Chapter 27 - On The Flower of Lightning (2)

Fortunately, no particular trouble occurred on the way to the scroll shop. There were some people who glared fiercely in between, but when he showed that he was a mage, they cleared the way on their own.

Such nice friends.

Acel recalled those who had fled while sweating profusely, smiled slightly, and opened the door of the scroll shop. An elderly man sitting at the counter gave him a short bow.

"Welcome."

The man had the typical appearance of a merchant. Despite his age, his eyes gleamed with greed, and he had a protruding belly. A folded neck. Even flashy accessories. Everything about him made a strong statement. It didn't seem like the scroll shop was particularly managed by a mage.

Well, although mages made the scrolls, they were mostly used by those who couldn't use magic. From their perspective, it might be a better choice to place merchants who were good with numbers rather than mages.

"Is there anything you're looking for?" the man asked while rubbing his hands. 

Acel looked around the shop briefly and answered, "I'm not looking for anything in particular. Rather, how are the magics classified by floor?"

"Ah, the first floor mainly deals with household magic. It's mostly automatic cleaning magic, garden maintenance, alarm magic, and such. The second floor is arranged with pure type magic. There are many things that help with expeditions, like detection magic, barrier magic, purification magic."

"..."

"The third floor is mainly elemental magic, and the fourth floor is combat magic. They're all frequently bought by labyrinth explorers. Or nobles who want to imitate magic, or people who want expensive protective magic often come too."

"I see."

Acel nodded while letting out a thoughtful sound.

There was no need to look at household magic. He had already learned most of those from Haley, so there was no need to look around at scrolls. So it seemed he could slowly look around from the second floor.

Acel thanked the shop owner and immediately went up to the second floor.

The interior of the scroll shop was packed with customers regardless of the floor. It was inevitable since scrolls themselves were popular items.

The spell formulas contained in scrolls could be used by anyone who could inject mana, even if they weren't mages. Although they had the disadvantage of being disposable, considering that, they were well-selling items regardless of profession due to their low price and convenience.

Thanks to this, the income of the Rapid Magic Tower, which focused on the scroll business, was significantly higher than other magic towers. Given that custom-made scrolls easily cost hundreds of gold coins, their status in a society where most people were not mages was beyond imagination.

I heard they've also entered the magic tool business as they focus on enchantment magic. I'd like to see that sometime.

Acel thought this as he walked through the scroll shop.

He went up to the second floor, then looked around the third and fourth floors before coming back down to the second floor.

The types of scrolls in the shop were very diverse. From magic created to assist in combat to magic for catching opponents off guard, to magic that required massive mana but had correspondingly excellent power. Scrolls that could fulfill all kinds of purposes were categorized.

Naturally, there were no spell formulas for unique magic. Since it was magic that could potentially backfire and consume the user if not careful, it seemed they didn't handle it separately.

He turned his attention back to the scrolls.

He took out a parchment stuck in a high place. It was a scroll engraved with a defensive spell formula that overlayed magical power like steel on the skin. Acel narrowed his eyes as he slowly examined the spell formula of that scroll.

A defensive spell formula used without property conversion. There's room for revision.

Currently, the only defensive spell formula he knew was one that spread a barrier around the body. This was sufficient, but it didn't seem bad to know more means of protecting the body.

No matter how much one increased the output of a barrier, it had clear limitations, and although he overlayed lightning or fire-natured magical power through property conversion, that alone was insufficient in reality. It was inevitable as it was the most basic defensive spell formula.

On the other hand, this magic can be activated constantly through the skin without necessarily creating a field, and the magic consumed for maintenance is significantly less.

Defensive spell formulas were not magic used to match the moment an opponent attacks. It was magic that needed to be constantly maintained and repaired as it was chipped away. In that respect, consuming less magical power was quite a big advantage.

Of course, there were clear disadvantages, too. While a barrier could concentrate magical power at one point to increase physical force to the extreme, this magic was distributed evenly throughout the body, making it impossible to block attacks comparable to high-level magic.

In the end, each had its own pros and cons. There was no need to discard one and choose the other. Acel mentally calculated and manifested the spell formula in the scroll, then put the parchment back in its place.

Fortunately, the magic worked normally. Since he hadn't used the scroll itself, he didn't have to worry about being accused of theft.

Just grasping the identity of the spell formula and stealing it by sight alone. It was a skill impossible without overwhelming talent in magic. He smiled and imprinted other seemingly good spell formulas from scrolls into his mind.

This seems like it would help with spell formula verification. Should I look into a few elemental magics and teleportation spell formulas too?

How much time had passed like this? The crowd in the shop had somewhat turned over. A woman who had just entered the shop and was looking around cautiously approached Acel.

"Excuse me... Are you Acel?"

"...?"

Acel slightly furrowed his brow at the sudden call and turned to the side.

A beastkin?

It was a woman with impressive cat ears on her head. She was wearing clothes of the academy faculty, and her long tail kept swaying nervously. She looked very fragile. At the same time, it was a face he had never encountered before. 

Acel put a few scrolls he was holding into his pocket and asked her, "Yes, that's right. What's the matter?"

"Ah...! I'm Plum. You're Acel, Lady Ena's disciple, yes?"

"Yes... Do you have some business?" Acel asked back, showing a slightly cautious attitude.

The title of an archmage's disciple was good for attracting attention in various ways. While there were positive effects, the negative effects couldn't be ignored either. He had experienced it enough in Wyheim. The number of people who harbored emotions like jealousy, envy, or inferiority and tried to bite at Acel was not small at all.

They naturally shut their mouths when he stepped on them directly, but he hadn't done such things in Luminus yet. It wouldn't be strange if someone came looking for him with hostility at any time.

But Plum didn't seem to have such intentions, as she waved her hands, seemingly flustered by Acel's attitude, and said.

"Ah, you don't need to be so cautious. I came to deliver a message from the headmistress..."

"A message from the headmistress?" Acel asked back with round eyes.

There was only one person who could be called the headmistress in Luminus. The founder of the current academy and a living history book herself, the long-lived High Elf, Fride Ailock. She had sent a message to Acel.

Suddenly?

It was sudden for Acel. He hadn't had any particular connection with Fride, and he hadn't done anything significant, yet there was a message. The only likely possibility seemed to be related to the academy entrance exam, but even that wasn't something he strongly expected.

They probably hadn't even finalized the exam results yet, so it wouldn't be to inform him about being first or second place...

In the end, it was a matter he'd have to hear to know. Acel nodded with a skeptical expression.

"What's the content?"

"Ahem. I'll deliver it exactly as it is."

Plum cleared her throat once, then took out a piece of paper from her chest and began to read it.

"I'll skip all the flowery language. Congratulations on your admission, and let's try to get along well in the future. More importantly, here's the main point."

"..."

"When we reported to Wyheim that you had fainted, we received a reply that Ena disappeared that day. No matter how I think about it, it seems like she's coming here, so please save me. I've just turned 700, and I don't want to die yet. So if you hear this message, please come to the Academy Headmistress’ office promptly. Even Ena wouldn't be able to act recklessly if we're together. I'll give you as much compensation as you want for this, so immediatelyㅡ"

Boom!!

"Kyaaah!?"

It was at that moment. Suddenly, white lightning struck from a clear sky. Startled Plum dropped the paper.

"...Huh."

Acel let out a hollow laugh as he saw a familiar silhouette landing on the Academy rooftop through the window.

The sky over the academy had opened.