Alexandra didn't expect much, but the reality was too depressing. She did so much to live a better life in this world, but it still didn't work out for her. She had many plans, she even started to learn to play the piano, dreaming that people would see her great talent and let her live a normal life.... Then it turned out that in this world, the piano does not exist.
She returned to her room, which oddly enough was single. Although all the other slaves could enter it, it was separate. It was a good thing that the yams allowed them to have a little bit of privacy.
Heh. Did you really think I would give up so easily? I shouldn't do it, but... I need it.
In her hand she was holding, old and purple, thick book. But maybe the better word would be "grimoire". In simplest terms, it was a magic book. Or perhaps some kind of manual. She wasn't entirely sure herself.
She stole it from angry witch, who perform magic test. It contained many books. Hunsi was then not quite sure which one to take, so she chose the one that looked the easiest to understand, nd the book she chose had some strange purple patterns that looked like they were drawn by a child....
But, more importantly, how could it be that she stole a book from this great magician? Well... Let's just say she was too absorbed in her monologue.
She slowly open the cover of the book and begun reading it. It wasn't very easy task, because the sun has gone down, and it was pretty dark. The only light source was the torch in the hallway. And that wasn't even the end of the difficulties. She also has problem with reading the text as it was full of unusual, and complicated words. She could understand one in every three words. It shouldn't even be called reading, but perhaps the guessing the meaning of the text.
How was it possible that she could read in this fantasy world? She was, after all, a slave.
Well, she had many friends in this place, and also not all of them had always been slaves. Usually it was from them that she learned, plus she always wanted to escape from this place, so she paid special attention to learning the language or other things related to this world. She was able to read and write, although it was not perfect.
Eh, it's harder than I thought it would be... However, in just half an hour I discovered more things about magic, than for all these years I spent in this world.
I don't quite understand everything, but.... I see a lot of similarities with science from Earth. For example, magic control: It's says that there are three states of it:
"First and the easiest one is like the air, it is everywhere, however since it is everywhere, it is also nowhere. The second one is like water, when you master this degree of mana control, your magic will become much more stable, just like water. And the last but not the least is ice is strong and unbreakable, only masters are able to achieve it."
Of course, this text has been simplified, without strange analogies and poems about water.
There is an awful lot on this subject. As it turns out, people have a kind of , "circles" within them that have different forms, and it's on them that our control of magic depends.... These are literally descriptions of the physical states of water just described in a horribly poetic way. Even a child in kindergarten would know about such things.
Although Alexandra complained about the simplicity, she would never have guessed it herself. She may have known about the states of matter, but how was she supposed to know that it could be used directly to control mana?
Nevertheless, she may have learned a few important things, of course, but theory and practice are two different things.
As she further discovered it still takes talent to increase control. What's more... control itself is not very important in the starting stages.
So it's ussles anyway. However, let's not lose hope. I should keep reading.
For the next two hours or so, she read on. However, she furrowed her brow more and more with each successive page. Putting aside the nonsensical artistic side of this textbook, it reminded her more of a book for second-grade elementary school children than a magical, ancient book.
Terribly strange. On the one hand, there is basic earthly knowledge, and there are also elements of slightly higher knowledge, something between high school and elementary school. Logarithms, parabolas, geometry, but also something that resembles physical and chemical formulas, but for some reason everything here is somehow complicated.... I know these things, but I'm sure they can be taught more simply.
For a while, she wasn't even sure if it was really a book for learning magic. Nevertheless, everything came together beautifully. Alchemy was fundamentally chemistry, combat magic, magically combined mathematics and physics. Healing magic? Simple biology.
I didn't want to believe it, but... isn't magic just science for children? I am disappointed. Besides, I see a lot of mistakes in it.
Then suddenly she heard a loud scream. A magician of the fourth circle whose name she had forgotten rushed into their chamber with four soldiers.
Oh, and so she had already discovered that her book had perished?
"Everyone get out of your rooms! Immediately!" she shouted.
I did as they ordered. The whole room was in disarray. Some looked terrified, and some didn't give a crap.
"Some important thing from my room went missing. It was done by someone recently tested. Let these people come forward." All of us stepped forward, not everyone has been there and some have yet to come including Katoro and Morta.
"If the person who did it confesses, the punishment will be less. For that person, as well as for all of you."
"A moment? Why should we suffer for something someone else did? It's not fair!" Howled Morta, looking absolutely annoyed. Since she has always been treated better than others, she has become quite cocky.
Morta looked beet red. There was silence, no one spoke.
"I see. So we'll search the rooms of all of you."
"Just a moment!" Shouted Morta "I'm sure she did it!" She pointed her finger at Hunsi. She smiled, as if she was completely sure of herself. Well their rooms were next to each other, so it would not be impossible for her to hear or see something.
"She's been muttering something to herself all evening and even now she looks like she's enjoying it. It's definitely her."
The woman looked at Alexandra and nodded. She probably recalled her, as she ordered a search of her room. It soon became clear that nothing had been found.... Well accusing someone without any evidence is foolish in itself.
The woman sighed and ordered a search of other rooms.
Finally, everyone gathered heard a loud: "We found it!" Everyone looked surprised. The voice came out of Morty's room. She was as pale as a wall. She shouted terrifyingly loud: "It's impossible!"
It was the last night Hunsi saw her.
