WETRIED TRANSLATIONS
Wizard of the Abyss
[Translator – Aren]
Chapter 5 - Survival (1)
The Library.
I went to see the librarian since I had hit a wall.
“I think I understand the concept, but I don’t really understand it. It feels like someone is forcing otherworldly knowledge into my head.”
“To understand, you first need to acquire mana, but you cannot use mana, Sir Jern.”
Dercia answered without even looking up from her book, as if it were obvious.
I couldn’t really understand what she said, so I had to ask again.
“You mean I can’t use mana because my inner world is of the Abyss Realm?”
“Hmm...”
Dercia set down the book she had been reading, thought for a moment, and then began to explain.
“The only difference between a wizard and an ordinary human is the ability to store mana. The method of using stored mana is what we call magic.”
“Where does mana come from?”
“It’s generated naturally everywhere in the world. Of course, there are places where it’s scarce, but there isn’t a single place where it’s completely absent. Differences in a wizard’s skill come from differences in their progress in magical studies, but most fundamentally, they come from differences in the mana circle used to store mana.”
“Mana… circle?”
“Yes.”
I met the librarian’s eyes.
Dercia looked at me, and I looked back at her.
Her expression, which was usually unreadable, slightly wavered, perhaps because I stared at her for too long, drawn in by her beautiful eyes.
“Do you not know what a mana circle is?”
“Erm.”
Was this that sort of thing?
Something a noble couldn’t possibly not know?
If I told her I knew, I’d be lying, but if I told her I didn’t, she would most definitely be suspicious of me.
As I tensed up, anticipating the worst, the flow around Dercia suddenly changed.
No, it was the ocean current that changed.
In reality nothing was happening, but the current only I could see and feel started to swirl around her, forming a massive tornado. I stepped back so I wouldn’t be swept away, but she came closer.
Was she trying to kill me?
“Don’t worry. This flow of mana won’t harm you.”
“...I see.”
Dercia didn’t seem like she intended to hurt me. Strangely, the current that had been pushing me around so harshly since earlier had turned into that tornado but wasn’t affecting me at all.
She came very close, bent down, and grabbed my cheek.
Then she suddenly leaned in, as if she were about to kiss me.
I tried to resist with all my might.
“Thi-this is against imperial law. I’m still a minor…”
“... Don’t say such ridiculous things. Just look into my eyes.”
“Your eyes?”
Peering into Dersia’s irises, I could see something tiny, glittery swimming in circles inside of them.
As I was completely entranced by this impossible sight, which no normal being should ever be able to see, she added an explanation.
“You should see small stars. How many are there?”
“...I see nine.”
“The number of these stars represents the total amount of mana you can store. I’ve awakened nine stars. This stage is known as Formation.”
“Is that high?”
“There are probably fewer than thirty mages alive who have reached Formation. So yes, I am at a relatively high stage. And yet, even I have not reached the Heavenly Realm. Do you know why?”
“I guess because it’s really difficult to reach?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“Because reaching it is really, really, truly difficult.”
“...”
I glared at Dercia, who was still holding my cheek.
She let go as if nothing had happened, returned to her seat, and continued.
“I’m not exaggerating. The Heavenly Realm is the world of ideas. A world where a wizard’s enlightenment transcends the laws of reality… a brand-new world, essentially. A wizard who reaches it has created their own world and is therefore comparable to a god. That is why they are described as having “Reached the Heavens” out of respect."
“Okay, I understand that it’s really, really, really difficult. So what does this have to do with me being unable to use mana?”
“Mages store the pure mana of this world and use it to become anything they desire. Now tell me, where does a mage who has reached the Heavenly Realm store their mana?”
“...In the world they created?”
“You’re half correct. They don’t store it at all. They simply project the mana of their world into this one. The mana circle becomes meaningless. What does it matter if you have nine stars or ten when the night sky of your own world is filled with countless stars?”
I nodded, understanding Dercia’s point.
“So the difference between the Abyss Realm and the Heavenly Realm is just whether you’re the master of your world or its enemy.”
“Exactly. You cannot draw mana from this world, Sir Jern. Perhaps only from yours.”
“Then this flow I feel that I call currents is my mana and my magic?”
“That too is correct. Which is why no one in this world can teach you about mana. None of the knowledge I have will apply to your world.”
“Huh...”
I stirred the current to float a book into the air.
To be honest, I hadn’t even been sure if this was real magic. I had been wondering if this was just some kind of loophole or trick or whatever.
“I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do with this.”
“The world isn’t simple enough that a mage only one week past his Soul Fever could understand it. If it were, it would have collapsed in a second.”
“Hmmm… How do regular wizards gather mana?”
“Even if I told you, it would be meaningless. The laws of your world are too different. I can’t even begin to predict what might happen, so I don’t recommend it.”
“Still, I want to try at least. It’s not like I have anything else I can do now.”
“...Mana can be collected simply by breathing. Since you only recently got through the Soul Fever, under normal circumstances you would already have gathered some.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. But you likely have none at all. Just as creatures living on the ground and those flying in the sky have different bodies, so too do you differ from other mages, Sir Jern…”
I half-listened to Dercia’s words as I pulled out a book on the basics of magic from the pile and opened it.
This librarian was certainly brilliant, but once she started explaining something she was knowledgeable about, she never stopped. I felt it was better to just nod and let the words pass.
While flipping through the basic spells, I found one that caught my eye.
Luminance. A simple spell that created small light spheres to illuminate one’s surroundings. It would be pretty useful if I somehow managed to be able to use it. The orphanage was poorly lit, making reading at night almost impossible.
When I did as instructed, focusing until I felt a tingling ache in my wrist, picturing the sun—
Pop—
“Whoa, this is exhausting.”
Suddenly it felt like all the energy in my body got drained. But still, I succeeded in forming a small sphere of light above my palm.
I proudly held it up and started to boast.
“Hey, I made this. Does that mean I’ve got talent?”
“...?”
Dercia just stared blankly for a long time at the first spell I had ever managed to cast.
* * *
“This should be impossible.”
“But I did it.”
“I just can’t understand how you, someone that should be living in a completely different realm, are able to use magic from this world. It’s like a mole with no wings flying in the sky.”
“I guess that is quite weird. But I still did it.”
“This isn’t something that can be dismissed so easily. Could it be that your spirit hasn’t fully adapted to the Abyss Realm yet…? No, if you fell into the Abyss Realm right after your Soul Fever, then your inner world should already be complete…”
After letting her mutter for about ten or so minutes, I interrupted her.
“So, can I learn magic or not?”
“...Come here for a moment.”
As I went to stand right beside her, Dercia peered intently into my eyes again.
“Could you try casting it again?”
“Yes.”
I created another sphere of light.
She muttered, her face completely blank.
“It’s really there… I can see one star.”
“Really? Why can’t I see it?”
“It doesn’t appear in one’s own field of vision. Regardless… it seems possible. With one star, you should be able to learn magic by normal means.”
“This is the first piece of good news I’ve heard ever since becoming a wizard. So can I just self-study now?”
“That would be difficult. Learning magic alone is only something commonly seen in storybooks.”
“I don’t really have a teacher, so what do I do?”
“What? You could just attend the Academy, right?”
"And how do I get in there?”
"Jern."
Dercia looked me straight in the eyes.
"You’re not a noble, are you?”
"..."
Busted.
I whistled innocently, pretending as if I didn’t notice her staring. Dercia sighed and set her book down.
"Explain."
"...I’m sorry."
"You’ve done nothing to me, so there’s nothing to apologize for. I wasn't asking for an apology either.”
"Well, I actually live in an orphanage nearby—”
I recounted my short life story, to which Dercia rolled her eyes in utter disbelief.
"You have some incredible guts. Do you know the punishment for impersonating a noble?”
"Yeah. I hear they cut out your tongue.”
"Weren’t you scared?”
"I mean, I’m just a kid. You really think they’d cut my tongue off? If I bawled my eyes out and wet myself, they’d let me off, don’t you think?”
"Certainly…”
Dercia nodded slightly, then caught herself and shot me a venomous glare.
"If you were truly going to pretend to be a noble, you should have studied more. Every noble attends the Academy without exception.”
"And commoners?”
"It’s possible if they enter as a special talent."
"Do you think I could enter as one?”
"No. If you had that kind of talent, I would have known already.”
"..."
"That said, it’s not like there’s no way. Try this instead.”
She explained a little loophole to me. It was surprisingly practical. I nodded and expressed my gratitude to her.
"Thank you. You always help me out so much.”
"You are welcome."
"...You don’t have to be so formal with me. You know I’m just a commoner now.”
"I don’t speak casually with people I’m not close to.”
She looked back to her book. I watched her for a moment before suddenly opening my mouth again.
"Miss Dercia."
"Yes."
"You’re not a librarian, are you?”
She froze for about ten seconds before answering.
"...Correct. How did you know?”
"The Empire isn’t stupid. They wouldn’t waste one of the thirty greatest wizards alive by having them work as a librarian.”
"Hmm. I’ve been told my weakness is losing my composure when it comes to magic, saying more than I should.”
"You seem like someone really important. So why are you helping me?”
"I’ve only offered some advice. I haven’t helped you directly.”
"Well, fair enough. But then why give me advice at all? It’s not like I can offer you anything in return.”
"You are doomed to die soon. For someone with such a short expiration date, a little mercy isn’t…”
She cut herself off mid-sentence.
It seemed as if she was dissecting her own words.
"...No, that’s not it.”
"Huh?"
"Jern. I find you interesting.”
Her eyes focused on me, gleaming strangely.
"You were born with the most peculiar constitution. Truly… peculiar.”
"Aha, so that piqued your interest, huh?”
"No. While it certainly is quite peculiar, what interests me is your disposition.”
"My… disposition?”
"Yes."
The way she looked at me was like how someone would look at an inanimate object.
"If you ever come to your end, please return to this library. That will be the price for my advice.”
"...Why?"
"Because I want to see with my own eyes what desperate final choice you will have made when you reach your inevitable end. I wonder just how efficiently meaningless it will be.”
"..."
...That sure left a bitter taste in my mouth.
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