episode_0020

The blood of wizards changes taste depending on what type of magic they have learned. To ordinary people, it’s all the same fishy taste, but vampires could definitely discern the difference.

The blood of flame mages tastes spicy, and the blood of ice mages tastes cool. Those who use destruction magic have a tangy taste, and unique magic users’ tastes are all different, but they all have a sweet taste.

Among these, the most preferred mage’s blood is undoubtedly that of a wizard who has learned unique magic. Because various tastes flow through the deep sweetness, everyone tended to like it without preference. However, due to low supply, it was traded at a very high price, and even with money, it was difficult to obtain, making it a rare resource that even nobles might only have once every 10 years.

That ecstatic blood taste swirled on Elena’s tongue.

“……Delicious.”

Elena was at the age where she had just become an adult by vampire standards. She had only tasted unique magic user’s blood once or twice in her life, and even then, she couldn’t drink much as it was something the Grand Duke cherished. But she remembered how good the taste of the blood she drank back then was.

But Asel’s blood taste vastly surpassed that level. This was because he had not only learned unique magic but also used a great many types of magic. It was natural that the diverse magic power contained in his blood blended together to create a better taste than other mages.

Of course, Elena didn’t know these underlying reasons, but such things weren’t particularly important to her. What was important was that Asel’s blood taste was exceptionally good, surpassing her imagination, and that just a few drops filled her with magic power.

“More…… I want to eat more……”

With an ecstatic, loosened face, she licked the drop of blood that had formed on Asel’s fingertip. At that smooth and hot touch, Asel recoiled in surprise and pulled his hand back.

“……What are you doing?”

“Ah, ack. My blood pouch is…….”

“Who’s a blood pouch.”

Asel saw Elena, whose mouth corners were drooping, roughly treated the wound, and stood up from his spot. Elena also stood up from her spot, licking her lips. Even though there was probably almost no blood left, seeing her continuously pucker her lips, it seemed she was quite pleased.

‘I hope I won’t be pounced on later like this.’

A beast that has tasted human blood tends to crave human flesh. For some reason, Asel felt her eyes looking at him seemed fierce and opened his mouth.

“Now it’s your turn. Use any Blood Manipulation skill.”

“…….”

“Answer.”

“Ah, ah! Okay! I’ll show you!”

Elena, who had been staring blankly at Asel’s face, seemed to snap back to her senses and said so in a hasty voice, then lightly bit her finger to make a wound.

A small wound. From that wound, which should have originally ended with just a slight bleeding, blood flowed out like a waterfall, forming a round sphere next to Elena. As Elena put her intention into the sphere, its shape began to change into a long spear.

[Blood Flow Shaping]

[Blood Spear (血槍)]

The created spear was grasped by Elena’s hand. Elena immediately gripped the spear inversely and threw it beyond the bushes.

[Blood Flow Acceleration]

[Body Enhancement]

The explosively flowing blood increases her physical abilities. A spear drawn like magic, thrown with a warrior’s body. A sound of not just cutting through but tearing the wind was heard, and a massive piercing sound echoed from beyond the bushes. Asel concentrated his magic power in his sight to confirm what she had hit.

It was a Golem. The lower body of a Golem that had been slowly creeping towards them was utterly shattered and rolling on the ground.

After Elena confirmed that sight, she stretched out her hand and retrieved the spear she had thrown. The crimson long spear softly landed back in her grasp.

She shook off the stone dust clinging to the spear, looked at Asel, and showed a triumphant expression.

“How is it, how is it? Isn’t it amazing?”

“……It is indeed amazing.”

Asel readily admitted it. Honestly, it was amazing.

He knew that Blood Manipulation was a completely different power from magic. The power they wielded on a species level was a product closer to an ability. A miracle that allowed them to freely control the blood under their dominion and twist its shape and properties arbitrarily. That is why they are not bound by things like magic power or aura.

The techniques Elena just used were the same. Creating the spear was similar to magic, and enhancing the body was similar to aura. The species’ unique ability was a blessing that allowed them to use all these disparate powers.

‘Blood Magic must be a power closer to Blood Flow Shaping.’

He had never seen their magic directly. However, since the Blood Manipulation power closest to magic was Blood Flow Shaping, he could predict that it would be related to that. Asel recalled the Blood Flow Shaping Elena showed and formulated a spell formula in his mind.

“Hehe, I guess I am pretty amazing!”

Just as Elena uttered that, seeing Asel lost in thought, someone appeared from beyond the river.

It was a girl with striking long blonde hair and pink eyes. She had a large double-edged axe strapped to her back, and blood dripping from the robe she was wearing fell downwards. In her right hand, she held a wild boar whose head had been cut off.

It was a gruesome appearance. Asel caught her neat aura and turned his gaze. Sensing his gaze, the girl briefly looked at Asel, then turned back to Elena and spoke.

“Elena. You were here.”

“Ah, Ellen!”

Elena waved her hand with a welcoming voice. The girl called Ellen nodded her head, concentrated aura in her legs, and leaped. She crossed the river in an instant and stood between Asel and Elena.

“I’ve gotten food. We just need to light a fire.”

“I ate!”

“……? Weren’t we going to eat together?”

“Was that right?”

Elena tilted her head. Ellen also tilted her head.

“Then I’ll eat this alone. More importantly…… who is that man?”

Ellen said, pointing at Asel. Her gaze was not much different from before, but the emotion within it was. A slight wariness and hostility. Asel felt that blatant emotion and burst into laughter.

He looked at Elena and opened his mouth.

“Did you have a companion?”

“Yeah. We met yesterday and decided to move together. This is Ellen!”

“……What is your name?”

Ellen asked. Asel readily answered.

“Asel.”

“You don’t have a weapon. Not a martial artist…… are you a mage?”

“I’m a wizard.”

“You are a valuable asset.”

Ellen muttered, scanning Asel with eyes as if evaluating him.

“An aura so contained it’s difficult to grasp your exact level. You seem to be a high-level wizard. Do you have any companions?”

“No. Because it’s a test sufficient even alone.”

“That’s true, but it won’t be easy enough for a wizard to pass alone. Are you perhaps a summoning type mage?”

Asel shook his head. He stretched out his palm towards the Golem poking its head out from beyond the bushes.

[Thunder Net]

Crackle!!

A net made of lightning is launched towards the Golem at high speed. The Golem, instantly covered by the net, struggles, but as the net’s output is increased, it immediately turns into ashes and disappears. Asel used a magic thread to fish out the core left alone amidst the scattering ashes and put it into his backpack.

“I’m a mage who uses this kind of magic.”

“……Lightning. They said the disciple of GaeByeok would participate, so that was you.”

“Has the rumor spread?”

“A few know. Not everyone.”

“Hmm…….”

To think the rumor spread even before entering the academy. It was unexpected. But it’s not a bad thing. There’s nothing to lose by being known. It didn’t seem necessary to pay much attention.

“I have a suggestion.”

Ellen spoke towards Asel, who was untangling his magic thread.

“How about moving together?”

“……Are you suggesting we accompany each other?”

“The magic you just showed. If you are a mage strong enough to handle a Golem in one strike, there’s no reason to refuse. The number of cores we’ve obtained here is currently 15. I will hand over a part of them, so let’s cooperate during the test.”

15 cores. It was quite a lot. But Asel didn’t feel much merit in her suggestion. There was no specific reason to cooperate.

“Okay. I’ll cooperate.”

But Asel accepted her suggestion.

It is true that if judged only by cores or passing the test, there was no need to accept her suggestion. But Asel had a great interest not only in Elena’s Blood Manipulation but also in the aura Ellen wielded. He wanted to actually see how they operated and handled mana.

He did see Paul’s or Sevia’s aura last night, but it ended so quickly. He was disappointed he didn’t have a chance to observe it in detail, but now that an opportunity had come, there was no reason to refuse. Originally, he was planning to accompany Elena during the test and observe Blood Manipulation due to his promise with her, so there was nothing bad about Ellen being added to that.

“Thank you. I’ll distribute them right away.”

Ellen immediately took out 5 cores from her pocket and handed them to Asel. Asel did not particularly refuse and accepted them, putting them into his backpack.

Now, carrying the backpack that felt quite heavy on his back, Asel gestured towards the bushes with his chin and said.

“Let’s go right away. Golems are gathered over there.”

“Did you use a detection magic?”

“That’s right.”

“When?”

“When I pointed.”

An absurd answer. Ellen suspected for a moment that Asel was lying, but then she sensed the presence of Golems caught by her expanded senses and let out a hollow laugh.

“……Amazing. Is it magic that can be used just like that, without any spell formula or anything?”

“How about going quickly instead of being surprised?”

Asel turned his head and asked. Ellen pointed to the boar lying on the ground with her hand and replied.

“We have to eat.”

“……Ah.”

As if he had just realized, Asel uttered a short sound and scratched his cheek.