Chapter 57 : The Fall

Chapter 57: The Fall

Lorraine taught me how to activate the Magical Armor.

“You’ve communicated with the Sword Spirit before, right? Try thinking of the Magical Armor as a sword and attempt to resonate with it. You can see the Mana Heart at the center of your chest, can’t you?”

When I glanced down, I saw a large mana stone.

A frame of silver and gold metal surrounded it, with intricate patterns inlaid between the edges.

“Focus on that point. It’s similar to when you create Sword Energy. The difference is, this time you’re communicating not with the Sword Spirit, but with the Armor Spirit.”

Hmm…

Similar to creating Sword Energy?

But armor and a sword were completely different things to begin with…

I couldn’t quite grasp the feeling.

Was I doing this right?

“For reference, no matter how long it takes, you must succeed within fifteen minutes or—”

Wooong—!

It resonated.

The Magical Armor.

Gwoooong—!

Light burst forth from the Mana Heart.

It was vivid.

Mana flowing swiftly into every corner of the armor.

So it worked?

“...It worked?”

Lorraine’s eyes widened slightly.

I was surprised as well.

Whether it was a Sword Spirit or an Armor Spirit, in the end, they were both souls born from human-made objects. The essence was the same.

Thanks to that, I succeeded in resonating far more easily than expected.

I nearly smiled, feeling somewhat pleased.

But I quickly hid my emotions and deliberately asked in a flat tone,

“Yes. It worked. Is there a next step?”

Since Lorraine had said I’d need to prove my worth twice over, I intended to show her I was far more than that.

That was why I didn’t smile.

I kept up the attitude that this much was nothing.

“Hm~ You might have better instincts than I thought?”

Lorraine evaluated me with her eyes while her lips curved into a faint smile.

“But this is only the beginning, you know? Endure it well. Once the mana truly starts flowing, it’ll be quite painful.”

Really? Painful, she said. That was fine. I could handle pain.

I braced myself,

and waited.

But then…

What was this?

“...”

“Why? Is it very painful?”

“...”

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

...Painful? What part of this was supposed to hurt?

The mana that began from the Mana Heart accelerated as it surged violently throughout the armor, but…

Oh—refreshing.

Instead, my entire body brimmed with strength, just like when I circulated Aura.

It felt as if I could crush a finely crafted steel sword with my bare hands, even without using Aura.

So this was the Magical Armor.

They said it was different from a simple enchanted armor…

Just by wearing it, it strengthened the body.

And it seemed the amplification was far stronger than ordinary magic.

It even resembled the way one used Aura to enhance the body.

Which was why there was no way it could hurt. For someone like me, who was accustomed to circulating Aura within my body, the mere pressure of mana flowing through the Magical Armor was nothing at all.

“You’re not in pain?”

“I’m not.”

“It’s painless for you?”

“Yes.”

“That… that can’t be right?”

“It doesn’t hurt.”

“Wait a moment. Then try using a skill.”

“How do I use it?”

“Maintain resonance with the Mana Heart, and guide the mana exactly as the Magical Armor instructs.”

As the Magical Armor instructs…

Wooooong—!

Ah. I understood.

The densely engraved circuits of the armor.

Among the countless channels where mana flowed, I only had to direct it in a specific pattern.

It was strikingly similar to Aura cultivation methods, where Aura was maneuvered in set ways inside the body.

“This one will be quite difficult. Just the sense of guiding mana through resonance usually takes a lot of time… so go slowly.”

Lorraine’s voice was now tinged with growing anticipation.

Fine. Today, I’d show her my worth properly.

“Understood.”

Not difficult in the slightest.

Mana was easier to control than Aura in the first place.

And for me, who commanded strong, violent Aura as naturally as breathing, this was far too simple.

I guided the mana along the pattern the armor revealed, and at that moment—

Whooosh—!

Winds surged around me.

This was…?

I realized it instinctively.

The skill embedded in this Magical Armor was—

[Flight]

Fwooosh!

My vision shot upward in an instant. I looked down upon the crown of Lorraine’s head, and the ceiling of the testing chamber—which had once seemed impossibly high—now felt close enough to brush against.

Lorraine craned her neck so far back it seemed it might snap, her mouth gaping wide.

“You did it? That easily?”

Oh.

The relaxed smile vanished from her face.

In its place burned a heated, rising desire.

This was the beginning.

Lorraine rolled up the sleeves of her pristine white robe.

“Th-this one! Try this one too!”

This time, it was a more ornate suit of Magical Armor than the first.

One embedded with not just one, but two skills.

[Shockwave] and [Shield]

Oh… this was good.

When I tested the skills, even I was surprised.

They were powerful!

The [Shockwave] unleashed through the Magical Armor had such might that even a Swordmaster would stagger for a moment.

On the battlefield, that could mean the difference between life and death.

The [Shield] was just as impressive. I couldn’t be entirely certain, but it seemed even sturdier than most Aura Shields.

I was astonished at the potency of the skills, and Lorraine was astonished at me being astonished.

“This one too? So easily? Its output is twice as high! You’re not in pain? Not exhausted? Really?”

“Yes. Not at all.”

“Th-then try this next! Hardly anyone can even activate this one…”

Lorraine unfastened two buttons of her blouse.

Her once perfect composure began to unravel, replaced instead by a blazing passion overflowing uncontrollably.

The newly donned Magical Armor.

‘This design alone is no joke.’

If brought back to my own era, it would unquestionably be designated a national treasure—such was the artistry it radiated.

And this one carried three skills.

[Charge], [Shield], [Acceleration]

What’s more…

Chirurururung!

The moment it activated, it transformed!

From a mere breastplate that barely covered the chest—into a full-body suit of armor enveloping me from head to toe!

A trembling sensation of awe welled up from within my chest.

This must be incredibly expensive.

No—this couldn’t be sold. We would have to keep it for ourselves.

What’s more…

‘…I feel like I could shatter most Sword Aura barehanded.’

The amplification of my physical body had increased dramatically.

Even without channeling Aura, power surged within me. What would happen if I added Aura on top of this?

I was deeply moved, while Lorraine trembled with excitement.

“Y-yes! Next! The next one! Yes, that one! And that one too!!!”

Lorraine went so far as to fling aside the pristine white robe she had once worn with pride.

She dragged out every prototype she hadn’t yet tested, outfitted me in them one after another, measuring, recording, scribbling feverishly.

No longer was there the smiling, teasing Lorraine who used to poke and prod at me.

There was only Lorraine, swallowing nervously as her eyes stayed glued to me.

And at last—

When I activated the strongest Magical Armor in the testing chamber, the one with the highest output, the one she had never even dared attempt…

And when I demonstrated every one of its functions flawlessly—

Lorraine, who had been recording furiously, froze, then began to tremble.

She compared her notes and calculations over and over, as if she had discovered something monumental, then finally tore at her own hair and shouted in rapture—

“Ra… Rising Thunder Kick!”

Shattered.

The smiling, teasing woman who had playfully struck me—

Collapsed in an instant.

*         *         *

Rising Thunder Kick…?

She was completely out of her mind.

Even now, look at her.

Over there was nothing more than a single rowdy miscreant.

“No, let go! Hey! I wasn’t excited, I swear! I was just saying it! I only said it, okay!?”

The crisp folds of her once-pristine white robe had become nothing more than wrinkled cloth, stripped of any elegance.

Her meticulously bound strands of black-gold hair had become a tangled mess, and the ribbon that once crowned her graceful appearance now hung limply on one side of her hair, like a dead leaf barely clinging.

The only one to stop her rampage was the Royal Chamberlain—no, not that—rather, the elder magician and senior researcher of this institute, Master Eodran, who brushed back his silver hair with dignity.

“This won’t do, Director.”

“No! I just wanted to ask! Just to ask! I can’t even ask about it!?”

“You know better than anyone—that thing must never be touched. Don’t you, Director?”

“It might work, though?!”

“If it goes wrong, it won’t just cripple you—it’ll blow your body to pieces and you’ll d—”

“But there’s a chance I won’t die!”

“Director. The fact that you *could* die is already the problem…”

“I told you, I was *just asking*!”

She was frantic.

Lorraine was in a state where reason simply couldn’t reach her.

That Master Eodran was handling her so calmly was astonishing in itself.

Truth be told, the old man had been like that from the very beginning.

Even when Lorraine started rolling up her sleeves, unbuttoning her blouse, and gradually getting more worked up, Eodran had been right there beside her—fanning her, pouring her water, brewing her tea, even pulling up a chair for her to sit. He had cared for her with absolute devotion.

By any measure, he was the finest chamberlain one could ask for.

“Haa…”

Finally, Eodran let out a long sigh after soothing Lorraine for as long as he could.

Then—

“Director. Please excuse me for a moment.”

He hoisted the thrashing Lorraine over his shoulder and carried her straight out of the testing chamber.

The old man sure was strong…

Her shouts echoed faintly from afar.

“This is a chance! A chance to change history! To test a masterpiece from that era! Only by testing can we refine it and perfect it!”

“There’s no such thing as achievement without risk!!”

“Wait, wai—just a second! Just let me talk it through, okay? I’m *just talking*! I swear I’m only taaaalking—!”

Her voice faded as the distance grew.

Moments later, Eodran returned, his face weary.

“My apologies, Sir Ransen. We must continue according to schedule, so I’ll adjust the Magical Armor you’ll be using.”

“Yes.”

So what happened to Lorraine?

I was curious, but I didn’t ask.

I didn’t know this era well, and the less I spoke, the less chance I had of making mistakes.

“She must have startled you.”

As he took my measurements, Eodran began the conversation.

“I deeply apologize for today, especially on your first day. But please believe me, she is not a bad person.”

Uh… hmm…

Not a bad person?

I wasn’t so sure. She certainly felt like an exploitative employer to me.

“Your meal is prepared, so I’ll guide you to the dining hall. The ruin exploration begins in four hours. After eating and resting, please gather in front of the ruins in three hours. Further instructions will be given then.”

See? We just met today, and she’s already shoving me into a ruin exploration.

She was definitely an exploitative employer.

“All done.”

Eodran finished adjusting the Magical Armor.

A blue hue bordering on gray. A beautifully crafted breastplate fit snugly over my chest.

It was the same type as the last armor I tested.

The model with the best performance—and the most beautiful design.

“Thank you.”

I offered a flat response, but inside, my heart pounded.

The Magical Armor.

Its performance exceeded imagination, and it was more magnificent than anything I had ever seen.

‘I must take this back with me.’

As many as possible.

The best ones possible.

I swore it firmly.

*         *         *

The meal was immensely satisfying.

The food was so delicious that I asked what made it so, and they told me it was the seasoning, refined with mana.

Even food infused with mana!

This truly was the Age of Magic!

Feeling full and content, I left the dining hall—only to find Lorraine blocking my path.

The rowdy ruffian from earlier was gone. In her place stood a woman with perfectly combed hair, clad in spotless white garments.

“I’ve discovered your secret.”

She spoke without preamble.

“You’re special-bodied, aren’t you? Able to directly manipulate mana.”

Oh…

She figured that out instantly.

“The test data didn’t make sense at all, so I pored over it for a long time. No human should be able to do what you did… Then it struck me—one of Grand Duke Laitena’s disciples had that same constitution! I never imagined there could be another one like that… But I’m right, aren’t I?”

I didn’t bother to answer.

The more you speak, the more chances you have to slip.

‘But it is interesting.’

A disciple of Grand Duke Laitena with a special constitution…

‘That’s me, isn’t it?’

Hearing my own story come out of the mouth of someone from ten thousand years in the future—it was a strange feeling indeed.

Lorraine seemed to take my silence as confirmation, her eyes gleaming.

It wasn’t her usual insincere smile, but a face lit with raw passion and expectation.

“Then! May I experiment on you?”

“Experiment?”

“That constitution! There may be a key within it—a key to advancing magical engineering itself!”

Experiments on my body?

Honestly, I didn’t see a problem.

But a negotiator from Roberland never made the first move.

Always give the impression of reluctant consent—that was the best tactic.

“No need.”

I brushed past her with those curt words.

“Wait! Wait, please!!”

As expected, Lorraine called after me desperately, chasing me down.

Exactly so.

This was how bargaining began.

Balance was key.

Make her impatient, but not insulted.

My expression remained flat, but inside, my head was a storm of calculations.

An opportunity to experiment on the only special body in existence…

How much could I extort out of that?

It certainly wouldn’t be small.

I’d heard it with my own ears, after all.

She had shouted it herself: “Rising Thunder Kick!”

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