Chapter 171 - The Magic-Absorbing Bracelet and the Sköll Fang
Before returning to the tower from Ozwald's residence, Dahlia stopped by the Merchant's Guild to explain the situation to Ivano.
She hesitated a little over sharing personal matters concerning Marcella, but since the creation of this magic tool would involve Ivano, the other half of her company, she decided to bring him into the matter as well.
Along with an apology, she told him everything: about Marcella, the magic tool, the dangers involving the nobility, and the possibility that the company might also be affected.
Ivano didn't blame Dahlia in the slightest. He readily agreed to look after things in her absence and wished for Irma's safety.
With Ivano seeing her off and promising to visit Ozwald once he had finished his work for the day, Dahlia left the guild.
She went straight back to the tower, grabbed her work clothes, and gathered the materials.
She must have looked terribly desperate. The large coachman, who normally waited by the carriage, offered to help carry her things.
And that brought her to the present moment, back in the workshop at Ozwald's residence.
He was already wearing a white work coat, and several magic-sealing boxes that appeared to contain materials were stacked on the workbench.
"For a pregnant woman suffering from Magic Overload, we need a magic tool that can draw out a controlled amount of excess magic power. Considering the difference in magic power between the husband and wife, a ring would be too small. Let's make a 'Magic-Absorbing Bracelet' instead."
"Yes!"
There was almost no preamble. Ozwald immediately began explaining the design and preparing for the work.
"Since the wife's magic power level is two, we'll design the bracelet to withstand up to eight and draw out the excess magic power flowing from the child. We also need separate functions to prevent crystallization caused by earth magic and to protect both the pregnant woman and the fetus from becoming unstable due to the magic power disparity. Finally, the bracelet's materials might not withstand storing that much magic power indefinitely, so we'll need to incorporate a way to release it."
The five enchantments they needed were Magic Absorption, Crystallization Prevention, Protection of the Pregnant Woman, Protection of the Fetus, and Magic Release.
Each one looked difficult enough on its own, yet here they were, lined up one after another.
This was a magic tool Dahlia could never have made by herself.
"The five materials we'll use for the enchantments are the fangs of a Sköll to draw out excess magic; a Cockatrice's beak to prevent petrification caused by excessive earth magic; the horn of a female Unicorn to stabilize the pregnant woman's condition and restore her health; the horn of a male Bicorn to make the fetus perceive its mother's body as having sufficient magic; and a Basilisk's claw for the magic-release function."
Dahlia had brought all the materials available at the tower, including the Sköll fangs, Unicorn materials, and materials from a mutated Bicorn.
Fortunately, Ozwald had spare Cockatrice beaks and Basilisk claws in his own stock.
He reassured her that even if they used up all their supplies, the Adventurers Guild had more in stock. Dahlia breathed a sigh of relief.
"The bracelet will have to be made of mithril to withstand the strain. We'll divide the inner surface into four sections and incorporate a different material into each one. To prevent magic interference, we'll create a magic barrier around each section using Unicorn horn, then enchant the outside with Basilisk claws to balance the effects. Unicorn horn is the safest choice for a pregnant woman, after all."
Unicorn horn can be used to create magic barriers. She had just learned one way to prevent magic interference.
Even now, with so much at stake, she'd caught herself thinking about how she might apply this to Volf's magic sword. She chided herself for letting her mind wander.
"Do you have any questions?"
"Will the magic stored in the mithril bracelet be converted back into mana by the Basilisk claws?"
She was particularly curious about how mithril and Basilisk claws worked together.
Could this combination convert magic power into mana?
"No, it doesn't convert the magic power into mana. The mithril stores the magic, and the basilisk claws allow it to be released when the wife uses earth magic about once a day. Apparently, the mother can learn to do this almost instinctively. Of course, this only works during the pregnancy."
In other words, Irma would temporarily become an earth mage. Dahlia found the thought rather strange.
"I must apologize, but I've never made a Magic-Absorbing Bracelet before. Given the amount of magic power you and I possess, you should consider our chances of success to be fifty-fifty."
"Understood..."
"That said, we have a little room to spare when it comes to materials. And even if we can't make it work, we can ask Captain Bartolone of the Monster Subjugation Corps to introduce us to a healing mage. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."
Dahlia had tensed up at the daunting prospect, but Ozwald quickly offered some reassurance.
Once again, Dahlia found herself thinking that Ozwald was truly suited to being a teacher.
"We'll use magic to grind down this cockatrice beak and shape it into a flat disc that fits the bracelet. The important things to remember are not to infuse it with too much magic and, above all, never to forget your protective magic tool, lest you get petrified."
"That's true. It would be a problem if my hand turned to stone while I was working."
"Indeed. You won't be able to turn a doorknob, and calling for help becomes rather difficult. I wouldn't recommend it."
Dahlia couldn't suppress her laughter at Ozwald's deadpan reply. She'd never imagined he spoke from personal experience with petrification.
"We have plenty of cockatrice beaks. Since we have the opportunity, Dahlia, why don't you try casting the fixation spell yourself?"
"Thank you. I'd love to give it a try."
The monster known as a Cockatrice had the appearance of a rooster on one side and a snake on the other.
In her previous life, she'd read in a book that its body and wings resembled those of a dragon. But in this world, she'd seen that its wings were relatively small and its body looked more like a lizard's.
Then again, people in this world sometimes described dragons as "big lizards," so perhaps the comparison wasn't all that far off.
"First, we'll use a coping saw to cut it into a rough shape, then make a disc sized to fit the bracelet. We'll fit it into the bracelet and apply Petrification Prevention. After that, we'll sprinkle it with Unicorn horn powder and cast the fixation spell. I'll take care of shaping it with the saw."
The beak Ozwald held belonged to the rooster half of the creature and consisted of only its lower halves.
Dahlia examined the beak. It was deep yellow on the outside and orange on the inside, and when she touched it, it felt as hard as a mineral. Getting pecked by something like this would be far beyond merely painful.
Ozwald took out a coping saw used for crafting magic tools and, in the blink of an eye, cut a small yellow disc from the Cockatrice's beak.
Along with the beak, he also prepared a mithril bracelet.
Mithril was a predominantly silver-colored metal that took on a bluish hue depending on the angle of the light. Its color and luster were unlike anything in her previous life, making it captivating to look at, though there was also something cold about it.
The bracelet could be opened by folding it apart at the midpoint, with a metal clasp on the opposite side. Grooves had been carved into its inner surface to accommodate the materials.
Dahlia carefully lifted the beak, now shaped into a thin disc, and fitted it into the inner surface of the bracelet, taking care not to drop it.
Then she channeled magic power through her right index finger and traced a magical circuit, fixing the anti-petrification effect in place. Since she only needed to fix the enchantment in place, she had no trouble inscribing the circuit onto the small disc.
After checking the flow of magic power, she sprinkled unicorn horn powder over the disc.
She worried that the powder might scatter, but the moment she infused it with magic power, the pure white particles began adhering to the Cockatrice's beak.
Once she had thoroughly cast the fixation spell, the beak turned a softly glowing yellow.
"It’s a success. You did an excellent job on both."
"Thank you."
Only after receiving his praise did Dahlia finally relax.
But this was only the first of the five enchantments. There was no room for complacency yet.
"Now, let's move on to the Sköll. Dahlia, do you have any in stock?"
"Yes. Here is the Sköll Fang I had in stock."
Dahlia opened one of the magic-sealing boxes she brought with her.
Ozwald shifted his glasses slightly and examined the silvery-white fang, which shimmered with a golden radiance.
"With the two of us working together, we should be able to handle a Sköll fang of this size. Given the difference in magic power between the husband and wife, this fang would be more suitable than the ones I have in stock. We'll saturate it with magic power until it crystallizes, then incorporate it into the inside of the bracelet. Still, let's take precautions to ensure everyone's safety."
Ozwald opened the workshop door and called for Elmelinda.
She happened to be ushering a black-haired visitor into the adjoining room at that very moment.
They were both a little surprised by the timing.
"Welcome, Sir Volfred. I'm sorry to ask you this so suddenly, but would you be willing to help ensure Miss Dahlia's safety while she works?"
"Of course, I don't mind, but..."
"El, would you look after me?"
"Certainly. Leave it to me."
After exchanging only the briefest of greetings, the two entered the workshop.
Volf's golden eyes wandered briefly around the room, betraying his surprise at the sheer size of Ozwald's workshop.
It was easily ten times the size of the Green Tower. The floor was polished dark gray marble, and shelves reaching all the way to the ceiling were packed with magic-sealing boxes and books. For a magic toolmaker, it was the kind of magnificent workshop one could only dream of having.
"Dahlia and I will be infusing the Sköll fang with magic power. If either of us collapses or loses consciousness, pull both of us away from the table. Don't worry if you have to be a little rough."
"Sköll fang...?"
Seeing Volf grow concerned, Dahlia deliberately put on a smile as she explained.
"We want the Sköll fang to safely absorb Irma's magic power, so we're infusing it with magic power to make it crystallize. I'm working on it together with my teacher this time, so it'll be fine."
"Given our magic power reserves, this should be within our limits. Nevertheless, we're taking precautions. Collapsing near a Sköll fang could be dangerous."
Elmelinda stood behind Ozwald, while Volf took his place behind Dahlia.
The sudden increase in the number of people in the room, along with the tension radiating from Volf behind her, made Dahlia feel a little uneasy.
"Only intervene if one of us collapses or loses consciousness. Don't stop us for any other reason."
"...Understood."
"Yes, Dear."
Ozwald removed his gloves. Dahlia rolled up the cuffs of her work clothes twice as well.
"Let's infuse it all at once rather than drag things out. I'll prepare magic power potions for after."
"Understood. Thank you."
Both extended their right hands. Ozwald pointed with only his thumb, curling it inward, while Dahlia extended her index and middle fingers and loosely curled the remaining ones.
Every magic toolmaker had their own way of channeling magic power. Unlike mages, they rarely used wands or rings, so most chose a hand position that allowed them to manipulate magic power comfortably.
Dahlia had copied her father Carlo when she was a child, and that hand position had stuck with her ever since.
"Then, let's begin."
Ozwald was the first to begin infusing the Sköll fang with magic power.
His magic power, resembling silver wind mingled with rainbow-colored dust, flowed straight into the fang.
Dahlia followed suit, directing her own translucent, rainbow-colored magic power toward it.
However, her magic power, which had previously flowed in a straight line, was still unstable after her sudden increase in power. The more she raised her output, the more it wavered like a ribbon. She struggled to keep it under control as she continued directing her magic power into the Sköll fang.
The fang absorbed the silver and rainbow-colored light, trembling slightly as its silvery-white radiance grew brighter.
All four watched in silence, captivated by the sight.
Its increasingly dazzling glow made it seem as though crystallization was only a matter of time.
But just as the two magic toolmakers began to relax, they were forced to confront reality.
They had naively assumed that working together would make the task easier than infusing the fang alone.
"This is... rather unexpected."
After about seven or eight minutes, Ozwald grimaced.
Sweat trickled down the back of his neck, and he no longer had the energy to force a smile.
Under normal circumstances, the amount of magic power Ozwald had already poured into it would have been more than enough on its own.
Yet despite absorbing so much magic power, the fang before them still showed no signs of crystallizing.
Even with two people working together, the process was taking far too long.
The possibility that this was a mutated Sköll came to mind.
There had been no way to tell just by looking at it, but the fragment Dahlia had used last time might not have come from the same Sköll.
If it had been a fang from the same Sköll, then Dahlia had truly been lucky.
She had infused it with magic power all by herself to make Volf's bracelet—and had lived to tell the tale.
"...!"
Suddenly, the amount of magic power being drawn from Dahlia more than doubled.
Ozwald's magic power flow remained unchanged, but the Sköll seemed to prefer Dahlia's magic power. It began sucking it out in great quantities, almost as if dragging it from her.
"Dahlia, lower your output!"
"I'm fine at this level!"
She answered almost with a shout, but in truth, things might already be going badly.
But she had no spare Sköll fangs of her own. This one was larger than the ones Ozwald had in stock, making it the better choice for Irma.
Besides, if they failed and had to infuse the fang again, they definitely wouldn't have enough magic power. They still had the bracelet's other enchantments to complete afterward.
She couldn't make Ozwald keep drinking magic power potions when he had already increased his magic power capacity by four.
If increasing his magic power ended up destroying his health, wouldn't that make him suffer the same fate as her father, Carlo?
Dahlia glared at the Sköll fang, gritted her teeth, and steadied her magic power.
Her own magic power capacity had increased by only one, well within the safe range. There was no reason she shouldn't be able to control it.
Irma was enduring a magic power level of eight despite having only two of her own.
Dahlia couldn't afford to back down now.
As she desperately continued pouring magic power into the fang, her arm began to tremble.
She still had a little magic power left, but maintaining such tight control required so much effort that the muscles in her arm and legs could no longer keep up. They began to spasm.
"Dahlia!"
"I'm sorry, Volf! Please support me!"
Normally, no one would physically support a magic toolmaker while they were enchanting an item. The other person's magic power could often interfere with the process.
But Volf had no external magic. Even if he supported her now, her magic wouldn't mix with his or diminish.
No matter how badly her arm spasmed or how difficult it became to remain standing, as long as she didn't collapse, she could still release magic power.
"Got it!"
Volf lifted Dahlia's right hand as it began to sag. At the same time, he pulled her unsteady body upright and caught her, supporting her back as he held her.
"Will this do?"
"Yes!"
Now that she no longer had to worry about falling, she stopped trying to ration her magic power.
She raised both hands and pointed all her fingertips at the Sköll fang.
She gave the Sköll all the magic power it wanted, pouring it in with everything she had. Her vision swam with dizziness, but she no longer cared.
The rainbow-colored magic power streaming from all her fingers was surely the most powerful she had ever released in her life.
"If we let the material get the better of us, we have no business being magic toolmakers. Let's bring it to heel."
Ozwald, standing opposite her, seemed to smile.
Sweat ran from her forehead into her eyes, making it difficult to see.
Still, he appeared to have turned both hands toward the fang as well. A dazzling silver light flickered before her eyes.
Whether it was a few dozen seconds or several minutes, her sense of time disappeared.
Suddenly, her magic power was repelled and would no longer enter the fang.
She hurriedly rubbed her eyes and checked the Sköll fang.
Resting on the magic-sealing plate atop the workbench was a small, round, silvery-white crystal.
Inside the crystal, a sphere of rainbow-colored light spun rapidly in circles. Its movements somehow reminded her of a child at play.
Ozwald put on a pair of silver gloves and carefully fitted the crystal into the inner surface of the mithril bracelet.
Then, just as Dahlia had done earlier, he sprinkled unicorn horn powder over it. When he cast the fixation spell, all the powder transferred into the crystal, which glowed pale blue for a brief moment.
"That completes the Sköll enchantment."
"Thank goodness...!"
The moment relief washed over her, both knees buckled beneath her.
"Dahlia!"
"I'm... fine."
She managed to get the words out, but she didn't think she could move anymore.
Even with Volf supporting her, she could barely manage to keep her head from lolling forward.
He must have been worried, too, because he didn't loosen his hold on her at all.
As Dahlia grew anxious over how utterly exhausted she was—there was no hiding it—Ozwald called out to her.
"Let's take a break in the next room. Lord Volfred, Miss Dahlia seems rather exhausted. Would you mind carrying her there?"
"Of course."
Volf lifted her into his arms and carried her away as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Since she couldn't move, she had no way to refuse.
She felt utterly pathetic, reduced to being nothing more than dead weight.
Then she realized something else.
Thanks to all the enjoyable meals and drinks she'd been indulging in lately, she'd put on a little weight.
To make matters worse, she was drenched in sweat, enough to make even her makeup start to run.
Embarrassment and guilt washed over her all at once, and Dahlia apologized in a quiet voice.
"I'm sorry, Volf... I'm, well, heavy."
He shook his head firmly, then gave her the same smile he'd shown her beneath the starry sky before.
"You're light as a feather."
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