"Instead of vegetative state, the dead can better illustrate the problem. It's better not to learn magic at all than to only be able to use a little bit of rubbish magic." - My view on magic.

Outside the tent is pitch black, the bonfire has burned out, and the lantern me and Leya are carrying has been refueled once.

Once again, I wanted to confirm if as a human with only 0.7 magic power, I could become a mage through practice and cultivation. Leya gave a firm negative answer.

"I can teach you the simplest magic, you'll know once you give it a try."

Leya threw a book to me, with a octagram pattern on it. This octagram represents the God of Light, whom I've seen in the kingdom. All books related to magic have this pattern, to the people of the kingdom, magic books are equivalent to holy books, people who don't know magic are not allowed to read them.

"Um, what kind of magic is the simplest?"

"The first one."

I flipped open the first page, neatly printed on it a line of words, roughly meaning that this book belongs to the Kingdom of Ingleslei. Then comes the table of contents, I skipped it directly. Let's see what the first type of magic is.

"This is called ... Origami Magic, right?"

"Call it whatever you want..."

I actually couldn't understand the name of that magic, the diagram expressed that this magic can fold a piece of paper. Below it was the obvious non-kingdom language, which must be the incantation my wife chanted before shooting magic arrows.

Mm~ Mm~ Mm~ Let me learn it properly, who said if your magic power isn't strong you can't use magic, even if I could learn just one spell like invisibility or burrowing, at least I can use it to survive.

"Leya, is this really the simplest?"

"Yes, this is the starting stage for humans to learn magic. Even an ordinary human can master it through learning. Don't tell me you're even worse than an ordinary human."

I... indeed am worse than an ordinary human.

But you won't know if you can't try everything, how do you know you can't if you don't try?

"So, I just need to chant this paragraph out loud?"

"No, it's not that simple. Let me teach you how to read the language first."

"Alright then."

"Come, say it with me: Sizzle~ Ainala~ Rakuo~"

"Wait, Leya, are you sure this is the simplest magic?"

"Yes, what's wrong?"

"The simplest magic requires chanting such a long paragraph?"

"No, it's just you who needs to chant this paragraph, I don't."

"Just to fold a piece of paper?"

"I said, you need to chant this paragraph, I don't."

"Then show me an example."

"Alright."

Right after I finished saying that, when I turned my head back to look at the book, the pages had already been folded.

"Why? Why didn't you need to say anything and you just folded the paper..."

"That's the difference in skill level, a good mage doesn't need to chant for this kind of magic, they can just do it by imagining. How can you compare to someone skilled when you're just starting to learn?"

"Alright, I'll just do as you said."

Following along with Leya, I chanted the incantation in that nonsensical language for several times, who knows who invented these words that don't sound human. But if you want to learn magic, you have to read it. The subject I hated the most in my life was math, and now it seems magic is the second most hated.

"Sizzle~ Ainala~ Rakuo~"

"Very good, now go ahead and imagine the paper being folded."

"Imagine? Just by using my mind?"

"Yes, use all your energy to imagine, even use your whole body's strength."

"I understand..."

That night, I tried a total of 87 times, I counted over and over. And on the 88th time, the piece of paper moved just a little.

Yes, it only moved a little, I didn't know if it was because of my heavy breathing or the magic that moved it.

"Leya, can't I really do it?"

"No, as long as you try hard, you'll definitely be able to do it."

"But I really can't comprehend it..."

"That's because you still doubt magic."

"I won't doubt it, because I've already seen it."

"No, you still doubt it, because I can tell, you've never seen magic before."

"Alright, believe whatever you want."

I didn't want to discuss this topic of not believing magic exists, I've seen it and naturally I will believe. What I don't believe is as an outsider, if I can possess the potential for magic like the people in this world.Leya sat on the side and lifted her chin at me, signaling me to continue.

I almost exhausted all the strength in my body, except for using the muscles on my butt to bounce off the chair.

Believe in yourself, I can do it.

Biceps, abs, masseter muscles, I tightened every part of my body, curling up like a cooked shrimp on the chair, and recited the incomprehensible French, just to fold a piece of paper in half.

"Raul."

I lay on the ground as Leya threw the half-folded paper on me.

"You did it."

"But it's meaningless."

Reluctantly sitting back on the chair, I tossed the folded paper onto the table and lit a cigarette.

"For you, magic may be the most powerful weapon, but for me, it's worthless."

"Why do you think that way? You see, you can..."

"Do I have to pay several times or even dozens of times more than a magician to fold a piece of paper?"

"But Raul, you have to believe that there are humans who possess powerful magic, and if you want to resist them, you must understand them."

"I will have my way, but it won't be through magic."

"What is your way? Can you tell me? Are you relying on your gun?"

"No, I know that relying solely on a gun won't work."

"You'll be facing magic that could take your life at any moment, do you really understand? Who can protect you then?"

"I will protect myself, and not just myself, but also my wife, you, Wolfrang, and every one of my friends."

"Don't say these things like Kleifre anymore!"

Leya cried, which was something I never expected.

"..."

The succubus shed only two tears, a brief moment of crying, but it made my heart ache. Leya said that Kleifre promised to protect her and everyone, and then lost his life in battle. She was hiding in the basement when she was about to be defeated, watching everything unfold before her eyes. "I can give up my life, but I don't want to give up you." Those were Kleifre's last words to Leya.

I know Leya just wanted to emphasize the importance of survival to me, but I have come this far and there is no turning back. Even if my wife and I return to our cave, we can't live peacefully like before.

"Hey, Miss Succubus, do you know in my previous world, people could fly freely in the sky?"

"What...do you mean?"

Believe me, you may solve problems with magic, but I have my own way."

"Look, how simple it is." I folded the paper on the table again with my hands and answered her.

Some things are not worth the effort. Because if you invest that energy into something else, you will gain greater benefits. If the cost is 10,000 yuan, but you can earn 50,000 yuan, then don't settle for earning only 40,000 yuan. That's my principle of action.

The conversation with Leya continued until dawn. She showed me over ten different magic spells, from tying a knot in a rope to lifting me up and spinning me in the air before putting me down. Apart from praising Leya's powerful magic, I didn't show any envy. For humans, magic is like a pair of gold-plated scissors, while technology is like a large iron scissors. What can truly be popularized to everyone is technology.

"Leya, it's dawn."

"Yeah, do you like sunrise?"

"I prefer sunset."

"So, you are more like a monster."

"Just in appearance, I am still a human."

I looked at my hands, and the sunrise sunlight cast slanting shadows from my fingertips.

"When you were still human, many men must have pursued you, right?"

"What...do you mean?"

"Well, no, that's not how I should put it. I should say if you were a human, many men would want to have you, right?"

"No human would flatter a succubus~"

"No, I'm just stating the truth."

"Telling the truth is useless for a succubus~"

"Leya, you know, women have a time limit."

I don't know when it started, but everything was given an expiration date. Milk expires, bread expires, and even women are labeled with a shelf life of thirty. But succubi, Medusa, vampires, and other monsters break this shelf life. In essence, the concept of a shelf life comes from men's evaluation of women's appearance, and it represents a woman's powerless resistance to aging.When a woman's shelf life is longer than a man's, things start to feel out of place.

"Demons, do you turn into old ladies?"

"No, we will always remain the same until we die."

"What about Medusa?"

"They age, but it's a very lengthy process."

"That's alright, as long as they age."

"You will always be ahead of her."

"I know."

"Aren't you afraid that your wife will become like me in the future?"

I think she's implying that my lifespan is shorter than Medusa's.

"Not at all, because I'm the only man who will enter her life."

"Very confident, huh?"

"Of course, we will have a wedding in the future."

"So, can I congratulate you in advance?"

"Does that mean you're not planning to attend our wedding?"

"Haha."

The black market sellers walked out of their tents one by one, washing their faces and getting ready for breakfast. No one paid any attention to us soaking in the morning sun.

Not feeling tired at all, I wanted to wake up my wife to watch the sunrise together, but I didn't.

"Leya, I have something to ask of you."

"As expected."

"Can I use the gold coins in the basement?"

"Even if I say no, you'll still plead with Simmon, right?"

"Yes, so I might as well ask you directly."

"What do you want to buy?"

"I want to buy the future."

"That's very expensive."

"If I don't buy it now, it will be even more expensive in the future."

I entrusted Leya with many tasks, even though she could fly, it would probably take her several weeks to complete. Watching the succubus flap her wings, the pleated milk-colored skirt rippled, the feet of a woman without an expiration date left the ground.

"Raul, I have a question before I go."

"What is it, Miss Succubus?"

"If I were the first person you met, would you fall in love with me?"

"Do you want to hear the truth?"

"Of course."

"The truth is: I don't know."

"That's not a very satisfying answer."

"Because I only know that love is related to time."

"Perhaps what you said is true."