"Hah…." I downed what must have been my hundredth mana potion for the day.
Having done this so many times, I could now perceive my mana core replenishing with the potion despite my core's small size. A subtle warm sensation surged through my body and into the center just above my stomach. I couldn't actually see my mana core, but it felt like a dim light had regained its vitality.
While my mana core was replenishing, I continued to spin a thread of mana out from its center. The visual I had of my mana core was like a roll of thread, from which I pulled a faint spider's web and dispersed it out to produce illusions on a mass scale across a dozen people far away from me.
Although none of the elementary books on illusion magic covered producing illusions on the massive scale and use case that I was attempting, the concept itself was hardly original.
I was inspired by the format the System used to communicate secretly with me and translate text in books into a more agreeable format. Similarly, rather than creating an illusion in front of the user, I created a minuscule illusion too small to be perceived by regular means within the retina itself.
This had two benefits.
First, by targeting the retina in this way, I could create highly discreet messages tailored specifically to the individually targeted viewers. Second, by making the illusion so minuscule, I didn't have to expend nearly as much mana, which helped, given my limited capacity.
As for the far-away communication aspect, I knew it was theoretically possible. After all, it was likely how the Guardians of Luminal communicated with their members. The System had indicated that only one active System could exist within a Game. And while I couldn't rule out the possibility that my System lacked the information about another System's existence, similar to how it couldn't identify my enemy behind the Kobar Empire attacks, another possibility was that someone within the Guardians of Luminal possessed illusion magic and could produce messages to be distributed on a mass scale.
If there's a will and someone else who had found a way, what stopped foolish little me from following suit as well?
"Hah!" I quickly picked up and downed another blue potion to maintain the illusion. I felt a bead of sweat roll down from my forehead after having to keep up my concentration for so long.
The beauty of illusion magic was that it required very little mana. Those possessing a large mana core like Fin were handicapped in producing this sort of magic, as their mana thread came gushing out too thick. It was why it was described as child's play—elementary magic to introduce toddlers to magic as their mana core had yet to grow.
The trouble was that even though it required little mana and I was very efficient with my mana expenditure, producing illusions at a mass scale for people across the Lellei Kingdom, ate up whatever little mana I had fast.
This hiccup was alleviated somewhat by General Erin Minvey, the ring leader behind the planned coup that Jasper had introduced me to. She supplied me with an unimaginable supply of tiny vials of mana-replenishing potions, each half the size of my pinky. They sat on the table before me in several neat rows, ready to be plucked open and gulped down.
I didn't need much to replenish myself, given that my mana core's limit was a mere two stat points. However, it also meant I had to down a tiny potion every minute to maintain this insane mana usage pace. Depending on the illusions manifested, even more frequently.
"Half of the connections broke," Jasper called out from the other side of Lady Shuzen's library.
"I know. Damn it," I muttered, sinking back into my chair and ending my concentration on maintaining the remaining illusions.
I grabbed a handkerchief from inside my jacket and wiped my forehead and the top of my upper lip from the accumulated sweat.
"That was a new record, at least," Jasper commented encouragingly.
He and a dozen revolutionaries provided by Lady Erin Minvey assisted me in honing my illusion magic in preparation for the upcoming coup. Jasper was in the same room as me, while the revolutionaries were scattered throughout the Lellei Kingdom, most clustered in the same city as me, but four were stationed in nearby towns.
[ Congratulations! Skill upgraded! ]
A familiar blue box appeared before me despite my failure to maintain the illusion.
[ Illusion Magic: Level Increased ]
[ Illusion Magic: Level 32 ]
[ You can now create a substantial illusion spanning up to 68 by 68 by 68 skulls for 1 Mana Stat. ]
"Hah!" I let out a small chuckle at the notification.
It sounded impressive, except that if I attempted to create an illusion of that size, it would have only been sustained for a maximum of two seconds. Nonetheless, it was a significant improvement compared to where I was a few days back and sufficed for my needs.
These notifications had been coming in rapid succession ever since five days ago when I began practicing illusion magic with the addition of the supplied mana potions. Without having to wait for my mana core to replenish naturally on its own, I could fine-tune my skills faster. I could now comfortably expand the illusion across multiple people and, most notably, far from my direct view.
A lot can be achieved when you only sleep, eat, and practice your craft.
Through trial and error, I discovered that the size of the illusion corresponded to the distance from which I could create it. For instance, a 66 by 66 by 66 skulls illusion right beside me could also manifest as a one by one by one skulls illusion in another neighboring town, provided I knew the coordinates of the intended viewer. Additionally, the number of illusions, the quality, and the length of time to maintain the illusions also constrained the range in which I could deliver the illusion. It became a complex equation for which I had to rely on my sister.
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"Was my math off?" Elda asked, looking up from her parchment. "Your illusions should have been maintained for at least another twenty seconds."
The twins and Fin were sprawled about Lady Shuzen's library, mainly reading or working on some personal project, but they were all quite curious about what I was up to, Fin especially.
"No, he took too long to drink the next vial again—that's why the illusion broke," Jarvis observed.
"Don't worry, I have full confidence you'll get the timing right." Jasper grinned and walked over. He patted my back, and I felt the red rune bracelet on his right wrist brush against me. He utilized it to communicate with the revolutionaries who were supposed to see my illusion messages, ensuring the tests were going as planned.
His confidence was not unfounded. I was making incredible strides, and most importantly, he took a bet on me.
The trouble was that, unlike a simple bet of a die roll or a card flip, there was actual work to be done and sweat to be spilled to get to the end goal. And it all came down to me putting in the effort.
"Why can't they just use red mana artifacts to communicate?" I asked.
I appreciated the support I was gaining in improving my illusion skills, but there was an evidently easier method.
Jasper laughed. "Do you know how expensive this thing is? Tiny mana potions are nothing compared to red mana stone communication artifacts. And they'd be too conspicuous in the possession of Leirvants. Besides, part of your illusion magic is needed for translation, which would be impossible to accomplish otherwise."
I shrugged. I didn't know what happened with the revolution in the Lellei Kingdom in my first life. I didn't pay much attention to world events or recall hearing anything about it. Perhaps it had succeeded. Or perhaps it had sizzled out; it's not like they had Elda's fireworks, Jasper's assistance, and whatever else had shifted in this Round.
"In any case, uncorking the potions and downing them wastes too much time," I said. "Especially if a cork gets stuck, which happens more frequently than it should."
"Why not leave them all open and sitting on the table?" Elda asked.
"That's a spillage disaster waiting to happen," Fin said. "Look, he's already spilled a few on that table."
It was true. Two days prior, I had attempted such an approach, which resulted in a dozen vials toppling onto Lady Shuzen's wooden table. Glancing down at the tabletop, I noted that the unusual red and purple moss continued to flourish across its surface.
"Hmmm." Jasper rubbed his chin in thought. "What if someone were to uncork them and hand them to you instead?"
"That might work…" I said slowly.
"What if you sipped the mana potions through a straw from one large container?" Elda suggested. "You'd be able to pace yourself then."
That was certainly another idea.
I gazed out the large window of Lady Shuzen's library at the perfectly blue and sunny ocean view, which sparkled white and gold under the sun's rays. While Lellei's weather differed from Adovoria's, neither country had any indication of the weather turning sour. It left me unable to utilize my information broker to her maximum potential, especially now that Grandov was out of the picture and not competing for her services.
"What about a hard candy?" I thought aloud, recalling the colorful candy clanking between Freida Stran's teeth each time I visited her. "Could a hardened version of a concentrated mana potion be made? Also, then I wouldn't be a sitting duck if things went sideways."
"That could be interesting." Jarvis perked up. "Especially for travel. Glass vials of liquid aren't ideal, but a hard candy-like form? That'd be easy to transport. It's less efficient for quick relief, but for use cases like yours, I'm sure there'd be demand…."
I could see the wheels in his head cranking. He was the son of a merchant, after all. Jarvis had a green thumb, but his specialty was questionable experimental edibles. One fine example was the cookies that knocked out all the kids at that one party where Elda blew up the fountain. Recent Frey Merchant Guild records showed they were proving quite popular as a sleeping aid.
"How long would it take?" I asked him.
"I've made something similar before, so it should take me only two days to create a test batch," Jarvis replied.
"Cough! Cough!" Elda's raspy cough filled the air. A servant rushed over with a glass of water, and she gulped it to drown out the coughing fit.
A silence came over the room as everyone stared in her direction.
"Elda, there's blood…." Jarvis's voice sounded softly.
The water in the glass had gained a slight pink hue.
Damn it.
A month and a half had passed since the Wobbly Pebble explosion. I had about ten months left, but Elda's condition was deteriorating at a much faster rate. Her coughing fits were becoming a frequent condition.
The last time I checked with Kathy, she had finally supplied me with the remaining four needle poisons I had commissioned her for early on in this Round. Unfortunately, she had no updates regarding the Wobbly Pebble explosion cure. However, she wasn't the only one in my arsenal who could provide a remedy for this strange ailment.
I stood up from my desk.
"Jasper, that's enough practice for today. I'm taking a break. I'll return to Genise for a bit," I said. "And let's all have dinner back at the Frey Manor."
"Ah, is it time for your history lessons?" Jasper guessed.
Although I had concentrated my attention on practicing illusion magic, I was not skimping out on my lessons back at the Frey Manor with Professor Whistle, spending an hour a day to learn about what had come to pass in the Lellei Kingdom in the past for it to get so bad.
However, I had something more pressing to attend to than my lessons.
I walked out of the library and toward the portal, which the Frey Merchant Guild continued to utilize extensively.
"Remlend, please have a carriage prepared," I ordered, walking through the doorway. "We're going to the palace."
"Of course, young master Luca." As always, Remlend, the perfect attendant, awaited me on the other side of the portal doorway into my home's cellar.
I watched him walk ahead of me to make the necessary preparations. My view of him was still hazy, reminding me of my failure to lift his curse. But that was a challenge for another day.
One matter at a time.
I sighed, massaging my temples, feeling the weight of multiple responsibilities pressing down upon me. Besides, the cure to Remlend's ailment could wait. He, while cursed, was not in great distress and leaning against death's doorway. Others were.
This Round was a throwaway intended to improve my skills and knowledge, but it was more taxing than I initially anticipated. Ignorance really was bliss. I was too aware of the inevitable misfortunes that would befall others and the misfortunes that would come to be if I didn't step in and do something about them.
Elda's months were numbered, and Adovoria's King was supposed to pass away any day now.
Settling into the carriage, I watched the cityscape unfold before me as we ascended the streets of West Genise. My eyes wandered over the perfectly erect buildings with their fresh paint and perfectly manicured bushes.
I frowned as we passed one particular building, an unfortunate reminder of the matter plaguing Lellei Kingdom. At the top of the building, its sign sat in shiny golden letters: Arcane Financial Solutions.
It blended seamlessly with the other esteemed establishments in West Genise, boasting towering marble columns and vibrant rose bushes adorning its facade. However, despite its pristine and prestigious appearance, this organization was related to the reason why half of Lellei Kingdom's citizens were reduced to slavery or were on the brink of it.