Chapter 13: Underground Waterway #2

Chapter 13: Underground Waterway #2

Flora.

A beautiful girl with pigtails, giving off the vibe of a rich young lady.

A novice mage of the “Enchantment School.”

The only magic she has learned is “Magic Arrow.”

…Just one.

Estel Frostwind.

Cute, but a bit short.

Former Lich. Current aspiring mage.

Has not learned any magic yet. Carries a single dagger as a weapon.

Based on the above information…

‘Too weak.’

We are not ready yet.

To tackle the underground waterway, we need to become stronger than this.

So, we headed to the back alleys of the frontier.

“This is my first time here.”

Flora craned her neck, looking around this way and that.

Among the six starting points in “Nine Stars,” the Garden Western Frontier is not very popular.

It’s located on the border of the empire, making it less accessible, and the internal infrastructure of the town is also poor.

Furthermore, the fact that NPCs responsible for various functions within the town are hidden away as they please also contributes to its unpopularity.

How would someone visiting for the first time know that the NPC selling magic books is hidden in such a back alley?

“Wow! There are so many books piled up!”

In a dimly lit alley where sunlight barely reached.

We saw a pile of books that could be called a “paper sanctuary.”

We approached a crow sitting leaning against the pile of books.

The creature, with its face buried in a book, lifted its head with a gloomy expression.

“I’m here to buy books.”

“…All the books piled up in front of you are for sale, so pick whatever you want. Thin books are a thousand gold. Thick books are two thousand gold… No haggling whatsoever.”

The crow mumbled in a barely audible voice and then returned its gaze to the book it was reading.

This crow is quite unique among its kind.

It has no interest in weapons or precious metals, only obsessively collecting books- a peculiar creature.

Although it’s an NPC who sells magic books, it probably doesn’t realize it.

It is entirely up to the player to find magic books among the vast collection of thousands of books.

“Senior, you’ve seen ‘The Principles of Magic’ at the magic tower, right? We need to find that book now, so please help me.”

“Of course, I’ll help. But is that magic book really here?”

Flora seemed skeptical.

“It is. Definitely.”

I’m confident that a magic book is hidden somewhere here.

It’s information I’ve verified dozens of times in the game.

It’s only a matter of time, whether we find it late or early.

Thus, an hour after we began our search…

“Estel. Something terrible has happened.”

Flora said with a dejected expression.

“What is it?”

“There’s no next volume. I’m talking about volume 3 of ‘Departure☆Supernova Magical Girls’.”

“…”

“Oh, it ended so tantalizingly at the scene where Crimson Leo is in danger! How will they overcome this crisis… I’m dying of suspense!”

No wonder you were quiet in the corner since earlier.

Were you reading a comic book all this time?

I poked Flora’s head with the corner of the book I was holding.

“Ouch-“

“Senior, we are looking for a magic book, not a comic book.”

“R-right…”

Flora flinched, glancing at me.

“Shall I tell you what happens next?”

The “Magical Girl” comic Flora was reading is a kind of in-game work, with a setting that makes it quite famous within the game’s world.

Of course, I had already read it to the end.

“No, it’s okay! I want to read it myself.”

“Really? Senior, then…”

I put on a cruel smile.

“If you keep slacking off, I’ll just tell you the next volume’s content.”

“What? No! Please don’t do that!”

“You said volume 3, right? Here’s what happens next… Magical Girl Twilight Gemini appears and-“

“Wah, Waaak!”

The effect was tremendous.

Flora covered her ears and screamed.

And then, as if she really hated spoilers, she searched through the pile of books at double the speed.

Her movements were almost like “Acceleration” magic…

After thirty minutes.

“Hooa… E-Estel, Haa… I found it, I found it! Here-“

Flora, covered in sweat, held up a book above her head.

See, you can do it if you try.

I took the magic book from Flora, who had collapsed from exhaustion.

“The Principles of Magic: A Comprehensive Guide from Basics.”

Although it looks like a worn-out old book on the outside, its value is immense.

‘Without this book, I would have had to wait much longer to learn magic in a big city.’

However, the crow didn’t seem very interested in the book’s value.

“It’s thin, so a thousand gold.”

It just glanced at the book, distinguishing between thin and thick.

“What are you reading?”

“…”

When I asked, the crow briefly showed me the cover of the book.

“The Fairy and the Sea.”

It’s a story about a fairy who went out to sea in a small boat to catch a marlin.

Like most books in “Nine Stars,” it’s a parody of existing books in reality.

The original “The Fairy and the Sea” is probably Hemingway’s famous novel.

“Have you read it before?”

“Uh.”

“You know the ending too.”

“I don’t remember the details, but I have a general idea.”

The crow showed the first interest it had shown so far.

The crow showed me the torn back page of the book and said,

“As you can see, the back part is torn, so I can’t tell how the ending goes. I’ve read it many times and tried to guess on my own… but it’s not easy.”

“That must be frustrating.”

“That’s perfect timing. Hey, if you know the ending, won’t you tell me too? What happens to the fairy?”

There was a hint of desperation in the crow’s voice.

It seemed genuinely curious about the rest of the story.

‘It really seems like a living person.’

I had that thought.

In the game, this crow was just an NPC.

An NPC who sat in the same place every day and repeated the same actions endlessly.

But the man I was facing now was by no means a mannequin reciting only set lines.

I feel desire.

I feel lack.

This guy has his own life, and it’ll continue to exist solely on its own, regardless of my actions.

‘It’s not like a living person. It is alive.’

I was keenly reminded that “Nine Stars” had become another reality itself.

“The fairy only succeeds in catching the marlin.”

“I know that.”

“But she can’t bring it back to the port. A shark that followed her the whole way eats it.”

“…What?”

“When she arrives at the port, only the bare bones of the marlin remain. That’s the end.”

The crow furrowed its brow, thought for a moment, and then blurted out,

“You’re joking, right?”

“It’s true.”

“You’re toying with me. That’s enough, if you’re done, you can leave now.”

The crow pouted and started reading “The Fairy and the Sea” again.

***

「Entered Underground Waterway.」

 「An ancient waterway with foul-smelling sewage. Rats, bigger rats, and rat-people with cunning intelligence lurk within.」

 「Danger Level: Low-Mid」

***

Deep beneath the ground of the Garden Frontier.

We are walking through the underground waterway, where the stench is overwhelming.

“Estel, wait a moment!”

As we reached a bend in the path, Flora ran ahead.

Then she poked her head out and carefully surveyed the area ahead.

“It’s clear! You can come.”

She beckoned me, who was behind her.

Still, as a senior, she seems to want to set an example for her junior.

However, despite her commendable intentions, Flora’s legs have been trembling non-stop since earlier.

“Senior, don’t push yourself. I’ll take the lead.”

“Yes? Why? It’s okay- I’m fine.”

“This way is better. I have a good sense of direction.”

The winding paths of the underground waterway are like a labyrinth.

If we take a wrong turn by mistake, we might wander endlessly in the waterway and collapse from exhaustion.

And, for the sake of maintaining the party’s combat strength, it’s better for me to take the risk.

I can revive even if I die, but for Flora, death is final.

“But-“

“Senior, you are the core of our party. You are our trump card. You need to conserve your strength during normal times for important moments. Do you understand?”

“Trump card…! Understood!”

She laughs again with delight when I flatter her.

She’s such an easy person to handle.

As we moved forward, avoiding the rat droppings…

“Halt.”

I raised one hand.

Flora, who was following, whispered.

“What is it?”

“There’s a rat. A big one.”

“Eek…”

Flora winced.

She was disgusted by the small rats we encountered on the way, so it’s understandable that she’d be reluctant to see a giant rat.

However, for me, this is the moment I’ve been waiting for.

The real hunting begins now.

“It doesn’t know we’re nearby yet. Senior, are you ready?”

“Yes.”

This is perfect timing.

A single giant rat is the perfect prey to test the party’s strength.

Flora swallowed and created a small sphere of mana in her hand.

It’s “Magic Arrow,” the most basic offensive magic for a mage.

“Look, Estel. The key to gathering mana here is not to rush, but to clearly form the shape-“

“Senior, focus on the enemy in front of you.”

“Ah, yes!”

Flora, wanting to share her knowledge as a senior, but…

Now is not the time.

There’s no need for it either.

“Aim well, and like this-“

Bang-

With a bright flash, the mana projectile shot out like an arrow.

The giant rat, startled by the sudden bright light, turned around.

But it was already too late to react.

Crack.

The giant rat, hit unexpectedly in the flank, vomited blood, and its whiskers twitched violently.

It’s not a bad shot.

It shows that she learned the basic mana operation methods diligently at the magic tower, unlike a novice mage.

‘The power is a bit lacking, but it’s okay for now.’

The giant rat didn’t fall in one hit and glared at us, twitching its nose.

“Wh-what? Why isn’t it dead?”

“Stay calm, senior. Don’t look at me. Keep your eyes on the giant rat.”

“Ah, understood!”

Seriously, who is the senior here?

“Senior, that new magic you learned earlier? Let’s try that too.”

“Magic Shield, right? Understood!”

“The Principles of Magic: A Comprehensive Guide from Basics” teaches new magic tailored to the reader’s level.

It’s like the magic book itself has a will. It’s a kind of personalized education.

Therefore, even if people read the same book, the magic suggested by “The Principles of Magic” differs for each person.

Since Flora had already learned “Magic Arrow,” she was recommended “Magic Shield” as the next spell.

Screech-

The giant rat, groaning in pain, limped towards Flora.

“Ugh- I don’t like it! Please don’t come this way!”

Flora crossed her hands in an ‘X’ shape and thrust them forward.

Then, the magic shield was cast.

The charging giant rat slammed its head into the invisible barrier that suddenly appeared.

‘Oh? Magic Shield is quite useful.’

Perhaps it’s because she’s a mage from the Enchantment School, specializing in support magic.

Even though it’s her first time using magic, it’s much more advanced than “Magic Arrow.” And the usage is quite sensible.

‘She’s probably getting a good aptitude bonus.’

It might be best to focus Flora’s growth direction on support and defensive magic.

If so, the items should be…

No, even if it’s difficult, it would be better to find a spirit item…

I briefly considered Flora’s growth direction and shook my head.

It’s an unnecessary thought.

‘Well, I probably won’t be accompanying her for that long.’

After finishing off the giant rat, which had knocked itself out by hitting the magic shield, we continued forward.

We soon discovered another giant rat.

This time, it’s my turn.

By focusing my will in my mind, as if calling up the status window, mana began to gather on my palm, just like Flora.

‘I get it. It’s roughly this feeling.’

「Casting Magic Arrow.」

「Faint memories of lost experiences resurface. Receiving a bonus for exceptional talent.」

「Excellent aptitude for offensive magic. Receiving an aptitude bonus.」

A sphere of mana twice as large as the one Flora had shown earlier floated up.

“Estel, that’s it! You have talent!”

Flora, who had been chattering excitedly, suddenly fell silent.

“…Is this really your first time using magic?”

It is.

However, this girl named Estel seems to have been quite accomplished in her past life.

They say even a rich person’s ruin lasts for three years.

Anyway, even if I cast magic like this, it should be enough to catch a rat.

But since I’ve surprised her, should I show her something more interesting?

I made my hand into a pistol shape and aimed at the giant rat.

「Modifying magic in your own unique way.

-“Magic Arrow” changes to “Magic Arrow: Estel Style.”

-The destructive power of the magic is enhanced.

-The projectile speed of the magic is enhanced. 」

「Imbuing magic with a unique attribute.

-Frost attribute is added to “Magic Arrow: Estel Style.”」

A large sphere of mana began to concentrate on the tip of my index finger.

Calmly aiming.

Bang.