Chapter 118.1
Chapter 118.1
Basking in the early summer sunlight filtering through the canopy, I sat on a rock by the river’s edge.
In my palm lay a black particle.
This is called Onklam Black Ore, one of the magical metals.
Today, I visited the forest to investigate Onklam Black Ore while also securing magic stones.
As a reward for a road restoration request, I received a small amount of mithril silver and taber ore from Saminy, along with a very tiny amount of Onklam Black Ore.
Even in small quantities, it is a rare magical metal.
I gratefully accepted it then, but soon became troubled.
Humans only knew how to process mithril silver and taber ore.
Even with [Appraisal], it was unknown, and neither Elphimia nor Rakendell or Helena knew how to process it.
If anyone, the dwarf Raghnidig might know, but he wasn’t a blacksmith.I heard it was a secret, so even if he knew, he probably wouldn’t teach me.
While I was struggling with it, Helena started talking about Onklam Black Ore during a magic theory lecture.
Ignoring the previous topic, she began suddenly.
Students sat with blank expressions as she unveiled her hypotheses one after another.
Apparently, she had researched it for my sake.
While I was very grateful, there was no need to talk about it during the lecture.
That thought lasted only a moment before the reason became clear.
In the subsequent alchemy lecture, Rakendell started talking about the same thing as soon as he entered the classroom.
When a female student mentioned, “Professor Helena was also talking about that earlier,” he was astonished.
Realizing Helena knew Rakendell was investigating it too, she preemptively spoke up.
Feeling sorry, I made sure to thank them properly after the lectures.
Anyway, according to the two great eccentrics of Cartirail, Onklam Black Ore has absorption, manifestation, and blocking properties.
Hearing this, some past memories resurfaced.
“I can sort of imagine it――”
I rolled the Onklam Black Ore in my hand.
The innate crystal Denetrisi Kalites absorbs magic power and activates it.
I think the absorption and manifestation of Onklam Black Ore have similar functions.
What concerns me is what will happen, but since it’s not a dangerous magical metal, it probably won’t explode.
The remaining blocking property relates to the Iron Golem.
When magic or skills are activated, it interferes with and directs the magic power within and outside the range.
I used that to hinder the [Repair] of the Iron Golem.
Blocking should be the same phenomenon.
Combining these, Onklam Black Ore absorbs some attributes, manifests it around, and blocks another attribute.
“Well, it’s just a guess. Let’s try it out.”
Leaving only one particle, I activated [Breeze].
The Onklam Black Ore shook in my hand, blown by the gentle wind.
Next, I activated [Flint], heating it, but noticed no particular change.
Switching from life magic to the beginner’s [Operate Energy].
Wrapping the particle with magical vines, I used the river water as a catalyst to activate [Operate Water].
“……Huh?”
I felt slight resistance to the activation.
Seems I was right.
Helena and Rakendell must have noticed it too.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t explain absorption, manifestation, and blocking in such an easy-to-understand order.
However――the reaction is weaker than I thought.
It doesn’t block properly, let alone significantly hinder.
Even using [Multi-Casting], it didn’t change much.
I wanted to try with intermediate magic, but my current stock would be blown away.
I tried various things like changing the attribute of beginner’s magic and adding [Multi-Casting], but none made a big difference.
The three properties are correct, but with this level, it’s unusable.
Is it scarcely utilized for that reason?
Listening to the murmuring of the river, I gazed at the black particle.
Then I realized something.
Right, it doesn’t necessarily wait its turn.
It might manifest simultaneously while absorbing, like a constantly running faucet.
Shifting slightly and [Multi-Casting] with different attributes made the hindrance more noticeable.
This confirmed they function simultaneously, but it still wasn’t a powerful hindrance.
If made into a magical tool, its properties might be emphasized, but――that’s impossible.
The critical processing is impossible.
Even just embedding a magic stone works, but if that were enough, Onklam Black Ore would be more widely used.
Further consideration is necessary.
If it seems impossible, I’ll consult Raghnidig. If not processing methods, he should at least give advice.
I put the Onklam Black Ore particle back into the leather pouch and stood up.
Then equipped the falling magical tool and hung the shamshir at my waist.
Alright, next is securing the magic stones.
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