NOTICE: Many of the novels have been removed because they might cause violations, which we were not aware of earlier.
#023. Bookstore Veronica (4)
Boom───!
A window shattering.
Glass shards flying everywhere.
And the boulder was headed straight for the girl’s surprised face.
“… … !”
Who could have predicted this situation?
The girl’s eyes were filled with fear.
I instinctively felt that it was too late to avoid it, so I shut my eyes tightly.
But no matter how much time passed, I didn’t feel any excruciating pain.
“… … ?”
I slowly opened my eyes.
And I couldn’t close my mouth in surprise.
The stone was held in the boy’s hand right in front of the girl’s face.
I felt the wind.
The glass shards were suspended in midair as if stuffed.
A drop of blood fell from the boy’s fist as he grabbed the stone.
‘ah.’
Veronica could tell.
The boy created wind with magic.
But the speed of the stone could not be completely reduced by the wind.
“It’s okay─.”
The boy’s actions were faster than the girl’s words.
fault.
Ray immediately went to the window and looked outside.
Between the pouring rain.
A few boys could be seen running across the street wearing raincoats.
‘Zephyr gang. 4 people.’
Different guys than yesterday.
The identity could be guessed right away.
It wasn’t thrown with a aim.
Because you can’t see inside the room from the street.
If so, it would be correct to see it as being thrown simply for the purpose of intimidation.
I thought yesterday’s inability to use the arms of three guys was enough of a warning.
It seemed that Zephyr had no intention of giving up on the ‘request’ to the bookstore easily.
“This… I owe you another favor. Thank you. This is something I should have done originally. If only I had been in good health.”
A voice was heard from behind.
Ray turned around.
The old man’s mana, which had started from the ring, was about to be released through his palm.
He tried to use magic right after seeing the stone, but his reaction was not as fast as Ray’s.
“Veronica. Heal me.”
Veronica looked at Ray’s hands with a tearful face.
“hand….”
The boy did not understand the girl.
It’s not a fatal wound, it’s just a small cut on my palm, but is it something to shed tears over?
Moreover, it is not your own palm, but someone else’s palm.
A boy who just stares blankly.
Veronica pulled Ray’s hand directly towards her and used her healing magic.
Woohoo──
The wound healed quickly.
But it was to a certain extent.
Afterwards, Veronica brought the first aid kit and applied medicine and bandaged it with careful hands.
“This way, there won’t be any scars.”
“… … .”
It doesn’t matter if I get hurt.
Rather, it may help to pursue the enemy as evidence of a fierce fight.
… that might be okay.
Anyway, the old man said to Veronica, who had finished her treatment.
“Until you create the circle, try not to use any magic. I think I’ve used up quite a bit of mana from the air.”
“Yes, I understand, Grandpa.”
The old man looked back at Ray and said, seeing Veronica nod.
“I can’t believe you taught yourself magic. It’s not easy to use the mana in the air faster than the mana in the circle. Even if my body and mind are weak.”
The old man’s words were not heard properly by Ray’s ears.
This was because my mind was completely focused on the Zephyr gang.
Ray said, glancing out the window.
“They say the stones have been flying for quite some time now.”
——————
faqwiki.xyz
Join our Discord for new chapter updates!
https://discord.com/invite/xr7SxG5T6V
——————
“It’s been over a month. Since it’s not just once or twice but continues, I think it must have been someone’s wish.”
The old man made a bitter face.
“There’s someone who keeps suggesting that I sell the store. There’s a high chance that it’s his doing.”
“… … .”
Ray was deep in thought.
The bookstore is where you will learn magic in the future.
If I were to be interrupted by such petty stone-throwing, it would be very, very, very annoying.
“You don’t plan on selling the bookstore, do you?”
“I’ve already poured too much into this bookstore. Whether it’s money or dreams. But it’s also true that it’s not easy to continue like this.”
It was a voice mixed with self-mockery.
There was a sense of regret and lament over one’s own helplessness.
He said there were two main reasons why he settled in Sector 49 and opened a bookstore.
A place to train disciples and at the same time finish research papers that have been written throughout one’s life.
“I couldn’t open a store in a better sector. I had financial constraints. But I was satisfied. There were still people here looking for books. And now I met Veronica and the kids in this sector.”
It’s been half a year since the bookstore opened.
He said that the income needed to run the store was maintained thanks to its unique characteristic of being the only bookstore in Sector 49.
There were intellectuals and the wealthy here, so there was some demand for books.
“Veronica has been running the business ever since I got sick and my daily life became difficult.”
After finishing her treatment, Veronica put the first aid kit back in its place and brought a broom and a dustpan.
The moment Veronica bent down.
Wheeeeeeee──
All the glass shards on the window frames and floor were caught in the wind and settled on the dustpan.
Veronica pouted.
“… My grandfather said that it’s best to use only the mana that’s in the circle. He said that the more you use the mana in the air, the more emotionally a person becomes and the more mentally unstable they become.”
“It’s okay. I’m not very emotional.”
It was meant literally.
His emotions were not usually dull.
Veronica pursed her lips, perhaps thinking that was just beating around the bush.
Then he looked at the old man as if asking for reprimand instead.
“Yes. Basically, it’s better to create a circle and then use the mana within it….”
The old man’s words trailed off.
The boy who used magic twice with mana in the air showed no signs of aftereffects.
‘Usually, symptoms will appear in some way.’
His eyes didn’t even waver.
My hands and feet don’t even shake.
He didn’t seem emotionally unstable at all.
Suddenly, the question the boy had asked flashed through my mind.
“If there’s someone who can use mana in the air without getting mana addicted, that person would have a huge advantage.”
‘no way….’
Blooming chaos.
The subsequent negation.
No, it won’t be.
Isn’t that impossible?
It would be like denying all the knowledge about mana that I have accumulated so far.
… No, but still, if you think about the almost magical talent the boy has shown so far.
“What are your plans for the future?”
Ray’s question.
The old man woke up from his reverie.
“… If I die, things will definitely get more difficult. A store with only children. There’s no easier prey than that.”
Veronica, who was listening to the story, became anxious.
I thought I knew what the old man was going to say next.
“So, let’s close up the store before it’s too late and build a small house for the kids to live in─.”
“No!”
The old man and the boy saw the girl.
“It’s a space filled with my grandfather’s dreams. He said he wanted to run a bookstore since he was very young.”
Veronica bit her lip.
A complex of emotions were expressed on his flushed face as the fever rose.
“Veronica, I appreciate your consideration. But things in life don’t always go as planned.
“But I still don’t like it!”
Tears flowed from her large eyes.
It fell to the floor along her pure white cheek.
“this….”
The old man was embarrassed.
This was the first time that Veronica, who had always politely followed whatever was said, had shown this kind of behavior.
“I don’t like it. Not only my grandfather dying─but also the bookstore closing down─”
Veronica cried loudly in the old man’s arms.
All the emotions that had been building up finally exploded.
Running a bookstore with a family to take care of.
It was too big a burden for the girl to carry alone.
Although her two younger brothers helped her, she was actually doing everything on her own because she was young.
The old man’s wrinkled hand patted the girl’s shaking back.
Colorful mana was swirling around in the two people’s bowls.
Ray watched the scene.
Then I muttered to myself.
are you okay.
Because it’s a problem that can be solved.
I turned my head and looked out the window.
Swaaa …
I could see the black rain falling heavily.
Somehow, that night in Sector 50 came to mind.
*
The old man had a few more conversations with Ray before slowly falling asleep.
“It’s a disease you have. You said that your sleeping time is increasing and you will never be able to get up. It is also difficult for you to move. Now, you can only stay awake for two or three hours a day.”
The official name was Yeongmyeonjeung.
He said he suddenly developed a rare disease of unknown cause two months ago.
“Can you come back tomorrow? You’re usually awake in the morning. There are a lot of stories I couldn’t tell you today.”
Ray nodded.
The old man didn’t wake up even if he was urged to, and he had other things to deal with right away.
I left the room and walked down the hallway.
The two heads that had peeked out from the corner once again gave me wary looks before disappearing.
Ray went down the stairs with Veronica.
I put on the new raincoat I received from the bookstore and opened the door before going out.
Kkiii─
He turned around and looked at the girl.
“Don’t worry. It’ll work out fine.”
I couldn’t empathize with other people’s sorrow.
However, I knew a few words and actions that would comfort me.
“uh?”
While the girl was flustered by the unexpected words.
Daughter─
The boy opened the door with his usual expressionless face and disappeared.
*
Swaaa …
There were no people visible on the streets.
The shops were also closed for a while to avoid the black rain.
Knock knock knock──
I walked quickly down the street.
The black rain bounced around, unable to penetrate the multicolored mana curtain that thinly wrapped around Ray’s body.
I continued walking and looked around.
I looked around for a place to take shelter from the rain, but couldn’t find any Zephyr pack.
‘It seems like they all went back to the hideout.’
It seemed like I would have to revise my plan to negotiate with Zephyr right away.
I turned around and headed towards the dump on the eastern outskirts.
It was to meet Philip.
It’s raining black rain, so there’s a high chance that you’re in a ‘hotel’ right now.
Since he had connections with the other groups besides Cedric, he could probably arrange a meeting with Zephyr.
Knock knock knock──
By the time we reached the eastern outskirts.
Ray could spot a group of boys gathered in front of a small container.
‘That’s….’
A group of about fifteen people dressed in raincoats.
In each bowl, a pitch-black fear was rumbling.
It’s like sewage water.
The sloshing water with the rain.
Current location is at the end of 22nd street.
A place that belongs to Cedric’s district in terms of numbers.
I quickened my pace.
As I got closer to the container, I started to hear the sound of something hitting something and faint groans.
“Uh… you… .”
A boy looked surprised as he saw Ray approaching him.
With that, the entire group turned around to look at Ray.
“That’s him. The guy who’s going to fight the boss soon.”
“How do you do it?”
“Just don’t touch it. I said I would destroy it myself during the duel.”
A crowd of people looking at each other and murmuring.
But Ray wasn’t listening to the conversation at all.
I was only focused on the sounds coming from inside the container.
Pfft──! Thud──!
fu*k… right in front of my eyes…!
Ugh… … !
A beating. A voice full of anger. A moan.
There were two voices, both of whom I knew.
One is Cedric.
The other one is Philip.
What on earth is going on?
I wonder if there was some connection between the two that I didn’t know about.
Ray instinctively moved his body towards the container door.
widely.
The boy who grabbed Ray’s shoulder.
“Wait a minute. Who gave you permission right now──.”
Thud!
Ray’s fist quickly extended and returned to its original position in an instant.
It hit the nail on the head.
A boy with rolled back eyes collapsed onto the floor covered in rainwater.
thud!
“Huh, huh?”
“What is it now… I didn’t even see it.”
“fu*k! Just subdue them! I told you not to let anyone in!”
The boys were embarrassed.
But soon he reached out to Ray to follow the order.
There is only one opponent.
In contrast, there are more than ten people here.
Thud─! Thud─!
But there was something they overlooked.
Thud─! Thud─! Thud─!
Dozens of fights in the streets.
Also, a few magical moments of enlightenment came to me.
Through him, Ray’s strength has already gone far beyond the level of street fighting.
Thud─! Thud─!
The elite of Cedric’s gang.
It didn’t even take a minute for them all to be face-first into the rain.
Ray walked past the fallen boys and stood in front of the container.
Squeak──
I opened the door and went inside.
“Die! Die! When I see people like you, I─!”
Philip collapsed on the floor, curled up in a heap.
Cedric, kicking and screaming in an evil voice.
…and the red mana of the ring connected to the heart by a thick stem.
Ray walked briskly and grabbed Cedric’s shoulder.
“fu*k──! What the hell are you──!”
Cedric turned around.
He threw a punch with his eyes wide open.
Wedge──!
Towards Ray’s face.
With a force that would surely shatter bones if struck.
Pot!
And then Ray’s hand moved.
The surrounding mana swirls.
At a speed several times faster than the outstretched fist.