Chapter 52
"I don't know. It just won't work. When I first learned it, I used it naturally, but when I tried to use it alone yesterday it wouldn't work─"
From what I hear, it seems she doesn't know why it won't work either. I'm not sure either, but if she learned it as a skill, shouldn't she just be able to use it?
At times like this, asking an expert is the answer.
Clap clap─
I called for an expert while clapping twice.
"Expert!"
"Will they know if you say that?"
They should know? There's only one expert here.
"You're not calling me, right?"
See, you know. Sophia approached with her head tilted, raising a question mark above her head.
"Ishia says she can't use 'Magic Chant Breaking'."
"Ah. Really? I see. Huh? What did you just say?"
"She says she can't use 'Magic Chant Breaking'."
Why are you so flustered. Is this your first time seeing 'Magic Chant Breaking'?
"No, she learned 'Magic Chant Breaking'? It's only been two days since I taught her? Just what happened"
I couldn't answer her question. Well I don't know either. How would I know when she awakened alone.
So I decided to cover it up roughly.
"You lack respect for your seniors. Our maid No. 1 is a magic genius. She's a kid who can do it if she tries."
"No. This isn't something that can be covered up with such words?!"
I think so too. But what can we do. There's no one here who knows. Only Ishia herself knows. How she learned it.
But I don't really care about that. She was going to learn it anyway so she just learned it early. Isn't a good thing good?
"A good thing is good."
"Umm.. I see."
Sophia walked over to Ishia who had her head almost buried in the ground with a sour expression.
Then she started talking with a bitter smile, well. I can leave Ishia to Sophia.
I left the two to talk and sat on a nearby bench to open [Menu]. Raphael seemed to have nothing to do either and scurried over to sit beside me.
Then she patted her shoulder saying things like 'Lachesis. Come here.' and stole the cat from my shoulder.
The two of them have been getting along too well lately. I feel completely left out. Is this that? The father who's ignored by his family after working hard to earn money?
"What is it?"
Raphael tilted her head, perhaps feeling my gaze. I shook my head as if it was nothing, then opened [Skills] and entered [Rune Magic].
[「Rune Magic (A)」 can expand its mind map.]
Quite a lot of points accumulated because of the recent Silvia incident. So I'm thinking of strengthening "Rune Magic" and "Scythe Mastery" a bit.
For "Scythe Mastery" I already decided on branches so I just need to press them, but for "Rune Magic" I need to look since it's my first time seeing it today.
[Writing Assistance]
[Writing Mana Reduction]
[Rune Understanding Increase]
[Writing Speed Increase]
[Writing Simplification]
It seemed like the rest would disappear if I chose 2 again this time. Unlike last time, I had no idea what to choose this time.
"Usually in times like this it's easier to choose after seeing what you learn later."
"You can just look right?"
That's easier said than done. Last time it showed the next ones when I chose. I tried pressing [Writing Assistance] just in case at Raphael's words.
"Ah."
[Writing Assistance]-[Writing Relaxation]-[Multiple Writing]-[Instant Writing]
It comes out when you press it! I smacked my forehead without realizing.
"This person is having a fit again."
[He does that sometimes meow. Leave him be meow.]
Should I? I was about to say something to the one smiling innocently but held back. Because she was helpful for once in a while? That's why I'm holding back?
After trying pressing everything else. I decided to press [Writing Assistance].
It's also because [Writing Assistance] comprehensively includes the performances below it. Of course its performance would be lower compared to others, but if choosing only one this is good.
Plus if you keep advancing branches there's [Instant Writing].
It perfectly covers rune magic's biggest weakness of not being able to write while fighting.
The midterms and dungeon experience coming after this ranking battle ends.
There's a chance to gain magic power during the dungeon experience. It's while stealing Kim Taehyun's weapon,
Usually people are born with magic power. It's a world where people without magic power like me are treated as irregulars.
How do such people gain magic power? The magic circuit must be artificially opened. This is the method Kim Taehyun uses to get stronger in 3rd year, where you forcibly stuff mana into the body and rotate it once. The mana that rotates through the whole body creates or strengthens magic circuits.
Of course if the supply is cut off or insufficient at any point. The mana that lost its way goes berserk and you die on the spot.
There's nothing else. You die without mercy. That's why an item that can continuously supply magic power without interruption is needed.
That's Kim Taehyun's weapon.
In other words, I can gain magic power after the dungeon experience ends so it's good to choose [Writing Assistance] to get [Instant Writing].
I chose [Rune Understanding] for the remaining one, extended the branches a bit more then chose a few branches of "Scythe Mastery" and finished shopping.
As the interface disappeared and my vision cleared, I saw something.
Long straight black hair and short silver hair walking weakly towards us. Seems they couldn't find the reason.
"Looks like even experts are useless."
"There aren't many reliable people among those called experts originally."
I was nodding at Raphael's words when Sophia approached with an apologetic smile.
"Ah~ There's no way. We tried various things but it didn't work."
"..."
Ishia beside her avoided my gaze. She was pouting and looking at the ground, visibly dejected.
Well I'd be like that too if I got a way to beat an opponent I could never beat in my life then had it sealed right away.
I smiled and stood up. Then I put my hand on Ishia's black hair.
"It's okay. We still have 3 days left."
I heard Raphael's voice saying 'Oh why is he acting like this?' from beside me, but ignored it.
"We can find a way during that time. It's okay if we don't find one. We were going to fight without magic chant breaking from the start anyway."
Even Sophia beside Ishia looked at me as if surprised. I wonder what kind of image I usually have.
I too can comfort someone who's feeling down with a warm heart. I couldn't see Ishia's face well since she was looking down, but her body stiffened so she must be moved even without seeing.
"Then shall we start looking for a way now?"
But you know. That's that and this is this right? Comfort is comfort. A duel is a duel.
Do we need to gamble when there's a 100% win rate fighting method?
I declare that we don't.
"Ishia. A lot is at stake in your fight."
Mainly the treasures from the treasure vault. My glorious treasures are at stake. Treasures gathered from both families!!
"So. Let's roll around a bit?"
"Eh?"
Ishia raised her head in surprise. An expression like she sensed something was wrong. Seems she felt the aura of money coming from my bright smile.
"Well then shall we start? We need to know what the problem is first right? Let's start by testing everything from magic shock to allergies─"
"Wait a moment."
"Then we need to train right? Guts. Nothing can't be overcome with guts."
"Wait a moment─"
"Limits. Yes. Surpass your limits!! Right here right now!!"
─Wow that person's eyes turned into money shapes?
─I knew this would happen. I'm an idiot for being a bit moved.
Ignoring such sounds. I slowly approached Ishia who took her hand off her head and was backing away trembling.
"W-wait a moment!! Don't come closer!!"
"It's okay. It only hurts at first."
I slowly approached Ishia whose face and even ears had turned bright red, perhaps scared of magic shock.
"That's not the problem─!!"
She fell on her butt while backing away, but I ignored it and advanced.
It's all for your sake, definitely not for the treasures.
Shouting Don't come─!! won't change anything.
"That human has never ended things well."
Shut up.
***
And so I grilled Ishia thoroughly. When challenge rights came in I'd go fight then come back and grill her, and grilled her even while fighting.
There were so few people that you could hear everything in the arena if you shouted.
Magic shock, allergy reactions, then strength, guts, magic circuits etc. We tried everything we could but all that came back was.
"It's not working...."
Just a gloomy face. Thanks to that I'm extremely gloomy too.
I sent her back to the dormitory for now since she seemed like she'd run away if I grilled her more, but what about my treasures? My treasures that wouldn't hurt even if put in my eye?!
"We still have two days left."
"She can win without it too. But. I like certainties."
If there's a guaranteed gacha and a normal gacha in front of you, it's natural to roll the guaranteed gacha right. It's that kind of principle.
While walking thinking things like What should I do now─, Raphael pulled my arm. Thanks to that I almost fell while stopping suddenly, but my anger disappeared when I looked in the direction she pointed.
My mouth just gaped open.
"What's that?"
It was clearly visible even from a bit far. It's a water drop. A sphere of water so large it's questionable to call it a water drop.
Such a thing is flying through the sky. Noticeably.
"What is that."
"I asked first."
"No. I'm asking because I don't know either."
I really don't know. What could that be. Even thinking hard─
"Ah."
There's one. Someone who causes habitual magic outbursts. Not a heroine but appears often because she's related to the main heroine.
No way it can't be.
Magic must have malfunctioned somewhere. Someone will take responsibility and erase it.
"It's nothing. Let's keep going."
"It's definitely something?! It's coming this way?!"
Haha. What nonsense are you saying. I tried to keep going ignoring the damn blonde's words, but she kept pulling my arm so I had no choice but to look at the sky.
And I stopped in my tracks.
That huge mercury ball is gradually coming towards us.
"You're lying right?"
"It's reality?! Should we run away? Let's run away!!"
"Why are you asking the obvious!!"
When I shook off Raphael's hand and tried to run away to save myself, a blue window appeared before my eyes.
[Threat detected, unique magic "Magic Eye" activates.]
I know it's dangerous. I'm running away because I know. I don't know. This isn't my business. Whether it's magic outburst, mercury ball, or the surroundings becoming a sea of water, it's not my problem.
I said last time that people have designated jobs right. This is the job of Justitia officials.
"I don't know!!"
"What do you mean you don't know!! Run quickly!!"
I can see a person's silhouette inside the mercury ball flying from far away.
"So it was a magic outburst after all!!"
The person inside is even more not my business.
I don't want to get involved. Ishia and Sophia are already too much.
Yes. So good luck. Even if you get hurt Justitia's recovery magic is the best in the world so you'll be fine somehow. I'm not a prince who saves people because it's dangerous─!!
As if mocking such thoughts of mine. A blue window appeared before my eyes again.
I couldn't help but doubt my eyes at the blue window that appeared this time.
[Condition fulfilled. Skill "Heaven's Blessing (EX)" activates.]
"What is this?"
"Huh? Why are you suddenly stopping?!"
My vision flashes with Raphael's shout as the last thing I hear. Seems I tripped on a rock.
It was a really strange experience.
I'm not sure how I rolled so well that my vision kept flashing but my body didn't hurt much. When my body that had been rolling with acceleration stopped, it was already.
The mercury ball was in front of my eyes. A ball that came right up to my nose. The survival instinct wanting to live.
It means it was an inevitable choice. Taking out the practice scythe from [Inventory].
Swish.
As soon as I took it out, my still dizzy body moved as if it wasn't mine and cut the mercury ball. It was exactly where the mana was.
With a pop sound the mercury ball bursts and the surroundings turn into a sea of water. As I couldn't get my bearings in the pouring water,
I felt something fall on my arm.
It was perfect timing. I couldn't see anything because of the water but it fell exactly when my arms overlapped.
There was a woman there. A woman with blue hair and blue eyes.
Our eyes meet with a face contrasting her hair color.
And I felt it.
I'm fucked.
"That goddamn God."
I really want to beat him to death.