"Sometimes, very rarely humans can awaken to something called a variant attribute. A variant attribute is a kind of attribute that cannot be classified as one of the basic six – although very often is derived from it. For example, general Telorius Graxul Victureo possesses the lightning attribute, which is a hybrid of fire and light. But on the other hand, we have the royal magician, lord Lazaram, who doesn't wield an attribute that we understand as an attribute at all - he can't use normal magic but can manipulate the pure mana itself! It also happens that lord's Lazaram's son wields a variant attribute allowing him to use spells belonging to all of the six main attributes."
"...!"
It looks like I've boosted the heavy mood a little...
The story of the Ghosts might have been too heavy for the kids after all...
"..."
While I pondered, young lady Miriette raised her hand and waited for me to notice her.
"Yes, lady Espine?"
I asked curiously.
"Teacher, but my daddy can make a very strong armor out of his fire, so his close combat and close range spells are really powerful - and my mommy can even create a tornado very far away!"
She asked in a confused voice.
"Doesn't that mean that what you've said is inaccurate...?"
She added furrowing her brows.
"That's a brilliant point!"
I exclaimed satisfied, ah, it was nice to teach perceptive students!
"The things I described are accurate for the average amount of mana that the users of particular attribute possess. But every human is different therefore everyone posses a different amount of mana. Some are so weak that they cannot even use the full potential of their attributes and similarly there are some who possess enough mana that they transcend their rank. And when the latter thing happens a hidden potential of that magician and their attribute unlocks. For example, lady Miriette, your father's mana is as strong as someone with a light attribute. Thanks to that he can do much more than someone with the level of mana of an average fire magician. That means he has transcended one level and to make up for the most pressing weakness of the fire attribute he developed the magic that increases his defenses by many-fold. And also your mother - she transcended two levels and she reforged the spell to send messages into the ability to detect the presence of magic in her surroundings. And as you've already pointed at with the mention of her being able to create a tornado - her attack power got amplified allowing her to achieve far greater feats than any other wind magician before her!"
After that explaining all that, I finished the lesson.
As soon as I did that, both the first prince and lady Miriette stood up from their desks and surrounded the darkness attribute boy.
"..."
I wanted to step in and stop the unpleasant situation that might occur, but honestly, I was just the magic tutor and nothing else... also, the whole stepping part was impossible for me anyway.
Therefore, as it was none of my business I acted as I didn't see anything and pushed myself to the exit.
It's not my problem if the darkness attribute child will get bullied by the two children that honestly will probably wield more power than I could ever imagine -both in a political sense and the magic power one.
"Zoemi, you don't have to worry about that! You're not like those Ghost!"
"...!"
But I froze before closing the door when I've overheard the first prince's words.
"Yes! It's just like my daddy has said! It doesn't matter what attribute it is, everything depends on the person who uses it! Those Ghosts were scums and made a bad name for everyone else – but that doesn't have anything to do with you!"
Even lady Miriette was encouraging him!
That's unthinkable! Even after learning about the story of the tragedy... How much do they like that black-haired boy, and is he really worth that kind of affection...?
"Bu-but...!"
I've heard the darkness attribute boy's voice for the first time after the introduction.
"If people will see us spending time together, they will start speaking badly about you too!"
He cried out.
"!!!"
I hide behind the door and leaned against the wall.
So he doesn't want to make his friends look bad, huh?|
I kept on listening to the childrens talk.
"Who cares what people say! You are still my friend, right!?"
Prince Horeo spoke in a serious voice.
"Y-yes...! Of course, my prince!"
The black-haired boy straightened his back and hurriedly bowed his head down to the prince.
"And you still want to be my attendant...?"
Lady Miriette asked in a concerned voice – and it looked like she almost give the poor black-haired boy a heart attack.
"O-of course, my lady!"
He hurriedly declared as if even a mention about him not becoming her servant would make his world crumble into ruin.
"Then what's the problem? Now, let's go play!"
"That's right, there's no reason for you to be moping around!"
"Thank you, my prince, my lady."
The children stormed out of the room passing by me without a word.
The first prince and lady Miriette were holding hands of the darkness attribute boy and pulling him with them.
"Funny kids..."
I smirked to myself and pushed myself forward while balancing the books I brought with me just in case my students will have some difficult questions, but it was a rather annoying task – still, nothing new...
"Ack...!"
But then a sudden ice-cold bolt of pain pierced through my useless legs and I jolted so hard that the books ell all over the hallway.
"...at least the kids did not see that..."
I muttered to myself while clenching my teeth and pushing the wheels of my wheelchair in order to get to all those damn books.
My condition was rather... special...
I was a water magician whose mana was stuck between the water attribute and the variant ice attribute.
During my youth, I experimented too much with it and ended up damaging my spine, lost power in my legs, and chained myself to a wheelchair for the rest of my life.
Honestly, for a researcher like me that wouldn't even be so bad, if not for the occasional spasm and piercing pain as if my lower body was stabbed with countless icicles...
Then, as I was about to pick the final book back up...
"Teacher Valto..."
"...?"
I heard a voice and small hands with burn marks all over them picked it up and offered it to me.
It was the darkness attribute boy.
He was looking at me with his odd, slightly disturbing eyes that sometimes didn't reflect light...
Did he have problems with his vision or did it has something to do with his attribute?
"What it is, student Auequas? Weren't you going to play together with the prince and young lady Espine?"
I asked forcing myself to remain calm.
I honestly preferred hostility over pity, so I waited for the boy's next move.
"Teacher, I'm sorry to bother you but I didn't manage to write down everything that you said... and if you have time will it be okay if I asked you some questions...? There are some things I didn't quite get... If that's not a problem...!"
The boy asked timidly, raising his hands and hiding the scarred side of his face behind a notebook.
"Ah, of course, there's no problem. What do you want to know?"
I smiled, pleasantly surprised.
We talked for a bit, I helped him with the few parts that he had trouble with understanding – he was living in the slums until he was seven and he thought he will not awaken to magic until just a few weeks ago, there were some things that were obvious for others but for him seemed odd.
After I helped him out, he walked behind me and started pushing my wheelchair while we talked a little bit about magic and the use of spells – he seemed to have a knack for figuring out the small details that others would miss.
After that, he helped me all the way to the carriage that the royal family prepared for me and waved me goodbye before running off to the young Horeo and Miriette waiting for him n the palace garden.
Huh...? When was the last time I allowed anyone to push my wheelchair for me...?|
I realized watching the back-haired boy disappear behind a hedge.