Chapter 4

"Hehe♪ Then I'll start by teaching you about magic."

"Y-Yes, please!"

Day 1 of training.

First, I'll be undergoing magic training with Testarossa, the Demon Queen.

However, my magic skills are at the bottom of the bottom. How am I supposed to train?

Oh, right, I haven't told her yet that my magic skills are terrible. It's hard to say, but I have to, right...

"Um, excuse me. Actually, I'm not very good at magic..."

"You mean you can't use it at all, right? I can tell without you saying it."

I jump, hit right on the mark.

Wow, she really is the Demon Queen. She can tell just by looking.

"Then, how am I supposed to train? If I can't use magic, how can I practice?"

"That's true. So first, I'll have you do basic training until you can use magic."

"Basic... training?"

What kind of training is this?

I've never heard of it, but it must be some amazing training to increase magic power.

"Magic power is like muscle strength. You have to push it to its limit and break the container to increase the upper limit. So I'll have you use your magic power to the brink of death, and when you recover, do it again until you're at the brink of death."

"…Huh?"

Did I just hear something terrifying?

Magic is a vital force for living beings. If you use too much, you can die from magic deficiency.

"Isn't that pretty dangerous?"

"Yes, but in this space where you don't age, this is the only way to increase magic power. I'll make sure you don't die, so you can rest assured and almost die, okay♪"

"Uh..."

Right. I almost forgot because she looks so beautiful, but she's the Demon Queen.

She doesn't follow human common sense...

"But won't such a gradual method take a lot of time?"

"No, it won't. At your level, I think you can become a full-fledged magician in about 500 years."

"500 years!?"

I widen my eyes in shock.

Sure, I'm a failure, but it really takes that long!?

"If so much time passes, the outside world will be a world I don't know anymore!"

My parents are already dead, but I can't even say goodbye to the village chief who raised me. I at least wanted to say goodbye...

"Don't worry. The flow of time in this 'Infinite Prison' is very slow. One year here is only one day in the original world."

"R-Really!?"

"Yes, I checked with magic, so it's definitely true."

She patted her chest with a thump.

Since it's what the Demon Queen said, it must be true.

Still, one year for one day...

If it really takes 500 years, that means 500 days will pass in the original world. I'll worry them, but I guess it'll be okay.

"...I understand! I'll do my best!!"

"Hehe. Good boy."

Testarossa patted my head gently.

Her eyes, while patting me, were so kind, like my late mother. I almost forgot she's a demon.

"Then... let's start. If you really die, I'm sorry♪"

"...Yes."

With a tremendous sense of unease, my magic training began.