Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 57: The Sage’s Staff
The magnetic field required for mana training is relatively easy to create once you understand the principles. Precision in craftsmanship isn’t a major concern, and thanks to skilled artisans accustomed to the extreme difficulty of Gremlin processing and metallurgists (mainly those responsible for manufacturing spring-driven mechanisms), mana training coffins were rapidly mass-produced and deployed across Tokyo.
Mana training facilities across the city saw long lines, day and night, rapidly accumulating data at an incredible pace.
As a result, many new discoveries were made.
For instance, it turns out that mana can be increased indefinitely—if you ignore the downsides.
Anyone can boost their mana up to about 1–2K without issue, but beyond that, individual differences become significant.
At a certain point in training, mana begins to fluctuate. Magic control deteriorates, and backlash increases.
Even the most basic magic—”Shoot aah,” the fundamental incantation of shooting magic—begins to go berserk. Many have fractured their hands or arms due to losing control of it.
If someone continues to increase their mana despite this, magic disorders begin to emerge and worsen: mana regeneration ceases, mana leakage occurs, spells fail, the mana cost of spells increases, magic hypersensitivity develops, and magic perception disorders set in.
Thus, while it is theoretically possible to increase mana infinitely, in practical terms, there is a limit due to the escalating drawbacks.
There are two ways to determine this limit.
One is to have a witch or wizard observe. Those who can control mana can clearly see when mana fluctuations become pronounced—a sign that negative effects are about to manifest. Training should be stopped at that point.
The other method is using a structural-color Gremlin. When measuring mana reserves with one, the display becomes unstable and fluctuates as the limit approaches. If the mana gauge starts fluctuating, it’s time to stop training.
Witches and wizards can also increase their mana. They generally feel that the better one is at controlling mana, the higher their training limit.
The same likely applies to humans.
While humans cannot control mana, it is speculated that those who “would have been good at it if they could” have a higher training limit, whereas those who “would have been bad at it” have a lower one.
Mana training is ultimately a matter of talent, which is a bit disheartening.
However, the person who holds the record for the lowest initial mana—starting at just 0.2K—has already increased it by 6K and continues training without hitting a ceiling.
This is promising.
If someone with a low starting value keeps training, they might even reach 200K. That’s exciting.
Even if someone starts with only 1K, they could surpass the Blue Witch’s mana level (11,000K) if they trained for about 160 years. Keep at it!
I reviewed the incoming data while tidying my warehouse and setting up a meditation room for mana training.
It was a small two-tatami-mat room with magnets embedded around the perimeter. By rotating the room using a spring-powered mechanism while meditating, mana training could be achieved.
I had Hiyori, who brought a BBQ set for a river outing, test it, and it worked perfectly.
While observing the magnetic field with iron filings and a magnetic field observation sheet, I had a thought:
“Could this be turned into a staff?”
My meditation room was small as a room but large as an object. The mana training coffins used in the city were about the size of a portable toilet—not impossible to move, but still too big.
If I could compact the meditation room’s function into a single staff, it would be incredibly convenient. A meditation staff, usable anytime, anywhere.
Creating the magnetic field necessary for mana training isn’t difficult once you grasp the principles. Precision isn’t critical. It’s quite forgiving.
With such a loose tolerance, miniaturization should be feasible. While miniaturizing precision devices is challenging, this system starts large and has a lot of leeway, making size reduction realistic.
Japanese people are good at miniaturization. There’s even an international joke: “Americans invent things, Japanese miniaturize them, Chinese mass-produce them, and Jewish people profit.”
I studied textbooks on magnetic properties, read papers from the Department of Mutagenic Studies, and conducted experiments to integrate a magnetic field reverse-reproduction mechanism into the staff.
Since the original structure was the size of a coffin or small shack, significant miniaturization was required. The internal mechanisms had to interlock like a puzzle, carefully placing the magnets to ensure functionality.
The principle was simple, first of all, press the staff’s tip against the forehead to set the coordinates, then turn the dial to store energy in the spring. As the spring-driven mechanism slowly rotates inside the staff, meditation allows for mana training anytime, anywhere.
While building the prototype, Hiyori, who had now brought a beach umbrella for the river outing, asked.
“Does this really need to be a staff?”
What a foolish question.
Of course not!
I’m a staff craftsman, so I’m making it into a staff. It could work as a helmet or something, but where’s the fun in that?
Compared to Gremlin processing, the craftsmanship was easy. The real challenge was designing the internal mechanism to fit together properly.
But after five prototypes, I finally succeeded.
This was merely a miniaturization of an existing system—if I hadn’t done it, someone else eventually would have.
Honestly, any skilled urban staff workshop could probably make one if they pooled their talents. Based on the general-purpose staves I disassembled, they seem to have the necessary expertise.
However, I was the first to do it.
I was the first spear.
No, the first staff!
The world’s first airplane was the Wright brothers’ Flyer.
But does anyone remember the second plane to fly? No.
Being first is crucial.
I named my new all-purpose mana training staff “Wise Staff: The Sage’s Staff.”
The Sage’s Staff was a wooden staff with a stylish burl at the tip. The wood, provided by Fuyou, was from an unknown but extremely hard tree. A large sapphire was embedded in the burl as a marker, indicating, “Place this against your forehead to use.”
No Gremlins or magic stones were used—this was purely for mana training. While the internal structure contained magnetic mechanisms and had some durability, it wasn’t meant for combat.
I considered auctioning off my new creation but decided against it. The new currency had been in circulation for less than a year.
Currently, only witches and wizards had significant wealth, so I could already predict who the buyers would be. That would make for a boring auction.
It would be better to wait until the monetary economy became more widespread and wealthy individuals emerged among the general populace.
The more bidders there are, the more exciting the auction, and the higher the prestige of the winning item.
I decided to give the Sage’s Staff to my best friend.
The day before our river outing, Hiyori arrived carrying a case of Flower Cola—a specialty product from Taito Ward released after the new currency was introduced, a pseudo-cola made using plant extracts. I wrapped the staff in a bonus piece of cloth and presented it to her. She accepted it with a delighted expression.
“Thanks! I’m really happy. Did you match the gemstone to my color?”
“Something like that. I used the biggest sapphire I had on hand.”
“I see. Nice. I love it. I’ll meditate with it every day and take good care of it… Hm? And this cloth?”
Hiyori unfolded the deep indigo fabric that had been used as wrapping and realized it was a brand-new robe.
I put on my best smug face and explained:
“It’s a robe made from interwoven spider silk of the Spider Witch and wool of the Steel Sheep. Heat-resistant and durable. It even has slight magic resistance. Stain-resistant, wrinkle-proof, lightweight, and it won’t fade… Well, basically, it’s the exclusive robe of the one and only Blue Witch. Your black coat has been falling apart for ages. I get that you’re attached to it, but the back is faded, the shoulders are fraying, the edges are all tattered—it’s at its limit. If you don’t mind, I’d like you to wear this instead.”
At my urging, Hiyori held the robe against her body, checked herself out in the workshop’s full-length mirror, and then started fidgeting, visibly restless.
Fingering the snowflake brooch on the robe’s collar, she looked up at me with an uncharacteristically hesitant expression.
“…If I accept this, I’ll be holding your staff, wearing your necklace, and now, wearing your robe too. Dairi, what exactly are you trying to do to me? Are you trying to mold me into your ideal?”
“Nah, nothing like that. You’re a witch, and you’re insanely beautiful, right? I just want to see you in outfits that suit you. Please, wear it.”
Thus began my grand Blue Witch makeover project.
The first time I met Hiyori, she was a witch clad in a ragged black coat, clutching an unprocessed magic stone. Intimidating, sure, but stylish? Debatable.
So I equipped her with gear straight out of my ideal witch aesthetic!
- A proper witch’s wand!
- A protective witch’s amulet!
- A true witch’s robe!
Hiyori, embrace your full-fledged witch destiny!
You’re going to look absolutely perfect. I want to see a classic, storybook-style, picture-perfect witch.
When I pushed my clothing agenda with unrestrained enthusiasm, Hiyori let out a weird noise, marched straight up to me, and—
“Alright, I’m going hug you. Come here.”
“Wait, what? No, absolutely not! Stop—!”
Without a moment’s hesitation, she pulled me into a tight embrace, then strode off to another room to change.
When she returned, she spun around in a little twirl to show off.
“Well? How do I look?”
“Oh? Ah, yeah. You look good. You look amazing. The perfect outfit for the world’s most beautiful witch.”
“Heheh, heheheh…! I got to show this to Kei-chan too!”
Still grinning even through her mask, Hiyori left in high spirits.
I stood frozen in the workshop, still rattled.
That sudden hug had me all out of sorts. Hiyori used to carry the scent of blood and gunpowder—now she smelled like expensive perfume.
And my heart was still acting weird. Racing, even.
Well, considering that being hugged by Hiyori at full strength could have shattered every bone in my body, a little bit of heart-thumping is probably natural. I’m just glad my heart didn’t literally burst.
Heh. The stronger the legendary Blue Witch is while wearing my gear, the more valuable my brand becomes. I need to keep sending her new equipment.
She gets top-tier gear, I get exposure, and I get to admire the best view possible.
Everything about this is great.
The world has turned into a fantasy.
Might as well live it to the fullest!