Kidnapped the Saintess of the Hero Party

20 – Star Candy Bomb

Teaching Explosion to Lucia.

Teaching lower-level magic to a priest who already wielded higher-level magic was an easy task.

Just avoid the dangerous elements.

Explosion could be dangerous if used incorrectly.

There was a reason why parents raising a magical prodigy would hire a private tutor specifically to teach Explosion.

“You have to be careful. Explosion can swallow even the caster if used carelessly.”

Lucia raised her head, her eyes wide.

“Even for the caster?”

“Yeah, because the range is wide.”

It was just a magic that burst mana. If it exploded close by, it would be dangerous for the caster as well.

Usually, it couldn’t cause an explosion to the point where lives were at risk. On the contrary, it was more dangerous for those like Lucia who were exceptionally talented.

That’s why the magicians called prodigies didn’t study on their own.

Because they would harm themselves due to their vast mana.

Nevertheless, if handled well, it was still the most efficient offensive magic.

It was the basics.

There was no faster teaching method than showing it directly.

So, Lucia demonstrated it herself.

“Look, look.”

Lucia sent a tiny droplet floating from her fingertip.

The droplet, as small as a tear, flew through the air,

Boom!

It burst with a sound, creating a bright light. It also created a fairly wide shockwave.

“You release mana and make it explode. Simple, right?”

That’s all there is to Explosion.

If you delve into the process in detail, there are intricate steps, but it can be divided into two simple steps for easy understanding. In fact, there are only two processes that humans perceive.

“It’s just like playing with fireworks.”

I see the ball approaching. I pull my hand back, ready the racket, and hit the ball to the other side.

Easier said than done.

In reality, within that action,

starting from [perceiving with the eyes],

to [sensing the direction of the wind],

and [understanding how the ball will spin and where it will go],

there are numerous detailed processes.

Explosion is learned through three processes:

Mana Emission, Mana Movement, Annihilation Expansion.

I thought about explaining the theory as well, but Lucia was already following the report.

“Like this?”

“Yeah.”

The division into stages, numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, meant nothing more than numbers in front of the title of genius.

Didn’t she create a whirlpool with more than a hundred bubbles?

That is the domain of those who have mastered the fifth stage.

It’s not even at the level of judging talent.

We should think about how to use it better.

“Do you want to try the staff? If you use the staff, your power will increase.”

It’s not just an increase in power; concentration also rises. Luck, including magical accuracy, increases, and mana consumption decreases.

Above all, it allows dealing with [phenomena]. It’s about systematizing magic.

Lucia was controlling each bubble in the whirlpool she created.

If one can handle a weapon, merely swinging a staff is enough to make bubbles rotate with a sense of free will.

Swinging the staff eliminates the need to wrap one’s head around the direction of magic.

That’s why wizards wield weapons.

Even the mind needs a break.

“Got it. I’ll give it a try.”

Lucia conjured mana bubbles using her staff. Soap droplets flowing from the thorny tip danced freely through the air.

The flow of magic reflects the caster’s state of mind. If the magician is excited, the magic takes on an enthusiastic form. If the magician is carefree, so is the magic.

Sia’s magic was cute.

It was fine just to watch, but since she decided to teach, she intended to teach it properly.

“Once I show, they usually follow along.”

This time, an example should do.

Currently, she demonstrated the basics of magic. The reason a priest learns Explosion isn’t to become a wizard. It’s to understand wizards and raise the expectations of the average priest.

“We’re not wizards.”

Let’s properly show why priests learn magic—. With determination, Lucia used a stone slab as her stage. Although she stood in the middle of the road, there were no carriages passing by in the late night.

Swooosh.

Taking a deep breath, she began to concentrate.

Lucia commanded mana with both arms as if conducting. Bubbles spread out in groups of ten, twenty from her fingertip-like ends.

Usually, when mana exits the body, it’s emitted in the form of droplets. Later, the wizard processes it into the desired form, but initially, it often takes the form of droplets, and many wizards use it in its original circular shape.

For explosive purposes, angular shapes were effective.

“Since energy spreads like the shape of fragments.”

Lucion crafted bubbles into numerous models adorned with sharp thorns. At first glance, it resembled a hedgehog model.

In truth, what Lucion envisioned was a model of star candies frequently consumed during his stay at the orphanage.

As Lucion gestured, the star candies flowed into the dark forest.

“Wow.”

It would be a fascinating sight.

With divine power, even a common light magic was challenging to wield properly. The primary role of divine power was reinforcement, creation, and support, not destruction or manipulation.

“Let’s begin.”

Like waves rolling onto a sandy beach, Lucion’s assembly of star candies gently spread into the forest, penetrating quietly. Animals that had been asleep noticed the change and gathered around the constellation. Perhaps due to the warm aura, none of the animals seemed to want to flee.

Lucion chuckled bitterly.

“That’s a bomb, by the way.”

Approaching without recognizing it.

Of course, it looked beautiful.

With no intention to harm the wildlife, Lucion sent the mana soaring high into the sky.

From a distance, it seemed like the fireflies residing in the forest were soaring into the sky.

Lucia continuously exclaimed, “Wow, wow!” It was something impossible with divine power. Lucion was teaching that magic. Soon, Lucia would be able to wield this splendid magic.

“As expected, Lucion is undoubtedly a genius.”

It was unseen in Lucion’s eyes.

Beyond the divine power Lucion had consumed, the fireflies, as they moved away and ascended higher into the sky, continued to accumulate more divine power within their bodies.

With explosives imbued in the fireflies, under Lucion’s command, they soared so high into the sky that the explosion wouldn’t reach the forest.

“【Explosion】”

It exploded like fireworks.

Seeing the colorful lights, Lucía screamed with excitement. Normally, when using divine power, it gradually diminishes, but even after the explosion, divine power was still being generated in the air. Such exquisite magic.

The strange thing was that it stopped exploding and remained in a complete state of stillness in the air.

“Wow!”

“Did you see that?”

“Yeah!”

“Do you think you can do it?”

Could she replicate this exquisite magic?

She couldn’t do it exactly the same, but maybe something similar. Perhaps she could somehow manage it?

She didn’t ponder for long. She would just give it a try.

“I think I can do it!”

“Great.”

Lucía still couldn’t take her eyes off the sky. To replicate it, she needed quite a bit of interpretation.

Explosion.

It was just an explosion spell. But with divine power added, it could have various additional effects.

For example,

“But why does it seem to be stopped in the middle?”

Lucía saw it clearly.

The explosion of the explosion spell had stopped in the middle.

It was utilizing the compelling force of divine power.

The explosion of star fragments that embroidered the sky still lingers in the air, as if frozen in time, casting its light upon the heavens.

It was done intentionally.

Might as well apply what was taught and teach it properly.

The lecture is not yet over.

“Let’s continue.”

A magic often employed by higher-ranking priests.

A temporal freeze using compulsion. While it consumes a considerable amount of sacred energy when using compulsion, it grants the right to disregard the laws of physics. Even an object falling from a great height can be made to descend as lightly as if it had fallen only a meter when the compulsion is exerted.

With a bit more creativity…

One could halt an exploding blast midway and even annihilate it as it is.

Depending on the need, it could continue to detonate. And as required, like this…

‘Even large-scale magic can be merged into one.’

Originally, explosion magic tends to resist combining due to its nature of scattering.

However, if the background of sacred energy fixes the space, forced merging becomes possible.

Lucion interprets dozens of frozen explosions as individual entities and begins commanding them.

The dozens of frozen explosions begin to form a loop.

Here, ‘explosion’ is defined as the phenomenon where the elements disperse in fragments. When it explodes and then stops, the scene resembles stars gathering.

Swoosh!

Lucion twists both hands, imparting rotation to the air. The stars in the sky, the ‘constellations,’ swiftly rotate.

Might as well do it thoroughly. It’s the privilege of sacred energy.

‘We’ll merge them. That’s truly the privilege of sacred energy.’

Mixing what doesn’t mix well.

The cluster of stars that were rotating while keeping their distance from each other began to gather at a single point in the sky according to Lucion’s command. When they started to explode, it was as if they would blow away a whole forest in a spectacular manner. But when they were finally gathered, they were so small that they could fit into a small circle.

[Constellation] formed an ultra-giant star that emitted an incredibly bright light, enough to scorch.

“The preparations are complete.”

Lucion’s hand, reaching towards the sky, clenches into a fist.

And then.

For a very brief moment, time stood still.

The artificial star floating in the forest sky.

Caused an explosion in the true sense of the word.

# # #

A gentle breeze covers the forest. It’s like covering a sleeping forest with a blanket. The stars had no effect.

“I only released a very small amount of mana to begin with.”

Lucion is not a magician.

Just because it was the night sky.

Thanks to coating the mana with divine power, it appeared more effective.

That’s what he thought.

It was more powerful than Lucion expected.

In reality, the destructive power was minimal.

But still, the shockwave of the explosion was strong enough to make his hair flutter. If he hadn’t fastened it with a brooch, the hooded robe he was carrying as pajamas would have been blown away by the wind.

Immediately, Howard anchored himself to the ground, fluttering to prevent himself from flying away.

Lucia expressed pure admiration.

“Wow.”

So, this is magic.

It was something unattainable through divine power alone.

She had only seen it strengthen and heal before.

If this is magic… I definitely want to learn more.

“But… Zion seems to have darkness after all.”

Lucia exchanged glances with Howard.

Howard, oblivious, only chuckled.

Lucia, once again, looked at the sky still lingering with the aftermath of the explosion.

Light spread widely as if declaring war on the world.

“It felt a bit strange from before, but now I’m sure.”

Magic reflects the mindset of the sorcerer.

Divine power is no different.

Nor is anything else.

Moreover, even in mundane tasks like cleaning the house or doing laundry, emotions are inevitably involved.

Through that, one can somewhat deduce a person’s character.

She hadn’t met many people until now, but Lucia could recall enough to understand the state of Lucion.

There was a subtle mystery in Tritan’s squandering of divine power. And in Lucion’s display of divine power just now, there was an intense passion that heated the heart.

Lucion had discovered cuteness in Sia’s magic, and similarly, Sia noticed a quiet anger in Lucion’s magic.

In Lucía’s view,

Lucion.

It was evident that he was angry about something.

# # #

Still unable to escape the lingering magic that Lucion showed,

“This time, I’ll give it a try.”

Rather, it was good. Lucia wanted to showcase her magic while maintaining this excitement.

“Yeah. When learning, trying it yourself is the best.”

Closing her eyes, she swung her wand.

Wings formed from mana.

At first glance, they looked like butterflies or birds, but in fact, they were neither. Just mana with wings.

Mana with wings soared into the sky.

Lucia didn’t have as much mana as Lucion. Therefore, she planned to send them to the safest place possible. And the safest place was a spot far from the forest, high in the sky.

The butterflies created from Lucia’s wand flew diagonally towards the sky.

At first glance, it looked like laying down legs. It was a crosswalk connecting the ground to the full moon.

A long line connected, starting to explode from the front butterfly.

In white, yellow, blue, and flesh colors.

Immersed in various pigments.

Bursting one after another,

On the canvas of the night sky created in that way, a picture was drawn.

“It’s me.”

It was Lucion’s face.

# # #

Lucia depicted the face of Lucion looking down at herself, leaning on Tritan as a knee pillow against the night sky.

A scene she had encountered once.

A scene etched deep in her memory.

Looking at the world’s largest painting, she thought she was indeed good at drawing this picture.

Certainly, it’s an explosion magic.

However, the feeling of doodling against the night sky background couldn’t be erased.

Even so, it was explosive magic.

While Lucion worried about what impact the painting might have,

Lucia was smarter than expected.

“【Explosion】.”

A completed painting.

The only thing that exploded was the bright light of Tritan, the background of the picture.

Thus, the picture seemed even more dazzling. A misconception that shadows would appear on Lucion and Lucia.

“Amazing.”

Lucion exclaimed purely.

Fixing the desired element and only exploding the mana of the desired part. Leaving aside the ability to control such details.

‘Being able to draw a picture in such detail.’

It became a moment to grasp how far one could detail a picture in their mind.

At least, Lucian possessed a brain capable of arranging pictures using over 100,000 elements.

Lucion stood still in place, unable to move for a while.

Admiring the beautiful scene unfolding in the sky was all Lucion could do. Because the picture Lucia showed was Lucion’s [dream].

Lucion wished for such peace. Lucia consoled Lucion through the drawings.

Lucion, I don’t know what you’re upset about, but I’m having a good time thanks to you—meaning conveying gratitude.

“Thank you.”

Lucion couldn’t turn away from Lucia.

It was best to just lift his head, stare at the sky, and pause.

For them, explosive magic.

It was art.