Chapter 191: Exam (3) |
“Well, shall we give it a try?”
I used intermediate-level magic while fighting Melonia, and the rank of the magician trait in my status window rose, promoting me to an intermediate magician.
But was I really an intermediate magician? I didn’t have that confidence yet.
So, I needed to test it.
While lying down, my mana circuits were unstable, so I was told to refrain from using magic as much as possible, and if I did use it, to stick to simple spells.
Thanks to that, I was very anxious the whole time I was resting.
As I stretched my neck from side to side to loosen up, Faye, who had followed me, pulled out a long staff from her chest.
“Junior. Here.”
“Wh-what?! It’s not like that! Look! It’s not from my cleavage but here! I put a subspace pocket in my chest pocket!”
Faye jumped up and denied it. Because of the angle, it looked like she pulled it out from between her breasts.
“That’s weird in its own way… Why would you put a subspace pocket there? Don’t tell me you actually want people to misunderstand…”
“What do you think of me, Junior?! It’s just because if I put it in my skirt pocket, my chest gets in the way when I take it out!”
“What…?”
Was it that big that it gets in the way when she pulls things out from below…?
Even the other women who had gotten used to Faye’s size were astonished, their mouths agape.
Even Iona, who boasted quite a size herself, mimicked pulling something from her pocket and tilted her head.
Yeah. I was glad Iris wasn’t here.
I chuckled and took the staff Faye handed me.
“Anyway, thanks. Did you make this, Faye?”
A metal body with strange patterns drawn on it. At the end was a white crystal, firmly fixed.
Staffs were usually made of wood, considering magic’s conductivity and convenience. But this seemed to be made solely for durability.
It had very basic amplification and guidance features, but its weight was heavier than most one-handed swords.
This looked more like an experimental piece than something for sale.
Faye, sensing my gaze, proudly puffed out her chest and nodded.
“That’s right! I thought about it, and Junior, you’re not like traditional magicians who just shoot magic from afar. You’re more like a battle magician who stirs up enemies in close quarters.”
“Well… It’s more accurate to say that I don’t discriminate. I fight from a distance if there is one, and up close if there isn’t.”
Carla and Iona, who were apparently very pleased with my answer, clapped their hands with deeply moved expressions.
For a moment, I glanced at them shaking hands with each other, then Faye continued with a proud look.
“All the staffs I make are for you, Junior. So, instead of focusing on amplification, I paid more attention to durability so you can use it in close combat. After all, you’re strong, right? I thought a bit of weight would be better for you.”
“Indeed. With this, it would work well as a club too. I can handle the weight with one hand just fine.”
Getting hit on the head with a stick like this would send anyone to their grave. Even if not, it would be much more convenient than a dagger in close combat.
Even though I had a shield, it was pretty vulnerable in a melee.
“Though it’s lacking in performance now, I’m also learning enchantment from Iris, so I can supplement it to some extent. If necessary, I can embed a magic wood core and encase it in iron.”
“Sounds good.”
As I swung the staff in the air, pondering how to maximize its impact, Faye grabbed my arm with a serious expression.
“I heard everything. Your staff couldn’t withstand your mana and burned up, right? So you had to burn a finger each time you cast the next spell.”
“Well… I was a bit out of control, shoving mana in however I wanted…”
“Even so. I can’t accept such equipment.”
Faye looked directly into my eyes.
“In a critical moment, if it becomes unusable and puts all the burden on the user, it’s worse than having nothing.”
“……”
Her voice was filled with sincerity. Perhaps because I knew her past, her words felt particularly heavy.
I slowly nodded and replied.
“Thank you, Faye. I’ll make good use of it.”
“Whoohoo… It’s still a prototype, but I’ll make you an even better one soon!”
Despite her genuinely happy expression, Faye’s smile somehow looked eerie as I pointed the staff toward the other side of the training ground.
Then, I closed my eyes and recalled the sensations from when I fought Melonia.
Thump.
My heart pounded heavily, releasing a vast amount of mana. It felt much more intense than before, possibly due to the increase in my magic stat.
Feeling assured that not only my body but the entire area around me was dominated by my mana, I opened my eyes.
I visualized starlight descending from the sky.
I commanded the mana, which awaited my order, with strong determination.
“[In the heavens lies paradise, and on earth lies aspiration. The path to eternity is elusive.]”
Whooom.
The mana, responding to my will, moved swiftly and changed shape.
A large white magic circle formed at the tip of the staff, with a glowing orb at its center.
Reciting the incantation, I activated the prepared spell.
“[Shine. Starlight Rain.]”
At this signal, the orb was launched high. Upon reaching a certain height, it split and accelerated.
A bombardment of light fell over a wide area.
Seeing the splendid magic fill more than half the training ground made my heart swell with excitement.
Oh my. I really…
“Kyah! Master really used intermediate-level magic!”
“Hmph! It’s only natural for the person who will be my partner.”
“???”
Carla jumped up and down, and Elisha beamed with a contented smile.
What? Why were those two more excited than I was?
Watching them holding hands and spinning around made me chuckle.
When Carla, who had been squealing in delight, met my eyes, she ran over and hugged me.
I patted her back reflexively, and she burrowed deeper, looking up at me.
“Congratulations on breaking through the barrier and grasping Resonance! But you know this was just a fortunate result, right? You shouldn’t put yourself in danger on purpose just to awaken your powers.”
“I also think I was lucky. Don’t worry about that… Wait. Resonance? I succeeded?”
“Did you not know?”
Carla tilted her head in my arms. I mimicked her, tilting my head too. Carla then burst out laughing.
“Hehe… Oh!”
Realizing she was laughing alone, she quickly widened her eyes and stepped back.
“Master, did you not realize you just used Resonance?”
“Uh… I thought I just used intermediate magic? I wasn’t consciously doing anything else.”
“That can’t be. Did you know that Starlight Rain is one of the lower-tier intermediate spells?”
“Well, yeah. It’s light attribute magic, and it’s focused on area coverage.”
Light attribute magic often has an advantage in terms of attributes but tends to lack pure destructive power.
Moreover, Starlight Rain splits into multiple fragments, striking a wide area, further reducing its power.
In the previous battle, I used it to wipe out numerous undead.
“You know this training ground is built to withstand powerful spells for professors, right? But look at the spot where the magic hit, Master.”
“Hmm?”
Following Carla’s finger, I saw tiles with slight cracks that were slowly repairing themselves.
“If it were just a regular cast, Starlight Rain wouldn’t even cause minor damage unless it was a charged chant.”
“Really…?”
“Really, really. I use it too, so I know well.”
“That… makes sense.”
It was natural that Carla knew more about Resonance than I did.
…Even so, I couldn’t quite grasp it.
Seeing my uncertain expression, Elisha and Iona approached.
“Yandel. A moment ago, I sensed a faint but definite similarity between you and Carla.”
“Yeah, Resonance, right? The Lindelheit family’s secret technique. I taught Carla directly until last year, so I know it well. It did seem similar!”
If others were saying it too, it must be true….
Come to think of it, the rank of the Lintblum Core displayed in the status window had risen from C+ to B+.
A plus sign after the rank meant that a fixed trait had an additional effect, but for a growth trait, it indicated that a promotion wasn’t far off.
Since I became an intermediate magician, it was only natural for the core’s rank to rise… but it shouldn’t have gained a plus all at once.
This meant there were other factors in addition to the growth to intermediate magician.
If that factor was Resonance, it made sense. The problem was…
“I really don’t know…”
Honestly. Really. I don’t feel it at all. It was so natural that the efforts I put into learning Resonance so far seem in vain.
While I stared blankly at the staff, Carla asked with a bright smile.
“You don’t need to compare yourself to me too much, Master. Even if you can achieve Resonance, there’s still a big difference in proficiency between us. However…”
“However?”
“When you use magic, have you never felt it? Like your whole body is pounding like a heart, or the feeling of grasping and shaking the surrounding mana in your hand.”
“…I have a clue. But isn’t that just the sensation of using intermediate magic?”
Starting with intermediate magic, the amount of mana consumed increases significantly.
Naturally, I learned that when casting spells, the mana circulating within the body flows outward.
Thus, it was said that the stronger the magic, the easier it would be to feel the signs.
“That’s correct. But what you mentioned is only about the completed spell within you affecting the outside. What you did was manipulate the surrounding mana to complete your magic.”
“Hmm.”
The example of Resonance Carla showed me before. Back then, it certainly felt like the surrounding mana was burning itself up for Carla.
Did a similar phenomenon occur in the magic I used a while ago?
As I slowly retraced my steps, I began to understand what she meant.
Using it unconsciously wasn’t bad, but being able to control it consciously would be much better.
Not only could it be turned on and off, but it could also be applied to lower-level magic, and with focused concentration, the power of Resonance could be enhanced.
This was something I had directly experienced through the difference between using magic with system correction and learning and using magic properly at the Academy.
“Well, if I keep practicing, I should be able to manage it before the break.”
Lately, I had been feeling that… even without the system correction, I might have a natural talent for magic.
Maybe it was because I had been receiving so many compliments today, but my shoulders felt lighter with pride.