Water Magician

Chapter 84: Intermission

Ryo was in the forbidden archives of the North Library.

Only B-rank and above adventurers could enter the forbidden archives so naturally there wasn’t anybody around.

Next to him was an elf woman with lightly-tied platinum blonde hair that flowed to her back, a literal goddess of beauty. Sera.

Originally, even if they were accompanied by a B-rank or higher adventurer, an unqualified person would not be allowed to enter the forbidden archives.

However, Ryo could enter this time because Sera specifically sought the permission of the Lord directly.

The purpose was to browse an alchemy-related parchment bundle that Sera found in the forbidden archives while Ryo was on a request to the City of Whitnash.

Books, documents, and other materials in the forbidden archives were not allowed to be taken out of the library.

Given that rule, for Ryo to see the parchment bundle, she had to obtain special permission for him to enter the forbidden archives.

Ryo looked up after browsing through the bundle.

“It’s really interesting.”

“Right? I thought so too so I went to tell Ryo …”

“Sorry, I was out with the escort request.”

While Ryo was away from the city for thirteen days for the escort request to Whitnash, Sera went all the way to the guild to inform him about this.

He was full of gratitude.

“No, no, it’s okay, don’t worry about it.”

Looking at her side profile, she seemed a little elated to Ryo.

“Okay, then I’ll take some notes.”

Ryo arranged a bundle of paper, pen, and ink on a desk.

“Parchment cannot be copied by <Transcription>. It would have been easier if it was written on paper.”

Sera said with a look of disappointment.

“……Eh?”

“……Yes?”

Ryo replied with a strange query, and Sera replied the same way.

It seemed that the meaning didn’t get across.

“Did you just say transcription?”

“Yes, I just said transcription.”

The meaning changed greatly depending on whether or not intonation was raised at the end …

“If this was written on paper and I said <Transcription>, it would immediately transcribe to another piece of paper?”

“Yes, that’s possible. Going by Ryo’s speech, you don’t know about the spell <Transcription>?”

Sara smiled sweetly after finally understanding.

(I would repeat ‘I’ve not heard of  <Transcription>’ any number of times if I could see that smile …)

Ryo’s thoughts strayed.

But he reined his thoughts in with the power of will.

“Yes. I have not heard of a transcribing spell …”

“Ryo is interesting. You seem to know a lot and although you’re strong, you don’t seem to know the basics.”

“Transcription is basic?”

After hearing that, one mystery was finally solved.

The papers often placed in the Adventurer’s Guild … the instructions that Nina showed Ryo when he registered as an adventurer … they were all copied with <Transcription>.

Therefore, there were many copies of them.

On 『Phi』, magic replaced the role of letterpress printing.

If you think about it, it was natural.

If there was an extremely convenient 『tool』 called 『magic』, letterpress printing would not have been born.

“Would I be able to use the transcription spell?”

“Hmm, I don’t know. It is non-attribute magic, but surprisingly not everyone can use it. So, if a person wishes to do commercial activities in the City, they would hire a transcription shop.”

There seemed to be printing companies in this world too …

“Huh, I guess if anyone could use transcription, nobody would have to buy a book for a large sum of money …”

“Yeah, that’s illegal after all.”

There even seemed to be something like copyright in this world …

“In the end, you should purchase to read a book. That’s for the sake of the author.”

“Yes, you’re right.”

Sara smiled sweetly as Ryo agreed.

After somehow managing to copy it, Ryo was taking a break before he asked Sera what he had been wondering for a long time.

“I’ve been wondering for a long time, but Sera-san is often in the library, right?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Wouldn’t the cost of admission amount to quite a sum …”

“Eh……”

Sera quickly averted her eyes.

“E-eh?”

“No … you see … I work in the mansion, so my admission fee is free …”

“I’m so envious!”

It was a cry from the bottom of Ryo’s heart.

“We-well, I did pay at first? But when the Lord knew that more than 90% of the entrance fee income here was paid by me, he felt it was too much so it became free … Ah, but thanks to that, I could get permission for Ryo to enter the forbidden archives this time …”

For some reason, he felt as though he could hear a proud clearing of the throat at the end and naturally he was grateful for her help.

“Of course, I’m grateful for that.”

That was his true feelings.

“Oh yeah, I’ll bring you to visit a transcription shop I know, to see the <Transcription> spell that I mentioned earlier.”

Sera forcibly changed the topic.

“……I’d like that.”

Ryo followed suit too.

“I don’t know much about magic so …”

“Same goes for me. I’m not familiar with human magic, or the magic of the Central Nations, but … well, it’s been a while since I left the forest, so I think I can answer some of Ryo’s questions.”

(How old is Sera actually …)

“Ryo … you were thinking about something rude just now, right?”

“N-no……”

Sera stared intently at Ryo. While Ryo looked away from Sera’s gaze.

“I’m about 200 years old.”

Ryo looked at Sera with surprise.

“What~? Was that unexpected?”

Sera grinned, having succeeded in teasing him.

“No … I’m just surprised that you’re still so beautiful even though you’ve lived for 200 years …”

“I-I’ll still feel shy if you say that directly to my face.”

With her face bright red, Sera turned to the side.

After eating curry together at 『Hoshoku-tei』, they headed to the transcription shop that Sera was acquainted with.

It was located on a street that was just behind the main street, but it was a pretty elegant store.

“The speed of transcription varies considerably from person to person, so the people who can do it faster can naturally increase the amount of work they can do and make a profit.”

Sera explained the reason for the fine-looking store.

“Well then, let’s enter.”

She said and was about to open the door when a person came out from inside.

“Oh, Sera.”

“Abel, it’s been a long time.”

Abel, holding a bundle of paper that seemed to have been transcribed, came out of the store.

“Abel, it’s rare to see you work.”

“Ryo? I do work, okay … wait, why is Ryo with Sera?”

Abel was surprised and reacted to Ryo’s light tease.

“Sera-san is my … so to speak, teacher.”

“Ryo is my … so to speak, student.”

Then they laughed with each other.

“You guys are on good terms …”

While Abel was taken aback by the two of them, a person came out of the store.

“Abel, close the door after you … Oh, Sera, welcome.”

It was a woman in her mid-thirties who came out.

“Oops, I’m out of time. Well, I have to deliver this. Ryo, I have a lot to ask, so I’ll see you again another time.”

Abel said and left quickly.

“Hi Copyras, it’s been a long time. Ryo, this transcription shop is run by Copyras. It’s the best transcription shop in the City of Rune.”

“Hey, Sera, that’s an overstatement … Nice to meet you, Ryo, I’m Copyras.”

“I’m Ryo, an adventurer.”

Copyras and Ryo exchanged greetings.

“Copyras, actually, Ryo said he doesn’t know about the magic <Transcription>, so I brought him to show him it. Sorry, but could you let him watch from the side as you perform some transcription?”

“That’s okay. Abel was in a hurry just now, but I have other orders that can be done slowly, so you could take a look as I do so.”

That said, Copyras guided them to the back of the store.

The transcription magic that Copyras showed them was a literal 『copy and paste』 of the page.

Holding her left hand over the original page and her right hand over the target page.

“I wish that a twin is born by the miracle of pen and paper <Transcription>”

That made a duplicate page that was an exact copy.

In addition, it could not enlarge or shrink the size but only transcribe ‘as is’, regardless of the size of the target paper.

Of course, it could not compare to the speed of a modern Earth copier, but it was sufficiently practical because one A4 page could be transcribed in about five seconds.

“This is amazing.”

Ryo commented from the bottom of his heart.

It may have been even more so because he just physically made a copy from parchment in the morning.

“Yeap. This magic is one of the magic that changed human life significantly.”

“Sera, you’re exaggerating.”

Copyras replied with a bitter smile to Sera’s heavily proclaimed words.

“Was it an exaggeration? It’s an amazing spell and I think Copyras who mastered it is really amazing too.”

Being able to see Sera’s way of appreciating things was very favorable from Ryo’s perspective.

Yes, not only flashy things were amazing.

“Copyras, thank you for showing me something good.”

“No, don’t mention it. You can watch anytime if you want to. Please hire us if you need any transcription done.”

Ryo and Sera left the transfer shop.

However, there, Sera suddenly called out to Ryo.

“Ryo, I have something to say.”

It was a surprisingly direct statement.

“Eh? Sera-san?”

“Yes, yes, that Sera-san.”

“Huh?”

“Until now, I imagined that you couldn’t help it because I’m B-rank, but … you called Abel without any honorifics, so I’d like you to drop it for me too.”

Sera said and pouted.

That was so cute.

“We-well, I don’t mind …”

“Yes, then do it. Sera.”

“… Sera.”

“All right!”

Sera exclaimed and smiled happily as she started walking.