Parting with Master
“But that…”
“I’ll also be at my limit soon; my consciousness and reason will be erased. I don’t want to be a zombie that attacks people by instinct.”
Master asked me to let him die peacefully with holy magic as the last graduation test, but I hesitated a little.
But master begged me that he wanted to rest in peace quickly.
“I thought that I was a really excellent mage. So I held my consciousness and reasoning while maintaining my body for a long time.”
An ordinary talking corpse would likely only keep their form for about one year.
Pa.s.s that, their consciousness and reasoning gradually disappear, their flesh would also gradually rot and they wouldn’t be that different from zombies.
“I don’t have much time anymore. My disciple, Wendelin von Benno Baumeister. Will you let me feel relieved in the end?”
“Master…I understand.”
I turn to the page on Holy magic which is the last item in the book that was pa.s.sed to me from master, and I read the content written there.
It only cover the basic concepts.
It really depends on my own apt.i.tude whether I can use this magic or not.
Because it was special magic, I can’t even trigger a response at first.
But gradually and slowly, the pale light peculiar to holy magic poured out like it was overflowing from both my hands.
“I’m sorry as I can’t show you the sample.”
Master said apologetically, but since talking corpse is an undead monster it was normal for them to be unable to use holy magic.
And after about an hour, I who repeatedly practiced many times had succeeded in finally learning the light magic that would likely bring master to rest in peace.
“It’s finally the time.”
The time for master to die peacefully had finally come, so I invoked the light magic while sniffing and shed tears, contrary to my usual self, while the light acc.u.mulated at my fingertips.
Master was a high-ranking mage during his life, which was pretty much a monster, so I needed to acc.u.mulate considerable magic power for him to die peacefully.
“Master…”
“I’m happy. Wandering around as a zombie in the depths of the Demon forest in order to teach my skills to a disciple like this, I can go to heaven or h.e.l.l in peace”
“Master…”
My tears did not stop.
It’s certainly a fact that to master magic in this world one has to do it themselves.
That’s because the probability that someone else’s training method would suit yourself is really low.
But master’s training method suited me like a miracle.
The results I’ve achieved in these two weeks could have taken many years if I only trained by myself.
And I can even perform capacity adjustment; my magic capacity before training it has increased by tens fold.
“I want you to acc.u.mulate effort without being self-conceited, just like now. You…Vel will become a mage that will leave a name in history. Ah, one last thing.”
Master does not have family.
Although there was a mansion and a little money from the Brihedar margrave territory as a retainer, it was not brought up as it should be repossessed by the Brihedar margrave house.
But there was the equipment that he had now.
The robe and hat I could wear when my body grows up more, the magic sword whose blade produces attribute magic, and accessories like rings and necklaces he had on.
And the most important thing, the owner for the magic bag, which held the majority of his property, had been changed to me.
“Magic bag” is a thing often heard in some RPGs.
It’s a magic item that can hold a large amount of goods that exceeds the capacity of that bag.
In this world, its cla.s.sified into several types.
First is the same as other magic tools; a specialized item that can only be used by a mage, and the general-purpose item that can be used by anyone.
Next, it can be registered in advance to the user as an exclusive item which can put items in and out that only the registrants can use, or the general-purpose products that can be used by anyone.
There is a capacity problem but if it has a large capacity, there are few mages who can make something that’s usable by anyone, and it’s also expensive.
“The magic bag that I entrusted to you can only be used by mages and only by the user that has already been registered like you. For capacity, it’s proportional to the magic limit of the user so the capacity will go up like the user.”
While saying so, master hands me the magic bag the size of a drawstring bag with a mana prism that looks like a bead attached to it.
“It’s small but the mouth can spread out when you put something big in, so it’s fine. I’ll give you all the contents. It’d be more useful for you to use it rather than let it decay in the Demon forest. Now, I’m counting on you.”
“Yes…”
My tears and runny nose increased, and I shot the holy light that had been acc.u.mulated towards master.
Then, master was wrapped in the vortex of pale light in an instant.
“A good magic. I don’t feel pain. Like I’ve been wrapped in a cozy warmth instead.”
Contrary to his words, master’s body became thinner in appearance.
Master would really disappear soon.
“Master, thank you till now.”
“Thanks for letting me die pleasantly. Let’s meet again in the other world, in about a hundred years.”
I wonder about that last part, but master at the end of his words left the equipment and magic bag, and his body ascended to the heavens along with the pale light.
This is my memory of a short exchange with Alfred Rainford, who I deemed as my only master.