Konbini Ossan Volume 7 Chapter 9 — Defining Magic Power
“True, that part still hasn’t been fully explained. But research has been ongoing for a long time. We should have figured out at least some of it by now, right?”
Shuri-kun says this as if to refute my words. I shake my head before replying.
“That’s the thing — it’s actually more ambiguous than it seems. We understand the results as observable facts: what happens.
…
But the causes, the underlying reasons for why those things happen, are still largely unexplained.”
“W-Well, that is true…”
Shuri-kun answers, sounding half convinced and half doubtful.
“But then, are you saying you understand those causes and reasons, Otogin?”
“Yes. I have a working hypothesis.”
“Right, like that’d be possible-!? Wait, what? You do?”
“Yes. Just a hypothesis, though.”
I say this and begin explaining another new idea in detail.
This, too, is something whose answer I arrived at thanks to using the Calculator yesterday, allowing my thoughts to finally come together.
“First, magic power has the property of flowing from areas of higher magic concentration to areas of lower concentration, trying to equalize. This is already known through existing research.”
“Yeah, that much is common knowledge.”
Shuri-kun nods, affirming my understanding.
“So, drawing on the sciences of my original world, I formed a hypothesis about the fundamental entity that makes up magic power. I call it ‘magic particles’.”
“Magic power’s building blocks; magic particles. Simple, but easy to understand.”
Strictly speaking, I’m sure the term was coined by some fantasy writer rather than myself. Still, it’s a convenient word, so I’ll borrow it as-is.
“Then I propose a provisional definition of magic power. First: magic power is the energy possessed by a collection of the smallest fundamental units that form magic power called magic particles.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Second: if we define the absence of magic particles as zero, then the amount of energy contained in a single magic particle is its magic pressure.”
“I see?”
“Third: if the absence of magic particles is zero, then the number of magic particles present in a given space is the magic particle quantity.”
“Well, that’s obvious enough.”
“Fourth: magic power is determined by the average magic pressure of the magic particles in that area multiplied by the quantity of magic particles present.”
“Hold on!”
At that point, Shuri-kun interrupts.
“So you’re saying the magnitude of magic power is determined by two factors: the number of magic particles, and the potential each individual magic particle possesses?”
“Yes, exactly.”
“Then what kind of thing are these magic particles?”
Shuri-kun points straight at the heart of the issue.
“What magic power actually is has been debated forever, of course. There are two dominant theories.
…
One is the ether theory: the world is filled with ether, a medium that carries magic power, and the magnitude of magic power is the amplitude of waves traveling through that ether.
…
The other is the elemental theory: magic power consists of a collection of indivisible, minimal particles, and its magnitude is determined by the number of those particles.”
Shuri-kun smoothly explains the existing theories.
“In your hypothesis, Otogin, there are elements that fit both theories.
…
The energy of a magic particle is closer to the ether theory, while the number of magic particles aligns with the elemental theory.
…
But those two theories can’t coexist.”
(E/N: Wait a second, why does this sound so familiar?)
“That’s correct.”
“So then which is it? What exactly are magic particles supposed to be? No matter how you look at it, it feels contradictory.”
“No, there’s no contradiction.”
To answer Shuri-kun’s question, I borrow a concept from physics.
“As to whether magic particles are one or the other; in a sense, they’re neither. And in another sense, they’re both.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“In other words, magic particles possess both wave-like and particle-like properties. In the world I came from, entities with such properties were called quanta.”
(E/N: I knew it!!! 🤣)
“Quanta… things that simultaneously have the properties of waves and particles.”
With a stunned expression, Shuri-kun repeats the words under his breath.
——————
E/N:
We had Quantum Mechanics, now we have Quantum Magicanics 🤣! I'm loving this shi!
Stay tuned!
——————
——————————
Check out my other project -
——————————
Comments
Post a Comment