After our usual walk, I headed to the courtyard for my magic training. Since there was nothing of importance nearby, I knew there would be minimal damage if anything went awry.
Caron pleaded to accompany me, but I declined this time. Considering the training involved risky experiments with non-attribute magic, I couldn't allow my sister to be part of such a dangerous endeavor.
Honestly, when she looked up at me with teary eyes, resembling a lost puppy, I almost reconsidered. But I managed to resist. Who would have thought that thing could be considered a weapon?
Anyway, there are no obstacles around me, so it's time to get started. There's a recently appointed maid acting as a chaperone nearby, but as far as I'm concerned, that's not an issue. In the worst-case scenario, I can always use her as a scapegoat. (Wow, the MC doesn't hesitate to betray someone.)
Finally, I can utilize magic for the very first time. Although it doesn't fall under the traditional definition of magic since I can't "Create," it still evokes a magical mood. Based on my knowledge from my past life, tapping into magic power itself qualifies as magic. It's exhilarating.
What I'm about to perform is the [Body Enhancement] technique. As the name suggests, it enhances physical abilities and is one of the few techniques accessible to all attributes.
In truth, [Body Enhancement] isn't something commonly used. It serves as an emergency backup but isn't easy to activate all the time.
Misjudging the output can result in self-inflicted injuries. The common explanation is that the body can't cope with the magic power's burden.
However, I aim to challenge that theory. I hypothesize that self-injuries caused by an overflow of [Body Enhancement] might be due to another factor.
That factor is the general nature of [Body Enhancement] specifications. The design is based on vague imaginations like "I want to enhance my arm strength" or "I want to enhance eyesight." Even a slight increase in power output can cause damage.
I have grounds to propose this hypothesis, mainly from my knowledge of the game.
The game's protagonist also dealt with [Body Enhancement], but for some reason, their effects were greater than other characters. The protagonist even mentioned, "It might be a difference in the amount of knowledge."
In fact, the protagonist of Isamu Sei-ki is a reincarnated individual, although it's not much of a secret. If they possessed knowledge from their past life, they would have a deeper understanding of their physical structure. The light magic, [Heal], contains descriptions of them utilizing this knowledge.
From this perspective, it appears that the effect of [Body Enhancement] is influenced by the protagonist's knowledge from their previous life.
I agree with that viewpoint. Magic, including non-attribute magic, relies on the magician's imagination. If their imagination isn't sufficient, magic will fail regardless of their other abilities. That's why imagery is emphasized and magical training is often practiced alongside sightseeing.
Knowledge complements imagery. For instance, the accuracy of an image for a fire-sparking spell may vary depending on whether one understands the principle of ignition.
Returning to the story, it's reasonable to infer that the cause of self-injury during [Body Enhancement] is most likely a lack of imagination.
The advantages of fully mastering [Body Enhancement] are immeasurable. Although it's a preliminary estimation, enhancing it to its limit should result in a
tenfold increase in original abilities. If my calculations are correct, I should gain a significant advantage in magical battles.
That's why I'm determined to make this [Body Enhancement] experiment succeed by any means necessary. Depending on the outcome, my future plans will change drastically.
"Phew~"
—I took a deep breath.
"Your imagination plays a crucial role in magic." In other words, the effectiveness of magic is directly connected to your mental state, and taking deep breaths is widely recognized as a means to stabilize magic.
I possess an abundance of magic power within my body. Through extensive training, including meditation since my birth, I have ten times the magic power of my peers, placing me on par with an average magician. There's no way I can be lacking in that aspect.
With that in mind, the only potential issue would arise from a careless mistake. Therefore, all I need to do is stay calm and let the magic power flow.
I've already completed the [Absorb] and [Conversion] steps. Since there's no need to proceed with [Release], my focus is solely on the [Design] phase.
In my mind, I visualize the intricate details of the human body, recalling the skeletal structure, individual muscle fibers, and internal organs I saw in my previous life. I strive to imagine every aspect with precision.
After a thorough 30 minutes of [Design], I finally activate [Body Enhancement].
And then, the result is...
"...It's a success!"
With beads of sweat rolling down my forehead, I breathe a sigh of relief.
"I could activate it just through imagery, huh?"
This time, I choose to enhance purely my physical abilities. In my first attempt, I don't have the courage to strengthen my five senses, as the risk of failure is too great.
Maybe I'm being overly cautious. If I unintentionally enhance my five senses, it could disrupt my balance due to my previous muttering.
"First, let's bend over."
I bend my knees while carefully assessing my movements.
Observing me, one might think, "Aren't you being overly careful despite using [Body Enhancement]?" However, I have my life on the line, which is why I'm taking such precautions.
At the moment, my enhancement level is doubled. Considering the average strength is three, this activation is still quite strenuous. To be honest, I'm still struggling to control my magic power. A slight loss of control could be fatal.
So I begin by bending over, allowing my body to move gradually.
Slowly, I bend my knees and press my hand against the ground.
As I do so, I can feel my hand sinking into the ground. Even a child's strength, when doubled, yields considerable destructive power.
"I need to learn to control [Body Enhancement] and also regulate the force during activation... sigh..."
I mutter while exhaling.
So far, the experiment has been successful, and my growth plan is off to a good start. However, the road ahead won't be easy. It seems it will take me considerable time to gain full control.
Nevertheless, as long as my sister's life is in my hands, I won't give up.
Suppressing the urge to complain, I continue with my training, determined to overcome the challenges that lie ahead.