Dark Fantasy Normalized – Chapter 41

Ahem.

Heinya, who momentarily lost herself in the shock of the duel, regained her composure.

Returning to her usual sharp-witted self, she spoke to Ricir.

“I’ll admit it, Ricir. You seem to be born with a special talent. Just like me.”

“…”

“Yeah! Maybe even a little more special than I am! But? Your sense of humor? Not so great, huh?”

When she had just lost the duel, she thought Ricir would gladly look down on her.

Why? Because she would have done the same.

But Ricir didn’t do that.

He approached her seriously and extended his hand, showing her respect.

In that moment, Heinya found herself unknowingly captivated.

For a brief moment, she thought it would be fine to recognize him as her rival.

But, it turns out it wasn’t just a handshake.

It was less like a handshake of a noble magician and more like the demand from a shameless loan shark.

“Did you really have to make that horrible joke right now? Honestly, I was about to be quite impressed by you.”

Heinya, feeling her innocence trampled, crossed her arms and gave him a teasing look.

“I’m not joking, you know.”

“Now? Sure, now that you think about it, you probably think it’s not a joke, right? But why? Is it too late to take it back now? What, you’re saying that ridiculous stuff seriously?”

“Yes.”

“?”

“Do I look like someone who would joke about something like this?”

Ricir said something nonsensical with a serious face.

Ironically, because of how weightless he looked, his words carried more weight.

Heinya, who had been puffing herself up, shrank back at Ricir’s clear gaze.

“What’s this all about?! Asking for my entire fortune for just winning a duel? Do you think that makes any sense!?”

“Didn’t we agree the winner could ask for anything? I saw infinite possibilities in that sentence.”

“Oh, come on! But no one actually asks for whatever they want!”

“A person without shame would.”

“I don’t want to hear that coming from you!”

“Then let’s hear it. What did you intend to ask me if you had won?”

“At least, I wouldn’t have asked for something as ridiculous as my entire fortune!”

“Wait a moment!”

“?”

“Isn’t it just because you’ve never been in the winner’s position that you’re saying such things?”

It was literally a privilege of the victor.

Ricir teased Heinya with a lighthearted smile.

Heinya felt her face flush with anger, but with no real comeback, she could only mumble.

A genius magician born of noble blood was used to situations where she stood above others but was utterly clumsy when someone stood above her.

“So, so what do you intend to do!?”

“What do you mean, what? I already told you.”

“What if I say I don’t want to!?”

“That’s impossible, isn’t it? To just flip the promise over like that. Just how honorable are you?”

“Ugh… ugh…”

It was like a swamp. The more she struggled, the deeper she sank.

Heinya tried to regain the upper hand with Ricir, but when she came to her senses, she found herself being joyfully teased.

Before she knew it, Heinya was fidgeting, only glancing at Ricir.

“…Well, I’m not really an inflexible person. Normally, I wouldn’t budge an inch! But! Because it’s you, I’ll make an exception this time.”

“…What does that mean?”

How lost in thought she was, Heinya even forgot to hide her true feelings.

She was waiting for Ricir’s words as if she were a disciple listening carefully to her master.

“I also don’t want to make someone like you uncomfortable if I can help it.”

“…What kind of person do you think I am?”

“What do I need to say? A charming and talented young mage.”

“…Where’s this sudden flattery coming from?”

“If it’s flattery, then this would be a pretty plain way of putting it, right?”

“…”

He was right, as usual.

Compared to the praise others often directed at Heinya, Ricir’s words barely counted as compliments.

But for some reason, those fleeting praises felt more profound to Heinya than any ordinary flattery.

“So, what do you want to say?”

“Just one thing! Just one single item that I will request from you.”

If it had been the usual Heinya, she would have retorted sharply, “It depends on what that item is!”

“…Really?”

But this time, Heinya eagerly bit into Ricir’s proposal.

She even looked pleased about it.

“…”

Marina, who had been watching the entire scene, was left astonished.

Is that really my sharp-minded disciple?

Unable to hold back any longer, Marina interjected.

“Ricir. How about we talk about this later? Heinya looks confused right now.”

“No, Master. I appreciate your concern, but this is my issue. I’ll sort it out.”

“?”

What? Isn’t that my sharp-minded disciple?

But why when facing Ricir?

Leaving Marina in puzzlement, Heinya spoke to Ricir.

“So, what’s that single item you want?”

“…”

Ricir’s gaze turned to a corner of the courtyard.

There lay the book Heinya had just thrown aside.

“Ah…!”

Heinya rushed over and picked up the book as if recalling it belatedly.

Her expression turned complex as she examined the book.

“You. Do you know what this is?”

“I don’t know precisely.”

“Then why?”

“I felt a strange pull towards it.”

Ricir sensed an unusual energy emanating from the book.

It wasn’t unclean power like black magic, but it wasn’t entirely pure either.

Ricir instinctively thought it would be better to keep that book away from Heinya.

‘Who knows, it might even boost my mana with normalization.’

After a moment of hesitation, Heinya opened her mouth.

“This is—an ancient magic book I discovered in my family’s deep archives.”

“Oh.”

So it really was a special book.

Unlike Ricir, the three masters reacted with an almost horrified response.

“Heinya, did you say that’s an ancient magic book—?”

“Yes, Master. Based on what I’ve gathered over a considerable period—this book deals with lost ancient magic. The content of the book is also written in lost text.”

The expressions of the three masters turned serious at once.

A magic book.

A magic book that wields a strong influence over readers with the power contained within it is inherently dangerous and mysterious—

Let alone the fact that it dealt with lost ancient magic.

It was definitely not something an ordinary magician should handle.

Marina cautiously asked a question.

“Heinya? You just said, right? That the content of the book is written in lost text. But how did you know? How did you realize that book was an ancient magic book? Do you know anything about the script?”

“No.”

“But how come?”

“…Sometimes, it talks to me.”

“The book talks to you?”

“An ancient tome possessing consciousness and will!? The power and knowledge contained within dare not even be measured!”

The two masters resonated with Meltas’s reaction.

Magic books that contained power and knowledge beyond standards sometimes had will and consciousness.

For instance, the magic book Heinya possessed was suitable to be considered a tome filled with extraordinary knowledge and power.

“Marina. Is it permissible for your disciple to have such a dangerous object?”

“…Shouldn’t I be the one asking that?”

“Huh?”

“Right now, your disciple is demanding that magic book from Heinya.”

“…Ahem. My disciple Ricir—”

“Cut the nonsense.”

“Geez. Ricir. It doesn’t seem like a good idea to casually take an interest in that magic book.”

That was the moment when Marina and Meltas shared the same opinion.

Both masters concluded that the magic book was not something those young magicians could handle.

“For now—”

At that moment, Master Ladros offered his opinion.

“How about consulting an expert about that book?”

“…”

“…”

An expert.

The moment that word was uttered, the faces of Marina and Meltas came to mind.

Their expressions crumpled simultaneously.

Eventually, after fulfilling his duties as a judge, Ladros left the room—

“Heinya?”

“Yes, Master.”

“What will you do with that magic book?”

“…”

Heinya looked back and forth between the magic book and Ricir before speaking.

“You heard the conversation the masters just had, right?”

“I did.”

“And yet, you still want this magic book?”

“It seems dangerous. So, wouldn’t it be right for me to have it rather than you—”

“…Are you worried about me?”

“Well, that’s one of the reasons, I guess.”

Ricir mentioned it casually.

As if to say, don’t take it too seriously.

But Heinya couldn’t do that.

Suddenly, she thrust the magic book forward.

“Fine! If you’re worried, I’ll yield it to you.”

“…Thank you?”

Ricir received the magic book with a bewildered expression.

‘So who exactly is that clumsy child?’

Marina sighed at the sight of her disciple.

She turned to Meltas and said.

“So, what now? That magic book is now in your disciple’s possession.”

“…Guess there’s no helping it. We’ll have to go meet that author.”

Meltas, obviously uncomfortable.

Just who was this author?

Unable to contain his curiosity, Ricir asked about the expert.

“As Master Ladros said, he’s the top magic book expert in this city. And—”

Meltas trailed off at the end of his sentence.

Marina picked up the thread.

“He’s the biggest discriminator in this city.”

“A discriminator?”

“It’s best to prepare yourself mentally. That author will dislike you just for existing.”

————

Ricir and the group left the Mage Tower and delved deep into the Magic District.

The courtyard was a neatly maintained wooden structure, almost indifferent in appearance.

As they stepped into the widely open door, a warm greeting awaited them.

“Get out.”

A person with androgynous features and neatly styled hair was leaning against a bookshelf.

Their cool voice matched their cold demeanor.

And—

‘An elf?’

Even from a distance, the pointed ears stood out.

The elf fixed their gaze on the book in their hand and spoke.

“My laboratory is off-limits to anyone not invited.”

“Gadena. Do you ever invite anyone?”

Meltas said with an exasperated tone that was already weary.

“Not really. Ideally, I’d prefer no one stepped foot in my lab. Especially if it’s those stinking humans.”

Behind Ricir, who was itching to say something about that, Marina interjected.

“But can we make an exception this time? I brought something you’d like.”

“…”

Gadena shifted their attention from the book to the group.

“Get to the point.”

At Marina’s glance, Ricir lifted the magic book he was holding.

“It’s a magic book.”

“I can tell just by looking at it. Tell me what type of magic book it is.”

“It’s a book on lost ancient magic.”

“…”

Clack.

Only then did Gadena close the book they were holding with one hand.

Afterward, they approached Ricir and took the magic book from him.

It was at the moment the book was opened in the elf’s hand.

<Oh, elf.>

A dry voice emerged from the magic book.

<I shall ask you. When the coldest fire meets the hottest ice, what will you do? Based on your answer, I shall grant you my knowledge.>

“…”

A look of sheer bewilderment appeared on Gadena’s face.

The book was speaking.

The content was written in an incomprehensible script.

And lastly, the question was extremely complex.

“The coldest fire and the hottest ice… I should approach this from the perspective of ancient magic since it’s an ancient magic book.”

After a long moment of contemplation, Gadena answered laboriously.

<That’s a pathetic answer.>

Then the magic book replied in a brusque voice.

<But it’s not the worst. Elf. I shall allow you a fragment of the book.>

As the magic book stated, a fragment of the content was translated into a script that Gadena could understand.

Heinya added an explanation.

“When you open the book, it will intermittently ask questions.”

“…What kind of questions did it ask you?”

“Generally, the questions it posed to me were like that.”

“And what’s the reward for the answer?”

“At least a character—at most, a page.”

“…”

Gadena nodded.

Then, just as she was about to return the magic book to Ricir, the book called out again.

<Hey there, friend!>

The voice that slipped from the book this time sounded surprisingly cheerful.

<I’ll ask you a question, can you guess it?>

“A question?”

Ricir unwittingly responded.

<Yep! How many legs does a horse have when viewed from afar!?>

“…Five?”

<Five?! Oh my goodness! Friend! To think you’d give such a ridiculous answer to such an easy question! Let’s hear why you thought that!?>

“…Well, you see… I thought because of that part of the horse—that… from afar it might look like it has five legs—”

<Hahaha!!! You’re an amusing friend!!! Alright! I allow you seven pages of the book!>

The expression of the elf watching their exchange crumpled entirely.

My answer was just one fragment, yet that ridiculous joke was worth seven pages?

──────────

[Title: Is this ‘The Asking Tome’?]

Content: That magic book sent the greatest genius flying?

– : Oh, really!

– : I’m also looking for that, where did you find it?

-[Author]: Contibura

– : No way, is it on the other side of the continent?

– : How the hell did a legless creature get all the way from Bondales to there?

– : Did it flap its pages and fly there or something?

– : What kind of migratory bird is that?

– : These guys are really serious about ruining lives…

– : I want to kill the people who turned me into a book.

-[Author]: No joke, it’s already stacking mana build-up, searching for a new owner.

– : Because it asks questions, it’s called ‘The Asking Tome’, right? Not just because people are confusing it and asking it around?

──────────

──────────

[Title: Seriously, The Asking Tome, lol]

Content: Just ask it already lol

I’ve prepared everything to ask so much, why won’t anyone ask me, damn it?

– : What level are you?

-[Author]: I’m level 52 right now.

– : Your level’s okay then?

– : By any chance, what’s the highest rank among magic-related traits?

-[Author]: General.

– : Then just go without any questions asked lol

-[Author]: Why the hell not?

– : That guy picks and chooses who he’ll respond to.

– : For real, is he trying to selectively question people?

– : Seriously? Does your magic-related trait have to be at least rare to get attention?

-[Author]: A rare magic trait? Okay, noted.

– : If it’s rare, you may get approached, but you probably won’t get caught.

– : The book usually asks questions, and answering them gradually unlocks the book’s content.

Depending on the trait’s rank, the difficulty of the questions and rewards vary.