The Bookstore Mage

Two weeks have passed since Lucien came back to the bookstore. January left, making way for February. The cold weather gradually improved. The chilling winds calmed down. Lucien was seated behind the counter as usual with Moon resting by his side.

Anna became a regular, she visited the bookstore whenever she had the chance. The duo slowly grew more comfortable around each other. She was currently resting on the small chair Lucien specifically brought down from upstairs for her.

His relationship with Estrea remained somewhat the same. She would occasionally call to check on him, and the duo would harmlessly flirt together, yet so far it never got anywhere. The Goldhearts didn't visit him again after Ron's sudden visit.

In the past two weeks, Lucien ended up missing one of The Hermits' gatherings and joined one where he learned some interesting pieces of information. The opening of a sudden magical portal. According to what he understood, these portals were usual occurrences, they opened at random times all over the planet. The Council was first created to control these, as some of these portals contained monsters that were a threat.

It was the Council's job to monitor, and intervene should they deem the portal dangerous. Some portals were stable and could remain open for years, while others would only appear for a mere instant. According to The Hermits, the latest portal was a stable one that opened a short distance from the city. The Council had already deemed it no threat to earth and gave the clearance for the mages to explore it.

Some people in the gathering formed a group for exploration and attempted to invite Lucien. He, however, kindly refused. He was not yet confident enough to tackle alternative dimensions.

Besides, he had been busy planning for the reopening of the Bookstore. Lucien ended up creating an online page for it and did some light marketing in a somewhat vain attempt at gathering traffic.

Some visitors stopped by, but few loaned the books, and even fewer ended up buying some. So the problem of restocking his shelves was still out of his mind. Lucien considered ordering some of the newest books to appeal to a new market yet his budget was a little tight.

The money he saved from his last job was still enough to last for some time, but that did not mean he could recklessly spend it. This meant that Lucien needed a new source of income. Best if it came from the Bookstore itself.

When it came to magical spells, besides Imer, Tadawsa, and Tajajiht: the fireball spell. Lucien had ended up learning a couple of useful spells as well. Tafat: a minor spell that summoned a light ball to illuminate his surroundings, he could control its intensity, and was able to make it float and follow him, acting like a flashlight. This one needed no incantation, only hand gestures.

Then there was: Usem, a lightning spell. This one was his latest achievement, enabling him to shoot out a thick bolt of lightning from his fingertips. The spell apparently even had a chance to summon real lightning from the sky if the conditions were appropriate. Usem was a little bit more complicated, utilizing a complex chant, luckily the hand gesture was one of his creations.

Usem was currently his strongest spell, and to train it, Lucien had to ask Estrea for help. She provided him with an underground training facility built under The Hermits' headquarters. When she heard that he was going to be experimenting with some spells, Estrea respected his privacy and did not inquire any further. This was something that Lucien liked about her, she respected boundaries.

The final spell in Lucien's arsenal was the first one he learned. The mysterious spell that pulled him inside that special place. Ever since that time, Lucien was unable to cast it properly. He had been constantly attempting to, yet to no avail.

His mind could never fully concentrate and fall into that meditative state like the first time. Now that he knew magic was real, and was excited to unravel its secrets, Lucien could hardly control his passion. This seemed to be a fatal flaw, as it prevented the spell from being activated.

No matter how hard he tried, Lucien always failed. He thought that he was calm enough, yet the reality proved otherwise. This made him wonder, just how did he manage to pull it off the first time? And why was it that this particular spell was so different?

These questions plagued him, and Lucien often found himself thinking about them.

Anna pulled him out of his train of thought, she suddenly stood up and moved to the counter before placing two thick novels down.

"I'll be taking these for the week, Lucien." She said with a smile.

Lucien glanced at the novels: one a thriller mystery, the second a romance. This slightly surprised him yet he did not say anything. He smiled and spoke:

"Already heading for that trip?"

"Yes! I can't wait, I've never been to the northern mountains before. I heard it's very pretty this time of the year!"

Lucien nodded and answered while packing her books:

"Yes, I went there before with my grandpa when I was still young, and it was beautiful. Though you might wanna pack some warm clothes, although the weather is pleasant during the day it can be quite cold during the night. And be careful when you go hiking!"

"I will! I'm just excited, it's my first real trip alone!"

Her smile was infectious, and Lucien found himself grinning as well.

"Well, I hope the books will keep you company."

"Oh, I'm sure they will." She said and signed her name on the paper Lucien presented her.

"Anyway, I've got to go, I'll see you when I'm back Lucien! Bye bye~"

Lucien sent her off with a smile and placed the money in his newly bought cash register, he then placed the paper that contained the list of books she borrowed in the drawer before he made his way to the door.

Lucien turned to check on Moon who was lazing on the ground next to the counter before he opened the door. The cool breeze calmed his mind. There were not a lot of pedestrians in the streets at this hour, even Anna had already left by taxi, leaving the street desolate.

After checking if there were any potential clients, and finding none, Lucien locked the door and pulled down the curtains, before making his way upstairs. Moon lazily followed behind him and jumped on top of his bed.

"You get some rest then, I still want to try that spell." He said before moving to the living room.

The light brown carpet was a perfect spot for him to attempt his meditation.