Page Twenty-Three: Spell Science
The examination room Miss Kē Màn mentioned was still at the end of the Research Institute.
Well, it’s the large room where I fished them out from the liquid magic before.
The mana generation device that was previously placed here was gone, replaced by a series of unfamiliar instruments. Additionally, a special compartment had been partitioned off, but it was dark inside, making it hard to see clearly.
“Has the mana generation device been moved?” I asked.
Miss Bā Hé found the light switch and turned on the lights, replying, “Those diesel generators were moved to the basement. They were too noisy for research and the ventilation wasn’t enough. The pollution was too severe, so they were transferred to the new Research Institute…”
“…New Research Institute?”
In response to this sudden information from Miss Bā Hé, Miss Kē Màn explained proactively, “Yes, since we’ve solved the issue with mana, we need to look toward development. This basement space is limited and clearly not suitable for expanding our research scale. So the new Research Institute is already in its construction phase… or perhaps the experimental phase.”
“Too large a scale might expose us. The study of spells is an absolutely secret matter!”
Miss Bā Hé put her hands on her hips, exhaling through her nose.
“Hmph! It’s just that it can’t be made public at this stage. Boss has a brand-new plan. By integrating ancient magic with modern technology, we can break through the Heavenly Path’s technological blockade and open up a third path!”
Miss Kē Màn added, “And Boss understands this better than any of you. Therefore, the location she chose is absolutely safe. Let’s go in.”
She pushed open the partition door, revealing a large medical instrument inside.
“This is ‘that’?”
“Yes, lie down there, and I’ll do a check on you.”
But I couldn’t help but complain, “I understand the principle, why use MRI for the inspection spell?!”
“Don’t worry, this isn’t an MRI. If it were an MRI, this room wouldn’t even meet the standards… This looks like an MRI, but it’s actually a spell analysis instrument that delves deeper than sensory scans.”
The operation table outside the partition was also quite magical. Since Miss Kē Màn activated the machine, the exposed tubes could be seen emitting purple mana light, passing through the wall to connect to ‘that.’ As for the energy supply, it naturally came from the nearby tank… wait, these witch researchers were actually using liquefied gas cylinders to store liquid magic?
Miss Bā Hé added from outside the wall, “This analysis instrument was an invention Miss Xiao Màn envisioned earlier. Before, we had to refine the mana ourselves, which couldn’t keep up with the output. Now, we can finally use it.”
It seemed that solving the mana shortage problem had indeed brought about a technological explosion for them. However, making it look like an MRI was related to Miss Kē Màn’s professional work.
I lay down nervously.
Whispering, “…There won’t be any danger, right?”
This wasn’t really an MRI, and because it wasn’t an MRI, what would happen was completely unknown, which made it even scarier. The pressure of the large machinery also made me nervous.
“It’s fine, trust me. I’ve operated this several times.”
Miss Kē Màn comforted me, manipulating the bed of the analysis instrument to push me into the MRI-like chamber. Due to my small stature, I was completely squeezed in, even feeling a bit claustrophobic.
Outside the partition, Miss Kē Màn reminded me, “I’m starting now, relax your body.”
Even with my eyes closed, I could feel the mana sweeping over my body, that tickling sensation, like placing a finger on the center of the brow without touching it.
Then, Miss Kē Màn began to increase the frequency… I felt my divine power start to rise.
—”This is charging you up?”—
About five minutes later, I was pulled out of the chamber. The divine power surging within me made my face flush. Miss Bā Hé ran in to help me off the bed, my legs weak, unable to stand steadily.
Sitting down on the sofa used for rest, a familiar researcher lady poured me a glass of juice.
“Thank you… Where is Miss Xiao Màn?” I asked.
The researcher lady replied, “She went to the data room to analyze the spell on you. Rest for a bit first.”
“But this instrument is for analysis, right?”
“Although it’s called a spell analysis instrument, the actual analysis work must be done by a person. This instrument merely displays the spell in greater detail… because it doesn’t live up to its name, we usually call it that.”
It’s not as convenient as I imagined.
“So none of you dare operate it?”
Miss Bā Hé smiled awkwardly, replying, “Our control over mana isn’t precise enough to avoid damaging the subject… If I were to operate it, I might cook Senior Sister Lingmeng.”
Damage the subject (me)?
“Is it that dangerous?”
Shouldn’t Miss Kē Màn have told me this before I went in?
—”After all, she’s a doctor, a profession where one mistake can send a patient straight from the operating table to the morgue, so she’s good at handling this kind of pressure and performing high-precision operations.”—
Is this really the time to admire her skills!
—”Making a fuss, you’re fine, aren’t you?”—
I almost became a roasted loli!
—”I’ll sprinkle some cumin on you.”—
…Tsk.
Miss Bā Hé added, “Before, it was only used to scan spells on divine relics. Scanning a living person like this is the first time.”
Damn, am I just a guinea pig here?
——————
Half an hour later, Miss Kē Màn called me to the office. She had sent the other researchers, including Miss Bā Hé, out. Entering a one-on-one conversation suddenly made me feel uneasy, as if I hadn’t done anything wrong but was still summoned by the head teacher.
That feeling when you know you haven’t done anything wrong but are still summoned by the principal, very…
I asked, “…Is this something that can’t be heard by Miss Bā Hé and the others?”
“Yes, the spell on you is a transformation spell, which still needs strict confidentiality. Currently, only Boss can use it… Oh, Miss Lù Zǐ has also mastered it.”
“Miss Kē Màn doesn’t know how to transform?”
Miss Kē Màn shook her head regretfully.
“I’m no genius. Although I know the principle of that spell, I can’t use it… I estimate that the other researchers can’t either. Using the spell recklessly could be dangerous. Boss also didn’t disclose the transformation spell for safety reasons.”
“So that’s how it is. I thought Boss wanted to maintain her monopoly…”
Seems I said something I shouldn’t have.
After all, Miss Kē Màn is very loyal to Senior Sister.
Fortunately, she didn’t get angry and added, “Your understanding of spells is lacking. The spell on you is just a part left after the other party cast the spell. Other spells must be used during the casting process. Together, they form a complete transformation spell.”
The final result is just that, but the truly important part is the process.
Spells are very rigorous. These ‘witches’ don’t rely on whimsical imagination, but rather calculations like mathematicians.
Compared to that, I’m more subjective. Just a strong belief might elicit a response from the divine altar… faith is my magic.
“If that’s the case, this part of my spell isn’t dangerous, right?”
“No, the application of spells is flexible. If those girls outside got your spell, they might try to reverse-engineer it. Transformation spells involve life and death, not something you can casually create like an explosion spell.”
…I think that’s also dangerous.
“Can’t they just scan themselves with ‘your thing’ and get the spell?” I asked again.
“First, most people don’t have the ability to operate that instrument. I need to find a way to install a mana stabilizer to limit the excessive output of mana…”
She looked at me, spreading her hands helplessly.
“…Second, most people’s mana reserves can’t withstand such a large-scale scan. Mana poisoning might occur again.”
After all, that thing was originally used to analyze divine relics. Even I felt dizzy from the scan, so ordinary people definitely can’t handle it. Otherwise, there would be no need to set up partitions to prevent mana leakage.
Am I really just a guinea pig?
“Regarding the spell on me, did Miss Kē Màn reach a conclusion?”
Miss Kē Màn patted the stack of files beside her, saying regretfully, “I only understood the ‘result.'”
She couldn’t deduce the original form of the spell, but having the result was enough.
“This spell has a special prohibition, although it’s not permanent, whether it’s removed depends entirely on the caster’s mood.”
“I guessed something like that.”
It’s similar to Lin Ziyè’s transformation principle, but I don’t have that ring beacon, so I can’t decide when to transform myself.
—”Lin Ziyè can’t either. He’s just asking someone else for help. Your ‘switch’ is in the hands of the mysterious girl A.”—
That sounds terrible. Is there a way to remove it?
—”You can ask Director Kē. This group of witches might be more useful than I think.”—
Cherry Sauce, who was bragging about her higher skill level before, changed her view of the researchers after seeing that ‘MRI’… After all, she didn’t really understand the principle of the spell on me.
“Miss Xiao Màn, since you said it’s not permanent, do you have a way to remove my transformation state?”
When I asked, Miss Kē Màn frowned and stroked her chin, a habit she had when she was male.
“As long as the spell receives a regular supply of mana, it can be maintained. Otherwise, it can’t be removed. Have you tried exhausting your mana?”
“I’ve tried, it didn’t work.”
“That means the spell itself doesn’t depend on your mana. The other party is continuously supplying the spell with mana.”
“Cherry Sauce said the other party has remote spellcasting abilities, and she’s elusive. I can’t stop her.”
—”She took advantage of the loophole in the Heavenly Punishment. When Heavenly Punishment was about to be lifted, she renewed it. If it could be lifted, she wouldn’t be able to remotely change you back.”—
Miss Kē Màn clapped her hands, seemingly having an idea.
“Then we just need to find a way to cut off her supply and consume the mana within the spell.”
“Do you have a way to achieve this?”
“In fact, we have an experimental device here that might achieve this result…”
I immediately became alert, protesting, “Are you going to use me as a test subject again!”
“This time there won’t be any danger. It’s similar to a Faraday cage, we’re designing a barrier to isolate internal and external mana to ensure that potentially dangerous spell experiments can be conducted in a controlled environment…”
Miss Kē Màn explained, then stood up and said, “Let me show you directly.”
“Where are we going?”
“The new Research Institute.”
