"That's cardio done..."
I sat on a shaded bench just by the side of the courtyard, and every step I took felt like I had dozens of weights all around my legs, but it was worth it.
While training would take months to even see a speck of results, magic made everything easier. I now had the stamina and leg strength of an average man.
And while it doesn't sound that impressive, it sure as hell is if your new body is that of a spoiled nobleman.
"Let's see... while I already made good progress, it's still way too slow."
I sighed. I didn't have time to just strengthen my body; the novel was fairly fast-paced. All things considered, Julius was capable of achieving multiple things all at once fairly in an instant.
But it made sense; the novel didn't take itself too seriously.
But it also meant I would eventually deal with an enemy that would become way too powerful to even keep track of.
I stood up from the bench, steeling my gaze.
"It's already five in the afternoon..."
Checking my watch, I decided it was finally time to head to the imperial library. While it wasn't really proper to head to it after just being assigned as an S-Rank student, it still didn't mean I wasn't allowed to do it.
I'd definitely catch a ton of eyes for it, but none of it really matters in the grand scheme of things.
"I've only got memories of a beginner book for dark magic..."
I pinched the bridge of my nose.
"Guess it's time to scan some high-level ones."
***
I changed quickly, telling my servants that I'll be home late due to my studies; most looked worried, but I had their overwhelming support.
While I sucked, I definitely wasn't the worst noble master.
I was... average in personality at least.
"I'd rather not take the train."
The moment I stepped outside my home, I decided to take a quick shortcut.
[Shadow Step]
Shadow Step, an ability that allowed me to travel anywhere I've been to or can vividly picture, and with my talent? That was definitely no problem.
The old Cael had already seen the library once in passing after all.
'Let's see...'
Swirling shadows appeared below me, waiting for my response, but the formula for the transportation was harder than I thought.
It likely had to do with the distance.
But that was a temporary problem; once I earn a breakthrough, the formulas for spellcasting will naturally simplify.
'Why can't just the formulas stay the same for each usage...'
I complained, every spell usage had a drastically different formula, and how was that possible? Through something this world calls 'Arcane Decryption'.
It pretty much wipes anyone's memories of past formulas they solved, and in the story, it was done by the gods to limit mortals from achieving supremacy too quickly.
A fairly efficient method, if I have to say so myself.
'Got it...'
I smiled. After a quick one minute, it was finally solved.
SWISH!
The shadows below me shot outwards, devouring me whole into the ground as I disappeared out of sight.
The sensation wasn't like falling. It was more like being unfolded, then redrawn somewhere else.
Like my body had briefly forgotten how to exist.
FWISH!
It didn't even take a second until I reappeared somewhere else, this time in an alley just beside the imperial library. While the spell was definitely useful, it had its limitations, being able to transfer only to the nearest shadow.
While not crippling in normal usage, its randomness was definitely lethal in combat.
Something Evelina and Corvus himself fell victim to in the story, and the reason for many of their defeats.
'Just thinking about it irritates me...'
I shouldn't dwell on my lady's failures; in this world, they hadn't happened yet, and it's my job to ensure they never come to pass.
Entering the library, I was immediately greeted with silence... that was obvious.
But to my surprise, the library felt more modern than expected. It seemed like the city had spent all its budget on knowledge.
"I'm sorry, but the library's visiting hours have passed; you'd need a—"
I show the librarian my ID.
"Never mind then..."
As I moved to the main hall itself, I was now completely lost. My original body had never entered the library before, and now I was left to my own devices.
At least... if I were socially awkward.
It only took a simple question to get at least two people until I arrived where I needed to be.
A simple book titled 'Theoretical Dark Magic Applications'.
It wasn't a conventional spellbook, no, it was actually fairly hated by almost every scholar in the novel due to its unconventional and uncharacteristic use of dark magic.
And finally, the one thing that made it completely hated? It was straight up unusable, filled with theories and assumptions that were near impossible to execute.
'I almost feel bad for Marcellus...'
I snicker, he was the original character in the novel to be able to decipher the book, and good thing for me, the author had detailed how he managed to decipher it.
At least... vaguely, but magic isn't really that clear cut anyway, even a vague description was enough to get you leaps ahead.
"Umm..." A voice from beside me spoke, tapping on my shoulder. "Are you new here?"
"Yeah...?"
"Not to be rude, but if you're a dark magic practitioner, I don't really recommend that book."
It was a random scholar, roughly the same age as me, likely a student from the same school, no doubt, even had the ID to confirm it.
He was an S-Rank.
And now that I'm looking correctly, a quite important one at that.
Kevin Trest Illinalta
Or as the author put it... the strongest dark mage in the novel in terms of potential, and at the end of the novel, undoubtedly the apex of dark magic.
Second only to Marcellus at least... but that man was a completely different beast entirely.