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#198. What You Lose When You Grow Up (6)
The land beneath the Sky Island.
The meeting regarding Ray’s imagination came to a close, and with some business to attend to, the group stayed on Rael Low for a few more days.
Yis’s role as a guide was also naturally extended.
“Deck 17, armor replacement complete.”
“The repairs to the 11-2 mana concentrate have been completed.”
The destroyed facilities were rebuilt without a hitch, and the dead were quickly cared for and comforted.
Is rapid recovery another trait of the dwarf race?
As if the external intrusion was just a momentary incident, all the dwarves of Rael Row quickly returned to their daily lives.
Except for one person.
“… … .”
“Is, there’s a wall over there.”
thud!
“… … .”
“There are stairs over there.”
Kkudangdang!
“… … .”
“That side is the railing.”
Aaaah …
That was it.
It must have been quite a shock to find himself stranded at Lael Lowe, as he appeared dazed all day after the meeting.
It was then that Iss suddenly muttered in a determined voice.
“Just wait and see. If you keep causing trouble, you’ll get kicked out.”
The place was now a restaurant.
Iss dropped the plate he was receiving food from.
Jjaeng!
“Oh no. I accidentally dropped my plate.”
The sight of her laughing as she looked at the food spilled everywhere was obviously an intentional act.
But the reaction of the distribution workers who raised their heads was completely different from what was expected.
“What, I was wondering who it was. It was Issei?”
“I heard the story well! You were able to defeat the invaders thanks to your judgment that shines as bright as your magnonium!”
“You must have used up a lot of strength to stop the intruder. You have no strength left in your hands. Here, here’s a new plate. Don’t miss it this time.”
The expressions and voices of the people on duty were extremely gentle.
“Huh…? Huh huh…?”
“Eat lots!”
“Okay, I’ll give you some extra!”
Before I could come to my senses, food was poured onto a new plate.
A little later.
Iss sat down at the table with Ray, carrying a heavy plate.
“What is this…? This reaction…? What was the problem…?”
“Acting was the problem. I’ll teach you later when I have time.”
I was so confused that I couldn’t even hear Ray’s words.
Iss shook his head sharply and came to his senses, steeled his resolve, and began causing more trouble.
And then he flipped the plate over again.
Screaming loudly.
I tapped the table with my cutlery.
But this time too, the reactions from those around me were different from what I expected.
“It looks like you were very stressed out from dealing with the intruders.”
“Yes, that could be possible.”
“That powerful gesture reminds me of my prime.”
“I heard that he returned as a candidate for leadership.”
The old attitude of looking down on Yis was completely gone.
No matter how much trouble you cause, it’s the same.
“Euaaa …
Later, Iss, who had devoted himself to evil, threw the food here and there, but the dwarves only smiled happily or gave him curious looks.
It wasn’t long before Iss realized.
That means you’re caught in a terrible trap.
Ah, what is this terrifying performance-based system…!
Crack!
He muttered in an anxious voice, biting his fingernails.
“It won’t work. Unless we commit a crime that would burn off all the elders’ beards….”
“I can help you if you want.”
“how?”
“If I use magic… .”
Anyway, the meal was finished.
Afterwards, Issa and Ray arrived together at the central power room.
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Technicians in overalls were waiting for the two men, carrying notebooks and folders.
“You’re here!”
“Please take care of me today too!”
The dozen or so pairs of eyes looking at Ray were filled with anticipation and curiosity.
The power room, where the damaged equipment had been quickly repaired, looked just like before.
Except that the central glass sphere where the current stone originally resided was empty.
“… … .”
Ray summoned the current stone next to the ring onto his palm.
Undivided, complete form.
The ownership of the unified electric current stone had passed to Ray.
“Without the current stone, Rael Lowe can only stand still. He can’t move.”
The problem presented by the elders was surprisingly solved simply.
“Let’s get started.”
Ray approached the giant mana tank located on one wall of the power room.
The boy’s warm palm was placed on the cold metal surface.
Wooooowow──!
The yellow jewel’s mana began to race through the boy’s body, and the mana was then injected back into the tank through the boy’s right palm.
The gauge indicating the amount of remaining mana began to rise rapidly.
“What a tremendous speed…!”
“Wow, I still can’t believe it even after seeing it with my own eyes…!”
The technicians took notes busily, making soft exclamations.
The mana from the electric stone was something that could only be extracted at a limited rate due to its uniquely tricky nature.
Since the charge and consumption amounts were almost equal, the tank gauge could only always show similar numbers.
But now.
After several days of work, the gauge was almost at full charge.
Finally, as the technicians trembled with excitement and thrill.
Beep beep──!
The buffer sounded.
Ray asked, taking his hand off the tank.
“How much can I spend with this?”
“At least half a year…! No, considering that the quality of mana has also improved, you should be able to operate Rael Row without any worries for a year. Even assuming that the distortion field is operated 24 hours a day…!”
The senior engineer was breathless with joy and excitement, and even had tears in his eyes.
After that, the technicians who had the Q&A with Ray nodded and left the power room.
Ray looked around the cube-shaped power room and asked.
“Is, do you know anything about the designer of Rael Row?”
“Well? I don’t know because there are no records left. Maybe they were incredibly strong and smart dwarves? Like me.”
As he said this, Iss brought a box from the corner of the power room and placed it in front of him.
Ray said as he created a strong wind and rolled the box around.
“There’s a structure outside that looks exactly like this one.”
“My pedestal! You, are afraid of me growing tall─ huh?”
“There are some in the sector and some in the ruins.”
This was followed by an explanation of the Ignis Cube and the bunker-shaped cube seen at the ruins.
“I think it’s highly likely that the designer of Rael Lowe and the creator of the Cube are the same person.”
“Hmm… If you listen closely, they certainly look exactly the same. Dwarves would be the only race with the technology to build such structures.”
“Rumor has it that it’s a collaboration between dwarves and elves. I’ve actually seen spirits across the gap in space and inside the vault.”
Elf.
Iss, whose words had suddenly stopped, opened his mouth tremblingly.
“That’s a bit much, working with elves.”
“You seem to have some secret pride in the dwarves’ technological prowess.”
“No! That’s not true! I’m sick of dwarves! I want to get out of here right now!”
“Your skills are terrible.”
“This kid?”
After a brief pause in the bickering, Ray spoke.
“I think dwarves could originally use magic. Without necessarily relying on tools.”
“It’s similar to what we talked about last time. Dwarves originally lived under the sunlight.”
Ray nodded.
The dwarf in the mural certainly did.
They lived in the sunlight and were seen using magic.
“I think it’s a ridiculous fantasy….”
Iss, who had been silent for a moment, shrugged his shoulders and said.
“A dwarf who uses magic, that’s not bad, if you think about it.”
*
Early the next morning, the group’s bus dropped them off at the lower level of Lael Low.
The elders who came out approached the group standing in front of the bus.
Falun said.
“I would like to thank you again on behalf of Rael Lowe. I have learned a lot from you. These are things that can never be achieved through technology.”
Ray nodded and said while holding up a small object in his hand.
“But are you sure you don’t want to receive this again?”
That was a bolt.
Originally, Ray used his right of request to take over the ownership of the electric stone, but the elders did not accept it.
“Okay. I’ll keep it and use it if you have any other requests.”
“… … .”
I couldn’t understand it, but there was no reason to refuse.
Ray said, putting the bolt in his bosom.
“We can’t leave for our destination right away. We have some work to do right now, back in the sector.”
“You can come slowly. The movement speed of Rael Low itself is not that fast. According to the calculations, it will take a month to reach the wilderness outside of Sector 33, where the Sky Island is located.”
“Still, I’ll try to get there as quickly as possible.”
The group boarded the bus, escorted by the elders.
Ddddddddd──
The bus, which had been frozen for several days, woke up with a loud engine noise.
The wheels began to turn, along with a cloud of dust, and Rael Lowe’s massive body began to shrink away from the window.
It was then that a silhouette appeared on Rael Low’s watchtower.
“Hey, Ray! Isn’t that Is?”
“… … .”
It was just as Veronica said.
Iss, who had not been seen during the farewell, was waving his hand slowly from the watchtower.
Ray, who was staring blankly at the image reflected in the rearview mirror, unconsciously moved the hand that was resting on his knee.
Still, slowly.
As if offering a quiet greeting.
Before long, Rael Lowe disappeared completely from the landscape.
Ray, who was staring out the window, suddenly moved his lips and muttered.
“imagination.”
“huh?”
Veronica, sitting next to me, turned her head.
“imagination?”
“They say that when your head is stiff, you can’t imagine.”
Veronica had no difficulty following Ray’s train of thought.
“Are you talking about what the dead executive said?”
“That’s right. That’s what I said about why a person from 20 years ago still looks like a child. It’s that when your head is hardened, you can’t imagine. Does that mean that when you become an adult, you can’t imagine?”
“Hmm, logically that makes sense, but honestly I don’t get it!”
Ray recalled strongly an image stored in his head.
Woohoo──!
The mana from the jewels and rings that resonated with the boy’s imagination gathered into his palm.
What was soon completed was a dagger with a pale yellow glow, with a gentle current flowing through it.
Veronica was impressed.
“I saw it last time too, but it’s still amazing. Normally, electrical and metal elements don’t get along, so one of them tends to fuse. Did you just think of it this time?”
Ray nodded.
The boy’s imagination survived the battle.
It was impossible to stretch my imagination and create something completely new, but it was quite possible to recreate the magic I had used in the last battle.
‘Once you become an adult, this imagination disappears.’
…what is the standard for an adult?
It’s already been nearly half a year since I left Sector 50 and started chasing the rainbow.
She had accumulated what people generally call age, and her height, which had been slightly shorter than Veronica’s, was now two or three centimeters taller.
I also gained quality experiences that I never thought I would have had before.
But I couldn’t be sure.
Is this really proof that they are becoming adults?
“Veronica, when do you think a person becomes an adult?”
“adult?”
Veronica’s face quickly turned bright red when she was asked the question.
That was because I remembered what the orphanage sisters had said, that you have to become a couple and have a baby to become an adult.
‘If I hold hands with Ray and sleep, will Rockdeer really bring me a baby? What should I name the baby? A son? No, would it be better to have a daughter?’
My imagination ran wild.
Veronica hyperventilates and tries to control her pounding heart.
“… … .”
Ray was coming to his own conclusion.
I don’t know exactly what constitutes an adult, but it’s clear that we need to develop this power of imagination.
“Is there a way to develop imagination?”
The voice came from the back seat.
“How about drawing a picture?”
The jerky had a strong chemical seasoning smell.