Chapter 14: The Perfect Manual
The clerk hesitated for a moment before lowering his voice, as though sharing a secret.
"The Hall of Arcane Arts deals only in verified editions."
"Yes, I know."
"That means they contain more than the hand signs and Mana formulas required to cast a spell. These are improved editions refined through the failures of countless predecessors over decades or even centuries. They include the most efficient methods of circulation, along with safeguards designed to prevent dangerous side effects."
Elliott nodded.
There was a reason they were expensive.
Spell Manuals had continued to improve over time, becoming safer and more efficient as generation after generation corrected their weaknesses.
"Incomplete and obsolete manuals are another matter. They may cost only a fraction of the price of a verified edition, perhaps less than one tenth."
"Is that so?"
"Cheap things are cheap for a reason. Parts of the contents may be missing, or they may contain dangerous methods that were never properly tested. If your Mana becomes distorted and you suffer Arcane Deviation while following one, no one will take responsibility. Even if you avoid injury, your learning speed will probably be painfully slow."
"I see."
The explanation reminded Elliott of the crude training methods once used by Warriors before their arts had been properly refined.
They ignored the need for recovery and forced their bodies through endless training, believing that pain alone would bring strength.
'So it is something like that.'
Terribly inefficient and perfectly suited to destroying the body.
Unfriendly manuals in which the slightest mistake in Mana circulation could rupture blood vessels or leave the user permanently crippled.
"Keep walking down the alley behind this building. You will eventually see a worn sign for an old bookshop. They should have incomplete and obsolete manuals there. Now, if you will excuse me."
Having said everything he intended to say, the clerk picked up his book again.
Elliott gave him a brief nod and immediately turned away.
He had found his destination.
The more Elliott thought about it, the less terrible the idea seemed.
It might even be an opportunity.
He recalled how he had learned alchemy.
Rotten Bloodwort and roots that were little better than weeds.
Because he had used worthless ingredients, failure had been almost guaranteed. That had allowed him to increase his proficiency at little cost.
Why should Arcane Spells be any different?
A defective manual with missing pages and distorted Mana formulas.
Something that could never be mastered through normal means.
What would happen if every attempt made from following its instructions ended in failure?
For Elliott, that would make it the perfect training manual.
There was no reason to spend a fortune on a verified edition.
Even after reaching that conclusion, however, he could not suppress the unease in the back of his mind.
An alchemical failure usually ended with nothing worse than a handful of burned ingredients.
Training an Arcane Spell was different.
This was a gamble in which his own body served as the stake.
One mistake while circulating Mana could twist his blood flow, rupture his vessels, or shatter his Mana Core through Arcane Deviation.
The price of failure might not be limited to gaining proficiency.
It could leave him permanently crippled or kill him outright.
'The system may reward failure, but it will not repair my blood vessels after they burst.'
If he made the wrong choice, he could become a cripple before he even finished repaying his debt.
A bitter taste filled his mouth.
However, he did not have enough time to remain standing there and hesitate.
'I should at least see the condition of the manuals myself.'
After examining them, he could still give up if they appeared too dangerous.
Suppressing his unease, Elliott followed the directions the clerk had given him and headed toward the old bookshop.