~Chapter 13~
. Growth
There are many standards by which magic can be classified.
By rank, it can be divided into elementary, basic, intermediate, and so on.
By attribute, it can be divided into fire, water, wind, earth, and the like.
By nature, it can be divided into offense, defense, enhancement, and so forth.
But the origin of all magic is granting (附與, Grant).
After all, isn’t magic nothing more than granting order and rules to mana?
The form of the engraving must be simple.
The written incantation must be concise.
Vmmm.
I control the flow of mana and retrace the engraving.
Even a slight distraction would ruin everything again.
Like threading a needle.
I focus.
『 As the contractor, the power of your magic is amplified. 』
Around the completed form, I write the incantation.
A mere list of nouns that hardly deserves to be called a spell.
<Strength, Increase, Amplify, Limit, Growth>.
It could not be more simple or monotonous.
Now, I must confirm whether mana is fixed into the engraving.
I recall the mana I had let flow outward.
Vmmm. The engraving, left empty, fills with mana.
『 The contractor’s magic <Signo> has been successfully implemented. 』
『 Engraved the target with <Superhuman Strength>. 』
『 The contractor’s privilege also applies to magic engraved by inscription. 』
“…Huh?”
At the voice ringing in my head, I let out a strange sound without realizing it.
So the privilege even applies to magic engraved by inscription?
That means… this book—me—had a function I didn’t even know about…
Isn’t this totally broken?
If I had known, I would’ve tried artifact crafting too…
Why didn’t I ever think of this?
“W-what, d-did something g-go wrong?”
“Uh, ah, no.”
I smacked Hogg’s back, who had asked with worry in his voice, unaware of the situation.
“On the contrary, this is way better.”
“H-huh?”
“Can’t you feel the difference?”
“D-difference…? What changed?”
Hogg fumbled over his body.
Not surprising—he wasn’t sensitive to mana.
“I fixed your engraving.”
“M-my, m-my engraving?!”
“What do you think?”
Even if he couldn’t feel it, it didn’t matter.
“Want to go test it?”
It would only take one demonstration.
The fortress walls were made of giant logs.
Not laid horizontally, but planted vertically and bound together.
The reason was simple: “There are plenty of trees in the snow mountains.”
Even though it snowed more than half the year in these barren ranges, trees grew strangely dense.
There was only one kind of tree—the Snow-White Blossom Tree.
It grew nowhere else on the continent, only here.
Instead of leaves, it bore spines, and absorbed moisture and nutrients from snow.
Snow piling on the broad spines looked like blossoms, hence the name. But they never bloomed flowers.
These trees grew fast and tall, with massive girth.
In just a year they surpassed the height of a grown man. By three years, they towered three men tall.
Their strength exceeded common stone—perfect for fortress walls.
Thus, the fortress wall, built of these logs, endured attacks from Snow Worms every winter, but gradually broke apart.
So before the worms came, the damaged logs were replaced with new ones.
The old base was cut, the new log fitted into the carved groove, and ropes tied at the top were pulled taut to raise it.
Normally, this job took at least a dozen strong men.
But now—
“It’s going up! It’s going up!”
“This is insane!”
“Wooooah!”
—Hogg was doing it alone.
The soldiers working nearby dropped everything, staring in awe.
With ropes wound around his arms like reins on an ox, Hogg hauled the enormous log upright by himself.
That was the power of <Superhuman Strength>.
A spell that amplified innate power and multiplied it.
Of course, its effectiveness varied with the user’s physical ability.
It was only possible because Hogg’s huge body could unleash explosive power.
Zero multiplied by anything was still zero. One times one was still one.
But Hogg was no zero.
“Grrrhhhp!”
And on top of that—
『 The contractor’s privilege amplifies the power of the magic. 』
With that added bonus, it became possible.
Rumble… The colossal log’s top surged toward the sky.
“Just a bit more! Pull!”
“Almost there, rookie!”
“Go! Go! Go!”
The crowd shouted encouragement.
Now, every soldier who had gathered to watch was cheering Hogg on.
As though answering their voices—
“Raaaghhh!”
Hogg bellowed, pouring every last ounce of strength into the pull.
Thud.
The log slammed upright into its groove.
The missing gap in the fortress wall was filled perfectly once again.
“Wooooah!”
“He did it!”
“That rookie’s a monster!”
“Insane! Absolutely insane!”
“He really raised that thing by himself?!”
Cheers erupted.
Hogg collapsed to the ground, staring at the log in disbelief.
“No way… I actually did that…?”
Watching, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Didn’t think it’d be that much.”
All day long, the fortress buzzed with talk of the rookie who had raised the log.
“Did you see it? The way he pulled with those ropes?”
“Of course I saw! I thought he was a damn ox!”
“An ox? He was bigger than an ox! More like a bear!”
“Would even a bear manage that? I doubt it.”
“How the hell did he get so strong?”
The questions morphed into rumors.
“I heard the new magic unit captain helped him. They’re recruits together.”
“Word is, the captain himself went to the commander to bring him into the unit.”
“That captain’s really that amazing?”
“What, you didn’t know? He killed Barnard in a single blow.”
“The magic unit soldiers say he’s on another level entirely.”
“Then… the whole magic unit will turn into monsters like that? Crazy.”
“Man, can I transfer too?”
Rumors spread, each mouth adding more exaggeration.
“He had another classmate, right?”
“Ronin. He’s not bad either. In training, he holds his own against veterans. Even Gardner seems to be watching him.”
“Then why didn’t the captain take him too? Maybe they don’t get along?”
“I heard during the Snow Worm attack, he tried to run away alone.”
“No way… really? If so, then no wonder.”
In the tiny fortress, the rumors reached even Ronin’s ears.
That night.
Ronin couldn’t sleep.
Tossing and turning, he finally left his bed.
He wandered out of the barracks and headed for the training grounds.
The lone moon hung above, lighting the way.
At the training ground, he grabbed a practice sword and swung wildly.
Whoosh, whoosh. Harsh sounds split the air.
Heat built in his body, sweat dripped down, but he didn’t stop.
Why?
Why wasn’t he chosen?
The thought gnawed at him.
Anxiety and resentment tangled, choking his chest.
He recalled the conversation after the Snow Worm battle.
“So… can I become like you?”
“No.”
Esric had spoken with absolute certainty.
“Never.”
And in Ronin’s warped memory, Esric’s mocking laugh echoed too.
“Raaaghhh!”
Ronin roared, slamming the practice sword into the ground.
Crack. The wooden blade splintered, fragments scattering.
“Haahh… haahh…”
While he panted—
“Taking your anger out on an innocent sword?”
The commander, Siruela, had approached.
“…?!”
Ronin hadn’t sensed a thing.
Even with the bright moonlight, he hadn’t seen a shadow.
Startled, he bowed his head, struggling to calm his breath.
Siruela smiled faintly as he looked at him.
“The magic unit captain asked me for a favor.”
“…Sir?”
Ronin tilted his head, bewildered.
“To do what, sir?”
“To make you a knight.”
Ronin furrowed his brows.
“…That’s impossible for me.”
“Why do you think so?”
“Because… I have no engraving.”
A Knight.
One who engraved magic into themselves, freely wielding it, cloaking weapons in mana, and cutting down everything.
To become one required an engraving. Ronin had none.
Esric knew this well.
So why would he say such a thing? It could only be mockery.
“Wrong.”
Siruela’s firm voice overlapped Esric’s in Ronin’s ears.
“The knight he spoke of is not those fakes you know.”
…Fakes?
Confused, Ronin barely noticed when Siruela plucked the broken practice sword from his hand.
So swift and natural was his movement that Ronin even forgot he had been holding it.
Siruela raised the broken sword above his head, then slowly brought it down.
Whoosh.
The sound was heavier than any swing Ronin had made.
A fierce gust followed, sweeping over Ronin.
Behind him, dirt and snow lifted and scattered.
“He meant for me to make you a true knight.”
“…!”
Ronin could feel it without understanding.
So strong…!
A strength utterly beyond comprehension.
Could such skill be shown with a broken wooden sword?
A shiver ran down his spine.
For an instant, he thought he saw a faint green glow from the broken blade.
“…Fake or real, it doesn’t matter.”
Ronin dropped to his knees, bowing his head.
“Please make me strong.”
“I already agreed to the request.”
“Then—!”
Ronin raised his head, hope in his eyes.
“But the one who must do it is not me.”
Siruela’s green eyes gleamed, sharp as a honed blade.
“It is something only you can do yourself.”
He tossed the broken sword in front of Ronin.
“Can you?”
Ronin snatched it up without hesitation.
“Of course.”
Siruela’s whiskered lips curled in a faint smile.
“Rise.”
As Ronin stood, he felt… heat?
From the hilt of the broken sword, warmth spread into his palm, flowing through his body.
The chill of cooled sweat faded; his body warmed again.
“I too never engraved anything. The magic unit captain knows this.”
“…Sir?!”
Ronin’s eyes widened.
No engraving?
Then… how?
Questions filled his mind, but Siruela only looked amused.
“That is why he entrusted you to me.”
“…!”
With that, Siruela turned his back.
“This winter.”
He walked toward his tent, voice trailing behind.
“Survive this winter, and then I shall make you a knight.”
“I will survive. Without fail.”
Ronin bowed deeply toward his retreating figure.
When his presence vanished—
“Phew…”
Ronin picked up another practice sword.
Whoosh, whoosh.
He swung without pause, the blade cutting the air with more force than before.
Sweat poured, soaking him through once again.
Under the falling moonlight, Ronin shone like a star.
