Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Aria Learns - 2
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A week had passed since life in the Magic Tower began.
Leonardo stabilized the 3rd circle magic and the 3-star core that he had put off at the Magic Tower.
Fire Storm
A whirlwind of consecutively released Fireballs. Its power and destructive force made even comparing it to Fireball feel like an insult.
And rightly so, as it had completely melted and shattered a targeted boulder with fire.
"...Is magic originally this powerful?"
[It is originally like this, but the wizards of this era use it so pathetically.]
That was even more shocking in reverse.
[Did I tell you to build your foundation for no reason? Everything has a purpose.]
This was something you couldn't help but respect. As Leo, who had frequently battled upper-level wizards even in his previous life, he couldn't help but be astonished that a mere 3rd circle magic could wield such power.
[Spare me the flattery. Now that you've solidified everything overall, we can move on to the next stage.]
[Next stage? 4th circle magic?]
[No, unique magic.]
Leonardo asked back with a bewildered expression. The teacher's pace was simply too fast.
[Unique magic? You mean... the kind that only grand wizards use...?]
Unique magic—a magic possessing distinctive traits crafted solely by oneself.
It was the supreme magic, lauded as the grand feat of grand wizards.
[What's a grand wizard? You can actually create that right after learning basic magic. It's just mysteriously idolized in this era.]
The Sage said it nonchalantly while scratching his eye and eyelid. In truth, Leonardo had faced off against wizards who possessed unique magic before.
Come to think of it, the unique magics they used in those battles weren't all that impressive compared to standard spells.
[Anyway, that's it for today. Get some good rest. See you tomorrow.]
[But we're together all the time anyway.]
[Oh, right?]
This man was the one who'd embedded the Sage's Stone into his own heart from the start. It felt like something that ought to be questioned on ethical or moral grounds, but since it was too bothersome right now, he decided to shelve it.
[By the way, where's Aria?]
[Probably still in training.]
Ariasfil had decided to learn spirit magic from Physis for a week. Lately, it had become hard to even catch a glimpse of her face.
[..,But can she really master spirit magic in just a week? No matter the talent, it should take at least half a year to a year.]
[She'll manage. She did use it in her previous life.]
Around age 17, she began using it naturally. There was bleeding from her abdomen, and suddenly the surrounding water spirits appeared to heal the wound.
[Naturally...? So basically...]
[I just used it. That's why I figured she didn't need a teacher and left her be.]
Leonardo himself couldn't teach it, and Aria had only ever used it as a support tool without seriously studying it.
It might have been nice if she'd learned it properly, but he figured there was no need to force the issue.
[She fought plenty well without it anyway.]
After obtaining the holy sword, she fired beams of light from it whenever she pleased—what did spirits matter in comparison?
When spirits shaped blades from wind, Aria cleaved cliffs with sword gusts alone.
[...Hmph... If that's true, it's kinda scary...]
[That's what makes her a genius.]
[No, not that... How the hell did she die?]
To the Sage, it was hard to fathom how a genius teetering on the edge of monstrosity—a hero, no less—could perish.
[...Truth is... I don't really know either.]
[Hey, if even you don't know, who does?]
[Everyone at the scene either went mad or died.]
[...What?]
By the time Leo arrived late to the scene, the place was hell on earth.
If Ariasfil hadn't been there, the fall of an entire nation wouldn't have been out of the question.
[I'll explain back in the room. About what happened then. Can't keep putting it off forever.]
The Sage nodded silently without replying aloud. That day's wounds still felt like raw scars to Leo, so the Sage couldn't respond rashly.
"Leo!"
In that instant, the protagonist of that tragedy came running toward Leo.
"Aria la...!"
Leonardo cut himself off mid-word. One could say he had no choice but to.
Aria's outfit was on an entirely different level from her usual.
Where she normally prioritized mobility and comfort, this ensemble devoted itself wholly to accentuating the charms of the woman known as Ariasfil.
It was merely a simple blouse paired with a long skirt.
The modest coverage inversely evoked a distinctive purity while emphasizing her slender waist in stark contrast to the volume of her bust—flaunting an erotic allure to the point of excess.
It gave the illusion that his heart had suddenly begun pounding fiercely the moment he laid eyes on her.
[That's no illusion...]
Shut up. If it's an illusion, then it's an illusion.
"...How is it?"
"Huh?"
She drew subtly closer and asked.
"Physis gave it to me. Said it'd suit me."
It was an utterly fitting and appropriate styling, but a coordination that was downright torturous for heart health.
Resentment and gratitude toward Physis mingled and fused into one.
[That's just plain good...]
It's different. Completely different. If he still didn't get it after this explanation, there was nothing more to say.
"...Goo... Good?"
Aria struck a subtle pose and asked. It was clumsy, but that very awkwardness became a masterful stroke capturing both allure and cuteness.
"Ah... You look beautiful. Incredibly so..."
Leo ducked his head to hide the flush rising to his face as he voiced his admiration for her beauty.
"Really? What a relief!"
Aria smiled with an innocent expression, but the truth was otherwise.
'...As planned...!'
What Aria had learned over the week wasn't just spirit magic.
In truth, she'd long since made progress on spirit magic in just one day.
'...You're really doing this for the first time...? For real...?!'
'...Pardon? Is that a problem...?'
'The exact opposite...! How can anyone be this good?!'
Ariasfil was excessively beloved by the spirits and mana alike. What Physis was teaching her now wasn't even spirit magic proper.
'...I just taught her how to perceive mana as having a personality... and she pulls this off immediately...'
The moment Aria heard the method, she summoned every spirit in the greenhouse forest to her side.
The spirits all uttered the same words, as if rehearsed.
Thinking back, every spirit Ariasfil had encountered until now had been contracted fairies.
The mere fact that even those contracted spirits held affection for Aria meant her talent was beyond standard measure.
'...Should I polish something further?'
'...Nah, no need.'
From then on, Physis had to overhaul the entire lesson plan.
The orthodox approach was to teach building spirit affinity through communion with spirits that barely responded to summons, then proceeding to contracts.
'Shouldn't I do the same?'
'No, for you, making contracts would actually be a loss.'
Contracts served to deepen one's bond with spirits. The deeper the bond, the more magic and mana one could wield, and the more complex commands or even conversations became possible.
'But you? You can chat with spirits anytime, anywhere, so long as mana is present. Contracting might just bind you instead.'
Spirits were intelligent beings too, capable of harboring emotions like anger or jealousy and refusing to aid their spirit mage—a not-uncommon sight.
'That's why spirit mages generally avoid contracting multiples. Too much hassle, and plenty of finicky restrictions.'
'Village Chief Anus had quite a few, though...'
'That's a hometown perk. Spirits from the same origins naturally bond closer.'
In fact, even uncontracted lesser spirits had aided in Anus's battles. Spirits often valued ties like politics or bloodlines even more than humans did.
'But you? The whole world might as well be your hometown.'
Aria's spirit affinity was outstanding to an excessive degree. Barring the large-scale destruction of spirit territories, every spirit would be predisposed to favor Ariasfil.
'So there's no real need to contract any. It might just sour things with the spirits.'
From here on, they'd focus solely on the degree to which she could wield magic through spirits. The chief merit of spirit magic was its ease of execution with high affinity—for Aria, that was scarcely even a factor.
'Then, with some time to spare, how about learning something else?'
'Something else?'
Physis showed her a photo with a leisurely smile.
'How to seduce Leo. This is the real lesson, right?'
Aria had whipped out a notebook before she knew it.
'...As planned...!'
Aria savored the success of her scheme upon seeing Leo's bashful expression.
The outfit she wore now was also from Physis, for seduction purposes—part of the plan.
'This one's the best. Outfits that are too skimpy or exposed give away the intent. But this covers everything while playing up your body's charms, making it all the more seductive.'
True to her word, Ariasfil felt no resistance to wearing such clothes. But the boy before her looked utterly flustered.
Leonardo, who was always so mature, now desperately hiding his flushed face—it was nothing short of adorable.
'Now for phase two.'
Aria resolved to play to her strengths to the fullest.
"Haven't moved in ages—body's all stiff. Wanna spar?"
"Sparring? Sounds great!"
One might think sparring offered no chance to flaunt femininity. But that assumption could backfire, creating an opening to exploit.
'The key isn't just during—it's afterward.'
Sparring itself offered little room for sensible physical contact.
But afterward? Entirely different.
She could play on post-spar fatigue to be carried or held. If there were wounds, they could tend to each other directly. And the ultimate goal...
-Post-spar massage
'No way to avoid a steamy vibe. Skinship feels natural, moans wouldn't seem off, but the listener can't help getting aware.'
And that was just the start. If she received it, she could watch Leo fumble over her body up close. If she gave it, she could lawfully knead his. Either outcome was a prize hard to come by.
"....Heh... Hehe..."
<...>
Leo couldn't muster a defense. "Doofus" was an overstatement, but not enough to outright refute.
He had no choice but to awkwardly broach the topic.
"Then for sparring..."
"Sparring, eh? Not a bad idea."
Stepping into the scene was a woman wielding an unnecessarily large and heavy staff.
She wore a black suit, but her voluptuous figure asserted itself through the curves, even drawing out an adult allure via the formal attire.
"If it's not too rude, might I have the first match with you?"
"...It's been a while. Lady Eirin Temperius."
Leonardo dropped to one knee, offering a dignified salute befitting her station.
Eirin Temperius.
The lady of House Temperius, hailed as the pinnacle of the magical world.
'...A woman...'
The woman who had just become Aria's rival.