episode_0081

“How about it! The opportunity to become Mariel’s test subject doesn’t come often! You have talent!”

“I don’t want to.”

Is this eccentric wizard crazy?

Starting with the fact that he himself almost got split in half due to a half-failed teleportation spell, who in the world would want to be a magical experiment subject for such a wizard?

“Are you… are you rejecting my proposal?”

“Yes.”

As I firmly rejected, Mariel took a step back with exaggerated gestures, as if shocked.

Her large, wide-open eyes and hair split exactly in half between pink and white were quite impressive.

“Do you even know what talent you possess! It’s such a waste to let it rot!”

“What does talent have to do with being a magical experiment subject?”

“Oh! Algott! Algott, are you there?”

Mariel started calling out the guild master’s name loudly.

Thanks to her, the gazes of other adventurers in the guild were all directed towards us.

It felt like there were question marks floating above their heads.

Well, that’s understandable.

I don’t even know what’s going on right now.

After a while, the door to the office opened with a creak, and Algott came out.

He glanced back and forth between me and Mariel, then sighed softly and gestured for us to come over.

“You’re both causing a disturbance in the guild’s work, so come in here for now.”

Following Algott’s instructions, we entered the office.

As soon as we entered the office, Mariel spoke to me again.

“The moment I first saw you, I thought it was fate! I thought the gods had sent me a human test subject. Think again, such an opportunity doesn’t come often! Algott! Guild master, try to convince her!”

“No… I said I don’t want to.”

“Why not!”

“Algott, what should we do with this person?”

Ignoring Mariel’s persistence, I looked to Algott for help.

In situations like this, it’s best to seek help from someone who at least has some common sense.

Whether Algott has common sense or not is another matter, but I hope he can at least stop that crazy wizard from turning people into test subjects out of nowhere.

“Mariel, stop it. Yunoa said she doesn’t want to.”

Well done, Algott!

Mariel stared at me for a moment, then narrowed her eyes slightly and extended her head forward.

“No, this is too much to give up. I can’t give up on this man.”

“…Is that so, Yunoa?”

You’re giving up too quickly, Algott.

Please try to intervene more actively.

“Magician Mariel never intended to give up on Yunoa.

The moment she first saw him, she sensed an unfamiliar flow of magic from him.

Furthermore, through observation, she noticed that the amount of magic was slightly different from that of an ordinary person.”

A narration echoed in my head in this difficult situation.

So, the reason Mariel showed such persistent interest in me was because of that.

She could observe my unique colored magic from Einblad and the fact that there was no limit to the magic she could contain?

So every time she looked at me, she scrutinized me with those strange eyes.

Whatever the reason, I had no intention of becoming a suspicious magical experiment subject.

“Anyway, I have no intention of being a test subject. Do you know what kind of experiments you’ll be doing on me?”

“…I see, Mariel.”

This time, Algott looked at Mariel and spoke.

Mariel was anxiously biting her lips, her eyes wide open fixed on me, which was a bit intimidating.

I hope she gives up soon.

“Haha… You all! You’re underestimating Mariel too much!”

“…….”

“Do you think I’ll give up that easily? You’re a great experimental subject that I won’t be able to meet again in my lifetime!”

“I’ve told you I don’t like it.”

“500 gold!”

“What?”

“I’ll give you 500 gold if you agree to be my experiment subject! Isn’t this a huge benefit?”

Marie offered me a shocking condition.

500 gold in exchange for becoming a magical experiment subject.

It was certainly a great deal.

If it were back when I was struggling to make ends meet before becoming an adventurer, I would have agreed immediately.

It’s probably similar to being a test subject for some kind of vitality experiment or something.

But I had already sold the Bellfork Mansion to Marie and now I have my own house in Cube.

I had no financial worries at all, so there was no reason for me to participate in such a human experiment.

“I refuse.”

“Then how about 1000! 1000 gold!”

“I said no.”

“What! Are you rejecting such an offer! You! My magical experiments are very safe and fun!”

“It doesn’t seem safe with you getting stuck in teleportation magic.”

It seems that 1000 gold is the limit for the amount that can be offered to a human test subject.

Still, he’s really a wealthy wizard.

After buying the mansion, just calling out that amount for a human experiment once.

But I had absolutely no intention of accepting.

My heart was already as firm as a fortress, with only the desire to go home as soon as possible.

“I was trying not to resort to this method, but…. You….”

Marie started trembling and glaring at me with pleading eyes.

What, what’s going on. What is she trying to do.

She’s a wizard, so she wouldn’t use some cowardly mind control magic to force me to do something, right?

Unconsciously tensing up while watching Marie’s reaction.

With Algort in front of me, it didn’t seem like a fight would break out, but given Marie’s strange personality so far, there was plenty of potential for some unexpected behavior.

A moment of unnecessary tension.

Marie suddenly fell to her knees in front of me, pressing her forehead to the ground and shouting.

“I beg of you like this! Please! Just let me study you once!”

“……”

“If you agree to be my research material, I’ll do anything you ask!”

…Anything?

“Yunoa harbored disrespectful thoughts in his mind at Marie’s offer to do anything.

Imagining himself ordering various things to Marie, he almost accepted the proposal in that moment.

His will, which had not wavered even in the face of money, was now wavering in the face of desire. He couldn’t help but think he must be a trash pervert.”

No, no, that’s wrong.

Why would she want to study me so badly? I was just confused.

The narration’s words are absolutely not true.

Anyway… I need to reject her quickly and go home.

“On the other hand, Marie’s offer was sudden and absurd, but there was also a benefit for Yunoa.

Marie was very interested in Yunoa’s unique magical power constitution.

Although she made mistakes from time to time, her skills as a magical researcher were real, so she couldn’t help but be obsessed with Yunoa’s constitution, which she had never seen before.”

Just as the words of a firm refusal were about to burst out of my throat, the narration echoed in my mind again.

Even in this moment, Marie was still lying on the ground, her head pressed against the floor as if she were about to lick my shoes.

But if there was a benefit for me, I couldn’t just ignore it.

What benefit could there be for me to become a human magical test subject?

“Marie not only researched various magics, but also studied the very essence of magic itself.

While there may be magicians who use more powerful magic than her, there was no one who knew magic as well as she did.”

Wait, what benefit would I get from this?

The narration kept beating around the bush, and I was getting annoyed.

Mariel had made up her mind to reject Mariel’s proposal, but the words of refusal just wouldn’t come out.

The narration had been relatively accurate in conveying facts, except for when it labeled me as a trash pervert, so it made me even more hesitant.

If the narration stated that participating in Mariel’s experiment would benefit me, then there was a high possibility that it could be true.

“Yunoa not only possessed a unique magic different from others but also had a special constitution for absorbing magic. Such a unique individual was using magic in the same way as ordinary people with magic.”

Mariel’s extensive knowledge of magic could provide suitable answers for Yunoa’s unique constitution.

Upon hearing those words, I began to think that it might actually be helpful.

Not too long ago, I couldn’t control my magic properly and ended up making a Dragoknight sword out of ore. Thanks to that, the phenomenon of magic outbursts had disappeared, but relying on the sword for magic control was unsettling and a source of anxiety.

Furthermore, as the narration mentioned, my constitution for absorbing magic was different from others.

For adventurers, the vessel for magic is infinite. However, compared to a large vessel, the ratio of magic I accumulated through magic conversion was ridiculously low.

It was like filling a vessel that could hold the sea with one drop of water at a time.

Having the advantage of unlimited magic but not being as strong as I thought was the situation.

Could Mariel’s research find a way to solve my various problems?

If so, then maybe this could be a good opportunity for me…

No, is it really okay?

I recalled Mariel’s unseemly appearance as she wriggled her legs in the gap of the dimensional rift.

Even if she didn’t intend to experiment on me like a real lab rat, accidents could happen.

But the possibility of solving my unique constitution and magic efficiency issues was also appealing…

When considering my safety, I couldn’t trust it, but still, magic… no, safety first… no…

“Come on! Please! Can’t you do it? If you become my test subject, I’ll pay you and give you whatever you want! You’re a valuable research material!”

Mariel continued to shout in front of me, prostrating herself.

Magic efficiency… safety… magic… safety… magic… no…

My mind was a mess.

I never thought the narration’s words would create such a conflict within me.

“Please! I beg you! Like this…”

“…I will.”

“Don’t just do it, think about it again… Huh? Oh! Oh! Oh!”

I don’t know.

If I just reject her and leave, it feels like I’ll even dream about it.

I decided to believe the narration’s words that it would be beneficial to me.

As I accepted the proposal, Mariel suddenly stood up and hugged me tightly.

A refreshing scent emanated from her hair, divided into pink and white halves.

I felt flustered.

“You made the right choice! You’re my one-of-a-kind precious test subject!”

… ‘My’ test subject?

Ahem…

Seeing that, Algot coughed awkwardly and gave me a meaningful look.

Mariel, after letting go of me, gazed at me with a sinister smile.

Seeing her like that, I couldn’t help but feel a slight regret that maybe I should have rejected her.

But now, going back and rejecting her again seemed a bit awkward…

I was curious about what she could discover by researching me and how it could be helpful.

“Just a moment. You will keep your promise, right?”

“Huh? What promise are you talking about?”

Surely she didn’t forget what she just said.

“You said you would pay and give me whatever I want.”

“Th… that’s right! Y-yes! I-I will keep my promise!”

“If you don’t, I won’t do it. Algot here is a witness as the guild master.”

Algot nodded in agreement.

I said with a firm expression.

Judging by the reaction, I could tell that even she thought the conditions were a bit excessive.

Still, I had no intention of conceding.