The Underworld
As Bagan stepped into the library, he spotted a librarian sitting upright, quietly absorbed in a book. She was an ordinary woman wearing glasses. Even as he entered, she didn't spare him a glance, her eyes locked on the page. Dozens of books that looked as though they'd been opened and closed thousands of times were piled around her, as if to demonstrate what happens when someone loves reading with pure devotion. They might have been returned after passing through other hands, but the librarian had surely read every single one at least once. The thought struck him for no particular reason.
It's quiet.
Like any library, silence was basic etiquette, and the interior was deathly still.
(What book are you looking for?) Sally suddenly found herself curious about Bagan's choice. With him, she could never guess what he might pick up.
"I need a swordsmanship manual..."
"Excuse me, please keep your voice down."
Bagan had spoken aloud and immediately drew a reprimand from the librarian.
(You can just think it. I can hear you.)
Ah, right.
(You're still not used to it. Anyway.)
So... I was planning to look for a swordsmanship manual.
(If it's a swordsmanship manual, it should be that way.)
Sally indicated the direction as though she'd already located it.
What about you? Anything you want to read?
(I'd like to find books that describe spirits or cover history not detailed in this one.)
Since we can move separately without issue, shall we meet up later?
(Understood.)
Ever since Sally became the Spirit King and Bagan's spirit power had increased, the benefits weren't limited to combat strength. She could now act freely and manifest physically. Sally's floating form gradually solidified into that of a beautiful, intellectual woman, her shoes touching the library's wooden floor. It was a manifestation powered by spirit energy. Bagan possessed enough spirit power to sustain her manifestation for dozens of days without difficulty. That was how much spirit power he had gained by absorbing Frost.
"See you later."
Bagan whispered, and Sally simply nodded in silence. With that, the two parted ways in search of the knowledge they each desired. Even if they separated, they remained connected through spirit power, so finding each other later would pose no problem.
Bagan headed in the direction Sally had indicated, taking in the library's overall atmosphere.
How long has it been since I last smelled paper books?
The spacious area filled with books carried the familiar, comforting scent of paper into his nose. He found himself intoxicated by the smell and occasionally paused when an interesting title caught his eye.
Finding the swordsmanship manuals proved quite the task. Most of the books were novels by unknown authors or poetry collections filled with lyrics. Some offered valuable life lessons, while others were bloated with empty content. After moving away from the novels and poetry, Bagan finally reached the section containing educational texts. Since the library had three floors, he searched for them on the second floor. On his way up, he spotted magic books he had never seen before, such as Reflections on Magic and Why the First Circle Matters Most, along with a grand magic tome written by someone he already knew well—Randel Gius's Basic Magic Book.
Should I take a look?
Bagan knew of the Basic Magic Book for a simple reason.
Every mage character started with it in their inventory.
It was the book that appeared in a mage's inventory in the game. Though he already knew its contents, curiosity about the physical version made him pull it from the shelf. He opened the first page. The opening was similar to what a character recited upon reaching the first circle. Not identical word for word, but close enough. The following sections contained things Bagan didn't know. He read through the book as though drawn in, savoring every detail he had never encountered in the game. After finishing, his assessment was clear.
More of a travelogue than an educational text? Or should I call it a diary?
The mage Randel Gius had documented his journey to becoming the first master of the Magic Tower and organized magic's influence on him. Bagan had lost track of time while reading. His body felt stiff from sitting in one place for so long. He returned the book to its shelf, interlaced his fingers, stretched his arms overhead, then placed his hands on his lower back and arched backward. After stretching to ease his bones and muscles, he set off again in search of the swordsmanship manual he had originally wanted.
As he moved, Bagan reflected. The information he possessed was more fragmented than he had thought. Aside from the major future events, the smaller details he had only seen in descriptions might prove as insignificant as their names suggested and offer little real help.
I need to acquire more knowledge. Even Pangea's history, if necessary.
The more he knew, the more freely he could act and the greater his advantage in any situation. Simply living an ordinary life wasn't his goal—too many things in this world rubbed him the wrong way. Especially the neighboring Sog Kingdom, where beastmen and other races were frequently enslaved. Seiros Kingdom, along with Dubrak and Elven Terra, had been pressuring Sog to abolish slavery, but the kingdom's absurdly powerful military ignored all of it. Bagan had the kind of personality that couldn't overlook things that needed fixing, so he resolved to act like a game character.
After all, peace won't last unless I deal with Lucifer.
While thinking this, a book caught his eye.
Written by Reinhardt? That can't be right.
Yet contrary to his expectations, the author's name was clearly printed as Knight King Reinhardt. It was a book about swordsmanship. Bagan couldn't imagine Reinhardt—the arrogant man he was—publishing a manual. Reinhardt was the Knight King, a Sword Master who ruled Tempo Kingdom, the nation of knights in the northern Shoes Continent. His swordsmanship was a national asset; openly distributing a manual would only strengthen other countries' military power. Bagan doubted such an act could be dismissed as mere whim, given how thorough Reinhardt usually was. Reinhardt's excellence as a swordsman was proven simply by his status as one of the Seven Great Heroes.
I'll borrow this and read it.
Reading the Basic Magic Book had already taken considerable time, and now another book would require even more. Still, for a swordsman seeking growth, stumbling upon a suitable manual felt fortunate. In good spirits, Bagan picked up Reinhardt's swordsmanship manual. Without even opening the first page, he tucked it under his arm and headed to the meeting spot with Sally, intending to borrow it.
Sally had arrived first and already selected the books she wanted. Rather, she was waiting to borrow them.
"Here."
Bagan placed the swordsmanship manual on the counter before the female librarian, who seemed ready to close the library, signaling his intent to borrow it.
"Yes. Purchase is two silver. Rental is five copper per book. You'll also need to pay for the books this young lady wishes to borrow."
Seeing Sally standing there with both arms full of books, Bagan couldn't help but smile. It wasn't because the money bothered him. He had simply found it endearing that she trusted he would handle it and stood there holding a full five volumes.
"Rental, then. How much for all of them?"
"Three silver. The rental period is one month. If you return them early by the week, you'll receive one copper refund per book. Please make sure there are no mistakes."
Bagan had one book and Sally five, totaling three silver. The early-return refund service was a nice touch. It wasn't bad at all.
"Thank you. For trusting my word."
The librarian looked slightly relieved, as though she had harbored some doubt before Bagan arrived.
"Payment complete. Please visit again."
The librarian gave a greeting more suited to a common bookstore than a library, while Bagan carried six books at once.
"If you're going to stay manifested, want to split the load?"
They weren't particularly heavy, but dividing them three each would be more convenient. Sally, who had left the library without so much as a glance his way earlier, spoke.
"Why bother carrying them yourself?"
Bagan looked at her, puzzled. Sally's expression turned shocked.
"You can use up to ninth-class magic, yet you never thought of opening a pocket dimension?"
...She's right.
It felt like being struck in the head with a hammer. A sense of betrayal toward himself. The shame of proving how foolish and thoughtless he had been made him unable to lift his head. Still, amid the embarrassment, he realized he needed to do something with the books he was holding. He imagined a pocket dimension. His own personal space. For Bagan, who had enjoyed the game, only one such space came to mind.
Inventory.
The personal storage that had opened so naturally in the game. Yet he had never seen it since arriving in this world. Imagining the spatial magic of the inventory, he cast the spell, and the books were absorbed into his hand.
With Absorption and Release, something like this is possible too.
All six books vanished, absorbed into his palm. Then Bagan imagined retrieving Reinhardt's swordsmanship manual from the inventory and released it. The book appeared in his hand. Thanks to his traits, he had created a perfect inventory with nothing more than imagination. Ordinary pocket-dimension magic required a medium—enchanting a bag or sack to create an infinite pouch. Spatial magic was high-level even beyond class, so even a small pocket-dimension bag cost dozens of gold. But Bagan, with Absorption and Release, needed no bag or sack. Since the medium for Absorption and Release was his own body, the medium for pocket-dimension magic had become his body as well. It was far more intuitive than an infinite bag for checking an item's condition and retrieving or storing it. All in all, it had worked out well.
They were heading back to the inn without any sense of weight when Sally spoke.
"Bagan."
"Yeah."
Feeling something, Sally dispelled her manifestation, and Bagan kept walking. But his direction wasn't toward the inn. The library wasn't far from the guild and Ganesha's inn, yet Bagan walked in the opposite direction, feigning nonchalance. The sun had already set, leaving only the moon to light the night. A chilly atmosphere hung over De Meca's darkened streets. Even the once-bustling main roads now felt as though a curfew had been imposed—completely empty. Wandering De Meca's streets alone at night was dangerous, and passing through alleys was practically suicide. Yet not long after leaving the library, Bagan noticed the hunting dogs targeting him. Plenty of them.
What was the way to avoid being torn apart by hunting dogs?
Become the hunter myself.
With that, Bagan stepped into the dark alleys and entered what was called the underworld of De Meca. Given that shady mercenaries and adventurers frequently operated in De Meca, it would have been strange if such a place didn't exist. The men now surrounding him were proof enough. Dozens of them, confident in their numbers. They probably hadn't wanted to make their move in the main streets either. But had they realized the situation had changed? Probably not. Then a man who seemed to be their leader appeared, a machete slung over his shoulder.
"Hey, you're Bagan, right? Some pretty good client came along and put in a request."
From the way he spoke, these men were clearly from the underworld—likely assassins for hire.
"So someone who holds a grudge against me went through the trouble of spelling it out, huh?"
"You should've just stayed quiet. Suddenly the guild's promoting you as Gold rank. It's not like you're asking to be excused because you came from the countryside, and what's so great about accidentally seeing a dragon that you had to snatch a request that was about to be cleared?"
The man rambled on so much that Bagan began to suspect he might be the one holding the grudge.
"Hey, Machete. Why's your tongue so loose? Shut up and tell me who hired you, and I'll go easy on you—just a light beating and we're done."
The tension was explosive. Bagan looked at Sally, now in spirit form, and asked inwardly.
These guys are pretty much villains. Do you think they could change if we go easy on them?
(It would be difficult.)
Sally could see their usual behavior clearly. That was why she advised him so.
Then treating them as sinners and beating them up a bit shouldn't be a problem?
He had planned to beat them anyway, but with the Spirit King of Condemnation beside him, he asked just in case.
(Do as you wish.)
He had been waiting for those words. The moment Sally gave permission, Bagan's presence shifted as though a demon had appeared. It was a clear signal that he held the advantage in both skill and status.
"I was getting bored. You're dead."
With that, Bagan vanished from Machete's sight.