The Greedy Grimoire #1
"Theodore Miller."
A man with dark circles under his eyes called Theodore's name. The man's thin cheeks pushed his cheekbones higher, giving off a bonier impression. He would've been considered a resident of the slums if he had been dressed poorly.
However, this man was actually a third-grade professor and a 5th Circle master, making him one of the best within Bergen Academy.
The skinny man, Professor Vince, spoke in a businesslike tone, "You should know why I called you."
Theodore Miller, shortened to Theo, nodded with a shadowed face. This was because he couldn't bear to open his mouth and answer the question. He had been prepared for a while, but it felt like his heart was falling apart now that it was actually happening.
"Your written grades are brilliant. You were only deducted three points among all your subjects. Even then, they were just minor mistakes. There was no one else who could answer it except for you, so you can think of it as a perfect score."
Although it couldn't be confirmed publicly, some test questions had been 'designed to be wrong'. It was a tacit rule in the academy so that a full score wouldn't be granted easily. Nevertheless, Theo only had points deducted for three questions. Perhaps it was a better performance than some professors.
Vince admired the talent of this young man while feeling sad at the very same time. It was because Theodore Miller lacked the talent to become a magician.
"However, you can't graduate because your practical results were a failure."
The decisive voice pressed firmly on Theo's back.
The academy had two graduation requirements: one was to have a written score above 70 points; and the other was to become a 3rd Circle master. The former wasn't difficult, but the latter condition was the problem.
For Theo, who had been born with a low amount of magic power and sensitivity, the wall of the 3rd Circle was too high for him. Even though he had reduced his amount of sleep just so he could practice, he couldn't even reach the level of his classmates' feet. Despite his practice, his magic would pour out wildly.
As a result, Theo hadn't been able to graduate for three years.
"Hu… Theodore, what circle are you now?" Professor Vince asked with frustration.
He had asked the same question last year and the year before that. However, the answer had never changed. Theo once again repeated the same answer, "…2nd Circle."
It was a terrible number.
Most of the academy's students usually reached the 2nd Circle by the end of the first grade and the 3rd Circle when they entered the third grade. It wasn't uncommon for excellent students to reach the 4th Circle by graduation.
However, Theo had stayed at the academy for five years and still couldn't cross the wall of the 3rd Circle. Additionally, that wasn't the only problem.
"Have you mastered 2nd Circle magic?"
"…I failed." Theo's voice died down even further.
If the only thing that was lacking was just the amount of magic power, then he could supply it from outside sources. This was a bit expensive to do, but if he took reagents made of magic power, he could gain enough power needed for the 3rd Circle.
However, Theo's sensitivity was close to the bottom, and this was indispensable for using magic. The lack of magic power could be overcome, but there was no method to increase mana sensitivity.
It was why Professor Vince had given up on sponsoring Theo.
'It is a waste of Theo's brilliance, but… with poor magic sensitivity, he will never survive as a magician. Spending 5 years and not even mastering 2nd Circle magic, it is hopeless.'
He looked down at Theo with a wistful expression.
Any other student would've given up sooner… Theo, who knew better than anyone else that he was without talent, had been trying for three years. That commitment was incomparable to the other students who had grown up like plants in a greenhouse.
If Theo had ordinary levels of magic sensitivity, then the position of chief graduate would've been his.
However, reality was too cruel to Theo.
Professor Vince pulled out an envelope from the drawer and hesitated for a moment. This wasn't the first time, but it felt like the weight of the envelope had increased as the years passed. It was a letter given to a grade repeater.
"This is my role as a professor, but… I can't help feeling like I'm doing something wrong to you. I'm sorry."
"…No, it's fine."
"Read it once and discard it. There shouldn't be anything different from last year, but you never know."
Theo accepted the envelope calmly.
His fingers were continuously on the verge of trembling, but he managed to resist it somehow. This was his third repeater letter. Receiving it once would make someone an object of ridicule, while receiving it twice would make someone the shame of their family.
Theo was the only student at Bergen Academy ever to have received it three times.
More than anything, the third repeater letter had a separate meaning. This was the last one. A fourth letter didn't exist.
Professor Vince hadn't said it, but if Theodore Miller didn't graduate next year, he would be expelled. It would be a scandal so disgraceful that it would be better for him to quit and defend his honour.
'Is it only up to here?'
Theo looked down at the repeater letter with empty eyes.
His eyes which had once been filled with dreams were darkening. The young man, who had stepped into the academy to become a great magician, now had to face the grim reality which would cause his knees to buckle.
'I can do it next year. I can graduate next year.' Such a hope was now devastating for him, as he stood on the precipice of ruin.
Theodore Miller…
He was born the eldest son of a disgraced noble family. The Miller family, which at one time had served the feudal lords as earls, had been pushed to their downfall 100 years ago. Their attempts at re-establishing their family had left nothing for Theo.
So, Theo had wanted to become a magician. Unlike those who had to undergo harsh training since childhood, children with noble titles were able to enter the academy without much difficulty. He thought he was quite smart, so he convinced his parents and stepped inside, beyond the threshold of the Royal Academy.
However, it was up to there. Theo would sleep later and got up earlier than anyone else. He worked enthusiastically in class and reduced his amount of sleep in order to practice his mana. Rather than blaming the scarce environment, Theo had believed he would be rewarded if he put in more effort.
'Was I too optimistic?'
His classmates had graduated two years ago, and juniors one year younger than him had graduated already. Now, there would be juniors two years younger than him who would accept their degrees.
Even the new students knew his name. He was the academy's long-time dunce.
Theo would bring dishonour to the fallen Miller family.
'Where did it go wrong?'
Was it when the spells used in the first test had failed? When he had realized that it was hopeless with his magic sensitivity? When he had accepted his first repeater letter a few days before the graduation ceremony? When he had thought that his efforts had been lacking after receiving two letters?
Or maybe… it had been when he first dreamt about becoming a magician.
'Dammit.'
So far, he had never resented his own poverty. There were people who ate less than him and those who couldn't live in abundance. Even though their status had fallen, Theo was still a noble and had managed to enter the Royal Academy.
However, his patience was reaching its limit.
The magic reagents which other students drank like water? Theo had given up on those knowing that one bottle would cost two months of the Miller family's budget.
Hiring another magician as a private tutor? He wouldn't be able to afford one even if he sold the Miller estate.
Of course, many students graduated without using such methods. They increased their magic power with natural born talent and didn't need to be taught separately. With no talent or no money…
One could still graduate even if they were lacking just one of these things. However, Theodore Miller had nothing.
"I should be going back."
As soon as the professor nodded in agreement, Theo turned around.
He wasn't confident about maintaining this cool composure much longer. His calm face was already half-distorted. At the very least, he didn't want the professor to see something so ugly.
Bang.
The door closed with a harsher sound than when he'd entered.
With a heavy expression, Professor Vince looked toward the door through where Theo had disappeared, but the professor soon dropped his gaze back down to the book he was reading. The pages of the book weren't turned for a long time.
* * *
Ding!
The loud bell could be heard in the hallway. It was a clock signaling that it was evening.
Due to magic, the volume was constant no matter where it was heard. Students staying in the dormitory couldn't leave school after this time, while students not staying in the dormitories were required to leave.
As Theo headed to the dormitory blankly, he suddenly stopped moving.
"…Come to think of it, I haven't eaten dinner yet."
Should he go to the cafeteria now?
He thought for a moment before shaking his head. Due to the repeater notice in his hand, Theo didn't have any appetite. Should he go back to the dormitory and sleep? No, his drowsiness had been lifted a long time ago. It would be fortunate if he didn't get a nightmare while sleeping.
In the end, Theo's footsteps headed to the same place as always.
It was a place that rarely had visitors, and it was the most comfortable place for him in Bergen Academy—the library.
The Greedy Grimoire #2
The library wasn't far from the dormitory.
When he was a few steps away the library's shabby door, the scent of old paper and bookshelves tickled his nose. It was a pleasant smell he was now familiar with.
After pushing the door half-open, the empty library was revealed.
'Well, I thought it would be like this.'
The sight was always the same. It could be said that no student other than Theodore Miller would be found in the library after class.
Most of the books collected here talked about difficult concepts which the professors only explained the simplest parts of in class. There was no reason for adolescents to feel excited when they were busy playing.
Thanks to that, Theo was able to secure a peaceful space.
"Today… I should look up lightning magic one more time."
Theo walked between the bookshelves in a familiar manner. Having spent five years in this library, he was able to find any book with his eyes closed. Even professors who occasionally came to find books would come to Theo before the librarians, so there was no doubts about his accuracy.
Theo pulled out the books he wanted.
'[Lightning Magic Primer]… I've memorized everything, but I might have missed something. Additionally, [Why is Lightning Difficult to Control?] could be helpful. [Principles Behind Lightning Strikes]? It is closer to meteorology than magic, but let's take this as well.'
Three thick books were instantly piled up.
Each book was very thick. Even a person with a fast reading spend would have to spend a day and a half to finish them. One book might be memorized, but that didn't apply to the other two books.
There would be a loud spectacle if other students needed to read this for homework. However, to Theo, this thickness was only a day's worth of reading. The professors were aware of this but ignored it because it was no use.
If they knew the amount of knowledge Theo had read, they wouldn't be able to hide their regret like Professor Vince.
Rustle… rustle…
There was only the sound of pages being turned in the library.
Theo liked this silent time. It was because he coveted knowledge which could help him shake off this suffocating situation. Here, there were no professors who dismissed Theo or students making jokes.
Theo channeled all his stress into studying everyday. Theo's superior brain was used to this stress, and it absorbed the knowledge which had been accumulated in the library like fleece sucking up water.
It had been five years. Was he imagining it?
As Theo looked at the books carefully, it was like the letters on the paper were sparkling.
* * *
Tak.
Theo's fingers closed the last book. This was the third book. The clock in the library was pointing to 10 o'clock. He had arrived in the library at 6 o'clock, so he had read three books in only four hours. This was a pace truly worthy of being called speed reading.
'Um, that was quite interesting.'
They were interesting books. In particular, [Why is Lightning Difficult to Control?] systematically summarized why lightning magic was so difficult.
The most difficult spell in the 2nd Circle was 'Lightning Bolt' as creating lightning and keeping it flowing in a straight line was difficult. It wasn't uncommon for even 3rd or 4th Circle magicians to be inexperienced with lightning magic.
Theo laid aside the book before aiming his palm at the window and muttering.
"Lightning Bolt."
Just maybe… He hoped it would work.
Pajik.
However, the result was as expected. There was faint electrostatic discharge before the spell was broken. The formula of the magic spell was perfect, but his ability to control it was too weak. A person who lacked control couldn't be a magician.
It was something he had heard time and time again, but it was still a sad sight.
"Damn! What the hell is wrong with me…!"
Sensitivity was also known as affinity, and it was considered a talent. It referred to one's ability to control magic power. Magicians with high sensitivity were more powerful than other magicians, even if the same spell was used. It was the same for the rate of magic power accumulation.
Therefore, sensitivity was an indispensable part of being a magician. Since there was no method to raise it, the trait became more prominent. For Theo, it was like reaching for a pie in the sky.
"Haaaah…"
He couldn't help sighing.
After five years, Theo's hope had been worn thin. Theo thought of his parents who were waiting for him and the people who thought of him as their master. He would be shamed if he couldn't get his degree.
A magician who graduated from the academy would be able to waste time for several years just by relying on the academy's name.
'But can I graduate next year?'
Despite having reduced his amount of sleep, he had only reached the 2nd Circle. It was almost impossible for him to master the 3rd Circle, which was a Bergen Academy graduation requirement, without dying. Next year would be meaningless.
The boy, who had been so confident when he left home, became a young man afraid of failure.
Ding!
It was the bell which signaled lights out. This was also the sound which indicated Theo's time was over. He had to hurry or the door of the dormitory would be locked.
First, he needed to put away the three books. Theo embraced the three books, like he had done in the beginning. However, the moment he tried to raise his body…
"Eh?"
A book on the desk caught his attention.
'Didn't I clearly only bring three books? Did I accidentally carry another book among the three?'
It was strange, but he should put it away anyway. Theo stood up and stretched out his left hand. It was a fairly thin book, so he was going to pick it up with one hand. However, the sensation at his fingertips was strange. It felt like he had stuck his hand in a sticky barrel of syrup, or like a slimy flesh was tickling the palm of his hand.
…It was like he had put his hand in the mouth of something alive.
Slurp.
"Uwaack!"
Theo hurriedly pulled back his left hand at the creepy feeling. He fell to the ground hastily, letting go of the books in the process. However, that didn't matter. Theo needed to identify the thing which had touched his palm.
After he scrambled back up, Theo gazed toward the unidentified book. However, there was nothing on the desk.
"Eh?"
Theo's eyes widened as he couldn't understand the phenomenon. Had he seen a hallucination? He could still feel that creepy, sticky feeling that tickled his palm.
Theo touched his left hand carefully. He wanted to check if it was damp. It would prove that what had happened just before hadn't been a hallucination. However, the palm of his left hand was dry without any signs of wetness.
"Hallucination…? Didn't it feel slippery? There was clearly a shabby book on the desk…"
Theo muttered and sank weakly to the floor. He sat on the edge of a book, so his butt was sore. However, the pain was nothing compared to the psychological impact.
Didn't a magician always need to be cool-headed? Had his mental state fallen to the bottom due to his sense of insecurity?
'Should I drop out this year?'
It was better than being expelled. Theo knew that, but he had held onto the hope of becoming a magician for five years. It wasn't a dream he could just throw away. Without making a decision, Theo sighed, then he put his hand on the cold floor to raise himself up.
It was at this moment that…
Slurp…
All of a sudden, his left hand felt a strange texture. It was slippery and sticky… The hallucination which had tickled Theo's palm had appeared again!
Theo looked down reflexively at his left hand touching the floor…
And he saw something shocking.
"…T-Tongue?!"
A tongue was sticking out of Theo's palm. It had a smooth pink surface and was a long piece of flesh which looked like it came from a reptile. The tongue sprang from a hole in the middle of his palm and shook like a snake in front of food.
The tongue swayed slowly from side to side.
Slurp!
Like a frog grabbing a fly, it snatched a book from the floor. Its speed was so fast that Theo couldn't even see the afterimage. The tongue wrapped itself completely around the book.
No one could've predicted what happened next. The tongue which held its prey was then sucked back into the hole in Theo's palm.
Gulp.
There was the sound of something being swallowed. A book on the ground had suddenly disappeared into his left hand.
Theo looked down at his left hand with an absurd expression. However, the book his palm had swallowed didn't emerge.
Instead, Theo heard a voice. It was a voice with a strange tone he had never heard before.
['Lightning Magic Primer' has been consumed. Your understanding is very high.]
[2nd Circle magic 'Lightning Bolt' has been acquired.]
[After waking up from a long sleep, Gluttony is very hungry. Hurry and relieve Gluttony's hunger. The time limit is 10 minutes from now. (1/5)]
The Greedy Grimoire #3
What? There was no time to have doubts.
As soon as the unknown voice cut out, waves of knowledge entered Theodore Miller's brain. The amount of information couldn't be controlled by the human's five senses. A few years of experience filled his head at once.
Simultaneously, Theo had a hunch that he could now use 'Lightning Bolt' fully.
Theo hadn't learned mere knowledge; he had received the wisdom of the author of the book, [Lightning Magic Primer].
"…Lightning Bolt."
He chanted the spell unconsciously. This was a magic which had failed just a few minutes ago, yet the results were quite different this time.
Paijijik!
Blue lightning shot out the open window. The image Theo had visualised in his head was a complete success. The leaves which the lightning bolt passed by turned black. If the lightning bolt had hit a living creature, then it absolutely wouldn't have been safe.
'Success.'
It was a spell he had failed to execute several hundred times. Theo had even failed frequently in the basic elements. Lightning attribute magic was considered to have the highest difficulty level, so it was bound to be even harder for him.
Seeing the static electricity on his palms as if he had experienced an earthquake, Theo was glad. Had he really succeeded in Lightning Bolt at once?
'This isn't a hallucination…!'
He folded his fingers which were trembling from the shock and felt the sweat on his palms.
Theo realized this was the turning point of his life. He was a magician lacking in sensitivity and magic power. This was his chance to reach the 3rd Circle which had been impossible for him!
'Okay, let's start over from the beginning.'
This was when Theo sobered up.
The strange phenomenon had cleared his confusion and depressed emotions, giving him a ray of hope. At this moment, his thinking abilities returned to normal. His brain, which even first-class magicians had acknowledged, began doing a high-speed analysis.
This situation had started when he found an unidentified book. He'd felt a horrible touch on his left hand when he tried to pick up the book and the book then disappeared somewhere. After that, a strange tongue had sprouted from the palm of his left hand. The tongue had grabbed and swallowed the book, [Lightning Magic Primer] on the floor, and Theo had learned Lightning Bolt.
…No, just before that, he had heard a voice. Theo recalled the words the voice had said.
['Lightning Magic Primer' has been consumed. Your understanding is very high.]
[2nd Circle magic 'Lightning Bolt' has been acquired.]
[After waking up from a long sleep, Gluttony is very hungry. Hurry and relieve Gluttony's hunger. The time limit is 10 minutes from now. (1/5)]
The important thing wasn't the first two sentences. Swallowing the book and learning Lightning Bolt was a secondary thing.
As Theo remembered the last sentence, he mumbled involuntarily, "…Gluttony?"
Unexpectedly, there was an immediate reaction.
Jjeok.
A hole appeared in his left hand, and a red tongue emerged from it. The hole didn't just have teeth, there were lips as well. Theo observed the scene closely instead of being astonished or frightened. He was filled with expectations about whether the tongue could talk or not.
However, the answer came from a place he hadn't expected.
[Severe hunger. If you want to talk to 'Gluttony', relieve that hunger. Feed it four more times to relieve that hunger. The remaining time is 6 minutes and 24 seconds.]
[Gluttony is a grimoire which comes from an era not recorded in the history books. It increases strength by eating magic items and likes books the most. The owner can benefit from providing food to Gluttony. However, if neglected, Gluttony might treat its owner as food.]
Although Theo heard the answer he'd been wondering about, it was something he hadn't expected. It would eat the owner if it wasn't fed? The words were chilling for Theo, who seemed to be the owner. Gluttony would eat him if he didn't feed it anything in the next 6 minutes and 24 seconds.
Theo felt a cold chill down his spine as he looked around hurriedly.
Books, books, books and books. Fortunately, the food was piled up like a mountain. Theo looked around with his eyes, rather than moving his hands.
'There is still time. It is in the single digits, but this is enough…'
He moved his feet while thinking continuously. Theo had obtained 'Lighting Bolt' from the book, [Lightning Magic Primer]. This meant that the food and the reward weren't independent from each other.
If he had to feed it books, then he should choose food which would benefit him. Theo knew the location of all the books, so his hand didn't hesitate. The voice had definitely said that it needed four more. Theo pulled out a stack of books without any hesitation.
They were books he had read a few times but hadn't helped him. Theo had understood them with his head, but he couldn't use the magic. Anyway, he'd memorized all the contents, so there wouldn't be a problem even if he wasn't rewarded with anything.
"Then…"
Theo took a deep breath. He pointed at the pile of books with his left hand and called out the name, "Gluttony, eat."
And the mouth answered.
Slurp.
The tongue stretched out again. It seemed impossible to swallow several books at the same time, so the tongue twined around the top book. This was like a frog eating.
The books were sucked into the mouth on Theo's palm in the blink of an eye. More than 500 pages had disappeared without a trace. No, there were some traces left. Was it correct to say it was engraved in him?
['Fundamentals of Subduing the Elements' has been consumed. Your understanding is very high.]
[Affinity with the four elements has increased.]
[Gluttony isn't satisfied yet. Feed him three more times to relieve his hunger. The time limit is 5 minutes and 11 seconds from now.]
He was right. As Theo had speculated, he received the knowledge of the book which was swallowed.
The elements were the fundamentals of all magic. The criteria of becoming a master of each circle was to prove that the elemental magic could be used freely. Theo had known this after becoming a 2nd Circle master.
Fire, water, wind and earth…
The flow of magic for each element was now becoming more intense and familiar.
However, there wasn't time to feel emotional. The tongue stretched out and grabbed the next book. It licked the cover, as if savouring the taste, before Gluttony swallowed the books in succession. At the same time, Theo was hit by relentless waves of information.
['The Circulation of Magic Power' has been consumed. Your understanding is very high.]
[Your sensitivity to mana has increased slightly.]
['Creating a Magic Circle – Fundamentals' has been consumed. Your understanding is very high.]
[You can create 2nd ranked magic circles. Starting from 3rd ranked circles, the probability of success will drop sharply.]
['Application of Defense Magic' has been consumed. Your understanding is very high.]
[You can alter the shape of the 2nd Circle magic 'Shield'.]
"Keuk!"
The aftermath was quite intense after the three books were eaten instantly. Theo wobbled like he was drunk and flopped down on the floor. It was obvious he would've fallen if he hadn't done that.
His eyes were spinning, and his head felt like it was going to burst like a boiling kettle, after receiving a great deal of knowledge. Theo felt dizzy, like he had a high fever. It took around 10 minutes for his status to calm down.
'Damn, from now on I will feed it one by one.'
Theo muttered inwardly as he pressed a hand to his still throbbing temple. This was the first time he had ever got a headache. It was a terrible pain, like his head was being stabbed with an awl. He didn't want to experience this pain ever again. Theo had never imagined this dizziness would occur while eating one book at a time.
Still, the pain was worthwhile.
"Magic Power…"
Magic power was stirring in his body. It spread from his heart and moved through the blood vessels to every part of his body. However, it hadn't accepted Theodore Miller. Just quickly pulling at the magic power usually required a huge concentration from him. The lack of sensitivity was a burden which was hard for him to bear.
His eyes turned red from his choked up emotions. Theo tried desperately to refrain from crying. He couldn't be satisfied with just this.
Right now, he had only reached a 2nd Circle Master. In order to graduate, Theo needed to master the 3rd Circle.
For the first time since entering the academy, after enduring all types of shame, the rope of destiny had finally appeared before him.
"…Yes, isn't it full?"
Theo said in a low, subdued voice. He looked at his left hand on the ground and spoke to it.
"It is supposed to speak after eating five books."
He remembered…
The Gluttony Grimoire had the ability to speak. The voice had said to get rid of its hunger for that to happen. Theo didn't know the identity of the voice, but it had never lied so far. So, he had to believe it for now.
Indeed, the voice didn't betray his trust.
Jjeok.
The mouth opened just like when it ate a book. It was a hole with no visible bottom. The tongue popped out of its dark hole and flickered like a snake listening to a flute. This would be a scary sight for a weak person.
Before long, sounds began to emerge from Gluttony's mouth.
-I, eat magic, greed, grimoire, Gluttony.
It was a creepy, eerie voice, like a simmering swamp. Somehow, its way of talking made the gloomy atmosphere more prominent. It didn't have eyeballs, but he could feel its gaze.
-Theodore, Miller.
After calling Theo's name…
–What… do you… want to know?
The greedy grimoire asked.
The Greedy Grimoire #4
Theo gulped unknowingly.
It was because the sound of Gluttony calling him, seemingly from the depths of an abyss, had caused him to stiffen. He loosened up his rigid neck.
Theo had to say something, but his lips wouldn't open. Fortunately, the voice was there to remind him.
[The greedy grimoire, Gluttony, has filled its hunger. Gluttony's intelligence has been restored temporarily. It is willing to repay the owner who filled its stomach.]
[Gluttony's current state is incomplete. Please provide it plenty of food in the future to restore its performance. Gluttony will fall into a deep sleep except when asking for food. It will answer one question immediately after it feels full. The wisdom of the old grimoire, Gluttony, is truly vast.]
[Please ask your question before Gluttony goes to sleep.]
The explanation was verbose, but the conclusion was simple. One question and answer… It meant he would receive one answer to one question.
According to the description from the strange voice, Gluttony was a very ancient grimoire. It must of spent years swallowing books, so the knowledge it had would be enormous. Even if it had only eaten one book a day, that would be over 300 books in a year. If all the books were related to magic, then the value truly couldn't be measured.
For magicians seeking endless wisdom, the value of this conversation might be greater than the heart of a dragon.
'What question should I ask?'
He didn't have much time to worry about it. This little guy only opened its eyes for a moment because it was hungry, but it would soon fall into a deep sleep again. Theo didn't know how long it would take, but he knew it wouldn't be long.
What should be asked and what answers would be sought? Theo looked within himself.
'I have to ask something that will help me now.'
To Theo, who had just become a 2nd Circle master, the knowledge of ancient magic was meaningless. Questions about hidden treasures and the ability to find them were separate things.
There was an old tale which told how being overly greedy would invite disaster. Theo wasn't going to be an idiot like those people. If so, the questions he could ask now were fixed.
"I will ask a question."
Gluttony responded briefly,
-What, I wonder?
The voice was still creepy, but he could withstand it better the second time compared to the first. Theo still couldn't stop the creepy feeling from running down his spine, but he managed to open his mouth somehow.
"Gluttony, I want to ask for information about you. Let me know what type of grimoire you are."
There was silence for a moment. Was it an unexpected question?
Theo didn't know. He just felt that the voice became clearer.
-Okay.
It agreed to answer his question.
-However, to understand me, your insight… narrow, poor. Language, convey, can't.
Theo frowned at the words. The grimoire couldn't convey it in language? It was the same as saying it couldn't answer the question, and the reason was because Theo's insight was narrow and poor. Theo had never fallen behind when it came to his brain, yet he couldn't reach the ancient grimoire's standards.
However, Gluttony's words didn't stop there.
–I, visualize, information. Human, owner, show, like it.
"Visualize?"
–This, it is the feeling.
It said to him.
As soon as the dialogue was over, odd characters flowed from the palm of his left hand to Theo's head. There were numbers, letters, and language concepts. He felt dizzy and understood why Gluttony couldn't communicate it through language. It was a huge behemoth which defied common sense.
'This—grimoire…!'
Grimoire…
It wasn't a book nor a magic spell. This was the fragment of an existence which mocked the world. The best magicians living today wouldn't be able to produce it. Even Theo, who had accepted the information about Gluttony, could barely explain it.
Yes, Theo only saw a vague form.
[Grimoire "Gluttony"/ F Rank]
[Effects: elemental affinity increases by 1p; magic sensitivity +10; calibration and creation of magic circles; 'Lightning Bolt' acquired; and increased proficiency in 'Shield'.
* Incomplete state. Most of the functions are sealed.
* Once a day, it will wake up to relieve its hunger.
* Immediately after relieving its hunger, it will answer one question.
* The abilities it feed on will be given to its owner.
* Extracts an essence from eaten books or items. The higher the owner's understanding, the greater the efficiency.]
Indeed, it was an easy-to-understand description. Perhaps it had been frequently used by humans before entering Theo's hands. Otherwise, it would be difficult to summarize the information into such clear words.
As Theo went over the information in his head several times, Gluttony yawned.
-Hrmm…then, I answered…
Gluttony's voice drifted off at the end until it could no longer be heard. The tongue and hole disappeared.
Theo looked down at his left hand with a blank expression. There were no traces left of the five books it had swallowed. The knowledge remained in his head, and the unfamiliar magic power proved that this was real.
"Ha, hahaha…"
A dry laugh emerged from somewhere. He didn't realize where until his dry lips touched. Theodore Miller… The sound was coming from his own mouth.
This was the same library, a place to where he fled from the helpless reality which despised him. How could he have known he would find something amazing here?
'I can graduate. No, graduating isn't a problem now. There will be more chances!'
Theo had a good head, but was a dunce at magic. He absorbed knowledge like he was pouring water into a bottomless pit. Theo understood that it meant nothing, but he hadn't given up. No one else had noticed his talent except for Professor Vince. Even Professor Vince's efforts was like a pile of leaves. Yet, a bud had now sprouted from those dead leaves…
[The higher the owner's understanding, the greater the efficiency.]
The meaning of this brief sentence was something the current Theo couldn't even guess. This wasn't just memorizing books or formulas. Every time notes filled with his handwriting piled up, wisdom began increasing in his brain.
The Grimoire itself had selected its owner. It wasn't a coincidence that Theodore, who craved knowledge more than anyone else, had been the one to find it.
Ding!
A heavy bell broke the silence. Theo looked reflexively at the clock in a corner of the library. The clock hands were pointing straight up. It was already time for the dormitory to be locked. He had discovered Gluttony around 10 o'clock, so quite some time had passed.
'I can't sleep in my bed… but well, I feel good.'
His magic power was boiling up from excitement. Right now, Theo was confident he could succeed in any 2nd Circle magic. His sensitivity had only increased slightly, but this feeling of satisfaction was frightening.
Theo once again looked at Gluttony's information. There was a brief mention of the change in his sensitivity.
'Mana sensitivity +10.'
It wasn't a big number because it said there was only a slight increase. Still, what if this 10 increased to 20, 30 or 100? It might take some time, maybe a few decades… but he could fulfill it.
"…Okay, I will read more books."
Theo wanted to use magic, but the library wasn't a place to use it. If he accidentally set fire to something, he didn't know what punishment he would receive from the professors. It was necessary to choose books for Gluttony in advance, and that would be more useful than napping in his seat.
Theo moved with excitement in his steps. The books which had been like a pie in the sky now seemed like treasure chests placed right in front of him.
The existence of the repeater letter in the outer pocket of his coat was already long forgotten. Now that his long-awaited dream was right before him, Theo had no time to think about dropping out of school.
The greedy grimoire, Gluttony…
This was its first meeting with Theodore Miller.
What does this book taste like? #1
Ding-dong-dang-dong…
The lively bell sound announced the end of the second semester. Every student's final report card would be distributed one week from this day.
Bergen Academy's school year had ended today. Students, who were not dressed in their school uniforms, ran out the doors, and the professors' advice to not play around during winter vacation was disregarded by the students.
Generally, except for some young students, the academy's students avoided staying in school.
"Huu, there is an uproar. Even though it's chilly, they can still run around like this. Truly, I think being young is the best."
"Who doesn't? Ah, maybe a lich?"
"Hahaha, I'm afraid that a lich will just be more bones."
"Aha, that is a pretty nasty point!"
Even the professors were in a good mood. Finally free from the students who caused them all types of problems, they enjoyed a cup of coffee while chatting with their colleagues. Some talked about the students, while others talked about what to study during the holiday. Some professors were planning to go home a few days later too.
One professor asked Vince, "Professor Vince, are you staying at school during this vacation?"
"Yes, I am," he replied with a cold expression as usual.
Professor Vince's soulless voice matched his blank expression.
His fellow professor couldn't help flinching.
However, due to the fact that they had spent a few years together and had adjusted a little bit, he didn't stutter when he spoke again. "Recently, I heard that you were focusing on a research project. Is it because of that?"
Professor Vince's eyes became cold. Naturally, it was rude for magicians to spy on each other's research. His low voice revealed his discomfort. "That isn't something to be talked about here."
"Ha, haha. That's right. Forget that I asked."
"..."
Vince glanced at him for a moment before turning his gaze out the window.
The atmosphere of the room suddenly grew chill. Professor Vince was famous for not being very friendly. He was a first-rate magician dispatched from the capital to Bergen Academy, and his position as a senior magician (6th Circle) put him above the other instructors.
In other words, he was a dispatched lecturer and was difficult for the other professors to deal with.
"Oh! You were here, Professor Vince."
At that moment, a professor entered the office. To put it mildly, this professor was a person with a lot of fat. He packed it in a neatly dressed suit, making him look like a balloon. Thus, the students nicknamed him 'Balloon'.
The so-called balloon, Professor Balloon, spoke in a giggly voice, "Can I ask you one thing?"
"…Yes."
Vince couldn't spit on that grinning face. He stared at Professor Balloon with an annoyed expression. Vince didn't like this pig who liked to chatter on. Not surprisingly, the words which emerged from Professor Balloon's mouth didn't fail to irritate Vince's nerves.
"Did that boy not graduate again this year?"
His eyebrows wriggled in an obvious taunt.
Theodore Miller…
Professor Vince's eyes flashed as he recalled the student. Theodore Miller was a student who was betrayed by his talent and wasn't rewarded for his efforts. The fact that Theodore had received a repeater letter three times meant he became a notorious celebrity.
Other faculty professors approached them.
"Aha, is it that Theo child?"
"Isn't this year his third repeater letter? After next year, we won't see him anymore. I'm sorry… Should I not say it? Hahaha!"
"Professor Claude is very mean, saying such empty words."
"In the end, he is a child of a fallen noble family. Their talent has dried up."
Obnoxious remarks were being spoken.
'The ones who open their eyes but can't see anything.'
Vince took a few steps back and stared at them with disdain. It felt like his ears would rot away if he continued to listen to their conversation. These were educators who didn't even know the truth about the students they were teaching.
No, even if it was correct, should an educator be disparaging their students?
He shook his head firmly at this question.
'Theo is a far better magician than you.'
Yet those words couldn't emerge from his mouth. Vince wanted to grab Professor Balloon's hand and throw the coffee cup in his face. However, Vince stopped himself… because in the end, it was true.
He had given up his personal sponsorship of Theodore due to Theodore's lack of sensitivity. There was no denying that Vince had turned away a student due to his lack of talent. That was the only thing which stopped Vince from meddling in their words.
'Theodore Miller.'
Vince looked out the window with a nauseous feeling in his stomach. The newly darkened sky seemed to represent his inner heart. Then he realized that the lights at the opposite building were coming from the library and sighed once more. There was only one person who would visit the library on the day of the closing ceremony.
Vince prayed for the day when that effort would be rewarded.
* * *
At this time, Theo's shoulders were dancing.
"Uha!"
The desk shook with a loud thump. This was because seven hardcover books had just been placed at the center of the desk. Dropping these many books on his foot wouldn't end with just a bruise. It was a joke but there was a ghost story which told about how librarians were often killed by cursed books.
'Even if there isn't a curse on these books, wouldn't I die if this were a normal situation?'
The books were heavier than bricks. If one of them fell from a high bookshelf and hit someone, the skull of that person passing by would be broken. That's why there was a warning to not make a disturbance in the library.
It truly was dangerous, so they had even put a sign up.
"Okay, this is enough for today."
Theo rubbed the grey substance off the palm of his hand. The library was a place where people didn't frequent often, so every book he picked up was dusty. The person in the position of librarian would just check the locks occasionally. It was lucky that Gluttony had swallowed without chewing, otherwise he would've had to wipe the books down first.
'First, I have to use Appraisal.'
Theo moved his left hand in a familiar motion. He was about to measure the value of the book using Gluttony's 'ability to judge food'. The way to use this power was much simpler than he'd thought.
Theo pointed his left hand at the book, just like when Gluttony had been eating. Then he gave the command, "Appraisal."
Slurp.
The tongue shot out from Theo's left hand. It appeared with a loud sound and reached out towards the targets. Then it licked the cover of the book on top. At the same time, a visual representation of the information emerged.
[Ignition and Ignite are Different]
[-This book is about an improved version of Ignition magic and explains Ignite magic. Unlike Ignition, which creates fire on a surface, Ignite can create an ignition point in the air. The advantage of Ignite is being able to use it from a distance. However, the firepower is slightly lower than that of Ignition.
* Your understanding is very high. (96.7%)
* The grade of this spellbook is 'Normal'.
* After ingesting, 1st Circle magic 'Ignite' will be acquired.]
"I remember that this spell seemed useful."
He laughed and picked up the book.
Gluttony's 'Appraisal' was a means of measuring the food. This helped him determine the benefits of the food which was consumed. Using Appraisal meant there would be no problem even if it was a book Theo hadn't read before. Having the Appraisal magic also meant he could pick out the books with special qualities.
'Thanks to this, picking a book is much easier.'
It was also possible because it was Theo. After spending five years in the library, there was no book that he didn't know. Theo put the books he'd read once and those he'd read a few times but didn't understand on separate lists.
The moment he was about to use Appraisal on the second book…
-…Hungry. feed, please.
Gluttony woke up.
[Gluttony has woken up from its sleep and is complaining about an empty stomach.]
[The regular meals have reduced his hunger a lot. There is more room to choose its food. Gluttony will answer one question after eating two books and will immediately fall asleep after the third book. The remaining time is 30 minutes.]
Two books or three books…
It was a choice he'd made several times already, but it was always a struggle. If he selected two books, he could get an answer. If he selected three books, he could extract one more essence. Last time, he'd thought it was important to improve his skills and had chosen to feed it three books.
What should he choose this time?
What does this book taste like? #2
'Well, I won't lose anything either way.'
In other words, it was a matter of priority.
Theo could choose to learn one more magic or borrow Gluttony's wisdom. If he selected the wrong thing, he could just wait for tomorrow. As a result, there was no difference. If Gluttony suddenly started fasting, then he would be more worried about the situation.
Therefore, Theo came up with a simple answer.
"Let's do two books this time."
He had something that he wanted to ask Gluttony.
Theo grabbed [Ignition and Ignite are Different] and put it aside. Ignite was a rather useful magic for the 1st Circle, except that the difficulty was too high.
Above all, it consumed less magic power than anything else. Despite Theo only having the magic power of a 2nd Circle, he would be able to use it 100 times.
It was now time to pick the other book.
'I think that all six books I selected earlier are good but… I don't know yet.'
He would leave it to Gluttony's Appraisal rather than his self-judging. Appraisal magic was probably better than his own analysis anyway. Instead of being unreasonably stubborn, Theo extended his palm.
"Appraisal."
The hungry tongue slipped out quickly. It moved over the six books lined up before it and started using Appraisal. As the books became sticky with saliva, the information entered his head.
With calm eyes, Theo looked at the essences of the books Gluttony had discovered.
'[Fire Elemental Summoning]… eliminated. If I don't have an affinity with the elemental, then I can't make a contract with it, which means there wouldn't be much point in summoning the elemental.'
30 years ago, the mystery of making a contract with an elemental had been revealed, showing that it was impossible to make a contract with an elemental without having an inherent affinity.
A magician who adored elementals had finally achieved success. He had opened the door to the elemental world with a magic circle and developed a way to make a simple contract.
The [Fire Elemental Summoning] was a book from that magician, and Theo could summon the elemental with Gluttony's abilities.
However, this book only gave him the magic to summon the elemental. Making a contract with the elemental and using its power was a different story. When Theo entered the academy, he had been told to give up because he had an elemental affinity of close to zero.
"It is regrettable, but it can't be helped."
He had experienced it several times already. Thanks to that, Theo had gotten used to getting rid of any lingering attachments without any fuss.
It had been a week since he first began the strange cohabitation with Gluttony. Theo might be the academy's dunce, but he had grasped this guy's bizarre nature.
One, it was meaningless to feed Gluttony a book if Theo's understanding was low.
Two, no matter how high was Theo's level of comprehension, it was impossible to acquire magic beyond his competence.
Three, there was some magic which was useless even if he learned them.
Four, eating the same book again wouldn't give him anything.
…There might be other habits which Theo didn't know about yet, but he never saw anything apart from these four. [Fire Elemental Summoning] was an example of the third case.
There were other magic with a magician affinity attached as a condition. This was why he didn't acquire white magic, which required 'divine power'.
'There's a magic where 'castration' is the prerequisite… Urgh, just thinking about it gives me goose bumps again.'
Apparently, some lunatic in the east had done it to learn magic. Even Theo didn't have the stomach to read through the pages. What had the person been thinking?
Theo touched his skin before moving his hand to his next prey. It was [Circulation of Water] which would increase his water affinity but was put as pending for now.
His understanding of [Enchant – the Basics] was lower than he'd thought. He would eat it after studying it a bit more, so it was eliminated. The vision enhancing magic [Hawk Eyes] had a side effect of gradually worsening his eyesight—eliminated.
Theo repeated this as he filtered through the books.
By the time 15 minutes passed, there was only one book left in front of Theo. He remembered the title of the final book, so expectation filled his face.
According to Theo's conjecture, the value of the last book in the list was obviously the highest among the seven books he'd gathered today.
"Appraisal."
Finally, the essence of the book popped up.
[Ballistics Magic]
[This book describes the high application of magic missiles. It explains techniques to form compressed magic missiles and modify the shape of the arrowheads. The author, Alfred Bellontes, became a hero of the war with these magic missiles. The depth of the wisdom is superior to that of ordinary magic books.
* Your understanding is very high. (97.2%)
* This magic book is rated 'Rare'.
* Once ingested, the proficiency of 'Magic Missile' will increase greatly.
* This is the original copy which was directly written by the author. There is a low chance to absorb some of Alfred's experience.]
Indeed, its contents didn't betray his expectations.
"No, wait a minute. This book is the original?!"
Theo was shocked to read the final line in the description.
Magic books were usually created by the author and then a copy was made of the original. Everything from the cover to the contents would be copied completely using magic.
Therefore, it was very hard to distinguish between the original and the copies. The originals were hidden by those who hated having a value added to knowledge by collectors.
If it wasn't for Gluttony's abilities, Theo wouldn't have known that the book in front of him was the original.
Alfred Bellontes…
He had been born approximately 30 years ago as the third son of King Bellontes. Magic power didn't accumulate naturally for him, and he only became a master of battle magic after cutting into his bones.
Magic Missile was only a 1st Circle magic. Alfred had killed dozens of knights and hundreds of magicians with this shabby magic. He'd died at the end of a long war, but he then became renowned.
'Alfred Bellontes wrote [Ballistics Magic]! If book collectors know about this copy, it would be worth a few thousand gold, even covered in dust.'
Theo removed the dust carefully. If he were to prove its authenticity, then this book wouldn't be piles of paper but an item more expensive than a gold bullion.
Yes, if it was possible to prove it. Theo's excitement subsided at the thought.
"…No, there is a problem even if I can prove it."
In the first place, this book was owned by Bergen Academy. Although he was feeding the books to Gluttony, he planned to put back some of the books which were eaten one day.
If Gluttony didn't threaten his life, then he wouldn't have taken the books. In some ways, it could be called a struggle for survival.
However, taking Alfred's book was simply stealing. It wasn't seeking knowledge as a magician or saving lives. As a noble, Theodore Miller couldn't throw away his pride.
He would rather feed it to Gluttony than exchange it for money. His worries lasted for a while, but his decision was quick.
"Eat, Gluttony."
The tongue popped out without any hesitation.
Slurp!
Gluttony grabbed [Ignition and Ignite are Different], and it was sucked into Theo's left hand.
['Ignition and Ignite are Different' has been consumed. Your understanding is very high.]
[* After ingesting, 1st Circle magic 'Ignite' will be acquired.]
A familiar wave flowed into his body. It was knowledge about ignition magic. At this point, Theo could create a small fire in the air.
Due to the fact that it was a 1st Circle magic, there wasn't that much information, and the wave soon calmed down. It was similar to eating bread, but Theo was satisfied.
Gluttony's meal wasn't over yet. The unsatisfied tongue snatched its next prey…
The original [Ballistics Magic] written by Alfred Bellontes. It was the moment when a precious book with the same value as a gold bullion would disappear forever.
Gulp!
Then there was a moment of silence.
Theo waited for the change with a more nervous expression than usual. It was the first 'rare' rated book he had fed Gluttony. This was also the original copy of a famous war hero's book. This food would definitely be worth more than ordinary books.
Previously, it wasn't unusual for Theo to feel pain when four books were eaten in one go. Theo closed his eyes and prepared for the aftermath.
'Now, come at any time!'
Shortly after that…
['Ballistics Magic' has been consumed. Your understanding is very high.]
[Your proficiency of the 1st Circle magic 'Magic Missile' has increased significantly.]
[An original copy has been consumed. The synchro rate with Alfred Bellontes is being checked… You are at an appropriate level. You can absorb some of Alfred's experience. The episode will play for 21 minutes and 35 seconds.]
[Synchro is starting.]
"…Synchro?"
What was that? Then at that moment…
Kiiiiing-
There was a sharp ringing sound! The sound cut through his eardrums and made him dizzy. It felt like he was being pulled out of his body. Before that godlike sucking power, the human mind was like a weak blade of grass.
In the end, Theodore's mind was sucked into the palm of his left hand. He fell into the darkness and reached the faint stars.
This was the remnant of the memories contained in Alfred Bellontes—no, in [Ballistics Magic].
* * *
Around 45 years in the past, on the frontlines of the Bellontes Principality…
Theodore Miller opened his eyes.
What does this book taste like? #3
Dagadak, dagadak, dagadak.
As Theo's consciousness returned, the scenery around him was moving at a frightening pace. No, it was more correct to say that he was moving through it. Theo, who still didn't understand the situation, turned his head as someone's shouts reached his ears.
"General! The enemy forces have appeared before us!"
General? The enemy forces had appeared before them…? This was something which would be heard on the battlefield.
Theo tried to make a bewildered expression, but his vision moved independently of his will. Then he looked at the face of the knight running next to him. Shortly after that, Theo realized his lips were moving on their own.
"Hrmm, it is a little faster than I expected." It was the deep and and solemn voice of a man.
His fingertips touched his chin and felt a rough texture. Theo wasn't 20 years old yet, so the beard on the chin definitely wasn't his. If so, there was only one possibility.
'My voice… No, this isn't my body?'
Maybe this was the right answer. Theo thought confidently.
This was right after he'd consumed Alfred Bellontes' [Ballistics Magic]. So, Theo could guess that this phenomenon was related to the description which had said he could absorb some of Alfred's experience.
He didn't know what synchro meant, but if it was absorbing Alfred's experience—
"Prince! I will stand in the lead! The general infantry can't possibly defeat the charge of our knights. I, Vince, will protect Prince with this sword at all costs!"
It was a cry that sounded like roaring flames. The passion in that voice was incredible as the person moved in front of him. Based on his shout, this man seemed to be the leader of the group of knights. Furthermore, his blazing eyes proved what he'd said weren't just words.
However, the prince, Alfred, didn't accept Vince's comment.
"No, I will stand in the lead! You must follow behind me!" The one with the most noble body declared that he would stand in the most dangerous position.
Despite seeing the enemy coming close, Alfred Bellontes didn't slow down his horse. Alfred shrugged off Vince's hand and rushed forward. The two armies soon crashed into each other.
Kukwakwakwang!
There was a huge roar as the warhorses collided with the the infantry troops. The terrible power of the charge was added to the horse hooves and smashed the human body. The enemy's formation collapsed from the surprise, and the Bellontes troops were temporarily dominant as they pushed the enemy forces back.
Alfred roared wildly from the vanguard.
"Bellontes' prince, Alfred, is here! Come forward if you want to claim my head for yourself!"
It was an obvious provocation. As the prince and war hero of Bellontes, Alfred's head really was worth several thousand gold. If they killed him, then this long war might end.
A knight moved through the confused soldiers in response to his provocation.
"I am Richard, the eldest son of Earl Jason!"
Every time his sword flashed, several soldiers were knocked down. It wasn't uncommon to cut through humans like they were straw. Any knight should have at least this much skill. A mere magician would have their heads cut off.
Richard smiled as he moved closer to Alfred. Theo became frightened as he faced the murderous intent in front of him.
'It is dangerous. At this distance, there is no way to survive unless I am a 6th Circle magician!'
In any era, a magician's enemy was a knight. They were masters of weapons which dominated in close combat. A knight could cut off a magician's head before a spell was completed. Therefore, magicians always hired escorts. However, there was no one near Alfred right now. It was a great opportunity for Richard Jason, who was famous for his agility.
As Richard quickly took care of 30 people, he shouted righteously, "Bellontes' hero! I salute your bravery to confront me with the body of a magician! But…"
'But it ends here!' was what he was trying to say. However, a gruesome ball of pressure passed through him.
Paang!
"…Then I will pay homage to your stupidity," Alfred scoffed as he aimed his finger.
One beat late, the body fell to the ground. The brave knight, Richard Jason, who had been rushing toward Alfred just a moment ago, suddenly died.
This was because a hole was drilled into the middle of his brain. It was impossible for any human to survive that, even if they had the blood of an ogre. Once the brain was destroyed, even an ogre couldn't regenerate.
Meanwhile, Theo was astonished by the incredible situation.
'That is Magic Missile? No way!'
It was a blue flash. If Theo hadn't been inside Alfred's body, then he wouldn't have grasped the moment when the spell had activated.
Although it was 1st Circle magic, the chant had been omitted and the output of Magic Missile had been far beyond common sense. It was likely that even the 5th Circle Magic, 'Force Bolt', was weaker than that.
Paang!
Once again, light emitted from Alfred's finger.
"Kuaack!" Simultaneously, somebody else's breath was cut off.
Every time Alfred's fingertip flashed, one person fell over and died. It was the same for magicians who used defense magic or knights covered in body armour. The speed of the Magic Missile didn't let anyone escape, while its power penetrated the defenses and caused havoc. It was literally a mortal blow.
After a few hundred Magic Missiles were shot…
'…Indeed, Alfred's Magic Missiles are fired in this way. Even if the same formula is used, it is bound to fail.'
Theo had surprisingly succeeded in digging out the principles of the powerful Magic Missile. So far, scholars had been studying [Ballistics Magic] for 30 years and hadn't been able to achieve it. It wasn't because Theodore Miller's talent was superior.
The 'synchro' which allowed him to share Alfred Bellontes' senses was the answer.
'The magic is completely within his body.'
Usually, magic was a technique to handle mana outside the body. Sensitivity was the concept which referred to the efficiency of drawing mana out of magic power. However, Alfred improved Magic Missile in a way which was completely contrary to that concept.
He completed the magic inside his body and shot it out of his body.
It wasn't an easy method. The human body wasn't a vessel to hold magic spells. Alfred had to give up other spells in order to learn this Magic Missile. Through special training, his bones, flesh, and blood had been converted into the magic circle specific to Magic Missile.
As a result, he was able to produce the most powerful Magic Missile.
'A magician who only shoots Magic Missile… Can he be called a magician?'
What made Alfred think of this magic? He had given up the freedom of being a magician and just concentrated on killing people with Magic Missile. Theo couldn't help sympathising with Alfred. He attributed it to the shadow on Alfred's face as he calmly shot a human being.
Soon after, the last enemy soldier was brought over.
"Kuk, release me! Let me go! I am Marquis Belford Astro. My status isn't something to be trifled with!"
He wore a burgundy cloak over splendid plate armour. The intricacy of the embroidered pattern showed that he wasn't an ordinary soldier. Wearing such flashy clothes on the battlefield proved that he was a high-ranking noble.
The soldiers kicked him, making him kneel down. Alfred gazed down at the man with cold eyes and said, "Marquis Astro is worse than a dog, that's what you are."
Resonating with an eerie voice, Alfred continued to say, "Didn't you plunder the houses near the border and sold the women as slaves? I have no intention of letting you live as a captive of war."
"Now, wait a minute, Prince Alfred!"
"I don't have a hobby of listening to dogs. You will die here like a dog."
Alfred stretched out his finger, condemning the man in front of him to death. This man was a person who wasn't even worthy of captivity. Alfred's finger shone with a blue light.
Paang!
The corpse collapsed with a hole in it.
"…Dispose of the body," Alfred said while turning around.
Usually, it was polite to take the body and send it back to the enemy kingdom. However, this was a person who had burned down villages and caused men to lose their wives. In such a situation, there was no need to preserve his body. The ugly mass of flesh called Belford soon disappeared without a trace.
At this point, Theo left Alfred's body.
��Ah, it ends here.'
The experience was truly impressive. Theo looked down at the ground which was becoming more distant. It was a battlefield filled with blood, death, knights polishing armour, nauseous magicians, and soldiers calling for medics…
Then finally, he saw Alfred Bellontes. At that moment, Alfred also looked at him.
"W-What?'
Theo was confused as he saw Alfred's lips moving.
–Young magician who craves my strength.
The profound voice echoed.
Alfred wasn't talking to himself. It was advice from Alfred Bellontes to Theodore Miller. This was a gift from the man who had given up freedom for strength and had lived as a war hero instead of a magician.
–Don't give up your way as a magician.
Finally, the connection with Alfred was cut off.
[The synchro with Alfred Bellontes has ended.]
[The synchro rate is 85.7%, the experience has been maintained.]
[1st Circle magic 'Magic Missile' has sublimated into 'Alfred-style Magic Missile'. Alfred Bellontes' experience has turned into proficiency for that magic.]
[Gluttony is satisfied with the food that it has consumed. Ask a question or feed it one more book.]
* * *
In the eastern part of Meltor Kingdom, Bergen Academy's library…
The fallen Theodore regained consciousness.
What does this book taste like? #4
Theo first touched the back of his head before examining his palms, which had no calluses unlike Alfred's. He had only left for 20 minutes, but his body already felt unfamiliar. This meant that the memory of the hero called Alfred Bellontes was deeply ingrained in him.
Even now, it felt like a blue flash of light would emerge from his fingertips.
'No, is it possible right now?'
Theo aimed his finger impulsively. This was the secret of the war hero, Alfred Bellontes… the flash of death which had shot and killed even first-rated knights.
That feeling was still vivid. The magic power would be pulled from the fixed magic circles inside the blood vessels of the body, then the magic power would take action outside the body.
Pajijik.
"Ugh!"
There was a pang, like his skin was burning from the inside.
His arm was different from Alfred's. It was much weaker than the arm which had been conditioned for many years, perhaps even decades. The formation of the Magic Missile caused several of Theo's blood vessels to rupture. If Theo tried to reproduce Alfred's output, then his entire right arm would be broken.
Fortunately, Theodore Miller wasn't that arrogant.
He had asked whether it was possible for the him, as he was now, and the memory of Alfred had nodded. Simultaneously, as Theo's blood vessels were ruptured, a blue flash popped out.
Piing!
The blue light, which was thin and hazy compared to Alfred's, shot through the window of the library and disappeared. However, the power was double or even three times that of conventional Magic Missiles. Even so, the amount of magic power consumed wasn't much different from conventional ones.
This was the essence of [Ballistics Magic] and the art of Alfred Bellontes, which had been studied by many magicians.
"…Really, it is a success."
Theo looked at his index finger with trembling eyes after managing to reproduce it. His forearm was throbbing from the reaction to the Magic Missile, while bruises appeared where the blood vessels had burst.
Anyway, Theo couldn't care less about that right now. He was the academy's long-time dunce, someone who had received the repeater letter three times.
No one expected anything from him. Even Professor Vince, the only one to recognize his talent, had eventually turned his head away. The common magic which anyone else could do wasn't possible for Theo.
He had resigned himself to it. It was too difficult to chase after others, so he had given up. Maybe that was why…
The emotion boiling inside him was a joy he had never felt in his entire life. An unknown joy tickled his spine at the thought of mastering a magic that no one else had managed.
'I can do it. I can!'
Theo had been betrayed by his talent and neglected in reality. He had gone five years without anyone stretching a hand out to him. Everybody in the academy had called Theodore a loser, and he didn't have the power to contradict that. He had just shut himself up in an old library.
However, it could be different from now on. No, it would be different.
"…Good."
Theo breathed for a while as he suppressed his heated emotions, then he looked down at his left hand. Today, it had swallowed two books—
Ignite and Alfred-style Magic Missile.
Thanks to this achievement, which was beyond expectations, even the gross tongue seemed cute to Theo.
"Gluttony."
The tongue swung at his call.
–Question, do you have?
Theo nodded without hesitation. The two magics he'd learned were enough for today. The magic he got from Alfred Bellontes was greater than the entire profit of the past week. Furthermore, Theodore examined himself calmly and realized that there was no other spell he needed to 'consume' at the moment.
'I have enough of the 2nd Circle magic right now. With some exceptions like Afred's magic, I don't need to feed it any more. Now, I need magic power that can help me reach the 3rd Circle.'
If magic was a flame, magic power was its fuel. He couldn't use magic spells if he didn't have enough magic power. Conversely, if his magic power was huge, poor control could cause terrible havoc.
Possessing almost limitless magic power was the reason why dragons reigned as the strongest species.
If Theo had been born in a wealthy family, then he wouldn't need to think about this. He could gain large amounts of magic power if he bought reagents. It was said that the effect decreased the more it was taken, but it would be enough to fill the amount of magic power required for the 3rd Circle.
The problem was that the amount of money needed to buy that many reagents would require selling the Miller estate five times.
So, he asked Gluttony, "I would like to know how to increase magic power."
The ancient grimoire… A relic from a time which wasn't recorded in history books… Among the numerous knowledge which Gluttony had consumed, Theo believed there would be a way to increase magic power without taking reagents.
–....
Gluttony was silent for a moment.
"What, do you not know?" Theo asked, suddenly anxious.
Gluttony then replied in an unpleasant, mocking tone,
–Silly, guy. Question, too verbose. Magic power, over 100 ways, increase it. And, I can tell, you, only one thing.
"T-There are over 100 ways?"
Theodore's mouth fell open with astonishment.
The Tower of Magic announced that there were only three ways to increase one's amount of magic power: eating flora and fauna which contained magic; taking alchemy-refined reagents; or receiving a magic circle from another magician.
All these methods demanded an expensive price, so he had never dared to think about them. Yet, apparently, there were over 100 methods. Additionally, Gluttony said he could only tell Theo one method.
"T-Then what should I do?"
If there were 100 methods, then Theo could find one which suited him. Gluttony urged in a trembling voice,
–Conditions, attach. I, narrow down, answer.
"A condition… for example?"
–Most, efficient.
"Indeed."
If the adverb 'most' was attached, then there could only be one answer. Having two or more answers would violate the meaning of the word 'most'. Theo understood Gluttony's explanation and hesitated for a moment before deciding.
"Teach me the most efficient method that I can use right now."
No matter how excellent the method, it was useless if it was impossible for him.
For example, it would be useless for him to receive advice which required the use a dragon heart or forbidden black magic. Moreover, he could ask for the most efficient method in general and something that would benefit another species could pop out.
So, Theo narrowed the range. This allowed for Gluttony to tell Theo the most efficient method that was possible for him.
–I understand.
The familiar voice was then heard.
[A hidden feature of Gluttony has been unlocked! As a greedy grimoire, Gluttony can feed on anything that is magical. Until now, it has only been extracting the essence. However, it will now absorb a portion of the item's abilities.]
[Items with magic power will increase the owner's magic power. Gluttony can even digest cursed artifacts.]
[Simply eating, instead of essence extraction, can be used in Gluttony's sleep state.]
The information the voice provided was amazing.
Theo was surprised Gluttony had hidden features and that asking this question had unlocked it. It seemed that questioning Gluttony wasn't simply to acquire knowledge. If Theo used it well, he could increase the functionality of this powerful grimoire.
'Things which contain magic power… It seems easy but may be more difficult than I thought.'
It was easy to find objects which contained magic power in the academy.
The academy was a place to teach magic, so there was a lot of equipment and materials filled with magic power. If he went to the alchemy classroom right now, there would be a stack of magic tools.
However, eating these tools was different from eating the library books.
The library didn't have any proper administration as all the librarians did was lock up. Who would know that a few books were missing from the library? Even if a few bookshelves were taken out, there wouldn't be any sense of incongruity.
However, the classrooms weren't neglected like the library. Even in the alchemy classroom, there were three or four caretakers who checked the quantity everyday. If even one reagent vial were taken, they would be able to check the entry and exit records, and figure out that it had been Theodore.
'I can't do it inside the academy. The risk is too big.'
If so, the answer had to be found outside the academy. As Theo agonized over it, he eventually came up with an answer.
He needed someone's help to implement the answer. One person came to mind.
"…I have to ask the professor."
Professor Vince…
Vince, who felt regret regarding his talent, wouldn't turn down Theodore's favour easily.
Dealings with a Black Market Trader #1
The next day, Theodore went looking for Professor Vince.
'The path is set, so the sooner I act, the better. I'm glad that Professor Vince is staying this year.'
It really was lucky.
Theo was known as the academy's long-time dunce, so his relationship with the other professors wasn't very good. Some professors blatantly told him to drop out while others ignored instances of bullying.
A person like Professor Vince, who didn't care about his statue or origin, was hard to find.
Knock, knock.
When Theo arrived at Professor Vince's laboratory, he knocked on the door .
–Come in.
His voice was cold as always.
"Excuse me," Theo greeted as he entered the room.
He closed the door silently and faced Professor Vince, who was looking at him with confused eyes. It was Vince who put down his fountain pen and opened his mouth first, "You are an unexpected guest. I didn't know you would come to find me… Come over here and sit down."
"Yes, I understand."
Theo sat down, and Professor Vince asked, "So, what brings you here?"
Theo replied like he had been waiting for the question, "I'm here to apply for a permit to go outside."
"Huh? Go outside?" Vince's eyes widened at the unexpected words.
Theo quickly placed the documents he had prepared last night on the desk. If the conversation got too long, then questions about why he wanted to go out might be asked. The confused Vince stretched out his hand. It was so abrupt that he didn't understand anything.
'I expected him to be shocked about receiving the third repeater letter. Yet he says that he will go outside.'
Usually, Theo was a student who would only be interested in the books at the library. Vince hid his confused expression and signed the papers Theo had brought. However, Vince was a little bit concerned about the validity period. During the vacation, students were more free to leave the school than usual.
"Theodore, even if you don't apply for a separate permit, you are permitted to go out until 3 o'clock in the afternoon. This should be sufficient for wandering around the city."
"That isn't enough for me," Theodore replied without hesitation.
The city of Bergen, where the academy was located, was quite spacious. As Professor Vince said, that time limit would be just enough for wandering around the city. However, Theo's purpose was to obtain some magic items, and it would take time to travel there and return.
Vince cocked his head and asked a few more questions.
"What is your purpose in going outside?"
"It is a simple diversion."
"Are you planning to stay out overnight?"
"I don���t think so."
"Hrmm."
The fountain pen starting moving and didn't stop until it had filled out all the paperwork.
Professor Vince hesitated before the final stamp, but he finished everything and handed the permit over to Theo. With this, Theodore would be able to leave the academy until the end of dinner time.
Theo then spoke with a brighter expression than before, "Thank you, Professor."
"You don't need to thank me for this minor thing."
Vince waved his hands like it was inconsequential and immediately changed the topic. There was also something he wanted to talk to Theo about. He pulled an envelope out of a drawer, put it on his desk, and opened his mouth. Depending on Theo's answer, Vince would decide whether or not to hand over the envelop.
"Theodore Miller, have you thought about what I told you last year?"
Theo searched through his memories hurriedly.
Last year, Professor Vince…
A few core keywords came up, and Theo could figure out what he was talking about.
"Becoming a magic scholar… that conversation?"
Magic scholars referred to those who studied magic with pen and paper instead of mana and staffs. In order to become a magic scholar, high intelligence was required more than being super sensitive or having powerful magic power.
Theodore was worthy of that standard. Last year, while Theo had been frustrated with his second letter, Professor Vince had invited him to become a magic scholar.
Sure enough, Vince nodded.
"Yes, if you think positively, then it would be a good choice. I can't stand to see someone with your talent decay simply due to a lack of sensitivity."
His sincere voice rang throughout the room.
In fact, Professor Vince had been really disappointed. Theodore could obviously become a distinguished researcher at a magic institute. If Theo wanted it, then Vince would send a recommendation to the capital's magic laboratory.
What was Theo thinking? Theo's eyes shook for a moment before he bowed his head.
"Thank you for your concern, Professor."
Professor Vince spoke in a slightly louder voice, "Then…"
"I'm really sorry." Unlike before, Theodore Miller spoke his dream with a strong and confident voice, "Nevertheless, I would like to become a magician."
Vince was silent for a moment before replying, "Hoo…is that so?"
"Yes."
"Even though I am your professor, I can't deny your dream. However, if you change your mind, come find me at any time."
Theo rose from his seat and bowed to Professor Vince before turning around. He was the only one who recognized Theo in a place where no one looked at him. Although Theo was really appreciative of the offer, he couldn't accept it at present.
Bang.
The door closed with a sudden sound.
After the visitor had left, a heavy silence filled the room. Vince put aside the papers he had been looking at, put down the fountain pen, and leaned back on this chair. He picked up the now useless envelope and placed it in the bin. Vince had a premonition that his student would never become a magic scholar.
"Theodore Miller."
Until recently, Theo had been a sad student. He was a young man in despair at his lack of talent, desperately seeking knowledge in order to resolve it.
Vince thought that the way out was to become a magic scholar but…
"…Have you found a different answer?"
Hope now filled his student's eyes. Maybe he had found a way to live as a magician.
Vince's intuition made him feel optimistic, despite cold reason telling him otherwise. Professor Vince smiled like he had found something interesting after a long time.
* * *
"Third grade, Theodore Miller… confirmed. You must come back here before 7 p.m."
"Yes, then work hard."
Theo crossed the academy's gates for the first time in a while.
Last year and the year before that, he had never left the campus. Therefore, it had been almost three years since he'd gone outside. His last memory of going outside was to practice during the 2nd grade.
As he recalled that time, the city of Bergen soon filled his field of view.
"Ah, I guess not much has changed in three years."
There were neatly arranged roads with street lights installed at regular distances as well as facilities common in most major cities. Additionally, all the facilities were powered by magic. The presence of the academy, which nurtured magicians, made Bergen richer and more magical than before.
'So, magic related items and artifacts are more common here than other cities.'
The average price difference was more than double. Meanwhile, rare items had five times the difference. An item which other cities were selling for five gold could be bought here for one gold. Therefore, the number of people looking for items increased and so did the circulation of goods and money.
The current intersection at which Theo was standing alone had four artifacts stores.
"…It isn't like this at Miller Barony."
There was a bitter taste in his mouth. Anyway, today's destination wasn't an artifacts store. Even if the artifacts was cheaper than other cities, the value of the artifacts themselves hadn't changed. Due to the high volume of supplies, the prices had fallen but they were still out of Theodore's budget.
"I should speed up."
Theo headed to the outskirts of the city, rather than the centre. He wasn't looking for a proper store. Theo's wallet was too thin for an equivalent exchange. That meant he needed to take advantage of the power he currently held.
If things went the way Theo planned, he could sweep up artifacts without spending a penny. The memories from his second grade were helpful in guiding him to an odd place.
'There was a black market trader on the outskirts who handled genuine, defective, and cursed artifacts.'
They were things which ordinary people couldn't use. The idiots who wanted to save money would buy the defective goods, while the fools who expected a big hit would buy the genuine items. There were villains who tried to trap people with cursed items.
It was a place without any proper goods.
"But that shouldn't matter to you, right?" Theo said as he looked down at his left hand.
Cursed items were nothing compared to this guy. The greedy grimoire, Gluttony…
Everything was just prey for it to eat up all the magic.
Dealings with a Black Market Trader #2
In any city, the outskirts were always more deserted than the center, with fewer people walking around. The same was true for Bergen City. The tall buildings were gradually decreased in height, and the clean roads became covered in dirt. The nobles would automatically frown at the sight.
However, Theo just felt a strange nostalgia.
'This area hasn't changed at all.'
It was different from the main streets which were always changing. Most of the hanging signs were difficult to read, worn out from the wind and rain. It was also common for signs to fly away or to have no letters written. If Theo stepped into the dark alleys, he would see the beggars tossing and turning.
The scenery, which remained the same despite the three year gap, caused Theo to think back on past memories.
'Three years ago.'
Three years ago, he had just entered the second grade.
The Theodore Miller of those days hadn't been cynical nor distant from others. In the first year, the lessons had focused on theory rather than practical skills, so he had been able to get better grades than everyone else.
Theo's future prospects shone brightly enough for some noble children to pay attention to him. He knew there was a black market trader in this area because he had visited it with a friend at that time.
"Ha, what friend?"
Theo laughed coldly at the memory. As soon as his inferiority was revealed, they all turned their backs on him. The one they'd regarded as their friend was an 'excellent magician', not 'Theodore Miller.' It was ridiculous that he hadn't recognized their duplicity, and their act of turning their backs on this relationship was disgusting.
He recalled up to here. Theo stopped walking as he arrived at his destination. There were no errors in his memory.
"This place… is it open?"
However, Theo hesitated for a moment without turning the door knob. There was no sign on the shabby shack. The windows showed no signs of being cleaned, and the stairs creaked like they would fall apart at any minute. If there wasn't a sign saying 'OPEN' on the door, he might have turned around.
In the end, he turned the door knob.
Kkiiik.
The decrepit door opened with a strident sound, and as it opened, the interior was revealed. In short, it was a general store. There were many miscellaneous things piled up, of which the purpose of many of them was impossible to guess. However, unlike a general store, the prices weren't attached.
One of the characteristics of a black market trader was that the prices would fluctuate due to bargaining with the owner.
'So, any naive or stupid person will have their nose cut off.'
Black market traders were still merchants. They were talented at extracting money from the pockets of their customers. In fact, their main source of income was selling things cheaply. So, when using a black market trader, it was necessary to be accompanied by a person who wouldn't be easily shaken.
Theo recalled this fact and prepared his heart. It was at this moment that…
"What, a customer?" A flippant voice was heard from somewhere. Theo turned toward the counter and realized one more thing.
'…The black market dealer has changed.'
In the past, it had been a balding middle-aged man with a sturdy physique, but the one who greeted him now was a slim young man. The arms exposed under the sleeves were clearly trained, and a snake-like gaze was staring out from between dropped eyelids which made him appear sleepy.
He wouldn't be as easy to deal with as he seemed.
"Then please look around. Our store isn't kind enough to explain things, so you will have to choose on your own."
It was a mess, but this was also a rule for a black market trader. They wouldn't explain anything about the goods they were selling. In the case of defective products, they would lose the sale if they explained it.
Above all, the cost of cleansing cursed goods exceeded the price of selling it.
Sometimes, people would pay the price for an appraisal, but if such a thing was common, then black market traders wouldn't be able to sell their goods. Rather, it was much easier to find fools sitting on the street expecting to make money.
'Now, I shall begin.'
Theo first looked at the products on display. The first thing was to check whether or not the 'abilities' would be eaten. He carefully picked up a dagger which was displayed on a shelf in the corner.
Then he muttered in a low voice, "Appraisal." There was a slurp, and Gluttony's tongue licked the dagger.
[+1 Canine with a Lingering Attachment (Sword Type)]
[A common dagger made of steel. There is no magic treatment, but a deep grudge is embedded in the blade. When cut by this dagger, 'Open Wounds' will be applied to the injury.
* The grade of this dagger is 'Normal.'
* When consumed, a very small amount of magic power will be absorbed.
* When consumed, your understanding of 'Open Wounds' magic will increase.
* When consumed, the digestion time is 5 minutes and 11 seconds.]
'Okay, let's go!'
Theo grabbed his right hand unconsciously. The result was more than he'd expected. Not only did it reveal the effect hidden in the dagger, but he could obtain something other than magic power from it.
Furthermore, magic such as 'Open Wounds' wasn't easy to learn because it could be used for bad purposes. This was hard to find in the academy's library, where all types of magic books were scattered.
Theo paused for a moment before searching through the other objects enthusiastically.
'This dagger is usable. This leather armour… Ack, magic to keep it dirty? And who is the idiot who put a haste spell on an hourglass? There are a many useless items as well.'
Well, it didn't really matter whether the items had value or not.
Theo stared at the information windows which popped up and picked things out without hesitation. He picked anything which would increase his magic power after Gluttony ate it. Useless things were the same. The black market shop filled with useless things was literally a golden hunting ground for Theo.
20 minutes later, Theo headed to the counter with a basket of items.
"…Hoh?"
The black market trader looked at him with interest.
"Customer, isn't this at least a month's worth of sales for our store? Even with a discount, it will be at least two gold."
"Let's see? I don't think so."
Theo boldly rejected the black market trader's offer. Two gold was ridiculous. The only things he put in his basket were defective products. It would be lucky if they were sold for 20 silver, and the seller would still be receiving a profit.
However, the black market trader didn't know that Theo had all this information. Unsurprisingly, the black market trader laughed lightly.
"Hey, Young Master. Don't you know that will be a bargain if a genuine item appears? Who knows what will come out from something that has a flaw in it?"
"Well, that is normally the case."
The black market trader's expression changed at Theo's blase attitude.
"Normally? What does Young Master mean?"
Instead of answering, Theo lifted his index finger. Then he pointed to an object on the counter. It was a necklace which was falling apart at the ends. It was a necklace which couldn't be used as an accessory.
Furthermore, according to Gluttony's abilities, "That necklace, it will tighten around the wearer's neck. The material is too cheap, so it will break. How can I pay so much for such a defective product?"
"…What?"
"These gloves are even more rubbish. It is difficult to grab anything because the fingers have the 'Grease' magic on them. And this…"
The trader's eyes became blank as he kept on describing the items. However, after a moment, the black market trader quickly realized what the descriptions meant. There was only one possibility if a person could speak such genuine information.
Of course, Theo might be lying. but there was another way to check it.
"Young Master, are you an appraiser?"
Appraiser…
It referred to users of 'appraisal' magic, which was a type of magic that could only be learned by magicians with special qualities. They were welcomed in many places due to their small number and their usefulness. Even the king, royal families and nobles wouldn't hesitate to pay a high price for an appraiser.
"Well, I suppose so," Theo said brazenly with no shame.
Thanks to Gluttony, Theo could pretend to be an appraiser. It was the result of Appraisal, but he wasn't actually an appraiser. However, it was necessary to conceal its existence from the Tower of Magic. If they noticed Gluttony's presence, then they would try to cut off Theodore's wrist.
"…How interesting. It has been a while since I've been so interested."
The black market dealer got up and changed the signboard on the door to 'CLOSED'. He determined that it would be more beneficial to talk to Theo for a while. After he closed the door and covered the windows with curtains, he was now ready to talk.
"I'm sorry for my previous words. I never expected for an appraiser to come to a black market trader."
"I think so as well."
Theo didn't deny the black market trader's words. Right now, Theodore was an 'appraiser'. He'd stumbled onto a weak spot and had to play this role. Therefore, he waited for the opponent's words instead of making demands. As long as his position was superior, it was the other person who would become hasty.
Soon, the curious black market trader took the bait.
"Yes, Young Appraiser. Why have you come to this humble place?"
The real bargaining would start now. The first part of his plan to increase his magic power through the black market trader began.