"Why do I have to be here too..."
As we walked down the corridor of the Central Palace carrying our share of the luggage, Konrad-san repeated this over and over while looking pale.
"There's nobody else, so it can't be helped."
The presentation meeting was scheduled first thing in the afternoon. Thanks to Cliff and the others, our preparations were perfect, but I couldn't handle handing out materials on my own, so I decided to ask Konrad-san to help me.
"If the proposal goes through, let's get them to increase our mage technician staff."
"That just means training new people, which is a pain in its own way~"
"Only at the start. Come on, let's do this. If anything goes wrong, I'm counting on you to back me up."
"Please don't. Don't expect me to have the same nerve as you."
What a useless guy. But he's actually a kind senior who ends up helping me despite all the complaining he does.
Before long, an imposing door appeared at the end of the hallway. The soldier who had been escorting us opened it from both sides.
Inside the hall, long tables were arranged in a U-shape, with rows of intimidating bearded faces lining the left and right.
And at the far end sat the King. He was radiating dignity. I shifted my gaze slightly to the right, and saw Chancellor Leonard here as well. But what surprised me most was the person sitting next to the King.
Alec was there!
I completely forgot to bow at the entrance. I never expected to see him here. Was this part of his political education, or had he come to cheer me on? Either way, I couldn't be happier.
Alec looked straight at me with those blue eyes and nodded once. It felt like he was saying, "You've got this." That alone eased the tension I was feeling. A smile naturally found its way to my lips.
Right. Let's do this. I couldn't let Alec see me looking pathetic.
I steeled my resolve, and stepped forward before the King.
"First, regarding the recent epidemic in El Alley. This was caused by a metal that was found in the mine called arsenic, leaching into the water supply."
Standing in the centre of the U-shape tables, I began with the pollution incident. I explained the effectiveness and necessity of the arsenic filtration devices that had been installed. I could keep it brief since reports on this had already been submitted by others. Konrad-san retreated to a corner of the hall once he'd finished handing out the materials.
"Metal dissolves in water?"
Apparently, the ministers were free to raise questions without seeking the King's permission each time.
"Have you never seen a stone worn down by raindrops? Metals can also be eroded and dissolved by water. This is proven by the improvement in the patients' health after the magic tools were installed."
Here, I had one more proposal.
"There are other metals that are harmful when dissolved in water. Even copper and iron can be damaging to one's health if present in water in large quantities. So, we should install the purification tool at other mines as well."
"Does that mean we should install them at every mine?"
Chancellor Leonard asked gently.
"Yes. It's possible that these metals have already caused harm and it just hasn't been reported yet. We need to take immediate action."
"And this can only be achieved through magic tools?"
"Magic tools are the most efficient and effective solution. I won't claim there are no other methods, but I see no reason to not choose the best one."
"I see. That's a valid point."
Chancellor Leonard nodded deeply and looked to the King.
"Your Majesty, I am in favour of this matter. Since something so commonplace has caused an epidemic, failing to address it will only spread unease among the people."
"...Indeed."
Thanks to the Chancellor's support, His Majesty was mostly persuaded. Well, unless they found another solution, it was unlikely to be rejected. The others seemed to agree with this, albeit reluctantly. The real problem was what came next.
"However! Using magic stones for something as trivial as lamps is clearly wasteful!"
Someone raised his voice before I'd even begun my explanation.
"It's not just lamps. Excuse me for a moment. Konrad-san."
When I called him, Konrad-san emerged from the corner looking utterly displeased and opened the bag. I'd prepared prototypes for this very day. I pulled the first magic stone from the bag.
"This is the lamp in question. I've made it so it lights up just by tapping the stone. Behold!"
I turned on the spot to show off the product like a street vendor, then flicked the yellow stone with my fingernail. A strong white light, just as intense as the sunlight pouring through the windows, emanated from the stone. Everyone squinted at the brightness. But it was too early to be impressed.
"You can change the colour of the light to your liking. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet... any colour you like!"
I lined up seven stones on the floor and projected their light upward at an angle, casting an artificial rainbow over Alec and the King's heads. Everyone stared in awe with their mouths hanging open at the rainbow flashing across the ceiling. It was more vivid than the real thing.
"And it's not just lamps. This is a 'lighter.' And this is a 'stove.'"
The lighter was a metal rod that fit in the palm of your hand with a stone attached to the tip and a flame ignited when you strike it. The stove was designed so that one stone activated for low heat, two for medium, and three for high.
These men worked alongside mages in the same palace, yet rarely had the chance to see magic up close. Even the man who'd raised his voice earlier had fallen silent, caught completely off guard.
"All of these were made from magic stones with low mana capacity, the kind that are discarded in large quantities at the mines. Using this method, we can make these magic tools without reducing the current stock of magic stones. I have many more ideas in mind as well. Simple tools like these will dramatically improve the daily lives of our citizens. Wouldn't you all like to use these in your own homes?"
If you do, then give me your support. But it won't sway my way that easily.
"However, wouldn't this lead to magic stones being leaked to other nations?"
That was the big issue. Spells carved into magic stones could be repurposed for other things if the surface was scraped off. But Master already knew the solution to this.
"That's where the coating spell comes in. This is a type of magic that prevents the stone from being scraped."
Transparent particles gather on the surface at high density and repel physical impact. To be honest, even I don't fully understand what these particles actually are. They might be some kind of element unique to this world.
"To dispel the coating magic, one must cast a sealing spell to lock the stone's mana. Without that, the magic cannot be undone until the stone's mana is completely spent. Therefore, even if magic tools were to end up in another nation, the magic stones cannot be re-carved unless they know the sealing spell."
A magic tool made as a lamp would live and die as a lamp. It couldn't be repurposed. If anything, wouldn't it actually make sense to actively sell them to other nations?
The raw materials were practically free. It takes some effort to make them usable, but that could be managed once more people start working on them. We can think about streamlining the process later on.
Reduced costs, preservation of military magic stone reserves, prevention of repurposing... I'd addressed every foreseeable problem. Well then, what do you have to say?
"...But are those things truly necessary?"
Someone quietly raised an objection.
"Lamps are already widely available, and there are existing methods for starting fires. Unlike the epidemic, there is no compelling reason to use magic stones for such purposes. Wouldn't it be in the nation's best interest to repurpose those unused magic stones for military use?"
I knew someone would say that! The whole point was that we couldn't reduce the military supply, which was why I was proposing we use untapped resources!
"Is it really wise to let such precious resources go to waste among the people?"
"Could this new technique not be used to produce magic stones with immense mana, enabling the development of more powerful magic?"
The discussion was flowing in one direction. Toward a dangerous conclusion.
I'd anticipated this. I had to stop it here, no matter what.
"Then for what purpose is Princess Philia being married off to Galesh?"
The chatter vanished instantly.
"Where would you aim this powerful magic? At the Galesh Kingdom, where the Princess will be wed? Or at the Tilney Kingdom, homeland of the Queen? We are finally on the verge of achieving true peace."
I looked straight ahead. My audience wasn't the patriotic old men on either side... it was the father of that princess.
"Imagine this. The moment the sun sets, a wife lights up the house and welcomes her husband home from a long day's work. Even on a rainy day, she can light the stove without any fuss and serve a warm dinner. If we made streetlamps from magic stones, they would illuminate dark roads longer than flames and more reliably than moonlight. Think of how much fear and worry that would ease. Power is not something to be hoarded by a select few."
I know nothing of the intricacies of politics, but from where I stood, locking magic stones away in a vault forever seemed like the far greater waste.
"Just as many people joined forces under the crown to build the nation of Traus, power is something we all contribute to and share. If a person could survive entirely on their own, there would be no point in living in a nation. We all share different things with one another to live. And that goes for magic stones too..."
I picked one up and held it high, making my plea.
"Even a small amount is fine, please share it with the people. Let us use this power not only to fight enemies, but for the everyday happiness of our families."
This world doesn't consist of just three nations. There are countries beyond the sea as well. I understood the desire to stockpile military power for "someday." But there was no end to it. Strength is relative. We never truly feel secure no matter how powerful the weapons. There is no place that is absolutely safe for any living being.
What we need is unwavering effort and courage to maintain peace. We cannot keep hurting others out of fear.
"At the Magic School graduation ceremony, Your Majesty wished not upon the gods but upon us mages for the happiness of all citizens. I believe this proposal is in accordance with Your Majesty's wishes. I humbly ask for your consideration."
I knelt and bowed.
"...I understand your devotion to the nation."
The King spoke solemnly. When I raised my head, I saw his gentle eyes.
"Your work in El Alley was a great service. Rest well until your next assignment. In the meantime, I shall consider once more what would best serve the people."
He wouldn't give a verdict today, but he would deliberate. That was enough.
"Thank you very much."
I expressed my gratitude at having been heard and bowed one last time to everyone in the room.
I stepped out into the corridor and took a deep breath. The response was... decent, I suppose. The men on either side looked like they had plenty of objections, so I still don't know how it will turn out. Well, what will be, will be.
"Ahh... I think I used up a lifetime's worth of stress."
Walking alongside me, Konrad-san also let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank you. You were a huge help."
"My stomach's killing me because of it."
"Want me to make you some stomach medicine? I used to work at an apothecary, so I know how."
"Huh, your sister's in the medical division, right? If you're going to repay me, introduce me to her instead."
"Absolutely not. I don't want troublesome things around my sister."
Besides, Rille-nee hasn't even come back yet. I hope she's okay. I hope nothing strange has happened. That was honestly my bigger worry.
"Hey, you. Mage technician."
A blunt voice suddenly stopped me.
A boy who hadn't been at the meeting approached from ahead. I was startled for a moment, but quickly replied with a smile.
"Can I help you, Lord Roderick? It's been a while."
As expected, he grimaced uncomfortably when I used formal language. He was no longer in the white robes from his school days, of course, but wore a fine Royal Guard uniform with a mantle draped over his shoulders.
"It doesn't feel like it's been that long since I last saw you."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Even when you're not around, the noise you make carries just fine. Follow me."
Without saying where, Rock quickly headed off in a direction opposite the front entrance.
"Konrad-san, take care of the luggage for me!"
"Wait, seriously? Huh? Where are you going? What's happening?"
I dumped all the luggage on my bewildered senior and hurried after Rock.
He exited through the back gate of the Central Palace into a courtyard. The grass was starting to turn green, but it was still just a little too early for spring, so no flowers were blooming. We continued past the garden. Behind the Central Palace, where political affairs were conducted... could this be the royal residential quarters? Like the inner palace, or something along those lines.
As we walked down a corridor laid with light blue carpet, I thought I could hear music faintly from somewhere. It had an elegant atmosphere.
Then I was led to what looked like a reception room, where I sat on a sofa and waited for a while.
Before long, the door opened, and there stood the Golden Prince.
I rose from my seat and opened my mouth, but I wasn't sure what to say.
Rock was the only other person here, but... was it okay to talk normally? Should I kneel? As I struggled over what to do, he smiled at me.
"Long time no see, Aime."
Those words told me there was nothing to worry about.
"Long time no see, Alec! I came to see you!"
The person before me wasn't a prince. He was just my close friend.
I ran towards him and the things I wanted to tell him kept popping into my head one after another.