As we evacuated while Lilia-san is talking (physically) with Lunamariasan, only us three people of the same homeworld unintentionally
walked around the mansion.
Come to think of it, I hadn't really talked to Kusonoki-san or Yuzuki-san.
Kusonoki-san and I talked for a bit last night, but our conversation
didn't really mesh well. I guess I should apologize for that first.
[Ahh~ Errr, Kusonoki-san. Yesterday—- "I'm sorry." —-Arehh?]
I wanted to apologize for the way I had unintentionally made her feel
uneasy, but for some reason, she apologized first.
[It was Miyama-san who had a hard time because I suddenly asked a
strange question last night…]
[Ah, no, I should be the one apologizing instead. I don't know why I said
that. I may look calm for Kusonoki-san and the others even though I'm
pretty confused myself… I wasn't able to explain what I thought that
well.]
[No, I don't think what you said is unreasonable.]
[…Like, I'm being left behind here. Aoi-senpai, Miyama-senpai, when
did you talk with each other?]
The atmosphere that had become a little stiff because of last night's
conversation somehow seemed to ease up a little after we apologized to
each other. Yuzuki-san, who doesn't know about the situation, asked us
with a curious look on her face, but there was another thing that was
bothering me. Or rather, I've been wondering about it since yesterday.
[We just ran into each other in the hallway last night and talked for a
bit. Rather than that, I've been wondering… Why are you calling me
senpai, Yunoki-san?]
[Eh? I mean, Miyama-senpai is an alumni from our High School, right?]
[Huh?]
[Eh? Yuzuki-chan, is that true!?]
[Ah, yes. I think…]
I was honestly surprised by Yuzuki-san's words, which she told me like
it was obvious. I'm indeed a graduate from the same high school they're
going to, but I graduated three years ago, and I didn't think that two of
the current students would know about it.
[It's certainly true that I went to the same high school as the two of you,
but I graduated three years ago…]
[Well, I wasn't really sure at first, but I thought it was because you
matched the characteristics I'd heard about from my brother.]
[Your brother?]
Another strange word suddenly came out. I'm not proud of it, but I
should have been a student without any particular characteristics back
in high school. I didn't take part in any club activities, my grades were
going back and forth, there weren't any big episodes that happened in
my life and I'm sad to say it myself, but I was lonely and didn't have a lot
of friends.
In fact, I'm still desperately searching my memory, trying to remember
the person who could possibly be Yuzuki-san's brother, but I honestly
can't think of anyone.
[Yes. I heard that someone had a big scar from the right ear to his neck,
so I thought that it's you.]
[…That certainly is a recognizable trait, but I still don't have any idea
who could Yuzuki-san's brother be…]
It's true that I had an accident a long time ago that left a huge scar from
my right ear to my neck. It may be understandable for her to recognize
based on outer appearance, but to have listened about it enough for her
to remember it, Yuzuki's brother may have been talking about me quite
often. For someone like me who felt that dividing the class into groups
is nothing but bullying, I honestly don't have any idea who that is.
[He used to complain that you're always falling asleep in class and that
no matter how many times he warned you, you never stopped…]
[…Ah, I see. President huh…]
When I was in my second year of high school, I was hooked on MMO—-
internet games, so to speak, and I was living a life where my nights and
days were almost reversed. I was playing games all night while I slept at
school. Looking back on it now, I may have been extremely unserious
back then, in the time when I was treating lightly of the world, the socalled "rebellious period". The teacher also gave up and didn't say
anything to me when I went to bed, no matter how many times they
warned me.
However, there are serious people in the world, only the Class President
has been warning me every single day… I was only feeling irritated at
that time, but now that I've mentally calmed down, I began to feel sorry
for him. Looking back, the Class President's surname certainly is
Yuzuki. I was only calling him chairman and I'd never really had much
conversation with him outside of that, so I'd completely forgotten.
[Miyama-san… What are you going to school for…]
[No, well, I have lots of things back then… Yuzuki-san, please tell him
my apologies when we come back to our world a year later.]
[Roger!]
Kusonoki-san, who probably has a serious character, was staring at me
while Yuzuki-san bitterly smiled and returned an exaggerated salute.
I'm afraid I won't be able to take the position of the dependable senpai,
but thanks to my conversation with the two of them, I felt that the
distance between us has shortened for a little bit.
When we returned to that room earlier after briefly strolling around the
mansion, Lilia-san greeted us with a gentle smile on her face. It's a
smile that really shows her elegance and the sweetness of a noble…
Let's just pretend we didn't see something lying around in the corner of
the room like a worn-out rag.
As soon as the three of us were seated, Lilia-san nodded once and
spoke.
[Today, as I'm sure everyone's probably wondering about… It's about
magic.]
[Ah…]
As expected, I could feel my tension rising at those words. I mean, even
though I only spent half a day in this mansion, I saw magic-like
techniques everywhere, and I actually used some of them. The jewels in
the bathroom that began showering with a touch, and the lights floating
in the hallways. The worn-out rag—– Lunamaria-san's explained that
all we have to do is touch it, but I'm pretty sure those things were
related to magic.
Kusonoki-san and Yuzuki-san seem like they're also interested in the
typical quality of the other world, magic, as they looked at Lilia-san
with an expectant look in their eyes.
[I think the first thing everyone is concerned about is whether everyone
can use magic as well or not. When it comes to the magic power that
was the source of magic, otherworlders also have it without exception.
Therefore, everyone should be able to use magic. However, being able to
wield magic depends on a person's talent… I cant say for sure that one
can use it at a glance.]
As soon as she said that, Lunamaria-san who has been revived before I
knew it, placed a book in front of us one by one. Ah, I just saw a glimpse
filled with grudge just now. Well, what happened to her certainly is my
fault…
[I've heard that the Heroes that were usually summoned were able to
understand the language of our world. It seems that all of you were able
to understand what we're saying, so I'm sure there should be any
problem, but let's check it out just in case.]
This is a staple among staples, but this is very important for us to verify.
I had a bad grade in English, and without the Language Comprehension
ability, the whole year might quickly pass by just memorizing the letters
of this world.
As I thought about this, I looked at the book in my hand and understood
that it was called "Introduction to Magic". Oh, I can read it properly.
[…There doesn't seem to be any problem. Now then, as for the actual
magic exercise… To be honest, it's quite difficult to do so, and although
it varies greatly from person to person, it does require a certain amount
of time to learn.]
[There aren't many people who can use magic to the extent that they
can make a living in the profession of being a mage.]
I immediately understood the meaning of Lilia-san's explanation and
Lunamaria-san's additional words. I'm flipping through the book while
listening to what she's saying, but it would certainly be difficult if it's
according to the theory written here.
[This is going to be difficult.]
[Ueehhh, I give up too.]
Kusonoki-san and Yuzuki-san seemed to feel the same way and looked
at the introductory book with a difficult expression on their faces. This
would certainly be difficult to do for today or tomorrow. Heck, I think
it's even impossible to do.
[Fufufu, it took me three months to be able to cast a simple spell as
well.]
[My Lady is considered fast among your group. The average would have
been about a year.]
[…That's going to be difficult.]
To be honest, I'm a bit… no, I'm quite shocked. It's not that I want to use
magic to fight monsters, but I've always wanted to use it.
[…However, that's only that case of "casting your own magic".]
[ [ [ Eh? ] ] ]
[After the Treaty of Friendship, the most innovative technology that
was passed down from the magical world was the technology for
storing magic formulas into the so-called "magic tools". There's a
gemstone that can store magic and magic formulas called magic
crystals and by storing magic formulas there beforehand, anyone can
use the magic stored in it just by touching it.]
[By any chance… Is that blue jewel in the bathroom something like
that?]
[Yes, that's right. There that thing in your world, right—- I think it was
called "bateri"? In the same way, if magic power is stored in the magic
crystal beforehand, the user can use the stored magic with only a small
amount of magic power for activation. Nowadays, the use of these
magic crystals has become mainstream and the technicians who can
make these tools are even called mages.]
[Just additional information, one would need to get permission to use
powerful offensive magic tools and it's should be obvious that it's
forbidden to use them in the city. Well, there's a restriction for the
purchase of such items in the first place.]
Fumu, in short, maybe it's better to think of the magic tools as
something like a flashlight or a lighter from our world. In fact, we could
use it in the bathroom or in our room just by touching it, and we don't
need to study any difficult theories.
[Therefore, you could even go as far as to say that… Unless you want to
be a mage, you don't need to study magic… As I said earlier, the speed
with which one learns magic varies greatly from person to person, it
would be convenient if you're able to activate it yourself, and it might be
good to study it for some time.]
While saying this, some kind of magic circle floated on Lilia-san's hand
,and a gentle breeze blew in the room.
[There are 8 types of magic: fire, water, wind, earth, lightning, light,
dark and non-attribute magic. Each attribute of magic has their own
strengths and weaknesses. Incidentally, my strongest attribute is wind
while Luna's strongest attribute is water.]
[It's kind of impressive to see it in person.]
While Yuzuki-san look impressed at the magic that Lilia-san
demonstrated to us for a bit, what came to my mind is something that
looked like the magic that Kuro had used. I'm sure that all-purpose coat
she used is probably related to magic, but what kind of attributes does
it have? As expected, when it comes to Demons, it would probably be
dark attribute, right? Her coat was black… but were the tatami mats
that she rolled out green? I'll ask her next time.
[I'll be giving all of you those books and you can read it when you have
the time.]
Then, after some pause, we were dismissed after an hour of theoretical
explanations about magic.
The second day in the other world passed without incident, and at
night, I was reading the introductory book on magic given to me in my
room, but I can honestly say that it only looked gibberish for me.
Each of the magic attributes has their own theory, and the basis of their
techniques are complex and difficult to understand. It is said that if
people in this world want to learn magic, they would go to a magic
school to learn it. In fact, Lilia-san said she learned it in the Knight
Corps and Lunamaria-san said she learned it at a magic school. That's
how difficult it is to learn on your own, and it seems that the presence
of an expert instructor is important.
Lilia-san said she would arrange for an instructor if we were interested,
but I felt awkward for receiving that much assistance from her, so I
refused.
And in a way, I'd say it's exactly as I imagined. Magic is something that
the demons are far more skilled at than humans. I've heard that most
demons can use some kind of magic depending on their strength but
most of the demons seem to be to intuitively use magic. I've heard that
a demon has to be at a level of at least a high-ranking demon who has a
very high level of knowledge to be able to instruct others and that's
why demon instructors are almost non-existent.
A demon of that level can activate magic even without any chanting or a
magic circle—– Wait a sec? Haven't I seen someone do something like
that? I mean, didn't Kuro do that? In that case, I can ask Kuro… No, I
don't even know when she'll show up and—-
[I felt like I'm being summoned!]
[Pfft!?]
Just as I was thinking about her, a young demon girl—– gallantly
appeared and trespassed into my room. With her black coat fluttering
behind her back, I could see her white legs through the gaps in her coat.
Her coat was so big that I couldn't see it until now, but she was wearing
half-pants underneath huh… No, that's not it! Hueeehh!? Why did you
appear just when I'm thinking of you!? As I thought, you're an esper,
right!?
[It's another good night, isn't it~?]
[…Ah, yeah… not that, since when are you here!?]
[Now now, don't mind the trivial details. Here, baby castella. I put jam in
it today!]
Isn't that a mini jam bread, not a baby castella anymore? What's the
point of making it in the shape of a baby castella?
Putting the baby castella in my mouth she offered to me as if it's
natural, Kuro spontaneously sat down on a chair she took out of
nowhere and place a cup of coffee on the table.
Kuro has the same innocent smile she had yesterday, but I'm not sure if
I'm so used to it that I don't even have the energy to tsukkomi and just
drank the coffee she offered. Then, I suddenly remembered something.
[Arehh? Come to think of it… I thought demons don't eat anything other
than what's designated for them today?]
[That's right. But it's alright since these are designated for me.]
[I- Is that so.]
Remembering what I'd heard this morning about how the demons
spend their New Year, I asked her but it seems that the baby castella
and coffee were designated for her. Who the heck among the Six Kings
would designate baby castella and coffee? No, maybe it's popular in the
Demon Realm, the combination of these two.
Thereupon, Kuro notices the book I have in hand and exaggeratedly
tilted her head as she spoke.
[Unnn? What's that book about?]
[Ah, it's an introduction to magic.]
[Heeehhh~ You're trying to learn magic huh. Ah, is that why you wanted
to meet me?]
[Ah, well~ Something like that? I've been reading a bit, but there seem
to be eight different types of magic and I don't know which one to start
with…]
[8 types? Even though there are only "two" types of magic?]
[…Huh?]
I was going to tell her how I'm troubled with the different kind of
theories each of the different attributes of magic, but I stiffened at the
words that Kuro replied as if it was very obvious.
Only two types? It's supposed to be seven with fire, water, wind, earth,
lightning, light and dark, plus the eighth type being non-attributed…
[There are only two types?]
[Unn, that's right. There are only two types of magic: "NonTransmutation Magic", which uses magic power as it is, and
"Transmutation Magic", which changes the magic power into something
else like fire or water.]
[…Err… Kuro, there's something I'd like to ask… How long does it
usually take for a person to be able to invoke simple magic?]
[Hmmmm. It will vary depending on your qualities, but it can be "as
early as a day or as long as a month"?]
[…Huh?]
Dear Mother, Father—– I have begun to learn about magic. But the
Demon Race and the Human Race—- They were saying different things.