Nighttime Encounters - Chapter 11
Luperne explained with a grave expression.
[The fact that he has no set attributes is an ability in itself, as he can absorb any kind of magic power without any conflict.]
Rosia, who had been leaning wearily on the armchair, straightened up in an instant.
The cat that had been languidly curled up on her leg scurried away in alarm.
“So, that’s how he was able to absorb my magic.”
Maintaining a composed demeanor, she clenched her fist. The sensation of being captured by him yesterday resurfaced vividly. Even the sense of dismay when her carefully gathered magic dispersed like smoke.
[Yes. That’s why you have to be careful to never touch him when you use your magic. His absorption of magic nullifies spells.]
Rosia glared fiercely at Luperne while rubbing her temples in response to his warning.
“If only you had shown me the right way.”
As if sitting on thorns, the jittery Luperne added quickly.
[And…]
“And? Is there more?”
[It seems he not only absorbs magic but also has the ability to replicate the opponent’s formulas.]
Luperne recalled the image of the man he last saw.
[That man seemed to replicate your magic.]
The ability to absorb magic without belonging to any attribute and possessing the ability to replicate that power.
It was clearly a power known as “the Joker”.
[Of course, the capacity to break down absorbed magic, reassemble formulas, and the magnitude of power to execute it all depend on the individual’s capability.]
“Wow. So in other words, he’s the one stealing other people’s formulas.”
Rosia clenched her hand resting on the armrest. The cups on the table resonated with her energy.
Gunther, who was watching from the side, startled and stepped back.
[Anyway, be careful. He’s not your typical skilled individual.]
Luperne clicked his tongue in warning.
[Don’t just rush head on like you did yesterday].
“And I’m just supposed to let him nibble on my ear?”
As the sensation of warmth returned to her ears, Rosia shivered. Her ears were inexplicably warm.
She fiddled with her ears and jerked out of her seat.
“This won’t do. I need to make more cloaking tools.”
A formidable foe had emerged. That meant she had to become even stronger.
With her mind set on what needed to be done, Rosia firmly planted her foot down with a resolute expression.
“Let’s go to Gracen’s Emporium.”
Luperne nodded at Rosia’s seemingly revitalized mood.
[Good idea, but why are we going there?]
As Rosia dashed towards the opposite direction of Luperne, she shouted, “Hold on. Just need to clean my ears before we go.”
* * *
Gracen, the owner of Gracen’s Emporium, was as usual, tending to his weathered store. He paid little heed to the worn wooden floor which creaked with each step.
He slowly tilted his head, his forehead creased with wrinkles. His hand, worn from years of toil, brushed back the strands of greying hair.
Closing and opening his eyes, Gracen stared into space for a while before reaching out towards the dusty desk in front of him.
The drawers of the old desk creaked open at Gracen’s touch.
“It’s time.”
Inside the drawer sat a pair of reading glasses.
Gracen picked up the reading glasses with one hand and lifted a dry rag with the other.
Perhaps burdened by the weight of passing years, his hand moved sluggishly as he wiped the glasses.
“Seems like I keep seeing useless things these days.”
Gracen muttered to himself and pushed his reading glasses up the bridge of his nose.
The bell rang and only one person entered the shop.
“Why does everything seem so obscure, as if something is looming…”
Gracen narrowed his eyes and scanned the store through his glasses.
There was only one customer, a young lady, who kept coming to this forgotten shop. Her amethyst eyes twinkled as she examined the dusty wares.
“Should I go with red this time?”
Rosia was too busy examining the red ore to notice Gracen’s puzzlement.
With red eyes and red hair, it would look like blood at night, wouldn’t it?
Picturing herself, Rosia surveyed the gemstones displayed in the shop.
“Or maybe blue?”
If she was going to sneak into people’s homes and steal things, she needed to hide her true form.
However, Rosia’s attributes veered away from illusions or disguises.
In the end, she needed a tool to catalyze her magic, and she had come out to buy the materials she needed to make it.
“Oh? They have rainbow-colored ones too.”
Luperne chuckled at Rosia’s apparent excitement.
[Black is the best color, though, if you want to go unnoticed in the dark.]
But Rosia, already blinded by the variety of colorful gemstones, heard none of it.
“I’m sure I’ll need other colors too.”
In a confident murmur, Rosia systematically swept through the store’s multicolored gemstones, from red to blue, even the rainbow-colored ones. She also picked up several sheets of parchment necessary for scroll-making.
After paying for her purchases, counting each coin, she made sure to give the store owner a polite bow.
“Thank you.”
Leaving Gracen scratching his head, Rosia gathered her things and left the store.
