Chapter 53

### Chapter 53: A Chance Encounter (5)

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#10

"Uhm, it might still be a bit messy since I just cleaned it not long ago..."

Stella, who had hesitantly entered her room, found it to be tidy.

"It looks like there's not a speck of dust."

Despite her words, there was no sign that she had hurriedly tidied up. She probably always kept it this way. After all, it had only been a week since she started school; there was no time for her room to get dirty.

A subtle fragrance that permeated the room, easing the tension, was reminiscent of the pleasant scent that emanated from Stella. It was a stark contrast to my own room, which, aside from the existing decor, was stark and barren.

"Y-You can put your bag here."

"...Ah, yeah. Thanks."

Following Stella's instructions, I placed my bag on the floor and took out my notebook and writing utensils.

Since it was a single-occupancy dorm, there was only one chair in front of the desk.

It seemed she didn't plan to study there, as a suitable-sized table was placed right in front of the large bed.

The notebook on the table was already spread out, indicating she had prepared in advance. Stella sat demurely at the edge of the bed and turned to look at me.

"Y-You can sit here."

"......Really? Is it okay?"

At my question, Stella tilted her head.

"Um? Yes... Are you uncomfortable?"

"No, I'm fine. I was just worried you might be."

"Well, if I was uncomfortable, I wouldn't have invited Mr. Egidio in the first place."

Indeed, no matter how shy she was, we were still sitting on the same bed. Her casual acceptance made me feel a bit awkward.

...No, the more I look at her, the more she seems like a mysterious person.

Honestly, from Stella's perspective, I'm no different from any other male she's never met before.

Even though the constraints of status are less in the Frontier, given her high status, such subtle matters can still be sensitive.

I have no ulterior motives, but if I were someone else and she let me in so easily, it could lead to problems in the future.

Should I warn her about this?

...Well, since she called me here for a specific reason, there's no need to overstep. I decided to sit down next to her without further ado.

"Excuse me."

"Y-Yes, yes..."

The bed slightly sank. I could feel Stella's body, which was close to mine, flinch for a moment.

...Her shoulders were so tense, it was clearly noticeable. Is this really okay?

Anyway, if we focus on studying, we'll get used to it soon. It's better for me to act naturally here.

The silence seemed to last longer due to the incident at the door.

We could hear each other's breathing clearly, and if I concentrated a bit more, I could even hear Stella's heart beating as if it might burst. To break the silence, I tapped the table with my fingers and spoke.

"Then, shall we... start?"

"Ah, y-yes, yes."

Stella, who had been tightly pursing her lips, nodded in surprise. What had she been thinking about just now? I had no way of knowing.

"Hmm, hmm."

My slightly worried thoughts about whether I could explain properly were laughably unnecessary. Stella, after tidying her hair, cleared her throat and composed herself.

She pointed to the neatly drawn pictures and the round, neat handwriting on the notebook, and looked at me with a changed expression.

"Mr. Egidio, the content of the classes you missed is likely to be closely related to the assignments for the next week. It forms the basis of the new theories being introduced... so you need to listen carefully."

And so, Ms. Stella's lesson began.

#11

The room had grown quiet.

Stella, now more serious, continued her explanation.

"——You know that there are countless fields and categories in magic, right? Besides the natural attribute categories like fire, ice, and wind, the form categories are divided based on the properties of the magic as manifested through the incantations. For example, offensive, sustained, defensive... The final form of the magic is determined based on various factors such as the connectivity, durability, and directionality of the incantations."

"Moreover, the aptitude for each category varies greatly from person to person, leading to significant differences in the acquisition of magic systems."

"The most difficult attribute to manifest and even to acquire artificially is the spatial category."

"Spatial magic is known to have a very low supply compared to its demand."

"The gates installed across the continent are mostly great works created by the efforts of high-level spatial mages."

"Furthermore, spatial magic is primarily used in valuable and limited items like pocket dimensions, which is why promising and apt mages are highly sought after when they appear."

"However, most academies and educational facilities do not teach spatial magic well. It can be dangerous if handled without proper knowledge."

"Spatial magic is a force that interferes with the very foundation of the world. Even though the stars of Akasha have put in a lot of effort to study this field, they have yet to fully master it."

"By the way, I heard that Rubia can handle spatial magic. Oh, Mr. Egidio, you already knew that, right...?"

Stella paused and glanced at me.

I responded hesitantly.

"Yeah, that's right. She's a friend... you know."

"I see... And she's a 5th tier, right? It seems she's not far from reaching the 6th tier... That's impressive. Rubia is."

Indeed.

I'm still at the middle of the 3rd tier. Stella, sitting next to me, is probably at the 4th tier, one level higher than me.

Considering that the difficulty of leveling up increases exponentially with each tier, she is truly an extraordinary existence.

Thus, Rubia can be considered to be in a unique position among the 1st-year Epic class. It's a truly remarkable feeling.

Suddenly, I said casually.

"But, you know, Stella."

"Y-Yes, yes?"

"Why do you call me Mr. Egidio?"

"Ah..."

Stella closed her mouth.

"Be casual, be casual. We're classmates, after all."

"Y-Yes, yes... Then... E-Egidio...?"

She blushed and then, as she resumed her explanation, her expression changed completely, which was quite interesting.

...

"Most humans, except for a very few, have magic circuits in their bodies. However, among those with magic circuits, only a few can use proper magic. This is because the amount of magic they can produce and absorb, as well as the strength of their circuits, vary greatly. In other words, the well is already prepared, but there's no water in it."

This was a description of my middle school days.

"Even if the amount of magic is sufficient, if the body's circuits cannot handle the flow of magic, they can overheat and the casting will be forcibly stopped. If pushed further, they can run wild, reverse, and ultimately break the circuits."

That was a scary thing.

"Moreover, if the body with the circuits is weak, a very terrible thing can happen when the circuits break. That's why modern mages do regular exercise to prepare for emergencies. ...From what I see, Egidio... I mean, Egidio, you don't need to worry that much."

"Hold on, Stella."

"Y-Yes, yes?"

"Why do you keep using formal language even though you're calling me by my first name? It feels a bit awkward to hear."

"D-Do I...?"

"Use informal language, informal. We're all classmates, right? If you keep being so formal, it just creates more distance."

Stella, who had been hesitating, nodded and bowed deeply. After that, she continued her explanation, mixing formal and informal language, which was a natural progression.

...

"......That's how we find each person's specific aptitude and maximize its efficiency through specialized curricula... And not only that, we are planning to gradually teach more advanced theories tailored to our level, which is familiar with the existing theories... W-Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Huh? No, keep going. I'm just focused."

For a full one and a half hours.

We studied very constructively.

It was a very positive experience.

Stella pointed to the parts of the notebook that were diagrammed, sometimes using gestures to explain, and even demonstrated magic, which is hard to do in public places like cafes, to teach me the content of the previous classes in detail.

...I was honestly surprised.

She taught very well.

Her voice was so soft and pleasant that it was easy to understand, and she added her own interpretations to parts that the professor hadn't explained, providing additional explanations.

I responded by focusing as much as possible, taking notes in my notebook and firmly memorizing what Stella taught.

I asked a few questions to confirm my understanding, and Stella nodded in surprise a few times.

"Explanation is... all done... I guess."

Stella, who had just emerged from the notebook, became shy again. Moreover, she seemed unaccustomed to speaking informally, as she kept trailing off at the end of her sentences.

But what could I do? We need to be casual. If she only uses formal language with me and my classmates for the next five years, it would be better to practice now.

Stella didn't ask if there were any parts I didn't understand or if I had any other questions.

"Egidio... you're really smart."

"Huh?"

"You understand everything after hearing it once, and the questions you asked were things I hadn't even thought of... I was a bit surprised."

As she said this, Stella twirled the ends of her hair.

I was momentarily flattered by the sudden compliment.

"No, it's the opposite. You're amazing for explaining so clearly. You explain better than most professors. You could be a professor yourself, Stella."

"T-That's too much praise... isn't it...?"

"Huh? Not at all? I'm completely serious. I'm glad I got to take your class. Thanks to you, I think I can complete the assignments without any problems. Really, thank you."

"A, ah..."

I looked at Stella, who avoided my gaze, with a completely honest expression, and she smiled weakly. Her eyes, which were softly curved, seemed to sparkle.

"I, I should thank you for listening so well... You even came here... to my room..."

As she said this, she seemed to recall the first time she entered the room, and her cheeks turned red.

"Egidio, do you... remember what I said?"

Ms. Stella's lesson was over.

Now it was time to move on to the next part.

I nodded slightly and answered.

"You said you had something to tell me? ...Ah, and something you wanted to show me?"

"......Y-Yes."

Stella nodded shyly.

The reason she had called me to her room. Of course, the lack of a proper place was a factor, but it seemed that Stella had called me here for a common goal beyond the private tutoring.

"It's a bit... awkward to talk about it elsewhere... and if someone hears, it would be... very embarrassing..."

The notebook was already closed.

We were sitting close to each other at the edge of the bed, and the deep shadows of the night were spreading outside the window, ready to envelop us in darkness if the lights were turned off. It was already late, around 10 PM.

Stella, who had been fidgeting with her hands on her thighs, bowed her head and spoke.

...What is it?

The atmosphere suddenly became strange.

A hypothesis came to mind. A thought I had already thrown into the trash years ago, but it rose to the surface, albeit faintly.

Stella, who had blushed every time she saw me since the opening ceremony. Despite avoiding male students, she seemed to ignore Gabriel's words and only spoke to me. The reason she waved at me every time we entered the same lecture hall...

Moreover, the fact that she invited me to her room to talk about something important. This seemed to be the most decisive part. It was hard not to think in that direction. However, my state of mind was a problem for this to develop positively.

Who is Stella? She is a high-ranking princess of the empire. Perfect in appearance, specifications, and personality.

...Yes.

Ultimately, such a high-level person would not have deep romantic feelings for me, of all people—this honest thought was still firmly planted in my mind.

Still, a lingering unease made me close my mouth. Stella, who was also sitting next to me with her head bowed, did not speak, and the silence grew. It was broken by Stella a moment later.

Swoosh.

She placed her hand on her chest as if to calm her racing heart.

A hot, shallow sigh spread out.

...And then, finally.

"......I didn't realize that using formal language would be more familiar."

Stella's eyes, which she raised, shone with a resolute determination.

"Egidio, I—"

Knock, knock.

A quiet knock interrupted us.

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