While Kasumi was sent to investigate the oldest automatas, I took our majestic goddess to the workshop where were the mana receivers.

Both times I visited this place, the workers here didn’t even bother distracting themselves from the work. I felt like I was a shadow to them, not worth bothering with or trying to see what I’m up to.

“This is it.” I patted a table with a whole bunch of magic equipment on it.

After a short gazing, the loli kitsune proceeded with examining it: she was touching the devices on it, looking everywhere, and at last she summoned something that appeared to be a magic formation.

“You guess is correct. Look attentively, for no matter how patient this Akagi-sama is, she has no time to waste on walking you through it again. This is called ‘ridge’. A compressed stack of magic circles. This one is the mana receiver.” She ‘dragged out’ one of the circles, and it increased in size from centimeters to a meter in diameter.

“I will visualize it for you.” (A)

With a flick of her tiny fingers, the room became filled with glowing particles, most of which were simply hanging around in the air or sticking to the automatas. But a small amount of them were sucked into the ‘ridge’. All of those particles were coming from outside the workshop.

“The principle may be called ‘snowball’ effect. The mage would send a miniscule amount of mana here, and the rest of it is being dragged in its wake. I am not a mage by the way, so it’s but a speculation.” (A)

‘Can we trace the Bestower?’ I whispered to avoid drawing attention.

“Maybe. If it was not me but the Librarian. As I said, magecraft was too boring for me.” I decided not to ask how is everything related to each other, and proceeded with the short-term goals.

“Can Kasumi use it for divination?”

“Absolutely. Foresight can use that too.” (A)

“Let’s get going. The next is the museum.”

Before I left, my shoulder was once again dislocated by a certain gorilloli.

“Hold your horses, cowboy. That tablet is useless by itself, we only care for the words on it. Let us find the shrine maiden and start the divination. Speaking of which…” When we left the workshop, I saw the rest of the group approaching.

Kasumi separated from the group and jogged to me.

“Kakka, we are finished with asking the machines. Is it ready on thy side?” (K)

“Yes.” The fox goddess suddenly touched the girl’s forehead.

[What are you doing…?]

“Sharing the memories, of course. Unlike you, this child does not need to babysit her.” The loli gazed at me with disdain.

[Okay, then everything is ready?]

“Yes.” (A)

I sighed, and approached Bretagne and Elina.

“Let’s go, we need to pack everything.”

While the three of us were packing our few belongings, the petite duo of the goddess and her servant were drawing some sort of a magic circle in front of the inn.

It took them so long, that we even had some time to observe the little miko’s intensive work. Actually, her work was so long and complicated, that Akagi-sama even told her a few times to simplify the circle.

“It… it is done…?” Kasumi wobbled as she stood up, and eyed her handiwork.

“Now let’s get started with the divination!”

“Good. The first circle is ready.” All of us, including the poor miko, were petrified when the loli kitsune told us ‘the first’.

‘Just how many…?’

“Around 10 should suffice.” (A)

“You’re kidding me?!” I pointed at Kasumi. I could actually see her soul leaving her body.

“Unless she does so, the accuracy will be low.” (A)

“It took her what? 2 hours to finish? 1 out of 10?” The fox started pondering.

“Hm…? ... If you want to, she may try it now. Though the chances of success are as high as if you were to throw a stick and pry for it to show the right way.” (A)

“Can’t you help her…?”

“Why would I~?” The fox innocently smiled.

“Is it not your own fail that we have to search everything to find where that artifact went?!”

The loli’s look suddenly turned way less cute. The disdainful gaze fell upon me, and was followed by cold words: “Do not forget your place. This lenient Akagi-sama has a limit to her patience too…”

“I… I’ll keep this in mind…” A series of images flashed through my mind: all of them had my eyes seeing my body from a side…

“Do it.” The loli honored Kasumi with the same gaze. The terrified girl quickly proceeded with drawing another magic circle on top of the existing one.

When I felt like Elina would say something, as she stepped forth, I hurried to pull her up.

‘You can’t imagine what sort of a monster she is…’

‘Every monster can be…’ I closed her mouth and shook my head.

Under the goddess’ watchful gaze, Kasumi spent the entire day and night drawing magic circles, until it all was done.

All, for a single beam of light lasting a second.