Digression: The Magic Pouch

Tatsumi’s party who had left Lagine Village, didn’t push themselves and slowly advanced, camping in the middle of the road and arrived at the city of toga the next day safely.

In doing so, Joruto who had his first camping experience was at first in very high spirits, but in the morning he happily grumbled「Man, camping is good. Sleeping on the ground, it hurts your body more than you expected.」

And then Toga City.

According to the schedule, we would stay one day here, and early next morning travel toward Levantis.

For that reason, today they must replenish their needed consumable goods such as food for their journey.

Tatsumi’s group separated from the two groups, and went out into various streets to buy things.

Of course, Calsedonia was together with Tatsumi.

The two were getting along well together as always, walking along in Toga City.

Since they were in the middle of a city, Tatsumi took of his armor and was in casual clothes. Just in case, he had his sword on his hips, and on his right hand he had『Amaryllis』 as always.

The two store away food they choose in Toga City’s market.

「Should we be just buying food?」

「Yes, we had left the rest to Morgan’s and Joruto’s group.」

「I see. But, since we’re here, why not look around at things other than food?」

「Yeah!」

Calsedonia accepts Tatsumi’s invitation, smiling.

The two walk together happily getting closer toward each other. Especially Calsedonia, she’s walking in the direct center while happily smiling with her whole face.

The two who had first bought up their needed food provisions then looked around the market here and there.

Ornaments and daily necessities, cosmetics on clothes, and things such as armor and weapons.

Even if you were to compare it to the Royal Capital’s market its a.s.sortment would fall behind, but even then abundant goods flooded the market.

While looking at goods here and there, Tatsumi and Calsedonia walk.

And, Tatsumi suddenly stopped his feet at a certain stall.

Calsedonia made a conjectured face at Tatsumi who had suddenly stopped his legs, but Tatsumi stared steadily at the goods lined up at the stall.

That was at first glance a stall that only sold things with unclear uses at first, at the front of the store being lined up a mysterious crystal ball, things like a cracked pot, and things that can only be seen as junk.

—- Hm? I feel like I’ve seen this stall’s a.s.sortment before……?

As Tatsumi tilts his head in his mind, a suspicious person that looks like the stall owner in his middle years called out while smirking.

「’Elcome, fella who has brought along such a beauty. For our goods to catch your eye, you must have some really good judgement—-」

The shopkeeper’s smirking continued up until then when it suddenly changed to cramping at something.

「H, Hey…… Aren’t you that fellow that bought a magic drawing at our store…….」

That’s right.

That was when Tatsumi and Calsedonia had just gotten engaged, and been sold a fake magic drawing, that suspicious merchant.

「We, What did you think of it? That drawing I sold you…….Did you like《Holy Maiden》-sama’s nudity?」

While making a cramped smile, the street vendor brung those things up.

Selling off a fake, and then bringing up such things carelessly.

It would have been better off running away in a panic, but at the stall keeper who boldly brought such things up, Tatsumi was actually impressed.

Originally, Tatsumi had held no bad sentiments toward the shopkeeper. Sure, the painting he bought didn’t have any magic in it, but he halfway understood.

He had no anger towards him since he had not felt deceived, but still felt that he should get some sort of revenge.

Therefore Tatsumi suggestively smiled, purposely answering the stallkeeper’s question.

「Yeah. Sure,《Holy Maiden》-sama’s nudity was skillful.」

Calsedonia, next to Tatsumi, let her gaze float around and got very red.

The two’s first exchanged「Love’s body language」was of no doubt because of the「Magic Painting」. On the night of that day, Tatsumi sure did enjoy the nudity of the《Holy Maiden》—- Not the painting but the real one—- so there was no lie in his words.

「Eh? Eh? Th, There’s no…… Uh, Uhm, No, I, I see, Th, That’s good for you……」

The shopkeeper who didn’t think Tatsumi would ever give that response confusedly replies.

「B, By the way, is that beauty next to you your lover? Her hair color kinda looks like the rumored Savaiv Temple’s《Holy Maiden》-sama」

「What are you saying? My wife is obviously even more beautiful than the rumored《Holy Maiden》-sama」

「Hah, Hahahahahaha!! You say so too fellah. Certainly your wife is more beautiful than the《Holy Maiden》-sama obviously! I see, I see. So that beauty is your wife. Catching such a beauty, you must be really good fella!」

Hearing Tatsumi’s language the stallkeeper bursts into laughter.

It seems that he would have never even thought in his dreams that the woman Tatsumi had brought along was the rumored《Holy Maiden》herself.

On the other hand, Calsedonia was leaning on Tatsumi happily.

It seems Tatsumi calling her「More beautiful than the rumored《Holy Maiden》」was a critical hit for her.

The《Holy Maiden》was n.o.body but Calsedonia, so Tatsumi’s words that「She is more beautiful than herself」would be a bit weird, but the person herself at the peak of happiness did not notice that.

「Okay, then, let’s show you fellow our best. This is the genuine magic seal that can’t be obtained by anyone else you know?」

Saying that the stall keeper showed Tatsumi a white and black leather-bound bag.

That bag was a leather bag regularly sold in secondhand shops, and it could be seen that it had no differences.

From how Tatsumi saw it, its size was about 40 cm vertically, and 30 cm horizontally. The bottom part was sewn into a circle, and the bag’s hole was around 20 cm in diameter, with a leather strap on the hole in order to hang it from one’s belt.

Travelers and such put their smallish tools they need for trips in, and being just the right size, it was an often seen leather bag. In reality, if one looked through the market, they could easily find similar leather bags from places other than this stall.

「It doesn’t look like any special leather bag though?」

「Okay, didn’t I say this is a magic sealing tool? This thing has《Disregard Weight》and《Store Infinity》magic on it you know?」

「《Disregard Weight》and……《Store Infinity》?」

That would be called the「Infinite Bag」that often appears in fantasy stories, that thing?

While holding down his astonishment and curiosity somehow, Tatsumi looks again at the two leather bags.

「…… Danna-sama…… This bag is……」

「Yeah. I don’t know the details, but there’s no doubt it’s a magic sealing tool……」

When he looks at it while keeping mana in mind, he can sense some sort of magic light form the two dark and light bags. Not only that, the magic light climbing up out of the bag’s color is the same color as Tatsumi’s golden color.

That color coming from the two bags is nothing other than the〈Heavenly〉cla.s.s mana.

Even if it was as if the stall keeper said, that the leather bags had 《Store Infinity》and《Disregard Weight》on them, would both of them truly belong to 〈Heavenly〉cla.s.s magic.

Both《Disregard Weight》and《Store Infinity》are magic that affect the air, so they would certainly belong to the〈Heavenly〉cla.s.s.

「……Is this…… the real thing……? But,《Store Infinity》being set aside, would《Disregard Weight》be included in〈Heaven〉magic? It would not make the weight disappear, rather if it could store it in a different dimension, then that would certainly be〈Heavenly〉magic……」

Taking both leather bags in his hand, Tatsumi uncertainly whispered while watching them.

「Hey, these two leather bags, how did you get them?」

「Oh, even if ya fellow were my opponent I wouldn’t tell you. How I get my products as a merchant is one of my fortunes. But, I’m willing to swear on the G.o.d of trade, Dargabe, that I didn’t get these bags through any unjust means.」

While listening to the stall keeper’s talk, Tatsumi worries.

At the very least the〈Heavenly〉cla.s.s magic is put on it no doubt.

「This bag……Is it okay if I test if it really has《Disregard Weight》and《Store Infinity》put in it?」

「Oh, go ahead. Of course.」

Tatsumi takes the food that he was holding for the trip and puts it in the black leather bag all at once.

「The stuff definitely went in the bag but……」

While holding the black bag in his hand Tatsumi tilts his head.

It appeared as if there was no change in the black bag. It was so flat it almost looked like there was nothing in it.

However, coming from the leather bag Tatsumi was holding in his hand, Tatsumi could still feel the weight of the food he had put in just now.

「This, I still feel the weight of it? Was《Disregard Weight》not just a lie?」

「Hey hey, let’s call false accusations okay, right fellow. What’s put on that black bag is not《Disregard Weight》but《Store Infinite》.《Disregard Weight》is the white bag」

「Eh? What does that mean?」

Tatsumi’s vacantly staring face. Collecting what the stall keeper said, it becomes as follows.

The magic put on the black leather bag is《Store Infinite》. No matter how much stuff you put in it, the weight of the objects will not change.

The opposite white leather bag is《Disregard Weight》. Nothing that exceeds the bag’s remaining size will fit in, but you can no longer feel the weight of the objects.

「………It seems like you can use these but you can’t, huh……」

「………That’s right」

Tatsumi and Calsedonia both meet each other’s gazes and breathe a sigh.

Even if it has no limit to the storage, the weight of the stuff put in the bag will stay limited naturally by how much one can carry. And, even if the weight is completely gone, the capacity of the small leather bag is just insignificant.

Thinking so, each one of the magic bags certainly seems like they can be used but cannot, which cannot be helped but to be said.

「What, with these magic sealing tools, the people that can use them are the people that think one step ahead. If you think about it reeal nice, you can find a valid way to use it. So, what’ll you do, fella?」

And, from just a glance, the stall keeper had made a shady smile.

「Way to use it huh…… Hm? Perhaps……」

As Tatsumi came to a conclusion about something, he tried putting the black bag in the white bag.

If you put the white bag that carries no weight, inside the black bag which has infinite capacity, there would be no weight and no limit to the capacity, a real『Infinite Storage』. That is what Tatsumi had thought.

Looking at Tatsumi’s situation, the stall keeper once again smirks.

「Ah, my fella. That’s impossible, you know? There was a guy who tried to put the black bag in the white one before. But……」

While listening to the stall keeper’s talk, Tatsumi still proceeds.

And, as he put the black bag inside the white bag, they opposed each other as if magnets, and it was impossible to put the black bag in the white bag.

「Apparently, those two bag’s mana interfere with each other, and it seems you can’t put one inside the black bag inside the white bag, those two」

「……I see. So that’s the reason this stall keeper is selling these bags…….」

The idea of using both bags in each other, is an idea that anyone could come up with if they think just a bit.

Even so, this is the reason these magic bags were being sold by the suspicious stall keeper. That reason was of course, that it seems that you can use them but actually cannot, and nothing else.

「Then, what’ll you do, fella? It would be okay for me to give you a special bargain for you?」

And, facing Tatsumi, the stall keeper of course gave a shady smile.

「…………So, did you end up buying it?」

「Tatsumi…… I know saying this is a bit much, but isn’t this guy similar to a fraud?」

「As for the cost of the magic sealing tool, those two costing 500 silver coins is certainly extraordinary but……in that situation no matter how you think about it……」

In the end Tatsumi bought the two「Magic Bags」from the shady stall keeper.

The price was just as Yerimao said, 500 silver coins. This price, for the price of two magic sealing tools, is strangely cheap. Ordinarily, a single magic sealing tool would be 10,000 silver coins at least.

Tatsumi had bought those two shady magic bags. Seeing that, Joruto and Morgan, who had already finished shopping and returned to the inn along with Yerimao, gave off a bitter face.

Unusually, Calsedonia, who was behind Tatsumi, who had not agreed to this, looked at him with a face of disagreement.

It was something Tatsumi and n.o.body else had decided, and Calsedonia had to take out 500 silver coins from their travel expenses—- not silver coins but that equivalent in gems—- to pay. Not only that, her blood family was poor, and being raised in the middle of clergymen after being taken by Giuseppe, she did not have a good expression toward waste. (TL: ‘Raised in clergymen’ is included because not being wasteful is a virtuous thing taught in that profession.)

For that reason, using a lot of money on things that seem like they can be used but cannot, would leave her discontent.

Tatsumi stares at the four pairs of eight moist eyes.

But Tatsumi just grins.

「Actually, there was something I had wanted to try but……doing this in front of the shady stall keeper made me hesitate.」

Saying so to everyone, Tatsumi held up the two magic bags.

「Calse. Could you hold this white bag toward me while it’s open?」

「Uhm…… Like this?」

Just like Tatsumi had said, Calsedonia opens the white bag widely and points it toward him.

While peeking inside the mouth of the white bag, he teleports the black bag inside his hand.

And in the inside of the white bag.

「Ah!!!」

In one turn, Joruto’s bitter expression turned to shock while he let out a loud voice.

Not just Joruto, but Morgan and Yerimao, as well as Calsedonia, opened their eyes widely while gazing at the white bag she held.

It seemed that those two bag’s magic powers opposed each other just at the entrance of the bag, and once put inside the white bag will not fly out of the black bag.

Originally, using this method would be restricted to Tatsumi who is a〈Heaven〉magic user.

「Watching these two bags, I thought of this. If you can’t put the black bag inside the white bag’s opening, then you can just put it inside the black bag directly inside the white bag. See, for the cost of 500 silver coins that’s cheap right?」

For a while the four people other than Tatsumi stared at the「Infinite Storage」in his hand.

「……..But hey……」

The one who opened their mouth was Joruto. He continued in a flabbergasted expression.

「…… Who exactly created these. Either way, it should be easy to put two magics on one bag in the first place」

It seems that the only one who thought that was not just Joruto, but also Calsedonia and Morgan, as well as Yerimao nodded all together to that.

「Yeah…… I don’t really get the reason to put one magic on two bags but…… isn’t the person that created them that?」

「Eh? Tatsumi can guess him? Exactly who?」

「The first-generation〈Heaven〉magic user, the《Great Sorcerer》Tiet Zamui……. right?」

Tatsumi nodded silently at Calsedonia’s words.

「The only〈Heaven〉magic users other than me is the previous generation.The only people that can make a magic sealing tool with〈Heaven〉magic put on it is only the《Great Sorcerer》. And, just like me, the previous generation could make the two magic bags into one」

「Ah…… I see. If you say it like that, it’s just as you say Tatsumi」

Perhaps the《Great Sorcerer》 Tiet Zamui didn’t only have〈Heaven〉magic but also happened to have a way to make magic sealing tools, so Tatsumi thought.

As he had heard from Giuseppe, the system that can create a magic sealing tool is〈Tempering〉. It’s a system called the Alchemist magic system so to speak. Although it’s not as hard as Tatsumi’s〈Heavenly〉magic, it’s still a pretty hard system.

Tiet Zamui didn’t only have〈Heaven〉but also〈Tempering〉perhaps. If this conjecture was correct somehow, then Tiet Zamui had combined the two rare systems, becoming the real Great Sorcerer.

「But I’ve never heard《Great Sorcerer》having the 〈Tempering〉system too?」

「This is no more than my guess but……. He probably hid it on purpose」

Tatsumi had inherited the previous generation’s legacy『Amyrillis』. This was also likely created by Tiet Zamui.

During the battle with the dragon, he had came to the understanding of the existence of《Air Ripper》magic at last, after being cornered to the edge.

At that time too, Tatsumi had doubted the suitably twisted character of the previous generation.

If as Tatsumi had imagined, that the《Great Sorcerer》was a twister person, then he would somehow not agree to not conceal his〈Tempering〉system.

「Surely, for some simple reason like『That way seems more fun』he concealed his〈Tempering〉system? He could have strictly ordered his pupils to not reveal the information too. And, that magic bag too—-」

In the end it was nothing more than a conjecture, but his line of thinking was probably not wrong.

While holding that conviction in his arms, Tatsumi once again gazed at the magic bag.

Incidentally.

When a certain Highest Priest had seen the magic bag after Tatsumi had returned to the Royal Capital, that Highest Priest had excitedly said,

「M, My son-in-law!! Th, Those two magic bags, would you leave them to me for 50,000 silver coins…… No, 100,000 silver coins!?」

while drawing near Tatsumi with ghastly imminent force.

Of course, after that the magic bags swayed on Tatsumi’s waist. (TL: I don’t get the punchline either.)