Chapter 47

"Hehe—"

I soak leisurely in the bathtub. After various modifications, I finally got permission to use it alone. Even though I said I was fine, they still occasionally open the window to check on me. They really don’t trust me, huh?

Since I take long baths, I’m always the last one. Rada just splashed around like a crow. I guess it’s unusual for her to have the habit of soaking in hot water. It’s more surprising that she’s gotten used to it.

A ball of light floats gently on my wet palm. It’s just a simple light spell. I slowly submerge it in the water. The light doesn’t go out and continues to drift underwater. I discovered this recently. I thought, if it’s not hot to touch, what about the water? So I tried submerging it.

I add more, one by one. The bath looks quite stylish now. Maybe I should float some flower petals too. Unfortunately, they don’t have any color. It would be fun if they could create a gradient like LED lights someday.

"Raito"

Oh, it’s Kokushin. Kokushin, who came over, noticed the state of the bathtub and had a look that seemed to be saying something. I show him by submerging another light.

"You’re as skilled as ever."

"It’s just magic control practice. What’s up? We haven’t been in the bath that long today."

"Oh, right. Rada collapsed."

"Whaaat!?"

Why are you saying it so casually? As I stand up with a splash, Kokushin quickly adds, "But she’s fine."

"She overused her magic. She tried to use the light spell like you, but didn’t you see it?"

"Huh? Sorry, what happened?"

Kokushin shrugs.

"A huge ball of light appeared and burst. It was so bright I couldn’t look directly. When it settled, Rada was lying there. She just looked like she was sleeping, so I carried her to the bed."

"Oh, that’s a relief. That must have been quite a shock."

I don’t know what Rada was trying to do, but at least she’s okay. I was really surprised when I heard she collapsed.

Since I’m already standing up, I might as well get out. I pull the plug, and the water gushes out.

"Oh."

I forgot to turn off the light. It flows with the water and drifts into the darkness. Suddenly, the light disappears. I guess my magic can’t reach that far. Maybe about 10 meters.

"Did you turn it off? Or did it go out?"

"It went out. It seems there’s a distance limit."

"Hmm."

While answering Kokushin, I get out of the bathtub. I added a ladder, so I don’t have to jump. I dry my body, get dressed, and return to the room. The bathtub is left to dry naturally.

Rada’s forehead was red, indicating she had fallen before. She doesn’t seem to be in pain, so I leave her be.

"We use it casually, but it’s quite mysterious when you think about it."

A ball of light appears in Kokushin’s hand. It seems much dimmer than the ones I make. I create another light and bring it close to Kokushin’s.

"Hmm."

I just wanted to compare the brightness, but for some reason, mine absorbed Kokushin’s. I try again. The third time, I bring mine close to Kokushin’s, but the result is the same.

"Why is that?"

Kokushin tilts his head. I don’t understand either. Maybe the stronger magic has an effect on the weaker one.

I deliberately suppress my magic and make the light smaller. Then, it aligns side by side with Kokushin’s.

"Hmm?"

I try another one. ... They stick together. Interesting. I can currently make five lights at once. With Kokushin’s one, six balls of light are now clumped together. When Kokushin moves them, the aligned lights sway.

"What is this...?"

"Hehehehe!"

It looks like a snake toy. The smaller lights follow the main one. Kokushin’s creation stays on his palm. Unlike mine, he can’t place it. So, it looks like the light snake is attached to Kokushin.

When the main light disappears, the smaller ones fall to the floor. I try to call them, but they don’t move. When I cut off my magic, mine disappears too.

"...What’s going on?"

"Eh, um. I don’t know."

It seems to be a property of the lights. I can’t think of any practical use for it.

"Ha. I’ll try to make more."

Kokushin’s hand glows again. He glances at me.

"I’ll stop for today."

The light spell itself doesn’t use much magic, but making multiple at once is surprisingly tiring. Well, it’s a matter of getting used to it.

"Okay. Then, give me some advice."

"Well, I just use my intuition."

"Me too!"

Rada, who had woken up at some point, joins in.

"No, you shouldn’t. You ran out of magic, right?"

"I’m fine. I took a magic recovery potion."

"No, don’t. They’re quite expensive."

"I can make them, so it’s fine!"

Even if you can make them, you need the ingredients... but I guess you have them. The herbs for magic recovery potions grow near water or wetlands. There might be some by the lake.

"Don’t do what you did earlier. What did you do, anyway?"

"Um, like this."

"No, don’t do it!"

I hastily stop Rada, who was trying to do something with her palm. But a small ball of light floats up.

"I was trying to make it bigger. I won’t make the same mistake again."

Rada huffs in dissatisfaction. I wonder if that’s true.

But Rada’s light is small.

The light spell is a basic life magic, essentially a substitute for a flashlight. It just floats on your palm and doesn’t light up the entire room. The room is bright now because of a magic device, similar to a stove, powered by a magic stone. Of course, it’s expensive, so it’s only in this room. Otherwise, we use lamps.

I’m the one who places them around or makes multiple. When Kokushin said I was weird for doing that, I realized I could do it because I tried.

Rada stares intently at her hand. The light doesn’t waver. After staring for a while, she looks at me with a question mark.

"Try placing it?"

"Placing it?"

"I often place them around, right?"

"Oh, you mean that," Rada nods. Kokushin also nods. They both fidget. It’s not about using force, so how do I explain it? I just placed them normally because my hands were full. I found out later that it’s not something most people can do.

In the end, there was no progress that day.