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Chapter 188 – Day 19 of Management Life
“So, when Midgard was relocated a thousand years ago, life became more convenient and the physical skills that should have been cultivated beforehand were lost. In the thousand years since, those convenient techniques were not regained, and the physical skills remained lost…”
The Minotaur, chief of the tower, crossed his thick arms and wore a troubled expression.
He was sharing insights over breakfast with the tower’s inhabitants. Breakfast consisted of potato potage soup and a stew of vegetables and fruit. Yesterday, it had been skewered meat, but they said they normally ate fish and vegetables rather than game.
“What about the elven kingdom?”
The old Minotaur asked Hel about martial arts.
“Even the long-lived elves don’t live a thousand years. But there might be villages that excel in martial arts and have passed down their skills. However…”
The elf Hel crossed her arms and looked at me.
“Is there something on my face?”
The four of us had just been treated to breakfast by the Magic Sealing Clan. The dining hall and kitchen were clearly separate, quite different from the demonic land. The bedrooms upstairs were private, too, making it feel like a normal inn.
“Those guards you saw at the border with the Elven Kingdom are proof. No matter how skilled someone is from a martial arts village, I don’t think anyone can surpass Makyo. The development of physical techniques must have been different in Satra and Yggdrasil, too.”
“When we get back, let’s ask the Golems. They’re soldiers, too. They might know something.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“S-so, where is this island heading?”
Sylvia finished her shark soup and looked at the Minotaur.
“No idea. It depends on the Master Turtle’s will. Maybe it found a feeding ground or a magic pool somewhere…”
“What about the island Sylvia and the others were on?”
“Well, they were wary at first, but once the island started moving, the wyvern riders quickly took them to the tower for shelter. They said it had been centuries since anyone from outside the archipelago had survived.”
“They said ‘It’s a waste of such thick bones,’ and pulled my whole body.”
Kahiman used to have a hunched back, but now his posture is much straighter.
“The Kappou clan, I suppose. They realigned your bones. Your blood and magic flow should be better now, right?”
The old Minotaur man looked at Kahiman.
Kahiman opened and closed his hands, murmuring, “Indeed.”
“When bones align, muscles and magic align, too. For us goblin folk, that’s crucial. True strength manifests directly in the body, allowing for clear analysis.”
The goblin slurping soup beside him explained this while wiping his glasses.
“Don’t they measure strength numerically out there, like we do?”
“They did at the Adventurers’ Guild, but it was too expensive for me.”
“Don’t try it, Makyo. It’ll break the measuring device.”
The goblins teasing me laughed and said, “That’s for sure.”
“There are measuring devices outside, too, but they’re incredibly crude compared to the ones on this island.”
Apparently, Hel had seen magic tools made by goblins and orcs yesterday.
“Numbers are just what they are at that moment. Ideally, I’d like a magic tool that pinpoints monster locations. Do they have such things out there? For hunting in the fog, positional information is crucial.”
A dog-headed kobold from the Dragon Riders asked Hel.
“There are no such tools, but Makyo can perceive the surrounding situation by discarding his magic power.”
“Really!?”
“Discarding magic power?”
“Can we do that, too?”
All of the Sealing Clan’s eyes turned toward me.
“Don’t even try it. Imitating Makyo-dono will only drain your magic power. Think about it. These are people who ride doors through the mist, even if they are magic tools.”
The old Minotaur man was trying to persuade them.
“Try asking Makyo-dono how many spells he can cast simultaneously.”
“Huh? How many?”
I couldn’t answer when asked that.
“Makyo doesn’t think in those terms. He only considers whether it’s possible.”
Hel answered for me.
“And without chanting. His concept of magic is probably different. What Makyo-dono does isn’t magic; it’s the manipulation of magical power—something else entirely.”
“Exactly! Makyo is sprinting full speed through the loopholes of magic. You could call him Yggdrasil’s natural enemy.”
“Don’t talk about people like they’re monsters.”
I tried my own form of resistance.
“Monster! That fits perfectly!”
“Let me tell you upfront: Makyo is a monster everywhere outside.”
While we were chatting and drinking potato soup, a Wyvern Dragon Rider came to report to the Minotaur.
“Tower Master, It seems the All-Master Turtle has indeed begun moving.”
“Did the earth veins stir?”
“I can’t say for sure. But their destination is undoubtedly ‘Sealed Bone.’”
“I see.”
The entire Sealing Clan fell silent.
“What is ‘Sealed Bone’?”
“It’s the shell of the Master Turtle at the Magic Pool.”
A Magic Pool… like the “Great Hole” in Cliff Garuda?
“Is it big?”
“Bigger than any Master Turtle here now.” It was the largest of those raised in Yggdrasil. It’s so enormous that it serves as the lid for the Magic Pool.”
“It’s covered in vibrant plants, unlike the Master Turtle’s vegetation. The monsters there are huge, too.”
The small goblin with glasses told us.
“Why a shell? Doesn’t it get eroded by the waves?”
Even rock gets eroded, so a shell made of bone seems like it would break easily.”
“Bones with magic flowing through them are sturdy, you know?”
The old man Minotaur answered casually.
“Huh?”
We all looked at the old man simultaneously.
“Is that so?”
You mean you weren’t channeling magic through your bones, Makyo-dono?”
“I was conscious of joints and such, but not really. Like, arms for arms and legs for legs. I didn’t consciously direct magic to specific body parts.”
“From now on, try channeling your magic through your bones. If muscle is a 1, bone is a 10.”
“Does that affect how the magic flows? Or its power?”
“Both.”
The old Minotaur man taught me many things, but it all seemed fishy. Channeling magic through bones? That didn’t sound like it would make you stronger. Above all, channeling magic through bones alone should allow more magic to flow.
“Want to try it?”
Seeing me frowning at my hands, the old man asked. But right now, the underground training hall is riddled with holes.
“If you damage the tower any further, we can’t handle it. Do it outside.”
After being told this by the current tower master, the old man and I could only share a wry smile.
After washing the dishes after the meal, the Sealing Clan was surprised.
“You’re the lord of the demonic land, and you wash dishes?”
“Why not? You wash your own dishes after eating, right?”
Hel and the others were cleaning the dining hall, too. I thought it was only natural, considering we were eating for free. However, apparently, the Dragon Riders and the hunters see it differently.
“The tower lords don’t do that sort of thing.”
“I see. But making plates is hard work, too, isn’t it? Building kilns and controlling the temperature are hard work. I know how much effort it takes, so I want to use them carefully.”
“Couldn’t you direct that kindness toward building the tower?”
The chief Minotaur appeared beside me and started washing dishes with me.
“You’re right. In the demonic land, we mostly live in caves. Even if we build houses, monsters or plants quickly destroy them. I hadn’t thought about it.”
“Then let’s go check out the floating plant nests.”
“Do those things even have nests?”
After putting away the dishes, the old Minotaur man led the four of us outside the tower.
The hunters were lurking in the forest around us.
“It’s fine. We can protect ourselves.”
“Ah, that’s not it. They’re wary of you, Makyo-dono, because you’re an outsider. I tried convincing the goblins that resistance is futile and that they should welcome you, but they’re proving difficult…”
The old Minotaur spoke about the difference between what the mind understands and how the body reacts instinctively.
“Here it is. Hey! We brought the culprit who wrecked the flooring!”
Large rocks were piled high with plants rooted into them, stretching their branches and leaves toward the sky. The sky was blue, and the fog had cleared.
“Show them how you quarry stone. Then I’d like to try splitting some.”
The old man Minotaur said cheerfully to the boar-faced Orc.
“Haven’t you wrecked enough already!?”
The large, sturdy Orc with a deep voice glared at me.
“I didn’t mean to break it, but he asked me to show him. I’m sorry.”
Shifting the blame onto others wouldn’t help.
“If you feel bad about it, just be more careful in the future. There aren’t many rocks like this on the master turtle’s back, you know.”
The Orc didn’t press me further after I bowed my head.
“Ah, I see. But why are there rocks like this on the turtle’s shell? They don’t just spring up from the shell, do they?”
From what I could tell, they resembled rocks quarried in the demonic land.
“Floating plants. They usually drift in the mist, but sometimes they attach themselves to rocks like these to replenish their moisture and nutrients. The big ones can even carry off entire boulders. These are just the accumulated ones.”
“Wh-why here!?”
Sylvia shouted.
“It seems it started with a huge rock flung here by an undersea volcanic eruption. Floating plants started gathering there, and that’s how this rocky area came to be. That’s why we call it the floating plant nest.”
“Hold on. The ocean stretches out all around us. Even if they exist, shouldn’t they only be on the master turtle’s island? Where did this rock come from?”
Hel touched the rock’s surface, pressing closer to the Orc as she asked.
“It’s most likely an island formed by an underwater volcanic eruption or one that floats in the sky. Even the Dragon Riders haven’t seen where it came from.”
The large Orc answered, then whispered, “Are all women from the demonic land like this?”
“My apologies. They’re just a bit more curious than most.”
After that, the Orc showed me how he and his subordinates cut stone with stakes and hammers. The stakes were inscribed with magic circles, and the way the stone was cut cleanly with minimal force was truly masterful. Before long, the rectangular floor tiles were complete.
“Well then, Let’s see your stonework skills too, Makyo-dono.”
The old Minotaur said.
“Mine is just brute force using magic power. Nothing worth showing.”
“…Show us.”
I refused, but eventually, pushed by the Orc’s insistence, I used the magic cube to hollow out a rock and shape it into a cube.
Ignoring the stunned Orcs and hunters, the old man pulled out an angular rock and declared, “Next, this.”
“Only Makyo can do this in the demonic land. My apologies if it offends you.”
“E-even though I live in the demonic land, I can’t do things like this, so don’t get your hopes up.”
Hel and Sylvia explained to the orcs.
“So it was about using bones. If you don’t know how to use bones, does that mean you don’t know how to use your fingers either?”
The old Minotaur asked, facing the rock.
“Can magic be manipulated with your fingers?”
It sounded fishy, but expectations rose naturally.
“Use your index finger to set the direction, your middle finger to rotate it, and your thumb to amplify the power.”
The old man held up only his right middle and index fingers, supporting them with his thumb.
Thwack!
Magic surged from his fingers as they touched the rock, leaving a hole.
“That’s roughly how it works. Try it yourself, Makyo-dono.”
“Yes!”
I spun the magic power with all my might from my lower abdomen, focusing my attention on my bones. I channeled the magic power sequentially through my spine, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and fingers before releasing it.
Thud!
A hole appeared in the rock, but it didn’t go well. When I turned around, I saw the Orcs staring wide-eyed. Even Hel and the others were watching from afar with their mouths agape.
“I failed. Oh well. Can I try again?”
“No, the forest probably couldn’t handle it.”
“Huh?”
Thud! Thud! Thud-thud-thud!
The trees behind the rock suddenly began to topple. They seemed to pass over the heads of the hidden hunters, who were now frozen in shock.
“Ah…”
“Did you imbue it with magic or something?”
“No, I just focused my energy from my lower abdomen.”
The fallen trees resembled the ones I had cut down before with P.J.’s knife.
It seemed that I had acquired an inexpensive technique that didn’t require magical tools.
“Sorry. I went too far.”
“Trees grow back. Think of it as off-season thinning. So, how did it feel to channel through the bones?”
“It’s easy. It’s like all the unnecessary friction just vanished.”
“Exactly. Circulating it through every bone in your body makes you sturdier. Try it.”
After that, he taught me various things, such as how the ring finger aids mental stability and how the pinky helps with focus and strength.
He even explained body mechanics, magic usage, and how to deal with curses to Hel, Sylvia, and Kahiman. I was truly grateful.
“Why are you being so kind? We’re just a bunch of weirdos who suddenly appeared.”
“Our ancestors survived despite their different appearance. But the nation of Yggdrasil fell. They deeply regretted that.”
So, while fleeing their fallen nation, the Magic Sealing Clan had been philosophizing atop a giant turtle.
“In our dungeon simulations, we thought we could overcome everything: our advanced technology, the ignorance stemming from the lack of a power hierarchy, the low birth rate caused by the Beast Demon Disease, and economic instability. Everything. But apparently, we missed this part.”
The old Minotaur pointed to his heart.
“The heart… Faith?”
Hel inquired.
“Yggdrasil had many gods. The deities worshipped depended on one’s profession. Powerful words like love, freedom, equality, contract, justice, and compassion don’t have one-directional influence. When a nation grows large enough, that influence can’t be simulated as intended. Even after I became the Tower Master, things didn’t turn out as I’d imagined. You’re the same, aren’t you, Makyo-dono?”
“Yes, to be honest, I originally thought I was just buying farmland on the frontier.”
“I’ll teach you all the technology I have. I’ll pass on as many old tales as I can. Magic power shapes images. I’m not asking you to revive Yggdrasil. Just shape the domain you envision. I’m sure you can do it, Makyo-dono.”
“Is that really okay? I’ll end up with a hundred brothels lining both sides of the main street.”
“What’s a brothel?”
I meant it as a joke, but apparently, this island doesn’t have brothels.
“Places where women sell their spring.”
“Huh? …Ah! So such places exist as shops!? How lewd! Surely you’re not saying that you and the two of them are married?”
The old Minotaur man looked at Hel and Sylvia.
“Oh, no way!”
“Even with someone as charming as me or Sylvia, Makyo never makes a move. I’d think breeding would be important for running the demonic land, but he doesn’t show any interest in it.”
Come to think of it, having children is important. I’ve never felt any sexual desire in the demonic land. Honestly, even when Sylvia was naked, I thought it was bad for my eyes and that she should put something on.
“When I became a noble, I really went all out at the brothel in the royal capital. Maybe there’s something wrong with the women’s charm in the demonic land?”
“Wh-what are you saying?!”
Sylvia thrust out her ample chest, clearly indignant.
“With an ordinary woman, I might have felt my heart race. But right now, I find it more amusing to grab your chest and fling you around.”
“S-stop it!”
Sylvia moved away from me, shielding her chest.
“Aren’t you two getting a little too close?”
“I guess… In that case, could you introduce me to someone from the Sealing Clan?”
Somehow, my plan to learn bone techniques at the quarry had morphed into a bride hunt.
“Perfect timing. Residents from all the main clans come to the Sealing Bone. You should mingle. By the way, was there any girl in this master turtle’s tower who caught your eye over the last two days?”
The old Minotaur was enthusiastic about it, too.
“Huh? Which one’s the female?”
“””Don’t call us ‘female’!”””
The Orcs at the quarry, as well as the hunters who should have been hiding in the forest, stood up and pointed at me.
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