Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 031
Chapter Title: Mana Drain (1)
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“Well, isn't this something. A major incident in the Central Administrative District.”
Walter muttered as he read the newspaper, his favorite pastime. I cleared my throat softly.
It seemed the incident from that day had been classified as a serious crime.
‘Is this a cover-up by Councilor Rockton, or...’
I decided not to dwell on it too long. Whatever happened in the shadows of the Central Administrative District wasn't my concern anyway.
‘I'll just do as I'm told, clean up the criminals, get my citizenship, and fly off to another district. Done.’
What political conspiracies followed? None of my business.
Still, I couldn't help humming a little tune.
‘140 million credits.’
That was the cash left in my shadow account right now. An amount my sister and I could never have scraped together, no matter how hard we worked.
‘Buying magic artifacts with it is one option, but...’
As Joseph said, living normally in a proper district would require a lot of money.
‘Tuition can be covered with a recommendation letter.’
But housing was the problem. Neighborhoods in Dun City's core districts, especially near schools, would have rents that made the 8th Special District look cheap by comparison. Sure, the 8th had pricey safe areas for citizens in the upper levels, but those were few and far between.
‘And to set up a nice grave for my sister...’
A few hundred million wouldn't cut it.
‘For magic artifacts, relying on Fleetwood and the inspector's sponsorship makes sense for now?’
Still, securing a purchase route wouldn't hurt.
Of course, the best way was to take on high-paying missions more often.
‘Maybe because he's a councilor? Rockton's got deep pockets.’
I hoped he'd visit frequently.
That was when it happened.
“43471. Ready?”
The bespectacled guard knocked on the door of our room.
“Huh? Oh, right. You're heading out today.”
“Yeah, they said weekends are free now.”
“Man...”
Walter looked at me with pure envy.
“Must be nice.”
“If you push hard, Uncle, they might approve one for you too.”
“Kid, your hard work gets you 8th District day passes. Mine? Straight to the afterlife, one-way ticket, no return.”
“Fight the good fight.”
“You're nuts. ‘Fight the good fight,’ he says.”
He folded the newspaper and spoke.
“Bring back something tasty when you come back.”
“Prepayment.”
“Where's a prisoner gonna get money, you punk?”
“You asking me, another prisoner?”
“...Huh. Good point.”
Of course, no one else knew I got paid for my work.
“Alright, I'm off.”
“Yeah. Come back in one piece. Gotta keep mooching off you for a while.”
“Love the honest concern.”
“I'm a straightforward guy.”p>
Unprompted favors were worse than that.
I followed the guard out of the cell block and asked the invisible Inspector Roden.
“Not Inspector Roden today?”
“Nope.”
Conversation over. This guard seemed the no-nonsense type.
‘Makes sense. That's the standard stance.’
Roden and Team Leader Joseph were the exceptions, being unusually friendly.
I boarded the vehicle and, as always, covered my eyes with the blindfold.
“Alright, let's roll.”
“Yes, sir!”
With the young officer's booming reply, the four-wheeler jeep cut across the wasteland.
“What? Heading to the 8th District again?”
Freckled Ridge stared incredulously at Marie, who was bustling about preparing for her outing since morning.
“Yeah! Remember that Clark guy I mentioned? I made plans to meet him again.”
“...Miss. It's not even been long since you got chewed out for vanishing mid-party last time, and now you're stirring up trouble again?”
“Ugh.”
It referred to the charity gala she had to attend as the mage tower's representative and Fleetwood heir.
They usually kept distance from worldly affairs, but recent pressure from the Luther Family forced her hand.
Some might say showing up at a mere charity event meant little, even as the tower lord's granddaughter.
But high-profile figures like Councilor Rockton attended. Her presence at a Luther-hosted 8th District policy gala implied the mage tower tacitly supported the mayor's initiatives.
Lately, Luther demanded the tower either intervene directly or at least play ball politically.
The Sage had grudgingly toed that precarious line.
The Luther Family's innate anti-mage constitution gave them leverage over the tower.
“B-but...! This time it's really unavoidable. I told him not to stand me up, so I can't do that to him.”
“Miss...”
“Hear me out, Ridge. Mr. Clark is legit—that man's descendant. I heard he's a multi-element user!”
“Multi-element?”
“Yeah! He can use lightning magic and fire magic too, apparently. Who knows what else. Isn't that amazing?”
Ridge frowned skeptically.
“...Sounds like a con artist. Dual-element mages are rare in Sapientia, excluding you, Miss.”
“It's not a con!”
“So certain it's real?”
“Of course! Grandpa...”
Ridge's face paled instantly. Marie turned slowly, eyes wide.
“...G-Grandpa?”
“Hm.”
There stood the Sage himself. Startled, Marie flung off her coat.
“Uh, um. Grandpa, I was gonna sneak out again... but it's...”
“Go ahead.”
“...Huh?”
“Didn't you hear?”
The Sage peered at her through his small glasses.
“I said go.”
“...For real?”
“Yes. You'll go anyway, even if I stop you. Might as well go openly.”
“Grandpa...!”
“One condition.”
He eyed Ridge behind her.
“Take Ridge with you. That's my terms.”
“...!”
Ridge nodded.
“Yes, Lord Sage. I'll confirm if he's a fraud or...”
“Not a fraud.”
“I'll make sure she doesn't stay out too late.”
“Understood.”
The Sage nodded and turned. As Marie called after him gratefully...
“Thank you, Grandpa! I won't be late!”
“...Right.”
Leaving her room, he spoke into the corridor's shadows.
“Sir Lewis.”
“Yes, Lord Sage.”
A mage tower knight in armor emerged from the dark.
“Tail her discreetly.”
“Yes, but Lord Sage...”
“And remember.”
The Sage's eyes gleamed coldly.
“No intervention until I order it.”
The knight hesitated, then bowed.
“As you command.”
The moment I returned to my old neighborhood, I headed straight for the cyber columbarium.
In the dingy booth, I donned the VR gear and chattered about recent events to her hologram photo.
“I should be able to visit more often from now on.”
No reply, of course. I gave a wry smile and bid farewell.
“See you next time.”
Removing the headset, I swallowed a sigh.
Staring at the filthy alley.
“Want to move you somewhere proper ASAP.”
I didn't want Sis stuck here forever.
Leaving the alley, I scratched my head.
“Still time before the meetup...”
Might as well secure a magic artifact dealer while out.
‘More earning chances ahead, maybe.’
Extra cash could open doors.
‘Fleetwood deals seem limited to lightning or light artifacts anyway.’
Unclear how far the inspector's sponsorship went.
‘Wonder when she'll recover.’
Word was, the inspector was still out in the hospital. No major wounds, but the curse backlash was rougher than expected.
‘Speaking of...’
I pulled up the newly unlocked [Ancient Elf Wind Magic] tree.
‘Should I invest now?’
The first skill's description felt vague for "ancient elf" lore.
‘No clue what it does.’
Ancient elf magic being cryptic?
‘Still, it'll do something.’
With 3 skill points spare, no reason to doubt now. I invested.
‘Higher, nobler wind?’
Furrowing my brow at the mystery, I went to check the next skill.
‘What the...’
Flustered by the new message, I activated [Feel the Wind] to meet the requirement.
Nothing happened.
“...? What? I used it.”
Trying again...
“!!”
My jaw dropped.
‘Spirit?’
‘Making friends with the wind’ meant...
‘Spirits?’
I was stunned. Spirits? Fairies from books, extinct for over 300 years.
‘Crazy...’
Suddenly, ‘ancient elf’ clicked.
Hours later, early evening as the sun dipped.
‘This is harder than I thought.’
I'd shopped around new brokers for artifact deals, but everyone refused strangers.
Build trust with small commissions first...
‘Not feasible with penal unit duties.’
Can't reveal I'm the Mafia Butcher either.
Tsking, I climbed the familiar shantytown alleys, activating [Feel the Wind] again.
“Nngh...”
Takes time to summon, apparently.
‘No choice.’
If Fleetwood brought light artifacts today, I'd improvise with fire magic.
Arriving at our meetup—my old home—I froze.
“.....”
The front door, recently fixed, torn off like hit by impact. Fight traces everywhere.
“...!”
Déjà vu hit hard. I burst in.
Silence.
In the wrecked living room, radiant blonde hair caught my eye. That day's scene overlapped vividly.
My heart sank instinctively.
Blood cooling, losing cool—then realization.
‘...Not dead.’
Hyper-sensitive to death, I knew. Rushing in, I checked Fleetwood's pulse where Sis once lay.
Unlike Sis...
‘Alive.’
But her face was drenched in cold sweat. Not good.
“Ugh...!”
A groan. Nearby, an unfamiliar freckled woman collapsed too. She lifted her trembling head, gasping.
“The... miss...! Please...!”
“!!”
Miss? Fleetwood's companion?
“Who did this?”
“Mana... drain... Dangerous... here!”
Crash! Black figures smashed through the window. Pointed ears visible even in shadows. I scowled.
‘Elves...!’
Plasma daggers flew. Ignoring, I triggered [Lowest Bolt].
Or tried.
“Heh, useless.”
Lightning fizzled. Pfuk! A blade pierced my shoulder.
“...!”
At the entrance: a bushy-haired man. My bolt had been sucked into his hand.
“Never heard of mana drain?”
I yanked the dagger from my shoulder, tossing it aside.
Black presences encircled me fast.
A subtle pressure brushed by.
“Urk...!”
The woman retched. He was draining mana.
“How's that heart-squeezing feel? Hurts, right?”
The bushy-head giggled.
“The more mana training for magic, the more your body gets used to it. Rip it out forcibly? Agony. Get it?”
His lips curled.
“You mages can't beat me, dead or alive.”
“Don't... get cocky...!”
The freckled woman glared bloodshot eyes.
“Without the ambush... This...!”
“Puhahaha!!! Loser mutt talks big! Then don't get ambushed!”
“Kuh...!”
Grinning, he pointed at me.
“Heh heh. Mafia Butcher, super rookie? How long can you last? Oh, no moving now?”
His eyes crescented slyly.
“Ruthless elves will shred your friends.”
“......”
“Let's see how long~.”
Chest tightened, mana sucked at blinding speed.
“How long~ how long~ how lo—”
But soon...
“Hm?”
Bushy-head frowned oddly, then braced, extending both hands for full power.
“Hup!”
How long after?
“...?”
Even elf mercs sensed wrongness.
“...W-what are you?”
Bushy-head swallowed, voice shaking.
“You... why no end?”
“?!”
Elves and woman startled.
I spoke amid them.
“Done?”
“...!!”
He gawked. I chuckled dryly.
“Fun. Mana absorption ability.”
“Y-you...!”
I glared at him for dredging trauma and trashing my home.
“You asked how long I could last?”
“!!”
“Makes me curious too.”
Mana refilled instantly.
“How long can you last?”
Kwajijik! Crimson thunder spear lit the room.
“?!”
Unnerved, he drained again. But endless recharge bloated his eyes.
“What, what, why does it keep...!”
“Suck it dry while you can.”
“?!”
But when you hit your limit...
“Know that thing in Sector 5?”
I grinned.
“That's yours.”
His face blanched.
“Eeek!”
“Hold out. Mana drain.”
“Uwaaaah!”
Mana tug-of-war raged.
“A-all retreat!”
Elves fled the omen.
“This... impossible...!”
Savage lightning pierced him.
Kwaaaaang—!!