Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: The Four Attributes of Magic
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Lucillea absolutely loved lollipops.
This small obsession had likely begun in her past life.
She remembered a show where the heroine would fight villains with a magic wand, shouting something along the lines of not forgiving evil in the name of love and justice.
‘And that magic wand looked a lot like a colorful lollipop.’
It all started then.
Whenever she saw a lollipop, her heart would flutter as if she had become the protagonist of that cartoon.
There was a time when she, too, had wished for such power—the power to save the world from villains and protect herself.
That was probably why, when Mei gave her the lollipop, the memory of her past life surfaced, making her feel even more thrilled.
‘In any case, I have my own magic wand now, don't I?’
Even if it looked like a scrawny little twig.
‘Well, he said I can change its appearance later, so it doesn’t matter.’
Lucillea glanced down at the wand in her hand.
It looked so frail it might snap in the wind at any moment, but surprisingly, it felt good in her grasp, fitting perfectly.
Lucillea said to Noa.
“Thank you for the gift, Master. I’ll treasure it. Please forgive me for grumbling, even for a moment, about the wand’s shape. I’m still immature. I’m only seven, you know?”
Noa smiled faintly.
“Indeed, it is an age where you shouldn’t be mature yet. Don’t worry. I understand that much.”
“Hehe.”
At times like this, she was glad her outward appearance was that of a child.
Noa patted Lucillea’s head and said.
“I hope this helps you in using the power you possess.”
Lucillea raised the arm holding the wand high and shouted.
“Yes! I’ll do my best!”
“Good.”
Noa crossed his arms, lifted his chin, and asked.
“Well then, are you ready for today’s lesson, my little disciple?”
The feather decoration on his shoulder was more flamboyant than usual, but his expression was more serious than ever.
And so, the lesson began.
“Today, I will teach you about the attributes of magic.”
Noa brought out four differently colored orbs.
“Since you’ve already set fire to a bedroom and frozen the water in a cup, it should be easy to understand.”
“…”
At the mention of setting the bedroom on fire, Lucillea studiously avoided his gaze, feigning ignorance.
Noa placed the red, blue, ochre, and transparent orbs in a row on the desk.
“The four fundamental attributes of magic. Fire, water, earth, and wind. Every mage chooses one of these to train in intensively.”
Noa picked up the blue orb and grinned.
“I primarily use water-attribute magic.”
Lucillea tilted her head and asked.
“Can’t I just train in all of them?”
“No, you can’t.”
Noa’s answer was surprisingly firm.
“Why not?”
At Lucillea’s question, Noa hummed in brief thought before continuing.
“There are several reasons, but first and foremost is that the time given to a human is finite.”
He said that for some, it could take a lifetime just to raise a single attribute to a high level.
“And learning various attributes is like dividing a great river of mana into several shallow streams. In the end, none of them will have any real power.”
Ah, Lucillea nodded as if she understood.
Noa continued.
“There’s an even more important reason than that.”
“What is it?”
“The clash of attributes.”
Instantly, Noa’s voice lowered.
“Water extinguishes fire, fire feeds on wind, wind erodes earth, and earth, in turn, contains water. This great cycle, where each devours the other, is what we call a ‘counter-relationship.’”
Noa traced a line between the orbs on the desk with his finger, visually demonstrating the relationship.
“To try and contain these conflicting powers within one body is the same as declaring a never-ending war inside yourself.”
In short, a mana overload.
Listening to Noa’s explanation, Lucillea swallowed hard.
A shiver ran down her spine as she imagined such a horrific thing happening inside her own body.
‘Phew. I’m not that greedy. One is overwhelming enough, how could I handle all four?’
She wasn’t so passionate about learning that she’d risk her life for it.
“But how do you know which attribute you’re compatible with?”
“You’ll feel it.”
Noa placed Lucillea’s hand over the four colored orbs and said.
“Maybe not right away, but as you continue to train and use your mana, you’ll come to realize for yourself which one feels right.”
The lesson continued for some time after that.
Noa had her practice drawing out a minuscule amount of pure energy from each attribute orb.
A small flame that flickered like a heat haze at her fingertips, a gentle breeze that softly brushed her cheeks and hair, a tiny droplet of water that formed on her palm, and a small clump of dust that rose from the floor with a flick of her fingers before crumbling away.
Noa conducted the lesson slowly and meticulously, ensuring Lucillea could fully experience the distinct characteristics of each attribute.
And Lucillea followed along with ease.
Fire was fire, water was water, wind was wind, and earth was earth.
The moment her hand touched an orb, she infused it with mana and produced the corresponding phenomenon.
Noa, who had been watching silently, looked at his disciple with an expression mixed with admiration, wonder, and a strange sense of fatigue.
“Let’s stop here for today.”
Finally, Noa placed the orbs back in their box, signaling the end of the lesson.
“Thank you for your hard work!”
Lucillea smiled brightly and stood up from her seat.
“Ah, right.”
Just then, as if remembering something, Noa spoke to Lucillea.
“You like sweets, don’t you?”
Lucillea’s eyebrows twitched.
“Wouldn’t it be harder to find a child who *doesn’t* like sweets?”
“Ah, is that so? Right, lollipops? You like those, I heard.”
Ah, he did say he was close with Mei.
He must have heard it from her.
Noa grinned and said.
“I’ll give you a lollipop. Want to come with me?”
“…”
Lucillea frowned at Noa.
‘He sounds like a kidnapper luring children with treats.’
Lucillea asked with a suspicious gaze.
“Where to?”
“The Grand Duke’s office!”
Ugh, Lucillea’s frown deepened.
“No, thank you. I don’t want to go.”
Huh? Noa’s eyes widened at Lucillea’s horrified and firm rejection.
“Why not?”
Didn’t you say you like sweets? Don’t you like lollipops?
Lucillea began to slowly back away toward the entrance.
“I’m not really craving anything sweet today.”
“No, don’t be like that—”
“See you tomorrow, Master!”
Lucillea hurried out of the training grounds before Noa could stop her.
‘Ugh, I was so relieved not to have run into His Highness the Grand Duke lately, and now he wants me to go see him in person?’
Not a chance.
‘I’ve been trying my best to avoid him on purpose.’
In truth, there had been quite a few moments when Lucillea had almost run into Elbadin.
Just as Serdian avoided her to keep from running into her, Lucillea did the same with Elbadin.
Usually, Cookie would act as a lookout, and upon shouting, ‘The Grand Duke is coming!’ she would promptly run in the opposite direction.
This method had been rather effective, and she had rarely crossed paths with Elbadin.
Of course, it wasn’t because she was scared of him like the other children.
It was just…
‘Uncomfortable.’
His gaze, which seemed to pierce right through her, his less-than-gentle way of speaking, and even the fact that they were related by blood—it was all uncomfortable.
‘And I might slip up and reveal that I’m not his real daughter.’
It was only natural to feel uncomfortable around someone with whom you couldn’t speak a single word freely.
Yes, definitely.
‘We’re just not compatible, not at all.’
Lucillea shook her head and waved the wand in her hand through the air.
‘Shoo! Be gone!’
Like someone trying to exorcise a demon, she tried to erase the afterimage of Elbadin from her mind.
Then she suddenly stopped waving it and looked closely at the twig.
‘I think I can see a faint green light glowing around it.’
She still thought it looked shabby, but having something of her own always made her happy.
Hehe, mine.
‘My wand.’
Wand! Wand! Wand! Wand!
Her heart filled with excitement, and her steps became light.
It was then.
Thud—!
Ack!
As Lucillea rounded a corner, she collided with someone who had appeared suddenly and was sent flying.