After finishing examining Roa, and Ahri and her magic item, I’m left alone in my tent with something on my mind.
I have two magic items in front of me that I’ve made and are ready to be delivered. Both are cloths to hang over one’s face. Their performance is a lot better, and their functionalities are as close as possible to the characteristics of their special powers. Having that said, the original magic items they’ve been using don’t really do all that much to help them control their powers, and they’re almost just something that provides peace of mind more than anything. It was pretty easy to make two new ones.
But I’m still hesitant, wondering if making upgraded magic items is really the right move.
I can feel from the magic items that whoever made them has close ties to Ahri and Roa. Usually when you get something that’s better than what you have, you’re just done with what you have and use the new one. But with special powers, there are a lot of things we don’t understand, mostly because they’re so rare. One thing that can’t be denied, is that the psychological element can influence their control.
If it’s just about supplementing their ability to control their powers, the peace of mind that the magic items they’re currently using gives them could very well be more effective than something with superior performance.
As I look into the distance thinking about this, I just happen to look at the white lizard. It’s still sleeping.
I gently pat its cold body.
“Did you get bigger? And is there a bump here?”
I take out a transcribe scroll just to check.
“I don’t see any problems. It looks like it’s just growing, that’s good. But the way it’s still sleeping is like its consciousness is locked or something…”
I feel relieved for now and pat the sleeping white lizard, while shifting my thoughts to the research I’ve been doing for a long time.
I feel like I’ve stalled recently, mostly because of my two great enemies in my former workplace. Odd chores and tight budget.
“I should try a different approach… Wait, a different approach?”
I suddenly think of something.
“Yes, a different approach. Instead of trying to increase performance, I should make it so they can be turned on and off completely. If I make the time span short and make it so it’s controlled automatically…”
I take out a blank parchment and start drawing a magic circuit. Half-way through I rush to pick up a book about magic circuits and use it as a reference.
“If I reverse this formula here… Yes, and then I apply it in this part…”
I completely forget about my life’s work for the time being and become completely absorbed in Roa and Ahri’s magic items.
◇◆
I call Ahri and Roa again another day.
“Ahri, Roa, I have two new magic items for you.”
I hand one to Ahri and one to Roa.
“Can you try yours first Roa?”
Roa takes a magic item made of alloy from my hand.
“Yes.”
“Unfold those long and thin metal parts… Yes, like that, and hang them over your ears. Oh, is it done?”
“Like this?”
“Yes yes. Now I want you to remove your cloth.”
Roa hesitantly does so, and I see her wearing the glasses-shaped magic item I made.
“It looks great on you. Now, as for how you use it…”
I explain to Roa how to use her new magic item, and she tries it out right away.
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