5. Arcana Online

5. Arcana Online5. Arcana Online

Bell unni, who had been looking at me with a serious expression, distanced herself from me and pulled out a staff from thin air.

As she waved the staff with one hand, the world seemed to be recreated.

The boundary between sky and earth disappeared, and in an instant, the scenery changed, and I was standing in a pure white space where nothing existed.

In that moment of bewilderment, I heard Bell unni's voice.

"Let me introduce myself formally. I am 'Beliar', one of the seven Great Mages existing in the Arcana continent."

As the introduction ended, the scenery returned to normal as if nothing had happened.

Bell unni was smiling at me, but it gave me chills.

'How much stronger is a Great Mage compared to a regular mage?'

While I was staring blankly, she made a straightforward proposal.

"Become my disciple."

At that moment, a blue window appeared in front of me.

[A Hidden Job Change Quest has been created.]

The Great Mage of Light, Beliar, has proposed that you become her 101st disciple. If you accept, you can change to the hidden job 'Mage of Light'.

Do you accept?

YES / NO

"No, I'm fine."

[The Hidden Job Change Quest has been rejected.]

"...What?"

"I dream of being a summoner, so I don't want to be a mage."

As I was about to pass by Bell unni, who was wearing a dumbfounded expression, and return to the village, she grabbed my clothes!?

"Why did you refuse!? The opportunity to become a disciple of a Great Mage is rarer than catching a star from the sky!"

"W-wait a minute, Bell unni!? Don't pull!"

After struggling for a while, Uncle Charles intervened and I was finally able to break free.

"Let's calm down and talk about this."

"No, I offered to make her a disciple of a Great Mage, and she refused!? What do you mean calm down!? Do you know how many people on the continent want to be my disciple!?"

After complaining for a while, Bell unni sighed.

"Fine. If you don't want to, I won't force you. But Yuna, you're in a very dangerous situation right now. You've become the target of a dragon."

With those words, she waved her staff and a symbol appeared above my head.

"This is the mark left by the dragon."

I remembered that I had acquired Ernia's mark before.

"Ah, so this is Ernia's mark."

At that moment, Bell unni dropped the staff she was holding.

And then she shook my shoulders mercilessly.

"Wh-what did you just say!? Say it again!"

"E-Ernia's mark! Stop shaking me! I'm getting dizzy!"

Thanks to Uncle Charles intervening again, I was able to break free.

Bell unni, who had been muttering to herself, looked at me with sparkling eyes.

"Sigh, I didn't want to go this far, but I have no choice."

[A Forced Quest has been accepted.]

Prove your qualifications as a summoner to the Great Mage of Light, Beliar.

Clear Condition: Obtain a summon within 1 week and prove it to the Great Mage of Light, Beliar.

Success Reward: Great Mage Beliar's treasure.

Failure Penalty: Job change to Mage of Light.

"Not a bad condition, right? In the unlikely event that you succeed, I'll give you the 'Crystal of Light', a treasure I've been saving for my own use."

At that moment, the item information appeared.

«Crystal of Light»

Can awaken dormant power.

After looking at the item information, it was time to ask.

"Why do you want me to become your disciple?"

"The Great Mages and dragons have made a pact."

Long ago.

The Great Mages who lost their precious disciples to the tyranny of dragons gathered in one place.

The seven Great Mages of the continent combined their powers and began hunting dragons.

Dragons are thoroughly individualistic.

They might mock their kin hunted by humans, but they never help each other.

As a result, they were hunted one by one, and when the damage became uncontrollable, the Lord of the Dragon Clan stepped in.

The first pact between humans and dragons.

They made a pact on the condition that they would not harm the Great Mages and their disciples.

Likewise, the Great Mages and their disciples could not harm the dragons.

If I become a disciple of a Great Mage, Ernia can no longer touch me.

The only way to protect me.

"Moreover, I'm well aware of the rumors about Ernia, or rather, Dragon Queen Ernia."

It's said that due to some incident in the past, she waged war against the red dragons and was sealed due to the betrayal of the magic dragon clan.

And I broke that seal.

Well, I guess I brought this upon myself?

But there was one problem.

I couldn't lose this bet.

"Give up and become my disciple. It's impossible to get a summon within a week."

As Bell unni was explaining that time is gold, I took out the incubator from my inventory and showed it to her.

"......"

Bell unni froze with her mouth wide open.

After being in a daze for a while, she carefully opened her mouth.

"Um, can we pretend this never happened? Or I'll give you something even better! No, more importantly, I proposed this to save Yuna! I really didn't intend to give it away! Do you know how I obtained that item!"

However, the system was different.

[Quest Clear!]

Reward will be given.

"Oh, no!"

A mage's contract is carried out by verbal agreement.

Once a contract is made, it must be kept even in death.

The «Crystal of Light» came into my possession.

I thought it would only come in after 3 days, but the system was more flexible than I expected.

I handed the Crystal of Light to Bell unni, who had collapsed on the ground in frustration, with a sympathetic look, but it was useless.

"It's too late. It's recognized you as its owner, so I can't use it."

She looked at me with empty eyes, then said we should rest and continue talking tomorrow before leaving first.

Was it really such a precious item...?

Yawn, I'm sleepy too, so I guess I'll rest and continue talking tomorrow.

*

*

*

A place filled with the smell of blood.

The cold corpses of dragons, called calamities by humans, were scattered in several places.

The last living dragon, bleeding profusely, was begging pitifully to a being in human form.

"E-Ernia! You know! We were deceived too! By that wicked red dragon!"

"Shh."

Ernia whispered softly.

It felt like she would really kill if one more word was said.

In a situation where one could only hope for her mercy while sweating cold.

"I don't care about the betrayal."

"Th-then is it because of the child who died!? Th-that!"

Those were the last words they could utter in their lifetime.

With a 'thud' sound, the dragon slumped to the ground.

"My child didn't die."

Because I just met her.

Although she lost her memories due to a curse and became human, how could a mother not recognize her own child?

That special feeling that can only be felt for my child.

That's why I could tell.

How much she must have suffered, losing her identity among humans until now.

I'm sorry you had such an incompetent mother, my child.

When everything is over, I'll come for you. Let's live together, mom and child.

Forever.

Slowly moving her steps, she wiped the blood from her hands.

Before that, there's a problem to solve.

For us to live happily with my child, there must be no obstacles.

It's time to eliminate the red dragon who sealed me.

*

*

*

[You have made a great contribution to eliminating the Black Dragon Clan.]

Gained 100,000 Fame points.

[You have made a great contribution to eliminating the Red Dragon Clan.]

Gained 100,000 Fame points.

When I logged in in the morning, numerous messages had arrived.

Eliminate? No, more importantly, what's the Black Dragon Clan and what's the Red Dragon Clan!?

Many incomprehensible messages had arrived, and they kindly explained how to use the Fame points that had accumulated.

"Use Fame points."

With those words, a blue window appeared in front of my eyes.

«Fame Point Shop»

[Equipment]

[Accessories]

[Consumables]

[Miscellaneous]

I already have a staff for equipment and I've received accessories, so should I buy consumables?

[Consumables]

Potion of Strength - 1,000P

Potion of Intelligence - 1,000P

Potion of Luck - 1,000P

Potion of Agility - 1,000P

:

:

:

Looking at the consumables, I don't know what any of them are.

Should I look at the miscellaneous items?

[Miscellaneous]

Random Draw - 10,000P

Even I, who doesn't know much about games, know about random draws.

It gives random items, right?

Should I try it once...?

[You have purchased a Random Draw.]

Congratulations! You have acquired a Pebble!

«Pebble»

It hurts when you're hit with it.

"This thing costs ten thousand points!?"

Sigh, this is clearly a loss no matter how you look at it.

Even if the Fame points were gained effortlessly...

Should I try one last time...?

*

*

*

[You have purchased a Random Draw.]

Congratulations! You have acquired Sticky Rice Cake!

«Sticky Rice Cake»

Chewy and delicious.

[You have purchased a Random Draw.]

Congratulations! You have acquired a Shark Plushie!

«Shark Plushie» Sёarᴄh the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Comfortable to sleep with when hugged.

[You have purchased a Random Draw.]

Congratulations! You have acquired Nitrogen!

«Nitrogen»

The snacks in the bag are complimentary.

I don't know how many times I drew, but a pile of odds and ends had accumulated.

And one last chance remained.

The moment I purchased the Random Draw with the last remaining points.

A small box appeared, shining with brilliant golden light and adorned with intricate patterns.

With trembling hands, I opened the box to find a bead inside.

«Yeouiju»

An item stolen from an imugi just before its ascension after 1,000 years of training in cold water. When consumed, one can gain powerful abilities.