How To Live As A Writer In A Fantasy World

Once again, let me emphasize that the sprout growing on Ariel’s head cannot be pulled out.

Every time someone, including myself, tried to pull it out, it didn’t budge as if it were deeply rooted.

Even when we applied more force, the result was the same.

Cutting it with a knife was too terrifying to even consider.

So, we decided to just leave the sprout as it was.

But now, look at this. In Leona’s hand is Ariel’s sprout.

What’s more, it seems like it replenishes itself, as another sprout had already grown from the crown of Ariel’s head where the previous one was pulled out.

What in the world is going on?

“…Ariel?”

“Th-That… When that sister pulled out the thing on your head, didn’t it hurt?”

Barely managing to speak amidst this incomprehensible situation, I asked.

There were so many things I wanted to say, but Ariel’s condition was the priority.

Hearing my question, Ariel glanced at the sprout in Leona’s hand before turning her gaze back to me.

She tilted her head as if she didn’t understand and blinked her golden eyes.

“It didn’t hurt.”

“It didn’t?”

“Yeah.”

It was a relief that it didn’t hurt, but I was so flustered that I couldn’t figure out where to start.

Could this be some kind of spell Leona mentioned?

Or was there something else at play?

I alternated my gaze between the sprout in Leona’s hand and the new sprout growing on Ariel’s head, then cautiously spoke.

“Ariel, could you let me see your head for a moment?”

“My head?”

“Yes. I just want to check something.”

“Like this?”

Ariel leaned forward with her small head.

The sprout on her crown stood tall, green and lively like a spring onion.

I carefully grabbed the sprout and gently pulled, testing to see if it would come out as easily as it had for Leona.

However, unlike before, the sprout wouldn’t budge, as if it had turned into a firmly rooted pine tree.

Even when I applied more strength, there was no change.

“…It’s not coming out.”

“Let me try.”

Mari took over and gave it a shot, but the result was the same, even when she yanked with enough force to uproot the whole thing.

After Mari finally let go, Ariel slowly straightened her head.

She seemed completely unfazed, her expression filled with curiosity about what we were doing.

“…How did you do it?”

I earnestly questioned Leona.

She had pulled it out so effortlessly, like picking a weed, while Mari and I couldn’t manage it no matter how hard we tried.

Was she special, or was this really some kind of spell?

I couldn’t tell.

Leona, looking equally perplexed, scratched her head with an awkward laugh.

“Ahaha… Well, I don’t know? I just really wanted to, and it worked.”

“Is that what a spell is?”

“I told you, the essence of spells is belief.

You mustn’t harbor any doubt about it.

For example, wondering, ‘Can I pull out this sprout?’ won’t work.

You have to think, ‘Please let me pull out this sprout,’ with conviction.”

Leona, holding the sprout in her hand, explained in a straightforward manner.

But this explanation raised another question.

When she pulled out Ariel’s sprout, it was more of a playful act than a serious attempt.

When I voiced my doubt, she replied with an uneasy expression.

“Honestly, I was surprised too.

I didn’t expect it to come out so easily.

It was more of an example than a serious try.”

“Can you do it again?”

At my request, Leona hesitated for a moment, then reached for Ariel’s head.

Once again, she pinched the stem of the sprout with her thumb and forefinger and gave a light flick of her wrist.

Pop!

The sprout stem came off effortlessly once more.

Shortly after, another sprout grew from the severed spot with a soft, upward motion.

The phenomenon was identical to before, leaving Leona looking sheepish and glancing at me for a reaction.

I, feeling much the same, struggled to find words.

“…Want one?”

“….”

For now, I decided to accept the sprout she offered hesitantly.

Holding it gently, I looked over at Ariel, the apparent root of all this.

She was staring back at us with wide, sparkling eyes, switching her gaze between Leona and me.

She seemed to be reading our thoughts but, thankfully, didn’t speak them aloud, likely due to some prior training.

“Well, now you understand what spells are, right?”

“This example is so vivid it feels even more profound.”

“Yeah, same.”

The power to make the impossible possible—that’s what spells seemed to be.

Simple at first glance but infinitely deep and mysterious, with no clear limits.

Unlike magic, it could defy natural order but was unstable and incomplete.

“That’s the nature of spells.

It’s also why humans moved away from spells and embraced magic instead.”

“Then why did beastfolk distance themselves from magic and adopt spells?”

“It’s a bit odd for me, a beastman, to say this, but beastmen tend to have simpler ways of thinking, don’t they? Their simplicity makes their trust firm and keeps them untainted.”

That explanation was easy to understand.

Beastmen only established their civilization 300 years ago, so traces of ancient culture remain strong.

For example, the political system that starts with the Great Chief is still intact, and during the founding festival, everyone participates in rituals.

This practice, often called folk beliefs or shamanism, is deeply embedded in Animers, making sorcery a significant part of their culture.

Furthermore, as Leona said, beastmen dislike complexity and have simple characteristics, making sorcery quite fitting for them.

Of course, that doesn’t mean beastmen are ignorant.

They just dislike complexity and tend to be combative, but they are far from foolish.

“That demon worshipper who mastered sorcery probably owes it to their characteristic fanaticism.

We don’t know who they worship, but since they lack divine power, they naturally turn to sorcery.”

“Have beastmen ever resurrected the dead or performed possessions?”

“Absolutely not. Necromancy is a desecration of the dead, so we obviously avoid it. Possession, on the other hand, affects the sorcerer casting the spell.

It’s used to receive advice or judgments from ancestors, as you mentioned earlier.

There has never been a case where the sorcerer became the possessor.”

Indeed, possession is typically an experience one endures rather than a skill one controls.

Ariel’s case, where the demon worshipper experienced something unique, seems to have been an exception.

But after hearing this, I grew curious.

Leona mentioned seeking advice from ancestors through possession.

If you think about it, this also goes against the natural order.

More precisely, it involves souls that haven’t yet moved on from this world.

“So, you’re saying you get advice from ancestors?”

“Yes.”

“Does that mean their souls remain in the living world?”

“Not exactly. They reside in Valhalla.”

As we all know, Valhalla is a realm from Norse mythology, a paradise for warriors, where only the brave go after death.

This world has traces of Norse mythology everywhere, from the capital city of Alvenheim beneath Yggdrasil to the Holmgang tradition, part of beastmen culture.

The parallels to Earth are uncanny, yet there are too many differences to draw a direct connection, so it’s regarded as mere coincidence.

In any case, Leona’s story sparked my curiosity.

As someone well-read, I also knew about Valhalla.

“Valhalla is a paradise for the brave, regardless of race, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“And those warriors are reborn as angels, blessed by the gods.”

“Exactly. You know your stuff.”

Then why aren’t angels being born anymore?

That thought made me glance at Ariel.

Ariel is an exceptional case of an angel being born, so she’s an exception.

If there are souls eligible to become angels but none are being born, then there must be an internal issue.

After the Demon War, no angels have been born except Ariel. Many warriors have lived and died since then.

But that’s not the focus right now, so I decided to set it aside.

Digging deeper wouldn’t yield anything meaningful.

“So, can you still summon the spirits of ancestors through sorcery?”

“Yes, I can if the conditions are met. Want to try?”

“Not to that extent. I’m just curious if there’s a way to defend against demon worshippers.”

“There is. You could use ancestral spirits as guardians or make talismans.”

“That sounds… a bit much.”

The first option feels a bit too disrespectful.

I hesitated but was still intrigued.

What kind of lineage does my family have?

Our bloodline is far from ordinary.

Even our physicality rivals beastmen, so our ancestors must be exceptional.

Not to mention the martial arts passed down through generations.

Our family must have been anything but average.

“Give it a try. Judging by your father, your ancestors must have been remarkable,”

Leona urged with an eager expression. Her golden eyes gleamed with anticipation.

“I’m curious too. Your father, you, and even others in your family all have extraordinary physiques.

Plus, your talent in martial arts is exceptional.

Even before your family became nobility, there’s hardly any record of them, despite their distinctive red hair,” Mari added.

Honestly, I felt the same.

My father alone, nicknamed the Red Lion, was once offered the title of count.

Imagine how extraordinary our ancestors must have been.

Even though it’s a peaceful era now, internal strife was rampant in the past.

Territory wars were frequent, and conflicts with the Kingdom of Teres were common.

Adding to that were the barbaric beastmen who regularly raided the borders.

The current peace rests atop countless piles of corpses.

In such chaotic times, how could our family not stand out? It’s puzzling in many ways.

“Hmm… I’m curious too, but isn’t it a bit disrespectful to use our ancestors as guardians?”

“You just need their permission. Of course, getting permission is up to you.”

“Don’t ask for permission; just try it. Even your father might be curious.”

“Hmm…”

After some deliberation, I decided to give it a try. First, I needed my father’s permission.

“Go ahead,” he approved far too easily. Is this really okay?

“If possible, summon my father as well.”

“Why?”

“I want to know where he passed away so I can make a grave or something.”

“…..”

I wasn’t sure if that was filial piety or something else.

As we prepared step by step—

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

Ariel suddenly started plucking the sprouts from her head.

It was fascinating to see new ones sprout immediately.

Wait, is that okay?

While it’s fine if Ariel plucks them herself, the way she does it seems harmful.

“A-Ariel?! What are you doing?!”

“I thought Leona needed more sprouts.”

“Huh?”

“Well, yeah, but can you even pluck them yourself?”

“Yep. Want more?”

“No! No! No! I don’t need them! Stop! I feel bad!”

Could those be eaten as a side dish?

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