Overlord: Welcome the Birth of the King

It seemed that Lyle had been staring for too long.

The mage named Vala snapped out of his daze, his face displaying an impatient expression as he glanced at Lyle. "Have you made your choice?"

Hearing his question, Lyle finally tore his gaze away from the book and looked up. "I've made my choice, but I have one question before that."

"Go ahead."

Vala's expression softened slightly as he picked up a handbook, his tone calm.

"I noticed there are two types of magic scrolls for 'Paper Creation.' What's the difference?" Lyle asked curiously.

Opening the book earlier, Lyle had discovered that "Paper Creation," a unique magic of this otherworld, was available not only as a zero-level magic scroll but also as a first-level one. The idea intrigued him.

How could the people of this world elevate life magic to such a level?

In the game YGGDRASIL, the structure of magic was fixed. Whether you were a level-100 player or level-20, using first-level magic yielded the same base effects. Sure, its potency would vary based on the "magic attack" stat, but the fundamental properties remained unchanged.

There were special cases, such as the third-level spell Fireball. This spell allowed for scaling; the more mana the caster expended, the greater its power and range. However, it was still classified as a third-level spell and subject to its restrictions.

For instance, the "Lower-Tier Magic Nullification" skill possessed by the guardians of the "Great Tomb of Nazarick" rendered them completely immune to Fireball. Consequently, in YGGDRASIL, defeating a level-100 player required at least eighth-level magic.

"No real difference," Vala replied indifferently. "If I had to point out something, the first-level Paper Creation scroll produces paper that's whiter, finer, and of better quality—ideal for writing."

He spoke lazily, seemingly unwilling to elaborate further, his clear gaze suggesting it was time for Lyle to make his purchases.

Lyle's mind raced, and a startling idea emerged, but he suppressed it.

After a brief pause, he said, "I'll take one zero-level scroll each of Paper Creation and Warming Touch. Also, give me the first-level scrolls of Odorless and Magic Arrow."

Hearing his request, Vala nodded and walked toward the back.

Behind the counter was a wall adorned with several murals. With a sudden motion, Vala's footsteps seemed to collide with the wall before he vanished.

"A magic barrier? It's completely imperceptible," Lyle muttered, momentarily stunned.

After a short wait, Vala reappeared, carrying four magic scrolls.

"Two zero-level scrolls: two gold coins. The first-level Odorless scroll costs one gold coin and ten silver coins, while the first-level Magic Arrow scroll is three gold coins and ten silver coins. Altogether, that's seven gold coins and seven silver coins."

She placed the scrolls in front of Lyle.

Hearing the prices, Lyle's eyebrow twitched. After a moment of hesitation, he pulled out eight gold coins and set them on the counter.

Even among first-level magic scrolls, the price of Magic Arrow—a combat spell—was nearly three times that of Odorless.

Vala shot him a surprised glance but said nothing as he took the coins, returning six silver coins as change.

Lyle now had 14 gold coins, seven silver coins, and four copper coins left—not much, but likely enough to cover his future needs.

He carefully stored the scrolls and coins before turning and leaving the Mage's Guild.

Outside, night had fallen, and the streets were shrouded in darkness. Although a few street lamps illuminated the plaza, they were spaced too far apart to provide consistent light.

The town, likely due to its border location, was eerily quiet. The streets were practically deserted.

Suddenly, the sharp sound of footsteps echoed through a nearby alley.

From the shadows emerged a figure, twirling a dagger in his hand and deliberately exaggerating his stride.

Lyle slowed his pace, his brows furrowing.

Not only had someone appeared ahead of him, but another figure now blocked the path behind him.

"Hey, kid. How about treating us to a drink?" the man in front drawled, stepping out of the shadows. He wore black clothing, a mask over his face, and gripped a dagger tightly.

The figure behind him stopped in the middle of the road, cutting off Lyle's retreat.

Lyle's gaze flicked briefly to the man behind him before returning to the figure ahead.

The other person, like him, was also dressed in a black robe, with even their head covered by the hood. Coupled with the dim night setting, their face was completely obscured.

"Looks like a robbery," Lyle said to himself while devising a countermeasure.

"No, no."

"We just want you to buy us a drink and lend us some money." The dagger-wielding thief spread his arms and shrugged.

The figure standing behind him said nothing but exuded an even more dangerous aura, one that made Lyle deeply uneasy.

"How do you know I have money?"

Lyle squinted slightly, using the cover of his robe to discreetly draw his own dagger. Then, with a calm tone, he said:

"Is it the Magician's Guild? No!"

"The Magician's Guild wouldn't stoop to something like this. Besides, I left not too long ago. With their pride, even if they were desperate for money, they wouldn't care about the small amount I have on me."

"Furthermore, I just arrived in E-Rantel today. So…"

As he spoke, a cold smirk spread across Lyle's face. "You must've been targeting me ever since I entered the city, haven't you?"

If his guess was correct, when the captain of the Rock team, Dosari, handed him his wallet earlier, it must've been spotted by these two.

In truth, these two likely monitored the city gates, watching the ebb and flow of travelers, searching for loners to prey upon.

"Oh, you're quite the clever one."

"In that case, let's not waste time. Just hand over the magic scrolls and money you bought, and we'll spare your life."

"Otherwise!"

The thief holding the dagger burst into chilling laughter. "I won't mind chopping off your legs and selling you as a slave."

"I imagine there are quite a few buyers who'd fancy a black-haired magical healer for their 'low-level healing' abilities."

Hearing this, Lyle's eyes turned cold.

Had his information been leaked?

Aside from the Rock team, the only others who knew he could use healing magic were Granny Lizzie and Nfirea.

However, neither party seemed likely to betray him.

First, both of them were loyal, and the Rock team had even tried recruiting him. Moreover, he had saved their captain.

It was impossible for his information to have been exposed through them.

A coincidence?

Even less likely. The Rock team, being a Silver-ranked adventuring party, was highly professional and wouldn't carelessly let such information slip.

Then the answer hit him. His healing spell had drawn attention back at the capital's adventurer guild, where many had witnessed it.

And yet, the dagger-wielding thief hadn't just demanded his money. He had also mentioned enslaving him.

Realization dawned as the masked man's threats took on a darker tone.

"The Eight Fingers, huh?" Lyle said, his voice low and cold.

The masked man froze, his dagger still in mid-spin.