The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick up Trash - Volume 9 - Chapter 410

Chapter 410:

Magic Cores

AFTER WE SENT OUR FAX, we went back to the other room and waited for Zinal’s party to return.

“Captain, I’d like to ask you a few questions about summoning circles,” my father said.

The captain nodded. “Since a summoning circle is what’s causing this crisis, I’ll tell you everything I know. Ask away.”

“What’s the difference between the magic from magic spells and the kind from summoning circles? I know there’s some kind of difference, but I can’t put my finger on it.”

“I’m not sure how to best explain it… With magic spells, type and intensity depend on the magic energy levels of the caster. But the magic energy levels of a summoning circle are completely unrelated: Anybody can cast any kind of spell, and they can do it with much more intensity.”

So does this mean that even somebody with low magic energy like me can use magic? That sounds kind of nice, actually…

“The only catch is that magic will devour people in time if they draw it from a summoning circle.”

Huh?! Devour? Er, what exactly does he mean by that?

“A caster needs a magic core to use magic.”

A magic core? I’ve never heard of that. If people need it to use magic, why don’t I know about it?

“An individual’s magic energy cannot be affected by outsiders, and not even that individual can tamper with it—I’m sure you’ve heard the saying?”

“Yeah, everyone hears that when they first learn how to use magic.”

“Exactly, but it’s not quite technically true. What cannot be affected by outsiders or tampered with by the individual themselves is the magic core. Sometimes, outsiders can affect a person’s magic, you see. Some scholars believe that the magic stones dropped by monsters are those monsters’ magic cores.”

“Magic stones? But aren’t there monsters that don’t have magic stones?”

“Fair point…but many scholars still believe the theory.”

“So are you saying people have magic stones, too?”

“Not as far as I know. Either it’s a difference between humans and monsters, or magic stones aren’t exactly magic cores after all—everything’s still being researched.”

I guess that means there’s still a lot about the world we don’t know.

“The number of magic spells a person uses cannot affect their core. However, using the magic from a summoning circle can affect their core. If the makeup of a caster’s magic core metamorphoses, then that caster themselves is also affected.”

Could it be that the thing Sora heals is actually a person’s magic core?

“The casters are affected? As in, they become empty shells?”

“That, yes, but the people the summoning circle is cast on suffer the same fate, just in a different way from the caster. The caster becomes mad and feral, to the point where they must be put down. If a person’s core undergoes a metamorphosis, they lose their mind—rather, their very persona changes.”

 Is this like how monsters go berserk under the influence of magic energy?

“Who came up with summoning circles in the first place?” my dad said. “Why do people call them cursed relics? Also, Zinal said summoning circle research was cut off, but from the way you’re talking, it sounds like it’s still going on.”

“So, to answer your second question, the uptick in incidents involving summoning circles prompted the research to resume. However, when people were attacked and slaughtered at the hands of the scientists, it was put to a stop again. But then there was yet another crime involving a summoning circle. It’s an incident that involved me, in fact, and the tragedy could have been avoided if only we’d known more about summoning circles…hence the reopening of the research. They’re going about it with extreme caution, of course.”

“Now I see.”

It must be scary to research summoning circles when you might end up losing your sense of self—even more so if you had loved ones.

“Summoning circles are believed to have been created by some people who lived back when this world was divided into many different kingdoms.”

This world was divided into many different kingdoms? I’ve never heard about that.

“I’d wager not even you know about that, Druid? It really is ancient history.”

My father looked stunned. So he really didn’t know about it.

“Long ago, the kingdoms fought each other over the land, which led to the birth of summoning circle magic. You can find records of it left behind from the scientists of the era. When you first use a summoning circle, you’re filled with euphoria—an inexplicable bliss. But the more you use that magic, the more the hunger for it consumes you, until the lust for murder is eventually born within you.”

The captain’s account is so detailed… And is it just me, or does he look sad?

“Was one of those scientists a member of your family, Captain?”

Huh?! I looked at my father, then at the captain.

“Yeah… My grandfather was a scientist. It was terrifying watching the metamorphosis take him. In his final days, he killed more than half of his own family. My father and uncle somehow managed to stop him, but…it was a tragedy. In the documents he left behind, my grandfather theorized that summoning circles were originally developed to win the wars. People turn into demons—that’s what summoning circles do.”

My father and I kept a respectful silence.

“As a young boy, I vowed then and there that I would never get involved with summoning circles. But then that circle popped up many years ago and I got caught in the middle of it…and here we are again. I really must be cursed.”

I had no idea what to tell him. So this is what it means to be at a loss for words.

“You have been very unlucky, Captain, I won’t argue with that… But this village is very lucky.”

“Lucky? What in the world do you mean?”

“Since you’re one of the leaders of this village, Hataka was able to contact a summoning circle expert in the capital right away. That’s incredibly lucky for this village. Without you, the worst-case scenario could have happened here.”

My father was right: The captain’s presence did shine a ray of light on our situation. 

Yeah, I’m glad he’s the captain.

“Lucky, eh…?” The captain looked surprised for a moment, then he smiled softly.

Knock, knock.

“Come in.”

“Excuse me, Captain, but they’re all back—Nalgath’s party with the sub-vice-captain and Zinal’s party with the guild master. I take it you’d be all right with us having a nice chat over dinner?”

Huh? Why isn’t the guild master’s assistant with them…?

“Sure, go ahead.”

“Don’t worry, Captain, Eche has really outdone herself tonight… Hee hee hee hee!”

Yikes. What is that scary look in Melisa’s eyes…?

“Well, that’s her true profession, after all. Just tell her to go easy on them.”

“Er… Yes, Captain.”

Why did she hesitate? I’m dying to know, but I’d better drop it. Just look at how uncomfortable Dad seems.

“What is Eche’s true profession, if I may ask?” I said to the captain after Melisa left the room.

“Eche is an a…well, let’s just say her work involves all sorts of medicinal herbs.”

“Really, sir?”

What was he about to call her? A—what? Somebody who works with medicinal herbs would be an apothecary, right? But then he would just say so… A…assassin? Well…everybody has their skeletons in their closets.

“When do you think they’ll need my slimes to get started, sir?”

“Yes, well, they know we’re in a hurry, so they’ll probably get to work as soon as they can risk it… That means they’ll be needed right away.”

Will the guild master and sub-vice-captain be okay? If this is Melisa’s true profession, they must be in good hands, but still…

“I think it’s about time now.”

“Huh?! Already?”

I barely had time to gasp in surprise before I heard screaming in the hallway. It really was time.

“Er, Sora, Sol, are you guys…?”

“Pu! Pu, puuu.”

“Pefu!”

I looked over at the sound of the two slimes’ voices to see them merrily bouncing toward the door. I was shocked to see they were even awake.

“Hi, guys, are you ready to work?”

“Pu! Pu, puuu.”

“Pefu!”

Sora and Sol’s eagerness was surreal. Was breaking spells and healing magic cores really that much fun to them? Or did it give them an energy boost?

Knock, knock.

“Excuse me, but are we ready to break the spell?” Melisa asked as she opened the door and Nalgath and Arly carried in one of the men.

“Pu! Pu, puuu.”

“Pefu!”

“They’re all ready, ma’am,” I answered. “Just lay him down in bed.”

At my signal, the man was tossed onto the bed. Sol gleefully jumped over to him.

“He’s all yours, Sol,” Arly said.

With a little jiggle back at him, Sol quickly swallowed the man’s head. It was cute, but it still looked like the poor man’s head was being eaten.