Chapter 383

Ellen had tried to hand me Lapelt, but I did not take it. Just that action alone had changed the future, and I did not know in what way it would affect me.

For the remainder of the winter break, the four of us who had achieved Mana Reinforcement trained under Sabioleen Tana. After Ludwig and Cliffman finished their training, Tana focused on teaching Ellen and me intensively.

Most of the matters that were worrying me were out of my hands, and in a situation where becoming stronger was the top priority, receiving guidance from Sabioleen Tana could only be beneficial for me. As I continued to endure Sabioleen Tana’s intensive training, several things happened.

Among them, two things were the most important.

“Is it completed?”

“Yes. The enhancement potion is entering the clinical stage, so we’ll now commission the university research lab to pursue it further. The same goes for the mana artifact.”

Both Moonshine and the Power Cartridge had been completed.

***

I headed to the Magic Research Club with Harriet. The Magic Research Club, which was formed in the second semester, had succeeded in finally completing two items before the end of the winter break.

However, to verify whether these two artifacts truly functioned properly, we had to commission a university-level research lab to perform various safety tests, as this was not something a high school club could handle.

These items were originally supposed to be created amidst the chaos following the Gate Incident. Because of the crisis facing humanity, anything that could aid in combat was immediately put to use, so Moonshine and the Power Cartridge were deployed straight into action.

In this time, though, the world was at peace despite the lurking threat of the Demon King so despite the innovativeness of the body enhancement potion and the Power Cartridge, they could not be approved for use until their functionality was verified.

While the effects of Moonshine could not be immediately verified, the Power Cartridge was very straightforward. It was an artifact with a somewhat peculiar design, resembling a necklace featuring a blue mana stone the size of a finger encased in a metal cage.

“We’ve decided to call it the Power Cartridge.”

“Sounds good.”

Adelia was the one who had come up with the name, just like in the original. Adelia stared at the completed Power Cartridge with a look of wonder, as if she did not quite understand what she had created.

“The artifact’s stability has already been sufficiently verified, but it can only be used once. It seems possible to make it reusable by recharging it through mana, but... that would increase its size, and the current mana stabilization device might become unstable.”

The Power Cartridge was essentially like a disposable fuel tank. Once all the mana inside was used, it would be discarded. In the original story, it was a disposable item, but could it be made reusable? There seemed to be some issues with that, though.

“... So, this thing around the mana stone is the mana stabilization device?”

Adelia nodded. “Yes.”

I might not have understood the principle of the Power Cartridge, but its structure was simple—a mana stone encased in a stabilization device to prevent it from exploding.

“The external stabilization device manages and counteracts the instability when using the mana of the mana stone as if it were internal mana. Naturally, the durability of the stabilizer will inevitably decrease as magic is used. So, while it could be configured with a rechargeable mana stone for multiple uses, using it for too long would cause it to explode. A mana replenishment device that could explode during combat... would be meaningless.”

It could be made into a rechargeable item, but the longer it was used, the greater the risk of explosion.

Of course, I wasn’t expecting it to be reusable. Even as it was, it was already a groundbreaking invention that would turn the magic world upside down.

“You’ve worked hard. Now you’ll be remembered as a great figure in the history of magic,” I said to Adelia.

“Uh, uh...? Is that so...?”

I looked over at Harriet. The Power Cartridge and Moonshine... Harriet had once dismissed them as nonsense, and said that if such things were created, the person who made them would go down in history as a great figure in the magic world. Yet, they had been created.

Even Adelia, who had made the Power Cartridge, seemed unable to understand how she managed to create it, but she had indeed done it.

“Why are you acting like you’re the one who made it?” Harriet muttered, unable to stomach my triumphant gaze.

“Hey, I set out the framework and got the funding. Isn’t that enough contribution on my part?”

I hadn’t been involved in the research itself, but I was the one who had successfully influenced the creation of the research environment. Of course, it was a little funny to be acting like this when I had previously said I wouldn’t boast about the accomplishments as if they were mine.

“Well, when you put it that way...” Harriet mumbled, then eventually ran out of things to say and closed her mouth.

The Power Cartridge was complete. It even had the added potential to be modified for reusability, which wasn’t in the original story. It seemed Adelia had also prepared a research paper to present her findings to the Temple University, so Adelia would truly be recorded in history as a mage who changed the world while still in high school.

It might even be that Adelia and Cristina, more so than Harriet, might be remembered by history as outstanding mages. Of course, Adelia wasn’t the only one who had worked on it, so it seemed like all the members of this research club would become superstars of the magic world. But was that really... a good thing?

As I learned things I hadn’t known when pushing forward with the Magic Research Club’s work, I began to sense different issues.

A little later, I watched a demonstration of magic powered by the Power Cartridge’s mana.

Rudina was doing the demonstration. She stood in the testing room, wearing the Power Cartridge around her neck, and she summoned a total of eighteen fireballs that all hit the target.

Boom boom boom boom!

Despite her meager mana, Rudina, who did not have even the natural ability to cast large-scale magic, was now unleashing a barrage of fireballs without any casting time. I thought she’d be thrilled.

—I am a god! The god of magic! Come at me, everyone!

Watching the little one claim to be a god, surpassing even dragons, made me feel a bit dizzy. But if that little one carried around a hundred Power Cartridges, wouldn’t she really be a god? She might even be able to bring about the end of the world on her own. Of course, she couldn’t actually carry a hundred Power Cartridges on her body.

She had the insane talent of being able to summon a million fireballs the moment she thought of it. Now that her disadvantage of her very low mana capacity was removed, Rudina might be the most dangerous mage in the world.

“Looks good, senior,” Harriet said as she laughed, covering her mouth as if finding Rudina’s excited bouncing and fireball-throwing at the dummy adorable.

—I said I’m a god! Come out! Come oooout!

Boom boom boom boom boom!

“Isn’t senior Rudina just too cute?”

‘Oh, please. You’re one to talk.’

Rudina continued casting spells wildly to demonstrate that the cartridge wouldn’t explode until all its energy was consumed. She continued her magical barrage like a crazed kid for a while, and when no more fireballs could be summoned, she removed the now dim cartridge from her neck and exited the lab.

“I’m exhausted...” she proclaimed as she struggled to catch her breath.

“Well, of course you’d be tired after shouting like that.”

“T-that’s right...”

It wasn’t a mana issue; her body was just tired from jumping around and casting spells. Rudina dragged her weary body to a chair and sat down.

Although Adelia was the chief researcher in charge of the Power Cartridge, Rudina was the deputy. Thus, Rudina had also made significant contributions to the development of the Power Cartridge.

“Hey, so are we starting the research for my personal cartridge now? I’m ready anytime.”

“We’ll soon be able to make a cartridge that can be continuously used.”

It seemed Rudina wanted a reusable Power Cartridge of her own, and she was overjoyed at the mention that research on her personal cartridge would be commencing soon.

They had been presented with an impossible challenge, and it had been achieved. That was why everyone wore such bright expressions.

***

After checking out the Power Cartridge, we moved on to Moonshine.

“If my theory is correct, we’ll be able to manifest the expected effects. Of course, there won’t be any side effects, but we need to conduct clinical trials, so it can’t be commercialized immediately. I’m not even sure if it will be commercialized,” Cristina said as she peered down at the pink solution inside a conical flask.

Harriet looked at the flask and said, “They’ve decided to call this Moonshine.”

Just like in the original story, this potion was also named Moonshine.

Moonshine was a potion that enhanced mana sensitivity and increased mana capacity. If the Power Cartridge was for mages, this was for combat majors. Most combat majors who struggled with Mana Reinforcement would be able to awaken it after drinking this, while those who already knew how to activate Mana Reinforcement would quickly become adept at it.

No matter how you put it, it was basically the same as doping.

Anna brought another container of the pink liquid over to me. “Reinhart, do you want to try it...?”

“Ah, Anna! Stop giving Reinhart weird stuff!”

Harriet was horrified, but Anna slowly approached me. It was surely the same Moonshine, but what she offered seemed too scary. It felt like she might have mixed something else in it!

“Don’t drink that.”

“Yes, don’t!”

Cristina, as if accustomed to this, snatched the conical flask from Anna’s grasp and tossed it aside.

Crash!

The flask shattered on the bare floor, and the liquid inside spilled across the lab.

“C-Cristina...!”

Harriet was more surprised by Cristina’s sudden action.

However, both Anna and Cristina seemed unfazed by the situation, as if it was a common occurrence. Cristina began cleaning up the spilled liquid and glass shards as if it were routine.

How often did this happen? And why did Anna seem so accustomed to such treatment? Anna was scary, but Cristina was terrifying in a different way.

“What... was that?”

“I don’t know, but Anna keeps making other things whenever she has spare time.”

‘Did she just throw it on the floor without knowing what it was?’

It seemed like her personality had warped a little while researching Moonshine.

“Anyway, I’m sure it’s done, but the clinical trials will take quite a while. We’ll have to wait for a substantial amount of time for the trials on its efficacy to be completed before it can be used.”

Cristina held up the conical flask and looked at me.

“So, do you want to try it? I’m confident it’s safe, but I can’t take responsibility if something goes wrong.”

Cristina was confident that Moonshine had been completed, but it was possible that there were still side effects. If I drank it, I’d be the first person in this world to consume Moonshine.

“Meh. What’s the worst that can happen?” I said as I took the conical flask.

“Hey, hey. You should calm yourself and think this through...”

Harriet couldn’t tell me not to drink it, but she seemed anxious about me drinking it and groaned in concern.

The pink fluorescent substance looked like something I should never drink. In the real world where I’d come from, I would have been sure it was radioactive material.

Trusting Cristina’s abilities, I gulped down the pink fluorescent substance in one go.

“Wow... you really have no fear, do you?”

Cristina seemed genuinely surprised, as if she hadn’t expected me to actually drink it.

“How is it?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

As expected, I didn’t feel any power-up sensation at all.

But then...

‘This is strange.’

“Why... does it taste good?”

‘It tastes incredibly good!’

“Right?! It’s delicious, isn’t it!”

Cristina was indeed a crazy genius.

***

Cristina had added a new effect to Moonshine that wasn’t in the original story: it was delicious.

I wasn’t sure if there would be issues with overconsumption, but it was bizarrely tasty enough to make me wonder if people might collapse from overdosing on Moonshine.

The effects of Moonshine weren’t immediately apparent. It would have been scary if they were. It would take some time for me to gradually feel the impact Moonshine would have on my body.

All the members of the Magic Research Club were gathered in one place: Harriet, Adelia, Cristina, Anna, Louis, Rudina and myself.

“It seems like everyone has achieved their goals somehow. Great job, everyone.”

Everyone had contributed to the research in their own way. Louis Ankton, for instance, had participated in both the cartridge and Moonshine production processes and effectively served as the treasurer, managing the budget.

We had taken on tasks that everyone thought to be impossible, and had somehow achieved success. We accomplished in less than half a year what no other magical research group had managed to do over decades. Anyone who heard about it would find it unbelievable.

“Have you sent the research results to Temple University?”

“Not yet. Since you’re the president, we thought it was important to show you the completed products first.”

Though I was only the president in name, everyone acknowledged that I played an important role. It was an impossible task that no one had attempted before, but I was the one who, albeit forcefully, had made them try, and because of that, we had made the impossible possible.

“Then let’s start with the bad news,” I said as I organized my thoughts. I knew my decision was one that no one would accept, but I had to make them accept it.

“Don’t report it to them,” I said calmly.

Everyone looked at me strangely. If I had known about Cantus Magna and Akasha earlier, I wouldn’t have asked these kids to do anything. The fact was that I had put them all in danger because things happened out of order.

“Let’s keep the fact that these items were created to ourselves and officially declare it a failure,” I concluded.

I had finally let it out.

***

“What are you suddenly talking about?” Harriet asked with a bewildered expression, voicing out what the others were also thinking.

Instead of showering them with praise, I was suggesting we keep the research results to ourselves and not report them.

These were young mages who made the impossible possible, and Cantus Magna was after spells. Not forbidden spells, but spells. And spells could always be created.

Cantus Magna would be seeking a mage who could create countless new spells, much more than they would numerous existing spells.

If word got out that two miracles that could change the history of magic had been created in a high school club, even one from the Temple’s Royal Class, the rumors would spread far and wide, and they would inevitably become stars in the magic world. Cantus Magna’s focus would turn to them, rather than to a dungeon in the Dark Land that hadn’t even become famous yet.

If they were desperate to complete Akasha, they would target a source that could create countless new spells rather than a collection of old spells, so they would inevitably target the Magic Research Club.

The results of our research could not be revealed. If Cantus Magna stretched forth their claws and kidnapped these kids, I wouldn’t be able to handle the situation, so I had to say it.

‘Let’s pretend we discovered nothing. Let’s make it as if it never happened.’

They had all achieved the miracle of making the impossible possible, and it was natural to want recognition. However, the one who had first proposed this idea was now saying that they should bury the results, as if they never existed. No one would understand. They were surely wondering why their crazy president was spewing such bizarre nonsense.

However, I was not faced with expressions of bewilderment. Instead, I felt sorrow, injustice, and even anger from them.

‘Why? Why does it have to be that way?’

“Say something,” said Harriet, the one exception. “Why are you doing this?”

She alone seemed willing to listen to my reasons, to try to understand why I was doing this.

If the research results were revealed, the entire Magic Research Club would be in danger. Just as the Black Order had infiltrated the Temple, Cantus Magna could also have infiltrated it. Fortunately, no one outside of the Magic Research Club members knew that these two items had been completed.

I couldn’t tell them about Cantus Magna, but coming up with excuses was my specialty. If there wasn’t a reason, I could create one.

“The Demon King,” I said—a single, magical term that could justify everything.

Just as Vertus had used that magical being to justify the massacre of the revolutionary leadership, I, as the Demon King, could also use it.

“This is, objectively, a very powerful strategic resource that could elevate humanity’s power several levels above what it is now. If the Demon King, who is dreaming of revenge against humans somewhere, finds out that such items were created here, by your hands, what do you think the Demon King would do? Wouldn’t he think he needs to eliminate you before you create something even more dangerous?”

At my words, everyone’s faces began to turn pale.

When I said we needed to create Moonshine and the Power Cartridge, the threat of the Demon King had not been imminent, but the series of recent events had greatly elevated the awareness of the threat the Demon King posed.

“Not long ago, there was an unfortunate incident,” I continued.

The death of Duke Granz...

Everyone knew about that incident, and their expressions grew even more serious. Harriet’s complexion, in particular, worsened significantly.

“The Demon King is closer than you think.”

‘Yes, I’m actually right beside you, and that’s not a problem, but let’s just blame it on the Demon King.’