A/N: A plot bunny doing plot bunny thing. I couldn't stop it from hopping out into a story. Another SI and one without metaknowledge this time, can you believe it?
Erwin blinked and the world changed.
One second he was in his apartment with a half-finished cup of ramen and the next he was somewhere else. The air was cold, yet it felt fresher than his room. The floor beneath him was now stone and glowing with intricate runes. His eyes snapped up and locked onto a circle of cloaked figures around him. Beside them were guards in medieval plate armor gripping swords and spears.
'What the-'
Before he could ask what's going on, an old man wearing something that looked straight out of a DnD wizard cosplay walked up to him.
"I am Razen," he said voice smooth and arrogant. "You have been summoned to serve the glorious Falmuth Kingdom."
Erwin opened his mouth to speak but Razen's raised staff and the crystal at the tip pulsed. A ball of light lanced out and slammed into Erwin's chest.
The moment it hit, he felt it crawl inside him like liquid nitrogen, hot and cold at the same time, before it settled deep into his core.
"Stand straight, keep your mouth shut, and stay silent," Razen ordered.
He wasn't one to take orders from people he didn't know or respect, but to his horror, his body moved on its own. He stood straight and no matter how much he tried to say something, his mouth wouldn't open, nor did his voice come out.
Razen droned on about the kingdom, duty and honor or other bullshit, but Erwin couldn't hear over his own panic. It was as if he was having a sleep paralysis nightmare, but everything felt all too real. He tried to wrap his head around the situation and understand what was going on, but his thoughts kept circling back to the fact that he could do anything.
[Confirmed. Unique Skill Intuitive Aptitude has been acquired.]
Just then, a monotone and emotionless voice cut through his thoughts. The calm and robotic tone actually helped him calm down somewhat.
Suddenly, everything clicked together. The circle he found himself in, the cloaks and gears of the people, Razen and that beam of light... This wasn't Earth. He'd been summoned to another world and Razen did... something to him. He had no idea what, but could guess that it's some sort of slavery or mind magic.
'What-'
The knowledge continued pouring in and he learned more about his new Skill, [Intuitive Aptitude].
He understood how it worked. Anything he could observe, he could understand. Be it Magic, Science, Combat, or even Concepts. He could learn about it so long as he could observe it.
'Is this my so-called Isekai cheat?' He wondered.
This knowledge actually helped him calm him down more. He is of the belief that knowledge is power. So long as he has enough knowledge, he could get himself out of any situation and this Skill will give him just that, more knowledge... Except, Razen already used his magic before Erwin gained this skill. He had no way to observe the inside of himself or how Razen's spell was forcing him to obey the man. He needed to actually see it to dissect it.
[Confirmed. Extra Skill Arcane Eyes has been acquired.]
The voice echoed through his mind again and with it, some new insights. It wasn't a "cheat" that he had. The voice was part of this world he found himself in, a system of this world that rewards and gives out Skills to those with enough will and power. Except, his situation is a bit unique. He had just been summoned, and his body was overfilled with... some sort of magical energy. So long as he focused on his desire, he could shape the system will shape this energy into more Skills.
He clenched his jaw and focused. He needed more time to think and process everything to make the best use of this opportunity if he wanted to escape his current fate.
[Confirmed. Extra Skill Thought Acceleration has been acquired.]
Suddenly, the world slowed. Razen's voice turned sluggish like molasses in his ears, and everyone else seemed as if they were frozen in time.
'No, it's my thought that was sped up.' Or so [Intuitive Aptitude] told him.
Relief washed over Erwin. He now has the time he needed thanks to [Thought Acceleration].
His first priority was to understand whatever spell Razen put on him. He closed his eyes, though in normal time, it only looked as if he blinked. [Arcane Eyes] let him see the magical energy all around him, including inside himself and other people. The more he focused on something, the more of it he could "see," so he "looked" inside himself.
It took a moment, but he was eventually able to find something [Intuitive Aptitude] told him was his soul. On it were... "engravings" so to speak, of the Skills he recently acquired. If he had to describe it, the closest thing he could compare it to was the Innate Cursed Technique from Jujutsu Kaisen. It was like a program or machine that would execute a task so long as he fed it energy.
As interesting as Skills were, it wasn't his current priority. He "looked around" and soon found something that looked like it didn't belong. It's attached to his soul, similar to his Skills. Only, his Skills seemed like they were a natural part of his Soul, while this other... etching, felt more like a parasite. He concluded that this must be Razen's spell. It was the same "color" as Razen's magic he saw from the brief glimpses he saw of the guy's magic before he looked inside himself.
He focused [Intuitive Aptitude] on it, to try and pick it apart, but it was complex. He could barely understand that it was some sort of Obedience Curse before he had to open his eyes again. He also shut off [Arcane Eyes] to prevent anyone from seeing him using it.
He had time before he needed to "blink" again, so he focused on his other opportunity. The power that filled him will follow his desire and be shaped into Skills by the world. From what he had seen of the Skills in his Soul and how much power he had left, he reckoned he only had enough power for one "Unique Skill" and a few weaker "Extra Skills".
First, he needed a skill that could help break or control the spell Razen put on him, so he focused his thought and desire on that.
[Confirmed. Extra Skill Magic Jamming has been acquired. Evolving Magic Jamming into Extra Skill Mana Manipulation… success.]
[In addition, Arcane Eyes and Mana Manipulation have fused and evolved into Unique Skill Magus.]
'Perfect.' He would have grinned if he could move his mouth. It even improved his [Arcane Eyes].
With [Magus] and [Intuitive Aptitude], he was confident he could counter any magic he came across. Next, he needed to improve his survivability. He was in a new world now; he had no idea what kind of danger lurked here, and he wasn't taking any risks.
First, he needed a way to stay calm in stressful situations, like a way to deal with pain should he get hurt. Hell, it'll be even better if there were a Skill to let him survive getting hurt.
[Confirmed. Pain Nullification has been acquired.]
[Confirmed. Common Skill Self-Regeneration has been acquired.]
Outside of direct damage, there are many other dangers he could run into. Things like poison, paralysis, and there might even be monsters that can petrify him, since this was a world with magic. He needed a way to deal with those.
[Confirmed. Abnormal Condition Resistance has been acquired.]
Once he acquired [Abnormal Condition Resistance], his analysis with [Intuitive Aptitude] told him he only had enough power for one more Skill. He pondered whether he should try to "evolve" one of his Skills, maybe [Abnormal Condition Resistance], into a nullification Skill like [Pain Nullification] or turn [Self-Regeneration] into a stronger Extra Skill.
In the end, he decided that wasn't what he needed right now. The best way to survive is not to be where the danger is. That means he needed some sort of Skill that would let him escape quickly and prevent people from following him.
[Confirmed. Attempting to acquire Unique Skill Dimensional Travel… failed. Insufficient power. Attempting alternate interpretation… success. Extra Skill Shadow Step has been acquired.]
The last skill "clicked" into place. He had a feeling he won't be able to gain more Skills as easily from now on.
'This is it.' He got everything he needed. It was time to try and break free.
He "blinked" again and activated [Arcane Eyes]. He looked into his soul to study Razen's spell with [Intuitive Aptitude]. The more he learn about the spell, the more disgusted he felt. He wouldn't call himself the most moral of men, but even he would think twice about shackling another person like this, much less using it on random kidnapped people like this.
It wasn't just a spell, it was a curse. A dominion-seal refined countless times over to perfectly control a person while letting them keep their individuality. It doesn't have any obvious downside like so many of its magic, you see in fiction. There was no going around this spell by "obeying the letter" of an order. This spell shackled a target to the will of the user, shackling the free will of the target in the worst way possible.
Luckily, despite the power of the spell, there was one flaw that no one could overcome. That is, the flaw of the user. Razen only ordered him to stand straight, not move his mouth, and keep quiet. Normally, this would have worked in keeping even people who knew how to break the spell from being able to break it, but it was different for him.
[Magus] has a sub-skill called [Chant Annulment] that lets him cast spells without needing to chant and [Mana Manipulation] that lets him directly control the magical energy in his body. He won't need to physically move or speak to break the curse.
Once he gained a full understanding of curse, Erwin "reached" into his soul with [Mana Manipulation] and broke it like it was made of sugar glass. [Thought Acceleration] gave him plenty of time to act.
His eyes snapped open and glared at Razen. The old man, realizing something was up and raised his staff, but Erwin was faster. He raised his hand and hit the old man with his own version of the spell. The [Curse of Obedience] bound itself to the old man before he could react.
"Protect me." Erwin order.
Razen obeyed. Instead of attacking like he originally intended, a magic barrier formed over himself and Erwin. The robed mages and armored knights were cut off from both of them.
The knight captain stepped forward. "What's the meaning of this?!"
Erwin met his eyes. "I did to him what he had done to me." He answered before turning to Razen, "Do not dispel the curse I placed on you. Do not let anyone else interfere with it either." Not that he thought Razen would be able to do so any time soon. He learned everything there was to know about the spell and improved it multiple times over.
The knight captain growled. "Stand down and undo the curse or die."
Erwin didn't move or care.
With [Arcane Eyes] and [Intuitive Aptitude], he already knew. Razen was the strongest man in the room by far. With Razen under his control, no one here should be able to do anything to him.
"Razen," Erwin said calmly. "Answer me truthfully. What were you planning to do with me?"
The old man gritted his teeth but was forced to answer anyway. "If you showed useful Skills, you'd be enslaved to serve the Falmuth Kingdom. If not, you'd be killed."
Erwin had guessed as much, but hearing it confirmed still caused anger to simmer within him. He took a deep breath and clenched his jaw to stay calm.
"How many before me?"
"Close to a dozen in my lifetime. We lacked the resources for more. Most of them had passed away for one reason or another."
"I see…" Erwin looked down.
Everyone stood in silence, the knights waiting for their captain's orders while the mages stood around not knowing what to do with their leader enslaved.
Then he looked up, [Arcane Eyes] ignited his gaze as he looked around the room. "Such a kingdom doesn't deserve to exist."
Razen's eyes widened as he could guess what Erwin was about to do.
"Don't-"
"Don't speak unless it's to follow an order," Erwin cut him off and ordered, "Seal this room. Don't let anyone escape. Kill everyone who isn't you or me."
Razen struggled for a split second before he raised his staff. A second barrier formed between everyone else and the door. Once the barrier formed, magic started to gather at the tip of his staff and turned into fire.
The knight's captain had no doubt of the mage's abilities, he had even fought in battles under the old man. Seeing that power being turned against them caused fear to spike within him.
"STOP HIM!" The knight captain yelled at the top of his lungs.
Everyone went on the attack. Knights gripped their swords and rushed at the barrier while mages raised their staffs, but they were too slow. The only one fast enough to do anything was the knight captain, but even he could crash into the barrier before Razen's spell was complete. Unlike the mages around, Razen seemed to have a Skill similar to his [Chant Annulement] as he didn't need any chants to finish his spell.
Razen pointed his staff to the ceiling. The ball of fire that formed above it flew up, out of their barrier, then split into dozens of smaller fireballs that rained destruction all around them. With all of them trapped between two barriers, they could do nothing but scream as the flame consumed them.
When the flames died down, there was nothing left. No corpse or armor, only ashes.
Razen looked around for a bit before he closed his eyes. He looked haunted and tired, as if he had aged even more in those few seconds.
"That wasn't a normal fire spell, was it?" Erwin asked. He had used [Arcane Eyes] and [Intuitive Aptitude] to study them so he could use them later, and what his Skills told him was that it was more than fire.
Razen shook his head, "No. That was Nuclear Magic, Nuclear Rain."
He thought about giving a final order to burn this entire kingdom down, but held back. There are likely many people, civilians, who had nothing to do with this. Hell, there might even be nobles who opposed enslaving people like this but couldn't speak out in fear of being called traitors.
Erwin sighed and decided to change his orders.
"When I say 'start,' you will kill the King, Queen, and every ruling class and noble of this kingdom involved in the summoning and enslaving of people. Then... kill every corrupt noble who would harm their own people for gains or amusement. Do all of it as discreetly as you can. Then once you're done..." He paused for a moment and considered his next order. Razen would be useful, but... "-kill yourself so completely that there won't be a way to bring you back."
Razen is too dangerous to keep alive. Who knows what other spells he has up his sleeve that could come back to bite him should Razen stay alive.
He thought about leaving it there, but thought of two more orders he should do before leaving.
"Don't let anyone know this summoning had been successful and should the [Curse of Obedience] ever he in danger of breaking, execute the order to kill yourself ahead of time."
Razen looked resigned to his fate and could do nothing but wait for orders.
Erwin took a deep breath and released a sigh.
"Start," Erwin ordered.
As Razen turned to leave, Erwin used [Shadow Step] to sink into the shadow of the building. He knew he had just condemned a bunch of people to death, but they had been planning to enslave him and who knew how many others. They brought this upon themselves. If it wasn't him, sooner or later, someone else would appear with a Skill to break the Curse and might even do worse.
'Hopefully, whoever remains could pick up the pieces and build something better...' He thought before shaking his head. Erwin turned a random direction and moved through the Shadow World [Shadow Step] put him in. 'There is no use thinking about it now. This is no longer my problem.'
A soft breeze rolled down the valley, carrying with it the scent of blooming flowers and damp stone. Erwin stood at the cliff's edge, the cloak he'd "borrowed" fluttering gently behind him. Below lay a city nestled between two towering cliffs. Stone walls surrounded the perimeter, not tall enough to scream paranoia, but solid enough to ward off troublemakers. The truly shocking part wasn't the construction or the location, but the people.
Humans walked beside demi-humans and "monsters". Creatures of all shapes and sizes traded goods with each other. Lizardfolk hauled crates into warehouses under the watchful eyes of human merchants. Goblins and orcs gathered in the market square, speaking with elven clerks who took notes with professionalism. The harmony of it all made him pause.
"Well… either that priest was full of shit, or this city defies logic," Erwin muttered.
The past few days had been a blur of travel through the Shadow World. Along the way, he'd made brief stops to gather food, drink water, and talk with anyone he could find to learn more about this world he found himself in. It turned out people were quick to share what they knew with a traveler who asked the right questions.
He thought this world was exactly what it looked like at first: a brutal fantasy world where magic was real and monsters roamed free. But it was also deeply fractured. Humans ruled scattered kingdoms. Monsters were labeled evil by religious doctrine. The priest he met two nights ago had nearly spat with rage when talking about the "Demon Lords who defy God," then with reverie about "Hero whose light will purify this world." The message was clear enough: monsters were considered evil, and demon lords were the boogeymen used to scare children and justify genocides.
Except now, standing here and looking into the city... it just didn't match up. Every religion had its zealots, he supposed. He should take that priest's words with a grain of salt.
Erwin descended the winding trail leading to the city gate. He passed through the gate with little trouble. A bored man waved him over after a glance.
"Newcomer?" the guard asked.
"Yeah. Just passing through. Though I might stick around. This place looks peaceful."
The man snorted. "Peaceful's a stretch, but we get by."
No one should be tracking him, if anyone even knows about him. He'd crossed two kingdoms in his journey here and had taken precautions to wipe even the traces through the Shadow World with the understandings of it he gained from [Intuitive Aptitude]. Even if someone learned about the massacre at Falmuth, they wouldn't know it was him. And frankly, he doubted anyone even suspected a newly summoned otherworlder to turn that Kingdom's mage against them.
No... he was free, for now.
"So," Erwin started, "Do you know anywhere decent I can stay, or where I can find work around here? I've got Skills to sell."
"Sure," the guard said with a nod. "There is an inn straight ahead to the right. As for work, there is always work to do if you have the skills. You can find work anywhere."
"I see, thank you," Erwin said with a nod.
"Have a good day, traveler." The guard said.
Erwin gave him a wave and walked off into the city.
Erwin settled into city life quickly.
The place was peaceful. Sure, it was not without problems, but it was nowhere near as chaotic as the kingdoms he passed through. People here were friendly, if a bit cautious toward outsiders at first. It didn't take long before his odd clothes and quiet nature stopped drawing attention, and after a few odd jobs, word started to spread about his ability to solve any problem.
He started working as a handyman, repairing tools, patching roofs, tuning carts, and occasionally helping in the fields. It wasn't glamorous, but it paid well enough and allowed him to observe more of the world without drawing suspicion. Most of his success came from [Intuitive Aptitude]. With a glance, he could understand what was broken and how to fix it. Even better, he could often figure out improvements or make things more efficient.
Today's job was a simple restoration of a set of old farming tools. A dull sickle, a cracked hoe, and a warped shovel. The owner, a broad-shouldered man with tan skin and tired eyes, stood nearby and watched as Erwin tightened the last screw and handed it back.
"All done," Erwin said, brushing off his hands.
The man took the tools and inspected them. "Huh. You fix things faster than the old smith ever did. Are you sure you're not part dwarf?"
Erwin chuckled. "Not that I know of."
"Heh." The man handed Erwin a bag of coins.
Erwin stowed the payment away. His eyes lingered on the man a bit longer. As usual, there was some off about his body. [Intuitive Aptitude] told him the same thing it did for everyone in this city. The man had been poisoned. Not enough to harm his or even affect his day-to-day life, but the poison is there.
"Take care of yourself."
"You too, Erwin. Don't be a stranger."
Once the man left, Erwin packed his things and headed for the city's main water source. As far as he could tell, the poison came from the water.
It didn't take long for him to reach the lake. It was large and serene on the surface, reflecting the sky like a polished mirror with multiple rivers leading out in different directions. One of the main rivers led toward the city, where the people built wells around to collect water.
Erwin stood near the bank, eyes narrowing. He activated [Arcane Eyes].
The result was immediate. The magic around the lake twisted in sickly patterns, subtle enough that the average person wouldn't notice. The entire lake was poisoned by some sort of magical curse. The most concentrated of the poison was near the center of the lake, which he assumed was where the source of the poison was.
Sadly, even with [Arcane Eyes], he couldn't see to the bottom of the lake. [Arcane Eyes] is great for seeing details and picking up everything around him, but not so much for seeing in far distances or through inorganic materials. He couldn't move to take a closer look either. Even with [Abnormal Condition Resistance], he doubted he could survive the much more concentrated source of the poison.
He used [Mana Manipulation] to collect the poison into a more concentrated form and bottled it to see if he could find a solution.
Though seeing the rate at which the poison was seeping into the water, he could tell it would reach a level where the poison would become dangerous for anything that drank it, much less the people of this kingdom. Yet, [Intuitive Aptitude] told him that the people's poisoned condition had been an ongoing thing for years.
After returning to the city, Erwin asked around. People weren't secretive about it since the poisoned lake was common knowledge. Apparently, it had been this way for generations. The locals believed the poison came from an old mine, claiming that reckless overmining had tainted the earth itself. Toxic fumes began leaking out from the mine and seeping into the water.
The only reason people were still alive was because of the Queen. Every month, she would use her family's power to cleanse the lake from within the mine.
Once he was back at his place, Erwin frowned as he analyzed the poisoned water. The people's story didn't match up with what he found. Was the Queen deliberately poisoning the water and periodically cleaning it to keep the people loyal? Or was something else at play that he doesn't know about? For now, he had too little information to draw any conclusion.
Three months had passed since he arrived in the city, and Erwin continued to work as usual. Word of his skills spread fast, and it wasn't long before his own reputation was known throughout the city. If something needed fixing, people called him. If someone got sick or injured, people called him. The city came to see him as a man who could solve any problem.
It had gotten to the point where he needed to put a limit on how many commissions he could take for each day to not overwork himself.
"There you go, all good now," Erwin said after he finished healing the boy's broken arm. "Be careful not to do that again."
He learned how to heal by studying his own [Self-Regeneration] and applying it to others through [Mana Manipulation]. It was hard at first and not as energy efficient as he would like, but he was slowly getting better at it.
"I'll try not to," the boy said with a sheepish smile. His mother gave Erwin a small bag of coins and thanked him. He made sure to charge very little for his help so even the poorest family could afford it. It's not like he needed much money after all. He doesn't have any ongoing big projects or hobbies that require money.
As the pair left, he heard a knock on the door.
"Sorry, but I'm closed for the day. Unless it's an emergency-" He paused when he saw the people who entered his shop, "Oh. Greetings, Prime Minister Mobuji, Royal Physician Chikuan. I'm sorry for the poor showing, but I wasn't aware of your visit today."
The royalty of this little city-kingdom was a small one. He made sure to memorize everyone important so as not to get on their bad side. It would be a shame to have to leave and start over after he had already started building a life for himself here.
Chikuan waved off his worries. "Your skill is impressive, Mr. Price. You spotted symptoms I would have missed."
"Thank you," Erwin said with a nod. He'd gotten used to people complimenting him on his skill by now, but it does make him feel a little proud that a royal physician acknowledged his skills... even if he was cheating by using [Intuitive Aptitude]. "Is there something you need?"
Mobuji didn't waste words. "You're coming with us to the palace."
"Understood," he agreed easily enough, keeping his tone respectful. "May I ask why?"
Sure, he could turn them down since he just finished with his last commission of the day and the guy sounded rude, but he couldn't afford to alienate people in a position of power. Who knew what would happen if he pissed them off? Plus, he could tell the man was in a rush due to being worried.
"You'll be briefed when we get there," Mobuji said.
Erwin didn't press and follow them. He doubted they were trying to get rid of him because he became too famous or other such things people usually write about in situations like these to create drama. Plus, even if they were and things went south, he always could leave. [Shadow Motion] gave him options.
Once they were away from prying ears, Mobuji finally spoke. "It's about Her Majesty, Queen Towa. You've stayed here long enough to learn about the toxin of the mine, isn't that correct?"
Erwin nodded even if he was 100% confident the poison didn't come from the mine.
"As you know, the only reason this kingdom could endure is thanks to her majesty, Queen Towa. It was only through the use of her power that we could purify the mine and the lake enough to sustain the city... but what the people don't know is that every time Queen Towa used her power to cleanse the toxin, she would get poisoned in turn."
Chikuan nodded. "I've tried everything, but at best, I can only delay the poison and wait for Her Majesty to recover naturally. Then we heard of you and your abilities."
"So you want me to heal her?" Erwin concluded.
"If you are able," Mobuji said with a nod.
"Alright, I'll examine her," Erwin said. "I won't promise a cure, but I'm confident I'll be able to give you a better understanding of her condition at the very least."
They brought him to her chamber.
He expected someone with a regal or intimidating aura about them, even when sick. What he found instead was a pale woman lying in bed. Her breath was shallow, and part of her body was streaked in deep purple. She looked young, barely into her 20s.
'This is the Queen who had been carrying the burden of keeping this kingdom afloat for so long?' Erwin thought as he took in the sight of her. From what he learned, the previous Queen passed away years ago. That meant she'd been doing this since she was barely a teen. He couldn't begin to imagine the weight of responsibility that must have been put on an adult, much less someone as young as her.
She turned her head slowly. "So you're the one everyone's been talking about."
Erwin bowed. "Your Majesty."
She seemed to study him for a moment before saying in a soft voice, "This one is called Towa."
"A pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty. I was told you needed medical help, may I examine you?"
He waited until she gave a slight nod before he began. He stepped closer and activated [Arcane Eyes]. He studied her body, condition, and the poison carefully, letting [Intuitive Aptitude] piece everything together.
'Same cursed poison as the lake. Not identical, but close.' He concluded. Whatever cursed that infected her body came from the same source as the poison in the water. Only the cursed poison in her body seemed to be stronger. Where the poison in the water only affects people's bodies, the one on Towa seemed to seep into her very soul.
"How were you poisoned? I doubt it was from the water." He asked.
"That's not something we discuss," Mobuji answered with a hard voice.
Towa raised a hand. "It's fine. He should know if he is to help. The power used to purify the toxin of the mine came not from me but from this tiara," Towa said, gesturing at the tiara atop her head. "It's been passed down through my family and helped us defend our kingdom for generations. Only, it had been cursed. Each time we use it, that curse would infect our body."
"I see..." His gaze stayed on Towa, but [Arcane Eyes] focused on the tiara. [Arcane Eyes] and [Intuitive Aptitude] worked overtime to make sense of the thing. He even used [Thought Acceleration] to give himself more time to study the tiara.
After what felt like hours for him but only minutes for everyone else, he shut off his skills. Using his skills at their full power had already used up half his magic power, and he wasn't even close to understanding the full capability of the tiara. He could spend weeks or even months unraveling its secrets and not fully understand how it worked. Time he doubted he would be given even if he asked.
What he did find was that the tiara was powerful, vastly so. It also had an... almost demonic aura in its power. Then there is the curse. The cursed poison wasn't something that got put on the tiara but was instead something built into it upon its creation. Whoever made this tiara didn't want its user to have it for long.
Still, even if he couldn't study the tiara, it doesn't mean there was nothing he could do to help.
He turned his attention back to Towa. "With your permission, I'd like to try using my ability on you."
"Go ahead."
He placed a hand above her arm and activated [Self-Regeneration]. Her weakened body immediately started healing, and her complexion started to improve. Though the purple streaks on her body stay the same. [Self-Regeneration] wouldn't be able to do anything about the poison, but so long as her body fully healed, it would be able to fight off the poison on its own.
"This is incredible," Chikuan said with awe. "Such potent healing magic and all without a chant."
Erwin didn't bother to correct the man. Instead, he was thinking about how best to use the situation to his benefit.
"I'm going to use another ability," he warned them before he reached into his shadow and pulled out a bucket of water. The water inside is a dark purple color with a more concentrated dose of the cursed poison than even the lake at its worst.
Mobuji narrowed his eyes. "That is..."
"Water from the lake. I concentrated the poison, hoping to study it and find a cure. Sadly, it had yet to bear fruit." He then turned to Towa again, "If you wouldn't mind, Your Majesty, I would like to observe the tiara's power in action."
Mobuji frowned. "You saw what using it did to her and you'd ask her to do it again?!"
"I don't like it either, but I've already figured out how the poison works, but I don't know how to counter it." Mainly because he had no medical knowledge so he doesn't know how to even start making a cure for it. It's not like magic, where he could disrupt the weak points with [Mana Manipulation] to break it.
"If I can see how the tiara purifies the poison, I might be able to come up with a solution. I only need to see it once." Erwin added.
"It's fine. There is only a bit of poison here. It won't take much power." Towa said, moving a hand toward her tiara.
Mobuji didn't look happy, but he nodded and stepped back.
She placed a hand over the poisoned water and her tiara started to shine.
Erwin quickly used [Arcane Eyes] and [Thought Acceleration] to give himself enough time to study the tiara's effects. He saw how her lifeforce flowed outward, connecting her to the artifact. A golden light spread from the tiara and wrapped around the water bucket.
It was as Towa said. It wasn't her power but rather the tiara. The tiara used her life force as fuel to power the spell; at the same time, the cursed poison of the tiara would seep into her life force and flow back into her body. The more of the tiara's power she used, the worse she would be poisoned.
He forced himself to "look away" from the interesting magical tiara and focused on what it was doing to the poisoned water. He could see the tiara's magic "slowly" purify the poison from where her hand was and spray outward from there. [Intuitive Aptitude] picked apart the purification process, letting him understand how it worked on a fundamental level.
Once the light faded and the water was clean, Erwin already had an idea. He closed his eyes and went over everything he learned with [Intuitive Aptitude] to ensure he didn't miss anything.
He reached into his shadow and pulled out another poisoned water bucket. He held a hand over it, and his magic power started to gather above his palm. [Mana Manipulation] shaped the magic power the same way the tiara did to use its purification spell. Once the magic reached its full capacity, he dumped the power into the bucket and watched as the poison was purified in an instant.
Everyone in the room stared in silence, too stunned to say anything. Except for Erwin himself.
"So that's how it worked..." By using the purification spell, he was able to understand it even better.
He turned to Towa and raised his arm. In a blinding flash of golden light, all the purple on her skin disappeared as his spell purified the poison from her body. Despite the cursed poison on Towa being stronger, it still came from the same source. By modifying and empowering the cleansing spell a bit, he was able to target that poison and purify it.
"Your Majesty!" Mobuji and Chikuan rushed forward in worry, only to pause when they saw she was completely healed.
"You..." Chikuan looked between Erwin and Towa in disbelief.
"You fully healed her..." Mobuji said, eyes staring at Erwin in awe.
Towa's fingers trembled as she brushed them over her skin. The angry purple streaks that had marred her body for days after each use of the tiara were gone. Her breathing felt easy, her limbs felt lighter, and her vision cleared up.
"It's… gone. It's really gone." She covered her mouth, her eyes started to tear up. "Thank you... thank you so much..."
Erwin shifted uncomfortably upon seeing the Queen act like that toward him. Even before he arrived in this world, he was a normal civilian. He doesn't know how to act when meeting a person of "high class," much less one with Towa's reaction.
"That's really not necessary. I was just doing my job." He said awkwardly.
Towa raised her head and wiped her tears away with her fingers. "You don't understand. I was... I was losing hope. The tiara's power only works for those with royal blood and I'm the last one. If I died, the kingdom would have no way of cleansing the lake... and I didn't want to have a child only pass this curse to them. At the same time, I know I would have had to do so one day since not doing so would mean leaving my people to suffer."
She looked up at him with a smile. "But you had given me hope, Sir Erwin."
Erwin shifted uncomfortably, a hint of awkwardness showing on his face. He scratched the back of his head lightly, trying to ease her expectations. "I must clarify, Your Majesty," he explained carefully. "While I did copy the tiara's cleansing spell, I don't have nearly enough power to cleanse the entire lake the way the tiara can."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way," Towa said, shaking her head. "Since Sir Erwin was able to use the tiara's power without its help, that means there should be others capable of such a thing. If you don't mind, I hope you can teach some of the mages under my employment how to use the spell."
"Oh, I see. In that case, I don't mind." He practically stole the spell from her in the first place, he had no reason to deny teaching her people the spell. Plus, he bet he knew the ins and outs of that purification spell better than anyone aside from its creator. He should be able to break it down and teach it to others quickly.
"Aside from that, I would also like Sir Erwin to continue healing me after each use of the tiara. Usually, I wouldn't be able to make a full recovery before each use. The curse would slowly but surely bring down my health until I would no longer be able to use the tiara. With Sir Erwin's healing, I hope I no longer have to worry about my deteriorating health." Towa said before realizing something, "Ah. You would be compensated for help, of course. It would only be proper for one of your abilities."
Erwin paused thoughtfully. Money wasn't a particular issue for him; his lifestyle was modest. Aside from using the money he earned on food and water, he didn't have much else he needed to spend the money on. His current focus and hobby had been on studying his Skills and magic, which he could do without outside resources.
'Wait, MAGIC!'
Seeing an opportunity, he looked at Towa earnestly. "If I may, Your Majesty, I'm an avid learner. Instead of financial compensation, could I perhaps gain access to your kingdom's library for study?"
Towa felt a surge of relief at the suggestion, but she carefully kept her expression neutral. However, Erwin was able to spot it, even if unintentionally, with [Intuitive Aptitude].
'The kingdom's financial situation must not be that good huh?' He thought. For her to be relieved from not having to pay him with money. He decided that it didn't have anything to do with him at the moment.
"Would that arrangement be acceptable, Your Majesty?" he asked politely.
Towa's gentle smile widened slightly, genuine and warm. "Of course, Sir Erwin. The palace library will always be open to you."
Erwin inclined his head gratefully. "Thank you, Your Majesty. Er... can I asked why I'm being referred to as a Sir...?"
"Oh!" Towa blinked, a tint of red rose on her pale cheeks. She coughed lightly and composed herself. "My apologies. Is Sir Erwin perhaps a lord? I apologize if we were mistaken. As disgraceful as it is to admit, we don't have much knowledge of Sir Erwin's background."
"Ah, no. That's not what I meant," Erwin quickly said, waving his hands. "I'm not a lord or a noble of any sort. I was a normal person before I moved here. Not even someone important enough to be called Sir."
"Surely, that's not true?" Towa said in mild disbelief, "Someone of Sir Erwin's ability must be of high standing, at least an Advanced Mage."
"My ability came mostly from my Skills, something I was lucky enough to acquire recently before coming to Raja. As such, I'm afraid I'm not a mage nor noble," he explained. He doesn't mind telling them this. So far, everyone here seemed to be earnest in their interaction with him, so he had no reason to hide it, and it's not like he was telling them what his Skills are either.
"Ah, I see. That explains it then." Towa said, nodding in understanding. "My apologies for the misunderstanding, Sir Erwin."
"..."
"Is everything alright, Sir Erwin?" Towa asked with concern at his pause.
"Oh, sorry, yes, I'm fine," Erwin awkwardly scratched the side of his head. "It's just... I'm not a Sir or anything, so you don't have to refer to me as one. Simply Erwin would do."
"Is that so? In that case, you may call me Towa as well." She said, smiling at him.
"Err... I'm not sure that would be proper."
Towa giggled, a soft and melodious sound that caught Erwin off guard. "Oh, it's fine. Please, do call me by name as well, I insist."
Erwin considered for a moment before finally giving up. "Very well. If... if you're sure, then... Towa."
"Good. I'm glad we've settled this," Towa said, looking at her Prime Minister. "Please escort Sir Erwin to the library. I'm sure he must have much to do." She ordered before turning back to him, "Thank you for your time and expertise, Sir Erwin."
"You're welcome, Towa." Erwin gave a respectful nod and turned to leave the room.
"Oh, before you go," Towa said suddenly, stopping him.
He turned back around with a tilt of his head.
Towa got up from her bed, reached into her bedside drawer, and withdrew a small medallion, handing it to him.
"This medallion will allow you to enter and leave the palace freely. If there is anything you require, don't hesitate to come to us. We are very grateful for your help."
"Ah, thank you," Erwin said upon receiving the medallion from her.
As they departed the chamber, Chikuan moved swiftly to Towa's side to begin a thorough examination of her condition.
Mobuji and Erwin walked together through the palace corridors. After a brief moment of silence, Mobuji finally spoke, "Thank you again, Sir Erwin. You've not only healed Her Majesty but given her hope. That is something far more valuable than gold."
Erwin, still unaccustomed to being referred to with such titles, gave a soft cough to hide his embarrassment. "You're welcome... and just Erwin is fine. As I explained, I'm not a Sir."
Mobuji simply laughed, "Then you should get used to it, Sir Erwin. Someone of your abilities won't remain a nobody for long."
"..."
He didn't think of himself as anything special, but he supposed Mobuji was right. He did chanced upon some pretty powerful Skills. They will likely bring him to attention in the future, both good and bad. At least he was relatively unknown right now, so he could use this chance to prepare for any future trouble.
"So, about that library..."
For nearly a month, Erwin had become a regular figure within the palace library, making frequent trips back and forth from his home. The extensive archives provided him ample opportunity to delve deeply into something he'd always been curious about, the magic system of this world. He might have been able to mess with magic before, but the only spells he knew were the [Curse of Obidence], [Nuclear Rain], and [Barrier]. One of them was something he doesn't want to use, another was too dangerous, and the last doesn't have any variety. All he had been able to do with [Mana Manipulation] by himself was use it like Ki from Dragon Ball.
Now, thanks to the various tomes of the palace, he learned that the magical energy he had been using was called Magicules. From there, he dived into the tomes to study Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and Space magic, along with more esoteric texts on Darkness, Light, Summoning, and Holy magic. Curiously, despite and probably because of numerous references to Time magic as the strongest element, there were no books directly discussing its workings or applications in the library.
Utilizing [Thought Acceleration], Erwin swiftly consumed the contents of the volumes. By combining his abilities [Arcane Eyes] and [Intuitive Aptitude], he carefully studied and dissected each spell, quickly developing an intimate understanding of their inner workings. With these insights, he employed [Mana Manipulation] to directly create and control the elements, replicating every spell found in the books and even innovating new, improved, and fused variations unique to him.
The only thing he wasn't able to learn was Holy magic because it required him to believe in a god. He had no idea if there were real gods in this world, and he bet there were based on the fact that Holy magic is a thing, but he had no faith in anything of them, for he didn't know what they were like.
Finally, he moved all the items in his Shadow Space to a subspace he crafted using his understanding of Space Magic. Storing things in the Shadow Space had been something he only did because he had no other alternative to carrying multiple things with him. It's basically the same as story things outside since anyone proficient in [Shadow Step] could potentially access it.
One afternoon, as Erwin was reading a book on the history of the Central Axis World, a hurried Chikuan appeared at the library entrance.
"Mr. Price, we need your assistance," Chikuan stated with urgency.
Erwin quickly set down his book and followed Chikuan through the palace halls until they reached a large room where seven severely wounded ogres lay. They were barely breathing and looked to be at death's door. While he hadn't been able to learn Holy and thus healing magic, he still had [Self-Regeneration]. He has gotten proficient enough with it to use it on all seven without a problem.
Within moments, their wounds visibly closed, and their breathing stabilized. They all fell into a peaceful, if exhausted, sleep. After confirming their stable conditions with [Intuitive Aptitude], Erwin turned toward Mobuji and Towa, who had been in the room with the ogres when he arrived
"What exactly happened here?" Erwin inquired.
Mobuji stepped forward, looking grim. "We found them collapsed near a mountain stream. Ogres from that region are well-known mercenaries, known for their loyalty and skill. Given their reputation, we decided it was crucial to save them and learn more."
"Any clue about who might've attacked them?" Erwin asked, examining the now stable ogres thoughtfully.
Both Mobuji and Chikuan exchanged troubled looks and shook their heads.
"Unfortunately, no," Chikuan admitted. "Until they regain consciousness, we're left with nothing but questions."
Understanding there was little else he could do at the moment, Erwin gave a small nod. "Let me know the moment they wake up. For now, I'll return to my studies."
Mobuji inclined his head respectfully. "Of course. Thank you again, Mr. Price."
With one final glance at the sleeping ogres, Erwin returned to the comforting silence of the library, resuming his exploration into the history of this world and its mysteries of magic.
Erwin sat engrossed in a thick, leather-bound tome. He barely registered the sound of footsteps approaching until a gentle voice drew him from his studies.
"Erwin, I brought you some snacks," Towa said warmly, placing a small tray of delicacies beside his stack of books.
He glanced up, "Towa? You really didn't need to. Don't you have staff for this sort of thing?"
"I wanted an excuse to visit. I'm curious about what you've been learning." Towa admitted with a smile. She had become more cheerful and carefree ever since he started teaching her mages how to use the purification spell.
A playful smile tugged at Erwin's lips. "Would you like a demonstration?"
Towa's eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Very much so."
He raised his hand, and a dense orb of magicules formed effortlessly in his palm. He transformed the orb fluidly between elements, first into solid earth, then swirling water, gusty wind, blazing fire, enveloping darkness, and finally radiant light, each time shaping them into a different animal and acting out a scene, before closing his hand gently around the spell and dissolving it.
"Incredible," Towa whispered, eyes wide with admiration. "I knew you were skilled, but the level of control you have is astounding."
"Magic fascinates me. I intend to master it as thoroughly as I can."
After spending a bit of time discussing the intricacy of magic, their conversation drifted naturally into more personal territories, sharing their pasts and aspirations.
Erwin leaned back in his chair, reflecting thoughtfully. "I'm from a distant kingdom, so far away that returning might be impossible. Honestly, I'm unsure about what I want to do in the future. But magic has always been a great interest to me, and mastering it feels like a good path forward. What about you?"
"Me hun... I was born into Raja's royal family. My father passed away before I could remember him, but I never felt it because my mother ensured my childhood was filled with love. Sadly, her passing forced me to step up as Queen at a very young age." She looked down in sadness for a moment, making Erwin feel bad for asking her and making her remember, but she recovered quickly enough and looked back up at him, "As for the future... all I've ever wanted is to ensure my people are safe and happy, free from the toxin plaguing our land."
"The curse, huh..." Erwin hesitated, unsure if he should tell her or not.
Towa caught on and asked, "Did you learn something new?"
Erwin hesitated briefly, then offered a revelation. "Towa, the poison doesn't originate from the mine. The true source lies deep within the lake."
"That's... but everyone, even my mother, said it was caused by excessive mining," Towa said, confused.
"I've checked repeatedly, especially after you've purified the lake," Erwin insisted firmly. "I'm absolutely certain the source lies at the bottom of the lake."
"Do you know what's causing it?" Towa asked urgently.
"I know it's magical in nature, but that's all," Erwin admitted reluctantly. "Even with the purification spell, the source of the poison is far too potent. It would overwhelm me before I can investigate properly."
Towa straightened with determination, a spark igniting in her eyes. "What if I help? I can continuously purify the area while you examine it."
Erwin hesitated, concern evident on his face. "That might work, but it would be dangerous. I don't know how long it could take, and taking too long would be dangerous for you."
"Erwin," Towa said resolutely, reaching out and lightly touching his hand. "This is my land and the people I swore to protect. This is my responsibility. I will not shirk from it, not when there is a chance to end this curse once and for all."
Erwin studied her earnest gaze, seeing nothing but determination, and reluctantly nodded. "Very well."
"Thank you, Erwin." Towa beamed. "And besides, I know I won't be in any danger. You will be with me after all, won't you?"
"I-I would never leave a client behind." Erwin felt his face heat up a bit at her implication and suddenly became all too aware of her hands on his.
Towa pouts, "I'm only a client?"
"What? N-No. Of course not, you're... you're more than that."
"Oh, am I?" Towa said playfully, her gaze now roaming over him in a way he wasn't familiar with. "Then what am I to you?"
"U-Um..." Erwin struggled to find the words. "You're... you're a friend, I guess. My first friend in this land."
Towa giggled and withdrew her hand with a pleased smile on her lips. "I guess that's a good start."
Erwin stared at her in confusion. He opened his mouth to ask what she meant, but decided it was best not to.
Erwin cleared his throat and decided to change the topic, "About the lake..."
"Oh, right! I'll get someone to prepare us a boat." Towa rose quickly and left in a hurry.
A few minutes Erwin, Towa, Mobuji, Chikuan, and several servants carefully boarded a sturdy boat and navigated toward the center of the vast lake. While they couldn't tell from the bank, the closer they got to the center, the darker the water seemed to become. It was not enough for anyone to notice at a casual glance, but now that they were focused on it, they could easily spot the difference.
"Here," Erwin instructed, signaling the servants to halt their rowing. "This is the spot."
Towa nodded solemnly and gently touched the tiara atop her head, channeling its power. A gentle golden glow emanated from her, sweeping outward and steadily cleansing the potent poison from the area around them, creating a safe zone amidst the toxic waters.
Taking a deep breath, Erwin raised his hands and used [Mana Manipulation]. His magic surged forth, splitting the lake water and creating a massive hole all the way to the lakebed below. Simultaneously, he crafted a stable barrier of Space magic, holding the water firmly back and ensuring the boat remained steady.
Everyone aboard gasped in amazement at the sight.
Erwin peered down through the hole and spotted the source of the curse, a sinister magic circle embedded in the lakebed, radiating a malevolent energy.
"I knew it," Erwin murmured grimly. Without hesitation, he leaped from the boat, landing gracefully on the now-exposed lakebed. He activated [Arcane Eyes] and [Thought Acceleration] before focusing his attention on the circle. It was far more complex than anything he'd seen before, said for the tiara.
'As much as I would like to fully study you, I don't have the time for it.'
Towa was using the tiara to keep the area free of poison. The longer he took, the more dangerous it would become for her.
He continued to study the magic circle with a focus on finding its weak points. Once he was confident he could destroy the magic circle without causing an explosion, he raised his arms. His Magicules surged from his fingertips, enveloping the magic circle in a dark blue glow. With a clinch of his hand, the magic circle broke. All the Magicules contained within, to both power and sustain the cursed poison, surged out.
Erwin quickly brought it all under his control through [Mana Manipulation].
'With this much Magicules...'
With a thought, the Magicules he gathered exploded into a blinding golden light. The purification spell swept through the lake and into the land beyond, filling the entirety of the valley with light.
Then, just as quickly as it came, the light faded. The lake was now a pristine blue with nothing hinting at the malevolent magic it once housed. Even the surrounding mountains and city were now free of the curse.
He used a wind-assisted flight spell to return to the boat before carefully closing the hole in the lake. Once that was taken care of, Erwin let out a breath of relief.
"You did it!" Towa cried out, jumping onto him in excitement.
"W-woah!" Erwin stumbled backward from her tackle, but managed to keep them from falling into the water. "Be careful. You're weakened from using the tiara. A fall into he water could make you sick."
Towa was too happy to care. She pressed herself against him, burying her face into his shoulder.
"Thank you, Erwin. You saved my kingdom. I owe you so much," She said in a muffled voice.
Erwin hesitated, then gently returned the embrace. "You're welcome. I'm glad I could help."
Following the significant breakthrough at the lake, Towa decided that the day deserved a grand celebration. However, Erwin convinced her not to tell the public that the curse had been broken just yet. Towa agreed and assured him they would create another excuse to have a celebration. The way she looked at him when she said that gave him a bad feeling.
His fears were quickly proven true when he was invited to the celebration. Towa sent part of her staff to his place and dressed him up in all manner of suits until they found one that satisfied them. He thought that would be the end of it, but once he got to the party itself, he was quickly ushered onto the "stage" where Towa was giving a speech. A speech that oldly had a lot to say about him...
Once she was done, Towa proudly declared, "In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to our kingdom, I hereby appoint Erwin Price as the Royal Mage of the Raja Empire, bestowing upon him the noble rank of Count. Furthermore, any descendants of his shall inherit the noble status of Viscount."
The people all erupted into cheers. Even Erwin couldn't help but be stunned into silence. Out of all the reasons she could give to throw a party, he never expected it to be this.
Towa smiled at him, clearly pleased with her work.
He was tempted to tell her there was no need to go this far, but seeing Towa's earnest expression, he composed himself swiftly and accepted the honor graciously to spare her any embarrassment before her subjects.
The hall erupted into cheers and applause, the citizens wholeheartedly celebrating their new Royal Mage. The atmosphere remained jubilant throughout the evening, filled with music, laughter, and heartfelt congratulations.
Once the festivities had quieted and guests dispersed, Erwin sought out Towa, Mobuji, and Chikuan.
"Seriously?" He groaned, looking between the three.
Towa tilted her head in faux confusion. "Is something wrong?"
"Did I miss something?" Mobuji asked with a confused expression, not knowing what they meant.
"Ah, you must be referring to your title," Chikuan said knowingly, having spent more time with Erwin to learn from him and thus had a better understanding of him. "I'm afraid Her Majesty decided that without our input. Though, I have to say I agree with her decision. It was a great honor to have you as our royal mage, but I think Count is the appropriate title for your station."
"Tch... fine. I'll accept it. Not like I had any other choice after the party," Erwin grumbled, slouching in defeat. It's not like he hates or even dislikes it either, but... "I hope you don't expect me to do any governing. I don't know the first thing about running a kingdom."
Towa giggled lightly, "No need to worry. Simply continuing as you were would help us greatly. Your title as Count and Royal Mage is merely to reward you for your contribution to this land and to let all know of your value."
"Alright..." Erwin said with an unamused frown before turning more serious, "Anyway, I had something to discuss with you."
"Is something wrong?" Towa asked, noticing his seriousness.
"While we've dealt with the immediate source of the poison, the underlying issue isn't entirely resolved," Erwin explained gravely.
Towa looked puzzled, her brows knitted with concern, but Mobuji seemed to grasp the gravity of Erwin's implication immediately.
"You're suggesting the poison was set up by someone, correct?" Mobuji asked cautiously.
"Precisely," Erwin confirmed with a nod. "That magic circle was designed to last generations, but it still needed regular maintenance and fuel. Someone within or connected to Raja was actively perpetuating this curse."
Towa's eyes widened in shock and dismay. "But who would do such a thing?"
"I don't know yet," Erwin admitted. "Which was why I didn't want news of the poison being solved getting out. I urge both of you to keep an eye out for anyone acting unusually. We must be vigilant until we uncover whoever is responsible."
The three of them shared grave looks, each taking his warning seriously.
"We will keep this in mind. We thank you for your diligence and guidance, Sir Erwin," Mobuji said formally, inclining his head respectfully.
"Just Erwin is fine," Erwin corrected, more out of habit than anything.
"Ah, but you are a noble now," Mobuji said, referring to the newly created Count. "Prehaps I should have referred to you with your proper title, Lord Erwin?"
Erwin grumbled in exasperation and sighed. "...Sir is fine..."
"Very well, Sir Erwin." Mobuji gave a sly grin.
Towa giggled in the background. The tense atmosphere dispersed quickly with the joke, something Erwin was secretly grateful for. He didn't like seeing her so serious, it's not her usual self.