Chapter 41
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Crossroads (7)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As the clicking footsteps faded into the distance, my tension naturally melted away.
"Ah, that scared me."
I collapsed onto the sand, legs giving out from the shock. I'd assumed a teacher might be around since we were inside the school, but it hadn't crossed my mind until now.
"Was she that impressive?"
Ash asked, sounding puzzled.
"She's an incredible teacher. Her eyes are razor-sharp. Anyway, now we can finally use the sand dolls."
I brushed off my clothes, took a deep breath, and stood in the center of the training platform.
I left the staff secured at my waistband—I didn't draw it out.
Teacher Silvia had noticed I wasn't using it, but she didn't say a word.
"Rusca chants are an option, but I haven't learned them properly yet, and I should check my aptitude first... Hmm."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
As I mentally outlined the spell, I gave Ash a simple explanation.
"Combat magic usually revolves around one core attribute, which forms the foundation for the spell. Things like fire or ice magic.
In the magic department, they do aptitude testing in the third year. That's when you find out what attribute your mana aligns with. After that, you start learning Rusca chants—attribute-specific combat magic—in earnest."
"So you can't use it yet, then."
I nodded. That's right.
"But I can handle imperial magic, so I don't need chants.
Imperial magic lets you freely manipulate mana on the fly, adapting to the situation with all sorts of spells. Still, building around a single aptitude is way more efficient."
"I see. So what's your aptitude?"
"...That's what I'm about to test."
I straightened my posture, clasping my hands in front of me.
First, I gathered mana into a core...
Tiny droplets of water began forming in the cup of my palms.
The dense water core shimmered with a deep blue hue, rippling gently.
This should be good enough for starters.
Next, link attributes to defense and offense magic.
I pressed my hands together, and the water core vanished, spreading mana throughout my body.
A ring of water swirled around my firmly planted feet, soaking the training platform's sand black.
Ash watched me in fascination, staring openly.
His gaze felt oddly ticklish.
I lightly extended my hand toward a sand doll.
Droplets gathered and wavered above its head, quickly whipping into a small storm.
The sand doll's head distorted and crumbled, unable to withstand the torrent.
"Or like this..."
I swung my arm at another doll, launching a water-formed whip.
Thwack. Its chest cleanly sheared off, sliced as if by a sharp blade.
"That's pretty powerful."
Ash remarked, but I groaned and shook my head.
I dismantled the water core enveloping my body and dispersed the mana.
"It guzzles mana to maintain, so efficiency's terrible. Forming shapes isn't easy either. Let's try another attribute."
Using the same method, I conjured flames this time.
Water and fire are classic aptitudes—tons of mages have them. They're efficient for combat too.
Boom!
The sand doll exploded with a deafening roar.
I flinched at the sound.
I'd only meant to swing some flames, but my mana surged beyond my control, triggering an unexpected blast.
Luckily, it stopped at blowing up one doll, but in a real fight, that could've been disastrous.
"Ugh. Fire won't work either."
Fire was great for combat, but it didn't suit me.
If maintaining an attribute or shaping the spell took too long or was hard to control, it wasn't my aptitude.
True aptitude magic barely required effort to form and was a breeze to sustain.
It should flow as naturally as breathing, even unconsciously...
I took a deep breath and readjusted my stance.
The destroyed sand dolls reformed in an instant.
I drew in mana again, testing other attributes one by one.
Ice, earth, wind, light...
Each one was tough to shape or control.
Plus, chaining incompatible spells wore me out fast.
When I tried making a spear of light, it barely held form, flickering uselessly with no real power.
"You should take a break."
At Ash's words, I nodded gasping, too winded to reply.
I dragged over my bag from outside the platform and pulled out an apple I'd packed that morning.
I'd been so deep in thought about magic that I'd skipped breakfast.
I offered Ash half, but as expected, he refused.
I plopped down on the platform and munched away.
"This is harder than I thought. There has to be at least one aptitude that fits."
"Maybe you just need more practice?"
Ash's sharp question made me nod mid-bite.
"Kingdom magic with incantations can be honed through practice, but imperial magic's different. You need to nail your aptitude first. ...But mine doesn't seem to be any standard attribute."
"Not surprising."
I agreed silently. The apple was sweet, but my mouth felt bitter.
Truth be told, I had a hunch about my aptitude.
Long ago, as Luther Rendike, I'd wielded an aptitude for red crystals.
A magic that created sparkling, gem-like crystals, turning everything my mana touched into crimson growths.
It was devastatingly lethal.
The red crystals devoured skin, muscle, and bone in seconds, surging upward. They'd latch onto spurting blood droplets, spreading everywhere.
Wherever those droplets landed, new crystals bloomed.
Almost no one escaped crystal magic.
If that was still my aptitude... Could I bring myself to use such horrific magic again?
I need to search more.
I finished the apple and stood.
This time, I tried rarer attributes.
Fog and shadow were tricky even to core—my understanding was too shallow.
Maintaining and wielding them was impossible.
After desperately testing a few more, I collapsed onto the platform.
This was the first time I'd burned so much mana in such a short span.
My throat burned as I panted, a persistent headache yanking at my nerves.
Is it really just that one...?
'You okay?'
A huge, fluffy head popped up beside my face.
Ash had shifted back to wolf form.
I instinctively hugged his scruff.
He startled and tried to pull away, but I held on tight to the soft fur.
"I'm fine. Just a bit tired."
'Alright then...'
I gripped tighter as he tried to slip free. I didn't want to let go of that warm softness.
And above all, I needed conviction right now. Conviction that I could do this.
Blessedly, Ash sat still, waiting patiently.
'Looks like you've got something on your mind.'
"Yeah..."
I didn't want to test it, but... I had to.
I stopped stroking his silvery mane and stood.
"Mind staying back? It might be dangerous."
Ash eyed me curiously for a moment, then turned and padded out of the training area.
Once he was far enough, I steadied my breath and stood firm.
Maintaining focus, I slowly drew in the surrounding mana.
A heat built in my chest. My heart pounded.
Thin tendrils of warmth from my heart began enveloping my body.
Emotions surged, reviving a sensation from ages ago.
I glanced down— a viscous, blood-red mana ring slowly swirled at my feet.
Crack!
The next instant, a ferocious explosion ripped through, and every sand doll on the platform burst apart.
Red crystals erupted from within them, shooting up to the ceiling. Amid the scattering sand, only the sharp crackling of freezing crystals rang clear.
I stared dazedly at the crimson spires piercing the ceiling, then staggered and collapsed.
'Liberic.'
"Don't come closer."
Ash halted mid-rush.
I disrupted the mana, and the swollen crystals crumbled softly.
They dissolved into red-tinged mana, flowing back to me.
Each surge replenished my mana but sent chills down my spine. Cold sweat beaded; shivers wracked me.
I hugged my arms, curling up.
Perfect efficiency. This was my aptitude, after all.
Just thinking it unleashed devastating power in a flash, with minimal mana drain.
Against a sand doll, it stopped there—but against a person...?
Crystals spearing from the body would claim their life instantly, then cling to nearby allies, proliferating endlessly.
All while feeding mana back to me.
This was Berkis's aptitude too.
A ruthless magic that consumed nothing of its own while stealing from others.
'Liberic.'
Ash approached cautiously. I looked up at him anxiously.
"...It's horrifying, isn't it?"
'An incredibly powerful spell.'
I nodded heavily.
'I get that you want to grow stronger, Liberic... but you shouldn't use this magic.'
Ash said with a pitying gaze. I agreed wordlessly.
'Your eyes turned red when you cast it. You looked like a different person.'
"Did they?"
I hadn't realized.
Back when I wielded this freely, no one was around to tell me.
A wave of gloom hit, and I sighed deeply.
No more aptitudes to test.
But I couldn't use crystal magic—didn't want to.
One slip in control, and it'd be catastrophic. For someone whose control and mana weren't what they used to be, it was too risky.
In my melancholy, I stroked Ash's soft mane. He sat quietly, then spoke up.
'Isn't there a way to adapt it? Since it's your aptitude...'
"Adapt it?"
The word sparked an idea.
Was there a way to control crystal magic more smoothly?
If I could bridle this wild, bucking-pony magic with kingdom incantations...
Hey, that might actually work...
'Something clicked, huh?'
"Yeah, exactly."
Hope and excitement suddenly swelled.
I hugged Ash's scruff tightly.
"I had a great idea! Thanks, Ash. Gotta try it now!"