The Incubus Archduke Dreams of a Pet Human - Chapter 56

Theticia looked at Jess, her eyes wide with realization. Now that she knew this strange sensation flowing within her was mana, the connection felt even more distinct.

The bonnet nodded vigorously up and down, as if it had finally found something to praise.

“That is correct, Lady Theticia. It is likely because of the contract between His Grace and yourself. If you practice feeling this flow diligently, you will eventually be able to learn magic.”

Theticia returned a faint smile to the kind tone. What she felt from Jess’s characteristically monotonous voice was certainly not encouragement, but consolation.

‘Magic and drawing. It is clear I have no talent for either.’

Her attempt to gain talent without effort had failed miserably. As Jess watched Theticia sink into resignation, the bonnet suddenly snapped upward.

“However, if you can feel the flow of magic, there is a way.”

“What kind of way?”

“If one carves a design onto an object, magic can be used simply by breathing mana into it.”

“Ah…! A magic tool!”

Why had she not thought of that? Unlike the demons, most of whom could use magic, only a few mages on the Surface were capable of it. Therefore, it was common for people to use magic tools that had been pre-charged with mana by a mage.

The flying shoes that had brought her to Asmod and the mana lamps that lit up when mana was infused were both types of magic tools.

Nodding her bonnet, Jess picked up a suitable pen.

“I shall go and have a spell engraved upon a pen so that you may use it.”

“That sounds wonderful! But the cost of a magic tool… I remember them being incredibly expensive on the Surface.”

“The Archduke’s house has a regular supplier, so we can simply ask them. Such things are common in the Demon Realm, so they will not likely demand a separate fee for this.”

Theticia felt overwhelmed with emotion when she remembered how it had taken ten years of selling medicinal herbs in secret to afford those flying shoes. A pen that would draw exactly as she imagined; since her memory was the one thing she was confident in, her heart raced with excitement.

“Then, how long will it take?”

“If you wait here, I shall have it engraved and brought back shortly. It should take about an hour.”

She had not expected it to be that fast. The flying shoes had taken nearly a year from order to production. Of course, she could have received them sooner by paying an expedited fee, but even saving for the initial price had been precarious.

Reading the anticipation in Theticia’s shimmering eyes, Jess rose silently from her seat.

“Then, I shall be off. Please wait here, perhaps while looking at a book.”

“Yes!”

After Jess left the library, Theticia, left alone, focused all her concentration on the practice of releasing mana.

‘I want to use the pen the moment Jess brings it.’

Theticia closed her eyes and visualized the mana flowing through her body. It took the form of fresh, vibrant water rushing through her entire being. A slight crease appeared between her brows as she focused intensely.

‘The flow, to my fingertips…’

Jess had made it sound easy, but the execution was difficult. Even if a powerful torrent of water crashed inside her body, only a mere dampness formed on her fingers. The more she concentrated, the more she could only feel the mana scattered around her. Several strands of mana thread were connected to her body.

Among them, the sensation of something snagging at her ankle was the most distracting.

‘At my ankle… is there something there?’

Just as Theticia was about to open her eyes and check, the mana thread that Levia had tied vibrated, sensing her scrutiny. Quickly undoing its own knot, the mana thread slid away from her ankle like a serpent.

“I do not see anything.”

Theticia, who had missed the mana thread by a hair’s breadth, gently stroked her ankle. When she focused again, that annoying sensation was gone.

“I must have imagined it.”

Her attention shifted to the mana that was more clearly connected. If she followed that distinct thread, she could feel Asmod at the other end.

‘So this is the contract. It is fascinating that I can feel we are connected even when he is out of sight.’

The more she concentrated, the stronger the connection felt. As if in a dream, Asmod’s image seemed to flicker and shimmer within her mind.

Theticia, who had been focusing on Asmod’s form until her head felt hot, finally exhaled the breath she had been holding.

“I should stop here, as I was told that practicing too much could strain the body.”

Although she had not managed to create a thread, the clear achievement of being able to feel the mana made her heart swell with pride. It was amazing enough to have come to the Demon Realm, but to be able to handle mana as well.

Theticia, stretching her limbs fully, turned her gaze toward a book stand placed near a distant bookshelf.

‘…Was that there before?’

She was certain there had been nothing there a moment ago. A single book now lay upon the stand. As she rose and walked toward the book, Theticia’s face gradually brightened.

“Ah! I was told they would order it separately, but it is already here!”

Levia’s latest monster encyclopedia was placed neatly on the stand. If they were going to leave it here, they should have said so. Theticia ran over with quick steps and opened the book without hesitation.

“…Eh?”

However, the detailed illustrations of demonic beasts she had expected were nowhere to be found, and the pages were instead covered in a thick layer of pitch-black ink.

No, this was not ink…

Theticia’s body was instantly sucked into the book. In the silent, empty library, the sharp, final snap of a book closing was the only sound that echoed.