The Mysterious Child: An Adventure Tale Beginning with Numerology

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Author Notes:

  [Afterword Tips ~ Magic Research ~

  Below is an overview of the magical research that appeared this time, along with research results.

  Applied research is also mentioned.

  (※There's a lot of text)

1. [Basic Research on Silent Magic]

・Research Purpose and Challenges

  Whether silent magic is possible for human species. If possible, how to perform it.

・Results

  Theoretically possible. However, technically almost impossible.

  As pointed out by Mr. Abros Merlin, who is considered the hall of fame of magical theory research, in his paper "The Three Process Principle," "spell" is an essential element for materializing the constructed formula and is a mandatory item. However, what's necessary is not the voice itself, but the thirteen types of mana reactions that occur during the process of converting and releasing mana from the formula through the vibration of the larynx during speech and the act of speaking. Activation is possible even if the voice is eliminated by external factors.

  According to Leenbright's final paper, the difference in maximum output during mana conversion pointed out by Mr. Merlin in "The Three Process Principle" is not just related to the output intensity of magic, but also greatly related to the mana consumption when omitting the spell. According to Leenbright's research results, with the conversion efficiency of human species, omitting all thirteen types of mana reactions requires "2 to the 13th power" (8192 times) of normal mana consumption, using 8192 mana for a formula that normally consumes 1 mana. Even in the latest research results of [Minimum Magic Research], the minimum mana consumption of confirmed standard magic is 2, so activation is almost impossible even if the caster's mana addition value is maxed out (9999). (By the way, the highest basic mana value confirmed by the Central Magic Society is "6790" of Demon King Leenbright, so including the addition value, silent magic was possible. However, even a magic as small as creating a gentle breeze would exhaust all mana)

  The role of the external device used in this research is to substitute ten out of thirteen types of mana reactions. The mana reactions that control output amount, output direction, and output timing (the remaining three types) cannot be accurately controlled by external devices, so even if activation is possible, the output includes randomness. The law of this randomness is being studied in the applied research [Control Theory of Mana Reactions in Magic Output].

  The law of silent magic has been constantly researched since magic began to be theoretically proven, and applied research is diverse. Since Mr. Merlin published "The Three Process Principle," silent magic research has become equivalent to three-process research, so knowledge of silent magic is said to be essential for all current applied research. Therefore, the Central Magic Society always makes newcomers in their first year conduct training research on silent magic.

▽Representative Applied Research (Final Papers Completed)

[Energy Decay During Mana Conversion]

[Unique Laws by Attribute in Formula Composition]

[Influence of Mana Concentration on Activation]

[Characteristics and Influences of Composition Theory by Era]

[Formula Differences and Composition Theory Differences by Country/Region]

▽Applied Research Currently Focused on by the Central Magic Society

[Construction of Formulas by Formulas]

☆[Construction of Formulas by Formulas]

・Research Purpose and Challenges

  Can formulas activate formulas? If possible, can a perpetual motion machine be created?

・Research Method

  Verify how much of the process from the initial step to the final (activation) in magic activation can be substituted by formulas. If complete substitution is possible, verify whether a perpetual motion machine (※excluding mana) can be created. If not possible, also verify whether substitution is possible with magical devices. The ultimate goal is to create a perpetual motion machine that can generate energy through magical formulas.

・Current Research Results

  It has been found that activation is possible with a dedicated formula. However, all converted mana is used to activate formulas that are linked together, so no surplus energy is generated.]

  A perpetual motion machine has been created in theory, but it's currently just a formula that consumes mana, so it's being improved.

  Alternative 1: Started prototyping a semi-perpetual machine using magical devices. Collaborating with Mr. Zuckerberg (current commander-in-chief of the Restamia Kingdom's Golem Corps), the current leading expert in drive formulas, to develop linked formulas as a power mechanism.

  Alternative 2: Started experiments combining with science. Designing a heat engine in cooperation with the Stoania National Research Institute, but negotiations are stalling over the estimated design of the frequency of human intervention at completion. The Stoania side wants to maximize its value as an energy generation device, not just as an academic apparatus.

  In all cases, the bottleneck is the mana conversion process. The higher the amount of mana used during activation, the higher the proportion of attenuation value during formula operation, so a formula that requires less mana conversion is essential. For perpetual operation, mana efficiency below the total amount of naturally occurring mana in a single space is essential, but at present, spell development is only possible with dedicated formulas, and human intervention (mana provision) is essential. Therefore, it's hard to say that it can fulfill its original purpose as a perpetual motion machine.

  However, the development of linked formulas that can continuously activate multiple formulas with just mana replenishment has resulted in research results with more value than expected. It won the second-best award last year, and there's also a request for joint research from the [Parallel Formula Activation Research] team, which has the largest budget in this society. Currently adjusting schedules.

  This research has built cooperative relationships in many areas, and it may become a representative research of this society on par with the parallel activation team.

2. [Parallel Formula Activation Research]

・Research Purpose and Challenges

  Methods for simultaneous activation of magic, construction of its formula theory

・Basic Research Results and Next Challenges

  This research is both basic and applied research, a formula theory whose value was suddenly increased by the previous Demon King. It's so important that this basic theory is essential for some advanced formula compositions.

  As prerequisite knowledge, in construction theories before the previous Demon King, only formulas with a single composition existed for one magic. However, in the previous Demon King's construction theory, by incorporating another formula into the formula for one magic, functionality was added to the spell effect itself, enabling fine output adjustment.

  For example, with the forbidden magic "Transfer," which previously could only be reinforced with the concept of coordinates, it became possible to construct a formula without coordinate designation by incorporating fixed-point conditions into the formula. This allowed the previous Demon King to move to any place he had seen before without knowing the coordinates. According to the society's records, the previous Demon King developed this theory and used installation-type magic "Transfer Gate" that allowed anyone to transfer for a certain period of time.

  Currently, research is being conducted on the development of parallel formulas, which is an advancement of the previous Demon King's in-spell formula theory. Parallel formulas integrate only the first and last of the three processes, separating all the rest. This creates magic that defies common sense by activating two spells with one mana conversion and output.

  There are already several successful examples, and two specific beginner-level spells can be activated simultaneously. The year this parallel formula was announced, this research team suddenly rose to become a representative of the society.

  However, there are several points to note. First, the two formulas to be paralleled are limited to the same attribute or mutually complementary attributes. This is because, as specified in the basic research [Correlation Diagram of Attributes], attributes have interference, and they may interfere with or reinforce each other before the activation stage. (This is also detailed in the Afterword Tips of Chapter 153, Clash 24 "Phoenix and Battle Giant" in the main story)

  Additionally, the two formulas are output equally with the same amount of mana, so individual output adjustment is not possible. This is recognized as a clear disadvantage because the ability to adjust output according to the situation is a characteristic of magic. While the usability is better than silent magic using magical devices, it's not very practical in terms of usability.

  Currently, this research team has the maximum number of members in the society (54), divided into 18 detailed fields. Among them, the ace "Three Parallel Formula Research" is the leading candidate for this year's Best Research Award. The biggest rival is the [Pure Magic Research] team, which includes a promising newcomer.

3. [Pure Magic Research]

・Research Purpose and Challenges

  To minimize scientific reactions and unravel the differences in effects by situation that occur only with magical reactions.

・Results and Next Challenges

  This is a new basic research that started last year for the first time in hundreds of years.

  Until now, research on effects due to environment (temperature, humidity, altitude, etc.) had been conducted many times, but mages didn't know how much scientific meaning there was in the phenomena in that environment. (To use the example of combustion reaction from earlier, they didn't have the scientific knowledge that fire doesn't burn in spaces with extremely low oxygen)

  Therefore, she (former Sakuragi Mei) was the first to grasp the range of scientific reactions for attribute phenomena and conduct experiments by removing them. Her team called the magical reactions at this time [Pure Magic] (※By the way, warriors who don't use weapons and only use magic are called "pure mages," but this refers to pure magic in the sense of pure magical reactions). This pure magic research swept away all the attention last year and won the annual Best Research Award. Despite being a newcomer, she has made a name for herself as one of the two top candidates this year along with the [Parallel Formula] team. By the way, the reason why she, an important person, is in the viewing area is for motivation. When they took her to the non-public area once, her efficiency clearly decreased, so as a desperate measure, they brought her back to the viewing area.

  There are several achievements of pure magic, first of which is the combustion reaction report in a space without air. The flame color becomes green, there's almost no mana attenuation, it disappears in an instant, and there's no spread of fire or sound. By the way, the flame temperature is quite high, but because it burns for only an instant, even if you burn an apple, it's almost undamaged except for a slight evaporation of surface moisture. It was found that without scientific elements, even if the output is large, the power weakens.

  At the same time, it was discovered that mana is inherent in the air, not in space. This was discovered because when air was collected from multiple locations during the research process, it was found that magic attenuated during output inside depending on the collection location. This proved the basis for the popular belief that the power of magic decreases in demon realms.

  Thus, the research results of a single pure magic experiment are very significant and have had a big impact on other research.

  The next big impact was the ice magic reaction in a space where moisture was removed from the air. This was an unexpected result for the researchers, as the size of the ice produced did not change at all. This revealed that ice magic, like water magic, is not created using scientific elements in the air, but by creating new attribute substances with mana. In previous experiments, it was found that water magic is quite resistant to scientific elements (like gravity), so water and ice were thought to be similar but separate types of magic, but this result led to the judgment that there was an oversight regarding water magic and ice magic, and more detailed research than ever before began to see if there were any other commonalities. The [Attribute Formula Construction Experiment by Environment] team is starting this research.

  As a new basic research, it is predicted that countless applied research will develop from now on, and [Pure Magic Research] is naturally a candidate for this year's Best Research Award. However, the scientific genius girl's magical knowledge itself is still not much different from other newcomers, so she is expected to grow from now on.

  By the way, it seems there are often complaints from visitors about her sexual preference.

4. [Basic Research on Attribute Correlation]

・Research Purpose and Challenges

  To unravel the laws of compound attribute formulas and verify whether compounding is possible.

・Results

  There are some attributes that cannot be compounded because they influence each other even before activation, and these are defined as mutually interfering attributes.

  Conversely, a few attributes with good compatibility that reinforce each other were also discovered, so the correlations are listed below.

○ Cannot be compounded (Mutually interfering attributes)

・Fire → Water, Ice, Darkness

・Water → Fire, Lightning, Light

・Earth → Wind, Light

・Wind → Earth, Darkness

・Lightning → Water, Ice, Holy

・Ice → Fire, Lightning, Light

・Light → Water, Earth, Ice, Darkness

・Darkness → Fire, Wind, Light, Holy

・Holy → Lightning, Darkness

○ Reinforcing attributes

・Fire, Lightning ("Buster" series)

・Wind, Ice ("Blizzard" series)

・Water, Darkness ("Acid" series)

・Light, Holy ("Holy" series)

  Note that these correlation diagrams are only for cases between two attributes.

  When it comes to three-attribute compounds, it's completely different, and even with the same combination of attributes, the possibility changes depending on the composition of the formula. Therefore, there is quite detailed applied research on three-attribute compounds, and sometimes formulas that were thought to be impossible succeed when the mage or composition is changed.

  For this reason, applied research on these attributes has long been a popular research subject in the society.

▽Representative Applied Research (Final Papers Completed)

[Three-Attribute Magic Research Based on Differences in Mage's Attribute Aptitude]

[Incantation Omission Procedures in Compound Magic]

[Construction Theory of Four-Attribute Magic]

[Difficulty List of Compound Magic by Magic Proficiency Level]

▽Applied Research Currently Focused on by the Central Magic Society

[Five-Attribute Magic Research]

☆[Five-Attribute Magic Research]

・Research Purpose and Challenges

  Is it possible to perform five-attribute compound spells in magic? If possible, what combinations?

・Research Content

  The maximum number of attributes in compound magic currently confirmed in records is the four-attribute magic "Explosion" developed by Demon King Leenbright. There is only this one type of four-attribute magic, using the attributes of fire, water, wind, and lightning.

  Since no one had appeared who could use four-attribute compound magic for a thousand years after Leenbright, research on four or more attributes had fallen into disuse. However, in recent years, it has been proven that the mage Elenora learned it before awakening as a Demon King, so there's speculation that this mage might be able to use the first five-attribute compound magic in history.

  A huge number of construction plans for five-attribute compound magic have been researched, but because mages with aptitude for five attributes and sufficient proficiency are extremely rare, almost no practical experiments have been possible except for ritual magic. In addition, since four-attribute compound magic is treated as extreme class, five-attribute magic might become divine class. It's thought that many approaches will be necessary to prove whether this is possible for the mage in question.

  That's all.

  This was a rough explanation of the magical research that appeared in this story.

  Currently, the Central Magic Society has over a thousand staff members and nearly 300 research teams. When you consider that there are 300 such detailed research projects, the "Mystic Arts Research Society," which now has only a few dozen people, seems a bit pitiful.

  The Central Magic Society is affiliated with research institutions, governments, military departments, and large trading companies of various countries, and receives a lot of financial support. Therefore, every country has connections with the Central Magic Society, and they keep each other in check, making it difficult to interfere excessively. However, most of the scholars belonging to the society are researcher-type people who dedicate their lives to magical research, so many of them don't care if their research results are used for military purposes. Well, extreme perverts like Sakuragi Mei are rare...

  By the way, six of the "Ten Magical Sages" belong to the Central Magic Society. Belgand (the pervert politician), an authority on earth magic, is one of them.

  All of the Ten Magical Sages will be revealed in the main story, so they won't be mentioned in the afterword. Look forward to it.

  Thank you for reading this long setting material. Thank you very much.

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