After Strict Instructions 3

The lecture is going well. Everyone is following my instructions, and none of them is making any complaints.

I'm sure their compliance is thanks to Baron Heldrick himself. Usually, mages and knights hold a lot of pride, and other than their employers, they wouldn't let anyone order them around. He must have specifically ordered them to follow my every command.

Now, we're at the last part of the lecture.

"I'm sure you're all aware of how weapon enhancement works," I loudly spoke so that everyone would hear. "Make contact with your weapon and pour mana into it."

"That's correct. We just need to make contact with the handle of our swords, or grip the end of the arrows we shoot," one knights explained.

"Umu," I nodded, and then I comment back, "But pouring is not exactly the best thing you can do. It's better to carefully surround your weapons with magic instead."

"Surround?"

"I'm sure you're aware of this: the more mana you pour into the steel of your weapon, the easier it will break later. Although it will become stronger and sharper at the moment, it will grow weak after and you'll need to replace it with another."

Magic rots steel and it breaks it down in time. It's not a good catalyst for magic. This is a well-known fact. In terms of other materials, adamantite or platinum can withstand it better.

"How many of you knows how to use the spell Fireball?"

More than half of the knights raised their hands.

Fireball is one of the most basic magic spells that almost everyone can cast. Considering they are knights who were specially trained in combat, I actually expected all of them to know it.

"So you're really going to teach us magic as well?"

"Umu, but it's the kind you all have some knowledge of already. I'll teach you a better way to use magic enhancement for weaponry."

Explaining so, I casted a fireball spell and aimed at one of the dummies. Because the dummy was made with wood and hay, the part of it I aimed at easily got destroyed.

"Now, that spell will burn about 1/5 of the mana of ordinary people. I'm sure it will cost that amount for you as well."

After making sure they were all watching, I borrowed one of their steel swords and applied magic into it. When I did, it slowly cracks and stumbled on the floor. Broken.

"Can anyone explain what happened?" I asked.

"It's not able to absorb all your magic so it broke?"

"That's right. I started by pouring the same mana I used for that fireball, before I used twice the same amount, then even more."

"Are you saying that we're not able to control the amount of magic we apply so our weapons break?"

"Umu... The amount of magic a steel weapon can naturally absorb is just about the same amount as I used for that fireball. It will weaken in time, but it will be able to last a little longer."

"So we're supposed to use just about the same amount of mana as a fireball spell? That's... difficult to do, isn't it?"

"That's right, Eria... Umm... We're not actually trained to use magic that often. The furthest we know are just basic spells and enhancement magic. We're not adept in controlling our mana like mages do."

"Don't worry, it's easier than how it sounds like."

After assuring everyone, I start to teach the tricks.

It did not take long for them to learn the techniques I taught them. An hour or two later, they're able to properly enhance their swords.

"Amazing! It's glowing so much!"

"Umu! They're nothing like before! I see... so this is what she meant by surrounding it, instead of directly pouring mana into it?"

As said, instead of having them directly apply mana into the steel of the sword itself, I made them surround only the surface.

If it's like this, the mana is not being applied into the steel, but it's merely covering it. It's a more concentrated enhancement, so it's way stronger. Since the mana is not inside the steel too, it won't be corrupted and it will maintain itself perfectly.

"This is surprising, miss Eria... This has never been taught in any academy in the Royal capital. I spent my years training there as a knight, and yet this is the first time I've learn of this method," Marcus comments.

"It's not a secret, many people know how to do this. Well, it's quite selfish, but they want to keep it for themselves. That's the reason why it's not well-spread."

It's not really surprising. Those who finds out about it tends to keep it for themselves. They would want it only for their own benifits.

"I see...! If that's the case, I thank you for sharing it to us."

"It's not really a big deal. Proper knowledge of swordsmanship, the technique and strength of the individual, it's more important."

"How humble!" Marcus praised in an exaggerated manner.