Chapter 14

Waking up in the morning, I finished my usual stretching at the edge of the bed and got dressed with Shell's help. Today's outfit is a khaki-colored short-sleeved jumpsuit. After having breakfast with the usual group, today is the day for the magic training that was interrupted yesterday! When we arrived at the training facility, Chief Tailsmya was already waiting, and there was a suspicious-looking man with messy hair who had a smile on his face, whom I had met when I first came to the Magic Bureau.

He still had that suspicious smile on his face.

"Who is he?"

When I looked at him with a suspicious eye, Chief Tailsmya noticed and introduced him.

"This is Jandis Tarkaris, the Deputy Director of the Magic Bureau. He may look very suspicious, but he is very serious about his work and is the best in the country when it comes to the study of holy beasts. Since there is a very high possibility that Lord Keta is a holy beast, he will accompany you as much as his schedule allows."

"Hi, I'm Jandis! Holy Beast-sama! Nice to meet you! I'm so happy to meet a holy beast up close!"

The suspicious man Jandis, whose face I couldn't see because of his bangs, was staring at me intensely while rubbing his hands and moving closer, which was very creepy. Althseins also took a few steps back.

Shell, who couldn't stand it, asked a question to divert attention.

"What exactly do you study in the research of holy beasts? I heard yesterday that sightings of holy beasts are very rare, occurring only once every few hundred years?"

"Indeed, they are very rare, but the magic of holy beasts is very special, and even after several hundred years, clear traces remain. Researchers of holy beasts mainly study these traces, examining what kind of magic was used, for what purpose, and in what historical context, and whether it can be applied to human magic."

For some reason, I asked the suspicious man Jandis, but Chief Tailsmya answered. Thanks to this, I couldn't get away from Jandis, who was staring at me from a distance where his breath could reach me. I was so creeped out that I clung to Althseins and couldn't even raise my head.

"Deputy Director Jandis, that's enough! If you keep this up from the beginning, Lord Keta will dislike you, and there will be no research! Also, the fact that Lord Keta is a holy beast is currently a secret! Don't call him 'Holy Beast-sama' so casually!"

"Ah, right! Sorry, um, then I'll call you Lord Keta too!"

After being scolded by Chief Tailsmya, the suspicious man Jandis finally backed off. I had thought he was a good person at first, but I had to change my perception. He had a mad scientist vibe, which was unpleasant!

Despite this, the magic training began. In this world, magic doesn't require magic circles or incantations; it is activated by imagination! I was relieved because magic circles seemed troublesome and incantations were embarrassing!

First, to convert magic power into magic, you need to gather magic power in your palm and imagine the magic you want to use. Based on the pattern that appeared during the magic power measurement, the attributes you can use are almost determined. While you can use other attributes, their power will drop significantly.

Althseins couldn't use magic due to the curse, but he has a red rating for magic power, and the pattern is unknown, so we decided to start with something easy to imagine now that the curse is lifted.

"First, let's start with a less dangerous water magic. Gather the magic power in your palm and command it to become a water sphere. The amount of magic power used will vary depending on the size, temperature, and type of water. Since this is your first time, imagine creating a water sphere slightly larger than your palm, like the water used in ordinary drinking water."

Chief Tailsmya demonstrated this. A water sphere appeared on his palm. I was excited, thinking, "Wow, magic!"

"Then, please try it."

When he looked at me, I flew from Althseins' arm and landed a little away. The suspicious man Jandis immediately came over and stared at me from right next to me. I felt like I would lose if I reacted, so I ignored him and tried to create a water sphere in my palm. At first, a large amount of water gushed out, drenching Jandis and me, and Chief Tailsmya had to dry us. The water was like a bag of water, wobbling and not forming a shape. I tried spinning it, and it became a beautiful sphere, so I kept it that way and looked at Chief Tailsmya. He nodded, so I passed. It took as much effort as it did for Althseins to create a water sphere! I ignored the suspicious man Jandis, who was clapping next to me!

When I stopped the flow of magic power, the water sphere dissolved into the air, starting from the edges. It was very mysterious. When I looked at Althseins, he was struggling to keep the shape, just like I had earlier.

"Hein, Hein, if you spin it, it will become a sphere!"

When I gave him this advice, he managed to do it quickly. Chief Tailsmya clapped.

"Next, create spheres of wind, earth, fire, light, and darkness in that order."

Following Chief Tailsmya's instructions, I created each sphere. Since I had already created a water sphere, I had no problem creating the others. I struggled a bit with light and darkness, but the knowledge from the games I watched my brothers play in my previous life helped! Just imagining what I saw in those games worked! This is what they call a cheat!

Althseins also struggled with light and darkness but managed to do it after seeing the spheres I created!

"Amazing! I have never seen anyone perform their first magic so smoothly! ...However, we have already finished what I planned to teach today. So, let's move on to the next step! Since you two can handle it, we can skip some of the processes without causing confusion or an explosion. Next, let's learn defensive magic."

We will proceed quickly. Normally, magic is learned around the age of ten after entering the Young Academy, which is the school Anneliese attends. Noble children learn to control their magic power with magic power spheres from a young age, and they improve their skills at the Young Academy. By the time they enter the High Academy, they must meet certain standards to create magic spheres and learn weak attack magic by launching them. We are learning defensive magic first because, once you can create magic spheres, you just need to throw them, so such attack magic is easy to learn. The next step is defensive magic! Learning defensive magic first is based on the idea that you should be able to protect yourself! This is a world with monsters, after all. Compared to my previous life, it is much more dangerous. I wonder if I can handle it? But since I'm from the mountains, I have had more experience with life and death than city children. I remember seeing headless and wingless chickens hanging in the yard and my grandfather and his friends cleaning and butchering wild boars in the stream next to the house.

"Regarding defensive magic, there are two main types. One is to create a transparent or semi-transparent barrier around yourself to block the opponent's attack. The other is to paralyze the opponent's senses, such as their eyes, nose, or ears, to attack or escape during that time. Depending on which one suits you better, your attack methods will differ, but it's best to learn both."

Chief Tailsmya explained smoothly, but isn't he rushing a bit for a student learning magic for the first time today? I want to think that he recognizes our abilities, but I don't remember showing much skill yet. I have the knowledge from my previous life, having seen countless anime, manga, and games, but... Althseins, you can do it!

After watching Chief Tailsmya's demonstration, it's time to practice! Create a thin, strong membrane around your body. ...I can do it! When I created the membrane around my body, the suspicious man Jandis, who was staring at me from right next to me, was pushed away by the membrane, which made me happy, so I made the membrane larger! The suspicious man Jandis was banging on the membrane, but the sound was blocked, so it didn't bother me at all. Chief Tailsmya was clapping, but I could only see it, not hear it. Althseins managed to create the membrane but, it seemed to lack strength and broke with a light tap. He was trying to strengthen it with a serious face.

As for me, the magic cheat?

Let's try some experiments!

First, let's change the hardness?

Soft, but not breakable, and if it repels, it would be fun! So, a barrier that is flexible and can stretch and shrink like rubber?

While thinking and channeling magic power into the barrier, the suspicious man Jandis, who was banging on it, was repelled and fell on his butt.

Success! I was so happy that when I looked at Chief Tailsmya, he was very surprised. He approached me but was blocked by the barrier and was calling out, but I couldn't hear him. When I let Chief Tailsmya into the barrier, the suspicious man Jandis, who was outside the barrier, was shouting and banging even harder, being repelled again.

"Lord Keta! What is this?! Barriers don't have a repelling function! Is this not a barrier?"

"It's a barrier, soft and strong."

"...Soft and strong?"

"Stretchy and shrinky."

"Stretchy and shrinky... like frog skin?"

"Sure, that's good!"

"Stretchy and shrinky and strong... so, the more powerful the opponent, the stronger the repulsion, right!"

"Sure."

Chief Tailsmya was deep in thought about my barrier. Outside the barrier, the suspicious man Jandis was touching and examining it. As expected of a mad scientist, his face changed when he found a research subject. But his movements were somewhat insect-like, which was unpleasant. Althseins seemed to have succeeded. He was punching his barrier to test its strength. The suspicious man Jandis was touching the barrier, so I suddenly removed it. Thud! The suspicious man Jandis fell to the ground, and Chief Tailsmya, who had returned, looked at him with an indescribable expression.

Since the barrier was successfully created, the morning session was over. In the afternoon, we will learn dizziness and odor attacks! For lunch, we will eat with Chief Tailsmya and the others in the director's office.