Mahou no Tsukaikata - Vol. 3 Ch. 24

[MangaDex]

 

[moichispa]

Great chapter. This series is so good. I'm glad I picked it

Thanks for the translation!

 

[sssr]

Oh, so I guess Haruki's mom actually died after all.

 

[pitaschio]

Wait, Sentarou can smell the demon, too. Before, he was kinda emotionless, just like Hirotsugu is now.

 

[superflously]

Wait, Sentarou can smell the demon, too. Before, he was kinda emotionless, just like Hirotsugu is now.

Well he does have that head in a jar… I wonder if that would count? I didn’t think that was his father but maybe killing your master or relative counts. I can see his master asking him to kill him so that he would gain that ability since it seems like a good card to have in your deck at the table of sharks known as the union! But we don’t know much about the guy.

 

[superflously]

Another great chapter! I like how this chapter added to the dynamic between Machida and Hirotsugu. It’s interesting thinking about exactly what it means for a soul to have potential for a contract. I would like to learn more about what makes a soul expansive enough for certain contracts. Because you’d almost think it would be related to how “dirty” it is in the demons eyes. Haruki seems like he’s going to be revealed to be very powerful but I wonder if it’s really that…I’m guessing because he killed somebody so young, maybe that’s what makes his soul unique to the demons? But hard to say. It does seem that this chapter confirms his mother is dead and makes sense why he kept saying it was stinky in the previous chapter.

It seems the case that Hirotsugu being a dutiful kind person would make his soul worthless to demons. I like the dynamic between it being something he was adopted for but had not talent for. In an environment with that kind of pressure, and the unions values shoved down his throat, you’d undoubtably feel like a failure for being unable to form a contract. But in any other context it’s good news that you don’t appeal to the demons considering what they value. It does make me wonder how exactly to be eligible for white magic and if Hirotsugu would have any talent for that. Though it seems like since it values “purity” it is something you’d need to prep for in advance rather than something you can just pick up. Sentarou’s uncle/master implied that Kinuko can’t have intimate relationships and still use white magic. Can’t wait to learn more about Kinuko’s backstory!

 

[superflously]

Another great chapter! I like how this chapter added to the dynamic between Machida and Hirotsugu. It’s interesting thinking about exactly what it means for a soul to have potential for a contract. I would like to learn more about what makes a soul expansive enough for certain contracts. Because you’d almost think it would be related to how “dirty” it is in the demons eyes. Haruki seems like he’s going to be revealed to be very powerful but I wonder if it’s really that…I’m guessing because he killed somebody so young, maybe that’s what makes his soul unique to the demons? But hard to say. It does seem that this chapter confirms his mother is dead and makes sense why he kept saying it was stinky in the previous chapter.

It seems the case that Hirotsugu being a dutiful kind person would make his soul worthless to demons. I like the dynamic between it being something he was adopted for but had not talent for. In an environment with that kind of pressure, and the unions values shoved down his throat, you’d undoubtably feel like a failure for being unable to form a contract. But in any other context it’s good news that you don’t appeal to the demons considering what they value. It does make me wonder how exactly to be eligible for white magic and if Hirotsugu would have any talent for that. Though it seems like since it values “purity” it is something you’d need to prep for in advance rather than something you can just pick up. Sentarou’s uncle/master implied that Kinuko can’t have intimate relationships and still use white magic. Can’t wait to learn more about Kinuko’s backstory!

I want to clarify… to me the conversation about souls capacity for the demons they conjure sounded a bit like madoka magica as a comparison. The regular girls had a regular capacity egg sized soul gem because that was essentially the measure of their souls and had a direct correlation with their capacity to make a more powerful wish. So madokami’s huge soul gem at the end was because she had a lot of potential tied to her thanks to Homura which made her soul gems capacity much larger.

What I’m wondering is if this will turn out to be similar or are you just born with whatever “amount” of soul you have. It seems the union can measure your soul capacity so maybe it is just like your height, something you’re born with. And then you attract demons based on how twisted/dirty they find you or if you appeal to them in a way more specific to their interests (wondering about Machida’s demons motivations). It would seem powerful demons like people that are more “dirty” since the demon in the doll implied people that can’t smell them don’t have souls that are that appealing if they haven’t done something at least that taboo. Then if your soul is “clean” it’s not appealing…but then again I would assume, in that case, that demons would be less fond of being passed on through generations. But I suppose it’s better than having no contracts with the humans because they get “fed” through this system? I guess I gotta wait to learn more about what passing on a contract deal with a demon looks like!

Ahhh maybe none of it

 

[looc64]

@superflously
My thoughts is that it might be a combination of a) stuff you've done, b) stuff you've experienced, your personality, and possibly c) the magic you're suited for.

In Hirotsugu's case my guess is that his past prior to being adopted is pretty fucked up but his soul is still "worthless" because he's just naturally good at processing/compartmentalizing trauma. Cuz like, If I were Katakura picking out an apprentice at an orphanage, I wouldn't just pick any kid. I'd look for a kid who was well-behaved but had gone through some shit that a demon would like.

In the detective's (can't remember his name) case I think the value of his soul doesn't even come into the equation; he gets a massive discount on magic use because of the type of magic he's suited for. Extending the chocolate analogy most sorcerer's magic is something demons don't super care about, his magic is making chocolate for his demon to eat. Of course his demon's gonna give him infinity uses.

Speaking of discounts I feel like the doll maker is an example of someone who would get a discount but also an example of why passing magic down within a family instead of letting it go back in the pool or adopting an apprentice with a suitable disposition would sorta piss the demon in question off. "I contracted with that dude because he was someone who would painstakingly craft a life-size doll filled with perverted feelings that I could use as a vessel, why am I stuck with his loser son."

Finally I think the reason the union has such high expectations of Haruki is sorta mean? Like we've gotten indicators that they don't want Tsukagami to be more powerful. They like it if the power has limitations like needing the victims body parts or only being able to work in a 70km radius so that they can protect themselves.

Basically what they want from Haruki is the exact same arrangement that (they think) they have with Sentarou, except for the part where they have to deal with Sentarou's personality.

 

[suyouera]

@superflously
My thoughts is that it might be a combination of a) stuff you've done, b) stuff you've experienced, your personality, and possibly c) the magic you're suited for.

In Hirotsugu's case my guess is that his past prior to being adopted is pretty fucked up but his soul is still "worthless" because he's just naturally good at processing/compartmentalizing trauma. Cuz like, If I were Katakura picking out an apprentice at an orphanage, I wouldn't just pick any kid. I'd look for a kid who was well-behaved but had gone through some shit that a demon would like.

In the detective's (can't remember his name) case I think the value of his soul doesn't even come into the equation; he gets a massive discount on magic use because of the type of magic he's suited for. Extending the chocolate analogy most sorcerer's magic is something demons don't super care about, his magic is making chocolate for his demon to eat. Of course his demon's gonna give him infinity uses.

Speaking of discounts I feel like the doll maker is an example of someone who would get a discount but also an example of why passing magic down within a family instead of letting it go back in the pool or adopting an apprentice with a suitable disposition would sorta piss the demon in question off. "I contracted with that dude because he was someone who would painstakingly craft a life-size doll filled with perverted feelings that I could use as a vessel, why am I stuck with his loser son."

Finally I think the reason the union has such high expectations of Haruki is sorta mean? Like we've gotten indicators that they don't want Tsukagami to be more powerful. They like it if the power has limitations like needing the victims body parts or only being able to work in a 70km radius so that they can protect themselves.

Basically what they want from Haruki is the exact same arrangement that (they think) they have with Sentarou, except for the part where they have to deal with Sentarou's personality.

All I can say for now is that "You have a knack for picking up on things" to avoid spoil the next chapters. Wow, just wow!!!

 

[superflously]

@superflously
My thoughts is that it might be a combination of a) stuff you've done, b) stuff you've experienced, your personality, and possibly c) the magic you're suited for.

In Hirotsugu's case my guess is that his past prior to being adopted is pretty fucked up but his soul is still "worthless" because he's just naturally good at processing/compartmentalizing trauma. Cuz like, If I were Katakura picking out an apprentice at an orphanage, I wouldn't just pick any kid. I'd look for a kid who was well-behaved but had gone through some shit that a demon would like.

In the detective's (can't remember his name) case I think the value of his soul doesn't even come into the equation; he gets a massive discount on magic use because of the type of magic he's suited for. Extending the chocolate analogy most sorcerer's magic is something demons don't super care about, his magic is making chocolate for his demon to eat. Of course his demon's gonna give him infinity uses.

Speaking of discounts I feel like the doll maker is an example of someone who would get a discount but also an example of why passing magic down within a family instead of letting it go back in the pool or adopting an apprentice with a suitable disposition would sorta piss the demon in question off. "I contracted with that dude because he was someone who would painstakingly craft a life-size doll filled with perverted feelings that I could use as a vessel, why am I stuck with his loser son."

Finally I think the reason the union has such high expectations of Haruki is sorta mean? Like we've gotten indicators that they don't want Tsukagami to be more powerful. They like it if the power has limitations like needing the victims body parts or only being able to work in a 70km radius so that they can protect themselves.

Basically what they want from Haruki is the exact same arrangement that (they think) they have with Sentarou, except for the part where they have to deal with Sentarou's personality.

Good point about the doll maker! That makes sense why they might have a special arrangement in some cases. So multiple demons probably have situations like that.

And good point about Haruki. They’d of course like to get their hands on a kid they think they could mold and easily control.