"The fundamental principle and secret art of sorcery is to impose logic upon the abundant magical elements in this world. Do you understand?"

"Logic... well, I hear the word often enough, but what does it actually mean in this context?"

"It's difficult to explain with words alone. For example, if you heat water, steam rises, right? Water flows to low ground, right? Fire goes out if you douse it with water, right? That is 'logic'—the natural order of how things work."

"So mana becomes hot water or cold water, de-arimasu?"

"Exactly, Marina-kun. If you apply the logic of hot water to mana, it becomes hot water. If you apply the logic of water to mana, it becomes water. The ice magic I specialize in is created by applying the logic of ice to mana."

"I am completely lost, de-arimasu!"

We were all sitting through Shamash-san's magic lecture.

The location was the usual area where we do combat training—an open-air classroom.

After all, I have the [Mage] Job. That means I should finally be able to use it!

Magic.

It's been six months since I arrived in this world, and the time has finally come!

According to Shamash-san, magic is a technique anyone can handle. To prove it, even Ion can already use basic spells. So it wasn't just me; Marina and Rebecca-san joined the lesson as well.

The only exception was Diana. As an Elf, her race has zero natural affinity for "magic," so she can't use it. She watched us from a distance, looking quite sulky.

"The basics of magic begin with fire. Being able to light a fire is considered the dividing line between being able to use magic and not. Do you know why the so-called 'Land of Fire' is called that? In that country's cities, a 'Divine Flame' is always kept burning at the center. People grow up seeing that flame every day, and they come to understand the nature of fire. That sight must have seemed strange to the people of the Empire, so they began calling the southern Kingdom of Rilmeriavars the 'Land of Fire.'"

Shamash-san went into lecture mode.

The Land of Fire, huh... Erishe was the southernmost city of the Empire, so the Land of Fire was basically just across the sea. Apparently, it had already become a vassal state of the Empire.

"I heard they started calling it the Land of Fire because fire mages tormented them during the war," Rebecca-san added. "There aren't many mages in the Empire after all."

According to her, a single powerful fire mage from the Land of Fire could slaughter a hundred soldiers. At the start of the war, that country had the advantage.

But the Empire had elves.

Once the Empire equipped a hundred elites with gear enchanted with fire-warding spirits via Spirit Stones, the fire mages were left helpless. It made sense—if your entire military is specialized in one element and that element gets hard-countered, you're finished.

"Well, regardless, let's try some fire magic. First, hold up your index finger and imagine it is a candle. Now, imagine a flame lighting at the tip. Like this."

With a small poof, a tiny flame appeared at the tip of Shamash-san's finger. It was better than a lighter.

In a world without modern conveniences, being able to start a fire instantly is incredibly useful. I realized then why she insisted on an outdoor lesson—she was worried about us burning the house down.

"Oh! I saw people doing that at the show Aruji-dono took me to before, de-arimasu! Back then, Marina and the Princess failed, but Aruji-dono actually succeeded, de-arimasu!"

"Ah, that magic show back then, huh? That brings back memories. I think they explained it the same way back then."

That was the day I got Diana and Marina. It was Erishe's 50th-anniversary festival, and the streets were lined with stalls. The "House of Mages" was a sideshow attraction we paid 30 Els to enter.

They did things like gathering water from the air into a bottle, clairvoyance, levitation, and teleportation. At first, I was sure it was just stage magic, but now I wonder how much of it was real. They definitely used fire magic, but the presentation was so high-energy that it felt like pure entertainment. I still suspect the early tricks were just sleight of hand.

"So, Ayase-kun, does that mean you've already mastered fire magic?"

"I wouldn't say 'mastered'... I did manage to do it a little back then."

"Really? C-Could you try showing us?"

I closed my eyes and focused.

I visualized my mana as gas—imagining a steady stream hissing out from my fingertip. I pictured the mana circulating through my body and leaking out right at the tip.

My finger felt warm.

Right now, there was flammable gas around my finger, mixing with oxygen. Now, I just needed the spark.

I opened my eyes and visualized a spark.

Fwoosh.

"Oh, it lit."

A flame was indeed dancing on my fingertip.

When I tried this at the "House of Mages," I had imagined gathering gas from the air, so it burned out instantly. This time, I pictured the gas coming from inside me, so I could maintain the flame like a steady lighter.

Success.

"Wow, incredible, de-arimasu! Master really is a wizard, de-arimasu!"

"Jirou, you did say you had the Mage Vocation. But being able to do it immediately is still impressive."

Being complimented by Marina and Rebecca felt great. Even someone like me has talent! I'm going to put "Fire Magic" under the 'Skills' section of my résumé.

"A-Ayase-kun... that is magnificent mana control. Is this truly only your second time?"

"Technically, yes."

Truth be told, I had tried a few times back at the mansion, but it never worked. They say the mana density at that mansion is extremely low, so that was probably why.

"Very well. Now, keep your finger pointed forward. Don't let the flame go out."

"Like this?" I extended my arm.

"Yes. Now, if you can increase the mana flow to raise the intensity of the flame, you've essentially mastered the basics of fire magic."

I followed her instructions and tried to turn up the dial. I slowly pulled more mana from within my body—

Puff.

"Ah."

It went out. A failure.

"Well, it wouldn't go that smoothly from the start. Normally, it takes years to use even basic magic reliably. Fufufu."

"Why do you look so happy about that...?"

"Because if you could do it instantly, there would be no joy in teaching you!"

"I see. Well then, I look forward to your guidance."

I hadn't really tried self-teaching before because I didn't have a teacher and was busy with other things, but now that I have a pro, I'll be more proactive. Shamash said being able to do it at all proves I have potential. I got a little carried away, clicking the flame on and off my finger—pop, pop, pop. I can do it!

Still, whenever I tried to increase the heat, it just sputtered out. I have a long way to go before this is "combat-ready".

But man... magic. Swords are fun, but if I can use magic too? That makes me a Magic Swordsman. Actually, my Vocation is already something chuunibyou-like: [Magic Sword Wielder].

Demon Sword Wielder and a Mage.

I'm just surrounding myself with "Magic" and "Dark" attributes. Maybe it's because of my shady past—working for a "Black Company," being a shut-in, and being a reseller.

I learned the basics of magic theory during Shamash-sensei's lecture. Apparently, this world's atmosphere is filled with "Mana" and "Spirit Particles." Mages draw mana into their bodies to create magical power.

Elves, on the other hand, draw in Spirit Particles. Unlike humans, who can survive without mana, a lack of Spirit Particles is a life-or-death issue for Elves. They really are half-faerie.

Demons, meanwhile, are far more efficient at absorbing mana and utilizing it than humans, but they don't die if their magic power is depleted. I was hoping for something like the Elves, where they lose their rationality when their power runs low, but apparently, Demons don't have that. Kind of a letdown. I really wanted to see a Demon lose their cool for once.

We spent the rest of the day on basic training. Staring at the fire, trying to "know" what fire is to get closer to its logic... honestly, I felt like I should just go read a Wikipedia entry on combustion.

By the way, Ion had already mastered basic fire magic. Shamash said that for her to be this good after only two years of practice was a sign of immense talent. Well, she's a former princess with two High-Tier Jobs and a Mage Job to boot. Her bloodline is just different from us commoners.

* * *

After training, as we were drinking tea, I asked Shamash something that had been on my mind.

"Shamash-san, what's the difference between Magic, Summoning, and Spirit Magic?"

"Fundamental differences. Summoning is exclusive to Demons—specifically the Nightmare race. Spirit Magic is for Elves alone. Spirit Magic, in particular, uses spirit power to perform genuine miracles."

"Wait, isn't summoning also magic?"

"...No. Summoning techniques ultimately fall within the 'logic' of how monsters manifest. But Spirit Magic breaks that logic. You've seen the rejuvenation spell, haven't you?"

"I have... and yeah, that definitely felt like a 'miracle'."

I'd seen Priestess-chan use rejuvenation. It only made someone one year younger per Spirit Stone, so it wasn't a flashy transformation, but it was certainly a miracle. In comparison, summoning a monster in a world where monsters spawn naturally might seem almost mundane.

"But the beasts you summon are alive, aren't they? They feel different from wild monsters. Where do they actually come from?"

Wild monsters spawn from mana pools and have almost no intelligence. Aside from named ones like Arcas or Arges, they're just beasts. But Shamash-san's summons seemed smarter.

"Who knows?"

Shamash-san said, tilting her head with a finger on her chin.

"You don't know!?"

"The theory is that they are called from a world known as the Demon Realm, but..."

The Demon Realm. Well, Eyeball-chan (Ai-chan) certainly looked like a resident of such a place. If this is an "Otherworld," it's not a stretch to think a "Demon Realm" exists somewhere too.

"Is Ai-chan the strongest thing you can call?"

"In terms of raw power... yes, probably."

"That sounded like a 'but' was coming."

"Well, there are other beasts that are harder to summon. Ai-chan only stays for a short time, so she doesn't require many Magic Crystals."

I assumed "Magic Crystals" referred to magic stones.

"Meaning?"

"There are beasts that can be summoned permanently. As actual, living creatures. However, the amount of Magic Crystals required is unthinkable. It's practically impossible, which is why I've never actually done it, despite knowing the incantations."

Wait, that's huge! If you can keep them around forever, they count as permanent military strength. Even something like the Shadow Knight—if I could have him stationed as a permanent guard, life in this world would get a lot easier. Having a powerful, "disposable" (in a tactical sense) force is incredibly effective. I'd be willing to pay a high cost for that.

"So, what can you call?"

"Well... remember that massive Magic Crystal we got recently? The one from the Cyclops. One crystal of that size could summon a Dullahan—a headless knight... theoretically."

A headless knight... hmm. A bit ominous. Honestly, it's too macabre to use as a guard. It screams "monster" way too loudly. It might be okay for the mansion, but if anyone saw it, a subjugation squad would be at our door in an hour.

"Anything else? Something less... monstrous?"

That massive crystal is worth 200 gold coins, or about 30 million yen. It's not something you throw away lightly, but I don't really have a use for it either. I could sell it, but that feels like a waste.

"Hm. It's not realistic, but with two crystals of that size, you could summon a Riding Dragon. Not a massive one—just a small breed that can carry one or two people."

A dragon!? Are you serious!?

Wait, a dragon is even more of a monster than a Dullahan, isn't it? But then again... a dragon...

"Hey, Rebecca-san's Job changed to [Dragon Knight], right?"

"So she said," Shamash replied. "A Dragon Knight would be perfectly compatible with a dragon."

"True... and she said she gained 'Dragon Riding' skills too."

Rebecca-san, in full knight armor, straddling the back of a dragon. That's actually pretty majestic. That's not bad at all!

As we build up the Knights, a Dragon Knight would be an incredible icon. And we have the parade coming up. The flashier, the better. If we have a dragon, we could probably make a living just by parading it around without ever actually fighting.

"What's wrong, Ayase-kun? A dragon is impossible anyway. Two crystals of that size? That's enough money to live on for a lifetime."

It's 60 million yen... but for a dragon? I'd take that deal! High-end cars on Earth cost that much!

"In that case, let's have one."

I reached into my inventory and pulled out two oversized Magic Crystals.

* * *

The afternoon of the next day.

Once our usual combat training was wrapped up, we prepared for the dragon summoning.

I had already discussed it with all the Knight Order members.

While I technically held onto the extra-large Magic Crystals, since we all fought Arcas and Arges together, I couldn't arbitrarily use them.

I thought there might be some pushback, but everyone was on board, saying things like, "Sounds fun," or "We'll leave it to you, Jirou."

We decided to open the shop later in the afternoon and called Etowa over as well. After all, this was an event. A dragon summoning was the kind of thing you'd be lucky to see even once in a lifetime.

As everyone watched with bated breath, I placed the two massive Magic Crystals on the ground.

"Iyaa~ Having this many spectators makes me nervous! I'm a bit of a shut-in, you see, so I have a weakness for being the center of attention."

Shamash-sensei's sudden self-proclaimed hikikomori declaration caught me off guard, but now that I think about it, she does spend most of her time holed up in her room working on something.

She's into sculpting and model-making; she built her own house and handles all the plastering and masonry by herself. I suppose that's just the nature of an artist, but regardless, that's who she is.

"So then—shall I go ahead and start?"

Shamash-san looked around restlessly. She was likely checking with the entire group rather than just me. The summoning would be over in a flash.

Is everyone here? Have you had your bathroom breaks? Are your hearts prepared?

Everything seemed to be in order.

"Please, go ahead!"

When I shouted the signal, Shamash-san gave a single nod and faced the Magic Crystals. With every word she spoke, a pale crimson aura began to rise from her body.

And then, the incantation was woven—