Chapter 279

[Side Story] Chasing a Butterfly (6) When I

opened my eyes the next morning, Wilhelm had woken up early and was preparing breakfast.

Zelan was twitching in bed, as if he had overslept. If Wilhelm, who was diligent, did not take care of him in one way or another, that man seemed to be a very poor person.

Lucy and I got up with sleepy eyes, said hello to Wilhelm, and went to a nearby stream to wash our faces.

Lucy isn’t exactly the type that is diligent enough to wake up this early in the morning, but perhaps because she fell asleep in my arms, she woke up when I woke up.

So Lucy and I took in the early morning air and the coniferous forest scenery of the Rameln Mountains at a glance.

Lucy, bouncing around as she steps on the swaying leaves, seems to know the surrounding geography well even though it has been a long time since she visited.

“I walked around a lot when I was young. “When I practiced lightly using gravity magic and lightening magic around my body, I ended up reaching a place I had never seen before and got lost.”

“I guess it wasn’t scary.”

“huh. “Anyway, Grandpa Glokt’s magical power can be easily felt from afar, so if you follow his magical power, you can quickly return to the cabin.”

The story goes that from a young age, he sensed the magic power of Glokt from afar.

We’ve already talked about Lucy’s incredible magical talent, so there’s no point in emphasizing anything more now.

Lucy walked along the roadside to the stream with light, magical steps.

“I can now use my magical power quite freely. “You seem to have recovered quite a bit?”

“huh. I can use at least basic magic. “I think I’ll be able to use mid-level magic soon.”

At first, the recovery period lasted almost five to six years.

However, even though it is not even halfway through, it is already possible to try using mid-level magic.

As expected, Lucy always exceeds expectations when it comes to matters related to magical power.

I washed my face with Lucy in the cool early morning air.

And as we shook off the moisture and enjoyed the cool early morning air in the mountains... Lucy had just taken out a piece of beef jerky and was sitting on a rock, muttering.

I talked while warming up here and there.

“That wizard named Zelan. “What do you think?”

“Strange.”

Lucy answered without hesitation, perhaps because what she was thinking was clear.

And... it matched my thoughts.

I felt this through many conversations along the way to the Rameln Mountains.

Zelan the Mutilator always has a sly smile on his face and talks cheerfully... but on the inside he is endlessly chipped away. In some ways, it seems empty.

I don’t know if it’s okay to say this, but...

he was a person who wouldn’t be surprised if he died tomorrow.

* * *

After finishing a simple breakfast, I began to examine the belongings in Glokt’s underground laboratory in earnest.

Zelan is well versed in traditional magic itself, but his areas of expertise are magic engineering and material science. It would not be easy for an ordinary wizard to accurately analyze the artifacts created by Glokt, a rare genius, but Zelan would be able to figure out the design intent.

Just like that, Zelan loosened his fairly long hair and looked one by one at the memorabilia piled up in Glokt’s laboratory.

Lucy, I, and Wilhelm were next to him, looking at the artifacts and magic engineering supplies.

As I looked through each item, I found many quite novel items. It may be difficult to recognize if you are not versed in magical engineering supplies, but the items left behind by Glokt were not tied to the internal structure or flow of magical energy that had been previously studied.

The magic engineering supplies designed by geniuses have a completely different base structure. You have to examine each switch and each horsepower guide wire as if you were tearing it apart from the beginning.

It felt as if the magic engineering system I had learned so far was being completely denied.

“Obviously... this isn’t easy...”

Zelan also raised both hands and feet in an hour.

The underground laboratory was full of magic engineering supplies and relics taken out here and there. However, among these, there was not a single object whose structure could be completely determined.

“I think we’ll need some time to coordinate the operation.”

Once again, we were sitting at the dining table in the kitchen with serious expressions on our faces. This is because examining Glokt’s relics was not as easy as expected.

Zelan, who was sitting in the middle, spoke first while drinking the tea Wilhelm had provided.

“Although Glokt in his lifetime could not observe all future trends as clearly as the great sage Sylvania... they say he was able to observe future trends to some extent.”

Moreover, if it is a magic engineering product that uses star magic... I really don’t know what the results will be.

“...Why do you do that?”

I know it’s a meaningless question. Still, I can’t help but ask.

“Didn’t you say it yourself that it was like chasing an empty butterfly? After belatedly observing things like ‘possibility that might have existed’... what on earth should I do?...”

After saying that, I stopped talking.

Zelan’s actions somehow seem to have no regrets about his current life. In the end, he even said that he would hand over the results of his lifelong research...

It was like...

“...Tell me what you are thinking.”

“....”

“If you keep quiet until the end, I will freely tell you my guess.”

Zelan, the one who challenges taboos.

I don’t know how tightly the failures of the past are gripping her heart, but...

the reason why she wants to observe the future split into so many different directions is...

“――If there is a future you want... Aspect Magic Do you plan to study and use it to go there?”

A future with countless possibilities, branching into many directions.

Jumping from branch to branch.

Zelan’s ambition... was much grander than I thought.

“....”

“....”

In order to decide on a destination, you must first observe the destination.

The starting point of Zelan’s grand plan... is that observation. If this is a world that we will leave behind anyway, the laboratory and research results left here are meaningless.

So, what I am saying is that you will hand over to me all the research records that are worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

“...In fact, the magic engineering supplies expected to be ‘observation devices’ have already been identified.”

As the story progresses to this point, Zelan tells the story honestly.

“It’s not 100% certain. That’s just a guess. And I don’t know how it will affect other parts of the world.”

“...Can I move on to another world?”

“It’s impossible in theory. Magic is all about interaction. Even if you manifest magic power in this world, if there is no medium to receive that magic power in the other world, it is only one-way communication.”

“....”

“...Still, I want to try everything I can.”

Zelan speaks weakly in a subdued voice.

I feel a strange sense of helplessness, as if I could turn into powder and scatter at any moment.

“Can’t you join in on this old man’s last wish? “I’ll give you everything... I’ll give you everything... It’s meaningless to me anyway.”

The final secret wish of Zelan, who has been wandering the world for 140 years.

“Help me to go to a world where the demi-humans were not massacred...”

Zelan spoke with difficulty, squeezing his voice as if it were going to break.

And a moment of silence.

I am aware that this is a very dangerous request. There is no guarantee that Glockt’s artifact can be adjusted accurately.

It’s not like there’s no risk for me. Nevertheless, it feels strange to see the cheerful Zelan appear in such a low posture.

If you just want to help with research, it’s not difficult. And the compensation that comes in return is ridiculous.

The moment I think, “Isn’t there anything bad from my perspective?”

“okay.”

Lucy answered as if she could read my mind.

Lucy and I are the only people here who can handle Aspect magic.

“...I’ll help you.”

Lucy buried herself in my arms and answered in a firm voice for her own.