Stamp Rally Reward: Unbelievable Treasure, Get!?
I’d expected a sea voyage to be boring, but it was the complete opposite.
That’s because it gave me time to really get to know my companions.
First off, Milfie sleeps a lot.
You always hear that cats curl up in kotatsu heaters, but she can sleep soundly just about anywhere.
One morning, when I couldn’t find her, I looked around the deck and found her napping right on the edge—so close to falling overboard. Terrifying.
But it turns out she doesn’t just sleep anywhere. She picks her spots based on the sun’s position.
Unfortunately, she hadn’t accounted for the sea breeze, and her hair was soaked—which was just so very “Milfie” of her.
And then there’s Aqua.
“How is it? Can you tell?”
“Y-yeah, totally! It’s… moving, a bit. Your—uh, ears.”
Aqua is an elf. Her long, slightly droopy ears are incredibly cute.
And they were twitching—just a little.
Apparently, it’s a spell that lets you deliberately move parts of your body.
Honestly, it’s an absurdly silly use of magic. But she wasn’t joking.
She looked so proud—like, “Well? Impressed, aren’t you?”
“Indeed.”
That much was clear thanks to all the time we’d spent together on this voyage.
Her expression doesn’t change much, but sometimes, just sometimes, her cheeks twitch ever so slightly.
Normally she’s unreadable, but when her emotions stir, they show a little on her face.
Still, I really wanted to ask “what’s the point of that magic”, but I held back. Would’ve felt mean.
She really does love magic.
She’s been collecting magic tomes just to learn more spells.
Speaking of which…
“Say, how do you learn magic? Someone told me simple magic works through imagining it.”
“That’s right. Umm, Mister Tabito—could you please get one of my magic tomes from your travel bag?”
“Oh, sure, just a sec.”
I couldn’t help grinning. Being the “bag guy” for the team felt weirdly fulfilling.
I’m the one carrying both their stuff, after all.
I stuck my hand into the bag and rummagiciand around.
It’s a strange thing—if you picture the item in your mind, you can pull it right out.
Aqua’s spellbooks, which she bought back in the capital, totally screamed “fantasy.”
Black covers, a creepy eyeball motif that followed you wherever you looked—pretty intimidating.
But it wasn’t thick. More like a picture book than a tome.
The cover had local script written on it, but it was unusually casual.
I activated my “guide lens” in my mind, and the letters slowly started to decode.
What the heck is this thing?
[Magic to Slightly Relieve Nasal Congestion]… What?
“What is this, Aqua?”
“It’s a very rare find. I never imagined I’d see one in the royal capital.”
“Mind if I check something?”
“Go ahead.”
“So… this helps clear a stuffy nose?”
“That’s right. Isn’t it incredible?”
Is it…? Actually, maybe it is.
Anyone who’s ever been kept awake by sinus problems would agree.
But… what does “slightly” mean? Duration? Effectiveness?
You know what—this could actually be important.
“The book contains spell formations and patterns. As well as the usage instructions.”
Aqua opened the tome for me. Inside were spiraling patterns that didn’t seem decipherable by my guide lens.
I could understand the text, but before getting to the actual effect or potency, it also included phonetic rules and pronunciation info.
“… So how do you learn a spell, then?”
“Through understanding.”
With that, Aqua raised her right hand.
I could feel her mana start to flow.
Then, with a gentle glow, all the letters were drawn into her palm.
Whoa… That was so cool…
The book vanished entirely, as if it had never existed.
“Have you memorized it now?”
“Yes, I have.”
“W-Whoa… That’s amazing. But what exactly do you mean by ‘understanding’...?”
“Just what the word says. If you comprehend what’s written in the book, you naturally gain the ability to use the spell. Of course, without a sufficient level of mana, it’s still difficult.”
“I see…”
I kinda understood. Kinda didn’t.
“Well, the effect was written clearly, I guess. I mean, if it can ease nasal congestion even a little, that’s pretty handy.”
“Huh?”
Suddenly, Aqua’s eyes widened. Really wide. That was rare.
“Did you… just say you could read it?”
“Uh? Yeah, I did.”
“… Amazing. So that’s the power of the Guide Lens, then.”
“I don’t know if I’d call it magic or not, really. But why are you so surprised?”
“This book is incredibly rare. It was created by a minority people who preserved their knowledge through spell-sealing magic. But if the book is too ancient or obscure, no one can comprehend it—let alone ‘understand’ it. Thankfully, I’m an elf, so I was drilled in multiple languages by the elders since I was little. But you… Mister Tabito, you really are something.”
Her face didn’t show it, but the twitching at her cheek betrayed her emotion.
It must really be that impressive.
I was honestly happy about it, though I did feel a little guilty flaunting something the Guide Lens just kinda does for me.
“Really? You think so?”
“Yes. You’re amazing.”
“Well, I mean, I am kinda awesome…”
“You truly are.”
Ehehe. I’m happy. Super happy.
But I’d better not let it go to my head.
“So you collect these magic books to learn spells from them?”
“Yes. There are many people like me. Most are probably searching for the spellbooks of the Grand Sage Elmirah. I’m one of them, too.”
“Grand Sage Elmirah?”
Right, Milfie told me once that it’s a title given to truly great magicians.
My own Area Pins and Free Pins use teleportation-like functions, and she compared those to Elmirah’s magic.
If this sage could do that with magic alone, they must have been incredible.
It really did sound interesting. What kind of magic did they use?
Aqua then told me about the Grand Sage Elmirah.
They supposedly lived several centuries ago, and spellbooks attributed to them are still scattered across the world.
Even mastering just one of their spells is enough to earn the title of royal court magician.
“Of course, I’ve never come across them. It’s just a dream of mine, really.”
“That’s a good dream. Hey… maybe my guide map could help us find one.”
“… But that has nothing to do with your quest. It’s my personal goal.”
“That’s not true. Searching for my memories, looking for Milfie’s kin, and helping you find spellbooks you want—they’re our goals now.”
At those words, Aqua truly smiled.
Yeah, that must be how I used to think before I lost my memories.
[Mapping range has been expanded. Due to Hyper Maturation bonus, “Stamp Rally” has been unlocked.]Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out. It’d been a while.
Stamp rally? Like, checkpoints you pass through to earn a grand prize?
Whoa. That’s awesome.
“Stamp Rally.”
As I spoke the words aloud, a new tab popped up on the side of the map.
The first entry alone surprised me—but there were five checkpoints in total.
The final one? Labeled “Grand Prize.”
“… You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
“What’s wrong, Mister Tabito?”
“… It’s Elmirah’s spellbook.”
The fifth and final prize.
Right next to the drawing of a magic tome, it read: “Grand Sage Elmirah’s Spellbook.”
---
Aqua
★★★★★
I never imagined talking about magic with someone could be this fun.
I feel… truly happy.
Milfie
★★★★★
So comfy, meowaah…
Mmm… zzz…
Tabito
★★★★★
Wait… Elmirah’s spellbook…?
If I get this, do I become a royal court magician!?
Otherworld Guide Map: Tabito, Royal Magician Arc…!?
What do you think about this chapter?
