- I already got the magic compressor in my pocket dimension. - I explained, this time normally (though I never stopped chewing). I took care of it right after I dealt with Lucy. Well, right when I remembered I should do that instead of these idiotic people. Who knows what would they do with it?

-You have what? - asked the king, confused.

Come on, people! You talked about it a moment ago!

-I have your 'device' hidden safely in one of my rooms in another dimension. - I repeated slowly, so he can understand. Sometimes I feel like I'm talking to children instead of adults. They all lack intelligence and it's hard to find one that could at least get what I'm saying.

-That's not safe at all! - shouted one of the remaining guests, a chubby man with an actual long staff by his side. Who still has such things these days?! Sure, it amplifies your mana but at the same time makes it unstable. And trying to stabilize it takes a looooot of concentration and tires your mind, making it very dangerous if used excessively. Those more expensive ones often have a function of storing some magic power, but that requires a special rare Ighis gem, mined only in the deepest of mines, making it very hard to get. Just to be clear, I don't have anything against the Ighis, only the staff.

-I think it's the safest place of all. - I replied irritated. What's with these Blackhillians and dimensional magic? It's something basic for every powerful wizard to use! But judging by his long, black staff covered in big, white stars, he wasn't too skillful if he carried it around. Only the additional mana storage in the form of a small-sized m.gem (short for mana gem which is another term for Ighis) placed on top of his 'fancy' staff seemed mildly impressive for such a small kingdom.

While I was thinking that, the annoying fatty continued with his complaints:

-You should be aware how many accidents occurred because of dimensional spells! Thousands of innocent bystanders died because of these kinds of spells caused by unskilled mages! How dare you use it in front of the king?! Are you out of your mind?!! Putting us all in danger of eternal imprisonment is unacceptable!!! And you don't even have your own staff! How can you think you're such a great mage?!!

-I wouldn't be surprised if someone like 'you' failed his dimensional spell and every other attempt to use mana as well. Don't compare me to your lowly self. You wouldn't figure out how the magic compressor worked even after 100 years! And who in their right mind would want to carry a staff like you? I wouldn't bet on you succeeding with any dimensional magic even with one Grahm (lowest currency of Blackhill) when you have it around!

-For your information, this is the best staff available in Blackhill kingdom! It carries enough mana to destroy half of this castle! 

Oh, Fatty here thinks he's something cause he has a magical stick with him. What a hypocrite!

-And makes your magic so unstable that any attempt at using more complicated spells ends up as a failure. - I interrupted the annoying chubby who was becoming seriously red from anger. I wonder if he would explode if I make him more angry?

-From my many experiments I deduced that using a staff while performing dimensional rituals is the main reason for dimensional implosions caused by lack of control over the unstable magic power which is actually caused by the staffs. They make you more powerful, yes, and much more dangerous, but not just for others, more like for yourself! That thing you carry is a time bomb - the less concentrated you are the faster you die while using it. I seriously don't understand mages still having such things around them. You can read all about it in 'Magic Knowledge' by William Wardock, it was the 16th tome if I'm not mistaken? Yes, I'm pretty sure it was. It's really basic knowledge now from where I come from.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Everyone hearing this was in shock. Every wizard still present in the ballroom started muttering under their breaths, thinking about the words I said just now.

Seeing all the confusion I couldn't help but ask:

-Don't tell me you didn't know?! Even the lowest villager back in my Saghara knows that. What kind of backwater kingdom is this?! Seriously, I need to plan my journeys better in the future. Or maybe all they need is to read a few of my books? Nah, better leave them all 366 volumes I have with me. Should I? I assure you all, it's all like a bible for some bigger kingdoms than this one. Or the most referred to encyclopedia on magic from what I heard about my 'Magic Knowledge' series. I guess it's that reliable.

I know, sometimes I forget I'm actually talking to others in the middle of the dialogue and I let my thoughts wander. But it's not really a big flaw, is it? I usually remember that someone is still listening to me at the time. Usually. But this time I might've said something I shouldn't have.

-W-what the hell are you talking about?! What rights do you have to say such things, huh?! You're only what - 19 years old? Maybe 20 at most? How dare you lecture me, the vice-master of our Blackhill's Magic Academy?

Oh, so the chubby with the stuff covered in stars had such a position here? What a letdown. And pheeew. No one seemed to notice my blunder.

- Ekhem, ekhem. - some young, girly voice interrupted my thoughts. -Excuse me sir, but did I hear it right? Did you just say MY 'Magic Knowledge' and twice, too? How come? It's not like you wrote it, right? Isn't your name different from the author, sir?

Ahhh, it came after all. A few innocent questions that will make others aware of it too. But let's see... well, I definitely wasn't expecting a midget redhead - a short, teenage girl with biiig glasses on her face and student like air around her with books in her arms to ask this question. I mean, none of the others seemed to notice this particular mistake I made and they were supposed to be the cream of the crop of this society. Yes, it's true. I wrote the whole 366 parts of 'Magic Knowledge' under the alias William Wardock. The first volume was actually released when I was 4 and only a few people know of my real identity. Though my age wasn't hidden from the public in the books and so I gained a few nicknames like 'The Youngest Genius ' or 'The Genius Child'. There were a lot of theories about me but so far no one guessed it right. Of course, some suspected me, a capable magician of young age, but without proof, they had to give up. And now with a slip of my tongue, these stupid people would be the first guys to learn about my identity? No way in hell.

This is the best time to use that. My newest invention, one of the greatest magic structures I ever created. But for now... Let's get to know the one that for some weird reason brought books to the royal birthday party.