Magic.
Ayane couldn't comprehend such superpower ability. How could someone create fire out of nothing? To what extent could someone use this irrational power? Could someone set the forest ablaze, tearing down a stone wall, or maybe split the sea only with a thought? Could anyone wield its power?
"I apologize for my inappropriate action, Lady Mira. It's just astonishing to see this miracle."
Ayane hurriedly bowed to Mira as she saw the confusion on her face.
"Mira."
"Hm."
"Call me Mira. And stop speaking to me with that polite tone! Then, I'll accept your apology."
"Un, Mira. It's okay?"
"Yes! I'll call you Ayane-chan then!"
Seeing her ears twitch and smile back on her face, Ayane felt relieved.
She didn't know why Mira made such a lonely face, but it made her very anxious and uncomfortable.
She didn't want her to feel sad; she wanted to make her happy and smile.
Even though this was the first time they met.
It is strange, yet it felt like this was how it supposed to be.
"Mira, can you tell me more about magic?"
"Can't be helped, huh? Okay, I'll be magnanimous and teach Ayane-chan about magic!" she replied with a mock exasperation tone while shaking her head.
Ayane let a little chuckle when she saw the beastmen girl antic and pay attention to what she said next.
"Magic, you see, is an action to manipulate magic particle or magicule to produce a phenomenon."
"There are several types of magic. There is Elemental magic, like fire magic, water magic, or any kind of natural phenomenon; summoning magic, which can summon magic beast; dark magic, like a curse, poison, or other shady magic; holy magic, like heal, purification, mostly used by people of Holy Church; and neutral magic, like body reinforcement magic, haste, slow, or other magic which cannot be grouped into other magic types."
"When I want to use magic, for example, fire magic, I gather magicule in the air and use them to draw the magic circle, and then when the magic circle is complete, the magicule, which formed the magic circle, converted into the fire."
"Magic circle can be seen as activation command for a magic spell."
Mira slowly moved her finger around like a painter moving a brush, making some pattern in the air. At the time her finger stopped moving, a fire appeared on top of her finger like a candle. After she blew it off, she acted like a teacher fixing her imaginary glasses.
"Any question?"
"Um, how can you draw the magic circle while you can't see what you draw?"
Ayane frown with her brow raised. Even she had to observe from start to finish; she didn't get the slightest clue what happened.
"Huh, you can't see the magic circle? It's weird. Master said that anybody could see magic circle when it is drawn correctly. Maybe, because you don't know the actual shape? I'll lend you a book later, and then we'll see if it work."
She nodded and then asked another question.
"Does everybody can use magic?"
"As far as I know, yes. As long as anybody can draw the magic circle correctly, they will able to use magic."
"What if criminals or people with bad intentions can use magic? Or, if some petty squabble forces people to throw magic spells around? It sounds dangerous."
"Well, while anyone can use magic, not everyone has the opportunity to learn it. People attend Academy to learn magic. Everything related to magic is usually pricy too. Maybe only nobles or rich merchants can afford it. Commoner rarely able to use magic."
Even in her previous life, it was common sense that great power couldn't be gained easily by anybody. For example, only samurai or landlords were allowed to possess weapons like katana or guns. Had everybody allowed to use weapons, there will be countless people were who rioting or spreading chaos. People who hold great power had to shoulder great responsibility.
"There is another way to cast a magic spell, though. It is called chanting. Let's move to training ground so I can show you how to do it."
Together, they move from the kitchen to the training ground in the backyard.
On the way to the destination, Ayane sneaked a peek at Mira's figure. Despite only one or two years older, her body seems to be more developed than Ayane's.
Her blue one-piece dress that covered her body couldn't hide two small perky mounts on her chest. One look on her slender waist with plump bottom can only make people gulp in anticipation for the future.
Her ears and tail covered by golden fur made any looker cannot resist the temptation to rub and feel its softness, not even Ayane.
"Nyaa..!!!"
Mira's body squirming when Ayane suddenly rubbed her ear. Her face blushed so much made her looked like a red tomato.
She glared fiercely at Ayane with anger and embarrassed look. Her big round eyes glistening and wet.
"Sorry, I just want to know how it feels."
Ignoring Ayane apologetic face, Mira turned around and fasten her step. Ayane quickly catching up, matching her pace with Mira's. When she saw her pouting face, she poked her cheek and chuckling.
"Come on, don't be angry okay. We're friend, aren't we?"
"Shut up!"
As she slap Ayane's finger as if swaying a fly, Mira grumbled with low voice.
"Only family and lovers can touch beastmen's ears and tail!"
"Sorry, I really don't know. I'll take responsibility, then."
"What responsibility, you stupid."
Mira's gaze softened a little bit when she saw Ayane sincerely tried to earn her forgiveness. She then returned to looking at the front and continue walking. Ayane can only scratch her head and follow her step. However, the next word came from Mira's mouth, making her eyes sparkle.
"N-next time ask for permission if you w-want to touch it again, you understand?! If not…hmmph!"
"I can do it again?"
She asked ignoring the latter threat.
"Stupid."
Mira muttered softly. Unbeknownst to her, there was small smile form on her face.
***
After a while, Ayane and Mira arrived at their destination.
The training ground is quite large made it easy to move around. There were some training dummies and several boxes of weapons ready to be used. There are also moving targets, most likely used for range weapon training or test some magic.
'This is a good place for training. I can use the dummies for my sword practice too."
Ayane suddenly shivered when she remembers the hell she had going through when her master started to train her in swordsmanship. Her master had her swing her shinai* ten thousand times, running 10 km without rest while wearing an additional 10 kg weight in each limb, and practicing kata* until her body aches every day.
(*bamboo sword for training, **basic form/stance)
Fortunately, there was delicious food made by Kotone waiting for her at the end of the day.
"Uhum."
A coughing sound bring Ayane back to reality. She then focused her attention on her beastmen friend. Mira, noticed that Ayane's attention on her, began her explanation.
"Although the basic of magic spell activation is a magic circle, It is not very practical in battle. So most mages use a chant as a shortcut to forming the magic circle in their mind shorten the time for activating the magic spell."
"How strong the magic spells is depended on how vivid the magic circle is formed in their mind. The longer chant is, the more vivid a magic circle is. But, a longer chant also has a weakness; they can be easily interrupted by the enemy."
Raising her palm toward one of the targets, a ball of fire as big as watermelon quickly forming in front of her hand. With a shout, the ball struck the target within a blink of an eye.
"Fireball!!"
The target withstood the assault but was left with a burn mark on its surface.
"Fireball! Fireball! Fireball!!"
Another three fireballs thrown at the target at the same time. This time, however, the target exploded into pieces and burn into ashes.
Without glancing at the previous target, Mira raised her palm at another target. Shout a longer chant, the air around her hand seems to converge into a single point and flared wildly, forming a huge fireball.
"Fire show the light,
don't let me see the night,
Let me use my fire; the fire is my desire,
Bring me my burning light,
Don't hurt my friends, don't hurt me,
Start a flame within me,
So mote it be!
Fireball"
She staggered a little as she released the fireball toward her target. The mass of fire swiftly destroyed the target. However, it didn't stop there. As if the target is not existing at all, the fireball continues until it hit a huge tree behind the target and instantly turns it into charcoal.
'Amazing'
Ayane's eyes widen, and her jaw slackened witnessed the destruction caused by the magic spell. She wondered whether she would survived or not if she was the one hit by that magic.
She brimmed with anticipation as she imagined how strong it would be to combine the swiftness of her sword and the destructive power of magic.
Mira took a deep breath as she stabilized her condition. Using magic spell consecutively take a heavy toll on her body.
Seeing Mira sweating profusely, Ayane became worried and hastily helped her support her body.
Mira responded with a light chuckle.
"I'm fine. I'm just tired after using magic several times. Let me rest a bit, then everything will be okay."
Ayane nodded and lay Mira's head on her lap. Mira, on the other hand, freeze on the spot.
'is this the legendary lap pillow??"
She screamed inwardly. Her body warmed up a bit, and her cheek turned pinkish.
Ayane swore that she see her head steaming.
"W-w-what are you doing?!"
"It's comfortable, isn't it~~?"
"Ye-No, that's not the point!"
"Fufufu. Don't be shy~~."
"Who is shy?! You're the one who shy! Your whole family is shy!"
"So that's mean you already accepting me into the family? How bold~~."
"Y-you…you!!"
Mira gritting her teeth as she rose her small fist look like ready to pummel Ayane into mincemeat. Ayane just laughing it off, enjoying their short banter. These peaceful moments last for a while.
"Anyway, Mira. You seem very knowledgeable about magic. Does Selena the one who teaches you?"
Mira is still a teenager, but she can already use a powerful magic spell. It's not surprising if someone taught her magic from a young age.
"Un. It's the master who teaches me about magic. She says I have a rare talent for magic among the beastmen."
"But, isn't she a Sword Saint? Is she also a magic expert?"
"As a seasoned battle mage, Master can use magic as easy as she used weapon. In fact, no weapon expert is not also adept in magic."
"Is she really that strong?"
"Un! I never see her fighting yet, but many people said she could be considered the top 5 fighter in the continent."
Ayane's fighting spirit grew stronger when she heard that sword mastery can be combined with magic. This is the path she wanted to pursue in this lifetime. Like her predecessor in this path, Selena can be considered a peak warrior; proof that this path will make her stronger.
Seeing Mira's proud face when she claimed her master as one of the top fighters, Ayane suddenly got a little naughty idea.
"As her apprentice, you must be strong too, no?"
"O-obviously."
"So, dare to take a little bet?"
"W-what bet?"
"Let's spar a bit. You can use either sword or magic. And, I'll only use a sword. How about it?"
"Don't underestimate me, you stupid pervert! I can crush you as easy as a bug if I use magic!"
"That's right. With that big of an advantage, there is no way apprentice of THE Sword Saint will refuse a little bet, right~~?"
Mira actually felt something wrong when Ayane propose a bet, but because of her pride as Sword Saint and an older one of the two, she reluctantly took the bait.
"Hmph… Fine, I'll take the bet. What if I win?"
"You can ask me anything once."
"A-anything..?"
Maybe she can ask for another lap pillow? Or, she can ask her to wash her back? Or, she could order her to call her Big Sister? A lot of thought racing in Mira's head made her a little dizzy.
"Yes, anything. You can ask this soft lap pillow again, you know~~?
"Who wants your stupid lap pillow?! Hmmph!"
"And if I win…"
"I-if you win?"
Mira can only gulp while she was waiting for Ayane to complete her sentence.
"G-i-v-e me a k-i-s-s~~!