"I'm sorry, how much?" I asked in an incredulous voice, what the gnome just told me couldn't be right, I was sure if it.

"One hundred thousand valis for a day entry, no haggling." The old gnome told me in a bored voice from behind the counter.

"What's wrong newbie-kun?" Tiona asked from inside the library.

I scratched the back of my head in both embarrassment and confusion, what did I ever do to this gnome dude?

I mean, I know things are more expensive in Orario, but that’s just ridiculous.

"Sorry Tiona but I just don't have this kind of money. One hundred thousand valis is more than I could make in a month."

"What, how much?" She asked in a surprised voice.

Ha, I knew the damn midget had to have been fucking with me. I narrowed my eyes at him and prepared myself to argue,

"I just pay their annual fees so I never knew how much their day pass was." She said as she came back to talk with us, “I didn’t think it was that cheap.”

Or maybe not, fuck.

The gnome suddenly did a one eighty and became much more respectful. "Greetings my lady, gathering and caring for all our books in Orario is a very expensive endeavor so we must charge according."

"Ah, don't worry about that, I'll just pay his entry today then, come on inside Newbie-kun."

Noooooooo! Can't you just give me that money instead, damn it? That's more than I made even with the vouivre!

"But…but" I was speechless, despite watching the anime I had forgotten how ridiculous a first class adventurer could be.

"Oh don't worry newbie-kun, that's nothing to me, now comes on, let's go."

That's not the fucking point, damn woman!

Unable to argue I let the Amazon drag me inside the library, from behind me I heard the gnome waving in a cheerful voice, "have a nice day, dear customer."

"You know, I'd really have preferred you just give me that money instead."

"Don't be silly; what kind of hero would you be if I just gave you money?" Tiona asked in a confused voice, "No, you've got to gather your own money for adventuring; it's in the hero's journey."

"The mentor also dies in that if you'll remember."

"That's only if they're an old man Newbie-kun, you've got to read more books"

Well damn, she had me there. But still… so much money.

Grabbing me by the arm Tiona led me through the building and between the hundreds of book cases until we stopped at the border between the history and fiction sections.

She proceeded to grab books off the shelves one after another and pile them in front of me, acting with as much enthusiasm as when she was fighting.

"You've got to read this one, and here, the story of the hero Yulia, this one too, the legend of Galmuza!"

She kept putting book after book on top of the table, to the point I had to raise an eyebrow; did she think I could read it all today? Hundreds of books in a day were too much even for a bookworm like me.

Also, if they charged so much just for a day pass, how much would I have to pay to take one of those books home?

"Tiona, I don't think I can read so much in a single day."

The Amazon froze with a devastated look on her face. With an exaggerated sigh and many longing glances at every book, she started taking books back to their places.

After a few moments, the mountain had been reduced to only a dozen books and Tiona reduced to biting at her nails in utter indecision, every once in a while she’d take a book, look at the cover, and lay it back on the table, unable to eliminate it too.

Her pout as she glared at the books was quite cute.

Finally, I decided to help her.

“How about this, show me your favorite first?” I asked with an amused smile.

“Alright!” her frown disappeared as soon as it had come and she picked up a single book from the pile, presenting it to me as if it was some kind of treasure. “The legend of the Argonaut, you’ve got to read it!”

The book had a simple leather cover with golden letters in front, I still wondered how I could read Koine without ever having learned the language, but I wasn’t looking a gifted horse in the mouth.

If my asshole of a ROB wanted to make life a little easier by giving me knowledge of a different language, good for me.

When I first found out the thing had put new knowledge inside my mind I had freaked the hell out, but there was just far too much to worry about without wondering if I’m even still myself or just a collection of memories created by a bored eldritch being.

It made life much easier for me if I didn’t even consider it.

“Thanks.” I said and took the book.

Putting both hands behind her back Tiona bent forward and just… stared at me with huge eyes filled with expectation, her head tilting from one side to the other as I opened the book and looked it over.

“You do know I won’t be able to read this entire thing in one sitting right?”

“Mou, I know that, but you have to tell me about it next time we meet alright?” Tiona sat down on the table with her own book, but she didn’t open it and continued to stare at me.

It was making me uncomfortable.

With a sigh, I pulled the chair right beside me closer and offered. “Do you want to read it with me?”

“YES!”

Jumping up, the Amazon winced when she received a glare from one of the gnome librarians.

Sitting by my side, the girl pulled her chair closer and leaned over my body to look at the book. Adjusting my position I made myself comfortable and started reading the book.

Reading with the sharingan was simultaneously incredibly easy and incredibly frustrating. If I looked at the page in its entirety for even a single second I’d be able to remember every word writing in it, it made my reading speed incredibly fast.

It didn’t mean I’d be able to make sense of all the words I read instantly, it still took a few seconds for my mind to process and understand everything I had read, but I wouldn’t even need the book for that.

Still, with Tiona reading by my side, I’d have to wait until she was done too before turning the page.

Eventually, I found a compromise by focusing on one line at a time and taking my time digesting what I’d read before moving on. It was hard at first, but Tiona was a fun companion and it was funny to watch her reactions as she read.

Almost an hour later we had read the first eleven chapters and I decided to take a break. Marking the page I had stopped at I stretched my limbs and got up.

“So, so, tell me, what do you think of it?” She asked as she eagerly poked at my shoulder with a finger.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“I like it, can’t say it’s an epic masterpiece, but it’s very enjoyable and funny.”

The Argonaut’s story wasn’t something like Lord of The Rings or other epic works; it was more like the comedic light novel you read to relax. Still, that didn’t mean it was bad, quite the contrary.

“Right! Right! The Great Ballad is much better written, but I can’t help but love the Argonaut’s story more.” She nodded with a huge smile on her face.

I looked from her face to the book and smiled, it had been a very relaxing hour and I hadn’t realized how much I needed to take a break like this since arriving in this world.

I did love fighting in the dungeon, but staying so tense all the time was taking its toll on me.

Damn, now that I thought about it, I really had been acting a little off since coming here, too eager to throw myself at danger while also too afraid of the gods.

In hindsight, taking what I knew of mythology as truth for a manga that was only loosely based on it is a very stupid thing to do. Heck, it was quite possible most of what we knew of Norse mythology in the modern age was wrong too.

I blame the ROB, the first being I ever meet that could be called divine had almost destroyed my very soul by being careless, then thrown to the 18 floor of the dungeon as a level 1, was it any wonder I thought the worst of other gods?

Not that I’d change my approach completely, that would be stupid, but maybe I could tone down my fear and aversion, at least a little bit.

Still don’t want anything to do with Freya and Apollo though; those two were assholes in the anime too from what I remember.

Cracking my neck I looked around and had an idea.

“Say, how about we continue to read the book together?” Tiona looked at me in confusion and I explained. “I doubt I’d get enough money to rent it anytime soon, but if you do it, we could read it together, I think I’d be more fun this way too.”

“Really? That’d be great!” She grabbed the book, making sure not to mess up with the page marking. “I’ll go rent this right away!”

“Wait, do you mind if we stay in the Library a little bit longer?” I asked feeling a little bit guilty, but she had paid for my entrance because she had wanted tonot because I asked, “I want to look at some other books while we’re here if that’s okay.”

“Sure, I was planning on staying until lunch anyway.” She happily waved at me and dashed towards the front entrance, receiving a few more glares along the way.

I sighed and consoled myself, I had never asked for it, it wasn’t like I was manipulating her for personal gain, there was nothing to feel guilty about, personal gains were just a happy side effect, not something I had been going for.

Nodding to myself I hurried to the nearest Librarian and asked the little Gnome. “Hey, do you guys have books on the Dungeon, its monsters or magic? Ah, and do you have books on Orario’s current familias?”

“We obviously cannot lend or rent any grimoires, but we do have many books on magical theory and the Dungeon.”

“Alright, could you guide me to some of the beginning level explanations, and maybe a bestiary too?”

The Gnome lowered the little clipboard he had been using and gave a frustrated sigh, with a practiced and professional voice he motioned for me to sit down, “Of course dear costumer, if you could wait a moment I’ll bring the book directly to your table.”

“Right, thanks.” I nodded and sat back down.

While waiting, I took a few of Tiona’s chosen books and started reading their first chapters to see what they were all about, marking three as interesting before the Amazon arrived back.

“Did you like anything else?”

“Yeah, I think I already know which one I want to read after finishing Argonaut’s” I told her and she peeked at the books I had selected, then nodded in approval.

Tiona herself decided to browse the library looking for a new story to devour. Twenty minutes later the Gnome arrived with almost two dozen books and put them in front of me.

“Those are the most accurate books on magical theory, the Dungeon and its monsters and Orario’s situation,” he finished pilled them up at my side with a tired voice, “Please leave all books on the table when you’re done and don’t try to put them in the shelves out of order.”

“Right, thanks a lot.” I tried to be polite to the grumpy little man.

“It was my pleasure costumer.” He said between his gritted teeth and fled before I could ask anything else.

I just shrugged and picked up the first book, ‘introduction to acquired magic’, turning to the next books they read ‘introduction to congenital magic’ and ‘A complete guide to dungeon monsters: Upper floors bestiary’. With a wide smile and holding on an evil laugh I opened it on the first page and started reading.

Damn I loved the sharingan.

It took only a few seconds to look at a page and forever remember it with the sharingan, I’d still have to take my time comprehending the books contents later, but I wouldn’t need to return to the library to do so, I’d already remember every word.

Almost three hours later I finished memorizing all twenty two books, my eyes were killing me, I had a headache and my brain felt like it was swelling with too much knowledge inside my skull, but I could remember everything I had read.

I felt like I’d need another health potion as soon as I left the library, but saving the one hundred thousand valis needed for another day entry was probably worth overusing my eyes once.

I stumbled out of the Library almost carried by Tiona, the Amazon was giving me an odd look but, after I had dismissed her concerns, she didn’t ask me about it again.

Soon I managed to find a quiet, grassy spot and rested myself against a small tree, a piece of cloth covering my eyes to prevent further use while Tiona decided to get some street food for us. I wasn’t complaining.

I took deep, even breaths as I downed a health potion and hoped it was enough to alleviate my sharingan overuse, maybe I shouldn’t have read all 22 books, half of them wouldn’t even be useful at the moment.

Still, I now knew far more about the things around me and, while reviewing the information still sent spikes of pain through my brain, I had no doubt I’d recover in a day or two and learn even more.

“Here.” Tiona said and I felt something hot and greasy touch my cheek.

Without opening my eyes I lifted my hand until she put the treat in my grasp.

“What is it?” I asked as I bit into the thing, its texture was strange and there was some meat inside, or was it fish? I couldn’t tell, at least it wasn’t bad.

“Nobody knows we just call it U.F.O’s, unidentifiable fried object.” I almost did a spit take at the name, but managed to swallow. “The auntie who prepares it refuses to explain, saying it’s a secret recipe or something.”

“It’s tasty enough I guess.” I said and relaxed further against the tree.

No longer hungry and with a potion working overtime I was already starting to feel better... if I didn’t try to think about all the information I gained anyway.

I wonder, would a true Uchiha feel the same way if they did something like this?

“Newbie-kun, you still want to visit the magic shop today?” She asked as she sat down by my side and bit into her own food.

“Yeah…” I said as I finished swallowing. “I’m feeling better already and I don’t want to lose another day shopping. Did you ask Riveria about it?”

“Yup, she says she does her staff maintenance at the Witch’s Secret House.” She said and started messing with something, lifting a corner of the cloth in front of my eyes I saw her pulling out a map from inside a pocket. “Here, it’s like, very close to the Pantheon.”

“The Guild’s headquarters?” I asked, not remembering any shops around the place, then again, it was called Secret House so… “Help me up?”

Turns out the Witch’s Secret House was, surprise, surprise, very well hidden.

We had to go down a very narrow stairwell leading to a basement that ended in a single, thick wooden door with nothing to say it was a shop.

Tiona walked ahead of me making sure I didn’t fall since I still didn’t feel at my best, then she knocked hard on the door and opened it.

The shop itself was more spacious, a wider room with enough space for almost twenty people, its walls completely covered with shelves or small drawers, there were also several complicated grimoires held behind glass walls, strange runes marking the edge of the glasses.

I made the mistake of glancing at one of the grimoires, a small green book with complicated, vine like patterns and a six star drawing on its cover that rested on top of a small red pillow, reading it’s pricing I winced.

155 million valis was far, far too much to even think about.

Making sure I avoided touching anything and risk damaging it I looked at the rest of the store and saw a beautiful elf, she was looking at a white wooden staff resting on the counter with intricate carvings along its shaft.

Even smaller than Tiona, the elf had straight, raven black hair, pale skin and red eyes, she also wore a white dress with light blue details that covered her body from the neck down leaving only her face exposed.

When we approached the counter the woman only gave a brief glance our way before turning away, but I still caught the slight widening of her eyes when she looked at me.

What? I was pretty certain I hadn’t spoken with any elf beside Remilia; most of them were racist assholes anyway.

Soon, the witchiest witch that ever witched came back from inside the shop holding a white want in her hand.

She was dressed in a black robe with the traditional pointy hat, had sharp nails, a huge pointy nose filled with warts and her wrinkles had wrinkles.

I half expected the woman to crackle like mad and fly off on top of a broom at any moment. Instead, she handed the wand back to the elf and received a bag filled with money.

“I finished repairing the spell stones; try not to ruin them as soon this time.” The old woman said and received a nod in return.

Receiving her wand the elf turned around and looked at me one more time before ignoring us as she left the shop.

“Who’s she?” I asked in curiosity, I didn’t recognize her and, with the sharingan, that was saying something.

“Dunno.” Tiona shrugged.

“Filvis Challia, a good costumer, but what brings you here young man?” The shop owner said as she sat behind the counter and in front of a large cauldron.

I raised an eyebrow and looked after the retreating elf, already turning the corner after having climbed the stairs.

I wanted to follow her out of the shop, but I didn’t feel up to running after her, I was too likely to stumble and fall on my face, so I just committed her face to memory.

I’d find her later, when I wasn’t feeling so shitty, and properly thank her for saving my life in the dungeon.

“Right,” I said and glanced again at the bag filled with valis, a lot of valis. “I do hope you don’t just deal with large purchases.”

“Don’t worry, most of my stock is made for beginners, what do you need?”

“Do you have anything to help lower an enemy’s magic resistance?” I asked as I looked around the shop in curiosity.

“Hmmm, I do have something like that yes, but I don’t think they’re in your price range.” She mumbled and smirked at me. “Cursed weapons and items are expensive you know?”

“Does it have to be a curse?”

“Perhaps if you explain why you need it I can come up with an alternative.” She said leaning over the counter, her eyes showing interest. “New spells are always interesting to me.”

I thought about it, I didn’t want to reveal my ability to anyone, that’d be stupid, but I could give the woman a rough description without revealing too much if it would help me improve.

Mord’s team already knew it anyway and, while I didn’t think they’d try to come after me, I had no confidence they wouldn’t tell anyone while drunk.

“I have a spell capable of casting illusions against a monster, it’s extremely useful but can’t affect monsters much stronger than me and the illusion breaks easily.”

“Interesting…” The old woman lifted an eyebrow and looked at me with a shine in her eyes, tapping at her chin with a long, sharp nail, she thought about the situation. “And how much is your budged?”

“Fifteen thousand valis?” I tried to sound the woman out while considering things.

That’d leave me with only 5 thousand in reserve, but I was quickly improving my ability in the dungeon and I expected a large improvement in killing monsters after I went through the information on Dungeon Monsters I had gotten.

The witch snorted, then started snickering at me with amusement, just as I was about to walk out she motioned for me to stop and gathered herself.

“Ah… don’t mind me, sometimes I forget how it is to just start out.” She wiped a tear of amusement from her eye and leaned back. “For the record, expect any magical tool to be at least 100 thousand, there’s a few things cheaper but they’re trinkets that won’t help you in the dungeon.”

“I see, I guess I’m just wasting your time then.”

“I didn’t say that, I said I’m interested in new magic and illusions magic is very rare.” She said as she pulled a piece of parchment from bellow the counter. “How about we make a deal?”

“What kind?” I asked suspiciously, if she asked to sign in blood I was out of here.

“Usually something like this would be a waste of my time, but I’m willing to make you a very cheap wand, something around forty thousand and with only a single spell stone, if you come agree to come back to tell me what effect it had on your spell.”

I thought about it, then I looked at her. “I still don’t have that kind of money right now.”

“You can pay ten thousand now and the remaining valis when you come back.” She offered a glint in her eyes as she sensed my interest.

I was feeling highly suspicious, I couldn’t see what advantage she could get from the deal and it left me feeling uneasy, “And what exactly will this wand do?”

“I’m thinking I’ll make something simple, concentrate your mana when you channel the spell from your hand.”

“That… won’t work; I don’t use my hands for the spell.”

“Oh, even more interesting!” the challenge only seemed to make the witch happier, “Hmmmm, how about this then, instead of a wand for targeting I can just make you a ring, with enough control you can channel your mana through the ring concentrating it, then draw it out when you want to use it.”

“Is there any detriment to doing it that way? And how long is that gonna take”

“Sure, the spell stones will deteriorate twice as fast and it will take longer to use the skills, but its cheap equipment anyway.” She waved her hand dismissing his concerns. “It’ll only take me 4 days.”

I looked towards Tiona and sighed when I saw she wasn’t even paying attention anymore, making any of my illusions slower to cast seemed like a huge setback, but it could be exactly what I needed when facing a stronger monster.

“Alright, I agree.” I nodded and shook the witch’s hand.

I left the shop together with Tiona, when we were finally back in Orario’s streets the Amazon turned my way. “So, what’s up with this Filvis?”

“She saved my life in the dungeon.” I confessed as I avoided Tiona’s eyes in shame. “I had a mind down and she carried me into safety before a monster could kill me.”

“Eh, and I thought she’d be one of those elves who look down on us.” She said while putting both hands behind her head. “Don’t forget to pay her back; you’re my apprentice now you can’t go making me look bad!”

“I won’t.”

Tiona walked me towards the center of Orario and the sky started changing as night arrived, she talked about things on Loki familia and I asked questions.

Eventually, the guilt from having her spending so much money on me started bothering me and I sighed. “Thanks a lot for today Tiona, I really needed it, how can I pay you back?”

“You know what? How about you tell me one of your stories then?” she asked with eagerness.

“Alright, you have a deal.” I smiled and watched as she went back to Loki’s house.

Feeling lighter than I had since coming here I returned to my room, eager to take a shower and close my eyes, maybe then the last of this headache would be gone.