Chapter 41

Before I knew it, we had surpassed 40 episodes. I want to keep going from here.

"Al, I want to wash my face, so make some hot water."

While I was sitting comfortably on the sofa in the living room, my sister Elinora called out to me.

When I turned around, a wooden basin was thrust at me, as if to say, "Hurry up and make the hot water."

"...What's your magic attribute, Elinora?"

"Fire."

As if to say, "What are you talking about now?" she flicked her hair with one hand.

She didn't understand the meaning of my question at all. No, she probably just wanted to use me from the start.

When I remained silent, Elinora raised an eyebrow skillfully and asked, "What's wrong?"

This is bad. This is a serious injury. If this continues, I'll have to make hot water for Elinora every day as the weather gets colder. No, because I'm here, we've been able to enjoy the luxury of taking a bath every day.

"Then do it yourself."

"It's too much trouble."

She answered as if she could do it but just didn't want to. Absolutely.

Alfred knows. When Elinora fiddles with her hair, it means she's trying to cover something up or lying. I'm not just her brother for nothing; I see through everything. So, let's try to provoke her a bit.

"Hmm, you can't do it?"

"I can! And stop making that face, it's annoying."

"If you can do it, it would be faster to do it yourself. You're just asking me because you can't, right?"

"Then I'll show you, come here! And stop making that face!"

"That's my serious face!?"

What a terrible thing to say. The first pout was one thing, but the second time I was trying to keep a straight face. Is my face that distorted?

"Then I'll show you here, so fill the basin with water."

"Outside, please."

"Why!?"

No, the house would catch fire if she did it inside, right?

Ignoring Elinora, who was trembling, I walked outside with the basin.

She was shouting things like "Hey!" and "Wait!" but eventually followed me.

Outside, the dry wind rustled the branches and leaves, causing them to fall and dance. The air was cold, and the season was steadily approaching winter.

I brought the basin to get Elinora out, not to use it.

Because there's no way Elinora could warm up such a small amount of water.

So I created a large water ball in the air.

It was probably about a meter in diameter. The water ball maintained a perfect sphere and floated.

It's surprisingly difficult to maintain a perfect sphere or to move water. Right now, it's a perfect sphere, but if the control is weak, it can become a wobbly shape or collapse, drenching everything. I'm good at moving water, but stopping the flow is difficult. The magic book says moving water is harder, but for me, it's the opposite. Especially tornadoes, but I don't really want to say why.

Well, it was something I couldn't separate from my daily life in Japan, and it was easy to imagine.

Even with my skillful water ball, Elinora just looked puzzled.

"Why did you make this water?"

At this point, it's clear she's terrible at magic. She didn't even comment on the lack of incantation.

Well, this is normal, so I'm used to it.

Probably, if it were something like body enhancement, she would notice the difference.

"No, it's impossible to suddenly warm up the water in the basin."

"I can do it!"

"If you can, warm up this water ball to body temperature."

"What temperature is body temperature?"

That's why you're a muscle head.

"......"

"Make that face again, and I'll hit you."

"Sorry, I won't do it again. Body temperature is a bit lower than bath water, but bath water temperature is fine."

She gave me a strange look when I said it was a bit lower than bath water, so I said bath water temperature is fine. There's no way Elinora can adjust the temperature.

"...I can hear your voice. It's fine. I'll shut you up!"

Elinora, who had a vein popping a moment ago, closed her eyes and began to concentrate.

No, it's not like she's casting a big spell. Well, everyone has their own way of concentrating.

She raised her supple arm and pointed her palm at the water ball.

"I seek a tiny flame that can burn anything."

A spell infused with a pure person's wish. As the words were spoken, her magic power increased, and her ponytail swayed.

Then, as she opened her eyes, a flame shot out forcefully.

The flame, which roared as it flew, hit the water ball directly.

It instantly became scalding hot and began to bubble.

"Uh, it's dangerous!"

If this continues, the scalding hot water will splash and hit us. I immediately channeled my magic power into the water ball to stabilize it, enveloping it gently with more magic power than Elinora.

The water ball stabilized without swirling. The temperature was still high, but it was boiling.

The sudden emergency made me shudder. I pressed my chest and exhaled. However, Elinora put her hands on her hips and said:

"Check the temperature."

"It will burn!"

In the end, the water ball was not at a bath temperature, and I immediately discarded it.

---

"So? Do you have anything to say?"

"It's just that I'm not feeling well today."

She's not going to accept that she can't make hot water.

Alright. Let's try something more basic next. Yes, if she can't do the next thing, she'll have to admit it.

"Then let's try this next."

I pointed to something at the edge of the yard.

At the tip of my finger was a large pile of firewood.

"...Firewood? Are you going to light it?"

Oh, Elinora, you're surprisingly perceptive.

"That's right. Lighting firewood is the most basic of basics. Even the villager Roland can light a fire three times a day!"

"If that pervert can do it, I can too."

Poor Roland. I was surprised Elinora knew him. Still, calling him a pervert...

While I was laughing, Elinora brought over some firewood cut to a convenient size. While she was arranging the firewood, I picked up some fallen leaves and grass and placed them on top.

I won't let her say it's because the firewood was damp later.

When the firewood was ready, Elinora closed her eyes again.

"It's just lighting a fire. Even a small spark is fine."

"I know."

You don't have to say it so strongly.

If I say anything more, she might direct her magic at me, so I'll stay quiet.

She chanted the words, more carefully and slowly than before. The movement of her magic power was also more gentle. This might work.

"Tiny flame."

"...Ah."

It was going well, controlled and suppressed, but the magic power swelled at the last moment. The flame that shot towards the firewood burned at maximum power for an instant and then went out.

It was a dangerously high flame, reminiscent of a flambé in cooking.

Elinora messed up at the last moment of release.

In front of us lay something charred.

"Even worse than a pervert."

This comment seemed to affect Elinora, and she accepted that she couldn't handle fire magic well.

---

"So, this is enough."

I showed the slightly more honest Elinora how to light a small flame on the firewood.

"Skillful. I always wonder, what about the incantation?"

"It's just a matter of practice."

"Is that so?"

It's a feeling that can't be conveyed with words. If you use magic all day, you'll get the hang of it. Then just keep doing it for a few years.

"Then, try to refine your magic power once."

She closed her eyes. For Elinora, using magic is still unfamiliar, so she needs to concentrate like this. This will eventually become unnecessary, but it's still a long way off.

"Like this?"

"It's too big. Try a smaller one."

"Like this?"

"It's too small."

"Then, like this?"

"It's too big. From there, slowly reduce it. Until I say stop."

"..."

"Stop! Hold that for a minute!"

"What? For a minute!?"

"What? Isn't it easier than a minute of practice swings? You're just standing there."

"It's easier to swing a sword than to do this delicate work! -- Whoa!"

"Look, your magic power is wavering."

Elinora, who was struggling to maintain her magic power, had a serious expression despite just standing there with her eyes closed.

It's hard to believe that swinging a sword is easier than maintaining magic power.

I could do this while lying down and reading a book.

But since it's boring just watching Elinora, I floated a fireball and made it spin like a juggling ball.

Well, controlling magic power is all about feeling, and there's not much I can say about it.

Basically, it's strange that she can do things like body enhancement and infusing magic into a sword, but can't use basic fire magic.

"...Al, are you actually really good at magic?"

"Huh? It's not been a minute yet."

"I know! What are you so fidgety about?"

I don't know. Whatever.

When a minute had passed, I launched the fireball into the sky.

"Okay, done."

"Haah..."

"What are you pouting about? Hurry up and use magic while you still remember the feeling."

"...Grr, I'll do it now."

Elinora, looking regretful, clenched her teeth and concentrated again.

She's not a wild animal, so she doesn't need to be so threatening.

Elinora took a deep breath to relax and slowly refined her magic power.

Thanks to her sword training, her concentration is amazing. Her expression was serious.

At first, the refinement of magic power wobbled a bit, but it stabilized.

"I seek a flame that can burn anything—"

While chanting, her magic power remained steady without wavering. The next step is to maintain it until the release.

"Tiny, tiny flame."

At the moment she finished the last word, a small flame ignited with a soft "pop" on the firewood.

"Yay! I did it!"

Elinora, who usually has a composed expression, smiled like a child and hugged me enthusiastically.

There was a smile of a twelve-year-old girl, not the usual composed expression.

"Yay! I did it for the first time! ...Ah."

Elinora, who had calmed down after seeing my face in front of her, stopped moving.

"Well, congratulations."

"W-well, it's easy for me."

While speaking quickly, she slowly put me down. Despite her words, her cheeks were flushed, and her mouth was relaxed.

Seeing such an Elinora, I thought she was cute, but that's a secret.

Well, it's impressive how quickly she grasped the feeling. This way, she should be able to move on to the next level soon.

"Now that you can make a weak flame, you can make hot water too."

"Sure. I'll try it later."

---

That day, my brother Silvio apparently got a slight burn when he washed his face.