"I injected more mana into the artifact, hoping to see what's causing it to explode. Ah, but I still can't figure it out. Maybe it's about the endurance of the vessel. I think we should make the artifact's body sturdier to withstand the force from the mana outburst," Paul mumbled.
"So, you couldn't figure it out even after wrecking the lab?" Jenna glared at Paul.
What a bickering pair. Ah, I shouldn't laugh weirdly again.
"Um, I think it's not about the sturdiness of the artifact, but how the generated energy is too pure for the vessel trying to contain it. Oh, that's a poor way to say it. What I mean is: it's the purity of the energy that causes the problem, not the capacity of the artifact," I said.
Jenna looked at me curiously, silently urging me to continue.
"It's like how a person's mana core can't handle a certain degree of purity—even if it can store more mana—because of the core's grade. What if we put a spell in the artifact to imbue an element attribute to a certain degree? That way, some of the energy becomes specialized, and the overall purity of the mana decreases. At least, that's what I think."
"That's a really interesting idea. Say, how did I not think of that?" Paul wondered aloud.
"I feel the same way. Rin, what you suggested might actually work. Seems like Ms. Sylve brought a rather interesting kid. But even if we tamper with the mana, the vessel will still break if it's not strong enough to handle the energy generated. So yes, we should strengthen the artifact's body too. Nice one, Rin!" Jenna said with a smile.
What she says is true too. If the vessel isn't strong enough, then another blast is inevitable. Then what about using Deviation? If the purity is corrupted, there's no need for enhancements, right?
"Oi, Rin! Are you listening?" Jenna asked, standing a little too close for comfort.
"Yes, I'm listening, Ms. Jenna," I replied politely.
"No need to be formal. You can treat me like an older sister."
"Not a sister, but an auntie. Call her Aunt Jenna, Rin," Paul said with a grin.
"If I'm an aunt, you're a grandpa. Feel free to call him Grandpa Paul, Rin."
Uh, are they the kids or am I?
"I told you not to blast the lab again, didn't I, Paul? Ah, Rin is here too. I hope you've all introduced yourselves."
Who?
"It's me, Rin—your mentor." Ms. Sylve appeared like a ghost.
Whoa, I didn't sense her at all! When did she arrive?
"I didn't mean to blast the lab, you know. I just wanted to check whether the problem lay in the artifact's construction. But yes, I'm sorry for the damage."
"If you're sorry, then write the letter for the repair costs. So, did you figure out why the artifact failed?"
Paul looked a bit distraught, then said, "About that... Rin just gave an interesting idea to fix the problem."
***
"So, by casting a specialization spell to imbue an elemental attribute, we reduce the purity of the mana. Then, we can add a layer to the artifact's core to hold the excess mana. That should work. Nice work, all of you. I didn't expect you to be this knowledgeable in Mana Theory, Rin. I thought you'd be more interested in combat—what with your Chaos attribute and all. You're more interesting than I expected," Ms. Sylve said with a smile.
"Ah, I forgot Rin has affinity to Chaos because of that incident earlier! Hey Rin, what does it feel like to be tied to Chaos? Do you feel violent impulses often?" Jenna beamed and shot a bunch of questions at me.
"No, I don't have violent impulses because I'm tied to Chaos. I have them because people are hypocrites. Not everyone, of course—but most. It's their cruelty, not Chaos, that breeds violence. Chaos isn't about destruction like people think. So please stop asking questions like that."
My answer might've been a little hurtful, but I hate the stigma against Chaos. I hate how people blame others for their own cruelty.
"Um, sorry if I offended you, Rin. I just wanted to know more about Chaos. Not a lot of people have an affinity for it."
"No, don't be. I'm sorry for how I said it. I just hate how Chaos gets stigmatized. To answer your question—being tied to Chaos feels strangely liberating. It opens up a lot of new perspectives. It's not all bad."
"Is that so? Also, don't worry. I didn't feel bad about your answer. Say, Rin—why did you choose to be a researcher?" Jenna asked, her smile genuine.
I smiled back. "I wanted to break the mold. To challenge the idea that everyone tied to Chaos only seeks destruction. And, well... I like learning new things."