Seija Quest 5

[Kilgamayan]

> "I'm aware of the system, but probably not the depth of details you've researched."

[Tom]

> "I'm aware of the system, but probably not the depth of details you've researched."

> The magician asks "Have you ever tried to declare two spell cards at the same time?"

[Kilgamayan]

> Have we?
> Respond by either nodding or shaking our head, as is accurate to the truth.

[Tom]

> Have we?
> Respond by either nodding or shaking our head, as is accurate to the truth.

> Actually you haven't! As far as you know it's against the rules, however you don't recall running into anyone using more than one spell card during your time as an outlaw when then rules were suspended.
> "Well, you can't!" Patchouli quickly points out.

[Kilgamayan]

> "...This sounds like you've found a way around that?"

[Tom]

> "...This sounds like you've found a way around that?"

> "Quite the opposite actually! Auto-casting wouldn't be possible were it not for the quirk of the spell card system." the magician explains.
> "Unlike the rules on what constitutes fair patterns, the single spell rule is what I call an intrinsic law. That is, a self-enforced rule. There's nothing stopping someone from winning duels by casting impossible-to-beat patterns. It's only by agreement that we design spell cards with intended ways of capturing them. However if you try to declare a second card during a duel, you'll find that nothing happens at first glance."
> Flipping to another page she continues "And given the adrenaline rush of a tough duel, you might not even notice anything amiss. Yet the spell must've been cast. If there was something preventing spells from being cast, you wouldn't be able to shoot danmaku after all. So where does the spell and small amount of magical energy required to declare a card go?"

[Kilgamayan]

> Oh, we're quite familiar with people casting allegedly-impossible-to-beat patterns to try to beat us, aren't we~
> "...Aha, I think I see where you're going. You're right, that spell must have gone somewhere."

[Tom]

> Oh, we're quite familiar with people casting allegedly-impossible-to-beat patterns to try to beat us, aren't we~
> "...Aha, I think I see where you're going. You're right, that spell must have gone somewhere."

> "Which led to the original question that sparked our interest and led us to the discovery of 'auto casting'. We discovered that the spell somehow becomes suspended. It then continues being blocked until all the previous spell's bullets have disappeared, whereupon it'll activate without warning!"
> Flipping pages "However this rarely happens on accident because you can successfully declare another card as soon as a spell is captured or timer ends, regardless of leftover danmaku."

[Kilgamayan]

> "So it was a matter of figuring out how to manipulate that suspension?"

[Tom]

> "So it was a matter of figuring out how to manipulate that suspension?"

> "More specifically, discovering ways to recall the spell when it'd be the most useful. So for Remilia's example that'd be upon being hit by sunlight."
> She then moves to a different chapter in the book where a detailed spell card design appears on each page.
> "By declaring this card immediately before the red mist spell a tiny bit of darkness danmaku is summoned, which is inherently weak to sunlight. The spell then quickly times out, but the danmaku remains until hit by sunlight, upon which the previously cast red mist spell takes effect!"

[Kilgamayan]

> "Huh...that makes sense. So it sounds like the key is figuring out the correct trigger to set up. Did you destroy a bullet by swinging that book, then?"

[Tom]

> "Huh...that makes sense. So it sounds like the key is figuring out the correct trigger to set up. Did you destroy a bullet by swinging that book, then?"

> "Not exactly, that's the new recall technique I've been researching and the reason behind my visit. Keine had summoned a danmaku familiar which requires a tiny amount of concentration to maintain. Swinging the book made Keine instinctively try and block my hit, momentarily breaking her concentration and dispelling the familiar which then activated her previously declared bubble barrier." Patchouli enthusiastically explains.

[Kilgamayan]

> Raise our eyebrows.
> "So the triggered condition doesn't even need to be something the caster does?"

[Tom]

> Raise our eyebrows.
> "So the triggered condition doesn't even need to be something the caster does?"

> "That's what makes the research so interesting! Designing spell cards whose last bullet gets cleared in creative ways..."

[Kilgamayan]

> "Wow. Yeah, that's...that's really impressive."