Chapter 45: The Stubborn Roommate

“[Floating Swords] ‘Fragarach’ are broadly divided into four types. First, the ‘Weapon Type’ shaped like a sword or spear. This is the common [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’. Next is the ‘Striking Type’. This is a [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’ shaped like a round sphere, and originally, [Floating Swords] ‘Fragarach’ were apparently made from magic tools shaped like this for automatic interception called ‘Satellite Orbs’. The third is the ‘Shield Type’. It’s a [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’ that blocks opponent’s attacks. And finally, the ‘Turret Type’, also called Gunslinger. As the name suggests, it’s a shooting turret [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’ loaded with a Spell Caster.”

At Lara’s explanation, I nodded fumu-fumu.

‘Weapon Type’, ‘Striking Type’, ‘Shield Type’, and ‘Turret Type’, huh.

What Zelda Onee-sama uses is the ‘Weapon Type’. What Sharon-senpai used was the ‘Turret Type’.

What I use in training is also the ‘Weapon Type’. After all, when you hear [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’, you imagine this one.

Probably because most [Troopers] who use [Floating Swords] ‘Fragarach’ use the ‘Weapon Type’.

Unless they are a mage type, most [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’ users can only manipulate one or two.

In that case, the ‘Weapon Type’ is easier to handle, and it also serves as a spare weapon in emergencies.

“So, which type will Nero-san use?”

“Hmm… Normally, ‘Weapon Type’ would be the only choice, but…”

Originally, I needed a means of long-range attack, and I’m used to handling it.

But… considering Lucifer’s thin paper armor, I feel like the ‘Shield Type’ wouldn’t be bad either. The Turret Type too… gumumumu.

“To tell the truth, apart from these four types, there are also ‘Special Types’, which are ‘Non-standard Custom Parts’.”

“Is that like the thrusters I attached to Lucifer?”

“Yes. Peaky and with limited usage situations… or rather, ones where you don’t even know where to use them. For example…”

Saying that, Lara operated her smartphone and picked up one product from the catalog list.

“What’s this?”

Displayed on the screen were two spheres connected by something like a wire.

“Capture Type [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’, ‘Bola-Bola’. It’s a [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’ with a wire attached to two ‘Striking Type’ spheres to bind the opponent.”

Ah, there was a weapon like this. It’s convenient for catching wild birds and stuff. They’re trying to do that with a [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’, huh.

“I feel like it could be surprisingly useful, but…”

“The thing is, when it captures the opponent, the main body of the [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’ is also near the opponent, so it gets broken easily. Also, if they use a shield or something as a substitute and dodge, there’s the problem that the [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’ tangled in the shield becomes unusable afterwards…”

Ah, that’s no good. It completely kills the good point of the [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’, which is that the wire moves freely.

“There’s also a ‘Surfboard Type’ based on the concept of ‘riding’ the [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’.”

“Heh.”

“However, this lacks output, and even carrying a machine with its weight shaved down to the limit, it supposedly only reaches the speed of a Frame Gear running at best.”

“Like I’d use that!”

What’s the point if it’s the same speed as running even when you ride it? …No, wait?

“Since you can lighten the machine’s weight using [Zero Gravity], you might be able to use it ideally. However…”

“Yeah. Using [Zero Gravity], which can only be used for a total of one minute, just to ride a board is a complete waste. If I’m gonna do that, it’s better to just fly over myself and punch them.”

For a moment I thought I could use it… but reality wasn’t that sweet.

“For something a bit unusual, there’s the ‘Transforming Type’.”

” ‘Transforming Type’?”

“A [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’ that transforms according to the purpose. Umm, this one.”

On the screen Lara showed me, a [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’ that transformed into three forms was displayed.

Something like a spearhead, that transforming into a shield-like shape, and furthermore, two of those shields connecting to form a boomerang-like shape.

“In the first place, the [Floating Swords] ‘Fragarach’ used by the First Sovereign King could supposedly change shape freely. From dagger type to longsword type, spear, sphere, or lining them up to use like a shield that repels magic. Considering that, this shape might be the ideal form of a [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’.”

“…But if it hasn’t become mainstream, there must be some problem, right?”

“Yes. The transformation speed is slow, and because it inevitably has extra functions attached, it’s inferior in durability. If you use something like Adamantite to increase strength, then it becomes heavy and loses speed.”

“Isn’t that fatal?”

A slow [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’ is useless… But if the strength is weak, wouldn’t the [Floating Sword] ‘Fragarach’ be the one to shatter into pieces if you mess up?

“There are also things like a ‘Self-Destruct Type’ that sticks to the enemy, a ‘Flash Type’ that only emits blinding light, or a ‘Birdlime Turret Type’ that shoots sticky birdlime…”

“None of them ring a bell…”

Or rather, there’s a strong feeling of them being one-trick ponies… They might be somewhat effective on the first look, but they’d be completely countered from the next time, right? And then they become totally ineffective.

If it’s a match you absolutely can’t lose, that might be an option, but…

Unfortunately, I have my wallet situation to consider too. I can’t pour a huge amount of money into just one match…

“Come to think of it, Nero-san can also use [Shield], right?”

“Yeah.”

[Shield] is a magic with relatively many manifestors among Null Magic.

It’s not just putting out an invisible shield; you can also use it as a foothold to initiate aerial maneuvers.

“When used with a Frame Gear, how much strength does [Shield] have?”

“Pretty strong, you know? It repelled a shockwave and stuff.”

It repelled the one Zelda Onee-sama unleashed, so it must be considerably amplified and strengthened.

At my reply, Lara was muttering and pondering something. Our acquaintance is short, but I know it’s best to leave Lara alone when she gets like this.

This girl is organizing various information in her head right now. She’ll probably derive a wonderful result eventually.

I just have to wait silently for it. Let’s look forward to a comeback idea.

Towards the match against Pearl Frennel the day after tomorrow, I have to do what I can do now.

Because I don’t want to have regrets.

◇　◇　◇

Finishing the consultation with Lara and returning to the dorm, I was so hungry that I went straight to the cafeteria and ate dinner.

Since it took until quite a late hour, there was hardly anyone in the cafeteria. If I had been a little later, the cafeteria might have been closed. That was close.

Well, thanks to that, I think my exclusive [Floating Swords] ‘Fragarach’ will turn out nicely. The rest is whether I can master them or not… I have no time, after all.

Finishing my meal, when I temporarily returned to my room to grab a towel and change of clothes to take a bath, I found Lirisha collapsed in front of the vanity mirror.

“Wait…?!”

“Ugh…?”

When I rushed over and helped her up, Lirisha immediately regained consciousness, and though swaying, somehow stood up and sat in the chair in front of the vanity mirror. Her face was pale blue, and she was limp.

“Hey, are you okay?! Should I call Flora-san?!”

“I am fine… I just had a bit of magic depletion…”

“Eh… magic depletion…? Why would you do that?”

“Because if you use magic to the limit, your magic capacity increases…”

“Hah?”

Eh? What? So you intentionally caused magic depletion to increase your magic capacity? This girl…!

“You idiot Elf!”

“Ouch?! Wh-what are you doing?!”

I smacked Lirisha’s head with all my might.

“Listen here! If you frequently cause magic depletion while we are still in our growing phase like this, your internal Ether Lines will become thin, and as a result, it will become difficult to activate magic smoothly! Not only that, but if you have high magic power but the Ether Lines circulating through your body become thin, you’ll suffer from excessive magic power, and your body won’t be able to handle it, leading to seizures, poor health, and in the worst case, even death!”

I learned this in detail from Flora-san after suffering magic depletion myself.

It’s true that magic capacity can sometimes increase as a rebound when you use magic to the limit. But pushing it all the way to magic depletion is clearly overdoing it.

“Guh…! But if I increase my magic capacity, I will become able to use more magic! That could also be the trigger for manifesting a Gear Spell…!”

“I’m not telling you not to increase your magic capacity! I’m telling you not to overdo it! Don’t rush, you idiot! Wait a sec!”

I took out something I had tossed into my desk and handed it to Lirisha pon.

“Wh-what is this…?”

“A souvenir Master bought in the Magic Kingdom of Felsen a long time ago.”

Lirisha looked at the small wheel-like object in her hand with a puzzled face. I made that face when I received it too, though.

“This is called a ‘Magic Spinner’. Try pinching the center with your index finger and thumb.”

“‘Magic Spinner’…? L-like this…?”

When Lirisha pinched the center of the wheel with her index finger and thumb, the wheel began to spin slowly with a kara-kara sound.

“This is just a toy that spins using the owner’s magic power, but…”

I took it from Lirisha and pinched it the same way.

Then the wheel began to spin at super speed with a roaring sound gyuoaaaa!.

“Hmph, bragging about your large magic capacity…?”

“Don’t sulk. The usual you would spin it this much normally. You had magic depletion, so of course the spinning power is weak.”

Saying that much, Lirisha seemed to realize with a gasp. I tossed the Magic Spinner to Lirisha again poi.

“I have another one, so I’ll give you that. Use this to check occasionally and stop training before you reach magic depletion. If you still collapse, I’ll think you’re truly an idiot Elf.”

“…………”

As I grabbed my towel, change of clothes, shampoo, and conditioner and was about to leave the room, Lirisha muttered quietly.

“…I will thank you this time. I will let the fact that you hit me slide.”

“Hmph.”

I went out into the hallway and headed to the bathroom. Even incomprehensible souvenirs received from Master can be useful sometimes, huh. Right person for the right job, I guess.

Having a stubborn roommate is tough work, honestly.