Kays Translations

Chapter 30: Original Magic Tool

Isamu and Eto, who successfully conducted the prototype experiment for the Heat Bestowal Enchantment "Heat," were now conducting practicality checks as the next step.

"It seems like the 4/10th amount has the best balance."

"Yes, that's right. The 4/10 amount has the best balance between heat generation and operating time."

In this context, "amount" refers to the unit when the magic power of the original functional circle is considered 1. So, 4/10th amounts correspond to the original 4/10th magic power setting.

Isamu and Eto had created prototype devices with magic power settings ranging from 2 times to 1/10th of the original amount and were meticulously checking the heat generation and operating time.

As for the intended use, they primarily considered it for cooking stoves. Even with a 2-times amount of magic power, the devices didn't melt or become red-hot, but they generated quite high heat, which wasn't suitable for cooking. Moreover, the operating time was relatively short, making it less practical.

They also tried magic power settings of 1.5 times and 1.25 times, but they found them to be impractical with excessive heat. The most practical range was between 7/10 and 3/10, where the devices had the right balance of power.

For magic power settings below 1, in the 4/10th and below range, they observed no significant difference in the continuous operating time. Therefore, they concluded that the 4/10th magic power setting had the best balance between power and time.

"However, it's surprising that when magic power consumption falls below a certain level, there's almost no difference in operating time."

"Indeed. I thought that lowering it would make it last longer. But I remember, for non-attribute magic stones, lowering it did increase the operating time, right?"

Isamu and Eto exchanged their thoughts on the most surprising discovery from the experiment.

"Right, that's true."

"Is there a difference between attributes? Or is it just non-attribute magic stones that are unique?"

"Well, that's possible. It could also be due to differences between activation circles and functional circles."

"I see. That's a possibility too. It's quite deep, and there's so much we don't know."

"But that's what makes it..."

"...fun!"

Saying so, they looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"Kukukuku, Isamu, you’re an irredeemable craftsman."

"Hahaha, you too, Eto-san. Finding joy in the unknown, you're quite an odd one."

"Kukukuku, thanks. That's the best compliment."

And they laughed heartily again.

"...I wonder, will men always be like children no matter how old they get?"

Annemarie, who had been watching the experiment nearby, sighed in a mixture of exasperation and fondness. Her gaze was like that of an older sister watching over her wayward younger brother.

After about five days of conducting experiments and adjusting the appearance, they had finally completed the world's first original magic tool. This was about to be showcased to a select few members of the Viscount's household, including the Viscount and his wife, Annemarie, Steward Rudolf, Head of Domestic Affairs Sven, and the Head Chef Guido.

The magic tool was tentatively named "Magic Stove" for simplicity. Its biggest selling point was that it was the world's first original magic tool, but it also included a feature that was no less impressive.

"Is this the magic tool? It's amazing, very beautiful."

"Yes, it certainly is. The exterior looks great, and the variety is wonderful."

Previous magic tools had to use the original shape of the functional circle since its meaning was unknown. As a result, their appearance couldn't be changed unless the size was significantly increased.

However, Isamu could adjust the size and shape of the functional circle because he understood the content written in it. This meant he could create items with various appearances without unnecessarily increasing their size.

To make the merits of this clear, he had created three different-looking Magic Stoves with the same performance.

The first one was a square model, designed to be as thin as possible. By adjusting the positions of the magic stones and the connection point with the activation circle, they managed to make it slightly higher at the front while keeping it as thin as a pizza box.

The second one was a long, vertical model with the stove section as wide as possible. When viewed on its own, its utility as a cooking tool was not particularly high. However, with some adjustments, it could be used to create two-burner or three-burner stoves, expanding its possibilities.

The third was a circular model. Previously, circular functional circles hadn't been discovered, so when trying to create a circular magic tool, the inner circle of the square base had been the limit of smallness. This resulted in unnecessary space on the outside, making it larger than needed.

Isamu was able to fit the functional circle into a circular base, allowing him to create circular items of nearly the same size as square ones. While the demand for such items was uncertain, they would be able to handle more complex shapes, such as star-shaped ones.

"It's a stove for cooking, right?"

"Yes, that's correct. I've tested it, and it can be used to prepare simple dishes."

"I see. So, Isamu, you can cook to some extent?"

"Just simple stir-fries and soups, that's about it."

"That's more than enough. Well then, based on that, let's have our chef evaluate its performance as a cooking tool. Guido, please make a few dishes to test it."

"Yes! Leave it to me!"

Upon hearing that it was a cooking magic device, Chef Guido, who had been examining it with keen interest, responded enthusiastically to Nicolette's request.

"...Haa, you're definitely a boy, too."

"Hehe, that's right, mother. He has the same look in his eyes as Isamu and Eto."

Upon hearing that, Nicolette sighed, and Annemarie answered with a chuckle.

Meanwhile, Guido, who had already set up his cooking utensils, paid no attention to their conversation.

"Guido-san, this is extremely easy to use. When you activate it with the activation magic stone, the plate here heats up instantly. You can cook by placing a frying pan or pot on it. However, at this point, the heat is constant, so to lower it, you have to adjust the distance or reduce the contact area of the pot."

"I see. I understand."

In Ethersia, cooking is generally done using stoves fueled by firewood. Therefore, adjusting the heat often involves regulating the distance between the pot or pan and the flames. So, the basic usage doesn't change much.

"It can get quite hot, but unlike regular stoves, when you move away, you won't feel the heat immediately. So, you should assume that you can't make fine adjustments to the heat."

"I see. You won't know until you try those aspects. But, stoves also have different quirks depending on the item you use. I'm used to it, so it's not a problem!"

Ignoring Isamu’s concerns, Guido smiled and flexed his muscles.

"Hahaha, you're a true head chef. Well, then, I'm counting on you!"

"Leave it to me. I've been given the honor of making dishes with the world's first magic tool, so please wait a bit for delicious results."

With those words, Guido activated the magic stove, placed a pot filled with water on it, and began to set up the cooking.

While he looked serious, he also appeared to be having fun. Guido started cooking with a determined but joyful expression.

The Viscount's family, who didn't usually get to see the cooking process, were all watching with serious expressions.

The first thing Guido did was check the heat. He placed a pot of water on the stove and timed how long it took to boil.

Once that was done, he lightly oiled a frying pan and grilled various types of meat and vegetables with varying thickness. After a taste test, he nodded and began cooking in earnest.

There were three stoves available, so he worked on multiple dishes simultaneously.

The stoves created this time were most similar to electric stovetops on Earth. While they've become less common lately, they're the type of stoves you find in small apartments where not much cooking is done.

The main differences would likely be that the magic stove heats up relatively quickly compared to electric stoves, and it reaches much higher absolute temperatures. This, in turn, solves most of the drawbacks of electric stoves. If magic stoves were available on Earth, they would likely gain popularity.

Despite his initial hesitation due to the difference in handling, Guido became more adept at cooking as he got used to it. He simmered soup while preparing omelets on one stove, and on another, he prepared bacon and stir-fried vegetables.

These were relatively simple dishes but ideal for assessing the stove's ease of use. After about an hour of cooking, eight servings of dishes were ready.

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