Chapter 2: His name
Shit.
Are these guys really bandits? From the piss poor amount of gold that I managed to loot from their dead bodies, I would've thought that they were some beggars dying from a plague, but their rusty iron swords and tanned leather tunics suggested otherwise. It was as if my luck affected the chances of them dropping items or something... Is RNG-esus now starting to fuck me in real life too? Is my suffering that entertaining to him? So much so that he begins to haunt me even in reality?
Welp, nothing can be done about it, so I guess I just gotta accept that not every mob is going to drop a legendary item or a mountain of gold.
So where do I go from here? There isn't a sign or road anywhere close to me, and the bandits I just looted didn't have any maps on them...
Oh! Why don't I just go look for a stream and follow it downhill? There's bound to be a town situated near a river. I remember hearing the sound of flowing water around the meadows, so I guess I'll start searching there.
...
I had found the stream relatively easily, and after walking down it for a couple hours, I was finally greeted by the sight of civilisation. Surrounded by lush evergreens and tall pine trees, the town seemed to be protected by nature itself. The presence of a large lumber mill seemed to show that its inhabitants made their living by selling the processed wood to traders, and the abundance of carriages coming in and out of the gates supported this conjecture of mine. I was approaching the town's gates when I was stopped by a couple patrolling guards.
[You feel some enmity and wariness from the guards]
That is to be expected when a stranger carrying multiple swords is approaching you isn't it? Let me think of an alibi real quick...
"Hey you there! State your business here!"
Got it.
"I was left behind by my convoy! I'm not even sure where I am right now!"
[The guards' enmity towards you has decreased]
"Where were you going?"
"I was going to stop at Sitarding, but it seems that my plans have been ruined now haven't they?"
[The guards' suspicion towards you had decreased]
"By the way, could you tell me where I current am? I lost all my gear except for my swords after that convoy fiesta, and I didn't see any signs while I was walking."
"You are in front of Sekhund's gates. If you still plan on going to Sitarding, you can follow the path leading into the mountains. After half a day's worth of travelling, you'll reach the town of Trest, and there, you can hire a carriage for a small fee to bring you to Sitarding."
"Thanks for the advice, but I don't have nearly enough gold on me to hire a carriage, so I suppose I'll be staying here for a while."
"Just don't get into trouble and you'll be welcome here."
"I'll keep that in mind."
And just like that, I was allowed entrance to the town of Sekhund. It was quite surprising to see them buy my story so easily when my experience with guards so far has been very unpleasant. Who knew that the inhabitants of this world could be so friendly if you didn't destroy their only line of defence against wild beasts and opportunists.
...
What surprised me when I entered the town was the fact that it was much bigger than it seemed to be when I was approaching it from afar. Almost as if the space within the walls was enlarged by a magus of an exceptional calibre.
"Shocking isn't it. This seemingly tiny town hidden within a forest of pines is actually home to one of the greatest magi throughout the Furst kingdom."
I turned to face the man who uttered that statement.
"The reason why this town is so big, is because it does not 'exist'."
Looking back at me was a middle-aged gentleman equipped with a book covered with runes.
"The gates to this town is but a dimensional rift, created by Maj Ishion as a portal to this plane where he reigns supreme."
"And who might you be? I don't recall ever making your acquaintance sir-?"
"Scho'Li Er, a traveller in search of enlightenment."
"Enlightenment?"
"Yes. As an observer of the academy, I have come to see if the magic of a great magus can help me in my pursuit of perfecting my craft."
[You sense some enthusiasm from Scho'Li Er]
"Say boy, you seem like you are sufficiently intelligent. Why have you picked up a blade when your wit is the sharpest thing about you?"
"Well, the reason is simple. I simply haven't gotten the chance to learn any form of magic."
"Any form of magic?"
[You feel a sense of disbelief from Scho'Li Er]
"Even country bumpkins know at least one spell. It is simply improbable that you, a young man with a level of intelligence higher than them, can't conjure a basic spell of some sort, like 'Ignite' or 'Gust'."
"You can go ahead and check with lie detection if you don't believe me."
[Scho'Li Er has used "Lie detection lvl. 3" on you]
["Lie detection lvl. 3" confirms that everything you have said up to this point has been true]
"My... This truly is surprising."
I didn't even need Aura reader to see that he was utterly astonished. It seemed that magic was even more prevalent in this world than I had originally thought.
"Then, allow me to teach you the incantations of some basic spells, for I hate to see talent in the art of spell-casting being wasted. But first, we must go to a less public location. For it seems our little chat here has attracted the attention of our surroundings."
It was only after Scho'Li Er told me this that I realised we were being watched by some suspicious individuals, even with my substantial perception. A man really can't let his guard down at all in this world can he?
"Then where do you plan to go?"
"Lets go to a nearby library and discuss this matter there."
...
Scho'Li Er shook his head for the nth time.
"Your innate mana capacity is simply too pitiful to use even the most basics of spells. It is surprising to me that you are even capable of living with such the minuscule amount present in your body."
"And why is that?" I ask him while trying to stabilise my erratic breathing.
"Mana is the force that grants life. Have you never thought of why the undead are capable of 'living' even without a functioning body? It is because mana still flows within their soul-fires. It is also under the same concept that elementals are able to manifest physical bodies in mana-dense regions. Have you never learnt anything about the basics in mana as a traveller?"
"No. Not even a single lick of it."
"How you have managed to survive in this world without even knowing the very fabric that it is made from is astounding to me."
"I'll take that as a compliment then."
"What's even more amazing is that you are a savant in the theories of magic, and the only factor limiting you from becoming a full-blown magus."
"Theories mean nothing if I can't use them in practice."
"Which is exactly why it is so frustrating for me to see such a good seed being wasted by factors out of his control! It's as if you came from another world where mana doesn't exist!"
My eyes sparkle as I come to a realisation.
"What, have you suddenly been blessed with an epiphany from the gods?"
"No. But your words have reminded me of something."
I'm so goddamn stupid. I didn't need to follow the laws of this world in the first place. After all, there are many paths to the same conclusion. As someone with a scientific background, I feel like a moron for not thinking of it in the first place.
"And what might that be?"
"If we can't change the source, why don't we just change the other factors in this system of ours."
Scho'Li Er was visibly confused by my words.
"What do you mean by 'system' and 'source'?"
Ah, I forgot that science doesn't exist in this world, nor does it have a reason to exist.
"To put it simply, instead of trying make me a better mage. Why don't we instead..."
"Make the spells easier to use?"
...
In this world of fantastical beasts and magic, words held power.
No, not in the sense of hurting people emotionally through verbal abuse or cheering a sad person up.
When I say that words hold power, I mean they literally hold power, as they are the keys through which the residents of this dimension could channel their mana to distort or change their reality and surroundings. Forcing it to bend to their will and might. They hold so much power that even the atomic weapons of my past were almost nothing when compared to them.
Why could mere words surpass the might of a fission bomb? It is simple really. While these warheads require finite resources, words were infinite, and thus had the potential to be even more potent weapons than those marvels of science.
"Igni." I said while snapping my fingers.
A small flame appeared on the tips of my finger and index finger.
"We actually did it."
A wide grin appeared on the both of our faces. Scho'Li Er was particularly ecstatic about our success.
"You do not understand what you have just done."
I tilted my head, puzzled, at his statement.
"No mage has ever successfully altered the basic spells."
"I don't think that this was that impressive though."
"While it might not have been impressive, the fact that a basic spell has been altered remains true. I must therefore return to the academy as soon as I can to report my findings from our study here."
"Do you have to leave so soon?"
"It is my job as an observer of the academy, I have no choice in the matter."
I suppose that all good things must come to an end, don't they?
"By the way, are you sure that you don't want to follow me back?"
"I'm sure. I can't even use a tier 1 spell without going into mana hibernation afterwards. I'll just slow you down and be a nuisance."
"Then till we meet again, my friend- That reminds me, throughout the days we have spent together within the confines of this library, I have never known of you name. What is your name?"
My name huh. I don't think my old name would be suitable here would it? I suppose I need a new name now, one that shall represent me in this new life of mine.
"My name is Zareil Alsa."
"A fitting name for a man of your talents. 'The Dragon of Origin' shall be known by all soon enough. Well, it is time I set out for the mage college. While I'm there, I'll try to get you some form of compensation for your efforts from those stingy old bastards."
"If possible, I'd like an item which increases my mana capacity. I don't mind whether it's an artifact or a concoction, as long as it can allow me to use spells."
"Then I'll keep that in mind. Good bye Zariel."
"Take care, Scho'Li."
'The Dragon of Origin' shall be known by all huh. What a bold prediction. Can a person who is unable to cast even a tier 1 spell be considered a dragon? I thought dragons were supposed to be both mighty and wise, not one or the other...
Shit. Did I set the bar too high? Was I overestimating myself when I named myself 'the Dragon of Origin'? I might have just shot myself in the foot by inviting challengers looking for a power opponent to prove themselves as heroes. Ah fuck, just thinking about it is giving me a headache... Whatever, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. There's no point in worrying too far into the future when I can't even guarantee my survival.
But I personally do like a challenge.
...
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