Subaru POV:
Well, a few weeks have passed since my fifth birthday. I am a big boy now. Nothing really changed since then. I kept training swordsmanship with Paul and now reached beginner rank in all three sword styles. I couldn't say that I was happy but it was a progress nonetheless. I guess swordsmanship wasn't my thing after all.
Paul seems to have halted the intensity of our training. I wasn't sparring with him as much as we used to, but I kept exercising to keep my body strong.
Speaking of my magic lessons, I was progressing quite fast. I can tell by the look of Roxy's face that she was running out of material in the study book and started improvising and remembering her past experience.
Oh, forgot to mention. I reached an advanced rank in water magic. And it is all thanks to her. There are not enough words to express my gratitude to her, for all that she has done for me.
She is amazing. As a teacher and as a person.
And I also kept asking her to use her lap pillow again as innocently as possible, making excuses like getting exhausted, etc. Like, you probably could understand me. Holy lap pillows. The real treasure amongst the treasures— No, the holy relic.
What was I talking about? Ah right, the magic.
So I started experimenting with magic. Or with mana to be more specific. Mana is a magical power of some sort. It's the source of all magic and energy in this world. Every living being has mana including even plants.
During my first attempts at casting the spell, I could feel mana flowing through my body like my blood. But now I count this feeling as a natural one.
So now, I placed my hand on a tree. I tried to recreate the feeling of mana flowing through my body, however this time I am doing the complete opposite.
Instead of letting mana course through my body, I tried to absorb it from the tree. I had no idea how to do it, so I had to use my imagination.
I concentrated. I tried imagining how the flow of Mana in the tree would work. Does it even have a flow? What if the mana in the tree is constant? Would even the imagination of the flow of mana work? Or maybe trees use other types of mana? Damnit. I already lost my focus.
I signed and concentrated once again, trying to get unnecessary questions out of my head.
Instead, I decided to rely on my old's world knowledge once again.
I remembered those lessons in my school, studying tree anatomy. Thanks to the old me and his motivation to be the best at everything, I could actually remember it.
I imagined the minerals from the soul being absorbed by the tree roots, then traveling through the tree's vascular system, wood vessels to the trunk making its way to the branches and spreading it to the leaves. I imagined that minerals were blood and wood vessels were veins.
I wanted to give up on that, but suddenly I felt it. The flow of Mana in the tree. It was slow, but it was there. Now it's time for the next step.
The hand which was placed on the tree I visualized as the branch and my body as a leaf. Trying to connect the flow of the tree to my hand. It took a while but it worked. And now I tried to create a feeling opposite of letting mana out of my body.
But before I realized it, the leaves on the tree had rotten and fell on the ground around me.
Wait, did it work? I could not feel the flow in the tree anymore but I didn't feel any significant change in my body. I could slightly tell that I restored 1/20th of my mana pool. I tried to flow the mana back into the tree but it didn't work. That's weird.
I tried casting the X Healing spell on the tree.
"X Healing!"
But there were no results. Not in the slightest. I remember my mother casting a healing spell on a tree when father accidentally sliced it off and it grew back. I tried to find a logical explanation why it didn't heal back and then came to realization. The tree was dead. I absorbed all of the mana and it died. Almost everything is made out of man's and no mana means death. That explains.
Oh well, I guess I learned the new spell. Absorption. I don't wanna risk using it on living beings, so I'll keep using it on smaller plants to master it.
Everything was going smoothly for me, the magic lessons and practicing magic. Oh, and I managed to master the absorption magic, it took me a few hundred small plants, but it was definitely worth it. I did not use it on trees, fearing damaging the ecosystem system in this land. Now I can feel the flow of a person's mana just by touching them and can absorb it at any time.
During my theory lessons with Roxy, I learned that barrier magic or rather protection magic existed as well. I was thinking about fusing both barrier and absorption to create an absorption barrier against all types of magic attacks. That would be very useful, but I didn't have enough theory material about barriers and Roxy doesn't know either.
The only thing she told me about protection magic was that it acted more like a support magic. It could raise your defense or block your movement and magic. It could act both as a trap or protection for you. When I asked her what she meant by the trap she told me that it was sometimes used to trap magic casters into the magic circle, which would prevent them from casting any spells.
That's interesting. Learning such spells would be a nice addition for me. I asked her if there was any way to get a book about barrier magic. She just shook her head, saying that Milis Religious Orders are the only ones who have rights to teach barrier magic, however you can be taught elementary barrier magic.
Again with this Holy Mills Kingdom. The more I heard about it, the more I thought it was a nuisance. I hope I won't run into one of its fanatics.
However, not everything was going good. It took one unfortunate evening, at theory lesson with Roxy.
"Rudy… I am afraid there is little much left for me to teach you, tomorrow we will have a graduation test." Roxy weakly smiled at me.
"Huh?" The smile on my face instantly falted. Graduation test? What does it mean? Would that mean that Roxy is going to leave?
"Tomorrow…" No, I didn't want her to leave. Not after everything we've been through. I wanted to protest but then I understood a thing.
It would happen sooner or later, she came here to teach me and she successfully completed that task. She taught me everything she knew and could. And now she has no reason to stay here, so I have to accept this. I put a cheeky smile on my face.
"You'd better prepare, because tomorrow Rudeus Greyrat is going to blast through the graduation test!" I pumped fist in the air.
Roxy warmly smiled at me before patting my head. "I'd like to see that."
The day X has arrived. I awoke quite early, so I could prepare myself for the graduation test. I was doing my regular morning radio calisthenics, which I introduced to Paul. He stared at my movements in slight confusion, it being different from his normal exercises. But I catched him a few times copying my movements. Everyone loves radio calisthenics. That's for sure.
Honestly, I was quite anxious about it. Was it because I was afraid of failing the graduation test? Or maybe it was due to her upcoming departure?
I shook my head. No. I don't want her to be disappointed. I need to prove her— no, prove myself that I was worthy of being her pupil. This is why I'll put my everything into this test, so I could end it with a blast.
I raised my hands up and shouted "Victory!"
"Someone's being quite loud in the morning?" A female voice was heard.
"Ah, Roxy! Why won't you join me? Let the essence of radio calisthenics come to you!"
"Maybe next time Rudy." She smiled at me before her tone became slightly serious.
"We will be leaving now, I've got everything ready."
"We will be doing it outside? Not In the yard?"
Roxy shook her head. "No, we can't."
I've never asked her about the graduation test. I assume we would be showing off our strongest magic spell. This would explain why we are doing it outside the village.
She picked me up and placed me on the horse before hopping on it as well. I was placed in front of her, I leaned on her, feeling the warmth of her body. That is a nice feeling…
We arrived at the grass field. Just a plain field. We were quite far from civilization, so we didn't have to worry about the magic spells reaching our village.
"This place seems good enough." She said as she tied the reins onto the lone tree.
She put me down off the horse.
"I am going to use the saint ranked magic spell, Cumulonimbus. This technique is a magic, that requires lighting strikes with violent rain."
"Okie."
"Now, I am going to demonstrate it. I'll be using it only for about a minute, you have to copy it and maintain it for an hour. Got it?"
"Okie."
"Now I am starting."
Roxy raised her staff to the sky.
"Oh great water spirit, the son of the lightning emperor who ascended to the skies!! Fulfill my wishes, rain down your ferocious blessings, and show me your strength to this tiny existence! Let your godly hammer strike the anvil, and demonstrate your authority, and devour the earth with water!! Ah, the rain!! Destroy and wash everything away!!『Cumulonimbus!!』"
I was mesmerized by her chanting. It was quite long, but understandable since it's a saint-ranked magic spell.
As she was chanting the spell, the clouds were getting darker and the wind more violent. It didn't take long enough before the first drops of rain hit me.
As she was progressing, the rain got more heavy and winds became more violent. I was barely holding my group against such wind. Finally, the first lightning strikes appeared hitting the ground.
As she finished the chanting, loud booms of lightning strikes were everywhere, the heavy rain got me completely soaked up. However one of the lightning strikes hit the tree, where our horse was tied to.
Immediately realizing what happened, I yelled at Roxy to stop. Meanwhile running towards the horse.
"Ah!" Roxy realized her mistake and quickly stopped flowing mana into the spell.
She ran towards the tree with a worried expression.
However, I was already placing my hand on the horse. I can feel the flow of the mana within the body, although it was rather slow. I casted an intermediate ranked healing spell.
"『EXHealing』."
After a while, the horse opened its eyes, slowly trying to stand up. As it did, it showed a frightened expression while heavily breathing.
"Phew… Thank you, Rudy… That was a bit reckless."
Reckless? This is the only horse our family has at the moment. I don't think Paul and Zenith would just brush off the death of our only horse. But she probably knows it, she's been living with us for 2 years.
"Please, keep it a secret, okay?" She said with a teary and pleading expression.
"Not a word is escaping from my mouth!"
"Thank you…" Roxy tried to regain her composure by slapping both of her cheeks, before looking at me.
"Then, please go ahead and try. I will take care of Kalajav." She said as she covered both her and the horse by an earthen wall. An advanced ranked spell, 『Earth Fortress』. It should be enough to protect them both from the lightning strikes.
Alright, it's time for me to start. I was feeling a bit anxious for some reason. Was it a fear of failing the test? Or because this means that she would leave if I succeed? Maybe I should purposely fail so she would stay a little longer?
No, I shouldn't do that. It would be disrespectful to do so. So I began the chanting.
"Oh the great water spirit… I remembered my past childhood in my old life, succeeding in every aspect - classes, marathons and sports.
The son of the lightning emperor who ascended to the skies… I remembered my first loss in a marathon, the sole idea of it was absurd to me back then, but as time was flowing, I was growing more upset and agitated as I was losing more and more.
Fulfill my wishes, rain down your ferocious blessings… I remembered when instead of trying to be the best at everything, I decided to make people laugh by doing reckless and dumb things. I remembered how I was left alone by those people.
And show me your strength to this tiny existence! I remembered how I completely messed up on my first day in high school, which gradually reduced me to what I became in my old life.
Let your godly hammer strike the anvil… Despite all of this, I remembered being embraced in her love.
And demonstrate your authority, and devour the earth with water!! I remembered how she would comfort me, whispering sweet nothings as I laid down on her lap pillow. As I kissed her when the whole world was against her, as I was the only light in her world.
Ah, the rain!! Destroy and wash… I remembered how I pridefully stood by her, declaring my love to her… How slothful I was for not being around her right now… How greedful I was in need of her love and attention… How wrathful I was for not being able to touch her or be around her… How lustful I was longing for her touch and attention… How gluttonous I was by consuming all of her love… How envious I was of everyone who was around her presence…
Everything… away…" Suddenly I catched a scent of something. An unknown yet familiar scent. A scent which washed all my worries away. A scent which calmed me. A scent which made me feel safe. A scent which I loved. A scent which I craved for. A scent which I could never get enough of. A scent which made me feel loved.
What is this? What is this? What is this? What is this? What is this? What is this? I craved this scent, I craved its love, I wanted… no, I must be embraced by it. By its love.
Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love.
…
…
…
…
I was surrounded by darkness. Me? Who is me exactly? Does it really matter? All that matters is the girl in front of me. The beautiful girl with silver hair, a half-elf embraced in the darkness. I felt so safe and loved being near her. I wanted to embrace her, to declare my love to her, to kiss her, but I couldn't. All that I could do was stare at her.
It was unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair. Unfair.
The half-elf with streaming tears down her cheeks just smiled, her shadowy hands embraced me, caressing my cheek. Oh how I want to reply to her. To brush off the tears from her cheeks, to keep that smile on her face forever. To comfort her.
"Found you…"
…
…
…
…
…
"Rudy, I told you to keep the spell active for 1 hour, not for 3!" a female voice resonated in my ears, I turned towards the source of it and saw a blue-haired girl in her 16s with a staff in her hand. She was visibly annoyed.
"Huh?" I replied, while staring blankly at her. Slowly, the fogness in my mind finally cleared, I recognized the girl as a Roxy.
"Rudy? Are you okay? You look quite pale, like you have seen a ghost."
"Ah! Oh! Sorry! I got a little carried away, hehe!" I masked my pale expression with a cheeky smile. "So, how was it? Did I pass?"
"You overdid it…" She picked up her hat, which was soaked completely in the water. "Congratulations Rudy, you are now a saint ranked magician." She said with a solemn expression.
"YEASSSS!" I pumped my fists up excitedly. It finally came to it. I was now stronger than before. A step closer to achieving my dream.
The next day Roxy packed her belongings and now was standing in front of our gates. It has been 2 years since she has been teaching me and living here. I already got used to her, I thought I was ready for her to go but my heart and mind was at unease.
"Roxy, we don't mind if you stay with us, there are many things I haven't cooked for you…"
"Yeah, you have done many things for Therese 2 years, the villagers appreciate you, you can stay here."
My parents keep persisting Roxy to stay here, they growed attached to her as well.
"No. Thank you for saying this, but this situation has let me realize my weakness. I will tour the world and polish up my magic skills."
Don't tell me it's my fault. I was constantly showing off my knowledge and skills and it caused her to lose confidence? I felt guilty.
"I am sorry… For making you feel this way." I meekly replied.
"Don't apologize Rudy. You made me realize that there are always people who are better than you, so I have to train harder to reach their level." She patted my head.
"To be at that level, so I could proudly call myself your teacher." She bitterly smiled. Roxy searched her mantle pulling something out of it.
"Congratulations on your graduation, Rudy. I figured that I'll need to give you a present for your graduation, I hope this will do."
"This is…"
"Migurd's protection amulet. If you ever come across a hostile demon, you can present this with my name. You might come to an understanding... probably."
"I will treat it like a treasure."
Roxy smiled at me before setting off.
I watched as she started disappearing in the distance. Since the day she helped collect myself, I haven't properly thanked her and I hope I will in the future because I know, this is not our last encounter.
"Thank you…"