Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: The Magic You Chose (2)
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Professor Roilen, who taught the freshmen about mana circuits and spell construction, called Adella to her research lab after class.
She was worried about Adella's condition.
Kal and Rebecca, selected as the other first-year representatives, were already borrowing the training grounds and practicing relentlessly for the magic duel.
But Adella hadn't shown up there even once so far.
"Adella. Is being selected a burden?"
"No, it's not like that."
"You've been unable to focus in recent lectures, and your flushed face suggests you're not feeling well. If it's too hard, it's okay to decline participating."
There were plenty of students eager to compete in the duel. Whether they had superior skills was debatable, but at least they'd be better than Adella.
But setting aside such calculating thoughts, Roilen was genuinely concerned for Adella.
She had heard rumors that Adella had been bullied by some nasty nobles since the semester started.
"I'm fine, Professor... Hic! I'll compete in the match."
"I see... Well then, go out this weekend and get some fresh air. You know, Pharenchia has quite a few sights to see."
Adella let out a small sigh as she left Professor Roilen's research lab.
It had been a whole week now, and her hiccups wouldn't stop.
All she wanted was to learn magic—
But all she had learned was that a first kiss tasted like the bitter tang of tobacco.
She couldn't concentrate in the following basic magic studies class either.
When a faint yellow lighter than forsythia stained the Litvice Test Paper, Louis's face came to mind again.
And so did Ansen's voice as he hit her.
—Oh right. Bring the Litvice after the next class? I want to see how grand the mansion is where our Roshiar lady lives.
—Th-that...
—What, got a problem!?
—Ow, it hurts! Okay, okay! Don't hit me!!
Right, when you thought about it, Louis had stepped in and resolved the situation.
And it was she who had flirted with him, the one she found annoying, begging him to teach her magic.
She had to debut in high society and get married.
To do that, she needed to win the magic duel and get invited to a salon.
To do that, she needed to learn magic from Louis.
To do that...
—Hic!
'First, I need to stop this...'
Adella pulled out a handkerchief to cover her mouth and stifle the hiccup.
Then, waiting until the campus had quieted down, she headed toward the canteen.
Back when I was a kid on Earth, countless creatures had adapted to their environments and evolved over eons.
Among the most common evolutions in urban areas was the electric cart pulled by the yogurt lady.
The Segway, equipped with a rechargeable electric motor, started gaining intelligence after the bipedal model was released. Eventually, it took over the association, claimed half the world, and declared the Yogurt Empire.
The result of ceaseless effort to survive in a harsh world, no doubt.
I was the same. There was no world where a canteen owner could rest easy.
Constantly developing new business models and expanding the canteen was essential.
In that sense, this duel was personally important to me.
The canteen had regained its peace, but I had a lot on my plate individually.
The sun had fully set, and with the first floor lights blazing, I was busily rummaging through things.
Pop. Pop, pop.
Golden corn kernels burst on the oiled pan.
I added a bit of salt, closed the lid, and then a familiar voice came from behind.
"...What are you doing?"
See? I told you she'd come.
Adella stood there, staff in hand, touching her mouth.
To ease her bird-like wariness, I opened the lid and handed her some of what I was stir-frying.
"Want some?"
"What's this?"
"Popcorn."
"Why are you making this?"
Why? To sell it busily once the duel starts.
These little academy events were perfect for making a quick buck.
Who else but me would think of selling popcorn at a wizards' match? See, brains are what let you make a living.
Adella munched on the popcorn, her guard slowly dropping bit by bit. Simple was good.
Whatever else, I really liked that she lacked the shady side typical of nobles.
Things like using duels as an excuse for cheap violence or citing bogus laws to steal someone else's canteen.
At least Adella was a good girl, even if a bit dim.
There were reasons for teaching her magic for free and giving her popcorn.
"Decided? To learn magic from me."
"Munch, well, my hiccups keep coming... I came to stop them."
"I'll stop those too."
"How? Munch... Huh!?"
Of course, I couldn't say there was zero ulterior motive. But it was purely for improving her magic skills.
I wouldn't go so far as to block her future marriage prospects.
A few kisses weren't anything to worry about.
"Mmph, mm...!"
The second kiss, with corn husk crunching between, was quite salty.
As her soft lips parted, her hiccups had completely stopped.
A moment of silence passed—
"Uh... How was it?"
I thought it over before answering her, lips pressed tight, forgetting to pick up her dropped staff.
"Too much salt. Freaking salty."
"Not that!!!"
I sat Adella down and explained in detail how my karma transferred to her, amplifying her mana.
She was human too; no one would like karma building up in their body.
So, like a doctor getting consent before surgery, I carefully went over the precautions.
I even pulled out Litvice Test Paper to measure her karma and reassured her there were no issues compared to before.
"Got it now?"
"Yes!"
Adella nodded vigorously after hearing my explanation.
"You want to kiss me, right, Teacher Louis?"
"..."
She hadn't understood at all.
Yeah. What can I expect from you?
At least she wasn't physiologically repulsed. That was a relief.
"Alright, let's practice one by one."
I started with the Rank 1 lightning spell she had used before.
"From today, you can only use sky-related magic. No exceptions."
"Why?"
"Because it has the most stable spell structure."
Forced output boosted by injected karma had to be used as safely as possible.
One of the three primal elements: the great sky.
Magic using the empty space of the heavens as its origin, like what she used before, generally formed circular magic circles.
Characteristics: stability and ease of casting.
For Adella's level, Lightning Bolt or the like.
"No special magic wand?"
I asked, looking at her staff.
She was using the basic supply staff sold at the canteen from the start.
I'd picked decent wood, but a Roshiar magic wand would be incomparably stronger than yagimok.
"No. Just this."
"I heard the Snow Duke uses a spear..."
"I can't use those."
"Got it."
We went outside.
Clearing the outdoor table behind the canteen made a small clearing.
"Cast the Lightning Bolt you used last time."
"Yes!"
A bright yellow magic circle formed at Adella's fingertips, overlaying the dark night sky.
The spell structure itself was unchanged.
One star, Luminari, glowing inside the Frimum Mobile.
And messy formulas granting speed, light, and heat properties.
The only difference was the output.
Zzzzt, zzzt—!
'Hmm...'
Observing the forming magic, I pondered.
Why couldn't she cast properly?
From my battlefield experience, wizard spell failures fell into three categories.
The spell was too complex, and they didn't understand the structure.
Exhausted in battle, out of mana and karma.
Or external interference canceling it.
'But none of those seem to apply, at least from what I see.'
Unlike appearances, if Adella were truly helpless idiot, she couldn't even draw the circle.
If she couldn't handle a Rank 1 spell structure, forget the count marriage; better to work the canteen with me selling popcorn at events.
And her lineage? Adella Sylvestra's blood was Roshiar, even diluted. Northern sea nobility.
She wouldn't have poor innate mana sensitivity, and with the karma I injected, output was decent.
Finally, unless special cases, my always-active skill required direct contact with part of my body at the casting site or caster.
No one else here, so no third-party cancellation possible.
"It's, it's done!!"
Zzzzzzzt!!
Rumble—!
The mana flow, unstable before, was forcibly stabilized by karma and manifested successfully.
A massive current scattered skyward, centered on her raised staff.
The output lighting up distant cloud undersides—no one would call it Rank 1.
"Teacher! I did it!"
Seeing Adella jump for joy, I smiled inwardly.
Whatever. Who cares why she couldn't cast before.
Even as a normal wizard, she couldn't beat second-years in spell variety or fine control.
My victory formula was simple.
The other two stall for time, then Adella one-shots all three with karma-packed power.
Considering the Lightning Bolt's power, one slip could backfire on her, but as warned, no other spells and it'd be fine.
I'll fine-tune that razor edge.
"Can I have the leftover popcorn?"
"Yeah. Help yourself."
While Adella bounces around like crazy, I'll sell popcorn and watch.
Protect the home, make money.
What a terrifying strategy.