Meanwhile when Silvi and Rowan were having their own conversations, Iris was deep in her thoughts and checking on her own status.
'Status.'
=======================================
[STATUS]
NAME: Iris Mei Welford/ Hanamachii Yomi
JOB : Magic Swordsman
TITLE : [The Other Worlder]; [The Villainess]; [Quick Learner]; [Magic Master]; [Sword Master]
[Level: 12]
[HP: 2020/2020]
[MP: 650/650]
[FATIGUE: 0]
EXP: 0/9000
STATUS POINT : 0
______
STRENGTH : 32(+15)
AGILITY : 32
VITALITY : 32
INTELLIGENCE : 60(+15)
SENSE : 24(+15)
SKILL
Magic Mastery Lv3; Sword Mastery Lv3; Super Growth LvMax; Darkness Magic Lv3, Light Magic Lv3; Magic Eyes Lv2; The Villainess LvMax; Etiquette Lv4
Status Appraisal Lv2
Foresight Lv2
Restraint Lv3
Shadow Movement Lv2
Shadow Blade Lv2
Heal Lv2
Holy Light Lv1
Sword Dance Lv2
Vital Strike Lv2
Omni-Slash Lv2
=======================================
'I lost again, even though I used [Foresight] secretly.'
=======================================
[Foresight]
Active Skill
MP Cost: 50
A skill that allows individuals to read the enemy's next movement and intercept them by looking 5 seconds of the future. (There's a chance for the skill to activate on its own to see a future ahead)
=======================================
Iris sighed as she felt down that she lost to Rowan not too long ago.
To cheer herself up, she thought of a new magic on her own right now.
'Hmmm, [Shadow Blade] a magic skill that coats the sword with dark magic which I learned from Ray-sama on that battle between that [Boss Monster].'
'I guess the [Super Growth] skill allows you to learn more skill by only succeeded it once.'
'But what I need is a long-range attack to keep my distances from my enemy.'
'Although I do have [Holy Light] which can be used to blind them, but it can also purifies anything that related to dark element.'
=======================================
[Holy Light]
Active Skill
MP Cost: 25
Cooldown: 10 Sec.
A light that has been blessed with the goddess of Light [Theia], it can purify any evil being and blind the enemy with its bright light.
=======================================
'But, I can't use this element in front of others.'
'Because, [Light Magic] is a rare element magic and it is called the power that purify evil.'
'This element mostly can be used by those who had [Priest] or [Templar] job.'
'But if a [Mage] or [Swordsman] who had this kind of element, they will be called as the [Saintess] and the [Hero].'
'I'm not sure why I had this element, but if others found out about this, they might send me to those fanatics, [Temple of Light].'
Iris quickly shook her head and thought about it again.
'Since Iris was born with [Dark Magic], I should focus on levelling up it first.'
'Though...regarding of magic, I don't know what magic I should learn.'
'Welford House doesn't have any record about [Dark Magic] because it is the rarest element along with the [Light Magic].'
'But...with [Super Growth], I think I can created a new magic with just my own thought.'
'So let's start gathering my mana first.'
When she thought about that, she extended her hand in front of her and when she started to focus while closing her eyes.
'Focus my [Dark Magic] into my palm.' She began to feel something gathered and came out from her palm.
Then when she opened her eyes, she saw a few small lump of darkness floating around on her palm.
"This is...' Iris asked herself as she observed the magic she created herself.
She tried to poke on them, 'It's soft and light...as if it doesn't have mass on it.'
Then she had an idea, 'How about I gathered them into a single point, just like I did with [Shadow Blade].'
Iris started to focus.
As those lumps of darkness began to move and gathered into a single point on her palm.
The lumps of darkness gradually begin to shape, 'Good, now add more of my mana.' She then poured her mana into it at the same time.
*BZZTT*
Finally, they took form into a small dark ball that surrounded with purple lightning.
*BZZTT*
[Notice!]
[You acquired a skill!]
'Finally! Succeed!'
=======================================
[Dark Pulse]
Active Skill
MP Cost: 150
Increasing the output: -10 MP/1 sec.
A dark energy that has been condensed and combined into a single point which could obliterate anything it touches.
=======================================
But when she was about to celebrate, she saw the description of the skill she just acquired.
'—?? [Dark Pulse]? Isn't this one of Iris' skill that was in the game?!'
'Did I unconsciously created this? Or the base of this magic required focus and mana gathering?' She then observed her magic.
'But...if my memory didn't fail me, doesn't this look a lot smaller than in the game?'
'Is it because of the level? Or maybe I need to add more mana?'
As her thought wandered around while she stared at the small dark energy ball on her palm.
*BA-THUMP*
Something unexpected happened...
'—?!'
Her eyes turned red as she felt a stinging pain from her head.
'Ugh—?!'
She began to see some unfamiliar image flashed across her mind.
A record of a man and woman having a conversation together.
[*BZZT* I hope—*BZZT* we— *BZZT*—free from—*BZZT* this... and.... *BZZT* be together—*BZZZTTT*]
The static sound interrupted the conversation between them.
'Who...are they? Ugh—?!' Soon, the image disappeared and her sense was back again as well as her eyes which returned from red to blue.
Her head ached, and she was worn out by the unexpected vision she had just experienced.
'W-what was that...did [Foresight] acting up again?"
She asked to herself while holding her forehead with her other hand.
But then...
*BZZT*
*BZZT*
*SWOOSH*
She felt a huge wind current coming from in front of her.
'—?!'
When she turned her head to look at the source of it, she saw a large dark energy ball floating on her hand.
She blinked for a moment, "E-eehhh?!!! H-how did this happen?!!" Then she began to panic.
She realized that she accidentally pouring too much of her mana into it due the sudden vision.
But it also because, 'I forgot to put it out!!'
"W-what should I do?! W-wait how do you cancel the magic?! U-umm!!..."
When she felt more panic, she lose her control over the magic and unconsciously poured more mana into the magic.
As the dark energy ball that slowly got bigger every second.
"Ojou-sama!?!"
A shout came out from behind—it was Silvi's voice.
Her eyes widened in surprise along with Rowan who stood next to her. The two of them watched speechlessly upon seeing the amount of magical energy that she released.
"Ojou-sama?! That is—!!" Rowan shouted.
"S-sensei... S-silvi... what should I do?" Iris asked while turning her head around to look at her teacher and maid with teary eyes.
"C-calm down! O-ojou-sama! F-first cancel the magic!"
Rowan suggested while he tried to approached her.
But Iris shook her head.
"B-but....I can't! I-i don't know how!"
Iris shook her head rapidly, honest to god doesn't know how to do it.
She was still new to learn magic and didn't think it thoroughly before doing things that could potentially backfire terribly.
The people around them getting scared but worried of their young lady so they stayed there instead of running.
"You guys! Get away from me!" Iris said while trying to control her magic that slowly going berserk.
*BZZT* *BZZTT* *SWOOSH*
As it grew larger and released powerful magical energy surrounding it, gusts of wind began to surrounded her.
"Ojou-sama?!!" Silvi shouted as she tried to reach her but her magic was quite powerful that enough to push her back.
"U-ugggh... AAAGHHHHHH!!!" Iris shouted and trying to control the magic.
But...when everything about to end.
"Heh, in the end I need to lay my hand down." A woman's voice cut in.
"Huh—??"
Iris who heard it, widened her eyes as she saw a silhouette in front of her...
'Who—?!'
But her magic...
*BZZTTT*
Exploded.
*BOOM*
It created large shockwave around her.
The force was powerful enough to blow Rowan and Silvi away along with other people around them.
After that.
The dust smoke began to surround them and they couldn't see their young lady.
"Ojou-sama!?!" Silvi who quickly get on her feet after being thrown away by the explosion, ran towards where her young lady was standing before.
Rowan also followed suit to help search for her but...
They saw a silhouette of a person standing inside of the slowly thinning smoke.
*SWOOSH*
"So, is this the [Precious Daughter of the Duke Family]? To think you had a large amount of mana in young age."
"Your magic wasn't that bad at all, the output is good and strong enough to deal fairly big [Monster], but..."
When the smoke cleared out, they found Iris sitting on the ground with an old lady standing beside her who was wearing a long robe and a witch hat. She has silver-white short hair, slightly droopy crimson eyes and a few wrinkles on her face. Other than that, she's not that tall and quite petite looking.
"....it still couldn't leave a crack on my [Barrier]."
Around them was a barrier that have hexagonal structure on it just like honeycomb.
'I...survived?' Iris was out of breath and couldn't believe she survived the explosion, then she turned her heard towards the old lady.
'Who...is she?' Iris asked herself.
When the old lady turned off the barrier.
"Ojou-sama!!" Silvi ran towards her young lady and gave her a tight hug.
"S-silvi?" Iris was shook by her when she suddenly hugged her tight.
"Are you okay?? Are you hurt anywhere?!" Silvi checked every nook and every inches if there's scar left by her magic.
But...
Iris began to cry like a child and hugged her back, "I-i'm sorry!! I'm sorry..."
"It's fine now...it's fine..." Silvi tried to comfort her as Iris cried her hearts out in her arms.
Rowan sighed as he watched them from the side, then he began to walk towards the old lady that stood beside them.
"It's been a while." Rowan greeted.
The old lady only gave him a glance and went back to watch the two girls comforting each other.
"Indeed, it's been a while Rowan."
And just like that, the two of them went silent and filled the whole place with awkwardness.
Iris gradually calmed down and turned her head around to look at the old lady.
'Who is she?...' Iris asked in her thought.
"O-obaa-sama...! Y-you are here..!?" Silvi called the old lady in surprise as soon as she noticed her.
'Obaa-sama? Is she Silvi's grandmother?' Iris wondered while observing up close.
'But...why does she looks familiar?' She was in her deep thought.
The old lady looked Silvi, then showing a warm smile while spreading her arms wide for her.
"It's been a while Silvi~ come here my dear Granddaughter~" The old lady offered her a hug.
Silvi immediately looked at Iris first to ask for her permission.
Iris smiled and nodded her head, "It's okay, just go and greet your grandmother." giving her the green light to go for it.
"Thank you, Ojou-sama." Silvi stood up and ran to give a hug towards the old lady who is her grandma.
"I missed you...Obaa-sama~" Silvi whispered.
"I missed you too...sweetheart~" The old lady replied.
Seeing Silvi smiled and got teary eyed because of meeting her grandmother made Iris smiled wider towards them.
But when they stop hugging, Silvi went back to her working mode and the old lady begin to approach Iris.
"So...this is the rumored young lady I heard from Silvi and that guy?" The old lady spoke while she stared at Iris as if to observe her closely.
"Y-yes! My name is Iris May Welford." Iris quickly rose up to her feet and slowly bowed her head a bit while lifting her skirt up a bit, showing her a proper etiquette.
The old lady looked amused by her greetings, "Ohhh, such a proper etiquette. I expected that you were some arrogant brat that doesn't know how to greet someone."
Her comment felt like stabbing words to the young girl.
"But I guess that girl raised you well." The old lady appeared to be recalling something nostalgic as she talked.
Iris was confused by her looks, but she need to be polite as she could, "Why thank you, it is a honor to meet you."
"[The Witch, Matilda Threston]-sama." Iris replied while smiling.
"Ohh, you know me?" Matilda got more amused.
"Of course, I read your book and learn magic myself for that." Iris replied with honesty.
"Hoho~ this little girl know how to flatter~ but to think you had created [Mana Heart] and reach [1st Circle] by just reading my book in this age, I am impressed." Matilda assessed.
"Thank you, because of your book, I managed to learn [Basic Magic] in my first try." Iris replied.
Matilda laughed, "Hahaha~ I see I see~"
Iris continue to observe her, 'I just now remember her.'
'[The Witch, Matilda Threston], she was known as the strongest [Mage] in the Kingdom.'
'Along her husband who also my teacher [The Sword Saint, Rowan Threston].'
'The two of them were known as the legend of this kingdom, who fought together with the [Hero] who sacrificed himself fighting against the [Demon Lord].'
Iris sighed, 'I'm not sure if this is a good or bad day for me because I never imagined that two legendary figures would be standing in front of me.'
'I guess those rumors of me being arrogant were still around.'
Iris thought to herself and slowly looking up at her.
When Matilda heard her name being called, she seemed to be quite surprised.
"I thought you were a [Mage] but to think you are a [Magic Swordsman]."
"Despite a large amount of mana, you also talented in swordsmanship."
Matilda's lips curved into a big smile, "uch an interesting little girl~ it makes me want to have a research on you~"
When Matilda spoke, her red eyes slightly glinted.
'Hmm? Did her eyes just... wait...what did she said?' Iris noticed it.
"Hmm? Is there something wrong? Little girl~"
"N-nothing! Madam Matilda, Ahaha~" Iris broke a sweat for a bit as she wondered how did she found out about how high her mana is.
And know her talent in swordsmanship just by looking at her.
"Matilda, why did you come here?" Rowan asked.
Matilda only gave him a glance.
"Well that stupid disciple of yours asked me to be a teacher of this little girl."
'Stupid disciple? does she mean father? did he asked her to come here...?' One of Iris' eyes twitched when she heard it.
"At first, I was going to watch over her from a far and reject the invitation. But..."
"I changed my mind~" Matilda replied with smile towards Rowan.
'Hmmm...let's see what level she is?'
When Matilda was not looking, Iris secretly used [Status Appraisal] on her but...
[Notice!]
[The target rebound your skill back]
Iris widened her eyes after seeing the notice.
"Ugh—?!" As she felt a tiny stinging pain on her eyes.
'W-what was that—!?' Iris asked herself.
Matilda who noticed her reaction begin to smirk as she walked closer towards her.
"Huh—??" When Iris regained her vision after that pain.
Matilda leaned her head down to look at her face closely.
"—?!" It surprised her when she suddenly this close.
"Isn't it quite rude, to look at someone's status, little girl?~" Then Matilda revealed of what she just did behind her back.
"—?!" Iris widened her eyes once again in surprise.
"I-i don't know, what are you talking about." But Iris remain calm and feigned ignorance.
Matilda smiled after seeing her reaction, "That's good answer but don't be too cautious, no one can will be able to hear us here~"
When Matilda said that, Iris noticed that they were surrounded by a barrier.
'Since when—?!' Iris was unaware of it when Matilda had formed the barrier around them, 'There was no gestures or chant in her spells.'
'How did she do it?' Iris asked herself once again.
"[Sound Barrier], it's a barrier that prevent the passage of sounds from the inside to the outside and likewise. Or in a simpler term, a two-way soundproof barrier." Matilda explained.
Iris blinked in surprise, a bit dazed but fascinated at the same time at the neat looking magic.
She could see Silvi and Rowan's bewildered look towards the barrier from the outside.
*CLAP*
Matilda clapped her hand so suddenly, getting Iris' full attention.
"Now~ little girl~ it seems like you have something that you are hiding from me." Matilda said while tapping her chin with her index finger.
Iris was shook by her statement, "W-what do you mean by that? I'm not hiding anything."
"Really? Because right now, I'm asking about your title, miss [Villainess]~" Matilda revealed.
'—?! How did she know that?!' Iris stepped back reflexively, cold sweat broke from her forehead and cheeks.
Feeling cornered. Iris didn't know what to say to that and it made her very nervous.
"Well~? Do you have something to say?~" Matilda prompted with a knowing smirk.
Iris gulped.
'What should I do?!'
To be continue...