There's Something Strange About My Water Magic ~ Before I Knew It, I Was a Slum Orphan Thrown Into the Trash Bin ~ - Episode 14: Water Shield

Episode 14: Water Shield

“Gugya-gugya, baribari-boribori…”

Somewhere, something is making noises… the faint sounds of something crying… and something being ravenously devoured.

I was starting to wake up from the fainting caused by depleting my magic. It was as written in “A Beginner’s Guide to Magic Even a Goblin Can Understand: Beginner.” But after noticing that sound, my consciousness snapped fully awake.

My body was stuffed between the cut grass and the hollow at the base of a big tree when I passed out. Because of that, my whole body was stiff and in pain. But I carefully stretched my limbs without making noise. I was slowly loosening them while concentrating my ears to find the source of the sound.

I hadn’t realized it, but I was probably using magic again.

After about what felt like an hour of surveying the surroundings, I heard a voice.

That voice said: [Presence Detection: Beginner acquired].

What is this voice…?

It’s nice that someone somewhere is kindly informing me. But it feels a bit creepy, like I’m being watched…

Still, I’m genuinely happy that I got a new skill!

While strongly focusing on [Presence Detection], I concentrated my ears to listen for surrounding sounds. I also focused my nose to smell the surroundings. I could feel the magic draining from the pit of my stomach.

Unconsciously, I was holding the restored shield in front of my chest with my left hand. And I was gripping the knife from my pocket tightly with my right.

I could still hear multiple sounds of something crying and something being devoured.

Looking at the restored shield, I remembered that [Water Shield] had a 〇. Which means I can use it.

So I decided to pull out the “A Beginner’s Guide to Magic Even a Goblin Can Understand: Beginner” from my magic pouch and check.

Hmm, so Water Shield lets you summon a shield anywhere around your body.

Depending on how much magic you pour in, the hardness, size, and number can change.

I used [Appraisal] to check my magic reserves before activating Water Shield.

When I focused and thought [Appraisal: Magic Power Pool], the result was 24/210.

That’s more than the number I had when I first appraised it in the trash bin.

Since I’m using magic with [Presence Detection], maybe I had even more magic when I first woke up from fainting.

I should investigate how much magic [Presence Detection] uses later when things calm down.

For now, I’ll test how much magic is consumed by using Water Shield.

I decided to summon a Water Shield in front of the wooden shield I was holding at chest height.

While reading the chant from the guidebook, I thought:

“Do I have to recite this for the spell to activate?”

Back in the trash bin, when I was using Healing and Clean without even knowing the chants, I just strongly focused in my mind.

Wouldn’t chanting every time leave you open to attacks?

Well, since it’s the first time, I’ll try chanting.

I followed the guidebook and chanted:

“By the mercy of the Creator God Saries, manifest the shield that guards my body — Water Shield.”

While strongly willing a shield to appear in front of my body.

Then, the air in front of me faintly shimmered, and something round appeared.

I poked at the shimmer with the knife in my right hand.

It gave slight resistance. When I poked harder, it felt sticky on the blade.

I pushed the knife in forcefully and pierced through the sticky something.

Then I appraised my magic pool again: 20/210.

So using Water Shield consumed 4 magic…

I deactivated the Water Shield once and then tried activating it again without the chant.

According to the guide, it said magic will be canceled if I remove the energy. So I focused and thought: “Cancel Water Shield” — and it disappeared.

This time, I strongly imagined a harder shield, looked at the space in front of me, and said “Water Shield.”

The air shimmered again. And a Water Shield appeared.

Hmm-hmm, so chanting isn’t necessary…

My magic pool now shows: 14/210 — more than the first time I summoned the shield.

I again poked and jabbed at the Water Shield with my knife. But this time, I couldn’t pierce through it.

So the hardness depends on how I channel the magic and how strongly I focus…

I left the Water Shield active and switched my focus back to [Presence Detection].

It didn’t feel like much time had passed. But the sound of devouring had stopped.

I focused my ears and nose to search the surroundings — but there was no sign of anything moving.

I ate the remaining edible wild herbs and raspberries. And I summoned water into my palm to fill my stomach.

Then, I poured water from my hand into the now-empty water pouch and put it back in my robe pocket.

Let’s see whether it stays filled or disappears after a while.

Slowly stretching my body, I stood up. I kept the Water Shield active in front of me, held the wooden shield in my left hand, and gripped the knife in my right hand.

Pushing aside the grass quietly, I began walking deeper into the forest.