Months had passed, and still no news about Hanako reached the knights. Nanako stayed locked in her room, refusing to talk to anyone.
Amane called out to her, "Nanako, it's time for dinner! Come out and eat with us!"
Silence followed.
"We understand you're upset about Hanako, but hiding won't change anything," Amane pleaded.
But Nanako remained silent.
Kotoe tried a different approach. "Nanako, please come downstairs. I can teach you new sword moves if you do."
In a soft voice, Nanako replied, "What's the point of learning more sword moves when I couldn't protect my friend?" Tears welled up in her eyes once again.
Lost in her thoughts, Nanako blamed herself for what happened. "Why did I survive while he didn't?" "Why did he sacrifice himself for me?" "If I were stronger, could I have saved Hanako?"
These thoughts consumed her, but one stood out. "I can't let anyone else get hurt because of me."
Suddenly, Nanako remembered something. Before she and Hanako were separated, she had used magic without chanting.
She tried to remember how she did it, attempting several times to recreate the magic. Eventually, she figured it out.
"At that moment, just before the wyvern's claws reached me, I used wind magic to escape. I imagined the wind flowing through my body, propelling me away."
"So, if I do the same with a wind blade... I might be onto something."
Nanako focused her magic and the surrounding wind on her palm, creating a small swirling vortex.
"That's how it works."
She concentrated on the vortex and succeeded. It grew slightly hotter.
"I see... If I make it colder, it should slow down."
Nanako managed to cool the vortex. She noticed that the hotter it became, the faster it spun, and the colder it got, the slower it became.
"Wow... Has anyone else done this before?"
Eager to experiment, Nanako played with the vortex, changing its size, shape, and characteristics. She had full control over it.
She kept her newfound abilities a secret, even from her parents. It gave her a renewed sense of purpose and helped her cope with Hanako's loss. Nanako swore to defeat the wyvern herself.
Months passed, and Nanako gradually recovered. The trauma remained, but she found the strength to venture outside and resume her training.
While Nanako trained, Amane and Kotoe discussed.
"Kotoe, should we send Nanako to a magic school?" Amane asked, watching Nanako practice.
"Maybe we should. She could become even stronger there. She'll learn to protect herself and meet others with magic," Kotoe suggested.
"You're right. Let's do it."
They approached Nanako with the idea. Though hesitant, Nanako eventually agreed. She enrolled in a magic academy, eager to learn more and unlock her true potential.
End of Prologue.
~To be continued~