Chapter 65: Updating Arsenal.

Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Updating Arsenal.

Chapter 65: Updating Arsenal.

Osborne nodded before leaving.

The moment the door closed after he left, Julie let out an exhausted sigh, falling back onto her bed.

’I was worried he’d take offence when I rejected the idea of a breakthrough.’

’I expected this teaching job to have its disadvantages, but isn’t this too much of a disadvantage?’ Julie thought to herself.

---

Osborne returned to his room before sitting on his bed.

"Alright, let’s take a look." Osborne opened the spell book.

’Huh?’ Osborne raised a brow when a note fell out from the first page.

He grabbed it before unfurling it.

*Young master, I understand that you may be eager to cast your first spell, but please try not to learn too many skills from different types.

*It’s more practical and quicker to learn skills from one type than two or more. Which is why I’m recommending water magic. Of course, you’re free to pick any type you wish, but please do keep in mind what I said.

’Oh? I didn’t really think about that.’

Since he barely read the book, it wasn’t strange that he didn’t know about this.

’Then which type do I learn?’

He paused before skimming through the contents of the book.

’There are several spells in here for first to third circle mages, but the number of types is only six in number.’

’Each type has at most two spells in here...’

’But I need five spells to be officially recognised as a first circle mage.’ Osborne mused to himself.

It seemed that Julie, in a way, was also telling him not to force his advancement.

She should have more than one spell book, yet only gave him this one.

Osborne wasn’t mad at her for withholding them from him like this.

’If only we had more time, but right now I need all the strength I can get.’ Osborne thought.

’Water, Fire, Ice, Earth, Wind and Wood magic.’

"Those are all the types within here." Osborne stroked his chin, wondering which he should learn.

’I still don’t know what exactly they’re up to, so I can’t know for sure which magic would be the most suitable.’

’Nevertheless, I don’t have the luxury to wait and find out. Who knows if I might end up dead the moment I do.’

He flipped through the book a few more times, trying to come up with a decision.

’You know what... I’ll go with fire and Earth.’

’Fire for offence and Earth magic for defence... If I master the two first circle spells for each in here, I’ll need one more to be a true first circle mage.’

’Which leaves wood magic for versatility.’ He pursed his lips before reading the five spells in detail.

• Bind (Wood Magic): Summons vines and roots to hinder your opponent’s movements. Casting Range: 5 meters.

• Fireball (Fire Magic): Creates balls of fire you can use to damage your opponents. Range: 5 meters.

• Flame Touch (Fire Magic): Heats up one’s hand so as to burn things upon contact. Power depends on the amount of magical power applied.

• Mud Ball (Earth Magic): Shoots sticky mud balls at target direction to hinder opponents’ movements. Range: 5 meters.

• Mud Wall (Earth Magic): Creates a wall of mud to block against incoming attacks. Size depends on the amount of mana applied. Casting Range: 5 meters.

---

Osborne quickly got busy. He began memorising each spell’s chants as well as visualising each and every single one of them.

’Alright, let’s try it out...’ He got up from his bed before stretching his hand out.

He then began muttering the chant for the fireball spell.

As he did, his mana began to roll towards his palm.

At the same time, a small ball of flame began to take shape.

The burning flame felt hot, hovering in the air above his palm.

Osborne tried pouring more magical power into it.

Like he hoped, the fireball gradually began to grow in size before his very eyes.

From the size of a tennis ball to a grapefruit.

Even with it at that size, he felt no discomfort whatsoever, though he did begin to sweat a bit from the heat. But regarding any control issues, there were none.

Thanks to his incredible mana control, one of the bonuses from his second heart, he could control far more magical power than this.

Osborne glanced around the room, realising that there was nowhere he could test out the destructive capabilities of this attack.

That was when an idea came to mind.

’I wonder if I can...’

The fireball suddenly began to shrink in size as Osborne retrieved his magical power from it.

If Julie were here to see this, she would be flabbergasted. Reclaiming mana after it had already been shaped into a spell was something only high-ranking mages, those with exceptional mana control, could normally accomplish.

For ordinary mages, once mana had been transformed into a spell, trying to forcibly pull it back into their bodies could easily disrupt the spell and cause a dangerous backlash.

Fortunately, Osborne was lucky that his own ignorance didn’t cause any unforeseen accidents. With his incredible mana control, retrieving it proved far easier than he had expected.

---

He left his room after retrieving his mana.

Walking past the hallway to stop at another’s, he gently knocked on the door before stepping back.

The door opened shortly after, revealing Clawdeth.

Her expression quickly soured on seeing him.

"Is there something you need, young master..." She asked, but he ignored her, walking into the room.

Her veins twitched with irritation, but she held back and closed the door.

"Don’t dodge." On turning around, she saw a ball of fire flying straight for her face.

Clawdeth clicked her tongue with dissatisfaction, stretching out one palm in front of her to intercept the fireball.

In her mind, she figured he had just learned a new spell and wanted to use her as a test dummy.

The fireball struck her palm, exploding outwards.

But even as it vanished after striking its mark, Clawdeth remained unscathed.

’Figures...’ Osborne said inwardly, watching the receding aura around her stretched-out hand.

"How strong was it?" He asked.

"I barely felt a thing," she said flatly.

Osborne let out a quiet laugh. "Then let’s try a few more times." He said, another fireball gradually forming over his hand.

This one was twice as big as the last. Yet her expression remained the same.

Even after hitting her, there was no change in her expression whatsoever.

Osborne began conjuring up another one. Clawdeth, realising he wouldn’t stop until he got what he wanted, finally said,

"While it’s unable to hurt me, the power behind the first one was slightly better than a first circle mage’s, while the second one should be able to at least inflict a bit of damage on a second circle mage."

’Which is a bit strange... Shouldn’t he still be at the first circle?’ Back at the estate, she’d gotten word of his advancement. Even when ostracized, she still had her means of gaining information around the household.

’If I added even more magical power, injuring a second circle mage shouldn’t be a problem either... Though I’d run out of magical power quicker...’

’But if I were to hide and recuperate, it shouldn’t be a problem.’

Osborne then went ahead to tell Clawdeth his plan to look around the Baron’s estate tonight along with her.

"Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to have me move alone, my lord?" She said. Clearly, she wasn’t interested in the idea of carrying him around.

"I’m afraid I must insist on this one," Osborne said. The matter of the golden eyes was still a mystery to him.

"Then why not ask that knight to come along to protect you?" She said with furrowed brows.

"Gilhound isn’t exactly suited for espionage. Besides, it would be more of a burden on you if two of us came along. One is more bearable," he said.

Her lips pressed thin. She still disliked the idea of having him come along. After all, if something did end up happening and she couldn’t protect him, as the last person with him, the blame would no doubt fall on herself.

"Meet me in my room by midnight. If I end up falling asleep, just wake me up." Osborne said, leaving the room with no intention of hearing her refuse.

---

After walking down the hallway, he ended up running into someone unexpected.

"Lady Vanessa..." Osborne said, a hint of surprise in his voice, because she was standing right outside his door, as if she came looking for him.

"What a pleasant surprise. Might I ask what you’re doing here?"

"I-I hope I’m not interrupting?" She said, her face turning a bit flustered to see him.

"Of course not."

"Then, Young Master Osborne, would you mind escorting me somewhere?"

Osborne was a bit taken aback, but he made sure not to break his facade.

He gently grasped her hand, lifting it up before giving it a kiss.

"I’d be honoured to accompany you, Young Miss." He said, looking into her eyes with a gaze filled with fondness.