"The mana across the plains has settled… It looks like the barrier is complete."
This place — the Sabnock Plains — had been a demon realm that continuously birthed powerful monsters, but its source mana had now become a resource usable by humankind.
If people migrated here and built a town, it would surely develop into a prosperous and peaceful city.
"Hmph… Did you watch closely, you brats?"
"Ah, yes… It was incredible."
"It's not about whether it was incredible. What matters is whether you were able to learn from it."
Maitis tapped her staff against the ground.
"An old woman's job is to pass down wisdom to the next generation, so I can't have you lot spacing out and staring blankly. If you don't study properly, all the trouble this old hag went through will have been for nothing."
"Yeah… You're right. I think so too."
Rest scratched his head with a wry smile.
Hearing about something a hundred times is not as good as seeing it once.
He would demonstrate what he had learned by watching with his own eyes.
"Barrier of Monster Warding."
Rest cast the magic, mimicking what he had seen.
A luminous pattern traced itself above Rest's head, constructing a magic circle.
Compared to the one Maitis had created, it was considerably smaller in size… but a ring, like a halo, rotated as it formed a hemispherical dome centered on himself.
"The range is only about twenty meters at most… but I was able to set up a barrier that keeps monsters from approaching. From now on, I should be able to move while projecting a barrier as well."
Rest's barrier had been constructed directly above his own head. He could feel mana being drawn up from within him constantly.
In exchange... unlike when carving a magic circle into the ground, he could move along with the barrier itself.
"............"
Seeing Rest put his words into action immediately, Maitis's eyes widened.
Then... with a somewhat disgruntled look, she flicked her staff.
"Hmph!"
"Ow...!"
The target of her strike was Lucas, who had collapsed into a seated position, completely exhausted.
Clutching his forehead where he'd been whacked, Lucas writhed in agony.
"Just like Albert, you're a brat with no charm whatsoever! Honestly, you couldn't be more boring!"
"Um... sorry?"
"...The old hag's got some time before she has to head back to the royal palace, so I'll teach you a few barrier techniques. You'd better carve them into your brain!"
"...Thank you very much!"
Maitis looked thoroughly displeased, but... it seemed she was going to instruct him after all.
Being able to receive guidance from the country's foremost barrier mage was an extraordinarily rare opportunity.
Rest thanked his stroke of luck and bowed deeply to Maitis.
"You're amazing, Rest! And the old lady looked really cool too!"
"As expected of Guide Maitis... To create a barrier like that, even with a tool, all on her own...!"
Yuri was clapping enthusiastically, and even Isis wore an expression of admiration.
The rest of the group, having witnessed something rare, peered down at the magic circle on the ground with great interest.
"Come to think of it... this barrier is layered four times over, isn't it?"
Offhandedly, Yuri made that remark.
"『Monster repelling』 and 『fertility』 and 『disease repelling』 and... what was the last one again?"
"『Crime prevention』... that's what she said, right?"
Lucas answered, then immediately realized he had spoken to the woman he despised most and turned his face away.
"Ah... that's right, she did say that."
Andrew, who was standing behind them, gave a troubled, wry smile.
And then... he admonished Maitis herself, the one who had cast the barrier.
"Guide Maitis... the matter of the 『crime prevention』 barrier was supposed to be confidential."
"Hm? Oh, was it? I forgot about that."
Maitis scratched near her temple with the grip of her staff.
"It's not exactly something that needs to be hidden... Good grief, I guess times really have changed. It's hard for an old woman to get by these days."
"Ah... Your Highness Andrew. Was that something we weren't supposed to know about?"
"Well, technically that was the case... but I suppose it's fine."
When Rest asked in a troubled manner, Andrew spread both hands grandly.
"The 『crime prevention』 barrier is exactly what it sounds like. It's a barrier that suppresses the crimes of people within its range. It restrains human malice and violent impulses, making it harder for crimes to occur. In short... it's a barrier that interferes with the mind."
"The mind...?"
Rest's eyes went wide.
Could it be that magic existed which affected the minds of an unspecified number of people?
Could such a barrier have been cast over the royal capital as well?
"Even if the goal is crime prevention, nobody wants their minds interfered with, right? That's why the existence of that barrier is kept secret."
"Well... I suppose that's true."
Even if it wasn't for an evil purpose, being subjected to hypnosis or suggestion was something anyone would resist.
If people learned of the barrier's existence, they wouldn't be too happy about it.
"But... crimes are still happening. In the royal capital and in other towns alike."
Lubeth cut in.
If such a barrier existed, why hadn't crime been eliminated from the world?
Rest harbored the same question.
"That barrier can only slightly suppress the malice that leads to crime... It doesn't turn bad people into good ones, nor does it make desire disappear. The effect is little more than a psychological comfort at best."
"If you channeled all the mana from this dragon vein into that barrier, you might be able to eliminate crime entirely... but then again, humanity might vanish along with it."
Maitis shook his shoulders with amusement.
Hearing those words, Rest finally understood why the barrier's existence was being hidden.
*(I see... For example, if the barrier's purpose wasn't "crime prevention" but rather "domination" or "enchantment," it could potentially place every person living in the town under mind control...)* Perhaps... there had been such precedents in the past.
"The existence of the 'crime prevention' barrier is classified. Everyone, forget you ever heard about it."
"............"
At Andrew's words, the group quietly nodded.