Chapter 51

“Magic really is refreshing and great, as expected.”

After disposing of the skeletons caught up in the magical explosion with a final kick, I wondered why I ever ran away when using magic was so convenient.

“Shouldn’t we rebalance things? It seems there aren’t any favorable hunting grounds for knights.”

Doyugeon muttered in exasperation.

“That’s true, the balance is a mess, or rather… this isn’t a game, you know. Realistically speaking, swords are merely for ceremonies.”

“Hah, you really lack romance.”

“Using magic is the romance.”

I channeled my magic power to cast a spatial spell, summoning a magic book that was tucked in the bookshelf.

“Speaking of this, huhu.”

I sent the magic book back. The fantasy ideal is indeed magic. The splendid and mysterious force of magic. Actually, since modern magic is science, scientists might be more ideal, but that side requires talent, a reality that awaits.

“I can’t use it.”

“That’s unfortunate. If you wish, I can use it for you. Would you like a beverage?”

“That’s fine.”

“That’s fine? Really fine?”

I summoned a bottle of soda from the refrigerator at home.

“Really fine.”

He was going to get thirsty from hunting, and yet he really wasn’t drinking?

“Are you upset that I teased you?”

“I’m feeling the harshness of reality.”

“That’s a bit excessive out of nowhere. Here, drink.”

I handed over the soda. Although he hesitated, when I slowly opened it for him, he took it. Given it, and he still accepts. Push-off.

In one go, he drank the soda. Watching him, I could feel the discomfort of the carbonation.

“Doesn’t it hurt your throat to drink like that?”

“It doesn’t hurt.”

“Still, why drink that way? I don’t understand.”

“It’s more refreshing this way.”

“Hmm, I don’t understand.”

“You’re just not trying to understand, are you?”

“You hit the nail on the head.”

Doyugeon sighed. His reaction wasn’t good.

“It’s a joke.”

“Since you’ve caught your breath, let’s hunt more.”

“We’ve leveled up a lot already. Do we really need to rush?”

“35 isn’t high. There are many people over 50.”

“But they’re professionals, and we’ve leveled up a lot this month. We can take things easily.”

“It’s not satisfying at all.”

“Even if you hunt diligently, skeletons give little experience, so you’ll always be unsatisfied. How about setting a lower standard?”

Skeletons are easier to hunt compared to the mobs we’ve faced so far. Though their bones regenerate when broken, they also die if the head is shattered, so there’s not an impossible problem. Also, they don’t carry weapons, so as long as you are careful not to be bitten, they’re not threatening.

Hunting is quick due to its simplicity, but for that reason, the experience points given are low, so the actual leveling speed has slowed. Even though they appear in large numbers, if too many come at once, it can be dangerous, so running is the standard hunting method. However, since this side can obliterate them all with magic, I did just that moments ago. Still, what Doyugeon wants likely isn’t for me to handle everything alone.

Other parties are attempting rift exploration to compensate for the slow leveling speed, but we are not doing so, putting us behind in various ways.

Doyugeon, after observing carefully, suggested quietly.

“Perhaps we should attempt the rift exploration?”

“Must we take on the risk of death?”

Based on what I secretly observed when Doyugeon’s fire mage group attempted rift exploration a few times, this side can easily handle it even alone. But I can’t lead him to a dangerous place just yet.

He sighed. Somehow, I felt apologetic, feeling like I was blocking his path. It’s closer to the tone of “stop playing these dangerous games.”

“Cheer up. When we first hunted slimes, it was more about the adventure spirit than the level, right? Let’s proceed with ease and open hearts.”

I extinguished all the torches in the maze with my magic power. A dark shadow enveloped us.

“As much as I shouldn’t say this, but the thrill, you know.”

Without light, my sense of the maze’s structure through my magic power makes this meaningless.

Doyugeon found a rock. Because of his skill, he perceived the rock’s presence within a limited range without issues. The rock was thrown beyond the maze.

“The thrill might be nice, but people already know too much, having leveled up faster. Even if you suspect monsters in the dark, you can now be certain there’s none.”

Although I can’t fully agree, it’s true. There hasn’t been any cosmic horror yet.

“Then, I’ll take the role of the monster in the dark. Do you want to run?”

“I’ll politely decline.”

“Too bland.”

Regrettably, I can do it well. I modified the fireball spell slightly to create a small flame. Though I couldn’t fully transform it, I managed to make something acceptable by now. Touching a hanging torch lit it.

“Woah, it’s sparkling.”

“Huh? What? Oh, me? Yeah, guess so.”

Saying that shamelessly made me aware of how my flattery has increased.

Doyugeon, staring momentarily before shaking his head, pointed at the torch. Reacting to the new flame, its metallic edge shimmered then faded.

“Hmm…”

“Cough. That’s right, it sparkled. Amazing. But now, am I the only one sparkling?”

Boldly brushing it off made Doyugeon’s face turn red. It must’ve struck a nerve.

Or… is it just embarrassing to watch?

—

In the age of platforms, the book publishing industry was swept by a platform boom. One online bookstore offered a few volumes to read for a low monthly subscription, while another introduced an unlimited reading plan.

This transition was intriguing, but reading on mobile devices or e-readers felt less satisfying and diminished my comprehension compared to physical books. And according to academic studies, this drop in reading comprehension wasn’t just subjective but factual.

In my previous life, I became independent, owning a house gifted to me, but the expenses associated with buying physical books stretched my limited budget. However, in this life, that’s not an issue, so I tend to favor physical copies.

Still, I don’t solely stick to physical books. Occasionally, when I see a book I like while shopping, I impulsively buy it in e-book form to read it immediately. This results in a regular cycle where certain books are purchased in e-book form, with an underlying uneasiness after the purchase. My books sit in my study, but these few remain in my device. Is it that discomfort of seeing a device holding books that don’t belong in the study? Or the strange feeling of having books in the living room just for decorative purposes? The lack of classification creates resistance. Consequently, I’ve grown more averse to e-books.

Considering the advantages of unlimited monthly subscriptions, perhaps it’s time to adopt a more forward-thinking attitude. The most inconvenient part of book buying is that you can’t know the content before purchasing. Preview services exist, but they only show snippets, and visiting physical stores is cumbersome. Thus, we rely on the table of contents, author’s background, and publisher’s credibility, still with much uncertainty. Realizing a book you bought with enthusiasm only occupies space in the study is painful.

However, with unlimited monthly subscriptions, this problem is solved. If you’re not entertained, you can just switch to another book. There’s no need to carefully pick and there’s no frustration from being swayed by slick marketing.

Though, I have no intention of starting right away. Despite the interesting changes, books are better read in physical form. The proper weight, the sleek texture, the faint smell of ink—this is what reading is about.

Even though my neck and wrist ache, but that’s how it is.

—

Polishing the top of the living room cabinet, I noticed my mom’s scrutinizing gaze and began scrubbing harder with both hands. Starting from one end, I wiped all the way to the other, finished, and stood up.

“You should also clean the drawers.”

Mom, lounging in the sofa, commanded. Drawers? The living room cabinet had multiple ones, and she must be implying I clean inside them one by one. Feels impossible.

“Mom, we already have a housekeeper, why should I do it?”

“Who told you to drink alcohol?”

Uh… how long has she been holding this against me?

“It wasn’t me wanting to drink—Yumina practically forced me.”

Yumina merely suggested, but that’s beside the point.

“But mom, didn’t you teach me always to firmly refuse?”

“That’s… a bit exaggerated…”

“Then finish the cleaning.”

Glaring briefly at mom, who reclined comfortably with a book, I used magic to open the drawers.

“Use the magic, will you? What if you lose control of your strength?”

Aaah! I sat down and started cleaning the hard-to-reach gaps. Since my unused arm muscles were sore, I used magic stealthily to finish cleaning.

“All done.”

“Great job. Now, how about a cup of coffee?”

“Ugh, no thanks.”

I sprawled out on the living room floor.

“I have the right to do nothing.”

“Who in the world could have born such a daughter?”

Mom, placing her hand on her cheek, let out an audible mutter.

“You did.”

“Hmm. We found our daughter under a bridge, didn’t we? Surprising, isn’t it?”

“I know.”

When you give birth, it’s under the bridge, right?

“Ugh, that’s such a boring response.”

Mom got up from the sofa and headed to the kitchen. The coffee machine roared to life.

A cool sensation came from the floor. It felt good lying down. I wished life could continue like this forever without any need to move. Although it hasn’t been long since I reincarnated, it already feels like I’ve lost out as a middle school student. How can I stop aging?

Mom returned with two mugs and handed me one.

“Here’s yours.”

“Wow, thanks. Mom’s the best.”

“Exactly.”

I sat up to receive the cup. The aroma of coffee wafted up. No milk foam, so it’s not cappuccino. Still, a good coffee from someone else always tastes better. Life is about these simple joys, isn’t it? The dreamy pleasure of not doing anything and having coffee delivered.

I blew gently on the coffee when I suddenly sensed mom’s gaze. Curious, I looked back, and she just smiled. Hmm? What? Surely it’s not this, and then she’ll ask for something else. If it’s cleaning the bathroom, I’ll have to fiercely resist.

Taking a sip, I immediately detected overwhelming saltiness overpowering the coffee flavor. It tasted like saltwater with coffee. What is this? Something unimaginable as I kept the coffee in my mouth, unsure what to do, when mom gripped the sofa and burst into laughter. Ugh, mom is seriously, incredibly, very bad.

—

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