Chapter 62 – Light of Hope
After finishing my errands, I changed our campsite to a small hill in the outskirts.
“Whaaat? Are you going all the way to the suburbs? You’ll need to pay another entrance fee. Ugh, I was planning to go to the festival later,” said the coachman with a disappointed expression.
“I’m sorry. I promise you won’t regret it.”
But even with my words, the coachman couldn’t believe me and let out a disappointed sigh.
I guess it’s not unreasonable for him to think that we’re running away from the lively, joyful town and seeking refuge in the shadows.
As we left the town, the atmosphere suddenly became quiet and lonely.
“Sigh. We need to take it slow on this uneven night road to avoid hurting the horse, so it looks like dinner will be a bit late.”
With a dreary voice, the coachman hung a lantern at the front of the carriage and cautiously guided the horse as it slowly marched forward.
“Aix, I’m sorry,” said Luca, looking gloomy while hugging Kumakichi inside the carriage.
If it were me before, I might have sulked alongside her.
But I’m different now!
“Luca, are you thinking that you did something bad? That’s not true. I don’t regret it, and I won’t let anyone else here regret it either,” I said, and a small flame of hope lit up in Luca’s sad eyes, like a flickering candle.
“What do you mean?” Luca asked, looking at me with the same kind of eyes I used to have.
I can only use beginner-level magic.
I’ve been called defective.
I don’t have confidence in myself.
But strangely, Luca gave me courage.
The mysterious girl Rula gave me a title.
So now, it’s my turn.
First, I’ll give Luca a role.
“You’re special, Luca. Do you have any silvery cloth?”
“Huh? Yeah, I do.” Luca replied, confused.
Sorry, that was a bit sudden.
“I want you to make something for me.”
“What should I make?”
Um, how should I say it…
“A triangular hat for Crazy Bear the size of a wizard’s hat.”
“Huh? Is that something you want now?”
“Don’t just give me presents like that. You’re making me shy, partner. But something that shines suits me best. You have good taste.”
Crazy Bear started wriggling, but I never said I would give it to him.
“Okay, I’ll make it right away.”
“Okay, ‘Ghost Dance.’”
It was a magic spell I had never heard of before.
From Luca’s item bag, a silver cloth came out and swam in the air like a fish. The sight of just a cloth dancing as if it were alive was breathtaking.
“Wow! It’s amazing. I’ve never heard of this kind of magic before. What a cool spell.”
Luca laughed.
“Probably because Crazy Bear is the cloth, my specialization magic has good compatibility with cloth. I can’t make a golem, but I can imitate a ghost sheet.”
“Wow, Luca, you’re amazing.”
For Luca, just a scrap of cloth seemed to be categorized as a doll. It’s cheating!
“‘Sewing Master,’ show off your cool side, Crazy Bear.”
“Roger that!”
Designer Crazy Bear, enhanced by a special buff, wielded scissors like a sword and chopped up the ghost sheet.
He spun the scissors around and inserted them into the case.
“How’s that? You look beautiful.”
The unnecessary parts of the ghost sheet fell on the ground like it had been undressed, and the cut ghost sheet twisted around shyly in the air.
Crazy Bear raised his left hand to the sky, and seven needles with thread began to float and spread around him.
“Let me teach you a new world! Be reborn as Seven Needles!” he shouted as he shot out the needles like arrows, hitting and sewing up the ghost sheet, dyeing it Crazy Bear color.
A small pointed hat was completed and fell into Luca’s hands.
“That’s amazing! Luca, Crazy Bear, you’re awesome.”
I unexpectedly saw something good.
“So, what are you going to do with this?”
With a shy smile, I received the hat that was handed to me and felt a warmth in my heart.
“Well then, let’s move on to the magic show!”
“Magic show?” She asked.
I am the great magician, Aix. I don’t need any special props or tricks – I have my own beginner level magic.
“Well then, ladies and gentlemen, what we have here is a plain, ordinary, cone-shaped hat,” I said.
Luca and Crazy Bear stared at it blankly.
“Yes, we know that, but what’s the magic here?” Luca asked.
“I am Aix, the great magician. Tonight, I will show you two a miracle,” I said confidently.
I held the tip of the cone-shaped hat and held it to the side, making it bend and twist in an odd way.
The two stared at me, bewildered.
“Shield Enchant!” I spoke out.
Defense +1.
It was a simple spell that just hardened the material.
This time, I held the hat to the side once again, but it did not bend or twist.
“Aix, it’s become harder!” Luca exclaimed.
So what? That was just the beginning. I would change the world with my next spell.
I cast a spell on the triangular hat.
“Flash!”
“Born is the Neo Lantern.”
“Huh?” Luca looked at me with confusion.
Perhaps I had gone too far into the future. Innovative technology was often unrecognized until it was actually used.
So I handed it to Luca and said, “Shine it outside.”
With a look of puzzlement, Luca took the Neo Lantern and pointed it outside.
Then, bam! The beam of light pierced through the darkness like a spear.
We could see faraway scenery that was shrouded in the darkness of the night.
If we pointed it towards the sky, we could even see clouds in the night sky.
Luca’s face went from darkness to light in awe. Now, he was excitedly shining it all around.
“Aix, this is amazing!” She exclaimed.
“Partner, you are truly a genius,” Crazy Bear added.
It seemed like Luca had completely forgotten about her earlier sadness. She looked up to me with admiration, fondness and impressionable sparkly eyes.
Mission complete. I clenched my fist in victory.
My reward was seeing Lucas’s smile.
In Japan, “ネオランタン” (Neo Lantern) is a product name for a type of portable lantern or flashlight that uses LED lights and is powered by batteries. It is designed to be durable and long-lasting, making it a popular choice for outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, and fishing. Some models may also have additional features such as adjustable brightness levels, waterproofing, and rechargeable batteries.
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