Bornite and tyuyamunite were the ores I found in the depths. They were also ores neither Malfissa nor Mimissa had ever heard of. I opened the [Menu], and together we looked around in the Treasure section in case ore veins could be bought for DP. Surprisingly enough, they actually could, although...

"This doesn't really help because every ore listed is just some generic 'element x ore', not those weird names."

"But Czara, how'd you know the names of these? Can't we search for them same way we can search for monsters?"

Mimissa to the rescue. I did just that.

"Right, I must still be a bit out of it. Controlling the mana field this precise really messed with my head..."

"Aww, please don't overwork yourself."

"I won't, I won't." We smiled, though her smile was more happy than mine. "Anyway, uhh, [List Search: Ore, Bornite]."

*Ding* [Error: Ore is not a category.]

"Okay, I'm just about ready to say this [Menu] isn't as convenient as it could be. System, would you kindly make a sub-category under Treasures and put every item with 'Ore' in its name and/or description into that sub-category?"

*Ding* [Processing request...]

We waited for about two minutes, hopeful this would actually work.

*Ding* [Sub-Category 'Ore' under category 'Treasures' created. 11589 entries added.]

"*Whistle* That's quite a bit. Okay, please do [List Search: Ore, Bornite]."

*Ding* [Ore, Bornite: 14 entries found.]

We selected the actual bornite, ignoring the entries that only had it mentioned in its description. This was starting to feel closer to a wiki, but fair enough.

"'Bornite, also known as peacock ore, is a sulphide mineral with chemical composition Cu5FeS4 that crystallises in the orthorhombic system (pseudo-cubic)[...]' Yeah, this is just straight-up Vikingpedia at this point. Anyway, this stuff contains copper, sulphur, and a little bit of iron. Good to know."

Both girls to my sides looked at me funny.

"What is it...?"

"Uhm, Czara? Where does it say copper, iron, or sulphur?"

"I too am confused. Is it perhaps that strange word with the numbers written in different letters?"

That was when I realised neither Malfissa nor Mimissa had probably ever seen Latin letters, only Cyrillic, and thus had no idea what a chemical compound is.

(Maybe they don't even know about atomic theory, which is taught in early 𝟲𝟴𝟲𝟵𝟲𝟳𝟲𝟴𝟮𝟬𝟳𝟯𝟲𝟯𝟲𝟴𝟲₣𝟲₣𝟲₵ chemistry classes all over the world.)

My former world, anyway.

"Right, I'm not surprised. So before I can explain this, do you two know what 'atomic theory' is?"

"'Atomic'? As in... 'atom', the uncuttable? I admit I have only heard the term a couple times, once from a pair of heroes who talked about it and I happened to listen in. I advise you to explain it properly to us."

Mimissa meanwhile was just staring blankly ahead, eyes comically wide open. She clearly had no idea.

"Fair enough. So this is knowledge I learned in 𝟱𝟮𝟳𝟱𝟳𝟯𝟳𝟯𝟲𝟵𝟲𝟭𝟲Ɇ𝟮𝟬𝟲𝟴𝟲𝟵𝟲𝟳𝟲𝟴𝟮𝟬𝟳𝟯𝟲𝟯𝟲𝟴𝟲₣𝟲₣𝟲₵, but it's actually taught almost anywhere. The basic idea is that matter is composed of extremely tiny particles, far too tiny to see with the naked eye. These particles are called atoms, though it's kind of a misnomer because atoms can actually be split due to the fact they're made of even tinier particles called protons and neutrons, which form their core, and electrons which kinda float around the core in a fairly chaotic swirl. This sort of orbit system is much like how all kinds of things like planets orbit a star, a moon orbits its planet, etc.

"Atoms were believed for thousands of years to be uncuttable, but they really aren't. They can be split into parts, which forms at least two separate atoms that aren't even necessarily the same element - mostly they aren't, really - which each have smaller atomic mass than the original atom."

Malfissa nodded. Mimissa just kept listening.

"I see, and these... new atoms. They have lesser 'atomic mass' because, say, if you take a bucket of water and put all its water into two buckets, each has less water volume? I assume there is a set number of protrons, neutrons, and... negatrons?"

"Protons and electrons."

"Yes, those. So atomic mass is the amount of these particles an atomic core contains or is surrounded by. I assume the numbers also define what element it is, as you mentioned that mattering somehow."

I was honestly a little astonished by how quickly Malfissa understood an almost entirely new concept. Mimissa was... cutely struggling, I guess.

"Correct. The smallest possible atom is of the element hydrogen, which due to that is also the most common element by far. It contains 1 proton and 1 electron, though it's also possible for hydrogen atoms to have up to 2 neutrons. This adds atomic mass but doesn't make it a different element."

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"But the neutrons do have some other effect, right?"

"Yeah, the amount of neutrons an atomic core has defines what isotope it is. For example, many elements have some form of stable atomic mass, but others are what is called radioactive. Even different isotopes of the same element can be radioactive."

"Radio- you mean they produce radio? Radio waves?"

Now it was my turn to feel a little embarrassed because admittedly I had no idea where the term radioactive exactly came from aside from, well, radiation I guess.

"Well it mostly means they produce some form of radiation. Radiation's kind of a bunch of energy or particles that stream through space and often even matter. So-called alpha particles are essentially a bunch of helium cores, 2 protons and 2 neutrons, and are so weak a sheet of paper can block them. Beta radiation is mostly electrons and needs thicker protection, but it's still weaker than gamma, which is really bad because it's basically an energy wave. You need really thick, pure lead plating to block that stuff."

Mimissa had long since left the conversation and did some searching on her own instance of the [Menu], while Malfissa's curiosity had been awakened so much, her eyes were practically sparkling.

"So why is radiation bad? Can it be used for good? And how does one split atoms?"

"Right, okay. So radiation is usually bad because if there is a lot, it can cause things like cancer. That's like when the body's cells start malfunctioning and start growing endlessly with no purpose other than to consume. Radiation can also damage the DNA which is essentially a kind of blueprint that makes your body grow in proper ways. Small doses of radiation can be beneficial if used in the right way, like how some medicine is made from snake poison and whatnot. Atoms may naturally give out radiation, which can be measured with a device called a Geiger-Müller counter, or just Geiger counter for short. Let me see if I can-"

I looked into the [Menu]. The amazing thing was that even technology from my world could be created from DP if I knew about it, though the complexity seemed to increase the price roughly exponentially not unlike the skill scrolls. The 'Geiger counter (ultra basic)' cost 450DP, so I wasn't sure if I should buy one, but Malfissa looked so insistent I just had to. I justified the expense with the knowledge we could make up the difference in under 2 days.

"Since we're fairly protected, the device doesn't register much, if any, radiation. Each time it registers radioactivity, you can hear a small ping sound."

"Amazing..."

She grabbed the device and waved it around. Some spots showed slightly more activity, but not by much, the needle barely moving.

"Anyway, the thing with atoms splitting is called nuclear fission, and my old world had many stations called power plants that used nuclear fission for the sake of creating electrical energy." (And other things, like nuclear weapons, 𝟱𝟮𝟳𝟱𝟳𝟯𝟳𝟯𝟲𝟵𝟲𝟭 having nearly the most bombs, missiles and whatnot of any country.) "Of course, nuclear fission isn't without its risks, but unless you royally screw up, it's fairly reliable. Radioactive elements like uranium are fairly plentiful, though plutonium, while similarly useful, is a whole lot rarer and mostly made by scientists."

I wasn't sure if I should mention Pripyat - better known as Chernobyl - Three Mile Island, or Fukushima, so I kept those disasters out for the time being as they would just get her needlessly concerned. Malfissa was too engrossed in her new 'toy' anyway, so I think she was satisfied for the time being. I focused back on Mr. Imp, who'd been busily mining the bornite ore, but I got a message pop-up.

*Ding* [Mr. Imp's status has changed to 'Poisoned'.]

Shit! That wasn't good; I immediately recalled him, and he didn't look well at all, breathing heavily and twitching badly.

"Mr. Imp, what's wrong!?"

Everyone came over, trying to figure out what had happened to him down there. Then it came to me; of course, the bornite contained sulphur! I checked his status right away.

Name: Mr. Imp

True Name: Mr. Imp the impertinent Imp of Impington

Species: Demon; ???

Class: Lower Demon Lv.4

HP: 79/108; MP: 27; STR: 34; AGI: 41

Status Effects: Contract; Poisoned

Equipment: Cheap Loincloth

Skills: Minor Charm Rk.3; Poison Claw Rk.4; ???

Titles: Rookie Miner

Affiliation: Dungeon 'NULL'

Allies: Constanze Czarina; Mimissa

Semi-Allies: Anastelle; Malfissa the Grand

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have let you mine stuff that contains sulphur!"

I frantically checked the Treasures section for some form of anti-dote, but Malfissa seemed utterly aghast.

"Czara, sulphur does not cause boils like this to a demon! Rather, I have never heard of a demon getting poisoned by anything but the most dangerous substances in existence!"

I looked at her, dumbfounded.

"Wait, if it's not the sulphur, then...?"

I collected a piece of the ore, then wanted to place myself into the Core Room, but before I could, Malfissa had - perhaps by chance - pointed the Geiger counter at Mr. Imp. It screeched like mad.

"Oh fuuuuck!" Both my hands were over my head in a second. "He wasn't poisoned by a chemical, he was poisoned by radiation! Those are radiation burns!"

I disappeared into the Core Room and analysed the rock. I actually felt sick from it, too; I had taken the Geiger counter with me and it confirmed that this stuff was very, very radioactive. At least it gave an incredible amount of DP from converting.

The [Menu] gave me the answer to the puzzle, and ashamedly I came back to tell the others.

"Girls… this stuff isn't just bornite. Remember when I asked what 'tyuyamunite' is? *Sigh* It's actually uranium ore..."

Thankfully the [Menu] offered a kind of balm made from ginger, ginkgo, and lemon that helped with radiation damage and seemed to also have some preventive effects. I bought enough of that stuff to cover Mr. Imp two times over, and we all carefully applied it. It seemed to help, and Malfissa cast [Sleep] so he would hopefully heal while resting.

"So, as ashamed as I am, we're facing a difficult decision here."

Malfissa and Mimissa looked at me.

"What would that be? It has to do with that accursed ore, correct?"

"Mhm. This stuff's honestly incredible. That fist-sized rock provided me with 583DP when I converted it. I felt a little sick from it, but I think I can take it. Imagine that, almost 600DP from that little; we could heal Anastelle from less than 100 of those."

"Czara…" Mimissa hugged me hard. "If even you feel sick from that, you can't! Your health's more important. I'm sure Anastelle can wait, we can find a different source. Just leave that stuff in the ground where it belongs."

Malfissa looked as conflicted as I did. Should we really go this step?