I Don’t Get It
"I'm sure you understand this, but don't go showing your magic crystals collection to others."
"I know. They apparently fetch a pretty good price. I sold a few of them to Granny, and she told me not to sell them anywhere else."
"Of course. People are bound to pry into where you got them from."
"These kinds of magic crystals weren't rare in the past. Magic tools were also more widespread, so you could easily find magic crystals on the market."
Magic tools used magic power from magic crystals or magic stones to operate. Magic crystals formed from monsters' magic cores, while magic stones apparently formed from dead magic trees over hundreds of years. Because magic trees only stored a small amount of magic power, the magic stones formed from them also contained only a small amount of magic power. This country had several magic stone mines, so they seemed relatively easy to obtain.
"Also, buffs, right? Can those be applied to others?"
"Yes, but to use it in real combat, coordination between the caster and the recipient is vital. You will need a lot of practice. The caster's magic power and amount used are also important."
"Is that so? Then, try it on me."
"Okay."
Margine applied a buff to Boss.
~ During the Hero Party Days ~
Margine was having his first joint training session with Hero Maverick and the other members.
"Margine, I've told you that a wizard's role is to provide support fire from the back. Don't charge at the monsters alone."
Misty scolded Margine.
"Ehhh...?"
Margin, 15 years old, was at the age where he wanted to stand out. Whenever he spotted a monster, he would charged at them alone while unleashing his magic.
"But isn't it faster if I just defeat them with my magic?"
"Fool! Magic doesn’t always work on strong monsters or demons. How many times do I have to tell you that teamwork is essential? While Maverick and Gain engaging the enemy, Veloce the scout will distract their attention, allowing us to take an advantageous position."
"Then what? Are we going to just watch?"
Margine sulkily replied to Misty.
"I'll either immobilize or weaken the enemy. Your job is to strengthen the frontliners. This will give us a significant advantage in a battle."
"Tch, so I just need to buff them, right?"
"I told you to stop talking back!"
Margine became increasingly sulky after being scolded repeatedly by Misty.
"Have you finished your discussion?"
Maverick asked Margine and Misty with his usual expressionless face.
"Maverick, I've been told to cast buffs on you, Gain, and Veloce."
"Hmm, very well, let’s try that."
Misty told them not to do it in a real fight with monsters right away, so they practiced their coordination using a large tree as a substitute enemy.
"Here we go."
Margine cast a buff on Maverick as he charged at the tree with his sword.
*crash*
"Oops...."
Maverick, unable to control his unexpected burst of speed, crashed into the tree.
"You okay...?"
Feeling somewhat guilty, Margine asked Maverick.
"Margine, what are you doing!?"
Saint Sophia scolded Margine while casting healing magic on Maverick who had a nosebleed. The other two also got their turn after that. However, unable to control their bodies with the sudden increase of strength until the end of the training, they went home in tatters that day.
-Inside Rikka's Diner-
"I'm going to buff you, okay? Move slowly until you get used to it."
Margine cast a buff that increased physical strength by 10%.
"Done."
Hearing that, Boss started swinging his arms around.
"Oh, my body suddenly feels lighter. My fatigue has disappeared and I feel like I'm in my top form. But if it's only this much, I will get used to it soon."
"That's because I only increased your physical strength by 10%."
"How far can you strengthen me?"
"I can make you ten times stronger if I want. However, your energy consumption will also increase by tenfold, and you will run out of stamina very quickly. In practical use, double of strength is what most people can handle."
"Then, try doubling it."
"Okay, but I will say it again, move slowly until you get used to it."
Margine re-cast the buff after warning Boss once again.
"Whoa, I feel strength surging through my body. Hiaat!"
"Ah...."
Even though Margin had just warned him, Boss suddenly launched a dash punch.
*crash*
Unable to control his body, Boss crashed into a table and chairs in front him
"I've told you to move slowly at first!"
"So this is why you kept warning me. But not only my strength, it seem my pain tolerance has also increased."
Boss seemed pleased with how light his body felt, as if he had grown wings.
"Even though we just finished cleaning, everything is a mess again now. Also, this table's leg is broken, so it can't be used anymore."
"Oh no, this is bad!"
Boss turned pale when he saw the table he had destroyed.
"You guys made a mess again!"
Having heard the loud noise, the proprietress burst in and punched Boss in the face without giving him a chance to say anything.
"Margine, a buff...."
"Shut up!"
Ignoring his pleas for a buff, Margine watched Boss got beaten up one-sidedly
"I see, so that's what happened."
After hearing the story, the proprietress poured herself some alcohol and gulped it down.
"Millie, with Margin around, we could do pretty well even if we made a comeback as Hunters."
*smack*
"You're the one who decided to retire and open a diner for your daughter's sake, right?
"I-I was kidding."
The proprietress hit Boss pretty hard every time, but he seemed to have pretty high endurance even without a buff.
"So, Margine. Changing the subject...."
The proprietress turned to Margine with a serious expression.
"Yes?"
"What do you think of Rikka?"
"Rikka? I think she's cute, but she's more like a little sister or a relative's daughter to me."
"I thought so. You don't see her as a woman, do you?"
"Of course not. I think she was 10 or 11 when we first met, right? Even though she has grown quite a bit in the past three years, she is still the same Rikka from back then in my eyes."
"I see. Then hurry up and find yourself a girlfriend."
"Why?"
"You're so dense. Rikka has a crush on you."
"Eh?"
Margine couldn't quite grasp the idea that Rikka had feelings for him.
"M-Millie, is that really true?"
Boss panicked.
"Dadd, shut up! You will only make things more complicated."
Boss hung his head.
"That girl will be an adult next year. To us, she is still a child, but next year, she'll be old enough to get married. Even though I said she has a crush on you, it's probably just a puppy love. It's common for girls her age to develop such feelings for men who are close to them."
"Hmm...."
"But if you leave her like this, it won't be just a puppy love anymore. If you have feelings for her, I wouldn't mind giving her to you, but if you don't, could you at least end it as a puppy love?"
"H-Hey, what do you mean by giving her...."
*punch*
The boss who interrupted got punched again.
"Is that why you tell me to get a girlfriend?"
"Yes. That girl doesn't really understand her own feelings yet. She's still at the stage where she somehow believes she's the closest woman to you."
"I see. But, you know, I was quite popular as a member of the Hero Party, but I've never been popular as a man."
"You're at the age where it's not strange for you to be married with kids. Besides, men of your age have their popular period for some reason. Your face is.... You're tall and kind. I"m sure there are women out there who would fall for you because of you kindness."
What's wrong with my face!?
"Even if you tell me to get a girlfriend, I don't even interact with women that much, so there's nothing I can do."
"What about that beautiful woman who was looking for you?"
"She was just a customer. Besides, she's a noble, so there's absolutely no chance."
"I see, so that woman was a noble. No wonder she seemed so refined. I thought she was just some rich young lady. Even so, I never imagined a noble like here would go to a place like your shop...."
What's wrong with my shop?
"Isn't there anyone among the members of Guiding Star that caught your interest? You seemed to get along well with Vanessa, didn't you?"
"That overly familiar woman? No thanks."
"Then what kind of woman is your type?"
Margine thought about his type of woman. Originally, he preferred slender, beautiful women. In terms of appearance alone, someone like Saint Sophia from the Hero's Party would be his ideal. However, Margine immediately changed his mind after he remembered her personality and attitude.
"I'm not really sure, but maybe someone like Tabatha...."
"There aren't many beautiful and sexy women like her out there. You're just Margine, but your standards are way too high!"
Why do they keep using my name like some kind of insult?
"Maybe I'm asking too much, but if I had to choose, I'd prefer a voluptuous woman."
"Men are the same."
"Rikka is far from that, is she? That's why I can only see her as a kid."
"Right now, yes, but she's still in her growth period. Her body will continue to grow more feminine. Later, even if you beg, I won't give her to you."
"Will she really grow up into a voluptuous woman?"
"Margine."
"What is it, Boss?"
"Millie used to be flat like Rikka, so I never paid attention to her at first. However, at some point, I realized that her breast and butt had gotten bigger."
Boss, please stop with that lewd gestures. Your wife is looking at you like you are trash.
"Did you start seeing her as a woman after that?"
"That's right. Believe it or not, back in her prime, she was famous as a beautiful female Hunter with an amazing figure. But well, she looks like an ale barrel now."
*punch*
*punch*
*punch*
Boss was beaten to death for that last remark. Margine decided to leave because he felt like he'd get caught in the crossfire if he stayed there any longer.
"They say even a dog won't eat a married couple's quarrel, so I will go home.
"Come back tomorrow to wash the dishes."
The proprietress said this to Margine while straddling and punching Boss.
~ After Margine Left ~
"Dadd, is it really true that Margin was a member of the Hero Party from thousands of years ago and was turned into stone?"
"I believe so. His magic and his knowledge can't be explained otherwise.
"He must be incredibly strong then."
"If he got serious, I'd probably be killed before I even realized what had happened."
"I see.... I thought he was just making up a big lie to hide some special circumstances, but today's events have convinced me he was telling the truth."
"Even so, I had no idea that Rikka has that kind of feeling towards Margine...."
"What are you talking about? It was obvious from her behavior. Rikka must have instinctively felt that Margin is strong. Women are attracted to strong men, after all. Especially since she’s our daughter."
"That may be true. But I'm not giving Rikka away in marriage yet."
"Margine doesn't seem to be interested in her anyway."
"But that also pisses me off."
Boss didn’t want Margine to take his daughter, but the fact that he didn't seem to be interested in her also pissed him off. The complicated feelings of a father.