Chapter 4: Magecraft
I was now able to utilize magecraft, probably on the level of a proper mage. While I was technically able to do this, I still found it all very difficult, primarily due to the fact that my theoretical knowledge on magecraft was severely lacking. Some studying on my part was required, then the rest should come naturally. I had asked Lorraine to tutor me on the subject as well, and, before I knew it, I was taking lessons with Alize.
For her part, Lorraine quickly accepted me as her student, though she did say I had to pay twice the fees.
Twice! And she said that without hesitation!
Lorraine just meant I had to pay my fair share, not that I had to pay twice the going rate. Given that she was tutoring Alize and myself, this wasn’t too unreasonable. I had wondered if I deserved a bit of a discount, given that I’d been taking care of all the domestic chores in this household for as long as I could remember.
Not something a freeloader like myself should be saying, I suppose...
For starters, there were only two realistic options when it came to learning magecraft: one either had to become a disciple of a famous mage or to attend a magecraft academy. Both choices involved tens of gold coins—not a small sum, by any means. Lorraine’s fees were charitably low in comparison—maybe a little too low.
Either way, I could confidently say Lorraine had already given us a discount of sorts... And so it came to be that Alize and I were seated in front of Lorraine, listening to her very first lecture. Incidentally, the curriculum had a name: “The First Magecraft Lecture ~Magecraft Explained! Even a Goblin Would Get It~.” Lorraine had come up with the title herself.
Already, Lorraine had a question for us. I motioned to answer it, only to be interrupted by a cheerful voice.
“Yes! I know!”
It was Alize, eagerly raising her hand.
Lorraine, eager to play the part, pointed her wooden wand at her equally eager student.
“Well, then, Alize. Go ahead.”
Alize bolted upward from her chair, delivering her answer confidently.
“Yes! For one to utilize any form of magecraft, mana is required!”
“Well done. You may sit down, Alize.”
I have been outdone...
It wasn’t like I didn’t know the answer. I was just...slow in raising my hand.
Yes. That was all there was to it.
“It is as Alize has said. Mana is required for any and all kinds of magecraft. It is also worth noting that having great reserves of mana does not mean an individual would automatically become a great mage. However, all great mages strive toward a bigger, more capable mana capacity. The reason for this is simple...”
“Yes! Me! I know!”
I cut Lorraine off mid-sentence, desperately waving my hand in the air. Alize, who was seated calmly next to me, gave me a quick sideways glance, muttering something about how I was being immature. I, however, didn’t pay her much heed.
Rentt Faina hated losing. One loss was fine, but I would definitely come out on top next time.
Lorraine’s gaze shifted from my raised hand, then to Alize’s exasperated expression. She sighed, pointing her wooden wand at me reluctantly.
“Yes, go ahead, Rentt...”
An equally exasperated tone of voice, too.
“With a small mana capacity,” I swiftly answered the question, “the types of spells an individual can utilize are limited. For example, they would be limited to cantrips and other weak spells, sometimes referred to as Livelihood Magecraft. They would also be unable to utilize any types of attack spells—such circumstances were common. In fact, I was the same, a long time ago.”
“Yes, well done. Aren’t you glad, Rentt?” Lorraine said, evidently unimpressed.
The last bits of my answer seemed to have drawn Alize’s attention, however.
“Eh? Really? You couldn’t do much of anything at all in the past, Rentt?” she questioned, not bothering to hide her surprise.
What, does Alize think of me as some sort of omnipotent, superhuman being?
She defaulted to her more casual manner of speech after I had told her it was quite fine to be herself. Even Lorraine was on board with the idea—at least, outside of lesson hours. When Alize was studying the ways of magecraft, she was to address Lorraine as “professor” and observe all sorts of social pleasantries...a strange set of rules even I was bound by.
According to Lorraine, such practices were common in the school system she had been a part of in her youth.
I wonder how schools usually were in the Kingdom of Yaaran?
I had never stepped into a place of learning before, so I didn’t know the answer. Lessons given by the adventurer’s guild were also relatively casual, and everyone was treated equally regardless of age or experience. By comparison, Lorraine’s insistence on these methods of address were oddly refreshing.
“I’m by no means omnipotent, Alize. In fact, there are many things I can’t do, even now.”
Alize didn’t seem too convinced. Lorraine interjected, nodding as she spoke.
“You see, my dear Alize...Rentt is the sort of person who does what he can do. If he cannot do something, he is utterly incapable of it. He is, of course, reasonably capable and skilled in many areas now... But even so, he has his shortcomings. Do you understand, Alize? Of course, adventurers usually hide their deficiencies when going about their business... Such is the nature of things.”
Alize slowly nodded, seemingly still in some disbelief. Turning to Lorraine, Alize continued on.
“So Rentt couldn’t use any magecraft except for...Livelihood Magecraft, in his past...?”
“That was the reality of it, yes. Rentt has not been able to utilize any complicated spells, at least up until recently. For most people, their mana reserves remain stagnant after puberty, neither increasing nor decreasing over time. Exceptions, however, do exist. An individual could have their mana capacity suddenly increase because of special circumstances, or the like.”
It was a good way of hiding the truth, I suppose; Lorraine had already come up with a justification for why I was attending her lessons. According to Lorraine, it was best to mention such a reason in Alize’s presence as soon as possible.
“What sort of circumstances would those be?”
As expected, Alize was drawn to the supposedly special circumstances responsible for my sudden spike in mana capacity. Lorraine seemed more than prepared for her question.
“An exhaustive list is impossible, yes. I can, however, think of some common examples, such as...the consumption of a special elixir, perhaps, or maybe the slaying of a particularly strong monster. Some individuals may also receive divine blessings of some kind, while on the other hand, possibly form a pact with a demon, exchanging some part of themselves for power... So on and so forth.”
While the mana capacity of most individuals remained relatively stagnant, it was entirely possible to increase it with special means. However, all those methods were risky, and they often came at great costs. Plus, there was the question of luck; something could, against all odds, go very wrong.
For instance, a mana elixir would be difficult to come by, and, even if it had, it’d be sold for astronomical prices at an auction. One would have to slay a beast of legendary proportions to gain such powers—a questionable feat, if nothing else. As for the blessing of faeries and the divine...a matter of luck. But then again, lucky individuals didn’t just drop out of the sky. Lastly, contracts with demonic entities were dangerous in every sense of the word, and it often didn’t matter how many lives an individual could hypothetically have. Even I would have already increased my mana capacity in life if it were so simple.
I continued slaying monsters and absorbing their powers, but the increase was miniscule at best. I had slain Goblins and other creatures for a decade, but I didn’t feel any different, mana-wise.
Even so, slaying monsters was probably the most straightforward route, but I did end up getting eaten and killed at one point, so there was that.
“I didn’t do anything special, in my case. Maybe it was just a matter of luck that it suddenly increased,” I said to Alize.
As Lorraine said, exceptions were possible in very rare cases. It was impossible to say such occurrences absolutely couldn’t happen, and that lined up with Lorraine’s explanations perfectly. Alize’s knowledge on magecraft was still somewhat limited, after all.
“Oh...is that right? So that’s why you’re taking lessons with me now, Rentt...” she said, seemingly convinced.
I suppose the day would come where Alize would eventually realize I was strange or different in some way, but that was another explanation for another time...
“And there we have it. For a mage to utilize magecraft, they must first be able to sense the presence of mana in their bodies, then tap into that reserve on their own accord. Even if one has reserves of mana within, an inability to sense and command it would prevent one from becoming a mage. A more common scenario than you would think, yes. So, Alize, do you feel the mana inside you as we speak?” Lorraine asked, looking up at her student.
“No...” Alize shook her head slowly. “I can’t feel a thing. Um...Professor Lorraine. Am I not cut out to be a mage...?”
Alize’s features were filled with unease, as if a door that had been opened to her before was now violently shut in her face. The most direct interpretation of Lorraine’s words would be saddening to Alize, for if she couldn’t feel the mana within her, then she wouldn’t become a mage. It was easy to empathize with Alize’s fears.
But Lorraine shook her head slowly as she smiled reassuringly at her new student.
“There is no need to rush. That is not quite how it works, Alize. While I cannot make any promises now, it is too early on in the process for you to be worrying. In fact, the examples I gave just now, say, of individuals who could not feel the mana within, more than half of them would be self-taught...or had at least attempted learning magecraft on their own accord. Of course, becoming aware of one’s own mana reserves is a difficult feat. There is that one legend, yes, of the ‘Magician of Beginnings’... While he discovered and utilized the mana within himself without any assistance, few individuals would seek to imitate his actions. I suppose there could be a few people here and there who do succeed...if they have the innate feel for it, yes. We could put it that way.”
Alize raised her hand. “Professor Lorraine, what about you? How did you learn it?”
“Ah, yes. That? I was able to sense and weave the mana within myself into spells, yes. Are you not impressed?” Lorraine said, without the slightest hint of embarrassment.
Even though I turned and stared straight at her while she was making her claims, there didn’t seem to be a single shred of humility in Lorraine’s being.
“What about Rentt...?”
I suppose that would be the logical continuation to Alize’s question...
“Of course not, Alize. I am but a mundane individual.”
True, to a certain extent. While I had reserves of mana within me, I didn’t have the means to utilize them. Alize would surely ask about how I was able to use mana for other purposes next, and, as expected, she did.
“What would one do if they were unable to draw out their own mana?”
“There are a few ways, yes. The easiest method would be to obtain the cooperation of an individual who was already skilled in the use of their own mana, who would then channel their mana through the body of the recipient. This gives them a feel of what mana is like, so to speak. Assuming the individual in question is not particularly thick, they would be able to sense their own mana in due time. The period varies from individual to individual, of course, with some even saying those with large reserves tend to become aware of it relatively quickly.”
“Are there any other ways to become self-aware, then, Professor Lorraine?”
“Hmm. While I do not recommend it, one could do battle with monsters and the like. As you may know, those who defeat monsters often absorb their strength in the process, and that power is often made up of several different types of energies. Mana is one of these energies. If one absorbs said power, they would feel a similar sensation to the previous method, where some mana will run through their bodies. It is, however, a small fragment of energy, so it would take quite a long time for an individual to become capable of utilizing their reserves if this path were taken.”
“Hmm... Is there not a fast method that anyone could try their hand at?”
Perhaps Alize thought it troublesome since both of the methods Lorraine described had their own shortcomings, hence her question. Under normal circumstances, one would assume it was impossible for an individual to suddenly gain powers or abilities without lifting a finger. Most of the time, this was true, and, from an educational perspective, this should perhaps be reinforced. Lorraine, however, didn’t shake her head.
“There is a way, yes. To take on the impact of a spell with one’s body. Straightforward, no?”
“Eh?”
“You do know of monsters that are capable of casting spells, yes? From primitive to complex spells... Well, the complexity of the magecraft in question would largely depend on the monster’s species. For instance, take a typical Goblin Mage—their magics are primitive, yes? But they do know of magecraft...to some degree.”
“Y-Yes, but...to take on the impact...?”
“Literally, Alize. Foteia Borivaas, or maybe a Gie Vieros...anything is fine. You just have to get hit by it.”
It was terrifying enough to hear such a notion, let alone seriously attempt doing such a thing. Perhaps it wasn’t meant to be taken seriously.
“But Professor Lorraine, even if it were a weak spell, a person who did that would...die.” Alize seemed stunned, her voice trailing off as she finished her sentence.
Lorraine nodded sagely in response.
“Well, yes, that could happen. If one were unlucky, they would die. Conversely, if one was relatively lucky, they would live. Not a normal method by any means, but definitely one that works. If the individual survives, they would surely be capable of feeling the mana within them. Now, perhaps you would ask why. The reason for this is simple: the mana within a normal human’s body is usually stagnant. This causes it to be somewhat difficult to detect. If one is incapable of utilizing said internal mana reserves, then the alternative would be to take in magical energy from external sources. If an individual were to be hit by a spell, it would send a wave, or a ripple, perhaps, of magical energy resounding through them. Should they ever awaken from their ordeal, they would surely be able to feel the magical energies stirring within.”
Lorraine described a fair amount of benefits to this method, but Alize remained staunchly opposed to it, and it wasn’t difficult to see why.
“But Professor Lorraine...surely there can’t be anyone alive who would try something as dangerous as that...?”
Lorraine raised her pointer-wand abruptly.
“Oh, but of course there is! Why, one is seated right next to you.”
The raised wand was now pointed clearly and purposefully in my direction. Alize widened her eyes. Her shock, or awe, was immense. It was like she’d seen a dragon or some other mythical beast on the streets of Maalt.
Although she was too stunned to say a word, Alize’s eyes were clearly questioning my sanity. But I was, in fact, relatively sane. I merely had an urge to drink fresh blood every now and then. Even I knew it was an excuse, but I had to say something.
“Well, even I had attempted other, more commonplace methods. The village I was born in was relatively small, so there were few people who could even use magic, let alone complicated magecraft. Even if I had asked to be taught, there were no such resources in place... I had to do something about my own situation myself, you see.”
By the time I had become an adventurer, however, I was already able to weave mana into water and shoot out the occasional spark or two. It wasn’t as if I didn’t learn of the risks involved, but, either way, I had done some research into the possible ways of activating one’s mana reserves, then acted on my own choices.
Simply put, I had sought out a Goblin Mage living in the area around my village, then promptly ate one of its spells face-first. While I ended up being able to feel the mana within me, it was quite a reckless thing to do. Even I’m amazed at the fact I still draw breath to this day.
But it wasn’t something I had done carelessly. I’d heard of a Goblin Mage that had gotten old living in the woods. Said Goblin’s magic was weakened due to its age, and I had approached it carefully. The spell I was hit with was nothing more than a small Gie Vieros. In addition, I was hit at a somewhat favorable location, as it didn’t do much other than leave a small scar on my stomach. With that, I was able to escape with relative ease.
After the incident, I had apparently passed out in my home, and for a few days I struggled with a fever and fainting spells, or so I was told. Some even said I was in a feverish coma.
Come to think of it, I’d heard nothing about the Goblin Mage being hunted all these years; perhaps it was still alive. If that truly were the case, I should pay it a visit and offer my thanks.
Such was the story I told Alize. But Alize didn’t seem impressed, instead turning to Lorraine with a mixture of exasperation and shock on her face.
“I... I don’t want to learn magecraft in that way.”
Such was her blunt rejection of my methods. How terrible.
Or, perhaps I was the terrible one...?
Thinking back upon my actions, I was truly reckless: Rentt Faina, what were you even doing?
I was, of course, now an Undead, yet I still had no idea what I was doing.
“But of course you would feel that way. Rest assured, no mage in their sane mind would recommend such a method to their students. A more normal method suits you better, Alize. In other words, all you have to do is have an already established mage channel mana through you. It is a simple method, and we can begin right away. Are you ready?”
“Does it...hurt?” Alize said, that same expression on her face as she turned to face Lorraine.
“No, not at all. Having another person’s mana flow into your body could feel like...a force pressing down on your stomach, perhaps. Even so, it is not forceful enough to cause you pain. How would I describe it... Ah, yes, a momentary shortness of breath, or something along those lines. In any case, it is nothing to worry about, Alize.”
“In that case...please, Professor Lorraine. Do as you will.”
Alize, seemingly relieved at Lorraine’s explanation, bowed her head deeply. Lorraine nodded.
“Well, then. Present your hands to me.”
“Yes.”
Alize did as she was told, and Lorraine promptly grasped the child’s hands in her own.
“All right, I will now have some of my mana flow through your body. Have you steeled yourself?”
“Yes... Um, I did have a question. If all I need is to be hit by a spell, would an enchantment spell or something similar not work in the same way?”
“It would work, yes.” Lorraine’s answer was prompt. “However, there is no benefit for a mage to do such a thing to their prospective student. The process I described just now is for individuals who do not have access to a teacher of any kind, or a mage capable of imparting the ways of magecraft to others.”
“I don’t understand, Professor Lorraine... What does that mean?”
“If you do choose to be ‘hit’ by a spell, Alize, that would cause the mana in your body to churn and swirl, much like waves in a storm. If you do not know how to utilize the mana within you, yet had a mage cast a spell on you, the same thing would happen. In such an event, your body would be wracked by pain, and you would feel nauseated for days on end. You would also feel dizzy, of course, for quite a while... Rentt has experienced that firsthand. Isn’t that right, Rentt?”
I nodded at Lorraine’s words. “Honestly speaking, there were times when I thought, ‘I’d be better off dead.’ I wouldn’t like to experience it a second time.”
Those were my honest thoughts. It was a terrible experience—the wavering consciousness, the fading, fragile sense of time, the feeling this sense of ambiguity and pain would continue on for an eternity... No one would ever wish to experience such a thing. Once bitten twice shy, perhaps.
A masochist, on the other hand, may find a second experience...appealing. I wasn’t a masochist by any means, of course.
“If you are fine with said consequences, Alize, I could enchant you with a simple spell. Would that be acceptable?”
Alize violently shook her head from side to side at Lorraine’s question.
“N-No! A n-normal method is quite all right, Professor Lorraine!” Alize said, almost shouting as she did so.
A reasonable reaction. As I had mentioned before, few would willingly choose to experience such a thing. Even I didn’t get hit by a spell just for the fun of it! There were simply no other ways for me to become aware of my mana.
A typical mage would hardly hesitate to demand unbelievable sums of coin from a simple villager. Maybe it was within their rights to do so, given they had enough mana within them to be called mages in the first place. An expensive service, nonetheless. I had hardly had such coin, and I had wanted to awaken the energies within myself, so there really was no other way.
“Hmm. There you have it, Alize. Well, then... This time, I will channel mana through you. Focus, Alize. Feel the strange sensation about to ripple through your entire being.”
“YesssSSS?!”
Alize nodded, and, at that moment, Lorraine squeezed the child’s hands tightly. Alize’s eyes widened, more so than they ever had before. From that alone, I understood—that this was how it felt for those who were blessed with talent.
I felt...envious...
“Well, then? Do you understand now?” Lorraine asked, still holding Alize’s hands as she posed the question.
“Yes...” Alize slowly nodded. “I think. I think I understand. Something like...something sticky, oozing, like mud, flowing through...my body...”
It was Lorraine’s turn to widen her eyes, but her reaction was more tame than Alize’s.
“You do have more mana than most to begin with, but to think you are aware of this much... Impressive. Yes, that is mana, Alize. I made it flow with my own energies just now. But can you move it by your own will?”
“It is...a little difficult...”
Beads of sweat began forming on Alize’s forehead. It seemed like channeling and moving mana around in one’s body wasn’t a simple task.
Prompted by Alize’s struggles, I attempted to move the mana within myself—from my stomach, I made it flow into my arms, and even wrap around my body. It was...simple, at least for me. But that was perhaps a given, as I had more experience. After all, I had been using mana for a decade or so, and the only thing holding me back was my small mana capacity.
Mana was a peculiar thing; having much of it within oneself made sensing it easy. The appropriate control and movement of mana, however, became more difficult the more mana one had. Much like moving many objects around in a cramped room, perhaps.
Take, for instance, a well-filled bag—even if one shook it, the objects within wouldn’t move very much. The contents of a somewhat emptier bag, though, would rattle around if shaken. This was why I was able to easily control my mana after I had become aware of it. In addition, I had practiced using it over a long period of time, hence the relative ease of use.
But this alone didn’t make me a skilled mage of any sort. While I had become capable of shifting the mana in my body around at will, in addition to adjusting its intensity and becoming able to weave spells quickly, that was all I could do. For one to cast strong, powerful spells, one required a larger mana capacity. Some even said having good control of one’s mana was particularly valuable for women, if only because the individual in question would be able to channel mana to any part of their body. The creation of water, in turn, was a simple spell that most beginners learned first, so it was easy for a woman to cry crocodile tears with the aid of her mana. As such, female mages ended up mastering this technique relatively quickly...
Thinking about it, it was a truly fearsome thing.
“Well, then, shall we take a short rest?”
Lorraine looked at Alize with some concern. Lorraine let go of Alize’s hands, interrupting the flow of mana. Alize’s breathing immediately became irregular, and she soon fell to her knees.
Not exactly a sense of pain, but definitely not a proverbial walk in the park. Having someone else’s mana flow through one’s body wasn’t fatal, but it also wasn’t exactly a good thing. Prolonged exposure could harm the body.
Originally, the process took days, to be repeated again and again after the student had ample rest. Alize, however, was able to feel the mana in her body almost instantly. As Lorraine said, she really did have quite the talent.
“Are you all right? Perhaps we should stop here for today.”
Alize’s breathing was more stable now, but she didn’t seem to be in a good way with her face still streaked with sweat. It looked like she had pushed herself a little too far.
Alize seemed somewhat troubled at Lorraine’s words.
“H-How... How long. How many times...do I...?”
“Would you need to get used to it? But of course, until you are able to manipulate the mana in your body freely, Alize. Until you are capable of such a feat, I will keep channeling mana into you. There is no other way. It will probably be difficult, yes.”
“N-No... Really...?”
Alize’s face filled with despair. It seemed like she was truly suffering.
Lorraine smiled wryly at Alize’s reaction.
“There is no need for you to learn it all in one day, Alize. I had planned for the process to take several, as such. Hence...”
Lorraine was suggesting our lessons would end—for today, at least. I held out a hand, lighting a small flame above a finger. In my other, water flowed freely from my palms. Having done those things, I stared straight in Alize’s direction, with the hope of communicating that magic wasn’t all that difficult.
It didn’t take long to catch Alize’s attention.
“How... How long will it...be...u-until I can do...that?” Alize said, gasping between breaths and staring at me with marked disdain.
Alize had interpreted my small demonstration as a provocation. I suppose that was one way of looking at it, for, to Alize, I came across as a show-off. None of this was done on purpose, of course; it was a mere demonstration.
Lorraine promptly turned to me, hardly amused by my efforts.
“You really should stop provoking the child, Rentt...” she whispered before turning to Alize and reassuring her in a kind voice. “You will be able to do all that soon, Alize. Those are simple cantrips, so it would not take you long.”
Ah, ten years of my hard work, trivialized by a single statement...
Lorraine had a point, though. I wouldn’t deny the magecraft I had just used was simple; if anything, I now felt like I could easily send a jet of water shooting out from my palms if I tried. A simple cantrip from within the small library of Livelihood Magecraft. A small-scale spell, of course, but if I fed enough mana into it, I might be able to amplify its effects...
Maybe it was even worth a try, or so I thought. An exclamation from Alize as she got up interrupted my train of thought.
“Well, then...until I can do that, I’ll keep trying!”
Alize seemed spurred on for some reason, eagerness evident in her features. She was tired, but now she stood with a sheer force of will.
“Is that so?” Lorraine smiled at her eager student. “Well, then...let us try for a little longer.”
Lorraine glanced at me slightly, a brief smile crossing her face. Before I could respond, she had grasped Alize’s arms once again, and the channeling process began anew.
“Ughhh...” Alize groaned, lost in focus as she desperately attempted to channel mana into the tip of her index finger.
As long as one was accustomed to it, mana could be channeled to virtually any part of the body. For most human individuals, the hands were where mana usually flowed to and exited from.
In these lands, it was common for most individuals to think of magic shooting out from one’s palms or fingers. Many explanations had been suggested for this phenomenon: that it was easiest to channel mana through one’s arms, or it was something most people could easily imagine. Whatever the case, the phenomenon was true and common.
Personally, I knew of a mage who had the ability to shoot magic from his eyes, and I felt the imagination theory held more water. The mage in question could channel mana through his hands. I once asked him why he chose to use his eyes instead, and his answer was quite memorable: “Because it is impressive.” Ah, a truly unforgettable individual.
Jokes aside, I assumed my mage acquaintance shooting magic spells from his eyes was the fastest and easiest choice for him. Mages like this existed, although their numbers were by no means great.
“Hmm.... Yes. Not too bad at all. You are now able to move the mana within you, I see. Still a small amount compared to what is in you, but, with this amount of mana, you may be able to cast a cantrip or two without too many issues.”
Alize didn’t respond, her breaths coming in raspy gasps.
“Ugh... Ha... Ha...”
With her concentration interrupted, the mana in Alize’s finger dispersed.
“Are you all right, Alize? This next infusion will be harsh indeed...”
Lorraine warned Alize in a somewhat concerned tone of voice. Alize was hunched over on all fours on the ground, still trying to catch her breath.
Alize’s previous exertions were like short-distance, full-speed sprints—about two or three of them. Alize’s current fatigue was much like she had run a few marathons around the walls of Maalt, so the child was near her limit.
One may think it a little too much for her first day, but perhaps this was for the best. The strictest regimens should be implemented from the very beginning. To think Alize would come so close to her physical limits just by learning magecraft... She would surely make a good adventurer in the future.
Although mages commonly had less physical strength and stamina than their adventurer brethren, Alize would have to possess a much higher level of stamina than the average townsperson to survive. Even Lorraine, who was a scholar by profession and only took on requests from the guild when she felt like it, was a force to behold. She would, for instance, never lose to some random punks on the street when it came to arm-wrestling. Adventurers were required to perform physical labors and feats on a regular basis, after all, or would eventually become capable of doing so. The methods by which this would happen varied. Maybe it was training, or maybe it was just power absorbed from the foes they had slain.
“I am...quite...all right. Until I can do what...Rentt... What Rentt...did...I will keep...trying...”
Alize stared daggers at me the entire time. Maybe it was the fountain of water that was still pouring forth from one of my palms.
Admirable fortitude, for a child her age. If I were in her shoes, I would have concluded the session by now.
Lorraine turned to Alize, concern evident in her voice.
“I do not mind, yes...but you really should not push yourself, Alize. Rentt is provoking you, obviously. While he may be playing around, the training he had gone through to be able to do just that was hellish. It is his way of encouraging you, Alize, of telling you to work hard, though you are already so tired.”
What nonsense! I had no such intentions...
Probably...
Humans were a race capable of achieving great feats if they tried. Alize, however, smiled at Lorraine in between her gasps.
“I understand. I am...not...all that angry. But really, Professor Lorraine...is it really possible? For me to be able to do what...Rentt does? In one day?”
“Hmm. Well... Rentt would not suggest something that is clearly out of your reach. If I had to say...you are almost there. A little bit more, perhaps. If you become capable of such...then our lesson for the day can end.”
“Well...I’ll do it. I’ll do it, then... What should I do next?”
Lorraine nodded. “Next would be instruction on that cantrip Rentt has been casting. In other words, it is what brings to your mind the image of the magecraft in question. There are few ways to do it: with a full incantation, a shortened incantation, or without any incantations at all. There are other, more special methods available, yes, but, for now, these three methods are fine. Do you understand, Alize?”
“I think I understand the...gist, of it...” Alize nodded slowly, but her expression betrayed the fact she understood little, if anything at all.
This was to be expected, and Lorraine understood as much.
“Yes, yes. I suppose a demonstration is in order. Well, then, let us have Rentt, you who have been providing ample provocation from the sidelines. Take responsibility for this task. You do remember the incantation, do you not, Rentt?”
Lorraine seemed amused as the words left her lips, if her smile was anything to go by.
“...”
It was a strange spectacle. I stood silent, in the middle of the room, while Alize and Lorraine watched on.
This was the demonstration of the Livelihood Magecraft in question. Although I was a Bronze-class adventurer, I was also a veteran in the business, so it was natural to turn to me as a magical teaching aid, a smooth transition in the curriculum.
I couldn’t say I was confident, however... But then again, it was only simple magic, the very same cantrip that encouraged Alize to go on when she first witnessed it.
The problem was Lorraine’s request, namely the incantation of this cantrip. The reason being I didn’t really use incantations of any sort. To say I didn’t utilize incantations at all would be inaccurate, for I recalled a few textbook examples I had learned in my youth.
Magecraft was a thing that became more instinctive the more one was accustomed to it. Long incantations became short ones, and, with time, no incantations would be required for a familiar spell. For about a decade, I had been casting these three simple spells, over and over again. As such, I hardly needed any incantations to invoke said spells once more. This was why I remembered little of the incantations I had used in life...
Wait... Did Lorraine ask me to do this because she knew this would happen? Ugh...
“Hmm... Ah. ‘Oh, flame. Let my mana be as grain, and manifest before me... Ignite Aryumage.’”
As soon as the incantation ended, a small flame materialized on my fingertip. This was a spell that supported me as I camped in the wilderness across all these years. It was only natural I would be able to wield it so simply.
The problem was the incantation—had I gotten it right? Most of it, perhaps, but what about the details? I was uncertain of the wording... Was it flame? Or ember? Fire? Was there something lacking? Manifest before me? Appear before me? Be summoned before... Hmm. No. I really couldn’t remember.
The doubt was probably showing on my face, for Lorraine said nothing. Instead, she silently observed me with a marked expression of amusement on her face. The feeling of doubt crept deeper into my soul.
Alize, for her part, stared at me in awe, as if I were some great pioneer, lighting up the path before her... That is, if the incantation was right.
For a few terrible minutes, Lorraine remained silent before finally deciding to speak.
“Ho... You do remember, after all? How unexpected. Well done, Rentt,” she said, that same smile on her face.
I heaved a sigh of relief. With this, my ordeal was finally over.
“I was uncertain... Very much so... Either way, I’m glad I remembered. Would you be able to do the same, Alize?”
I had expected Alize to be irritated with my constant provocations, but she responded in a somewhat unexpected manner.
“Hmm... I don’t really know. Can I really do it? I still think you’re amazing, Rentt...”
There was no sense of malice in her statement. Between Alize and me, I no longer knew who was the more mature one.
Well...that wasn’t entirely true. I was evidently more childish. I knew as much.
Lorraine soon followed up on the conversation. “Of course you can do it, Alize. There are many basic tips and tricks you may employ... You are better of asking Rentt, of course. He is, after all, a veteran when it comes to beginner-level magic.”
The mastery of a specific magecraft directly affected a spell’s casting speed and power. Having practiced the same three spells for over a decade, I could confidently say my mastery over them even rivaled that of Lorraine’s.
Turning around, Alize stared up at me expectantly. Already asking for advice, I see.
“Concentrate your mana on a single spot. Then stabilize that concentrated mana. Picture in your mind the desired outcome... These are steps that apply to all sorts of other magecraft. There’s no harm in imagining what you wish to do...I think.”
Even though I was a veteran in the subject, I couldn’t utilize any magic other than Livelihood Magecraft, so I couldn’t make sweeping statements about higher level magic.
“Rentt’s words ring true.” Lorraine nodded in agreement. “The imagination is a powerful thing. Image the outcome in your mind; this will aid in other types of magecraft, as well. Tips and tricks for other types of spells exist, too, of course... In any case, it is faster for you to simply try it. The incantation comes first; memorize it, then chant it. Can you do that, Alize?”
Alize nodded promptly, standing up and readying herself once more.
“Well, then. You must first focus your mana, Alize. As you did just now, focus it into the tip of your index finger.”
Alize gave Lorraine a brief nod before focusing intensely, gathering up the mana in her being. While I couldn’t see the movements of mana in others’ bodies, Lorraine apparently could.
“How’s she doing?”
“Hmm... Quite well, I would say. Not as disgustingly fast as how you were moving your mana around prior, Rentt, but, still, this is good progress for her first day. The fact she can do this much is more than enough.” Lorraine nodded sagely.
“All right. It is now time for beginner magecraft, Alize. Try imagining what you saw Rentt do just now. Picture the scene in your mind, then say the incantation. This one right here.”
Lorraine pointed her wand at the wooden board; she’d already written down the relevant incantation at some point in time, probably when I wasn’t looking.
Alize, with beads of sweat forming on her forehead, nodded once more and slowly opened her lips.
“‘Oh, Flame... Let my mana be...as grain...and manifest...before me... Ignite Aryumage’!”
With that, the mana in her fingertip wavered, quivered, undulated, before shining brightly on her outstretched finger. This was something that had never occurred when I tried my hand at it. Such a spectacle was observed when mana wasn’t properly converted into magecraft. The excess, unused mana dispersed as light.
Due to the fact that I had been constantly converting mana into magic for these past few moments, mana loss didn’t occur. Alize, however, was a beginner and not yet used to magecraft. As one became more familiar with magecraft in general, less mana loss and wastage would occur. It was any mage’s dream to fully and quickly convert mana into various phenomena. So a bit of mana loss was inevitable in Alize’s case.
As the light ebbed, a small flame appeared, dancing idly on Alize’s finger. It was about twice as small as the one I had generated earlier. It was a flickering, unstable flame, too small to even serve as an ember or spark.
Alize stared at it in wonderment, her eyes wide open. It seemed she had a hard time believing she was actually capable of magecraft, despite learning the theories and becoming capable of manipulating the mana in her body.
Mages were a rarity, at least among mundane humans. They possessed the power to turn a man into ash with a single strike, and even bend all types of matter to their will without even touching them. It was no surprise Alize would be in disbelief now that she was one of their number. Most individuals who used magic for the first time reacted this way. One could want to become a mage, or speak of becoming a mage, but few were prepared for the actual moment.
“Amazing... Even... Even I can use magic? Ah!”
As Alize spoke, the flickering flame disappeared, most likely due to her disrupted focus. While an individual could maintain a spell subconsciously if they were accustomed to it, such a feat would be all but impossible at the start of their journey since all of one’s concentration was required then.
“It is because you thought of something else, Alize. No matter, after some repetitions, you will be able to do this without a second thought,” Lorraine explained.
“I never knew I had to try so hard just for a tiny flame like this... I don’t really feel like I’d be able to do what you say, Professor Lorraine...”
“No, no.” Lorraine shook her head at her student. “Nothing of the sort. Think about it: even Rentt was capable of it, no? In fact, if you become even more accustomed to it, you could even do this.”
A small flame formed on Lorraine’s finger spontaneously. A small stream of water rose from her palms before dancing elaborately, forming the outlines of a complicated-looking map.
Ah, the techniques of a true master. Few individuals could control the shape of their mana so well.
But this was something even I could do. It was what Lorraine did next, however, that I could never hope to imitate.
The flame and stream of water from her hands slowly became larger, forming the shapes of animals and various creatures. The flames took on the shape of a bird, and the floating jets of water became dragons, then elephants—a circus of fauna spinning silently in the air. Evidently not beginner magic of any kind, if I may say so.
It’d be impossible for a beginner to enlarge their summoned flames and water to that size, let alone project it away from their bodies while maintaining control. The very fact this was done meant what we were witnessing was no longer basic in any form. If I could perform such a feat, I would have already begun playing around with my own flying flame-animals.
“Wow...” Alize’s mouth hung open.
“And this, as well.” Lorraine had more tricks up her sleeve.
With a wave of her hand, earth materialized from thin air, taking on the shape of numerous floating buildings. First was the adventurer’s guild’s many buildings, then Lorraine’s abode; a mansion, then a magnificent castle. Each and every one of these buildings were of different colors; one wouldn’t think they were made from specks of earth.
I received a painful reminder of just how far from Lorraine I was in terms of skill.
Eventually, Lorraine dismissed all her spells and the spectacles faded away.
“What do you think? Impressive, it is not? More so than Rentt, at least,” Lorraine boasted.
Ah, I see. She wasn’t showing Alize the possibilities of magic...but simply demonstrating she was the better mage between us.
How childish, Lorraine.
But of course, I of all people shouldn’t be saying anything of the sort. Alize, however, was evidently amazed.
“That was awesome! Professor Lorraine, and Rentt, too! I’ll work hard! So I can be like the two of you!”
Alize’s earnest praise brought a fresh shade of crimson to Lorraine’s cheeks.
“Is... Is that right? Ah, yes. Of course. You did well, too, Rentt...”
There was no malice in her words, either. Maybe she was taken aback by Alize’s relentless praise.
Alize was as enthusiastic as ever.
“Yes! To think the two of you would teach someone like me... I’ll do it! I’ll work very, very hard! I hope you continue guiding me from now on!” she said, bowing deeply as she did so.
And so our first magecraft lesson finally came to an end...
“Right, see you again!” Alize said, hugging the textbook Lorraine had made for her to her chest as she made her way back to the orphanage.
Lorraine and I waved to her as we saw her off, until the child was but a mere speck in the distance. It was only then we returned inside.
“Quite the knack for it, wouldn’t you say, Rentt? At this rate, she would be well along the path of the scholar-magus before long,” Lorraine muttered, stretching out on the sofa with a relaxed expression on her face.
“No, no... Wasn’t Alize going to become an adventurer? She may have learned the ways of the mage today, but from tomorrow on, she learns the basics of adventuring.”
Even though Lorraine had promoted the scholar-magus path somewhat aggressively, Alize herself had said she wished to be an adventurer. That goal couldn’t simply be dismissed. I had even affirmed this with Alize as she stepped out the doors, that she would study the ways of adventuring on her next lesson. She then turned to me, nodding eagerly with an innocent smile. Even now, Alize was firmly an adventurer in her aspirations.
What else could she be? She would become an adventurer, right? It had to be an adventurer.
Yes... That’s it.
Lorraine seemed to furrow her brows ever so slightly in disdain.
“Hmph. You are stubborn, are you not? I suppose there is little choice, then. We shall leave it at that...for now,” she said, as if granting her permission for my adventurer’s curriculum.
Something was amiss here. No, definitely. Something...
Or so I thought.
But even so, little good would come of us arguing over the details.
“Well, then? What do you have in mind? This...adventurer training of yours. What would you have Alize do first?”
Lorraine seemed to have shelved her jokes—for now. I didn’t immediately answer, instead stopping to think.
“First...I should teach her basic swordplay. After that, I would take her to the forest, or maybe to the labyrinths...and teach her the basics: materials, the rules of adventuring...all that.”
A wave of nostalgia came across Lorraine’s features.
“I see. Much like what you had taught me in the past, Rentt... Those very same places...” Lorraine paused, as if suddenly struck by a spark of inspiration. “Say, Rentt. Would you mind if I came along?”
These were free lands, but there was also the consideration of Lorraine being Alize’s teacher in magecraft. It would be prudent to have her come along if Alize were to use magic in combat.
Alize needed experience. To that end, she would follow me into the labyrinths, and I would have to show her the adequate ropes as she watched. I could hardly expect Alize to defeat a monster on her own...but if we found one that was sufficiently weak, or one I had weakened prior... Hmm. I suppose she wouldn’t just be watching, after all.
“I do not mind. But what about your research, and other affairs of the sort?”
“It is quite all right, Rentt. In addition, this is not only about Alize. I have seen you fight many times before your evolution, but what of it now? Surely things have changed.”
Even I couldn’t answer that question. My methods had significantly changed between evolutions, and I fought differently when I was a Ghoul or Thrall. It would be prudent to assume my capabilities were now different. I also had to consider the fact that I had spun my body around in all sorts of strange and impossible angles during my time as a Thrall and Ghoul... I could still do the same...if I tried. The flesh on my body now, however, would likely not take kindly to such odd maneuvers. In fact, it’d be more than a physical toll, for there was also the mental aspect of me contorting myself in a way that was decidedly inhuman.
I suppose establishing one’s limits was wise, as it would be too late after the fact. As such, I suppose some observations by Lorraine were in order. We may yet understand more of my current physiology and capabilities then.
I nodded at Lorraine slowly as the thoughts left my mind.
Although we had spoken at length about teaching Alize the basics of adventuring, there were first a few items we had to obtain.
Lorraine’s magecraft lessons only required Alize herself, the textbook Lorraine had written for her, and Lorraine’s tutelage. A short course in the basics of adventuring, on the other hand, required various tools, instruments, and equipment. Given that Alize was blessed with reserves of mana, she could fight as a mage if she so decided, but adventuring wasn’t that simple a business. Alize would run into difficulty should her reserves dry up mid-battle, or if she had come across a monster that reflected or was immune to spells. It was best for her to have some other means of defense.
Even mage-adventurers required a certain degree of martial prowess, as well as physical stamina. Lorraine was no exception, for she was sufficiently trained to handle situations where her magic couldn’t be used effectively. This was precisely why Alize required that same degree of training, in one form of martial arts or another.
An adventurer’s training mainly consisted of going to labyrinths or the outskirts of towns and learning about the monsters that lived there, or understanding where certain materials could be harvested. While knowledge gleaned from books and studies were important, practical application was also important, if only to better understand how to apply one’s knowledge. Adventurers that went about their business without understanding said applications were often inefficient at best.
With all those thoughts in mind, the next course of action was simple: Alize needed a weapon. Since she was an orphan living in an orphanage, however, Alize would have little in the way of personal possessions, much less weapons of any kind. I would have to provide her with the implement, and coin was needed for this venture. Fortunately, a beginner such as Alize didn’t require an expensive weapon. Even so, she needed a weapon of sorts, and I was more than willing to gift her with one. Alize, being the individual she was, though, would hardly agree to such a thing, shaking her head and refusing outright. If anything, Alize would demand the costs of procuring said weapon be added to her tab.
Alize would need a weapon that was relatively well-forged, yet affordable. To this end, funds were required, but my situation in regards to that was somewhat...lacking. There was, of course, the coin I was yet to receive from Laura, on account of not having delivered any blossoms yet, in addition to all the materials I had sold thus far having been used on my own equipment and weapons. I also specifically used a painfully large sum to purchase a high-capacity magical pouch. To make things worse, I purchased a bespoke case for my model airship in the heat of the moment—now that I thought about it, it perhaps wasn’t a particularly wise purchase. Given my current financial circumstances, I was in no condition to pay for Alize’s weapon, let alone pay for the lesson fees I still owed Lorraine.
However, I had my plans with regards to coin, or my lack thereof.
There was a material that I had not yet sold—but of course! I speak of the Tarasque. I had received notification from the guild a while ago, informing me there were certain discussions to be had in regards to the carcass. If I had to guess, the materials had finally been sold; with that, the long winter in my coin pouch would finally be over.
With a tune off my lips, I waved jovially at Lorraine before stepping through the doors of her abode.
“Would they not have simply told you if the thing sold, Rentt? A discussion, however... Not exactly a typical statement. In any case, do take care as you go about your business.”
Just her imagination, perhaps. There was no need for such inauspicious talk.
Without further ado, I merrily made my way toward the adventurer’s guild.
“Ah, Mister Rentt!”
Sheila’s voice rang out the very moment I stepped into the guild’s halls. It seemed like she had been waiting for me all this time, and she wanted me to follow her.
Just how much, exactly, did that carcass and its materials sell for? It was worth quite a sum, wasn’t it?
Sheila approached me as I became lost in my thoughts of potential riches.
“The Tarasque has sold, yes? How much did it go for, Sheila?”
Sheila only stared at me with a surprised expression.
“Oh...? Rentt... You speak so...smoothly, now...”
Come to think of it, Sheila had yet to see my evolved form. In her mind, I should still be a shambling corpse.
Shifting my mask so it showed the lower half of my face, I removed my hat, wordlessly responding to her query. Sheila’s eyes widened at the sight.
“Eh...? Rentt, is this... What do you call it? You evolved, didn’t you?” Sheila said, in a softer voice than usual. “Evolve” in particular was said in a bit of a whisper.
“Yes.” I nodded. “Just the day before. According to Lorraine, I am now a...Lesser Vampire of some kind. I do look like a human now, yes. Just a little on the pale side, though.”
Sheila laughed nervously at my explanation before nodding slowly.
“Yes, there is a lack of...color, to your face. You do look like how you used to in life though, Rentt. Ah...your skin is...so smooth, too.”
“Yes, Lorraine said as such. A strange side effect...”
“Hmm... Looking at that...smoothness, Rentt. It makes me want to become like you...just a little...”
Matters of the complexion seemed to always be quite the topic with the ladies, if Sheila’s somewhat troubling statement was anything to go by.
I shook my head slowly. “Don’t even think about it, Sheila. I started from a pile of bones, if you recall.”
That was the first stage I had evolved from, after all. If there were any other possible ways, I wouldn’t be privy to them.
With that constantly rattling body, I continued defeating monsters, slowly evolving into a dried-up corpse, then a corpse with some meat hanging off it...finally becoming a Lesser Vampire after having miraculously procured some Vampire blood. Even I understood that it was an extremely difficult path.
Maybe I was just lucky it went so well. Even if an individual was skilled, one had to start from nothing at the very beginning. Maybe that was the hardest part.
Sheila seemed to understand my unspoken train of thought.
“I understand. ‘What would I do even if I really did become like you?’ is what I would have liked to ask, but...it would be inappropriate.
“Ah, yes,” Sheila continued. “Since you now look more or less like your human self, what would you like to do with your old records? You could continue on as Rentt Faina... Or do you prefer to go on as Rentt Vivie...?”
A valid question; however, there was only one answer I could give:
“We should continue using Rentt Vivie either way.”
“Why is that?” Sheila seemed a little confused at my sudden, prompt answer.
“It’s very simple, Sheila. For starters, this mask won’t come off...and there’s the question of why Rentt Faina would have such a mask in the first place. Then there would be the issue of my...heightened abilities. If I were suddenly asked to explain all these things... Well, it’d be difficult.”
There was always an even simpler option: I could just tell them I had become a monster. Even if it made for a convincing argument, I would still be hunted down and summarily executed, so, in the end, it wasn’t the best course of action. As long as I couldn’t say I was human without a doubt, it would be quite difficult to go by “Rentt Faina” in the township of Maalt. Too many people knew me here.
“I see... Well, then, Rentt. I will handle your requests and assignments as requested from here on out. Ah, yes... There was also the matter we had to discuss...”
“Right. The Tarasque, yes? I wonder if it sold for a good sum...”
My expectant thoughts were soon cleaved in two by Sheila’s words.
“Eh? No, that hasn’t sold at all, Rentt. It isn’t about that—as we said, a discussion! In any case, please, follow me to the dissection chambers...” She spoke with a slight expression of surprise.
But...what about my finances...?
Perhaps I counted my chickens far before they had hatched...
There was nothing I could do now, so I gave Sheila the best response I could muster as I nodded along:
“Ah... Ah. Yes. Right.”
I followed after Sheila with a looming feeling of disappointment.
“Oh! So you came by, huh.”
Dario greeted us at the entrance as the dissection chambers came into view. It seemed Dario had waited a little too long to see me, and I couldn’t help but wonder what had transpired during the sale of the carcass. From Sheila’s behavior, and from what she had just said, it was hard to imagine the Tarasque materials had even been sold.
“Did...something happen?” I asked, looking straight at Dario, the guild’s Master Dissectionist.
“Well. Ya better come in,” he said, waving us into the facility as he turned.
I had no reason to refuse. I suppose Dario had his reasons, so I nodded as I quickly followed after him.
“Well...? Did something happen?” I asked as Sheila and I sat in Dario’s office. Chairs had been kindly provided for us.
“Yeah... Not a big issue, but...”
Dario seemed troubled. Contrary to what he said, it really did seem like a big issue, if his tone was anything to go by.
“The Tarasque ya brought in, see...” Dario continued, somewhat slowly. “We done finished work on it, and by its quality...we thought it best to put it up for auction. So that merchant we work with, he was supposed to come and take her off... It was then...”
What was it? What happened then? I could feel my concern mounting at Dario’s cryptic statements.
Did Dario not mention this Tarasque’s materials were of high quality, that there were few like it across the lands, and it would fetch a good price? I could hardly think there would be any reason for the merchant to find fault with the materials I had provided...
As if reading my thoughts, Dario continued.
“No, it ain’t a problem with the product, see. It’s the opposite. It’s too good... So good that the auctioneer merchant friend of ours wants to take it directly to the client.”
So that was what all the fuss was about...
I suppose things like this happened every now and then. People from all walks of life showed up at auctions, and among them were individuals of great wealth, or some who used great sums of coin for very specific purposes. The Latuules came to mind, as they had great political influence and material wealth.
Those individuals, more often than not, had very special...hobbies. As a result, they would never hesitate to follow their inclinations. Coin was of no object to them—the Latuule family’s hobby of collecting magical tools was one such example.
In a similar vein, a well-heeled client was willing to pay quite a fortune for Tarasque materials that were in good condition—but as to why, I couldn’t quite say. At the very least, the auction merchant involved now felt bringing the shell directly to the client was a definite sale.
None of this was bad news to me. I had tasked Dario with the sale of these materials, and he could do with them as he saw fit. Could he not have just sold it to the merchant? Why the discussion now?
“I don’t mind if you sell it as you see fit, Dario... So what seems to be the matter?”
Dario shook his head, a complicated expression across his features.
“Ya think, no? Would be good if I could sell it. What ya told me to do, that. I’d have liked to do it. Get ya the best deals, yeah, but...this time... It’s a little different.”
I tilted my head dramatically to one side. I didn’t understand what Dario was getting at, not in the slightest.
“Some conditions, ya see,” Dario continued. “Double, Rentt. They be payin’ double yer askin’ price. But in return...they wanna be introduced to ya, Rentt. The adventurer who slayed the Tarasque.”
“That...”
It was as Dario said: this wasn’t something he could decide on his own.
Regardless of the nature of the auction, it was common sense most individuals bid under pseudonyms. This applied to both buyers and sellers; neither party would be eager to expose their true identities at an auction, with the reason being that most items at these auctions were either extremely valuable or rare. If a buyer or seller had exposed their identity, they could be robbed, burgled, or even threatened. Therefore, the need for privacy was paramount in the auction business.
While the auction house itself knew the identities of its clients, having any information leak out would be a disaster in and of itself. If anything like that came to pass, the auction house would lose the confidence of its clients, and, with that, all of its business.
There were exceptions, however, in which case the permission of the client in question was required. In this current case, it seemed like Dario needed my permission to go ahead with the sale.
But something about this transaction seemed a little off to me. The fact that the buyer in question wished to be introduced to me meant they were looking for adventurers capable of hunting down Tarasques. This in and of itself wasn’t too difficult.
It was also all too common for the buy-out price on auctions to be set at a high amount. While bidding occasionally exceeded that, the very thought of doubling the original asking price was a fearsome thought. If they had this much coin at their disposal, they didn’t need to go through all this trouble. All this mystery client had to do was approach the guild and hire the services of a Gold-class adventurer. Why go through all the effort just to ask for me? I couldn’t wrap my head around this.
Dario, still observing me from across the table, probably inferred what I was thinking, so he continued speaking.
“He got a good eye, this client of yours. Came here, once. Looked at the Tarasque ya brought in and was moved... Real moved at the quality. Said somethin’ ‘bout... ‘A perfectly beheaded Tarasque. With no other wounds. Almost perfect, almost. Many adventurers are capable of huntin’ Tarasques...but to slay it and preserve the quality of the material! Few adventurers are capable of that. I wanna know more of this individual. More.’ ...is what he more or less said.”
It almost felt like I was being slathered with praise...
Although I was able to obtain somewhat pristine materials from the relatively intact Tarasque carcass, I knew luck was a large part of said developments. But this mystery client seemed to understand I had purposely taken on the challenge of slaying the Tarasque in this particular way. Even so, it seemed like just a little bit too much praise.
Something about this proposed meeting filled me with unease. What if the client refused to purchase the materials after meeting me? If I wasn’t what they expected? I wished to lay low—if possible, I didn’t want my name, or tales of my achievements, spreading.
If I were to really meet with this mysteriously rich and powerful client, I would hate to walk away from it empty-handed. Coin was a matter of utmost import. If one was poor and penniless, one would have to survive on nothing but a small shred of bread for the entire day. Ah, how nostalgic...just like how I was when I first started out. Back then, I would even venture into the nearby forests, foraging for edible vegetables to sate my hunger... And forage I did, with all of my being. The winters were harsh indeed...
“Oi, ya all right? Don’t be spacin’ out on me now.”
Dario’s words shook me out of my nostalgic daydreams. There was a tinge of worry to his words.
“No...” I raised my head slowly. “Just...something I was thinking about. But, tell me, Dario... This client of yours: would he go back on the sale should he meet with me? This isn’t something I would repeat often, but it is a coincidence I had managed to slay the Tarasque this way. You do know that, yes?”
Lies would do little for me at this point. Dario, however, seemed to have already anticipated this.
“Ya don’t have to tell me that. Client knows it, even I know it. Even if ya say that, Rentt, even if ya lucky, some thought went into the materials, yeah? That much is obvious, see.”
“I suppose that’s true...”
A cursory examination of the corpse would reveal I had gone for the Tarasque’s neck from the very start, not wanting to damage its scales. That was the reality of it.
“Now I’m just guessin’,” Dario continued, seemingly satisfied at my answer, “but I think that client of yours be searchin’ for a discerning adventurer, see. Ya should know many are incapable of that, even in the Gold-class. That’s why they wanna see ya. Meet someone who can...appreciate their concerns. Ya still think they’ll refuse to buy after meetin’ ya? Think about it, Rentt. To have so many conditions, then he ain’t buyin’? Is a shame for people like that, see. Now, if you’ve gotten all them worries outta that mind of yours...how ’bout meetin’ ’em?”
Dario’s words only caused me to worry even more, but I was nonetheless not afraid of meeting this client.
There were just some...problems. One problem, in particular...
Namely, the fact that I was a monster. Speaking with people I knew, or was familiar with, was one thing. Speaking suddenly with an individual who wielded wealth and power was troubling to me, especially given the nature of the conversation. If I were found out, I could be hunted down and slain, and I’d very much like to avoid that at all costs.
However, this happened to adventurers from time to time. Such occurrences increased in frequency as one climbed the adventurer ranks. Laura is a good example; she had seen my capabilities, and saw it fit to trust me with a task. The more difficult and high-paying the request, the more likely the client would like to meet with the adventurer in person and ascertain their abilities. Hence the increase in the personal summons.
But Laura’s case was markedly different. Specifically, Isaac had the chance to examine me before recommending me to his mistress. The auction merchant and client, on the other hand, had hardly met me before, and knew little of my character and personality. This was why I felt a looming sense of fear...
If possible, I’d like to refuse. But I wanted to become an adventurer of the Mithril-class. It would be a mistake to refuse such a meeting—even I understood that.
Should my contacts among the rich and powerful grow, the nature of the requests I could undertake would also change accordingly. As a result, adventurers of that caliber would be treasured by the guild, and many things would become...convenient, if I could put it that way.
As unpleasant as it is to say, the guild was, at the end of the day, a business. It was in the guild’s obvious interests to rub shoulders with adventurers who had large coin pouches...and friends in high society. Even the ranking system, which was said to organize adventurers by their skill and prowess, originally had a simpler function, which was to separate the strong from the weak, if only because stronger adventurers naturally earned more coin. The guild would then be more interested in such individuals.
This was a known but unspoken fact among adventurers. But adventurers were prideful individuals with specific views, with some objecting to being portrayed as nothing but money-hungry scoundrels. Although I couldn’t speak for all adventurers, a silent understanding of the nature of the business was in place.
For instance, who was the better adventurer? A strong one who earned vast amounts of coin, or an honorable one who sided with the weak? A proverbial hero of justice, perhaps? If I were to put it simply, the guild would definitely prefer the former, but most adventurers would side with the latter. Both would, in some way, bring great benefit to the guild. Both hypothetical individuals were also good examples of who adventurers really were. However, the guild would be hard-pressed to declare one superior to the other, so this was yet another problematic consideration in these circles. In fact, this very topic was often the subject of debate in taverns across the lands, albeit among adventurers.
If I had to choose, I would definitely pick the latter. It would be inaccurate to say I wouldn’t earn any coin at all, so perhaps a more moderate take on the latter’s position would be more...fitting. Compromises had to be made with reality, as always.
Maybe an idealist like myself shouldn’t be saying such things, but either way...my current situation was by no means terrible. While dangers lurked in many corners, I had successfully evolved as of late, and my senses felt sharper than ever. Unless my client was someone with very special skills, they wouldn’t be able to tell me apart from the average human being...unless I removed all my clothing.
Of course, if I were to suddenly place a hand on my hip and take a deep swig from my blood-filled vial for lunch, even children on the street would point at me and declare me a Vampire. But I was no fool.
I turned to Dario once more.
“I will meet them, at the very least. If I were to sell the materials for an expensive price, I should do that much. Plus...getting to know a rich and powerful client isn’t exactly a bad thing.”
Dario’s face lit up upon hearing my response. “Oh! That right? I be tellin’ them that, then. But yeah...sorry ‘bout that. To ask this much of ya... Feels like I ruined it somehow, ya know. What with this good material and all.”
From his words, I could tell Dario wasn’t exactly keen on the idea from the very beginning. But I should have expected as much since he was an expert dissectionist of monsters and other creatures. His original calling was dissecting carcasses into high-quality materials, not liaising with potential buyers and being pestered by their every whim. Dario had surely seen quite a few transactions in his time, and maybe something about this entire deal seemed a little off to him, as well.
It was, by all means, not an entirely negative situation for me, so I was a little surprised to see him show this much concern over the matter. But, then again, while I was a customer to Dario, Dario was a customer to the auctioneer in question. While every party involved had their own interests and a general sense of ethics, Dario was a craftsman first and foremost; one could feel his passion for dissection just by looking at his work.
So it would go without saying that Dario would support the adventurer who brought in good materials to his workshop, as opposed to, say, a merchant of some kind.
“I don’t mind. If I had any reservations, I’d say so... I do have one question, though. Do you trust that auctioneer...?”
I wouldn’t have wanted to deal with an intimidating or unethical auctioneer who tried to make forced sales. Luckily, Dario reassured me.
“Ah, that? No problem, see. They’re someone I’ve known for a long time. From the Stheno Trading Company... You heard of ’em?”
Of course I knew of them. They were a famous company and mercantile organization in Maalt—one of the big ones at the top. In addition to their roaring auction business, they also had a few shops and storefronts on the streets of Maalt.
I had even been to one of the Stheno Trading Company’s shops in life. I had been avoiding them ever since my foray into undeath, though, but hearing that the auctioneer in question was from such an establishment eased my worries. They were indeed a trustworthy company.
“Yes. I have purchased containers of sorts from them, and other grocery items... Knick-knacks and such. Either way, Dario, I understand the circumstances now. When should I go meet with this auctioneer?”
“Well, I should tell ’em you’re fine with the meetin’ and all that first. Then they’ll want a day to decide...and maybe contact me again, yeah? Maybe tomorrow...or the day after. That good, Rentt?”
I suppose it would be strange if I had suddenly shown up at their doorstep, so I nodded.
“Please. I leave it in your capable hands.”
Dario nodded slowly in response, before sitting up suddenly. “Oh, yeah... Almost forgot... Here.” He placed a booklet of sorts on the table, pointing out several pages to me.
“This... Ah, yes. The other materials I had left in your care, I presume.”
I skimmed through the contents on the receipts. Written in the booklet were entries of the other materials I had left with Dario, as well as materials and equipment needed for the dissection process. Materials and ingredients that weren’t sold by auction were sold off via some other channels, and the final earned value was recorded on the papers I was now thumbing through.
I could tell at a glance that I had earned quite a fair sum from their sale, and I was grateful for such an outcome.
“I see you put quite a bit of effort into moving these other materials...”
“Yeah, well...got ya in all this trouble this time, see. Not to make up for it, of course... But even the rest of them materials are preserved well. Not even damaged. Would get more than the standard asking price if I were to sell ’em normally, ya know? Buyers can tell quality when they see it.” Dario heaped even more praise on my harvested ingredients.
I was just a Bronze-class adventurer who hardly earned anything. Due to the fact that I had wanted to sell as many high-quality ingredients as possible, I studied the ways in which one could use monster materials. I took notes and conducted research on how not to damage materials during extraction, and methods on how to defeat monsters while ensuring an easily salvageable carcass.
I suppose my efforts had paid off.
“I’m glad you think so highly of my materials. If I come across any good materials on my travels, I’ll be sure to bring them to you...and in as good a state as possible.”
“I’ll always buy yer materials, Rentt. Also...ya all right with the prices I set for these?”
I nodded. “Yes, quite.”
Dario laid out a series of coins on his desk in response, and I promptly swept them all into my wallet...or pouch, I suppose. With that business concluded, I turned, leaving the dissection chambers behind me.
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