Episode 42. Salem’s Magic, Apple Tree Mansion and Hidden Things
“Adrias. Do you know why Dantian’s mana and Heart’s mana are not distinguished and called the same ‘mana’?”
His words made me think for a moment.
As he said, why did he lump them both together and call them ‘Mana’?
Among the fuels, just as oil and coal are different, the knight’s mana and the wizard’s mana had the same name even though they had different uses.
“Because it is literally the same energy source. There is nothing difficult about it.”
“Yeah what….”
There was nothing to say as if it were obvious.
However, if you dig deep, I wondered how they found out that they were the same energy source after all.
‘It’s a wizard’s study to figure out that. And he probably figured it out.’
As if expecting my flat reaction, Salem added.
“Well then, think carefully. In the end, if the story is the same energy source, wouldn’t it be possible to substitute each other?”
“Does that mean you can use magic with Danjeon’s mana or strengthen your body with Heart’s mana?”
“What do you think?”
I pursed my lips at his question.
If that happens… ….
“If that were the case, a person like me would have double the mana of an ordinary person.”
“It depends on which side’s mana is more developed, but that’s how it is.”
Salem nodded.
It was something I hadn’t even thought of in the game.
No matter how much freedom I had, in the end it was a game, so there were limits, so my imagination was also confined to that frame.
“Of course, as you know, mana has a quality, so using the mana of the heart to strengthen the body causes side effects. The color of the aura changes according to the nature of mana. Conversely, if Dantian’s mana is used for magic, its power is reduced. In this case, it is because of the unfamiliar nature.”
“Does that mean that substitution is possible now?”
“no. It’s more like a sense of movement rather than displacement. learn it once It is an original magic that I created.”
Salem spoke and started scribbling on the floor again.
I could easily understand the description of the magic formula and mana array drawn this time.
“Isn’t it simple? In the first place, few people would be able to use this magic. There aren’t many special cases like ours.”
He said that and said that this could be written separately.
Since only dual-core users can use it anyway, it didn’t matter if it spread.
“I did name the magic ‘Mana Transfer’. Honestly, whatever you call it, it’s your heart.”
mana transfer.
Looking at the spell, it felt like moving mana to the heart or to the danteon.
“Still, I had a lot of trouble making this. It doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it seems like he coughed up blood 2 or 3 times while making this spell.”
“Can I try it right away?”
“okay. Still, since the formula itself is easy, it should be easy to activate.”
After confirming that mana was not used up when the spell was activated, I immediately sent mana from the heart to the danteon.
‘It’s quite bitter.’
I felt the pain inside as if I was passing through a blockage.
With the feeling that the five organs were twisted, mana slowly gathered in the Danjeon.
“Are you doing it?”
“yes. It doesn’t move as much as I thought.”
“Yeah. Are you done? Aren’t you sick?”
“I can hold on.”
“As expected, you are a jerk that I acknowledged. Ha ha ha ha ha!”
I don’t know what he was talking about, but I left him laughing and activated his mana.
Originally, the mana in the heart was mixed with the mana in Danjeon to strengthen the body.
‘A sticky energy.’
Unlike usual, a shady, soggy aura surrounded her body.
Then, when he pulled out his sword and injected mana into it, the pitch-black mana covered the sword body.
“It’s kind of like that.”
“Don’t worry. no one doubts you In the first place, Danjeon’s mana is of different colors, so it has no meaning.”
That said, it was certain that it was an ominous color.
Regardless of the color, I felt reassured because I felt like I had an insurance policy.
“Thank you again. Salem.”
“What is this? Rather, it feels inadequate.”
He smiled, showing his teeth, then put the spear back on his back.
“I will go now. The toys are a little further away.”
“Are you leaving already?”
“then? will you have more? Roast or stir-fry the rest, you do it yourself.”
“wait a minute. Can I ask you one last thing?”
“What?”
I asked what I was curious about from the last meeting.
“You said the other day that you knew about my father. About the family, what do you know?”
“well. To the extent that your father is Morn’s apprentice? Could it be that you didn’t know?”
What does this mean?
A disciple of unknown father? So, your father was also a necromancer?
My head was spinning at a secret that had never been revealed even in the game.
“That is so special. Did you become a necromancer without knowing that? Fate is truly amazing.”
“What the hell happened? Why is my father… ….”
“I don’t know the details. I was curious too, so I asked Morne, but Morne didn’t tell me. You have to figure out the rest.”
After he said that, his back glowed and he flew up into the sky.
“wait a minute!”
Even though my cries were overshadowed, he used magic and disappeared.
My head was complicated when Salem disappeared, leaving only a sudden question.
‘Kain Cromwell So my father was a warlock?’
It’s a story that wasn’t revealed in the game.
In the first place, when my father passed away, he had no way to know because he had not left a will.
‘It’s not that I didn’t leave it, it’s that I didn’t leave it?’
information was lacking.
I never thought I’d feel like I was lacking in information even after clearing the game 12 times.
In the first place, Adrias Cromwell was not a character with a high weight in the game at all.
However, if you think about it, in the end, Adrias was also the 13th playable character, so it couldn’t be less important.
‘Is it inevitable that I became Adrias?’
I don’t know.
The only people who know the information are Salem and the unknown.
It was such a shock that he forgot the happy fact that he had just learned magic from Salem.
‘Let’s go home for now.’
Worrying about it here doesn’t give you an answer.
First of all, I decided to go to Welton Manor.
* * *
After parting with Salem, I headed straight to Welton Manor.
Complex thoughts shook her head, but she did not forget to practice the magic Salem had taught her.
‘okay. Let’s calm down for now.’
What is the solution to worrying about?
Maybe my father left something behind at the Apple Tree Mansion.
Of course, it was an auctioned house, so I shouldn’t have high expectations.
Soon after, I got off the station, grabbed a carriage, and headed for the Apple Tree Mansion.
“Long time no see….”
should I say
Even as I passed by the landscapes I clearly remembered, I felt hazy as if I had seen them in a dream rather than being happy.
The Welton estate, which returned after almost three years, was unchanged.
Along the long road, the fields spread out on both sides were snow-covered, and the white, sparsely planted willows hung down their branches bleakly without a single leaf.
When I finally stood at the entrance of the small town of Welton, a guard confirmed my identity.
“You have a lot of trouble even late at night.”
“I sleep a lot during the day anyway.”
“Who are the guests?”
“Please wait a moment. customer?”
Coincidentally, when the coachman opened the window and wanted to talk to me, I opened the carriage door first.
“You can just take me here. I will walk forward.”
After saying that, I approached the guard who had stopped the carriage to check me in, and the guard recognized me.
“Oh Adrias?”
Then, he closed his mouth and hurriedly lowered his head.
Now that I see it, it was a person I knew.
“Excuse me. Sir Cromwell.”
“long time no see. Adams.”
It was a guard who had been there since I came out of Cromwell’s estate and settled here.
Because of his easy-going personality, he was a man who often drank with his father, but he was like an uncle to me.
“How have you been?”
“uh. Adams has grown a white beard. I guess you can’t lie about your age.”
“haha! Bocchan Ah no, what is His Excellency… ….”
“Say it comfortably. Since when did we become formal?”
“You have grown taller.”
“okay?”
When I answered calmly, his expression brightened noticeably.
Is it because I met someone I know after a long time?
I had a long conversation with him in front of the door.
“Then you still have two years left until graduation.”
“yes. But why is Adams on the night watch? Isn’t it time for that?”
“haha. Actually, recently I had a bit of an accident while drinking at a bar. Thanks to that, I’ve been checking at night for a month.”
“Adams is still the same no matter how old he is.”
“Uh ha ha. It’s embarrassing.”
Adams let out a laugh and looked at me.
“Looks like you’ve changed a bit.”
“okay?”
“yes. In the past, His Excellency felt like he couldn’t afford it.”
Are you talking about before I became Adrias?
I fully understand.
Adrias, who couldn’t afford it, and Adams, who said he had changed.
Thinking that I should go in, I said goodbye to Adams and said see you tomorrow, and went into the city.
It was late at night, so all the lights in the village except Mana were turned off and it was quiet.
I walked slowly down the street and looked around.
familiar landscapes.
But somehow strange.
‘I’ll have to get used to it gradually.’
I am Adrias Cromwell now.
When I came to the residential area, I saw an apple tree mansion in the distance.
A lush garden with only shallow fenced grass, and a large, rustic-designed mansion.
I don’t even know why it’s called the Apple Tree Mansion.
There are no apple trees around.
The fence was low, so I just jumped over it and went to the front door of the mansion and knocked on the door.
After knocking and waiting for a while, I heard someone talking.
“who are you?”
It was the voice of Alki, Lupin’s husband, who was the head maid.
He worked as an apprentice at a blacksmith’s shop in the village, and he was in good shape and strong, befitting a blacksmith.
“Alki. it’s me. Adrias.”
At my words, the door opened softly, and someone peered at me through the crack.
Then, wide open, the stocky Alki looked at me.
“No, sir. I didn’t expect you to come here all of a sudden. Come in.”
“sorry. late at night.”
At my words, Alki’s eyes widened and he waved his hands.
“No, no. Come on in. I will wake my wife. Can I bring you some tea?”
“it’s okay. don’t wake me up Do you have a guest room?”
“yes. Let me guide you.”
Judging by the look on his face, there was a feeling that he was embarrassed, but also strange.
It was as if I had eaten something wrong, but it was a reaction that could have come out when I thought of Adrias in the past.
“Go in and rest.”
“yes. Mr. Bleak. Rest in peace.”
The room Alki showed me was the same room I used to live in.
And what was surprising was that the furniture and objects were the same.
Of course, it wasn’t accurate because my memory was fuzzy.
‘I’m starting to realize it now.’
The place where I spent most of my time before entering the academy.
I calmly packed my things and lay down on the bed, feeling that I had finally regained my home.
* * *
“I’m glad you’re all right.”
It wasn’t until morning that the family members of the mansion welcomed me home.
To be precise, only Amy was welcomed and the rest were ignored, but it didn’t matter.
Amy knew about the raid during the academy evaluation, perhaps because she worked in the capital.
I was able to lessen my worries because I told her that I was safe in advance, but it seemed that I was more relieved to see her in person.
I had a light breakfast at a restaurant and woke up when Amy stopped me.
“brother. What did I find in the house?”
“What?”
“Follow me.”
Is that why the letter told me to come quickly?
Once I followed her.
The place she followed was her father’s study.
As far as I remember, I had never been to the study because it was strictly forbidden.
‘Come to think of it, when Amy was young, she went in once and got scolded.’
Upon entering the study, I saw a neatly organized room.
The bookshelves on both sides were neatly lined with books, and the desk in front of the window was clean.
“It’s my first time here.”
“right? But there is something even more curious. Try pressing this.”
I looked at the small scratch Amy pointed out.
No, it was something ambiguous to even look at as a scratch.
“What is this?”
“Do you want to try pressing it?”
Scratching my head, I followed her instructions and touched the scratch.
Then, along with the tingling pain, blood formed from his finger as if it had been pricked by a needle.
“What is this?”
“Look brother!”
I pressed my finger to stop the bleeding and reflexively turned my head to Amy’s words.
Then, I confirmed that a huge magic circle was drawn around the study floor.
“You’re my brother too! Actually, I tried it on Lupin, but Lupin only bleeds from his fingers and doesn’t look like that. Maybe only Cromwell!”
Amy’s excited voice came through Asrai.
This….
‘danger…Is it?’
Through my experience, I found out that there is a secret history in my family.
It was clear that this had something to do with him.
Did your father hide it?
Soon after, the magic circle summoned a round door that filled the floor.
The door was attached to the floor, but when opened, it went down to the basement.
“I looked and couldn’t open it.”
“Why did you do that dangerously? know what this is.”
I made her back and looked at the door.
And I found a hole that looked like a keyhole.
The shape was somehow familiar.
‘A signet ring?’
Looking at the shape similar to that of a signet ring, I was troubled.
Should I try? But you know what’s coming?
Amy asked as I pondered beside me.
“Do you know what this is?”
“No. I don’t know either.”
Worrying about it isn’t going to solve it, so I decided to try it out.
First of all, it might be dangerous, so when I told Amy to leave the room, she held on for a while, then saw my serious expression and nodded.
“I have to call you if something happens.”
“uh.”
As soon as she left the study, I held the ring to the hole.
Then, I felt the unknown magic inherent in the door being activated.
The door moved with a secret sound like a snake moving, then changed its shape and changed into a form that could be opened.
When I carefully opened the door, I could feel it opening softly, unlike before.
Looking through the open door, I saw a set of stairs going down.
Due to the structure of the house, there could not be such a staircase, but it seems that the power of magic is working.
‘I’ll have to check it out.’
My father, who was a necromancer like me.
It is said that he was a disciple of Morne, but I wondered what was lurking down here.
When I walked down the stairs, it was bright everywhere even though there was no gap for light to enter.
And with him, the energy of intense mana was fluctuating.
‘This energy… ….’
