I spent about a week trying to make a magic wand.
While working, I kept carving the wood while putting my hopes into it, chanting 『Make the magic stronger, make it stronger』, and I paid attention to the details to make something that looked like a proper wand.
Then, when I had Jisrare-san actually try using it――
「How is it?」
「……It doesn’t change anything though」
「…………」
Apparently, it doesn’t change anything.
I see, it doesn’t change.
Yeah…… well, I guess that’s how it is…….
「We tried various things, but in the end……」
「Yes, it seems so…… Thank you, Jisrare-san」
In the end, Jisrare-san helped with the experiment for nearly an hour.
That should be enough. I feel bad for making her stay with me for so long.
For the record, I also tested it myself just in case.
I tried using my magic skills with the wand, but I couldn’t feel any sense that it was helping with using the skills.
If anything――
「It actually feels harder to use magic……」
「……Yeah」
All I have to do is control the magic power and release it from my hand, but because I was forcing it to go through the wand, it just felt awkward and difficult.
「If I had to compare it――it felt like trying to write while holding the very end of a really long pen, that kind of frustration」
「Yeah. ……Yeah? Hmm, well, maybe……?」
Huh? Was that a bit off? Did I not explain it well?
Jisrare-san looks like it didn’t quite click for her. To be fair, it didn’t completely click for me either.
Um, what would be a better example…… Using long-handled pruning shears instead of scissors to cut paper? Using a toy grabber to pick up a cup? Or――
……Well, whatever. I couldn’t come up with a perfect comparison, but while we were experimenting, it felt about that frustrating.
「So in the end, magic doesn’t get stronger just by using a wand」
「I mean, I don’t even know why you thought that in the first place……」
「Well, just a feeling, just a feeling……」
And so, unfortunately, the magic wand plan ended in failure.
What a shame. Truly a shame. I worked hard on it too. I even used pretty good wood for the material…….
I didn’t go as far as using a branch from the World Tree, but I still used decent wood――
……No, was “decent” not good enough?
「……Was the material the problem?」
「Huh?」
「At this point…… we have no choice but to make it from a branch of the World Tree……」
「Let’s stop, Alec……」
◇
Although the magic wand plan failed, the journey itself is going smoothly.
We continued forward at a steady pace――and on the twentieth day since the start of our world journey.
As the three of us traveled, a village came into view ahead. It’s Kirk Village.
「Oh. We somehow made it back here again」
「Yeah. It took longer than last time though」
「It’s already winter, so it can’t be helped」
Because the daylight hours are shorter, we ended up arriving about five days later than last time.
Well, we elves can see well at night, and Hezrat-kun is also fine in the dark, so if we really wanted to, we could have forced a march through the night…… but there’s no need to rush that much.
So while our progress was fairly relaxed, we still managed to reach Kirk Village safely like this.
At least up to this point, everything has gone smoothly.
We arrived later than planned, I get thoroughly beaten by Caladbolg every morning, and the magic wand plan failed, so it feels like the days have been somewhat underwhelming――but since we made it this far, it’s fair to say the journey is going well enough.
「Well then, Alec」
「Yes?」
「From here on, we’re going to do something about your face」
「My face……? Ah, yes. So, it’s finally time for the countermeasures」
I see, so it’s finally time.
A way to deal with my face, which is so handsome that people get intimidated and can’t even speak――countermeasures against being too handsome.
Come to think of it, last time we also met the first villager around here. It’s about time we prepare something.
Now then, what kind of plan did Jisrare-san come up with?
Until now, she kept brushing it off with 『You’ll see when we get there』, but it seems I can finally hear the answer.
For now, I get down from Hezrat-kun and wait for Jisrare-san to speak.
「It took a month to come up with this plan」
「Ah, yeah. There was about a month before we set out again」
「Two weeks to think of it. Two weeks to make it」
「To make it……?」
To make it? She made something……?
「The countermeasure I spent a month making is this」
「I see, thank you」
Jisrare-san takes something out of her magic bag and hands it to me.
I thank her as I accept it and take a proper look――
Um, this is…… cloth?
It’s cloth. Hemp, maybe? A hemp…… bag. A small hemp bag.
A small hemp bag…… hm? There are holes. There are three holes on the side of the bag.
A small hemp bag with three holes…….
「This is……」
「Yeah」
What should I do. I have a really bad feeling about this.
next chapter: I’m not suspicious
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