บท 36: Mana Mage - I

Putting all those grandiose truths behind me, I returned to reality— I needed to find a place to stay.

For the long term.

"Preferably a house that I could rent."

Or...

A Mage Tower that I could join.

Unfortunately, the latter would bind me. Moreover, the mages of the myriad races had lifespans much longer than humans. Thus, they perceived time at a different pace. A human decade was just a year for any High Elf out there.

Therefore, I was essentially just past two years old in their eyes.

I was an infant who was still learning how to walk.

"...So should I go to a nursery..?" I joked to myself.

However,

[Absolute Awareness].

After a moment of glancing at the nearby bookstore, I learned that such an action was indeed what was suggested for me.

"..."

My lips twitched.

Okay.

I was going to avoid any long-lived races for now. As an Earthling, my lifespan was horrifyingly short— even with the Gaea System aiding my growth.

For now, I was going to—

—BOOOOOM!!!!

A huge magical explosion erupted a few blocks down.

"...I'm going to run," I muttered to myself, my face paling at the threatening bloodthirsty aura leagues above my level.

With all my might, I wanted to flee. However, my heightened senses told me otherwise.

—BOOM!

The earth shook once again. A wave of powerful wind rushed into my face as another force interfered with the rampaging being in the distance.

Instantly, the world settled down.

—Ssuk!

However, there was a sword pierced into the ground a few steps behind me.

"..."

One could say that I had barely escaped death.

Perhaps, without [Absolute Awareness], I would have been a side character who had long died in a random tragedy. An unfortunate existence who had been killed by that event which was said by many that would never happen.

Such was my luck.

"Hah,"

So, I could only sigh as I walked away, looking for a place to stay.

***

"Oho! A human! How rare."

Muttered in words that I had learned only recently, was a deep growl birthed from a minotaur with golden fur. With eyes shining with intelligence and a pair of glasses on his face, Hau'goth was... most likely a scholar.

[Absolute Awareness].

...He was not.

My nose caught the scent of dough, flour, cinnamon, and sugar, wafting faintly from his body.

"Ah,"

A pastry chef.

He was also going to be my landlord.

"...Hello, Sir Hau'goth—"

"Just Hau is fine,"

"Er, Hau... I would like to inquire about any units you have for rent or sale, if that's alright. I'll be staying for at least three years for academic purposes."

"A long-term tenant? Do you have the necessary documents?" Hau'goth handed me a cookie as he spoke.

I nodded, "Yes, here they are."

While Hau'goth went through my papers, I blinked. I belatedly realized that I was indeed holding a cookie.

"..."

Taking a bite, the crunchy sweetness instantly filled my mouth.

"Oh!"

I couldn't help but gasp.

"Haha!" Hau'goth laughed, seeing my reaction, "It seems like my baking is to your tastes! I'll be happy to house a regular customer."

He then took off his apron — which I really thought was armor — and led me outside his shop.

"Come on," He said, "I'll show you around."

***

Though I asked for a 'unit,' it was more accurate to say that I would rent a manor. Hau'goth was the equivalent of a human noble. However, he was much richer than any human noble of his territorial claim.

He owned an area of the city as large as a Baron's fief. Given the current population density, such an ownership dictated an immense amount of wealth.

Thankfully, I was capable of spending for myself — a bit lavishly, as well.

"...I'll take it."

Looking up at the white, twenty-story tower, built like a tall brick, there wasn't much for me to say. It looked just like all the other buildings beside it, made specifically for magic practitioners.

It was a residential mage tower.

***

After signing the necessary documents and handing over my deposits, the building was mine for the next three years. I felt a weird sense of contentment.

Who would've thought, that I, a high school dropout, had now rented out a whole 20-story building for myself? It was only possible because I took the immense risk of going to another world and sending my old world into the pits of despair.

Indeed...

Having Gates open up on Earth was quite a side effect.

"Hngggg—!"

I stretched, popping my joints and letting my muscles scream for a quick, excruciatingly relaxing moment.

"Haa~"

After breathing in the mana-filled air, tranquility subsumed my gaze. I sat down, allowing mana to flow into my Mana Cores, emptying them and filling them in an endless cycle of gradual expansion.

The sun pierced through the windows, soothing my bones and my flesh, allowing me to meditate endlessly and aggressively.

[Spirit: 40 » 41]

In just a moment, I breached another threshold and gained a stat point.

My magic devotion would thus continue just like this.

***

Time would continue to turn.

Had I been on Earth, today should've been my twenty-second birthday.

[Name: Aventine Tidea]

[Level: 1]

[Health: 190/190]

[Mana: 410/410 » 590/590 (Mana Storage Capacity: 900/900 )]

[Gift: Absolute Awareness (???-Rank)]

[Physique: 19]

[Mind: 19]

[Spirit: 41 » 59]

[Traits: Power of the Sky (A-Rank), Power of the Sea (A-Rank), Power of Death (A-Rank), Blessing of Light (SS-Rank)]

[Divine Branches Contributed: 4/42]

I had reached the threshold between Second Circle and Third Circle, and I was pondering on what kind of spell I wanted for myself.

Inscribing another storage-based spell was going to be detrimental to my growth. With so much mana broiling within my body, I would be unable to control it all. Even if I tried making my Physique stronger, it just wasn't possible.

A human hand could only hold so much. I was still mortal.

Therefore, I carefully browsed through the <Archmagus>, Daimyuon's magical knowledge, sifting through thousands upon thousands of magical spells, hoping and praying that there would be something there that would pique my curiosity.

I looked through the destructive spells, the defensive spells, the utility spells, and other kinds of spells. The sheer quantity was astounding.

"If only I could use a search bar inside my own head..." I sighed.

Eventually, I circled back and settled on something that I noticed long ago.

A simple spell that allowed me to manipulate mana at will.