Chapter 53
Chapter 53
Several days passed.
The fuss over the magazine and clothes had somewhat died down, and finally, I was able to focus on school classes and training. My diet was way behind schedule. This was seriously a problem. A huge problem. A grave situation of flab bursting forth.
With that, after school, I came to the secret training ground.
I circulated my mana within my body for ten minutes using mana circulation, and wiped off my sweat with the towel I got from Clarice.
Ariana was also participating in training. Since she already knew the secret of the lightning spell, it should be fine.
"By the way, how many kinds of magic can you use, Ariana?"
Driven by curiosity and because we were about to have a mock battle, I asked her.
Ariana nodded with a "Mmm..." and wrote down the types of magic she could use in my notebook.
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Fire
White ｜ Wood
＼ Fire ／
Light Earth
○
Wind Darkness
／ Water ＼
Sky ｜ Black
Ice
Lower-tier magic: "Darkness"
Beginner: "Dark"
Intermediate: "Darkness"
Advanced: "Dark Fear"
"Sleep Mist (Sleep)"
"Confusion Dust (Confusion)"
"Berserker (Berserk)"
"Visual Impairment (Loss Vision)"
"Hearing Impairment (Loss Hearing)"
"Appetite Loss (Anorexia)"
"Stomach Pain (Abdominal Pain)"
Lower-tier magic: "Wind"
Beginner: "Wind"
Intermediate: "Wind Break"
"Wind Cutter"
Advanced: "Wind Storm"
Lower-tier magic: "Fire"
Beginner: "Fire"
Intermediate: "Fireball"
Lower-tier magic: "Water"
Beginner: "Water"
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So Ariana is a Square like me.
And her dark magic is terrifying. Appetite Loss!? Stomach Pain!?
This girl is the one person you don't want as an enemy. I mean, dark magic is brutal. If she secretly casts "Stomach Pain (Abdominal Pain)" on me every day, I'd seriously ditch school.
Darkness is advanced, wind is advanced, fire is intermediate, and water is beginner.
As expected, she hasn't learned upper-tier magic yet. Though I thought Ariana might have, honestly.
"I want to know what kind of magic Ellie can use..."
Ariana looked up at me with sparkling, round eyes. Her tail spun like a fan, and her fox ears twitched nonstop in excitement.
I showed her the chart that was written in my notebook.
————————————————————————
Fire
White ｜ Wood
＼ Fire ／
Light Earth
○
Wind Darkness
／ Water ＼
Sky ｜ Black
Ice
Learned Magic
Lower-tier magic: "Light"
Beginner: "Light"
Intermediate: "Light Arrow"
"Mirage Fake (Mirage Fake)"
"Heal (Heal)"
Advanced: "Lightning"
"Cure Light (Cure Light)"
Lower-tier magic: "Wind"
Beginner: "Wind"
Intermediate: "Wind Break"
"Wind Cutter"
Advanced: "Wind Storm"
"Wind Sword"
"Air Hammer"
Lower-tier magic: "Water"
Beginner: "Water"
Lower-tier magic: "Earth"
Beginner: "Sand"
Composite magic: "Thunder"
"Thunderbolt (Thunderbolt)"
"Electric Strike (Electric)"
"Electric Shock (Impulse)"
"Extreme Thunderbolt (Lightning Bolt)"
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Ariana looked at the notebook with sparkling eyes, then suddenly pointed at the composite magic section and repeatedly tapped "Electric Strike (Electric)".
"I've never seen this before... do it."
"This is really plain, though?"
"It's fine, I still want to see it..."
"If you insist that much."
Seeing Ariana's flushed cheeks, there was no way I could refuse, so I placed my right hand on a rock at the edge of the training ground. I instantly circulated my mana and, imagining a stun gun, chanted "Electric Strike (Electric)!"
A powerful electric current forcibly surged into the rock, and cracks radiated in a cross from the point where my hand had been.
The heat from the current had slightly scorched the crack.
"Amazing..."
"With this, you can attack with electricity just by touching someone. If you adjust the power..."
I placed my hand on Barry's shoulder, who was nearby, and sent a minuscule "Electric Strike (Electric)" through him.
"What's wrong, my ladi—bababababababababa!"
His entire body froze up, and the scary-faced Barry collapsed to the ground, twitching creepily.
His hair exploded, and white steam rose from his head.
Oh dear, maybe it was a bit too strong, ohohoho......
Sorry, Barry.
"So... that's how you can neutralize someone like this."
"Nice, nice..."
"I need to practice fine-tuning, though."
"If I punched with it just like this, it'd be amazing..."
"Ah, I've never tried that before."
If I've never done it before, then I naturally want to try—it's just how I am.
Without delay, I stood before the cross-cracked rock and channeled "Electric Strike (Electric)" into my fist at about twice the power I used on Barry. I punched the rock as-is.
My fist sank into the rock much faster than I expected, and as my arm reached halfway in, the rock exploded with a bang.
"Owww!"
Uwaaaaaah, that hurts like hell!
What the heck is this?! My hand—my hand's gonna come off!
I held my right hand with my left and jumped around on the spot from the sheer pain.
My glorious flab bounced with me.
"Ellie, are you okay!?"
"My lady!!"
Ariana shouted in such a loud voice I was surprised she could even make it.
Clarice rushed over immediately.
""I'm fine... I was just a little startled." Cure Light"
My right hand was wrapped in a pale light. The pain faded as if it had never been there.
Magic is way too convenient.
"Sorry, Ellie... Does it hurt? Does it hurt?"
Ariana held my right hand with a face that looked like she might cry any second, blowing gently on it. Oh my, how adorable. Clarice said, "Please don't be so reckless; my heart will stop." That would be bad.
————!!!
And then, it hit me. Like a lightbulb going off above my head, I suddenly had a great idea.
Magic is used by circulating mana from around the navel, expanding the image, and either saying the spell's name out loud or chanting it inwardly. So, what if I circulated enough mana for two spells, split it midway, and chanted both spell names in succession—could I then cast two spells at once?
"There's something I want to try. You two, please step back."
First, I relaxed my body, letting it dangle loosely. My sloppy body slouched even more due to the slack posture. I took a deep breath in and out. Repeating this, I slowly circulated mana throughout my body. From the navel to the chest, chest to the head, tracing from the head to the rest of my body, I spread magic power all over.
Then I divided the condensed mana in two. I sent half of the heated mana to each hand. The spells I'd cast were "Wind" and "Light."
I repeated the image of magic firing from my fingertips three times, then opened my eyes.
""Wind" "Light"!"
I swung both arms down at once.
A floating sensation accompanied the release of mana, and "Wind" shot from my right hand while "Light" flew from my left. From an outsider's view, it probably looked like wind passed through, glowing.
"Hmm, the power's a little lacking."
It seems it'll take quite a bit of training to use this in actual combat. This is the beginner's beginner level, the absolute bottom-tier, and it's already this hard. To explain how hard—it's like carrying an egg in your hand and placing it in a box for regular magic, but for combo magic, it's like holding a spoon in each hand, balancing eggs on them, and walking them over to place them in the box. It takes delicate and precise control.
Well, the experiment was a success, so let's call it good.
"Ellie, just now..."
"I tried casting two spells at once, but it's no good. It's too hard for real combat."
"My lady! What did you just say?!"
Like a housewife lunging at a twelve-egg pack during a time sale, Clarice latched onto my words.
"Clarice, your face is too close. I said I cast two spells at once."
"It's a magnificent feat! You've so easily overcome a challenge that everyone has tried and failed at!"
"Ohdoudaba! Ohdoudaba!"
"My lady, you are a genius! This Clarice shall follow you for life!"
Clarice and Barry crawled toward me.
This vibe... it's the "pants-getting-yanked-down" pattern!
I took a nimble backstep that didn't match my chubby form to put distance between us.
Safe! Safe!
"Ellie, that was amazing. Teach me too."
Ariana looked at me like a child seeing a hero.
I'm blushing.
"Sure. But I don't think it'll work with a staff."
I tried receiving two staffs from Clarice to attempt combination spells.
I could manage up to condensing mana, but then the mana flowed uncontrollably into the staffs in both hands, making fine control impossible. I couldn't even form a decent image, let alone cast the spells. After several failed attempts, I returned the staffs to Clarice.
"No good."
"So sad..."
"Then Ariana, you should learn to cast magic without a staff too."
"Yeah... yeah... I want to be with Ellie."
Like a dog nuzzling up, Ariana rubbed against me, and I stroked her fox ears to my heart's content.
Ahhh, this is healing. Soft, squishy, and her hair's silky—perfection.
————————!!!!!!
And once again, I had a flash of inspiration. My overflowing talent is terrifying...
Ordinary mages cast magic from their staffs.
But I don't use a staff. So then, where exactly is my magic coming from?
Every time I cast magic, I point a finger at the target to help with visualization. So it's reasonable to assume the magic comes from my fingertips.
And for healing spells, I spread my arms as if to envelop the target—using a wrapping sensation.
Alright, let's test this...
""Thunderbolt"!"
Imagining mana surging into my eyes, I forcefully lifted my eyelids.
"Thunderbolt" stabbed into the ground ahead.
I then channeled mana into my elbow and thrust it forward as I cast "Electric Shock (Impulse)."
With a loud crackling sound, electricity burst from my flabby elbow.
Feeling high, I focused mana into my triple belly and used "Electric Shock (Impulse)."
Intense electricity surged from my juicy, fat-packed meat, striking the rock and scattering in a radial blast.
This is handy. Even if someone's chasing me, I could fire magic from the back of my head while facing forward. In a duel, I might get a one-time surprise attack in.
Like a circus performer, I fired spells from one body part after another.
A kicking motion for "Wind Cutter."
Perfectly upright for Cure Light
Jutting out my chin for "Wind Sword"
A wink with "Thunderbolt"
Ariana and I spent some time brainstorming how to use this "magic from all parts" technique, and when it was time for dinner, we left the training ground.
I took a shower and boarded the carriage.
Even when I invited her to eat, Ariana stubbornly refused. The one thing she never agrees to is meals with family. Ariana's family has seven siblings, and they're a poor noble house that can't even afford daily meals. If Ariana doesn't go home, no one cooks, and they can't even buy ingredients. I almost cried again.
I asked Barry to take Ariana to the edge of Greifner and went home to the Golden family mansion myself.
I really need to start dieting now.
Just as I thought that, Clarice pulled a black book from the training bag and handed it to me.
"It seems something of Lady Ariana's got mixed in."
"Yes. That's the book on dark magic she had."
"Shall we return it to her?"
"Yes, let's chase after her right away. Tell Mother I might not make it back in time for dinner. I'll go on ahead, so follow me later, okay?"
"Understood."
I hurried after Ariana.