Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Try It One More Time
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Laura Carolline had recently become completely absorbed in her Understanding Mana class.
This wasn't because she had always loved magic—
for entirely different reasons. It was the new friend she had made there.
Laura Clarins.
The young lady who had radiated an awe-inspiring beauty from the very first moment they met.
And she was engaged to the Little Iron-Blooded of the Dominica family, or so the rumors went.
Naturally, many people revered her from afar and dared not approach.
But Laura was different.
I want to get close to her.
She wanted to befriend her.
After all, she was beautiful, elegant, and exceptionally skilled in magic.
And above all else, the fact that she was engaged to the Little Iron-Blooded ignited a fierce desire within her.
Is Leonardo Dominica really like the rumors say?
What kind of person was the Little Iron-Blooded?
Rumors about him swirled endlessly among the noble young ladies.
Of course, there was the widespread talk of him being a cold-blooded figure without blood or tears—
but the whispers among the ladies were a bit more detailed.
The ever-calm and icy Iron-Blooded of Dominica.
Yet when he swung his sword, he fought like a wild beast.
And his face was so strikingly handsome that it left everyone who saw it stunned, which fueled even more rumors and crafted a vivid image.
An image of a 'cold, curt lone wolf striving to prove his worth to his family.'
Combined with the dangerous allure of the Dominica name, it exuded a strange, captivating charm.
Much like the protagonists in the romance novels popular among noble young ladies.
And as a huge fan of those novels, Laura was especially enamored with that image.
In the lingo of recent trends, Laura had made him her 'ultimate fave.'
What type is he? The young master who hates his family and stands alone without relying on their power? Or the arrogant heir who inherited their blood thickly and pursues perfection?
Or maybe he's just a wounded grown child starved for affection—that would be nice too.
Ah, but no matter what, I hope he has a warm side for the woman he loves!
Her swelling fantasies could no longer be satisfied by imagination alone.
After all, he attended the same academy as her, and his fiancée was in the same class.
So Laura approached Laura.
"You're truly amazing, Lady Clarins. Could you perhaps teach me that method too?"
Approaching under the pretext of complimenting her magic skills.
Of course, it was transparently obvious that this was just an excuse to get close.
And Laura Clarins accepted it with surprising ease.
She even said:
"Then, will you be my first friend, Laura?"
First friend!
For Laura, who had only hoped for a small acquaintance, this was utterly unexpected.
Naturally, she nodded enthusiastically, and just like that, the two became friends.
Afterward, other young ladies who saw Laura's behavior flocked to Laura as well—
but Laura, as her first friend, always secured the seat beside her.
And from that spot, she eagerly fished for information about the Little Iron-Blooded.
And today.
Laura's wish came true.
He's here! He's really here!
He had arrived.
The Little Iron-Blooded, in the Understanding Mana class!
He naturally took his usual seat beside Laura (Laura smoothly took the one behind), and exchanged a few words with the beamingly happy Laura.
"You really came?"
"Did you think I was lying?"
"No, I know you're not the type, Leonardo. But it's still hard to believe..."
"If there's anything else you want, just say it. I'll make it happen."
Unexpectedly affectionate!
Laura squealed internally at this surprising side of her ultimate fave.
See? He is the warm type for his girl!
And not subtly—he was openly doting!
Her novel-loving friend Ellie was a die-hard fan of the 'tsundere caretaker' type, insisting it was true love—but!
I'm right—the type who shows unwavering warmth to his woman without hiding it!
Suppressing her twitching lips from the creeping sense of victory, she continued observing.
And as class began, Laura discovered yet another side to her fave.
In truth, when I heard what this class was about, I felt a surge of confidence.
That should be easy enough.
Mana manipulation was something you learned before swordsmanship.
Of course, it felt a bit different from magic, but it was roughly similar.
Whether you circulated mana inside or outside your body, it was just a difference in method.
This confidence grew even more after seeing Laura's success.
"Ah, Lady Laura! Excellent as always!"
A feather floating lightly above Laura's table.
Since Laura hadn't formally studied magic like I hadn't, it shouldn't be too hard—
Boom!
...or so I thought.
I blinked at the feather (or what was left of it) fluttering down before me.
What the hell?
Why did it explode?
Is my teaching aid defective or something?
I instinctively glanced at Laura's feather floating nearby, but it remained perfectly intact.
The instructor, who had approached by then, placed a new feather down and said:
"Too much mana. Try manipulating it more delicately."
Ah, I see.
I overdid the mana.
Makes sense—if I applied the same mana circulation I use for swordsmanship here, it'd be overkill.
Having pinpointed the issue, I steeled myself and tried again—
Boom!
And blew it up again.
The exploded feather scattered debris across my table.
"......"
I could feel eyes on me from all directions.
Well, yeah, with the constant explosions, who'd ignore it?
The instructor nonchalantly provided another feather as if it were no big deal, but my mind wasn't so calm.
I failed? Me?
Me, failing at something as simple as lifting a feather?
Not once, but twice?
To cope, I quickly scanned the other tables, mentally rationalizing that 'this must be incredibly difficult, and Laura's success is impressive.'
But half the other feathers were floating steadily in the air.
Even those not floating just twitched on the tables—no explosions anywhere.
Taking in the scene, I thought blankly:
Why only mine?
Couldn't it just not float properly or move weirdly? Sure.
But why does mine keep exploding?
This really isn't a defective aid?
But denying reality wouldn't help, so I pulled myself together.
No, I'll get it with more tries.
Yeah, two fails are just beginner's luck gone wrong.
Next one's different!
With that resolve, I kept attempting to levitate the feather—
and every try failed.
The feather was too fragile to contain my mana, and as frustration built with each failure, the explosions grew fiercer.
Boom!
"Focus! In a mana manipulation class, losing concentration can cause accidents!"
"......"
Now I was even getting warnings to be careful.
Worse than my first attempt.
Over five tries already, and the explosions showed no sign of stopping.
Five booms, each with that grating sound.
My table was now blanketed in white feather debris.
Looking at it, I nodded.
Time to give up.
Yeah, no one can be good at everything.
Guess I have zero talent for magic.
I'll just spend the rest of the time watching Laura work her magic—
As I thought that, suddenly a hand touched mine.
Slender fingers with soft, elegant curves—the kind described as 'jade-like hands.'
Following them up, I saw Laura whispering to me.
"Let me help you."
"No need for that—"
I reflexively refused, but she ignored me.
Instead, her soft fingers brushed over the back of my hand.
A subtle warmth and ticklish sensation spread across my skin.
It was Laura's mana.
She infused a faint trace into me and said:
"Draw it up like this. Don't rush—slowly."
"......"
Mesmerized, I followed her instructions and moved my mana.
A sensation finer than flicking a finger.
A ticklish feeling like her fingers rose from my hand—
Float—
The feather wobbled unsteadily upward from the table.
Got it?!
Of course, it didn't last.
I clenched my fist in excitement, and it burst.
Laura giggled at the sight and said:
"You did great. Try it one more time."
"......"
For some reason, I felt like a kid again and turned my head away.
...It wasn't a bad feeling, surprisingly.