Chapter 8

The effect was dispelled, but the decay that had already occurred was not reversed.

We both let out a breath. Countless protective spells had been placed on the ancient black mage's notes, including, inevitably, spells to prevent the magic from taking effect. The runes we had written on ordinary paper had no such protection. We should have been prepared for how powerful the black mage's runes were. Perhaps we had both gotten a little overexcited... Fortunately, we had reacted quickly.

Mel and I couldn't help smiling at each other. Our first attempt at casting together had gone smoothly, so although we had made a small mistake, it was insignificant compared with what we had gained.

"I'll handle the protection this time. You write them again," I said.

Mel nodded. "No problem."

I cast a shield. It required continuous chanting and could also be called a protective barrier, but that didn't matter. It was my own spell, so the dull writers of magic textbooks had never saddled it with some strange name. That didn't affect the spell itself. I had tested its strength before, and I was confident it could withstand three consecutive shots from a magitech cannon at maximum power.

Mel chose a different way to write the runes: first writing them, then channeling mana into them to activate them. We had already memorized each other's mana when we were testing each other earlier, so my shield didn't interfere with Mel's casting. Within an area a foot across, the ancient black mage's runes took effect with overwhelming force. Withering, decay, collapse, and effects of that sort played out one after another.

Although we still couldn't see what connection these highly aggressive runes had to Space Magic, we continued to study them avidly.

"Wonderful! Simply wonderful!"

Rune formulas that had survived to the present were extremely rare, so every record of an ancient rune discovered was a major academic advance. Mel and I both pulled out our notebooks and began copying the runes. As modern mages, our knowledge of runes was pitifully scant, but we could still write the most basic suppression characters. Adding a few characters before a rune would turn it into ordinary writing, stripping it of its magical effects so it could be recorded and preserved on paper.

As we copied, we checked each other's work for mistakes and omissions. I found the experience very enjoyable. Even when I had attended the magic academy, no one had ever quietly shared knowledge with me like this. My roommate, aside from helping himself to my homework, had preferred discussing video games or certain kinds of movies with me. But since I didn't have a smart computer, I could refuse outright without wasting time explaining why I had no interest in such popular entertainment.

"Oh, you use this suppression rune too!" Mel said in delight. "And you've simplified it. It's much easier to write than mine, and it works quite well!"

He copied it from my notes, studied it for a moment, and pointed to a character in the middle. "Going by the way you simplified it, do you think this part could be shortened further?"

"That looks fine!" I casually drew a few strokes, surprised. "Yes, I think it can. I can't believe I never noticed."

Then we both recorded the streamlined rune in our respective notebooks.

At certain times, such as during a battle, if a rune could achieve the same effect as a spell that required the mage to chant continuously, choosing the rune would free the mage to do something else at the same time. For example, I could use a guardian rune in place of the shield I had just been chanting, then attack from behind the rune shield. That made simplifying the writing of runes quite necessary. No matter how fast your hand was, writing ten characters would never be faster than writing one.

We discussed them eagerly. We were so excited that we occasionally tried out spells, and not just advanced ones. Even discussing simple spells such as Grease Spell could give us new insights. We were absorbed in conversation until a strange sound of footsteps reached us.

The grand library was very empty today, with no one else reading at all. The footsteps sounded like a horde of housewives rushing to snatch up discounted vegetables at a supermarket, so we stopped talking and watched in surprise as a squad of fully armed Capital Guard soldiers appeared before us.

Mel and I cautiously stayed where we were. Neither of us had any intention of casting a spell, because the newcomers' colors were plain to see. Attacking the Capital Guard without authorization could land us on the wanted list for black mages!

Magitech hand cannons were aimed at us in unison, safeties off and rounds chambered. Mel and I slowly stood up. I knew we must have worn identical expressions of confusion.

Chapter 8

This was the central district, and the unit stationed here was not made up of ordinary constables, but a squad of elites who had distinguished themselves in the Magitech Corps. They had a fashionable name that was very popular with young people—the Shield of the New Star. Yes, that was their official name.

Judging by their clothing, the people surrounding us were members of the Shield of the New Star. Their leader seemed to be a fairly high-ranking officer. They wore long trench coats that didn't look particularly intimidating, but I knew the coats were made entirely of high-grade magic-patterned cloth—a product of the research institute. They wore mechanical exoskeletons on their arms, from which high-frequency electric blades and magitech guns could extend. They carried magitech hand cannons and had small shoulder-mounted heavy cannons.

I recognized those weapons too, but I thought Mel would be more familiar with them, because they were his handiwork. In his first year after accepting the Federation's invitation, he had improved this equipment for the elite guards. The upgraded weapon

system

was powerful and consumed little energy, and he had created an exquisitely crafted guardian magic array to replace the cumbersome blast shields. Members of the Shield of the New Star were now essentially mobile humanoid weapons, and they looked good too. As a result, they had gained quite a few fans, and visiting tourists were always looking for opportunities to take photos with them.

The officer in charge had apparently recognized Mel at once and looked utterly shocked.

"Aren't you Archmage Madsen? What are you doing here?" he asked in surprise, though he didn't lower his gun. "We detected someone using dangerous Black Magic here, and to prevent large-scale destruction... uh, I didn't expect it to be you."

All the soldiers remained on guard against us. Recognizing Mel hadn't made them give us any special treatment, though their expressions were less fierce.

...Oh, no!

Mel and I both came to our senses at once. Although the officer was obviously exaggerating—we hadn't caused large-scale destruction, and in theory, a truly large-scale dangerous spell could cover the entire capital-Mel and I realized at the same time that we had been so absorbed in the wonders of magic that we had forgotten this wasn't a laboratory. It was a library!

For a library that was carefully maintained year-round, the damage Mel and I had caused was indeed far worse than the destruction wrought by noisy little brats on weekends.

"We are the Shield of the New Star of the Osland Federation's Capital Guard. Under the Public Security Administration Regulations and the Arcane Convention, you two are suspected of using dangerous spells to damage the Central Grand Library. Therefore-"

He paused, made an effort to draw his thick, imposing eyebrows together, and shouted with great solemnity, "You're under arrest!"

Mel: "Ah..."

Me: "...Um..."

The captain held out his hand and said sternly, "Please hand over your magic implements and spellbooks, spatial storage devices, and communication equipment. Please cooperate with law enforcement. Any failure to cooperate will aggravate your offenses."

Mel and I stood surrounded, amid the mess left by the various spells that had ravaged the area. It was indeed our handiwork. The wooden table reduced to charred debris was the most pitiful victim; the other tables, chairs, and vases were in various sorry states, too awful to look at. The spells that had been as brilliant as fireworks in our minds gradually faded, and reason brought us a little regret. How important it was for a mage to remain calm at all times! But... alas...

We really had caused some damage to this lovely building. A faint burnt smell lingered in the air. Two members of the Shield of the New Star were holding cameras, taking detailed photos of every damaged spot, while a small magitech drone recorded the law enforcement proceedings above our heads. The evidence of our "crimes" was overwhelming.