"Exactly. Find someone."
Cecilia's expression grew more serious. "We learned something from inside the Church. Apparently, it came from a divine oracle..."
Ansu listened patiently.
"A human chosen by the gods, someone from the prophecy who will change the world, is supposed to appear in Benalu City. The Church calls this person the Chosen One."
Cecilia fixed her gaze on Ansu. "After investigating for a long time, the Echo of Truth Cult narrowed down the search and eventually focused on your school."
"Your task is to help me find the Chosen One among the thirty thousand students and staff at the Royal Academy."
"Oh, I see..." Ansu's expression didn't change. He merely nodded.
But inside, he was already reeling.
The Chosen One you're talking about... that's probably me.
In the world of Eternal Night Sword, the Chosen One was actually the player, selected by the gods to save the world.
At first, Ansu had thought he was just a minor character, some nobody who'd die horribly in the cult's sacrificial ritual.
But not long ago, he'd clearly seen the system call him this:
[Chosen One, you still haven't changed your Fated Death. Keep trying!]
In other words, he wasn't just a background character. He was also the game's only player—and an important target the cult was searching for...
"May I ask..." Ansu asked cautiously. "What will you do if you find this Chosen One?"
Cecilia furrowed her brow. "What do you think? We'll kill him, of course!"
"Oh..."
I'm done for...
Ansu had hoped to play along with the Witch for a while, but now he was once again thinking about packing up and running away...
How was he supposed to play this?
He was the very target they were looking for. He could drag his feet for a while, but the Echo of Truth Cult would eventually expect him to deliver. He couldn't exactly turn himself in, could he?
Ansu accepted the booklet containing the school's student and staff lists, putting on a show of trying to help her out. "Even with the search narrowed down to the school, finding the person won't be easy. Is there a deadline?"
"Not for now."
"Oh." Ansu breathed a sigh of relief, then asked, "Do you know anything about what this Chosen One looks like?"
"Any distinguishing features..." Cecilia mused. "If the gods chose him, he must be extraordinary. He'll have to be very talented, and he certainly won't look ordinary. Perhaps he'll be popular, someone who clearly stands out from the crowd..."
With every point she listed, Ansu grew more nervous. It felt like she was doxxing him...
As she spoke, Cecilia glanced at Ansu and gave him a closer look.
"Hmm... Actually, you fit the bill pretty well."
Ansu's heart skipped a beat.
Cecilia's lips curled into a smile. Her deep, mysterious purple eyes drew closer as she studied Ansu's face.
"I didn't get a good look at you last time, but now that I do..." Her pale fingers poked his cheek as she teased, "You're actually quite my type."
"Ah! Could it be...?"
She held up a hand to her open mouth, feigning surprise. "Could you be the one..."
"Lady Witch!"
Ansu clenched his fists and forced himself to stay calm, already bracing for the worst.
"You can't just joke around about something like that! I don't have that kind of talent. How could I possibly be..."
Cecilia giggled. She'd discovered that she rather enjoyed teasing her "new toy."
"I'm kidding. Look how scared you are~"
"Anyway, the Chosen One won't blend into the crowd. Look for someone who meets a very high standard!"
Ansu immediately nodded in agreement, but inwardly he grumbled about Cecilia.
If you think this book is good, add it to your bookshelf so you won't have trouble finding it next time.
That Scum Witch!
"If you need anything else," Cecilia said gently, "just tell me and I'll take care of it. Remember, you belong to me now."
She glanced around with a look of distaste. Ansu's home was so poor it made her frown.
A band of robbers would leave here in tears—and probably have to leave a few coins behind...
She pulled a check from her clothes and handed it to Ansu. "Here."
Ansu's eyes blurred at the long string of zeroes on it. "This... is for me?"
"It's for expenses. If you run short, just ask me for more." Cecilia waved a hand dismissively. "If there's nothing else, I'll be going."
Ansu thought Lady Witch was incredibly generous to her own people. If her mission weren't to "kill the Chosen One," he really would have liked to work for a boss like her...
Come to think of it, he really did seem to have been "kept" by a rich woman...
Seeing Cecilia about to leave, Ansu hurriedly called after her.
"Wait, Lady Witch!"
"What is it now?" Cecilia glanced back at him. "Don't tell me you're going to say that isn't enough money?"
"Of course not." Ansu hurried to say, "You promised me something—the supernatural powers..."
"Oh, that." Cecilia smiled faintly. "You're quite persistent about supernatural powers..."
She produced a book from somewhere and gently placed it on Ansu's desk.
"Magic is a profound field of study. You have some talent, but you shouldn't rush things. This is a very basic magic textbook. Try reading it from cover to cover. If there's anything you don't understand, you can come ask me."
Although he had some talent for magic, in Cecilia's eyes, he still fell far short of the genius mages in her organization.
She'd chosen Ansu for other "qualities." She'd never expected him to be useful in a fight.
Ansu stepped forward and picked up the book titled Introduction to General Magic.
"Take your time learning. I hope you'll surprise me a little~"
When he looked up, Cecilia had already vanished from the room.
She came and went without a trace. Her mastery of magic never failed to amaze Ansu.
Ansu eagerly began leafing through the book.
It had been written by an obscure mage named Hoffman. Its contents were indeed profound and obscure; anyone without prior knowledge would find it completely incomprehensible.
"Magic is neither a miracle nor a wish-granting machine that makes your dreams come true. It is a rigorous field of study dedicated to understanding the nature of the world."
"Mages use their mental strength to construct intricate spell models, then draw upon the free-floating Magic Power in nature to cast their spells."
"Unfortunately, in my era, the very concept of magic had already been tainted by Corruption. Raw Magic Power was wild and chaotic, driving people to madness..."
"This will steer our pursuit of truth toward the mysterious. Mages of later generations may be able to sense the power of magic only through so-called 'Spiritual Experiences' that defy explanation. It is truly a pity..."
At least Ansu could understand the book's opening preface. Mr. Hoffman recounted the secrets of the past like a storyteller, slowly bringing hidden history to light.
As he leafed through the book, a system notification popped up.
[General Magic (Mastered)] [Meditation Technique (Not Mastered) (Progress: 0/20)] [Mage Hand (Not Mastered) (Progress: 0/50)] [Illumination Spell (Not Mastered) (Progress: 0/50)]
Ansu saw several lit and unlit icons in the system, exactly like the menu from when he'd played the game.
It seemed that to master these spells, he'd need to fill their progress bars completely.
Having progress bars was a good thing. It meant that learning these spells was only a matter of time.
Ansu immediately began studying the magic in the book, following its instructions and closing his eyes to experience "meditation."
As time passed, he gradually slipped into a state of self-forgetfulness. He felt his consciousness experiencing the world from a subtle "perspective." Perhaps this was the "Spiritual Experience" described in the book.
He gradually sensed the faint traces of free-floating Magic Power in the air and tried to draw it in.
Night deepened...
Before you continue