REAPER SCANS
Translator: Ryuu
Editor: Abstract
Discord: https://dsc.gg/reapercomics
◈ The Inept Mage’s Infinite Regression
Chapter 5
Boen grabbed Ethan by the collar and dragged him into his room. He shoved Ethan against the wall and said, "That wasn’t a very funny joke."
"Does it sound like I’m lying?"
"Wouldn’t it be better if you were? If it’s true, I might have to kill you to keep you quiet."
"That doesn’t sound like a good idea."
Ethan smirked as he spoke.
"Do you think someone who knows your secret would come here without a plan? If something happens to me, a letter I wrote will be delivered to someone."
"I don’t know. Do you have any proof that I work for the Inquisition?"
"You have a very precious book, don’t you? Right?"
Boen drew a dagger.
"How do you know about that…?"
"Like you said, I’m the infamous troublemaker. I’ve been short on money lately, so I’ve been snooping around other people’s rooms for anything valuable."
As Ethan expected, Boen made a cold judgment.
"If you know I work for the Inquisition, why not just report me?"
"Honestly, what good would that do me?"
"Do you want money?"
"If you were from a wealthy family, maybe. But what I want from you is something else."
"Something else?"
"You’re the top student in the first year."
"...Do I have to admit that myself?"
"Don’t you?"
"Well, it’s a bit embarrassing."
Boen avoided Ethan’s gaze through his glasses, his face slightly red. Ethan found this side of him unexpected.
"Anyway. You saw how I barely passed Basic Magic Practice, right? If hings stay like this, I’ll struggle with the second semester’s Basic Magic class."
"...Don’t tell me."
Ethan continued, "Teach me magic."
Boen’s expression became complicated upon hearing those words.
Ethan’s plan was simple.
<If killing Bain isn’t necessary, the best course of action is to have him expelled from the academy. To achieve that, I need to find evidence that he’s involved with the Inquisition. And to find that evidence, I need to get close to someone connected to him—Boen Palmize.>
<That’s a good plan.>, Demi praised but also questioned, <But was it necessary to ask him to teach you magic? It feels like you’re indulging a personal desire.>
<A personal desire? What’s wrong with me learning magic?> grumbled Ethan.
<It’s not wrong, but… isn’t it already a given that you can’t learn magic? Even Arca said so.>
In truth, it wasn’t just Arca. The family head, Count Charasen, the family mages, and even the family’s “guests” had all confirmed for various reasons that Ethan had no talent for magic. However, the unexpected always happens.
<Our contract succeeded, didn’t it?>
<You probably already know this, but what this world calls dark magic…>
<Enough. I don’t want to hear it.>
Ethan was too young to give up on something so easily.
<Besides, this approach won’t make Boen more suspicious of me. From his perspective, someone trying to use a public issue for personal gain is a person he can control.>
Ethan’s prediction was correct.
"Alright."
"Really?"
Of course, there were parts that went beyond Ethan’s expectations.
"But there’s a condition."
"A condition?"
Ethan checked the newly generated quest.
[Quest generated!]
[Quest: Advance Your Relationship with Boen Palmize (D).]
According to Demi, the appearance of a quest was proof that it was a worthwhile challenge.
Ethan replied, "Fine. What’s the condition?"
Three days later, Ethan was regretting accepting Boen’s condition as he fought a sword-wielding automaton.
* * *
REAPER SCANS
Translator: Ryuu
Editor: Abstract
Discord: https://dsc.gg/reapercomics
* * *
An automaton was a weapon controlled by a puppeteer. They were usually made of wood but could also be made of iron, stone, or composite materials like ceramics. Typically, they had a humanoid appearance with a head, arms, and legs attached to a torso, though their appearance varied depending on the puppeteer.
The automaton Ethan was currently facing wasn’t much different from a scarecrow used for chasing birds, except for its legs and the sword it wielded.
'Scarecrows don’t usually try to kill me, though.'
Ethan dodged the automaton’s sword. It didn’t seem like skilled swordsmanship—it was more like random swinging. But even that could kill a person, and it was threatening enough.
"I’ve already killed the blade, so I probably won’t die if I get hit, right?"
"Probably?"
The one who said this was Linav Promorus, a senior magic student at the school and the president of the Combat Magic Society.
Linav looked like a typical Patalain, with skin darker than most Yurmus people and shiny golden hair. Patalains often had diamond-shaped white spots on their faces due to the influence of ancient magic, and Linav had one on the bridge of her nose.
Linav continued,
"But boy, don’t forget that not dying isn’t enough to get approval to join the society."
"Who are you calling 'boy'?"
Ethan hastily dodged another attack from the automaton, and Linav laughed.
Boen’s “condition” was joining the Combat Magic Society. Boen explained that he would be busy with society activities during the break, making it hard to find time otherwise. The society’s meeting room was spacious and had plenty of resources, making it ideal for teaching magic. Plus, Ethan could learn from other seniors and peers in the society.
Combat magic was the study of magic used for self-defense, combat, or war, as well as the application of such magic in battle. The school’s Combat Magic Society was only a student group, but it was true that the alumni of the society were closely watched by mages.
Ethan readily agreed to Boen’s condition. He couldn’t be certain that Boen and Bain were the only ones affiliated with the Inquisition. Meeting other people connected to Boen had value. Of course, in hindsight, it was a trap. To join the Combat Magic Society, Ethan had to defeat an automaton.
Linav said, "I’ll give you credit for bravery, or maybe stupidity. Challenging an automaton after barely passing Basic Magic Practice. …No, maybe it’s not bravery but ignorance? Despite its appearance, that automaton mimics the movements of a soldier trained for the battlefield. If you become proficient in combat magic, this is the minimum level of combat ability you’ll face on the battlefield. There’s nobody in this society that can't defeat that automaton."
"I never said I’d lose."
"Determination alone isn’t enough to pass. But it’s a start, haha. Boen brought an interesting friend."
Boen replied, "He’s not my friend."
Ethan thought he could handle the automaton alone, but it wasn’t easy. If it had been slow, he could have climbed onto its back and twisted its neck, but as Linav said, it was more agile and clever than he expected.
Ethan said to Demi, <I think I’ll have to use it.>
<Understood.>
Ethan put away the dagger he was holding.
"What, giving up?"
"No."
"Then, are you going to fight it bare-handed?"
"Yeah."
Ethan planned to use a “skill.”
∞
Before fighting the automaton, Ethan entered Limbo that morning. As he had confirmed on the first day, he could enter Limbo whenever he fell asleep or lost consciousness.
"I don’t need to come here every day, but today is different."
Ethan checked the quest completion window.
[Quest: Survive for 3 Days (D) – Success!]
[Reward: 12 Experience Points]
[Reward: D-Rank Lottery Coupon]
When he checked his pocket, he found the D-rank coupon.
Demi asked, <Would you like to draw a lot?>
"No."
Ethan walked over to the merchant.
"Can you recommend something I might need?"
<If I have it.>
"One more question. You said 'item,' but what I can draw isn’t limited to 'items,' right? I can also buy 'archives' and 'skills,' correct?"
The merchant looked up at Ethan.
<Of course.>
Ethan held out the D-rank coupon.
"Then I’ll buy a skill."
<What skill do you want?>
∞
The automaton looked at Ethan strangely, then approached cautiously.
<As I thought. It reacts like a person.>
Demi said, <But User, 'like a person' means this automaton isn’t just a programmed robot—it reacts and acts like a human.>
<A robot? You mean like a golem?>
<You can think of it that way. Golems do have their clumsy aspects. But the human-like parts can also be a weakness.>
Ethan took off his coat. He prided himself on his agility, which had allowed him to dodge the automaton’s blade so far. But that was it. Just dodging attacks wouldn’t bring down the automaton.
<You said the automaton mimics a soldier’s movements, right?>
<That’s right.>
<Is the skill similar?>
<I don’t know much about magic, but I assume so. There’s some variation between skills, but a typical D-rank skill is based on the movements of someone with about three years of experience. So, you could say you’re currently mimicking the movements of someone who’s practiced for about three years.>
The automaton quickly approached and swung its sword. It was a simple downward slash, but it could naturally transition into a horizontal strike.
In an instant, Ethan flung his coat, which wrapped around the automaton’s blade. The automaton, unfazed, pulled the sword free and stepped back. Linav watched with interest, while Boen looked indifferent.
Pop!
A firecracker Ethan pulled from his pocket exploded right in front of the automaton’s face. Startled, the automaton staggered. Its sword was tangled in the coat as it stepped back, making it seem like it might fall at any moment.
Ethan crouched low and grabbed the automaton’s thigh. He pushed with his shoulder, and the automaton fell with a loud crash.
<Takedown complete…>
The automaton tried to swing its sword, but Ethan had already grabbed its wrist. It couldn’t generate enough force or angle to swing the sword effectively using only its wrist.
<On the ground…>
Ethan gripped the automaton’s arm, lifted both its legs over its chest, and arched his back.
<Armbar.>
A joint lock targeting the elbow. On Terra, this technique would cause enough pain to force a surrender, but this was Damarth Yumaha.
Ethan used all his strength to twist the automaton’s elbow.
Crack!
The skill Ethan had bought from the merchant was <Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (D)>.
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