Wayland stared at the quest rewards shimmering on the golden display.
According to the ranks of the Clock Tower, magi were divided into seven tiers: Frame, Count, Cause, Fes, Pride, Brand, and Grand.
His own magical aptitude was mediocre at best, with only seven magic circuits to his name. Under normal circumstances, ascending to the rank of a recognized magus would take an eternity. Yet now, all he had to do was complete this one quest.
Then there was the second reward: the Nordic Ancient Curse, Gandr.
Wayland remembered the spell well; it was a signature technique of Rin Tohsaka. When strengthened, a direct hit to a vital point could be lethal. Even as a foundational spell, it was among the most potent offensive tools a magus could possess.
He made his decision. Then, a thought occurred to him. "Irigal, what about the reward for my first side quest?"
["Issuing reward now. Magus Class: Activated. Elemental Affinity detected: Earth."]
"Only a single element?"
Wayland had expected as much, but he still felt a pang of disappointment. True geniuses possessed dual or even multiple affinities. Take Rin Tohsaka, for instance--she was an "Average One," possessing all five elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Ether. Her talent was easily among the top hundred in the history of the Mage's Association.
["Now, Master, try to open your Magic Circuits."]
Wayland closed his eyes, keeping his breathing steady and rhythmic.
A faint yellow glow began to spread through his being. In his mind's eye, he stood upon a desolate, empty plain. Life had long since faded from this place, leaving behind only the distant crackle of lightning and the low rumble of thunder.
He extended his right hand.
Seven lightning-like circuits flared to life across his arm.
"A spear?"
The seven circuits were stretched long and thin, resembling the shaft of a spear. They coiled around his arm, forming a restrictive, cage-like structure.
'This lightning-shaped spear cage... this is my mental image. The switch for my Magic Circuits.'
Wayland felt a sudden moment of clarity.
"What was that sound?"
He turned toward the source of the noise.
He saw skyscrapers that seemed to reach forever and cars that appeared several stories tall. The world around him felt massive, overwhelming.
'No!'
Wayland realized what had happened almost instantly. He had shrunk. Once again, he had transformed into the black cat from his dream the night before.
["Master! To your front-left!"] Irigal's voice rang out.
Wayland whipped his head around.
Across the bustling street, glimpsed between the gaps of passing cars, he saw a white Volkswagen Beetle parked quietly at the curb.
'Finally, I found it!'
Wayland quickly committed his surroundings to memory. Nearby, a flashing neon billboard displayed a long string of English letters: VICTORIA.
The vision vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Wayland opened his eyes to find himself back in his dormitory room.
He immediately headed downstairs and found Krisy. "Do you have a gun?"
Wayland sat on a park bench, wearing a black felt hat pulled low to shield the upper half of his face.
Hidden beneath his long sleeves, the seven Magic Circuits on his arm glowed with a faint, pulsing light. He gave off no outward scent, yet a spectral wind seemed to swirl around him, as if his body had become a container with a unique, irresistible attraction.
His mind was unnaturally calm.
His gaze remained fixed on the white Beetle parked about a dozen meters away.
After speaking with Krisy, he had abandoned his plan to use a firearm. Orthodox magi had always looked down upon modern machinery with utter disdain, and nearly all orthodox magi were concentrated within the Clock Tower.
"Irigal, are you absolutely certain the person in that car is only a Frame-rank magus?"
["Master, please rest assured. My detection systems never make mistakes!"]
"Can you hide the prana fluctuations coming from my body?"
["A piece of cake! Leave it to me!"]
'Why do I have the feeling this is going to end badly?'
Wayland muttered to himself, ignoring Irigal's indignant protests. He gripped the brim of his hat, pulled it off, and tossed it into a nearby trash can. Then, he waved toward a young boy shouting under a nearby bus stop sign.
The boy hurried over. "Would you like a paper, sir? Only a penny an issue."
"How many do you have? I'll take them all."
"Really?" the boy cried, his eyes widening in surprise. "I have fifty copies!"
Wayland paid the boy and gathered the armload of newspapers. Once the newsie was out of sight, he checked his surroundings to ensure no one was watching. He picked up a clump of damp earth from a flowerbed and began to smear it across his face and clothes. In seconds, he had transformed into a grubby, soot-stained street urchin.
It was a desperate measure, but it was all he had. Whoever was coming to kill him undoubtedly knew what he looked like, and he had neither the time for surgery nor the skill for professional makeup. This simple disguise would have to suffice.
'Most magi possessed an inherent sense of superiority over "mundane" humans. His pursuer would never expect a magus apprentice who had just joined the Clock Tower to use such a lowly tactic to get close.'
Wayland took a deep, steadying breath. "Newspapers! Get your newspapers here! Fresh news, hot off the press! Famous movie star..."
A few minutes later, he reached the white Beetle and rapped his knuckles against the driver's side window.
A middle-aged man with short, blond hair rolled down the window. Seeing the boy who looked like he had been rolling in the dirt, his expression shifted to one of immediate annoyance and disgust. "Get lost!" he barked.
"I... I'm sorry, sir!" Wayland stammered, shrinking back half a step. He forced himself to hold his ground, offering a nervous, persistent smile. "This issue is really exciting! Ezekiel Allen... he's the biggest star in the world right now!"
The man's face darkened with rage.
Wayland began to tremble, his body seemingly overwhelmed by the man's terrifying aura. "Sir... please... don't be angry. I'm going now."
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]