Mistaken Spellcasting

The Lute's cheerful melody drifted through the tavern.

With no desire to tell stories to an empty tavern, the bard idly strummed his instrument.

It hadn't rained yet tonight, but the unbroken Dark Clouds kept the customers away. All except the drunks.

Faster leaned against the counter as usual. He glanced at Annan as he passed, and his languid expression gradually froze.

"You learned to cast spells?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"I've seen spellcasters..."

"They look hungry and tired after exhausting their Magic Power," Faster said, his expression conflicted.

Annan felt neither hungry nor tired, and he couldn't imagine what "hunger showing on his face" would even look like.

Resisting the urge to find a mirror, Annan said hesitantly, "The spell worked, but it also sort of didn't..."

The problem Annan faced wasn't covered in the Warlock's Handbook.

The music stopped. Annan recounted how he had cast the spell and summoned Wood, then asked, "Does this have something to do with Wood helping me speed up my Magic Vortex?"

"You should ask someone more qualified. I'm just a warrior." Faster had Evelyn fetch his coat. "I'll go with you to Mr. Victor's."

"What about my shift at the tavern?" Annan asked as he untied his apron.

Faster said helplessly, "You're a spellcaster now, and you still want to work as a waiter in a tavern?"

Annan hadn't yet realized what being a Sorcerer would mean for him.

"Are you ready?"

"For what?"

"You'll go home tonight, then be woken up at dawn."

Faster explained slowly:

"When you look out the window, you'll see nobles and wealthy merchants you've never met gathered outside your door, with carriages full of gifts blocking the entire street. Then everyone you've ever dealt with will be dug up like rubbish so they can learn your likes and weaknesses. Finally, through threats and bribes, they'll make you belong to some family or rich man, or work for them."

Just as Annan began to connect becoming a Sorcerer with losing his freedom, Faster patted his shoulder. "I'm only scaring you. The nobles' reach doesn't extend here. In Pinglin Town, at least, no one would dare fight Mr. Victor over you."

Of Annan's two jobs, one employer was an Elite Warrior, and the other was a Mage Apprentice ranked among the top hundred in the Rikaner Kingdom.

Besides, Faster and the others had never stopped wondering about Annan's background. He looked as pampered as anyone from the upper class, yet knew nothing about common knowledge.

Annan remembered something. "I told Aunt Susan after I became a Sorcerer."

"Either no one believed her, or she hasn't told anyone."

Annan guessed it was the latter. Aunt Susan really would resist boasting about it to protect him.

"Evelyn, watch the tavern."

Faster called back to her, then left with Annan.

When they reached Rich Street, light still shone from the windows of Victor's house. Shortly after Annan knocked, Mr. Victor opened the door, holding an oil lamp and wearing a coat over his pajamas.

"...You cast a spell?"

It seemed everyone could tell what Annan was now.

"Yes... but something seems to have gone wrong."

Mr. Victor turned and went inside. Annan and Faster followed him and sat on the wooden chairs in the sitting room.

"What happened?"

Annan told him again how he had cast a spell but summoned Wood instead.

"Your friend is a Sorcerer too?"

"What do you mean?"

Faster didn't understand. Only Annan knew Mr. Victor was mocking his earlier claim that it had happened to "a friend."

"Do you remember the difference between how mages and Sorcerers cast spells?"

Annan thought for a moment. "Mages need a lot of preparation to cast spells, while Sorcerers only need to imagine them?"

"Your friend knows why it happened and still came to ask me?"

"I... wanted to ask on my friend's behalf how to avoid this mistake."

Victor merely told Annan that mages had to fail hundreds or thousands of times while constructing a spell. Countless Mage Apprentices stumbled at this stage, left standing before the Magic Hall they could see but never enter.

But Annan had passed that barrier with ease. He already had one foot inside the hall and could admire the wonders within.

"You could cast it again," Faster said suddenly.

"Here?"

He should still have enough Magic Power for one more Lesser Summoning Spell. But this was Mr. Victor's home... and the old man was here too.

Summoning Wood would be fine, but what if he summoned some other evil creature...

"Don't underestimate Mr. Victor. If he wanted to, no one in town could beat him. This house has permanent defensive magic, too."

"He's that powerful?"

Annan looked in surprise at the old man in pajamas patterned with clouds and rabbits.

"Cast it," Mr. Victor said, without even getting up from his chair.

That gave Annan more confidence than he'd ever felt before. He even found himself hoping to summon a Demon so the two men could have some fun... Then he pushed the thought out of his mind. Who knew whether a Sorcerer's stray thoughts might actually summon one?

Annan recalled how it had felt to summon Wood. He adjusted the image slightly, left out the Vampire part, and imagined an Elemental Creature from beyond the Main Plane.

The Magic Power stored in his Magic Vortex plunged until it was almost dry. As the summoning spell took shape, a hazy figure gradually appeared—

"Calling me at this hour means you've found more blood..."

Wood sensed a familiar presence as he appeared. Then he detected two unfamiliar presences, both brimming with menace.

"...You betrayed me!!!"

Wood shrieked and was about to turn into a shadow when an aged voice rang out. "Living Rope Spell."

A length of rope appeared out of thin air and wrapped around Wood, leaving him writhing on the floor like a maggot.

"Mr. Victor, Wood isn't an enemy."

"I just didn't want the little bat to scare himself to death." Mr. Victor frowned at the Vampire, who twisted and howled like a pig being tortured or led to slaughter. The Living Rope Spell couldn't stop him from screaming. "Annan, make him be quiet."

"Mr. Victor and Mr. Fast aren't going to hurt you." Wood kept writhing, so Annan added, "The Vampire Hunter has left town. You're safe."

Wood abruptly stopped wailing and struggling. "Really?"

"Really." Annan introduced them to Wood. "This is Mr. Fast, the tavern owner. And this is Mr. Victor, uh, a mage."

At that moment, old Victor identified the problem. "Don't let him speed up your Magic Vortex again. You're still inexperienced at casting, so you're easily influenced."

"I understand."

Then Victor turned his attention to Wood. "Northern Vampires are rare. Could you give me some blood for research?"

"Not even death could make a Vampire surrender his blood!" Wood refused flatly.

"You're very weak right now. I could provide you with some human blood."

"When would you like my blood? I can give it to you right now!"

Victor ignored the excited Wood and looked back at Annan.

"Are you ready?"