WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Alyo

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◈ Surviving as a Warrior in a TRPG World ◈

Chapter 43: New Companion (4)

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Not understanding what Gerik meant, Minos looked at him with a puzzled expression and asked what he was talking about.

Gerik explained that, since the plan was so demanding, he wanted to know the party members' exact abilities so he could assess both its safety and chances of success.

Especially when it came to magic. Having fought a mage not long ago, he had experienced firsthand just how frightening magic could be.

Since he had happened to join a mage's party, Gerik wanted to learn more about magic from Minos.

In a way, he had used that as an excuse to pry into magic. Yet once Gerik finished speaking, it was Katrin, not Minos, whose expression unexpectedly hardened.

"...Isn't that incredibly rude?"

"Huh...?"

At Katrin's completely unexpected outburst, Gerik stared at her blankly.

"Asking about an adventurer's skills or trying to dig into them is one of the greatest taboos. You don't even know that?"

"!!"

It was something he had never considered. Gerik's expression stiffened in embarrassment, but only briefly. Ignorant or not, he had violated a taboo, so he quickly apologized.

"...Be careful from now on."

Unexpectedly, Katrin did not remain angry with Gerik.

At first, Gerik was puzzled by her sudden change in attitude. Then he saw Sir Ilvern lightly tap and show her Gerik's Wood Plate, and he understood why.

'Ah... He's reminding her that I'm still a Wood Plate who can't learn skills yet.'

That made sense. The taboo Katrin spoke of only applied to real adventurers in the first place. Gerik was a true beginner adventurer who had not even earned the right to encounter such taboos yet.

That was probably why Katrin's anger had cooled so quickly.

An awkward silence followed. Then Minos raised a hand and stepped in.

"Ah, I don't mind, so I'll tell you about magic! It's not like I have anything to hide... and I think explaining magic will help us work together going forward."

Minos lightly cleared his throat, adjusted his posture, and continued.

"Did you know magic is a discipline only those born with strong souls can study?"

When Gerik said he did not, Minos explained why only a chosen few could learn magic.

To use magic, one had to create a unique magical tome within one's soul through meditation. To do that, one had to consistently examine one's inner self through meditation from childhood, while the mind was still clear and sharp.

"...Then even if someone has talent, it would be hard to learn if they start too late?"

"There's certainly some truth to that. Once you pass fifteen, the soul becomes tainted by the mundane world, and your own inner world gradually becomes more fixed."

Minos said that once that happened, building a virtual world for magic became dozens of times harder.

'So your mind needs to be pliable? No chance for me...'

Having already lived nearly thirty years, including his previous life, Gerik's worldview had long since solidified.

He was certain that even with the status window as a cheat code, learning magic would be close to impossible.

Minos went on to explain that after one painstakingly inscribed a magical tome into one's soul and learned to read it through meditation, only then did one qualify to train in magic.

Embedding spells into the magical tome created that way was called an inscription, and the number of inscriptions could be increased through cultivation.

"How many inscriptions can you have? And how exactly do Circles work?"

"There's definitely a limit to the number of inscriptions. But individual talent varies so much that it's hard to give a clear answer. As for Circles..."

Minos explained that a Circle was the number of processing stages a spell underwent. A first-circle spell processed the mana of the world only once, while a second-circle spell processed it twice.

That was why using higher-circle magic required not only deeper understanding, but also strengthening one's soul through training so it could hold increasingly precise and powerful spells.

Still, he added that even the most talented mortal soul had limits, and so did the magic it could learn.

"In practical terms, the highest Circle a mortal can attain is the ninth Circle. Ah! That only means the ninth Circle is theoretically possible... There are only a few mages on the entire continent who can use it. Forget ninth-circle spells, anyone who can use seventh-circle magic is called an archmage."

Minos said only races with transcendent intelligence and bodies, as well as incredibly long lifespans, such as Dragons, might barely be able to learn ninth-circle magic.

"I see... Then how does recharging work after casting?"

Having grasped the general theory, Gerik now asked about the practical knowledge he would need.

Minos explained it this way. To inscribe a spell, one first had to understand its theory perfectly. Then, after inscribing that mastered spell into one's magical tome through meditation, one had to fill it with mana to complete it.

Once a spell was cast, its inscription became empty, so it had to be refilled with mana through meditation before it could be used again. If a new spell was needed, the inscription had to be erased and replaced with another spell.

"That's why it's very important for mages to plan ahead and allocate their spells appropriately."

"That's more troublesome than I expected...?"

"Yes. That's why planning is especially important for low-Circle mages like me. If you mindlessly fill all your inscriptions with fire spells, then run into an enemy with strong fire resistance, you become completely useless."

On the other hand, that meant a mage who prepared well could defeat even an enemy beyond their usual ability. Despite Minos's self-deprecating complaint, Gerik did not underestimate mages.

"Ah! Still, once you become a high-ranking mage, it's almost like this problem disappears. The number of spells you can use becomes overwhelming, so you can simply prepare all kinds of inscriptions for every situation."

Gerik found that chilling. By Minos's explanation, a high-ranking mage could tailor their response to whatever traits an enemy possessed.

He resolved that if he ever faced a mage as an enemy, he would have to eliminate them first.

'Of course, the best way is not to make an enemy of a mage in the first place.'

After a brief moment of thought, Gerik brought up Owen, the mad mage from the Sewer, and asked how one should deal with a mage encountered as an enemy.

"Hmm... You aren't planning to use that against me, are you?"

After making the light joke, Minos explained the tricks to fighting a mage.

The best method was to hurt them somehow, even if only slightly. Spells were delicate, so if a mage was disrupted, their casting would often be interrupted, causing the spell to fail and the inscription to be lost.

Another method was to hide from the mage's sight. In particular, spells cast by designating a target would always fail if the target left the caster's field of view.

Listening to Minos, an active mage, perfectly explain another mage's weaknesses, Gerik felt his fear of mages lessen, if only a little.

With his questions answered, he decided to honestly reveal his own abilities, both to apologize for violating the taboo and to make amends.

"Since I've already violated the taboo... I'll be honest. At the moment, I have two skills, Slash and Charge. That's all."

Gerik added, referring to the demonstration from earlier.

"You saw them yourselves, so you should have a rough idea of what I can do. I'd appreciate it if you could assign my position based on those skills."

A brief silence fell over the group after Gerik finished speaking. His frank disclosure must have been unexpected, because Katrin flinched with a complicated expression.

After pressing her lips together and thinking for a moment, she finally spoke carefully.

"...I have one too. It's called Wild’s Grace."

After a short silence, her secret came out. Katrin briefly explained that, when used in an environment thick with brush or trees, it drastically reduced her presence, making it effective for scouting, surprise attacks, and ambushes.

When Katrin revealed her skill, Sir Ilvern, who had been listening quietly, raised an eyebrow slightly. He had apparently not expected her to reveal it herself.

Only for a moment, though. Sir Ilvern seemed to gather his thoughts, then spoke in a calm voice.

"I have two. Heavy Strike, which delivers a powerful blow with a blunt weapon. And Shockwave, which channels force into a shield and slams it into the ground to create vibrations, or strikes an enemy with a direct impact."

After hearing the group's abilities, Gerik nodded and gave his opinion.

"Then Sir Ilvern and I should be the frontliners, Katrin should take the middle, and Minos, who needs to delay encounters with enemies as much as possible, should stay in the rear?"

For some reason, Sir Ilvern's expression hardened at the formation Gerik suggested.

"Absolutely not."

Gerik looked at him in confusion at the firm response.

"Why not?"

"By the nature of their profession, mages wear very light equipment. If we place him at the very rear and allow a rear ambush, we could lose our most valuable resource for nothing."

"Ah..."

Because his experience was still limited, Gerik had only imagined facing enemies from the front.

Sir Ilvern's objection was entirely correct. Gerik agreed and asked whether that meant Katrin would take the very rear instead.

"That will not do either. Gerik, you should be at the very rear."

Sir Ilvern continued in a calm but confident tone.

Katrin should take the vanguard and prevent ambushes from the front. He himself would take the second line, blocking threats from the front and protecting Minos.

"If we are ambushed from behind, Gerik, as the party's second-most heavily armored member, can form a first line of defense in an emergency. And if something happens at the front, you can quickly join the front line with Charge. Therefore, having you take the very rear is the most rational formation for our current party composition."

The more he listened, the more Gerik realized there was nothing wrong with Sir Ilvern's reasoning. He nodded, inwardly recognizing how simplistic his own suggestion had been.

"...You're right about every part of it. Let's do that."

Minos, who had been watching, smiled and joined in.

"Please understand, Gerik. Sir Ilvern has the most combat experience, so it's best to follow his opinion on tactical matters whenever possible."

Gerik knew Sir Ilvern's true identity as a knight weathered by countless battles, so he could not even think of arguing.

Once they had coordinated their opinions and assigned roles, Sir Ilvern, who was handling tactics, suggested they practice their formation before the adventure. The group spent some time at the training ground getting used to working together.

"We're leaving to tackle the Boundary Forest in two days. Have you prepared everything you need?"

After practice ended, Katrin asked Gerik as he was about to say goodbye and leave. Gerik answered with a slightly troubled expression.

"Honestly... This is my first time, so I don't really know what I need to bring. Could I get some help?"

When Gerik admitted it honestly, Katrin lightly nodded as if she had expected that.

There was only one day left to prepare, so she said she would take care of it for him this time if he covered the costs. She would explain why each item was needed and how to use it as they traveled.

She added that instead of wasting time gathering supplies, they should spend more time practicing their formation.

It was a practical suggestion without a wasted word, so Gerik nodded in agreement. After two days of formation practice and preparing supplies, the group finally set out on their first mission.

Footnotes:

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