That was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen…
Time seemed to freeze. The soaring birds seemed to move at a sluggish pace. Something abruptly snapped clasped attention when he sensed a hand placed on his shoulder. Looking up, Fiona was beaming with joy.
“What do you think? Pretty cool, right? She's one of the most powerful people around!”
Selena let out a warm chuckle. “You flatter me, Fiona. When compared to several others, I am just a small fish in the ocean. There are countless individuals who possess an immense strength that is beyond your imagination. Some can even level the entire city of Valis with one spell.”
“That’s crazy,” Tyrus mumbled. To accomplish such an achievement, the amount of mana required would be insurmountable. Casting Dual Shot was a struggle for him as he almost lost consciousness because of his depleted reserves. The destruction of a city as large as Valis would require a sorcerer who had undergone constant training throughout their long life.
“Yeah, Elemental Sorcerers are crazy strong,” Reo grumbled behind Grant. He revealed himself as he wiped his glistening face. “It's surprising that the specialization with the most sorcerers carries a power that can cause so much destruction. It's a good thing Augmentation Sorcerers are meant to be a direct counter to them.”
“Direct counter?” Tyrus asked. “What do you mean by that?”
Arms crossed, Reo wore a frown. “Valis academy teaches a diverse range of subjects, counting sorcery. That includes the strengths and weaknesses of each specialization. Elemental Sorcerers typically lack close-range defense because of their focus on mid to long-range attacks. You also have to think how long it takes to cast a spell, and every second matters in a fight. The outcome depends on multiple variables.”
“Elemental Sorcerers must keep a keen eye on their mana heart, the time it takes to cast spells, whether it will hit their target, and more. Dodging an anticipated attack is easy for Augmentation Sorcerers who boost their body's capabilities and five senses. If surprised and approached closely, the Elemental Sorcerer is done for.”
“I see… that makes sense,” Tyrus said. Many instances exist where an Elemental Sorcerer can be caught off guard, he thought. Even with a head-start, Reo quickly caught him during his escape in the Wasteful Wetlands. Alongside Grant’s strength, the chances of escaping fizzled away.
“But,” Reo continued, “since you’re a Multi-Specialist, you have the potential to excel in long-range and close-range combat. That is if you're skilled with blades or martial arts. Honestly, your work is cut out for you.”
“Is it because I have more to work on?” Tyrus guessed.
“Yep. To succeed, you need to learn spells, train your mana heart, and be proficient with a sword. You have two options: either test your luck by trying everything or focus most of your time on one specialization. Don't forget that selecting both options might come with a high price tag.”
Expensive? That’s not good. If the costs to train both specializations were to be too much, then he’d have to accept contracts sooner rather than later and save up. Procuring food in the wild is an easy feat, but getting lodging could be an issue.
Also, learning solely as an Elemental Sorcerer may be the best option, given its wide range of uses. However, after hearing Reo’s input, what if he came across a situation where he needed to get physical? Beast Transformation and basic augmentation could solve it, but contracts would get increasingly difficult in the future. There was no harm in learning how to wield a sword, but he might need a teacher for that.
The notion applies to Elemental Sorcerers' learning as well. Tyrus committed to memory the incantations in the book for light and a few for fire. He also knew the first few for water, yet completely disregarded earth. There was also Shadow Bolt, which was impossible to forget, as it was the only one.
Wait a minute! That’s it! If I can get the book in Selena’s office, then I can read it over as much as I want. There's no way she'll say no. She promised to help me with anything she can.
Tyrus cleared his throat and approached Selena. “Excuse me… Do you remember what you said yesterday? About how if I needed anything if you're able to?”
Selena stared at him strangely. “Indeed, those words came out of my mouth. I'm true to my word. Your contemplation of Reo's words makes me wonder if you have an interest in grimoires.”
“What’s a grimoire?” he asked.
“In simple terms, it's a book about magic. It contains incantations, various spellcasting methods, and instructions on specific topics. It is rather costly, as it is quite difficult to acquire one.”
His hopeful spirit vanished as he stared at the ground. “Oh… I didn’t know it would cost a lot. I’ll get one later.”
Selena held up a finger and wiggled it. “Not so fast. Although I don't possess a grimoire, I do have a textbook in my office. I will mention I am not the owner; Ivy is. If you're interested, I can get in touch with her and ask to borrow it for you.”
“Really? I will gladly accept the offer,” he said with a smile.
“Lovely. Let's depart from the premises now. It appears that we've drawn quite a crowd.”
People came in large numbers to the field, particularly explorers who were eager to witness Selena in action, as she mentioned. The branch leader greeted them with a brief wave before leading the group inside. After passing through the doors, the onlookers situated inside rushed towards them.
“What’s the occasion for displaying that terrifying spell?”
“Why is there a bean sprout among them? Is he lost?”
“Holy shit! The middle of the training field is completely black! The branch leader is as scary as always!”
The group, including Selena, disregarded the comments and led everyone to the third floor. They eventually arrived at the office, and she walked towards her desk. From there lay the book, right in its exact position. Tyrus made sure it faced the same direction. The book was in pristine condition, with no crinkled pages, stains, or related markings. He kept his face neutral and watched as she picked it up.
“Hm? Has Ivy forgotten to put her book away again? It's better to avoid developing bad habits, even if her mother could provide another one.”
Shaking her head, she crouched down and opened one of the cabinets. Following a significant amount of noise and commotion, a metallic sphere emerged that bore a striking resemblance to those found in the magical shop. “Within my hands lies a magical tool. This one specifically functions as a communications device. It’s able to link and form a connection with other similar magic tools. The activation process simply requires a single drop of mana.”
With little to no effort, Selena released a minuscule of mana into the orb. It shook slightly, and the exterior glowed white. Following shortly after, a screen that was both translucent and white in color appeared above the item. Initially, there was no image visible, however, after a brief lapse of time, the screen flickered, and a face emerged.
“Teacher? Is that you?” the screen said in a muffled voice. Blue jeweled eyes and blond locks alongside a childish face appeared. The head of Ivy, clear as day, emanated from the hovering phenomenon. The sight of the two conversing long distance left Tyrus in disbelief, his jaw dropping with surprise.
“Hello, Ivy. Have you been well?”
“Yes! Thank you for asking. I can’t say the same for Mother, though.”
Selena frowned. “Oh? What’s the matter with Erza?”
There was a pause, and what followed was a torrent of curses in the background. “Someone broke into her shop and left a big mess around. There’s a lot of glass, gashes, and punctures along the walls and shelves. They entered through the side window, but from what Mother has told me, they took nothing from the collection. What kind of thief enters a shop and steals nothing? Either they were terrible at their job or mother's remarkable defenses frightened them away.”
As the conversation dragged on, Tyrus's calm facade crumbled. Despite his urge to shrink to the size of a mouse and scamper away from the room, he kept his eyes fixed straight ahead. Losing his cool right now would probably make them suspicious. If there was no means of tracking him, he was fine.
“Once the alarm went off, nearby guards rushed to the scene. Upon arrival, they saw two suspicious individuals fleeing from the scene. Luckily, Geroth was among the guards, and he dealt with them! I think they were the intruders that broke in.”
“Well, I’m glad nothing of value was stolen,” Selena said. "As soon as I'm done with pressing issues, I'll proceed to the location and provide help if I'm capable of doing so.”
“Thank you, teacher! I’m sure mother would appreciate it. Is there anything else?”
“Why yes there is. Tyrus is here with me, and he wanted to borrow Building Blocks of Incantations for Elementals temporarily. Is that alright with you?”
“O-Of course!” Ivy said quickly. “It’s the least I can do for my savior. It's his choice to keep it for as long as he desires. Thanks to Mother, I have a much better book.”
Selena turned to Tyrus and winked. “You hear that? The book is all yours.”
Tyrus plastered on a grin and spoke. “That’s great… Thank you, Ivy. I’ll take good care of it.”
“It’s nothing at all! If it’s you, I’m sure you’ll learn a lot from it. Anyway, I gotta go! Mother needs my help with sweeping. See you later!”
The floating screen vanished, and the magic tool's luminance diminished until it resembled a mundane orb. Selena stored it for safekeeping and placed the book in Tyrus’ hand. It just occurred to me that I forgot to ask; can you read what’s written? I'm uncertain if you're literate."
“Oh, I can read just fine. I think someone taught me how to do it a long time ago, but I can't remember.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Tyrus noticed Reo's scowl deepen, and heard him muttering under his breath. Grant saw it and shook his head in a way that suggested he knew the reason. He definitely held suspicions about him. Fiona showed her annoyance by rolling her eyes and then gave Tyrus an apologetic smile. Just what were those three up to?
Selena remained oblivious to their antics and strolled toward her desk. “If you would excuse me, I have a lot of work to do. You'll be encountering me less frequently until the upcoming monthly examination that allows new explorers. The event is a week from today, so prepare accordingly. You may now leave.”
Fiona bowed curtly and said, “Thank you for all you’ve done, aunt. You can be confident that you won't regret your decision.”
“Oh, I’m sure I won’t. I expect excellent results from Tyrus in the future.”
“You can count on it!”
Everyone promptly left the office after bidding goodbye to Selena. Now out of earshot of the branch leader and descending the steps, Reo leaned over and whispered to Tyrus just as he stored the book in his ring. “Hey, I got a question for you that’s been chewing on my brain. Lying will result in a loss of trust and rejection from Blue Dawn, regardless of others' opinions.”
Tyrus slowly nodded. “…What’s the question?”
Immediately, the lively atmosphere of the room immersed them as they stepped onto the first floor. Like yesterday, explorers filled the tables, mugs in hand while many crowded the board. Celeste was at the front desk, accepting contracts and handing out trays of sil to guild members who took it with gratitude and smiles. After pushing through the wave and exiting the building, Reo led the group to a spot where they wouldn't be overheard. He glanced around once more and stared at Tyrus.
“Tell us what you’re hiding under the hat.”
That was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen…
Time seemed to freeze. The soaring birds seemed to move at a sluggish pace. Something abruptly snapped clasped attention when he sensed a hand placed on his shoulder. Looking up, Fiona was beaming with joy.
“What do you think? Pretty cool, right? She's one of the most powerful people around!”
Selena let out a warm chuckle. “You flatter me, Fiona. When compared to several others, I am just a small fish in the ocean. There are countless individuals who possess an immense strength that is beyond your imagination. Some can even level the entire city of Valis with one spell.”
“That’s crazy,” Tyrus mumbled. To accomplish such an achievement, the amount of mana required would be insurmountable. Casting Dual Shot was a struggle for him as he almost lost consciousness because of his depleted reserves. The destruction of a city as large as Valis would require a sorcerer who had undergone constant training throughout their long life.
“Yeah, Elemental Sorcerers are crazy strong,” Reo grumbled behind Grant. He revealed himself as he wiped his glistening face. “It's surprising that the specialization with the most sorcerers carries a power that can cause so much destruction. It's a good thing Augmentation Sorcerers are meant to be a direct counter to them.”
“Direct counter?” Tyrus asked. “What do you mean by that?”
Arms crossed, Reo wore a frown. “Valis academy teaches a diverse range of subjects, counting sorcery. That includes the strengths and weaknesses of each specialization. Elemental Sorcerers typically lack close-range defense because of their focus on mid to long-range attacks. You also have to think how long it takes to cast a spell, and every second matters in a fight. The outcome depends on multiple variables.”
“Elemental Sorcerers must keep a keen eye on their mana heart, the time it takes to cast spells, whether it will hit their target, and more. Dodging an anticipated attack is easy for Augmentation Sorcerers who boost their body's capabilities and five senses. If surprised and approached closely, the Elemental Sorcerer is done for.”
“I see… that makes sense,” Tyrus said. Many instances exist where an Elemental Sorcerer can be caught off guard, he thought. Even with a head-start, Reo quickly caught him during his escape in the Wasteful Wetlands. Alongside Grant’s strength, the chances of escaping fizzled away.
“But,” Reo continued, “since you’re a Multi-Specialist, you have the potential to excel in long-range and close-range combat. That is if you're skilled with blades or martial arts. Honestly, your work is cut out for you.”
“Is it because I have more to work on?” Tyrus guessed.
“Yep. To succeed, you need to learn spells, train your mana heart, and be proficient with a sword. You have two options: either test your luck by trying everything or focus most of your time on one specialization. Don't forget that selecting both options might come with a high price tag.”
Expensive? That’s not good. If the costs to train both specializations were to be too much, then he’d have to accept contracts sooner rather than later and save up. Procuring food in the wild is an easy feat, but getting lodging could be an issue.
Also, learning solely as an Elemental Sorcerer may be the best option, given its wide range of uses. However, after hearing Reo’s input, what if he came across a situation where he needed to get physical? Beast Transformation and basic augmentation could solve it, but contracts would get increasingly difficult in the future. There was no harm in learning how to wield a sword, but he might need a teacher for that.
The notion applies to Elemental Sorcerers' learning as well. Tyrus committed to memory the incantations in the book for light and a few for fire. He also knew the first few for water, yet completely disregarded earth. There was also Shadow Bolt, which was impossible to forget, as it was the only one.
Wait a minute! That’s it! If I can get the book in Selena’s office, then I can read it over as much as I want. There's no way she'll say no. She promised to help me with anything she can.
Tyrus cleared his throat and approached Selena. “Excuse me… Do you remember what you said yesterday? About how if I needed anything if you're able to?”
Selena stared at him strangely. “Indeed, those words came out of my mouth. I'm true to my word. Your contemplation of Reo's words makes me wonder if you have an interest in grimoires.”
“What’s a grimoire?” he asked.
“In simple terms, it's a book about magic. It contains incantations, various spellcasting methods, and instructions on specific topics. It is rather costly, as it is quite difficult to acquire one.”
His hopeful spirit vanished as he stared at the ground. “Oh… I didn’t know it would cost a lot. I’ll get one later.”
Selena held up a finger and wiggled it. “Not so fast. Although I don't possess a grimoire, I do have a textbook in my office. I will mention I am not the owner; Ivy is. If you're interested, I can get in touch with her and ask to borrow it for you.”
“Really? I will gladly accept the offer,” he said with a smile.
“Lovely. Let's depart from the premises now. It appears that we've drawn quite a crowd.”
People came in large numbers to the field, particularly explorers who were eager to witness Selena in action, as she mentioned. The branch leader greeted them with a brief wave before leading the group inside. After passing through the doors, the onlookers situated inside rushed towards them.
“What’s the occasion for displaying that terrifying spell?”
“Why is there a bean sprout among them? Is he lost?”
“Holy shit! The middle of the training field is completely black! The branch leader is as scary as always!”
The group, including Selena, disregarded the comments and led everyone to the third floor. They eventually arrived at the office, and she walked towards her desk. From there lay the book, right in its exact position. Tyrus made sure it faced the same direction. The book was in pristine condition, with no crinkled pages, stains, or related markings. He kept his face neutral and watched as she picked it up.
“Hm? Has Ivy forgotten to put her book away again? It's better to avoid developing bad habits, even if her mother could provide another one.”
Shaking her head, she crouched down and opened one of the cabinets. Following a significant amount of noise and commotion, a metallic sphere emerged that bore a striking resemblance to those found in the magical shop. “Within my hands lies a magical tool. This one specifically functions as a communications device. It’s able to link and form a connection with other similar magic tools. The activation process simply requires a single drop of mana.”
With little to no effort, Selena released a minuscule of mana into the orb. It shook slightly, and the exterior glowed white. Following shortly after, a screen that was both translucent and white in color appeared above the item. Initially, there was no image visible, however, after a brief lapse of time, the screen flickered, and a face emerged.
“Teacher? Is that you?” the screen said in a muffled voice. Blue jeweled eyes and blond locks alongside a childish face appeared. The head of Ivy, clear as day, emanated from the hovering phenomenon. The sight of the two conversing long distance left Tyrus in disbelief, his jaw dropping with surprise.
“Hello, Ivy. Have you been well?”
“Yes! Thank you for asking. I can’t say the same for Mother, though.”
Selena frowned. “Oh? What’s the matter with Erza?”
There was a pause, and what followed was a torrent of curses in the background. “Someone broke into her shop and left a big mess around. There’s a lot of glass, gashes, and punctures along the walls and shelves. They entered through the side window, but from what Mother has told me, they took nothing from the collection. What kind of thief enters a shop and steals nothing? Either they were terrible at their job or mother's remarkable defenses frightened them away.”
As the conversation dragged on, Tyrus's calm facade crumbled. Despite his urge to shrink to the size of a mouse and scamper away from the room, he kept his eyes fixed straight ahead. Losing his cool right now would probably make them suspicious. If there was no means of tracking him, he was fine.
“Once the alarm went off, nearby guards rushed to the scene. Upon arrival, they saw two suspicious individuals fleeing from the scene. Luckily, Geroth was among the guards, and he dealt with them! I think they were the intruders that broke in.”
“Well, I’m glad nothing of value was stolen,” Selena said. "As soon as I'm done with pressing issues, I'll proceed to the location and provide help if I'm capable of doing so.”
“Thank you, teacher! I’m sure mother would appreciate it. Is there anything else?”
“Why yes there is. Tyrus is here with me, and he wanted to borrow Building Blocks of Incantations for Elementals temporarily. Is that alright with you?”
“O-Of course!” Ivy said quickly. “It’s the least I can do for my savior. It's his choice to keep it for as long as he desires. Thanks to Mother, I have a much better book.”
Selena turned to Tyrus and winked. “You hear that? The book is all yours.”
Tyrus plastered on a grin and spoke. “That’s great… Thank you, Ivy. I’ll take good care of it.”
“It’s nothing at all! If it’s you, I’m sure you’ll learn a lot from it. Anyway, I gotta go! Mother needs my help with sweeping. See you later!”
The floating screen vanished, and the magic tool's luminance diminished until it resembled a mundane orb. Selena stored it for safekeeping and placed the book in Tyrus’ hand. It just occurred to me that I forgot to ask; can you read what’s written? I'm uncertain if you're literate."
“Oh, I can read just fine. I think someone taught me how to do it a long time ago, but I can't remember.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Tyrus noticed Reo's scowl deepen, and heard him muttering under his breath. Grant saw it and shook his head in a way that suggested he knew the reason. He definitely held suspicions about him. Fiona showed her annoyance by rolling her eyes and then gave Tyrus an apologetic smile. Just what were those three up to?
Selena remained oblivious to their antics and strolled toward her desk. “If you would excuse me, I have a lot of work to do. You'll be encountering me less frequently until the upcoming monthly examination that allows new explorers. The event is a week from today, so prepare accordingly. You may now leave.”
Fiona bowed curtly and said, “Thank you for all you’ve done, aunt. You can be confident that you won't regret your decision.”
“Oh, I’m sure I won’t. I expect excellent results from Tyrus in the future.”
“You can count on it!”
Everyone promptly left the office after bidding goodbye to Selena. Now out of earshot of the branch leader and descending the steps, Reo leaned over and whispered to Tyrus just as he stored the book in his ring. “Hey, I got a question for you that’s been chewing on my brain. Lying will result in a loss of trust and rejection from Blue Dawn, regardless of others' opinions.”
Tyrus slowly nodded. “…What’s the question?”
Immediately, the lively atmosphere of the room immersed them as they stepped onto the first floor. Like yesterday, explorers filled the tables, mugs in hand while many crowded the board. Celeste was at the front desk, accepting contracts and handing out trays of sil to guild members who took it with gratitude and smiles. After pushing through the wave and exiting the building, Reo led the group to a spot where they wouldn't be overheard. He glanced around once more and stared at Tyrus.
“Tell us what you’re hiding under the hat.”
