Enchantment Magic.
A type of magic that consumes mana to grant enhancement effects to the caster or others. Above all, it requires a high level of comprehension.
The reason Verden borrowed dozens of books from the library was to build that very understanding.
However, when the top floor of the inn was blown away, most of the books were lost.
Still, he had enough basic knowledge to immediately use 1st-tier enchantment magic, and since there were spare books left in the library, building up the theory again wasn't an issue.
'There's no book on practical magic.'
Even someone like Verden couldn't use a magic he didn't know.
No matter how special his mana circuits were, or how vast his mana reserves, this was something he couldn't overcome.
The solution was either to find a book containing 2nd-tier or higher enchantment magic, or a mage who could teach it.
That mage was Iris.
Of course, he didn't intend to pay with just a meal or something trivial.
"I noticed before that you seemed interested in magic theory, so if you teach me enchantment magic, I can teach you all about the theories you're curious about. Whatever they may be. It sounds like a fair deal for both of us, don't you think?"
"That is…"
Iris's eyes darted around as she fell into thought.
It was a sudden offer, but thinking it over, it wasn't bad. No, it was actually great. When she had asked Verden about a few theories before, he had explained the core points without hesitation.
To receive one-on-one tutoring from a genius mage capable of casting various elemental magic and even Triple Casting—such an opportunity was truly rare.
'But… can I teach him well?'
Iris had always been a student, never a professor.
Naturally, she had almost no experience teaching others magic. If she taught him poorly and Verden failed to learn enchantment magic, that would be nothing but a nuisance.
Sensing Iris's thoughts, Verden spoke.
"There's no need to feel pressured. I don't intend to hold you responsible if I fail to learn. Just teach me the 2nd-tier or higher enchantment magic you know."
"Hmm, if it's just that much, I can teach you as much as you want…"
Iris exhaled once, then asked,
"Are you really okay with any theory? Even difficult ones like 'Pure Mana' or 'Ancient Magic Systems'?"
"Yes."
"…Even things like 'Mana Distortion' and 'Source of Elements'?"
"You're interested in elemental magic too? That's actually my specialty. If you want, I can even teach you elemental magic that suits your constitution."
Verden's knowledge was vast.
It wasn't simply memorized—it was fully understood.
His interpretation of complex theories, even those that stumped academy professors, was flawless. And now he was even offering to teach elemental magic? Iris's choice was practically made.
"If you don't want to, that's fine too."
"Please take care of me, senior!"
Iris's voice rang out through the restaurant.
***
Magic Tome.
A magical item that enhances the power of registered spells just by opening it. It's something every mage dreams of.
Production was only possible at the Artesyn's Magic Tower, and the materials were absurdly rare, making mass production impossible. Among the items Verden had brought, it was the third most valuable treasure of the magic tower.
There are two types of magic tomes.
Those that are opened, and those that are not.
In the case of the former, if used by someone other than the person who opened it, it wouldn't produce its original effects. Also, the registered magic branch cannot be changed. Still, even that kind would have plenty of willing buyers.
Most of the magic tomes on the market are of the opened type.
But the one Verden possessed was the latter.
Untouched by anyone, a magic tome solely for Verden. To use it, two conditions had to be met.
The first was mana.
To register mana in the magic tome, an output of at least 3rd-tier was required.
The second was a magic stone.
One with a purity of at least 80%, classified as upper-mid grade. Depending on the market, acquiring one would require Verden to empty out all his accumulated wealth.
'No luck.'
At the moment, the price of an upper-mid grade magic stone was 28 million Elk.
But Martes didn't have any in stock. According to the merchant, it would take about a month for a new shipment to arrive—and even that was already pre-reserved, so it could take even longer.
'No choice, then.'
Changing his thoughts, Verden turned around.
His destination: the Adventurers' Guild.
Adventurers are producers.
They subjugate demi-humans or magical beasts and sell the materials on the market. If one wanted to skip the complicated distribution process and get materials directly, they needed to deal with the Adventurers' Guild.
The person with the authority to do that was the guild master.
Sitting across from Verden was Oscar, the guild master.
After a brief moment of thought, he nodded readily.
"Just this once, I'll allow the trade. I owe you one, after all."
Very few people, including the mayor, knew the truth about the Martes disaster. Oscar was one of them. On top of that, Verden had even saved adventurers affiliated with the guild.
He wasn't asking for a free magic stone, so there was every reason to accept this request.
Verden paid 28 million Elk on the spot and returned to the inn.
When he opened the pouch, a magic stone the size of a human head glowed faintly with a blue light. It was unmistakably genuine.
"Well then, let's begin."
He sealed the entire room with a magic circle to prevent mana from leaking out.
Then, he took out the magic tome.
He placed his hand atop the book, covered in magical glyphs, and slowly channeled mana into it.
As time passed, the tome began to emit light.
Verden poured in even more mana, at the maximum output he could produce.
Then came a strange sensation—like a new limb forming—as the mana circuit connected with the magic tome.
Fwoosh!
The magic tome was opened.
A brilliant burst of light and wild mana surged out.
As the light gradually settled, the tightly closed magic tome lay open. Blank white pages revealed themselves.
Just like that, a new elemental magic tome was born.
'Now it's time to choose the attribute.'
Elemental magic tomes can only be applied to a single element.
Verden, who could wield all elements, had no choice but to ponder. But that contemplation was brief.
His choice was the earth attribute.
Among its spells, Terrain Manipulation was one that could actively leverage Verden's strengths. No matter how superior the other attributes were, just this one spell made it worth investing in the tome.
Holding the magic tome in one hand, he placed the other against the magic stone.
After activating his mana circuits, he began casting spells one by one.
'Earthen Wall, Earth Shatterer, Earth Spear, Terrain Manipulation, Earth Borne…'
The glow from the magic stone began to dim, and the previously blank magic tome was gradually being filled.
With an upper-mid grade magic stone, the limit was eight spells. It was more efficient to inscribe higher-tier spells, but Verden chose those he used frequently and could deploy right away.
Soon, the magic stone exhausted its mana entirely and disintegrated into dust.
The previously grayish tome turned the color of soil.
The magic tome's activation was completed smoothly.
"So now I'm a magic tome owner too…"
One among hundreds of magic tomes, and one of the very few to have registered it personally.
There were fewer than ten people who possessed a tome they had personally inscribed. Among them, there were likely even fewer 3rd-tier mages.
If someone greedy were to find out, they might try to kill Verden and steal the tome.
'That kind of trouble, I'll pass on.'
Now, only the final step remained.
Using a magic circle to create a permanent connection between the magic tome and Verden himself. That way, he could use the enhanced spells without even opening the tome.
There'd be no need to show the tome to others, and he wouldn't have to change his combat style using the staff. No matter what anyone said, this was an absolute necessity.
'It'll take some time, though.'
Verden possessed knowledge of magic circles rivaling that of Bohemirn, the tower master. Yet even for him, the Connection magic circle was a high-level one that required meticulous care.
No special materials were needed. But, he would need to concentrate for at least eight hours a day, for a minimum of three weeks. If he slipped up mid-process, he would have to start all over again.
"…Maybe I'll do it tomorrow."
His concentration had already waned, and as they say, haste makes waste.
Taking his hand off the tome, Verden lay down on the bed.
His mind was so fatigued that the moment he closed his eyes, consciousness faded.
And the next day.
Having overslept, Verden missed morning training.
***
Clang–! Clang–!
In the tunnel, miners swung their pickaxes. With the deadline approaching, they struck the rock hard to meet their magic stone quota.
Only then could they earn a sizable payout. Mining magic stones was grueling work, but it came with wages high enough to make one smile.
"Hey, why isn't anything coming out?! I've been digging dirt for thirty minutes! Is this place dried up or what?"
"How long do you think this tunnel's been open? Dried up, my foot. If you wanna fill your pouch, shut up and swing that pickaxe."
"Tch. I'm just saying, you know…"
The miner shut his mouth and swung his pickaxe. He had plenty of complaints, but having done this for a few years, he had his own know-how.
He dug and dug some more, and then—a white stone fragment peeked out.
"Huh? What's this?"
"What is it?"
"Something I've never seen before suddenly popped up… Think it's something expensive?"
"Doesn't look like ore. Why not dig it out a bit more?"
Could it be something worth more than a magic stone?
Thinking that, he cautiously tapped it with his pickaxe. He didn't want to damage it, just in case.
A moment later, a white fragment revealed itself—this time, a stone several times larger.
The miner quickly pulled it out and held it in his hand. Only then could he tell what it was.
A skull.
An old, human white skull.
"Gyaaaah!"
"Wha… a-a skull?"
"Why are there human bones here…?"
As the miners began to panic, the foreman arrived.
"What the hell are you all doing? Why aren't you working?"
"Well, it's just… there's a skull here…"
"A skull? Seriously, what's the big deal? You dig in the ground, you're bound to find bodies. People bury the dead underground, don't they? There's no known grave here, so it must be someone buried ages ago. Just toss it and get back to work!"
Thud! The foreman kicked the skull aside.
Truthfully, he was a little scared too, but he couldn't show it in front of others. He was the foreman, after all.
He turned his back to face the workers. But something about their gaze seemed… off.
"Didn't you hear me?! Get back to work right now—what are you all doing just standing there?"
"B-behind you…!"
Behind?
The foreman turned his head.
The skull he had just kicked was now floating in the air.
Then, from the cracked eye sockets, blue flames burst forth. A wave of deathly aura flooded the area.
"U-u-undead…?!"
A grotesque being risen from death.
As the foreman screamed, the earth crumbled and dozens of undead surged out, swarming the miners.
Only three people made it out of the tunnel alive.
With the appearance of undead, a state of emergency was declared across the domain.