1-Second Invincible Player in the Game

36. Magic (3)

“I did well to bring this.”

Camelo spread out his research materials, his expression sobering.

This was a venerable study on mana sensitivity.

‘Hmm…’

Camelo, who had awakened all five senses, was a high-ranking magician.

Yet, he was not satisfied.

It was a realm achievable only with innate genius talent, but in the face of a single talent, it was nothing but a faded shell.

‘Had I been born in the era when magic was discovered, I would have been just an ordinary talent.’

Even recognized in the Mage Tower, he was merely an acquired genius following in the footsteps of natural-born geniuses.

Even without learning, their innate ability to awaken their senses pales in comparison to those who do so naturally.

“From birth, there are babies who can see mana. That alone might be considered a natural talent, but among them, there are those who, before even turning ten, have awakened as many as five senses.”

Especially those who have awakened five senses on their own are of a different caliber.

The moment they become interested in magic, like a caterpillar instinctively becoming a butterfly, it is their destiny to awaken the last, nearly transcendent sixth sense.

These are the noble beings known as grand sorcerers, recorded in history.

Carmelo, obsessed with magic, knew it was impossible to reach that point, yet he harbored a strange sense of anticipation as he combed through ancient documents.

“Indeed, the geniuses born thousands of years ago were all the same. You must have wanted to awaken the sixth sense, just like me.”

Perhaps there have always been similar people throughout the ages.

In the past, there were those who conducted experiments to forcibly awaken the sixth sense in living humans by inscribing rituals into their bodies.

It was the dream of geniuses, regardless of the era.

And perhaps, Carmelo thought with a thrill and a sly smile, the hypothesis that had been mere theory for nearly a thousand years might be proven.

“Hehe, this is exciting. If he survived the Breath, he’ll be an experimental subject incomparable to mere prisoners.”

He meticulously reviewed the research journals, eagerly awaiting the next day.

* * *

According to Carmelo, it takes about a month and a few weeks to hammer seventy lines into the body.

Half that time has already passed.

Only fifteen cooldown windows.

I have avoided death a total of fifteen times.

“The thirty-seventh… This has always been the critical point, but you, young master, are handling it exceptionally well.”

I felt like a lab rat, but since I was the one who agreed to it, I couldn’t complain.

So I enjoyed it.

“A new record?”

“It would seem so.”

“That’s good news.”

…Let’s give up.

I pity myself for this mental victory.

“But isn’t it strange? If we’re halfway done, shouldn’t I feel some significant change? But everything’s the same.”

“Of course, it’s natural. The sixty-nine rituals are performed independently of each other. It’s normal to feel no different until the seventieth ritual connects everything, so rest assured.”

“Is that so?”

It was at that moment, as I was parched and reached for a cup of water.

My arm trembled weakly, and a droplet splashed onto the back of my hand.

It had happened often lately, so it wasn’t a big deal, but just in case, I asked Carmelo.

“Could there be any side effects from the experiment? I don’t know why, but the fatigue doesn’t seem to lift. And my body feels a bit heavy.”

Carmelo’s eyes sparkled.

“Side effects? Could you describe your symptoms a bit more specifically?”

“Well, is it lethargy I’m feeling? I get sleepy early, and I’ve been eating a lot more.”

It’s strange.

No sooner do I lie down in bed than I fall asleep, or I eat twice as much as usual because what I normally eat doesn’t satisfy me.

Especially, I’ve been craving meat a lot.

I voiced my concerns, yet Carmelo snorted as if he was amused.

“What are you talking about? That must be some new influence on your lifestyle habits, sir. I won’t bother with tales unrelated to magic.”

“Take this seriously. What if it’s something that could damage my body?”

“……”

With an annoyed expression, Carmelo waved his wand.

The curtains were drawn back, and outside the window, leaves were fluttering in the wind.

“It’s autumn now. Does that answer your question?”

“Hmm.”

Autumn is the season when the body feels sluggish and cravings increase, after all.

* * *

It was the moment I lay down in bed after finishing the day’s work.

Thinking about it, there’s something I don’t understand.

Let’s say the sudden increase in appetite is due to autumn, as Carmelo suggests. But isn’t my body also unusually tired?

Could it be that I’ve caught some kind of illness?

In the midst of my unease, the InBody machine spoke to me.

“Hershel, your body is currently fatigued. You should rest.”

Yes, I should ask it.

“I was going to sleep anyway. But before that, check my body. I don’t like how I’ve been eating twice as much, sleeping early, and waking up late lately. Is there something wrong with my health?”

“……Hmm, your condition is actually better than before. So don’t worry and get some sleep.”

Donatan’s words were somewhat reassuring.

Then I got up, struck by the obvious thought that this thing isn’t a doctor.

“Whoosh!”

Stripped to the waist, I stood in front of the full-length mirror to check my condition.

As expected, I hadn’t gained any weight.

But it seemed like I could faintly see muscles that weren’t there before.

Well, considering they’re hardly noticeable, it’s probably just my imagination.

“Perhaps, it’s a side effect of the experiment.”

As I said this, Donatan exclaimed with apparent joy.

“Yes, yes. It must be a side effect. Sorcery is full of all sorts of bizarre things. Have you heard of Sadomagics? It’s a hodgepodge pursued by those without expertise. Even if he belongs to the Mage Tower, an unproven experiment is nothing more than pseudoscience.”

His reaction was suspicious, but it didn’t sound incorrect.

When I played Asares, I never heard such outlandish theories.

Indeed, I should see a professional doctor tomorrow for a proper check-up.

With that decision, I lay back down on the bed.

“I don’t know. I’m too tired to think. I’m going to sleep now, so don’t talk to me.”

“Alright, sleep well, Hersel. Have a peaceful rest.”

Donatan murmured like a lullaby, and sleep poured over me as I closed my eyes.

* * *

It had been three months and some days since Donatan made a contract with Hersel.

Enough time to fully grasp the neural circuits entwined with the flesh.

After much effort, he had learned how to move with electric currents while Hersel was asleep.

“Huff!”

In the dead of night.

Donatan was engrossed in doing push-ups, Hersel’s eyes closed.

After about ten minutes.

As sweat droplets fell to the floor, he took a brief respite.

“Let’s stop the arm exercises here. He’s starting to notice…”

Next, he hung Hersel’s body upside down from the curtain rod and repeated abdominal crunches.

Then, recalling the breathlessness from a recent battle with a monster, he muttered in annoyance.

“Worse lung capacity than a sick man in a cubbyhole. I’ll fix it for you.”

And to think he was on the brink of death just from being thrown once.

The thought of such a feeble body, worse than a flounder, fueled his strength even more.

‘This wretched fool. To think he’s only immersed in magic?’

Unacceptable.

Even if his core is shattered, for the master to not wield his sword is to deny his very existence.

Seeing Hershel so lost in magic, oblivious to this, just turns my stomach.

A spark of resentment made the current jump a bit stronger.

Crackle─

‘Just as you can’t give up on magic, I can’t give up on the sword.’

As the attempts piled up, a knocking sound echoed.

Knock knock!

To manipulate Hershel’s vocal cords now would surely awaken him.

Donatan remained silent.

Then, with an irritated knocking, an angry voice was heard.

Knock knock knock knock knock!

“Young master! What on earth are you doing in the middle of the night? The vibrations are felt all the way downstairs!”

“……”

“If you don’t answer, I’ll take it as permission to enter!”

Donatan’s gaze turned to the lock hanging on the door.

‘Oh no, damn it. Did I forget to lock it?’

His heart sank in that moment.

He prayed fervently for her to leave, but to his dismay, the door was flung open roughly.

Bang!

“Young mas… huh?”

The anger on Celly’s face, who seemed to have come to scold, was replaced by confusion.

Then she shook her head and let out a deep sigh.

“No surprise there, I guess……”

“……”

“I thought my heart would stop. Why on earth are you hanging from the curtain rod in the middle of the night?”

Celly’s expression was one of seeing a madman.

It was a look she often had when dealing with Hershel.

This time too, that perception seemed to make her dismiss it as nothing unusual.

“Indeed, this little one always treated him like a madman. I can get through this somehow.”

Donatan thought it was a blessing in disguise as he descended from the curtain rod.

Thud!

Celly approached with cautious movements and asked with wide eyes, “Huh? Why are your eyes closed?”

“…”

“My lord?”

“…”

“Excuse me. Are, are you alright?”

At that moment, Donatan flipped onto his back, manipulated his limbs, and scurried forward like a spider.

As he approached eerily, shaking Hershel’s neck loosely, Celly screamed in horror and fled.

“aaah!”

Watching Celly’s pale face flee without looking back, Donatan locked the latch and smiled contentedly.

Click!

“This should be fine. I’ll just think of him as a bit more insane.”

Now I can rest easy.

The mere thought of being caught by Hershel was terrifying.

[Subordinate (B) Donatan shall not do anything against the wishes of Superior (A) Hershel. If B violates this, a clause with compulsory effect will be added, to be decided upon A’s proposal.]

The most serious unfair trade clause.

So meticulous that if not accepted, one could be threatened to be thrown into the river.

Donatan shuddered as he recalled everything up to this day.

“Come to think of it, have I ever encountered such a venomous person in my life?”

It was the same in the mines.

The look in the eyes of the man searching for money was that of a lynx stalking its prey.

When the assassin appeared, he was no different from a local thug extorting even the children’s pocket money, and when an opportunity arose to make a big score from the landlady, he squeezed out every last drop of oil.

Each time, Donatan, who had felt Hershel’s twitching facial muscles barely contained, found himself trembling involuntarily.

“Besides, he cherishes his own body terribly. I can’t even guess what kind of dog’s abuse I’d suffer if caught by that vicious man…”

Hershel held the knife, so Donatan trained with caution.

As he moved his body to the brink of exhaustion, dawn broke.

Just as he was about to return to his place and lie down on the bed, Hershel opened his eyes.

‘Oops.’

Was I caught?

“Yawn, no matter how much I sleep, I’m still sleepy… I should sleep more.”

‘Yes, go ahead and sleep, Hershel. You need a good rest to recover from fatigue.’

My muscles were trained to the point of tearing, so pain was expected.

But thanks to Donatan’s nerve manipulation, Hershel couldn’t even feel the muscle pain.

* * *

According to the medical examination, the doctor said there was nothing wrong.

He even advised me to continue the unprecedented body management I was doing.

Considering my exercise was nothing more than walking back and forth to learn magic, I couldn’t help but feel skeptical.

Yet, I didn’t take it too seriously since I seemed to be feeling a bit better lately.

Three weeks had already passed since I stopped worrying about one thing.

Camelo took a deep breath with a tense face.

Even after gulping down water, his voice was still trembling with excitement.

“…Finally, today is the day. Who would have thought the day to inscribe the last, 70th spell would come?”

“If I accomplish this, will I be a bona fide intermediate magician?”

I asked, sharing in the joy, but Camelo quickly averted his gaze.

“Ahem, yes. Well, that’s right. You will have met the requirements of an intermediate magician.”

His reaction was a bit suspicious.

From what I’ve seen, he wasn’t one to get flustered easily.

I thought something might be wrong, but I dismissed it as nerves.

After all, there hadn’t been any problems so far.

“Then let’s begin.”

“By the way, is it just me, or have you been changing your clothes more frequently lately?”

“Oh, this? The old clothes didn’t fit well, so I changed them all for new ones.”

I could still wear the old ones, but they were a bit tight.

If I moved too much, the threads would come undone, so my wardrobe was now filled with the newly tailored clothes.

“Hmm, you seem to have gained a better figure than before.”

“Side effects of the experiment.”

I said, half-opening my eyes.

Carmelo raised his veins on his forehead and shouted.

“How many times do I have to tell you no!”

“Ah, why the temper? That’s the only thing that makes me suspicious.”

“I clearly presented the data and explained it to you. There was never such a symptom among the test subjects. Are you even aware of how many times you’ve repeated that?”

“It’s only been 37 times.”

So sensitive.

I better take good care of my health considering the amount of money I’ll get from the hostess later.