Chapter 395 Days of Research
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The warehouse reorganization with my alchemy mentor, Master Kogima Pigole, was finally finished within a few days-thanks in part to me burning the midnight oil. Well, I’m sure monster materials will keep pouring in from here on out, so I suppose it’s only “finished” for the time being.
Regardless, I can finally get my hands on some new product development. I haven’t exactly been slacking off, as I’ve continued my research into Magic Circuits¹ since developing the “Ddo-Buddy Cannon”², but I can’t help but feel a surge of excitement at the prospect of crafting adult-oriented circuits again after such a long time.
For the record, we’ve decided to call this detached house in the northwest of the Royal Capital the “Second Research Lab.” It’s basically a joint workshop with the old man, Kogima. The “First Research Lab” is, of course, the basement of “Ddo-Buddy Manor”³, where I’ll likely focus on the core Magic Circuit research.
”Now then…” I muttered.
I strolled through the warehouse, scanning the rows of monster materials while consulting the “Material Inventory” I’d put together. Seeing all these parts from creatures I couldn’t even dream of hunting-hell, I couldn’t even set foot in their territory-all lined up like this was quite a spectacular sight. It put me in a great mood.
With a haul like this, I felt like I could craft just about anything, but the real work starts now. First, following my master’s teachings, I need to grasp the original abilities and ecology of each monster while searching for any interesting reactions or ways to utilize them.
I checked the habitat label on a randomly selected shelf. Each shelf had a plate indicating where the monster had been culled.
”‘Monica’s Forest,’ huh…”
I spoke the name of the place I’d never visited, staring at the materials. Monica’s Forest is located in the south-central part of the Ferguson Kingdom. Normally, it was an unremarkable place; the only real info I had was that locals knew better than to wander too deep. However, the current situation had changed things.
This forest sat directly across the plains from the “Forest of Ur,” the former home of the Elder Dragon Ur Hamit-one of the two infamous Great Dragons. Compared to the vast Forest of Ur, Monica’s Forest was small enough that “woodland” was the only way to describe it, but there was a high probability that many monsters were currently lurking there.
The reason was that ever since the female dragon Zil Meina stormed the Forest of Ur, monsters had been fleeing in a radial pattern, and it seemed many had sought refuge in Monica’s Forest to the north. In fact, locals reported seeing monsters scattered by Zil Meina fleeing south, only to be pushed back and flee north again.
I felt for the poor monsters, being tossed back and forth between the north and south, but the people caught in the middle had it even worse. Regardless, there was no doubt that quite a few of them had taken up residence in Monica’s Forest. Those monsters would occasionally crawl out of the woods to raid nearby villages, or even show their faces as far north as the East-West Trade Route, which is why restoration work there is still such a headache. Clearing them out for good was going to take a massive amount of effort.
These materials were the literal fruits of that labor. Some were from monsters I recognized, others I’d never heard of. Slimes, Shadow Wolves, Giant Bears, and so on. These were likely the original inhabitants. They’re common not just in Ferguson but in my home country as well. On the other hand, the one taking up a massive amount of space on the lower shelf was different.
”What is this…? Incredible,” I whispered.
It was a gargantuan ant. To give you an idea of the scale, it was even larger than a Giant Bear-which itself is bigger than a bear from my old world. The inventory had a note in my master’s handwriting: “Fortress Ant”⁴.
It had an exoskeleton like black, polished steel. Structurally, it wasn’t much different from a normal ant, but those legs were so thick and long they looked like structural timber. And those razor-sharp mandibles looked like they could snap a human in half without breaking a sweat.
There was a massive gash in its head, likely from the blow that killed it. The thought that there are humans capable of slaying such a monstrosity sent a shiver down my spine, but then I remembered we have a “lapdog” at our shop who crushed a dragon’s balls, and most of the women in our circle could probably do something similar.
With that thought in mind, I flipped through the pages of a monster encyclopedia I’d borrowed from the Royal Library. Since it was an “ant,” its ecology was every bit as terrifying as I’d imagined.
”…Yep, they form ‘swarms,’” I noted.
True to their name, these things live in massive, fortress-like nests. There’s a Queen Ant deep inside, and this one here was likely a Soldier Ant. Some individuals apparently store nectar, which is said to be delicious. Additionally, the larvae, eggs, and even the soldiers are sometimes eaten as a valuable source of protein. While the larvae and eggs are considered a delicacy with a rich umami flavor, the soldiers are supposedly an acquired taste-bland and slightly acidic.
That was more info than I really wanted, but I suppose it’s vital for adventurers. I looked at the Fortress Ant curled up on the shelf, feeling a bit conflicted. With a body this size, especially in a swarm, they wouldn’t be able to sustain a nest in Monica’s Forest alone. This one must have migrated from the Forest of Ur. If a Queen Ant were ever discovered, she’d be the first thing that needed to be taken out.
Anyway, while feeling the weight of the effort involved and thinking, “Yeah, I’m definitely glad I didn’t become an adventurer,” I began brainstorming ways to use this thing. Normally, one would think of turning the exoskeleton into armor or the fangs into weapons, but my first thought was magic conductivity.
I nipped off the tip of a claw with a knife and gripped it in my hand. It was heavy and solid; it felt like a weapon all on its own. I reflexively gave it a few swings before catching myself, then focused on channeling magic power into it. Let’s start with Fire magic. If the tip of the claw ignited, it would mean it had decent conductivity, but…
”…Nothing, huh?”
The ant’s claw remained inert, just glistening blackly. It didn’t even get slightly warm. Well, that makes sense. If the conductivity were that high, the creature would be vulnerable to external magic, making the shell useless for protection. It would be a different story if the ants themselves could use magic.
I spent some time touching various parts of the ant’s body, trying to flow magic through them. Honestly, touching the eyes, mouth, and abdomen was pretty gross, but I can’t call myself a magic toolmaker if I let that stop me. In the end, all I learned was that this ant’s material had incredibly poor magic conductivity. The inside of the mouth was slightly better, but that’s to be expected of internal tissue. In short, I couldn’t find any particularly remarkable properties.
However, the investigation doesn’t end there. Next, I’ll try boiling it, roasting it, or maybe drying it out and grinding it into a powder. I’ll hit it with different spells and try combining it with other substances in a series of “experiments.” And I mean proper, legitimate “experiments,” not the erotic kind.
In the process, I’ll start to get a “feel” for the material’s nature. I aim to become so familiar with the materials that my intuition starts to kick in. That is my master’s way. Sometimes that means tasting it, or smearing it on my skin. But there’s no need to worry. Unlike my old world, even if I get poisoned here, I’ve got healing magic.
In that regard, this guy is so safe it’s almost disappointing, since it’s already known to be edible. It means it doesn’t have any components that cause unique reactions in the human body. If I could just get some kind of reaction out of it, I could start figuring out how to use it.
”This just got interesting…”
I hadn’t found the reaction I wanted yet, but I realized I was grinning. I was going to run these experiments on every single material in this room. It was a staggering amount of work, but as a magic toolmaker, there’s no time more enjoyable than this.
It felt like a treasure hunt-searching for the perfect material buried in a mountain of junk. Doesn’t that sound exciting? As a result, following the warehouse cleanup, I ended up losing myself in my work once again, pulling another all-nighter.
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Summary:
The protagonist completes the warehouse organization with his mentor and begins long-term research on new monster materials. He analyzes the impact of recent dragon activity on local monster ecology, specifically focusing on ‘Monica’s Forest.’ The chapter concludes with him beginning hands-on experiments on a ‘Fortress Ant’ specimen.
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Trivia:
- The ‘Second Research Lab’ is the new detached house, while the ‘First’ is the basement of his manor.
- The current influx of rare materials is a direct consequence of the dragons displacing monsters from the Forest of Ur.
- The protagonist is intentionally using ‘scientific’ terminology like conductivity to analyze materials.
- Healing magic is used as a safety net for his potentially dangerous alchemy experiments
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Character Insight:
Shows the protagonist’s genuine passion for ‘making’ (Monozukuri). Despite his shop’s focus on adult goods, he displays a disciplined, professional approach to alchemy and material science, relishing the ‘treasure hunt’ aspect of research.
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Behind the Scenes:
The author uses this chapter to ground the story after high-stakes dragon arcs, shifting focus back to the ‘Magic Shop’ and ‘Crafting’ elements of the Isekai genre.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Kogima – Kento’s alchemy master. A middle-aged man who is a henpecked husband to his wife, Josephine.
• Slop – Leader of the hound-kin pack; Laika’s father. Has orange hair and fluffy tail.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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