After getting back home.
“So far I think I’m about done with all my chores… Taking care of the slimes, checking my research plans, feeding the goblins and having supper, taking a bath… Next I should…” [Ryouma]
It was already evening, but I still had some time, so I used the time until bedtime to think about the relationship between slimes and magic.
When an idea came to mind, I called out to a mud slime that was living in a waterside I prepared in the corner of the room to try it out. When I got its attention, I used the Shared Perception skill to connect its senses to mine.
“Hmm~…” [Ryouma]
Shared Perception is one of the spells under the branch of Monster Taming, and it is often used to gather information.
Most of the time, I use it to share sight, but other senses such as hearing, touch, and taste can be shared too.
However, the slimes don’t have any sensory organs, so it’s not possible to use Shared Perception with them.
Or at least that’s what Reinhart-san and the others told me when they taught me Shared Perception.
True enough none of the five senses, sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste can be felt when I connected myself to the slime.
At the very least, I couldn’t pick up any such signals.
But I already knew this. What I wanted to try out was something else.
What I wanted to do was to connect the slime’s mana perception’ to me, that is to say I wanted to connect its ability to sense mana to me.
Mana Perception is essential in order to be able to use magic.
There are individual differences between mages, but regardless, all mages can sense mana.
Because of that the existence of a mana ‘sensory organ’ definitely exists.
You could call it a sixth sense of sort.
After the many experiments, hypotheses, and results I’ve had with researching slimes, it is my personal belief that mana was involved in every aspect.
That’s why I wanted to connect to the slime’s mana perception.
I only felt a faint resistance after connecting to the slime, but immediately after…
“! Uu… Ah!!” [Ryouma]
A great impact crashed into me as vast amounts of information poured through our connection.
I couldn’t understand the flood of information at all. Stopping the flow of information was the most I could do.
My body temperature quickly rose, nausea set in, I felt like throwing up, and my head even started to ache.
It was a feeling of weariness just like those times when I overworked myself in previous life.
In the past, I had to push myself to work even when my body was in poor condition.
But now, there’s no need for me to push myself, and there’s no one to scold me for resting either.
So I ended the Shared Perception skill and cut off the stream of information.
Though I was finally able to catch my breath after ending the skill, I was still exhausted.
“This… Demands caution and a proper investigation…” [Ryouma]
By the time the sun was out, my body had already recovered.
Today I will be studying and working at the hospital, so I teleported to town and made my way to the hospital.
After changing into the white gown specially prepared for me in the dressing room, I went to the waiting room of the medical office.
Dr. Mafral and the five doctors from the duke’s family were already there.
“Good morning!” [Ryouma]
“Good morning. I’ll be in your care today as well.” [Mafral]
The morning meeting began, and we confirmed our work for the day.
After we reported about our respective work and studies, there was still some time left, so I asked about my symptoms last night just to be safe. It’s an important time right now, after all.
Although it was only for a moment, my body still ended up in a fairly bad state, so I figured the doctors here might be aware of similar symptoms and causes.
As a result—
“There doesn’t seem to be any problems with your body for the time being. The cause is surely ‘mental strain’ and ‘exhaustion’. It sounds like you overworked your head.” [Mafral]
By mental strain, I guess he means stress, and as for exhaustion, that’s probably the mental fatigue.
“Yes. There’s no need for medication. If I really had to prescribe something, it would be rest, but if you don’t feel anything wrong with you, then just act as you usually do. I am curious about the source of the symptoms, however. You said you connected with your slimes and a vast amount of information flooded into your head? From what I understand, in the case of an inexperienced practitioner, the senses of the monster and the practitioner will mix, causing nausea.” [Mafral]
What Dr. Mafral is talking about is that feeling of nausea you get when the camera lens is blurred.
I’ve had it happen to me too when I was training my Shared Perception for the first time.
But…
“That’s something else altogether, Doctor. If I were to put what happened to me in perspective, it was as if I was made to read a lot of documents in a short span of time…” [Ryouma]
“In that case, I don’t know. I serve the Jamil House, so I do have a smattering of knowledge when it comes to Monster Taming, but it’s out of my expertise.” [Mafral]
“In that case, I’ll consult with Branch Head Taylor later since we have an appointment.” [Ryouma]
“Yes, that would be for the best.” [Mafral]
While we were talking like that…
“Maybe… No, surely it couldn’t be.” [Clarissa]
“? Did you figure out something?” [Ryouma]
One of the residents, Clarissa-san, muttered something, so I asked her for her thoughts.
“From what you were saying, it sounded like Evil Eye. It’s a story I heard about when I was a child.” [Clarissa]
That sounds like something straight out of fantasy.
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