Chapter 51: I Was Sure You Were Just Teasing Me

Looking at Lumia’s face again with eyes that had returned to their normal state, Kazui spoke to her.

"You really came..."

With a look of surprise, Kazui continued.

"I was sure you were just teasing me."

With a slightly embarrassed smile, Lumia replied to Kazui.

"I also... thought maybe I was being teased a little, so I was relieved that you were waiting for me, Kazu-kun."

Because he had originally meant it as a joke, Kazui felt a little awkward.

"But... is it really okay?"

"I came because it’s okay."

After answering immediately, Lumia stated the reason.

"Just as Sexual Appraisal saw through, I... like younger guys, and I’m aware that I’ve built up frustration, so if you’ll be my partner, Kazu-kun, I’m actually happy about it."

(Come to think of it, Lumia-san does like younger guys.)

Kazui recalled that the Sexual Appraisal results on Lumia had included "likes younger guys."

"Besides, to be honest, Kazu-kun... you were my type. You’re a cute younger boy."

Having never been told by a woman that he was her "type," Kazui was both surprised and happy.

"I’ve never been told that by a woman before... that I’m her type or anything."

"Really? You seem like you’d be popular, Kazu-kun."

"I’m not popular. Not with a height like mine."

"Is that so? I actually prefer shorter guys."

"You’re really not teasing me?"

"I’m not teasing you! I really do like younger guys, and I also like them short."

Lumia’s words, spoken with a straight face, seemed to Kazui to be her true feelings.

"Then... it’s really okay?"

At Kazui’s question, Lumia gave a small, slightly embarrassed nod.

"Also... how far is it okay to go with the sexual acts...?"

Kazui asked Lumia about something that had been on his mind.

"It’s fine to go... all the way."

"What if I manage to copy a skill even without going all the way?"

He knew that the activation condition for Replication was sexual acts.

However, he still did not know exactly how far those sexual acts needed to go.

It might be possible to copy just by kissing, or it might be impossible to copy unless they went as far as sex.

"Even then, it’s fine to go all the way."

While faintly blushing, looking embarrassed, Lumia added.

"I also... want to experience going all the way."

(I can really have sex with Lumia-san...)

Hearing Lumia’s reply, Kazui felt joy and excitement.

"Ah, but... it would be a problem if I got pregnant, so there’s something I want to buy before we go to my place..."

Kazui had an idea of what the "something she wanted to buy" that Lumia mentioned was.

"Is the thing you want to buy... this?"

From the brand-new black card case attached to his belt, Kazui took out a single honey-colored card.

On the card of a size that fit nicely in the palm was a white magic circle inscribed.

The card, made of a special resin, had numerous tiny magic stones embedded in it like beads.

It was a magic card — a card that had been turned into a magic device by integrating magic stones, the energy source for magic, with a fixed magic circle.

The magic circles of a very small number of magic skills could be fixed onto an object after a mage completed them.

A magic circle fixed onto an object was called a fixed magic circle.

By connecting a fixed magic circle to a magic stone that served as a mana source, it became a device that could activate a magic skill... a magic device.

Magic tools, which were tools given magical effects, and magic machines, which were machines that moved by magic, were equipped with magic devices.

Magic stones were solidified mana.

Normally, mana was produced from a human’s Enevitè, but the mana that became magic stones was not produced by humans.

It was said that outside this world there existed a "Sea of Enevitè" filled with an inexhaustible supply of Enevitè.

Long ago, the people of the ancient magic civilization that ruled this world were able to use magic that converted the Enevitè in that Sea of Enevitè into magic stones and utilized them.

The people of the ancient magic civilization disappeared from this world, but because that magic still functions even now, large quantities of magic stones continue to be transferred from the Sea of Enevitè into this world.

The places where magic stones are transferred become magic stone mines.

Because the places of transfer are periodically changed, there exist numerous magic stone mines in this world.

The people of this world use magic tools and magic machines that use the magic stones excavated from the mines as their mana source.

Among the magic stone mines, special existences are the Twelve Labyrinths... the twelve dungeons said to have been created by the Demon King.

Magic stones continue to be supplied to the dungeons from the Sea of Enevitè.

Unlike other mines, the transfer location of magic stones in dungeons never changes to another place.

Although they are places where dangerous monsters appear, in the sense of being magic stone mines that never run dry, the dungeons are attractive existences.

Monsters that leave magic stones when defeated can also be considered one of the sources of magic stone supply.

The magic stones left by monsters are of far higher quality than ordinary magic stones, and some possess special properties.

Therefore, the magic stones left by monsters are traded at considerably higher prices than the magic stones mined from mines.

However, the majority of the magic stones used in this world are those excavated from mines.