Chapter 203 – The Contents of the Book

Rosemary and her journal. A book said to capture souls.

First, we decided to move these to my mansion. This was to secure backup from Claudia.

Rosemary was placed under restrictions through Subjugation Magic, prohibiting her from using magic or creating Magic Potions, and further banning her from leaking information obtained through Magic Potions.

The former is the current problem. If she could use magic, it would help her escape from the book, whether she did it on her own or cooperated with me. However, to remove the Subjugation Magic, her own awareness is absolutely necessary, meaning Rosemary herself needs to respond.

To remove it, either the person holding the reins of the Subjugation Magic, someone who has mastered the removal Spell Formula, or someone possessing the removal Magic Tool, which is a Treasure, must make direct contact with the person herself.

In short, this means the prerequisite for removal cannot be cleared without going into the book. Since King Melvin holds the reins of Rosemary’s Subjugation Magic, we can’t have him go into the book.

The same goes for someone who knows the Spell Formula. Even if they go in, if they’re a non-combatant, it’s meaningless.

So, I would charge into the book while carrying the Magic Tool… but the one possessing it is my physical body. It was uncertain whether it would apply once I was inside the book—in a state of just my soul.

“The written content… when you understand the description of the Spell Formula to some extent, a trap activates and you get pulled into the world inside. I’ve already told you the precautions regarding the guardian… do you have any other questions?”

“I’m fine. First, I’ll just copy the pages that were open without deciphering them, so please prepare a system to handle a double distress situation.”

I copied the ink-written characters on the paper as they were and handed them over to Claudia. This was so she could proceed with deciphering them in a way that didn’t involve the book directly, enabling a rapid deployment of personnel later if needed.

“Yes. I’ll leave matters after Theodore enters to me.”

Claudia received the papers and nodded with a serious expression.

“…Please be careful. If anything happens, I will come too.”

“Theodore-sama… please don’t get hurt.”

“Come… back.”

Grace, Ashley, and Marlene… all wore worried expressions.

“It’s fine.”

I smiled at them and hugged them for a while. Since it was a solo infiltration, the circumstances were different from usual, so they were probably concerned. Regarding the physical body’s weakening due to Magical Power depletion, it should be possible to delay it by supplying Magical Power with Magic Potions.

“Be careful, Theodore.”

“When Justia and Dominique arrive, we’ll support you with Cursed Melody.”

“I’ll help Ilum too.”

Sheila, Irmhild, Seraphina. I nodded to them.

“May fortune favor your arms.”

“Please take care.”

And then Cecilia and Mihaela. Fortok, Claire, and the other Labyrinth Village residents. Watched over by them, I faced the book.

“Mm. Well then, I’m off.”

There was one problem with heading inside. Normally, it’s impossible to bring Equipment in when your soul is being drawn in, apparently.

So, I took countermeasures by passing Magical Power circulated through Ouroboros and Chimera Coat to make them be mistakenly recognized as pseudo-parts of me. Both Ouroboros and Chimera Coat are Magical Creatures. Whether this works or not is about fifty-fifty, I’d say.

I left Caduceus behind. I confirmed that the Magical Power connection was maintained. We might be able to create a means of communication with the outside.

While increasing my Magical Power through circulation, I compared the dictionary with Rosemary’s journal and proceeded with deciphering. The characters used were from an older era… but I was used to deciphering work from having done various things.

Since it was originally a trap and Rosemary’s journal was also there, the Difficulty of deciphering itself wasn’t that high.

The description of the Spell Formula. As the meaning became clearer through deciphering, I felt a sensation as if scenes were appearing in my mind.

It was a town. The streets of some town. Writhing shadows and silver fish flying in the sky.

For a moment, my consciousness faded—I felt a dizzying sensation—and when I came to, I was in the middle of an unfamiliar town.

The surroundings were open, and various things were writhing, but there was no sign of them attacking. Ouroboros and Chimera Coat—they’re fine. They came along. Circulation… is possible. No problem. The band of Magical Power was connecting my physical body and the book.

I can feel the connection with Caduceus… but it seems I can’t link. I can’t see the situation outside, but well, since I can send minimal instructions, I should be able to let them know I’m safe.

I looked around. The townscape felt somewhat unnatural. There were no traces of people living there. There was no deterioration or patina that should appear over time. It gave the impression of being artificial, like a tasteless, dry replica of a town.

In the distance, a huge Castle. The people walking the streets were like hollow shadows. Occasionally, they let out something that sounded like pained moans.

Eyes and a mouth. Faces with just three round holes. Bodies like vague mist. They seemed to be wandering aimlessly.

Looking up at the sky, silver creatures flying around at bullet-like speeds. Those are… giant

Silverfish

(

Shimi

)

, aren’t they? Were they called bookworms? The sky was dreary and cloudy, eerie… but indeed, this was inside a book.

The insect typically called a bookworm is the deathwatch beetle, but I don’t see any of those here. Since silverfish cause less damage, perhaps their presence is tolerated?

Anyway, neither the shadow residents nor the silverfish pay any attention to me. I don’t know what would happen if I provoked them.

Still… somehow, I feel a sense of nostalgia, of familiarity.

“Ah… this is—”

This discomfort is similar to being inside a space reproduced in VR.

Looking from that perspective, I notice that the townscape occasionally has noise running through it, and fragmentary, meaningless symbols flicker here and there.

Claudia said that the guardian is the ruler who constructs and maintains this world, but the captive is ultimately equal. That’s the nature of the contract’s Spell Formula, the Curse Magic, apparently.

She said the person’s actual abilities are accurately reflected, but the essence is closer to a mental world… I see.

A virtual space that draws in souls. Now that you mention it, it’s similar to VR.

But rather than pondering that, I have other things to do now. I’ll stop the analysis here; I need to find Rosemary.

The immediate problem is how to find someone whose location I don’t know.

The first idea that comes to mind is heading towards the conspicuous Castle in the distance… but Rosemary is more the type to thoroughly grasp the situation first before moving, rather than heading straight to such an obvious place.

In that case… the reasonable approach would be to create a commotion while sending a recognizable signal to her.

First, I walked through the town for a while—and came out into a square. This area should be good. I decided to send a signal to Rosemary, also to check the sensation of using Magic inside the book.

The method—creating a Golem. I broke up the cobblestones and began constructing a huge Golem.

The shadow residents slowly moved away, but the silverfish seemed to have noticed me and came flying towards me.

Silverfish, huh. I don’t really want to deal with them, but—.

“Don’t get in the way.”

I struck down the silverfish charging at high speed with Ouroboros. The moment they touched the Dragon Staff imbued with Magical Power, they shattered, leaving silver splashes. Their movements are quick, but they’re fragile. I probably don’t need to check their Attack Power.

I deployed a Shield. The moment a silverfish touched it, I used Magical Power manipulation to deliver a shock strike, and it burst like a silver firework. A moment later, ancient characters ran like noise and disappeared.

About a dozen or so, I guess. While enlarging the Golem and casually dealing with the silverfish, they seemed to realize it was no contest and moved away on their own.

They’re still flying around at a distance—but it seems the silverfish have given up attacking me for now. Since there’s no one else attacking, I focused on building the Golem.

Earth Magic 7th Tier: Create Huge Golem. It’s a Golem larger than the surrounding buildings, but its appearance is modeled directly after my own. I think Rosemary is more likely to notice and come to check. I myself can just float around head-level using Levitation.

Well… if this doesn’t get her attention, I might have to wreck some of the townscape a bit.

“I thought I had finally gone mad…”

As planned, or rather, a little while later, Rosemary appeared in the square.

It was just when I was thinking about smashing the town. Good thing it was in time.

“I’m glad you’re not hurt.”

Saying that, I landed on the ground. Perhaps she had been attacked by the silverfish; the hem of Rosemary’s dress was torn. She was holding a stick she must have picked up from somewhere—but she didn’t seem to be injured from the look of it.

“Why are you here?”

Rosemary seemed astonished as she said that.

“To rescue you. Outside the book, Rosemary’s body has become like an empty shell.”

When I gave that answer, Rosemary’s eyes widened.

“Outside… the book? So… that’s it. So you understood that I was captured, not that I ran away. My body is left outside? I see…”

Rosemary seemed to grasp her situation relatively accurately from my words.

“First… thank you, I’ll say that. But—”

She hesitated for a moment, then made a sour face.

“Considering the situation, your person is far more important, isn’t it? Is this my father’s decision?”

Does she think I charged in without prior information? Certainly… from Rosemary’s perspective, she doesn’t even know if there’s a way out.

For the current Kingdom of Verdugal, my person is more important, and above all, she’s thinking this because she’s the one who messed up.

“No. I proposed it. For now, shall we sit and talk over there?”

I pointed towards the table seats at what looked like a food and drink establishment near the fountain. Rosemary seemed concerned about the silverfish in the sky, but when she realized they weren’t attacking, she nodded.

Even after sitting down, no waiter came to take our order, but we sat facing each other at the table.

“To give you the conclusion first, we can get out.”

“How can you say that?”

Rosemary seemed somewhat uncomfortable. Maybe because she didn’t have the feather fan she always uses. Though she is wearing a dress.

“There’s someone who knows about the trap set in the book. The way out is apparently to defeat the guardian who is somewhere inside this book.”

“Guardian…?”

“The ruler of this world, but conditionally, they’re equal to us. That’s how they enhance the power of the Curse Magic.”

“…So by taking on a disadvantage, the effect is strengthened.”

“And, I’ve brought the Magic Tool to remove the Subjugation Magic… but it’s no use. If I don’t have it with me here, there’s no way to use it, so to speak.”

It’s a Magic Tool shaped like a key… but right now, I don’t have it with me.

“You brought out a Treasure? I have a prior record, you know.”

Is she suggesting the possibility that it was a trap set by Rosemary? That would be too crude for a scheme.

“I thought that was unlikely. It would mean you knew about the book’s existence in advance, were confident the Magic Tool would work even inside here, and even calculated that I would come to rescue you.”

“That’s true. Even as a gamble, it might be too optimistic. Even if it worked, whether in a fight or a Surprise Attack, I don’t think I could win in combat.”

Saying that, she shrugged her shoulders.

“Well, let’s move on. If we dawdle too long inside here, I hear the physical body weakens and dies. Either from Magical Power depletion, or else starvation or dehydration. The crucial Magic Tool—I’m trying to use it, but it seems to have no effect.”

“Adding insult to injury. I could manage the silverfish even without magic, but the guardian… I probably couldn’t handle that no matter how hard I tried.”

It seems she had been managing without magic until I arrived. They are fragile, sure, but they do fly around at considerable speed.

But if the Subjugation Magic removal Magic Tool isn’t effective, Rosemary’s power will remain sealed. …Well, I had anticipated that too. We’ll just have to manage somehow.