episode_0058

The moment he entered the vault, Asel’s lips curled into a wide grin at the immense amount of magic power that seemed to welcome him. An intangible vortex formed by a mixture of various kinds of magic power. The overwhelming waves of magic power filling it playfully danced around Asel, welcoming him.

“This is……”

No one present was insensitive to magic power. The three individuals who had reached the realm of Archmage felt the magic power swirling around Asel and let out exclamations of admiration. Ena wore a proud expression at the display of her disciple’s prowess.

It was truly extreme. Honestly, the way she doted on her disciple, ready to die for him, wasn’t exactly pleasant to behold; one wondered when she had become so smitten. There’s a limit to how much one can boast about their offspring/disciple.

Friede thought so and turned his head.

Asel was already freely wandering inside the vault. It seemed there was no need for further explanation. So Friede, letting him roam freely, began to look around the vault after a long time. Although the other mages didn’t say anything, they also took it upon themselves to explore the vast vault here and there.

‘It looks more like a warehouse than a vault.’

Asel thought, looking at the countless amount of weapons and armor displayed on the shelves.

Overall, it was a grayish space. The ceiling was high, and it stretched out wide, giving a feeling much like entering the material warehouse of a trade guild.

However, unlike a mere guild warehouse, the materials comprising this vault were entirely high-grade metals with excellent magic conductivity. The cost of building the vault alone was enough to buy a mansion in the imperial capital with plenty left over.

But the true value of this place wasn’t the vault itself, but the items contained within. Asel peered at a ring inside a transparent glass case and let out a low murmur.

There was no separate explanation written about the ring. However, Asel immediately realized the effect of the magic tool.

This was a magic tool inscribed with a spell that reverses injuries. A ring engraved with a high-level healing spell that, when magic power is infused, reverts all injuries on the body back to normal once a day. However, it had a critical flaw: the disadvantage of having to endure an immense amount of pain.

Although the spell was very effective compared to the drawback, well. Asel didn’t feel particularly drawn to this ring. While it would be good to have, there seemed no need to take it from here specifically. Asel immediately moved towards another display case.

Ultimately, the first thing he had to take was Cromwell’s legacy. However, manually searching for the magic tools slumbering in this vast vault was practically impossible. Even rummaging through them one by one would clearly take several days.

But fortunately, Asel had one means to find her legacy.

‘According to the records about Cromwell, all the magic tools she created were made for lightning users, right?’

If so, wouldn’t it be possible to find them by causing resonance with lightning-attributed magic power?

Having thought of it, there was no reason to hesitate. Asel immediately conjured dark blue lightning above his palm and scattered it in all directions.

Crackle.

The lightning, streaking quickly through the space, meticulously penetrated every corner of the vault. As it did so, it writhed, seeking similar magic power to resonate with.

“……!”

Before long, Asel could feel fragments of familiar magic power starting to register from a corner of the vault. He moved towards that location without hesitation. The extended lightning guided him.

Upon arrival, a small box was placed there. The magic power emanating from within resonated with Asel’s magic power, causing small bolts of lightning to flow around it. Asel swallowed once, then carefully opened the box. He had surrounded his body with all sorts of defensive spells in case an explosion occurred inside.

Click.

The box opened with a soft sound. Fortunately, the feared situation did not occur. The lightning still emanated, but it didn’t go wild or rampage violently. Asel inwardly sighed in relief as he examined the inside of the box.

“……?”

His expression changed subtly.

Inside the box lay an old book and a plant emitting blue lightning. The magic power flowing from the plant resonated with Asel’s magic power, repeatedly flashing as if a heart were beating.

It was a peculiar sight. While there were quite a few plants in the world containing magic power, plants with such a specific attribute were rare. Furthermore, the magic herbs discovered so far were all related to the five elements; a plant emitting lightning like this was not even listed in dictionaries.

‘To think of it as merely rare is an understatement.’

If it had been discovered even once by explorers or mages, its name or characteristics would surely have been included in dictionaries. This meant that this plant had never before come into the sight of others, except for the person who placed it here.

“…….”

Asel narrowed his eyes and, instead of touching the plant, first picked up the book lying beside it. The book, which had seemed frozen as if time had stopped, fluttered the moment Asel’s hand touched it, as if coming back to life, shaking off all the accumulated dust.

Whoosh.

Amidst the scattering dust, the tightly closed book suddenly opened and began forcibly consuming Asel’s magic power. While he could have resisted, Asel calmly waited until the book had taken enough of his magic power.

If the book had emitted an aura as if trying to harm him, Asel would have torn it apart without hesitation. But the book showed no such sign at all; instead, it only gave off a clean and pure energy. It was to the extent that he didn’t feel the need to resist.

Soon, the absorption of magic power finished. Simultaneously, the book, which had been flipping pages randomly, stopped at a certain point.

It was a blank page with nothing written on it. But Asel narrowed his eyes and stared at that blank page. At that moment, with a sound like something splitting, black letters began to engrave themselves onto the pristine white paper.

[Thunder-鳴ing Grass (雷鳴草)]

[This is a term referring to a life herb that, far from burning when struck by lightning, absorbs its power. Cromwell first discovered it during her lifetime and named it herself. However, she did not list it in dictionaries. She had a peculiar bad habit of not widely publicizing things she newly discovered. The Thunder-鸣ing Grass here is the one she first discovered, gifted as a commemoration of the Academy’s establishment.]

As if reciting a dictionary, an explanation about the plant was written on the book in real-time. Asel let out a scoff at the absurd sight, and as if in response, the writing letters paused for a moment. Then, shortly after, they wrote out a new sentence.

[It seemed you wished to view this information, so I was informing you. If you wish to stop, I shall do so.]

“……What is this?”

At the sentence, which was like conversing, Asel’s face completely hardened as he murmured. He immediately drew out magic power and began searching for the spells cast on the book.

But no spells were detected. It was simply a book that used only the absorbed magic power to open pages and record letters on its own.

It was an object far beyond common sense. Even Asel dared not even guess at the book’s principle or identity. It was to the extent that he wondered if it was even an object created by humans in the first place.

And the book, as if reading his thoughts, wrote out a new sentence.

[I am a book with selfhood, created by the Demon of Knowledge. However, when my first owner died at the hands of Cromwell, ownership was transferred to her. And through various adjustment processes, I lost some knowledge but was modified so that I could be used with human magic power as well.]

“……Was it a demon’s object?”

[Strictly speaking, no longer. I no longer react to demonic energy, and my method has been changed to react only to potent magic power. Since Cromwell’s death, I haven’t met a mage comparable to her level, so I haven’t been able to welcome a new owner, but fortunately, you have discovered me. I wish to take you as my new owner.]

Elegant sentences continued on the white paper.

[Originally, I cannot react to anyone except a lightning user. Cromwell had taken measures so that ownership would not be stolen again by a demon or a fallen mage, and because of that, despite possessing potent magic power, one must be able to use lightning magic to handle me. You are the first such individual besides Cromwell. Please, use me.]

“The reason you were here is because Cromwell handed you over to the Academy along with the Thunder-鸣ing Grass?”

[That is correct.]

He was starting to get a feel for the existence of this book. A bizarre document with selfhood that reacts only to a person it recognizes as an owner or wishes to become one. If its origin is from a demon, it makes sense that it operates in such a bizarre form.

[Please call me wondrous rather than bizarre. Doesn’t hearing ‘bizarre’ feel unpleasant?]

A demon is a being that once transcended even to grasping a part of divinity. Although it was modified by Cromwell’s hand, an object created by such a being would hardly have its performance degrade just because it was modified. If it were such a shoddy object, it would have been shattered long ago.

[You understand well. As you thought, my performance is no different from when I was first created. Because all memories from when I was in the hands of the Demon of Knowledge were castrated, I only know the knowledge gained while with Cromwell, but my performance is certainly reliable.]

“Shut up for a bit. I’m thinking.”

[Yes, sir.]

After admonishing the constantly newly written letters, Asel pondered, letting out a low murmur.

He understood that its performance was good. To put it simply, this book was no different from combining dozens of libraries into one. Furthermore, it was possible to access any desired knowledge at any time. It was a portable storehouse of knowledge that any mage would dream of. That object was currently in his hand.

Despite this, he couldn’t just readily accept it. No matter that it had passed through Cromwell’s hands, its origin was a being rooted in a demon. It wouldn’t be strange for something terrible to happen if he rashly took it.

Unless there was credible proof.

The moment Asel thought that, the book’s pages turned on their own, revealing a new chapter. Unlike the previous blank page, this one was densely filled with writing. Among the countless written words, Asel read the sentence that shimmered particularly clearly.

[To you, the lightning user newly born to follow after me, who holds great talent, I gift this book. This is neither a demon’s whisper nor a fabricated lie. I swear on my name, Cromwell. This is a grimoire that has completely shed its old form through my hands and a library that will aid in your growth. If you doubt these words, please use magic power and cause it to resonate with the letters I have written. Immediately, you will know that everything I have said is true.]

“……These are sentences left by Cromwell herself. The handwriting is different from yours.”

[She was a great mage and researcher. After all, she personally engraved letters onto a book that no one but I could write in.]

Instead of replying, Asel, as the book instructed, conjured magic power and made it resonate with the letters. Then, unlike his own magic power felt from the book, he could feel the magic power of someone else, which was destructive yet refined.

It was Cromwell’s. The specter of the past had left its trace in the present in this manner.

[Do you believe it now?]

New letters were engraved onto the empty space. Asel gazed down at them calmly, then let out a chuckle and opened his mouth.

“Having a talking book might be nice.”

[That is an excellent choice. From now on, I shall recognize you as my new owner. I am recording and saving information about your magic power.]

[Saved. From now on, you are my new master.]

The moment those phrases were engraved, the page turned, revealing a new blank space.

Letters were written upon it.

[My name is Alef.]

[I will be the answer to all the questions you desire.]