[67] Magic
Deep within Aiden, what did he desire?
In this otherworld, he met Hestia, and every day was fulfilling and joyful. Yet, on many nights, he would dream of his home. The place he had lived for nineteen years, where he had grown up, where he was most familiar, his home, the sanctuary of his soul and spirit.
Was Aiden's deepest desire to return home?
However, it was not. Even though Aiden dreamed of his home every night, he knew very well that he could never go back.
No matter what, he couldn't return.
What Aiden truly desired was what was necessary to survive and to live better, and that was money.
What Aiden desired most at this moment was to have money, in other words, financial power.
"For me, magic is financial power."
Aiden was always clear that what he needed most was undoubtedly power. But the grimoire clouded his judgment, and all choices had to rely on instinct.
But Aiden couldn't lie now, couldn't think, and certainly couldn't regret it.
Moreover, Aiden had lived in the 21st century for nineteen years. In this world belonging to gods and adventurers, he had only lived for a month. Although this month had given him powers beyond ordinary people and had adapted him to fighting various monsters, his concepts had not completely changed.
He still couldn't be like many of the isekai protagonists who get isekai'd, no matter their intelligence, profession, or character before getting isekai'd, could immediately be decisive after going to another world, and their will could be compared to Guts.
Aiden was just an ordinary teenager who had adapted to fighting and was not afraid of it.
Having lived in a peaceful and orderly society for a long time, what his parents and relatives had instilled in him was to study well, get into a good college, find a good job, be a good person as far as possible, and then have a certain amount of social wealth.
Aiden had always liked Batman starting from The Dark Knight Trilogy, then after watching Marvel Cinematic Universe and being baptized by superhero culture, he also liked Iron Man. Becoming a hero for fun had always been his aspiration. However, as they say, the poor rely on mutation, and the rich rely on technology. Coincidentally, his two favorite heroes also possessed financial power rather than superpowers.
So even out of his admiration for heroes, the thing Aiden most longed for would still be financial power.
In a peaceful and stable society, financial power is magic, financial power is strength. And Aiden had been living in such an environment for nineteen years, never encountering robbery, murder, or even shooting.
"I want to have financial power."
Financial power is strength.
When it comes to magic, the first thing Aiden thinks of is financial power. Financial power allows one to do whatever they want without harming others; it allows people to break free from the constraints of poverty; it can bring happiness that many cannot imagine; it can provide more resources and higher status.
"I want to become someone with financial power."
[What do you seek from magic?]
"I want to have financial power."
"I want to have strength."
"I want to do whatever I want without harming others."
"I want to become a hero."
"I want to become the hero I've always admired since I was a child, someone like Tony Stark who has financial power, someone like Saitama-sensei who is a hero for fun, a hero whose interest is driven by financial power."
[Is that all?]
"Yeah? Is it too naive?"
[Indeed, quite naive.]
"Is it really like that?"
[Yeah, but, I am you.]
Then, Aiden lost consciousness.
...
"...Aiden... Aiden-kun." Aiden's consciousness was still in a dark space, but faintly, he heard a voice, a clear and pleasant voice echoing in the darkness.
This voice, like a beam of light, pierced through the darkness, bringing Aiden's consciousness back to the real world.
Aiden opened his slightly blurry eyes, and before him was a chubby, somewhat childish, adorable smiling face. He rubbed his sleepy eyes.
In the next moment, Aiden felt more awake... after rubbing his eyes, he focused and saw the protruding front armor and the incredibly deep trench in front of him, all incredibly clear, making it hard to contain himself; he had to immediately shift his attention.
Aiden found himself leaning back in a chair, holding a book in his hands. When he looked down, the words on the book had disappeared.
Glancing at the clock on the desk, it was just noon. "Thank goodness, didn't miss lunch." was Aiden's first reaction.
"Are you reading the grimoire? Honestly, at least wash up first, have breakfast, then read. It's already noon now." Hestia said with hands on her hips, sounding a bit annoyed.
"Oh right, the grimoire. So, what magic did I gain?!" Aiden raised his hands, pressing his temples, but at this moment, his mind felt like it had been tossed around, thoughts scattered, so much so that he forgot he was even reading the grimoire.
Aiden tried to remember, but all that crossed his mind were vague memories, almost like a daydream, devoid of any real feeling.
"Was I just talking to someone? What question was I asked?" Vaguely, Aiden only remembered answering with two words... financial power.
"I was reading the grimoire." Aiden said dully, standing up and placing the now blank grimoire on the desk.
"Haha, I've never seen you so cute before. Seeing you like this, Aiden-kun, all my work fatigue just disappears~" Hestia patted Aiden's waist, her tired face showing a lovely smile.
"As long as it makes you happy." Aiden mumbled, then shook his head, and stretched, trying to wake himself up a bit.
"Alright, let me check what magic Aiden-kun has then~☆" With that, Hestia eagerly ran back to her room.
"Magic, huh? What will my first magic be? Whatever it is, I'll have to read the second grimoire tomorrow." Aiden rubbed his eyes with his left hand, while his right hand fiddled with the blank index of the first grimoire. Though still feeling a bit groggy, almost like a hangover, his face showed a smile of anticipation.
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