NOVEL WEB Chapter 37: Major Purchase
The spell shop on the 50th floor of Central Black Tower was a stark contrast to the sprawling library below, a compact, utilitarian space that felt more like a vault than a store. The air was cool and sterile, tinged with the faint metallic tang of enchanted machinery. As Edwyn pushed through the heavy iron door, his boots echoed on the polished stone floor, and his eyes immediately locked onto the counter at the room's center. Behind it stood a mechanical automaton, its design rougher than the sleek clerk at Seven Luminaries Consortium. Exposed gears whirred and clicked within its tarnished brass frame, and its crystal eyes glowed with a dim, flickering light, giving it an almost haunted appearance.
The shop was sparse, with only three rows of shelves lining the back wall, each holding a modest collection of spell models stored in rune-etched scrolls and orbs. Compared to the library's endless stacks, this was a boutique operation, but the power contained in those shelves could level a small city.
"Yo, gearhead," he said, leaning casually against the counter, his voice dripping with playful swagger. "Got some spell models for me? I'm in the market for some serious firepower."
The automaton's head tilted with a mechanical creak, its voice rasping like grinding metal. "Please state the spell models you wish to purchase." Its tone was devoid of warmth, but Edwyn didn't care, he was here to score, not make friends.
"Lesser Fireball and Ice Spike," Edwyn replied, his grin widening. He'd planned this purchase days ago, his mind buzzing with possibilities. Lesser Fireball was a no-brainer, a first-circle Evocation spell with a reputation for turning Elementary Apprentices into walking artillery. At 100 Mana Stones, it was a pricey investment, but its explosive power was worth every coin. Ice Spike, though, was his real gamble. Most mages saw it as a straightforward projectile spell, its damage tied to the razor-sharp ice it conjured. But Edwyn had dug into the academy's notes and caught a detail that sparked his interest: the spell's lethality came from its speed, not the ice itself. That meant its spell model had a kinetic component, a piece of arcane machinery that generated momentum. And Edwyn had some wild ideas for what he could do with that.
The automaton's chest compartment opened with a hiss, revealing a slot for payment. "Total: 1,100 Academy Credits," it rasped.
Edwyn whistled, pulling a stack of shimmering Academy currency from his robe, notes he'd exchanged for Mana Stones on his way up. "Damn, that's a chunk of change," he muttered, but his grin didn't falter as he slid the notes into the slot. The automaton's gears churned, verifying the payment with a series of clicks and a low hum. "Amount verified. Please wait."
With a clatter, the automaton pressed a sequence of buttons on the shelves behind it. A metallic groan echoed from above, and a pneumatic tube descended, its surface etched with faint runes. Clang! Two scrolls shot out, caught midair by the automaton's claw-like hands. "Please receive: Lesser Fireball spell model, Ice Spike spell model."
Edwyn took the scrolls, their parchment heavy and warm, pulsing faintly with the curses that prevented reselling. "Pneumatic tubes, huh?" he said, smirking as he tucked them into his robe. "Fancy tech for a magic shop. Feels like I'm back on Earth ordering takeout." The system was oddly familiar, a blend of arcane and mechanical that made him nostalgic for a world he'd left behind.
Dormitory Tower:
Back in his dorm, Edwyn's room was a chaotic alchemist's lair, the desk cluttered with potion vials, rune-carved tools, and the lingering scent of burnt Gastrodia Fruit. The mana lamp cast a soft glow, illuminating the crate of materials from Seven Luminaries and the premium Focus Oil bottle, which still shimmered like a captured star. Edwyn flopped onto his bed, the Ice Spike scroll in hand, and tossed it to Elia, who was sprawled on a bed across the room, flipping through a tome on Evocation runes.
"Here's your homework, princess," he said, his grin teasing and just a bit provocative. "Ice Spike. I need you to crack it open and isolate the kinetic force component. Think you can handle it?"
Elia caught the scroll, her blonde hair catching the lamplight as she raised an eyebrow. "You're dismantling a spell? Most mages are out here piling on extra effects, and you're playing mad scientist, tearing it apart?" She tilted her head, her green eyes narrowing with curiosity.
Edwyn leaned back, hands behind his head, his grin widening. "Let's just say I've got a hunch. That kinetic piece? It's the key to something big. I'm thinking… unconventional applications." He winked, his tone vague but brimming with confidence. As an alchemy-focused Mage, he knew his limits, Evocation runes were Elia's domain. Dual-specialization was a pipe dream for apprentices without a mentor's resources, and Edwyn's plate was already full with potions and Joron's endless assignments.
Elia smiled, tucking the scroll under her arm. "Fine, I'll play along. Give me three months, and I'll have that component pinned down like a bug on a board." She paused, then added casually, "Oh, by the way, Lady Susanna officially took me as her formal apprentice."
Edwyn's eyes lit up, and he shot to his feet, sweeping into an exaggerated bow. "Well, hot damn, Lady Elia! Grand-apprentice of the Chancellor's protege? That's some high-roller status!" His grin was infectious, but his mind was already calculating. Susanna's mentorship meant Elia would get a direct line to serious Evocation and Curse knowledge, without the Mana Stone price tag Joron slapped on everything. His investment in their partnership was paying off big time.
Elia puffed out her cheeks, glaring at him. "That's it? A fancy bow and some sarcasm? You're supposed to be showering me with praise, you jerk!"
Edwyn scratched his head, his grin turning sheepish. "What, you want a parade? I figured you'd be treating me to dinner to celebrate." He dodged as she swatted at him, laughing. "Alright, alright! You're a badass, Elia. The fiercest spell-slinger this side of the Black Tower. Happy now?"
Elia deflated, crossing her arms with a mock pout. "Better. But you're still a moron." She grinned, her eyes sparkling as she waved the scroll. "I'll get you your kinetic thing. Don't blow up the dorm while I'm gone."
As she left, Edwyn turned to the balcony, grabbing a handful of iron pellets from a jar. "Moony! Snack time, buddy!" he called, his voice carrying that playful edge. A green-eyed Death Raven swooped down, landing on his arm with a soft caw, its feathers glinting in the moonlight. Moony pecked eagerly at the pellets, its sharp beak clicking against the metal. Edwyn had raised the creature from a fledgling, and after a year of care, it was practically family. Soon, he'd be able to implant a soul seed, binding Moony to him as a familiar. "Eat up, little guy," he said, scratching its head. "We've got big plans."
Back inside, Edwyn unrolled the Lesser Fireball scroll, its parchment heavy with the weight of its curses and the intricate two-dimensional diagram scrawled across across it. The runes were a dizzying maze, but from a distance, their outer layer formed a near-perfect ring, the "circle" that defined a spell's complexity. Lesser Fireball was a first-circle Evocation spell, prized for its balance of elemental and physical damage. Among apprentices, it was a status symbol, a spell that said you could afford both the cost and the skill to wield it.
Edwyn's grin turned focused as he studied the diagram. Memorizing a spell was no joke, it required engraving the model directly into the soul in one uninterrupted session. A single mistake could fry your mind, and interruptions were a one-way ticket to mental damage. Most apprentices needed days of meditation to pull it off, but Edwyn had a cheat code: the Infinite Forge.
He activated the orb, its starry glow filling the room. With a mere 5 Spiritforce, the Lesser Fireball model burned itself into his memory, clear as day. "Well, that was easy," he muttered, his grin returning. "Gotta love the shortcuts."
Settling cross-legged on his bed, Edwyn closed his eyes and slipped into his soul space, a vast, starry void where his Spiritforce shimmered like a nebula. He began constructing the spell's runes, each one a glowing sigil drawn with mental precision. The process was meticulous, like assembling a puzzle with pieces that could explode if misplaced. He poured Spiritforce into each rune, merging them into his soul one by one. The hours ticked by, the dorm silent except for Moony's occasional caw outside.
At dawn, as the first rays of light crept through the window, the final rune clicked into place. A sudden weight settled in Edwyn's soul, heavy but exhilarating. The imprint was complete. He'd done it.
His eyes snapped open, gleaming with anticipation. "Alright, Lesser Fireball," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Let's see what you've got."
Edwyn's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
He needed to blow something up, now.