Chapter 165
Chapter 165
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Transaction
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"Can't I take it apart?"
After completing the mission and receiving the handheld game console from me, Lilliana asked while examining it.
"It's yours now. You can take it apart for all I care. Just know that you'll probably lose access to all the games inside."
She smacked her lips in disappointment at my words.
"Un-ho, don't you have one more?"
"It's a rare one-of-a-kind item."
At least for now...
I couldn't tell her the truth. Right now was the time to hype up the console's value.
"Un-ho, what are these characters? Letters? Or some kind of magic device?"
She asked while looking at the English text that appeared during gameplay.
"It's a language."
"A language? I've never seen or heard of characters like these before."
"There are languages even you don't know."
"No way. I thought I knew almost every language..."
"The world is vast. This must be one you haven't encountered."
"I never thought I'd hear that from you... So, I can't learn this language? If I did, I bet I'd understand this game console better."
"You can learn it."
"How...? Don't tell me... You, Un-ho? You know it?"
"Yeah."
For some reason, it felt like I was being massively underestimated...
"To think the day would come when I'd learn something from you, Un-ho... The world is full of surprises. Teach me this language. I'll pay the price."
Just the words I'd been waiting for came out of her mouth.
"The price... Got any magic items that'd be useful to me?"
"As expected, you want an artifact..."
Lilliana looked reluctant, but a magic item was perfect.
It would let me use magic more conveniently.
And I'd already gotten a taste of luxury with that high-end staff.
I could no longer be satisfied with the junk from the dimensional shop.
A mage of Lilliana's caliber had to have some decent magic items.
"Hmm... What kind do you want?"
"Got anything for teleportation?"
"...Teleportation?"
"The instant teleport you used when you were fighting me."
It was the ultimate evasion spell, in my opinion.
"No can do."
"What? Why not?"
"That was only possible because it was in my domain. Teleportation is a highly complex and tricky spell. Space magic in general is like that—used for escaping danger, not really for combat."
"So you don't have one?"
"I do, but it's for emergency escapes, so it won't be anything you'd be satisfied with. You want something for battle, right?"
"Exactly."
Lilliana wasn't the type to lie and drag things out if she didn't want to give something up.
The one thing I'd coveted while fighting her was that spell.
It was the same one the marquess mage had used to flee.
But sadly, she said it wasn't possible.
"Don't be disappointed. I'll give you another artifact you'll like."
"What is it?"
"This."
Lilliana pulled a small ring from her subspace.
"What's that?"
"A telekinesis ring."
Telekinesis—that was the ability Ji-ah from the zombie world used.
It had looked pretty handy when she used it, so I'd been a bit jealous.
"It converts mana into telekinesis. Inefficient, but that won't be an issue for you. Perfect for a mana-rich guy like you. Plus, it might make it look like you know a variety of spells."
"A variety?"
"Yeah, binding an enemy with telekinesis could pass for a Hold spell."
"Can it make me fly?"
"It's possible, but mages use Levitation because it's more efficient... For you, though, it should be fine. It's not inefficient in terms of versatility—just mana cost."
Now that I thought about it, it sounded tempting.
"...Range?"
"Depends on the mana amount. Obviously, farther distances cost more."
"Cool... Let's go with that one for now."
"For now?"
"...Nothing."
I reached for the magic ring Lilliana was holding.
But she quickly tucked it back into her subspace just as I was about to grab it.
"What?!"
"Hehe... I'll give it to you after I learn the language."
She was trying to get revenge for what I'd done before.
Unfortunately for her, that plan wouldn't work.
I had no intention of teaching her the language bit by bit from the start.
I bought an English language pack from the dimensional shop for 500 coins.
Then I handed the language pack card to her.
"What's this?"
"A magic item for learning languages."
"Th-there's... something like that?"
Lilliana took the card I offered and stared blankly into space.
"What? Text is appearing in front of me. 'Install Language Pack'?"
"If you install it, you'll not only understand and speak the language but read and write it too."
"That's possible? O-okay, install..."
Half-doubting, she activated the language pack card. It dissolved into light and seeped into her body.
"Th-this?! You... What the hell are you...? How is this possible? D-did you interfere with my mind?"
Lilliana seemed pretty shocked.
"Looks like you're finally realizing the greatness of my magic..."
"Th-this... is magic? Maybe I've been trapped by my own preconceptions."
Lilliana said with a serious face.
"So you're finally acknowledging me?"
"...You might be using a completely different form of magic from us..."
I'm just using it.
It's like using a smartphone without understanding its structure or principles.
"Then do you know how this game console works?"
"..."
"Thought so..."
Her admiring gaze cooled as if she felt wronged by her brief moment of awe.
She'd insulted me so brazenly—she'd soon receive her due punishment.
The telekinesis ring I got from Lilliana in exchange for the language pack gave me a whole new thrill.
If I had to describe it, it felt like becoming a real superhuman with psychic powers.
"Argh! Hit! I pressed the skill!! P-potion! You bastard! J-just one hit! O-oh, it's... breaking!! Un-ho, I think I can finally beat this boss!"
I was playing around by levitating my magic staff in the air with the ring and spinning it when Lilliana started making a huge racket.
Glancing at her excited face, I peeked at the game screen she was glued to.
The giant boss's health bar on screen was so low that one hit would finish it.
But at that moment, the handheld console's screen went black.
"Huh? Huh? Aaaah!! It just needed one hit!! Un-ho! What the hell happened?! The screen turned off!"
She thrust the console at me in a rage.
"Hmm, looks like the battery died."
"B-battery!?"
"Like a mana stone. It needs energy in the battery to work, and it's run out."
It was a high-end device, after all—the battery lasted pretty long.
"Wh-what do I do?"
"Calm down. Just charge it."
"Ch-charge?"
"Recharge the battery with electricity, and it'll work again."
"Electricity? Like Lightning magic?"
Sparks flew from Lilliana's hand.
"Don't! That'll break it!"
I hurriedly stopped her as she was about to blast it with magic.
"What? Then what do I do?!"
Lilliana glared at me murderously.
The dark circles under her eyes marked her as a full-blown gaming addict.
Of course, I'd packed it full of AAA titles—not your average games.
'Feels like I ruined someone...'
"Hmm, it's not impossible."
"What is it?! Un-ho!"
"There's a device that can charge it. Ahem. It's in my invento... er, subspace right now."
"Then what are you waiting for?! Get it out and charge my console!"
"The thing's kinda big. The carriage interior's too cramped to take it out here."
"So you're saying we need to expand the space inside the carriage?"
"Exactly. And..."
"And?"
"I'd like one more magic item..."
"What?!"
At first, I'd considered squeezing one magic item per charge out of her.
But even I thought that crossed the line.
A handheld console wasn't worth tanking her favor with me that badly.
Taking that into account, I generously settled for one magic item total.
"Master, I've found a good spot to camp."
Looking outside at Marie's report, I saw a clearing by the roadside that screamed "camp here."
Apparently, travelers used it for exactly that purpose.
We'd stopped there a few times while moving by carriage.
"Marie, let's camp there tonight."
"Yes, understood, Master."
Just one or two more days, and we'd reach Slumber.
Of course, I had no idea—and the map scale was all wrong anyway.
Thankfully, Marie knew the way.
We parked the carriage in a suitable spot in the clearing.
We lit a campfire, sat around it, and had dinner.
The evening menu was hearty meat stew and bread from Raventa's famous restaurant.
"Everyone sleep outside tonight. I need to expand the carriage interior."
Lilliana wolfed down her food and headed into the carriage first.
She seemed desperate to charge the console.
As everyone except Lilliana sat around the fire, savoring their fullness...
-Clop. Clop.
-Rumble. Rumble.
In the twilight gloom.
The sound of an approaching carriage reached us.
It was coming from the direction of Raventa, where we'd come from.