Because of my desperate, self-sabotaging flirt, the whole scene turned painfully awkward. In the end, Dante said he’d bring the basic necessities tomorrow, then left with Yulia in that chill, sterile mood.
I picked a random cell, lay down, and started my prison life. I’ve been in the Third Detention Chamber for ten days now, staring at nothing, doing nothing.
In these ten days, aside from Dante dropping by twice with food, I haven’t talked to anyone. I’m back to the Sylia Forest vibes right after I was born, where my only chat partner was Mr. Self Appraisal.
Today, I’m lying spiritedly on the filthy floor, juggling seven tiny fireballs made with the least mana. I make them chase each other in the air, while my fingers toy with the red Magic Tool pendant on my chest, thinking about Lem, who gave it to me.
Lem and the others probably plan to cut ties completely. After my Ghoul Transformation, they went cold on me in the forest. Now I’ve been locked up for ten days, and there’s still no word from them.
I was secretly clinging to a tiny hope. I thought they’d appeal to the army for me. Maybe I’d get released early. Guess I was overthinking it.
Ah, Lem… are you really not going to care about me anymore?
I rub the pendant at my chest and let out a lonely sigh. I crash the seven baseball-sized fireballs together, turning them into gorgeous, fleeting fireworks that bloom bright under the chamber’s ceiling.
Gorgeous and fleeting—just like the happy days of these past three months.
Watching my mini fireworks show, I drift into memories and get a little sentimental.
Alright, change the mood. Let’s chat with Mr. Self Appraisal. I’ve been playing too hard these three months and kind of neglected him. He’s the one partner who’s always by my side, after all.
Ah, here we go. As I think that, Mr. Self Appraisal’s return feed floods into my mind.
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Race: Ghoul Hybrid
Status: Rampage—Cursed Goatling, Logic—White Spider larval infection
Skills: Great Ghoul Tongue, Self Appraisal, Rampage—Ghoul Transformation, Hunting, Dark Magic Fire, Lesser Incantation
Mana: 1/16
Other: Ghoul Devourer, Rabbit Slayer, Flame Manipulator
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I’ve always wondered: after I learned my first language, the skill list showed Great Ghoul Tongue. But now I’ve mastered the Common Tongue, and there’s no sign of my second language on the list.
What is this, species discrimination? Mr. Self Appraisal, are you biased against Commonfolk?
Anyway, let’s hear his voice again.
Mr. Self Appraisal, Mr. Self Appraisal, what does “Lesser Incantation” mean?
“The ability to use the third Word Spirit formula to interfere with the world’s principles at the lowest tier.”
What the heck? Another cryptic line. Mr. Self Appraisal, I shouldn’t have bad-mouthed you, but can you be a bit clearer?
Mr. Self Appraisal gives no response.
Then what are “the world’s principles”?
“Insufficient permissions. No comment.”
Oh, there it is—Mr. Self Appraisal’s classic non-answer mode.
Just as I’m happily teasing him, the giant lighting fireball hanging in the center of the Third Detention Chamber suddenly winks out. The cell plunges into pitch black.
Ah. I got carried away with the fireworks and burned through all my mana. I don’t even have enough left to keep the light up. Hold on, Mr. Self Appraisal, I’ll go spark it again.
I fumble in the dark for the dagger Dante brought, stab my own palm, and use the pain to trigger Rampage—Ghoul Transformation. Mana surges in an instant. I conjure a new fireball and light up the grimy room of the Third Detention Chamber.
Alright, back to our chat. I reconnect to Mr. Self Appraisal and let his data flow through me again.
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Race: Ghoul Hybrid
Status: Rampage—Cursed Goatling (active), Logic—White Spider larval infection (suppressed)
Skills: Common Tongue, Self Appraisal, Rampage—Ghoul Transformation, Hunting, Dark Magic Fire, Intermediate Incantation
Mana: 144/160
Other: Ghoul Devourer, Rabbit Slayer, Flame Manipulator
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Oho—Detective Alice has found a thread!
In the Ghoul state’s return feed, Great Ghoul Tongue and Beginner Incantation vanish, replaced by Common Tongue and Intermediate Incantation.
That’s a big clue. This never happened after Ghoul Transformation before. Did adding the Beginner-level skill cause it?
Mr. Self Appraisal, what is the Common Tongue?
“The ability to understand Commonfolk speech and converse in it.”
Ah, that’s similar to Great Ghoul Tongue. Then, what is Intermediate Incantation?
“The ability to use the second Word Spirit formula to interfere with the world’s principles at a low tier.”
Right. I remember: Lesser Incantation uses the third Word Spirit formula. Intermediate uses the second.
Miss Aileen explained Word Spirit magic to me. When Lem taught me the Common Tongue, he did say both Great Ghoul Tongue and the Common Tongue evolved from Word Spirit.
So, the second Word Spirit formula equals Great Ghoul Tongue. The third equals the Common Tongue. The “Incantation” skill on the list is swapping with the language skill above it.
That explains why Common Tongue didn’t show up on the list in human form. In human state, Common Tongue gets replaced by the higher-tier Lesser Incantation.
Now, in Ghoul state, Great Ghoul Tongue gets replaced by Intermediate Incantation, while Common Tongue reappears because Lesser Incantation disappears. In short: human state lets me use Word Spirit with the Common Tongue; Ghoul state lets me use Word Spirit with Great Ghoul Tongue.
Heh-heh-heh. How’s that deduction, Mr. Self Appraisal? Pretty detective-like, right?
No time to waste. Intermediate Incantation looks stronger than Lesser. Let’s try Word Spirit using Great Ghoul Tongue.
I shake off my slump, hop up from the dusty floor, and speak to the empty corridor of cells:
“Come out, my servant.”
Huh? No reaction. I thought I could summon something to chat with me.
No, no, try again.
“I’ve got something to say. Come out.”
Still dead quiet. No response at all.
Must be my phrasing. Word Spirit is like a query language. You need a clearer command. I take a deep breath, set the mood, and say:
“Yulia, come out and play.”
Bang. Yulia and Miss Aileen appear out of thin air in the middle of the chamber.
“Ahhh, it worked!” I shout, thrilled.
“Alice, why are you yelling like an idiot? And what’s with that grimy look?” Yulia tilts her head at my post-Ghoul flailing. “Did the long imprisonment break your brain? Miss Aileen and I came to help you clean!”
