NOVEL NEXT Episode 5: Magic Debut
Episode 5: Magic Debut
“[Earth Wall].”
“Huh?”
“Hmm…”
“Wow…! Amazing, amazing!”
The first demonstration was the [Earth Wall]. It’s the most fundamental of basics, you know. Its strength is decent, but it seems the activation was faster than expected, surprising the guys. Maybe I should have made it a bit slower? I intended it to be about the same as the magic user I saw from the border troops before. It would be nice if they settled for something like “Impressive for your age…”
Thinking about that, I feel heartwarmed watching the young girl frolicking beside the guys. Is she an angel?
“Mine, may I try slashing this?”
“Sure.”
“Stay seated, Mr. Fenfield. Well, a mere adventurer can’t refuse the request of a noble, right?”
“Now then, young master, give it a try.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Big brother, do your best!”
“It’s not you doing it, you know. But go ahead. I’m a bit curious about the outcome myself. It seems promising.”
“Suu…”
Alt, standing in front of the [Earth Wall], concentrates, gradually filling his body with mana. His mana control is still rough, but considering his age, it’s quite something. At least much better than your average adventurer. Though, wrapping a sword with mana requires practice.
“Haa!”
Alt’s downward slash cuts the [Earth Wall] about halfway through before stopping. Perhaps he exerted too much force, causing his mana to dissipate considerably midway through the swing. If it weren’t for that, I think he would’ve cut through the whole thing. A pity. But he seems quite promising for the future.
“It’s tough…”
“Big brother, so close!”
“…”
The young girl cheers while the two macho guys fall silent. Me? I’m feeling warm watching the playful young girl.
“Young master, how was it?”
“It was much tougher than I expected.”
“Because you exerted too much force, the tip of the blade wavered. That’s probably why your mana escaped. With more training, you’ll eventually be able to cut through.”
“I see. Thank you, Mr. Fenfield!”
“No problem. By the way, Mine, may I give it a try too?”
“Sure.”
Well, of course, I can’t refuse. But surprising as it is, his advice is quite sound, though it’s rude to say so. He must be used to giving guidance regularly.
“Hu!”
“…Impressive.”
“Amazing!”
“Incredible!”
Mr. Fenfield effortlessly splits the [Earth Wall] in two. His [Body Enhancement] was extremely smooth. He also properly infused mana into his sword. Yeah, he’s strong too.
“How about it, Wayne?”
“With that activation speed and toughness, I’d say he’s on par with our wizards.”
“I agree. Considering his age, it’s frightening. Dil will want him.”
“Indeed.”
The two smile wryly. Who’s Dil, by the way?
“Mine, could you show us some other magic?”
“Yes, [Landscaping] and [House].”
“Ohh…!”
“…A house?”
“Wow, it’s a home!”
[Landscaping] and [House], both are magic I made since coming here. [Landscaping] flattens the ground, and [House] builds a house. It’s about the size of a one-room apartment with only a bed inside. It’s magic made for camping. The size and shape are fixed, depending on the amount of mana infused. This time, I took about five minutes to complete it, and the strength is about the same as the earlier [Earth Wall].
By the way, the reason the magic names are in both Japanese and English is that I didn’t know the English word for “Landscaping.” My English skills are just like that. In that case, I could name it “House” as well, but the wording doesn’t feel right to me.
(Note: ‘“Landscaping” is in kanji while “House” is in katakana)
“Can we go inside this house?”
“Sure.”
“Wow, thank you!”
“Oh, wait, Liela.”
Upon request, I opened the entrance, and Alt and Miss Liela went inside together to have a look. Since I didn’t reproduce the hinges, it’s a bit of a hassle to use magic every time to enter and exit.
“This is perfect for camping.”
“Using [Construction Magic] for soldiers is fine, but it doesn’t look good for nobles to use. ”
Apparently, [Construction Magic] creates a cube-shaped hut, like tofu. It seems to be a standard magic for reducing luggage during marches, but many noble folks dislike its appearance. From the perspective of someone like me, it’s hard to sympathize with their luxury complaints, but apparently, high-ranking nobles need to care about appearances to avoid being looked down upon by other nobles. Nobles can be quite troublesome, you know?
So, they thought about modifying [Construction Magic], but it seems they gave up because it would require considerable mana and time to build something large and complex. Well, rather than putting effort into that, it’s better to research powerful magic. That’s why during noble marches, large wagons with beds are used. Kind of like camper vans? However, increasing the number of wagons also increases the number of horses needed, making it not cost-effective.
“Can I also request attack magic?”
“Sure, [Bullet].”
“Wow!”
“Impressive!”
“Hmm, hitting from this distance. Quite accurate.”
“The power is not bad either.”
Since they also wanted attack magic, I fired a controlled [Bullet] towards the debris of the previous [Earth Wall] from about fifty meters away. It didn’t penetrate, but it had enough power to bury itself in the [Earth Wall]. It felt like I got the right level of control for the first time in a while. Since the entrance exam, perhaps?
“It seems his magic skills are quite something. Isn’t he suitable after all?”
“Yes, indeed.”
“…?”
“Mine, I want you to teach my son magic from now on. Of course, I don’t intend to force you, and even if you decline, there will be no disadvantages for you, I promise.”
“…Teach?”
“Yes, Alt has talent in swordsmanship but struggles with magic. Well, I’m not good at magic myself, so I’ve told him not to worry about it, but he insists on wanting to learn magic. I thought you, being close in age, would be suitable for the job. Liela also seems interested in magic, so could I count on you?”
“…Ah, I can’t give an immediate answer.”
“I see… That’s understandable. I’m sorry for rushing you. Take your time to consider, okay?”
“Okay.”
After that, I demonstrated several more spells and talked about adventures to Alt and Liela, and then I got treated to dinner. The food was delicious, but I was blown away by how stunning the lady of the house was. With her light brown hair and exceptional figure, she might be my favorite among all the women I’ve met so far. By the way, she’s currently pregnant. What a bombshell.
By the way, it seems the count’s wife is the only one. Quite different from some other color-blind marquises out there.
“Teaching magic, huh…”
As I return home and take a breather, I ponder over the count’s request. Perhaps, teaching magic is just an excuse to keep me close to Alt and Liela. Sort of like a guardian and advisor. My position would be similar to Mr. Fenfield’s for the count. Well, that’s the catch, though. Serving nobles seems like it would be quite troublesome.
Well, regardless of whether I’ll serve in the future, being able to stay close to the count’s family for teaching wouldn’t be a bad deal for me. Eventually, Gargaine and his gang will cause trouble, so if I can thwart their plans, anything else will be fine. Serving the count, continuing as an adventurer, or going to Almira.
“And everyone in the count’s household is nice.”
They never showed any condescending attitude towards me, a mere adventurer, and instead seemed to be quite considerate. Alt and Liela seem like obedient good kids too. Maybe too good? But Mine also agrees with me on this.
“In that case, there’s no reason to refuse.”