SomaRead | The Incompetent Mage’s Infinite Regression

Chapter 3

I thought it was incomprehensible to draw a lottery in this situation, but I couldn't think of any reason to refuse either. And Demi was my contract partner. There was no turning back now.

I put my hand into the box and drew a lot.

[Archive Acquired!]

[Archive: Personal Hygiene (D)]

I organized the new information that entered my head.

Hygiene is the practice of preventing disease and maintaining health. Personal hygiene is the work of performing these tasks on an individual level, aiming to maintain cleanliness of the mouth and hands, wash the body, change clothes, check the condition of food, and improve the environment.

It wasn't perfect, but I also noticed other related Archives. For example, other Archives related to personal hygiene include public hygiene, health, parasites, infectious diseases, illnesses, and soap. The problem was, I was already practicing personal hygiene as much as the environment allowed and understood its value.

"What use is this kind of Archive to me?"

<Archives, as well as items and skills, may be of no value to User.>

"Well, that's not important."

I said to Demi.

"What happens to me now?"

Even if Demi didn't confirm it, I knew I had died from the knife that stabbed me in the back. But seeing that I was still consciously existing, it wasn't over. At least, I hoped it wasn't.

"I figured."

<However, I can nullify death.>

"...How?"

Demi pointed to a door behind it.

"Return?"

<Yes. You will 'Regress'.>

"To when?"

"How is that possible?"

Demi said.

I decided to accept it. It was a being from another world. I couldn't expect to understand everything.

"Alright."

I went behind Demi and opened the small wooden door. Only darkness was inside the door, making me hesitate. Glancing back, I saw Demi was facing the opposite side of the small wooden door, not me.

There was another door there. It was a large, double-door gate compared to the small wooden door. Demi stood motionless, staring at that door as if expecting someone to arrive.

<User.>

I was puzzled but entered the door at Demi's urging.

∞

I stood in the center of the magic circle I had drawn to contract with a being from another world, holding a handgun in one hand.

"Did you come back with me?"

Text appeared before my eyes.

[Quest Generated!]

[Quest: Why did Ethan Dora Charasen die? (D)]

I said.

"Even without a Quest, it's a problem I need to figure out."

I looked down at the gun I was holding.

"Besides this, I don't think there's any other reason."

"But there was a loud noise. Could someone figure out I used a gun just from the sound?"

I nodded.

"For example, the magic of the Dark God Oer is now well-known. Like the face-skin magic, for instance. So even someone who has never seen an Oer black mage before can deduce that it was the work of an Oer black mage by looking at the traces of the magic used. The same could be true for you, Demi. If your followers used guns when you invaded the Empire 20 years ago, someone might know about the existence of guns."

<...I believe the word 'invaded' is inappropriate, but if we only consider the use of firearms, that is correct. Some people in this world, Damarat Yuma, will know about the existence of guns.>

I nodded.

"Then I should conclude that someone attacked me because I used the gun, right?"

I replied.

"No."

"That's simple."

I said.

"I'll take the Basic Magic Practice test the same way as before."

∞

After taking the Basic Magic Practice test using the handgun, I met with Arka. When I responded the same way as before, recalling the memory, the conversation with Arka was also the same as before.

"So it's a secret, is it? Alright."

Arka left just like that. I watched Arka's retreating back, then was about to head to my room. As I listened carefully, I felt a presence behind me. Although the footsteps were muffled as much as possible, the approaching sound was clear.

"Eth..."

The moment I heard the voice calling me, I spun around sharply and drew the dagger I had in my pocket. The assailant who had killed me once was startled and stepped back, but then seemed to steel their resolve and lunged at me again.

But I didn't hesitate for a moment. My blade went straight into the assailant's belly.

"Guh!"

That alone made the assailant stumble. When I kicked the assailant, they lost their strength and collapsed. I kicked the dagger out of the assailant's hand, sending it flying far away, then pulled off the assailant's hood. It was a thin male student wearing glasses.

"Damn it, Bien Palmaize?"

I replied to Demi.

I said to Bien.

"Bien, why did you attack me?"

"..."

"What?"

Knowing that Bien was mumbling something, I was about to bring my ear closer. But I hadn't completely let down my guard. I noticed something appearing at the edge of my vision. It was a sharply fractured crystal.

<...Magic!>

When I roughly pulled the dagger out of Bien's belly, the crystal fell to the floor. I didn't stop there; I gripped the dagger with both hands and plunged it straight into the center of Bien's chest. Bien's grip tightened fiercely on my arm for a moment, then quickly lost strength.

I looked at Bien and the sky visible through the corridor for a moment, listening to the sound of students laughing and talking far away.

"What do I do?"

"No, that's not what I'm talking about. Is there any way?"

<Currently, there is nothing else I can do.>

I first moved Bien's body to my dormitory room.

"It was pure self-defense."

"I need to know Bien's identity first. There must be a reason he attacked a classmate out of nowhere."

I rummaged through Bien's pockets and found his dormitory room key. Then I went to Bien's dormitory room.

"All criminals are like that."

Compared to my room, there were slightly more books, but there wasn't a big difference. I opened the storage box and searched through his belongings and under the bed mattress. If I hadn't been attacked by Bien, I might have stopped searching around this point, but I had already been killed by Bien once. Bien wasn't a suspect, but a clear perpetrator.

"Is the answer in the books after all?"

I rummaged through and skimmed Bien's books. And when I was about halfway through, I felt a strange weight in one book. When I opened that book, I found that the paper had been hollowed out in the center, and instead, a small wooden box was inside.

When I opened the wooden box, there was a piece of jewelry and a few documents inside.

"As expected."

"The two-headed dog emblem on this decorative pin points to the Imperial Inquisition. And these documents... even at a glance, they look like a letter of appointment. It seems Bien was an agent following the orders of an Inquisitor."

Upon reaching that conclusion, the Quest Complete window popped up.

['Quest: Why did Ethan Dora Charasen die? (D)' Success!]

[Reward: Experience Points 12]

[Reward: D-rank Lottery Coupon]

Demi asked.

"Of course not. It's illegal. Nevertheless, the Empire secretly dispatches Inquisitors to foreign countries to hunt black mages. But because the Empire's power is so strong, even if problems arise, they are sent back to the Empire without significant punishment."

Demi asked again.

"Of course, black magic itself is tabooed by the Council of Mages. It's forbidden magic. Although it varies by country, even if discovered, they don't inflict very cruel punishments. In light cases, they might just get a fine and be expelled, and even if imprisoned or confined, they can be released if they promise not to dabble in black magic again. That's why there are mages who dabble in black magic secretly."

I put Bien's wooden box in my pocket.

"Anyway, I've figured out Bien's identity. Even if the body is discovered, if I have this wooden box, the Yurmus Council won't hold me responsible."

I glanced around Bien's room once, then was about to walk out.

If someone hadn't blocked my way, that is.

"Your room is quite a mess, Ethan Dora Charasen. You shouldn't make such a mess of your friend's room."

I looked at the slender, platinum-haired man who appeared before my eyes.

"...Professor Vine Wiz Dekarun?"

Demi asked.

<He's a professor. He doesn't teach many first-year classes, but I took one of his general education classes, so I know him.>

Vine walked into the room, leaning on a straight white staff, and I had no choice but to step back a few steps.

"What is all this, Ethan?"

"Ah, I can explain everything. Bien attacked me. He wasn't fooling around; he rushed at me from behind with a dagger. After a struggle, I somehow survived, but Bien died in the process. I thought I wouldn't escape punishment for murder if I left things as they were, so I decided I needed to find out why Bien attacked me and searched his room."

"Oh, indeed. So. Why was Bien like that?"

I took out Bien's wooden box.

"This is the evidence."

"Indeed."

Vine snatched the wooden box from my hand as if taking it away.

"The Imperial Inquisition, you say."

"Yes."

"Then it means you are a black mage after all."

"Yes?"

Since I already thought Vine's movements were suspicious, I was able to move quickly when Vine swung his staff.

But Vine didn't just swing his staff.

A translucent blue blade generated from the tip of Vine's staff sliced through my left ankle. Red blood splattered in the room.

"...Gah!"

I screamed and fell to the floor.

Vine said.

"Bien is a capable student. He knows the opponent's level and handles the task without being excessive or insufficient. Yet Bien was counterattacked and died. ...Well, he is still a student, after all. I can understand. But 'our' Inquisition will not understand."

"Our?"

"Yes. I am the Inquisitor of Yurmus. I'll have to send you to the Empire. No, perhaps it would be good for me to interrogate you before sending you. About what you are hiding."

I gripped the handgun in my pocket. I could take it out and shoot, but there was probably only one chance, and given Vine's skilled movements, even that single chance wasn't guaranteed.

I said to Demi.

Demi replied.

<User, do you trust me?>

Hearing Demi's suggestion, I retorted.

I knew I didn't really have a choice.

If I attacked Vine and failed, I might be dragged to the Imperial Inquisition.

<Alright. I'll trust you.>

I took out the gun I had put in my pocket.

Seeing that, Vine raised his staff and lowered his stance.

"So you did have a weapon from Terra after all?"

Vine seemed to intend to dodge my gunshot once. But the muzzle of my gun wasn't aimed at Vine.

I put the muzzle in my mouth and pulled the trigger.

∞

I opened my eyes in Limbo once again.

Demi stood with its arms crossed, looking down at me.