Side story 4: Childhood and Library Magic - Part 3

"What the hell was that?" I said to myself while trying to recall the memory of the thing that I just saw.

Was I just seeing things. Or was it an illusion? I was contemplating as such, only to dismiss the thought as there should be no reason for that to happen. Is there really another person or creature, other than myself, that is living in the 《Library》? I should explore more of the 《Library》 later after I replenish my almost depleted mana pool.

I started to absorb mana from the surrounding so that I can replenish my own mana, only to discover that I was holding the bookmark magic tool that was in the 《Library》. I guess this means that I can bring out the magic tools that was on the table, to the outside world. This bookmark magic tool should be useful to me, in a lot of ways. As I was having such thoughts, I have begun to imbue the bookmark magic tool with mana and aim it at a nearby vase in my room. I shot the orb with a faint light that came out of the bookmark magic tool at the vase, and it landed successfully onto the vase. After that, the vase shined with a color of red and was labeled with a name of 'experimental vase' as it was according to my will. Although it is shining with a red color, the original color of the vase, which is blue, is still the same only covering it with a faint shine of red. After that, I left my room to find a nearby maid or butler to test my hypothesis.

Only a few seconds after, I found a maid that is currently wiping the windows clean, based on my memory, I think her name is Gillian. She should be around the age of 20-21 and is of the beastmen race and the tribe of the cat race. She has yellow cat ears and tail, her face is not bad either, on a scale of 1-10, if talking about her beauty, then she'll pass as a 7. Though it is just a judgment from me, who hasn't really met a lot of girls in this world. If she was on the Earth, then I would have given her a 9, but based on the girls that I had met in Isaiah, mainly mother and Meria, who I graded a 9 and 9.5 respectively, then she really is a 7. Although I am measuring her beauty, I don't have the slightest bit of interest on the topic about love or romance, as in my opinion, those things are just a nuisance. I just appreciate the beauty, that's all.

"Good afternoon Young Master, can I help you with anything?" She inquired from me, as she noticed that I was looking at her.

"Ah, there is one thing that I need your help with. Can you look at this vase to see if there is anything weird about it?" I said, holding out the vase with one hand to her.

"I am sorry for this servant's incompetence, but I don't see anything out of the ordinary about this vase. Please forgive me." She bowed to ask for forgiveness.

"It's alright, please rise. May I ask you to concentrate your mana into your eyes and look at it again to see if there's any change."

She started to gather the mana in her body and concentrating it to the eyes.

"There's still no change, Young Master."

"I see. Thank you for your cooperation Gillian-san, please continue with your work." I stored the vase in my storage ring.

"Please ask this servant if there is anything more that I can help Young Master with. I will help with my utmost effort." She said, bowing.

The experiment was a success. I left the hallway after that, so she can continue to with her work. Although I don't like people who talk too much but she is too stiff, I don't think I can talk to her for too long. But I guess it's because of the master and servant relationship that we share she is acting like that. The first time I saw her, coincidentally it was my first time seeing a Beastman, I thought that she will speak with 'nyaa' at the end of every sentence, it wasn't like that though, I guess it was kinda racist of me. I should reflect on that. When I see her talking with the other maids, she is more cheerful than that. Though she is gentle too, kind of like a big sister type. Though I can't really judge her work personality, as my overall personality among other people is as a quiet and eccentric child. 

I am a bit of an anti-social person even when I was still on Earth. Other people even say that I have a scary and hard to approach aura, and combine it with my always emotionless face, almost no one would even approach me, much less talk to me. Though there were people that talked to me even with all that, most of them are those are the people who can't read the mood and the meddlesome type of people.

As I was reminiscing about the past, I have already arrived at my destination, which is outside the house. The reason that I came here is to find a monster so that I can test the bookmark magic tool to see if it works on living beings as well. Although I could've just tested it on Gillian, there could be a possibility that it is harmful or even deadly, so I refrain myself on doing so.

I concentrated my mana to enhance my senses and ran into the nearby forest. About 10 minutes later, I found a suitable prey to experiment on. It was a Snow Leopard. They are the main predator of this forest, even I can't win against it, though that is only if I fight head on. It should be perfect to test it on, I could even practice my fighting after, and the 'Snow Leopard' is delicious after it is cooked. I could give it to Martha so that she could cook it. It's practically killing three birds with one stone.

Time to start on the first phase of the experimentation. I slowly imbue mana into the bookmark magic tool and aimed it at the Snow Leopard while standing at the top of a tree so the Snow Leopard can't spot me. I need to do this in one shot because the Snow Leopard is a cautious monster. Snow Leopards only attacks when they have a proper plan to ambush their prey. If a Snow Leopard is caught off guard they will run away. Even if it knows that I'm weaker than it, it will still run away the moment it senses my presence. The most annoying part is, the Snow Leopard can camouflage to the surrounding snow and it will ambush me after I let my guard down.

I fired the bookmark magic tool towards the Snow Leopard and it hit the mark in one shot. The Snow Leopard now have an aura of the color orange and is labeled with the word 'Prey'. Although it hit, the Snow Leopard is still not aware of what my actions. The first phase of the experiment is complete, now to start on the 2nd phase of the experiment. I took out a crossbow and a back quiver that has 25 bolts.

I aimed the loaded crossbow near the Snow Leopard and fired it. It pierced the ground near the Snow Leopard. The Snow Leopard finally noticed my presence because of that, and it started to take a battle stance. I started to reload my crossbow with another bolt, when it noticed that I was gonna shoot at it again, it started to flee to the opposite of my direction. I waited for a minute before pursuing the Snow Leopard. I can still see the orange aura and the word 'Prey' is tagged on it. With this, the second phase of the experiment is also complete.

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It's time for the hunt! I started my pursuit of the fleeing Snow Leopard, based on its speed it should be in a 3-mile radius from where I am. I concentrated my mana on my legs so that I can run faster. I caught up a minute later, the Snow Leopard had traveled about 5 miles before stopping. The Snow Leopard is now camouflaged in the surrounding snow and is practically invisible, even father will have a hard time finding the Snow Leopard in this place. Although I said that, the Snow Leopard is now sticking out like a sore thumb with its orange aura and the 'Prey' tag on it.

It's time for the third phase of the experiment to begin. I imbue mana on the bolt and loaded it onto the crossbow. I aimed at the head of the Snow Leopard and fired it. The Snow Leopard monster instinct was top-notch, so although the bolt was just inches away, the Snow Leopard still managed to move its head away. The mana imbued bolt pierced through the shoulder part, only missing the head by a hair's breadth.

NYAAAAAWR!!!

"I guess you won't go down that easily, huh?" I muttered while I took another bolt from the quiver and reloaded it onto the crossbow.

Before I got the chance to aim, the Snow Leopard already pounced towards me. I tumbled sideways to dodge the incoming Snow Leopard, I imbue mana onto the bolt. Aiming at its stomach, I fired the bolt. Before the arrow had the chance to pierce the Snow Leopard, the Snow Leopard suddenly disappeared from my sight. The Snow Leopard reappeared behind me and swung its right claw at me, at the same time as that, I swung the crossbow at my hands towards its head, full force. My attack connected first and I used the momentum of the attack to get some distance away from the Snow Leopard.

I noticed that my right hand was scratched and is now bleeding, but it should just be a shallow wound. It was close one, if not for the orange aura due to effect of the bookmark magic tool, then I wouldn't have seen its movement at all and my injury would have been worse than a mere scratch, possibly it could have even killed me with that attack. 

NYAAAWR!!!

The eyes of the Snow Leopard is glowing crimson red, its body also enlarged. This should be the skill of the Snow Leopard, the 【Predator's Rage】. From what I had read at the library in the house, the only Snow Leopard that can use this skill is the Alpha Snow Leopard. They don't have any visible differences from a normal Snow Leopard except the fact that they have the skill 【Predator's Rage】. It must be my fortune, for my experimental prey to be an Alpha Snow Leopard. Well, there's no meaning with regretting what's already happened, I should focus on the fight.

The Alpha Snow Leopard is encircling me while growling, looks like it's become even more cautious now. I took out two swords from my storage ring and adopted a defensive stance while paying attention to the movements of the Alpha Snow Leopard. 

It again suddenly pounced towards me. I used the two swords to block the attack while concentrating my mana into my arms and legs. I redirected the attack before it got over to me. I slashed both of my swords towards its defenseless behind, but it suddenly disappeared from my sight again. I saw a blurry orange aura go upwards, so it should've jumped. I imbue mana into my left sword and concentrate my mana towards my left arm. I tumbled forward to dodge the incoming attack.

The Alpha Snow Leopard attacked connected with the ground where I was supposed to be. I hurled my left sword towards at it. The Alpha Snow Leopard once again disappeared and dodged the incoming sword, but I was expecting that move. I saw the blurred orange aura move towards my right, so the Alpha Snow Leopard should be there. I used 【Black Ball】 and shot it towards the ground where I was standing.

The surrounding area where I am is now filled with mist-like smoke.

I got out of the way just in time for the Alpha Snow Leopard landed into the area. Its field of vision should now be blocked, wasting no time I imbue mana into the sword and concentrate all my mana in my body towards my arms, then I slash with all my might towards the Alpha Snow Leopard.

Even though the place was full of black mist-like smoke, I could still tell that my attack was a success, as I felt the resistance when I slashed. Blood was spurting everywhere, did I struck an artery? I took some distance from the area because I still don't know whether the Alpha Snow Leopard is still alive. After a minute or so, the mist-like smoke disappeared. It was then that I saw that the part I slashed was the neck. Although the neck was not severed, it was still a fatal wound.

"Haa, I won huh?" I muttered while panting tiredly.

Although I want to rest for a bit, unfortunately, I don't have the luxury. Because, other predators should come here after they smelt the blood. I guess the 3rd phase of the experiment is a success as well. I look at the corpse that is still glowing with an orange aura and a tag.

"There's too much blood. I don't think I can carry this all the way home without having a troublesome encounter. I should probably give up on bringing it home. I guess I only killed two birds huh?" I mused while I cut off the fangs of the Alpha Snow Leopard.

This should be a good alchemy ingredient. I put it in my storage ring for future uses. I returned home after that. I got a scolding from my mother when I got home with an injury and blood all over my body. After that, I tried to use【Library Magic】 but to no avail, it looks like I can only use it once a day. I guess I have to wait until tomorrow to use it again. Such things came to my mind, before I succumbed to a deep slumber because of fatigue.

End of Side Story 4

Footnote: He was 7 here by the way. And I'm not very good at sound effects NYAAAAAWR!!!

Author's Note: This was my first battle scene, forgive me of it wasn't clear enough. This will be the end of the side stories for now. Also this is my longest chapter, yay me! I'll try to increase the chapter length in the future chapters. Thanks for reading~