The Obsessive Regressor of The Academy

27. Above the Thunderbolt Flower (2) (Revised 02/14)

Thankfully, the journey to the scroll shop passed without incident. There were a few unsavory types who cast him menacing glares, but upon realizing he was a mage, they wisely cleared the path.

‘Good lads, good lads.’

Asel chuckled to himself, picturing them fleeing in a cold sweat, and pushed open the scroll shop door. An elderly man seated behind the counter gave a curt nod.

“Welcome, traveler.”

The man was the archetype of a merchant. Despite his age, his eyes gleamed with avarice, and a prominent paunch strained against his shirt. A thick, folded neck and ostentatious jewelry completed the picture. Each detail clamoring for attention. It appeared the scroll shop wasn’t necessarily run by mages.

Come to think of it, while mages crafted the scrolls, it was those without magical abilities who primarily used them. Perhaps, with them in mind, it made more sense to employ merchants, those with a head for numbers, rather than mages.

“Is there anything in particular you are looking for?”

The man asked, wringing his hands together. Asel glanced around the shop before replying.

“Nothing specific. Rather, how are the scrolls categorized by floor?”

“Ah, the first floor is dedicated to everyday magic. Automatic cleaning spells, garden management, alarm spells, things of that nature. The second floor is primarily pure utility magic. Detection spells, wards, purification magic – things that would be useful on expeditions.”

“…”

“The third floor holds elemental magic, and the fourth, combat magic. The labyrinth explorers purchase quite a lot of them. Or nobles looking to emulate mages, or those who desire expensive self-defense magic.”

“I see.”

Asel hummed thoughtfully, nodding slowly.

He had little need for everyday magic. He’d already learned most of that from Hailey. No need to bother looking at those scrolls. He’d start on the second floor, then, and work his way through.

After thanking the shopkeeper, Asel proceeded straight to the second floor.

The scroll shop was crowded with customers on every level. An unavoidable consequence of scrolls being such a popular commodity.

The incantations contained within the scrolls could be used by anyone capable of channeling mana, regardless of their magical aptitude. They were disposable, true, but their low cost and convenience made them a popular item across all professions.

As a result, the Rapid Magic Tower, specializing in the scroll trade, boasted significantly higher revenues than other magic towers. Custom-made scrolls could easily fetch hundreds of gold coins, so their status in a society largely populated by non-mages was beyond imagination.

‘They focus on enchantment magic, so I hear they’ve branched out into magical tools as well as scrolls. I’d like to see that someday.’

Asel mused, wandering through the scroll shop.

He browsed the second floor, then ventured up to the third and fourth before returning to the second once more.

The shop held a multitude of scrolls. Magics crafted to bolster combat, magics meant to deceive, magics demanding immense mana yet rewarding with devastating power. Scrolls for every conceivable purpose, neatly categorized and displayed.

Of course, incantations for aberrant magic were nowhere to be found. Such spells, capable of turning on their user, were likely deemed too dangerous to sell openly.

His gaze returned to the scrolls.

He reached for a parchment perched high on a shelf. It contained a defensive incantation, one that would weave a layer of steel-like magic upon the skin. Asel slowly deciphered the spell, his eyes narrowing.

‘A defense incantation without elemental conversion. Room for improvement, perhaps.’

The only defense spell he currently knew projected a barrier around the body. Sufficient, to be sure, but learning additional means of protection couldn’t hurt.

Barriers, no matter how much power they channeled, had a clear limit. And while he could imbue them with elemental properties like lightning or fire, it was still not enough. Such were the limitations of the most fundamental defensive spells.

‘This magic, on the other hand, doesn’t require a force field. It can be constantly active through the skin, consuming far less mana.’

Defensive magic wasn’t something activated only upon attack. It was a persistent state, constantly maintained and repaired as it wore down. In that regard, the lower mana cost was a significant advantage.

Yet, the drawbacks were equally apparent. While a barrier could focus magical power to a single point, maximizing physical resilience, this spell distributed it evenly across the body, making it incapable of withstanding attacks on par with high-level magic.

Ultimately, each had its strengths and weaknesses. There was no need to abandon one for the other. Asel mentally calculated the activation sequence within the scroll and returned the parchment to its place.

Thankfully, the magic worked without issue. Since he hadn’t used the scroll, there was no risk of being accused of theft.

To grasp and pilfer the essence of an incantation simply by observing it… A feat impossible without overwhelming magical aptitude. He grinned, mentally cataloging other promising spells from the scrolls.

‘This might aid in refining my incantations… Perhaps I’ll examine a few elemental and translocation spells as well.’

Time passed. The shop’s occupants changed, some leaving, others arriving. A woman who had just entered, taking in her surroundings, cautiously approached Asel.

“Excuse me… are you perhaps Asel?”

“…?”

Startled by the unexpected address, Asel turned, a slight frown creasing his brow.

‘A beastkin?’

The woman was striking, marked by a pair of feline ears atop her head. Her attire suggested she was a staff member of the academy, and a long tail twitched nervously behind her. She seemed exceedingly delicate. Moreover, he’d never seen her before. Asel pocketed the scrolls he held and turned to face her.

“Yes, I am. What is it?”

“Ah…! I’m Plume. You are Asel, Master Ena’s disciple, correct?”

“Yes… Do you have business with me?”

Asel replied, adopting a cautious tone.

The title of a grand mage’s disciple attracted attention in many ways. While there were positive aspects, the negative ones were not to be ignored. He had experienced enough in Weiheim. The number of people who tried to tear Asel down, fueled by jealousy, envy, or feelings of inferiority, was not small.

He had silenced them by crushing them, but he hadn’t done anything like that in Luminous. It wouldn’t be strange if someone came after him with hostility.

But Plume, seemingly unaware of his guarded stance, waved her hands in a flustered gesture.

“Ah, please don’t be so wary. I’ve only come to deliver a message from the Dean….”

“The Dean’s message?”

Asel’s eyes widened slightly.

Only one person at Luminous warranted the title of Dean. The very founder of the Academy, a living history book: Freide Aylac, High Elf. *She* was the one delivering a message to Asel.

“Suddenly?”

For Asel, it was abrupt. He hadn’t had any particular contact with Freide, nor had he done anything of great note that would warrant a message. The only possible explanation he could conjure was something to do with the Academy entrance exam, but even that didn’t feel quite right.

They couldn’t have finalized the exam scores yet, so it couldn’t be about informing him of being top or second…

In the end, he’d have to hear it to know. Asel nodded, his expression less than enthusiastic.

“What is the message?”

“Ahem. I shall relay it verbatim.”

Plume cleared her throat once, then retrieved a piece of paper from within her robes and began to read from it.

“I shall omit all flowery embellishments. Congratulations on your acceptance, and let us hope we can work together harmoniously. Now, to the main point.”

“…”

“Reporting your collapse to Weiheim resulted in the reply that Ena disappeared on that very day. No matter how I ponder it, it seems to me she is heading here. Please, *please* save me. I’m barely over seven hundred years old, and I do not wish to die so soon. Therefore, if you hear this message, come to the Dean’s office as swiftly as possible. With you here, even Ena wouldn’t dare act rashly. I will compensate you as much as you desire, so come at once—”

*KRaaa-THOOM!!*

“Eeeek!?”

Her words were cut short. A bolt of pure white lightning struck suddenly from the clear sky. Plume, startled, dropped the paper.

“…Huh.”

Asel chuckled dryly, watching the familiar silhouette land atop the Academy’s roof through the window.

The Academy’s heavens had been rent open.