Chapter Fifty-one: Rank Promotion Exam 3
“…Why does using magical power make us so tired?”
“Well, that’s because magical power is like stamina.”
Perhaps because they were alone, Natalia answered Karen casually.
“But magical power is different from stamina, right?”
“They may be different, but using them both results in fatigue, so in that sense, they’re the same.”
In response to Natalia’s answer, Karen thought to herself that this wasn’t right. They shouldn’t be the same, yet everyone treated them as if they were.
Karen bottled her forty-fourth minor healing potion, then her forty-fifth, forty-sixth, and forty-seventh.
Breathing heavily, Karen muttered:
“Why do you think running out of magical power becomes life-threatening?”
“Karen, you should stop now. For someone with D-rank magic capacity, you’ve done exceptionally well. As you said, depleting your magical power is dangerous, Karen.”
Instead of answering, Natalia warned her. Karen ignored the warning and continued:
“…It shouldn’t be life-threatening.”
“What are you saying, Karen!”
They say that overusing magic can cause unconsciousness and, in some cases, death. That was why everyone was taught to always leave a thin layer of magical power throughout their bodies whenever they used magic. At least, that was what Karen learned at the commoners’ school.
In other words, Karen still had magical power left throughout her body.
“Using up all the magical power in your body shouldn’t kill you. After all, that’s how the human body is made.”
“Karen!?”
“Forty-eight bottles.”
“Stop it! I told you it’s dangerous!”
Natalia shouted, her face contorted with anger. She was worried and angry for Karen’s sake. But she wasn’t forcing Karen to stop.
“Sorry, Natalia.”
Karen smiled warmly at Natalia, whose face had reddened with anger.
“I just couldn’t resist trying to test it.”
“You alchemy maniac!”
“I think I can do it. Really.”
After all, Karen knew from her previous life’s memories that humans could live without magical power. Could the human body be different between her previous life and this one? But vegetables and herbs, once made into potions, had the same components as in her previous life. They weren’t just similar in appearance—they were identical.
Humans probably weren’t that different either.
“Forty-nine bottles!”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake! If you collapse, I’ll end the test using my authority as an examiner!”
“Heh heh, thanks, Natalia.”
Why had she hesitated to test her abilities until now?
Only after her true abilities were exposed and proven unremarkable did she finally find something she wanted to try—and it was so much fun.
“Ah, if I’d known it would be this fun, I would have tried it sooner.”
Karen began gathering the last of her remaining magical power.
It was so fun and interesting that there was no way she could compromise here and waste this opportunity.
“I wonder if people who collapse when they run out of magical power have been unconsciously relying on it to live… Maybe some people have parts of themselves sustained by magic, and when that’s gone, they die… But I’m still young and healthy, so I’ll be fine without magical power.”
She imagined gathering scattered particles of magical power from throughout her body.
Slowly, carefully, collecting them one by one.
Still, she felt the blood drain from her face. Cold sweat seeped out. Her heart raced to signal the abnormal situation, and breathing became difficult.
How much had this body been relying on magical power to live until now?
“Even without magic, blood flows. The heart beats, and you can breathe too.”
She muttered as if trying to convince her own body.
Karen took her time. Gently, so her body wouldn’t be shocked.
Then, the blood returned to her cold fingertips, her sweating stopped, her heartbeat steadied, and though shallow, her breathing returned to normal.
Karen channeled the gathered magical power into the water containing herbs in her alchemy cauldron.
The water sparkled with rainbow colors, and the herbs began to dissolve.
After watching the herbs completely dissolve, Karen sighed and said:
“That makes fifty bottles.”
“I’ll examine them!”
Karen slumped into her chair, breathing heavily. Her body felt heavy as if she’d arrived on a planet with stronger gravity. Perhaps this world’s gravity, which she’d thought was similar to Earth’s, had only felt light because she’d been wrapped in magic. Though it might just be extreme fatigue, this needed further investigation.
“…I confirm all of them are minor healing potions. Congratulations, Karen, you’ve advanced to E-rank!”
“Yay…”
As Karen let out a weak cheer while slouching against the chair’s backrest, she heard a bell ring in the distance.
“The third bell. That concludes the test.”
She must have been so focused that she missed the second bell, and it was already time for the third one. She had no energy left to celebrate her narrow pass.
“Can I go sleep in the break room?”
“Sure. But I’m calling a doctor to examine you while you sleep.”
“Thanks.”
Though looking stern, Natalia helped Karen stand and led her to the break room.
“Really, you’re such a troublesome best friend.”
Natalia said, fuming.
Karen was in the mood to be scolded by Natalia all day.
But lacking even the energy to be scolded, she collapsed onto the bed in the break room and fell asleep.
No comments:
Post a Comment