don't know what kind of gift I should bring for the birth celebrations.”
I asked Bartolo and he said you'd typically give booze. Of course, the sponsor would naturally bring out liquor. But partic.i.p.ants are encouraged to bring more so everyone could drink and get drunk, he said. Now that I think of it, a lot of the different clans each brought some kind of liquor when we held our wedding. I guess the next logical thing would be to bring something like an ornament, or a charm, or some high-cla.s.s clothing or something for the child to use.
”Wouldn't honey be fine? Even King Rosyth said so. Look, you can't bring that much at the party right?” (Tetra)
”Certainly…Hmmm…paper would….paper would be strange for a gift, no? I guess I should stop worrying and just pring some liquor or maybe food, yes?” (Almis)
”But can you prepare something delicious for them?” (Tetra)
Well, the bread that we make is very delicious. But how would they read bringing bread as a gift? It's a staple food, you know. Nevertheless, it's surely more delicious than what Bartolo could prepare.
Ahh. This is not working. My honor would shatter at this rate.
Even if Bartolo brought out even the most basic food and ingredients, it should still be a no-go. Then I guess, it really should be the liquor, huh.
”Did you come up with anything?” (Tetra)
”Well. I guess I'll make some spirits (distilled alcohol).” (Almis)
The alcohol content of this world's liquor is unusually low. When you speak of wines, then it's basically grape juice infused with a little alcohol. Rather than for getting drunk, they usually treat it as hydration or something to make hard water on the Adernia peninsula easier to drink. (TL Note: Alcohol DE-hydrates you.)
It's also expensive but only 3% alcohol. Furthermore, it can go higher up to 5% but the highest it can go is only 10%. I only measure it by my taste, by the way.