NOVEL NEXT Chapter 34: No Shortcuts
Warlock Ch 34. No Shortcuts
Damian, still buzzing with questions about the magical world, leaned forward, curiosity lighting up his eyes. "So, what about the government? I mean, is there a magical version of it? Like, someone keeping all this chaos in check?"
Cassius nodded, leaning back in his chair, the shadows playing across his face. "There is. The magical world has its own governing body. It's more behind the scenes, of course. You won't hear about it on the news, but they're there. They control things like law enforcement, settle disputes, and create magical laws. It's not as glamorous as you'd think. More politics than magic most days."
Damian raised an eyebrow, surprised. He hadn't expected the magical world to have something so... bureaucratic. "And money? Do we have, like, magical gold coins or something?" He half-expected some sort of ancient treasure system, like in all the fantasy stories he'd read growing up.
Evelyn laughed softly, shaking her head as if she'd heard the question a million times before. "Nope, sorry to disappoint. Same currency as the normal world. We've just adapted over time. Magic's integrated with everything. No need for a magical banking system when you can manipulate things quietly."
Damian grinned, leaning back in his chair. "Well, that's convenient." He could only imagine how weird it would be to try and pay rent with some enchanted coins.
The mood lightened as the conversation drifted into more casual territory. "There are definitely some perks to living in this world," Cassius said with a smirk. "Like being able to teleport or fly instead of dealing with traffic. You've got no idea how much that saves time."
Damian's eyes widened at the thought. "Teleport? Seriously?"
Cassius nodded. "Not everyone can do it, but yeah, it's a handy trick if you know how. Beats sitting in rush hour, that's for sure."
"And food," Evelyn added, gesturing toward the creature still busy in the kitchen. Zevrik's tentacles danced over the stove like a master chef. "You don't always have to rely on magic for everything, but it definitely makes life easier when you've got things like him around."
Damian glanced back at the creature, still marveling at how normal this had become in just a few hours. Yesterday, his biggest problem was dealing with angry customers at the bar. Now, he was sitting in a house with a warlock, a witch, and a magical creature whipping up dinner. It was surreal, but somehow, it already felt... right.
The conversation carried on for a while longer, and eventually, Damian and Evelyn stood up, stretching as they prepared to leave. The sun was almost set, and though he was still trying to process everything, Damian felt a weird sense of calm.
"Well, I guess it's time to head back," he said, glancing at Evelyn.
"Wait." Before they could make it to the door, Cassius stood up and walked over to a nearby bookshelf, pulling down a small stack of books. He handed them to Damian, who looked down at them in surprise.
"You're going to need these," Cassius said, his tone serious.
Damian blinked, staring at the pile in his hands. "Books? I thought warlocks were more... I don't know, self-taught or something. "
Cassius raised an eyebrow, giving him a pointed look. "This is a modern world, Damian. Education is important. You've barely scratched the surface of what you need to know, and right now, you're way behind."
Damian let out a nervous chuckle, feeling the books grow heavier in his arms. "Right... so no shortcuts, huh?"
Cassius shook his head, his expression stern. "If you want to learn from experience alone, go ahead. But you'll lose to those who were born and raised in this world. Don't make that mistake. Knowledge is power—more than any spell you can cast."
Evelyn smirked, patting Damian on the shoulder as she headed for the door. "Welcome to school, Damian."
He chuckled nervously. "Right…"
They made their way out, but something weighed heavily on Damian's mind. He hesitated for a moment before turning back to Cassius, the question slipping out before he could stop himself. "Hey, before we go... earlier, before I fainted, you said something about me being your old friend. Why?"
Cassius's eyes flashed with something—regret, or maybe something else—but his face remained calm. "You must've heard me wrong," he said smoothly, but there was a tension in his voice that Damian didn't miss.
Damian frowned, not entirely convinced, but he was too tired to push it. Between the weird dreams, the magic lessons, and whatever mysteries were hiding in this world, his brain felt like it was on overload. "Right... I guess I was out of it."
Cassius watched them leave, his expression unreadable, as if there was something more he wanted to say but chose not to. The silence was heavy, but Damian didn't have the energy to dig any deeper. Not tonight, anyway.
Outside, the evening night air hit Damian's face, and he glanced down at the books again, feeling their weight—both physically and metaphorically. "So... guess I'm back to studying, huh?"
Evelyn smiled, her eyes glinting in the moonlight. "Looks like it. But hey, could be worse. At least you don't have to sit in an actual classroom."
Damian laughed, feeling a bit more relaxed. "Yeah, I guess that's true. Magic textbooks beat algebra any day."
They walked down the path, the street quieter than it had been that morning. The soft glow of streetlights flickered on as the sun dipped below the horizon. It should've felt peaceful, almost serene, but in the back of Damian's mind, the lingering mystery of Cassius's words gnawed at him.
There was something there—something about his past, about whatever connection Cassius seemed reluctant to talk about. And somehow, Damian knew it was tied to the strange dreams, the artifact, and maybe even to his future in this unpredictable, magical world.
The cool evening breeze brushed against his face, carrying with it the faint scent of rain from the distant clouds hanging over the city. The streets were mostly empty now. Only a few scattered pedestrians walked by. The silence felt heavy, but it wasn't unpleasant—just... different.
Evelyn broke the silence. "I've got to make a few stops at the market before we head back. You mind?"
Damian shrugged, still deep in thought. "Yeah, sure. No rush."