Now that Lena has mastered reading and writing, I thought it was time to start teaching magic earnestly.
In the world of Ragnarok, magic is broadly divided into two types when classified.
Natural magic and dark magic.
Natural magic literally uses mana from nature, while dark magic borrows the power of demons.
Naturally, dark magic is easier to learn and more powerful.
But it’s not without drawbacks.
The more you use dark magic, the more mana accumulates in your body, making it difficult to grow beyond a certain level.
Is that all?
If you use it excessively, it may run wild; if it does, it’s not uncommon to die on the spot if you’re unlucky.
On the other hand, natural magic is slow to grow but stable. If you master it well, you can acquire spirit summoning, so it’s better to learn natural magic if possible.
That’s why I decided to teach Lena natural magic.
In the game, Lena becomes the Silent Witch who uses dark magic.
Considering that, dark magic might suit her better, but…
How can I do that when I don’t know how to use dark magic?
I have to teach what I know.
But it should be fine since Lena’s talent is extraordinary.
“We will begin magic training in earnest.”
“Ye-yes! Understooood…!!”
Lena, who was overly tense, trembled and suddenly raised her hand.
Lena, sitting at the table fidgeting, stared at me intently.
She’s concentrating properly.
Then shall we begin?
“The first thing to learn is to feel mana. Mana exists in everything in this world. In the air and in sunlight. In this candle, in the desk, and in the chair.”
“So it’s not just in natural things like trees?”
“Good question. That’s right. Generally, people say mana only dwells in nature, but that’s not true. Mana exists in all things in the world, even in artificial objects. There’s just a difference in quantity, but it exists.”
This theory differs depending on the school, but since the magic I learned is based on the premise that mana dwells in all things in the world, it would be better to teach this way.
“Then how do you feel mana? There are two ways. The first is to realize mana through calm meditation and concentration. And the second is to forcibly awaken the mana inside your body and feel it.”
“Wh-which one is better?”
“There are pros and cons. The first is slow but natural, and the second is fast but unnatural.”
“… What’s the difference between natural and unnatural…?”
“The difference between being painful or not.”
“Th-then I’ll ch-choose the natural one!”
No way.
I smiled kindly at Lena, who tried to close her eyes and meditate with a forced smile.
And after grabbing her hand,
“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
I poured mana into her with all my might. Her sleeping mana quickly begins to awaken, overlapping with my mana.
Lena, who let out a bizarre scream from the pain, spoke weakly while slumping down.
“… It’s over…”
What nonsense when we haven’t even started yet.
“Concentrate. Now you’ll have to properly feel mana.”
“What happens if I ca-can’t feel it…?”
“We’ll have to do it once more.”
Only then did Lena straighten her posture and close her eyes.
And she shouted with a big smile.
“I-I felt it!”
She’s bluffing.
No matter how overflowing with talent, feeling mana on the first try?
Does that make sense?
I shot a mana bullet at her.
“Eek!”
The invisible lump of mana flew like a pellet, aiming for Lena’s head.
Lena, with closed eyes, covered her head with both hands and cowered in fright.
What. She really felt it?
This kid.
For real.
As expected of the Silent Witch!
“Oh… Not bad.”
“Ehehehehehe~.”
She seems to be weak to praise.
Lena started laughing sheepishly while scratching her head.
Although cute, it’s a rule not to show kindness when teaching.
I shot another mana bullet, and this time, Lena, who couldn’t dodge, whimpered while holding her forehead.
“Heeek…”
“If you felt mana, you should also know how to move mana, right? The way to move mana is simple. Give orders to the mana inside you. Through that, draw out your mana and use it to move nature’s mana.”
“Uh. Hmm. I don’t get it.”
“It’ll be easy if you try it. Here. Let’s go again.”
Lena hated pain.
How many people in the world would like pain?
Though she seemed to have a strange aversion to it.
So she’ll learn quickly, even if just to avoid pain.
And as I expected, just by getting hit by my mana bullet twice, Lena realized how to move mana.
Hmm. Indeed excellent.
“Magic is a kind of law that is achieved through spells and the movement of mana. It’s easy to think of spells as creating a framework for mana. Now. Let’s start by creating a flame.”
“Fuh-Fire?”
“Yeah. It’s the easiest magic among fire-type magic. This level of magic is called basic magic, and once you master all types of basic magic, you can be called a mage from then on.”
“Ah. Uh. Hmm. Got it.”
Lena clenched her fists and sparkled her eyes.
Talent and passion.
At this rate, I can teach her everything and have her obtain qualifications within a year.
“Work hard.”
“Ye-yes!”
***
The huge city was shaking. Because an immense darkness that no one could stop was approaching.
“Aaaaah!!”
“We, we have to run!!”
Everyone was terrified. Everyone was afraid.
“Even Taylor was beaten!”
“Aah!! Is there no one to save us!!”
Despair.
As if floundering in inescapable darkness, people were hoping for salvation.
And then, someone appeared.
“Th-that’s!!”
A silver thread illuminating the darkness.
The woman’s blue eyes, walking fearlessly towards the darkness while holding a huge staff, did not lose a single speck of light.
At her gait that seemed to fear nothing, people who had despaired began to shout one by one.
“S-she’s here!”
“She’s here! She’s here!”
It was natural for the sighs of despair to turn into cheers.
Because the walking woman was none other than one who had reached the pinnacle of magic.
The only woman in the world with the nickname “Great Mage.”
“Y-you are…?!”
A soldier struggling to fight the darkness asked cautiously when he saw the woman who appeared in front of him.
The head of the woman who was staring at the darkness turns.
She slowly removed the mask covering her face and spoke in a kind and gentle tone, unlike that great nickname.
“I’m Lena.”
A calm remark.
But the sense of stability created by that single remark was by no means small.
“Lena!”
“Great Mage!!!”
A beautiful woman who treats everyone kindly despite having all magic in her hands.
She was truly.
The real hero of this era.
.
.
.
“Eh. Ehehehehe…”
Lena, imagining a scene where powerful flames slash through darkness and lightning repel evil, suddenly came to her senses.
“…Ah?!”
“…You were daydreaming again, weren’t you?”
“Ah… Uh, that’s…”
She lost focus while fantasizing.
As Lena fidgeted and floundered in embarrassment, Lee Hyun, watching her warmly, placed a silver coin pouch in her hand.
“Go to the village and buy some vegetables. Let’s have grilled vegetables for dinner tonight. Buy your snacks with the leftover money. Your recent achievements aren’t bad, so it’s a reward.”
“Y-you’re not scolding me…?”
“Why bother when you’re doing well?”
Smiling contentedly, Lee Hyun patted Lena’s head.
A bright smile hung on Lena’s pretty face at that touch.
“Ah! Ye-yes!! I’ll, I’ll be back! Ah, uh! I’ll buy teacher’s alcohol too!!”
“I’d appreciate that.”
Lena, who received two silver coins from Lee Hyun, walked timidly towards the village.
In the past, when heading to the village, she would walk carefully, thinking she should gather mushrooms or herbs, but now, after learning from Lee Hyun for about a month, it wasn’t like that anymore.
Because Lee Hyun instructed that if she had time to pick herbs or mushrooms, she should recite spells one more time.
So she walked towards the village while focusing on spells.
“Huh? Isn’t that Lena?”
“I guess Lee Hyun isn’t coming today?”
“Ah. Uh. Ye. Yes.”
After becoming Lee Hyun’s disciple, people started to talk to her more often.
To be precise, it’s because she’s properly washed now, so she doesn’t look like a beggar anymore.
That, too, was due to Lee Hyun’s instruction, so it could also be said to be thanks to him.
“Wow, teacher is really amazing.”
How can one quickly become close with people?
Lee Hyun has only been here for a little over a month, but now he’s almost as close as a relative with the villagers.
Naturally, Lena, who is his disciple, also received their attention.
She still couldn’t adapt to the drastically changed position compared to the past.
“So that’s why I have these fantasies…”
In the past, they were fantasies she never even dreamed of.
Becoming a hero who saves people.
Receiving more praise and cheers from people and living like that.
It’s just a fantasy, but perhaps, just perhaps.
If she becomes an advanced mage by receiving Lee Hyun’s teachings, that dream may come true.
“Uh, yeah! Yeah! I, I have to work hard…”
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
A scream is heard from the market.
A scream in a village that’s always peaceful.
Startled, Lena hurriedly ran towards there to see.
“Give it back!! That’s what my husband left… Kyaaah!!”
“Hehehe! To think I’d obtain such a precious thing here!”
“Waaah! Mom! Mooom~!”
They were adventurers. They were trying to snatch Luceia’s necklace, and she was being threatened by the adventurers for resisting.
Crying next to her was Lorian.
Seeing them drawing their swords, Lena stepped forward without realizing it.
“What?! You wench!”
“…Uh. Hmm. Uh. I. Um. Uh, uhm. Th-that’s…”
‘What do I do?! What do I do?! Of all times for teacher to be away!!’
Everyone’s gaze was fixed on her.
Luceia was struggling while being grabbed by the collar and was looking at her.
The crying Lorian was looking at her pitifully as well.
Despite not being close, They always treated her kindly after helping her bathe at the bathhouse.
Those people were looking at her.
In the past, even if she had received such gazes, she would have just lowered her head and walked past.
Because she had no strength.
Perhaps it’s not much different even now.
Unlike her fantasy self, her current self is a mage who can barely use elementary magic.
It’s scary. She’s scared to face them.
So she closed her eyes, and so they just sneered.
“Wh-wh-wh-what are you doing?”
“Ehehehe! What’s a cowardly stutterer like you saying?!”
“Get lost before I beat you up too, got it?!”
At their threats, Lena unknowingly hunched her shoulders.
And soon she realized.
This current appearance was her past self who had no strength.
She wanted to change.
She wanted to transform.
Teacher had said,
To change, you have to build strength.
Teacher had said,
She has talent, and he will definitely help her gain strength.
It’s only been a month, but she learned a lot from him in a month.
Then there should be strength in this hand.
The strength to change her fearful self.
The strength to save those frightened people.
So Lena opened her closed eyes and raised her hand.
“Magic Arrow.”
Then there was light.