Became the Unjust Contract Slave of the Archamage’s Book

Chapter 49



“Don’t lump me in with those other mundane artifacts,” Veritas remarked.

“Pages? So that’s what you call ‘those items.'”

“Indeed. I’m on a whole different level.”

Priya eyed the black-haired boy calmly. Though he appeared to be around Binaeril’s age, his presence exuded an ominous atmosphere, unlike the innocent boy.

“Of course. Shall I introduce myself properly?”

“You have a name?”

Ignoring Priya’s mocking tone, Veritas grandly waved his arms as he introduced himself.

“I am the chronicle of all histories, the encyclopedia of all existing magics, the diary of all researchers who have left records, and the very embodiment of knowledge itself. People call me the Book of Truth.”

Priya couldn’t help but chuckle at the theatrical introduction.

“The embodiment of knowledge? The magic encyclopedia? Such arrogance.”

Priya packed tobacco into her pipe and lit it.

“Listen, I don’t care who or what you are, or what abilities you possess. Just stop tormenting this boy and leave.”

“Why should I?”

“Why? Because I know well the fate of those who become enslaved by cursed items.”

“Fate? What fate?”

Priya’s eyes wandered into the distance.

“Their humanity is gradually eroded. Eventually, they become empty shells devoid of emotion.”

“You speak as if from experience.”

“…I do.”

That’s how Yunnaeril had changed.

“But it’s amusing. Wasn’t it you who ultimately caused Yunnaeril to change?”

The Book of Truth smirked, probing at Priya’s old wounds. The truth was, it had been she who had given Yunnaeril the cursed item.

“For something called the Book of Truth, you sure do know a lot. Perhaps you should be called the Book of Voyeurism instead?”

Despite Priya’s sharp retort, Veritas remained unfazed. He continued speaking, maintaining his pace.

“But what you know isn’t the full story. Yunnaeril’s transformation was simply the result of his own choices.”

“What do you know?”

“Do you truly believe that it was the artifact that changed him? Even without the artifact’s power, Yunnaeril would still be the same.”

“What are you saying? That it’s possible to… strip an artifact of its curse?”

Veritas smiled triumphantly.

“Didn’t know that, did you? There is a way to strip an artifact’s power.”

Priya sat in stunned silence, oblivious to the tobacco in her pipe burning away.

“You’re saying there’s a way to return Yunnaeril to his original state?”

Veritas chuckled.

“Curious? Want me to tell you?”

Meanwhile, Binaeril assessed his mana reserves and slowly organized the spells he could cast.

The basic 1st-tier spells included: Destruction, Penetration, Flash, Defense, and Water Drop spells.  

The 2nd-tier spells comprised: Stone Spear, Acceleration, Muscle Enhancement, Freezing, and Strong Wind spells.  

If he could borrow Veritas’s mana, he could cast spells of 3rd-tier or higher, but for now, that was the extent of the spells he could use.  

“Really, not much to look at.”  

Binaeril recited the available spells one by one and felt the lack of spells he could actually use. It was just as Priya had said.  

Besides elemental magic or spells that exert physical force, there was nothing else.  

If he were a painter, his paintings would be full of monochrome.  

This wasn’t the only problem.  

Binaeril couldn’t use fire spells at all.  

Perhaps due to the trauma related to his mother, fire spells were difficult for him to approach.  

“Let’s tackle this first.”  

The spells Priya demonstrated were too advanced for Binaeril to practice immediately.  

He decided to first conquer fire spells.  

The methodology of using magic was already in Binaeril’s mind.  

He had been a bookworm in Elfenbine during his younger days.  

It took less than ten days for Binaeril to overcome his trauma and handle fire spells proficiently.  

Additionally, Binaeril could now use simple 3rd-tier spells by himself.  

It was remarkable progress.  

“Thanks to being able to devote all my time to accumulating mana.”  

Here, Binaeril neither needed to eat nor sleep.  

When he hit a wall in practicing magic, he would sit and rest, and when his mana was depleted, he would take a break.  

“The Spirit Breathing Technique was also a tremendous help for rest.”  

He had named the meditation technique he learned from the Miao Tribe village the ‘Spirit Breathing Technique.’  

The Spirit Breathing Technique served to cool Binaeril’s head in the sleepless dream, substituting for sleep.  

“Now, the next step is…”  

Mana naturally increased as he practiced magic.  

Just as stamina increased with sword training, Binaeril believed that repeated practice would naturally allow him to handle 4th-tier spells.  

“Then let’s increase the number of spells I can use.”  

He had become quite familiar with elemental spells such as fire, lightning, earth, wind, and ice.  

Priya advised him not to underestimate his magical potential.  

‘But where should I start…?’  

Deciding on that was his first task.  

Cutting, slicing, burning, electrocuting, freezing, drowning, breaking…  

The illusion of Dominic Schiller created by Priya was, as always, suffering various hardships.  

It had been over a month since Binaeril entered Priya’s dream.  

Perhaps 40 days? Maybe 50? He wasn’t sure.  

In a world without day and night, it was hard to keep track of time.  

And that time had given Binaeril ample opportunity to refine his magic.  

He once had a conversation with Veritas in the Elfenbine library.

“Magic is the belief that materializes imagination.”

Binaeril finally began to understand this phrase a little.  

Magic was the power of imagination. No matter how unrealistic it seemed, as long as one’s mana and willpower were strong enough to materialize it, anything could be achieved.  

For instance, using magic to bring an object within reach was relatively simple.  

In Elfenbine, such magic was called telekinesis.  

However, applying the same magic to a living creature was more than twice as difficult.  

Whether it was a monster or a human, living beings had their own will to resist and move independently.  

Therefore, the basic magic taught in Elfenbine focused on creating simple physical forces or utilizing elements.  

This method made learning magic overwhelmingly easier.  

Binaeril’s familiarity with such magic was a result of institutional inertia.  

Having learned magic the easiest way, he naturally stuck to that method.  

Thus, Binaeril decided to start by breaking his own prejudices.  

The first thing he began practicing was magic that utilized shadows.  

He honed spells that imbued shadows with physical force for ambushes and used shadows as avatars to subdue enemies.  

However, the level of magic Priya demonstrated, such as pulling an opponent into a shadow and devouring them, was still beyond his capabilities.  

Once he became somewhat accustomed to shadow magic, Binaeril felt the need to organize his weapons.  

While understanding various ways to utilize magic was important, specializing the weapons he wielded was equally crucial.  

The weapon Binaeril refined was the most basic of basics: the 1st-tier Penetration spell.  

“Fast and effective.”  

Binaeril grinned.  

Back to basics. He remembered a professor in Elfenbine who emphasized the basics until his mouth was dry.  

“The important thing in combat is not how accurately you can manifest imagined magic. Discard all flashy and complicated concepts! Simple and quick magic is the most effective.”

These were the words Pierre Blanchot often reiterated until they were ingrained in his mind.  

“Now I understand your true meaning, Professor.”

Binaeril thought of Dominic Schiller.  

In a fight against a stronger opponent, flashy and complex magic didn’t determine the outcome.  

Returning to the basics made it easier to increase both power and speed.  

Binaeril realized that basic magic, which could create opportunities, was far more important than a powerful technique that left him exhausted after one use.  

“Fire.”

With a sharp sound, the spell shot out.  

What Binaeril chanted wasn’t just a simple Penetration spell.  

By adding rotation, he increased its power and shortened the chanting time.  

That wasn’t all.  

He had internalized the entire process of envisioning, forming, and launching the spell as a conditioned reflex.  

He had taken a hint from Priya’s pipe.

Priya had uniquely used inhaling cigarette smoke as a trigger instead of chanting.  

For her, it was like drawing a sword for a knight; she would draw her pipe.  

It was a good idea.  

Most chants were long because they needed to concretize the image of the magic through words.  

Binaeril radically compressed this process of envisioning, imbuing mana, and manifesting the spell.  

He aimed to be able to cast spells with just a single word, regardless of the situation.  

Binaeril named his improved Penetration spell “Magic Bullet.”  

His Magic Bullet shattered Dominic’s head.  

He had elevated a 1st-tier Penetration spell through improvements and training to a satisfactory level of power.  

Moreover, the Magic Bullet had the advantage of being easily modified.  

When imbued with fire, it became an explosive bullet; when imbued with frost, it could cause chills in its target.  

And finally, his trump card.  

“Fire from within the shadow.”  

At an unexpected moment, he could launch a Magic Bullet from his shadow.  

After testing various forms of the Magic Bullet, Binaeril smiled with satisfaction.  

He had achieved substantial progress.  

Binaeril felt he had truly become a mage in this place.  

At the same time, he realized he had many teachers.  

Professor Pierre Blanchot, Dean Angelo Yulio, the spirit Zilph from Hoenberg, the spirit priest Jinulbam, and Priya Merzina from Thornwinter Swamp.  

Without their advice and teachings, he would not have grown.  

Although he hadn’t mastered the diverse array of magic Priya had urged him to learn, it didn’t matter.  

Binaeril had understood how to advance his own magic.  

He judged it was now time to leave Priya’s dream.  

He had lost track of the days, but it must have been nearly 100 days.  

All that was left was to call Priya, the owner of the dream, to help him leave.  

Binaeril called the name he hadn’t spoken in a long time.  

“Sis.”  

He called again after a long time.  

“Priya, sis.”  

…?  

He tried calling again, but there was no response.  

“Priya Merzina, sis…?”  

Priya remained silent.  

Binaeril muttered,  

“Could you let me out of here… please?”


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