CH 64

Magic Staff

“Ajifu, it was impressive how you acquired the prayer skill. Now you are truly an apprentice priest. The church shall gift you a mace to celebrate.”

“It’s because of your guidance, Father Zenrima. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. But I do not need the mace.”

I had come to Father Zenrima’s room after learning light magic.

“What!? Then how will you use the magic?”

“Uh, with a staff.”

I was not going to use that giant mass of metal!

“A staff? Only weakling magicians use those!”

“But bothe Brother Kifume and Ms. Pemeri use them?”

When using magic, you needed a staff as a conductor. Normally, priests would put a medium inside of a mace, as the longer it was, the more accurate the magic.

“Neither of them understand why maces are good! Still, you will have plenty of time to think about it. Now, Ajifu. There is something you lack, even after learning light magic. Do you know what I am talking about?”

Don’t you dare say muscles.

“Light magic skill levels?”

“While that is necessary, it is not that alone. What you lack is MP.”

I wish he would just say mana. It sounded better.

However, it did make sense. MP management was hard, so that’s why we always had to rotate.

“So, I want you to raise your level. However, as you know, things are very busy at the church. And so you will have to do it while continuing your other duties.”

“Father Zenrima, may I ask you… Was it the same for the other apprentice priests as well?”

“Of course. I don’t treat anyone differently.”

“I don’t mean to meddle, but me aside, perhaps it was too severe for the others?”

On top of the work with the church and infirmary, they also had to go to the mines and help with fighting monsters? It was quite hard.

“But they would be with an Adventurer party? And they need to strengthen their muscles in order to wield a mace.”

So they also had to work out as well. It’s no wonder they were running away.

Father Zenrima was very popular within this city. He was a dwarven hero, and still a capable fighter. And so even if he was strict, the church would not want to replace him. He was a stubborn old dwarf.

“As I don’t have an issue with being solo, I will start raising my level as soon as my equipment is ready.”

I needed 12 MP to heal once. Currently, my MP is at 71, so I could use it up to five times. And if I took breaks in between, I would recover enough MP to heal six times.

Also, while I would use a staff to use magic normally, I also had Parallel Thought, so I might as well make it so that I could use magic while fighting.

I wanted to try embedding a medium into my prosthetic leg, but I could put my leg over wounded people, so that wouldn’t do… Hmm…

Damn it! I forgot the part for my leg!!

I earned money from my work at the church. While the church had no lack of patients, it wasn’t much money considering the amount of work. However, I didn’t have to pay for my room or meals.

Not only that, but the church paid for consumables used in the mines or for leveling up, so it actually seemed generous.

The next day, I told Ms. Pemeri that I had forgotten my leg part at the smithy, and after being scolded, I visited the dwarf chief.

“You finally came back.”

He said with exasperation.

“It was all thanks to you. I am so grateful.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about. Just take it and leave.”

I picked up the spring part and asked him,

“Chief. Could you turn this into a mace?”

“I am even more confused about what you are talking about. However, in a way, that is just a strangely shaped board. So it should be possible.”

“Then please do it!”

“Do not ask me to do it. However, there is a magic artificer who I can introduce you to.”

“Thank you!”

Apparently, working with magic mediums was the job of a magic artificer. After being told where the place was, I left the smithy behind me.

There was an area near a back alley where I normally wouldn’t go, that was filled with various workshops. And in one corner, I found the smithy that the chief was talking about.

“Is Ms. Lettelotte here?”

“Aye!”

A dwarf woman appeared from the back of the workshop that was filled with unfamiliar materials. Her age… I could not tell with dwarf women. But I did know one thing. You should not ask such things.

“The chief at the smithy recommended you to me. I want to order two maces, as well as a staff.”

I then handed her the leg spring.

“What the hell is this?”

Well, it was no wonder.

And so I showed her the prosthetic leg and explained my idea to her.

“Huh. You do think of interesting things. Even though I would hardly call that a mace. Still, I’ll give it a try.”

She agreed to do it.

“I also want to order another mace. One that I can attach to my left hand, so it won’t get in the way when using a sword.”

“How is that even a mace then? Well, nevermind. And it can be made of wood?”

“I would prefer it if it was durable enough to use in battle.”

Ms. Lettelotte thought about it for some time.

“While it will be heavier, what about adding it into a small shield that is part of your gauntlet? However, the range of the magic will be reduced. You won’t hit anything if you’re too far away.”

Hmm. I started to think about distance when it came to light magic. According to the holy scriptures, I will be able to use Protection once I have skill level 5. It was a spell that would weaken enemy attacks for a single ally that was close by.

But how close was it exactly? I didn’t know, and it would be pretty embarrassing if I cast it and missed during an actual battle.

“I just need to be able to cast Protection with it.”

I said, hoping it would be enough.

“Light magic, eh? If that’s all you care about… How about this?”

She started to draw on a blackboard with some chalk.

“Hoho. That is interesting. It sounds very promising, Ms. Lettelotte.”

“Hehe… We understand each other then. Also, you don’t need to talk to me so formally.”

Huh, perhaps she was younger than I thought?

“Yes…sure. I think that I will be requiring your services for some time, Ms. Lettelotte.”

I said while offering my hand.

“You don’t need to call me ‘miss.’ Regardless, I look forward to doing some interesting world.”

“Alright, Lettelotte. Nice to meet you.”

We firmly shook hands.

In this world that had not been industrialized, connections with crafters was very important. Not only for my prosthetic leg, but for weapons, armor, clothes, bags, shoes, and everything in your house. There were stores as well, but crafters were strongly connected to life in the city.

And so meeting a good crafter meant being able to acquire good products. Satisfied, I returned to the church and found Ms. Pemeri standing there with her arms folded.

“You sure took your time, considering what happened yesterday. Eh? Mr. Ajifu?”

She was angry. Very angry. This was bad.

“M-Ms. Pemeri. There is a reason for this! My staff! Yes! I went to buy a staff!”

“Oh? And where is this staff?”

Ah, I was so occupied with talking about my combat equipment, that I had forgotten to buy a normal staff.

“I forgot.”

Bonk.

A fist fell on top of my head. It hurt for the second day in a row…

The next day, I bought a normal magic staff.