Wizard of the Deep Sea

TL/ED – Miso

“I still don’t understand why you want to take my daughter as your apprentice.”

Alletus led me down to the underground of the castle.

Yes, it was a castle. Looking out the window, it seemed the hospital room I had been in was on the third floor.

And if treasure storage is here, that means this is the old castle where Alletus resides. Which means there’s a hospital room inside the old castle.

…I even saw a small stable on the way down. On the second floor. Isn’t that like putting a parking lot on the second floor?

I concealed my curiosity and answered calmly.

“I’m doing it because it benefits me as well. Do you know where my collapsed Inner World is? It’s the Deep Sea.”

“…Deep Sea? Are you referring to the depths of the ocean?”

“Yes. If this continues, I’ll probably be crushed to death, drown, or freeze to death. Would you like to touch me once?”

I extended my hand. Alletus blinked with wide eyes as if flustered, then lightly grabbed it.

“Hoo, it really is cold.”

“Other things are also tormenting me. Burden… was that the term? Helping Elysia use her abilities properly is also helping me. Her magic might be able to save me.”

“…”

Alletus looked slightly shocked and dismissed the guards who were standing by the underground door.

When he stood in front of the door, it opened automatically. It seemed there was a device that sensed something and opened the door.

“You- you seem unaffected by that fact.”

“How could that be? It’s painful and sad. It’s really hard to accept.”

“I say this because none of that is reflected in your tone. How old are you?”

“Ten years old. Probably. I’m an orphan, so I don’t know exactly, but since I had Awakening Fever not long ago, that should be about right.”

“…”

“But more than pain, I feel injustice and anger. If crying and screaming won’t solve the situation, then I should do what must be done. Cursing the heavens can wait until after I’ve pulled on every rope the heavens have thrown me.”

“An orphan…”

Alletus shook his head and opened the final door.

“Your greed is excessive. The heavens will not grant you any rope.”

“…Why not?”

“To possess the composure to think about your next move in the face of your own death, what more could you want after being granted such dignity? Had I met you elsewhere, I would’ve believed you were the Emperor’s hidden child.”

Was that a compliment?

As I stared blankly at Alletus, I felt something strange from inside the open door.

“…?”

Sensing wasn’t working well. I could tell there was something behind the glass, but the currents hit and then slipped away.

What is this? When I looked inside, at first I thought it was a museum.

Because things were luxuriously displayed behind the glass.

Then I thought it was a clothing store. Because everything displayed was clothing.

Of course, I had no interest in clothes. I began flipping through the magic books that were stacked nearby and asked casually.

“I get the magic books, but what are those clothes?”

“…If other wizards heard you say that, they would’ve been appalled.”

“?”

Alletus cleared his throat a few times and began to explain.

“What do you think is something a wizard must carry with them at all times?”

“These magic books? I don’t know about anything else.”

Oh, Aquatic Linguistics? This one looks pretty good. I should ask Dersia to teach me if I become her disciple.

This one… I don’t really get it, but it looks really hard. Could be useful when trying to win over Dersia.

“The robe. A wizard’s robe is not merely clothing, but a tool that defines the wizard, and is itself a magical artifact. Naturally, just by looking at the robe, you can tell who and where the person is from.”

“But it’s still just clothes, right?”

“It’s not just clothes. Come over here.”

Alletus opened the display case. Then he took out a white and gold robe that looked too extravagant for me to wear and handed it to me.

“Try putting it on.”

“Okay.”

Nothing to lose, so I put it on and looked at myself in the mirror.

As expected, it stood out too much. While I was striking a pose like, “Now what am I supposed to do with this,” Alletus responded.

“Manifest some magic.”

I slowly stirred up a breeze.

And only then did I realize what Alletus was talking about.

“Oh-ho…”

It was different. The breeze filled the space gently with far less mana.

It wasn’t just an increase in efficiency, my magic manifestation had become much more precise and delicate.

I immediately tossed aside the magic book and took off the robe to hand it back.

“Can I try on all of these here? Also, what’s the mechanism behind this?”

“Take a closer look at the robe.”

Following Alletus’s words, I looked closely at the robe. It wasn’t easy to see, but I could tell that the threads making up the robe were somehow unusual.

“Each individual thread has an engraving carved into it, allowing it to function as an artifact.”

“…What does that mean?”

“Engraved threads. One spool of thread is inscribed with a restoration spell, another with a spell for efficiency, another with a spell for mana affinity… These masterpieces are woven precisely so that the engraved threads are connected perfectly.”

“Wow.”

That was all I could say.

Artifact this, engraved threads that, carving things into each thread… I didn’t fully understand, but I could tell it involved an absurd amount of painstaking work.

“Must be incredibly expensive.”

“You couldn’t buy it even if you had money. The robe you’re holding right now took ten years to make, and it’s worth enough to buy a mansion.”

“….”

I folded it as carefully as possible.

“I’m not sure I should be receiving something like this.”

“You saved my daughter. Not only that, you said you would save her again by becoming her teacher. Do not feel burdened.”

“If you say so, then alright.”

Truthfully, I had no intention of declining. A chance to get something like this would never come again.

After trying on nearly all of the robes, I found one that I really liked. It was a red robe, and wearing it made me feel not only more efficient in my mana usage but also physically stronger.

“Hmm, you picked a good one. With that, even a child’s body could exert the strength of an adult.”

Hearing Alletus say so, it must be one of the expensive ones.

I also needed to train in Body Reinforcement Art, and above all, expensive things are the best. Just as I was making up my mind, something a bit different caught my eye.

“What’s that?”

In a corner, unlike the other robes, there was a shabby-looking garment inside a dusty display case.

Unlike the thick robes made with ample thread, this one was so thin it looked like plain cloth.

Not only that, it wasn’t flashy. A black outfit with a worn and shabby gray cloak-like thing. It was clearly different from the rest.

Alletus shrugged and answered.

“That one’s more of a relic.”

“??”

“An antique said to have been worn by the first wizard. It’s made of engraved threads, but it has no additional functions, in fact, those who’ve worn it say it interferes with magic. No one even knows for sure if the legend is accurate…”

“Hmm… Would it be alright if I try it on once?”

“Go ahead.”

This robe- no, it wasn’t even a robe since it was made of separate top and pants, had some stretchiness to it, and aside from being a bit snug, I was able to wear it.

Just as Alletus had said, it had no noticeable effect when I tried to manifest magic.

“…”

But I could tell.

Something had definitely changed.

“Is there an object I can try using magic on?”

“It won’t make much of a difference, but go ahead over there.”

Alletus pointed to a chair nearby.

I immediately pressed it down using water pressure.

“…Urgh.”

Instantly, the water pressure crushed down on my body.

It hurt. My body had only just recovered from being wrecked, and now doing something like this again made all the wounds ache.

But.

Creak…!

“Hm?”

The wooden chair crumpled.

Alletus looked at me in surprise.

“Is that magic of the Abyss? I saw it earlier as well, but it’s truly fascinating. Magic that doesn’t use mana…”

“…Yes.”

I took a breath and looked at the shattered chair.

That’s how much force I had used.

However, I hadn’t felt that much pressure on myself.

My heart pounded.

“I’ll take this one.”

“What? Are you sure? That one won’t be of much help.”

“It seems to be helpful.”

I looked over the shabby clothes and smiled deeply.

“To me, it is.”

This outfit reduced burden.

…An unexpected treasure gained.

*

When I returned to the hospital room, Elysia, who had been waiting quietly, jumped to her feet.

“Wow, Jern, you’re wearing a robe…?”

And then she looked shocked.

First, because the robe I was wearing clearly wasn’t ordinary.

Second, because I had dozens of books stacked on my head.

“W-What’s all that?”

It seemed the second reason weighed more heavily.

Alletus let out a sigh and spoke.

“Well, I did say to take as much as you can carry… but you can just leave them here. Do you think I’d spare any support for my daughter’s teacher?”

“I appreciate the thought, but these are negotiation materials.”

“?”

No matter how much of a genius Dersia is, she probably hasn’t seen the books kept in treasure storage.

Thanks to some light training in Body Reinforcement Art, this much weight isn’t an issue. Before taking Elysia along, I asked for permission.

“Alletus-nim. Would it be alright if I took Elysia to the library?”

“As part of her education? Even if I give permission, it might not be possible.”

“…Huh?”

“You probably haven’t heard… but recently, some old monster has taken over the library in the Capital.”

“An old monster?”

Don’t tell me it’s who I think it is.

Seriously? I waited with a dumbfounded expression, and Alletus replied with a look that said he wasn’t sure either.

“An Elf wizard named Dersia… Her personality is extremely eccentric and unpredictable, so it’s best not to provoke her. Apparently, no one knows why she’s even in the library.”

“…”

I barely held back the laughter that was about to burst out.

Well, she is an Elf, so being called that might be fair.

“I’m going to meet her.”

“…?”

“Don’t worry. We’re acquainted. I’m pretty sure she’s occupying the library to wait for me.”

“??”

I got Alletus’s permission while he still looked confused, and headed for the library.

Naturally, I was able to borrow a carriage.

As I was leaving, Alletus gave me one final reminder.

“Next week, a few nobles who want to express their gratitude to you will come. You must be at the mansion at that time.”

“…Am I allowed to stay at the mansion?”

“I’ll give you the best room. Remember this well. From today, you’re one of us.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

It wasn’t a bad feeling. I should tell the Director I’ve succeeded.

On the way to the library in the carriage, Elysia sat beside me with a big smile.

There was something I needed to make clear.

“Ahem, Elysia.”

“Yeah!”

Even though I spoke informally, she didn’t react negatively.

I needed to do something a bit more. I put on a stern face and warned her.

“From today, I’m your teacher. You need to respect me and use formal speech…”

“Okay! Teacher! I will!”

Her instant reply actually left me flustered.

“…I’m a commoner, don’t you feel any resistance?”

“What’s so important about that?”

Elysia gave a shocking response, as if wondering what I was talking about.

“Jern’s becoming my teacher to help me, right?”

“That’s right. But it’s also for me. You have to grow so that I…”

“Then I’ll work even harder!”

Looking into her sparkling eyes, I let out a sigh.

As long as she follows well, it’s fine.

The moment we arrived at the library, I swung open the door without hesitation.

Clunk-!

At the center, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, stood Dersia.

She was still the Elf with the suffocating atmosphere and deep dark circles under her eyes.

“Hiiik…”

Seeing her, Elysia let out a startled gasp and quickly hid behind my back.

She definitely looked scary.

“…”

That small sound made Dersia react.

She had been reading a book, and after glancing this way,

“What is it.”

She resumed reading as if she couldn’t care less.

Is this a game of push and pull?

Well, I had something prepared too.

I walked over with a broad smile.

I’d been holding back this line for so long.

“Greetings, Mother.”

“…Cough!”

Dersia’s expression was… hmm.

It exceeded expectations.

*

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