I wanted to use the favor she did for me as an excuse to drive Aurelia-sama around and have a chat!
That was the plan, but there was a fatal flaw in it.
I can't show the inside of the car, which I expanded using spatial magic!
Ah, why did I have to learn spatial magic at such a time!?
As I was lamenting this, Fran had arranged for me to ride in the lead vehicle.
The lead vehicle wasn't loaded with luggage, and it was the same make and model as mine. Bennett was in the passenger seat, so the back seat was empty. It's a good excuse to switch since we can't let anyone ride in the damaged car.
Oh, Fran, you're always on top of things!
"Aurelia-sama, as a token of my gratitude for your help, may I offer you a ride in our car?"
"Considering it's your special car, Miss Scarlett, I feel like nothing would have happened even if I hadn't done anything... But I'll gladly accept your offer."
Phew. I'm glad she didn't say it would be faster to walk. Given the speed limits in the city, that's entirely possible.
"Excuse me... Oh, it's much more spacious than it looks."
I couldn't help but react to Aurelia-sama's comment.
No, this car isn't expanded. It's just that my father had prepared a car for me with as much interior space as possible for my comfort.
And yet, I was relaxing in it after expanding it even more with spatial magic. I'm sorry, Father.
"Aurelia-sama, are you also staying at the academy's student dormitory?"
"Yes, I was just on my way back."
The academy is primarily a boarding school, intended for noble children to interact through learning. There are, of course, nobles living in the royal capital, and all the land-owning nobles have residences in the capital. So, some do commute from there. It seems the royal family always commutes from the castle.
"Did you have some business in town, Aurelia-sama? I hope I'm not keeping you."
"No, it's my daily routine to walk around the city. It might sound exaggerated to call it patrolling, but I'm just checking to see if anything's amiss. My father always taught me to be vigilant, even in peaceful times."
"Indeed, Count Caroneia is renowned. Is that why you're dressed this way?"
"...It's a bit embarrassing. But my regular clothes are restrictive, and if a noble walks around the city in a conspicuous manner, it can agitate people. I know it's not very ladylike, but it's just my disguise..."
Wow, she's adorable.
Is this really the same person who took down five men in an instant? If I hadn't seen her fight, I would never have recognized her as the Aurelia-sama from the rumors.
Because Aurelia-sama, who's half a head shorter than me, looks like a small animal and triggers my protective instincts. Her tied-up silver hair is silky, her eyes are large, her face has a slight roundness, and the way she tilts her head is incredibly cute. She reminds me of a doll I cherished when I was younger.
On top of that, she's brave when it counts. I might have been more smitten by her than by any handsome hero.
"You looked so beautiful. The dark blue leggings contrasted with your light attire, and when you helped us, your denim jacket fluttered like bird wings. It was truly a sight to behold."
"Really?... But thank you."
Before I knew it, I had grabbed Aurelia-sama's right hand in my excitement. Calm down, me.
Aurelia-sama turned bright red and seemed to shrink back. I wish I could take her home with me. Is that too much to ask?
I'm not teasing her. I'm just overflowing with admiration after seeing her dance-like fighting style.
"I'm familiar with enhancement magic, but I didn't know wind magic could be used to move so quickly. It was enlightening."
"---What!?"
Did I say something strange? I'm aware I'm a bit overexcited.
"No, I apologize. I was just surprised because no one has ever pointed out that I use wind magic upon first meeting."
Ah, that's because of my weird eyes.
Enhancement magic is a technique where you keep the magic power within yourself. While using it, the magic doesn't leak out, but I could see Aurelia-sama fighting while thinly enveloped in magic. I could also tell from the intensity of the magic that she was using multiple spells with varying strengths and weaknesses.
"I had heard rumors that you moved like the wind, so maybe that preconception influenced my observation."
Of course, I'm going to play dumb.
"It's embarrassing to be talked about like that. My father is famous, so I've resigned myself to the fact that I'll also attract attention."
From what I saw of her fighting today, I think there's more to it than just that.
"Count Caroneia is famous for masterfully using enhancement magic and being a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. People probably associate you with him."
"I've been trained since I was a child, but I can barely land a blow on my father. It seems like it'll be a long time before I can live up to people's expectations."
She sounds humble, but I think there aren't many people in the country who can land a blow on the Warlord Count. And she didn't say she couldn't or had given up, just that it would take time.
Aurelia-sama might be more of a straightforward, athletic type than I thought.
"I'm flattered you called me beautiful, but I use wind magic as a substitute. Because I'm small, people often say my sword strokes are light."
"By any chance, are you not good at enhancement magic?"
"I can use it, but not to a level where I can apply it in practice. I'm envious of you, Miss Scarlett, for being proficient in enhancement magic."
"I focus on enhancement because the range of magic I can use without an attribute is limited."
Of course, I can't reveal all the magic I know.
When I realized that Aurelia-sama couldn't use enhancement magic, I thought it might be advantageous for me. After all, I've developed training wear for practicing enhancement magic.
If I can use teaching enhancement magic as an excuse, it might be a chance to become friends with her. I'll need my father's permission to tell her about the training wear, but strengthening our connection with Count Caroneia would be beneficial for our territory. If Aurelia-sama can learn enhancement magic, it would be a great advertisement for the training wear. If we're going to expand the use of the training wear, we can't avoid the Warlord Count.
Yes, I'll need to work out the timing of the announcement, but I think convincing my father won't be a problem.
I'm the type to act as soon as I think of something.
Even if I don't use the training wear, I can teach enhancement magic because I can see the magic. It's a simple instruction to just look for leaks in the magic.
I have a track record of teaching our knights and my younger brother, Kamin. And no one else can imitate this because of my unique eyes.
"Really!? Please teach me!"
When I mentioned the training of our knights and Kamin as examples and invited her to practice, she eagerly agreed.
She didn't hesitate at all.
Now, she's gripping my hand tightly. It's a bit painful, Aurelia-sama. Even if you're not good at enhancement magic, you're still physically strong.
I might end up training a formidable combat machine, but I'm a non-combatant, so it's not a problem. She won't direct that violence at me.