Chapter 20 - Seeking Information.

Author's Note: There are approximately twenty chapters left before the protagonist leaves this world.

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Of course, that plan has additional steps. Like finding Excalibur and stealing the book containing the spell to open portals.

Although easier said than done. No one in the village or the academy has heard anything about a sword falling from the sky. Could it have fallen into the sea? The height from which it fell was exaggerated; the only reason I didn't turn into a puddle of blood was thanks to the power of Shadow.

The memory of him makes me angry. But I shake my head, trying to push those thoughts away.

Excalibur is an essential step for things to go well. With Excalibur in my hand, I won't have to worry about the mages of this world. Not even about a void mage. When Arthur used Excalibur in his battle against Meliodas and Zeldris, he was able to face both at the same time. Of course, in the end, the sword took its toll on him, but I doubt a mage of this world is worth the effort as much as they did against Meliodas and Zeldris.

And about the book with the teleportation spell. If I remember correctly, it's the Founder's Prayer Book. It's a very important object related to Brimir. This book is a Void spellbook, given to Louise by old Osmond. It is suggested that at the time of its writing, Brimir wanted nothing more than the complete annihilation of the elves and said that it is the duty of the successor to take it back at all costs. Although that information is irrelevant to me. All I want is the spell that can generate a portal to another world.

The Founder's Prayer Book was given to Louise by old Osmond, so sooner or later, I'll have to return to that stupid noble academy. But I have no other choice if I want to access the book.

Once all that is done, I'll only have to find Tiffania. I highly doubt it will be difficult to convince her if her personality is the same as in the anime. I'll just have to cling to her selfless kindness.

I made a grimace as I remembered Robert and his family. If I leave, it's most likely that this world will perish. Even though the nobles deserved it, the people without magic would weigh heavily on my conscience. Besides, I owe a favor to Louise. Despite how she treated me, she helped me escape from the academy. In my state at that moment, I doubt I would have come up with anything. I was barely getting familiar with the place; I didn't even know where the horses were.

I sighed. The only reason I would have tried to be a hero would be to continue with the plot until Louise made a portal. But with all that ruined, I really don't have much inclination to risk my life. Despite everything, I guess I owe a favor to the few people I like and to Louise.

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"Crystal Ice, Crystal Ice, Crystal Ice," I murmured as I formed small ice crystals at the tip of my finger. I was practicing with my first spell, recalling how my battle with Guiche had ended in that manner due to my lack of practice. It was time to learn from my mistakes and grow from them.

Magic in the world of Seven Deadly Sins was drawn from willpower, belief, and experience. It was essentially almost connected to our emotions. I remembered how King, upon seeing Diane injured, had experienced a brief surge in his magic.

Due to my nerves and my desire to end the fight quickly, I couldn't restrain myself in time. The lack of control over my emotions and my inexperience in handling magic had been my downfall at that moment. This little exercise was helping me a lot to have better control over my magic and my emotions.

As the road was long and straight, there wasn't much need to guide Bullseye. In the midst of my little exercise, I glanced towards the horizon and my eyes managed to make out small houses in the distance.

"At last!"

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I enter the dingy bar, feeling the distrustful stares of those present piercing through me. The place is imbued with an atmosphere heavy with tension and danger, but it's precisely that ambiance that makes it the perfect place to seek information.

After tying Bullseye outside the bar, I step into the gathering place of scum. I advance with steady steps, ignoring the curious glances fixed upon me. I approach the counter, where a man of shadowy appearance eyes me warily.

"What do you want?" he grunts, his voice raspy and unpleasant.

"Give me a glass of your best beer," I reply without hesitation, tossing him a few coins. "Keep the change. I'm feeling generous today," I add, watching the man's eyes widen in surprise at the sight of the coins.

"Of course, be right back," he responds before turning away to attend to my order.

Once he's gone, I sigh. I really need to figure out the value of the currency in this place. Acting like a rich kid will only lead me to poverty, but everyone here seems to be a swindler.

Once he brings me the beer, I lean slightly on the counter. The beer here seems more like gasoline than a refreshing drink. I remember how back in the previous village, Robert tried to offer me some. Maybe he thought I was already old enough because of my height, or maybe in this medieval world they just don't care about your age. Anyway, I tried a bit to see how it felt, but it was definitely an experience I won't repeat.

I pretend to drink as I focus on listening to people talk. At first, all I hear is nonsense: comments about the waitress and plans to rob someone. However, one conversation catches my attention.

"Are you aware of what's happening in Albion?" someone in the tavern asks.

I turn slightly, not fully looking at the table where two men are talking. The other guy nods, "Did I hear about a rebellion?"

"It's not just a rebellion... The nobility has initiated a coup, killing King James and taking control of much of the territory. My cousin who lives nearby told me."

I stop paying attention to the conversation they're having on my right when a whisper catches my interest from the other side. My senses sharpen, and I turn in that direction, trying to identify the source of the sound.

"Hey, have you heard about the incident with the human familiar who mutilated the hand of a noble's son?" the man commented.

"Yes, it was a real madness! The individual even had the audacity to escape, taking his own master as a hostage," replied his companion, with a tone of astonishment in his words.

"That's why the guards have been patrolling the villages so intensely lately," added the first one, nervously looking around. "And what happened to the noble who summoned him?" asked the man, with a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"The boy's father also demanded justice against the master of the familiar, but he was only expelled from the academy," explained the other, with a hint of incredulity in his voice.

I sighed when I heard the news. Well, with Louise out of the academy, I guess she has a better chance of surviving. The academy was always a trouble spot. Not that I was really worried, but it would weigh a bit on my conscience if a girl were executed because of me.

Although Louise and I didn't exactly get along, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern for her safety. After all, she had helped me escape when I needed it most. As I pretended to drink the beer, trying not to show my aversion to that liquid, the men continued chatting animatedly. It was then that one of their next words froze my blood.

"Even the noble's father has offered a juicy reward to capture the familiar," one of them mentioned with a tone that betrayed some interest. "Mmm... I think I have his wanted poster here," he added, searching through his belongings.