I Will Be Unrivaled With The Skill [Sewing]! They Said It Was A Bad Skill, But With Effort, I will Make It A Hit~ - Chapter 26

Episode 26: Fire Needle

The investigation lasted for three days, but no significant information was found.

Despite this, Attalos diligently gathered minor details and had both Maior and Seneca record them. Attalos knew well that such meticulous records could later become valuable, so he didn’t allow them to slack off.

Maior carefully noted not only the information about the forest but also Attalos’ advice and critiques, intending to compile them later as a valuable resource.

Seneca, though focused on her tasks, would recall Attalos’ sword movements during breaks and practice them with a wooden sword.

Attalos silently observed the two of them.

“By the way, Maior, how exactly are you using 【Detection】 ? Are you investigating underground?”

“Huh?”

“Hahaha! I see! Of course.”

Attalos laughed and clapped his hands, leaving Maior staring at him suspiciously.

“Sorry. This is your first investigation, and you’ve just leveled up. It’s my fault for not noticing earlier.”

Attalos’ expression turned slightly more serious as he continued.

“Magical energy disturbance often form underground or in caves. I forgot to mention that you should be aware of this when using 【Detection】 . My bad for noticing it late.”

“What do you mean?”

“Since you’ve leveled up, I think you should be able to do this. Try narrowing your search range. Instead of a circular area, can you form a spherical range? That way, you’ll also gather information from underground. If you can control it well, a hemispherical range would be more efficient.”

Maior closed her eyes and tried adjusting her skill.

“I think I can shape it into a hemisphere by trimming the upper part.”

“Great, well done. Usually, you’re probably looking at the surface from a bird’s-eye view. Now, try focusing on internal structures. How does it look around the mountains? They say focusing in this way enhances resolution.”

“Ah!”

Maior exclaimed loudly, evidently having made a breakthrough.

“I can see things much more clearly now! Especially the distribution of magical energy.”

“As I thought. Magical energy, unlike people or monsters, has vague boundaries, making it harder to detect. They say it’s good to switch your senses to what’s easier to detect.”

Maior nodded and concentrated on familiarizing herself with this new sensation.

“Give me a little more time.”

“Got it. …Seneca, why are you swinging that huge needle around?”

“Training!”

“I see. Keep it up!”

“Roger!”

That day was spent slowly conducting the investigation and refining Maior’s skill.

The next day brought progress.

Thanks to Maior’s improved skill usage, they discovered various magical energy disturbance. Seeing potential results, Attalos decided to extend their investigation.

“Attalos-san, doesn’t the distribution of magical energy disturbance seem strange?”

Maior asked, frowning.

“What do you mean?”

“First of all, their appearances are unpredictable. Sometimes, they aren’t in the same place as the previous day. Even though they should be in enclosed underground spaces, their distribution changes.”

“That’s true.”

Meanwhile, Seneca was listening attentively while practicing with her large needle.

“Also, there are often multiple disturbances near one dense magical energy spot, but the energy doesn’t seem to diffuse. To me, it seems like it tends to gather.”

Attalos gave a light applause at her observation.

“Exactly. Good observation. To tell you the truth, the distribution of magical energy disturbance is indeed strange. But we don’t know why. There are many theories, but it’s likely that what we usually think of as ‘magical energy’ is fundamentally different in nature.”

The sound of Seneca’s needle cutting through the air continued. Both Maior and Attalos were aware of it but chose not to comment.

“For example, it’s fundamentally different from the residue left after using large-scale magic.”

Seneca stopped her practice.

“The difference lies in intent.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“In humans, magical energy accumulates like these disturbance, but we process and use it. After using magic, the processed energy remains and dissipates. I think magical energy disturbances are more natural.”

Maior was surprised that Seneca suddenly joined the conversation but also relieved to confirm that she had been paying attention.

“Indeed, there are those who share that perspective. Seneca, do you understand the difference?”

“Somewhat.”

With that, Seneca resumed her practice swings. Attalos thought he saw the magical energy around the giant needle waver for a moment, but dismissed it as his imagination.

“In any case, there’s much we don’t know about magical disturbances. What we do know is that they have properties different from normal magical energy. They are unpredictable, and become dangerous as their concentration increases. Their behavior can also vary depending on the location, so if anything stands out, speak up.”

“Understood,” Maior and Seneca replied in unison.

As they compiled the investigation results onto a map, Seneca made an observation.

“Attalos-san, the magical disturbance around this mountain haven’t moved.”

Seneca pointed to a small mountain. The area was narrow enough to be easily overlooked, but throughout the investigation period, its magical accumulation remained largely unchanged both vertically and horizontally.

“Alright! Tomorrow, we’ll conduct a thorough investigation of that spot.”

After identifying a few other areas for further investigation, the three of them had dinner. The following day was planned to be the last of their mission.

Since the previous day, they had been taking turns keeping watch. Although it was taxing, Attalos would occasionally wake up to check on them, maintaining a good level of tension.

Curious about how Attalos managed to stay energetic despite minimal sleep, Seneca asked him.

“Every time I level up, my physical abilities are enhanced. During missions like this, I can manage with very little sleep, though I rest to maintain my focus.”

Seneca realized the benefits of leveling up were greater than she had anticipated. Though she was curious about Attalos’ level, she didn’t ask.

Seneca and Maior had grown accustomed to camping out. Since the mission was more about investigation than combat, it was perfect training for camping and keeping watch. It was common to get used to these activities before embarking on more serious adventures.

Their cooking skills had also improved. Seneca had helped out at an orphanage, and Maior had learned cooking as part of her education. After adapting to Attalos’ practical cooking style, they rapidly improved.

Thanks to this, the two were now capable of handling short-term missions lasting a few days to a week without significant concerns.

In the morning, they ate porridge prepared by Maior and set out. Seneca once again practiced with her large magical needle.

“Seneca, what exactly are you doing with that?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“You’ve been swinging that big needle all the time. That’s 【Magic Needle】 , right?”

“Oh, this? I’m thinking of using it in battle…”

“I figured, but isn’t a sword stronger? Do you really need to use that?”

“Yeah, but I want to try something. Can I take the next fight?”

“I don’t mind, but…” Maior looked at Attalos.

“Of course, depending on the enemy, it should be fine.”

As they walked, Maior spotted a wandering ghost mushroom.

“Seneca, there’s a ghost mushroom up ahead.”

“A ghost mushroom? That’s manageable for me, right?”

“Yes, but don’t let your guard down.”

“Got it!” Seneca replied, raising both hands cheerfully and skipping ahead.

Ghost mushrooms posed little threat beyond their paralyzing spores. While their blows could hurt, they weren’t deadly.

Approaching the ghost mushroom, Seneca wielded her large magical needle, charging it with energy. The needle glowed faintly as magical power condensed within.

“What a magic power…” Even Attalos was surprised at the amount of energy, though it was minimal considering Seneca’s reserves.

She charged, lightly slashing the ghost mushroom with the needle. It had enough power to deal damage. After a few cuts, Seneca held the needle at her side and dashed forward.

“Take this!” she shouted, as a “snap” sound accompanied the emergence of fire. The fiery needle pierced the ghost mushroom’s abdomen, igniting and burning its body.

“It worked!” Seneca cheered, bouncing with joy, while Attalos and Maior could only stare in stunned silence.

“After watching Attalos-san’s skill, I wanted to try it myself,” Seneca explained, swinging the needle again.

“I wondered what you were up to, but I never thought someone would try to imitate me just because they had magical power.”

“I admired you! I’ve always wanted to be a magic swordsman,” Seneca said dreamily.

Maior watched from a distance, feeling a mix of envy and admiration. Although she couldn’t help but feel inferior at times, she was also inspired by Seneca’s ability to turn the impossible into possible.

After observing them with a fond smile, Maior spoke up.

“You two, the small hill is just ahead.”