What Do You Do on Holidays? (2)
If Unia's outfit fixation magic was designed for prevention to maintain decency levels, then this mosaic magic was meant for post-incident damage control.
"Personally, I think Miss Unia's magic is better."
Assuming exposure is an 'accident,' prevention is always more important than response. Take fire as an example. Sure, knowing how to handle a blaze once it starts is crucial, but preventing it from happening in the first place minimizes damage and is the smartest approach.
"But the difference between Miss Unia's magic and this mosaic one... is that someone else can cast it on you."
I cast a new mosaic spell not just on my lower half, but also toward my eyes.
"You can obscure your face like this, or cover your whole body. ...Are you watching?"
"Ah, yes."
Unia's gaze stayed fixed on my lower half. Her red eyes sparkled, as if she was channeling mana into them to try breaking through my mosaic.
"Do you want to see that badly?"
"Of course."
"......."
"......Ah, no, that's not what I meant."
Unia waved her hands side to side in denial.
"What I mean is, how do you counter this mosaic magic? I was thinking about adjusting the mana pattern to peer beyond the mosaic."
"That's what it is, right? Not something weird that other people might misunderstand?"
"Of course. I don't care what others think, but it's just like what I'm showing you right now."
Unia covered her torn underwear, exposed underboob, and pubic mound with her hands.
"It's not because I'm some slut who wants to show this to you, Phoenix. It's so I can demonstrate how the magic works in the safest way possible. Right?"
"Yeah. Same here."
Both Unia and I—we're just using our own bodies to verify the magic's development firsthand.
"Then, Phoenix. Can you cast the mosaic magic on me too?"
"It'll probably feel like a brush over your clothes? Oh, but this one's a bit different."
"Different... how?"
"Yeah. The mosaic I'm showing you now is based on illusion attribute. Ones based on other attributes... work a little differently."
I channeled mana. Not the existing illusion mosaic with its shimmering opaque pixel blocks, but a different spell.
"Mosaic..."
⟨ Absolute Domain ⟩
Vmmm.
Black mana—dark attribute mana—surged over my lower body in an instant. Not my entire lower half, but like putting on drawers: the black mana clung tightly to my privates and rear.
"How's that?"
"It covers more area than before, for sure, but..."
Unia pointed at my front.
"When guessing the shape, it might lead to some misunderstandings?"
"Why?"
"Well, because this..."
Unia reached out, then swung her hand leftward before blushing and pulling it back.
"...It's a bit, um, something, but kinda hard to say."
"Right? This one's originally meant for women."
"Huh?"
"Specifically for those wearing skirts. Like spats."
The spell called [Absolute Domain] was basically just mana skin shaped like spats.
"And one more—this time using light attribute mana for the mosaic."
I channeled mana again. The inky darkness faded into white, transparent light, which then dazzled and cloaked my lower half.
"How's that?"
"......."
Unia stared seriously at the [Light of Censorship] I'd conjured. That light was clearly—
"It seems to cover just the shape precisely."
As Unia gauged my lower half with her hand, the white light clung perfectly to my privates only.
"It's almost like mana skin, sticking right on. Right?"
"Exactly. And the advantage of this light-attribute mosaic is..."
I leaned my upper body back just a bit.
Throb.
"!!"
I gave my lower half a strong flex.
"How's that?"
"Oh my god. I-it moved."
Unia pointed at the shifted pillar of white light, her face shocked.
"Unlike the previous ones, does the light pillar adapt to the shape?"
"Yep. It never reveals anything."
The Light of Censorship was the strongest censorship of all. Though, to make it most efficient—meaning painting it only where needed—men end up with the pillar's shape, size, and girth somewhat inferable.
But that's not lewd.
This wasn't lewdness. It prevented lewd situations.
"Miss Unia. Which of these three do you think is best?"
"......."
Unia nodded seriously as she inspected the light pillar from all angles.
"The mosaic one's probably the best."
"Why?"
"If you use the light pillar in a dark dungeon or cave, an arrow might fly toward the glow. That'd be bad."
"Fair point."
Even I wouldn't want to lure enemies to my weak spot.
"Our weekend research just got busier. Seriously, being around you gives me so much to study, Phoenix."
Unia chuckled and flopped onto the bed.
"So, can I ask for a mana massage today too?"
"Anytime. Oh, clothes—"
"You're wearing them, right?"
Unia gave a sly glance and lifted the remnants of her underwear.
"I've got this, so I'm fine. You're already in mana skin like clothes, so no issue? It's not direct skin contact anyway—just over the clothes."
Hm.
"True enough."
A massage over clothes, with mana on my hands—what's the problem?
"Close your eyes."
That it was completely non-lewd had already been proven with Instructor Esta.
Swish.
Thus, our time with Unia ended by relieving the mana buildup and fatigue in her body.
[March Week 2, Saturday Morning.]
"Working out first thing in the morning?"
"Yes, Phoenix."
At Rydmila Lionheart's request to assist with her morning training session, I headed to her room.
"From the outfit, you look ready to go running outside the old school building."
"Do I?"
Rydmila had her hair in a single ponytail, wearing a black tank top up top and skin-tight black leggings below. If a woman showed up to a running club like that, nine out of ten would think, She's here to snag a guy, and one would think, This woman's the real deal.
A pro runner. Confident in her body, nothing to be shy about.
That's Rydmila right now.
"I have no plans to run outside."
But Rydmila wasn't planning to run.
"I called you here today to help with my physical training."
Rydmila stood in place, then slowly lifted one leg high.
"Could you steady me here?"
"Here?"
"Yes."
I took the position she indicated—opposite her nearly I-shaped leg stance—without complaint since she'd specified it.
"Grab my ankle."
I gripped her raised ankle as instructed, and Rydmila leaned her upper body sideways to stretch.
Crack.
The sound was so intense, it felt like bones might shatter rather than loosen.
She swung her torso side to side to keep loosening up, and I held her ankle firm to maintain the pose.
It nearly brushed once, but aside such trivialities, Rydmila avoided contact anywhere but her ankle.
"Whew."
Rydmila straightened up with a refreshed, nonchalant expression.
"Now, grab my wrist instead of the ankle."
I released her ankle, and she positioned her heel in front of my thumb, standing straight before bending forward at the waist.
Creak.
"Miss Rydmila?"
"Hm, more stable than expected."
Her lower body pressed against mine. Legs straight, no knee bend, one hand extended to her lower back as she beckoned me.
"Grab my wrist."
"I'm doing as asked, but..."
I pointed at her free hand.
"What's that for?"
"Stretching."
Rydmila planted her hand against the wall, lifting her hips even higher.
"Stretching."
"......."
"No one else in this old school building matches my build but you."
"True."
"Exactly. Nngh—"
Rydmila stretched like a cat, her back arching like a bow.
"Haaah...."
Her face during the stretch looked utterly relaxed.
"......."
Of course.
Though it was obvious she was thinking something else entirely.
"That."
Rydmila turned her head slightly.
"Could you grip my hips firmly?"
Half-beastkin stretching seemed... uniquely intense.