Rebirth Into A Fox From Another World

Chapter 17: The Outcome of the Promise

It was the beginning of a new morning. Everyone had gathered in the work room.

Yesterday, we had borrowed a vacant room that was meant for apprentices
in order to stay the night.

When we first entered the work room, there were already four people inside that were just staring at the “magic crystal ingot”.

All the while sighing, they were turning it over and over in their hands, checking if it was real. The ingot I personally made was only the size of a human child's head.

I thought it was an overly exaggerated reaction, so I asked, ‘Is it really that rare to see?’

(What are you even saying?)

Auntie-san (Acaida) answered me, and followed it up with an explanation.

“Magic ore” was the raw form of “magic crystal”. Even in its unrefined
form, “magic ore” was considered to be valuable.

The reasoning was very simple. Its rarity, and its versatility.

There was a major element that existed in this world called “magic
essence”.

This “magic essence” that didn’t exist in my original world, occupied a
major role in this one.

When a monster was defeated, very rarely it would drop a condensed mass of magic essence called a magic stone. This magic stone was something like a concentration of energy, similar to "magic crystal" which was used as fuel for an invention unique to this world but it was also far more common: spirit engineering.

This magic stone acted as a core for superior monsters, and on top of being more beautiful than most precious gems, it was said to contain an unimaginable amount of energy.

As such, magic stones of superior monsters were used as the core for many manufactured goods.

Craftsmen were said to even use these as raw materials for the accessories they created. Those items would grant
various effects upon the wearer, such as an increase in abilities, or an
effect that would bind the item to the user only.

And between “magic ores” and regular ores, there was one decisive point that set them apart. Without exception, “magic ores” would only form around the vicinity of superior monsters or condense magic. The reason was, that when regular
ores are exposed to dense concentrations of magic essence, they would slowly absorb it over a very long period of time. Only when a great amount is contained would regular ores finally undergo a change into “magic ores”. It was similar to how minerals would suddenly change.

Naturally, only powerful monsters would be inhabiting locations with high levels of magic essence. “Magic ore” was hard to find in locations like the habitats of low magic essense or weak monsters that adventurers defeated to earn pocket money.

For “magic ores” to form, at the very least, it needed to be a place that C ranked monsters or above would live in.

Incidentally, this was the first time I learned some information regarding
the ranking of monsters.

(So that’s how it is! Well then, I wonder…I should also be around C-rank?)

[…….(If that’s what you think, it must be true. Though you’re alone in
thinking that!!!)]

*Everyone thinking to themselves
Most likely, everyone was thinking the same thing.

“Magic ore” was already such a difficult thing to obtain, but the amount of “magic crystal” that could be extracted from that said ore was only roughly 3~5%.