Book Eater

Chapter 45: I Ask You (2)

However, it seemed that Gluttony hadn’t been aware of its surroundings while it was asleep, so Theo was forced to explain the situation before it could answer. He mentioned the missing investigator, the new undead infestation, and the apparent presence of a warlock. Theo had many questions, but there was one that took precedence over them all.

- ... Yes, I understand. This certainly doesn’t seem normal, but I do have an idea about its source.

Theo was taken aback.

“What is it?”

Gluttony knew what was going on behind a freak incident like this? Theo had expected a few clues, not an answer. The grimoire that devoured wisdom presented an answer that even geniuses would not have thought of?

- It’s likely that a grimoire was found in the cave.

Theo’s eyes widened at the word grimoire. Vince had once explained that grimoires possessed an unfathomable strength. They were mysterious creatures of wisdom and power, and had once shaken the world with their presence. As the owner of a grimoire, Theo couldn’t agree with some of the descriptions from other magicians, but he knew exactly how incredible a grimoire could be. For example, it had transformed an academy’s dunce into a peer of the Blue Tower Master’s disciple in mere months.

Theo could easily see an amateur warlock suddenly becoming prodigiously skilled in mere weeks. But he had to confirm something first.

He asked, “Are there other grimoires like you?”

- I am a grimoire belonging to the Seven Sins set. When it comes to grimoires… No, I don’t know exactly. It would be more accurate to try and detect its existence, rather than hypothesize.

Gluttony mumbled under its breath before making a suggestion.

- User, if you agree, I will consume your power to detect any grimoires nearby. I will also look for the warlock’s lair as a bonus.

“That's a welcome offer but...” Theo looked at Gluttony dubiously. “Why are you being so nice? It isn’t like you, so tell me what you want.”

- Hohoho, it isn’t bad for you either.

Gluttony’s tongue swiped at the air hungrily.

-I can also eat grimoires. User can absorb their knowledge and features or even unlock a seal. If that happens, your achievements as a magician will grow several times faster.

Theo snorted. “... As usual, you’re hungry.”

- That is my essence.

Theo was a little worried, but there was no choice. Even if there was no grimoire around, he still needed the warlock’s location. He nodded sharply, and Gluttony absorbed his magic power.

Du-goon.

Theo felt a deep thump resonating in his chest, well below the range of a human ear. It radiated outward for several kilometers before returning to its center. It was a technique that a scientist would be more familiar with, except it was being reproduced with magic power rather than sound or radio waves.

[Detection complete.]

- I found it.

Gluttony sounded intrigued.

- Fairly powerful. It seems to be in the second stage, but it managed to partially evade my detection. It seems to be eating its owner.

Theo echoed, “Eating?”

- Not all grimoires tend toward symbiosis like me. Most like to parasitize their hosts and manipulate their body and mind. This grimoire seems to belong to the Green category.

Grimoires were powerful magic creatures. In fact, they were true monsters with human levels of intellect and abilities on par with national artifacts. Theo didn’t know who had created them, but it would be exceedingly easy for grimoires to completely dominate their owners. Goosebumps rose on Theo’s forearms.

- I figured out their location. The cave the magicians went to investigate is the base of the grimoire and its host.

Gluttony’s mouth opened in a long yawn as its voice started to drift off.

- I answered your question, so I will fall asleep.

“Ah, wait a minute.”

- What is it?

He had already asked a question, but Gluttony was generally flexible about questions about its features.

Theo asked, “Can you…. eat the undead? They’re made of magic, right?”

- It’s a sound idea, but if that was possible, I would also be able to eat rocks that were bespelled to fly. Undead do have magic in them, but it’s only used to move their limbs. They aren’t made of magic power or wisdom themselves. There are some exceptions, but...

Theo prompted, “But?”

- I can’t answer that until you ask it as a question.

Gluttony fell into a deep sleep. Theo tapped the palm of left hand several times, but he didn’t hear anything else. He quietly rolled his eyes at the grimoire’s attitude, but he had a more pressing matter to deal with.

Step… step...

He could hear footsteps approaching his room.

***

The footsteps were quiet and uniform as the stranger walked through the halls. Alfred’s memories rose in Theo’s head as he tried to divine who it was. He realized that the footsteps resembled those of a martial arts master. The body would unconsciously maintain its center of gravity and minimize noise as much as possible.

Randolph.

Moments later, Randolph’s voice came through the door. “Young Master, are you still awake?”

Theo raised his voice. “Yes.”

“Can we talk for a bit?”

It was a strange time, but Theo had been half expecting it. At least, he didn’t have to sneak into the village anymore.

“Come in.”

Randolph entered the room. “I’m sorry, you must be tired.”

Theo shrugged. “Don’t worry. I thought you would come.”

The look in Randolph’s eyes changed. “Hrmm?”

He had seen Theo fight, so Randolph decided to treat him as an equal. Without further ado, Randolph sat across from Theo on the bed.

Time to cut to the chase.

The two men sensed it at the same time.

Theo opened his mouth first. “Are you going to reach the limit soon?”

Randolph slowly replied, “... As expected, you’re not ordinary. How did you know?”

Theo traced a line on the bed. “You had no choice but to fight a bloody battle for a week with only a hundred people. The fact that you endured for so long is already amazing.”

It wasn’t exaggerated praise. If it wasn’t for the combat ability of the Wandering Wolves, the Miller Barony would’ve already fallen to the undead. Even the kingdom’s soldiers would not have been able to pull it off.

Theo was amazed by the mercenaries’ ability to overcome such a difference in numbers with pure skill. However, Randolph’s expression simply darkened. “I'm thankful for your words.”

“May I ask one thing?” Theo said.

“What is it?”

In a sense, Theo’s next question might push Randolph away. But Theo figured a questionable ally was the greater evil, so he asked the question he had been turning over in his head. “Why are you staying in this village? You should be able to break through the undead without any problems.”

“Simply… I guess you won’t believe it’s just goodwill. Damn.” Randolph scratched his head before whispering, “I can’t tell you everything. Is that okay?”

Theo met his eyes seriously. “As long as you can convince me.”

“... Okay.” Randolph hesitated for a moment before carefully taking out a pocket watch.

It was adorned with gold, and was engraved with two howling wolves. There was no second or minute hand, but the hour hand was slowly turning. It seemed like a watch or compass of some kind.

“A long time ago, an ancestor of my clan chased a warlock into a foreign country and never returned. He had been carrying the family’s twin heirloom swords. This watch is an artifact created to detect those heirlooms,” Randolph explained.

Theo glanced at the hour hand on the watch. “Then the direction that the artifact is pointing in…”

Randolph sighed. “It’s these damn mountains. It’s been a hundred years, so I wasn’t expecting anything. But I never expected the place the artifact reacted to would be covered in undead!”

Theo almost admired Randolph’s bad luck. The missing heirlooms ended up in the middle of a sensational disaster.

However, Theo still felt something was missing from the story. “I know that heirlooms are precious… but in the end, you remained because of two swords?”

Randolph grunted, “They aren’t just swords. They contain the techniques that he learned. If I can control them properly, there’s a chance of becoming a sword master in twenty, no, ten years.”

“Ah.” Theo immediately nodded.

He could understand that. A magician would go to extraordinary lengths for a chance to cross their wall. If Randolph believed he had the potential to become a sword master, this wasn’t an opportunity he could easily give up. Becoming a sword master was akin to crossing the wall of the 7th Circle for a magician. However, even if the swords could make Randolph a sword master, it would be useless if he lost his life here.

Randolph stared out of the window gloomily. “But I think it ends here. I can’t have my men getting slaughtered, and it doesn’t seem like I can recover the sword. In any case, the undead will be cleaned up by the king’s men, so Young Master, you should get ready to evacuate with the villagers.”

Theo’s eyebrows rose at the unexpected words. He had thought mercenaries were more ruthless than this. There was no need for them to continue protecting the villagers. However, Randolph was earnestly asking them to evacuate. It seemed Randolph and the Wandering Wolves were a rare breed of mercenaries.

However, Theodore couldn’t accept that proposal. “Thank you, but we won’t.”

“... Why?” Randolph stared at him.

He couldn’t see any other solution. If Theo was about to suggest that he should stay and help evacuate, Randolph might beat him up.

He tried again, “I must acknowledge your skills, but half of the residents here will die if they stay.”

Theo shook his head. “No, more accurately, half will get out alive.”

Randolph glared at him. “The result is the same no matter how you word it.”

They refuted each other without giving a single concession.

Pajik!

As the gazes of the two people met, the air started to distort. Randolph’s anger was taking physical form. If Theo didn’t have Alfred’s memories, he would have frozen in fear.

He fought to remain calm and pulled out his dimension pocket. “Instead, I have a different proposal.”

Randolph’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “A different proposal?”

Theo continued, “To be precise, it’s a commission. The Magic Society investigator, Theodore Miller, wants to hire the Wandering Wolves.”

As Randolph stared at him, Theo pulled out three thick pouches from the dimension pocket and dropped them on the bed between them.

Klung! Klung! Klung!

Each pouch jangled noisily in the silent room. Randolph immediately recognized the very familiar sound of its contents. It was a sound that every merchant and mercenary knew intimately.

Theo grabbed a pouch and upended it over the bed.

Chwarururuk...!

Gold coins fell like a waterfall. A hundred gold coins quickly formed a tiny mountain over the tattered bedspread. It was enough coin to hire the mercenaries for quite a while.

Randolph stared at the money with a blank expression before glancing at the remaining two pouches. Theo nodded in response to the unspoken question.

“The deposit is a hundred gold, and another two hundred gold will be paid at the end of the job. This three hundred gold is payment for the services of the Wandering Wolves for two days.”

Theo knew that he needed an incentive to make this proposal palatable. So he decided to go all out and get rid of Randolph’s soul first.