Starting Out with an Infinite Skill Tree!

Ch. 19



Chapter 19. Sorry! I Just Couldn't Help Playing Around!

"Restia. That's my name."

The little girl suddenly spoke, her face serious and solemn.

The weight in her tone made Cidy blink in surprise.

This little girl... she seemed to place great importance on her own name.

"Restia, is it? I understand."

Cidy replied, watching the girl curiously.

Only then did Restia nod in satisfaction.

"Then, I should introduce myself. I'm the Chief of this village, Cidy. You can call me Chief, or simply by my name!"

Cidy smiled, even giving a playful wink.

"So why exactly are you keeping us here?"

Yan spoke up.

"Why? Ah, of course, because a few silly kids decided to recklessly use magic in the village!!"

Cidy said, sounding a little annoyed.

And he had the nerve to ask “why.”

Who was it who had added all this extra “work” to her already overloaded schedule?!

Life was already hard enough; now she had to deal with these brats' messes too!

Hearing Cidy's explanation, Restia immediately assumed she was referring to the time she herself had used "high-level attack magic."

She lowered her head slightly, like a child who'd been caught doing something wrong, not daring to make a sound.

At the time, in her haste, she hadn't thought much and had unleashed one of the "war" spells from her past life.

Now, thinking back on it, it felt a bit too excessive.

"Hah? So, Chief, you're going to punish just us?"

Yan asked, sounding disappointed.

He had thought something interesting was about to happen! That they'd been brought to this spectacular "library" just to be told about a “punishment”?!

"I say, Chief, I've got a proposal—care to hear it?"

A familiar grin appeared on Yan's face.

It was the same grin he wore when whacking "moles."

"What proposal?"

Cidy asked with a hint of curiosity.

"Why not make our punishment a one-year confinement right here?"

"Mm. Since this started because of me, I should take responsibility for their punishment as well. So add two more years. Confine me “here” for three years!"

Yan's lips curled upward, his expression saying you're getting a great deal here.

The "sincerity" in his eyes nearly made Cidy believe him.

Here... "confined"?! For three years?!

"Eh!!?!"

Giselle let out a startled cry at her brother's words.

Cidy, meanwhile, nearly couldn't stop herself from throwing Yan out on the spot.

This boy... wanted to stay in her "library"?!

Just imagining it—her “private library”, which had always been hers alone, both her library and her living space—

From now on, there would be a boy sharing it with her.

The image was so vivid that it made her hesitate. No—she absolutely could not let her blissful private life be snatched away like that!

However—

"No, you can't. Big Bro-ther— you can't be confined here!"

Before Cidy could even speak, Giselle panicked at the thought of her brother staying behind.

"No... you can't!"

On the other side, Restia, who had been lowering her head, suddenly raised it, speaking firmly and seriously.

This was finally her chance to "make friends."

If he were confined, that was absolutely not what she wanted to see.

"If there's confinement... then together!"

Restia admitted her mistake of her own accord.

In her mind, it had been she who used "Flare" that had drawn Chief Cidy's attention in the first place.

Yan shouldn't be the one to take the punishment for her.

Yan: "..."

He could only look at the scene before him with a helpless expression.

—He wants to stay because of the 170 million volumes. With the 【Simulated Star-Creation Map】, if he gains enough knowledge, he can grow strong very fast.

Giselle and the girl called Restia didn't know this.

In truth, for Yan, being able to spend time in this ocean-like library would be a massive windfall.

"Hey, hey, I never agreed to anything!!"

Cidy said, sounding a bit put out.

As if she were some terrifying guardian!

This was her “private collection”—her library. In front of any nation or any powerful mage, it would be a prize beyond value.

"There are many books here that record rare, high-level magic. A holy grail many mages dream of!"

"High-level magic... really rare?"

Restia asked blankly, lost in thought.

She seemed to think—

That she only ever used high-level magic. If she gave those spells to Yan, would he be happy?

‘And then would he finally agree to be her friend?!’

Until now, Restia hadn't even managed to state the conditions for friendship. So what she needed most at the moment was a clear "yes."

"Ve—ry... rare!"

Cidy's face flushed as she forced the words out, and then slowly gave the affirmative answer.

"That's great. I have so many high-level spells here. If... if you want them, I can give them to you!"

Restia's cowlick stood up; she brightened at once and turned to Yan.

"Uh..!"

Yan couldn't quite understand it.

‘Why was she being so generous—’

They had only met once before, after all.

"Wuwu. Ignoring me, the owner. Guests rarely come, and this was a rare chance to show off my library. What a pity."

Cidy's eyes misted theatrically; she looked so crestfallen it erased all trace of her former authority.

"Alright, if you've got anything else to say, say it now. Otherwise, let us go back."

Yan made a move as if to leave.

Although he didn't fully understand what drew this woman's attention to them, Yan had already sensed sharply that her intentions might not be as simple as some "special punishment" she'd mentioned.

Indeed, Cidy clearly had a purpose—she wanted to "interact" more with Yan.

"W-wait—wait!!"

Cidy grabbed the hem of Yan's trousers and begged with teary eyes:

"Ah! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Because so few people come by, I couldn't help playing a little. I'll treat you to tea, I'll prepare snacks—please don't leave so soon!"

Right then, in Cidy's mind was the image of Yan turning water magic into ice magic.

She would become a complete sycophant if she had to—she absolutely had to lick this 'magic' out of him!

For a mage, new “knowledge” is life!

She hadn't encountered such a mysterious, joy-inducing magic in far too long.

No matter what, she would not give up this "human-shaped mystery present."

However—

Yan's eyes widened; he almost couldn't resist the urge to retort.

'Couldn't help playing a little? Staring at people with eyes full of killing intent—you call that playing?'


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