The investigation had sted three days, but there was little in the way of useful information.

  Nonetheless, Attalos had diligently gathered any details he could, ensuring that both Maiol and Seneca took notes. He understood well that even the smallest of records might become invaluable ter on, so he did not allow any shortcuts.

  Maiol not only documented details about the mountain and forest but also made sure to carefully record Attalos' advice and constructive criticism. She intended to review and compile everything ter, turning it into an asset for the future.

  Seneca had been focused on her tasks, but whenever a break came, she would recall Attalos' sword movements and attempt to mimic them, practising her swings with a rge needle.

  Attalos silently observed the two of them, his gaze thoughtful but never interrupting.

  ...

  "By the way, Maiol," Attalos suddenly said, breaking the silence, "how exactly do you use your [Detection]? Are you investigating underground?"

  "Eh?" Maiol looked up, confused.

  "Ahaha! I see, I see!" Attalos chuckled, spping his knee as he ughed.

  Maiol gave him a bewildered look, unsure of what was so funny.

  "Sorry, I should have realised sooner. It's your first investigation, and your level is still quite fresh. It's my mistake for not noticing sooner."

  Attalos' expression shifted slightly more serious as he continued.

  "Magic accumutions often form underground or in caves, so when you're using [Detection], you should keep that in mind. I just realised I forgot to mention it earlier. Apologies for the dey in pointing that out."

  "What do you mean?" Maiol asked, still unsure.

  "Since your level has increased, you might be able to adjust your skill. Try making the detection range smaller. Instead of a circle, try making it a sphere. That way, you'll be able to detect underground magic as well. If you can control it well, a hemisphere might be even more efficient."

  Maiol closed her eyes, focusing on adjusting her skill as Attalos instructed.

  "I think I can make it more like a hemisphere if I shave off the top part."

  "Excellent! You're doing great. Now, normally you'd be observing the surface from a top-down perspective, right? Try to focus your intention inward now, as if you're looking at the internal structure. How does it look when you focus on the mountains? You should be able to increase the resolution this way."

  "Aha!" Maiol excimed, her voice bright with excitement. It seemed like she had found a breakthrough.

  "I can see things that were previously difficult to discern! Especially the distribution of magic. It's much clearer now."

  "Just as I thought," Attalos nodded. "Magic is tricky, especially since its boundaries aren't as defined as those of people or monsters. It's said to be harder to detect because of that. But by adjusting your senses to focus on what is easier to detect, you should be able to make better sense of it."

  Maiol nodded, deep in concentration as she tried to solidify the new feeling.

  "Just give me a moment," she requested.

  "Take your time," Attalos said, looking over at Seneca. "By the way, why are you still swinging around that enormous needle?"

  "It's for training!" Seneca called back, not pausing in her motions.

  "I see..." Attalos said, not entirely convinced, but he didn't press further.

  "Well, keep at it!" he called out with an encouraging tone.

  "Got it!" Seneca replied, a grin on her face.

  The rest of the day passed slowly, as they continued their investigation while Maiol worked to perfect her skill.

  ,,,

  The following day, there was noticeable progress.

  Thanks to the adjustments Maiol had made to her skills, she was able to uncover several new accumutions of magic. Realising there was potential for further discoveries, Attalos decided to extend the investigation period.

  "Attalos," Maiol said, her brow furrowed as she looked over the new data. "Isn't the distribution of these magic accumutions strange?"

  "How do you mean?" Attalos asked, intrigued.

  "Well, first off, the way they appear doesn't quite make sense. Sometimes, the spots we found yesterday aren't there today. These accumutions were supposed to be in closed, underground spaces, yet their distribution keeps changing."

  "That does seem odd," Attalos said thoughtfully.

  Seneca, still swinging her needle, was paying attention to the conversation but didn't interrupt.

  "And also," Maiol continued, "there are often multiple magic accumutions near rge concentrations of magic, but they don't seem to be spreading out. In fact, they almost seem to be drawing together instead."

  Attalos cpped his hands together lightly in approval.

  "Exactly. You've got a good eye. You're right. The distribution of these accumutions is indeed strange, but the reason for it is still unclear. There are many theories about it, but I believe what we're dealing with here is something different from the typical 'magic' that we know."

  Seneca's needle continued to cut through the air, her swings sharp and consistent. Maiol and Attalos gnced at her, but neither of them commented on her training.

  "For example," Attalos said, "the remnants of rge-scale magic use are fundamentally different from these accumutions. The difference is significant."

  Seneca stopped swinging and turned towards him.

  "The difference in intent," she muttered, as if to herself.

  "Hm? What do you mean?"

  "Magic accumutions like these are like solidified magic inside people, but when people use magic, they process and control it. After magic is used, the processed remnants are left, and they tend to spread out. These accumutions, on the other hand, seem more natural."

  Maiol blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected Seneca to speak up, but there was a certain comfort in hearing that she had been paying attention all along.

  "Indeed, some people propose a simir theory," Attalos said, nodding. "Seneca, can you sense the difference?"

  "Sort of," Seneca replied, shrugging.

  With that, she returned to swinging her needle.

  Attalos noticed a slight fluctuation in the magic emanating from Seneca’s needle, but he quickly dismissed it as his imagination.

  "Whatever the case, there’s still much we don’t understand about these magic accumutions. What we do know is that they behave differently from typical magic. They're elusive and unpredictable, and when their concentration increases, they can become dangerous. The way they behave can vary by location, so make sure to voice any concerns you have as we go along."

  "Got it!" Seneca and Maiol responded in unison, a hint of determination in their voices.

  ...

  As the group began compiling their findings onto a map, Seneca pointed something out.

  "Attalos," she said, frowning, "this small mountain here—there hasn't been any change in the magic accumutions around it."

  She indicated a small mountain on the map, so small it could easily be overlooked, yet it stood out because the magic accumutions in its vicinity had remained retively constant throughout the investigation.

  "Alright!" Attalos said, his expression lighting up. "We'll make sure to focus on this spot tomorrow."

  After discussing a few other areas that needed re-examination, the three of them sat down to dinner. The following day would be their st day of investigation.

  Since the previous evening, they had been taking turns standing watch.

  It was difficult to stay alert, but Attalos occasionally woke up to check on them, which helped keep a healthy level of tension in the air.

  Seneca, noticing that Attalos didn't seem to need much sleep despite his active nature, asked, "How are you so energetic? Don't you need more rest?"

  "I've been enhancing my physical abilities with each level-up," Attalos expined with a slight grin. "On these kinds of assignments, I hardly need sleep. But I still take breaks to maintain my focus."

  Seneca was impressed by how substantial the benefits of levelling up seemed to be. She also found herself wondering about Attalos' level but decided it was a question she shouldn't ask.

  ...

  Seneca and Maiol had grown accustomed to camping out.

  Investigations like this, which weren't focused on combat, were the perfect opportunity to hone their skills in fieldwork and watch duties. Most adventurers would go on such missions before embarking on full-fledged expeditions.

  Their cooking skills had also improved.

  Seneca, having helped out at an orphanage, was quite capable in the kitchen. Maiol, having studied cooking as part of her upbringing, adapted quickly to Attalos' more practical approach to cooking, improving rapidly over time.

  Thanks to this, both were now comfortable accepting short-term assignments sting a few days to a week without much concern.

  The next morning, they ate the porridge Maiol had prepared and set off once again.

  Seneca was still swinging her rge magic needle, her concentration unwavering.

  "Seneca, what exactly are you trying to accomplish with that?" Maiol asked, eyeing her curiously.

  "Hm? What do you mean?" Seneca replied, slightly puzzled.

  "You've been practising with that enormous needle for ages. That's [Magical Needle], isn't it?"

  "Ah, this? I'm trying to use it in combat," Seneca expined.

  "I had a feeling you'd say that, but wouldn't a sword be more effective? Do you really need to use that?"

  "I know, but there's something I want to try. Can I fight next?"

  "If you think it's fine, then go ahead," Maiol answered with a shrug.

  Attalos, too, nodded. "It depends on the enemy, but in this case, it should be alright."

  As they walked further, Maiol suddenly noticed something up ahead.

  "Seneca, there's a ghost mushroom up ahead."

  "Ghost mushroom? I can handle that. Let me fight it!" Seneca responded eagerly, already stepping forward.

  "Alright, but don't let your guard down," Attalos cautioned.

  With a cheerful "Got it!" Seneca raised her hands in the air and set off with a bounce in her step.

  Ghost mushrooms were hardly dangerous, though they could release paralysing spores. Their physical strength was low, so as long as you avoided being hit, you were safe.

  Seneca approached the mushroom, raising her magic needle. She channeled her magic into it, causing the needle to glow faintly with condensed energy.

  "That's some impressive magic," Attalos remarked, impressed by the power Seneca had infused into her needle.

  Despite Seneca's modest magical capacity, the needle shone with enough power to impress.

  With a swift motion, Seneca thrust the needle forward, easily slicing through the ghost mushroom's cap. The needle was more than enough to cut through the mushroom’s tough exterior.

  After a few strikes, Seneca readied herself again, this time drawing the needle back to her side and charging at the mushroom.

  "Take this!" Seneca yelled, thrusting the needle forward. The needle emitted a sharp crack and, with it, a burst of fmes. The fiery needle pierced through the mushroom's belly, igniting it and burning through its internal structure.

  "It worked!" Seneca cheered, jumping up and down with joy.

  Attalos and Maiol could only stand there, stunned, watching as Seneca bounced around in excitement.

  ...

  "I've been wanting to try something like that ever since I saw your skills, Attalos," Seneca admitted with a wide grin as she swung her needle through the air again.

  "I never thought someone with magic would try to imitate me," Attalos said, amused.

  "I've always admired it! I wanted to be a magic swordsman, too!"

  Maiol, standing off to the side, watched Seneca with a small, wistful smile. While not free from feelings of inferiority, she had become accustomed to it. In truth, seeing Seneca defy the impossible gave Maiol a sense of hope.

  After watching the two of them chat and ugh, Maiol, from a little distance, smiled warmly and then said, "You two, the small mountain is just up ahead."