Chapter 2 - Let's Become a Wizard (2)

I slowly opened my eyes beneath the covers.

"Mmm..."

No demon had suddenly popped up in my dreams to talk to me. Nor had I dreamed of the brutally murdered man's corpse being thrust into focus to stir up some subconscious guilt.

Just like any other day, I closed my eyes, opened them, and it was morning.

The morning was so peaceful that I picked up my smartphone and checked the news online.

[Tragedy Near ○○ University... Unexplained Phenomenon...]

A sigh escaped me. It wasn't as if last night had been a dream.

For no particular reason, I muttered to myself.

"... How the hell did I sleep so soundly?"

I'd never thought I was a man of great fortitude, but apparently I had more in me than I'd realized.

That was sarcastic bullshit, of course.

Maybe I'd simply been so overwhelmed that I'd fallen asleep as though passing out.

Perhaps it had noticed I was awake.

GRRR...

The "Invisible Vampire," which had been curled up beneath the bed, rose with an animal growl.

I know it makes no sense to describe an invisible being as though I could see it...

But perhaps because I was its "master," I could sense its presence, I guess you'd call it. I could feel how it was moving.

KYA?

Apparently sensing my gaze, it tilted its head.

"..."

I did my damnedest to ignore it and went to the kitchen.

Not that it was much of a kitchen. This was a tiny studio apartment, so it was right in front of me as soon as I got out of bed.

Food first. A meal.

My brain doesn't work well on an empty stomach. I'd come home last night and gone straight to sleep without eating, as though fleeing from everything, so I was hungry.

I poured water into a pot, added a little salt, then took out the pasta I'd bought and put it on to boil.

BUBBLE, BUBBLE

People think of pasta as fancy food, but it's surprisingly good for feeding yourself cheaply, generously, and deliciously when you live alone.

Provided you don't use expensive ingredients, of course.

While the pasta boiled, I coated a frying pan with olive oil—or that would've been nice, but I didn't have any, so I used regular cooking oil instead. It still tastes decent enough.

Then I added sliced garlic and peperoncino peppers to the oiled pan. They say you can substitute chopped dried chilies, but in the long run, buying a jar of peperoncino at the supermarket is cheaper.

SIZZLE

Bacon would've been a nice addition now, but I didn't have any, so I added a can of tuna with the oil drained off instead.

The downside is all the sodium in canned food, but it's a good source of protein in place of meat.

Of course, unlike bacon, tuna leaves something missing.

I added oyster sauce and stir-fried everything with the pasta. Sometimes I add more salt or oyster sauce depending on my mood and what I'm craving, but this was enough for today.

Tuna pasta with oyster sauce, done.

It had turned out more like stir-fried noodles than pasta, but I like stir-fried food, so that was fine.

I could've eaten it as it was, but for a balanced meal, I took some cabbage I'd sliced in advance and three cherry tomatoes out of the fridge and made a salad.

No dressing. I was eating it for my health in the first place, and while I try not to skimp on food, that's only within what my wallet allows. Buying vegetables is already hard enough. Dressing on top of that would be a genuine luxury.

And finally, a glass of milk.

They say milk isn't strictly essential nutritionally, but what would an ignorant orphan bastard like me know? I have this vague idea that it's good for you, so I make sure to drink a glass every day.

I set the pasta, salad, and glass of milk on my little stand.

It was originally designed as a spare table to sit beside a desk and pile things on. But when I use the bed as a chair, it's just the right height for a dining table, so that's what I use it for.

I dug in, chewing mouthful after mouthful.

No "Thank you for the meal." I simply kept my mouth shut and concentrated on eating, chewing my way through the food and filling my empty stomach.

"Ah... that hit the spot."

With my stomach full and my brain working again, I could assess my current situation objectively.

I was desperately refusing to face reality.

'Is this really the time to be making delicious pasta...?'

Like a student who hasn't studied at all and starts cleaning their room or fussing over something else the day before an exam, I was looking away from the problem right in front of me.

"Haaa..."

My stress levels. My headache. To ease them even a little, I covered my face with both hands and rubbed, massaging it.

No. Meals are important.

I indulged in a little self-justification, too.

Everything takes energy, after all, and sleeping and eating replenish that energy. I'd slept. I'd filled my stomach.

My gaze naturally drifted toward the strange book I'd left on the desk, with its dark steel cover: the grimoire called Mysteries of the Worm.

"... Fuck."

Much as I hated it, it was time to use my restored energy to focus on the problem in front of me.

I checked the clock. There was still time before my first class.

Going to university lectures in this situation seemed absurd, but narrowly missing out on a scholarship because of attendance was plenty terrifying in its own right. I had to go.

I could get a doctor's note from a hospital, but I wasn't actually sick, and I didn't want to waste precious money.

"... Shall we get going, then?"

Talking to myself to bolster my spirits, I got up, washed, and prepared to leave.

First, I'd stop at the used bookstore before class and ask about this grimoire, Mysteries of the Worm.

Where had it come from? Who had sold it to him...? Considering how casually the owner had sold it to me, I honestly doubted he'd be much help. Still, I didn't want to deal with that monster... all by myself.

KYAA!? KYA!

Apparently fascinated by the refrigerator, the Invisible Vampire kept opening and closing its door.

BANG, THUD. BANG, THUD. BANG, THUD.

KYAA!

It was only because I could make out the rough outline of its actions that I knew it was enjoying the cold air hitting its face whenever the fridge opened.

Taken on its own, the sight of a refrigerator door repeatedly opening and closing by itself was pretty horrifying.

I'd be in serious trouble if it broke the fridge, so I spoke cautiously.

"Stop that."

From the little experimenting I'd done last night, I'd established that it understood me and was fairly obedient.

... KEEE

At its master's command, the Invisible Vampire closed the refrigerator door.

I looked at the Invisible Vampire and pondered.

Obviously, I'd probably have to take it with me. But how was I supposed to get around with it?

Fully upright, it was about three meters tall. Still, judging by how it had slept curled up on the floor of this cramped studio, it seemed capable of shrinking itself to some extent...

That problem turned out to be easier to solve than I'd expected.

Perhaps realizing I was getting ready to go out, the Invisible Vampire's body dispersed like mist and flowed into the grimoire I was holding.

"... Should I be happy about this?"

Looking down at the heavy iron grimoire, I made the sarcastic remark and slipped it into my bag.

Fucking awesome. There's a monster sleeping in the bag I'm carrying.

* * *

Fortunately, nothing went wrong as I walked down the street.

My plan to stop at the old bookstore and gather information about the grimoire, however, ran into a problem.

"..."

I stared blankly for a moment at the workers briskly stacking used books and other items onto a truck as they cleared out the bookstore. Then I approached them.

"Excuse me. The old owner was still running the shop yesterday. Did something happen?"

"You knew him? A regular?"

"Yes. I stopped by sometimes."

I wasn't a regular, but I decided to go with that.

The worker seemed to have known the owner personally. He smacked his lips and spoke with bitterness in his voice.

"They say he passed away in his sleep yesterday."

"What?"

"He was getting on in years... Going in his sleep was a peaceful way to go."

"..."

"He has children, but the shop was only a hobby of his to begin with. They asked us to clear everything out."

I stared blankly for a while at the bookstore, now bearing a "Closed for Good" sign and being emptied by workers, as though its role was over. Then I turned away.

Agonizing over something that had already happened was a waste of time.

Right. Think positively. Now that I thought about it, going back to the bookstore where I'd happened to obtain a grimoire and telling the owner, "The book I bought here was a real grimoire!?" had been a fucking idiotic plan.

... Normally, I wouldn't have come up with something like that. Was I worn out?

Even if I didn't reveal everything, I'd have to tell the owner there was something unusual about the grimoire to persuade him to give me a detailed explanation.

And as I talked, I might end up telling him about the incident that had made me realize it was unusual.

[Tragedy Near ○○ University... Unexplained Phenomenon...]

I looked toward the street near campus that the police had cordoned off.

The place where the Invisible Vampire had killed that nameless swaggering asshole last night.

It wasn't my fault at all, nor was it my responsibility.

But someone had been murdered in society. Someone, whoever it was, had to be held responsible to maintain social order.

And if the existence of the "Invisible Vampire" came to light, I would be the most suitable person to shoulder that responsibility.

If I had to put a charge to it, would it be negligent homicide resulting from failure to properly control a pet?

It depended on the circumstances, but roughly speaking, that meant up to two years in prison and a fine of around seven million won.

Of course, it obviously wouldn't end there.

"... This is driving me nuts."

The quiet mutter slipped from my lips.

Who the hell could've predicted that a book I bought because it looked interesting would have a monster sleeping inside it, or that the monster would kill the bastard who subjected its master to cigarette smoke on the street?

No matter how I looked at it, this wasn't my fault.

I just had shit luck...

Think of it as getting hit by a meteorite while walking down the street.

If I'd at least known his name, I would've gone to his funeral for a bowl of spicy beef soup, in honor of our fleeting encounter. A bitter business.

I briefly mourned the swaggering asshole, looked at the spot under police supervision where his corpse had lain yesterday, then turned and left to attend my university lectures.

The grimoire was a headache, but reality was an even bigger one. Attending classes to earn my grades, working part-time, paying rent—life was full of headaches.