Chapter XXXVIII - Slithery Old Snake (part 1)

Normally, I don't really dream when I sleep. 

It's probably because I was so tired every time I went to sleep, and the sleep just passed by like it was nothing.

But this time, I dreamt.

I was walking on the south-eastern main road. It was broad daylight too. 

Everyone is on their usual activities, horses carrying the carriages with nobles inside, and people walking around the road doing their businesses. Everything seemed peaceful as I strolled on the road.

There was a boy playing with a round rubber ball. It's some sort of playing ball. The child was punching the ball in the air, keeping it from dropping to the ground. But in the end, the ball fell down, and it rolled towards my leg.

The child stopped a few meters from me, looking at me as if asking for the ball. I picked up the ball and smacked the ball back to the kid.

But the kid didn't receive the ball pretty well.

SPLRRTTT!!!

The boy, or what he used to be, was instead receiving tens of thousand kilograms worth of force from the rubber ball. 

All... because I smacked the ball a little too hard.

The view turned red very quickly. Everyone around panicked when they saw what happened. The horrors on their eyes as they turned between me and the corpse of the child.

I tried walking to the bloodbath of a child while trying to process the sudden horror.

But, every step that I take creates a crack on the floor. The cracks turned bigger and bigger, and swallowed those around me. Eventually, the crack had eaten up the whole kingdom. Leaving only me, standing in the middle of the origin from those cracks.

I looked around with horror in my eyes.

'What... happened?'

I looked towards the source of the voice.

It was a young girl. Not any older than the boy I just crushed into juice. She had red hair just like me, and her terrified eyes can only try to understand what is happening.

'Did you do all of these?'

The young girl was looking at me. She wasn't showing any expression. She just looked at me plainly, expressionless.

'Didn't you wish for this to happen?'

I still stared at her confusedly. She slowly began crying blood, and things became much creepier.

'Then... Why won't you be grateful?'

I looked at her with confusion. I was about to say something, but then I realized the ground beneath me cracked open. I fell hundreds of meters down, along with the people of the kingdom.

As if I crashed on the ground heavily, my whole body shook heavily as I woke up from my bed.

My eyes are wide open and my whole body is sweating. I touched my head, holding the headache within.

I'm... thirsty.

I went down from the bed to grab a drink, only to find my body had become lighter.

"... What?"

I tried moving around, and it's true. My body has gone a little lighter. But it doesn't necessarily mean that I'm back to normal. It's still quite heavy, but not as light as before.

I sat down on the floor again with my glass of water next to me. I closed my eyes and meditated, focusing all my mind to detect any source of magic energy inside my body.

"Ha... Haha..."

I can feel it. My magic energy.

But it's very... small.

I summoned the magic tool from my ring and checked the status of my magic soul. 

45/7628.

Though my magic energy is still very small and hard to gain, it is still able to regenerate a few. Maybe a few to me, but to normal people that was quite the number.

"I don't understand anymore..."

I let my body hit the floor. I looked at the ceiling as my brain tried to process what just happened.

This whole thing is just stupid.

I got sick, and now I can't gain magic energy like I used to. Is this like a joke or something?

I just did hours and hours of healing sessions on myself, and I could only regenerate that much? If it was normal, I would have regenerated the full stock of 7628 magic energy from that amount of time.

This sickness... it is like a massive curse.

I need to find out everything. If I can get my magic energy regeneration back normal again, it will most likely solve the whole issue.

After making sure that my body is actually fine, I walked out and went straight to the library. Hoping to find out more about this sickness of mine.

"Good evening."

"Yeah, good... Oh."

The old lady was surprised when she saw me. She looked at me for quite long, making me look backwards to see if there's anyone else. Was there something with my appearance?

"Hello, there. Didn't expect you to have an issue with your abnormal magic."

The old lady seemed to be taunting me. But there is something else with her words.

"You... know about..."

"Of course I'd notice. I read a lot of books, remember?"

She lifted her hand and gestured a swirl. Later on, a book came flying towards her hand and she handed it to me.

"It would seem that your sickness is somewhat rare and dangerous. Though it's not contagious, you should stay at home. With this, you owed me one!"

I turned my gaze towards the book she just gave me. It's the book about Alfeid's sickness, the very book I was looking for.

I turned my gaze back to the old lady with wide eyes. She had this condescending look on her face, which turned me nuts as soon as I saw it. But like she said, I owed her one.

"Thank you. Then I owe you one."

I said with a smile to her, and I turned my back to leave the library.

"Get better soon! If you die, I won't be able to ask anything from you!"

...?

Is she really a caring old lady or some slithery sleek old snake?

After leaving the library, I just realized that my stomach is quite hungry. It is already way past the third bell, so it should be around 7 or 8 pm. The time for dinner.

I walked to a familiar restaurant to eat. There weren't many people eating, but thank god the person I'm looking for is right there.

"Rize!"

Hod looked up as soon as he saw the red hair. He was doing something behind the desk, probably some restaurant management stuff.

I walked towards him at the desk. Aside from him, there is one more person in the restaurant. Sitting in the ordering desk, is the woman that I once saw when I came here the first time. It's his mother.

"Good day, ma'am."

"Ah, if it isn't Rize!"

She walked to Hod's current desk which is on the left side, whereas the ordering desk is on the right.

"So how are missions these days? Did Hod became a weight to you?"

Oh. So, she didn't know.

Hod just looked down, not saying anything. I just simply put up a front.

"Well, actually, I am considering quitting being an adventurer."

"What?? Why?"

She looked really surprised from the sudden news, and I can tell why the shock.

Being an adventurer has a good pay, as well as the fun adventuring. It might as well be the best job out there, if it wasn't for the high risk of death.

Of course she must be confused. Especially if you already have an experience as an adventurer, quitting so randomly is a no-brainer.

Obviously, that's not what happened. Something did happen, and I had to quit because of it.

"I think being an adventurer is starting to take a toll on me. And I was thinking of going for a new line of work. Something less… dangerous."

"Hooohh... That's true! It's dangerous for young ladies like you to go out there adventuring! You should really fine a job that fits a proper lady!"

She nodded in agreement, and I respected her for being so supportive.

Though, I can't say that this is what I wanted. Adventuring is fun, and it pays well. What could possibly be better than beating up giant bugs or walking skeletons for money?

There's no thrill to regular jobs. It's too safe for me, and I've gotten too used to the thrill of adventuring.

But, it's not like I have a choice. Until I figure out this sickness, I'm going to stick with a normal job. Otherwise, I'll be broke.