BSS 24

Chapter 24

I wandered through the market streets, accompanied by two knights, drawing the avoidance of everyone around.

I browsed through general stores and weapon shops, and eventually came across a bookstore, which I peeked into as well. But there wasn’t anything in particular I wanted to buy. Perhaps my surroundings had been too luxurious, making nothing catch my eye.

As I began to feel a little hungry, I noticed a fruit stall.

There were quite a few fruits I had never seen before, which made me hesitate about buying some.

“What is this?”

“Have you never tried it before?”

“Yes, it’s my first time seeing it.”

“It’s a fruit commonly eaten by commoners. It’s called ‘Porya.’ It’s not very sweet, but it’s cheap and easy to grow, so it’s good for filling your stomach.”

“I see… maybe I’ll try some.”

It looked similar to an apple, but much larger, with a dull color that didn’t look very appetizing.

The price tag said three for 10 Cooper. I rarely bought anything with my own money, so I wasn’t sure whether that was cheap or expensive.

On the Crancia continent, the currency was unified across all countries.

This had been established about 5,000 years ago when the great emperor, known as the heroic Mites, unified the continent. Even though countries later split, the system remained.

Mites had also created a common language and revised maps, making him a historical figure studied in every class.

“Hansen, is 10 Cooper worth buying this?”

“Normally, it’s five for 10 Cooper, but they say this year’s harvest was poor, so it’s not a bad price.”

One Cooper was roughly equivalent to 100 Korean won.

The coins were issued in 1, 5, 10, and 50 Cooper denominations. 100 Cooper equaled 1 Silver, and 100 Silver equaled 1 Gold. The typical monthly living expenses for a commoner were based on 1 Gold.

1 Gold was worth about a million won, but nobles could easily spend 1 Gold on a single meal.

Also, 10 Gold equaled 1 Golden, the highest unit of currency, worth roughly ten million won.

The coins were made of different materials, and because they were heavy, large transactions were recorded with receipts. I received 1 Gold as pocket money each month, which made me quite rich for a child.

“I’m hungry, so maybe I’ll try one.”

“It may not suit your taste, milady. There are other fruits too.”

“But I’m curious about this one.”

“If that’s the case…”

“Ma’am, could I have three of these, please?”

I pointed at the Porya, and the fruit stall lady, wearing a businesslike smile typical of any market, placed three Porya into a brown paper bag. Perfect for sharing with the knights…

“Ah!”

At my sudden scream, Philo and Hansen reflexively assumed defensive stances.

I looked at them with a face as if I were about to cry, watching them draw their swords. How could this happen?

“I don’t have money.”

“…Ah, if it’s money, I have some.”

I realized too late that I hadn’t brought my purse—usually I had no reason to carry one. Luckily, Hansen had money.

“Thanks.”

I took a Porya from the bag Hansen handed me and bit into it, waiting for him to pay.

The already unappetizing fruit became even worse as Hansen danced the “I lost my wallet” routine for anyone to see.

I should have listened when he warned me. This really doesn’t taste good. It’s basically flavorless. So this is what the staple food of commoners is like.

“Philo, do you have any money…?”

“I don’t either.”

What should I do? The awkward silence made me feel like I was about to throw up.

The fruit lady’s face turned cold, and I awkwardly placed the half-bitten Porya back into the paper bag. What now?

[Lai?]

[Yes, Master.]

Though hidden under my uniform cloak, Lai was hanging from my waist.

Since most people panic at the sight of a snake, I had to hide him in crowded places.

[Do you have some money?]

[A spirit doesn’t really have money.]

[But you’re a metal spirit, right? Try spitting some out.]

[Uh, impossible.]

[If you have any conscience, sometimes you should be useful. I know you can even pick up coins. Give it to me while I’m still being nice.]

Even I thought I sounded a bit like a thug.

[Master, you had bread this morning, right?]

[What about it?]

[Could you spit that out?]

No way… I couldn’t believe I was being persuaded by Lai. My pride hurt.

[It’s not the same. Eating and spitting are completely different techniques. Absorbing doesn’t use mana, but spitting does, and shaping it into coins requires advanced skill beyond my current Master.]

[Ugh, being a metal spirit is useless.]

[…Master! Are you deliberately persecuting only me? You favor Undine, and always mistreat me!]

[You don’t do anything worth praise.]

[Ugh… I can’t make coins, but I can spit out some silver.]

[Oh? Try it now.]

Silver is not official currency, but it has value, so I could pay with it. I took out the Porya again, hopeful.

I took a leisurely bite, then immediately regretted it.

“Ugh.”

When chewed fruit backflows into the nose, it’s extremely painful.

I rubbed my burning nose, gritting my teeth.

[You… did you really just take all my mana?]

[No, a little is left.]

Ridiculous. Creating a tiny silver piece shouldn’t take so much mana. When too much mana leaves at once, I often get stomach pain, and this was exactly that.

[Let’s see how much you made.]

[This is the best I can do with Master’s mana.]

Lai spat a small silver chunk that fell at my feet. I picked it up—it was about the size of a grain of rice. My mana… all gone… just to make this tiny piece!

[Ugh! I’d rather have done a Water Ball!]

[Huh? My silver is better! At least it’s money!]

[This can’t even buy one Porya!]

[Impossible!]

[You idiot!]

Who asked you to make silver? Not a tiny crumb! I wanted to live elegantly, but sometimes Lai’s uselessness was unbearable. He really was astonishingly useless.

Perhaps feeling sorry for me—or for the knights who looked nervous at my angry expression—the fruit lady handed me a Porya for free.

I couldn’t believe it. Wandering the market broke, eating for free! I wasn’t even penniless! My bag at the inn had tens of Gold stored inside.

With that, I could have bought… Porya…

[Lai, how many Porya could we buy with 10 Gold?]

[I’m not exactly a math spirit.]

Numbers weren’t his strong suit. That’s fitting for his master.

[I’m bad at math too… By the way, is there even a math spirit?]

[I don’t know. Maybe there is.]

[You can’t not know. You’re a spirit!]

[Well, Master, there are many types of spirits. You can’t expect to know everything.]

This kind of conversation with Lai had become normal. He felt less like a spirit and more like a friend I could always talk to.

[Also, your mana efficiency is terrible.]

[Master’s mana is too little.]

That annoying friend of mine.

[I train hard, you know?]

[Not enough. I’m not useless. I can do more, but your vessel…]

[Do you want to die?]

[Not yet.]

[Tch, repairing a rusty lock didn’t take this much mana. Why is this different?]

Mana is like air everywhere, but to use it freely, I had to ‘tame’ it and store it in myself.

That was the difficult part. Mana is free-flowing, so storing it in a human body required sweat and effort.

Every morning, I would sit cross-legged with eyes closed, feeling the mana. I had to silently fight to control it.

Mana flowed like grains of sand through my fingers. I had to pull it in, let it circulate inside me, and make it familiar.

Some say it’s engraving mana into oneself, some say it’s melting it. I felt it was taming it.

Mana couldn’t be increased overnight. Daily practice, accumulated over a lifetime, was the only way. No shortcuts, no tricks. At least as far as I knew.

[It’s like making something from nothing versus something from something.]

[Stop with the cryptic talk.]

[Repairing or creating are different. Absorbing something turns its form into nothing. For example, when I absorb a coin, it loses its shape completely and becomes void.]

[Hmm.]

[To make it a coin again requires ‘mana to be born.’ Repairing something broken only fills in its remembered shape, so it’s much easier. Fixing a lock is something from something.]

[I think I understand.]

[Conclusion: creating something from nothing is much harder and requires several times the mana.]

With both Undine and Lai, I urgently needed to use them efficiently with my limited mana. Being unable to do anything every time due to lack of mana was frustrating and a blow to my pride.

[Lai, don’t worry. You’ll get more mana as you grow.]

[…How many years? How long until you’re useful? Will that day ever come?]

[Sure! Maybe 30–40 years. Quick.]

‘Quick’ by whose standards? Sometimes I felt Lai had surprisingly long experience.

[Lai, how old are you?]

[Age? That’s for humans.]

[Answer me. Even spirits know how many years since their birth.]

[Hmm… around 12,000 years, but I’m not sure. Counting time is pointless and tedious.]

12,000? Not 1,200, not 120… certainly not twelve.

Are spirits immortal? No wonder he seemed a little silly… Is he… senile?

[Over ten thousand years? Impossible!]

[Some spirits live that long. Usually a few thousand years, then they vanish.]

[‘Usually’ is weird!]

[Humans still don’t know much about us… Master!]

Startled, I was about to throw away the Porya seeds I had eaten.

[What is it now?]

[There’s a mat right next to that general store!]

Mouth full of Porya, I looked where Lai pointed.

Always dramatic, but especially now.

If it’s the mat near the store… that must be it.

[The little kid’s spot?]

It was a filthy boy. The ragged boy had clearly been hungry for days. On his mat were various miscellaneous items.

[Yes! Go closer! Hurry!]

What in the world…?