Academy’s Weapon Replicator

Odyssea (40)

At Basilio’s request, Frondior brought Jane.

Jane had heard about it when Frondior first asked for help, but she hadn’t been able to come this far.

Jane was one of the busiest people in the palace after the war. The teachers of Constell participated in the war against the gods, and she herself was no exception.

On top of that, she had to write a thesis on the magical achievements gained through her connection with Osprite, and ever since she had a student like Basilio, who was exceptionally talented and even more exceptionally troublesome, she had found no time at all. It was only after Basilio participated in the Odyssea that she finally had a moment to deal with the accumulated work.

So, physically going to help Frondior was quite difficult, and more than anything, she didn’t think she could contribute anything.

It was clear that a more capable magician than her—Elodie or Osprite—would step in to help Frondior, and as a teacher, she had nothing left to teach him.

So she was genuinely surprised that they had brought her here using Osprite’s door.

That was the same even after hearing the whole story.

“……There are many more suitable candidates than me.”

Jane said this while looking at Basilio. Hearing that the student she had taught with passion and affection had sought her out made her feel both proud and burdened.

It even made her wonder if the student, too focused on learning, was seeking some strange revenge.

However, the sparkling eyes of Basilio proved that such silly thoughts were completely unfounded.

“Teacher is the best candidate.”

“……Um, Basilio. Right now, I’m in a position to learn from you, so it may seem that way, but there are many magicians in the world who are far superior to me.”

Basilio shook his head at those words.

Why is he shaking his head? He shouldn’t be doing that here. Jane thought as she pondered.

“However, none of them will teach magic better than you, teacher.”

“……I don’t think so.”

“To teach magic better than anyone else means that one’s understanding of magic is superior to anyone else’s. Isn’t that right, Osprite?”

Basilio’s burdened gaze turned towards Osprite.

“……That’s not entirely wrong.”

Even Osprite seemed to feel the weight of the moment, making Basilio’s eyes appear to be on the verge of a physical reaction.

“Though there is a bit of exaggeration in your words, hmm… I see. The composition and combination may differ in thought, but the result can be deemed reasonable.”

“Isn’t that so?”

Basilio nodded, only half understanding Osprite’s words.

In other words, he completely misunderstood.

“Combination…”

Instead, Elodie focused on Osprite’s words.

“Are you saying that there is synergy among the four of us: you, Osprite, Teacher Jane, and Basilio?”

“There’s hardly any need to call it synergy.”

Osprite smiled brightly.

“Aren’t we all learning the same common teachings?”

“……!”

Common teachings.

These four magicians had studied the numerous theories of magic and shared a common goal of exterminating monsters.

They were those who had experienced the history of teachings built by Constell.

Of course, Basilio was from Atlas, not Constell, but after the war, he had completely become Jane’s apprentice, absorbing her teachings as they were.

“If the four of us work together, we should be able to understand each other’s magical formulas’ intentions and purposes accurately.”

The remaining three nodded at Osprite’s words.

Confirming their resolve, Lethe began to explain to them.

“Then first, let me explain the inscription of this magic circle. While everyone can decipher the symbols, this magic circle includes the magician themselves in the symbols—”

Lethe’s explanation continued for a long time.

For those who were not magicians, including Frondior, the content was nearly impossible to understand, but the selected four nodded calmly as if it posed no difficulty.

After Lethe finished explaining, Elodie spoke up immediately.

“Then let’s begin.”

The four stood around the magic circle, each observing Sergio from their respective positions.

Rethe spoke.

“First, this is the magic circle below.”

Rethe pointed to the one inscribed on the ground among the magic circles layered above and below Sergio.

“This magic circle symbolizes the ‘present’ of the subject. In this case, it’s Sergio. Sergio must accurately recognize who he is at this moment, or more precisely, ‘what’ he is.”

If the monsters had any reason, they often found it difficult to acknowledge that they were monsters, especially if they had not been one in the past.

Of course, Sergio was intelligent enough not to fall into such delusions, but this magic circle was essential for the process.

“Now, let’s decide who will be the first magician to cast the spell. Who will be the one to establish the initial framework?”

At that, all eyes turned to Basileo.

Basileo looked slightly flustered, as if he hadn’t expected it.

“Me, am I the one?”

“Who else but you can create the most accurate and safe spell?”

Elodie asked back as if it were obvious, and Jane nodded in agreement.

“The ability to maintain the spell’s form, regardless of how it is modified, with precision that leaves no room for error, even in the joints of the fingers. In every way, Basileo is the most suitable.”

“Th-thank you.”

“Though that does make you a bit too rigid.”

“Ugh.”

Jane pointed out the flaws clearly while defending Basileo.

Ospreet nodded as well.

“There’s nothing to worry about. I’ve seen your magic, so I can trust you.”

“It’s an honor…”

Basileo lowered his voice and raised both hands.

His hand movements were cautious, yet his gaze was sharp in contrast.

After all, they all knew.

Basileo was merely humble in words, but he had absolute confidence in himself.

He was never wrong. At least when it came to magic spells.

Pop!

Magical symbols began to unfold in front of Basileo’s hands, and the initially calm magic circle slowly started to respond to Basileo’s spell.

After watching it for a moment, Rethe spoke.

“Sergio. Bow your head and look at the ground.”

Sergio looked down at his feet as Lethe instructed.

“What do you see?”

“……I see myself. The surface, or is it a mirror?”

At those words, Frondior’s eyes widened slightly. To his eyes, the ground where Sergio stood was simply just ground. It was bare earth with a magic circle drawn on it, nothing more.

However, it seemed to appear differently to Sergio.

“Right. The magic circle on the ground, as I mentioned earlier, reflects your true self. But it’s not just a simple mirror. It shows your most primal and fundamental form as it is. Pure, without any pretense or artifice. So, what do you look like in the mirror?”

“……It’s undoubtedly me. However, it’s a monster.”

Sergio narrowed his eyes slightly as he spoke.

“And a murderer, obsessed with killing. I feel no reason whatsoever.”

At Sergio’s words, everyone fell silent.

Monsters are inherently like that. However, one could not help but feel shocked by what Sergio himself had said.

At that moment, Frondior spoke to Selena, who was beside him.

“Your father is truly remarkable.”

“Excuse me?”

“He controls the nature that a monster must possess, solely with his will and reason.”

At those words, Selena slowly looked back at Sergio.

She nodded with a small smile.

“……Yes, that is correct.”

Meanwhile, Lethe spoke to Basileo.

“Activate the spell.”

“……It’s not complete yet, though?”

Basileo instinctively understood as he unfolded the spell.

He had laid out the spell to activate the magic circle on the ground, but this was not a completed spell in terms of magic.

If it were mathematics, it would be a line missing symbols; if it were literature, it would be a line lacking vocabulary.

“This is a double magic circle. Naturally, one on the ground alone is insufficient. They need to be combined to be complete. However, activating both magic circles at once is dangerous.”

“Is it that you cannot control the magic?”

Frondior asked, but Lethe shook his head.

“It’s not a matter of control; it’s a matter of order. This magic is most important for the subject. It’s a spell that makes the subject look into themselves. Therefore, the entire magic is tailored to the subject, and the magician must continuously adjust the spell to fit the subject.”

Lethe pointed to his collar as he spoke.

“It’s similar to clothing. Even if you’ve decided on a design, you have to fit it to the right size for that person. The magic circle on the floor represents the material and design of the fabric, while the magic circle above reflects the detailed sizes and specifics of each body.”

Basilio understood those words and nodded.

“Then I’ll give it a try… Hup!”

With a light shout, the spell was activated.

At that moment,

“Gah, aaah!”

Sergio screamed.

“Father!”

Selena shouted in panic, and Frondior looked at Rethe as if demanding an explanation.

Rethe spoke calmly.

“It’s the act of looking at oneself. It’s bound to hurt.”

“Looking at oneself hurts?”

“Yes. Terribly so. It hurts so much that a person can’t look at themselves straight on.”

Rethe then shifted his gaze to the wizards, as if there was no need for further explanation.

“Now, this time it’s the magic circle above. Who will do it?”

“I suppose I should.”

Ospreet stepped forward. Everyone nodded in agreement without dissent.

“Alright. It’s important for the person activating the second magic circle to observe the entire process combined with the first magic circle. Understanding is the most crucial part… I’d say you’re the right person for it.”

Ospreet nodded as if it were obvious.

He placed his thumb on his chest and cast the spell.

The moment Ospreet initiated the spell, the magic circle above began to glow and slowly settled like a fabric with form.

“Ugh?!”

This time, it was Basilio who reacted. He grimaced, his shoulders slightly slumping.

“Basilio?”

“T-this is heavy…!”

Though it appeared to be a transparent and thin fabric, just a light touch on Sergio made Basilio break out in a cold sweat.

Ignoring Basilio’s condition, or rather continuing as if it were too obvious to mention, Rethe explained further.

“The magic circle above is a mirror that shows the source. You can call it the essence, the fundamental, the primal—whatever you like. In any case, it’s the appearance that the subject should originally have. In Sergio’s case, it refers to his human form.”

The magic circle below represents the present as a monster, while the magic circle above represents the past as a human.

“What are we supposed to do by combining the two?”

“It’s about making you realize how different your current self is from the self you believe you know. Not just humans, but most living beings believe they are something consistent. While you hold onto that belief, you can’t change anything. Can you call a disease that doesn’t hurt or show symptoms until death a disease? If you want to heal that disease, you must feel the pain. And above all, you must face the greatest truth.”

“What is the greatest truth?”

“That time cannot be reversed. That you cannot return to being human. Comparing your past self with your present self is not about choosing one side. You must acknowledge that you are changing in a way that cannot be either. If you don’t want to become a monster, you need to understand that you must become something you have never experienced. That’s what being a spirit is.”

From human to monster, from monster to spirit.

For some, that entire process may seem completely unrelated, but for someone like Sergio, it is something that must be realized.

Sergio cannot become human. He cannot remain a monster.

Becoming a spirit is something that resembles neither. He must step onto a path he has neither walked nor known.

How difficult that is.

“It’s important for Sergio to accept the pain and move forward.”

Lete narrowed her eyes as she looked at Basilio.

The bewildered gaze of Basilio and the cold sweat. Lete’s icy voice flowed.

“If the magician cannot properly perform the important spell, then those worries are nothing but useless bluster.”