* Location : York Temple *

“See you later, Baston!”

“See you later!”

With the study and priest apprenticeship ending for the day, I am free to do whatever I want until sunset.

Relax, Sleep, Study, Practice swordsmanship and weaponry, Go on an adventure, Engage in their hobbies, Play sports, etc.

All options are available for all of us, priest apprentices who have finished today’s lessons.

For me, there’s only one obvious answer.

After parting ways with my apprentice friends, I go against the outward flow and head into the inner part of the temple.

My destination? 

The York Temple Library, our temple members-only library hosting the greatest collection of magic grimoires in northern Briton

Since the library is only for those who attained priesthood, I enter using my mother’s high priestess badge.

“Hello, Miss Clara.” I handed the librarian priestess the badge as usual. 

Following the manual instructions, she closely inspects the badge.

“Have anyone told you to go outside, Mister bookworm?”

“I’ve been told that a lot.”

“What are you? A researcher? No one your age should hole up in the library all day every day.”

“Yes, yes… Can I go in now?”

“Go.”

I was about to rush in when I stop in my tracks after recalling the things weighing me down.

“Oh, I almost forgot to return these books.”

I open my overly large bag and hand her a couple books.

‘Londinium: Architecture of Briton’s Capital’

‘The knowledge: guide to traversing Londinium’

‘Londinium City Plan’

‘Briton History 101'

And 6 more books, totaling 10 books…

all related to Londinium, the capital of Briton and the location of my current nightmare.

Clara angrily shouts back after taking a look at the things I borrowed.

“Not only are you a researcher, you’re also an architect… Oh, Baston! Are you trying to land yourself in the slums!?”

“No, of course not.” I quickly deny it before things escalate.

It takes quite a while for her to catalogue all the books and calculate the fee.

“5 shillings”

I try negotiating the price…

“4 shillings, please?”

“Should I increase it to 6?”

“Okay, okay, 5 shillings.”

But it almost backfires. Fortunately, she accepts my five shillings.

“Oh, by the way, Miss Clara. Where’s the magic grimoire section?”

“At the back, section ‘M’.”

10 minutes after I arrive, I finally pass the library entrance into the magic section.

“Let’s see what we’ve got.”

I excitedly explore the vast bookshelves, full of grimoires ranging from the most basic knowledge to the latest research in the magical world.

Finally, I landed on these 3 magic fundamental books that I’ve been looking forward to reading for a long time.

         ‘Magic: The Language of the Universe’

         ‘Basic Mana Theory’

         ‘Common Human Sorcery’

The subject I am most interested in is magic. But the reason I only start just now is…

‘Since I cast magic instinctively using imagination, I lack the fundamentals to progress to more advanced sorcery. I’ve been postponing it for a while because it's gonna take a long time to fully understand it.’ 

‘But now that I’ve hit a roadblock in exploring the local area for a solution.’

‘I’ll kill that devil myself.'

“Muahaha” I laugh maniacally, forgetting that I’m in a library zone.

Following my laughter, a stepping sound is heard, and an angry librarian appears right in front of my face.

“Baston! Be quiet!” Clara the Librarian Priestess scolds me.

I shut my mouth and delve right into the first book, written a century and a half ago.

* Magic: The Language of the Universe *

  (By Archmage of Fire, Ignis de Solvaran, 1845 AD)

Chapter 1 : Building Block of the Universe

Universe composed of 5 fundamental elements.

1)   Atomic Particle : A physical element of the universe created from combinations of varying subatomic particles.

2)   Mana Particle : A background element of the universe, smaller than atomic molecules, and exists everywhere. This molecule is very prone to effects from other forces and fundamental elements.

3)   Spiritual Force (Spirit) : A pillar element of life and an element that cannot exist by itself.

4)   Divine Force (Divinity) : A pillar element of god and an element that can create particles.

5)   Miasmic Force (Miasma) : A pillar element of demon and an element capable of corruption.

Classifying 5 elements into categories, two are created.

1)   Particle: Exists as a standalone element

2)   Force: Exists as a unique element that can only cling to other elements. These forces can all directly manipulate mana by their will.

As the famous saying goes, in a glass full of sand and sea, call a universe, a comparison can be made.

         The sand is Atomic Particle. You can see and feel it directly.

         The salt in the water is Mana Particle. You can feel it and see it if you try hard enough.

         The water is all the force. Fluid that swirls all around the atomic particle and mana particle.

There had been theory and evidence suggesting the existence of other fundamental elements of the universe, but as I, Archmage Ignis de Solvaran, am only capable of confirming five with my eyes, I shall only mention the uncontested truth.

For a living being, the body is composed of 3 elements:

1)   Atomic Particle : Their physical body: their flesh and their blood

2)   Mana Particle : Mana particles permeate the entire body, with their focus being mana at the mana core. These mana follow that being's will. They originally comes from the atmosphere and are absorbed by the body and spirit. A normal being cannot create mana on his own.

3)   Spiritual Power : Their mind, their sense, their will, their memory, their imagination, and their existence. It is the one in control of the body.

Chapter 2 : Fundamental of Magic

Magic is the art of element manipulation by exerting their will through their force.

For a living being, such as human, elf, and dragon, the force exerting is their spirit.

For all gods of all mythology, that force is their divinity.

For all demons, that force is their miasma.

Magic can be classified 2 ways.

First ) By the manipulated elements

         1) Mana Sorcery : Manipulate Mana

         2) Force Sorcery : Manipulate Force

Sorcery is a method used by their force to manipulate the elements. The one human commonly used is called “Common Human Sorcery”. New types of sorcery can be created all the time; thus, these knowledge, to newer generations, may be outdated.

Second ) By the sorcery

1)   Common Human Sorcery : Using magic circle to systematically command the mana.

2)   Elvish Sorcery : Unknown

3)   Dragonic Sorcery : Command mana to follow their will directly.

4)   Sorcery of the God : Unknown

5)   Sorcery of the Devil : Unknown

Night has fallen for a while now, but I didn’t realize that until…

At the corner of my eyes, I see a woman, standing there, menacingly.

“Baston! It’s midnight now! Get back to your room! Go to bed!” The librarian priestess chases me out.

And so, without borrowing the book, I escape back to my room.

Current Objective? With my minute amount of knowledge and understanding, try manifesting a magic circle I saw in my nightmare via a medium.