The Third Royal Order dealt chiefly with monster exterminations. Since monsters often appeared in remote areas, Aresh could be gone for long stretches of time. Although he hadn’t been on any major campaigns thus far because of the Holy Maiden’s purification expeditions, that would likely change in the future. Seiichirou had been told that monsters became more active during the warmer seasons.
“……” Seiichirou said nothing.
Aresh had always counted on casting a barrier once a week before Seiichirou went to a risky area. This meant that he would insist on spending time in bed together, which was nice and all, but…this was about Seiichirou’s body and no one else’s. It should have just been a matter of Seiichirou looking out for himself. All he really needed to do was stay away from places dense with magicules.
And yet he went to the church and Sorcery Department anyway—because it was his job.
Although Aresh was always telling Seiichirou to cut down on work and take care of his body, he never told Seiichirou to quit. He understood and respected that work was how Seiichirou asserted his identity.
Sure, he might have a childish side, and he nags and does things without asking, but…
Seiichirou feigned a cough to hide his burning cheeks and looked away. As his mind worked to subdue the flush on his face, he asked Ciro the question that had driven him to the Medical Bureau in the first place.
“You think the magicules in the environment can increase a person’s magical power?” Ciro repeated.
“The possibility crossed my mind after I interacted with the Egorovans.”
“I’ve never considered it before.” Ciro crossed his arms and plopped himself on the sofa. At his urging, Seiichirou took the seat across from him. “People have always said that magic power is hereditary, hence why the nobility have more of it.”
Since being able to use magic was a sign of status and one had to be taught how to control it, only the nobility were placed into environments where they could learn that. Occasionally, some people like Siegvold demonstrated exceptional magical power. For this reason, the common-born children who possessed a lot of magic but lacked the ability to control it were often adopted into the church.
“If people share the same blood, it means they’re more likely to be raised in the same environment,” Seiichirou commented.
“Yes, I suppose you could say that.”
“It’s still just a hypothesis at this stage, but can I ask you to look into it for me? We might be able to address the labor shortage by increasing people’s magical power.”
“So in other words…” Ciro’s spectacles glinted. “We won’t have to fight the church to get healers!”
Healing spells required exquisite magic control, which meant they could only be used by those who had been specifically taught how to do so. Yua, the Holy Maiden, was a perfect example: she had received the finest education possible from a master of the craft. Because of this, the country’s two biggest authorities—the church and the palace—frequently squabbled over the small talent pool. Currently, they resorted to using local town healers, who only had enough power to cast basic spells.
“Yes, if we can gather people with a lot of magical energy, we can start a school to teach them how to control it,” said Seiichirou.
The nobility mainly attended academies where they were taught a wide variety of pursuits. Most of this was irrelevant for people who were aiming to become healers. It was basically the difference between university and vocational school.
“Given that this is a matter of recruiting talent, I will consult with the prime minister about it. May I tell him that I have your support?” asked Seiichirou.
“Oh yes! Be my guest!”
At this point, Seiichirou went quiet and turned back to face Ciro.
“I’d like you to exert due diligence in your experiments. Nobody knows what a sudden magic influx could do to a person’s body. It could be a human rights issue.”
“I understand what you’re saying about a magic influx, but what do you mean about human rights?”
“Given that a person’s employment prospects will increase with the more magical power they possess, some may force themselves to accumulate more of it.”
For example, a household with financial troubles might force its children into dangerous, high-density areas. People could start selling themselves in the name of inflating their magic.
“Hmm, I see your point, but that’s their prerogative. Would you really stall the project because of what some people might do?”
Having come from a nation that prioritized human rights, Seiichirou had a very different worldview from Ciro. Most people in this kingdom probably thought like Ciro, while Seiichirou was the overly sensitive one, but he wasn’t going to concede on this point.
“No, we can’t let people burn themselves out. Human resources are finite. Besides, it would be a bad look if the citizens associated shady deals with a state-sanctioned project. The nation is built on the people’s trust.” Seiichirou’s own country had once driven millions to die because of its flawed leadership. This knowledge compelled him to steer away from perfectly avoidable tragedies.
“I must say, Kondo, you have an interesting way of thinking. That’s all well and good, but aren’t you taking on too much of the burden yourself? Aresh has been telling me to tell you to mind your health.”
“I’m fine.”
“Where do you get the confidence to say that…? You’re still escorting the Egorovans around today, aren’t you?”
As much as he understood Ciro’s concern, Seiichirou had his pride.
“I hardly have anything to do today.”
They were going to the Sorcery Department, where the research nuts were bound to keep everyone occupied. And Ist would be absent, since Seiichirou had put in a request to the First Royal Order. Everything would be just like last time, he thought.
Yes, even Seiichirou was prone to wishful thinking.