Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Ancient Grimoire
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Ahem.
Hainya, who had briefly lost herself from the shock of the sparring match, regained her cool composure.
Returning to her usual sharp-witted self, she spoke to Rishir.
"I'll admit it. Rishir. It seems like you were born with some special talent. As much as me."
"..."
"Yeah! Maybe even a little, just a tiny bit, more special than me! But? Your sense of humor is totally lacking."
Right after losing the spar, she had thought Rishir would gleefully mock and belittle her.
Why? Because that's what she would have done.
But Rishir didn't.
He approached seriously and offered a handshake, showing respect.
Hainya found herself utterly captivated by that gesture, without realizing it.
For a moment, she even thought it might be okay to acknowledge him as her rival.
But no, the handshake wasn't that.
It was the dishonorable urging of a shameless loan shark.
"Did you really have to make such a lame joke right now? Honestly, I was just about to be deeply impressed by you."
With her pure feelings trampled, Hainya crossed her arms and scolded him.
"It wasn't a joke."
"Now you say that? Fine. You've rethought it and decided against it, right? But too late to back out now? If it wasn't a joke, then you meant that foolish statement seriously?"
"Yes."
"?"
"Do I look like the type to joke about something like this?"
Rishir said something utterly absurd with a straight face.
Paradoxically, his complete lack of gravitas gave his words unexpected weight.
Hainya, who had been puffing up her chest with arms crossed, shrank back under the pressure of Rishir's clear eyes.
"What is this!? Demanding my entire fortune just for winning one spar!? You think that makes sense!?"
"Wasn't the deal that the winner's request, whatever it is, gets granted? I saw infinite possibilities in that phrasing."
"That was just a figure of speech! Who actually demands anything no matter what!?"
"People who don't lose."
"I don't want to hear that from you!"
"Then let's hear it. What would you have asked of me if you had won?"
"At least not some idiotic request for my entire fortune!"
"Hold on!"
"?"
"Isn't that just something you can say because you've never been in the winner's position?"
It was the privilege of the victor, plain and simple.
Rishir teased Hainya with a sly grin.
Hainya's face flushed bright red with frustration, but she could only flap her mouth without a proper retort.
A genius mage born of noble blood was accustomed to standing above others, but utterly clumsy when someone stood above her.
"Wh-what, so what do you want!?"
"What do you mean? I already told you."
"Wh-what if I refuse!?"
"No way you'd do that. Flip a promise like it's nothing? How honorable are you?"
"Ugh... ugh..."
It was like quicksand. The more she struggled, the deeper she sank.
Hainya tried to regain control from Rishir, but when she came to her senses, she found herself being thoroughly toyed with.
Before she knew it, Hainya was fidgeting anxiously, watching Rishir's every expression.
"...Well, I'm not completely unreasonable. Normally, I wouldn't bend an inch! But since it's you, I'll make an exception this time."
"...What does that mean?"
So absent-minded was she that Hainya forgot even to hide her inner thoughts.
She waited for Rishir's words like a disciple eagerly listening to her master.
"I'd rather not put someone like you in a tough spot if possible."
"...Someone like me, what kind of person is that?"
"What's the point of saying it. A young mage with both charm and talent."
"...Flattery out of nowhere?"
"If anything, wasn't that me being as straightforward as possible?"
"..."
He was right.
Compared to the usual praise directed at Hainya, Rishir's offhand compliment barely qualified as sweet talk.
Yet for some reason, it touched her more than all that lavish praise.
"So, what are you trying to say?"
"Just one thing! I'll ask for only one item from you."
The usual Hainya would have sharply retorted, 'That depends on what the item is.'
"...Really?"
But the current Hainya bit eagerly.
Even welcoming it.
"..."
Marina, her master, watched the whole scene from the side, utterly exasperated.
Was that hopelessly inept girl really her sharp-witted disciple?
Unable to stand it any longer, Marina intervened.
"Rishir. How about we discuss this later? Hainya's confused right now."
"No, Master. Thank you for your concern, but this is my doing. I'll handle it."
"?"
What? My sharp-witted disciple is right there?
But why against Rishir?
Leaving the flustered Marina behind, Hainya spoke to Rishir.
"So. What. What's this one item?"
"..."
Rishir's gaze turned to one corner of the room.
There lay the book Hainya had just tossed aside.
"Ah...!"
As if realizing late, Hainya picked up the book.
Her expression grew complicated as she examined it.
"You. Do you know what this is?"
"Not exactly."
"Then why?"
"A strange pull, I suppose."
Rishir sensed an alien energy from the book.
It wasn't impure like black magic, nor completely pure.
Instinctively, he judged it best to separate the book from Hainya.
'Maybe Normalization will trigger again and boost my mana.'
After brief deliberation, Hainya spoke.
"This is—an ancient grimoire I found in my family's deep archive."
"Oh."
Indeed a special book.
Unlike Rishir's mild reaction, the three masters showed near-shock.
"Hainya, did you just say ancient grimoire—"
"Yes, Master. From my own investigations over a not-short period—this book deals with lost ancient magic. Written in lost script, too."
The three masters' faces turned grave instantly.
A grimoire.
One that exerts strong influence on the reader through its contained magic was dangerous and mysterious in itself—
Especially one dealing with lost ancient magic.
No ordinary mage should handle it.
Marina asked cautiously.
"Hainya? You said the contents are also in lost script. How did you know? That it's an ancient grimoire? Do you know that script?"
"No."
"Then how?"
"...It talks to me sometimes."
"The book talks to you?"
"A grimoire with ego and will...! The power and knowledge inside are beyond measure!"
The two masters agreed with Meltas.
Grimoires exceeding norms often gained will and ego.
Hainya's seemed fittingly overloaded with extraordinary knowledge and power.
"Marina. Is it okay for your disciple to have such a dangerous item?"
"...Shouldn't I be saying that?"
"Huh?"
"Your disciple is the one demanding that grimoire from Hainya right now."
"...Ahem. My disciple Rishir—"
"Don't play tricks."
"Tch. Rishir. Showing interest in that grimoire rashly isn't a good judgment."
For once, Marina and Meltas agreed.
They judged it too much for young mages.
"For now—"
Then Master Ladros offered an opinion.
"How about consulting an expert on that grimoire?"
"..."
"..."
Expert.
At the word, one face popped into Marina and Meltas's minds.
Their expressions crumpled simultaneously.
Soon, Ladros fulfilled his judge duties and left—
"Hainya?"
"Yes, Master."
"What will you do with the grimoire?"
"..."
Hainya glanced between the grimoire and Rishir, then said.
"You. You heard the masters' conversation just now, right?"
"I did."
"And still, you want this grimoire?"
"It seems dangerous. So, wouldn't it be better in my hands than yours—"
"...You're worried about me?"
"Well, that's one reason."
Rishir said casually.
As if it were no big deal.
Hainya couldn't brush it off.
She abruptly thrust the grimoire forward.
"Fine. If you're worried about me—I'll yield it."
"...Thank you?"
Rishir took the grimoire with a bewildered look.
'Who is it this time? That hopelessly inept kid.'
Marina sighed watching her disciple.
She said to Meltas.
"So, what now? That grimoire's your disciple's property."
"...Ahem. No choice. We have to meet that guy."
Meltas openly uncomfortable.
Who could it be?
Unable to hold back curiosity, Rishir asked about the expert.
"As Master Ladros said, the top grimoire expert in this city. And—"
Meltas trailed off.
Marina continued.
"The top—discriminator in this city."
"Discriminator?"
"Best brace yourself. He'll hate you on sight."
Rishir's group left the magic tower and ventured deep into the magic district.
A wooden building with meticulously tended grounds, indifferently so.
The door stood wide open. As Rishir's group entered, a warm greeting welcomed them.
"Get out."
A androgynous figure with neatly swept-back hair leaned against a bookshelf.
A cool impression matching the chilly voice.
And—
'An elf?'
Unmistakably long ears even from afar.
The elf, eyes fixed on the open book in one hand, said.
"My study is off-limits to all but invitees."
"Gadena. Do you ever invite people?"
Meltas spoke in a voice already weary.
"Rarely. I prefer no one enters my study. Especially not stinking humans."
Hating humans so much yet living in a human city—
Suppressing the urge to speak up, Marina said.
"Make an exception this time? We brought something you'd like."
"..."
Gadena shifted gaze from the book to Rishir's group.
"Get to the point."
At Marina's nod, Rishir held up the grimoire.
"A grimoire."
"I can see that. What kind?"
"One dealing with lost ancient magic."
"..."
Thud.
Only then did Gadena close the book in hand.
He slotted it into the shelf, approached Rishir, and took the grimoire.
As the grimoire opened in the elf's hands—
"..."
Disconcertment flashed across Gadena's face.
The grimoire spoke.
Its contents in unfamiliar script.
And the question extremely abstruse.
"Coldest fire and hottest ice... An ancient grimoire, so approach from ancient magic perspective."
After much deliberation, Gadena answered haltingly.
As the grimoire said, one passage translated into script Gadena could read.
Hainya added explanation.
"That's how it works when opened. It asks questions intermittently."
"...What questions did it ask you?"
"Similar ones."
"Rewards for answers?"
"As little as one letter. Up to a page."
"..."
Gadena nodded.
As he returned the grimoire to Rishir and opened his mouth—
"Riddle?"
Rishir replied unwittingly.
"...Five?"
"...Well, you know. That thing on a horse—from afar, doesn't it look like five legs—"
The elf watching from the side crumpled his face.
My answer got one passage, but that lowbrow joke gets seven pages?