When Da-eun asked how strong I was, I couldn’t help but hesitate.

Strength is always relative, so even if she asked me that, there wasn’t much I could say in response.

Let’s take an example.

If I were to face off one-on-one with that snake coiled in the Empire, it might sound arrogant, but in a one-on-one fight, I have no doubts.

No doubts about losing.

However, if we were to clash on the battlefield, army against army, the result would end in my defeat.

That snake is adept at using all sorts of tricks and magic to destroy armies, so while I might come out unscathed, my soldiers wouldn’t be so lucky.

I’ve been outmaneuvered by his magic more than once...

Even though I wanted to kill that snake countless times, there were reasons I couldn’t.

…Perhaps if I were willing to face mutual destruction, I could’ve managed it, but back then, I had things I needed to protect, so I couldn’t take that path.

And even now, it’s the same.

Anyway, I used the snake as an example because it’s the most familiar to me, but how could I possibly know how many strong people are on the Ardina Continent?

Usually, when I say “I’m a Master,” that’s enough for people to accept and move on, but clearly, Da-eun wasn’t satisfied with such an answer.

She pressed the question further, unsatisfied with the comparison between her and me.

“Then, Kana, have you ever fought with all your strength?”

“All my strength….”

Of course, I have.

When I resisted the drunk who tried to drag me away.

When I desperately fought back against thugs, thinking I might die if I didn’t.

When I fought wolf monsters while escaping the city and was pushed to the brink of death.

I always had to give it my all.

Had I not, I wouldn’t be here today.

“…Sniff!”

As I quietly recounted this, Da-eun suddenly sniffled.

“N-no, not that! I mean, what about when you were in the knights?”

She quickly changed the subject.

The sudden shift wasn’t exactly smooth, and I caught on right away, but I didn’t press the issue.

Talking about that time wasn’t exactly enjoyable for me either.

“Hmm…”

I pretended to think for a moment.

“There were a few times.”

Once in the war against the Empire, and a couple more times against other threats.

Hearing this, Da-eun’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“To see you fighting with all your strength… It must’ve been so cool…!”

…?

She didn’t even see it, though?

“It’s nothing special.”

Fighting with all your strength means a strong enemy has appeared.

Even if you win, fighting such foes is exhausting and something I’d rather avoid.

Da-eun looked sheepish after realizing what she’d said.

“Oh no, I didn’t mean I want you to suffer. I just thought it would look amazing…”

“Yeah, I know.”

Given her personality, I knew Da-eun’s words were genuine, not just an excuse.

So, they didn’t bother me much.

There were plenty of other reasons I didn’t want to fight with all my strength, though.

“If I do, it hurts, and strange things start to happen…”

But most of all,

“It’s noisy.”

“…Noisy?”

“Yeah.”

The thing I hate the most is hearing unnecessary chatter during a fight.

Listening to pointless noise that doesn’t help in any way makes me feel like I’m going crazy.

I stared at Da-eun, who was still confused.

‘In a way, maybe it’s kind of like Da-eun.’

The details are different, but broadly speaking, it might be the same.

Da-eun is always listening to what her viewers say, after all.

Suddenly, I felt a newfound respect for her.

“…Huh? Noisy? What do you mean? You’re not talking about me, are you?”

She still didn’t get it.

 

Strengthening your resistance to magi isn’t just about increasing your power level.

There’s a reason why wealthy people wear expensive magic tools wrapped all over them.

Powerful magic tools increase resistance to magi just by being worn.

To be more precise, they transfer the damage you would take to the tool, acting like an extra life.

Of course, that’s not the only reason to wear magic tools, but you get the idea.

So here’s a question.

What makes a magic tool expensive?

“Me, me! I know the answer!”

Da-eun, my one and only enthusiastic student, raised her hand energetically.

“It’s because high-grade magic is engraved on them!”

“Hmm…”

Not wrong, but…

“50 points.”

“What?!”

Only 50 points?!

Da-eun trembled as she received the pathetic score.

“Why, Professor?!”

“Engraving high-grade magic is just a middle step; it’s not the fundamental reason.”

“It’s not… the fundamental reason?”

“No. If magic craftsmen know they can charge more for high-grade magic, why don’t they only make expensive tools and skip the cheaper ones?”

“Oh… because they’re not skilled enough?”

“That’s part of it.”

A craftsman’s skill is important for creating good tools, just like how a skilled blacksmith makes great swords, a capable magic engineer creates quality magic tools.

I held out my arm.

The bracelet on my wrist jingled softly.

“How much magic do you think could be engraved on this bracelet?”

“Uh… I don’t know…?”

Da-eun, who was clueless about magic, avoided answering.

I wasn’t much different from her when it came to magic, but this wasn’t about specialized knowledge.

“At most, you could engrave low-grade magic.”

“L-low-grade? But I paid quite a bit for this…”

“Just because it looks good as an accessory doesn’t mean it’s made from the best materials for magic tools.”

Some expensive magic tools are both beautiful and functional, like rings, necklaces, bracelets, and hairpins that are easy to wear and stylish.

But the price for those…

“You already know, right?”

“Uh-huh…”

Do you, or don’t you?

I decided to trust she understood and moved on.

“The higher the level of magic, the more mana it requires. When it’s engraved on a tool, the demand is reduced, but still…”

Even so, could ordinary people who can’t even sense mana handle the magic required?

Of course not.

All magic cast from tools is powered by the mana stored within them.

To engrave high-grade magic, you need a material with the durability to withstand it and the capacity to store large amounts of mana.

These two qualities are what make a magic tool valuable.

“That’s why some people with a lot of mana use tools made from materials with high durability but low capacity.”

“Mmm! I totally get it now!”

“…You sure?”

“Of course!”

Usually, when someone says that, it means they didn’t get it at all.

Her confident expression made me feel uneasy, but it wasn’t a critical topic, so I let it go.

“So, Professor!”

“Hm?”

“I asked why we’re heading north, but how did this turn into a lecture on magic tools?”

Everything I said was to answer her question.

“Even though it’s mostly safe when you’re near Celine, there’s always a chance something could go wrong.”

If something happened and Celine wasn’t by my side.

Or if something came up that neither Celine nor I could handle.

To prepare for that, I decided to rely on magic tools as a backup.

Magic tools designed solely to resist magi would help me withstand Raxia’s magi-infested environment.

Honestly, I’d rather have something like a holy relic from Edel’s church, but unfortunately, Edel didn’t approve that request.

“For me, huh?”

“…I just don’t want to deal with the hassle if you get hurt.”

We already have a long journey ahead, and if you get hit by magi, we’d have to stop for healing.

That’s all it is.

Really.

Stare~

“….”

Staaaaare~

I avoided her warm, glowing gaze, feeling uncomfortable.

Then, as I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye—

Swoosh!

“…?!”

“Awwww, you’re so cute~~!”

Da-eun ambushed me with a hug.

…This again?

It had happened enough times that I just went limp in her embrace, letting her squeeze me.

“Yup, yup! You’re worried about me, aren’t you, Kana~?”

“…Mmph.”

“Hmm? You’re saying yes? I knew it!”

Completely wrong.

Even if I said that, she wouldn’t believe me anyway.

“You two are as close as ever, I see.”

“Hehe, really?”

“Yes, it’s enough to make me a little jealous just watching. Fufu.”

Can’t they at least let me go while they chat?

Eventually, Da-eun patted my back and let me go.

Freed from her grasp, I waved my hand like a fan to cool my flushed face.

…It’s hot.

“The easiest place to get magic tools is the capital of the Empire.”

The Empire, which dominates the continent, and especially its capital, the heart of the Empire, is a place where all sorts of people and goods gather.

Though I’ve never been to the capital, I’ve heard plenty about it.

“Oh? But Kana, didn’t you—”

“Yeah, so we’re not going to the capital.”

If we were headed for the Empire, we wouldn’t have gone north in the first place.

Magic tools are often made from ores.

And if you ask anyone on Ardina which race is the best at handling ores, they’ll all give the same answer.

“The land of the dwarves. That’s where we’re going.”

Just as the elves have the Great Forest, the dwarves have the Great Mountain Range.

The official name isn’t “Great Mountain Range,” and their nation has another name, but—

‘Humans call the elves’ land the Great Forest, huh? Well, we can’t lose to that! We’ll call ours the Great Mountain Range!’

—Or so the rumors go.

It’s the kind of rumor that makes everyone laugh, saying, “No way they did it for that reason.”

But having met dwarves myself, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the rumor was true.

Well, it’s not like they call a small hill the Great Mountain Range. The mountains are huge and grand, so the name isn’t entirely unfitting…

But if that’s really the reason, isn’t it kind of unsettling?

“…The land of the dwarves!”

As expected, Da-eun reacted with excitement.

Like a sparrow unable to resist stopping at a mill, Da-eun couldn’t contain her curiosity.

That’s probably why she’s always so energetic, running around all the time.