The City of Magicians (1)
The city of Luise. To me, it is a place of longing. It is also a bitter one.
The City of Magicians. A city where magic dictates everything. Titles from the Empire or the wealth one possesses hold no importance here. In this place, the grade related to magic decides all things.
Ah, that statement is slightly inaccurate. If your magic grade is high, titles and money naturally follow. After all, the mayor of Luise, Marquis Daren, is an 8th-grade magician.
8th-grade. Only 8th-grade, yet he is both mayor and a marquis. That is why I cannot help but sigh.
I am 13th-grade, but I am in no position to reveal it. A mana capacity that is like a curse—1st-grade. If only my mana capacity had been 6th-grade… no, even 5th-grade would have been enough. If that were the case, I might be the one serving as mayor of Luise right now. Perhaps even the commander of the Imperial Magic Corps.
But there is no point in such complaints. I discarded those regrets, those hopeless expectations, and those delusions long ago.
Rather than pinning my hopes on a mana capacity that cannot be raised, I should make full use of what I currently possess. If I do that, a path will open. I will find a way, and I will become a proper magician.
Upon arriving in Luise, Ar and I first secured the best inn available. The staff did not look down on me for my shabby appearance. They only eject guests who cannot pay. They do not judge prematurely. That is why, when I presented them with platinum coins, they greeted me with unchanging smiles.
Yes. This is what a top-tier inn should be. I like it.
As soon as we entered the room, Ar froze for a moment. That was understandable. Inns in Luise are different. Moreover, this was the highest-grade establishment. It was packed with artifacts infused with magic. That was the nature of this place.
“Come here, Ar. This is important, so pay attention. I don’t know how many days we’ll stay, but you should know this so you can use it later too.”
I led her straight to the bathroom. Unlike bathrooms elsewhere, this one was made of sparkling, smooth stone. Smell? None. Filth? None. There were no rotten wooden planks or mold. This was Luise, after all.
“Look at this. If you press your hand here like this, water will collect. The blue one is cold water, and the red one is hot water. So just mix them appropriately. The water will be quite hot, so be careful.”
Ar looked at me as if she had no idea what I was talking about. Hmm. It would be better to show her directly.
When I pressed the blue section, water pooled in the stone basin. Ar’s eyes widened in surprise. That was only natural. Even in Luise, this was not something one saw easily.
“And this. This is the most important part. This is where you relieve yourself. You sit here and do your business in this recessed area below. Like this.”
I scooped some water from the basin with my hand and let it trickle down. Hmm. Is this too explicit? But this is how men urinate.
“And see this here? If you pull it like this…”
The water I had poured vanished instantly. Once again, Ar looked startled. Her reactions were refreshingly new. Well, it was only natural for someone seeing it for the first time. Who would imagine that an inn would use an artifact for water generation and a small-scale spatial transfer spell?
Honestly, this was pure extravagance. It was only possible because this was Luise. Only possible because it was a top-class inn. If an individual wanted something like this, they would need at least a noble title. Or be an extremely wealthy merchant. Ordinary people would rarely even see such items.
I only knew about them because I had grown familiar with them while trapped in the Magic Tower.
“For now, just remember these two. You can learn the rest slowly. Um… and…”
While I paused to consider what to explain next, Ar’s gaze drifted toward the basin. Was the sink more interesting to her than the toilet? No. She looked like she coveted it.
“Why? Do you want that? If you had it, you could make water anytime you got thirsty outside. You could wash whenever you wanted, right?”
When I said that, Ar flinched and subtly averted her eyes. It was obvious. Anyone who saw it would think the same. Everyone did. It was only natural for any human to have such thoughts.
“Unfortunately, you can’t. That’s an artifact that requires a continuous supply of mana. So you can’t just take it from the building.”
Ar’s disappointment was blatant. That was exactly as expected. That was the typical reaction.
Anyway, after leaving the bathroom, I flopped onto the soft bed. Ah. Expensive inns really were the best. Even the softness of the bed was on another level. In that case, I would rest for a bit and then head to the shops. The first thing I needed to address was mana regeneration.
Up to 7th-grade, elixirs would suffice, so that was not a problem. I had the money. The issue began at 8th-grade. From 8th-grade onward, you had to pay a hefty sum for a procedure from another magician. I could receive one, of course. The problem was that it left a record. I would have to register my name, and the magician would measure various things about me. That was necessary for a customized procedure.
Using a fake name might not cause immediate issues, but the measurements were the real problem. A 13th-grade magic talent paired with a 1st-grade mana capacity was extremely rare. They would immediately know it was me. If that became known in Luise, the Imperial Magic Corps would find out in no time, and my existence would be exposed.
I did not want that. The Imperial Magic Corps learning of my existence should only happen after I could stand before them with dignity. There were other methods, of course. I could seek out an unlicensed magician. But that did not appeal to me either. I knew all too well how insane magicians could be. Besides, I had no confidence that my identity would remain hidden even with an unlicensed one. That was how much I hated the idea of my existence being revealed.
Therefore, undergoing the procedure was out of the question. My answer was already decided. I would follow the natural acquisition method that ancient magicians used, rather than the surgical procedures modern magicians relied on.
Originally, mana regeneration was not achieved by raising grades through elixirs or procedures. It was done through meditation—feeling the mana that filled the world and converting it into something you could use. These days it was considered an outdated method, and very few magicians practiced it.
Anyway, that was how I would handle mana regeneration…
“Ar.”
Ar, who had been lying on her own bed, turned only her head to look at me.
“Come here.”
She let out a deep sigh and approached. Ah. Was she reacting like that because she thought I was going to hold her again? Still, she came obediently.
“Hold out your hand.”
Since I was asking for her hand instead of pulling her into an embrace, Ar looked at me with a puzzled expression. Then she cautiously extended her hand. I took it. She flinched. Well, suddenly grabbing someone’s hand would naturally cause that reaction.
“Apply some strength. Slowly. I need to see how much power you can exert.”
Only then did Ar understand my intention and make a slightly embarrassed face. Then, as if venting her frustration at me, she put strength into her hand. The problem was that the force was not particularly strong. Her arm trembled. She clenched her teeth and poured out every ounce of strength she had.
Hmm. Not bad. So this was her limit. Ar’s strength was about the same as mine. Slightly less, perhaps? As expected of a beastperson. To generate this much power with those slender arms that showed no visible muscle. No wonder large beastpeople were so expensive.
“That’s enough. I just wanted to check your strength. You can go back and rest now.”
Ar looked at me as if she could not understand. No, if she stared at me like that, it only made me want to tease her more.
“Never mind. Let’s stay like this for a bit.”
I pulled her into my arms and collapsed onto the bed.
“Eek!?”
Ar let out a strange sound as she fell with me. She glared at me with narrowed eyes.
“What? Weren’t you expecting this when you didn’t leave right away?”
Shamelessly. Boldly. I said that and held Ar tightly. At the same time, I leisurely stroked her long hair with my hand. Whether she had given up or not, Ar remained quietly in my embrace. No, it was probably because resisting would trigger the restraints. Anyway, we stayed like that for a while.
What was surprising was that Ar did not have any unpleasant odor on her body. I had heard that some beastpeople carried the distinct scent of animals. Instead, she smelled like fresh grass. Or perhaps the scent of a forest. Being close to her like this made me feel refreshed. Enough to make me drowsy.
Suddenly, I felt the urge to cross the line further. To be honest, there would be no problem if I did. Ar was a slave. A sex slave, at that. But I still did not like it. Neither Ar nor I were beasts. We were people. So even if I were to cross that line, I would only do so after building a relationship between two people and when we were both certain of each other. Holding hands together. Only then. Forcing someone alone and crossing the line would only lead to the destruction of any relationship.
But would Ar think the same? Could she even come to like a human? I did not know. It did not seem easy. And the same went for me. Was I only acting this way because Ar had an attractive appearance? Did I truly want to understand beastpeople and build a good relationship with her?
Therefore, I needed to be cautious. It would not be wise to act recklessly when I was not even sure of my own feelings. But when had I ever been wise? Sigh.
“Hungry?”
Ar gave a small nod. Right. It was time to eat. Meals were more important than anything else.
“Got it. Wait a moment.”
When I released her, Ar quickly sat up and straightened her clothes. They had not even been that disheveled. I got up and touched the crystal orb on the table. A voice flowed out from it.
"How may I assist you, esteemed guest?"
“I’d like to order a meal. Two full-course dinners, please.”
"Understood, esteemed guest."
After finishing the order, Ar looked at me with those wide, surprised eyes again.
“You know about communication crystal orbs, right? Ah. Are you surprised that something this expensive is in a mere inn?”
Ar nodded. Yeah, I understood. It was surprising.
“This is Luise. And it’s a top-class inn. It’s only possible here. There’s no need to be too shocked.”
Ar gave a small nod as if she understood. I hope the day comes when I can use magic freely and earn a lot of money. Then I could build a house like this. Even better and more magnificent than this. I do not know when that day will come, though.