I wake up, but didn’t open my eyes right away. It’s because I feel a fluffy feeling on my face. I remember that I fainted in the forest of hunger while collecting herbs but I feel like I’m currently sleeping on a bed.

That’s right, somebody caught me before I lost consciousness, and that’s the last thing I remember. While lost in my thoughts, I unconsciously snuggled the tail. It’s very fluffy indeed. Not only that, it’s also warm and smells good. Maybe like laundry that is recently dried out in the sun.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

It’s a male voice. I don’t care, though. His tail is very fluffy. Still, I stopped snuggling the tail and sat up. Sitting on the side of the bed with his back facing me is a guy with pink fox ears and tail wearing some kind of robe. The robe has a hole where his tail pokes out of. He must be the one that caught me before I lost consciousness.

“Your tail is very fluffy.”

His ears twitched just barely.

“You are a weird one.”

Since he’s the one who saved me, he should be a good person so I introduced myself. I also asked if he’s really the one that saved me to be sure.

“I am Favus von Arknaim. Are you the one that saved me?”

He simply nods.

“Thank you very much for saving me. Can I ask who you are?”

He then stands up and turns around to face me. What can I say, his face is very handsome, straight out of a fairytale. His red eyes look at me intently. More specifically, the part of my arm with a bite mark. Don’t tell me…?

“Hey, why did you bite me?”

“Oh, so you realized.”

“How can I not when you hinted at it so obviously?!”

His lips curved upwards a bit.

“Actually, I’m very thankful that you saved me. I was walking around the forest in my fox form when I stepped on a trap. To answer your question, that bite is me marking you.”

I looked at him suspiciously. I hold the top of my head, feeling my imaginary fox ears about to pop up.

“I’m not going to turn into a fox now, am I? Not that I discriminate against foxes.”

This bastard simply chuckles. He continues, “No, that is just so I can find you. I can’t transform back right away and needed to recover so I marked you to thank you later. Not that it’s needed now, since you came back to the forest in basically the same day.”

His ears perk up.

“Oh, right, I haven’t introduced myself. My name is Koner. I saved you and took you to our village so you can rest. I explained the situation to the guard and they let you in. It’s now morning.”

On his words, I stood up and headed towards the windows. I swiped the curtain to the side and looked out the window. It’s really true. I see people with fox ears and tails outside. Not only that, it’s… currently snowing.

I remembered suddenly before my death that I planned to grind the bonus during holidays. There’s also my family waiting for me back home. I died back then, though. I hope they don’t get saddened too much by my death so that they can enjoy Christmas and New year.

“I don’t know if it is your first time seeing people with animal ears or your first time seeing snow. It doesn’t seem to be the former, though.”

“I just remembered something.”

I happen to notice my naginata resting against the wall behind him. How did I not notice that? For now, I’ll ask him things. Let’s see…

“Can I ask you things?”

“Sure, but…”

Grooowl

“You should eat first. You most likely fainted out of hunger. Come, I cooked breakfast.”

He opened the door and exited the room. I followed him to the dinner table while making sure to close the door behind. Actually, his house is pretty small. After leaving the room that is supposedly his bedroom, I see a mini-kitchen and the dinner table right in front of it.

“Wow.”

“I was actually thinking whether or not to wake you up earlier but you just snuggled and sniffed my tail. Go on, eat up while the food is warm. It’s still freshly cooked. You can ask questions while eating, and I also have questions for you.”

On the table is a simple omelet but it smells so good. I pulled a chair and sat on it. Maybe it only smells this good because this will be my first food since coming to this world. I picked up the spoon and took a bite of the omelet. I was wrong about it only smelling good, it also tastes good.

“Wow, this is very good.”

“I’m glad it suits your tastes.”

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He is also eating with his tail wagging behind him. He must really like his own cooking. Wait, how can he even sit? Right, if his robe has a hole behind for his tail, this chair must also have it.

“By the way, do you live alone here?”

“Not until recently.”

“I see.”

We silently ate for a while. There must have been a reason he was trapped there that he isn’t telling me. I continued, “I wandered the forest and all this time I didn’t come across this village?”

“Oh, that? It is protected by a strong barrier.”

I finish the rest of my food and asked, “Do you have a status too? Like a blue panel appearing in front of you.”

He only looked at me with a confused face.

“Mnn? Of course. Don’t tell me your parents didn’t teach you?”

He also finishes his food and then continues to speak.

“Speaking of parents and family, are you a noble? If then, why are you wandering around the forest and picking up herbs? I was curious about this since you met and saved me.”

This time I was the one to look at him with a confused face.

“Hey, you’ve been following me all that time and you didn’t even try to help me until I fainted?”

This bastard only dry coughed. I thought for a while on how to answer his other questions and spoke up.

“First, kind of. Second, I’m broke.”

“What, you didn’t bring any money with you before fleeing your house? If you got robbed, even your clothes would be gone after all.”

“No, it’s complicated.”

“I see, then I won’t ask any further.”

Now, it’s time to ask my main question that I really wanted and needed to know in order to level up. Honestly, I should’ve asked the queen but I was too stiff at the time.

“By the way, how do you gain new skills?”

“Others teach it to you, like swordsmanship moves. Passive skills are very hard to learn, though, because it is part of you as a person. Skills also include magic.”

My imaginary fox ears perked up at his words and I can feel my tail wagging.

“Right, do you know any magic?”

“Hmm, yes I do but…”

“Can you teach me?”

His face is conflicted. It’ll be sad that I can’t learn it if it’s a secret magic art of his family. I can understand, though.

“Well, sure, but they are fox arts, exclusively only for us. That means a human like you can’t learn it. Unless of course…”

He then smirked and licked his fangs.

“…you are willing to truly become a fox?”

I gulped. Well, it’ll be nice if I can learn magic but then it’ll be a pain to have a tail you need to groom not including my own hair that I don’t even comb. Then I’ll have to put a hole in my clothing.

“No, thank you.”

“I see.”

Don’t look disappointed, now.

“Oh, I can’t teach you magic, but I know someone who could. They visit here sometimes, and is a good person. This person also happens to own an alchemy shop in Stein town.”

There is a good chance that this person is the same one that posted the request I was doing.

“I haven’t said this to you yet but you’re the nicest noble I’ve ever met.”

“I might be one of a kind.”

“Maybe you’re right.”

I stood up from my seat and fixed my clothes.

“Now that I remember, did you also pick up the herbs I gathered?”

He stands up and goes inside his bedroom to go get something. I patiently wait for him and stood up there awkwardly. Then, he comes out of the room holding my naginata and a bag.

“Here, I put them inside this bag. You can have it. Also, here is your weapon.”

“Thank you. It’s a pain to carry the herbs without a bag. Then, I will be leaving now.”

“Wait, I’ll come with you. You’ll get lost again if I leave you alone.”

With that, we left the village. We met a few people on our way including the village chief and they are very friendly. They greeted me and Koner with a smile and then waved us goodbye.

“This is as far as I can take you. If you head straight, that should be the exit. Don’t get lost again.”

“Thank you again for saving me.”

“Oh, right. When you meet this person, tell them this in order for them to recognize that I sent you.”

I leaned closer to me to whisper something in my ear.

“Really?”

He nods.

“Okay, then I will go now. I will visit again sometime.”

He waved me goodbye as I left the forest and headed to the town. The same guard is there and he welcomed me back. It seems that it is common for people to return the next day when doing requests since he didn’t even ask where I was last night.

Wait, I forgot to ask the name of the person and what shop they own. Maybe I should go back? He will be too far by now, though. I let out a sigh as I entered the town. Then, I silently looked at the request again. I might find some clues to this alchemy shop.

Then, the request just says to deliver it to the local alchemy shop. It doesn’t even have a name? I put away the request and brought up the map next. I scan it and sure enough, there’s only one alchemy shop here. Looks like that is where I will go next.

I arrive at the alchemy shop. The entrance is nothing special. Actually, if not for the map being given for free at the entrance, you won’t even know there’s one here. I gently open the door, peeking my head inside to see if I’m at the right place. It seems so.

“Welcome, how may I help you today? It is quite uncommon for new clients to come here. Did someone refer you?”

Unexpectedly, at the counter, there is a young boy with a comically large pointy wizard hat with a matching long wizard robe that greeted me. Is this the owner? I took a deep breath. Here goes…

I held my middle finger, ring finger, and thumb against each other on both my hands to form a gesture and then spoke the words he told me.

“Kon-nichiwhat’sup my boy!”

Of course, with matching vigor and I made sure to emphasize the “Kon” like he told me. This is very silly. The boy looked stupefied and we stared at each other for a few seconds, my hands still doing the gesture. Then, he burst into laughter.

“Pfft, he got you good with that one. All you had to say was that you know Koner.”

That bastard… I’ll make sure to really visit sometime but for a different reason. I lowered my hands and then the boy introduced himself.

“I’m Jose, and I own this shop. What’s your name?”

“I am Favus von Arknaim.”

“I see. What are you here for?”

He likes to get straight to the point. This is good.

“First, this.”

I held up the poster and Jose furrowed his brow.

“So, you’re the one that ripped it off.”

“Next time make the text bigger.”

“It’s fine, I have copies. Where are the herbs?”

I bring them out of the bag and he counts them. He seems satisfied and hands me 60 copper coins, as promised. I put it inside the bag.

“They are in good condition. Alright, what’s your other business here?”

He is pretty sharp. Then, I will get straight to the point. No use in beating around the bush.

“Actually, Koner told me to come here so I can learn magic.”

His brows furrowed even more than earlier.

“What, aren’t you a noble? I don’t have any spells to teach you that you won’t know. Besides, why are you picking up herbs anyway?”

I should’ve really picked different clothes.

「Ad-lib is in effect」

“Actually, I wasn’t taught any magic. Also, me picking up herbs and doing errands is a long story that I’d rather not tell.”

He looked at me and thought for a while.

“Fine, since Koner sent you here you should be a somewhat good person. Then, I shall teach you the basics first.”

He then exits the counter and locks the door. Then, he sits in front of me.

“Come, sit.”

“Right now?”

“Of course. We are only learning the basics.”

I sit down and wait for his next words. Though I am the one learning here, it feels like I am the teacher with our height difference. He’s as small as a child that is 12 years old. Maybe he really is?

“Listen carefully, I will only say things once. You do know about skills, right?”

I nod my head.

“You see, spells are like skills. You learn them and then they will pop up in your active skills list. However, there’s a catch.”

“What is that?”

“Let me finish talking.”

I shut my mouth.

“Unlike skills, as the name suggests, you need to spell out an incantation. Basically, you need to chant before using a spell contrary to using a skill. The incantation of spells is obtained after trials and tribulations of the greatest spell weavers. That means you can’t make up spells as you like. This also uses up ‘mana’, which you can only see after learning basic magic.”

I see, it is as I expected.

“Once you learn magic, a mana bar will pop up on the side of your vision. It is handy like that.”

Very handy indeed.

“I am telling you right now that you need to control it carefully, as a spell doesn’t have a limitation. It means, you can pour as much mana to a weak spell as you can and it will get stronger accordingly. If this happens, you will run out of mana.”

“What will happen then?”

“You will die.”

I gulp. This might be harder than I thought.

“Just kidding, you just won’t be able to move until your mana recovered to at least 30%, but you still will be slow and lethargic.”

Why, you…

“Then, that’s all you need to know about the basics of spell casting. I will now show you a simple spell. This one is called fire wisp. I use this a lot when making potions. Now then…”

He slid back the sleeve of his robe on his left hand and pointed his index finger upwards.

“Fragment of a great flame, puny but enough to light the way, set alight.”

「Spell Comprehension is in effect」

From the tip of his finger comes out a tiny flame, really just enough to light the way. Either way, this is very cool. He noticed my excitement and coughed to pull me back to reality.

He withdrew his hand and said, “Now it’s your turn. Don’t worry if you don’t get it the first time. It’s really hard to learn spells.”

「Spell comprehended」

「New spell added to Active Skills」

This notification…

I also pulled back the sleeve on my left hand and pointed my index upwards. I am very excited for this, I always made up spells back in earth. This time I’ll be able to cast one for real. I tried to remember the spell as best as I could.

“Fragment of the great flame, enough to light the way, set ablaze.”

He hurriedly shouted to stop me but he’s already too late.

“Stop, you idiot! The chant is all wr-“

「Ad-lib is in effect」

「Spell Distortion is in effect」

「Fire Wisp is activated」

Following these notifications, sparks like those of ember appeared around my finger and at the tip of my finger burst forth…

…a flame as dark as my hair with a violet hue.