TFCG 44

Chapter 44

“Whoa there, you’ll hit someone if you’re not careful.”

Seeing the potential for a traffic accident, I shook my head and went to sit at the table.

All I could hope for was that nothing worse would happen, and that this chaos would be resolved peacefully.

“Hm. So, how do you use this secret technique? Does it take a long time to learn? I need to use it first thing in the morning, so it’d be great if I could learn it now.”

I sat down and looked at Adrian as I spoke.

As a gamer who values efficiency, I was determined to make the most of my time.

Adrian shrugged and handed me a stack of papers.

“I’m not a combatant, so I’m not too sure myself. But given your reputation, Miss Elaine—the one who’s supposedly mastered every skill on the first try—you’ll probably pick it up in no time. Here’s how you cast the technique.”

“How far has that rumor spread, seriously…”

Grumbling, I began reading the documents Adrian handed me.

At the top was a magic circle, and below it, a series of theoretical explanations…

‘Hmm… I don’t understand a single word.’

Maybe because I’m not from a mage-type class, but I had absolutely no clue what any of it meant.

The only thing I could gather was that the yellowish thing was paper, and the black stuff was ink.

Also, Adrian’s handwriting was just as neat and beautiful as his face.

“So… how do I even activate this magic circle? I have no idea…”

I couldn’t help but complain.

When I let out a heavy sigh and collapsed onto the table, Leo chuckled at the sight.

“Leo, did you just laugh at me?”

I asked in a pitiful tone.

Well, it made sense. He was the young master of the noble Clarus family, famous for their magical prowess, and I was a magic dunce. I was practically inviting ridicule.

Hearing the hurt in my voice, Leo flailed his hands in panic.

“N-No, of course not! I have so much respect for you, Miss Elaine. I’d never laugh at you…!”

Hmm. They say strong denial often means affirmation.

I started to wonder—did he really laugh?

“Umm, Miss Elaine? You use a gun as your magical conduit, right?”

“Yeah?”

Leo threw out a question out of the blue.

“Why don’t you try using it like when you draw magic circles with your gun? Aim it at the ground. This secret technique involves a magic circle that’s drawn on the ground and follows the caster’s feet, according to the text.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea. I’ll give it a shot.”

Whether it would work or not, it was definitely worth trying.

‘This circle’s design is definitely more complicated than usual. There are even spinning wings, the symbol of the goddess…’

Could I really replicate this?

Focusing with all my might, I engraved the image of the magic circle in my mind.

Then—Bang! I fired a mana shot at the ground, just as Leo had suggested.

And then…

“Oh! It worked!”

A magic circle, identical to the one in the reference, began spinning around my feet.

The air within a 5-meter radius around me seemed to change.

Should I say it felt warm? Or soft?

Apparently, the others felt it too, judging by their surprised expressions.

“I did it!”

I shouted joyfully.

And then—

Fsssh, the magic circle disappeared.

“……”

Everyone who had been cheering with me instantly fell silent, like it was rehearsed.

What is this, some kind of skit?

“Hmm. Looks like you lost concentration. You have to keep channeling mana to your feet.”

At Leo’s advice, I gripped my gun tightly and renewed my resolve.

I was feeling stubborn now.

“…I’ll try again.”

I fired the gun once more.

The magic circle appeared again at my feet and began spinning.

‘Focus. Focus.’

Ugh, this was tough.

I could feel my mana being drained rapidly.

If I had to maintain this and use offensive spells on top of it, how many mana potions would I need to chug?

All I could think was: good thing I made a lot.

After moving around and getting used to the technique…

“Ugh, I’m exhausted. That’s it. I can’t hold it any longer!”

Completely drained, I slumped into a chair at the table.

Out of all the skills I’d learned so far, this one was the hardest.

And of course it was. This technique—this secret art—didn’t even exist in the game.

“Still, that’s amazing, Miss Elaine! To learn it so quickly!”

“…Thanks to you.”

As I gave my thanks to Leo, who was looking up at me with ruby-red eyes sparkling like jewels, a thought from earlier in the day returned to me.

That grimoire of Frine I had sleeping in my inventory.

I had no use for it, and the shopkeepers had refused to buy it because it was too expensive—a real white elephant.

‘Why not just give it to Leo?’

With this technique, I could keep using Leo’s healing magic in the dungeon.

And my game data had made it very clear how important a healer is to any party.

“…Leo.”

“Y-Yes! What is it, Miss Elaine?”

When I called his name, Leo looked at me eagerly, practically wagging an invisible tail.

Born at the same time from the same mother, yet one turned out like a cat and the other like a dog.

Truly one of life’s mysteries(?).

“Do you want this?”

I pulled the grimoire of Frine from my inventory and held it out.

With a face like, “Oh, I just picked this up somewhere.”

“……”

Leo froze.

His brain seemed to stop working for a moment, unable to process what was happening.

“This is a really valuable grimoire.”

“Y-Yeah, I can tell just by looking at it! But why give something so precious to me…?!”

“Because I don’t need it. It’s too good, so Uncle Lucan wouldn’t buy it. Nor would Paver.”

I waved my hand dismissively, like it was no big deal.

And I wasn’t lying. Every shopkeeper I showed it to had turned it down.

“Besides, you’re in charge of healing for our party. Having a good weapon will give you confidence.”

That was true too.

Even earlier today, his protection spell had really come in handy.

“So take it. If you won’t, I’ll just throw it away.”

I tried to casually toss the grimoire onto the table with a plop… but I couldn’t do it.

I ended up gently placing it there.

I wanted to act like it was nothing, but it was just too valuable.

So even though I said I’d throw it away, I never actually intended to.

“I-I… If you’re really okay with it, then I’ll accept it. This is the greatest honor of my life. Truly… thank you.”

Leo’s red eyes shimmered as if tears were welling up.

Was it really that touching?

I started to feel a bit shy and wanted to escape when—

A perfect excuse arrived.

Darren opened the door and stepped out of the room he’d been in with Rena.

“…Thanks to you, the talk went well. I appreciate it.”

Darren looked uncharacteristically serious, but I wasn’t in the right headspace to deal with that right now.

“W-Well then! See you all in the morning! Don’t oversleep!”

I hurriedly darted into my room.

From behind me, I heard Darren’s confused voice: “What’s her deal now?”

Rena gave me a puzzled look as I rushed in, but I pretended nothing was wrong and started getting ready for bed.

Just like that, the night before our first dungeon expedition came to an end.

The next morning.

Before sunrise, as the sky was just beginning to lighten, the members of the Hagion Hero Squad were already up and moving.

The forest beyond the window looked even darker and seemed to have crept closer to the village than yesterday.

If they didn’t resolve things today, it felt like the darkness would start swallowing this city by tomorrow.

‘…In the game, I used to hop back and forth to Midisle before entering the dungeon, taking care of last-minute stuff. But I guess that’s not possible here.’

In the game, the darkness never progressed until I advanced the quest.

But here… I’d already been blindsided back when I came from Midisle to this place.

It was clear things weren’t going to go as conveniently as before.

Better to let go of any illusions about leisurely visiting Midisle.

With that mindset, I steeled myself and headed outside the city gates with the party.

The guards at the gates looked at us like we were fools marching straight into danger.

“Well, if you’re so determined to go die, I won’t stop you. Farewell.”

And with those words, they opened the gates.

Not “safe travels”—just “farewell.”

They really thought we were going to die.

That attitude. Now I had to clear the dungeon today and come back alive, just to wipe those smirks off their faces.

“By the way, it’s about time for our meeting, but Sir Ferdia isn’t here yet?”