Chapter 86

Chapter 86

Spring, Come Hither (4)

On the day the snowstorm hit, the holidays with wholly empty academic schedules are slowly coming to an end. The days where I could use the whole day solely for my growth and training are also nearing completion. This week is the final sprint.

Once the semester starts, there will be a limit to intensive training. At best, Ill have time to contract a medium-tier spirit with Yenika, or squeeze in study time in the hours remaining after returning home from school.

Physical training has become virtually meaningless; Im focused on maintaining the status quo. When I used to bottom out my physical strength, a few days of training would at least show a slight increase in related stats. Now, whether its due to reaching the limits of my bodys capacity or something else, theres barely any change.

For Ed Rothtaylor, who has no innate physical talent, it feels like Ive trained up to the limits permitted by my body. I have managed to raise myself to a quite well-trained level, even among ordinary men. Getting to this point is already a significant improvement.

To increase my specs from here, I need to invest time into specialized areas, not just mindlessly repeat the same training.

Magic engineering and spiritual studies. These two alone still feel insufficient.

Within the myriad skills available in the Accursed Swordsmanship from Sylvania, these two are indeed the best combination to complement each others weaknesses. However, perfect doesnt exist in this world; Ill need to add something else to truly stand out post-graduation.

[ Lifeskill Proficiency Details ]

Grade: Intermediate Master

Specialized Fields:

Carpentry Dexterity Lv 15

Design Lv 11

Gathering Lv 13

Woodworking Lv 15

Stonemasonry Lv 8

Hunting Lv 14

Fishing Lv 12

Cooking Lv 7

Repairing Lv 5

Advanced Production Skill Slots:

Spirit-infused Techniques

Proficiency: 23

Power Amplification: 4

Infusion Success Rate: 92%

Fire Spirit Techniques Proficiency: 6

Wind Spirit Techniques Proficiency: 3

Contracted Spirits:

Lower Fire Spirit Muk

Spirit Affinity: 12

Spiritual Comprehension: 12

Unique Skills: Fires Blessing, Explosive Pact

High Wind Spirit Merilda

Spirit Affinity: 4

Spiritual Comprehension: 3

Unique Skills: Wolf of Winds Blessing, Rising Currents

Advanced Production Skill Slots:

Magic Engineering Techniques

Proficiency: 4

Understanding of Magic Engineering Artifacts: 5

Quick Crafting: 3

Collected Crafting Formulas:

Weak Wind Dispenser (Lv 1)

Mountain Echo Noise Generator (Lv 1)

Reactive Automatic Mana Chessboard (Lv 1)

Greenhouse Crystal Bead (Lv 1)

Blue Magic-Artifact (Lv 1)

Grappler Hand (Lv 1)

Craegls Magic Ink (Lv 1)

Light Sphere (Lv 1)

Onyas Fearful Fire (Lv 1)

Teloss Luminous Blessing (Lv1)

Lightning-struck Millennial Wood Staff (Unfashionable!)

Gluckts Eye (Unfashionable!)

Delheim Hourglass (Unfashionable!)

As the ground neared after sliding down the rope, I leapt off with a spring. Brushing off the snow clinging to my body, I turned to look at the fallen ceiling. Though a few snowflakes drift down languidly, the hole is quite long, so the quantity falling through is less than expected.

My eyes first caught sight of a pile of materials for magic engineering. These were the ones Id transferred back and forth several times, which was utterly draining.

Also impressive was the clean appearance of the library, organized immaculately. Despite checking several times while moving materials, there were no gaps to be found.

Ill need to repay Zix a few coins for asking him to clean up the debris with magic, but I didnt expect him to tidy up all the scattered books as well.

Even when I see books neatly categorized by meaningful groups it definitely feels like the work of someone whos previously experienced as a librarian.

It seems Elkas handiwork is in there, too. Despite asking him to keep the existence of the library a secret, it seems like he couldnt hold it back and told Elka

I clicked my tongue a few times before stopping. That guys not one for cheap talk but the only person he doesnt keep secrets from and shares everything with is Elka.

Even if he is tight-lipped, it seems he insists on not hiding from Elka.

Perhaps Elka was so troubled by this fact that she even came down to this dark library to organize the books. The thought occurs that the price paid for uncovering someones secret is too hefty.

I can easily imagine Elka classifying books systematically, and Zix running around putting them on shelves. Knowing Zixs character, he must have treated this as a form of training too.

Regardless I owe them a big favor. When I go back to school after opening, I should reciprocate accordingly.

Hmm Its about time to start.

Food is stockpiled in abundance. All materials are gathered. The library is tidied up.

For one week, the conditions for concentrated research in magic engineering have been perfectly prepared.

A week is long, but its an awfully short time to commit to training something.

If it was possible to master everything in a week, there would be no need for such specialization in the field of magic engineering.

However, if were talking about efficient growth, Ive already got that down pat.

Most important is repetition for mastery. No matter how bland and simple the contraption, repeatedly making it lets me start to see its mechanical principles and the flow of mana that wasnt apparent initially.

Its inefficient to try to decipher hundreds of formulas at once. Whats important is to select and focus.

Deeply penetrating the knowledge of magic engineering in the field that I can create is key.

After madly repeating the skills of creating artifacts like the Wind Dispenser, Noise Generator, Greenhouse Crystal Beads, Blue Magic-Artifacts, and Light Spheres, and once I become somewhat proficient Ill start making rare-grade items such as Onyas Fearful Fire.

Once I stack up proficiency and push myself to the brink where my eyes are bloodshot and I cant stay awake from sheer exhaustion then Ill challenge the final goal for this vacation.

[ Gluckts Eye (Legendary) ]

Temporary surge of proficiency in all responsive abilities. Halves the efficiency of curse-type magic. Prevents the use of defensive magic. Grants a state of immunity to elemental magic.

[ Delheim Hourglass (Legendary) ]

Reverts physical condition back seconds before and erases all damages and wounds. Single use.

Dodging various objects, he reached for a wooden box and began pulling out items as if checking them.

Tweezers, needles, awls, spikes; the items grew larger, and as his eyes adjusted to the dark, soon objects like hammers and knives appeared.

Lastly, he lifted a huge handsaw, its blade catching the moonlight and faintly illuminating Clarices terrified eyes.

Eek!

She couldnt help but make a sound. Clarice, with her mouth still covered by her hands, was now nearly driven to madness.

Eds mind quickly snapped to attention, his gaze precisely meeting Clarices in the dark.

Her heart stopped, then hammered all the more for having stopped.

Is that you, Clarice Ecknair?

Her body shook uncontrollably, her reasoning halted, tears flowed freely, and her heart laboured uselessly.

Whats going on? Why are you here? Why are you shaking

Kyaaaaaaah!

Boom!

Saintly Force Divine Emission.

The technique, which had absolute superiority in compatibility against virtually all magic, struck Ed directly in the solar plexus, disregarding even the protection of the storm he was cloaked in.

Crash!

Bang! Clang!

Caught utterly off guard, Ed was hurled back against the wall. The cabinet toppled over, and every manner of clutter hanging on the wall poured down upon him.

Dust billowed up, and then silence reigned.

Once the dust settled, the scene revealed Ed, motionless, a stream of blood trailing down from his head. The ambush was too perfect. Even for someone as swift and decisive as Ed, it was too much to ask for him to react.

Uh, huh It was accidental! All of a sudden! I didnt mean to

A moment of silence.

Clarice, her body shaking, stood up to see Ed lying there, a thread of blood flowing from him.

Ed, hit by a torrent of falling objects, appeared unconscious at first glance.

No, it wasnt a matter of appearing unconscious

Whoosh!

The unrelenting winter winds continued.

The cold air gradually cooled her head, and at long last, her stranded senses returned.

I

Clarice finally faced the reality.

Ive killed a person

Eds body was cold and unresponsive. Clarice felt a different sort of chill creeping over her.

Te Telos I I have sinned

With trembling hands, Clarice clasped her own and knelt down, her face a picture of confusion as she continued to tremble, not knowing what else to do.

I am tainted with such a great sin How can I How can I purify it My life should be as pristine as purity itself Yet now its stained with an indelible sin I am defiled I should burn in hell for my sins

Confessing in her distress, Clarice trembled and cried. In that moment of near-panic

Hey.

Tap.

A hand landed on her shoulder.

Startled, she turned around to face Ed, still breathing shallowly with blood smeared on his face, emanating a devilish aura.

Are you kidding me right now?

Hiyeeek-

Clarice could not even scream.

Without a chance to react, her expression of anguish frozen on her face, she lost consciousness and fell.

The snowstorm raged on as if to swallow the whole world, and within the little cabin amidst the tempest, only Ed was standing, looking down at the collapsed form of Clarice.

His expression was not a pleasant one.

*

Head Maid.

Ive received the report. Stay calm, and we need to figure out how to proceed.

Clarice had miscalculated.

As soon as the maids checked her condition, they became aware of her absence. She might have assumed that they wouldnt notice if she was gone for a few hours, but the maids of Ophelius Hall are not so negligent.

It took them a mere 15 minutes to catch on to Clarices absence.

The duty maids, keeping watch from the top floor of Ophelius Hall, spotted a figure vanishing into the blizzard. It took them just an additional 10 minutes to re-evaluate the personnel status of the entire building.

And only 5 minutes to confirm that the one who had disappeared was indeed the girl named Clarice.

Why she has vanished, we may not know We must report to the academy and commence a search immediately

Shall we send out the duty maids first, Head Maid?

Dispatching the maids requires careful consideration, as it could reduce our ability to manage the estate internally. Right now, we need to mobilize our resources as efficiently as possible. Especially do not subtract any personnel monitoring Miss Lucy. Rashly chasing after her could lead to greater harm.

Yes, I But what about Miss Clarice?

Despite the unexpected circumstances, Belle remained unflustered, contemplating their next step.

The maid chief of Ophelius Hall.

One of the academys insiders who knew Clarices true identity. That is, Belle had been informed ahead of time that Clarice was in fact Clarice. At least the person in charge of the dormitory had to know.

Theres no way to tell why shes braved this snowstorm, where shes headed. If we could just determine her motive, we might be able to guess her destination.

By principle, they cannot allow the security of the mansion to be compromised for one person. Sending out maids to search for Clarice doesnt guarantee theyll find her. The weather even decreases the likelihood of finding her.

They need to work with the academy, slowly and carefully, to conduct the search.

However, contemplating an unseen truthClarices real identityone realizes that everyone must be mobilized to find her. If the saint goes missing, that becomes a cataclysm warranting national upheaval.

On the other hand The saint, shrouded in holy grace, is safer than other students. Its almost certain that she wont perish to wild animals or immediate lethal danger.

Ultimately, Belle decides to take action herself. By delegating command to a senior maid briefly, she might find the time to handle this crisis.

Even in the face of this emergency, the composure Belle maintains becomes a calming influence on the surrounding maids.

True to the reputation of the head maid of Ophelius Hall.

The duty maids have updated their reports, Head Maid! Its The figure presumed to be Miss Clarice disappeared into the northern woods!

Then came the news.

In this weather, there shouldnt be anyone outside.

But there is one man, defiantly facing the harsh blizzard of nature. The northern woods are now his domain.

Could it be No, it mustnt be

A man with too much good fortune with women, much more than seems natural, lives in the northern forest, and Belle feels the cold sweat beginning to build.

Between the downpour and the blizzard. Lost. A man and a woman left alone. A call for help. Waiting for rescue in extreme circumstances, depending on each other for survival.

Belle raises her voice in urgency.

We must find her! Quickly! Before its too late!

Though Belle knows that Clarice wouldnt die from being murdered, her voice nonetheless remains urgent.

Instantly, the maids realize the gravity of the situation.

It could very well be