"Sorry, sorry. I didn't think it was about magic. Forgive me."
I get treated by Io who hit me.
"Is punching normal?"
"Sorry. You looked so desperate, I reacted without thinking. So what was it? You wanted to see my magic?"
I still had more to say, but whatever. Compared to the past two years, this is nothing.
More importantly—magic.
"Yes, please."
"Any kind is fine? Here I go then."
She begins chanting.
"Hey... Why aim your palm this way?"
"Oh, right. I don't need to hit anything. Sorry, sorry."
Cutely sticking her tongue out in failure, but that's weird.
Even if something needs to be hit, why aim at me?
"Okay, for real now."
Seeing Io start chanting again, I channel magic into my magic eyes.
As she chants, magic gathers and colors around her palm. The instant the chant finishes, the colored magic takes shape and shoots forth as a fireball.
That was the beginner spell Fireball. As I thought...
Wondering if she really meant to shoot that at me, I watch her various simple magics she shows me, saying she can do more.
Sure enough, they're all slow from chant to activation, letting me observe them well. I'm satisfied.
The skirt flip panty peek incident was most certainly a fruitful experience for me.
Not in any weird way.
...
A few days later, the village entrance suddenly grew noisy.
Not the atmosphere of a monster attack. —What's happening?
I head over to check the commotion.
"Hey, you alright! Get a grip!"
"Just you? Where are the others?"
I arrive to find a young injured man welcomed by the villagers.
Talking with the village chief, but too far to hear well.
Their talk ends and he loses consciousness.
"What's going on?"
"Wasn't that guy with the group who went to defeat monsters and develop the forest? Why's he alone?"
"Maybe he came back for something?"
"Didn't seem like a minor issue though."
The chatting villagers piece things together.
From what I gather, the group that left, allowing me to become the guard here, went to defeat monsters in the nearby forest for its development.
But judging by his state...
The chief, noticing my expression, elaborates.
"Good hunters and monster exterminators went to the forest. Even that bear you killed, they could manage if not in one hit. However..."
"More powerful monsters appeared in greater numbers than expected?"
"Seems so. They tried retreating once apparently, but failed and got separated. He's returned first so far."
I also hear the forest never had such strong monsters before.
At most, beasts like that bear I took down.
They went to expand the village, but met an unexpected crisis.
Worse than imagined. He probably wants me to keep guarding, but I should expect monsters stronger than that bear, multiple, even dozens.
If they attacked the village together, it'd be too much even for me.
"Please. Though it's come to this, but could you help? Even just until we prepare to abandon and flee the village."
"Abandoning the village is wise. But could you wait two days? Three is too long. I'll guard till then."
"Very well. We need time to prepare. What will you do?"
"Fight the forest monsters."
"You'll fight them? Splendid if possible but..."
A scream. Looking in its direction, several wolf monsters approach from the forest. Seven.
They break formation, three head-on, two each from left and right, encroaching on the village.
"Smell the earlier guy's blood?"
"Sir Engy! Please take the front ones with me! Hey! Able men, weapons ready! Half go left, half right!"
The chief briskly issues orders. Turning pale, the villagers prepare to fight.
Avoiding the bustling villagers, I step out first.
"Phoenix, I'm fine alone here. Check around for other monsters."
"Engy, you'll do it?"
"Yeah."
Sending Phoenix to scout, I alone face the monsters.
The form is set. All that's left is practice.
—Magic Macro, Fireball.
"RUN"
I shoot the basic Fireball. Still quite far.
The wolves easily dodge it. But I'm not done.
"RUN RUN RUN"
I shoot multiple Fireballs from my palm.
The wolves have nowhere to run. The front three burn to death engulfed in flames.
Confirming they've stopped moving, I sweep left and right, taking down all seven.
"This is pretty useful."
"Sir Engy, what was that?"
"Not bad, eh?"
The chief stares mouth agape at me defeating all the monsters instantly.
"That magic just now! It didn't look like you chanted!?"
"Oh right."
I'm out of breath. Well, I understand his feelings. I was overjoyed when I completed this.
In that excitement, I even flipped up Io's skirt.
"Engy!"
As I hold down the excited chief, Phoenix returns.
"Seems you did well."
"Yeah. What about you?"
"It's clear around here. I checked the forest a bit, something feels off."
"I see."
No time to waste.
Successfully using this magic means the other one should work too. That will definitely prove necessary ahead.
I proclaimed two days. I'll complete it in that time.