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Chapter 321: Proper Lesson

「What are you fussing about, Young Lad~ 」
Hauron was dumbfounded at first, then he retorted.

「Rin Rin definitely sounds cuter… Mmph! 」
「We won’t get anywhere talking about this so stop. 」
Dinosso got physical when shutting my mouth.

「Jean-sama, shouldn’t you be asking more about why his personality switches and the like… 」
Butler quietly proposed.

Eh, but in fantasy, it’s not a big deal for a person who uses bones as landmark for 【Teleport】to switch personalities, you know. I was a bit shocked by the gap of Master Rin Rin’s personality with this effeminate one.

「Why? 」
I tried asking Hauron.

「Let’s just get over it then! — I created the image of Rin to handle the troublesome affairs of this world while I retreat to the palace of my consciousness so I can focus on my magic research. Ah, but these two guys here forced me out~ 」
「So it’s a personality you made, huh, that’s handy. Is that magic too? 」
Master Rin Rin is the serious type, maybe so that he won’t slack off at work?

「That’s right, it’s a combo of the song of blessing and incantation put to practical use. 」
「So you can do a lot of things, huh. 」
Ah, but I don’t think I’ll be using it to remodel my personality. Ahh, but maybe it’s possible to switch temporarily, like being braver during battle and the like?

「What about you, Lad? These two here asked me a favor to teach you how magic works. Since you have a powerful spirit possessing you, are you interested in adjusting the mana given by your spirit? Or maybe it’s about control? 」
Hauron beamed while waving his hand.

「Please teach me the basics, such as the things that are usually prepared, and the procedure that must be followed. As for 【Teleportation】, I have to prepare a medium suited for the magic circle, then activate it through incantation? 」
Just like the duo requested, I wanted to learn the steps.

「That’s right~ This time, the medium is my bloodkin’s bone engraved with the incantation. There are also other passage points, but you have to coordinate the magic circle depending on which one you’re going to use. The simultaneous summoning of spirits using the incantation attracting their attention and through the engraved spell on the bones will activate the magic circle, which will then create a path connecting the two places.

「Can the spell be just one word? 」
「The spells are worded to pique the interest of spirits according to the magic circle you want to activate. Magic circles also won’t work if the elements of the charm are not activated in sequence, so incantations can be lengthy. It’s also more convenient to be specific when it comes to parts that are interchangeable, like the number of people, just like what I did earlier. 」
Hauron shrugged.

「Rhymes and beautiful sounding words make it easier to get the spirits’ help, you know? 」
「Is that so? 」
He winked at me. Still, I don’t think we humans don’t enjoy doing it too, given that it kinda gives off that teenager-ish vibes of being edgy and cool.

I turned to look at Dinosso and Butler and they stared back at me with serious faces. Dinosso’s tsundere dragon was staring afar, looking disagreeable.

I tried collecting my thoughts as I stared at Zabuton, trying to confirm what Hauron said. After a brief pause, it nodded while gesturing to the side. Uh, is that a ‘no’ or a ‘yes’? Or maybe ‘neither’?

I adjusted my Sight a bit more, and finally saw four spirits possessing Hauron.

There’s a spirit with hair resembling gorgeous petals, one that resemble a tan-skinned midget person wearing a blue cap, a spirit draped in pale blue robes, and finally, a cotton fabric spirit resembling Ittan Momen*, and the flashy petal spirit was stepping on it for some reason. They were all quite huge, around the size of Zabuton. The trio spirits nodded while Ittanmomen shook its head.

Seems like it also depends on the spirit, huh.

「In some cases you can use a staff to control your mana — wood is the best material for that since you imitate the Spirit Trees that generate and gather spirits. You can engrave it with spells and patterns attractive to spirits, and you can also add manastones. 」
Hauron waved his hand and a long staff appeared out of thin air. He owns a 【Storage】? Or maybe it’s a different type of magic?

Dinosso and the others are Gold-ranked adventurers and they even set foot to the deeper layers of the Labyrinth. If we calmly consider it, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that one of his party members has a 【Storage】 or ability similar to that. See, I thought Butler also had it, but it turned out he’s an expert in hiding things in his clothes, or should I say he has a 【Hidden Vessel】…

Hauron’s staff has a red manastone, ah, no a droplet gem on it. Spirits imbue these stones with part of their mana and not only their attribute. These gems are more powerful than manastones and with strong binding ties to the spirit that imparted its power because of that.

「Try holding a compatible bough and concentrate. I’m sure you’ll be able to handle your mana easier, okay? 」

「Alright. 」
「Quit it. 」
Dinosso stopped me just as I was about to pull the excited X-Stick from my waist holster.

「Jean-sama, please put X-Stick-sama away. Even if our surroundings will not end up being destroyed in a great catastrophe, my mind will. 」
Butler said, to which Dinosso nodded.

Catastrophe, huh. Oh well, X- Stick is on a high, so he really might end up amplifying the effects of the spell, so I obediently listened to the duo and put him back.

「Oh, you’ve started using such pleasant expressions during the time we haven’t seen each other, haven’t you? It’s the first time I see you so shaken. 」
「…Numerous events transpired. 」
Butler’s gaze was slightly out of focus. Was he recalling that time long ago when he went on a journey looking for the King’s Bough?… I guess it’s better to keep our crab-poking episode a secret.

「… Anyway, I’ll conjure a fireball, and Lad, you try to use your own method to conjure it too, okay? I’ll observe you and tell you what I think. 」

「Yes. 」

「Here I go. 『O Thou Radiant Maiden Fandoll, with locks of flaming flowers adorning you, heed my request as now I aim this staff, a hundredth of my mana I offer to you — Fireball! 』
The flashy spirit stepping on Ittan Momen placed her hand on the staff and lent her power.

The fireball shot straight out of the staff’s apex; it gouged a sizeable rock out of the stone pillar we used as target.

「Okay, try it now. 」
「Yes. 」

「 『I request the same, please. 』 … Oh. 」

Another fireball shot out of Hauron’s staff!

「W-Wait! What’s going on!? Why, my staff, Fandoll… My mana’s getting sucked out!…! 」
Hauron was in a panic, but Fandoll just gave him a sidelong glance as she waved her hand.

「Well, I requested the same thing, so there shouldn’t be any problem. 」
Alright, let’s leave it at that, I conclude as I waved back to Fandoll.

I thought she’d use my mana, but she used other people’s — oh, right, I remember now, I kept on using Robe Guy or Glasses’s mana back in the Labyrinth.

「What’s going on!? This is too weird!! Hey!! Valmour!! 」
Hauron pressed Dinosso for an explanation.

「I already told you this guy’s reasoning is waaayyyy off big time. Don’t be so agitated with just this. 」
「Just this, you say…!! You’re nuts!! Shadow Wolf!! Tell me what the heck is going on!! 」
Hauron grabbed Dinosso’s collar, then he whirled around at Bulter.

「 — Magic is beyond my purview. 」
Butler grinned as he bowed lightly.