Adventurer of Many Professions

Sylph froze when Raymond asked her about her skill. Her breath hitched.

"Raymond, you… you… how did you know!?" she stammered, completely taken aback.

She had been so certain she'd hidden it well. No one; not even Lorene, knew. And yet, Raymond had seen right through her.

Arya's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, Sylph, is that true? Have you really mastered the second stage?"

In the carriage ride earlier, while Raymond had been asleep, the three of them had chatted about magic and training. Arya and Lorene both knew that Sylph had only been practicing 'Explosion Magic' for two months. It had already taken her nearly three months to comprehend the first stage after awakening as an adventurer, so for her to reach the second stage in even less time was… incredible.

This wasn't just talent. It was a testament to Sylph's extraordinary affinity for 'Explosion Magic.'

With an awkward chuckle, Sylph scratched the back of her head. "Hehe… yeah, I've already reached the second stage." She pouted at Raymond. "I was planning to surprise you all when I used it later, but you just had to ruin it."

Her glare held no real malice, only exasperation. "Seriously, Raymond, how did you even figure it out? I haven't told anyone!"

The others turned to Raymond, equally curious.

Raymond shrugged, unfazed. "It was obvious."

"Obvious!?" Sylph repeated, incredulous.

"Think about it," Raymond continued. "When we first teamed up, you were completely drained after using 'Explosion Magic' your mana reserves weren't enough. Even a month later, when we took that mission in the Moonlight Forest, you still ran out of mana after casting it."

He crossed his arms. "Now, let me ask you; where did all the magic points you gained over the past month go?"

Sylph blinked. "Uh…"

Before she could answer, Lorene gasped in realization. "Wait a minute! With your magic affinity, your mana should've increased by at least 100 points in that time… That means after using 'Explosion Magic,' you should've had some mana left over!"

"Exactly." Raymond nodded. "The only explanation is that you've reached a deeper level of 'Explosion Magic' one that consumes more mana per cast. That's why, even with your increased reserves, you still run out completely."

He smirked. "Not to mention, when you blew up that 'Vine Demon Tree,' I noticed the crater was significantly larger than before. That was the final confirmation."

Sylph groaned dramatically, covering her ears. "Okay, okay, stop talking! I don't want to hear any more!"

Raymond chuckled. The others exchanged amused looks. It wasn't every day that someone got caught in their own genius.

The more Sylph listened to Raymond's analysis, the more she felt ridiculous for believing she could keep it a secret just by staying quiet. She had been so sure she'd get to enjoy the stunned expressions of her teammates, basking in their awe and admiration.

Well, she was getting reactions, but not in the way she had imagined.

Raymond, meanwhile, simply stood there, watching her with an amused smile. His silence only made her more flustered. Face turning red, she huffed and pointed an accusing finger at him. "So you knew this whole time! You didn't say anything on purpose just to mess with me, didn't you?"

Raymond raised his hands innocently. "Hey, don't blame me! I honestly didn't think too much about it at first. It only really clicked when Naimira, that mage from Tresed's team, asked you about it earlier."

"Ugh! That's exactly what gave me away!" Sylph groaned in defeat.

Arya and Lorene, who had been watching the exchange with barely contained amusement, finally burst into laughter.

Arya shook her head in amazement. "So, Sylph, you really managed to reach the second stage of 'Explosion Magic' in less than two months? That's insane!"

"Seriously! That's unbelievable talent," Lorene added, nodding enthusiastically.

Hearing their praise, Sylph's mood instantly lifted. A smug grin spread across her face as she lifted her chin proudly. "Well, what can I say? I am a genius!"

Raymond sighed, shaking his head. This girl really couldn't handle praise, one compliment and she was already floating on air.

But there was no denying it. Sylph was a genius.

Arya, however, still had a lingering question. "Wait, if you already mastered the second stage of 'Explosion Magic,' why didn't you tell Raymond and Lorene earlier?"

At that, Sylph suddenly looked embarrassed. "Uh… well… the thing is…"

She scratched her cheek awkwardly. "Back then, my mana was too low. If I told them I had mastered the second stage, but my explosions looked the same as before… wouldn't that be super embarrassing?"

"Pfft!" Raymond couldn't hold back and let out a laugh.

"See! I knew he'd laugh at me!" Sylph shouted, pointing at him dramatically.

Arya shot Raymond a glare, and he quickly coughed to regain his composure. "I'm not laughing because your 'Explosion Magic' looked the same, I'm laughing because you thought it was embarrassing."

He smirked and turned to Lorene. "If you don't believe me, ask Lorene. She wouldn't laugh at you just because your magic wasn't big enough."

Lorene, caught off guard, blinked in surprise before frantically waving her hands. "Of course not! I would never do that!"

Sylph groaned and shook her head. "Okay, okay, enough! Let's not talk about this anymore!"

Raymond chuckled but decided to let it go. "Alright, alright." But then, his eyes flicked to the magic staff in Sylph's hand, and his expression turned thoughtful. "That said… Sylph, with your current mana, you should be able to fully unleash the second stage of 'Explosion Magic' now, right?"

Sylph stiffened slightly at the question.

Raymond had seen her magic value earlier that morning; 406 points. But the second stage of 'Explosion Magic' required at least 600 to be fully unleashed.

And right now, Sylph knew exactly what he was thinking.

Sylph's magic staff, much like Raymond's own Dark Moon, had undergone enchantment, a process that allowed it to offset part of the spell's mana cost. The sapphire embedded at the top served as a conduit, reducing the amount of magic power required for casting.

This meant that even though Sylph only had around 400 mana points, 200 short of the requirement for fully unleashing the second stage of Explosion Magic, she could likely still cast it. If her staff had been a true magic device, it would have required even less, possibly under 300 points.

However, Raymond had already confirmed that Sylph's staff wasn't a magic device, it was enchanted, but not to that extent.

"Of course, it's enough!" Sylph declared proudly. But then she sighed and admitted, "But after using it, I barely have any mana left. My whole body feels weak and useless. I have to take a Primary Mana Recovery Potion right away to restore my strength."

Raymond frowned at this. "Wait… You feel weak all over? That doesn't sound like just mana exhaustion."

The reason he questioned it was simple, he had experienced extreme mana depletion before, particularly in the battle against the Mad Baboons. He had drained almost every last drop of magic power, leaving himself with only a few points. And yet, even in that state, he hadn't felt the same kind of overwhelming physical weakness that Sylph described.

Sylph hesitated, then nodded, looking slightly embarrassed. "Now that you mention it… I thought it was just because I ran out of mana. But two days ago, I tested Explosion Magic outside town and realized something weird."

She crossed her arms, thinking back. "Even though I still had a little mana left after casting, I still felt completely drained, like I could barely stand. But the moment I drank a Mana Recovery Potion, I felt fine again." Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire

She furrowed her brows. "At first, I assumed it was just because I needed more mana. But now I'm not so sure… I mean, Mana Recovery Potions aren't supposed to restore physical strength. So why does drinking one make me feel better?"

The others exchanged puzzled glances.

"That… doesn't make sense," Arya murmured.

Lorene frowned. "Mana depletion shouldn't affect your physical state that much. It can make you lightheaded, sure, but actual muscle fatigue? That's different."

Sylph nodded. "Exactly! So what's happening to me?"

They spent some time discussing the mystery, but none of them could come up with a clear answer. One thing was certain, the strange weakness was connected to Explosion Magic itself. But why?

"We should check the temple library," Raymond finally suggested. "There might be records on this."

The temple library housed a vast collection of texts on awakeners and magic. While they had skimmed through the more common ones before, there were still countless volumes left unread, many of which could hold the answers they sought.

It wasn't practical to read everything, but Raymond had noticed something unusual about himself since arriving in this world. His memory had become sharper, not photographic, but close enough that he could recall most details whenever needed. If they could find even a single relevant book, he'd be able to remember its contents with ease.

Before they could discuss the plan further, Village Chief Gamens approached them.

"The food for the Red-Eyed Crows is ready," he announced.

Raymond and the others exchanged looks. There was no time to waste. The plan to ambush the Red-Eyed Crows had to come first.

They nodded and followed the village chief, leaving their unanswered questions for later.