Dawn Traveler - Chapter 20

The Growth of Herz (Part 3)

Jess is 11 years old.
With hard training, he has accumulated a little bit of mana in his body and can manipulate magic of the first circle.
Since it is proportional to age and physical growth, the first circle was the best level one could achieve at 11 years old.
Apart from the trainees of the prestigious Mage Tower, his progress as a magician was quick.
Jess had picked up superficial knowledge of magic theory from the time he was a newborn baby, and progress was also achieved living in the elven forest with its abundant mana.

“At this time I haven’t played for a while, I’m just training to death!” (Jess)

As he was learning various kinds of swordsmanship and sparring with Rendall, the day passed by quickly.
The feeling of training until he was soaked with sweat and then bathing in the clear valley water. This devotion was the best.
He was able to dry his body through simple wind spells.
As he got to personally cast first circle spells, his curiosity for the higher stages grew as well.
What in the world is the limit of what a magician can reach? Is an archmage really an existence beyond one’s imagination, who can alter the laws of the world? Though I am taking lessons in magical studies, but at this point I completely cannot guess where the end is.
People in the real world try to do well in mathematics or English to get a stable job that gives them a good pay, which is totally different to this place here.
Strength!
There is a lot undeveloped land and opportunities scattered about in the continent, so people try to make themselves stronger.
Even ordinary people live in a far more fierce manner embracing the fear of death.
They loved passionately, and fought fiercely.
Falling in love in just one night, and then they stake their lives because of that love.
Jess liked the rough life of the mercenary world that Nedhand told him about.
There were many desperate emotions that were difficult to experience in modern comfort and safety.
The path of this world was dangerous to walk upon if you were too weak to survive on your own. On the other hand, if you are strong enough, you will also be given a chance to display your abilities and receive respect.
As it is in reality, humility or consideration for the weak was not considered very important.
Strength is one’s self law!
Having lived in this world for 11 years already, this life here also felt like a part of his life.

“The phenomenon of spatial distortion in mana occupies a very important area in the studies of magic. Understanding about gravity and space is the key to moving from the fifth circle to the sixth circle. Hmmm. It’s also needed for short-range teleport or warp magic circles.” (Herz)

Herz’s magic skill still remained at the fifth circle.
After becoming proficient up to the third circle as a trainee in the Mage Tower, he wandered across the continent and taught himself until he ascended to his present stage.
Jess was exhausted from the archery training till dawn, so he asked absentmindedly.

“What is space?” (Jess)
“Here in the Elven Forest, the City of Terre you once lived in, and the Gras Empire. This place, where flowers bloom and animals frolic and everything in the world, is space.” (Herz)
“Then space is the ground?” (Jess)
“That’s not it. It’s meaning is not that narrow. We should include not only the land on which we tread on, but also the sky through which the birds fly and the clouds flow. The distance between you and me is also a kind of space.” (Herz)

Jess furtively gave a yawn.
Magicians do not drink if they gather together, but after having a heated discussion for three days and nights they fall asleep one by one.
Of course, elven magicians tend to be very different.
They do not enjoy discussions on magic because they accept all the laws of nature as they are.
As Jess lived by alternating between the two worlds, he knew much more than compared to his physical age, so he had no greed for knowledge.
As he continues to live, he will know more in the future whether he wants to or not.
Jess asked apathetically.

“Why does the phenomenon of space distortion occur?” (Jess)
“The earth and sky. And everything that can exist in this world. If excessive amounts of mana gathers in an empty space it will result in spatial distortions. If you have a very precise formula, strong willpower, and mana control ability, you can use it to control distance and space. For that reason, studies in magic express this as ‘filling up the space’.” (Hertz)
“But why is the space empty?” (Jess)
“That is, hold your hand out. Nothing was grabbed.” (Hertz)
“Is it empty if nothing can be grabbed?” (Jess)
“Uh? That’s…… mana is spread out everywhere. All things in the world must have mana in order to exist.” (Hertz)

Herz explained earnestly, but Jess let it gloss right over him.

“There is just mana in the space then.” (Jess)
“Not necessarily. There is light in a bright place, and there is the fragrance of flowers and trees in these forests. Since there is air, we can breathe.” (Hertz)
“You said it was empty earlier.” (Jess)
“Well. Why did I do that? It’s extremely difficult to create a completely empty space even magically…….” (Hertz)

Herz was speechless because he had no words to reply with. And then after reflecting deeply for some time, he thought of something.

[Why is the space empty? I had subconsciously thought that if I wanted to control space, I had to fill in the empty space, but…… every place in the world has mana flowing in it. Then if even the space where I live in is filled by something unknown…… maybe I should rethink how I see the world.] (Hertz)

And shortly after, mana began to rush into his body like a storm.
With Hertz gaining new enlightenment, his magic increased from the 5th circle to the 6th circle.
A 6th circle may acquire a peerage title. Of course, to be called an archmage, a 7th circle is necessary, and that one stage is difficult to develop even if one endeavored their whole lifetime.
However, it was a great thing to be a 6th circle magician.
It is almost unheard of among mercenaries.

“Sigh. I’m still at the 1st circle…….” (Jess)

Jess closed his eyes quietly to doze, hoping not to disturb him.

-:¦:–:¦:–:¦:–:¦:–:¦:–:¦:-

In the meantime, Jess’s height grew a little bit. He was only a small child compared to Alrium.
The face and slender body of the beautiful elven woman was much more beautiful and fantastic than the scenery of nature.

“Sigh. Since Uncle Herz is doing private research, I got a break after a long time, but…… it’s sad that Alrium is busy and can’t come out.” (Jess)

Because the time spent on the magic lessons has decreased drastically for now, Jess walked alone on a forest trail.
How pleasant it would be to walk along this quiet path with Alrium where the mountain birds are singing.
Living in both worlds, he found something special about the golden line.
A line of destiny usually occurs when you meet or get acquainted with a person. And as time goes by, it slowly disappears once you become less conscious of the other party.
But in some cases, the golden line quickly disappears.
The golden lines of Ashlyn, Monty, and their knights faded away and disappeared in about a month.
In cases where people live and experience large incidents often, or possess a huge amount of power, the connection to their lines cut off early.

“Well, maybe there’s a philosophically complex reason for this……..If the fluctuations of fate are severe, or if their influence is great, is it cut off soon? Or is it because I am still insignificant in their lives?” (Jess)

Jess did not intend to think on it too deeply.
Once you become an archmage only then is it possible to see through the logic of this world.
He couldn’t spend his life eavesdropping on everyone’s thoughts anyway.
It was more important to read the thoughts of people he was closely familiar with or those he had a little bit of a connection with.
At that time, Jess was walking to the spring, and a fox with three tails ran out.
It was not so difficult to see animals with unique forms in the Elven Forest which had a strong vitality.
The fox was walking while shaking its bushy tails as if something good happened.
Jess read the fox’s thoughts since he was bored.

[Kekeke. Everyone is stupid. They really are dumbasses. They don’t know that very near the valley there is a good many of the most nutritious medicinal herb in the forest.] (Fox)

Medicinal herbs…….

[It is a herb that makes my body healthy and my tails grow well by chewing on the root. It’s fairly effective when I get hurt and it even makes my fur grow glossy when I eat it…….kekeke.] (Fox)

The fox, who alone knew the secret, headed to another place in a carefree manner.
Naturally after some time, with quiet steps Jess headed towards the valley.

“It’s around here…….” (Jess)

There were only rocks scattered around the valley.

“Is it even higher?” (Jess)

Jess continued to climb along the upper reaches of the valley. Sometimes, he had to scale rock walls.
After 30min of proceeding like this, he saw a peculiar area of fallen leaves and branches.

“This looks right, since it is covered with fox fur here.” (Jess)

The fallen leaves and branches were removed, and a narrow cave appeared that could not be entered while standing.
Usually, a dark cave like this is dangerous because a small monster can suddenly pop out.

“This is the time it’s useful. Light!” (Jess)

Jess lit up the cave with a magic light and crawled inside. And he found many white and yellow flowers inside. (Darknari: probably something like a daisy or white frangipani)

“That’s it.” (Jess)

He had seen it in Herz’s plant guide.
Beneath the bloom of the flower is the Lacrena root that grows with life force and mana.
It was a rare herb that was worth over 300 gold for one root, and it was hard to come by without being a noble.

“One, two……. There are quite a few of them. There should be at least 40 of them.” (Jess)

A delighted smile formed on Jess’s lips.
In the Elven Forest, precious medicinal herbs were found occasionally.
By following Alrium around in the deep forest he was able to eat some hundred kinds of medicinal herbs that were good for his body.
Rendall has this inflexible side to him that thoroughly impresses upon maximum physical training without depending on health food, but Jess did not necessarily think so.
If concentration or willpower is firm, receiving some aid from food and drink is also nice.
He would readily eat bitter things if it was good for his body.

“Growing children, especially like me, should eat well. Training is good, but the supply of nutrients is a priority. It’s difficult to even see meat in this forest, so I have to take care of my body.” (Jess)

Jess cautiously dug out the roots with practiced skill and chewed it thoroughly so that he could digest it well.
It was bitter enough to paralyze his mouth, but he readily endured it if it was good for his body.

“Maybe I’m getting a little healthier? Looks like it’s not an ordinary object and is quite an aged medicinal herb, but it’s effect is good. If you pull it out and leave it too long, it’s medicinal effect will drop. It needs to be ingested before it dries out.” (Jess)

He did not shake off any soil attached to the roots, but ate them as is, leaving only three roots for Rendall, Herz, and Laeli.
He omitted Grona and Nedhand because their racial characteristics provided them with many opportunities to eat medicinal herbs.

“For me who is in his prime growing age this is not enough…….” (Jess)

Jess thoroughly searched the cave to check if there was no more unusual medicinal herbs left, then he went outside.
After a while, he met the fox again near the valley, but he walked along with feigned innocence.

“Burrrrrrrp!”