Another World Reincarnation Chronicle

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“What’s this…”

I frowned as I examined the frozen mountain goat.

The nameless goat monster was not one of the species native to the Karum Mountain Range.

I could say this confidently, having done my own research about the Karum Mountain Range before embarking on this quest.

“Hmm… What’s it doing here?”

As I poked around the frozen goat, Rain approached and spoke.

It seemed she knew the identity of this goat.

“It’s a monster from another area, right?”

“Yeah. It usually appears in mountainous areas where it snows year-round. It’s called an Ice Horn.”

So, it really was a monster that had come from another region.

As I nodded at Rain’s words, she swung her staff.

Suddenly, the Blue Chill began to scatter, causing the Ice Horn’s frozen body to melt away.

“Whoa…!”

I was taken aback by her action and pointed my sword at the Ice Horn.

However, it seemed that the creature had already perished in the ice and collapsed lifelessly.

“Can you skin it, by any chance?”

“N-no…”

I shook my head at Rain’s question.

Hunting monsters and harvesting their materials to create powerful equipment was the norm for adventurers.

Therefore, a skilled adventurer typically mastered the butchering technique to strip animal hides.

But did I really have time to learn such skills?

Of course, I could have skinned it. The problem was that I wouldn’t be able to obtain a nice hide.

“Hmm…”

Rain nodded in disappointment at my answer.

“Then should we just take the horn?”

“That much is okay…”

I nodded and gripped my sword with both hands.

The horn was so thick that I wouldn’t be able to chop it off in one go, but after a few strikes, it should break apart.

“Hyah!”

With a short shout, I swung my sword.

A downward slash from above.

The moonlight fell in a straight line and struck the Ice Horn’s gray horn.

Clang—!

The moment the sword made contact with the horn, a crisp sound resonated.

It felt as if I had struck a hard rock with my sword.

I grimaced as I looked down at my stinging hands.

The horn was tougher than expected. It was so resistant that it even damaged the blade.

At this point, one could believe it was made of iron rather than just a horn.

Clang—!

Another downward slash.

The intense recoil reverberated through my fingertips, but I did not stop swinging.

I lost track of how many times I swung it. Just when the sensation in my hands started to fade…

The once-sturdy horn finally broke off.

“Ha…”

The severed horn was solid and heavy.

I handed that hefty prize to Rain.

Watching me with a small smile, she shook her head.

“That’s yours.”

“What…? But you caught it, Rain!”

“I don’t want to carry something that heavy.”

“Uh…”

Is it really okay for me to take this?

A material of this quality would fetch a pretty penny.

Even aside from selling it, I could visit a skilled craftsman and commission some equipment.

With a flicker of hope, I offered the horn to Rain once more.

But her resolve didn’t waver.

Rain relinquished all claim to the Ice Horn’s remains to me.

In the end, I had no choice but to stuff the large horn into my bag.

Taking advantage of the moment, I also skinned the creature.

Of course, lacking professional skills, it was closer to tearing it off than actually skinning it.

Rain and I set out on the road again.

Toward the deeper parts of the Karum Mountain Range.

Rain stopped occasionally to use her magic to stir the snow.

I wondered what she was looking for with such fervor.

I approached Rain and asked, “What are you searching for?”

“The flow of mana.”

“Mana flow…?”

“Yeah. If you happen to spot a place where the blue energy is gathered, let me know, okay? If you can see it, that is.”

“Hmm…”

I tilted my head at Rain’s words.

It seemed that this mana flow wasn’t visible to ordinary people.

We searched the Karum Mountain Range until the sun began to set.

After sunset, the temperature in the mountains dropped sharply.

Especially in these cold winter mountains, the chill that arrived with the night was incomparably harsher than during the day.

I looked for a cave where Rain and I could escape the cold.

I seemed to get lucky, as I found one quickly.

The cave was quite deep. Judging by the signs, other adventurers had visited before us, as there were traces of a campfire near the entrance.

Considering there were leftover logs, it seemed that they had used this cave as a base camp for an extended period while roaming the mountains.

“This should be fine,” I said as I laid out the Ice Horn’s hide on the ground and began preparing the campfire.

The leftover logs were dry and seemed like they would catch fire easily.

The issue was lighting it using flint…

I pulled out an oil bottle and flint from my bag and began trying to spark the fire.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

I struck the stone against itself to create a spark.

But perhaps due to the cold wind, the fire was refusing to catch.

After struggling for a while, Rain approached and asked, “Need some help?”

“Huh?”

Wiping the sweat from my forehead and looking up at Rain, I saw she had conjured a tiny flame at the tip of her finger.

Like a lighter.

“Whoa…”

Thanks to Rain’s help, I finally lit the campfire.

I sat beside Rain as we stared blankly into the flames.

“Hey, Rain.”

“Yeah?”

“Is it possible for me to learn magic too?”

“I’m sorry, but magic isn’t something just anyone can learn…”

Rain smiled awkwardly, as if caught off guard by my question.

After a moment’s hesitation, she raised her hand.

Wondering what she was trying to do, I watched as a blue stream of energy began to ripple above her palm.

“Can you see… this?”

With eyes wide open, I stared at Rain’s hand when she asked me, looking increasingly flustered.

Of course, I nodded; even now, I could clearly see the blue energy swirling.

“How does it look? What shape is it taking?”

“It’s blue, a blue wind is swirling upward. Like fire, sort of.”

At my answer, a bright smile spread across Rain’s face.

She then reached out her hand toward me.

“Can I have your hand?”

I extended my hand as Rain requested.

She grasped it firmly.

“Can you focus your mind?”

“Focus my mind?”

“Yeah.”

In that moment, something began to pass from Rain’s hand to mine.

It wasn’t a physical sensation. Yet, I could feel something undoubtedly there.

A vague something was slowly flowing from Rain’s hand toward mine.

“Seris. What do you know about magic?”

I gaped at her question.

As it was posed, a flood of various memories surfaced in my mind.

Sometimes flames erupted from one’s hand, or the body itself could turn into flames.

It could summon a huge storm with wind and lightning, or even draw a massive meteor from the boundless universe.

That’s the kind of magic I knew.

“Keep imagining.”

Following Rain’s instructions, I continued to envision magic.

The magic I knew could not be defined by a single concept.

Using the energy of nature and mental power to assert one’s own laws in this world was also a form of magic.

Building up mental training to understand the world’s truths, and wielding that truth too was magic.

Also, evoking phenomena unlikely to occur naturally was also considered magic.

“What is your magic?”

Countless starlights swirled. Countless worlds unfolded, and the image of a wizard contained within began to blend.

Rain kept asking questions. What is my magic?

In that moment, I lost my corporeal form. The sensation of my body faded, leaving only my spirit gazing at the vast world.

The endlessly spreading starlight flowed like a river around me.

The river of stars changed according to my gestures.

At times, like a raging flame; at other times, like a tranquil breeze; and sometimes, like cold ice.

All of these aspects were magic. Something that cannot be defined as a singular entity.

It was a mesmerizing sensation.

Yet I knew this feeling wouldn’t last long.

The liberated soul would need to return to the tiny body of the girl.

As the world I had opened began to crumble, the sensations of my body started to return.

“Seris. What is your magic?”

Rain’s question reached me once more.

I grasped the threads of magic.

I recognized mana and realized its differences.

Nestled within my heart was something small.

A shining star made its presence known.

I carefully moved that star.

I loosened the held hand and cautiously raised both of my hands.

The small starlight, once nestled in my heart, extended towards my hands, traveling through the channel of my body.

“This is…”

It gently floated above my hand.

The star forming a circular shape was shining vividly.

Within that tiny star lay my world.

And today, the world I recognized had expanded.

Paaaat-!

With a sudden flash, the star began to grow in size.

The world that had once been as small as a snowflake filled the cave, continuing without ceasing.

However, the light quickly faded.

The total amount of mana remaining within me was far too faint.

This was the best response I could offer.

Rain’s blue eyes sparkled.

The light of the world I had shown her shimmered there, too.

What did she feel? And what was her magic, I wondered.

“What is Rain’s magic?”

I wanted to hear her answer, but I couldn’t.

My consciousness sank into the depths.

Was it because I had drawn upon all my mana? The sensation of my body began to fade.