Lucas hesitated for a moment, shifting his weight awkwardly before speaking. "Uhm, before I leave, can I ask you something?"
Eldric, who had been on the verge of returning to his training, stopped and turned his attention back to Lucas. His expression was neutral but curious.
"What is it?" he replied.
Lucas fidgeted slightly, gathering his thoughts. "It's about what you did earlier. How did you do it?"
Eldric's brow furrowed in mild confusion. 'Is he talking about magic?' he wondered. To confirm, Eldric raised his hand, and with a fluid motion, water began to coalesce in his palm, forming a perfect, shimmering sphere.
"Are you talking about this?" Eldric asked, his tone steady.
Lucas' eyes widened in awe. The sight was mesmerizing—almost too incredible to process. He stood frozen, staring at the water sphere with an expression that was equal parts astonishment and disbelief.
Eldric tilted his head slightly, observing Lucas' reaction. He couldn't hide his surprise. It was unusual for anyone to be so captivated by such a simple display of magic. Most people wouldn't even give it a second glance.
'This guy is… kinda weird,' Eldric thought, perplexed by Lucas' exaggerated amazement.
Realizing how ridiculous he must have looked, Lucas quickly shook his head, snapping out of his trance. He cleared his throat, trying to compose himself.
"Uh, sorry about that. I've just… never really seen anything like this before," Lucas admitted sheepishly.
Eldric's eyes widened in shock. "Never seen magic? Are you serious?" he exclaimed. To him, it was an absurd notion. Magic was as ubiquitous as breathing; everyone knew about it.
"Just what kind of land do you come from?" Eldric pressed, his curiosity piqued.
Lucas stiffened, cursing himself inwardly. He hadn't realized how strange his ignorance would sound in this world. To not know magic here must be like not knowing basic arithmetic back home.
'Damn it! Why do I keep making myself look so stupid?' he thought.
He forced a nervous laugh, quickly fabricating an explanation. "Oh, you see, in my land, we focus more on sword training. It's pretty rare to see magic where I'm from. Hehe."
Eldric crossed his arms, scrutinizing Lucas with a skeptical gaze. Even in faraway lands where swordsmanship might be the priority, magic was still universally known. The sheer amazement Lucas had shown didn't match someone with even a passing familiarity with it.
Still, Eldric decided to let it slide. "Hmm, alright. It's a bit confusing, but this world is full of mysteries, after all," he said, his tone softening slightly.
Lucas exhaled quietly in relief, grateful that Eldric hadn't pressed further. 'I can't exactly tell him I'm from another world. He'd think I was crazy. Heck, even I'd think I was crazy.'
Eldric tilted his head. "I'm guessing you want to know more about magic, huh?"
Lucas nodded hesitantly. "Well, yeah. It's amazing."
A small smile tugged at Eldric's lips. "It is, isn't it? Even though I see it every day, I still find it fascinating."
Lucas blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected Eldric to smile; the man had seemed so cold and distant earlier. 'Huh, I didn't think he could smile like that.'
He smiled back awkwardly. "Yeah, it really is amazing."
Despite his curiosity, Lucas hesitated to ask more. Considering he came from a world without magic, he doubted he'd be able to perform it himself. Still, he felt lucky just to witness it again.
'Sigh. I wish I was one of those OP protagonists from the novels I used to read,' he thought wistfully.
Fatigue began to creep over him. The long day of walking had taken its toll, and rest was becoming a pressing need.
"Well, I should probably head back now. Thanks again for helping me," Lucas said, offering Eldric a polite nod.
He had just turned to leave when Eldric's voice stopped him.
"Wait," Eldric called out.
Lucas turned, surprised. "Huh?"
Eldric crossed his arms, his expression thoughtful. "If you're interested, I can teach you magic once you're better. You're not planning to leave right after you're fully healed, are you?"
Lucas' eyes widened in disbelief. "For real?" he asked, unable to hide his excitement.