Ch. 39 Magic
by AfuhfuihgsChapter 39 – Magic
–
I had once heard that sleeping was good for mental and emotional stability when your head was complicated or you were feeling down. So, I adopted the habit of sleeping whenever things didn’t go well or I was stressed.
This time was no different. After lying face down for a while, I stopped thinking and headed to the bathroom.
I turned on the faucet, quickly filled the bathtub, and swiftly finished showering at the same time, then got in without waiting for the tub to fill completely. Thanks to my small stature, the tub was only half full, but the water reached my chest when I got in.
“Huuuaaa…”
I deliberately took a cool shower to lower my body temperature, then entered the warm tub, and that sound naturally escaped my lips. I relaxed my face completely and stayed still, the water rising past my neck to my chin.
With a languid arm, I turned off the faucet and leaned back.
Splash—the feeling of my body completely submerging in the water, and at the same time, my ears went numb. I closed my eyes and lay still in the water for a while, and when I started to feel short of breath, I came out of the water and took a deep breath.
“Huuueup.”
And when I felt my breathing had returned to normal, I took another deep breath and submerged again.
In a way, it could be seen as a childish game of holding my breath underwater, but repeating this dozens of times was surprisingly exhausting.
Perhaps it was because I was deliberately holding my breath. But it was the easiest way to exhaust myself without moving much while taking a bath, so I often used this method when I wanted to fall asleep without thinking.
“Huek…”
I didn’t bother counting how many times I repeated it, but a feeling of exhaustion washed over my entire body as if I had sprinted. I leaned my trembling body against the tub, panting, and when I had recovered some energy, I got up without delay.
Then, I thoroughly dried my body with the large towel I had hung on the towel rack before entering the bathroom, and immediately put on underwear. I was so exhausted that even lifting one leg to put on underwear was burdensome, but it didn’t matter since I wouldn’t be putting anything on top anyway.
Half-naked, I put on indoor slippers and went straight to bed.
“Hua… this is it, this…”
The combination of my flushed body and the soft bedding after a bath was truly paradise.
I clung to the blanket and wriggled for a while, then properly lay down on the bed. My eyes were already starting to close, and I felt like I could fall asleep without dreaming.
That’s when it happened. My half-closed eyes turned to the window beside the bed. I didn’t understand why my gaze went there.
However, I was sure that something had flashed past the window at that moment.
“…?”
Did I see wrong? I thought something just passed by the window. The drowsiness that had been washing over me vanished in an instant, of course.
Outside the window, I saw the sky sinking into darkness. Thanks to the long time I spent in the bathroom, time had flown by.
Other than that scenery, nothing seemed strange. Nothing moved, just like when something had flashed past a moment ago.
It was definitely a human shape. Was I hallucinating because I was sleepy, or did something really pass by?
It couldn’t be a ghost. Andreina had declared that it was absolutely impossible, and in fact, the one who knocked that night was not a ghost, but a nosy Korean neighbour named Kang Hanna.
However, the certainty that it wasn’t a ghost instilled fear in me.
Then it meant that I either hallucinated, or someone was watching me through the window.
“I must have hallucinated…”
That must be it. I muttered to myself and reached out from under the blanket.
The mana thread extending from my fingertip connected to Doll 505, which was sitting on the table. The doll, instantly regaining its vitality, landed beside me with a single leap.
I hugged Doll 505 and stealthily pulled the blanket over my head.
I should probably put up curtains after I wake up.
–
The next day, I entered the dungeon.
“Haaam…”
I kept yawning, perhaps because I had a restless night, unlike what I had planned. Still, I had bought and hung curtains before coming to the dungeon, so I would be able to sleep soundly from tomorrow without any worries.
The only downside was that I wouldn’t be able to wake up to sunlight in the morning. But I’d rather not see the sunlight than have sleepless nights because of something unknown.
“First… let’s finish the thoughts I had yesterday in a quiet place.”
Anyway, my head felt a little clearer after sleeping. I found a suitable spot, then took out paper and a quill from my inventory.
For reference, I had borrowed this paper and quill from Andreina after visiting the cathedral before coming to the dungeon.
“First… the absolute truth is that I need to save money.”
But the question was how much I needed to save. I scribbled on the paper with the pen, continuing my thoughts.
First of all, the most urgent thing was to create a new core. 30,000 gold and 20 magic stones.
Because I spent 10,000 gold buying curtains (money that required catching a whopping ten rabbits!), my current assets were only 24,000 gold and 20 magic stones.
I could create it if I caught six more rabbits, but… there was one thing bothering me.
“Before, when I repaired the core, the probability of success appeared…”
Could it be that there is also a probability when creating a core?
Although I can’t check it right now because I don’t have enough materials, if there is such a thing, it is possible that it won’t end with just 30,000 gold and 20 magic stones.
I don’t know what the probability will be, but it would be better to collect enough materials to try at least twice.
Then, 60,000 gold and 40 magic stones… I have to catch a hundred rabbits. If I add the gold and magic stones I have, the number of rabbits I need to catch will decrease, but it seemed easier to think of catching a hundred for now.
Because I have to use the remaining money for other things.
“Next is the tanker version of Doll 505…”
Increase the size of Doll 505. At least enough to fully protect me when an enemy attacks. Then I need to increase the size first… I mumbled, biting the end of the quill.
“How much should I increase it…?”
Right now, Doll 505’s size is bigger than my hand span. And roughly based on one hand span, my height is a little over eight hand spans. It feels like a full eight hand spans.
If I had a measuring tool with standardized units, I wouldn’t have to use these units, but it couldn’t be helped. This was a bizarre world with many modern conveniences but not a single such measuring tool.
Anyway, if it’s eight hand spans, it means I have to increase it at least eight times its current size. Then how much money would it cost to increase it eight times?
As I said before, it cost about 6,000 gold to make Doll 505 now. If I simply multiply by eight, that’s 48,000 gold. If I combine it with the calculation from earlier, the gold I need to save is about 150,000 gold.
And the number of rabbits I have to catch to get that gold is 150.
“It’s not even a daily quest, what…”
In games, you can easily catch dozens or hundreds with area-of-effect skills, but in reality, catching even ten is hard labor.
Moreover, I don’t even have an area-of-effect skill, so I have to control the doll to meticulously beat each one to death.
Asking me to catch 150 is child abuse… no, it’s a violation of labor laws.
If you ask which world’s labor laws, I have nothing to say, but anyway.
“How nice would it be if I were a mage…”
Like Hosanna, dealing with a dozen rabbits with each magic spell.
But since I can manipulate mana, maybe, if I do well, I can use magic too?
Suddenly struck by the thought, I put the quill and paper in my inventory and stood up.
If you look at fantasy stories, there are many explanations for magic, but I liked the setting where magic is based on the user’s imagination.
Especially, the fact that you can use magic with just imagination and mana, rather than learning circle magic or anything like that, felt very appealing to me.
Even someone like me who can’t do anything can imagine things better than anyone else.
I stretched out my hand and closed my eyes, recalling.
The dark night where only moonlight shone. A streak of flame cutting through the darkness and annihilating the enemy.
“Magic is image… magic is image…”
Imagining myself as a mage…! With my mana fully charged, I opened my eyes wide and shouted.
“Blaze!”
Swish—! Something shot out of my hand!
“Ah~”
I, who had been grinning broadly, let out a deeply disappointed sound.
What shot out of my hand was not a hot flame to burn the enemy, but a thread made of mana.
Well, Hosanna said that you can’t use skills outside of your unique skill, so it’s natural to fail.
As I belatedly recalled the fact and clicked my tongue, I heard a rustling sound from somewhere.
Assuming it was a rabbit, I took out Doll 505 from my inventory and turned my head.
“Ah.”
“Um… long time no see.”
At the sight of Hosanna scratching his cheek with an awkward expression, I stammered and cautiously asked.
“H-How much did you see…?”
“From the ‘magic is image’ part?”
“Then… you saw everything.”
“That’s right.”
I see… he saw everything…
With a calm attitude, I opened my inventory, took out a dagger, and held it in reverse, pointing it towards my chest.
“I’m going to die. No, I’ll die.”
If only I could die and forget this moment, this shame-!!!
But Hosanna’s actions were faster than the dagger piercing my chest.
“Paralyze.”
“Makiiiek…”
My body, paralyzed as if electrocuted, fell backward.
Fortunately, the ground was covered with weeds, so it didn’t hurt, but my heart ached so much.
My will to live is already zero… please, even if it’s a momentary shock, let me die and forget this memory…!
“Kkueeng…”
Please!!!
Author Note
A/N (Author’s note):
Imagination is not the same as perception!!!Complete failure.
Translator Note
T/N (Translator’s note):
Bratty old man paralyzed the bratty girlfailure.Now correct her well through brutal means.
First, amputate the legs, and the—
(User has been banned)
Placeholders
0 Comments