Starting with the sentries on the frontier

Chapter 79 Exploring Spells

After dinner, Zag reviewed the manuscripts he had bought from the black market, based on the alchemy and basic magic he had learned from Ms. Rowan that day.

As the saying goes, "reviewing the old helps one understand the new," and having gained a basic understanding of magic, he actually discovered something special this time.

The essence of illusion magic lies in deception...

This sentence has been copied in different manuscripts, but Zag had never thought much about it before, only assuming it was a description of illusion magic.

But after repeatedly using the [Candlelight Spell] in the room and analyzing its operating principle based on the contents of various manuscripts and some knowledge he had sought from Rowan today, he suddenly realized that the sentence was not a description, but an explanation.

He suddenly had a bold guess—

The light emitted by the [Candlelight Spell] does not actually emit light; the caster deceives all beings, making them believe that it is emitting light.

Based on this conjecture, he abandoned the concept that he was casting the "Candlelight Spell" and instead used the same method and the same incantation to cast the same spell, forcing himself to believe that he was casting a "Fireball Spell".

"Candlelight, light—"

The Candlelight spell is a fairly simple and basic spell, so the incantation is also very simple, requiring only two words.

Soon, as Zag recited the incantation, his experiment was half successful.

The "Candlelight Spell" released this time was indeed not a real Candlelight Spell, nor was it a Fireball Spell; rather, it was a dim mass of energy gathered from magic.

Perhaps because Fireball is not an illusion spell, it is not compatible with Candlelight?

But whatever the reason, the forward deduction at least confirmed part of Zag's conjecture, so he decided to try the reverse deduction.

He recited the incantation for the [Soothing] spell: "Warmth, tranquility, springtime—"

Then, he condensed a ball of magic in his palm, while simultaneously imagining the ball of light released by the [Candlelight Spell].

But it still didn't work.

That ball of magic was no different from the ball of magic he released when he was thinking of [Fireball] and chanting [Candlelight].

However, this failed experiment, in a way, proved something else: the spell itself does not play a decisive role in the magic.

Spells are merely "spiritual keys" and are not absolutely related to magic itself.

So, perhaps I can cast spells without using incantations.

Zag guessed, closed his eyes, recalled the feeling when he released [Candlelight Spell], and then tried to condense a ball of magic.

The experiment was a success. The magic ball was very similar to the [Candlelight Spell] he released while chanting the incantation, only smaller, and it only lasted for a dozen seconds before disappearing with a "poof".

This has proven his conjecture: the content of the incantation itself is not absolutely related to the spell, so it is not necessary to recite the incantation when casting a spell.

In actual combat, you can also casually chant the incantation for "Fireball," but it will release an ice-type spell, catching the enemy off guard.

However, verifying this conjecture was not his real purpose; he still wanted to explore the essence of illusion magic.

"Snowball, you know—uh!"

Just as Zag stood up, intending to ask Snowball something, he felt dizzy and fell back with a thud, grimacing and wincing in pain, his bottom throbbing so badly he gasped for breath.

"Even if you want to learn magic, can't you at least have some self-awareness?" Snowball rolled her eyes. "At this rate, I'm starting to doubt whether you'll even live to the average age of death for a Norther!"

Zag slumped to the ground in despair, somewhat questioning the meaning of life: "Are all people who study magic like me?"

"Of course not! Before they even learn their first spell, they've already trained their magical tolerance to be high enough to keep them busy for a whole day!"

As Snowball spoke, it stuck out its butt and stretched, then adjusted its posture, facing Zhage with its butt as it lay on its down mat to express its disdain.

Zag asked, "Then how can I train my magic capacity?"

Snowball replied with a nonsensical answer: "Training is done while learning spells."

"?"

Zag's face was full of question marks.

"You mean, if I want to increase my magic capacity, I need to learn spells. But when I try to learn spells, my low magic capacity makes me dizzy, preventing me from learning and thus increasing my magic capacity... What do you mean?!"

He was so angry he almost laughed.

"What can we do? Who told you to be so spiritually gifted?" Snowball's tail tip swayed back and forth as it said casually, "Your spirituality is perhaps something only a powerful body like a dragon could possess."

"In other words, if you were really a dragon, this situation might not have occurred at all, because the magical capacity of a dragon's body is frighteningly high!"

"But unfortunately, you're currently trapped in a fragile shell of a demon, so your physical body can't keep up with your spiritual level, which naturally leads to this situation!"

"Isn't there any way to solve this problem?"

"no."

"Could you please think about it carefully?"

"Okay, let me think about it carefully... Hmm, no."

It was rare for Zag to make Snowball so angry that he was speechless.

"I've already said, if you want your body to be able to withstand you unleashing 'Dragon Roar' at will, you'd need to study magic for at least several decades. Modo's body is just that fragile! Or you could consider my suggestion and pray to the Mother Goddess to become a fairy!"

Zag refused curtly, "I don't want to become a hamster!"

After listening for a while, Helford offered an even worse suggestion: "Becoming a werewolf would be fine too? I'm the first werewolf anyway, I can turn you into a second-generation werewolf through a ritual!"

"Thanks, but I'd rather be Hakimi!"

At least fairies aren't as universally hated in human towns as lesser werewolves.

As if sensing Zag's thoughts, Snowball chimed in, "Besides, fairies don't lose their minds like werewolves when a calamity planet rises!"

Zag then realized what was happening and looked at Helford strangely: "That makes sense, Coal Ball. I remember everyone saying that werewolves are irritable, easily angered, and uncontrollable beasts, like Rosa's father. Why do you seem to never lose your temper?"

Snowball interjected, "Because he is the original werewolf, the curse itself, and is not controlled by the Calamity Star."

"What do you mean?"

"Stupid dragon! All lesser werewolves were transformed by a corrupted curse; in other words, not only are their souls corrupted, but their minds are corrupted as well! Only the first generation of werewolves was directly cursed by Dirac, so they were not corrupted!"

Very good, always asking new questions. He only knew that the first generation of werewolves were produced after competing for first place in Direk's hunting grounds, and thus had a higher status. He really didn't know anything about pollution or anything like that.

No wonder the first werewolf wasn't on the list of magical creatures and monsters that endanger the kingdom's security that each prefecture should unconditionally hunt down and deal with.

Ignoring Snowball's poor attitude, Zag continued to humbly inquire, "What is 'the corrupted curse'?"

Snowball grew even more impatient: "A corrupted curse is a corrupted curse, what's with this 'what' nonsense!"

Very well, even the kitten doesn't know the principle behind it.

Zag sighed in disappointment.

It seems that he will have to wait until he goes to the Golden Palace and truly begins to learn about the mystical before he can resolve the many doubts in his heart.

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[List of magical creatures and monsters that threaten the security of the kingdom and should be hunted down unconditionally in each county]

Vampires, including the original vampires and vampires who claim to be "vegetarian".

Werewolves, bear-men, and other beast-like beings, excluding the first-generation patients and half-goat people.

Evil spirits, also known as corrupted spirits, do not include non-corrupted spirits.

Scavenger.

Wyverns, excluding pet wyverns registered with the Magical Creatures Registry.

……