Original subtitles

Ever since that day, when we opened up about our feelings and made up,

Sis has been like this...

U-Um, Sis?

Yes? What is it?

Sorry, but I was hoping you could step back a little.

Why?

Because, you know, I'm about to conduct a magical experiment.

You'll be in danger if you're too close. Okay?

Am I in your way?

You're not in the way!

But, see, if you stand a bit farther away, it'll be easier for me to do magical research.

All right, fine.

Ahem. Well, then, let us begin today's experiments!

Episode 5: Lightning Ore and Bolt

Leading up to today, I've run a number of training experiments.

Magic, gather!

They involved changing the shape of my magical energy.

The first thing I learned was that I can stretch the magical energy I emit very thinly.

But this doesn't mean the total amount of magical energy I emit increases.

Magical Energy

Volume

Basically, the more spread out the volume of magical energy is,

the thinner the magical energy becomes.

I also discovered that magical energy can't sublimate in this state.

That made me wonder what would happen if I made the shape smaller instead.

The results exceeded my expectations.

Condensing the magical energy visibly increased Flare's power.

I have provisionally named this "Gas Flare."

Gas Flare

Gas Flare

If you're wondering, with electricity, it sparked a little and that was all.

The volume of magical energy was probably too small.

As a result of all this research,

I've gained the ability to emit magical energy and then alter its shape.

Magic, gather!

A-Are you all right, Shion?

You're not hurt, are you?

I'm fine. Nothing to worry about.

R-Really? I suppose it's all right, then.

But what was that just now?

The lightning came right toward you.

I thought it would move forward from you.

I noticed this with Flare.

Magic is created through the consumption of magical energy.

So it isn't strange for it to move toward where the energy is flowing from.

Magical Energy

When my magical energy touched the lightning ore,

it was only natural for the magic to flow back toward me.

Electric Current

It's like I'm on the verge of a breakthrough, but I can't grasp it.

I feel like magical energy has infinite potential.

But I don't know enough, and I lack inventiveness.

In fact, everything's been going too smoothly up until now.

I've made progress much too easily.

It's enough to make me believe the delusion that this world wants me to invent magic.

Hey, Shion!

Mister Grast!

Shion, you remember collecting the lightning ore, don't you?

Yes, I remember.

Well, the thing is...

It seems that, afterward, this idiot used your knowledge to retrieve lightning ore himself.

You see, until now, transporting lightning ore has been nearly impossible.

He took some back with him, intending to make a business of it.

So, yeah, uh...

I was going to make a fortune by moving lightning ore without your permission!

Sorry.

Oh, dear.

I don't think there's any problem with that.

Huh?

B-But... I was using your idea! For myself!

Yes, I suppose you were. But that's all right, isn't it?

But...

Actually, that isn't the only problem.

Yeah.

Wow! They're so bright!

Lightning ore isn't convenient as a light source, and it's dangerous.

At first, a few people bought some because it's unusual.

But buyers dried up pretty quickly, leaving me with what you see here.

So I have a request for you!

Can you think of a way I could sell this lightning ore?

What?

I'm getting complaints that the crackling noise is annoying, you see...

If I can't do something about it in the next three days,

I won't be allowed to keep renting this storeroom.

You had the smarts and ingenuity to move the lightning ore.

So maybe you can figure something out here, too!

That was my thought, anyway...

All right.

I'll do what I can.

R-Really? I know I'm being selfish here.

Yes, but I honestly don't have a plan, so please don't get your hopes up too high.

Why have you spaced out the lightning ore like this?

That's because...

Oh, my!

This is...

And this is the metal I got by smelting the lightning ore.

Does it show any electrical response? That is,

does lightning flash like before when they touch?

Give it a try.

Shion...

When ore is processed into metal...

At what point in the refinement process did the lightning stop?

It flashed a little when I broke it up.

It might've stopped when I heated it to melt it.

After that point, the work is pretty much one continuous flow.

So firing it?

Firing it, huh?

Father, may I?

Yes, it should be fine.

What are you asking about?

There's a little something I want to try.

Magic, gather!

Flare!

Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-What's going on here?

Now, please continue your work.

No, no, no! H-Hang on!

Don't just act like nothing happened!

What was that? Fire came out of your hand!

It's magic.

M-Magic?

Yes. By "magic," I mean...

I can't believe it.

Did all of you know about this?

Yes, we did.

Well, now that I've seen it for myself, I guess I have to believe it.

So this "magic" thing...

If I use that fire for smelting, I'll get a different result?

Perhaps. I don't know.

You don't know?

I'm still in the midst of researching magic.

I-I see.

Oh, well. We'll just have to give it a try.

This'll take me nearly an hour, so you can go wander around outside if you want.

No, I'm interested in seeing what will happen, so I'll observe.

If Shion's staying, I am, too.

It's done!

L-Lightning ran between them!

That's amazing! You did it, Shion!

Yes, indeed!

Yes, thank you.

Why don't we call this metal... let's see... "iron lightning," perhaps?

Iron Lightning

It seems like it'll be a very marketable product.

After that, we made iron lightning without sparing any time to rest.

Mister Grast worked for three days and nights without a moment's sleep.

We're done...

This time, I'll be introducing you to this product!

An extraordinary item that can light the deepest darkness:

the lightning lamp!

When you remove the insulator like so...

See? Isn't it bright?

With this, you'll never need a regular lamp again!

Next, I'd like to introduce you to this!

A lightning striker!

Behold!

It's so much easier to start a fire with this than a regular striker!

Anyone interested in these two products,

please visit Mister Grast's weapons shop without delay!

Our dear Shion is so clever, isn't he?

How is a mother supposed to keep from bragging about him?

Yes, he is truly impressive. I'm proud of him, too.

Th-Thank you.

I've known all along! Shion's always been amazing.

I was worried she might get jealous again.

I don't understand girls.

You're incredible, Shion, thinking up stuff like this!

You really are special, aren't you? After all, you're—

Grast!

S-Sorry!

It's nothing. Forget I said anything.

Well, now that we've finished talking, why don't we have some lunch?

We have seafood stew today!

I wonder what Mister Grast was going to say.

I'm... I'm what, exactly?

Thanks, Shion!

If anything comes up, tell me! I promise I'll lend a hand!

And I'm gonna show my gratitude properly! Just you wait!

Shion, what does he mean by that?

While we were making the lightning lamps and strikers,

I had a flash of inspiration.

If we really can make what I'm thinking of with the iron lightning...

without a doubt, it will change my magic dramatically!

And for the curious, the lightning lamps and strikers were well received.

Grast quickly sold out.

What kind of research are you doing today?

Fire can't burn without oxygen.

That's why when you put it in a tightly sealed space like this...

it goes out.

You know that, of course.

Y-Yes, I knew that!

It's the same principle as putting out a shuttered lantern.

So what would become of magical fire?

Magic, gather!

Flare!

Now, what will happen?

It won't go out! Probably!

I think it will go out.

Looks like Rose's prediction was wrong!

Yes, yes. You've beaten me.

That's right. It didn't go out.

It didn't have sufficient oxygen, but it didn't go out.

Does that mean flame magic doesn't require oxygen?

What would that mean?

I'm not sure yet.

It might mean that magical energy

can augment natural phenomena regardless of external conditions.

But does knowing that change anything?

Nothing specific yet.

But we did learn that Flare is different from normal fire.

Flare uses magical energy as fuel and...

Fuel?

That's it! Maybe this means...

There's something I'd like to try.

Flare!

Sis, can you send a ball of magical energy at that Flare for me?

S-Sure.

Magic, gather!

Wh-What just happened?

Are you all right?

Y-Yeah. Just a little startled.

Shion, did you know that would happen?

No. I didn't know that would be the result, either.

I thought it might increase the intensity of the flame, at most.

R-Really?

Then I wonder why it did that.

Its power was clearly out of proportion with the magical energy applied.

She's right. It merely touched that magical energy,

but it exploded like putting fire to blasting powder.

Fire... Burning...

Oxygen... Combustible matter...

Electricity... Circulation...

Electrical discharge... Electric current...

Electric current!

Shion, what is it?

That's it! That's how it works!

This isn't magical energy! It isn't magical energy!

B-But you were the one who said it was, aren't you?

Yes, that's right! This is magical energy.

But it also isn't!

It's air reacting to magical energy.

When I tried to activate lightning magic, there were clear signs of wind resistance.

And Flare doesn't need oxygen. It burns with only magical energy as fuel.

Which all means that magical energy serves the same function as air!

And when it reacts to a physical substance, it amplifies its characteristics!

Th-This might just be a huge step forward!

This is it, this is it! I've got it!

Oh, dear. He's making that weird face again.

But he looks very happy, doesn't he?

Yeah, though that's not a face we'd want many people to see.

Compound Magic

When different types of magic or magical energy combine, we'll call that compound magic!

And then, Mister Grast completed the item I'd asked him for!

Per your instructions, I took paper crystal for its high insulation factor

and sewed it into durable, extremely flame-resistant leather.

Flare!

What is that?!

Now, here comes the real test.

I-I did it.

I did it!

I finally did it!

Lightning magic... no, Bolt is complete!

Th-That's astounding.

That was the most amazing thing I've seen so far! Wasn't it, Shion?

Shion?

Y-You're crying?

I did it! I really did it!

Honestly, Shion, you're such a crybaby.

Bathroom...

Are you really gonna just let it be?

Shion's magic is an incredible commodity.

The boy is wise.

I don't believe he'll grow arrogant and show it off to just anyone.

My dear, we mustn't overestimate him.

Our boy is very intelligent, but he's still just a child.

I can't help it.

No matter what I do, from time to time, I find myself thinking Shion is special...

because of who entrusted him to us.

What did Father just say?

Does that mean... I'm not related to him and my family by blood?