I Am Not Goblin Slayer
Chapter 37: The Strange Staff and the Oddball

Gauss didn't have to wait long.

Andni soon returned to the hall carrying an armful of long staves.

"Good thing I have a habit of keeping old items—haven't lost them after all these years," Andni said proudly, placing the staves on the table and putting her hands on her hips.

Gauss looked down at her.

Though he knew her age could likely make her his mother—or even grandmother—her petite stature made her seem more like a mature child.

"What are you staring at? Hurry up and try them," Andni said, nudging Gauss's waist to urge him on.

Gauss examined the staff-like objects on the table and noticed these were indeed different from the wooden staffs earlier. The base materials were far more varied now—bone, stone, vines, and several other types of wood.

"Earlier, the wood types I tested you with were the most common and suitable for crafting wands. These, however, are some relatively niche base materials," Andni explained.

"They're considered niche because most casters' magic struggles to resonate with them."

"Yet, they do respond to magic, so theoretically, though the odds are low, they still have compatible owners."

"Matching a wand is a two-way process—the caster chooses the wand, and the wand chooses the caster. You can't force it."

"Your magic seems unusual, so maybe these oddballs are right for you. Just pick one and test it."

Andni didn't bother introducing the specific materials of each staff on the table.

After all, testing didn't require knowing their origins. If any proved suitable, she could explain later.

Gauss first picked up the vine staff closest to him.

The slender green vine staff was less than thirty centimeters long, resembling the small teaching pointer his instructors used in his past life. However, unlike the pliable softness one might expect from vines, this one had undergone special hardening treatment, making it feel more like a thin branch in his grip.

He channeled his magic into it.

The familiar sense of rejection returned, but compared to the most common wand materials earlier, the resistance seemed slightly weaker.

Gauss guided his magic through it once before setting it down.

"How was it?"

"Better, but still uncomfortable," Gauss answered honestly.

Next, he tested the stone staves and wooden staves one by one, with mixed results.

One light-yellow wooden staff performed decently in channeling magic, serving as a fallback option.

Relief flickered across his face.

If the final bone staff didn't resonate particularly well, his choice was already settled.

He picked up the bone wand.

Though called "bone," which sounded eerie and sinister, the material was exquisitely smooth and polished.

About forty centimeters long and two fingers wide, it had a joint in the middle. The lower, shorter section was shaped into a grip, its base carved with grooves for further crafting, while the upper half formed a slender, straight shaft that tapered gradually.

Rather than a mere bone, it resembled a white jade artwork, even emanating a faint sense of sacred purity.

Gauss hesitated inwardly.

Was this really something he could afford?

But since Andni had brought it out, he might as well try.

He directed his magic slowly into the shaft.

The moment his magic made contact, a warm current surged from within.

Gauss shuddered from head to toe.

An indescribable comfort washed over him.

It was as if this bone fragment had always been an extension of his own body, fitting perfectly in his grasp.

His magic flowed through it effortlessly, without the slightest obstruction, as if every particle within the staff actively aided its circulation.

I want this.

Gauss's heart pounded wildly.

Even with his limited knowledge of wands, he knew he had stumbled upon an exceptionally compatible material.

"What creature does this bone belong to?" Gauss swallowed hard, suppressing his excitement as he looked at Andni.

To his surprise, Andni simply shook her head.

"I don't know."

"I found it many years ago during my travels, in a cave. Just this single fragment. Since it responded to magic, I kept it."

"Didn't you use any identification spells?" Though Andni had only briefly touched his Life Magic Stone earlier, Gauss had sensed her casting something—likely an appraisal spell.

Given that she ran a shop dealing in magical items, it wouldn't be strange for her to know such spells.

"I did. The results were extremely vague—no way to tell its origin."

"All these years, I've never met a caster whose magic resonated with it even slightly. At first, I thought it was a treasure, but it turned out completely unsellable."

"Then... could you sell this to me?" Gauss couldn't bear to let go of the bone staff now.

"Huh?" Andni's eyes widened abruptly, as if she had heard something unbelievable, her mouth gaping like a goldfish's.

"You mean... your magic actually resonates with this material?"

"Don't lie just because this staff looks pretty."

Andni had only brought out this bone staff because it happened to be stored with the others.

After years of failed tests, she had long given up hope—for every caster who tried it, the staff had shown not the slightest hint of compliance.

"What spell do you know?"

"Mage Hand."

"Then try casting with this bone staff."

Andni was genuinely curious now.

Over the years, she had repeatedly lowered the price of this bone staff. By now, she hardly cared how much it might sell for.

If this strange material could finally find a compatible caster, it would settle a long-standing matter in her heart.

Gauss nodded.

The bone staff suited him so well that he felt confident casting with it immediately, despite having just picked it up.

"Mage Hand!"

The moment his magic flowed into the bone staff, that silky smooth sensation returned.

So good! The thought escaped Gauss instinctively.

There's no going back.

Absolutely no going back!

After experiencing the bone staff's flawless magic conduction, Gauss doubted he could ever tolerate the crude feel of barehanded casting again.

A pulse of magic energy transmitted from the staff's tip.

The surrounding magical energies instantly responded to its command, gathering swiftly.

An invisible Mage Hand rapidly took shape in the air before him.

The formation speed was incredibly fast!

It took roughly half the usual time.

Moreover, when Gauss swung the staff to maneuver the Mage Hand, its movement speed increased by about 20%.

"It's... really working!"

Andni, who had confirmed his successful spellcasting through the staff, was even more thrilled than Gauss.

Excited, she rushed forward and gave his waist two hearty thumps.

"Gauss, you're absolutely a freak of nature!"