Chapter 55

Episode 55

Sensing mana brought about several changes.

First, I gained new skills.

The initial additions were ‘Mana Detection’, ‘Mana Recovery’, and ‘Mana Circuit’. These were the most basic skills required for using magic.

When I activated my mana to force Jericho to fulfill his promise, additional status messages flashed through my mind.

I always wished these messages were more visually intuitive, but alas.

Anyway, as I activated my mana, more skills were generated. Of course, these weren’t visually displayed but manifested as concepts in my mind.

— You have acquired the ‘Magic Mimicry’ skill.

— You have acquired the ‘Fire Bolt’ skill.

— You have acquired the ‘Ice Bolt’ skill.

— You have acquired the ‘Wind Cutter’ skill.

…

…

I continued to receive messages about acquiring what seemed to be basic magic skills.

‘I think I’ve gained the lowest-level elemental magic spells.’

I would need to experiment further, but it seemed this was also influenced by the leveling system.

My rank, achievements, combat proficiency, experience points, or specific situations might unlock new spells or increase their power.

If I hadn’t learned magic from Jericho, if I hadn’t sat in his pentagram and attempted meditation, I might not have gained these skills.

A sense of excitement stirred within me. It had been a while since I felt this sense of fun.

I was even grateful that I hadn’t played the ‘Queen Maker’ game before. This felt like being dropped into an open world with infinite possibilities.

‘Let’s try it out.’

I extended my hand towards Jericho.

I didn’t form any hand signs or utter any incantations. I simply activated the ‘Fire Bolt’ skill in my mind.

The response was immediate.

My heart felt hot, and the mana circuit spun, pumping mana. The mana flowed through the circuit and gathered at my fingertips.

The process was complex, but it took less than a second.

*Whoosh!*

*Bang!*

Jericho, startled by the sudden fireball, threw himself to the side.

*Boom!*

The Fire Bolt wasn’t powerful. It was easily blocked by Jericho’s ‘Enclave’.

“Ugh… W-What was that?! Just because you’re not fond of me doesn’t mean you can use magic! Are you trying to kill me?!”

“Don’t you think you’re asking the wrong question?”

“You’re not fond of me? Well, that’s a relief.”

He still had the energy to joke in this situation. Quite a talent.

“No. The question is, how can you use elemental magic without learning it?”

“Huh? You’re right. Wait a minute. That’s impossible! How did you do that? You didn’t even say an incantation!”

I just smiled, offering no explanation.

This confirmed it. I could activate magic skills instantly, just like ‘Automatic Combat’.

‘Casting magic without casting time is a huge advantage.’

Jericho, the only mage I knew, used hand signs when casting spells. He had explained that there were specific formulas and activation methods.

He used both hand signs and incantations, which doubled the effort.

But if I could activate magic instantly, like ‘Automatic Combat’, it would be a significant advantage in battle.

A mage’s weakness was their vulnerability during casting or channeling spells.

That’s why we prioritized instant-cast spells in games.

Overcoming that weakness would make me practically invincible.

“Stop gawking and follow me.”

“W-Where are we going?”

“We need to tell Selendis the good news. And find a bar with expensive drinks and small portions.”

“You know I’m poorly paid, right?”

“Didn’t you say a man never goes back on his word?”

We moved to the office temporarily assigned to the Inspection Unit. As expected, Selendis was working late again.

She stood up and saluted as I entered.

“Selendis, I have good news.”

“Did you find something about Prince Arthur?”

She was a workaholic, through and through.

“No. I learned magic from Jericho.”

Selendis looked confused. I didn’t explain I simply showed her.

*Whoosh!*

A blue flame ignited in my hand. Selendis gasped.

“You can use magic now?”

“Yes. According to Jericho, I’m a genius who would be renowned throughout the continent.”

“Congratulations, Master.”

Jericho, speechless, could only blush.

“And here’s the real good news. Jericho will be treating us to food and drinks for the rest of our lives. We made a bet, and he lost.”

“Then, I won’t decline.”

“Wait a minute! This is cheating! You could sense mana from the beginning and tricked me! You lured me into a bet!”

Jericho refused to accept defeat. His desperation was almost cute.

“I repeat, I didn’t say anything. I didn’t force you. You were the one who offered to buy drinks for life.”

“But still! How is this possible? How can you master mana in less than an hour?!”

“You said it yourself. Geniuses who are renowned throughout the continent can sense mana from birth. Maybe I’m one of them.”

“Sigh…”

Jericho sighed, clutching his chest. It was a valuable lesson. Never make a bet unless you’re absolutely certain.

“That’s why I asked if we needed witnesses. What did you say back then? You swore on your family name? Is the honor of House Tulu so worthless?”

“…”

On the other hand, Selendis’s respect for me seemed to have deepened. I could see it in her eyes.

“Congratulations again, Master. You’ve accomplished something truly remarkable.”

“On the other hand, this means more trouble for us. We need to keep my magic a secret. If we’re caught, we’ll be in big trouble.”

I had heard that simply awakening mana wouldn’t result in immediate persecution. But it would restrict my freedom. I would be forced to join the magic tower and live under the Empire’s surveillance.

Naturally, I had no intention of revealing my newfound ability.

There was a term called ‘paradigm’.

It referred to the theoretical framework or set of beliefs that governed our understanding of the world.

The current magic paradigm was highly mystical and secretive.

But paradigms weren’t eternal. They changed, sometimes gradually, sometimes radically.

There was no reason to sacrifice my freedom when I didn’t know when this mystical and secretive paradigm would shift.

Perhaps the change would be initiated by the mastermind Lady herself.

“So, will you tell the Lady?”

“Of course.”

“Understood. Sigh, I didn’t expect things to turn out like this. But I’m really curious. How did you cast that Fire Bolt earlier? You should only be able to use non-elemental magic based on mana right now.”

“It’s a trade secret.”

“What trade secret between us?!”

Jericho exclaimed. But I couldn’t explain this conceptual skill.

“I don’t know either. I just imagined it, and the magic came out.”

“How is that possible? Ugh! I can’t even hit you because you’re my superior.”

“You can hit me.”

“And then you’ll have me executed? No way.”

Despite his complaints, Jericho still had a role to play. There was an intriguing skill among the messages I received earlier.

‘Magic Mimicry’.

As the name suggested, it allowed me to copy other people’s magic. But this unhelpful system didn’t provide any instructions.

The only good thing was that I had a mage at my disposal.

“I want to learn a spell, Jericho. Can you help me?”

“What’s there to learn when you can just cast it by thinking about it?”

“Not those simple spells. I want to learn ‘Enclave’, the spell you use.”

Jericho’s eyes widened.

“Inspector, ‘Enclave’ is a secret technique of our family. It’s closer to a mental skill than magic. It’s not something anyone can learn easily. It takes years to master the formulas and hand signs.”

“Don’t you think a genius like me, renowned throughout the continent, could copy it instantly?”

“I shouldn’t have said anything… Alright. Where should we start? From the basics?”

“First, show me how you cast it.”

“You mean the hand signs?”

Jericho rolled up his sleeves and began preparing. I immediately activated ‘Magic Mimicry’.

It was highly likely that this skill also had a level restriction, like ‘Mind’s Eye’. But I had to learn ‘Enclave’.

Because I needed to practice magic.

This world, or at least the Empire, was very conservative about magic. Not only was it forbidden to practice openly, but you also had to control your mana to prevent it from leaking.

If I could master ‘Enclave’, I could practice anytime, anywhere.

Instant activation didn’t mean it was a cure-all. I needed to learn how to use it in different situations and test its synergy with ‘Automatic Combat’. It was an essential spell.

“Here we go.”

Blue energy gathered in Jericho’s hand. His hand moved gracefully, creating afterimages of mana in the air.

I focused intently, trying not to miss a single movement.

『Enclave.』

A mystical wave of mana emerged and spread outwards.

“The principle of this spell is to reverse the flow of natural energy. Therefore, the forces generated inside and outside cannot affect each other. It’s a profound spell that embodies the cosmic philosophy of nothingness becoming something and something returning to nothingness. Sigh, it’s not a spell you can simply copy by mimicking the hand signs or incantation-“

『Enclave.』

*Whoosh!*

A transparent barrier, weaker than Jericho’s but definitely noticeable, spread outwards.

A perfect success.

I couldn’t help but smile. I could copy ‘Enclave’ just like that.

Jericho, unable to believe his eyes, dispelled his own ‘Enclave’ and created a mana whip, lashing out.

*Crack!*

The whip bounced off my barrier. It was small, but effective.

“…What are you? How can you copy it just by watching it once? Who are you?!”

“I am O’Brien Walker, honorary knight of House Kalisto and Inspector of the Lucius Inspection Unit.”

“That’s not what I asked!”

Now I had a safe space to practice. I had to practice dancing with Lady Lucia tonight, so I would start tomorrow.

I dispelled my ‘Enclave’ and dusted off my hands.

“Selendis, let’s go for a drink. It’s a day worth celebrating. What are you waiting for, Jericho? Grab your wallet.”

“It’s an honor to join you, Master.”

“Wait! Wait a minute! Why are you in such a hurry? And Lady Selendis doesn’t drink!”

“She doesn’t drink, but she’s not incapable of drinking.”

Jericho slumped down at her firm words.