Chapter 41 - Chapter 40: The Hard Girl
The day after Mika safely finished his battle with the beast Sou-Labi.
In the usual training room next to the classroom, he was practicing magic control.
"Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh..."
Placing both hands on two crystal spheres the size of softballs set on a pedestal, he concentrated his consciousness so that the magic power inside him would not move.
But, ignoring Mika's resistance like that, the crystals were sucking out his magic power.
This was training to keep the magic power inside himself from leaving.
Mika resisted with all his might so that the magic power wouldn't be sucked out into the crystals, but----.
"Ughhh... it's no good..."
Mika pulled his hands away from the crystals.
The amount of magic power being sucked out wasn't much for Mika right now, but concentrating too hard was making his head hurt.
"Hahaha, Mika-kun. You should probably take a little break soon. The amount of magic power being sucked out isn't much, but the force sucking it out is strong in return. It won't be that easy."
Naporo, who was accompanying Charl in his magic sensing training next to him, spoke to Mika.
About two weeks had passed since the magic academy started, but basically everyone's training was focused on the ability to sense magic power.
During these two weeks, almost everyone had become able to sense magic power, but it seemed their precision was still low.
First, you raise the ability to sense magic power to a certain level, then you train to move the magic power, and in parallel, you train to keep the magic power inside.
That was the original education curriculum.
But, regarding magic sensing, Mika was already at a level where training was unnecessary, and his training to move magic power had also reached a certain level.
So, he was the only one doing a separate menu, training to keep magic power inside.
Mika was doing this training to keep magic power inside, deliberately in the state of "Limiter Off" where magic moves easily.
The reason was that in the "Limiter On" state, he could keep magic power inside quite easily.
It seems the current setting is still the lowest level, but there's no point in advancing too far ahead of everyone else, so he tried it with "Limiter Off" just to test it.
As a result, no matter how desperately Mika tried to keep the magic power inside, the magic power slipped out without any resistance.
Probably, this state is "Mika's original state," he couldn't help but let out a bitter smile.
Fearing an explosion caused by the state of leaking magic power, Mika started thinking up "conditioning" on his own.
But, originally, this kind of training is meant to teach you how to keep magic power inside yourself.
If this works as intended, conditioning won't be necessary anymore.
Thinking that, he was working on it quite seriously, but...
"Maybe I don't have any talent..."
Seeing Mika slump back in his seat, Messerite let out a bitter smile.
"What are you saying when you're the only one going ahead?"
Messerite had finished today's magic sensing training and was quietly doing his own magic movement training at his seat.
Training to move magic power is also done using magic tools, but if he wanted to, he could do it on his own like Mika was doing.
If you can feel the magic power inside yourself, you can train without relying on tools, so he was voluntarily training to move it while improving the precision of magic sensing.
"If Mika doesn't have talent, what am I supposed to do?"
"I just happened to be able to handle magic power earlier than everyone else."
"No, that's not normal."
Saying that, Messerite returned to his own training.
Mika hadn't noticed the magic power on his own either.
Thanks to having a small amount of magic power, he had noticed it because he was scheduled to have a ritual performed at the church.
Looking at the other children, everyone was at their own seats, concentrating and diligently doing their own training.
They weren't completely silent, but basically, without being told anything by the teachers, they were voluntarily training to move the magic power inside themselves.
Once you can sense magic power, you can move some of the magic power inside yourself.
Mika remembered being fascinated and engrossed in doing that too.
Seeing everyone engrossed in training to move magic power just like Mika was, he found it heartwarming and couldn't help but smile.
While everyone was diligently training on their own, he noticed Rimliche with a dark face alone.
Rimliche was looking down, her lips tightly pressed together, staring silently.
Right now, among the children in this class, only Rimliche and Charl were unable to sense magic power.
Of course, there are individual differences in the ability to sense magic power, and for those who started early, it took about three days.
It seems most children begin to sense magic power around one week.
Dagny and Naporo had also said that for slower children, it could take about two weeks, so he thought there was no need to worry that much yet, but for herself, it must have been a source of anxiety.
Just as Mika was thinking that, a loud voice suddenly went up: "Ngh!?"
Looking towards the sound of the voice, he saw Charl, looking excited, staring at his right hand.
"Did you feel it? That is magic power."
Naporo spoke to Charl with a smile, and everyone stood up from their seats and applauded in unison.
Calling out "Congratulations" one after another, Charl's face turned red happily, and he bowed his head to everyone.
Even that Murt didn't stand up, but sat in his seat and applauded for Charl.
Since that incident, Murt had become quite well-behaved.
When Mika greeted him, he used to just snort "Hmph," but now he replies with "Ah" or "Good morning..." in a low voice.
Polnard was still somewhat jittery, but he had also started talking with a smile more often.
Mika felt a sigh of relief, thinking the whole class was slowly moving in a good direction.
Suddenly, Mika became concerned about Rimliche and softly turned his gaze toward her.
Rimliche also stood up from her seat and was smilingly applauding for Charl.
But to Mika, that smile looked like an expression trying to endure pain and hold back tears, making his chest feel tight.
"...I wonder if she's okay."
He suddenly remembered this while changing into gym clothes after finishing lunch.
"What is it?"
"...About Rimliche."
Messerite slipped his arms into his gym clothes and stretched lightly.
It was time for the hellish march again. Recently, the pace had been increasing little by little, and it was really tough.
"Charl was able to sense magic power, so now only Rimliche is left, right? She seems to be worrying too much..."
"Ah... yeah, maybe she hasn't smiled much lately. She wasn't much of a smiler to begin with. ...But, isn't there nothing we can do?"
"Nothing we can do?"
Mika asked back.
"In the end, you have to fix it yourself anyway. Even if me or Mika say 'Do your best,' it will just sound like sarcasm, right?"
"Ah... yeah, maybe that's true."
There is nothing more irresponsible than a "Do your best" from someone who can do it.
Unless you are about to be able to do it, or can give specific advice, sensing magic power is entirely a matter of personal sensation.
If the situation were reversed, being told that while you were worrying might make you furious.
"Well, Mika managed somehow too, so maybe she'll manage somehow eventually?"
"Huh?"
Suddenly the topic turned to Mika, and he tilted his head.
"Maybe you don't realize it!? The Mika until yesterday was super scary! His eyes were fixed, he was muttering something! Honestly, I wanted to switch rooms even if it meant sharing with Murt-kun!?"
"Ah, ah..."
Giving Messerite a glare with half-lidded eyes, Mika could only let out a bitter smile.
Indeed, for this past week, he had been thinking about how to fight beasts day and night.
All he remembered was the memory of suppressing the urge to scream as his emotions exploded with frustration, inadequacy, and anger at himself.
And speaking of which, what did he do last week?
He had absolutely no memory of it.
"Sorry. A lot of things happened."
"Well, a lot of things must have happened."
Messerite let out a sigh.
"So, it means you have to overcome it yourself, right?"
"Well... yeah. Maybe so."
Mika slung the water bag over his shoulder and left the room with Messerite.
Thinking of the depressing three hours ahead, he walked slowly toward the ground.
■■■■■■
The 5th Saturday of the 1st Month of Water.
In other words, one month had passed since Mika and the others enrolled in the magic academy.
Tomorrow it becomes the 2nd Month of Water, and spring is supposed to start in earnest, but actually, it was already quite warm.
The daily march was becoming increasingly tough, and they had started alternating between jogging pace and walking pace.
But, there was no hellish march today. Since it was Saturday, the academy was only in the morning.
Since they planned to go on a fixed-fee quest tomorrow, Mika's mood was cheerful.
Leaving the usual training room, everyone returned to the classroom.
There was no homeroom-like thing for the return trip at the magic academy.
Announcements were made in the morning, and in the afternoon, they went straight from the ground to the dorms.
On Saturdays with only morning classes, after dispersing in the training room, they just went to get their belongings in the classroom and returned to the dorms.
Mika returned to the dorms with Messerite and ate lunch.
The dorm menu consisted of bread as the staple food, two side dishes with a large amount of beans, and a vegetable soup full of beans.
There was just a lot of beans.
It was an excellent thing rich in nutrition and protein, but honestly, eating this every day was depressing.
Still, the seasoning was thoughtfully prepared, so it was manageable for now.
If the main seasoning became like the Noisheim family's table, with just salt, he would get sick of meals and want to consider escaping the academy.
By the way, you could also add polenta to the meal.
It was a substitute for the staple bread, made by boiling corn into flour, or steaming or baking it like crushed dumplings.
It was a favorite dish where you could faintly feel the sweetness of the corn.
On days when there was baked polenta, Mika would eat less bread and eat more polenta instead.
After lunch, Mika was thinking about going to the tool shop for a bit.
He thought he should buy an antidote in preparation for tomorrow's quest.
It seems there are no poisonous species of beasts in the forest, but if they get wounded, they could still get infected with pathogens.
Until now, he had no money and wanted to keep the expense of 3,000 Rats down, but after completing several quests, he had at least figured out a rough plan.
It would be unbearable to lose your life because you were stingy with necessary expenses.
Since he wouldn't use it every time, he decided to keep it on hand as a precaution for emergencies.
As Mika left the dorms and headed toward the main gate of the academy, he noticed a figure heading toward the forest.
The magic academy grounds had a forest immediately after entering the main gate.
To the left of the main gate, a grassy area spread out, and behind it was the forest.
He didn't know why such a thing existed within the grounds, but he knew it existed from the day he moved in.
(...Is that...?)
Mika became curious about that figure and decided to follow him.
Telling himself he wasn't a stalker, just curious, he cautiously proceeded into the forest.
As he proceeded into the forest, he was able to find the target figure easily.
Mika hid behind a large tree and peeked to see the situation.
But, Mika immediately regretted following him.
"...Gus... Gus... hic..."
There, sitting at the base of a tree with his face buried in his knees, was Rimliche crying.
It seemed Rimliche had come here to be alone in this forest.
Anyone wouldn't want to be seen in a place like this.
In dorm life, it was difficult to make time to be alone.
So, she had come alone to a forest where no one seemed to be, and was hiding and crying.
(...Really, I'm such a guy...)
He felt ashamed for stepping into such a small girl's utmost secret with muddy boots.
(Leave her alone quietly like this.)
Thinking that, Mika was about to leave the spot----.
Snap.
He had stepped on and broken a small branch that had fallen at his feet.
At his own terrible mistake, he couldn't help but hold his breath and look up at the sky.
(---I've done it now!)
Sweat gushed out from his whole body.
"W-Who is it?"
Rimliche hurriedly wiped her tears and looked fearfully toward where the sound came from.
For a moment, he thought he might be able to pass it off, but no matter how you looked at it, it was impossible.
Mika let out a long sigh, resigned, and revealed himself from behind the tree he was hiding in.
"...Mika-kun?"
"Um, sorry..."
Mika felt awkward, and his gaze kept moving around.
Mika had been a nice old man in his previous world, but he was somehow troubled by a girl's tears.
Unable to say even a single comforting word, he scratched his head.
"Haha... you got seen in a weird place."
Rimliche also seemed embarrassed, blushing and forcing a smile awkwardly.
But, that smile quickly twisted, and tears spilled over as she couldn't hold them back.
"Ugh... I'm sorry... Ugh... I... I... like this..."
Covering her face with both hands, Rimliche burst into tears she couldn't hold back.
Mika stood frozen, unable to move.
Because he was pondering what he could do for her.
But, realizing that thought was wrong, Mika gathered his courage and stood next to Rimliche.
"...Sit down."
Supporting Rimliche's shoulder, he made her sit there, and Mika sat next to her as well.
(...You don't have to do anything. Just being by your side is enough.)
Mika didn't hold Rimliche's hand, nor did he put his hand on her trembling shoulders; he just stayed by her side silently.
At least, he thought he should do that much.
Until Rimliche stopped crying, he would stay...
About 30 minutes must have passed, and Rimliche's sobs had stopped.
Unable to leave Rimliche who was still sitting there with her face buried in her knees, Mika continued to sit next to her as before.
Watching ants carry insect legs.
(How many times their own weight can ants carry? About a hundred times? Well, it depends on the species.)
Passing the time thinking about such things.
He glanced sideways at Rimliche.
She was still sitting still, showing no sign of moving.
Mika let out a quiet sigh so she wouldn't notice.
"...Mika-kun."
"Hya!"
Suddenly called by Rimliche, a strange sound came out of him.
Realizing his face was getting hot, he coughed lightly to cover it up and asked back, "What?"
"You aren't saying anything..."
"............, I don't know what to say."
"Is that so..."
Again, an awkward silence fell.
Mika wiped the sweat from his forehead and secretly took a deep breath.
"...Everyone is amazing."
Rimliche said something like that.
"What?"
"...I don't understand magic power."
It seemed Rimliche was worried about not being able to sense magic power.
It had already been one month since the magic academy started.
Even Charl, who was the last one remaining, had cleared it two weeks ago.
Only Rimliche was still unable to do it.
"Cecilia and Charl both said I would be able to understand it too! But I don't understand! There's no way I could understand something like that!"
Perhaps her emotions were rising again, and the sound of her sobbing could be heard occasionally.
Mika looked up.
There was a huge spider web high up in the tree, and a large hole in it caught his attention.
"If it stays like this, I... I... will be kicked out of this academy, right...? I have nowhere else to go..."
"I don't think that will happen."
For the first time, he voiced his own opinion in response to Rimliche's words.
Rimliche was still burying her face in her knees as usual.
"...Why... can you know such things... to me, Mika-kun?"
He realized Rimliche was tilting her head slightly and looking at Mika.
She was asking him timidly.
"This magic academy in the Marquisate is like a bonus. The real thing for us is the capital, right? There's no meaning in kicking us out of here."
The magic academy in the capital was the true "Mage Training School."
This magic academy in the Marquisate was, in a way, like a cram school or prep school.
Mika concluded so from the lesson content at this magic academy over the past month.
Even though it was morning lectures, they were mostly about magic sensing and magic control.
He had never had a proper lecture about magic power.
There was maybe a little lecture about Kingdom history.
Here, if you can add basic abilities as a mage, that's good enough.
Even if that doesn't happen, if you acquire the knowledge necessary as a mage, you could say it was worth gathering everyone for just that.
Well, it's only been one month of the first year, so he didn't think this would continue for two years, but if he could learn even a little, that would be fine.
He thought they might be thinking that.
He explained these things roughly, but Rimliche still didn't seem convinced.
"Mika-kun can think that because you can do it. You have amazing talent..."
Rimliche seemed to have calmed down a bit, but now she hugged her knees with both arms and curled up tightly.
(Talent. Talent, huh...)
Mika was not originally the target who should be here.
He slipped through the measurement at age seven, and if he thought about it now, he could say his magic power at the time was practically non-existent.
That was, thanks to a chance opportunity from a church ritual, he had carved out a path.
If that is called talent, then so be it, but...
(Church... ritual...?)
A thought suddenly occurred to Mika.
But, he immediately dismissed it.
(No, no, no, stop it. I'm getting sick again.)
Mika suppressed his idea.
If it were just about himself, it would be one thing, but he couldn't drag others along with his rash actions.
Mika glanced at Rimliche.
Rimliche still had a worried expression on her face.
Rimliche would surely continue to worry from now on.
And, she might cry alone hidden here again.
(...I seem to be a reckless person.)
Before he realized it, he had spoken those words aloud.
"For that reason, the village priest often scolded me."
For the six months before coming to the academy, Kifrod had frequently lectured him at the church.
Don't suddenly do things you've never done just because you think you can do them.
If you know it's no good, don't break it.
It had only been about one month, but it felt strangely nostalgic.
Rimliche was looking at Mika, wondering what story this was.
"But, because of that... uh, no, thanks to that, I understood how to handle magic power a little."
At those words, Rimliche gasped.
Mika thought that this magic academy in the Marquisate was like a cram school or prep school, and even if nothing was learned, he would just be able to stand alongside children entering at age ten in the capital.
But, that was only because it was Mika who could think that; it was probably impossible for Rimliche.
If she continued with the current training, she might awaken the ability to sense magic power by next week.
But, nothing might change.
And, if that continued for another two years, could this child endure it?
(Probably not...)
Mika slowly stood up and stood in front of Rimliche.
"To be honest, I have received this 'this' done to me, but I have never done it myself. So, I can't guarantee it will go well, and even if it goes well, I can't say anything will change."
Rimliche was looking up at Mika.
Was that expression fear?
Or was it expectation?
No, she might just be staring blankly at Mika because she couldn't understand the sudden story Mika had started.
"But, maybe with this method, you might be able to sense magic power too."
Mika looked straight at Rimliche.
Rimliche's bangs covered her eyes, but he could tell her eyes were wide open in shock.
"...Can such a thing... be done?"
"Who knows."
Rimliche's voice was trembling.
Mika weakly shrugged his shoulders.
"...Even I can sense magic power...?"
"I don't know."
He couldn't guarantee it at all that it would work.
How nice it would be if he could say, "Yes, you can."
Rimliche looked down, wearing the same expression of tightly pressed lips he had seen before.
That expression was painful, as if she was enduring pain, and her tightly pressed lips trembled slightly.
"..."
Rimliche muttered something.
Mika could not hear those words.
"Do it!"
Rimliche stood up vigorously and looked straight at Mika with eyes holding a strong light.
Since they first met, Rimliche had always looked down, lacking confidence, and this was the first time she had shown such strong will.
"It's not guaranteed to go well."
"It's fine, do it!"
Mika sighed even though he had encouraged himself.
Closing his eyes, lowering his shoulders, he firmly made up his mind in his heart.
(...If I'm going to do it, I will definitely succeed...!)
He had no intention of treating it lightly just because it wasn't his own business.
Just like the first time he healed his own burn, he would challenge it with all his nerves concentrated.
Mika whispered, "Limiter Off."
"Put your hand on top of mine."
Like Radi had done, he held out both hands to Rimliche with his palms facing up.
Rimliche hesitated for a moment, stopping her hand, but soon placed her hand on top of Mika's.
"Breathe in and out deeply and slowly."
As Mika said, Rimliche breathed in and out slowly.
(Radi said it wouldn't hurt. In my case, I can't guarantee such a thing at all.)
After all, it was the first time doing it.
Including the results, there was nothing he could guarantee.
"Well then, here we go."
At Mika's voice, Rimliche silently nodded.
(Radi said something like weak and thin, right? But if you can feel it with that, you would have sensed it long ago. ...Let's go with a little more.)
Mika gathered magic power, intending to create the magic sphere he had made before in both hands.
And, as he moved the magic power intending to create a magic sphere on his palm, he noticed the magic power dispersing on its own.
(......Eh?)
It was a phenomenon he had never seen before.
Even though he was concentrating, the magic power was dissipating on its own.
But, magic power was Mika's range of perception.
He quickly figured out what this phenomenon was.
(Is magic colliding with magic, and only I am being unilaterally interfered with? No, it's not interference, this is...)
Mika gathered several times the amount of magic power in both hands.
The amount of magic power was enough to create a Fireball.
He pushed that magic power up to his palm.
But, even then, the magic power dispersed the moment it touched Rimliche's hand.
(This is no joke... Am I going to hammer more magic power onto a person? In that case, I really can't predict what will happen.)
Rimliche's magic power was extremely stable.
Originally, the ability to sense magic power is the ability to feel the fluctuation of one's own magic power.
And, for that reason, at first, you make your own magic power unstable through external interference, and by sensing that, you cultivate the sensation.
In other words, the magic tools used in the academy's training, and Mika's current magic power, were unable to shake Rimliche's magic power.
That was all there was to it.
(How rock-hard is this? This girl's magic power is too hard!)
As Mika exhaled, he felt Rimliche's anxious gaze.
"Don't give up. I haven't given up."
"Y-Yes..."
Rimliche pressed her lips together and nodded.
"Having said that, it is a fact that I am struggling. It will be reckless. What do you want to do?"
Mika confirmed again.
It was certainly far beyond Mika's prediction that it was this tough up to this point.
"It's fine. I trust you, Mika-kun."
"Understood."
Mika closed his eyes and concentrated his consciousness.
If the magic power exceeds this, it becomes the magic power used when creating a Waterball, Stone Bullet, or Air Cutter.
Even the magic power of a Fireball is a dangerous amount, but with this much magic power, if Mika doesn't challenge it with serious concentration, the magic might manifest unintentionally.
If the magic power explodes like it did with the Sou-Labi, it will blow off Rimliche's hand.
(I will definitely succeed! Right now, I will make you sense magic power too, Rimliche!)
Mika gathered enough magic power to create a Waterball and pressed it against Rimliche's hand.
But, Mika's magic power dispersed as it was.
Mika immediately gathered enough magic power to create a Stone Bullet and pressed it against Rimliche's hand.
At that moment----.
Jerk!
Suddenly Rimliche's body jumped.
Her legs trembled violently, she clung tightly to Mika's arm painfully, and even so, her waist went limp and she fell.
(Damn!? I went too far!)
Mika panicked and supported Rimliche's body, but Rimliche slid down and sat on the ground.
"Rimliche! Stay calm! Rimliche!"
"...Ah... Ah..."
Mika desperately called out to Rimliche and supported her body.
It seemed Rimliche couldn't support her own body; she slumped down and grabbed Mika's clothes with trembling hands.
"Rimliche!!!"
When Mika called out strongly, Rimliche's face slowly turned upward.
Rimliche's cheeks were dyed red, and her eyes were moist.
"............M-magic... so amazing...?"
With an ecstatic expression, her voice trembling, Rimliche muttered so.