[Sinseki Era — Year -21]
[Central Lands · Strahl, the Holy Capital]
At a quaint antique stall in the city market—
Watching his master Serie squatting down, meticulously sifting through what seemed like a pile of junk in search of treasure, Gut couldn't help but shake his head. But by now, he was used to this.
After lightly tugging at Serie's sleeve a few times and seeing she was determined to stay, Gut gave up. After all, Serie knew her limits—at most, she'd buy two items. Consider them keepsakes, even if the selection process was excruciating.
Taking a seat nearby, Gut summoned his system interface to inspect the reward from his recent daily quest.
[Item Name: Grimoire—Repair Renewed]
[Description: A locally adapted translation of the universal mending charm from the Harry Potter world, aligned with this world's curse-and-magic classification system.]
[Effect: "Reparo (Repair Renewed)"—restores physical damage to specific objects, contingent on material and magic power.]
"Whoa, it really is Reparo!" Gut's eyes gleamed.
While Reparo couldn't heal living beings, it was miraculous at restoring physical items—glasses, wands, structures. A time-reversal style reconstruction, immensely practical.
And better yet—it came not as a one-time-use scroll, but a physical grimoire. That meant Gut could study it himself and pass it on to others.
Flipping through the slim book (barely a finger thick), he noted the spell was simple, but the difference in magical worldviews made learning tricky. Despite localization, the concepts still felt foreign.
So, Gut closed it for now. The timing wasn't right—he had to focus on the main quest: the Three-Year Promise, and couldn't afford distractions, even useful ones.
Still, maybe Serie could learn it first and teach it to him later. He'd freeload on his master's talent—no shame in eating legend-tier soft rice.
He rose and walked over to where Serie was still browsing.
"Still haven't decided?"
"Shh," Serie hissed, eyes locked on her selection. "Almost there. One of these has to be genuine."
Gut resigned himself and waited… until sunset, when Serie finally made her pick.
"Boss, I'll take this one."
The elderly shopkeeper, a kindly old lady, boxed the item in a dainty gift case. The price was reasonable—no price gouging despite Serie's intense inspection.
Gut was amazed—an antique stall with actual integrity. Perhaps that was Strahl's divine reputation at work.
Leaving the stall, Serie continued to shop. Arms full of purchases, she skipped ahead in high spirits.
Gut, trailing behind carrying her loot, muttered with some jealousy, "You said you'd buy something for me, remember?"
"I did," Serie replied. "Didn't I already get you an ice cream? Was it not good?"
"…It was."
She laughed at Gut's defeated look and pointed toward a nearby district.
"What I really meant to buy you is ahead. There's a newly opened magic tool shop. I've been there a few times—their wands are decent."
"You're a proper mage now. Can't go around casting barehanded forever."
Gut applauded Serie's generosity. A good wand was expensive and rare.
Back in Äußerst, he'd tried to buy one—but the city's only shop had been out of stock for a month.
But this was Strahl—the magic capital beside the royal seat. Magic history here ran deep. Wands were common.
Following Serie, they stopped outside a modest storefront.
"Didn't you say this place was new?" Gut whispered, eyeing the worn facade.
"When was your last visit?"
"Maybe… thirty years ago?"
"…Right."
Suppressing his sarcasm, Gut opened the door and they entered.
Inside was lively—though most patrons were civilians, not mages.
A clerk in robes quickly approached. Feeling their powerful magic aura, she bowed respectfully.
"Welcome to Lange's Magic Tool Shop. What can I help you with?"
"Show him your top-tier wands. Skip the beginner stuff," Serie said.
Surprised but composed, the clerk nodded. "We have three elite wands. Two are on display; one's in the vault. Please wait while I fetch it."
She led them to the display area and ran off.
While waiting, Gut inspected the shelves—unlike Äußerst, this shop had plenty of stock, even for novices. That was Strahl's magic depth in full display.
Serie handed him the first high-end wand, topped with a ruby.
"Don't just stare—try it."
Gut channeled mana into it. Smooth as silk—the ruby at the tip shimmered wine-red.
He didn't even need to form a spell circle. The power gathered could blast on command.
Serie nodded. "Decent."
She then handed him a second wand—metal spirals like grain heads, topped with a pale blue crystal.
This one didn't channel mana as fast, but it stored it better. A more focused strike.
Just as Gut felt out the second wand, the clerk returned with their prized wand.
"Wait," the manager called. "Take them to the back yard for testing. Too risky in-store."
Obediently, the clerk led them to a wide, well-worn courtyard behind the shop—proof that many had tested here.
"Isn't this illegal?" Gut asked.
"Well… it is, technically," the clerk admitted. "But as long as you don't blow up a house, no one really minds."
Understanding this gray area, Gut grinned.
He launched a mana burst from the first wand—no spell, just pure force. It sent a steel target flying.
Switching to the second wand, he built up energy.
"Release it now," Serie said.
Gut obeyed. A blue beam tore through the target and nearly hit the back wall.
"What the—?! I didn't use a piercing spell!"
"That's the wand's design," the clerk explained. "The twin alloys and crystal structure enhance penetration."
Serie nodded and took the third wand, testing its heft before handing it to Gut.
"Try this one. It's good."
Heavy. All-metal with a purplish-red crystal at the end.
Gut infused it with mana and was stunned—the absorption rate was insane.
"Okay, let it loose," Serie prompted.
Boom!
The blast launched the target into the air. Shards rained down.
This third wand offered the best amplification, though it was heavy—too heavy for frailer mages.
For Gut, though, that was a feature.
"No wonder mages love wands so much," he said, holding it lovingly.
Serie smiled. "This one's almost a legendary item. Even Frieren's wand isn't much better."
"If not for its weight, it wouldn't have sat unsold."
The clerk beamed. "Would you like to buy it?"
Serie gestured to Gut—it was his call.
The clerk leaned closer, eager.
Gut was tempted—but had questions.
"How durable is it?"
"The metal's very strong," she replied. "Comparable to a sword."
"And the crystal?"
"…Fragile. Try not to hit it hard."
Gut's enthusiasm waned. If it couldn't survive close combat, the weight was a downside.
"But why care?" the clerk asked. "You're a mage, not a warrior."
"That's the issue," Gut said. "I plan to hit people with it."
"…What?"
Serie sighed. "It's the Body Reinforcement spell. All my disciples start thinking like this after training it too long."
Gut chuckled sheepishly.
Serie shook her head and offered a compromise.
"Thank your senior, Bodi. He figured out the perfect hybrid wand design."
"This one's a good base. Just change the shape and swap the fragile crystal for a tougher one."
Serie turned to the clerk. "Is the craftsman who made this still alive?"
"You mean Master Roni? He's a dwarf—still around, though he rarely works anymore."
"So it's Little Roni's work," Serie mused. "Contact him. Tell him…"
"Serie is looking for you."
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Powerstones?
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